Jones-led Roughriders must be worthy of new stadium
Mosaic Stadium, featuring stateof-the-art cup-holders, is shiny and brand new. The losing, however, got old long ago.
Contrast the lavish surroundings with the recent reality and it’s easy to identify the problem that has afflicted the Saskatchewan Roughriders — and to grasp the need for a long-awaited respite from the misery.
The Roughriders are the CFL’s flagship franchise. Mosaic Stadium, which officially opens Saturday when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers pay a visit, is a onceunimaginable pigskin palace.
There is only one snag. The onfield product, an eyesore for
2 ½ years, has not kept pace with the business side or the changing landscape.
Had the team performed like this a decade ago, it would still be based at Taylor Field ... with the business office on the northeast corner of Albert Street and Dewdney Avenue ... and with the workout facility on the south side of an erstwhile grocery store.
Now the Roughriders have everything under one roof — this must be what is meant by roofready — and life is grand.
Except for, you know, the product ...
The Roughriders began the 2017 season in typical fashion — by losing in exasperating fashion. On June 22, Darian Durant and the Montreal Alouettes handed the visitors from Saskatchewan a 17-16 defeat, leaving the Roughriders with a 10-36 record since mid-September of 2014.
Saskatchewan actually played quite well during the season opener, only to unravel in the fourth quarter when: (a) Quarterback Kevin Glenn, who was enjoying a fine game, was ill-advisedly replaced by Brandon Bridge for what turned out to be two futile plays in the red/dead zone; (b) The Roughriders’ clock management was inept in the waning seconds; and, (c) Tyler Crapigna, who excelled in clutch situations last year, missed a 45-yard fieldgoal attempt on the final play.
For good measure, Durant — whose picture once adorned the west-side facing at Taylor Field — fired some expletives at Saskatchewan head coach, general manager and vice-president of football operations Chris Jones shortly after time expired.
Durant, like John Chick and Weston Dressler before him, had been dumped by Jones as part of a large-scale housecleaning.
Those three players made immense contributions to successful seasons that captivated the fans and reinforced the need for a new stadium. And isn’t it lovely?
But now they’ll be visitors — with Dressler slated to start at slotback for Winnipeg on Saturday — for a landmark game.
The Roughriders have invested heavily in a second-year regime led by Jones. He is the highestpaid employee in the history of the organization and, so far, it appears that the money — much like 13 pivotal seconds in Montreal — has been wasted.
Jones still has an opportunity to flip the script, but time is running out, as is patience.
Hence the importance of Saturday’s game.
With the Roughriders poised to show off a new stadium, it’s show-me time for Chris Jones.