Happy New Year! I'm ready to get 2010 over with, how about you? So here are some year-end thoughts as we get set to turn the page...
- Whatddya want first; the good news or the bad news? The good news? Okay. It appears the Saskatchewan Roughriders have hired Greg Marshall as their new head coach. There's a post on it below and several fans have already weighed in on the idea. Apparently an official announcement is planned for next week.
- This could be good news for the Riders in another way. Greg Marshall and my friendship stretches back to 1999 when he was the Riders' defensive coordinator. Ever since, during his stops in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Hamilton, I would occasionally interview him for CKRM's Rider pregame show if his head coach wasn't available. EVERY TIME I interviewed him his team would beat the Riders however if ever I didn't, the Riders would win. It got to the point where Greg would be seeking me out before games to do the interview! I never really believed in the superstition for a long time but the LAST time I did a pregame visit with Marsh was in 2009 when the Riders lost in Hamilton on Hallowe'en. For me, that was it. I never interviewed Greg at all in 2010 and the Riders beat the Ticats twice. Soooooooo, the Riders should go 18-0 in 2011 based on this fact.
- Okay, the bad news. An official at CJAD radio in Montreal has confirmed the passing of CFL legend Tony Proudfoot. The Canadian Press reports Tony passed away on Wednesday from Lou Gehrig's Disease. What a courageous fight Tony put up. Our best to the Proudfoot family.
- Going out tonight for New Year's Eve festivities? HAVE A PLAN. It's next-to-impossible to get a cab in this town after midnight so take a designated driver or simply don't over-indulge. Let's make New Year's in Regina a safe one.
- Glad to hear the Riders' head coach search is over. Fans told me they were getting tired of the speculation and so was I.
- Fans are wondering how the Leader Post, TSN and Sportsnet are breaking stories on the Riders, but not the Voice of the Riders. Simple; I'm not allowed.
- We close 2010 as the most-read sports blog in the nation. See for yourself at http://www.topblogs.ca/. Thank you for your continued patronage!
- Leave it to Bob Hughes to break the news about Willy Cole's retirement at the end of January. Personally, I'd be surprised if he hangs it up so soon. One of Willy's many roles was working as a sideline reporter on CKRM's Roughrider broadcasts and, trust me, that's one of the hardest jobs in sports. I've got to get Willy on the Sports Cage one day to tell some of those stories.
- By the way there's no Sports Cage on 620 CKRM today however I'll be back from two weeks' vacation on Monday.
- The two weeks were magnificent. It took four or five days to mentally take a holiday, still thinking about the show and the job and listening into my replacement Mitchell Blair. By this past week, radio was the furthest thing from my mind and I never listened to the show. However I got in the dangerous habit of afternoon naps, which will have to change. But the recharge was great, and you've probably noticed increased blogging over the past week as I've recovered from the burnout of the 2010 season.
- "Fat Month" also ends today. That's something I came up with a few years ago and Cindy has enjoyed joining me in. December is Fat Month where I take a break from the gym and eat whatever I want over Christmas holidays without guilt. It's been GREAT, but tomorrow's going to be painful getting back to Gold's. Cripes, I got winded running up the stairs yesterday. It's time.
- Tidbits: According to the Brandon Sun, Hamilton Ticats receiver Chris Bauman plans to test the CFL free agent market come February. The Brandon product also got engaged over Christmas, I assume, to a western gal. Again, why is everyone fleeing Hamilton?
- Former Pats captain Matt Delahey is coming to an arena near you. He took a run at the ECHL with Ontario in southern California but decided pro hockey is not for him. He's joining the U of S Huskies to take advantage of the WHL scholarship program.
- Has anyone noticed the irony with Brett Favre and that one year ago he was leading the Vikings in a locker room chant entitled "Pants On The Ground"?
- I don't know what took so long but I bought "BOYS WILL BE BOYS: The Glory Days And Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty" by Jeff Pearlman. It's amazing! I knew that Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones played college footall at Arkansas but DIDN'T know he was a starting offensive guard on the 1964 national championship team. At Arkansas, Jones and Jimmy Johnson were teammates.
- Readers also learn that Jimmy Johnson is every bit as quirky and crazy as Jerry Jones, and that he treats his children from his many marriages like 3rd cousins. There is nothing in his life besides football. So sad.
- And of course one of the most interesting things was where the moniker "America's Team" came from, because we call the Saskatchewan Roughriders "Canada's Team". It was in 1979 that Bob Ryan of NFL Films tabbed the franchise "America's Team". Said Cowboys linebacker Thomas 'Hollywood' Henderson, "The America's Team concept had swept the country. It was mostly because of Tom Landry and his Christianity that the masses identified with the organization. That was the catalyst. But then came Tex Shramm's genius of promoting America's Team so that every patriot from places like Butte, Montana, stationed around the world, would say 'that's my team'". Landry and Co. were innovators, leaders in the fields of marketing and self-promotion.
- I suggested the concept of Canada's Team to Rider marketing guru Trent Fraser back in 2000 because the team sucked and it was a chance to market something other than football. Before long it was on the team's pocket schedules, fact books, all marketing materials and in your conscience.
- If you're devastated your teenage son is dating a 30, 40 or 50 year-old, call the Maury Show. It's on right now as I type this.
- The Regina Pats ring in the New Year tomorrow night at 7:00 when they host the P.A. Raiders on 620 CKRM. Happy Birthday, by the way, to the voice of the Pats Dan Plaster today.
- You can listen to the 2011 World Juniors (Canada's games) on Country 100.7 FM in Moose Jaw, the home of the Warriors.
- Hockey star Sidney Crosby has won the Lional Conacher Award as Canadian Press Male Athlete of the Year for 2010.
- Hockey star Jordan Eberle won the first-ever Sports Cage Regina Athlete of the Year for 2010. I spoke to him yesterday. Thanks to you, the blog readers, for voting.
- Watching that Sportsnet promo where Nick Kypreos is trying to speak while being hassled by fans reminds me a lot of being hassled by Swift Current Broncos fans while on air. Don't miss those people.
- I've also had plenty of time to watch movies over the holidays so here are a couple of quick reviews. How Do You Know (funny, I'd recommend it), HUNGER (absolutely disgusting, don't rent it), Did You Hear About The Morgans (two hours I'll never get back, don't waste your money).
- The third installment of 24/7 The Road To The Winter Classic was the weakest of the three so far, but still worth watching on HBO. It's impressive that we were watching a documentary which included a game from just three days prior, but it seemed rushed. Still, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's Winter Classic and to the finale of the series on January 5.
- There's no Press Box Sports Bar Friday buffet today however there are specials on the bacon cheeseburger, foot-long hot dog and nachos. Check it out!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
RP
- Whatddya want first; the good news or the bad news? The good news? Okay. It appears the Saskatchewan Roughriders have hired Greg Marshall as their new head coach. There's a post on it below and several fans have already weighed in on the idea. Apparently an official announcement is planned for next week.
- This could be good news for the Riders in another way. Greg Marshall and my friendship stretches back to 1999 when he was the Riders' defensive coordinator. Ever since, during his stops in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Hamilton, I would occasionally interview him for CKRM's Rider pregame show if his head coach wasn't available. EVERY TIME I interviewed him his team would beat the Riders however if ever I didn't, the Riders would win. It got to the point where Greg would be seeking me out before games to do the interview! I never really believed in the superstition for a long time but the LAST time I did a pregame visit with Marsh was in 2009 when the Riders lost in Hamilton on Hallowe'en. For me, that was it. I never interviewed Greg at all in 2010 and the Riders beat the Ticats twice. Soooooooo, the Riders should go 18-0 in 2011 based on this fact.
- Okay, the bad news. An official at CJAD radio in Montreal has confirmed the passing of CFL legend Tony Proudfoot. The Canadian Press reports Tony passed away on Wednesday from Lou Gehrig's Disease. What a courageous fight Tony put up. Our best to the Proudfoot family.
- Going out tonight for New Year's Eve festivities? HAVE A PLAN. It's next-to-impossible to get a cab in this town after midnight so take a designated driver or simply don't over-indulge. Let's make New Year's in Regina a safe one.
- Glad to hear the Riders' head coach search is over. Fans told me they were getting tired of the speculation and so was I.
- Fans are wondering how the Leader Post, TSN and Sportsnet are breaking stories on the Riders, but not the Voice of the Riders. Simple; I'm not allowed.
- We close 2010 as the most-read sports blog in the nation. See for yourself at http://www.topblogs.ca/. Thank you for your continued patronage!
- Leave it to Bob Hughes to break the news about Willy Cole's retirement at the end of January. Personally, I'd be surprised if he hangs it up so soon. One of Willy's many roles was working as a sideline reporter on CKRM's Roughrider broadcasts and, trust me, that's one of the hardest jobs in sports. I've got to get Willy on the Sports Cage one day to tell some of those stories.
- By the way there's no Sports Cage on 620 CKRM today however I'll be back from two weeks' vacation on Monday.
- The two weeks were magnificent. It took four or five days to mentally take a holiday, still thinking about the show and the job and listening into my replacement Mitchell Blair. By this past week, radio was the furthest thing from my mind and I never listened to the show. However I got in the dangerous habit of afternoon naps, which will have to change. But the recharge was great, and you've probably noticed increased blogging over the past week as I've recovered from the burnout of the 2010 season.
- "Fat Month" also ends today. That's something I came up with a few years ago and Cindy has enjoyed joining me in. December is Fat Month where I take a break from the gym and eat whatever I want over Christmas holidays without guilt. It's been GREAT, but tomorrow's going to be painful getting back to Gold's. Cripes, I got winded running up the stairs yesterday. It's time.
- Tidbits: According to the Brandon Sun, Hamilton Ticats receiver Chris Bauman plans to test the CFL free agent market come February. The Brandon product also got engaged over Christmas, I assume, to a western gal. Again, why is everyone fleeing Hamilton?
- Former Pats captain Matt Delahey is coming to an arena near you. He took a run at the ECHL with Ontario in southern California but decided pro hockey is not for him. He's joining the U of S Huskies to take advantage of the WHL scholarship program.
- Has anyone noticed the irony with Brett Favre and that one year ago he was leading the Vikings in a locker room chant entitled "Pants On The Ground"?
- I don't know what took so long but I bought "BOYS WILL BE BOYS: The Glory Days And Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty" by Jeff Pearlman. It's amazing! I knew that Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones played college footall at Arkansas but DIDN'T know he was a starting offensive guard on the 1964 national championship team. At Arkansas, Jones and Jimmy Johnson were teammates.
- Readers also learn that Jimmy Johnson is every bit as quirky and crazy as Jerry Jones, and that he treats his children from his many marriages like 3rd cousins. There is nothing in his life besides football. So sad.
- And of course one of the most interesting things was where the moniker "America's Team" came from, because we call the Saskatchewan Roughriders "Canada's Team". It was in 1979 that Bob Ryan of NFL Films tabbed the franchise "America's Team". Said Cowboys linebacker Thomas 'Hollywood' Henderson, "The America's Team concept had swept the country. It was mostly because of Tom Landry and his Christianity that the masses identified with the organization. That was the catalyst. But then came Tex Shramm's genius of promoting America's Team so that every patriot from places like Butte, Montana, stationed around the world, would say 'that's my team'". Landry and Co. were innovators, leaders in the fields of marketing and self-promotion.
- I suggested the concept of Canada's Team to Rider marketing guru Trent Fraser back in 2000 because the team sucked and it was a chance to market something other than football. Before long it was on the team's pocket schedules, fact books, all marketing materials and in your conscience.
- If you're devastated your teenage son is dating a 30, 40 or 50 year-old, call the Maury Show. It's on right now as I type this.
- The Regina Pats ring in the New Year tomorrow night at 7:00 when they host the P.A. Raiders on 620 CKRM. Happy Birthday, by the way, to the voice of the Pats Dan Plaster today.
- You can listen to the 2011 World Juniors (Canada's games) on Country 100.7 FM in Moose Jaw, the home of the Warriors.
- Hockey star Sidney Crosby has won the Lional Conacher Award as Canadian Press Male Athlete of the Year for 2010.
- Hockey star Jordan Eberle won the first-ever Sports Cage Regina Athlete of the Year for 2010. I spoke to him yesterday. Thanks to you, the blog readers, for voting.
- Watching that Sportsnet promo where Nick Kypreos is trying to speak while being hassled by fans reminds me a lot of being hassled by Swift Current Broncos fans while on air. Don't miss those people.
- I've also had plenty of time to watch movies over the holidays so here are a couple of quick reviews. How Do You Know (funny, I'd recommend it), HUNGER (absolutely disgusting, don't rent it), Did You Hear About The Morgans (two hours I'll never get back, don't waste your money).
- The third installment of 24/7 The Road To The Winter Classic was the weakest of the three so far, but still worth watching on HBO. It's impressive that we were watching a documentary which included a game from just three days prior, but it seemed rushed. Still, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's Winter Classic and to the finale of the series on January 5.
- There's no Press Box Sports Bar Friday buffet today however there are specials on the bacon cheeseburger, foot-long hot dog and nachos. Check it out!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
RP
5 comments:
Condolences to the Proudfoot family on their loss.
Good news about Marshall getting his shot.
Happy and Safe New Years to all!
"I'll have the Nachos that he's having.'
I also would like to offer my condolences to the proudfoot family.
Congratulations to Mr. Greg Marshall on being the newest head coach of Canada's team the Saskatchewan Roughriders!
Happy New Year to all of Rider Nation!! Go Riders Go!!!!
Happy New Year. If Clermont is done, I'll always remember his winning TD in OT semi-final game at Mosaic 2010.
Holidays for me are a good time to catch up on reading books. An incredible read for me was Canadian writer John Vaillant's new book 'The Tiger'. (note: this is NOT a Dave Williams bio).
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