The 2015 CFL season is about to kickoff and all nine teams are lined up at the starter鈥檚 gate with identical 0-0 records.聽 Savour this moment because everyone鈥檚 tied for first-place and optimism reigns supreme.
It may be a stretch to say excitement is at an all-time high across the CFL but it鈥檚 certainly right up there in the Wheat Province.聽 Keep in mind too, this could be an historic season because if the CFL owners and governors have their way, this may be the final season which kicks off around聽Canada Day.聽 They鈥檇 like to move it up by as much as a month beginning as early as next year.
Here in Saskatchewan, there is no need to cross our fingers and pray for the best like so many years ago.聽 (Although that never hurts).聽 This year鈥檚 Roughriders are a sturdy unit which appears to be in contention to play in the 2015 Grey Cup in the new Investors Group Field in Winnipeg.
After an 0-2 preseason, I鈥檓 still scratching my head at what exactly the Riders have assembled here.聽 But that鈥檚 fine.聽 The 2013 Grey Cup championship team seems like eons ago but there are still some traces of it left behind in the form of Darian Durant, Weston Dressler, Chris Getzlaf, John Chick, Alex Hall, Tyron Brackenridge and the like.
There鈥檚 a perilously thin line between 鈥渙ld鈥� and 鈥渧eteran鈥� and we found this out during the fated 5-13 season of 2011.聽 However Father Time has not yet caught up to this group.聽 Of that I am confident, but he does have a tendency to show up unannounced.
To counter that, there鈥檚 a virtual flood of rookies on this year鈥檚 team including the next wave of franchise stars like 2015 draftees Nic Demski (receiver/returner) and Rory Connop (defensive tackle).聽 I counted nine brand new faces who avoided the two swings of the axe at countdown time.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a very good mix,鈥� announced Riders head coach Corey Chamblin at the conclusion of the preseason.聽 鈥淭he one thing I鈥檒l tell you about these young guys is a lot of them have been through a lot in their personal lives. 聽I think they鈥檒l use that in their professional lives.聽 They鈥檙e tough and they鈥檙e ready to go.鈥�
One thing that popped out in the preseason was the sparkling play of back-up quarterback Kevin Glenn.聽 He effortlessly moved the ball with an 83 per cent completion rate and casually threw a pair of touchdowns.聽 The team鈥檚 in good stead in the event Darian Durant goes down.聽 (You can cross your fingers again).
鈥淜evin鈥檚 crisp in all that he does,鈥� Chamblin continued.聽 鈥淎nd he鈥檚 here for two reasons: either for his performance or his presence.聽 Darian is clean also.聽 It just makes us stronger and that鈥檚 what we need.聽 As a matter-of-fact we have the two winningest quarterbacks of the past five years.鈥�
Oh to have been able to say that last year.聽Although I seem to be the only one bringing that up around here anymore.
So now the football club is ready to set sail on a brand new season and it begins with a visit from the rival Winnipeg Blue Bombers this Saturday at 6:00 pm at Mosaic Stadium (TSN, CKRM Rider Radio Network).
While the Riders feel pretty buoyant of their chances after a decent showing the preseason, the Blue Bombers are already fretting after a 26-15 home loss to Hamilton in their exhibition finale.
"Pre-season or not, I hate losing,鈥� spewed Bomber centre Dominic Picard to a Winnipeg reporter.聽聽鈥淚 hate this feeling. It makes me sick.鈥�
Boy that started earlier than normal!
But I鈥檝e seen teams snap out of a funk like that in just a matter of days and by the time the Bombers come to town later this week, they鈥檒l be ready to ruin the Riders鈥� party in their home-opener.
Saskatchewan intends to be ungracious hosts.
