Yelling at Clouds: CFL Awards, Grey Cup thoughts, and the Vegas Golden Knights unveiled

CFL Awards: 6 out of 7 ain’t bad.

My first reaction to the CFL Award Nominees...

MOP: Mitchell

DP: Elimimian

MOC: Messam

OL:Gott

ST: Medlock

MOR: Daniels

COY:Dickenson

— Greg McCulloch (@GregOnSports) November 10, 2016

That guy right there is a frigging genius.

Frankly, the only reason I got the Gott pick wrong is because I thought there would be a pity award sent to the East. The rest of these picks were glaringly obvious, it was hard to deny the Stampeders and the West division dominance this year.

Hopefully, next year the East gets a resurgence and raises the suspense up a smidge.

Grey Cup Thoughts and Prediction

To my Toronto readers… I know this might be a shock for you but the Grey Cup is this weekend. Go buy a Tim’s coffee and you might be able to get a free ticket or 12 with a box of doughnuts.

The CFL probably should have let the new ownership get a foothold in the market before handing them the biggest game of the season. But that is a piece for another day and time. But beyond pricing gaffes, SLOW ticket sales, and naming Andre Proulx the head referee (Be sure to load up on snacks and drinks, it is going to be a LOOOOOOONG one) the game between the Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Redblacks should be a good one.

Why pick Ottawa?

Even though it was very early in the season, the tie between these two teams is one of three blemishes on the Stamps record breaking season. They were first in the East for a reason, well besides the rest of the teams weren't that good...

The Redblacks also showed they were a team ready for the big game with how they ruined the Edmonton Eskimos bid to be first crossover team to make the Grey Cup. Campbell and company had the team ready for the conditions and the pressure. 

Also, don’t sleep on Henry Burris either, whether he is retiring or coming back next year you can believe he knows he needs to have the game of his life to cement the legacy he believes he deserves.

Why Pick Calgary?

The year they had was incredible, the only 2 losses they had was the first game of the year in BC by 2 points and the last game in Montreal when they rested all their starters. They went 16 games straight without a loss, 15 wins and 1 tie. That is nuts no matter how you look at it.

They have a plus/minus of 217. The only team close to 200 was the Riders with 180, the only problem is that was -180. BC had the second best plus/minus with 91, there literally was no one in their league.

To put it in perspective, think about it this way 217 points over 18 games is about 12. Essentially the Stamps started every game up 12-0 before the coin was even flipped.

So... Who am I picking... 

I can say without any doubt that a team wearing some combination of red and black will win it all this year.

The true winner this year is the schmuck who has to load the confetti cannons.

"So you are telling me I just need to load up red and black before the game starts then I can put it on autopilot??? AWESOME!"

As much as I hate to say it, it's Calgary's game to lose. However, I think the Redblacks will hang in till the 4th before the Stamps get tired of playing with their food and just end it. 

Stamps 33 – Redblacks 21

Oh, what a (K)night...

The Vegas Golden Nights were unleashed to the world the other day. I, for one, think the team is going to do well in the Vegas market. They have a state of the art arena right on the strip, they have a passionate majority owner, they have a great hockey ops team set up, the expansion rules are conducive for having a competitive team in the first few seasons, and the team has attracted celebrity minority owners like Jose Bautista, Rob Gronkowski, and Carol Alt.

That primary logo though… me likely. I am what they call a “logo snob” and it pushes all the right buttons. Great colours, simple yet bold, immediately recognisable, and that subtle “V” for Vegas was a great touch. 

Besides, I know of someone else who would really appreciate it....

Hey Magneto what do you think of the Vegas Golden Knights' logo? pic.twitter.com/3LP7UhK7o0

— Greg McCulloch (@GregOnSports) November 23, 2016

3 Things: Regina gets CFL Week, CFL Review and Officiating needs a tweak, and my guarantee might be weak.

Regina gets the Inaugural CFL Week

I was fortunate to get the opportunity to get to be at the CFL’s major announcement at The Great Canadian Brewhouse this week (Many thanks to Paulo and Lucas at the CFL for hooking me up). The commissioner himself was in the house to announce the first ever CFL Week, March 20 to 26, and I must admit I am excited to see it in action.

The fact that Regina was getting the combine was a poorly kept secret that Justin Dunk broke a few months ago so it was a matter of what was coming with it. CFL has taken the combine and instead of just making it a traveling even they have decided to amp it up to make it a destination event like Grey Cup week. In addition to the combine, there will be the Hall of Fame gala, which used to be Grey Cup weekend, a fan expo where fans can meet players and coaches from around the league, coaching clinics for grassroots, and the TSN Top 50 players will be in town for the yearly photo shoot.

This has the potential to be a great experience for fans of the league, and of course, launching it in Regina just makes sense. I look forward to witnessing it myself and hopefully it can stoke the fan enthusiasm after a long winter before June. 

Get ready for those #IsItMarchYet? tweets.

BRB... I’m off to Hallmark to get CFL Review and Officiating a “Get Better Card”

They make a card for everything these days... 

OK, I am back… Seriously CFL, get better. I do not understand how consistency in calls can get worse as the season progresses instead of getting, I don’t know...more consistent.

This week the CFL came out and apologized (again) for blowing two late calls in the Eskimos/Ticats game, even though there was a video review of the play. They got the call wrong twice, hell they got two calls wrong twice on that review.

Why have the technology in place if you are still going to get calls either wrong or not call the same thing on two different occasions? It is frustrating as a fan that we no longer know if or when we can cheer because that big play is probably coming back. When you see tweet after tweet by long-time CFL beat reporters every week that can’t explain what is now pass interference and what isn’t you might have taken a step too far.

I understand the appeal of making everything reviewable. Keeps everyone honest, the official makes a mistake and review can cover for them, but when you must apologize multiple times in a season maybe it is time to look at an overhaul.

Take a step back so you can move forward, don’t try to jump the chasm… it just goes down.

So… About my Durant guarantee…

In an earlier blog post, I stated that it made the most sense for Darian Durant to sign with the Riders. I still stand by that statement for all the reasons I mentioned in that post. However, it seems like the relationship between Durant and the team has gotten colder than sitting in a playoff game in Regina.

After my post came out Jones called Durant “moderately successful” and yes by the win totals completely right. 58 wins, 54 losses and 1 tie, those are not numbers that jump off the page. Obviously, rumours are Durant is less than impressed of what was said but once again where is he going to go. 

Could he go somewhere as a backup, get called into service, and show everyone what he still has in the tank despite everyone saying he’s done? He could, but that job is already taken by Kevin Glenn in perpetuity until he finally retires.

As it stands right now, I see it as 70-30 to him signing, and the 70 is not on the happy spectrum.

The Riders need Durant as much as he needs them, not just on the field but to placate the fan base. There are only 4 Grey Cups in Rider history, you can literally count them on one nervous shop teacher’s hand.

Fortunately for everyone February is a long way away. 

Darian Durant is going to be a Rider in 2017... Guaranteed... Maybe...

Yesterday on Roughrider “clean out” day, QB Darian Durant reluctantly held court in the locker room and confirmed that contract talks between him and the team have hit a stand still. Today was Chris Jones’ turn to reiterate to the local media that the team wants Darian to return to open the new stadium.

While there is much hand-wringing going on in Rider Nation over the future of the franchise quarterback, the more you look at it the more it seems a no brainer that Durant will be back in Rider green next year.

1)Who’s got a spot for Durant to start?

Look at the league, where is there room for Durant to start?

BC – Jon Jennings

Edmonton –  Mike Reilly

Calgary – Bo Levi Mitchell

Winnipeg – Matt Nichols

Hamilton – Zach Collaros

Toronto – Drew Willy or Ricky Ray

Ottawa – Trevor Harris or Henry Burris

Montreal – Vernon Adams

Every team is essentially set at their starter, except for possibly the Als, Argos and Bombers.

However, both the Als and the Argos traded their 2017 first-round picks for their quarterbacks of the future, in Vernon Adams and Drew Willy respectively. Will the regime change in Montreal and a rumoured shuffling in the Toronto front office change the plans and make room for Durant?

Als probably want to see what Adams can do with a full season considering how well he has looked with his handful of starts. With both Willy and Ray under contract until the end of next season, they are in no need to force a decision this offseason.

Nichols is set to be a free agent this offseason but the Bombers chose to trade Willy after making Nichols the starter. Would the Bombers shaft the guy that lead them to a winning season and into the playoffs for the first time since 2011 for Durant? Logic says no, but football is anything but logical.

2) Why would Durant leave Saskatchewan to be a backup elsewhere?

There are several quarterbacks hitting the market this offseason, but they are the more established backup variety. Drew Tate, Rakeem Cato, Jonathon Crompton, and Kevin Glenn are all due to hit the market leaving their backup role open. But why would Durant leave just to hold a clipboard and take a steep pay cut for another franchise?

One could argue that Nichols might not have the season he had this season and a stumble there could cause opportunities in Winnipeg and reunite Durant with his favourite receiver and friend in Weston Dressler. Montreal doesn’t know what they have in Adams, and who knows how much leash the new regime may give him.

3) Who the hell is going to play QB for the Riders?

The Riders used the last two games to take a peek at the four young QBs they have on the roster: Brandon Bridge, Mitchell Gale, GJ Kinne, and Jake Waters.

Kinne and Waters never seemed to get out of first gear when they got the ball in their hands and didn’t impress in the few drives they got.

Out of the four, Gale has seen the most on-field time this season getting a couple of starts early in the season. However, like Durant, he is scheduled to be a free agent this offseason unless he and the Riders can come to a deal.

While Bridge hasn’t had as much time to impress as Gale, he sparked the offence in the few shots he’s had over the course of the season. However, without a bigger sample size, it's hard to anoint "Air Canada" as the next starting QB for Canada’s team.

So, if Durant doesn’t sign chances are the next franchise QB isn’t on the roster yet, but as mentioned already the possible free agents available aren’t the future.

Then where do you get your next franchise QB? Well if you believe the rumours Jones has his eye on a former player of his in Edmonton, James Franklin. However, Franklin is under contract to Edmonton until the end of next season. I could see a scenario where the Riders trade their second overall in a package to the Eskimos for Franklin. The Argos and the Alouettes set the price at a first-round pick for a young QB and unless the Riders see a game changer sitting at second overall, the deal makes sense.

4) So what the hell is going to happen?

Honestly, no idea. However, if you look at it the best-case scenario for Durant if he walks is a team offers him a chance to come into camp and compete for the number one spot and oust the starter. Maybe Winnipeg, maybe Montreal, or maybe Toronto if Ray or Willy gets jettisoned in the offseason.

Jones also doesn’t need the backlash of another offseason with another bitter departure of a fan favourite. Plus, Rider brass can’t afford to go into 2017 into a new stadium with higher ticket prices and treat it like an 18-game training camp like they did in 2016. They need to have an established roster, an established QB and veteran leadership.

Sure, there seems to be hurt feelings now, but at the end of the day, the Riders and Durant need each other. He is second on most of the Rider QB records. He is one of four Rider Starting QBs to hoist the Grey Cup. He has been a professional from the minute he signed his first contract with the Riders. Frankly, he is the best shot Jones has right now of turning this team around next year.

Make it happen.