RODRIQUEZ TRYING TO GET ON THE SAME PAGE WITH DURANT

By MURRAY McCORMICK, Leader-Post August 28, 2010

EDMONTON — Prechae Rodriguez isn't being underutilized by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
He has fallen into that hole that seems to exist in the CFL team's vaunted passing attack. Much has been made of the Riders' aerial pursuits and justifiably so. With quarterback Darian Durant pulling the trigger, the Riders boast a formidable passing game.

The depth and talents of the team's slotbacks means the contributions of the short-side wide receiver can be overlooked. Rodriguez — whom the Roughriders acquired from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a trade on Feb. 24 for non-import receiver Adam Nicolson, a third-round pick in the 2011 Canadian college draft and the rights to a player on the negotiation-list — is fifth among the Riders' receivers with 17 receptions for 259 yards and two touchdowns.

"It just takes time,'' Durant said before Saturday's game (5 p.m., TSN, CKRM) against the Edmonton Eskimos. "With the guys and weapons we have ... when you have the opportunity to get them the ball, we have to. The more I'm able to work with Prechae, the more comfortable I am with him.''

Saskatchewan quarterbacks have been searching for some familiarity with that position since veteran Matt Dominguez was sidelined with knee injuries during the the 2008 season. A number of players have filled the spot, including Adarius Bowman in 2008, and Gerran Walker, Johnny Quinn and Chris Jones in 2009. Those players have scored a combined six touchdowns. In 2008, Bowman had 23 receptions for 358 yards and three touchdowns.

In 2009, Walker, Quinn and Jones combined for 57 receptions for 675 yards and three touchdowns. Walker emerged as the eventual starter and concluded the regular season with 36 receptions for 401 yards and two touchdowns.

"I have no clue about what happened last year but we're not trying to do any particular thing,'' said Doug Berry, the Riders' first-year offensive co-ordinator. "The last game Weston Dressler played, he didn't have a reception. That's the way it goes and this week Weston could catch 13. Prechae could catch six or two the next week. I don't keep track of that. We want to throw the ball and take advantage of wherever the routes take us.''

Riders head coach Ken Miller said he would like to see Rodriguez be more involved in the offence. Rodriguez was pleased to hear that.

"(Miller) wants the ball to come my way more than it was,'' Rodriguez said. "Basically they me want to contribute more to the system.''

That is asking a great deal of Rodriguez, who spent two seasons with the Tiger-Cats. Rodriguez is the only starter among the Riders' receivers who hasn't been with the club for a number of seasons.

"There isn't one person who can learn this offence in one season,'' Durant said. "I'm going on my fourth year and there are still things that I learn every day. The other receivers have been in the system so it's going to take him time to learn it.''

Rodriguez is doing his part. He spends extra time with Durant working on ball-catching drills. Durant remained in Regina during the bye week, as did Rodriguez. The two spent time together working on pass routes.

"The one-on-one time during the bye week was very helpful for us to develop extra chemistry,'' Durant said. "I wanted to throw some balls to him and get on the same page when everyone else isn't there. It's hard to do that when all five guys are out here.''
Rodriguez hopes the extra time turns into more receptions.

"As a competitor, I always want more,'' said Rodriguez. "I feel that I can contribute and I can use a lot more of my abilities than I have.''

Rodriguez has shown those talents. In 2008, he dressed for 14 games and had 70 receptions for 1,099 yards and seven touchdowns. Rodriguez was the runner-up to the league's most-outstanding-rookie award to Dressler. In 2009, Rodriguez battled injuries and was limited to 12 games. He was also held to 45 receptions for 495 yards and three touchdowns. Durant feels that 2008 was more reflective of Rodriguez's abilities than 2009.

"The more I can work with Prechae, the more I can get him balls that I normally wouldn't be able to because he can do it all,'' Durant said.

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OMAR STILL PLAYING WELL

Saskatchewan Roughriders cornerback Omarr Morgan (file photo).
Photograph by: Peter J. Thompson, National Post

REGINA — Omarr Morgan doesn’t think he’s slowing down.
A stomach virus brought his on-field activities to a complete halt earlier this week, but he’s over that.

The 33-year-old Saskatchewan Roughriders cornerback was back at full speed during Thursday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium — and he’s confident his pace these days isn’t far from where it was when he started his CFL career.

Asked if he has lost a step, Morgan replied: “Nah. I might have, but I don’t feel it.”
Roughriders defensive backs coach Nelson Martin agreed, suggesting Morgan is “the best guy we’ve got on the corner after 11 years.”

“A rookie gets on the field and his eyes are wide because things are moving so quickly,” Martin said. “For Omarr, things move slowly. He studies the game like a kid in school. That’s why he has survived.”

Despite missing practice Tuesday and Wednesday because of the virus, Morgan will man the short-side corner Saturday when the Roughriders visit the Edmonton Eskimos.
The five-foot-nine, 186-pound product of Hollywood, Calif., enters the contest with 22 defensive tackles and two pass knockdowns. His effectiveness seems to belie the fact that Morgan — who turns 34 on Dec. 4 — is the second-oldest cornerback in the CFL, behind only 36-year-old Davis Sanchez of the B.C. Lions.

Younger challengers for Morgan’s position have come and gone since he entered the league with the Roughriders in 2000.

“I’ve been blessed to stay healthy,” said Morgan, who has missed just eight regular-season games in his career. “That’s the name of the game: You’ve got to make plays and you’ve got to stay healthy. These coaches, since I’ve been here, have always put me in good situations and surrounded me with good people. It has been a little bit of prayer and a little bit of luck.”

There have been other factors, too. While Morgan admitted he’s getting older — “Father Time is going to take his toll on everybody,” he said — he pointed out he keeps himself in good shape and benefits from the approach of the Roughriders’ coaches to keep their players out of pads for most practices.

Morgan has done his part over the years too, watching film religiously so that he can recognize tendencies and do things by instinct.

“You work hard, but you’ve got to work smart,” said Morgan, who played alongside the now-retired Eddie Davis in the Saskatchewan secondary for eight seasons. “Having Eddie around enabled me to work really smart. (Defensive co-ordinator Gary Etcheverry) is big on working smart and using your mind first. That’s what I’ve been able to do.”

It wasn’t always that way.

“When I came here, I was fast and I didn’t care who we played or what the call was: I was going to line up my way and do it my way,” Morgan admitted.

“That worked for about a year. When Eddie came in here (in 2001), he taught me how to work a little bit smarter.”

As a result, Morgan is still a going concern in the Roughriders’ secondary.
How long he’ll keep going is unknown.

“I play one of the hardest spots in the secondary,” Morgan said. “If I played on the other side, I probably could play 10 more years. If my body allows me to play, if this organization allows me to play and if I’m still playing at a high level, I’d like to play as long as I can.”
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LOBOTOMY ROOM IN THE HEART OF ESKIMO COUNTRY

The secret-location, legendary Saskatchewan Roughriders' Lobotomy Room has been rumoured to exist for a few years now.

But with the Roughriders centennial being celebrated this year, and Edmonton being nominated to compete in the 'Where Is Riderville' contest, photographic and video evidence verifying its existence surfaced.

And this week, to celebrate the special Roughriders centennial "home game" in Edmonton with more than 50,000 fans expected in Commonwealth Stadium -- an inordinate number of them cheering for the visitors -- Chris Coult agreed to open the doors to the Saskatchewan shrine in our midst.

Coult is one of those Rider Priders who walks among us. And the great room is located right here in the home of what until recently was known throughout the land of the jolly green giant to the east as the Evil Empire.

It was a bit iffy there for a couple of days if Coult was going to allow a guy who has covered the Eskimos since the '60s to visit this week. But that was because Coult is waiting for surgery due to complications from appendicitis, which requires about a foot of his lower intestine to be taken out, and was worried he was going to be forced to have to go under the knife this week and miss Saturday's game.

"The first thing the doctor asked me was if I had tickets to the game," he said of a visit to the physician earlier in the week to determine when he goes under the knife.

"I told him I had five people coming over from Saskatchewan and about 15 in total and that the plan was to tailgate at Lobotomy Room and take the park-and-ride to the game."

The surgeon scheduled him for next week.

So under the condition I was not to reveal the location of Lobotomy Room regardless of how bad the Riders beat the Eskimos Saturday, the invitation was extended. Coult lives in a green house. Of course he does.

When the 47-year-old who works in the security industry opens the door, it doesn't take long to believe he may have the ultimate treasure trove of Rider memorabilia in existence, inside or outside the province of Saskatchewan.

The genesis of Lobotomy Room, named after a 1980s Saturday Night Live skit, involved a common condition for the horde of fans of gang green who add 10,000 to 15,000 fans to Eskimo games here during non-centennial seasons.

"For years I tried to explain Rider Pride to my Alberta friends but it was difficult and frustrating," said the fan who was born in Saskatchewan but moved to Slave Lake in Alberta when he was five, which is apparently long enough for the irreversible condition to infect you and leave you as a Rider fan for life.

"I needed a tangible to bring that love and commitment to life so I could transfer some of the passion to them," he said.

"It was unfair that I have all these wonderful feelings, but I could not share them to my closest friends.

"That inability to properly transfer my enthusiasm was the inspiration in 2004. I thought if I displayed some of the items I had accumulated over the years in a place for friends and family to gather and watch games together, maybe it would be understood."

One of many

There are, the Roughrider centennial project has revealed, many such rooms throughout Rider nation.

But this one, in Edmonton, somehow became the ultimate of them all.

"I hung up a couple of jerseys, painted a logo on the wall and created a precise scale carpet painted like the Riders home field, put up a big screen, added a bar and fridge and thought it all looked pretty good.

"Then I discovered eBay.

"After seeing all the memorabilia on that website I decided to add a few player cards and mementos."

He has player cards from 1956 to 2009, a 1966 Grey Cup ticket stub, program and media guide, a 1989 Grey Cup ticket stub, program and media guide, plus a helmet signed by most of the players.

"It snowballed after that," he said.
"For three years I was addicted with items arriving three and four times a week.
"Then it went in a different direction and my search was on for mostly rare items.
"Now it's reached another purpose -- preserving Roughriders history."

Chris Coult of Edmonton, Alta., accidentally became a curator to the ultimate Saskatchewan Roughriders museum.

Coult found a 1910 team picture, a rule book and constitution from 1923 -- the first year the Riders were in the Grey Cup -- and another from 1930, the year of the first forward pass.

"The scarce items are usually not available in Canada as they are so valued they are passed on to family.

"The objects I still want usually come out of Florida, Arizona and California, from estate sales of Canadian ex-pats who have nobody to give the Rider gear to.

"Many channels of acquisition are required as vintage Saskatchewan Roughrider souvenirs are highly prized for the simple reason that not many were ever made.

"In the early and mid 20th century the sports collectible business was nothing like it is today, especially on the Canadian prairies. This rarity, combined with the team popularity, makes Saskatchewan football items a premium keepsake."

Like his 1939 Future Coach Frank Filchock matchbook.

Or his 1946 red-and-black-uniform Riders season program, or his 1948 Glenn Dobbs card.

He has a 1951 silver tray from defensive lineman Chuck Radley presented to the players for winning the West.

Or the first ever colourized CFL collectable, a 1953 team postcard.

"At a local Edmonton flea market, a seller who specializes in sports says nine out of 10 CFL items he sells are Roughriders."

You getting the idea that Lobotomy Room is more than just another fan rumpus room?
"I like to collect the old and one-of-a-kind items. I am not interested in purchasing the latest framed jersey, getting it signed and putting it on the wall," he said, although he does admit he drove to Lloydminster just to buy a box of Fantuz Flakes which sold out at the Sask. Co-op in one day.

"I like the set of iron beer coasters from 1958, or the huge butane coffee table lighter given to team members from the early '60s or an old homemade item.
"When I am done with this collection it will go to the team.

"All these reminders of the past will return to their rightful heir "¦ Rider Nation.
More than mementos

"This is a memento hobby like most, except I believe it has one additional dimension the others do not."

Rider Pride is a basic emotion, like happiness or ambition, sorrow or empathy. Rider Pride is relentless, permanent and does not wane. It is a feeling almost impossible to explain even to the truest CFL fan.

"The best way to attempt to understand Rider Pride is to go to a game in Regina. You will never forget it. It's a combination of Mardi Gras and Halloween with a football game thrown in. I attempt to have my own little piece of all that in my own home.

"In the end it is about being able to have family and friends understand this part of me, which is one of the important things in my life and Lobotomy Room is a place where I get to go do that."
But it's more than that. It's personal.

"I became a Rider fan because of my mom, who passed away last year. She lived with me the last five years and we were very close. I miss her every day. She is the real reason for the room. She loved spending time in it.

"I have a picture from after we won the Grey Cup in 2007. I could have gone to the game in Toronto but I promised her I would watch the game in Lobotomy Room."

RIDERS ALWAYS DRAW A GOOD CROWD IN EDMONTON

By MURRAY McCORMICK, Leader-Post August 24, 2010

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders continue to be among the CFL's best draws.
The Edmonton Eskimos have sold 45,000 tickets for Saturday's game, which is significantly better than their season average of 31,763 over their first four home games at Commonwealth Stadium. Dave Jamieson, Edmonton's director of communications and marketing, told Terry Jones of the Edmonton Sun, that's due to the Roughriders coming to town.

"Every visit by the Riders is a hot ticket, regardless where either team sits in the standings," Jamieson said. "I call it the 'Yankees effect,' where the brand is so strong that it pulls even casual or marginal fans out to the park.''

Saturday's game remains a draw the discrepancy between each team. The Riders are 5-2, good enough for second place in the West Division. The Eskimos are tied for last in the CFL with the B.C. Lions at 1-6.

"The rivalry is as strong as it has ever been, and we're counting on Eskimos fans to be out in force to counteract the Saskatchewan effect ... and be wearing our shade of green,'' Jamieson said.

The Rider Nation proved the strength of the rivalry in 2009. On Sept. 26, the Riders and Eskimos drew CFL regular-season record 62,517 spectators. Commonwealth Stadium can seat 60,081. The Riders won that contest 23-20.

The Riders recently announced that their Sept. 17th game against the Calgary Stampeders is sold out. That's their sixth consecutive home sell-out this season. In 2009, they sold out eight of their nine home regular-season games.

This year, the Riders have played three road games and all of those contests have featured sellouts. An alert reader pointed out that there have been 10 sell-outs in the CFL this season through 38 games and the Riders have been involved in seven. The Montreal Alouettes played in the other three.

* * *

There has been a growing discussion about which is the best team in the CFL.

That talk has focused on the Calgary Stampeders (6-1-0), the Alouettes (6-2-0) and the Roughriders, who have earned the attention. Warren Woods of Global TV asked Riders middle linebacker Barrin Simpson and head coach Ken Miller for their input on the debate. Simpson and Miller both said the Riders, which was to be expected. They provided more insights when asked why.

"We grind, we work hard and we play 60 minutes,'' Simpson said. "We have a family concept. You know how if you're little brother gets into a fight, everyone else jumps in? We have that concept. We stay focussed and make sure we're doing the best we can do on the practice field.''
Miller felt it was the team's cohesiveness that contributes to the success of the Riders.

"I really believe that they are a mature team,'' Miller said. "Not age-wise but they are mature emotionally. They do a great job of preparation and working with each other in getting themselves to play well.''

Simpson, who is in 10th CFL season and first with the Riders, kept the discussion in perspective.

"You can't be the best team in football right now,'' Simpson said. "That will be displayed in the Grey Cup. The two teams that play in the Grey Cup and the one that wins is the best team.''

* * *

The bye week may be gone but it's not forgotten.

The Roughriders may have three practices under their belts since returning from a week off but they still appreciate the time off. The Riders last played on Aug. 12 when they beat the B.C. Lions 37-13.

"When you bang your body up as much as we do, you need a break,'' said veteran running back Wes Cates. "It's sucks that we don't get a second bye because it keeps guys from getting injured late in the season. It helps take some of the soreness and swelling out.''

Coaches don't have the physical woes associated with a long season but they also need a break. Bob Dyce, the Riders' passing game co-ordinator and receivers coach, returned to his Winnipeg home for five days to see his family.

"It's always great to see your family,'' Dyce said. "It's nice to relax and re-focus. It's also great to get back to work.''

(Rider Beat appears Wednesdays during the CFL season.)
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EDDIE JOHNSON MEET THE MIGHTY PRAIRIE WIND

Saskatchewan Roughriders kicker and punter Eddie Johnson.
Photograph by: Roy Antal, Leader-Post files
REGINA — The whistling of Tuesday's wind was music to Eddie Johnson's ears.

Tuesday was the first time that the Saskatchewan Roughriders import punter and kicker had heard the province's legendary winds blow. Johnson joined the CFL team July 21 and since then it has been relatively wind-free.

"So far we've had great game days, so I was waiting for this to happen,'' Johnson said after Tuesday's wind-blown practice at Mosaic Stadium. "I heard a little bit of a breeze coming through my window (Tuesday morning) and I thought it would be a good day to work on some stuff.''

The steady north wind blew at 30 km/h and featured gusts of 55 km/h. The Riders set up their special teams practice so Johnson would have an opportunity to kick into the teeth of the wind.
"I know that I started off a little rough,'' Johnson said. "I was hitting a normal, hang-time ball into a very stiff wind. We went into the wind on purpose so we could work on me.''

Johnson talked to Riders special teams co-ordinator Jim Daley and veteran placekicker Luca Congi about the conditions.

"I made an adjustment and some corrections and I felt that I did better job after that,'' Johnson said.

Among the adjustments Johnson made was reducing the hang time on his punts. He worked on driving the ball through the wind.

"I feel better driving the ball like that,'' Johnson said. "I will take a ball like that, which doesn't have as much hang time but it does a better job of getting downfield.''
There is more to adjusting to the wind than simply punting the ball. Johnson also worked holding onto the ball longer before kicking it.

"The more time the ball has to fall before it hits your foot, the more the wind can move it,'' Johnson said. "The less time the ball is in the air, the less time there is for error.''

Similar wind conditions on July 17 may have contributed to Johnson landing a position with the Riders. Incumbent Louie Sakoda struggled in the challenging conditions as the Riders beat the visiting Edmonton Eskimos 24-20. The Riders are to play the Eskimos in Edmonton on Saturday.

Sakoda's struggles prompted the Riders to bring in Johnson in for a tryout July 20. Johnson eventually beat out Sakoda for the starting position. Since then, Johnson has averaged 43.5 yards on 19 punts in three games. Mind you, Tuesday's conditions kept Johnson from reaching that mark while kicking into the wind.

"He mishit a couple of balls and he just needs to relax,'' said Riders head coach Ken Miller. "He's getting a lot of coaching from a lot of different areas and he has even coached himself pretty harshly. I tried to not get into the mix too much but I told him to take a nice, smooth stroke. He was trying to kill the ball. Just use the same stroke and keep calm. It's like using your driver ... try to keep it in the same groove.''

Meanwhile, starting cornerbacks Omarr Morgan and Tad Kornegay missed Tuesday's practice. Miller said that Morgan wasn't feeling well and Kornegay was nursing some muscle soreness. Both are expected to be on the active roster for Saturday's game.

Their absences allowed non-imports Donovan Alexander and Leron Mitchell an opportunity to work with the first-team defence. Alexander (hamstring) has been sidelined for two games while Mitchell (knee) has missed three games. Alexander was the starting wide-side cornerback before being injured.
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RIDERS FOLLOWING CHICK, BAGGS AND WILLIAMS

Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Rey Williams celebrates after recording a sack during the 2009 West Final. He is now trying to crack the NFL's Pittsburg Steelers roster.
Photograph by: Todd Korol, Reuters files

REGINA — Rey Williams has a following among the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The same goes for defensive ends John Chick and Stevie Baggs. The trio are involved in tryouts with their respective NFL teams but they have been forgotten by their former CFL teammates.

"I keep track of my boys,'' Riders defensive tackle Marcus Adams said after Tuesday's practice at Mosaic Stadium. "I talk to each of them at least once a week. I let them know how we're doing and they tell me what's happening with them. I do it because they are my friends. We're more than teammates. I look at them as my brothers and I want them to do well.''

Those feelings transcend the border between Canada and the United States. Williams is with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he is trying to catch on as a backup linebacker and special-teams player. Chick, the CFL's most outstanding defensive player in 2009, is with the Indianapolis Colts. Baggs is trying to earn a spot with the Arizona Cardinals as a linebacker.

All three left the Riders during the off-season. Williams and Chick took advantage of the option-year window to try out with the NFL teams and the Riders retain their rights. Baggs is a CFL free agent.

Williams has played in two pre-season games with the Steelers and recorded six tackles. Those appearances as a linebacker have mainly taken place in the fourth quarter.

"You have to work your way up the ladder,'' Williams said Tuesday from Pittsburgh. "Anytime you get on the field, you have to put good stuff on the film. It's very meaningful for this team and for other teams in the NFL. You have to make an impression and you don't want to put anything bad on film.''

Williams, who spent 2 1/2 seasons with the Riders, feels he has done that. Whether it means into a spot on the team's roster remains to be seen. NFL teams are to reduce their rosters to a maximum of 75 players on Aug. 31. The final cut to 53 players is Sept. 4.

If Williams does make Pittsburgh's roster, it will likely be as a member of the special teams.
"Around here, you have to be able to do both,'' said the 29-year-old Williams. "They obviously have their starters. You're trying to be a backup but you have to play special teams and to be able to come in when they need you. Most guys in the NFL don't make it through a whole season. They miss a game or two here or there but that's the nature of the NFL.''

Williams is familiar with what NFL teams want. He had stints over three seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers before joining the Riders late in the 2007 season. That experience has helped Williams deal with all aspects of trying out with the Steelers.

"This isn't my first rodeo,'' Williams said. "I'm older now and I don't let all of the excitement bother me like it did in my first year out of college. I remember in my first game we played Oakland and I looked across the field and there were Jerry Rice and Warren Sapp. I had grown up watching those guys play. I'm more mature and more relaxed now. Just like I was up in Canada, I'm trying to get a job. It's a dream to play football but because I'm more mature, I try to handle my side of the game more professionally.''

Chick, who has dressed for two pre-season games, has one tackle with the Colts. Baggs had two defensive tackles and a pass knockdown in Arizona's 24-10 pre-season loss to the Tennessee Titans on Monday. Baggs and Chick were both CFL all-stars in 2009.

"I've been trying to catch as many games as I can,' said Riders defensive tackle Keith Shologan. "I watched Stevie play (Monday) and he did some pretty good things. I was pretty happy for him and he's up to his same old tricks. I hope he makes it down there.''

Shologan also feels the same about Williams, who was a defensive force in the 2009 playoffs for the Riders. Williams had 10 tackles and three sacks as the Riders beat the Calgary Stampeders 27-17 in the West Division final. He followed that up with 11 defensive tackles, a sack and fumble recovery in the Riders' 28-27 loss to the Montreal Alouettes in the Grey Cup game.

Chick finished the 2009 season with 11 sacks. Baggs, Montreal's John Bowman and Ricky Foley of the B.C. Lions, tied for the CFL lead with 12 sacks each. Foley is currently with the Seattle Seahawks.

"They all deserve a chance down there because they worked their butts off up here,'' said Adams. "I told Rey when I talked to him to keep on grinding down there. I really want them to do their best.''

Williams said he's willing to return to the Riders if he fails to catch on with the Steelers.
"I loved it there and I wouldn't have had the chance to get back here if it wasn't for that organization,'' Williams said. "I'm thankful for without them I wouldn't be here.''

Shologan said he would welcome Williams back.

"They are great players and I'm sure they could find spots for them on the team,'' Shologan said. "That's up to management but if you get the opportunity, you have to take it.''
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REPORT FROM GLOBE AND MAIL

Allan Maki
From Monday's Globe and Mail Published on Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010 11:25PM EDT

Wally Buono likes what he sees, only he’s not looking at his B.C. Lions. He’s sizing up the Saskatchewan Roughriders: How they’ve played, who’s played well for them and where they’re positioned coming off the bye week.

According to the most successful coach in CFL history – the same guy whose team sits slumped at 1-6 – Saskatchewan has both a dominant force on defence (lineman Brent Hawkins) and the best player in the West on offence (quarterback Darian Durant).

You may not know it, but Buono was criticized by some last year for suggesting Durant should have been the West’s most outstanding player over Calgary Stampeders running back Joffrey Reynolds. This year, “the guy has come into his own world,” Buono said of the ‘Riders’ pivot. “He’s got good leadership skills. He’s smart, has a tremendous arm. He’s the next big thing, if he keeps progressing.”

As for Hawkins: “He’s an impact player,” Buono insisted. “He single-handedly manhandled us and destroyed Montreal.”

The Western teams will be out to rough up one another this weekend (Calgary at B.C., Saskatchewan at Edmonton Eskimos) as they near the midway point in the schedule.
Will the ‘Riders make good on Buono’s praise? Will the moribund Eskimos win another game?
Here’s a look at the four squads and what to watch for in the bashing ahead:

Calgary.

If quarterback Henry Burris doesn’t pop a hamstring, if Reynolds doesn’t bust a shoulder, if middle linebacker Juwan Simpson doesn’t roll an ankle, the Stampeders will finish first. They could use some minor upgrades, say, at defensive halfback, but overall this is a solid outfit – providing it stays healthy.

Saskatchewan.

The defence was vandalized in a 20-point loss to Calgary last month. The ‘Riders need more than just a destructive Hawkins levelling opponents. Offensively, Saskatchewan could get more out of receiver Perchae Rodriguez and running back/kick returner Dominique Dorsey. Saying that, this is still a slick attack unit.

B.C.

It’s all about the quarterbacking – the Lions get some and they can finish third. Casey Printers stayed in Vancouver last week for treatment on his right knee and to throw passes to receivers. That’s a good sign, maybe this is, too: The team brought in a new linebacker, Chase Bullock. He’d better.

Edmonton.

What can we say about the Eskimos that hasn’t already been said about gingivitis? Bad drafts, poor trades – its all caught up to them and you can smell the funk. Reports are linebacker Maurice Lloyd is a locker-room irritant and needs to be removed. This may get worse before the air gets cleared.

RIDERS SACKS BY COMMITTEE

REGINA — Some of the faces have changed but the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ defence is providing an all-too familiar view for opposing quarterbacks.

Saskatchewan entered the bye week ranked No. 1 in the CFL with 20 sacks despite not having a single player among the top 10.

It’s a stark contrast to the Riders’ league-leading sack attack in 2009, led by all-star defensive ends John Chick and Stevie Baggs, both of whom finished among the league leaders and used it as a springboard to the National Football League.

Their replacements, Luc Mullinder and Brent Hawkins, currently share the team lead with three apiece. Mike McCullough and Jerrell Freeman also have three, well behind league-leaders Phillip Hunt of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Montreal Alouettes’ John Bowman, who have seven apiece.

“It has just been a good team effort,” Mullinder said Saturday after the Riders returned to practice at Mosaic Stadium. “It’s well spread out right now. I know there were a lot of questions out there but (defensive co-ordinator Gary Etcheverry) has done a great job scheming for success. It’s a team game. When we get to Week 20, when we get to this Grey Cup that we want to get to, it’s going to be a team that wins it.”

The ability to replace last year’s dynamic duo — and the feared pass rush they created — was the biggest question mark facing the Riders heading into this season. Those concerns appear to have been addressed, albeit in a different manner than the past, minus some big names.

“That’s awesome when you have a team playing like that together,” said Hawkins. “I think it speaks for our team, too, as far as there being no ego. Our defence is getting better game by game. You’d have to be a fool not to see it. It makes me real excited. It blows my mind to see where we can take it.”

Etcheverry has refused to dwell on the loss of Baggs and Chick. Despite replacing those sacks by committee, the veteran defensive co-ordinator won’t get caught up in the numbers game.
After all, stats can be for losers.

“For those people who had questions about (replacing the ends), I hope they think the questions are answered,” Etcheverry said. “But we’re not trying to get sacks. I don’t believe there’s a high correlation between getting sacks and winning. Because of that, we don’t dwell on sacks. We’re not trying to get traditional statistics that the media and the fans look at. We have a whole separate set of (internal) statistics that we’re trying to achieve.

“One of the simple ones is when we’re out there we don’t want people scoring touchdowns. Over the last couple, three games, they’ve scored two or fewer touchdowns. That’s a huge thing. In reality, if a team scores three or fewer touchdowns on the defence you shouldn’t lose very many of those football games.”

Etcheverry’s team concept has been quickly embraced by Hawkins, who’s still enjoying a strong rookie season individually.

“I didn’t even know we were leading the league in sacks,” added Hawkins, whose team now sits one sack behind Montreal and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after the West Division’s bye week. “It’s not a stat we look at. Yeah, Baggs and Chick from last year had 12 and 11 sacks, respectively, but we’d rather get that W any day.

“Going into this week leading in sacks, we don’t care. I heard somebody say the other day we have the worst pass defence in the CFL. We don’t care. We’re still winning. The defence we have is great. The thing is, it’s going to get better. I’m looking forward to riding with it.”
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RIDERS POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES TO MID SEASON

By Rob Vanstone, Leader-Post August 19, 2010

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have reached the halfway point of the CFL's 2010 regular season, having played seven of 18 games.

Please forgive the erroneous calculation, but I failed math in Grades 11, 9, 12, 8 and 10.
But, uhhhhh, doesn't it feel like halftime?

The Riders' bye week — an intermission in the regular season — provides an opportunity to sit back, take a breather, and assess the state of the team. So here, without any further preamble or lame rationalizations, are the positive and negative aspects of the Riders' performance through seven games:

POSITIVES

* Quarterback Darian Durant continues to develop into a CFL superstar. There are times when he seemingly wills the Riders to victory — as was the case with his mentor, Kerry Joseph, during the Grey Cup season of 2007. If Durant keeps producing at his current pace, he will boast single-season passing totals that are more reminiscent of Kent Austin. His propensity for bringing the Roughriders from behind evokes memories of Ron Lancaster. Heady company indeed. With Durant at the controls, the Riders lead the league in points scored (235), touchdowns (23), first downs (178) and net offence (3,162 yards).

* Tailback Wes Cates is enjoying a terrific bounce-back season after the mediocrity of 2009. Cates has a league-high eight touchdowns (seven on runs and one on a reception) and continues to be an effective blocker. With 558 rushing yards in seven games — an average of 5.8 yards per carry — Cates is on pace to gain 1,439 yards this season. After seven games, he already boasts his two longest rushes as a Roughrider, scampering for 83 and 53 yards. So much for the notion, oft-advanced before the season, that Cates is in decline.

* Weston Dressler and Andy Fantuz continue to power the Roughriders' passing attack. Dressler, with 37 receptions and 542 yards, is on pace for a 95-catch, 1,394-yard season. Fantuz's stats to date — 36 catches, 485 yards — compute to 93 grabs and 1,247 yards over a full regular season. It is especially imperative that Fantuz play every game after missing significant time due to injury in 2008 and 2009. If healthy for the duration, Fantuz could be the CFL's most outstanding Canadian.

* Some concerns about the absences of John Chick and Stevie Baggs have been allayed due to the development of defensive end Brent Hawkins. Baggs, now of the Arizona Cardinals, had 12 sacks last season en route to being named a West Division all-star. Chick, who returns to action tonight at the Rogers Centre when he suits up for the Indianapolis Colts in an NFL pre-season game against the Buffalo Bills, had 11 sacks last season and was named the CFL's top defensive player. Even without them, the Roughriders have been able to register a league-high 20 sacks in seven games.

NEGATIVES

* The defence was exposed July 24 in a 40-20 loss to the Calgary Stampeders. If a team can peck away with the running game and short passes, the Riders' defence can be exploited. Any team that lacks patience plays into the hands of defensive co-ordinator Gary Etcheverry.

* The unrelenting pressure to which Durant was subjected against Calgary creates fears that he will not be able to make it through the regular season. Although the Riders have surrendered the second-fewest sacks in the league (13), Durant is absorbing too much punishment.

* Much more was expected from wide receiver Prechae Rodriguez, who was the runner-up to Dressler for CFL rookie-of-the-year honours in 2008. Rodriguez has yet to come close to reprising his freshman season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

* The special teams are an eyesore. The return game is virtually non-existent — despite the presence of reputable kick returner Dominique Dorsey — because blocking appears to be optional. The kick coverage teams also need an upgrade. On a positive note, punter Eddie Johnson's moonshots are something to behold, and placekicker Luca Congi is enjoying a fine season, hitting 19 of 23 field-goal attempts. But he cannot afford to miss, because (gulp) half of his errant field-goal attempts have been returned for touchdowns.

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FREEMAN HAS OUTSTANDING GAME

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Jerrell Freeman sacks B.C. Lions quarterback Jarious Jackson. Freeman took Jackson to the turf not just once, but three times throughout the game at Mosaic Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 12, 2010.
Photograph by: Bryan Schlosser, Leader-Post

REGINA — Jerrell Freeman got through his rookie initation just fine last year. That hasn't stopped his Saskatchewan Roughriders teammates from making him the target of more good-natured razzing this season.

"We always bug Jerrell," admitted teammate Lance Frazier following Thursday's 37-13 victory over the B.C. Lions at Mosaic Stadium.

"He's like everyone's little brother. We give him a hard time because he's the young guy around here. We're going to continue to talk trash with him and kick his butt, but he knows we love him."

Freeman was adored by his teammates and many of the 30,045 fans at Mosaic Stadium Thursday night who witnessed a dominant performance from the Riders defence.

Several players danced around Freeman's locker stall in the team's dressing room following the game, mimicking and cat-calling the second-year linebacker as he conducted media interviews.
No hats were thrown, however, during the post-game celebration, despite Freeman's hat trick

of sacks of Lions quarterback Jarious Jackson.

"That would have been a good idea," Simpson said of the hat throwing. "But I think we've done enough for him already."

The trio of sacks were the first, second and third of the season for Freeman. Two of his sacks snuffed out B.C. drives in Saskatchewan territory and forced the Lions to kick.
The Riders defence that night registered five sacks total and picked off Jackson twice. The veteran B.C. pivot was under siege numerous times thanks to an aggressive Riders pass rush and various blitz packages.

"I do everything well in practice, but then I get into a game and I can't get anything going," Freeman said.

"He's going to work his butt off for you every game," Frazier added. "He's has tons of talent and he's starting to click right now."

And so is the Riders defence.

For a unit that had given up a league-high 183 points heading into Thursday's game, a strong showing against the Lions was a carry-over from the second half from the previous week in Montreal. The Riders defence limited the potent Alouettes offence to just two second-half field goals and allowed quarterback Darian Durant and the Saskatchewan offence to have a chance to win late in the game.

"We knew we were capable of this, so it was just a matter of time until it happened," said Frazier, whose first-quarter interception on Thursday set up the Riders' first touchdown.
"We definitely fed off of (the second-half performance in Montreal). We had our lapses here and there, but we got on track and had it all working."

Simpson, who also recorded a sack on the night, said the defensive success starts up front.
"We love backing a team into a one-dimensional situation," said the veteran linebacker. "We have been very good in second-and-long situations ... and when a team is trailing late in the game like they were and has to pass all the time, that's like a second-and-long down for us, too."

When Jackson did have time to throw, he managed to complete just one pass greater than 20 yards. Frazier and the Riders secondary bottled up the Lions' slotback combo of Paris Jackson and Geroy Simon for much of the night. The duo combined for just 11 catches and 104 yards with no touchdowns.

"Those guys are dangerous," Frazier said.
"Jarious is a veteran quarterback, so we knew we had to confuse him as much as possible so he didn't get into a rhythm throwing the ball.

"We allowed two 200-yard receivers this year and that is something that we take personal on the back end. But (Thursday) we didn't allow a deep ball, so we have reason to feel good about ourselves heading into this week off."

The Riders (5-2) and Lions (1-6) are off this week. Saskatchewan returns to action Aug. 28 in Edmonton.
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DURANT TO STUDY FILM DURING BY WEEK

By Rob Vanstone, Leader-Post August 13, 2010

REGINA — Darian Durant will be spending the Saskatchewan Roughriders' bye week in Regina for the second consecutive season.

"It's all about getting better,'' the Roughriders' quarterback said before Thursday's CFL game against the visiting Lions. "It's all about winning Grey Cups.

"If I put in a little more time than I did last year, then maybe we get over that hump and win the Grey Cup this year. I'm definitely going to be here every day, critiquing my game, seeing what I need to do to get better, and trying to get ready for this last stretch.''

Last year, Durant scrapped plans to return to the United States during the bye week, instead remaining in Regina and immersing himself in film study. That set the tone for Durant's impressive stretch run, which helped the Roughriders claim first place in the West Division for the first time since 1976.

Durant ended up earning West Division all-star honours while quarterbacking the Roughriders to a berth in the Grey Cup — won 28-27 by the Montreal Alouettes on a last-play field goal by Damon Duval.

* * *

Sept. 4 will be proclaimed "Rider Fan Day In Saskatchewan.''
Today at the south Albert Street constituency office of the provincial Minister of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport, Bill Hutchison, will present a group of ardent fans with a letter advising them of the proclamation.

The event, which is being held during the Roughriders' centennial season, is to include the "Biggest Rider Fan Parade of the Century'' on Sept. 4 — the day before Saskatchewan faces the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the annual Labour Day Classic.

Roughriders legend George Reed is to lead the parade, which will begin outside Mosaic Stadium and proceed down Albert Street's Green Mile to the Legislative Building's Cumberland Art Gallery. At the gallery, the grand opening will be held for the HeART of the Rider Nation,'' a month-long exhibition of various forms of art created by Rider fans.

Everyone who attends will receive a free copy of the catalogue for the exhibition. The catalogue includes an essay by Reed about the evolution of the Rider Nation, a biography of Neil J. (Piffles) Taylor by Bob Calder, and a curatorial essay by Heather Hodgson.

The grand opening is set for Sept. 4 at 3:30 p.m. The exhibition, curated by Hodgson and Jackie Schmidt, runs until Sept. 30. After the exhibit, most of the art will be sold in a silent auction, with proceeds to go to the George Reed Foundation.

For more information, e-mail HeatherGHodgson@gmail.com.

* * *

The five 2010 inductees into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame were recognized at halftime of Thursday's game.

The loudest ovation was reserved for former Roughriders receiver Don Narcisse, who performed his trademark touchdown dance — the duck walk — during the presentation.
Mosaic Stadium public-address announcer Evan Bray also recognized Narcisse's mother, Dorothy, who died Monday after a lengthy battle with congestive heart failure.

Don Narcisse is to be formally inducted Saturday in Saskatoon, along with fellow players Tracy Ham, Bob Cameron and Elfrid Payton, and builder Joe Pistilli.

A golf tournament is planned for today in Saskatoon.

* * *

Roughriders running back Wes Cates had two touchdown runs in Thursday's first half, giving him eight majors on the season.

Cates had seven touchdowns all of last season, in which he played 16 games. Thursday's game was the Roughriders' seventh of 2010.

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DEFENSE SETS TONE....OFFENSE GETS JOB DONE

By Rob Vanstone, Leader-Post August 13, 2010

REGINA — Nobody will put footage of Thursday's CFL game to music — unless it is, say, a Lee Harvey Osmond medley.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders' 37-13 victory over the B.C. Lions was not the result of a breathtaking offensive display, despite the victorious team's point total.

Much of the Roughriders' offence resulted from incremental marches down the Taylor Field turf. Fireworks were kept to a minimum — an exception being Darian Durant's back-to-back passes to Chris Getzlaf for 35 and 30 yards, the latter producing a game-clinching touchdown at 5:36 of the fourth quarter.

Aside from the rapid-fire hookups with Getzlaf, the Roughriders opted for an approach that was barely reminiscent of their modus operandi of one week ago. Last Friday, Durant completed 35 of 62 passes for 445 yards in a 30-26 loss to the host Montreal Alouettes.
On Thursday, by contrast, the Roughriders achieved much of their success by picking away at the Lions. Durant threw for an unusually modest 223 yards — registering a mere 70 by halftime — but, once again, stats were deceiving.

In Montreal, the Roughriders managed to lose even though Durant's numbers dwarfed those of Alouettes pivot Anthony Calvillo, a future Hall of Famer. Unimaginably, the losing team had 33 first downs, to compared to 12 for Montreal.

Durant put forth a courageous performance in a losing cause, consistently moving the chains while impeded by a bruised right thumb and a lingering intestinal infection. The day before the B.C. game, Durant declared that he was close to 100 per cent, health-wise.

Immediately, the mind began dancing. If an ailing Durant could pass for 445 yards against the defending Grey Cup champions, what kind of numbers would he rack up versus a Lions team that entered the anticipated debacle with a five-game losing streak?

As it turned out, Durant registered barely half as many passing yards as he did in Montreal. He threw one touchdown pass, as opposed to two interceptions. But, as was the case six days earlier, the raw data was deceiving.

Roughriders head coach Ken Miller said during Wednesday's pre-game yak session with the media that he wants Durant — who has characterized himself as a gunslinger — to be more of a surgeon.

For the most part, Miller got his wish on Thursday. Durant steadily and surgically moved the ball down the field, often employing tailback Wes Cates (13 carries, 61 yards) when tough yards were required. Durant's own running ability was evident as he carried the ball nine times for a team-high 67 yards, including two touchdowns. Cates also rushed for two majors, giving him eight touchdowns at the one-third mark of the season.

Although Cates is enjoying a terrific bounce-back season, the Roughrider who carries the nickname "Bounce Back'' — namely Durant — is the engine that drives this team. He is its conscience. The overall success of the team supersedes any individual pursuits or accolades.
Ask him about stats and he will refer you to the win column. The Roughriders emerged from Thursday's game with a 5-2-0 record, including an unblemished slate in four sold-out home games this season. His overall regular-season record as a starter, dating back to 2008, is 19-9-1.

But as Durant keeps emphasizing, there is so much more to the team than its quarterback. He is blessed with an array of complementary weapons, any of whom can singe the opposition. On an evening when slippery slotback Weston Dressler somehow goes without a reception, Rob Bagg demonstrates his own elusiveness while catching seven passes for 81 yards.

It was the Roughriders' defence, though, that set the tone. Lance Frazier's interception early in the first quarter set up a three-yard run by Cates. Jerrell Freeman practically resided in the Lions' offensive backfield, sacking quarterback Jarious Jackson three times.

Anytime the Lions appeared to have a sniff, the Roughriders would make a timely defensive play — after which Durant would inevitably march his team into scoring territory. Also consider the fact that Saskatchewan's special teams were not a liability, for once. Add it all up and you have a lopsided victory.

It wasn't always pretty, but it was pretty effective.

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RIDERS BEAT LIONS 37 - 13

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Rob Bagg cuts away from B.C. Lions Davis Sanchez at Mosaic Stadium in Regina August 12, 2010.
Photograph by: Bryan Schlosser, Leader-Post

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders ground out a workmanlike victory over the struggling B.C. Lions in Thursday's Hall of Fame game.

Running back Wes Cates and quarterback Darian Durant scored two rushing touchdowns each in Saskatchewan's 37-13 CFL victory over the Lions before a sold-out crowd of 30,048 at Mosaic Stadium.

"We has some success along the ground the last time we played them, so we wanted to continue that tonight,'' Durant said. "Wes is always a threat on the ground, too. We put a lot of effort this week into the running game and it paid off for us.''

Saskatchewan improved to 5-2 and rebounded nicely from a 30-26 loss to the Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The Lions fell to 1-6 and have lost six straight since opening the season with a 25-10 victory over the Edmonton Eskimos on July 4.

Both teams are now off for the bye week. The Lions return to action Aug. 27 when they play host to the Calgary Stampeders. The Riders are in Edmonton on Aug. 28 to play the Eskimos.
The Riders ran up a 30-13 third-quarter lead on the strength of the rushing touchdowns and a safety. Durant then connected with slotback Chris Getzlaf on a 36-yard touchdown pass, which increased the Riders' lead to 37-13.

"When you're doing your thing along the ground and Durant is doing his thing with the receivers, it makes us a tough team to stop,'' said Cates, who had 13 carries for 61 yards while Durant rushed nine times for 67 yards. "It's a real big win for us, especially coming off that loss last week. You aways want to go into a bye — especially when you have a lot of time to think about what you've done — you want it to be positive.''

The Riders' defence also contributed to those positive feelings. Linebacker Jerrell Freeman had three of the team's five sacks and the defence forced four turnovers. The Lions were limited to a pair of Paul McCallum field goals and a 51-yard touchdown run by Yonus Davis early in the third quarter.

"(Freeman) had his best game as a Rider tonight," said Riders' head coach Ken Miller. "He was special on special teams and was ever-present on defence."

Jarious Jackson, B.C.'s third starting quarterback this season, completed 17 of 29 passes for 194 yards and was intercepted twice.

The Riders were in such control of the game that backup quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie came in with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter for his first game action of the 2010 season. Durant departed after completing 18 of 27 passes for 223 yards, with a touchdown and two interceptions. Dinwidde was one of three for two yards.

The Roughriders took advantage of a B.C. turnover and numerous penalties en route to 21-6 half-time lead.

Defensive halfback Lance Frazier set up the Riders' first touchdown when he returned a Jackson interception 25 yards to B.C.'s three-yard line. Cates scored on the next play, giving the Riders a 7-6 lead after Luca Congi's convert.

Cates and Durant accounted for Saskatchewan's other first-half majors. Durant scored on a nine-yard run early in the second quarter and Cates scored late in the first half on a one-yard run. McCallum connected on field goals of six and 32 yards.

B.C. kept a number of Riders' first-half drives alive with penalties. The Lions were penalized eight times for 89 yards. The Riders penalized five times for 50 yards.

The half-time show was one of the game's highlights as the Canadian Football Hall of Fame class of 2010 was introduced. This year's inductees are receiver Don Narcisse, quarterback Tracy Ham, punter Bob Cameron and linebacker Elfrid Payton and builder Joe Pistilli.

Narcisse, who spent 18 seasons with the Riders, received the warmest welcome. Narcisse's appearance capped Don Narcisse Day in Regina. The official induction ceremonies are to be held in Saskatoon on Saturday.

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DARIAN DURANT INTERVIEW

By Rob Vanstone Wed, Aug 11 2010 COMMENTS(0) Rider Rumblings

How are you feeling?

“I’m feeling good. I feel so much better than I felt last week. I’m just looking forward to going out there and finally being able to play with no weaknesses. I’m happy about that.’’

When did it sort of pass? “After they finally found out what was wrong, they gave me the proper medication to fight it. Once we found out in Montreal, I started taking antibiotics to get rid of it, and I’ve been on them every day since then. Every day has gotten better.

’’Are you feeling more energized not only than you were last week, but than the previous couple of weeks? “Definitely. I feel great. I can finally start eating right and things like that. When you do that, that gives you the energy to come out here and to be able to play your game. I’m just looking forward to that. It should be fun.

’’The next time you’re ill, will you tell the coaching staff right away? “Oh yeah. I will. I like to think I’m a tough guy. When I have injuries or sicknesses or anything like that, I don’t tell anyone. As you can see, this thing lingered for a while, and not telling anyone became a bad thing. Anytime I feel something, I definitely will go to Ivan and his staff so they can check me up and see what’s wrong.

’’What’s your mindset like as an athlete, because the last three weeks you’ve played at not even close to 100 per cent. Now you’re close to 100 per cent. What does that do to your mindset considering the way you’ve played the last three weeks.

“You can just go out there and leave it all out there. I’m not saying I took any plays off, which I didn’t, but now I can go all out and not have to worry about being fatigued or not having the strength to run a quarterback draw or something as simple as that. I haven’t run any quarterback draws, and that’s something that I’m strong at. Now that I’m feeling well, I can run a little more and get my five to eight carries a game and help us win games.’’It must have been in the back of your head.

“Of course. You really don’t have the same stamina you have when you’re OK. If you make a big play or a long run, you’re pretty winded afterwards. Not having that in the back of my head or hanging over me makes me feel a lot better about going out there and making plays.’’So the shackles are off the offence a little bit now?

“Look out. We feel good about this one. We’re just ready to get out there and play.’’On the potential of the offence: “We’re looking forward to coming out here and putting everything together and exploding and being the type of offence that we can be. We have the best receivers in the league and we want to show that.’’You threw for 445 yards and you felt like garbage. What can you do when you’re healthy?

“After watching the film, I could have thrown for 600 yards, honestly. It’s a step in the right direction. We’re going into Game 7. We have a long way to go. As long as we keep climbing the ladder, then when it comes later on in the season and it’s time to reach that peak, we’ll be there. The thing is to just keep getting better and better every week. If I’m throwing for 400 now, later on in the season I should be throwing for 500.’’What has it been like to go through this last month?

“It has been tough. Whenever something is stopping you from doing your job to the best of your ability, it’s always tough. I definitely don’t want to use it as an excuse. That’s one of the reasons why I didn’t even tell the doctors that I was sick. I don’t like having excuses as to why something goes wrong. I know, and my teammates know, what type of guy I am and what type of player I am when I’m at 100 per cent. Now it’s time to go out and do it. But these last couple of weeks have been tough on me, but I’m finally starting to get healthier. It should pay dividends on the field.

’’What’s it like trying to get better with everyone in the country, or at least the province, wondering how you’re doing?

“It’s not easy when you have a lot of people depending on you and you’re not 100 per cent yourself, but at the same time, it’s just how life goes. There are going to be some times when things are thrown in your way and you have to overcome certain obstacles. This is just a small bump in the road for me, and for us. We have the right pieces to do some special things. When get these little bumps and little obstacles out of the way, it should be smooth sailing.’’You had one interception after your first three weeks and you have a lot more since then. Are you taking more risks?

“I think I’m just getting caught up in trying to make too many plays instead of doing the right and the smart thing. Earlier on in the season, I tried to make those same plays and was making them, and now they’re turning into interceptions. It’s a fine line between trying to do too much and doing the smart thing, but I’m never going to stop playing my game. I’m going to try to make a play every time I can. It’s just about not forcing too much and being smart about the times you choose to do something special.

’’Can greatness rub off on players? You’ve got Hall of Fame week with Don Narcisse and Tracy Ham. Is that special to play in? “It is. I had a chance to spend a couple of days with Don out in Calgary earlier this year. To be able to talk to one of the all-time great Riders, I can definitely relate to everything he has been through here in Saskatchewan. He gives me pointers about how to deal with the fans, where to go eat, and little things like that. He’s a great guy to listen to. Hopefully he comes in and it rubs off on me and I have a Hall of Fame type of performance tomorrow.’’

SPECIAL TEAMS WILL BE IMPORTANT THIS WEEK

By MURRAY McCORMICK, Leader-Post

REGINA — The ups and downs of the special teams with the Saskatchewan Roughriders haven't been limited to returner Dominique Dorsey.

Veteran Neal Hughes has shared in an inconsistent season for the Riders on special teams. On

July 10, Hughes helped turn around a CFL game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with a blocked punt in the third quarter. The Riders would go on to record a field goal en route to a 37-24 victory at Mosaic Stadium.

Against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday, a holding call assessed to Hughes wiped out a 22-yard fourth-quarter punt return by Dorsey. The Riders were pushed back to their five-yard line and ended up giving up a safety en route to losing 30-26 to the host Alouettes.

"I didn't think (the holding) was a very good call,'' Hughes said Wednesday after the Riders completed their walk-through at Mosaic Stadium for today's game against the B.C. Lions. "Coming from the ref's point of view, he's going to make that call. That's part of football and it can happen in any part of the game. You make a play and sometimes the ball bounces your way. There are other times when it doesn't.''

The ball hasn't bounced the Riders' way too often on special teams this season. Dorsey hasn't come close to breaking free on a long return. The Riders' coaching staff has reiterated that's largely due to the blocking. Special teams co-ordinator Jim Daley has said the Riders have to block better for Dorsey to hit the creases.

The struggles of the special teams reached another level when Montreal's Tim Maypray returned Luca Congi's 43-yard missed field goal 118 yards for a game-changing touchdown in the second quarter. It was the second missed field-goal attempt that Maypray has returned for a touchdown this season against the Riders. On July 1, Maypray returned a Congi missed field goal 125 yards for a touchdown. The Riders overcame that play to win 54-51 in double overtime.

"It's an unwanted oddity that we don't want to see happen a third time,'' Daley said. "Those are game-changing momentum things.''

There are simple solutions to cutting out missed field-goal returns.

"Our first priority is to make the field goal,'' Daley said. "Our second is to cover it well. Montreal did a great job of returning it on us. That's something we have worked on really hard this week.''

Ken Miller, the Riders' head coach, said they have addressed aspects of their coverage that Montreal exploited.

"You have to make sure that you have discipline in your coverage lanes and people have the correct leverage on the football, and we didn't do that,'' Miller said. "We had the opportunity to make the tackle and did not make the tackle, so tackling is a key component of that as well.''
Hughes plays on all four components of the special teams. He's not happy with the long returns on missed field goals but feels the team is close to breakthroughs on punt and kickoff returns.
"We've had some great efforts and we have the utmost confidence in Dominique,'' Hughes said. "We're the ones watching all of the film and there are times when Dominique is one or two blocks away from scoring a touchdown. You have to keep it in perspective. We're out there giving it our all but they are also making plays too. It's early in the season and good things are going to happen on our teams this week.''

The Riders also know that when that takes place, some of the scrutiny will be off the special teams.

"Even a return to our 50 to put our team in good field position is a good return,'' Hughes said.

"You see teams all over the league getting returns for touchdowns. They don't necessarily have

a winning record. That's not the be-all and end-all of a football game. It's the final score that matters.''

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KORNEGAY IS A POSITIVE FORCE - ON AND OFF THE FIELD

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Tad Kornegay at practice on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2010.
Photograph by: Roy Antal, Leader-Post
REGINA — Tad Kornegay's smile is as genuine as the emotion he exhibits while discussing a turbulent off-season.
The versatile Kornegay, a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders' defence, was rocked by four deaths in March and April. The first involved a 24-year-old man, whom Kornegay referred to as a little brother. He was killed in a car accident.
Then a close family friend committed suicide. That was followed by an aunt passing away after complications from surgery. Kornegay then lost a great-aunt to natural causes. Those feelings reached a peak when he attended three of their funerals during one emotional week in April at his home in Trenton, N.J.
"It was tough,'' Kornegay said in advance of Thursday's CFL game (7 p.m., TSN, CKRM) against the B.C. Lions at Mosaic Stadium. "You can't control deaths in the family. My family is big and very religious and they are very big on celebrating someone's life rather than mourning it.''
They rallied around Kornegay, who was a West Division all-star in 2009 as a linebacker . He expected to make his second consecutive start at his natural position of cornerback Thursday against the Lions.
"I'm the one with the positive energy in my family,'' said Kornegay, who is a personal trainer at the Tests Sports Club during the off-season. "I'm also the saviour of keeping everyone together. Everybody loves it because I'm playing professional football. They all watched me play football, even the ones who passed away. The best thing for me was to keep everyone out there in high spirits.''
That's not a tough task for Kornegay.
"Everyone looks at me to make them laugh,'' Kornegay said. "It's not like I'm trying to do it. It's just me being me. I'm a high-spirited guy and I try to keep everyone smiling.''
That good spirit includes the Roughriders, who are Kornegay's extended family during the football season. The players appreciate his multitude of football talents and his inherent good nature.
"Tad doesn't share what happened with us because he's always in a great mood,'' said Riders defensive halfback Lance Frazier. "He's always happy and it takes a lot to get under his skin. He's a delight in the locker room and he's a guy that you can't lose in there. When he's a free agent, he's one of the guys that you get nervous about. He's the type of guy that you always remember and makes the game so special.''
Kornegay had dreamed of being a professional football player. That dream may not have been realistic because in Grade 9 he was 5-foot-0 and 118 pounds. He underwent a growth spurt in his junior year of high school and was large enough to earn a scholarship to play with the Fordham University Rams.
It was also there that Kornegay's family and followers earned their share of recognition.
"I always called them my cheerleaders because they would get everyone pumped up,'' Kornegay said with a laugh. "I would have a great game and they would be all be getting interviewed after it.''
A number of Kornegay's cheerleaders were in Montreal on Friday for the Riders' 30-24 loss to the Alouettes.
"You can tell who they are because they all look alike,'' Kornegay added with another laugh.
Kornegay grew up Trenton within the embrace of his large family. Both of his parents — mother Linda and father Thaddeus — retired recently after careers with General Motors.
"Trenton is pretty tough but it's a good city,'' Tad Kornegay said. "I've seen a lot of crazy things growing up but I had a lot of family support, which kept me out of trouble. My family worked, they kept me in school and I had a lot of positive energy.''
Kornegay made his way to the CFL as a cornerback with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He spent two seasons with the Tiger-Cats before being traded to the Roughriders in 2007.
Kornegay was a defensive back for two seasons with the Riders before being switched to a weak-side linebacker in 2009. He started 18 regular-season and two playoff games while being named a West Division all-star.
He began the 2010 season as a linebacker but was moved to cornerback after injuries to starter Donovan Alexander (hamstring) and backup Leron Mitchell (knee). Kornegay had two defensive tackles against the Alouettes, who rarely tested him.
"He never misses a beat and he's always prepared,'' Frazier said. "He's really upbeat but when he's on the field, he's very serious about football.''
The 28-year-old Kornegay is also tough. He showed that after an interception by defensive end Luc Mullinder against the Tiger-Cats on July 31. Shortly after Mullinder started to run, Kornegay blocked offensive tackle Belton Johnson. It was quite the mismatch considering Kornegay is 6-foot-0 and 180 pounds and Johnson, a former Rider, is 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds.
"He regularly takes on offensive linemen when he's in the box,'' said defensive back coach Nelson Martin. "He's a DB that is really tough. He hasn't had any problems making the conversion to the corner because that's where he's the most comfortable.''
Kornegay has continued to excel this season despite the off-season distractions. He has 10 defensive tackles, four pass knockdowns, one tackle on special teams and a fumble recovery. He uses what took place during his off-season as motivation during the regular season.
"I think about it all of the time because it makes me stronger,'' Kornegay said. "I always take negative energy and turn into a positive. That's what has kept me going in football as well as life.''
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RIDERS WOULD LIKE AN EARLY START AGAINST LIONS

Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Ken Miller
Photograph by: Don Healy, Leader-Post files

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have trouble getting an early start, but their head coach is a notable exception.

"Very often, I have a 3 a.m. meeting with myself,'' Ken Miller said on Tuesday, "and this morning I took notes.''

The meeting was, by all accounts, amicable. A consensus was achieved. Miller decided that his next address to the players would pertain to focusing on matters that were within the team's control. And sure enough, he waxed eloquent on that topic.

The matter did not end there. After the Canadian Football League team practised Tuesday on Taylor Field, Miller had the following exchange with Jamie Nye, of News Talk Radio fame.
Nye: "Do you look at the B.C. Lions as a wounded animal coming in here with five straight losses?''

Miller: "I'm glad you asked that question.''

He paused. He smiled. We laughed.

"I talked with the team this morning before we went to meetings and told them that our philosophy is that we take care of the things that are important for us to take control of. That's how we play,'' continued Miller, whose team plays host to the Lions on Thursday (7 p.m., TSN, CKRM). "We can't control officials. We can't control opponents. We can't control weather. We're going to control the things that we can control.

"Really, I expect that every team that comes in here is going to play their very best, and I think it's insulting to think that a team would not come in and play their very best here. On the other hand, I think it's insulting to us to think that we would adapt our level to somebody who we perceive to be playing at a lower level, because we want to play our best all the time. Just as a finishing touch on that — it's not so much who we play, it's how we play.''

The Roughriders used to have a penchant for performing at the level of their competition. Losses to lower-ranked opponents were routine, to the point where the letdowns were predictable. Some of those defeats were counteracted by surprising victories over upper-echelon teams, but that only served to make the meltdowns more exasperating.

Then came 2007. Kent Austin took over from Danny Barrett as Saskatchewan's head coach. Suddenly, the Roughriders began winning the vast majority of their games against the CFL's soup cans. That trend has continued in 2 1/3 seasons since Miller succeded Austin.

Not surprisingly, the Riders have a 38-21-1 record since 2007. They have appeared in two of the past three Grey Cups, winning three years ago. Unless the opposition happens to be the Montreal Alouettes or Calgary Stampeders, it is an upset when Saskatchewan loses.

"When everybody has a game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, they're going to prepare their best,'' said Miller, who last season guided Saskatchewan to its first first-place finish since 1976.

"They're going to do their very best that they can in that game, and we want to anticipate that and compliment people for playing their best against us. We want to be prepared for that kind of competition. If you aspire to excellence, you want to beat people when they're at their best.''

The 1-5-0 Edmonton Eskimos, for example, played one of their better games of a generally dismal season on July 17, when they lost 24-20 in Regina after leading 14-10 at the 30-minute mark. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats also threw a scare into Saskatchewan, leading 14-13 at halftime, before the home side won 37-24 on July 31. Even though the Roughriders won 37-18 in Vancouver on July 10, the outcome was in doubt at halftime, when Saskatchewan led 13-10.
One of the Roughriders' priorities this week has been to correct a faulty ignition. Saskatchewan has scored only two first-quarter touchdowns this season, while surrendering six. The Green and White has trailed at halftime in three of the four games it has won.

In other words, the disparity between the league's best and worst teams is not as pronounced as the standings suggest.

"Talent level across the league is fairly even, I think, so it's not so much talent (that decides games),'' Miller said. "It's a matter of cohesiveness and preparation.''

If the preparation begins at 3 a.m., all the better. You snooze, you lose.

rvanstone@leaderpost.canwest.comRead more: http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/VANSTONE+Riders+need+early+start+game/3383193/story.html#ixzz0wKJMdefn

2010 RIDERS

DOUBLE CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO MAKE IT LARGER

REBIRTH OF THE CFL

By: Miles Long(An American's View of the CFL)

In 1995, the Canadian Football League (CFL) was on life support.

League attendance was on the decline, television ratings were falling, and the expansion into the United States had been an utter failure. It was so bad that the CFL needed a miracle or it was destined to fold by the start of the next season.

After years of mismanagement by individual teams and failure by the League's head office in Toronto to develop a cohesive marketing and business strategy, many simply believed the CFL was 'toast.' . In fact, the CFL was so poorly managed they had even awarded the Grey Cup (the League Championship Game) to Regina, Saskatchewan – In November!

If you have never been to Regina in November, think Siberia with a better standard of living. Regina is home to the Saskatchewan Roughriders and is the smallest city in the CFL. Awarding Saskatchewan the Grey Cup would be the equivalent to the NFL awarding Green Bay the Super Bowl.

The concern among most fans and media types was that the city did not have enough hotel rooms to accommodate the thousands of out-of-town guests expected to attend what was possibly the final championship game in Canadian professional football history. People crossed their fingers and hoped for the best, though many simply expected the worst. As it turned out, a miracle happened, and the CFL did not fold.

The miracle was the city of Regina, this small city with a big heart. Regina, a city viewed by many as too small to host the Grey Cup proved to have more warmth and soul than Sorel winter boots. The community rallied around the event. The City of Regina welcomed its guests with the biggest party they have ever thrown.

They showed Canadians what this event could be if you just put a little effort and love into the event and welcomed the visitors as if they were family. This small city had put on a show that set the blue print for cities to copy and improve upon for years to come. They showed Canadians that you could have fun at a CFL function and that it was okay to embrace the game.

The 1995 Grey Cup showed other teams and cities how the event could become a spectacle and what could be accomplish if you tried – really tried! That week in Saskatchewan created a buzz throughout the country on how the game was being embraced in Regina.

Canadians took note. Because of Regina's response, the CFL's slide was over and the game again started to record a new interest and regrowth.

Fifteen years on, the CFL continues to move forward in an upward direction. Six weeks ago, the CFL kicked off it's regular season with an average attendance of 30,000 fans per game. The Saskatchewan/Montreal game drew 1.8 million viewers during it's peak time in an exciting, double overtime thriller which was also televised on the NFL Network. The T.V. ratings were what one would expect for a NHL playoff game – not for a CFL regular season game – especially a season opener.

Just a few weeks prior to the opening the season the league owners and the CFL Players Association agreed to a contract that will be in place for the next four years. Both sides understand where the CFL is headed and agreed a few concessions by both sides would only benefit each group in the future. Among the concessions, the two agreed to drug testing of the players beginning in 2011.

Players also agreed to smaller increases in the salary cap ceiling, maxing out team payrolls at $4.5 million per team by 2014. But the fine print in the contract leaves room for the owners to increase the salary cap if revenue increases prior to the agreement's expiration.

Since the CFL owners have increased the salary cap in previuous years, often due to a sudden increases in revenue, it is possible the owners may coontinue do the same thing this time around.

In two years (2012) the current television contract with TSN will expire. The current contract was a five year deal for $80 million. Although small by any other football standards it was a major improvement to the once failing CFL. Since the contract was signed, television viewership has continued to climb. Last year's televised Grey Cup game was watched by over 14 million people; a number which was not attainable just a couple years prior and is equal to what the NFL gets in Canada during the Super Bowl.

Television networks are now anxious to get a piece of the CFL television market and will likely pay record amounts for the opportunity. Some expect the next television deal will be double the current contract price. The CFL is also seeing rejuvenation in stadium renovation and the building of new stadiums.

Currently the B.C. Lions occupy a temporary twenty-seven thousand seat Empire Field while their permanent home undergoes a half billion dollar retrofit. Couple that with a retrofit to Molson Stadium in Montreal and new stadiums under construction or in the planning stages in Winnipeg, Regina, Ottawa and Hamilton. These stadiums will bring in added revenue and will help to strengthen all of the franchises. One can see why many are expecting big things in terms of CFL growth over the next decade.

This last off season a discussion of positive news dominated the CFL forums. No longer are people placated on bad news. The Canadian Football League will never rival the American NFL as a money making machine. Instead, the CFL is carving out its own place in sports all-the-while realizing that it doesn't have to pay millions to attract recruits.

Today, the CFL is as much a symbol of Canada as is Tim Hortons donuts, the game of hockey, or Anne Murray. It is the little engine that could.