Training camp. We're not there.

So, can't say one way or the other-- about much of anything. Except to offer the gentle reminder, training camp is training camp-- practices are practices. All necessary, but have to wait until they play under the big lights to have a clue. 

Did however, just now, listen to Friday June 7th's Sportscage. 

Gotta say-- "BY GOLLY", that Scott Schultz-- what a beauty!

When Schultz or Carm Carteri are on the show-- it's by far, the best thing going in Canada. When they aren't, not so much. 

Memo to the CKRM wheels; (ya got those two guys plus Dominguez and now Szarka. All, infinitely better than anything on offer at TSN or any other radio station nation-wide. Do it now or watch it wither on the vine. And spend some coin on 2013 style IT while yer at it). 

I guess, some guys were just born lucky with "the look". 

Curly or Schultz? (Rodpederson.com)

Shultz, Carm and Dominguez are the difference makers. 

Unaffected, unpretentious and genuine people they offer the real deal with substance and insight from their football frame of reference-- which is substantial.   

Schultz has the brash bravado, the lightning wit and the vocal stylings with just enough humility and self-effacing manners to project the common touch. Like the old adage, "he comes off as being more than comfortable in his own skin".

Just as Shultz mentioned in regard to the D-Line, "Sholo will be better surrounded by better players"; Pederson is top shelf when accompanied by football quality. Without it, the show falls into the oblivion of mediocrity--  with the rest.

For some Rider fans that's more than enough. For those who desire substance in the observations and analysis-- it isn't.

For example, Shultz accurately broke down Foley's core injury in terms everyday fans can understand. Dominguez also has the knack. Carm has the handle on it, speaks it real and does it with the passion-- only a guy who grew up across the street from Taylor Field can have. 

On the show, Schultz also mentioned the current condition of his core. When many 4XL athletes step away from football and it's physical demands, everyday life, work, family, buffet abuse, etc. supersedes. Ain't a pretty thing when the solid steel CORE morphs into SMORES. That sticky, gooey, marshmallow and chocolate dripping-- mudslide.

Speaking of media, couldn't help but notice Jamie Nye getting his little back stab with his tiny knife in Coach Sweet, again.

Here's the deal with Sweet. As far as football goes-- he did a fantastic job with a challenging situation last season. Sounds like interpersonal skills-- keeping his charges and others, including the media, topped-up with happy, warm, fuzzy feelings--  is not his forte. 

BUT, he is what he is.  Not exactly uncommon in the world of offensive line coaches. The Riders knew exactly, what they were getting--  no shocks no surprises. It's plain wrong to blame him for being him. Wanna point fingers and bite heels? Try pointing at the people who brought him in. 

Greenzone quote: "One thing that has changed of the offensive line this year is their position coach. After only one season Kris Sweet was pushed out the door, not leaving too many broken hearts behind. Etc, etc., etc." 

Golly!!! 

Sweet must've snapped something especially harsh last season to hurt Nye's fragile feelings. Grow a pair and deal with the fact it's football not a Teletubbies episode-- that's the job. Not dry gulching a guy who's already gone. Complete chicken shit!

BUT... Jamie, and we know you'll be reading this, YOU, were absolutely marvellous in the TSN documentary-- The 13th Man. Simply stellar, perhaps a career pinnacle performance! No matter, that most of the other Rider media and Rider guys smelled a rat and didn't want to go near it. You made it real! .... for us.

As one notable Rider fan said, "if I was asked for an interview I would introduce him to Keith, as in Keith Myath."

While we're on it, the 13th Man was yet another bright shining example of how the TSN shot callers, fully, grok all things CFL and the Rider Nation especially. The fact they picked a Toronto symphony lover, who'd never seen a CFL game or been to Saskatchewan was-- a most excellent-- judgement call. 

After all, makes perfect sense. 

Larry Weinstein is Toronto resident, plus he lives in Toronto and, to his further credit he also lives in Toronto. That, and about thirty years earlier he'd received an Oscar nomination for a documentary short made about the Northumberland Community Orchestra in Cobourg, Ontario. 

Community orchestra-- the community owned Riders; rural Ontario somewhere (not Toronto)-- Saskatchewan somewhere (far from Toronto). It starts to add up doesn't it?

Then the TSN geniuses gave the symphony lover a tiny time frame, a small budget and spun the end result as a masterpiece.

The guy OBVIOUSLY, "got it". Weinstein's mission statement before filming began: “I want to have this chorus of voices of people talking about, not only that Grey Cup game, but about the obsession of sports and football and football to people in Saskatchewan.” 

Weinstein also cluelessly and arrogantly noted, “I had made a film 30 years earlier on the community orchestra and it could have been that. It was an activity within a community that people adored and I remembered back when I made that film in ’84, I guess, I said, ‘This could be any activity, this could be a football game.’ I compared it to a football game (back then) it’s true.”

Before it's broadcast Weinstein delusionally dreamed, "Maybe this is naive of me, but this week I was looking at the film and I was thinking, ' I wonder if this will have a little bit of a healing quality?" 

Goddamn shame-- that's what it is. 

Call us Rider fans country dumb, but don't piss on our backs and tell us what's what? 

What it was-- was a tragically squandered opportunity to document a significant CFL moment within the context of a certain team's fan base, that just happens to be-- the current pulse of the league. As it stands, unless Walt Disney gives the Ouija Board command to launch a redo of the "Kamakaze Arctic Lemmings" or "The 13th Man"; that hack-job horrible, insult of a documentary will live on in reruns-- as the way it was.

Brutal!

Enough on that for now. More on TSN later. Strangely enough, find it hard to find hope they'll bring CFL broadcasts up to code this season. But, ever the optimists, we'll wish for the best and wait to see.

Pre-season games? 

Friday night games? 

Merciful heavens you heartless swine!   Rod Black-- no mas?