Glenn, Crapigna deserve support, not fans’ jeers
We interrupt a summer mini-vacation to bring you this column, which is suitable for framing.
As I inveterately perused emails, scoured social media and listened to the open-line yakfests during a non-deserved holiday, I felt impelled to rebut those Saskatchewan Roughriders followers who have criticized quarterback Kevin Glenn and/or kicker Tyler Crapigna.
The anti-Glenn, anti-Crapigna bleatings are crazier than, well, virtually anything emanating from the White House. I mentioned this to my beauteous wife, who nodded (off ?) as we walked around the lake, and sought reassurance from some of Wascana Centre’s finest geese, who honked. The latter response was interpreted as an endorsement. Nothing beats fake validation. I should not be so rankled. Neither should the combustible citizens who have suggested that Glenn be displaced and Crapigna be replaced. Glenn threw for 377 yards and four — FOUR! — touchdowns Saturday when the Roughriders lost 43-40 in double overtime to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the first CFL regularseason game at Mosaic Stadium, which has cup-holders.
Saskatchewan trailed by 14 before Glenn threw back-to-back touchdown passes in the final 10 minutes of the fourth quarter to help the Roughriders force overtime.
But the persistent prattle pertaining to Glenn’s performance seems to emphasize the two interceptions he threw.
It will not alter the course of sports journalism to point out that quarterbacks will throw interceptions. Ron Lancaster threw 396 of them. Kent Austin owns the Riders’ single-season record for picks (30). Darian Durant twice had a season in which he tossed 20-plus interceptions.
And guess what? A giant picture of each quarterback once adorned the west-side facing of Taylor Field. Their interceptions, you see, were more than counteracted by the touchdown drives and Grey Cup victories they engineered.
Glenn is in the unenviable position of having to succeed Durant as the Roughriders’ starting quarterback. Fortunately, he has the perfect temperament for such an assignment. At 38, he has seen it all. Nothing fazes this classy veteran — not even criticism.
Some frustrated fans have recently characterized Crapigna as someone who falters in the clutch. Reminder: Last season, Crapigna kicked the gamewinning field goal in three — THREE! — of the Roughriders’ five victories. One of the clutch kicks was a 53-yarder.
However, Crapigna atypically missed from 45 yards away on the final play of Saskatchewan’s 2017 regular-season opener — a 17-16 loss in Montreal on June 22.
On Saturday, Crapigna hit the left upright on a 33-yard attempt in overtime, putting Winnipeg in position to win the game with as little as a rouge. Some fans are unfairly suggesting that Crapigna cost the Riders two games.
Roughriders boss Chris Jones, to his credit, is sticking with Crapigna. Jones understands that kickers can have slow starts.
Dave Ridgway encountered some rough spells before becoming the legendary Robokicker. Paul McCallum was discarded by the Roughriders’ management after the 2005 season, but he will eventually join Ridgway in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Glenn, who will soon leapfrog Lancaster on the CFL’s all-time passing-yardage list, also has Hall of Fame-calibre credentials.
So why not emulate the allknowing geese? Honk if you like Kevin Glenn and Tyler Crapigna!