Perhaps their most complete win of the season....

I wasn't able to watch the Riders - Toronto game live as I was driving back from Saskatchewan on Monday. I set the PVR and fortunately nobody ruined it for me; I was able to watch the game in its entirety without  knowing the final outcome. And what I saw was perhaps the most complete Rider win of the season. 

Yes I know that the Riders shut out Winnipeg on Labour Day, but in this one is seems the team dominated the Argos the entire game, with the exception of one drive. Although coach Chamblin was pointing out areas that team could improve on (i.e. defense), I think he is doing that more to keep the team sharp and avoid complacency. If  I was him I would probably do the same thing; who wants to see the team fall back into a losing streak of five in a row like they did earlier this season.

I like the streak that they are on now. Beating Calgary, B.C. and Toronto and all were impressive wins against top teams. I think the team's confidence is at an all time high. They are playing with passion and lots of energy. They have become a good, exciting team to watch. 

Next up, the evil empire. Travel again takes me away from viewing the game live. And this time I don't think that I'll be able to sequester myself from the final score before I get to see the game. But there is nothing finer than a Riders win in Edmonton. If the Riders continue to play like they have in the past three weeks, the Edmonton game will be no contest. 

Having said that, there is something about Commonwealth Stadium that makes it tough for any visiting team. Home field advantage there is similar to the benefit the Riders get when they play at Mosaic. So because they are the evil empire, and Commonwealth is a tough place to play, a Rider victory there is always extra special.

My choices for the Rider's most valuable players - to date

I never was a fan of the term Banjo Bowl for this rematch between the Riders and Bombers. I know it helps with the hype and in marketing the game. Winnipeg needs to do everything possible to keep their fans interested after the way their season has played out so far.

The Rider's 52-0 win in Sunday has really invigorated Saskatchewan fans once again. Folks are back on the bandwagon and I know I am in the same frame of mind as when the Riders started the season 3-0. I am hoping that one win would get the team back on track, instill some more confidence in them and give them some momentum for the rest of the season.

So now that we are half way through the season, its time to pick out the top performers to date. I know there is a lot of football to play yet, but if the best performance awards were handed out today, these would be my choices:

Most Outstanding Player - Kory Sheets

Although one could consider both Darian Durant and Weston Dressler, at this point Kory Sheets is my choice. Sheets has shown that his pre-season performance was not a flash in the plan. His play has been outstanding and he gives the Rider's the potential of a big play every time he touches the ball. His rushing stats have always been at the top (or close to) the league leaders, and he should easily break 1000 rushing yards for the season. He can be equally as dangerous as a received and his yards after catch numbers must be pretty good. Maybe one can argue that his blocking skills needed improvement, but I think that he has improved in this area since the start of the year. The only thing that I would like see is the play calling give him more touches. Nevertheless, because of the consistent, all round performances game after game, he has been the Riders most outstanding player player so far.

Most Outstanding Defensive Player - Brent Hawkins

This selection was a little tougher as injuries have affected the defense. Abraham Kromah would have been my choice if he hadn't been injured. With the revolving door in the defensive backfield and at linebacker, one has to look at the defensive line for consistency. Hawkins has been the most consistent of all of the d-line, and it seems he has put his injuries behind him. He may benefit from the extra attention that Odell Willis receives, but at the same time you have to take advantage of what the other teams gives you and I think that Hawkins has done that.

Most Outstanding Canadian - Chris Getzlaff

Getzlaff continues to be a dominate force on the receiving team and has become the go to guy on second down. Second in the league in 2nd down conversations says a lot about the confidence that Durant has in him when the Riders are second and long. He still drops the odd pass, but he is on pace for another 1000 yard season. Brendon LaBatte is also having a solid season as a first year Rider and is proving that his free agent signing was a good move by Brendan Tamon. But Getzlaff's importance to the team as a trusted, go-to guy cannot be understated and his performance so far is worthy of the MOC recognition.

Most Outstanding Rookie - Sam Hurl

When Ben Heenan started in place of Chris Best at the start of the year, he clearly proved that he could play, and play well in this league. But his recent injury drops him from consideration for the time being. It appears that Sheets will not be eligible for this award, and with Kromah's recent injury he loses out here as well. Rarely does a special teams expert receive such recognition but one cannot understate the impact Sam Hurl has had when on the field. Second in special teams tackles is a pretty good accomplishment for the true rookie. I am not sure much was expected from him when he was drafted this year, but his impact on special teams has been noted and he should be a valuable contributor for many years. 

So that's my mid term choices for the valuable contributors to the team Much will change between now and the end of the season, but if each of these individuals continue their strong performances this will only bode well for the Riders as they continue their quest to return to the Grey Cup.

Top ten things heard from the fans behind the Winnipeg bench yesterday....

10. Better start the bus; gonna be a long ride home.

9. La Po's wife sends better tweets

8. No... The Labour Day Classic is being played today; not tomorrow ....

7. The Bombers won't win the Grey Cup as long as Manitoba has an NDP government

6. Hey, now Buzz and Boomer are wearing bags over their heads!

5. Are you always this bad or are you making a special effort today?

4. Willy's going deep! That's what she said!

3. Golden Boy bleeds green.

2. How's that coaching change working out for ya?

1. What was all that "swaggerville" stuff about again?

Riders kick Bombers in their athletic supporters

Who doesn't like a blowout? By your favorite team....against one of their biggest rivals...on the biggest day and game of the year? I for one am ecstatic as to what I saw today as the Rider's shut out the Bombers 52-0  in the 2012 Labour Day Classic.

I say this because I have a long memory. I remember way too many times the Riders being on the wrong end of a blowout. Maybe I am greedy, but I would like to see the Riders blow out the opposition even more! That is something that will never get old to me. But 52-0? Go figure. Can't say that I saw that coming (I'm sure no one did) and it was impressive, to say the least.

The team played today like they did in the first three games of the season. In complete control and without costly errors or mistakes. Maybe they had some good karma going for them too with Sandro DeAngelis' first  field goal attempt hitting the upright but still going through. Maybe that was an early sign that today was the Riders' day and things were going to go their way.

Durant was in control of the game and I have believed that the team is better when he takes off and runs. His scrambling for a few crucial first downs in the 1st quarter were critical to sustaining drives and putting points on the scoreboard. Yes, he did take a shot to the head in the 3rd quarter, but it looks like he had some stiffness in his neck and shoulder and will be back for the rematch. The two touchdown throws to Weston Dressler were pretty to watch. Nice smooth spirals that were perfectly thrown. Of course, having good pass protection helps. Kudo's to the o-line as they had a solid game. 

Brackenridge stepped up and was simply outstanding. Not bad for a guy who was almost scratched. He came up big not only in the two notable plays, but he appeared to be in the right position pretty much all day.  It would be criminal if he doesn't earn defensive player of the week honours.

Lobendahn had a nice first game and led the team in tackles. Hope he stays healthy so they can have some stability at the linebacker positions for a few games. The other defensive stars were Jay Alford and Tearrius George. Even though there were not a lot of sacks (I think they only had two), there were lots of hurries. The defensive line is very good and they are keeping Willis and Hawkins fresh. It also appeared the defensive backs had much tighter coverage today. Have we ever seen more knockdowns in a game like we did today? 

I am really impressed with Korey Sheets' toughness. He seems to take a lot of punishment, but he bounces up after every touch and just keeps making plays. What a great find. He is on track to get over 1000 rushing yards on the season and perhaps even greater single game performances are in store. 

Drew Willy got some decent playing time and impressed like he did in the pre-season. The Riders didn't miss a beat when he came into the game and he looked pretty confident for 1st year quarterback. At this point of the season both Sheets and Willy are looking like great finds for GM Brendan Taman. Same thing with Brooks Foster. Those were two great catches and they may now have their receivers set. 

And big congratulations to Coach Corey Chamblin. His composure and positive attitude have finally paid off and in every game it looks like his players want to play for him. Chamblin is vastly different than Greg Marshall (who?) and Tim Burke (sucks to be you) and that's a good thing. 

Just as I write this I am watching the highlights on CTV Winnipeg. They are using words such as embarrassing, humiliating, humbling, historic for all the wrong reasons, long drive back.... As I said, I know what they are talking about. I remember times when this is what happened to the Riders. Nice to see someone else have some of that misery and the Riders the ones dishing it out. 

Good thing I set the PVR as I will be watching this one again. 

Labour Day Classic....time to turn the season around

Later today the Riders will take the field in the annual Labour Day Classic. Once again, versus the hated Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Mosaic Stadium will be rocking for what some will say is the Riders' most important game of the year.

Its an important game for more than just being the Labour Day game. This game has to be the start of the turnaround. The Riders have to do something to stop the negative momentum of the last five games where their season has been going the wrong way. Not many would have predicted that the team would get off to a 3-0 start, but now that they have lost 5 straight, all of the early excitement that the team generated is on the verge of turning this year into another last year.

In 2007, when the Riders last won the Grey Cup, the Labour Day game seemed to be the turning point. A last minute TD run by Kerry Joseph instilled some new belief in the players (and the fans!). I am hoping for lightning to strike once again and I am hopeful that someone will step up to make it happen.

I expect that person to be Darian Durant. I think that he still is a good quarterback and has all the tools to lead the team to a win. Running the ball like they did last week against Calgary was a good sign, and although they are forecasting some strong winds, hopefully they don't have to face a 70kph wind ....so they can get the passing game back on track. And Durant gets it; he knows the importance of the Labour Day Classic, to both the team and the fans. There should not be any need for motivation speeches today.

A wrinkle in this game is the changes that the Bombers made with their coaching staff. Last year the Rider's fired Greg Marshall and replaced him with Ken Miller in advance of the the Labour Day game. A similar situation takes place this year with the Bombers as Paul La Police was replaced by Tim Burke last week. Will it result in a win for the visitors? I am betting against it, as mid season coaching changes have not been too successful in the history of the league.

I think today's game goes a long way to determine to what is going to happen for the rest of the season. A Rider's win puts them back in the playoff hunt at 4-5 with half of the season to play. A loss, for six in a row, may be too much for this fragile team to overcome.

So "Go Riders!" Make this game a win. It doesn't have to be another Labour Day Classic, just another Labour Day win!

 

Okay, enough of this

I was hoping that the way the Riders lost in Calgary was a one-off....something that wouldn't repeat itself. Well its obvious that they learned nothing from that defeat after their loss to Hamilton. Blows me away that they can't hold a 19 point lead, and two weeks in a row snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

It seems that they experience one little bit of adversity and they can't recover. The Durant fumble was the turning point as the Riders just couldn't do anything after that. Bad play calls, no desire for second effort to get the necessary yardage for a first down and poorly thrown passes when they are needed the most. 

Inconsistent field goal kicking doesn't help things either, but its tough to put this one solely on the shoulders of Milo. The pass rush was non-existent as Burris had lots of time to throw; not just in the fourth quarter but the entire game.It seemed that Hamilton was able to march down the field at will. The Riders prevent defense did everything to prevent themselves from winning!

It is going to be a tough two weeks in Riderville. I couldn't spend the time listening to CKRM's call in show afterward as I knew it was going to be ugly. Didn't need fans heaping more scorn on the team than I already did; I did my own share of venting.

So what has to change before the Riders go to Edmonton after the bye-week? Consistency is number one. Regaining the killer instinct (like they had in the first three games) is essential. The defensive schemes have to change as well as there is no way a team that holds Edmonton to 1 point should be giving up 35+ to Hamilton and Calgary.

I have a sense that there is going to be some soul searching and deep reflection by the coaches over of the bye week. And then I expect more roster changes. Yes, the team is still tied for first in the west, and has a winning record, but the last two games have been nothing but momentum and moral killers.

The Riders should be 5-0. Now they are only two points out of a playoff spot. 

Use the bye week to turn this around now.

Never criticize a win

The Riders go to 2-0 with an impressive performance over the Evil Empire. Jyles and Joseph could not get anything going against the Rider's defense....the Rider "D" was phenomenal as much as the Edmonton quarterbacks were aweful. A defensive battle isn't such a bad thing now and then. The Rider offense did have me worried at times, but I still had these sense that they'd pull out the win. Of course I didn't know that and it was just a gut feel until "Holy Sheets" had that impressive run for a 34 yd TD late in the fourth quarter. Nice to see a strong play be the game breaker to seal the deal. Bottom line is its a win and that's all that matters. I had a look at the Edmonton papers today and they are all over Tillman for trading Ricky Ray for Jyles. At this point it may go down as one of the most lopsided trades in history. But I have no sympathy for Tillman or the Esks. Everybody has to make tough trades or say goodbye to free agents to be under the salary cap. And I know that Eskimo fans took great joy in seeing the Riders falter last year after they went to three of previous four Grey Cups. My only regret is not betting on the game with my brother-in-law, who is a big Eskimo fan. He's still a little annoyed with me when I gave his son Austin a Riders jersey (with #5 on the back of course!) He's taken his share of bets from me and I still want revenge...but missed out in setting a bet for this game. That will come as so will many more Eskimos losses this season if they don't get a quarterback. Now bring on the Lions in the showdown for first place in the west. My sense is there will be more offense when the Lions make their way to Mosaic this Saturday.

One down, 17 to go!

So the first thing I have to say is good thing I wore my lucky Rider's shirt, Second thing...I liked the white helmets. There was something about them and they looked better and better as the game went on. Of course, so did the Riders' play so maybe it didn't matter what they wore....

SaskPower finally restored my power an hour before game time. Needless to say I wasn't a happy camper. as the clock was ticking closer to kickoff. What a sense of relief when it came on (for more reasons than the game!). But with the Rider win, perhaps all was forgotten. But I better be able to see the game on Sunday.

So, who saw that coming? Damn they played good. The offense, defense and special teams played like a high caliber team in mid-season form. Durant and Dressler? Enough said with the offensive player of the week award that went to Durant but Dressler could have easily won.

Jeez, I like a blowout.... I have seen way to few of them by the Riders over the years, so I can never get enough of them. The lean years of "eleven years is enough" and the 90's are still in my memory and I can recall way to many times when the Riders were on the wrong side of a blowout. I want the Riders to win big every game.

It was hard to find fault with such a big win, but because this is Saskatchewan, some have found something to complain about. Comes with the territory I guess. Nevertheless, nice to see coach Chamblin not get complacent at practice by working on tackling drills and sharing that there are other areas to improve on.

Next up, the Evil Empire. Can't wait for Sunday. Also can't wait for the Riders to go 2-0 with another blowout win.

Political brilliance on stadium announcement

When I first heard that the provincial government would fund up $80million for a "roof ready" new stadium my reaction was that this probably would be less than what was needed to make the project go. Then to my surprise, later in the day both Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco and the Riders held press conferences to state how pleased they were with the provinces' announcement ...and the Riders themselves would contribute to the project. The province put it in the context that their contribution would be a similar percentage to what they have given to other "recreation centers" in the province...and they went on to list them, town by town, city by city. So I think what the province has done has found a nice sweet spot between those in favor and opposed to a new stadium. The $80m is no where near the $240m the City requested(So taxpayers are perhaps breathing a sigh of relief) and the $80m is probably enough of a commitment to get the project off the ground, as it also comes with a loan if necessary. Because the mayor was beaming in his press conference, and the Riders stepped up to the plate with a commitment to fund (total amount will be released later) for the first time, it leads me to believe that a deal is in the works. The mayor imposed a July deadline for all funding to be in place...and no one seemed to think that was going to be a problem. Private sector funding must be in the queue then, and an announcement forthcoming. The provinces' announcement is walking a political tightrope with grace and agility. In the end I think everyone will believe that they are being respectful of taxpayers money, while at the same time participating in a meaningful level on one of the biggest and most needed Infastructure projects in the provinces' history.

Rider's trim roster

Today the Rider's announced the release of a number of players:

Import DL Jay Alford
Import OL Johan Asiata
Non-Import WR Ismael Bamba
Non-Import K Chris Bodnar
Non-Import FB Mathieu Boulay
Import WR Patrick Brown
Non-Import OL Dan Clark
Import LB Chris Francis
Import DB Lance Frazier
Import DB Macho Harris
Non-Import OL Nick Hutchins
Import DB Talmadge Jackson
Import DB Jalil Johnson
Import LB Karl Paymah
Non-Import LB Kevin Regimbald-Gagne
Import DL Kenny Rowe
Import WR Jock Sanders
Import LB Davonte Shannon
Import LB Daniel Sheffield
Import WR Taj Smith
Import DL David Veikune
Import RB DeShawn Wynn

The following players have been added to the injury list:
Non-Import FB Graeme Bell
Non-Import OL Chris Best

The following players have been added to the 9 game injury list:
Import WR Dallas Baker
Import OL Dan Goodspeed
Import QB Levi Brown

I was at the game on Friday night. It was my first game at Taylor Field...err Mosaic Stadium since 1995. Can't believe it has been that long. Worst part though, was that the stadium hasn't changed that much for the better...even though the recent renovations and bowl seating does look good.

Of the changes above, based on what I saw on Friday, I can't say there are many surprises. Lance Frazier being cut was perhaps the one that raises the most eyebrows. A classy, long time vet, it looks like coaching or an administration position may be in store for him in the near future. Same thing with Dan Goodspeed. Looks like his time on the 9-game list will give him some time to consider if he wants to get involved in coaching.

The other surprise to me as that Brandon West wasn't cut. With the play of Kory Sheets on Friday I thought that West would be released. I guess they have found the room to keep a couple of extra RB's around incase Sheets doesn't pan out.

The practise roster hasn't been announced yet, but 7 of those released will make it onto that list. There is no doubt that there will be some roster moves before the first game against Hamilton. Notice how there's no fooling around with Chamblin like in years past. A good example is Jay Alford. I guess they wanted him to show up to camp earlier. Chamblin has made it clear that you have to show up and try to make the team, instead of resting on your laurels. 

If that mindset carries through the season the Riders should do well.

Don't panic... at least wait till the season starts

I was on a flight home when the Riders were playing their first exhibition game against B.C. I asked my wife to PVR' the game and I still haven't watched it. I did get the heads up that it wasn't worth watching, so I am starting to think there is no point.

There also is no point to panic. When I was listening to Sportsnight on Thursday night some callers had already written the season off. Other callers sounded like they were ready to jump off a bridge. I guess I have to remind people that it was just an exhibition game. Even more reason to remain calm is that the Lions played a lot of their starters, later into the game, while the Riders were "trying out guys" in various positions. 

Isn't that what exhibition games are for anyway? With the record as bad as it was in 2011, one would hope that Riders were going to try new things (i.e. offensive and defense schemes), try out new players (how many veterans didn't make the trip?) and get used to the new coaching dynamics and personalities.

I like everything that I have seen so far from the new regime. I am hopeful that the Riders will play better in the 2nd exhibition game on Friday, and maybe then that will stop the crazies from being, well, crazies! 

Nonetheless, everything is still meaningless until the season starts.

Riders sign all 2012 draft picks

The announcement today by the Riders that all four 2012 draft picks have been signed and will be at rookie camp has been welcome news. I have to admit I was starting to think that this wasn't going to happen. Although Ben Hennan was quoted as saying that he thought it was going to get done, as each day brought us one day closer to camp it was easy to believe that at least one of the picks wouldn't be signed.

But its done and not a day too soon.

This is quite the accomplishment when you look at the difficulties other teams have had in signing their picks. As an example, Edmonton is unable to sign both of their first round picks this year; as Austin Pasztor  and Shamawd Chambers have chosen to pursue their options in the NFL. There have been stories in the Calgary Herald that some teams are having issues with at least one agent. And each year, more CIS players are looking south for a chance in the NFL.

Perhaps the biggest surprise with this announcement is Ismaël Bamba. TSN had issued a report earlier this month that all indications were that he would return to Sherbrooke. His draft position fell quite a bit from pre-draft projections and maybe that made him lean to a return to college. This guy had lots of potential at North Dakota before he returned and there a is a good chance he could make the team this year.

Who will back up Durant?

Like most Rider fans I am watching the backup quarterback situation with considerable interest. With Levi Brown, Colt Brennan, J.T. O'Sullivan and Drew Willy signed and ready to go, there is strong competition to be Darian Durant's backup. 

If anyone remembers last season (one that I would like to forget) having a solid number two to step in when needed is a must in the CFL. Quarterbacks in the CFL, or any league, can and will get hurt through the course of the season. Although the Rider's season was pretty much over when Durant got hurt, it spoke volumes that at times the coaching staff kept a hurt Durant in the game, instead of going with Dinwiddie or Bergquist.

So it was no surprize that both backups last season were released.

Personnaly I like Colt Brennan and Levi Brown. They look like true passers that have a quick release. That's a skill that the CFL demands of its quarterbacks. No one can doubt J.T. O'Sullivan's experience. Can't say that Drew Willy has the pedigree that the others do, but there is no doubt the Riders have seen something in him they like...otherwise he wouldn't have made it this far.

My prediction is that it will come down to Brennan or Brown as the number 2, with one of them running the scout team at practises. Perhaps they will keep Willy around on the practise roster just in case. 

Let's hope the Riders don't have to use any of them.