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.

The Drive Home

For those who don't know, I live in Saskatoon and am a Saskatchewan Roughrider season ticket holder.  This means that we drive 3 hours to every home game as well as 3 hours return trip.  Lot's of fans drive farther.  The drive to the game is usually filled with nervous anticipation, strategy talk and excitement.  The drive home? Well, it varies depending on how the game went.  One thing that is for certain - 3 hours gives you a long time to think especially after a loss.

Let's start with the Riders Offensive Line.  Every play the line back pedals and while that is expected a certain amount that leaves next to nothing for a pocket for the quarterback.  I don't know what the problem is here.  Are they under sized?  Are they old?  Are they not athletic enough?  Are they not smart enough?  I've heard fans say that their performance was better in the last few games but this is a problem that plagues us and this Roughriders team and has for several seasons now.  It doesn't matter who the quarterback is - they need to protect and if they don't no QB will be productive.  People also talk about whether the O Line knows what the QB is doing or not and that's why plays collapse but to me they should be able to do their jobs and do them well regardless of who is standing in the pocket.  Once I saw a Calgary defender drive Thad Coleman into Brandon Bridge.  I'm not laying blame and certainly the Stamps deserve credit, but should it be that easy?  Every team knows that all you have to do is apply a little bit of pressure and the O Line collapses faster than a flip up tent from Canadian Tire.  Brendan LaBatte was the unsung hero in Week 6 but the man can't do it alone.  This team needs improvement on the line first and foremost.

We all know that since Week 2 when Zach Collaros was taken out of the game due to concussion the Roughriders have had to go with back ups Brandon Bridge and David Watford.  There's been the carousel much to the chagrin of Riders media, which also worked effectively by the way.  Brandon Bridge himself is a curious subject.  He has such tremendous arm strength but to me he's a bit like Bam Bam from the Flintstones because he doesn't realize the strength he possesses.  Sure he can over throw a missile down field but then he also launches missiles when attempting screen passes.  When I re-watched Saturday's game ( I know I'm a glutton for punishment) I again noticed the mechanics of a Bridge throw.  It's awkward, he releases and there's no follow through.  I wonder if this is something that is being worked on with his Quarterback Coach?  Now, if you are a receiver how do you catch balls throw in this fashion?  They more often than not go through the hands and hit you in the chest with great force.  We often say things like "the receiver should have had that" but are they actually catch-able balls?  So I've thought long and hard (about 2 hours worth of driving) that the coaches are trying to teach him how to adjust his throwing pressure.  They are only giving him plays in which he can succeed.  He will keep getting these plays until he learns them.  I'm sure it's a similar situation for Watford however this is his first year in the CFL and less would be expected from him whereas Bridge has been in the league 4 seasons now.  

On this same subject, I was trying to relate the situation to something in my own life.  I am a piano teacher of students aged 4 - 84.  Every student walks in wanting to play Fur Elise by Beethoven.  It's not going to happen at least for 3 years.  I have to teach and instruct in layers of knowledge and give songs and pieces which gets them to the next level so eventually they can play the things they want.  When they don't accomplish the skill, they get asked to do it over and over again until they can prove to me they know it.  This also describes the Roughriders offense.  They can't play Moonlight Sonata yet because they haven't learned how to perform Alouette, Gentille Alouette.

We're an hour away from home and now I'm thinking about the O Line and Quarterback combined.  The play is off...you're trying to make the read...your O Line is collapsing...dump the ball off.  Ball security is of number one priority so the next play instead of throwing you're going to relieve some pressure and hand off to your running back.  Maybe you have to do that several times because things are just moving so fast your can't go through your progressions.  Do you run?  Do you force a play?  The crowd is booing the decisions.  It's gotten really messy really quickly.  You can't execute the plays because everything is moving so fast.  Some points you just have to run to try to make something happen.  It's not good.  Not good at all.  

We usually arrive home by 1am after a 7pm game.  It's exhausting and all my thoughts continue to roll around in my head all night long.  I know we are all frustrated with the production of the offense on the Saskatchewan Roughriders and I also know that the coaches are doing everything they can as well.  Rider fans are known for extreme emotions and often it's polarizing.  "Plan the parade" or "Fire Jones".  None of us are very rational during trying times but I personally try to be logical.  We did lose against the number one CFL team.  The Calgary Stampeders were indeed the best team in the league going into the game being 6 - 0 now 7 - 0.  What did we think was going to happen?  I actually thought the game was going to be far worse! If we take away the fumbles in the first quarter the Riders are right there competing for the win.  I know we can't change how that quarter played out but we can give the team total credit for not giving up.  The Riders did have momentum going into the second half and they kept chipping away at the deficit.  

Today, Zach Collaros was able to practice and whether he'll be playing in Thursday's game against the Edmonton Eskimos at Commonwealth Stadium is another question but these are mine...  Can our Offensive Line protect him?  Can Zach get time in the pocket?  Can they pass protect AND run block?  Can our offense execute plays competently enough to put us/the Riders in a position to win? 

The devastating news of the day was the release and criminal charges of Jerome Messam.  This is so upsetting, shocking and disappointing.  I'm not going to go into detail because the news can be found everywhere on the internet as well as the ABC Rider Fans Facebook page.  The Roughriders aren't commenting and that's fine with me.  With the charge being voyeurism I've decided I don't want to know further details.  

The bright spot for Monday was that the Riders signed streaker tackler Marcell Young, that Nick Marshall was practicing and that Duron Carter was back on offense.  We will all have to tune in to the game on Thursday to see how these changes shake out.  This will be the Riders 4th Thursday night game for those keeping track.  Edmonton is often a difficult city for our Riders to play in.  I'm hoping for a competitive game.

As always, and in spite of everything - Go Riders.

~ Friday Football Five ~

The Saskatchewan Roughriders came out victorious after a back to back series against the Hamilton TigerCats.  Wahoo! 3-2!  Here's how I see things:

1.  The turning point of the game was when Brendan LaBatte was injured and returned to the game to gut it out in the trenches.  What tremendous character, athleticism and leadership all wrapped up in one guy nicknamed Blue.  I believe this one thing is what pulled the team together.  At the same time, I don't want to hear about why the Riders only back up was Eddie Steele.  Eddie Steele himself must be amazing to be able to play both ways even if it was only a short time. Sure there are depth problems on the offensive line but this one single storyline was the difference.

2.  I am so exhausted of hearing about the so called quarterback carousel. We heard it from Glen Suitor and we hear it from all the sports media/pundits who by the way all counted us out in this game.  The bottom line here is that one guy, whether it was Branden Bridge or David Watford, had to make a move to step forward and show that he wanted that spot.  The reward?  You play well and you get more playing time.  You falter and out you come from the game.  That seems pretty motivational to me.  Not only that, but we also saw these two quarterbacks come together to help each other out.  It wasn't that Chris Jones finally heard everyone complaining...no, it was that Air Canada was doing the right things and earned the time.  You can pat yourselves on the back if you want for thinking Chris Jones finally saw the light but you will be very wrong because he doesn't care what you think and he doesn't care what I think.  That's how a 4 Grey Cup winning coach operates and I applaud that.

3.  The play calling is boring.  Is it?  The whole first half was a set up for what was going to happen in the second half.  It became apparent to me in the end of the second quarter when the Riders kept running the ball and even instead of taking a knee on the last play, they ran once more.  This whole scheme was to set up for the second half of the game when the Ticats were keying on the run and we were able to take to the air.  The short throws from side to side are also to set up the run game.  Football is like a chess game.  If this one thing works then the next thing can work.  Instead of calling out the offensive coach let's take a step back and think about these things. Play calling is one thing and execution of the play is another.  In the game last night the Riders executed.

4.  Torches and pitch forks.  After the game when I took a cruise through the various fan pages I was surprised to see Ticats fans very upset with their team and coach.  It's surprising to see people wanting Johnny Manziel in the game.  Why?  For a few weeks those of us in the west have viewed Masoli as the hottest quarterback in the league...that was until he played the Riders.  What has Manziel proved?  These same fans are the people who also didn't like what the Riders were doing with our quarterbacks.  What do you want?  Do you want the next guy when the starter isn't doing what you want?  Do you want a guy to find a rhythm?  You can't have it both ways.  Be happy with what you do have.  Ultimately, I think Hamilton's downfall was that they game planned for the team they played two weeks ago and not the refreshed and tuned in team that was coming in.  That would explain why they tried a trick play...and, well, we know how that went for them.

5.  Funny - no one is talking about Duron Carter this week.  You remember him right?  Bo Levi Mitchell's favourite receiver?  Next week the Stampeders roll into Mosaic Stadium.  They are without doubt the best team in the league right now.  Bo Levi had a leg injury in Week 5 but has been named starter in their tilt against the Montreal Alouettes.  Will Carter get a chance to pick him off again?  We'll all have to wait to see!  I'll be in my seat in section 126 as usual.  

Thanks for reading as always.  Don't forget to look for my Power "Groupings" at the end of each week and join us on ABC Rider Fans to continue the conversation!

You Lose Some & You Win Some

The Saskatchewan Roughriders lost in tragic fashion to the worst team in the league only 6 days ago and everyone...even you Rider Nation...gave up.  All the so called CFL specialists figured there's no way this team can show up and beat the hottest team in the league aka the Hamilton TigerCats.  Except that's just what the Riders did.  They lost the game they should have won and won the game everyone figured they should have lost.  That's exactly what happens on any given week in the CFL and that's exactly how Week 4 turned out for our Saskatchewan Roughriders.

I woke up Thursday morning with a good feeling in my heart.  We were going to win this one.  I'm not a fortune teller or some sort of medium but I knew it was going to be a beautiful Thursday night of football from the best stadium in the country.  No it wasn't a sell out but when so many members of Rider Nation travels into Regina from afar for each game and given their sad performance less than a week earlier it's no surprise that just over 30,000 people were in attendance.  In my opinion, it's the fans who made the biggest difference in this game.  Just as the team came out flatter than a crepe against the Alouettes so did the fans.  There was nothing happening in the stands.  No dancing.  No cheering.  Zip.  In contrast, the Thursday night game lit a spark under the fans and people were on their feet and cheering and yelling and making noise with whatever means available.  Just like in theater the actors feed off the audiences reaction so it is in football as we saw late in the game with under 4 minutes to go members of the Roughriders standing on the benches encouraging Rider fans to be even louder.  Poor old Taylor Field would have crumbled under the vibrations.  It was incredible.

Two pundits were sitting directly behind me.  I had to hear their commentary all game long.  This was a such and such play.  That play was called this.  That guy was open.  Yaddah yaddah yaddah. The one guy didn't even know that Thigpen was on our team!  "When was he signed?"  I sat there biting my tongue when the one guy said Watford threw 4 interceptions last game.  THESE are the people who phone in to the post game shows and criticize our coaches and players for things they don't comprehend.  There's no point in conversing with them or telling them otherwise so instead I endured their lack of insight all game long.  Oh, and they didn't cheer once.  So there's also that.

O Line during warmups.

For a long time now I've said with a poor offensive line ( and offensive they are!) it's not going to matter who the quarterback is because they'll have to run for their life almost every play.  This is the number one problem with our offence in my opinion.  For whatever reason, maybe size or strength, they can't hold their own and back peddle almost every play.  Can they run block? Can they pass protect?  Are they just old and slow?  Was the release of Travis Bond a mistake?  Was there more to that story than we know? How about the development and constant injury of Josiah St John? Let's hope over this bye week there is some serious reflection and correction going on to help our quarterbacks out.

Now all that being said about our O Line what quarterback do you play?  We barely got to know Zach Collaros before his concussion injury sidelined him.  Brandon Bridge is the next guy up.  You'd think after spending 4 years in the CFL he'd have a good handle on what's required of him and starting a game.  I remember thinking last season how Bridge would look great when entering a game in relief of a pulled Kevin Glenn but when he started he was less than stellar.  Throw in an offensive line that can't protect him or any QB, poor decision making, lack of timing and you've got a guy who has to run for his life and turtle on the ground faster than Tino Sunseri can say uncle. This is why, in my opinion, we saw the use of Watford who is a rookie in the league in his first year with the Roughriders.  He looks sure of himself in the huddle, is able to move the pocket, and scramble when he needs to.  Neither quarterback threw an interception and protecting the ball was paramount. This was a huge mistake that was corrected over Week 3.  Messam was used with Bridge to pound the ball and Thigpen and Mason was used with Watford or we saw a mixture.  Instead of trying to use the tandem to confuse Hamilton's defence, I think it was used to force our O Line to protect no matter who was in the game. I think there's a lot of nonsense going around about leadership, but I'm looking for the leadership from the hoggies up front and not the guy who is forced to run for his life because of their play.  There seemed to be no rhyme or reason for which QB was in the game at any given time but that's fine with me.  I'm not the coach and I don't know what is supposed to be happening.  Just because we don't understand it doesn't mean it isn't the right thing to do.  Only Chris Jones knows these details for sure.

Cue the fire Jones brigade. Some people have never liked Chris Jones and nothing I say, or anyone says, will make a difference.  But hear this.....  Chris Jones is General Manager, Vice President of Football Operations, Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator.  Chris Jones is FOUR people.  You fire him and then what?  Not only do you have to find someone to replace him but you need to replace those four other salaries as well.  Who do you get at this point in the season?  Are you prepared to pay out his salary?  Are you prepared to have a coach strip the team down and embark on another three year rebuild?  Next up, people are criticizing John Murphy for not being able to find the right talent.  Where does it end?  We won on Thursday!  We won!   Shouldn't we all be happy with that?

Apparently not because next on the bash list is Duron Carter who should be commended for his disciplined play on Thursday night.  He didn't take one penalty.  He did whatever was asked of him.  At one point he was in the secondary and in the next play was in the offence.  How many players can do that?  In the pregame he was signing autographs and this morning (Friday) answering questions over breakfast on Instagram.  The CFL likes nothing more than to pin the villain tag on a player but they are barking up the wrong turd and tree here.  If they want to pin that on someone we have to look no farther than Kyries Hebert who has a history of playing dirty and got a one game suspension for doing as much although we all know one game was not nearly enough.  I saw Duron develop in this game.  His play was entirely improved over week 3 and we saw his team mates helping him out to do it.  To all of you who think DC needs to be on offence...with the way our offence is playing do you really think Carter would be getting the ball anyway?  Let's use his incredible athletic talents in any way we can until Nick Marshall is able to return or we find a suitable replacement.  I remain, if this was just a DB in there making DB mistakes no one would care - but you do because it's Duron Carter.

The scene from my seats July 5th.

The last thing I want to discuss is how the CFL and TSN are knocking these Thursday night game broadcasts out of the park!  The crowd was electric.  People were dancing.  The music by Tim Hicks was great although personally I enjoyed the Hunter Brothers from Saturday's game slightly more but it was good nonetheless.  Kudos to the TSN crew for putting this all together and Brodie Lawson for hosting the festivities.  Let's keep doing this if not more - to attract everyone young and old out to these terrific games!

So bye week, eh..... enjoy the summer, head to the lake, spend some time with family or friends and lets all get back here to cheer our Saskatchewan Roughriders on in the rematch in Hamilton in Week 6.

GO RIDERS!

~Friday Football Five~

A long long time ago on another blogging platform the Friday Five was a regular blog that everyone in the circle would post.  I haven't thought about it for a while and decided today was the best day to return to that idea and format.  Is there a better subject than the horrendous Thursday night game by the Saskatchewan Roughriders?  I think not.

1.  Ugh.  It was day one of piano recitals (5 days of recitals with students in 11 of them) and I was at my work BUT I was keeping up with the Game Thread on the ABC Rider Fan Page.  If you haven't checked it out, please do, it's a ton of fun.  The game wasn't sounding good and I wasn't able to follow along after halftime and later upon my return home was informed the Riders hadn't played that awful in about 3 years. Yikes.  Regardless, I watched the game on pvr.

2.  Give credit where credit is due.  Let's not forget that the Redblacks had a whole week to prepare and prepare they did.  The Redblacks came to play and the Roughriders did not.  They did a better job of coaching and game planning.  The Redblacks were motivated and our Roughriders?  Maybe that yoga session on Parliament Hill made them a little too relaxed.  Whatever happened - Ufdah.  The biggest thing I learned from Darian Durant is the 24 hour rule.  Today is a new day.  Let's brush the nasty of this loss off our shoulders and get ready for the next home game.

3.  There are no more passionate and irrational fans than those in Rider Nation.  Calling for coaches to be fired or old players to come back doesn't help anyone and all it does is stir up social media.  In week Two of the CFL season no one will fire a coach.  Are you prepared for 3 more losing seasons?  We love those old players but wanting them back doesn't erase how the team played Thursday night.  Going back in time doesn't prepare the team to compete in the future. I for one also do not want a coach who panders to the fans.  I leave the coaching to the coach and never will I pretend to know better.

4.  Collaros concussed.  It's rather curious how it happened.  We can only assume it was the hit he took to his chin or jaw since there were no other bumps that would have jarred his head.  I'm not a doctor - just a fan, but that's how it appeared to me.  Is it possible that Chris Jones felt things were getting out of control and pulled him from the game?  We will find out next week when the Riders start preparing for Week 3 against the Montreal Alouettes. 

5.  Duron Carter is an incredible athlete.  Sports media has had a hay day trying to comprehend Duron Carter playing in the injured Marshall DB spot.  Should he?  Shouldn't he?  The guys saying last week he shouldn't are eating crow and the guys saying he should have now reversed their opinion.  Thank goodness DC gives them something to talk about!  Instead of debating it why not give the guy credit for getting his second career Interception which he's returned for a touchdown?!  Good on you Duron!  Let the haters hate because without you Life would be boring.  

TGDC

T. G. D. C.

Thank Goodness for Duron Carter.

Besides my own vacation to the Big Apple over Easter little has happened in the CFL. Every team has had their mini camps and we are awaiting the CFL draft on Thursday but really most of us fans are just sitting here waiting for any shred of news that will raise our excitement for the upcoming season.  So when Duron Carter tweeted out that the Riders should change the entrance song of the team for game day because Bring Em Out is corny, well of course we jumped all over it.  The debate has broken up the doldrums and thank goodness for that!  We know that nothing is sought after more than tidbits from Duron Carter.  Some CFL writers thrive on his every word.  Life.

April was such a sad month.  I returned from New York City the week following the horrible and tragic Humboldt Bronco's bus crash.  I started two separate blogs to convey my emotions but just couldn't get the wording correct. How do you write about something that devastated so many families?  It's pretty tough but nothing compared to what the survivors of the crash are enduring.  I didn't know anyone involved but as so many have done throughout Canada and the world - we came together and we grieved. 

The snow melted, the winter boots got put away and now we wait. Roughriders Training Camp opens in Saskatoon May 20th. Can we survive until then?  For myself, it's the one thing that gets me through winter.  I've always thought the Saskatchewan Roughriders holding camp in Saskatoon did several things.  It makes the team more accessible to those outside Regina.  Fans get to gather and see the prospects for the upcoming season.  We share our bicycles with players, get their autographs and learn just who they are. It's special for those of us outside Regina. While it does that for the community it also helps to bring the team together.  They stay in dorms and are forced to become a unit.  No one has to worry about finding temporary housing and connections are better through the Saskatoon Airport than Regina so players can arrive and leave with less hassle. We are so fortunate to have a facility in the city of Saskatoon to host the Roughriders and their coaching staff.  I can hardly wait!

The parking at the U of S last year was a challenge as security was out in full force to make sure fans paid for parking instead of leaving their vehicles at the Field House. That was pretty disappointing. What is even more disappointing is the decision for Normanview Crossing Mall in Regina to complain about being a Rider Fan Express pick up location and back out of it this year.  What I gather is tenants complain that due to all the vehicles left for the Rider games there's no parking for actual shoppers.  While that does make a bit of sense I also find it hard to believe it makes that much impact with majority of games happening later in the day and on weekends.  I've heard some patrons are going to boycott that shopping mall.  Which impact will be more detrimental?  If it were me I'd market the heck out of being a bus pick up location. I'd have game day deals in my eateries and make everyone feel welcome. It's always much better to warm the hearts than harden them.  Since I drive in from Saskatoon our bus stop is Northgate...along with 1000's of other people coming from the same direction. Pick up doesn't seem to be an issue but when the game is over the exit sure is a headache.  The city has given more funding for this service and I hope it works much more smoothly for 2018.

Rider Great Donald Narcisse announced that he's moving back home. We have been so blessed to have Don in our midst.  After being inducted into the Plaza of Honour a few years ago he moved his family to Regina.  He held youth football camps and has been a terrific ambassador for the Roughriders. I wish Don all the happiness in the world in his new journey but we will surely miss him.

Last weekend I was shopping at Giant Tiger.  In the men's section they had Roughrider tee shirts in two style for $15.  I purchased an XXL and it fits very nicely!  I know that when we don't buy from a Rider Store the proceeds are distributed throughout the CFL but since I haven't seen anything in the way of sizing reform I will spend my dollars where I can find comfortable merchandise.  Just today I noticed on the Torrid website that they are also carrying MLB teams.  Some leagues seem to be getting the message.

Before my trip to New York I was making sure to get in 30 minutes of exercise a day.  Many people are posting on social media and joining in to #TheCFLGrind.  It is so encouraging to have so many people getting active and motivating and supporting each other.  It's not necessarily about losing weight but about being healthy, having a good attitude and being in tune with you body.  Brodie Lawson started the initiative last fall with the Fit Up For Grey Cup and now this spring has fans all over working out.  What a fantastic roll model!  

CFL news will now be ramping up and we won't need anyone creating news stories for us anymore.  In the meantime, it sure is fun to talk sports and discuss our thoughts of the rituals of game day.  Imagine if you'd never been to a Rider game before.  Imagine if you are planning your first trip in 2018.  What will you look forward to the most?  For me it's the adrenaline - seeing the ball in the air and leaping to my feet as it's caught by any one of our amazing receivers...it's hearing Green Is the Colour as Gainer gets driven around the field...and yes, it's even the crescendo of Bring Em Out as I see the Riders in the tunnel from my seats in 126.  It's been an interesting off season but, man, am I ready for some football!  Is it May Yet?  Heck yeah it is!

Game of Numbers

23, 34, 1, 4, 81, 89, 7....

When the Saskatchewan Roughriders brought in Zach Collaros to compete for starting quarterback of the Saskatchewan Roughriders we all wondered if he'd be wearing number 4.  Cameron Judge is the current rookie player to don that jersey number and then we watched Zach in Regina unveil his 17 jersey, a number which Crezdon Butler wore in 2017.   Butler said he'll wear #5 in 2018 since it has now become available.  It all made me think about the attachment fans have to the numbers CFL players wear, how they change over the years and our memories and feelings.

There was a contest in the LeaderPost to choose a number for Quarterback Henry Burris. Ridernation chose the number 1. It's a number Hank wore throughout his career while Ridernation jeered at him at every game.  Flash forward to Kory Sheets...  his name evokes instant visions of #1 scooping up DD4's near fumble in the 2013 Grey Cup game which likely completely changed the momentum of that game. I wonder if anyone remembers that Marshay Green also wore number 1 and that one of his missed tackles (stood and watched the receiver run by)  had a distinct flavour in a game against Ottawa in 2015.  Jovon Johnson is the current #1 and is a proud member for the second time of the Roughriders who does incredible things for the community through fund raising for Lyme Disease.  His first tour of the Riders was in 2007 but because he felt he didn't deserve it, he regretfully sold his Grey Cup ring. 

Is Rider Nation ready to see another quarterback wear the number four? Part of me is relieved that Collaros didn't take that number.  There's just so many feelings associated with it and I don't think enough time has passed for any of us to see it without evoking some sort of feelings. Now here is another aspect of football numbers - Darian Durant is reportedly due a bonus from the Alouettes and by the time this blog is posted we will likely all know the outcome. He had another dismal season after he failed to negotiate in Saskatchewan he chased the money to Montreal. Now he finds himself in an even tougher situation. Will he take less money this time? That answer was no as later on January 15th it was announced the Montreal Alouettes released the 2013 champ only a year and 2 days after he was traded from Saskatchewan. 

Contracts in the CFL are a big deal. CFL players make far less than American football players and often have second careers to help them make it through the offseason. Players are signing shorter term contracts which is resulting in more movement between teams. It's possible that my 89 may be your 89 in 2018.  Of course I'm thinking about this with Free Agency on the horizon and there are fewer Rider players signed on that list than I'd like. This is the business of football.  Players come, we get attached and often they go on to careers elsewhere. Duron Carter comes to mind as he was the latest player to wear 89 and is currently not signed. The last notable player to wear that number was Chris Getzlaf who upon his arrival back in Regina wore number 84. Getzlaf - a Saskatchewan native,  was very lucky to retire a Rider after 11 seasons in the CFL.

Kevin Glenn triple-ex-Rider number 5 was released shortly after the signing of Zach Collaros. Last year he played in tandem with Canadian number 16 Brandon Bridge. I thought it was cool that the last time the Riders used a tandem style was in 1989 with #5 Kent Austin and #16 Tom Burgess. Monday Kevin Glenn was signed by the Edmonton Eskimos making them the 9th (all of 'em) team to hold Glenn's rights in the CFL.  That's a pretty awesome thing to have happen and will go into the record books for that reason I am sure. Lot's of people like to knock Glenn for not winning a Grey Cup in his career and when you browse his CFL career you'll see that he's missed some championships by just a year.  I don't think it's understood how difficult it is to win a championship in this league. Omar Morgan #1 played his entire career with the Saskatchewan Roughriders except for 2007 in which he was an Eskimo. He retired not winning a Grey Cup and yet Omar and Eddie (Davis #29) are a legendary Riders backfield duo.

Eighty-One.  Superman. Was it a dream or was Geroy Simon really a Saskatchewan Roughrider? It's no matter because 30 year old Bakari Grant holds the number now. Just think, he was 2 years old when Ray Elgaard wore it in 1989.

Lucky number seven. It was worn for many years by Weston Dressler and for a time his jersey was the highest selling jersey in the Rider store. Next came Justin Cappiocotti and well...that didn't turn out.  Then came in a player newly released from the NFL in the form of Willie Jefferson and the #7 has never looked so good.  We often rush to buy the jerseys while merchandisers lick their salivating lips as they rake in the money for a customized jersey. But not so fast! Remember when players like Maurice Price, Shawn Lemon, Keith Toston or even Vince Young were signed and fans rushed to get their jersey's only to have them abruptly get released or traded.  For this reason I've always found it hard to justify a custom jersey in my life.

I've never played sports.  As much as I love football I am pretty uncoordinated in real life. If I had to choose a number though? Thirteen is my number. 13 because I am a member of Rider Nation. I love the team and the players. I attend Training Camp and am a Season Ticket holder.  I cheer through the painfully bad times and the amazing glorious times.  I am from the team of fans - my people.  I am 13 because even though I cannot be on the field my support is loud and clear and unwavering from my living room chair or my seat in section 126. 

Years pass, players change and numbers change but we can hold those special times in our hearts and minds always. Free Agency opens at noon Valentine's Day Eve aka February 13th.  I like the sound of that number.

Go East Young Man!

The Hamilton TigerCats, BC Lions and Montreal Alouettes will all be cleaning out their lockers this week as their seasons are over. This time last year my Saskatchewan Roughriders were doing the same...the last couple of years for that matter. Not this year! With the deciding factor being the loss to the Edmonton Eskimos in Week 20 Chris Jones and crew are heading to Ottawa to invade the Eastern Division.


A lot of sports media enjoy the topic of the Roughriders quarterback tandem of Kevin Glenn and Brandon Bridge or maybe they just can't wrap their minds around the concept. Who should Jones start? Jones names Glenn starter. How short of a leash should Jones give Glenn? Kevin still starts the game. I don't understand why this discussion keeps going on in spite of what's happened this last half of the season. Against the Alouettes, Jones played Glenn, Bridge and Adams Jr. What I think it comes down to is that Kevin Glenn has never lead a team and won a Grey Cup. He's been close (Blue Bombers in 2007) but because of never winning he doesn't get the respect and praise that others do. I also think this is why Jones is adamant about naming him starter every week. For one thing, it shuts up the talkers and debaters but for another, when the Riders make it (and I bel13ve they will) Kevin Glenn will be the starting quarterback who gets his name on the Grey Cup. Finally. I love the mentor that Kevin Glenn is; I love his comradery with fellow team mates and perhaps Kevin Glenn is the glue that keeps the Roughriders together.


The topic I don't hear discussed much is Chris Jones himself. People and fans have an obvious dislike for the man. They hollered for his head through most of last year and the start of the 2017 season as well...until the Riders started winning. I remember one of the Piffles Podcast members putting out a scathing blog just before they started winning. Where is the love now that the Roughriders are 10 - 8? *crickets* I'll tell you what the pundits do enjoy chatting about though. Why does Jones wear all black? Why won't Jones wear Rider colours? Why won't Jones wear a jacket? Why won't Jones wear a poppy? What would they do if they found out he lives at a hotel? GASP! This is all they've got to complain about now in November. I honestly could not care less about how Jones dresses on the sidelines as long as he is dressed. I care about how he coaches the team I am passionate about. I care that the players love him. I care that we win.


Canada's Team is off to the nations capital to play the Redblacks for the first time in post season since 1976. Let's all give a collective aRg as we think of Tony Gabriel together. *wince* Okay, so I was only 4 years old and don't recall anything about the match up at all except for The Catch. That might seem like ancient history so let's move on to present day. The Roughriders have played IN the home of the Ottawa Redblacks 4 times since they re-entered the CFL.  The Roughriders are 3-1 against them.  The last game in Regina the Redblacks  were victorious by 1 point while on the Riders Eastern road trip the Riders were victors by 1 point.  But let's talk about that Eastern swing...  The Roughriders played in Ottawa and got the W then stayed out east to play the Toronto aRgonauts where they also got the win.  Since this play off run could be a redo of that road trip the Saskatchewan Roughriders could possibly stay East for 21 days.


So my theory in my previous blog was incorrect. I have a new idea! If the Riders were to win the East (which I agree is likely a tall order) and the Blue Bombers (also a tall order with Matt Nichols injured) were to win the West we could see a scenario such as a Labour Day Classic Grey Cup. How crazy would that be?  If Kevin Glenn lead the Roughriders to a victory over the Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup TEN years after they lost because Glenn was injured (they played Ryan Dinwiddie) Blue Bomber fans would go berserk.


I like it. :)


There's nothing Rider fans love more than tying the present to the past with stats and trivia. I love to pull out things that happened on previous teams and seasons to try to predict how this season will end. The Roughriders used quarterback tandems in 1983 with Barnes & Hufnagel and more successfully in 1989 with another set of 5 & 16 numbers aka Austin and Burgess.  It would only seem fitting that the 2017 combo of #5 Kevin Glenn and #16 Brandon Bridge would provide us with some sort of karma. In that same way one should note that the Riders lost the final games of the season in the years 1989, 2007 and 2013 and went on to win the Grey Cup. Does it mean anything now? We just have to wait and see.


Hasn't this season gone by quickly? The funny thing is I still have a line on my right leg from the wicked sun burn I received at Training Camp the first time I attended back in June. In June all the hype was about Vince Young. I remember Chad Owens running back a punt and the crowd reacting at the scrimmage game. I recall Duron Carter's wide happy smile making me smile too. Aren't we blessed to have one more game to look forward to? The Eastern Semi-Final starts at noon Sunday. Go Riders!

Conspiracy Theory

On a very dull and dreary November day in 2009 I woke up to remember...well, you know what I remembered. Today, October 21st 2017 I woke up to a very similar dreary day and as my thoughts cleared I realized that October 20th wasn't a dream and my Saskatchewan Roughriders had not only beat the Calgary Stampeders (the number one team in the league) on their own turf but had blown them out 30 - 7. Oh how sweet it is!

A few weeks ago Cameron Judge went on a twitter tirade of sorts which left many of us scratching our heads and others speculating. Then he said it was all an experiment and it had worked.  Curious, right?  Some had him on pain meds or mentally ill but I think it's possible he was testing the waters for how his story would be picked up. Let's face it, fans and media bite on any little tidbit of Roughrider news and when the news is bad they bite especially hard.

Last Monday there was a small skirmish at Roughrider practice. It was so small reporters and media in attendance didn't notice anything happened.  It wasn't until Duron Carter made the tweet "It's been fun...see y'all" that all heck seemed to break loose.  Arash Madani and Justin Dunk were spewing out articles condemning the Roughriders left and right.  There was a post saying three Riders had been released...one of which couldn't have been in the altercation because he wasn't at practice! Another story said a coach had spurred the fight on. I believe all of that was smoke and mirrors.  Let's say the Riders came up with an idea to lead the media away from what they were doing last week.  No one was talking about who the starting quarterback was going to be, that Cameron Marshall was back and Trent Richardson who?  All anyone wanted to know was what happened.  What *if* all of that was an elaborate rouse?  That would account for a coach saying it's go time, that would account for the tweet that fed into the media's hands and that would account for why no one saw how prepared the team was to take on Calgary at McCarter...um, McMahon Stadium.  Let's not forget that the Riders controlled the entire narrative by having a closed practice Tuesday but no matter what the smoke didn't clear until everyone was jaw droppingly shocked as Duron Carter picked off Bo Levi Mitchell and returned it for a touchdown in a game winning play.

I admit that's a pretty elaborate thing to pull off and my watermelon may be a little too tight on the ol' noggin' but no matter what it did unite the team whether it was to pull it off or to come together to refute the allegations...it worked.  Bo Levi Mitchell did not score a touchdown against the Roughriders in TWO games with the only TD pass being thrown to...Duron Carter who was playing as a starting CB for the first time ever in a CFL game.  He'd just come off a 200+ game the week prior which put him over 1000 yards on the season.  He'd gotten in a "fight".  He went bowling with team mates and scored 202.  He started as a DB and he got his first career interception.  Hey, Bo, next time you decide to take to twitter to taunt a player...you better make sure you can back it up.

Winning in a decisive 30 - 7 game against the number one team in the league moved the Saskatchewan Roughriders into a play off spot.  The only question is, will the team stay in the west by staying ahead then beating the Edmonton Eskimo's on November 4th OR will they be relegated to going the eastern route.  No doubt this will be debated at length by all the pundits for the next two weeks. 

But first, on October 27th the Roughriders host the lowly Montreal Alouettes who are fighting more demons than just football games.  None of that really matters because since Week One in the CFL back when the Als beat the Riders this game was circled on the schedule as Darian Durant's return to Regina and new Mosaic Stadium.  Nothing stirs up more feelings than the topic of ex-Riders QB.  I'm not going to talk about what he did for us in the past because I've beaten that horse to death.  Let's take off the green goggles and see him exactly for what he is now.  He is a man, who endured 9 seasons as a Roughrider starting Quarterback with the last 3 injury prone.  He is a man who in the end wasn't loyal to the organization or fan base and left for money.  He was a man who burnt his Bridge by shouting at the Roughriders bench and making rude gestures when he won by 1 point.  He is a man who hasn't played much football in the last month and has found himself pulled in the last game against the Hamilton TigerCats.  He is a man who is getting paid reportedly $400,000 on a team that is now 3 - 13 where his future is in question.

I wonder how Darian will feel when he see's what's left of Taylor Field.  I know it's hard on me to see it all dismantled.  I wonder how he'll feel when he visits Mosaic Stadium for the first time.  I know how I felt and it was amazing but I also suspect it could be overwhelming for him considering what's been said of how he isn't over the trade. Then again...some think he's not even going to make the trip.

If you'd like to read my past thoughts on Durant check out these posts:

D U R A N T

The Elephant in the Room

What do you think of Chris Jones now?  It's no secret that I was on board since the Riders made him GM, HC, VP & DC shortly after the 2015 Grey Cup.  Lot's of fans don't like him for how he released fan favourites and I even have seen a few fans switch alliances due to it.  I think it's very admirable that some have now come out and said they were wrong about Jones.  It takes a lot of guts to admit your impressions were wrong and I applaud those who've done it.  No matter your stance, I firmly believe 2016 had to happen in order to start the foundation for the success we are now seeing in 2017.  I've often said it takes two to three years to rebuild a CFL team and here we are nearing the end of the second year and heading to the play offs for the first time since 2014.  Imagine winning so much that we take it for granted! That's part of what's happening in Calgary with the Stampeders and their attendance.  The team isn't making news anymore because all they do is win!  I'd sure like to try that feeling out for size and maybe, just maybe, Jones is the coach to make that happen for Rider Nation.

Who made this years CFL schedule? Don't they know Rider Nation travels from near and far for all games?  Friday evening games in October on the prairies is nutso!  I've had to sell my tickets because of my teaching schedule and while I could have gotten a substitute I decided maybe someone else could enjoy my seats for me. I hope they have fun and make lots of noise! Ring that cowbell and come home hoarse.

9 - 7 sure is fun...I'll see you on the flip side.  Here's to 10 - 7!

Go Riders! 

Origin Story

This week - week nine in the CFL, was the Roughriders second bye week of the 2017 season. It got me to thinking about how I became a fan and how that has shaped how I cheer for the team and show my Rider Pride.  We all have stories.  This is mine.

My first Roughrider memory was from the early 1980's when a player came to my elementary school in Prince Albert,

Saskatchewan. I have no idea what he spoke about or if other players were with him and until a few years ago I had his trading card.  He wasn't a big name Roughrider (Lawrie Skolrood) but was a Rider for several years. Interesting enough, none of my classmates remember this happening and all recall the yo-yo guy instead.  I wonder what it was that left an impression on me and no one else.  In 1980 the Roughriders went 2-15 and yet these Roughrider players were out interacting with the communities in the province like my class at Arthur Pechey Elementry School.



My Dad (2nd from right) with his 3 brothers @ Taylor Field

Being a Roughrider fan back then wasn't popular. There weren't Roughrider stores and of course no internet so next to zero fan interaction except for "guy on the street" contact.  Tickets were easy to get and didn't cost a lot.  As a teenager, the last thing I'd ever do was profess my love for the Roughriders.  I remember my Dad being excited in 1989 and saying how he thought the Riders were good that year.  So when I was in Regina in about 1991 I bought him a Roughrider tee shirt from the hotel gift shop. Even then and only a couple years removed from being Grey Cup champions, the cashier thought I was crazy.  Why on earth would I want to spend $20 on that?

Then I was busy getting married and starting a career and football wasn't even on the radar.  Hubby and I moved to Saskatoon and while our lives evolved changes were happening in Riderville too. The Shivers/Barrett era was over and in came Jim Hopson, Eric Tillman and Kent Austin. Everything changed.  Everything.  Suddenly it was cool to be a Saskatchewan Roughriders football fan.  The team was winning and everyone far and wide was clamouring for Rider gear.  One time on game day we were at the Co-Op and another fan stopped us in the isle to ask where we got our cool Rider shirts.  People started to take game day very seriously and would dress up even if staying home, fly flags from their cars and merchandise flew off the racks.  We ate Fantuz Flakes, Dario's and All Dressler Chips.  Rider Nation went nuts.

My favourite chips

The life we lived then was different from now. It wasn't even a thought that we'd attend a game never mind purchase season tickets. Hubby had been to Rider games having grown up farther south, but me...I had never been to Taylor Field for a football game until 2014 when the Ottawa Redblacks came for their preseason game.  We sat in the first row of section 25 and Hubby told everyone it was my first time...which was so embarrassing!  I mean here I was a HUGE fan and had never been to a game there before. (I had been there in 2013 for the Paul McCartney concert) What I've realized since is that it doesn't matter how big your fandom is - it's always someone's first.  That game the Roughriders were the visitors while the Redblacks were the home team. Bizarre right?  When the Redblacks came on the field Hubby shouted "Welcome to the league boys!" and the experience grew greater from there.

Now why wasn't I at the 2013 Grey Cup? I still don't know what I was thinking. I tried to make up for by being at several important Farewell Season games last year.  I saw the 1966 team, the 1989 kick re-inacted, and I saw Darian Durant send off the ol' lady in a storm of fireworks.  It still bothers me that I wasn't at the biggest game in the Roughriders organization history.

This year, the Inaugural Season of Mosaic Stadium, we do have season tickets.  On August 13th we had pregame on field passes.  For one hour prior to kick off we got to stand in the end zone of this magnificent new stadium and talk to other fans, players who came out to shake hands and create more memories.  Duron Carter chatted with players and signed the football of a young fan.  He went along the railing and greeted all the kids.  Rob Bagg came over as did Cameron Marshall and Willie Jefferson. It was awesome.  It was military appreciation day and I watched as players thanked all the personal who came out onto the field.

My photos from pre-game August 13th

Waiting in line at the Gate 2 entrance I met a woman from Weyburn who told me she was so glad she had family to stay with so she could attend games.  We stood in the shade and talked about how great the facilities are.  I met a man who travelled from Ottawa just to see his team, our Saskatchewan Roughriders play in person.  I asked him if he attends Redblacks games and he said, "No, I'm a Roughriders fan."  We met another couple who lectured my Hubby on Rider Pride when he said the Lions were going to beat us by 15 points. * smile * If you know who you are...I'm pretty sure my husband owes you twenty bucks!

Hubby & I @ Taylor Field 2016

Seeing Taylor Field being slowly dismantled makes me wish I had more memories there but right next door I'm creating amazing new ones.  Lawrie Skolrood's playing days may be in the rear view mirror but I am so thankful I have that connection because it's shaped who @smilingsandra is today.  Rider Nation is a terrific (crazy) fan base and I'd not want to be a part of any other no matter how much you make me shake my head and roll my eyes.  How and when we became fans changes our perspective on every issue.  Were you a fan in the aching 80's? 70's? 00's? It's been awfully easy being a fan over the last 10 years and I think sometimes we need to reflect to appreciate just how far the Saskatchewan Roughriders have come.

What's your Origin Story?

10 Thoughts About Week 5 in the CFL

In 2010 Hubby and I holidayed in Calgary sight seeing with the week culminating in a football game at McMahon.  My Roughriders versus the very dominant Stampeders.  The week was fun.  We went to the zoo, shopped & hung out in Hubby's old stomping grounds since he lived there for a time after high school.  It was all great except for the actual football game which I don't remember much of except that Darian Durant (his 2nd year as starter) spent a lot of time admiring the Alberta skies while Ken Miller was the coach who consoled us over the '09 Grey Cup.

So flash forward to 2017...how did we do?

1)  We Lost.  Again.  The last time the Riders won a regular season game in Calgary was 2009 but what many have forgotten including Rod Black is that the Riders won at McMahon in the West Final in 2013.  It can be done.  It just wasn't going to happen Saturday night.

2)  The starting quarterback for our Saskatchewan Roughriders, Kevin Glenn,  was sacked 3 times in less than the first quarter.  There's several reasons this occurred with the biggest reason being the offensive line.  I don't know if they were slow or unmotivated or unprepared but whatever it was there wasn't enough time for anyone to make a decision never mind go through reads and decide where to throw the ball.  In the second half the O Line finally was able to give a few seconds more and Glenn was able to move the ball more effectively.  Now I did say at halftime that maybe we should see Brandon Bridge in the second half.  Before you freak out, listen to my thinking...Glenn could barely take a step back before running for his life and what we needed was to move the pocket or try some play action.  When they came back in the second quarter and tried these things the Riders were able to get more first downs and move down the field.  What bothers me now that I think about is - why did the Riders wait until half time to make that adjustment? Coaches need to do a better job of analyzing the issues in game and correcting throughout because no other team in the CFL will sit back waiting for us to figure it out.

Tree)  Officiating * insert facepalm *  We want them to throw the flag & we don't want them to throw the flag and we want them to have the knowledge to know the circumstances which warrant the difference!  I've watched as the referee's look around at each other in wonderment before throwing a flag.  Or better yet...is it a touchdown? Who knows? But if I look over at the other guy maybe he knows.  It is beyond frustrating to watch a game for these reasons.  Then if a flag wasn't thrown the coach has to use his challenge and more times than not it's for something obvious which should have been called in the first place.  Or what about the fishing expeditions?  You know, the ones where it should be 3rd down but someone saw a thing on the other side of the field so let's challenge that because it'll extend our drive.  It's a mess.  Aaaand don't get me started on the Incidental Contact rule, you know, the one where a receiver "accidentally" runs into a DB to draw a flag.  * eyeroll *  Do I know how to fix these things? No not really but I'd sure try hard if someone were willing to give me the job!

Turd & Tree) On second thought ~ we fix the challenge issue like this - each team is given 2 challenges but once they use them that's it. No more for the entire game.  Also if a challenge takes more than 30 seconds to review it's void. Done. Kaput. I'd also make it so you can't challenge things away from the play...if that receiver wasn't the intended target then that's not challengeable. 

4)  Darian Durant and every other ex-Rider ever seems to beat us when we play them...or at least that's the argument I've heard.  Due to this argument we also should have never "gotten rid" of them.  Why can't Rider Nation ever move on?  I know, you - YOU * points finger * are going to accuse me of not moving on either but hear me out.  The Riders cannot hold on to players forever just because people like them and they also cannot pay them the exorbitant amounts they want while still building a team.  Here's the thing: most players in the CFL unless drafted have come from other teams! GASP! Bakari Grant was a Stampeder.  Eddie Steele was an Eskimo.  It isn't only the Riders who choose to move on from players.  Every team in the CFL has players that once played elsewhere.

5) Lay off Kevin Glenn. Is Kevin Glenn a hall of famer?  You bet he is.  I don't know of any other man who would be willing to be a back up on every single team he's played for except the Edmonton Eskimo's. Glenn comes in and does his job and does it well in every way he can. Does it matter he doesn't have a Grey Cup ring? No and the fact that he doesn't is another reason why he should be a HOFer.  A Grey Cup ring doesn't mean you are a great player...it just means you won a contest.  Throwing for over 50,000 yards in your career?! That milestone is incredibly meaningful and every fan should applaud him.  One other thing...instead of criticizing his age remember a 41 year old won the Grey Cup last year, Henry Burris who also was an ex-Rider.

6)  When things don't go the way we want them to we always want to blame someone and Rider Nation is very good at blaming Coach Chris Jones.  Fire Chris Jones! I see it all over social media.  Those of you who are saying this have to really think this statement through.  Chris Jones holds 4 titles so essentially you'd be firing 4 people. He's General Manager, Vice President of Personal, Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator.  There's little chance he'd give just one title up either.  Jones came to Saskatchewan because of this opportunity and because of that you also have to consider those who followed him...his entire coaching staff.  Back in 2015 when everyone was chasing Corey Chamblin out of town I did some research and I found out that in Rider history every time a coach was fired it took 2 to 3 years for the team to be viable again.  I've heard this exact same stat from NFL broadcasters.  If Jones was gone now, are you willing to wait another three years? Are you willing to throw out the 2017 season after week 5? A new regime will start all over building from the ground up.  I refuse to have that happen again.  Jones is on year two of a three year contract.  This team has gotten better.  Every rebuild has its ups and downs and I am one fan who wants to see this out because my loyal green heart can't start all over again. I beg you that before you grab your pitch fork that you really REALLY think this through.

7) Willie Jefferson > Weston Dressler

8) I've noticed a trend.  Right before the Riders are supposed to play the Stampeders, some kind of controversy comes up.  Last season it was the pre-practice squad that Bo Levi tweeted about.  This year all the talk was about spies at practice and let's not forget about the chirping between Derek Dennis and Charleston Hughes. Much was also made of a skirmish between Duron Carter and  Joshua Bell. The media sure loves to make Carter look bad by over reacting to this incident but I found it to be karma when Bell had to leave the game. Is all of this some kind of tactic?  Let's remember this for when Calgary visits our glorious new sold out castle September 24th.

9)  What is the dealio with the Redblacks schedule? I remember hearing a backlash when the CFL schedule was released but never gave it much thought because as a Rider fan I was pretty happy with ours.  Who thought having the Redblacks play 3 times in 17 days was a good idea?  They actually play twice in week 5.  These aren't baseball players these are athletic guys who need rest from practice & game action to rehab tired muscles, bodies and injuries.  If they lose it'll be blamed on the short week and if they win it'll be called overcoming adversity.  At any rate, it sucks for them and has renewed calls for a tenth CFL team which would definitely help out in a myriad of ways.

10)  I've been having a ton of fun creating and posting CFL Power Rankings each week.  I started it because I disagreed with other rankings I was seeing and decided not only to compose my own but to have some fun with it as well.  That's what watching football and following the league should be...entertaining.  We are all much too serious lately.  In my Week 5 edition you can look to see an all new ranking system.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I love to craft it.  Look for it on my twitter account @smilingsandra Tuesday.

On to week 6!  Bring on the Argo's!  And no matter what... Go Riders Go!