Speed skating club produces Olympians
Christ and Hudey keep streak going after earning spots at Pyeongchang Games
Robservations ...
The Regina Speed Skating
Club will soon be represented at a fourth consecutive Winter Olympic Games. The RSSC’s long-track honour roll includes Justin Warsylewicz (2006),
Lucas Makowsky (2010, 2014), Kali Christ (2014, 2018) and Marsha Hudey (2014, 2018). Warsylewicz helped Canada win a bronze medal in men’s team pursuit. Makowsky struck gold in that event four years later.
Regina is the most logical
home for receiver Duron Carter, now that an NFL tryout seems unlikely. Carter thrived with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2017, when he was named the CFL team’s most outstanding player. There is a comfort level with Roughriders head coach and general manager Chris Jones, and with the team’s fan base. It is in both parties’ best interest to consummate a deal before the multi-talented Carter can test free agency on Feb. 13.
Carter also stands to benefit
from the Roughriders’ recent acquisition of quarterback Zach Collaros from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Collaros and returnee Brandon Bridge give Saskatchewan two quarterbacks who can make every throw. As well as Kevin Glenn played for the 2017 Roughriders, his lack of big-time arm strength limited the passing attack to a degree.
Unlike Johnny Manziel,
quarterback Vince Young — who attempted a comeback last year with Saskatchewan — had an agent (Leigh Steinberg) who understood the CFL’s contractual realities. Young did not demand top dollar, or anything remotely close, nor were any ultimatums issued. Manziel’s agent, Erik Burkhardt, is dreaming if he thinks Johnny Football will receive a stratospheric contract offer from the Tiger-Cats. Even more comically, Burkhardt said in a prepared statement that if a deal cannot be reached with Hamilton by month’s end, “we will turn our focus to several other professional options readily available to us.” Enjoy arena football, gentlemen.
Manziel is bound to be a distraction if and when he lands in the CFL. Even if he is on his best behaviour, his marquee name will garner plenty of attention. How long could he be a No. 2 quarterback in Hamilton, behind Jeremiah Masoli, before the entire situation became a circus? The best option for Hamilton would be to trade Manziel’s rights to a team — see: Montreal Alouettes — that clearly is in the market for a No. 1 quarterback.
Did you know the Roughriders
had a “13th-man” gaffe against Montreal long before the 2009 Grey Cup game? On Oct. 8,
1978, with the score tied 35-35, Montreal’s Don Sweet was short on a 51-yard field-goal attempt that, if successful, would have delivered a victory. However, the Roughriders were flagged for — wait for it! — too many men on the field. Sweet was given another chance, from 41 yards away, with time expired but was wide left on the do-over. Brian O’Hara caught the ball and returned it out of the end zone to preserve the tie and conclude Ron Lancaster’s final home game as a starter.
O’Hara, by the way, caught the
final pass of Lancaster’s illustrious career. Fittingly, O’Hara played at Whitworth College under head coach Hugh Campbell, who was the first truly great receiver to collaborate with Lancaster on behalf of the Roughriders.
FYI: That 1978 RoughridersAlouettes game is on YouTube. One of the participants was O.J. Simpson’s designated driver, Al Cowlings, whose time in the CFL consisted of four games with the 1978 Alouettes.
Why didn’t Cowlings play for
the Broncos?
Kudos to the CFL for making key individuals available for phone interviews during the recent general managers’ meetings in Banff.
Some Regina Pats fans were
disappointed that the team did not acquire a so-called marquee goaltender. However, a netminder of that description would not have been available unless the Everett Silvertips opted to trade Carter Hart. As it was, the Pats bolstered their lineup considerably leading up to Wednesday’s trade deadline. Ryan Kulic, who was acquired from the Saskatoon Blades, should do just fine between the pipes for Regina.
There is not a better show on
television than “SC with Jay and Dan.”
Nice people who deserve a
plug: Jay Onrait, Dan O’Toole, Hugh Campbell, Heather McMurray, Leo McGee, Jake Tapper, Lucas Barrett, Marsha Hudey, Justin Warsylewicz, Lucas Makowsky, Kevin Muench, Riley Benroth, Cara Driscoll and Sally Elliott.