1 SURVIVAL OF THE … OH, NEVER MIND It's a testament to the Canadian Football League's newfound financial stability that two of the most incompetently run clubs in the league (Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Toronto Argonauts) aren't in immediate danger of folding. On the financial ledgers, the clubs may be bleeding red ink like harpooned whales, but the owners aren't threatening to walk away … not yet anyway. On the field, the clubs are facing the same problems – poor management, pathetic scouting, and head coaches who are too arrogant to admit – even to themselves – they may be in over their heads. Good grief, the Bombers weren't prepared to play on Sunday … they even screwed up the coin toss! (Leader-Post) Damien Cox gives an idea just how flawed decision making has screwed up the Argos so badly that it may take years for the club to become more than a laughing-stock (Toronto Star) and the Globe and Mail's token Steeltowner, Stephen Brunt illustrates just how the Argos' leadership isn't acting very leader-like (The Globe and Mail), while Ed Tait dances around the issue. Michael Bishop and Pacman Jones aren't the problem. It's the people who think those chowderheads were the solution who are the real problem. (Winnipeg Free Press).
2 HOLDING OFF THE DARIAN DURANT DEATHWATCH I spend a lot of time (too much, probably) on riderfans.com's chat site (riderfans.com), which is probably the most active anywhere in cyberspace's areas devoted to the CFL. With the Riders sporting a 5-4 record after the first half of the season, there's still some people looking to blame somebody, anybody. And Darian Durant has received a lot of blame. Some of it is earned, some of it isn't. He's basically going into his first full year of being a starter. But football fans are an unforgiving lot, even though they're not the most knowledgeable, and when Durant elected to spend the bye week in Regina studying game films, there were those who criticized him for doing just that. As someone who was pretty sure the coaching staff would have panicked, just like last year, and brought in Casey Printers by now, Durant has proven me wrong, and did all right on Sunday. And, remember, it's a team game. But the people who possess the same mentality of those who booed Ron Lancaster in his last game at Taylor Field … who booed Kent Austin … who campaigned for Kevin Mason to start … well, that mentality is still there, unfortunately. (riderfans.com)
3 THEY'RE IN THE MONEY Jim Basillie is waving more money in front of the judge hearing the Phoenix Coyotes' bankruptcy case. (Toronto Star) On a recent Bob McCown show on Fan590 (download the podcast from iTunes or go to fan590.com, I'm not directing any more traffic to those Rush Limbaugh/Fraser Institute worshipping gomers at CJME than I absolutely have to), Bob argued that the Blackberry Man's offer was, arguably the worst of the three. Though he was going to spend more money, more of it would go to the investors than the creditor. So, this pot sweetening deal is another attempt to buy people off.
4 REGINA. FOOTBALL TOWN. NOT. Attendance for Sunday's game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at Taylor Field: 30, 945. Attendance for Friday night's game between the University of Regina Rams and the University of Manitoba Bisons: 2,124. (Rod Pedersen)
5 IN OTHER NEWS, DON CHERRY STARTS GOOGLING 'GIRL ON GIRL ACTION The head coach of Sweden's women's ice hockey federation says bodychecking should be allowed in women's hockey. I won't ask Mitchell Blair about how he researched this story. (CTVOlympics via The Blair Necessities)
6 DON'T CRY FOR ME, ARGENTINA After a 3-1 loss to Brazil, Argentina's World Cup of soccer's qualifying odds don't look too promising. (The Guardian) It's pretty clear that Argentina's head coach, Diego Marradona, isn't much of a coach. It's possible that Marradona sold his soul to Satan for the Hand of God goal in Mexico in 1986, (Wikipedia) and now Satan has come to collect.
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