From time to time, the classy Edmonton Eskimos organization shows me exactly why Danny Macoicca has ruined the once proud Hugh Campbell-operated club.
Today was another one of those times.
You must have heard by now about this afternoon's non-announcement press conference where Rick LaLecheur confirmed "everyone's job is not safe, including mine" after a dreadful 47-21 loss in Winnipeg on Saturday. Excuse me? But when did you call the media throng together to tell them and the fans what they already know - we suck and the only thing we MAY change is some players.
Note to LaLecheur - Everyone knows how bad you are...and the only thing fans want to hear about is if someone is getting turfed or if you have great new player signing.
Perhaps before the BC game on Friday, LaLecheur and Macoicca will hold another Captain Obvious sham and let fans know that the club will resign Jessie Lumsden so Ricky Ray will have another running option that won't get used in Strassers offensive (and yeah, it stinks too) scheme.
That isn't to say the offence is totally to blame - although when you think about how many more giveaways can the Esks hand to their opponents, you must admit it is almost all about them - Ritchie Hall needs to find a way to get a secondary that can cover AND tackle receivers as well as find some people to replace the pylons that are on kick cover special teams.
Sound like sour grapes? Nope, only a rant from someone that sees a lot of talent going to waste in an offensive (okay, already made that inferrence) scheme devoid of a running game, a defence that still isn't up to CFL standards and special teams that make the Argos of last year look like CFL champions.
With BC on the plate this week, the Esks have a lot to answer for and the fans will be looking for a few heads if the effort Friday matches what they have seen in the first four weeks.
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Well, back on the blog this week after some family time in addition to a bit of baseball umpiring on the weekend. I had planned to hit the Indy, but I couldn't pass up the chance to umpire in a peewee provincial championship in Camrose.
It was a wonderful, hot and sunny weekend where I caught up with some umpire buddies I haven't seen in a long time and meet a few new guys. The experience was made even better with a great host who treated us wonderfully. Even the family enjoyed things on Sunday - the kids said the water spray park was the best - as I work first base in the second semifinal and then got the plate for the final, a great honour for me since I hadn't work a game all season (due to a partial mcl tear in early May) until this tournament.
And the best thing was my kids yelling during the final - Go daddy's team, Go
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One last thing - I have to send out a few kudos to some friends out there that you should check out.
First is Rougeradio run by a fellow football official Jason Sperling. It may be internet radio, but the show has a great insight and some wonderful guests. A can't miss for CFL fans.
And secondly, a man who I hope to meet in person sometime soon, is Mitchell Blair (aka The Blair Necessities). I find his opinions a bit cheeky at times and other times way-out-there (and that's not because he's a Rider fan), but he's always informative and entertaining. It's too bad he's also out of the media (with the exception of guest hosting another friend's show on CKRM in Regina).
Well, that's for now. I've got a lawn that needs mowing and the rest of a beautiful day to enjoy with the family. Take care
26 Jul 2010
21 Jul 2010
Optimism
Today will be short...since it's mid-week and my brain has decided to take a bit of a holiday. For those of you that know me - you can stop laughing now.
Anyway, as the title states, optimism is reigning at my home right now.
We are optimistic I will find a job sooner rather than later, that we can confidently pay our present bills until that time, that the sun will shine long enough to get the entire lawn mowed, that the kids will get to enjoy the spray park again soon and that a phone call I recieved earlier today will at least provide another friend to bounce things off of - if not a job.
On the sports side, there are plenty of teams and people that need some optimism right now:
Take care all.
Anyway, as the title states, optimism is reigning at my home right now.
We are optimistic I will find a job sooner rather than later, that we can confidently pay our present bills until that time, that the sun will shine long enough to get the entire lawn mowed, that the kids will get to enjoy the spray park again soon and that a phone call I recieved earlier today will at least provide another friend to bounce things off of - if not a job.
On the sports side, there are plenty of teams and people that need some optimism right now:
- the Eskimos are positive they can get a win on the weekend because they have improved their ball-carrying and their fourth quarter collapsing. Only thing they won't mention is the game is against a Blue Bombers squad that is nearly as hopeless as they are and are without a proven quarterback;
- Ilya Kovelchuk and the Devils believe they did the right thing and are optimistic their wildly outrageous and supremely idiotic 17 year-$102 million contract will eventually make the grade with the NHL. The only problem is that this contract is totally suspicious, underhanded and couldn't pass the mustard of the stink test with anyone with half a melon - of which the NHL office and any court should be able to muster up if this becomes a fight.
- Tiger Woods can still look forward to his weekly matching of the wits with other golfers on the PGA tour. He can also be positive that the more he loses, the less Elin gets to take what's left.
- Oilers owner, and I must admit is a bit of a bumbler when in the public eye, Daryl Katz is positive his complete turnaround on any number of issues behind the new downtown arena will win the day of the current Edmonton city council. Heck, his display today puts him right up there with most of them - who flip and flop more than a fish out of water. In the end, I think the arena gets built, Northlands is left on the outside, AEG comes in to operate the place at a huge profit for both the city and Katz, while the poor and those that are shut out of buying tickets now will forever be left out. That is, until they move to Winnipeg where the Jets will return to in the next couple of years.
- And lastly, Lebron, Wade and Bosh are optimistic they can win an NBA championship very soon. Meanwhile, everyone else is extremely confident that Kobe and the rest of the other clubs will be able to keep the Heat cool since there is only one basketball allowed on the court and the Heat trio won't be able to keep from fighting over who wants it more....allowing the other team the chance to score on the rest of the Heat no-names.
Take care all.
19 Jul 2010
The Five (six) W's
Yep, it's the weekend's who, what, where, when and why today.
WHO???
If you aren't a golf fan, you won't have a clue what I'm talking about.
Louis Oosthuizen cruised to a huge victory at the British Open Sunday - becoming the latest no-name on the PGA tour to make a name for himself this season.
Maybe instead of this being the Year the Tiger sacked himself - or should that be Just Club It - the 2010 golf season should be proclaimed the Year of the Who's it's. Hey, they may make a great Dr. Seuss book title. Only thing is, to make it child friendly we'd have to leave out any references to Lefty, tigers or John Daly.
WHAT?
Finally, according to the respectable Dan Barnes at the Edmonton Journal, common sense has prevailed in the childish power struggle over control of the Alberta Soccer Association. (check today's Journal for the indepth story)
Costly lawyers for both sides have worked out an agreement (yet to be finalized) on an interim group to run the ASA until the two bullies in this playground argument have their time in court and the dispute finally put to rest. The two sides are back in court this week, but it likely won't be settled soon.
As Barnes put it, the only real way to solve this is with an election of a new board - complete without the idiots (my word, not his) that were responsible for the current mess in the first place. None of the people on the board now should be allowed to run for fear of this happening again sometime down the road when one of them gets their nose bent out of joint because they didn't get their own way.
It might also allow for the ASA to keep some of the great staff, or attract new and qualified people, as they have lost several employees due to the power struggle.
WHERE?
Are the Eskimos when the fourth quarter starts??
That's the big question, which no one seems to have an answer for, about the Alberta capital's CFL squad so far this season.
The 0-for the season to date club has imploded the final quarter of each contest this year and have been out-scored 29-0 in that last quarter over the three games.
It hasn't helped that normally sure-handed receivers have dropped several balls that would have been touchdowns and fumble-itis seems to have hit others on the team.
While some sources in other CFL jurisdictions have heard rumours of Ritchie Hall being on the chopping block, I have yet to hear them in this area. And I don't think changing Hall would help one bit, since I believe it's a matter of personnel not strategy.
I'd say the one who needs to be changed, is the blame-it-on-anything-else-but-me general mangler (yes, I meant that). He ruined a good team when he coached and now he's doing it from upstairs.
WHEN?
Will this rain stop and I can get my lawn mowed, the kids to the spray park and a job for me?
WHY?
But you don't ask why? (lol...I love that commercial.)
Okay, for real, why can't people who say they love animals admit that if it wasn't for rodeos, zoos, aquariums and the animals shows that tour around....you would have no idea about what those animals were in the first place.
The reason many of these things came about was somewhat for fun (rodeos were an outlet for cowboys at the end of a hard work week) and for informing people about how intelligent the animals really are. Not like some of the nuts campaigning for 'animal rights'.
We still need these things, okay sure some of it's entertainment, but the other benefits I believe out-weigh the possible negatives.
Kids and even a lot of adults these days will never know what some of us that were brought up in a rural lifestyle 30-40 years ago. They will never experience, other that on a computer, what it's like to be upclose and personal with an animal.
These activities are the only way to make the public aware of what they are literally killing by further development and nature destroying way of recreation they persue without a care on their atv's, rv's and needless hunting.
Alright, that's it for now. Catch you all tomorrow.
And remember . . . that's just MY observation.
WHO???
If you aren't a golf fan, you won't have a clue what I'm talking about.
Louis Oosthuizen cruised to a huge victory at the British Open Sunday - becoming the latest no-name on the PGA tour to make a name for himself this season.
Maybe instead of this being the Year the Tiger sacked himself - or should that be Just Club It - the 2010 golf season should be proclaimed the Year of the Who's it's. Hey, they may make a great Dr. Seuss book title. Only thing is, to make it child friendly we'd have to leave out any references to Lefty, tigers or John Daly.
WHAT?
Finally, according to the respectable Dan Barnes at the Edmonton Journal, common sense has prevailed in the childish power struggle over control of the Alberta Soccer Association. (check today's Journal for the indepth story)
Costly lawyers for both sides have worked out an agreement (yet to be finalized) on an interim group to run the ASA until the two bullies in this playground argument have their time in court and the dispute finally put to rest. The two sides are back in court this week, but it likely won't be settled soon.
As Barnes put it, the only real way to solve this is with an election of a new board - complete without the idiots (my word, not his) that were responsible for the current mess in the first place. None of the people on the board now should be allowed to run for fear of this happening again sometime down the road when one of them gets their nose bent out of joint because they didn't get their own way.
It might also allow for the ASA to keep some of the great staff, or attract new and qualified people, as they have lost several employees due to the power struggle.
WHERE?
Are the Eskimos when the fourth quarter starts??
That's the big question, which no one seems to have an answer for, about the Alberta capital's CFL squad so far this season.
The 0-for the season to date club has imploded the final quarter of each contest this year and have been out-scored 29-0 in that last quarter over the three games.
It hasn't helped that normally sure-handed receivers have dropped several balls that would have been touchdowns and fumble-itis seems to have hit others on the team.
While some sources in other CFL jurisdictions have heard rumours of Ritchie Hall being on the chopping block, I have yet to hear them in this area. And I don't think changing Hall would help one bit, since I believe it's a matter of personnel not strategy.
I'd say the one who needs to be changed, is the blame-it-on-anything-else-but-me general mangler (yes, I meant that). He ruined a good team when he coached and now he's doing it from upstairs.
WHEN?
Will this rain stop and I can get my lawn mowed, the kids to the spray park and a job for me?
WHY?
But you don't ask why? (lol...I love that commercial.)
Okay, for real, why can't people who say they love animals admit that if it wasn't for rodeos, zoos, aquariums and the animals shows that tour around....you would have no idea about what those animals were in the first place.
The reason many of these things came about was somewhat for fun (rodeos were an outlet for cowboys at the end of a hard work week) and for informing people about how intelligent the animals really are. Not like some of the nuts campaigning for 'animal rights'.
We still need these things, okay sure some of it's entertainment, but the other benefits I believe out-weigh the possible negatives.
Kids and even a lot of adults these days will never know what some of us that were brought up in a rural lifestyle 30-40 years ago. They will never experience, other that on a computer, what it's like to be upclose and personal with an animal.
These activities are the only way to make the public aware of what they are literally killing by further development and nature destroying way of recreation they persue without a care on their atv's, rv's and needless hunting.
Alright, that's it for now. Catch you all tomorrow.
And remember . . . that's just MY observation.
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