Life / fan balance

I was working out yesterday at a local gym and as I was walking in Paul McCallum was walking out, had to do a double-take because without a uniform on I didn’t immediately place the face. I said to one of my co-workers (big RIDERS fan), did you see McCallum? You know what his first response was … what a bum, now its my turn to rant.

I realize that there is a passion that a true fan has and it is important as an organization to foster that passion, that’s how you make money. But I have always been baffled by those who take things personal and make their attacks personal. My brother-in-law is not a McCallum fan but he has a hate on for Henry Burris that is ridiculous.

I have for a long time reconciled that players come and go and have a job to do and have a short period of time to make as much money as they possibly can. Therefore if they use one organization against the other to drive up the price well that’s the nature of the beast. If the player insults the fans or the city then that’s another story and quite often there is some basis for the comment. But there are times when players just burn bridges, for example I remember when Bryn Smith (an Expos pitcher) signed with the Cardinals. I like him he was a good guy and I loved the palm ball, but he said one the reasons he left was cultural differences, for example he said he couldn’t get a bag of Doritos in Montreal, which total bullshit. I have live in many places around the world and when I lived in Hong Kong it was up to me how “local” I wanted to go. I had friends who barely interacted with any of the locals so it’s up to the player

So my message to RIDERS fans is let go your hate and put that energy into cheering for your team and the players that are currently on the roster.

Can’t we all just get along.

Pass interference

The Riders lost two DB these past few days, Davin Bush and Omar Morgan. Bush is now in Winnipeg and Morgan in Edmonton.

This is a bit of a blow but as far as Bush goes the thing I remember most about his playing career for the RIDERS was the pronunciation change of his from Davin to Dayvin.

As far as Morgan goes apparently he signed a five-year deal worth $725,000, according to the Edmonton Sun. Which is incredible since this is a guy who has already played 6 years in the league. I just got off the phone with my brother-in-law who is a huge fan and we discussed where Morgan rates in terms of all the CB’s in the league and we both agreed that he is probably top 5. However I honestly think this is one of the first steps in the Danny Maciocia regime that will lead to a prolonged downward spiral for the franchise. However I don’t the organization would let it go beyond two years of not making the playoffs. If they don’t make it this year then Maciocia will be on a short leash next year. Morgan has 2 perhaps 3 years of good play in front of him and that is with the benefit of playing half his games on grass. If he last 4-5 years then … I guess the professionals are smarter then me.

The story in the Leader-Post also quotes Tillman as saying that we have a young group of players Sean Lucas, Lance Frazier, Rontarius Robinson and James Johnson who were in the system last year and are ready for development. I remember Robinson but I thought he was more of a linebacker, the rest I don’t remember. If you look at this in another way, this is a real endorsement by the franchise in Hall’s ability to develop a new backfield. Besides there are also economic factors that are coming into play and hopefully the league is serious about making sure that everyone follows the cap.

One new signing one old

Just watching TSN and apparently the RIDERS have signed WR Curtis Jackson. HMMM that can be the Curtis Jackson who played for New England? Who is like 34 now. Well after checking the Riders site it is the same guy. Tillman had him in Ottawa and he had 47 catches, he also had 5 catches for 95 yards in 1999 for Hamilton.

The other signing is Joshua Tinch another wide receiver who spent time with St. Louis last year after a breakout year of 67 catches at Louisville.

Now this is getting to be an awfully crowded receiver position but with all these weapons maybe Joseph will really become quarterback the Riders and Austin would love to see. Lets just hope they just don't Fantuz.

He could go all the way….

The competition committee of the CFL meet this week and one of the big items on the menu was the kick-off return rules. The CFL has long been about offence and the kick-off return was one of its most exciting tools. Prior to the start of last season the league started enforcing a blocking from behind rule, in the attempt to protect the players. The result: there were only two kick-off returns as opposed to 14 the year before.

Maciocia (who sits on the committee) is quoted as saying there is a fine balance between protecting the players (who are admittedly in a very physical profession) and keeping the game exciting for the fans. Buono who voted against the rule change last year would prefer to see more protection for quarterbacks, given that the CFL is a QB driven league.

Well I am going to comment on these from a fan perspective and say bring back as much as possible of the old kick-off rules and bring in a couple more rules to protect the QB. I grew up being amazed by Gizmo and his electrifying returns and later on The Rocket and then (Better then) Ezra Landry, it is a key ingredient to our game.

Now as far as QB’s are concerned Buono is right that we need to protect the QB however he is a little self-serving considering the fragility of Dickenson.

Riders sign a pair and the schedule is now official

The Riders signed a pair yesterday. WR Khalil Hill and LB Josh Buhl. What's interesting about this (other then the fact that we have another WR) is the quote from Tillman:


“Josh is a heck of a football player,” stated Tillman. “At Kansas State, he was a flat out tackling machine. In truth, if he was a little bigger, Josh would be one of those guys who would have had a very successful career in the National Football League.”

I guess we will have to wait and see if he is all that and a bag of chips.

Tillman front and centre

An interesting article from Rob Vanstone re: Joseph and his contract today entitled “JOSEPH CAN EXPECT SOME COMPETITION”. It essentially boils down what the most fans would have thought and that is Joseph didn’t really have much choice with the re-structuring. The market is limited and $225 K is better then starting out at a new job. The only question I have is the article title; it only talks about competition on the very last paragraph. Frankly unless Joseph gets hurt or absolutely cannot grasp Austin’s offensive system there will no competition and hopefully that is the way it shakes out. The last thing Austin needs in his first year is a QB controversy.

Another article from the Vancouver Province entitled “TILLMAN WOULD LIKE CLERMONT IN RIDER GREEN” talks about the GM meetings in Montreal and how the Clermont to the RIDERS story won’t die.

If any of you heard Clermont on the 104.9 the WOLF last month it was pretty clear that he was bidding his time before a return to Regina

….I am getting married in Regina…

….my future wife is in Regina…

….I just completed my realtor’s course and I am working for a local realty….

It’s pretty obvious that he will be here next year as a free agent so it does not give much leverage to Buono. Tillman is also good to play it cool and not get sucked into the PR game. The previous regime passed on Clermont and WR is not an immediate need for the RIDERS. Rumours of Buono chasing Wayne Smith or wanting unsigned non-import OL Chris Best should stay that way. Non-import talent is the key to winning in this league. With Fantuz establishing himself as a legitimate WR and Smith widely regarded as a Canadian OL combined with the potential of Best you would have a very strong core of skilled Canadians something you can have enough off.

Riders seeing green

Well the Riders finally made news this off-season, unfortunately it took somebody more inept than us to make any progress. Thank you Lonie! Unfortunately the Green we are seeing now is how the hell do we get rid of Nealon Greene now that we have to spend a whack of cash for Kerry Joseph.

HMMMM this reminds me of another quarterback we were after and we said we did not want to spend the money. I still remember a local radio celebrity joking that the Riders and Stamps were both finished except the Riders had spent 250K or so less money. You know what, that freaking drives me nuts! Regina is such a small-thinking town, and can’t seem make the connection that in order to make money you actually have to spend money. The town would buy two cheap things and get frustrated rather than doing it right the first time. Yes, yes I know a real Reginan would buy the two cheap things at the same time so they wouldn’t have to go back. Huh huh huh smart eh! Whatever.R