Report Card ~ The Commish ~

Commissioner Randy Ambrosie has instituted CFL 2.0 in an attempt to promote the CFL around the world.  During different discussions on ABC Rider Fans and other social media pages it would seem that fans have a less than average rating of how Ambrosie is handling the affairs of this league we love so much.  With that in mind I revisited The Commish, a blog I published in May of 2017 and asked fans to tell me their thoughts on whether I had it right or the CFL got it right.

✅First and foremost the new Commish needs to be someone who knows and understands the league in all it's glory and issues.  They either need to be Canadian or someone who has played/coached/worked for the league.  They need to be fair in all judgements by treating all the teams equally and at the same time reserving judgement of issues covered by law up to the law makers.  None of this 'grey' rules for you while black and white rules for others.  They need to be in the public promoting the brand and attending games regularly so that fans see that he/she has our best interests at heart...which of course they must have always.

Randy Ambrosie, the 14th commissioner of the CFL, played offensive guard for Calgary, Toronto and Edmonton.  He hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba and played for the Manitoba Bison.  After retiring from the CFL mostly due to injury he became secretary for the CFLPA and gained a degree in commerce.  He was head of sales for HSBC Securities and worked for AGF Management Ltd. as head of sales and marketing.  He was promoted to AGF Funds and was reportedly praised for his ability to shake things up.  He became CEO of Accretive 360 Inc. and then went on to the investment firm MacDougall, MacDougall and  MacTier as president and CEO.  It would seem that Ambrosie not only has the knowledge of the Canadian Football League but also a better than firm grasp of business know how as well.  

✅This is the Canadian Football League.  Let's make it truly Canadian...really show What We're Made of...by having football teams located coast to coast.  The fan base is already in the Maritimes, willing and waiting.

Last season the story broke that the league was looking at expanding to a 10th team to be located in the Maritimes.  Hallelujah!  A contest was held to name the proposed team and in my opinion there was no other name that could possibly ever be used than the Atlantic Schooners.  For years I've followed a fan who's Twitter account had a Schooners emblem and was a huge CFL fan.  Even at Grey Cup fans showed up to all the parties.  The name won the contest and was registered with the CFL.  Soon after, and without a stadium to play in, season tickets were being sold and merchandise was marketed.  While I think this is a huge win there are big hurdles to overcome as the question of a home and place to play games looms.  When the 2019 CFL season schedule was released on December 20th it was also announced that two teams would be participating in a Touchdown Atlantic game.  It seems like it's all really happening.  If you want to stay up to date on the latest Schooners news then visit their website Atlantic Schooners.

✖Player safety is incredibly important and with new research coming out constantly on concussions then this has to be something the new commissioner supports.

If I had a buzzer I'd be pressing it right now.  It would have appeared early in Ambrosie's tenure that he might be the guy to set things straight.  One of the first things he did was change the coaches challenge rules not only mid season but mid week.  As time has gone on though other issues have become apparent.  Player safety should be Randy's first concern.  Without healthy players to play in the CFL we don't have a CFL.  Quarterbacks seem to take the brunt of this lack of attention while their assaulters barely get a slap on the wrist.  Only after Zach Collaros was removed from a game and there was a blatant hit to Brandon Bridge was a band aid applied.  Was it to change a rule or discipline the offending player?  No.  Instead another official was added to the field.  I'm not only complaining because this directly affected my Saskatchewan Roughriders but when we live in a time where talent is getting harder to find and lure to Canada we don't want to be losing our starting players to head injuries.  This problem is two-fold.  The referee's in the CFL need to be better educated and I don't believe for a second that they aren't intelligent because to evaluate on your feet and within seconds that something is or isn't a penalty is a job I'd not want.  Fans become irate when told "I didn't see it because I wasn't looking" or "someone was standing in front of me."  No.  CFL fans deserve better and Randy Ambrosie, the fans and players demand better.

✔...they should be developing a video game and online streaming for fans as well.

My statement may have been a big short sighted.  I realize these two things are likely out of the control of the CFL commissioner.  Every once and a while someone brings up the idea of a video game.  The CFL did come out with a video game app for tablets and smart phones called CFL Football Frenzy.  No I am not the best person to play a game like this because I can't even succeed at Crossy Roads!  However for a time it seemed like fans were having fun with it and at Christmas there was a release of a holiday version.  Next up on the agenda is online streaming.  As it stands, if you currently have a cable provider subscription you can stream games on the TSN site.  They've also brought out a subscription service for people who have cut the cable cords.  What I believe fans are really looking for though is for a game to be streamed on Facebook or Twitter or even by the CFL themselves.  Many people depend on streaming services like Netflix for entertainment and why not?  It's less expensive than a cable provider.  This is the way of the future and I believe if it's made easier to watch then fans and prospective fans will tune in.

✖The fans of this league have high expectations...please don't let us down.

When I asked CFL fans for input on how Randy Ambrosie is doing as commissioner they didn't hold back.

John Strutt's (ABC Rider Fans Moderator) assessment of the Commissioner

Jeff Scoggin (loyal football fan) lists his many concerns

Kerry Etter from recent podcast fame uses a Jones coined quote

Kerry (@kerette45) has it exactly correct.  Randy Ambrosie has made strides in some areas of the league that needed direction and help while in other areas the things implemented appear rushed into action with little detail being provided to media and fans.  Will CFL 2.0 actually work out?  Many fans are skeptical.  How will the coaching cap effect coaching development and luring new coaches to the CFL?  Can Ambrosie work with the CFLPA and strike a deal in the CBA negotiations?  These are all questions among others that require answers in the coming months.  So far...the jury is out.

Friday Football Five

I had a terrible dream last night that the Roughriders CFL season was over...oh wait.....  It wasn't a dream and in fact it's very true and here we are watching 2018 wind down around us.  Part of me wants to say "It's Christmas Now" and the other is holding on tight to the tail of a game worn jersey. 

1.  BIG NEWS.  You may have noticed the title of this blog has undergone a slight name change.  I decided that because I seem to have my paws in various platforms that I needed to link them all together in some way.  I've had this blog for several years and traffic has ebbed and flowed but never anything very consistently.  Believe me, I am not complaining in any way and in fact I'm just wanting to make it easier for people who enjoy my pages to be able to find me and my friends.  So "Football" has become "ABC Football".  I've created a Facebook page using @smilingriderfan where I can post blog links and updates and in conjunction I've linked the Facebook Group ABC Rider Fans, which I started June 1st, all together.  So I see you're looking at me with that glazed over eye look.  Here's a fancy graphic showing it all for you.  

2.  So the Commissioner of the CFL Randy Ambrosie (from Winnipeg) took his time all week deliberating on how to handle the fall out of the Western Semi Final, player safety and Rushing the Passer type calls.  It was announced that the CFL would add another official to the field.  An eighth official has been added to specifically look at quarterbacks and calls to them.  I don't understand how another body on the field is going to change anything.  The officials on the field were already supposed to be in charge of these things and missed it...not only missed it but admitted he couldn't see what was happening.  What makes anyone think that this 8th guy will be any better?  Oh look! Squirrel! Whoops, I missed your QB getting killed.

3.  At least it's something.  Jackson Jeffcoat was fined the "maximum amount" for his helmet to helmet contact, if we can call it that.  In the CFL, the maximum fine is half a game check.  Not knowing Jeffcoat's contract that amount could be a couple thousand dollars.  It hits him in his pocket book but *if* the Blue Bombers make it to the 2018 Grey Cup (1990) will it really matter to him?  I doubt it.

4.  TWO OTHER BLUE BOMBERS WERE FINED.  I've heard around the interwebs fans of other teams call my Saskatchewan Roughriders the dirtiest team.  How is that possible when the Winnipeg Football Club had 3 players fined in the same game in which people touted they were the least penalized team?  Bombers offensive linemen Patrick Neufeld and Sukh Chungh are also facing fines for late and unnecessary hits on Saskatchewan players during Sunday's game.  Coach Mike O'Shea defended Jeffcoat but how can you justify three of your players getting fined in a play off game? As I wrote in my previous blog, It's a Wrap, this isn't the first time for Jackson and now he's a roll model for his team mates.

5.  It's all water under the Bridge.  It's old news and it's time to move on.  This weekend is the East Final and West Final in the CFL.  I feel disheartened because my team isn't there and to paraphrase the words of Coach Jones, unless you leave with a ring on your finger the season stats don't mean anything.  I'll likely still watch the games but not with the same fervor I had previously.  Even though I've often said Anyone But Calgary (ABC) I think I'm secretly cheering for them.  Just don't tell anyone!

I hope to make this a somewhat regular feature on my blog sites.  I hope you join me in this celebration of the 2018 Grey Cup and the off season.

Football Grief

When Christion Jones ran back the punt to score a touchdown towards the end of the fourth quarter in Sundays East Final to tie the game I leaped to my feet and jumped up and down in front of our 55 inch LG TV.  We aren't going home!  We aren't going home!  We planned for 21 days and we aren't going home!  It was the height of emotion but with a sinking feeling I knew we weren't going to hold back Ricky Ray and the Argonauts and with my green heart pounding wildly in my chest I prayed and hoped and BEL13VED.  I was in denial.  I had thought at half time we had lost the game.  My Saskatchewan Roughriders who were the underdogs and who wanted desperately to rewrite history and prove all the doubters wrong just weren't playing with any motivation or urgency.  We were going to lose.

When the Argos scored the touchdown to win the game to advance to the Grey Cup in Ottawa I got angry.  It's really hard not to try to place blame.  The refereeing was bad but it's been bad all season and whether or not roughing the passer happened or there was a bad block or unsportsmanlike penalties at the end of the day the Riders just weren't prepared enough.  People spouted off about quarterbacks and conspiracies...then I thought about Corey Chamblin and how much he and Tyron Brackenridge might like to really stick to the Riders for being fired and released.  I thought about how cool as a cucumber Marc Trestman is and how to me he'll always be "that" Head Coach from the 2009 - 10 Grey Cup games and how much 09 hurt especially. I really wanted to write all those feelings down but I was so upset I couldn't put anything down on paper and went to the grocery store instead where I shared a knowing glance with a fellow Rider fan.  The trouble has always been that I care so much and often too much and end up being hurt.


OK...sucking it all up....life goes on....

There is no one to blame.  The Roughriders just didn't play well enough to win this playoff game.  They came close but the defence just couldn't hold them.  Let's face it...Rider Nation got two extra games this season!  We haven't had a play off game in 2 season and now here in only the second year of a massive rebuild under the Chris Jones regime we got within 1 game...30 seconds really...of going to the 2017 Grey Cup.  I had said back in June or maybe it was Training Camp that if this team went 9-9 I'd be happy. The Riders ended the season 10-8, won the East Semi-Final and was competitive enough in the East Final to make Ricky Ray really work for it. I was a first time season ticket holder and getting to experience my favourite team during the Inaugural Season at new Mosaic Stadium was amazing!  We couldn't be happier with our seats and the friends we made around us and getting to be on the field during pregame was mind blowing.  How blessed are we to have a General Manager/Head Coach (plus VP & DC) of Chris Jones and his whole staff.  Because of him we have the team we do with the character and family feeling that we do.

Hope.  No matter how we feel or that it took me two entire days to reach this point I know that 2018 looks very promising for Rider fans. I've scrolled through Twitter looking at all the terrific posts from Rider players who are saying their goodbyes and thanking Rider fans.  When I thanked them in return they often "liked" my post. I wonder if fans of other teams in the CFL have that happen too or if we are indeed special in this province. I watched on the news as players cleaned out their lockers and offered things up to fans.  They're looking forward to going home wherever that might be and celebrating the holidays while this loss gets put to the backs of their minds.  Coach Jones is already working on next year and starting to firm up contracts.  We've spent a lot of time in Riderville thinking of "next year" but I truly bel13ve the 2018 Roughriders team will be a force to be reckoned with.

As we turn to the Grey Cup this weekend I have to admit I've lost interest.  My only hope is that Calgary is redeemed for their loss last year.  That's how the football Gods seem to work in the CFL... if you came close one year - you'll make it the next.  Without the downs we'd never have the happiness of the ups.

If you are American and reading this have a Happy Thanksgiving! If you are Canadian enjoy the Grey Cup festivities and I hope that this little blog which so many of you have helped support over 2017 has brought a little sunshine into your day.

As always - GO RIDERS.

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!

 

Say Something

Say Something, I'm giving up on you

I'll be the one, if you want me to

Anywhere, I would have followed you

Say something, I'm giving up on you

This seems to be the song of Ridernation after the disastrous loss to the Hamilton TigerCats on Saturday evening. Many who couldn't stand it anymore flipped over to the live Tragically Hip concert on CBC. Those who stuck around took to the radio airwaves to speak their grievances. We are all bewildered, sad and embarrassed. There's not much that can be said that hasn't already. This indeed is the deepest of down weeks.

I always try to relate football to aspects of my life. I am a piano teacher by evening and even though it sounds crazy, I often tell my students not to practise before a big performance. It can work a couple of ways... 1) You use up all your intensity practicing then the performance is a flop or 2) You discover or create new mistakes and they become your focus and 3) You should be prepared before your performance and shouldn't require the practise. I think all three of these things happened to our Riders. Of course they have to practise but we also know it wasn't going well because Jones tore a strip off them so in an effort to be better the focus became about the mistakes and you know what? You focus on the bad and the bad happens. You draw to you what you fret about.

Shakespeare said “Expectation is the root of all heartache.” How true! When the Chris Jones hire was announced what did you think would happen? The Riders were severely broken in 2015. Did ya think he had a magic fix-the-Riders wand? Wave it and he turns 3-15 into 15-3? Jones and company's first season with the Edmonton Eskimo's ended in 6-12. Even though the Riders are 1-7 at this point in the season, 6-12 could be realistically how they end the season. I'd be okay with that purely because it's an improvement over last season. I didn't expect magic; I only expected better.

When the first massive release happened it was shocking BUT how many of those players got signed elsewhere? Brackenridge retired. There was only two Db's who signed...Macho Harris in Winnipeg and Tristan Jackson in Ottawa. That tells me that they weren't worth it to us or any other CFL team. Then the Chick/Dressler/Smith release happened. Now honestly, I could care less if they're upset. They should know by now that football is a business. Have they been lighting up the league? Only against us really and Dressler and Smith have spent a fair share of their Bomber time on the injured list. There's something to be said for how Wally Bueno builds a CFL team. Remember when he released Geroy Simon or Jason Clermont? They were on the downside of their careers. It had to happen to bring in the next guy and rebuild. There is no point to hanging on to a player or players for loyalty or personality or because he's a “fan favourite” then be stuck when he does retire or is forced to retire due to injury or because of their salary you can't afford an up and comer.

Yes, it's true, there are lot's of new Rider players names and you don't know their names or numbers. I've even heard a certain media outlet complain about not knowing who the new guys are. Well excuse me, but if I can figure it out and have since training camp (which I don't recall seeing you at) then why can't you WHEN IT'S YOUR JOB! Meanwhile, the impact of your thoughts and words are heard in Ridernation and they believe you much to the chagrin of the green and white loyalists. A revolving door of players they say but the only new player on the offense was Caleb Holley who had a feature in the Leader-post August 17^th.....FOUR days before the game. The information is out there if you look for it. Get to know these players now so you aren't stuck when they're household names. Get ahead of the curve. I always relate it to this...in 2008 you didn't know who Weston Dressler was either.

Beyond a team that played horribly in all facets, we have the officials and crazy CFL rules to deal with. I watch every CFL game every week and I see it in every game. I think it's the definition of the rules in the first place and the referee's who aren't skilled enough to make the right calls. They don't know what to call and sometimes throw a flag in case there was something or they miss something blatant. This is what the challenge was supposed to fix. Instead, coaches have found a way to bend the rules and manage to get calls for things that have no impact on the play. Every coach has done it. Then this year they came out with the “eye in the sky” which I still haven't figured out what they're supposed to do except in the last game they stopped play because the refs had spotted the ball wrong. They couldn't even spot the ball correctly! I certainly don't know how to fix anything but it seems to me at this point there is no going back. Some games have taken years off my life. It's frustrating to watch and many fans are turning away.

~ Life is not about how you survive the storm;

it's about how you dance in the rain ~

Well, in Ridernation right now it's pouring. We might be having a really hard time. Nothing is going our way.  We've been fined and taken a beating.  I still love this team and these players. You won't hear me wanting to fire coaches or make trades. I'm leaving that to the people in the know. I know in my Rider green heart that the wins will come. Then another win will happen. Maybe some more and then we'll be rolling. That's when we can dance. Let's be there for the 2016 Roughriders. They need our support not our criticism. I know I'll be in green come game day. I hope you are too.  Let's make some Farewell Memories.