TALK ABOUT ALL THE NICE PEOPLE
Robservations …
Please permit me to wallow in ■ self-indulgence right off the top. Profuse thanks to everyone who offered their congratulations and thoughtful sentiments as I celebrated 30 years — where did the time/hair/youth go? — at my favourite newspaper. The response was unexpected and, well, overwhelming. I have said and written many times that, without readers, and without people who are willing to share and trust me with their stories, I would be playing jazz kazoo for nickels on a dimly lit street corner. (Any requests?)
Throughout those 30 years, it’s ■ been an honour to work with my friends Murray McCormick (who debuted at the Regina LeaderPost in 1985), Murray Mandryk (1982) and Gord Craig (1974), all of whom continue to enjoy amazing careers while making my job and my life more enjoyable.
One thing I hope I’ve learned
■ over 30 years is that an interviewer should ask a question instead of simply making a statement and expecting a coach/ athlete/whomever to respond. It should be basic, right? Not so if you listen to some (snicker) “interviewers.” On Sunday night, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott met a horde of reporters, many of whom requested that he “talk about” various aspects of the game. Example: “Talk about the two runs you had that were so huge keeping drives going.” Talk about this. Talk about that. Talk about laziness!
Kudos to Prescott for one
■
response in particular. One alleged sports journalist mentioned to the Cowboys quarterback that “the defence really helped you guys out tonight,” and left it at that. “Correct,” Prescott responded. Beautiful. Simply beautiful.
Dak, talk about how beautiful
■
that was ...
Have the Roughriders ever
■
had a more talented player than Duron Carter? His 88-yard touchdown connection with QB Kevin Glenn during Sunday’s 48-28 loss to the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers was something to behold. With smooth strides that seemed to effortlessly devour five yards at a time, Carter left two would-be tacklers in the dust en route to the end zone.
Consider many of the elite
■
receivers in Roughriders history. Hugh Campbell had great hands (hence the “Gluey Hughie” moniker), as did Don Narcisse. Ray Elgaard was cerebral and skilled in addition to being a steamroller in the open field.
Jeff Fairholm was flat-out fast. Joey Walters was spectacular, in addition to treating the fans like all-stars. Carter possesses all of those attributes. And, like Walters, Carter can also play defence when called upon. (Walters had an interception in the Roughriders’ 1977 season finale.)
Carter sits atop the league
■
with eight touchdown receptions, twice as many as Rob
Bagg ’s team high total for all of last season. Ryan Smith led the 2015 Roughriders in touchdown catches with seven.
With 21 touchdown tosses in
■
only 10 games, Glenn already boasts a scoring pass total that would have led Saskatchewan in four of the past five seasons (the exception being 2013, when Darian Durant connected for 21 majors).
Reminder: It’s the Canadian
■
Football Hall of Fame — not the CFL Hall of Fame. But expect to see and hear “CFL Hall of Fame” far too much leading into induction weekend, because so many people who should know better can never get it right.
Nice people who deserve a
■
plug: Kevin Mitchell, Gregg Drinnan, John Swan, Jay Onrait, Dan O’Toole, Kevin Haynes, Murray McCormick, Gord Craig, Murray Mandryk, Ashley Robinson, Brian Fitzpatrick, D.C. Fraser, Ethan Ball, Peter Anholt, Kelly McCrimmon, Lee Brown, Bette Hood, Ray Elgaard, Hugh Campbell, Jeff Fairholm, Joey Walters, Don Narcisse, Greg Lessmeister and all the readers and interviewees (“talk about ...”) who have kindly shared their valuable time with me for all these years.