Put Out The Fire

I've been feeling like I'm on a different plane of existence lately.  This time of year is a season of change for me as the regular school year comes to a close and I regain my freedom for 8 weeks of summer holidays.  Even though this is so...there is a definite disconnect I've felt not only with Rider Nation but with the Canadian Football League in general. 

The fire I used to feel has dwindled. 

I've been watching a Netflix show called Dark.  The premise is that there are several different time lines going on and using different methods explored in the show a person can travel between them and to different points in history.  I feel like I am still on a 3 year remake of the Riders timeline but they are over there and I can't quit make the connection.

As much as I am behind Craig Dickenson, here we are with another coaching change just as the Roughriders were making strides under Chris Jones.  The departure of Jones also meant Jeremy O'Day stepped in as General Manager.  There were numerous Quarterbacks available in free agency and the Riders failed to lure any of them to Saskatchewan.  We signed Zach Collaros who as my mother put it was one bonk on the head away from being done...and that's exactly how it happened.  If fans felt any excitement or hope before, now it's even more frustrating.  Fans like to know the names of the guys on the team and often complain that besides a couple players they don't know who they are anymore.  

Have we lost our identity?

It's increasingly expensive to attend games.  Ticket prices go up as do everything else.  Want to feed the family?  Those trendy items they show on the TSN broadcast will set you back more than $20.  Drinks?  Wait, do you want to buy some merch from the store?  Good luck.  There's not much for under $20 there either.  The first jersey I ever bought was $60 and now you can't even walk away with a golf shirt for that amount of money.  It's harder now than ever to support your favourite team.  Yet Rider Nation is loyal and we still do it and attend games but this fan is feeling it and I'm sure many are.  

We are getting bored...

...bored and frustrated.

It's not just the Riders.  There's plenty in the CFL to be disillusioned with.  

The 2018 season ended with two Roughriders Quarterbacks being injured and the leagues answer was to put another set of eyes on the field.  All the talk in the off season was about making the game safer.  Jonathon Rose who?  Yeah, they forgot all about him and neglected to dish out any punishment because they were too busy negotiation the new CBA but what good did it do?  In the 3rd play of the season a Riders QB was again taken out of a game and when the suspensions were handed down the CFLPA decided to back the offender Simoni Lawrence who said he was "super sorry" but not sorry enough to actually take responsibility for his actions.  He gets to play while the CFL and PA try to find a date they can meet and all the while Zach Collaros is on the 6 game injured list, at home in Hamilton and who knows if he'll actually ever play again.

Everything feels broken.

There was a discussion on ABC Rider Fans about the fine to Makana Henry.  Some felt he should have been suspended as well.  The CFL/PA doesn't take a hard enough stance against any of these things.  Jamey Person (top contributor to ABC Rider Fans) pointed out that if it was dealt with harsher players would think twice about what they do.  He may have a point.  I personally think that it starts long before any player hits the CFL.  It starts with education and education of everyone.  Young players need to not only be taught what a correct tackle looks like but how to avoid hits in fast game play.  At the same time officials need to be better educated to deal with these things when they happen.  Use the Eye in the Sky or whatever it's called to get these things right.  It has a trickle down effect and even though it won't fix today's issue it will protect players of the future.  I think some of this is already happening and it's veteran players who we are still seeing using this old style of play trying to push it off as "I didn't mean to" and "I'm really a nice guy".  

What are fans to do?  Around the CFL attendance seems to be dwindling and the more the media brings it up the less I suspect people want to attend.  All of what I've talked about is contributing to the current state of things.  I saw a Twitter post by Paul LaPolice saying that if kids want to go play catch during warm ups to meet in the end zone with him and the Quarterbacks.  Wow.  My first memory of the Riders was of a Roughrider visiting my school and apparently I'm the only one of my classmates who remembers it at all but it obviously left an impression on me!  It starts at the bottom - give the kids something to love and they'll bring their parents. The Riders had a marketing campaign like this several years ago and let's face it...there's not a more lovable mascot around than that of Gainer the Gopher.

So where does this leave us?  

A win solves a lot of issues.

It's Canada Day and the Saskatchewan Roughriders aka Canada's Team are hosting the Toronto Argonauts Monday at 5pm.  They are promising to unveil the nations biggest Canadian flag, the 50/50 is over $100000, 30000 rally towels are being given away and Big Sugar is playing halftime...oh yeah...and a football game is happening!  I'll be there in my new seats in 118 and I know regardless of the outcome it's going to be a great experience.

Now - where did I put that cowbell?