Regina Leader-Post

CFL FUMBLES ON BRIDGE

Time to classify QB as national

- ROB VANSTONE rvanstone@postmedia.com twitter.com/robvanston­e

Robservati­ons ...

Admittedly, there is red tape with which to deal, but the situation is still beyond ridiculous. The Saskatchew­an Roughrider­s have started quarterbac­k Brandon Bridge, who is from Mississaug­a, Ont., for two consecutiv­e games without deriving any ratio-related benefits. How did the so-called Canadian Football League ever allow for a situation whereby a homegrown quarterbac­k would not be classified as a national player? And why wasn’t this fixed years ago? Only in the CFL would someone nicknamed “Air Canada” not be regarded as a Canadian.

Hold on. Shouldn’t it be Air National? (Joke stolen from Brendan Taman. So sue me.)

Last year, Bridge and Kevin Glenn combined to help the Roughrider­s post a league-high 35 touchdown passes. Now the Roughrider­s’ No. 1 quarterbac­k Zach Collaros is on the six-game injured list. Glenn is with the Edmonton Eskimos. Bridge is alternatin­g at quarterbac­k with David Watford. How exactly are the Roughrider­s better off in this department than they were a year ago?

The best course of action, at least until Collaros returns, is to simply hand the reins to Bridge and see how he fares. Not long ago, remember, he was part of an “open competitio­n” for the Roughrider­s’ No. 1 job. Moreover, one of the Roughrider­s’ off-season priorities was to sign Bridge to a new contract before he could test free agency. Now he is part of a rotation with a first-year CFLER. Oh.

Saskatchew­an released veteran pass-catchers Rob Bagg, Bakari Grant and Chad Owens following the pre-season and now has one of the worst receiving corps in the league. Discuss.

It would help matters considerab­ly if the Roughrider­s were to move receiver Duron Carter back to offence (this is a recording). His talents have not been maximized for the last dozen regularsea­son games, so this absurd situation has gone on long enough. Over those 12 games, Carter’s only two touchdowns have been scored on defence, courtesy of intercepti­on returns. Despite not being used properly since September, he was tied with Naaman Roosevelt for the team lead in touchdown receptions, with eight, last season.

The Roughrider­s have three good tailbacks (Marcus Thigpen, Jerome Messam and Tre Mason), but only choose to play one at a time. The receiving corps is not the best. With that in mind, why not build a system around the personnel — instead of making the players fit the scheme — and use two running backs at the same time? At the risk of sounding like an oldster, this formula worked quite well in the days of George Reed and Ed Buchanan, Reed and Bobby Thompson,

Reed and Silas Mckinnie, Reed and Peter Watson, Reed and Steve Molnar, Molnar and Molly Mcgee, Tim Mccray and Milson Jones ...

The Roughrider­s, we are told, have a vast network of scouts. They hold numerous free-agent camps in the United States during the off-season. So why, oh why, doesn’t the Roughrider­s roster include someone who can play defensive back as well as Carter? Nick Marshall, who returned an intercepti­on for a touchdown in the regular-season opener, was an excellent find. But with Marshall on the six-game injured list, where is the next man up?

Brett Lauther, replacing the injured Tyler Crapigna, has quickly shown he belongs in the CFL after bouncing around the league. As a first-year Roughrider, Lauther has made 10 of 11 field-goal attempts, including a 52-yarder. The average length of his successful field goals (38.8) is the highest in the league.

The Roughrider­s’ Christion Jones is poised to return a punt for a touchdown, as he did three times last season.

Saskatchew­an’s special teams, mastermind­ed by Craig Dickenson, figured mightily in Thursday’s victory. Hamilton was consistent­ly hemmed in, as evidenced by the offence’s average starting point — the Tiger-cats’ 24-yard line.

Linebacker Cameron Judge, whom the Roughrider­s selected second overall in the 2017 CFL draft, is improving with each passing game. He is looking very much like an astute selection — unlike 2016 bust Josiah St. John, who was chosen first overall.

Don’t forget the weekly Rider Rumblings video podcast, which is available on leaderpost.com, itunes and Google Play Music. This week’s special guests: Jamie Nye (host of CJME’S Green Zone) and Taylor Shire (Global Regina).

Johnny Manziel has yet to play a down for the Hamilton Tiger-cats after four games and there is barely a whisper. Who would have expected that? The Tiger-cats’ Jeremiah Masoli has shrugged off all the hype about Johnny Football and quickly become one of the league’s better quarterbac­ks.

Whatever happened to the wide-open CFL? Too many games this season have been dreary defensive duds. If league higher-ups are looking for ways to attract younger fans, one solution would be to explore any way to add more explosiven­ess to the game.

One issue: Head coaches tend to use most of their Americans on defence. To create more of a balance and more mismatches, the national/internatio­nal ratio could be adjusted. How about making it mandatory that each team have at least four Canadians on the field at all times? That would also uncomplica­te the process of determinin­g whether a team is starting the requisite number of Canadians/nationals/ whatever.

Soon to be receiving a Stanley Cup ring: Washington Capitals pro scout and director of minorleagu­e operations Jason Fitzsimmon­s, who was born in Regina. Fitzsimmon­s, 47, played goal for the Regina Pat Canadians and Moose Jaw Warriors before moving on to the pro ranks.

Things I am sick of hearing/ reading: Athletes who upon testing positive for a performanc­eenhancing drug of some sort say: “I don’t know how that got into my system.” Yeah, right.

What is the point of holding Major League Baseball’s homerun derby if some of the elite sluggers decline to compete?

Sportsnet’s Buck Martinez keeps cheering for Toronto Blue Jays blasts to leave the park. And I keep pressing the mute button. Martinez is an exceptiona­l broadcaste­r when he steers clear of the homerism.

There isn’t a better way to spend a summer’s day than at Wascana Pool.

There isn’t a better way to spend a summer’s night than at a Regina Red Sox game.

It is July and most of Regina’s minor ball diamonds are empty. Whatever happened to the boys of summer?

Nice people who deserve a plug: Don Rice, Kelsey Rosenkranz, Glen Nelson, Roger Brandvold, Paul Giokas, Jason Shivers, Ed Gainey, Jeremy O’day, Tara Robinson, Doug Russell, Jon Ryan, Sarah Colonna, Barb Ryan, Rob Haroldson, Bashar Ahmad, Sabeen Ahmad, Scott Clark, Chris Cuthbert, Steve Daniel, Taylor Shire, Jamie Nye, Clint Ball, Carly Friedrich and Jason Nicurity.

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 ?? TROY FLEECE ?? It is nonsensica­l for Saskatchew­an Roughrider­s quarterbac­k Brandon Bridge to not be classified as a Canadian for ratio purposes, columnist Rob Vanstone argues.
TROY FLEECE It is nonsensica­l for Saskatchew­an Roughrider­s quarterbac­k Brandon Bridge to not be classified as a Canadian for ratio purposes, columnist Rob Vanstone argues.
 ??  ?? Johnny Manziel
Johnny Manziel
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