Bridge situation should be impetus for change
The more time Brandon
Bridge spends behind centre for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the more it becomes apparent that the CFL needs to amend its roster regulations regarding quarterbacks. Teams are currently permitted to dress three quarterbacks of any nationality, so there isn’t any incentive for coaches to develop, let alone deploy, a national at football’s most prominent position.
Bridge has succeeded even though the system is stacked against him — a lamentable state of affairs when you consider that the “C” in “CFL” stands for “Canadian.”
I can understand the case
against applying the national/ international ratio to the quarterbacking position. Such a system invites manipulation by coaches who would dress a token Canadian as the third-stringer in order to buy an American spot elsewhere on the roster. Fair enough. But surely a format can be devised whereby a team is rewarded for playing, as opposed to merely dressing, a Canadian quarterback.
This visionary’s CFL predictions have raised eyebrows in recent weeks, especially with regards to forecasts pertaining to the Montreal Alouettes. I picked Montreal to lose by 32 and 16 points, only to be low both times! (Calgary Stampeders 59, Montreal 11; Edmonton Eskimos 42, Montreal 24).
The Alouettes are in dire need
of a housecleaning. A bye week should have been a bye-bye week.
It could be worse. The Alouettes
■ are to visit Regina on Oct. 27 for what has been billed as Darian Durant’s first game at the new Mosaic Stadium. Durant, who has a hamstring injury, has not played in either of Montreal’s last two games (lucky him). It would be a shame if he isn’t able to start in two weeks’ time. But if he is able to play in that game, it could be ugly — given the sorry state for the Alouettes. Durant deserves acknowledgment and a standing ovation anyway.
A recent visit to Ottawa
underlined the downside of Regina’s $278-million football stadium — the dearth of establishments around the facility. As one prepares to enter TD Place, there are all sorts of shops, clubs and restaurants. In Regina, well, there are bus stops.
In Toronto, there is tailgating.
Imagine what a hit that would be in the greater Regina area.
The other day, I watched the
Edmonton Oilers on a power play. Not once, but twice, the puck was dumped into rival territory, only to be routinely cleared. The Oilers, with their abundant skill and speed, should be able to get inside the blue-line without resorting to such mindless tactics while enjoying a man advantage.
Coaches prattle on endlessly
about the importance of puck possession, only to instruct their players to robotically dump it in. It all seems so contradictory.
Item: The Calgary Flames
have signed Jaromir Jagr, 45. Why not play “My Old Flame” during stoppages in play at the Saddledome? (The Billie Holiday version is highly recommended.)
Nice people/families who
deserve a plug: Panos and Voula Filippakopoulos, John, Marie, Dimitri, Elektra, Payne and Paris Maniatis, Dean and Wendy Medwid, Bill and Esther Hamilton, Sean Fitz-Gerald, Frank Zicarelli, Kelly Peterson, Colin Walker, Phil Andrews, Kim Valliere, Lorne Molleken, Garry Malaryk, Rob Houle, Kirk Molder, Dr. Kobus de Witt, Karen Wyatt, Devin Heroux and, for suggesting the recent “Bridge over troubled (Argos) waters” headline, Don Pho.