Sitting here on my couch at 10am this morning feels weird. For the last 25 weeks I’ve been used to be in meetings or out on the practice field around this time. To be honest it feels like I should be somewhere doing something football related but instead I’m sitting here…watching Sportscentre (for the 2^nd time this morning) and eating Froot Loops (hmmm, Froot Loops). Saturday’s game was very disappointing for many reasons...the obvious one was the loss. The defense played a great game to give us a chance to win but the offense struggled all game to get in any kind of rhythm. I’ve seen the fan and media outpour of blame directed at a specific player over the last few days and can’t help but to throw my two cents in there. Of course the player struggled but I think the offense as a whole struggled and some credit also goes to BC who played a great game on defense. Maybe we needed to run the ball better, or protect the QB an extra second, or get open a step faster…the point is this: we all needed to play better on offense, period. But we didn’t and the season ended…the fat lady has sung.

 

When you don’t win the Grey Cup, the season feels like a disappointment because so much work goes into a football season. Coaches spend a ridiculous amount of hours each week breaking down opponent’s game plans and tendencies while building their own game plan for that opponent. The front office is always making arrangements for home games, away games, scouting new players, marketing, etc.   Players spend the whole season working toward one common goal together which is preceded by months of off season workouts to get ready for the season. So much time, effort and sacrifice goes into a season that it is hard to accept the fact that your season ends without a championship. Sure, we had an awesome season with a 12-6 record and we did it through adversities and injuries that plague us like no other teams I’ve been around…but Saturday’s loss is a bitter pill to swallow. For me it felt like running into a wall full speed when you thought you had nothing but open space…unexpected and painful.  What comes after your team’s season ends is also saddening…let me explain…but first I need another bowl of Froot Loops.

 

I’ve been playing football for 12 years now and I learned early on that you will never play with the exact same teammates two years in a row. Every year in high school and college you have players graduate (or the occasional expulsion) and new recruits/rookies coming in…that’s just the cycle of football life. In the pros it’s a little different because this is a business and the fact that a player comes back or not isn’t based on him being in his last year of eligibility but rather on if the team thinks he can help them win the next year. This is a performance-based business and very few players get to end their career on their own terms. There are guys from this year’s team that will not be asked back…some will leave by their own choice…some may retire…some may be traded…and others will join us through trades, draft or free agency…that’s just the cycle of professional football life. A lot of these guys are family to each other, which is normal considering how much time we spend together in 6 months. That’s why the end of a season is hard on a lot of players because some close friends may not be back next year. You say your goodbyes as guys leave to go back home to their families and sometimes you don’t know if you’ll ever see that teammate again. Of course a core nucleus of players will be back next year but you go from spending hours a day together for 6 months to not seeing some of those guys for another 6 months…just feels weird.

 

So now I have a lot of free time. I have a few things I’ve been meaning to get done which will probably keep me busy for the next week or two but after that I usually find myself being a little bored. I’m involved in a few community programs associated with the Riders (since I live here year round now) but that doesn’t start until after the holidays. I usually take a month off from any kind of training after the season…I call it my “decompressing” time…and my brother & girlfriend call it my “decomposing” time. Whatever you call it, it’s good for the body and soul to just relax…even though I’d rather have started that time two weeks from now instead of now. I’d like to thank Sheri for allowing me to be the official Rider blogger (take that Geno & Abou!) because I had a lot of fun doing so. I’d also like to thank all you Rider fans for supporting me on here and our team on the field all year long…you are the best fans in the CFL and everyone and every team knows that…I hope all of your off seasons go well and I can’t wait to get back on the field in June…and bring the Cup back home to Saskatchewan…and I tell you my friends, I’m not making this stuff up…

It’s that time of the year again! The time when the regular season ends and the “Go Big or Go Home” time begins. The season’s first 6 games flew by in what seem like an instant while the middle 6 games seem to take an eternity. With a strong finish in the last few games, we claimed 2^nd place in what was a very tough west division and get to hold another home playoff game. Winning that 2^nd place spot came down to the wire over the last few weeks and so did our game against Toronto last Thursday. We knew they’d play hard because a lot of those guys were fighting for jobs for next year. I’m guessing some of you might have had some doubt during the 4^th quarter that we might not be able to pull it off, but we didn’t…I know I didn’t…that’s because I didn’t know what was going on at the time. Confused? Turns out I got a concussion during the 1^st quarter of the game but didn’t come out (or realize it) until the last drive of the game and that’s only because I couldn’t see straight at all at that point. I felt a little weird during the 1^st quarter and couldn’t quite focus in the beginning of the 2^nd quarter…and then I have no recollection of what happened from halftime until a little bit after the game. The doctor said all the hits I took during the game just made it worse and worse (which is why I had triple vision out there) and why I got sick on the sideline (I thought it was bad food). I really wanted to see the game film to see how I did from the 2^nd quarter on and surprisingly I did a good job and I didn’t go the wrong way on any play…but you can clearly see a lose of balance and coordination as the 4^th quarter goes along. Concussion or not some coaches still expect you to perform at a high level and I was graded and criticized on bad technique just as if I was healthy…so next time I have a concussion I’ll try to remember to keep my balance and react faster out there. 

 

The funny thing about the playoffs is that it doesn’t matter what you did during the regular season because 6 teams have the same record now and all it takes is for one team to get hot and win 2 or 3 games to win it all…and I have a feeling we’re going to get hot! Some more of our injured guys are making their way back to the roster this week which will only make us a stronger team and playing at home is going to be a very strong advantage this week too because you crazy Rider fans out there are going to rock Mosaic stadium Saturday afternoon!! Hope you got your tickets!!!

 

On a happy note, 4 of our players were recognized for being West Division All-Stars: Big Gene, Out The Gate Cates, Mosaic Lloyd and Manton McKenzie. Those guys played great football for us all year long and deserve to be recognized as being all-stars. What’s cool for me is that I get to watch Geno and pick up tips from him, whether it’d be technique stuff or the way he sees a certain play of defensive formation. I think he’ll win the Most Outstanding Lineman of the Year too and to do so at the age of 52 is quite impressive!!! I also thought a few players got looked over for these awards, players like Congi, Abou, Wayne Smith and Schultz. Congi was the most accurate kicker this year but because another kicker has more points than he does they get the award. How can Congi possibly score more points if his team doesn’t kick as many field goals or score touchdowns?? All he can do is be accurate when called upon and he did that the best but still wasn’t recognized. But just like the rest of the team, Congi is more focused on winning the Grey Cup again than winning an individual award and that’s what our team is all about.

 

On a final note, Mike Abou is still raising money through auction for breast cancer. You can visit his site (www.abou67.com) and bid on black and pink football gloves that players have worn during practice and pre-game warm up. I believe there’s about 2 days left to bid on a half dozen pairs of glove that have been worn by Mo Lloyd, Wayne Smith and Andy Fantuz (to name a few) so please visit the site and make a bid too. Mike is constantly putting up new items so check it out every week to see what’s on there so you don’t miss out on that special Rider item you might have been looking for. Let’s hope this week goes by fast and get ready for a great game Saturday…just make sure not to drink too much at the game…oh who am I kidding, drink extra for me…and I tell you my friends, I’m not making this stuff up...

I was told an interesting fun fact today: Saskatchewan almost set a world record for the most simultaneous heart attacks in a province this past Sunday around 4pm. It appears some of you don’t like it when we keep games close until the end (especially my mom)…but then how much fun would it be to watch the games if it was won by the 3^rd quarter??? All kidding aside, Sunday was a great game to watch. To win a game when your team has 4 turnovers and the other team has none is a credit to this entire team’s “never quit” attitude. A few guys that came back from injuries helped us out this week and even more guys are on their way back to the lineup which will make us an even stronger team. Our defense played great as usual, our specials made some big plays at key moments and the offense moved the ball well all day but we also turned the ball over too many times. Just like every other week, we’ll go back to work and try to correct all those mistakes so that we finish the year strong and have momentum going into the playoffs. The locker room was buzzing with enthusiasm and we need to keep it going like that all the way up until November 23^rd in Montreal. 

 

As I was running errands today, I ran into a few people that were quite excited about our big win (go figure) but a lot of them also asked me about Glenn January’s hair. In case you didn’t know, Glenn had agreed to have his beloved hair shaved if “Team Roughrider” raised over $10,000 for the Run For The Cure…turns out we raised over $30,000!!!  Glenn and a few other guys (Abou, Fantuz, Dressler, Makowski) all went down to the Wolf radio station last week and had their heads shaved and donated it to make wigs for patients. This week’s blog topic actually came to me while talking to people today because they kept mentioning how involved guys on this team are with so many different charities this year. Some people even referred to us as heroes! That got me thinking about who were my heroes and role models when I was a kid…and the one that stood above all others was my older brother Rich aka Law Dog (he’s a cop). From the earliest time I can remember, I tried to copy everything my brother did…just like most younger brothers do. He was always there for me, especially when we were young: when older kids on the bus harassed me he’d threaten to beat them up…when our neighbor’s kid chased me around our driveway after some kind of street hockey incident he ran out of the house and started chasing the kid that was chasing me…when my mom would bring us home some donuts he’d eat mine just to make sure I wouldn’t have high cholesterol when I got older…come to think of it, he likes donut and protects people, no wonder why he’s a cop! But all kidding aside, I learned all my work ethics in sports through my brother and without him I probably wouldn’t be playing professional football. He’s taught me a lot of stuff that helps me on the football field and in life and now he risks his life on a daily basis as a police officer…to me that’s what a true role model is all about. So for someone to tell me I’m a role model to their kids and that they look up to me is an extreme privileged. That’s why this year more than any other year in my life I’ve gotten involved with many different programs and charities (especially young kids)…it’s the least I can do if I’m looked upon as a role model. I encourage all of you to get involved in the community with a program, cause or charity that is important to you…become a role model and make a difference in someone’s life because you don’t have to be a Rider to make a difference…and make sure you thank your role model if you can (thanks Law Dog!!!), I guarantee it’ll mean the world to them…and I tell you my friends, I’m not making this stuff up…

I know some of you were worried that I hadn’t put up a new blog in a little while and might be retiring from the blog world but you can now exhale because I’m back!! All kidding aside, I hadn’t done one lately because I wanted the Run For The Cure blog to be the latest until we actually did the event which was this past Sunday. I’m proud to say that team Roughrider raised over $30,000 (top group in all of Regina!), that Mike Abou’s auction raised over $6,000 and that Leslie and I didn’t quite reached our goal but finished #6 out of the 80 individual teams that formed team Roughrider. A big thanks to everyone who donated in any way to our team and this cause. On a personal level, I want to thank Rochelle, Niki (technically it’s Nicole), Brad and Owen who outbid everyone on the auction to win 4 tickets (Abou’s and mine) for last week’s game and dinner with the two of us at the PressBox afterwards. We had a great time just chatting away all night with the four of you!!

 

So how about that game?!?! Lots of people (including a certain journalist) said we had no chance of winning…good thing the guys in the locker room don’t listen to all that chatter. We knew we hadn’t played as well recently as we could have. The effort was there, guys were playing hard but we didn’t execute like we should have been. Truth be told, if we were going to have a bad stretch of games I’d rather it’d be early or in the middle part of the season because you want to be playing your best football at the end of the year to give you some momentum heading into the playoffs. We still have 4 tough games coming up but our focus is on the next one right now…Thanksgiving in Calgary! Our defense did a great job against what I consider to be the most explosive offense in the CFL right now. Special teams out ran and out hit their special teams and the offense had a very productive day and put up enough points to do their part in winning the game. With the good comes the bad: we lost Jeremy O’Day to a knee injury. Replacing an all-star is not going to be easy but it’s not like we can just pick up our ball and go home like little kids...guys will step up and fill the void. The doctors say he could be back for the Western Finals which is great because we’ll have him for that game and the Grey Cup…see how that works (wink wink).

 

Sitting at home this weekend I was thinking about Jeremy’s injury…not only do we lose a team leader but a good friend. Then I started to think about all the other guys on the Oline and I figured I’d share with you my take on our Oline Fraternity. I truly believe that our entire team is close, like a family, but there’s always a little something about a team’s Oline…like a group within a group. No one gets less praise or more criticism than us: if a running back rushes well on game day he’s said to have made really good cuts and have great vision…if he doesn’t than the finger is pointed at the Oline for not blocking well that day. I was told a long time ago (in high school actually) that playing Oline is like being a Navy Seals: you go unnoticed if the job goes well but if the mission goes to hell you get the brunt of the blame. To be honest, I think it’s because of those things that we are closer than any other group on the team. 

And what a group it is! We have Jeremy who’s our vocal leader, the epitome of a professional. I’ve been watching how he does things for the last 2 years and I often go ask him questions about certain techniques he uses, or why he made that call against that defensive front. He’s very easy to get along with too, the guy who’s house you go over to when you want to watch a game and hang out. 
Then there’s Mr. Makowsky who I thought hated me for the first month when I showed up last year because he never talked to me…turns out he’s just quiet (or maybe he just told me that to shut me up). Geno plays hard week in and week out so he is more of a leader by example but when he speaks, you know it’s important and everyone listens very carefully. I stay in his good favors because I figure he’ll be the mayor of Regina in the next few years anyways. 
Abou, who I’ve been with over 3 years now (here and Winnipeg), is someone I also model my game after. Obviously more outspoken (check out any media and you’ll find him), Mike is all smiles off the field but a very different person on the field, very intense…which is a lot like me…probably explains why we’re close friends. 
Next is Wayne Smith, our best athlete on the Oline. Wayne is a great competitor on the field, always looking to hit someone during the play but off the field he’s relaxed, the kind of guy you can just sit and grab a cold one with to hang out. 
Chris Best is our smartest guy on the Oline…book smart that is. He’s finishing up his thesis to be a fire God (or engineer, something like that) but he’s a young guy that I believe could be a starter for a lot of teams in the CFL…unfortunately for him (and me) the guys ahead of us are kind of good…good enough to probably retire their jersey one day. Patience will pay off for Chris. 
Belton Johnson is the kind of guy you can easily approach and talk to him about anything. He is our group’s social butterfly and loves to be around people, always doing something. Too bad he got injured because I think he would have had a great breakout season for us. 
Jocelyn Frenette is often the “forgotten” member of the group by the media because he’s primarily our long-snapper. He’s gotten in a few games over the last two years and did a good job. Jocelyn’s the kind of guy you can call at 4am when your car breaks down and he’ll come get you…not too many people like that out there. 
Then you have some of the new guys: 
Glenn January is your typical Texas-boy who gets along good with just about anyone. He’s got tons of potential on the field and he was a great addition for us…I look forward to playing next to him for years to come. 
Steve Morley is another new face that came to us this year. He’s been on 5 different teams in 5 years, I can’t even think of how hard that is on him because he can never set up roots, or have the same teammates or coaches. . 
Our only rookie this year is Jeff Morin-Roberge and although he was extremely quiet during training camp, he’s finally opened up to us and he’s pretty funny. He’s got a lot of abilities on the field and you can see him getting better each practice. You’ll hear his name in the starting lineup in a few years, trust me. So there you have it, a little glimpse of the guys that make up the Oline group. They’re the guys that make it fun to come to work everyday…and the only guys I trust to have my back in the “trenches” come game day because they know I’ll have theirs…and I tell you my friends, I’m not making this stuff up…

I’ll apologize in advance to my loyal readers because this week’s blog will not cover last Saturday’s heartbreaking loss and it will not include any funny stories from the past week. This week’s blog is about reaching out for your help.

 As many of you may know, Run For The Cure is coming up next month on October 5^th and I invite all of you to unite with all other Canadians in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. It is led by volunteers who do their very best to raise money to find a cure for breast cancer so that no one else ever has to lose a mother, sister, daughter, aunt grandmother, friend to breast cancer. It’s usually hard to find someone who hasn’t had someone close to them with this disease. 

Like many of you, I had someone in my family diagnosed with breast cancer. About 2 years ago, my grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer and had to have surgery. Like other cases, she had other complications and side affect that made her uncomfortable in daily activities. It was hard for me when I went to visit her to see her in that state because I felt so helpless…there was nothing I could do to help her. She did have successful surgery which was the good news but other side affects still bother her to this day. Other women are not as fortunate as her and are sometimes diagnosed too late, or surgery doesn’t work and for some surgery is not an option if there are possible complications. This is why this year my girlfriend and I are trying to do our part and raise money to find a cure. And we’re not the only ones either: Mike Abou and his wife Kathie are also doing it (they have been for many years now) and they even went further with it this year by setting up a website for Mike to tell his story and they have an auction on eBay.

 Mike is auctioning off numerous items that are signed by the entire 2007 Grey Cup Champion team and some of those items include his own personal helmet he wore in the Grey Cup game and another game worn jersey. I’m not going to name every item up for sell (there’s even a dinner with Mike and I at the Press Box for auction) but I encourage you to visit www.abou67.com and read his story and make a bid on something you may like from the auction...and don’t be shy, pass this message on to everyone you know at work and home and know that in doing so you are also doing your part in the breast cancer fight. Finally, as mentioned before, my gorgeous girlfriend and I are trying to raise $1000 combined to do our part in Run For The Cure. If anyone wants to donate to us, no matter how little it may seem, please click on the following link: www.cibcrunforthecure.com. This will take you directly to the donation part and you can enter Leslie Norman (location is Regina) and make your donation from there (we chose to do one account together under her name). Again, any donation is a step in the right direction and helps to find a cure so that one day no one will ever have to lose someone important to them to breast cancer. You should also know that a number of us who signed up on this site are all under the team name SK Roughriders. If all of our donation put together surpass $10,000 Glenn January has agreed to have his head shaved and donate his hair to make wigs for the cause. As you can see, many of us are trying to find a way, any way, to make a difference in this fight. Please take the time and check out Mike’s site and if you’re feeling generous please donate to Leslie and I on the other website. 

We thank you all in advance for all your support and hope to see you out there October 5^th!!!