Welcome to the Gateway To The Weekend, otherwise known as Rodservations. Here we go with our weekly notes & quotes:
- I could barely wait to get this out … today on Football Friday on 620 CKRM’s Sports Cage, we’ll be joined by perhaps the biggest guest we’ll ever hope to have. Who is it? How about INDIANAPOLIS COLTS G.M. BILL POLIAN! That’s right.
Also on today’s show, Calgary Stampeders quarterback Henry Burris and B.C. Lions broadcaster (and former QB Guilio Caravatta). And I ask you, ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?
It’s all today 4:00-6:00pm MT on Saskatchewan’s Sports Leader.
- Haven’t laughed out loud as hard lately as I did yesterday when I heard Hockey Night In Canada star Ron MacLean saved a man from drowning in Philadelphia. He was having lunch with Don Cherry when he saw the man flailing in the water, and Ron bolted to the rescue.
Said Grapes, “And I was in the middle of a great story and MacLean takes off!”
- Are you watching the NBA Finals? ESPN/ABC needs to upgrade their sideline hotties. I don’t know any other way to say it than that. For instance, do a Google image search on the Versus Network’s Charissa Thompson.
- Don’t forget the Regina Red Sox home-opener goes tonight at 7:00 against the Yorkton Cardinals at Currie Field.
- A brand new sports game just launched this week for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s a fantasy-styled game played in real-time on a game-by-game basis. All you do to start is pick any 5 players and you can actually change your players during the game. I’ll be
playing Game 4 tonight and so will some of the Sutter family! It’s free, easy & fun and there are great prizes to boot. Go here: http://playerscup.thehockeynews.com/
- The Edmonton Oilers would be nuts to trade the #1 NHL pick. And they’d be even crazier NOT to take Taylor Hall with the selection.
- I love Patrick Kane’s mullet. Used to have one exactly like it.
- A great quote from former NHL’er Jamie Heward came during a break in The Sports Cage on Thursday.
“I could do this all day!” Heward laughed. He’s got plenty of time now, since he officially retired from pro hockey this week.
- Couldn’t believe the comments of Argos coach Jim Barker this week about getting back into coaching. “I love having my job on the line each week,” Barker told reporters. Can you imagine?
Don’t count him out. He turned the 4-14 Stampeders into an 11-7 team in his first year as G.M.
- I couldn’t believe this nugget I found out about TSN/NBC hockey analyst Pierre McGuire this week. Apparently he’s best friends with Vince Papale, the former Philadelphia Eagles receiver who the movie Invincible was based upon. The friendship dates back to their college days.
- Here’s a note from the Montreal Alouettes PR staff. They can say it better than me:
“Rod, I just wanted to let you know that Coach Trestman greatly appreciated that you talked about is book on your blog. He wanted me to thank you for the mention.
Also, just so your readers don’t get into any fight with bookstore employees, the book is available on Amazon.com and on Coach Trestman’s web site (http://www.coachmarctrestman.com/). They are sold at Indigo in Montreal, but I don’t know if they will be spreading them across the country.
Thanks again
Charles Rooke
Director of Communications
Montreal Alouettes”
- Adam Proteau of The Hockey News might have been the guest of the week in The Sports Cage. Could have talked to that guy for hours..
- TSN sent out a news release this week promoting their coverage of the “prestigious” SCRIPPS spelling bee beginning today at noon. Is this a joke? Please tell me it’s in High Definition?!
The release says: “A total of 273 spellers will participate in the SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE for the chance to win $30,000 cash and other prizes. Among the competitors this year is 11-year-old Laura Newcombe from Toronto, who won the CanWest CanSpell National Spelling Bee in March to advance to the SCRIPPS competition.”
- If you support the new Saskatchewan football/entertainment facility, Enterprise Minister Ken Cheveldayoff instructs you to CONTACT YOUR MLA AND MP.
- Please plan to attend TCU Financial Group’s annual charity Rider Pride barbecue at their Quance St location. Here are the details from my buddy Phil Deutscher:
Saturday June 5, 2010
BBQ Time – 10 – 2pm
Location – TCU Financial Group 2615E Quance St
Proceeds to the Regina Burn Unit
Fun for the whole family includes:
• Fire Truck
• “Gainer” the gopher
• Kenny Campbell’s race car and a junior version
• Dino Bouncer
- Can’t believe no Saskatchewan radio station is carrying the Stanley Cup Finals this year. Yup, this province is in need of all-sports radio. Don’t you think?
- http://www.versus.com/ is one of my favourite stops for NHL news. Canada needs Versus!!
- Clean up after your dog! If I see one more person look the other way while their pooch unloads, I’m going to assault them.
- Who’s excited about the Blue Jays? I am cautiously optimistic about the team. However, as you know, we’ve seen this movie before as recently as 2009.
- Buck Martinez ROCKS on Blue Jays play-by-play. His voice and delivery are so smooooooooth. He breathes baseball.
- Did you see the Tampa Bay Rays get off their jet Sunday night in Toronto wearing hockey jerseys? Skipper Joe Maddon has had the players adopt a theme for all road trips and on this one, they’re supposed to wear their favourite team’s sweater. Most of them were wearing Blackhawks uni’s.
- Chicago’s red jerseys are the nicest in hockey.
- Okay time to fly.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!
RP
