Any Way The Wind Blows

There hasn't been much going on in the CFL lately.  Pieces of news have been few and far between.  They've resorted to articles about players pets and who can be named best dressed CFLer.

Meanwhile...

* crickets *

...a dog barks in the distance...

🎵 a birdie chirps...

With this lull in activity every off season I find that my own rabid fan status wains and I wonder over to other activities and my influences change.  Some people turn to other sports - Saskatoon Rush, Nascar and hockey of course. Many of you haven't known me a long time but March seems to be a time for when I explore.  There was the Dean Martin infatuation of 20-something.  We won't discuss the whole vampire thing. Last year I researched my family tree and actually found a cousin living in Montreal who I didn't know existed. This off season was going along like normal and then in February I watched (finally) Bohemian Rhapsody and it seemed like everything changed for me.

I've made no secret that while I write this blog and am administrator for ABC Rider Fans, that in "real life" I am a piano teacher.  While I've always maintained that music is what I do - it's not my life...it's an illusion because it really does consume my life.   Where I am able to strike a balance is that I only teach after school hours so while you are likely gearing up to go home after your work day, I am gearing up to start teaching.  'Tis the life of a musician I suppose.  What these hours allow me to do is follow football during those off times except when I need to do research or find music or actually come up with a plan or strategy for my lessons, which by the way is unpaid time but I'm dedicated and I do it happily.

So there I was coasting through CFL off season and coping with some other health things that always seem to crop up at this time of year but you know everyone has "stuff" to deal with.  One of my students...my best student if I'm honest (and fav but don't tell the others!), is playing Bohemian Rhapsody for the SAM music festival in May which runs close if not at the same time as Roughrider training camp.  We had decided on this selection before Christmas so it had nothing to do with my off season doldrums but everything to do with the reason one quiet Saturday night I decided I should watch the movie.  I called it Professional Development. I actually streamed A Star is Born the same night but for whatever reason (I'm heartless?) it had zero effect on me, yet the story of Freddie Mercury made me feel a whole myriad of things that I can't even begin to sort out or explain in any form.

I was 18 when Mercury died from Aids in 1991 and when I think back to "me" back then I often refer to myself as a stupid teenager.  Maybe I was just oblivious? I remember the news but life went on.  I didn't realize until now how excruciating that event actually was.  Is it possible to mourn someone nearly 30 years later?  Well just like I seem to be stuck in this musical cycle, many football fans are stuck as well.  Bring back Dressler is one of the newest cries.  When will Rider fans move on?  Are we still in 2009 mourning too?  The Roughriders need to continue to move on to the future instead of looking back.  Unlike, Queen's front man, most football players are replaceable even if we've loved their character and personality.  To everything there is a season.  The show must go on.

With most things in my life even when I don't think music plays a roll it's there in the background noise.  If you're still with me here and wondering what any of this has to do with the football blog you've grown used to reading well it made me realize how much I've grown in all ways and continue to evolve and how fortunate...blessed really, I am to have a slightly successful page which is somewhat accepted by a mostly male dominated sort of hobby and industry.  No one ever told me I couldn't and I always knew I could do things, mostly artistic types of things with extreme ease.  I can do anything! I've often said. So while Roughrider football is an obsession in my life, music is a thread weaving itself deeply through it.  A team wins a championship - We Are The Champions.  A Calgary Stampeders game comes to an end - Sweet Caroline.  The Saskatchewan Roughriders score a touchdown - Green is the Colour.

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When the city of Regina hosted the 2013 Grey Cup they knocked the halftime show out of the park by having flying snowmobiles and a rocking Hedley (at the time) group.  Randy Ambrosie said that the Riders pitch was so good they could have landed the Olympics so naturally that makes me question what kind of half time show was pitched.  Does the halftime show need to be Canadian or should they reach farther into the stars to bring the most epic halftime ever?  Can both be done?  What's your opinion on this and who would you like to see as the 2020 halftime show? 

This time of year - March, the cold snap finally comes to an end and we are looking for signs of life.  While it'll be a while until we see daffodils here in Saskatchewan, birds are returning and the snow is sinking as the sun grows higher and higher in the sky.  Our beloved CFL teams will be re-awakening after all the moves in free agency.  The CFLPA negotiations will get settled.  Soon it'll be draft day. Some people are already looking forward and talking about training camp in Saskatoon.  Our passion is renewed.  The season is renewed.  We feel anew.

I'm ready for the next chapter.

Go Riders.

CFL Fans & The Price of Social Media

I had full intentions of this post being about the new Alliance football league.  I even posted as much on my ABC Football Facebook page on Tuesday.  The reaction I received, not even remotely football related, made it evident that perhaps I shouldn't dedicate a whole blog post to that one subject.  Especially when it's possible another subject landed in my lap.  Wednesday was Pink Shirt Day and that coupled with the fall out of my Facebook post was a clear sign that CFL fans once again need some reminders.  Sure, who am I to tell others how to behave?  I'm not an angel either, but I try to treat everyone with kindness and know there is a clear line between poking fun and being fanatical.

We spend a lot of time with our youth telling them that it's okay to speak their minds.  It's okay to be whatever you want to be.  No one will judge you.  Is it true though?  Kids are still bullied and it's nothing like it was when I was a kid in the 1980's.  When things happened to me at school I just figured there was something wrong with the kid putting me through that and I never internalized those feelings.  The problem is that it's 2019 and we live in an age where we don't leave the bullies at school.  They follow us on Twitter.  They're on Instagram.  They're on Facebook and they likely have a couple fake accounts besides the obvious one.  They might be hanging out on your favourite football teams fan forum too.

When we post or share on social media we have to be prepared for the reaction we get.  I've said that many times.  Why should I though?  Why can't I post my thoughts and if you disagree you just pass on by?  Why does someone feel that they can call the poster names or reply incessantly?  Why do people think they can do this from behind their smart phones or laptop screens?

Would you ever do that to my face?

Would you allow your son or daughter to behave that way?

In 5 Things Said in Free Agency I ended with a point about Saskatchewan Roughrider fans.  I received some constructive critisism at number one and my thoughts lost some people.  Fan is a shortened version of the word "fanatic".  There is a very appropriate definition for this word: a person filled with excessive and single minded zeal.  That describes Rider Nation to a tee.  I'm not oblivious to the fact that I am one of them.  We ride the highest of highs and other teams fans find us hard to tolerate.  We also fly off the handle, seem to be easily offended and wallow in the deepest of sympathies which often make us the butt of jokes around the league.  It seems we are either riding the bandwagon or jumping off the cliffs.  To quote myself "As Rider fans we can be better and we should be better".  Really, that statement is true of all fans and what I meant by it was be better to each other.  We all belong to the CFL Family and love and promote our favourite teams.  We can do it together.  Diversity really is the strength of the league but not if we troll each other, lob insults and ban others from fan pages over hurt feelings.

Have you seen the disgusting video of the Live on-air licking of a TV reporter?  It's disturbing on several levels.  It appears as if a bystander begins to lick and kiss the neck of the reporter and then you see it...the Roughrider bunnyhug.  Thanks for that.  According to the CityTV story which I tagged, the man is Saskatchewan born Boyd Banks and has some film and tv credits.  In what world is this okay?  Never mind what the man was wearing, this behavior is despicable, but to do it while wearing one of the most recognizable logos in the world...well, I shake my head and sigh.

Lady Gaga said on Jimmy Kimmel Wednesday night that social media is the gutter of the internet.  It can be but it can also be a terrific place.  I've gained many good friendships through Twitter and Facebook and of course I use both to help promote and spread ABC Football and ABC Rider Fans.  Tuesday I made a post in a CFL forum and was immediately called an idiot.  Listen, I'm 46 years old and I've been through a ton of things so your little petty words which you spread through your anonymous account don't hurt me. I survived the 1980's. We need to walk the talk about being kind to each other in person and on line and just plainly everywhere in life.

Dan Clark appeared at schools in Saskatoon Wednesday to spread the news on Pink Day and everyone was encouraged to use the hashtag #besomeoneshero.  It's basically a do something mantra.  If you see someone being bullied, come to their aid because the statistics say that when you do the bullying ends.  On the internet you have to be your own hero.  When you must learn how to block and report.  Use Ignore and mute.  Sometimes even Retweet can help you out in a pinch.  Be your own advocate and think twice before you post replies.  Sometimes it's just not worth it but always...always try to get along.

You also have to be you.  Be the music teacher who is the crazy football fan.  Be the football coach who loves to paint.  Be the football player who writes books.  Live your life unapologetically because in the end none of it really matters - you have to be happy with who you are.  There is a price to pay for standing out but it is always worth it.