Jennings must find his former form — fast
Here is our solemn pledge: This edition of the musings and meditations on the world of sports will be better than the B.C. Lions were in Regina on Sunday.
Since he stepped in for the long-forgotten John Beck two years ago, Jonathon Jennings has demonstrated all the skills of an elite Canadian Football League quarterback, but his most impressive attribute has been the poise and confidence with which he goes about his business.
Even in those early starts, the moment was never too big for Jennings. He was certain of his decisions. He showed grace under pressure. True, it wasn’t always a Van Gogh, but there was a sureness about Jennings that belied his experience and identified him as a franchise quarterback.
So does one brutal outing in Saskatchewan change all that? It shouldn’t. But the unfortunate thing about Jennings’ four-interception performance is it invited all the uncomfortable questions that can undermine a player and a team.
For the first time in his two years with the Leos, Jennings looked lost and confused on Sunday night. Now there are questions about who should be starting: Jennings or Travis Lulay. Now there are questions about Jennings’ ability to lead.
Those questions will persist until Jennings provides some answers — and that makes this Friday’s home game against Calgary crucial for the player and the club. A good outing against the Stamps puts an end to the uncertainty. A good outing re-establishes his place on the team’s hierarchy.
But another stinker brings a laundry list of issues that the Lions want no part of. Jennings is a quality quarterback and a high-character kid who’s built up a store of goodwill in this town.
He just happened to spend a lot of that goodwill in Saskatchewan.
Michael Bennett is not a quick, ■ easy study. I’ve been around the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive lineman when he was insightful and funny. I was around him when he threatened a TV reporter and had to be restrained by Richard Sherman following the Seahawks’ playoff loss in Atlanta last year.
But, whatever else he is, Bennett showed a depth of character when he refused to stand for the Star-Spangled Banner before Sunday’s NFL pre-season game. With that simple act, he shone a light on something America has to confront after Charlottesville, Va.
“I have this platform and I want to use it,” he said. “I want to continue to let other athletes know that if you believe things are going wrong and you want to speak out on it, it’s OK.”
And.
“I’m challenging people to be uncomfortable. Everybody’s in their comfort zone right now. Become uncomfortable and go out and see what it’s like out there in society right now.”
And.
“No matter where I go I’m still a black man and I can’t get away from that. I can’t get away from the past transgressions of America, but what I want to do is be part of a change.”
I became a big fan of Michael Bennett this weekend.
If you want to understand
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Bryan Murray’s impact on the game, simply read the posts that appeared on social media when the veteran hockey man died on Saturday.
They are from hall of famers and scrubs. They are from the people Murray worked with and against. They’re from people you’ve never heard of and household names. And there was a ton from members of the media.
In short, they represent virtually every aspect of the game and everyone Murray came in contact with during his four decades in hockey. And they all carried the same message. This was an extraordinarily decent man who touched so many people.
He will be missed greatly, but what he leaves behind lives on.
I’ve played golf most of my life ■ and I enjoy watching it on TV. I just can’t comprehend the game they now play.
On Sunday, Justin Thomas wrapped up the PGA Championship on the par-three 17th hole at Quail Hollow when he hit a gorgeous approach into a pin that was protected by water.
The hole is listed at 223 yards. Thomas hit a seven-iron. A 223yard seven iron.
I give up.
And finally, I have a few Eddie
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Olczyk stories. This is my favourite: When Mike Keenan became head coach of the New York Rangers in the 1993-94 season, he quickly made Olczyk his whipping boy.
Olczyk, a consistent 30-goal scorer throughout most of his career, couldn’t get into the Rangers’ lineup and requested a sit-down, determined to sell himself to Keenan.
Olczyk, as you may be aware, can talk and for a good 10 minutes he went on about his desire to play, his commitment to the team and his willingness to conform to any style requested of him.
When he was finally finished his spiel, Keenan eyed him up and down and said: “Your shoes. I like them. Are they alligator?”
Olczyk, of course, tells that one on himself, just as he tells stories about growing up in Chicago, about his beautiful family, about his love for the racetrack.
Somewhere in there he also became the voice of the game for this generation of American fans and he’s played a role in growing hockey in the U.S. But none of that seems terribly important right now.
Olczyk has been diagnosed with colon cancer. It was a bad day when that news broke, a very bad day.
He says he’ll win this fight and you want to believe him because someone this full of life, someone this funny and big-hearted, still has so much to give. We need Olczyk. Keep him in your thoughts.