The most important thing to come out of CFL Week... Well for me anyway...

Lord knows I tried to get her in Rider green, but she wasn’t having it. She came down the hallway in a black and blue dress, black leggings, a pink and purple puffy vest, “cowgirl” boots, and carrying her purse.

“Daddy I have to look pretty for our date, and you need to look handsome.”

I peeled off my Rider jersey and dug through my closet for clothes that would be suitable for a date with a headstrong 5-year-old. It was our “Daddy-versary” and the Thursday of CFL Week so we made a compromise, we would go see Warren Moon for me, then we would go to Menchies for her.

We weren’t even at the CFL Week venue when she was already asking if it was time for Menchies, so I resigned myself to the fact that this was going to be a short visit to CFL Week.

We then walked to the Main Stage where Mike Reilly, Anthony Calvillo, and Warren Moon had a large crowd hanging off every word. She asked who they were and I tried to explain who each player was and what they meant to the game. Then she just listened, which can be pretty hard for a 5-year-old sometimes.

After we got out of the way of the autograph seekers, we went display to display, booth to booth, and she completely forgot about the pending DIY frozen yoghurt. She would have done the mini drills they had set up all night if I would have let her. After I finally reminded her of dessert (Hey I like FroYo too) and we started heading out, she spotted the Grey Cup and asked if we could get a closer look.

When we get close to the cup a volunteer asks if she could take our picture, I pull out my phone and we get a picture of us. She grabbed the handle which was a no-no but she’s cute so we got away with it. If I would have grabbed the handle, we probably would have set off alarms everywhere.

The picture with the cup probably would have been the highlight of her night, if we didn’t run into Gainer the Gopher on the way out and got a big high five.

As we ate our frozen yoghurt she looks at me.

“Daddy, can we go to CFL Week on our next daddy-daughter date?”

I explained we couldn't but if it ever came back to Regina we would definitely go again.

"Oh... Can I play football like those girls were then?"

Want to guess who is signed up for flag football this spring?

There have been many things written about the first CFL Week abut the economic benefits, the player accessibility and getting the CFL to the forefront in March.

For myself, I met current players, CFL Legends, CFL reporters I respect, people I interact with about the league on twitter. But for me the first CFL week will always boil down to a little girl in a black and blue dress, high-stepping through tires in her cowgirl boots...  and you can’t put an economic assessment on that.

Well you asked for a Young QB... Looking at the Pros and Cons of Vince Young's Signing

Barely a week ago, CFL social media was clamoring over the unthinkable happening, Vince Young got off a plane in Regina in preparation to announce his signing with the Roughriders.

Now a week later, both euphoria and anger have subsided, so let’s look at the pros and cons of this move by Chris Jones and the Riders.

Vince Young and Family with his new Rider jersey.
Make Vince Young Gr-8 Again

Pro: It gets attention…

After weeks of Rider “fans” bemoaning they had no idea who anyone was on the team anymore. Jones delivered a name, and what a name. The then retired Young is a former NCAA legend for Texas, College Player of the year, BCS National Champion, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, 2-time Pro Bowler, Madden Cover Athlete… is most definitely a name.

Even though NFL free agency started, the news of Young’s signing was big news in the US as it was a lead story on ESPN, Bleacher Report, Deadspin, Fox Sports, etc. Hell, one of Sportsnet's main talents, Sid Seixeiro, admitted on his program “Tim and Sid” that if Young plays he would watch the CFL.

Let that sink in for a minute, a Sportsnet personality admitted on the air he would watch the competitor, TSN, just to watch Young play. Sportsnet usually goes out of their way to find new and creative ways to bury the CFL. (See anything Arash Madani has done recently that isn’t tennis related.)

Not sure how Jones and the CFL’s relationship is going right now, but I think it is a tad friendlier with the buzz he’s gotten the league on both sides of the border.

Con: It gets attention…

The Riders are coming off a 5-win season after an even more pitiful 3-win season. While last year was Jones’ first season, this is the year many feel like he needs to show marked improvement after he gutted the team. Most fans want to see tangible results in the standings and on the field, and a flashy signing of a retired NFL QB after trading away the Rider Legend Icon starting QB Darian Durant might not be the way to go.

Some point that this could be a great move to get fans in the seats of the new stadium. Jones inherited arguably the best fans in the league, there is no worry that the new stadium won’t be at capacity most of next year unless the wheels fall off the bus. (Yes, Ottawa I know about your fans and your sell-out streak, just remember you are on your 3^rd  franchise since Winnipeg last won the Grey Cup.)

However, the addition of Young to training camp is going to be a circus. What was going to be a QB battle between well-travelled veteran Kevin Glenn and a bunch of upstarts, now has the making of Hard Knocks: CFL Edition.

If Young flames out or just ends up as number 2 behind Glenn was it really worth the headaches?

Pro: They got him for 1/3 of Drew Willy… or 1 “Dre” if you will

When Young had his press conference he said all the right things about "opportunity", the desire to play again, wanting to fix the mistakes he's made, and that it is not about him but about the team. At points, it seemed like he was laying it on pretty thick as he has a well-paying day job at his Alma Mater of Texas, he owns steak houses and recently started a realty company. It seemed like the Riders must have made him quite the offer, or a decent bonus to come slum it in camp.

Turns out that thinking was wrong, as Justin Dunk reported that Young signed a 1 year plus team option, which is standard on all rookie contracts. However, it was the numbers that told the story, $120,000 with no signing bonus. NO FREAKING BONUS. Young meant every single word when he said all he wanted was an opportunity. 

There is literally no risk on the Riders end, all it cost was some plane tickets. If he can find his form it could be interesting with that rebuilt receiving corps and if he can’t you still have Kevin Glenn, Brandon Bridge, Bryan Bennett, and GJ Kinne slugging it out.

Con: It probably pissed off Kevin Glenn

When Glenn was signed as a Rider for the third time in his career, there were no promises made. He was to be the vet coming into camp and push the young guys and most likely like he does everywhere he goes, become the starter at some point in the season. However, I don’t think he was expecting to push this “Young” guy.

It is no secret Glenn gets no respect in the CFL, he is seen as a stop gap solution till they find the next guy…more often than not it has been Henry Burris. That shouldn't happen again... we hope.

But like Glenn stated on twitter this is nothing new for him and he was looking forward to camp.

Pro: It probably pissed off Kevin Glenn

Glenn with a chip on his shoulder is going to push all the QBs in camp. After the QB struggles the Riders have had the past few seasons that could be a very good thing with the aforementioned receiving corps. 

Con: He could still be Vince Young

It’s no secret Young has been out of the NFL for awhile now. Young's not young, he’s 33 and would be in the NFL if anyone would want him. Hell, the Cleveland Browns would have been better off running Wildcat for the past decade then trotting out most of the QBs they have had…  and they cut Young in the preseason of 2014.

He had a wonky throwing motion, was quick to run when the first read wasn’t there, and he essentially bombed the Wonderlic test the first time he was given it. To compare, Michael Bishop's Wonderlic score was higher and they had to put the plays on white boards on the Winnipeg sidelines because he couldn't remember the signals. 

Athletic talent will only take you so far and it could be he hit his ceiling.

Pro: He could still be Vince Young

Vince Young in college was a beast. The 2006 Rose Bowl between Texas and USC is one NCAA’s most celebrated games, if not the best NCAA championship game of all time. He won the award for best QB in the NCAA in 2005 and was runner-up to Reggie Bush for the Heisman. The guy could play ball in the right system.

So where do we go from here?

As mentioned above, Young in his press conference spoke of opportunity and mistakes he’s made. If Young is serious and could devote himself to the game and avoid the mistakes this could be the best way for him to write a new chapter in his career. 

Is Young a Rider next year if he spends the entire year on the bench? Doubtful. 

Is he the answer for the short term? Who knows. 

Is he going to be the first player to fall prey to both the Madden Curse and the Kevin Glenn Curse? More than likely, thats some bad voodoo.

The only thing anyone truly knows for sure is Young said all the right things and he is officially a quarterback on the Riders roster. Everything else will slowly shake out once camp starts in early June.

#IsItJuneYet

Tales From the Angry Dome - Durant and RiderNation

The first step in fixing a problem is realizing we have a problem and to be blunt RiderNation… We have a problem. I say “we” because I am one of you… I have season tickets, I wear my green with pride, I count my pizza discount on every Crapigna field goal, I yell “HENNNNNNNRY” at the top of my lungs for 4 quarters, I felt the low of the 2009 Grey Cup, and rode the wave of emotions in the stands of the “Ultimate Mosaic Moment” in 2013.

So now that we settled my Piffles Way Cred, what is the problem you may ask? Well, to be honest, it’s the blind love and devotion to Darian Durant. Now before you start firing up manure trucks, trolling or flaming me, and force me to defend the virtue of my mother on twitter (she’s a saint btw) … Hear me out. Darian has been a great leader, a great player, a great ambassador and a sure fire first ballot Plaza of Honour Inductee… BUT... It is time to let him go if he wishes to go.

For the record, in my circle of friends I have been known as the “Durant Apologist” and on this very blog, I called Durant the Riders best shot of winning immediately. But it is time to let him go because now its more and more obvious he wants to go. The relationship between him and this management is completely fractured.

Honestly, you can’t blame him, he has given almost a decade to the franchise. Took the team to three Grey Cups, winning one (which should have been two and no fault of his). He has had five head coaches and even more offensive coordinators through the years. Seen teammates and friends come and go. He’s battled injuries and carried this team on his back whenever it needed a play. He has always been professional and a good Rider.

Because he was a good Rider, he restructured his contract for less money and now he feels like he was given a raw deal by Chris Jones and company. He feels like he isn’t their guy and if he did come back without a big money guarantee there is a good chance he might not even be the starting QB when the new stadium opens. Similar to Henry Burris' battle with Roy Shivers, just minus the new stadium obviously.

However, we need to remember it was Darian’s decision to go with a one-year deal last year when the team offered him a multi-year deal. I will always respect Darian’s decision to bet on himself to prove he could put numbers up and stay healthy for a full season after it became a black mark on his reputation. However, this impasse that we are at now was always a possible outcome and Darian knew it.

Some fans have accepted that Darian is most likely going to be an Alouette by Canada day (or maybe a Bomber, depending on how the Nichols contract shakes out). Others have faith that he and the Riders will come together and do what’s "best" for both sides, which is also fine by me. But there are those that are talking about boycotts and bans if Durant doesn’t come back, which honestly isn’t Chris Jones fault. Whatever happens now is Darian’s decision and everyone should respect the outcome. This will actually be an acceptable use of #DurantsFault.

Chris Jones’ job is to build a winning team for how long he ever wants to have a job with the Roughriders. He had to make hard decisions and cut a lot of fan favourites to make the team competitive and more cap friendly so it wasn’t a prolonged rebuild. Nostalgia and good feelings are not going to win Chris Jones games.  If it did I am sure he would have talked George Reed into coming out of retirement by the third game just to get a win. It’s his job to win games, not win the battle of public opinion.

The battle for fan approval almost always goes to the player, very rarely do you see fans side with management unless it is releasing a player for a crime or embarrassing the team. The New England Patriots come to mind as the only exception to the rule. No one is safe in Bill Belichick’s system unless their name rhymes with “Dom Grady” and even then, that relationship is probably doomed.

At the end of the day, Jones has X number of dollars that he wants to pay a 34-year-old quarterback who has been injured every season since 2011. Is it incentive heavy? Of course it is, but that is Jones protecting his investment in the team. It allows flexibility to pay other positions like a less porous offensive line, a defensive secondary that doesn’t blow every deep coverage, or linebackers that can tackle a running back. There is more to a football team than a Quarterback,  although I know sometimes it sure doesn’t seem that way.

Whatever happens with Darian in the next few months, we all need to remember there is nothing that can erase his legacy in green and white. If he rolls into new Mosaic wearing a different team uniform I am sure it will be difficult for him and fans alike but that's pro football.

And I can promise you I will be there giving him a standing ovation before the game starts... but the minute that opening whistle goes it will be full blown "DAAAAAARRRRRIAN".

Give me an F... Give me a U... Give me a break

“Cheerleading isn’t a sport!”

I have heard that a million times before. Hell, until 2001, a much younger, thinner me with more hair, better jawline, fewer cares, no bills, the weight of the world not quite on my shoulders, the world was my oyst…. Sorry kind of snowballed there...

Anyway, until 2001 I probably would have said the same thing based on my experience with cheerleading. Then a combination of balls, ego, and happenstance got me on the inaugural University of Regina cheer team. Before then I saw the dance squads, the pep teams, the girls with their pompoms throwing kicks as players ran by them, the holding up cards leading the crowd in chants, but I never truly understood what power cheerleading was.

I got a hard lesson in what it took to be a cheerleader: power, flexibility, balance, timing. Sure, I learned some of those traits playing hockey, volleyball, basketball, baseball, track, badminton, curling, and karate, but this was a whole different animal. It was difficult but I picked it up as fast as I could and began to enjoy it.

Cheerleading became a big part of my life. Not only was I the first male on the first U of R team, I was asked to help start the first All-Star team in Regina, the Capital Cheer Rebels, and despite changing gyms a few times and new ownership that program is still going strong today. I was at the first Saskatchewan Cheerleading Association meetings when it was trying to get itself off the ground. These things needed to be put in place to be officially recognised as a sport provincially and nationally, and I was happy to play a minuscule part.

So, this week when the International Olympic Committee announced that Cheerleading was getting provisional recognition for 3 years and then after that could apply to be in the Olympics, I was thrilled. Then I went on Twitter. I should have known better, I really should have. One day I will go to social media to get good news and see that people can accept change… that day still hasn’t happened.

From “If cheerleading is a sport they need to get rid of medals and just use participation ribbons” to complaining that there were several “real sports” not recognised. When questioned, the keyboard warriors softened their stance and admitted that cheerleaders are athletes but “Cheerleading isn’t a sport.”

Well ya it kind of is, logically that is why it received provisional recognition from the IOC. And if you still have trouble believing that is a reason enough to call it a sport lets check with our good friends at dictionary.com.

"An athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often competitive in nature..." Nothing about defence, nothing about judges, nothing about it not being "manly" enough. So to those in “Cheerleading isn’t a sport” crowd… Yes, yes, it most certainly is and soon enough it could be golden. 

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.