5 Most Popular Blog Posts of 2018

Stores are frantically filling their empty shelves with Valentine's and Easter goodies but this Roughrider blogger is still feeling nostalgic.  I'll be packing up my Christmas decorations this weekend but for now I'm still looking back at 2018 and some of the topics which readers of ABC Football read and reacted to the most.  I've been reading over the last month about what makes sports blogs better and the thing I've seen most is 'don't put stock into the amount of views' and while keeping tabs on numbers isn't the number one thing I do in my spare time (what's that?) I won't discount that without readers there's no way I'd still be consistently putting out blogs since my first post in 2012.  I've learned a lot since then and I think the following topics in this weeks installment of the Football Friday 5 show that.  If you haven't had the pleasure of following all these stories I encourage you to step back with me and don't hesitate to explore the links listed here or in my blog archive.

5.  HOW SWEET IT IS was a post written right after the Labour Day Classic on September 4th 2018.  The Riders had just beat the Bombers and all of Rider Nation was riding high at 6 and 4 at that point in the season.  Chris Jones had made his first appearance in the Rider green Diversity is Strength tee shirt a few games earlier and we all decided he should never take it off.  It's funny how much conversation the mans wardrobe has always garnered.  

Meme from ABC Rider Fans Spirit Week

4.  T G D C was an acronym standing for Thank Goodness for Duron Carter and the title of a blog post from May 2nd, 2018.  Not much was going on at the time and there was a lull in the CFL news when Duron Carter started tweeting about how Bring 'em Out had gotten old and it needed to be shaken up.  His tweets broke up the doldrums.  Other topics of my blog consisted of Training Camp, parking for game goers, Don Narcisse moving home, CFL clothing, Brodie Lawson and the Broncos bus crash.  Who knew that by Labour Day Carter would find himself released from the Riders and who knew that Rob Bagg who had been released with other vets at the end of Training Camp would be welcomed back into the Riders locker room with open arms.  This change seemed to have a huge impact on how the Roughriders finished their season.  While Duron seems to be a terrific guy off the field we do see him without a team in 2019.  Will he end up in the AAFL too?  I guess we have to wait and see. 

3.  WINNIPEGISH.  Winnipegish is a word I first heard used on CKRM's Sportscage to describe Blue Bomber fans and their reactions to pretty much anything.  I thought it was appropriate to use as the title of this May 14th 2018 blog about Darian Durant and how he had signed with the football club and then scampered off with his $70K signing bonus.  Fans laughed at Rider Nation as players like Maurice Price signed, got the bonus and then promptly retired.  Apparently, it's not so much fun when the cleat is on the other foot but it sure was entertaining from this side of the border.  I was a huge fan of Darian Durant and I did support him.  I also worked through many of my feelings on him and the entire subject of his trade to the Alouettes in other blog posts.  Rider fans are not known for accepting change very well either.  Durant had Rider Radio pregame segments and did return to Mosaic Stadium to watch a home game...will CFL fans see him end up on the coaching side of football or after his contract with the Bombers expires will he end up elsewhere?  

Shared from the Saskatoon Hilltops Twitter while Durant was game ambassador.

2.  Number two and number one on this list work hand in hand.  My second most popular post of 2018 was a follow up blog entitled Weighing a Response.  Without giving away the number one post of 2018 I'm moving on. Please continue reading!

Quote from Sue Turner Moderator at ABC Rider Fans

1.  SIZING UP THE CFL was a blog post published on February 16th 2018.  This was a blog post that had male and female CFL fans commenting, tweeting, and messaging me their thanks for bringing up the subject of the lack of quality, sizing and choice for fans who don't fit the "model".  Female fans having to buy men's merchandise to represent their team because the ladies sizing was poor, more expensive and just not all inclusive.  Men told me that they too had issues with sizing not being right for them.  Fabrics were either cheap feeling or not comfortable enough.  It was a subject in which I got an overwhelming response.    At the urging of several people, who you'll find named in WEIGHING A RESPONSE , I emailed my blog to Randy Ambrosie who passed it down the chain I'm guessing because I did get a response from the CFL.  I was assured that I would see the model change and that they were working hard to ensure every fan has comfortable merchandise to choose from.  Now a lot of people thought that was just a form letter type of response but near the end of the 2018 season we did see the announcement that the CFL was ending it's relationship with Adidas and New Era would be taking over in 2019.  You can read that announcement HERE.  I am strongly encouraged by this news as I do own a few pieces of New Era merchandise and I think this is a move to make us all more content.  You can bet that when the full line rolls out I will be there to review everything.  As I promised, this is not a subject that our diverse fan bases cannot ignore and I will continue to keep my eyes on the topic.

There you have it - my 5 Most Popular Posts of 2018.  If you liked this blog don't forget to share it with others who might also enjoy it.  Don't miss out on last weeks feature 5 Biggest Stories in the CFL of 2018.  Thanks for reading in 2018 and don't forget that our continued interaction helps to make blogging all worth while.