Many of you have asked what Riders are unrestricted free agents going into 2008. The following players will be free agents as of Feb 15 and can go to the highest bidder.
Marcus Adams, Wes Cates, Dustin Cherniawski, Eddie Davis, Matt Dominguez, Reggie Hunt, Tad Kornegay, Jermese Jones, Rontarious Robinson, Chris Szarka.
It would seem as if Eric Tillman has his work cut out for him. With the exception of Cherniawski and Kornegay, all are starters that play a vital role.
Kerry if for some reason you are looking at this and you need a place to store the tub in Regina this winter, call me!!!!! How nice would be relaxing in that when its 30 below.
http://www.cflpa.com/index.php?module=newser&func=display&topicnum=&nid=22081&writer=0
The main event is upon us. The Bombers and Riders are ready for the 95th Grey Cup and like the two football teams , so are you. Here is what I will be watching when the teams hit the Rogers Center turf.
1. The 13th Man: They have brought their act to Toronto in full force. I think it will be a 70-30 split between Rider fans and Bomber fans this afternoon. Some say it will be 80-20 if not greater. We know how loud Taylor Field gets for a home game with 28-8 in attendance, what will it be like for the Bombers in a 53-thousand seat venue.
ITS TIME!!!!!! Its a day the Rider Nation seldom sees. Its the day they see their team in the Grey Cup. I kid you not, you can not go a block in this city now without seeing someone in green or sporting the Rider colours. I went to dinner at Wayne Gretzky's restaurant last nite and the place was packed with Rider fans who let those know if they couldnt guess who they were cheering for by breaking out into song every now and then.
Toronto is alive with Grey Cup revellers and not all of them are wearing green. If you heard the DRSS last nite, things were going great until Wray Morrison sat down and somehow sabotaged our phone line meaning we didn't quite get you the flavour from here that we gave you Wednesday and Thursday. Wray and I are back on this afternoon for two hours from 1-3 so check it out if you get a chance.
Riderville is open so I guess the Grey Cup festivities are underway. Being in a place like Riderville is what makes the Grey Cup so great because you see so many people from across Canada wearing their team colours coming out to renew acquaintances and party. It was a quiet day for the teams as they held closed practices(although we could see everything they were doing from Windows restaurant here at the Rogers Renaissance Hotel) but the media hordes will descend upon them again today with just two more practices for each team.
Congrats to Rams head coach Frank McCrystal for being named CIS Coach of the Year today. (I bet those in Saskatoon reading this are doing cartwheels now). Thanks to Teale Orban and CIS defensive player of the year Mat Nesbitt, the Rams had arguably their best year since losing the Vanier Cup to Ottawa with guys like Jason Clermont and Neal Hughes. Frank has tirelessly worked to rebuild this club and had to endure some long seasons before reaping some rewards this year.
Here I sit in the lobby of the Rogers Renaissance Hotel--formerly the Skydome Hotel and it would seem as if things are starting to pick up somewhat. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is right next door and plenty of activities are starting there so if you are coming this weekend, make sure you find the MTCC as it will be the place to be.
For all the abuse yours truly has heaped on Roy Shivers in the last year and a half, I must tip my hat to the man who built this team which I fully expect to bring home the Grey Cup. Roy Shivers treatment of the Saskatchewan people was wrong when he labeled us all "a bunch of racists". However, Shiv gave Kent Austin his due in that recent Darrell Davis interview done with the Regina Leader Post. I still think Roy built the foundation for this to happen, however it was his unfortunate stubborness in sticking with Danny Barrett at head coach, which led to his downfall.