RIDERS NAME GUEST COACHES

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are pleased to once again welcome a group of experienced guest coaches to training camp this year.
 
Bryce Bevill is a former Rider who played defensive back for the Green and White from 1996-98. He played a total of 41 games in Saskatchewan. Since finishing his playing days, Bevill has gone on to coach at a variety of levels in the United States. He will be working with Richie Hall and the Rider secondary.
 
Paul Charbonneau will be working with Steve Buratto and the offensive line. Charbonneau comes from the University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux where he is the running backs coach. He originally joined the Fighting Sioux in 2005. This marks the third straight year Charbonneau is a guest coach with the Green and White.
 
Jerry Friesen is the head coach for the University of Alberta Golden Bears. The Rosthern native played linebacker for the Saskatoon Hilltops before moving on to play for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. Friesen entered the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes in 1978 where he spent three seasons before moving back to Saskatchewan and signing with the Roughriders were he played six seasons.  He was honoured with the CFL's Tom Pate Award for contributions to the team and the community in 1986 and later became the defensive coordinator with the Huskies in 1988, sharing in a Vanier Cup national title in 1990. Friesen will be working with Craig Dickenson and the special teams.
 
Rich Glover has decades of experience in football as a former Outland Trophy winner and former New York Giant. Glover's esteemed career as a defensive lineman took him from his hometown of Jersey City, New Jersey to a national champion with Nebraska then on to be selected in the third round (69th overall) in the 1973 NFL Draft by the Giants. After his playing days concluded, Glover went into coaching and spent time at New Mexico State and Washington State where he coached current Rider d-line coach Mike Walker. He is currently coaching and teaching back in Jersey City. He will be working with his former player and the Rider defensive line.
 
Benjamin McDaniels spent the last two seasons with the Denver Broncos which included coaching the quarterbacks in 2010. McDaniels played quarterback at Kent State and during his three years as a starter led the team to a 37-3 record and two state championships. Benjamin's brother Josh was the head coach of the Broncos for the last two seasons and is now the offensive coordinator with St. Louis. Benjamin will be working with the Rider quarterbacks.
 
Edward W O'Neil has been coaching since 1982 when he was named the linebackers coach at Eastern Michigan. Since then he has gone on to coach college teams in the United States including a decade spent at Rutgers University. After three years as the defensive coordinator with the University of Buffalo, O'Neil made the switch to pro and spent eight years coaching in NFL Europe. In 2007, he headed north of the border to the CFL where he was the defensive coordinator in Hamilton for one season. In 2009, he held the same title with the Toronto Argonauts. Currently he is coaching the linebackers and special teams with the Niagara Wheatfield Falcons. He will be working with Alex Smith and the Rider linebackers.
 
Blair Thompson will be attending his fourth Rider training camp as a guest coach since 2004. Thompson currently is the running backs coach with the University of Regina Rams. He will assist Bill MacDermott and the Rider running backs.

2011 PLAZA INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

Today the Saskatchewan Roughrider Plaza of Honor Committee announced three new members will be inducted into the Plaza of Honor. This year Corey Holmes, Dan Rashovich and Mike Saunders will have their names forever etched into Saskatchewan Roughrider history.

Besides being Saskatchewan’s most prestigious sporting dinner, the Plaza of Honor Dinner has contributed over $5.9 million to the Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club.

The Plaza of Honor Dinner presented by SaskTel has inducted 110 individuals who have made major contributions to the proud tradition of the Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club. The club has also inducted the 1966, 1989 and 2007 Grey Cup championship teams.

The cairn honouring the Plaza of Honor Inductees is situated outside the main gates on the west side of Mosaic Stadium. The Plaza of Honor cairn is sponsored by SaskTel, SASK SPORT INC. and the City of Regina.

This year’s dinner is set for Friday, October 14th at the Queensbury Centre at Evraz Place. For information on tickets or corporate tables, contact the Saskatchewan Roughrider Ticket Office at 525-1281 or 1-888-474-3377 or any committee member.

Corey Holmes

COREY HOLMES
Colgate
#1, #19
Running Back/Returner
2001-2005; 2007

• Born in Greensville, MS in 1976
• Played six seasons with the Roughriders
• Played seven seasons in the CFL with Saskatchewan and Hamilton
• Played his college ball at Mississippi Valley State
• Played 75 regular season games for the Riders
• Was a member of the 2007 Grey Cup Championship Roughrider team
• His 2,136 rushing yards as a Rider place him 13th on the all-time Rider list
• Also had 161 career receptions for 1,664 yards and four touchdowns
• His 3,440 punt return yards place him 1st on the all-time Rider list
• His five punt return touchdowns place him 1st on the all-time Rider list
• His 4,077 kickoff return yards once again place him 1st on the all-time Rider list
• Finished his CFL career with over 30,000 passing yards and 190 passing TD’s.
• Was a CFL All-Star in 2002 and 2005
• Was voted the Most Popular Roughrider of the Year by fans in 2005
• Was the 2002 recipient of the John Agro Award (CFL’s Outstanding Special Teams Player Award)

Dan Rashovich

DAN RASHOVICH
Simon Fraser
#49, #74
Linebacker
1987-1999

• Born in Toronto, ON. In 1960
• Played his college ball at Simon Fraser
• Spent 13 seasons playing for Saskatchewan
• Spent 16 seasons in the CFL with Saskatchewan, Toronto and Ottawa
• Was originally drafted in the second round (13th overall) in the 1984 CFL Draft
• His 205 regular season games played are 11th on the Riders all-time list
• Was a member of the 1989 Grey Cup championship team
• Also played in nine playoff games and the 1997 Grey Cup for Saskatchewan
• Had 414 defensive tackles and 153 special teams tackles for the Riders
• Had 23 career quarterback sacks
• Was a West Division All-Star in 1990

Mike Saunders

MIKE SAUNDERS
Iowa
#32, #33
Running Back
1992-1994; 1997-1999

• Born in Milton, WI in 1969
• Played six seasons with the Roughriders
• Played eight seasons in the CFL with Saskatchewan Toronto, Hamilton, Montreal and San Antonio
• Played his college ball at Iowa
• Played 73 regular season games for the Riders
• His 872 rushing attempts as a Rider place him 2nd on the all-time Rider list
• His 4,396 rushing yards also place him 2nd on the all-time Rider list
• His 28 rushing touchdowns place him 6th on the all-time Rider list
• His 239 receptions place him 15th on the all-time Rider list
• His 2,678 receiving yards place him 19th on the all-time Rider list
• Was a West Division All-Star for Saskatchewan in 1994
• Was voted the Most Popular Roughrider of the Year by fans in 1999

WINNIPEG AN NHL CITY AGAIN

Winnipeg's MTS Centre

WINNIPEG - Canada is getting a seventh NHL team.    True North Sports and Entertainment says an agreement has been finalized that will see the Atlanta Thrashers move to Winnipeg.

The move still needs to be approved the league's board of governors.  The Manitoba capital has been without NHL hockey since the Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996.

Meanwhile Atlanta is saying goodbye to an NHL franchise for the second time.  The Flames moved from Atlanta to Calgary in 1980.

Winnipeg may have landed its NHL team, but owners say they haven't decide whether it will be called the Jets.


Mark Chipman, chairman of True North Sports and Entertainment, says talks on the deal to buy the Atlanta Thrashers continued until the last minute, so there hasn't been time to think about a name.  He says he knows fans are eager to know what the team will be called.
The NHL owns the rights to the name.

(The Canadian Press)

WILL YOU GO?

Due to popular demand, America's premier comedian is hitting the road in a return to his first love - stand-up comedy. Hailed as "the master stand-up comic of his generation" and "the best comedian of our time" in a Washington Post article by Tom Shales, Seinfeld has an uncanny ability to joke about the little things in life that relate to audiences everywhere.   Seinfeld now sets his sights on performing his material across the country in 2011.  His tour will visit Regina on Friday, September 9 at 7:30pm.  This show is on sale Friday, June 3 at 10am!

Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.ca, all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone 306-543-7800 or 1-800-970-7328.

MONDAY SPORTS CAGE PODCAST

We're proud to report SGI has signed on as our Monday sponsor on 620 CKRM's Sports Cage.  They've got a good day there, Rider Monday.  In this podcast you will hear John Lynch and myself plus the Leader Post's Rob Vanstone and Edmonton Eskimo great Jason Maas.  Click on this link to download:
http://www.mediafire.com/?cef0ux12xtw9z6s

RAIDERS EXTEND DERKATCH

Prince Albert SK- The Prince Albert Raiders are pleased to announce that they have extended the contract of their Director of Player Personnel Dale Derkatch, who will now also assume the role of Skills Development Coach for the Raider organization.
 
Derkatch joined the Raiders as Director of Player Personnel at the start of the 2009-10 season and has played a pivotal part in player acquisition and development over the past two seasons. As the new Skills Development Coach for the Raiders, Derkatch will now play a more active role in the skill development of prospects and players periodically throughout the season.
 
"I'm very excited to stay on as Director of Player Personnel." Said Derkatch. "It is a pleasure to work with Bruno, his coaching staff and everyone involved in the Raider organization. Now, as the Skills Development Coach as well, I am looking forward to being a part of the coaching staff and working with the players directly. It is a unique, exciting opportunity and hopefully I can contribute to the overall success of the organization."
 
Prior to joining the Raiders, Derkatch served as the coach of the Regina Pats in the 2008-09 season and in the four years prior to that was the Director of Hockey Development at the prestigious Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Wilcox Saskatchewan.

Among his many duties at Notre Dame, Derkatch oversaw all aspects of scouting and recruitment to the college including appointment of scouts and contacting potential players and their parents.  As a coach at Notre Dame, Derkatch was selected the SMAAAHL Coach of the Year in 2006-07 and was a finalist for that award in two other seasons.
 
From 1998-04 Derkatch was an Amateur Scout for the Washington Capitals of the NHL. He identified, evaluated and assessed draft eligible players for the NHL Entry Draft.  While maintaining constant knowledge of all draft eligible players he also formulated a cost efficient schedule to scout across Canada, the United States and Europe for the Caps.
    
As a player Derkatch was one of the most prolific scorers in WHL history.  Among his records are: career playoff points (103), career playoff assists (73) and most points in one playoff season (53 in 1984).  He was the WHL Rookie of the Year in 1982 and won the league scoring title in 1983.  The speedy centre played for Canada at the World Junior Championships in 1983 and 1984 and played on the Canadian Olympic team in 1984.
    
He was a 7th round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 1983.  Derkatch went on to a 14 year professional career in Europe playing in Elite Leagues in Finland, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.

RIDER GAME DAY TICKETS GO ON SALE JUNE 1ST

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are reminding fans that single game day tickets will go on sale Wednesday, June 1st. All remaining tickets for the 2011 season will be available starting at 9:00 am Saskatchewan time. Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets online at www.riderville.com <http://www.riderville.com> .
 
"With our high season ticket base, we are encouraging our fans to get their game day tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment," stated Roughrider President /CEO Jim Hopson.

GIANTS HIRE FRICKER

Vancouver, B.C. - The Vancouver Giants have named Paul Fricker as the team's goaltending coach. He joins the team immediately after spending the last 7 seasons working for the Seattle Thunderbirds.

The bulk of his 30 plus years experience comes working with goaltenders on a one on one basis, as a personal coach. Fricker himself is a former University of Michigan product and was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the 9th round, 176th overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, but never played a game in the NHL.

"We are very excited for Paul to join our organization," said Head Coach Don Hay. "He has a proven track record working with and helping to develop young goaltenders. His experience and familiarity with the WHL will be a major asset."

SUPPLEMENTAL DRAFT RESULTS

Toronto, ON - (May 30, 2011) - The 2011 Canadian Football League (CFL) Supplemental Canadian Draft was held earlier this morning.  

Here are the results:

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers selected Central Michigan wide receiver Kito Poblah in exchange for a first round selection in the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft.

The Edmonton Eskimos selected Mississippi defensive tackle Ted Laurent in exchange for a second round selection in the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft.

The BC Lions selected Wilfrid Laurier defensive tackle Alex Ellis in exchange for a sixth round selection in the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft.

Tabor College linebacker Stephen Inman was not selected and is now a free agent.

The supplemental draft is for any player who didn't receive official non-import status from the CFL and CFLPA until after the CFL Canadian Draft.

The supplemental draft works a bit like an auction. Teams have the option of giving up a pick in next year's CFL Canadian Draft in exchange for the rights to an eligible player, but they can be trumped by a team willing to part with a higher pick in next year's draft. As a result, the player eventually goes to the team most willing to forfeit a higher pick next year. The team with the highest waiver priority makes its offer last, meaning they have the last chance to match any previous offer.

RIDERS HIT THE LINKS

Saskatchewan Roughrider players and alumni will hit the links at Deer Valley Golf Course tomorrow (Tuesday) as the 4th annual Rider Players' Golf Charity Classic will tee-off with a shotgun start at 12:30 pm.
 
The sold-out tournament is being held in support of Jesse's Journey (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy) and the Chris Knox Foundation.

ESKS SELECT DT

(Edmonton)   The Edmonton Eskimos have selected defensive tackle Ted Laurent (6-1, 303 lbs) from the University of Mississippi in the CFL Supplemental Draft in exchange for the club's second round pick in the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft.  
 
Laurent ,who was born (Jan 1, 1988) in Montreal but moved to Georgia at age 12, started 21 games at defensive tackle and nose tackle for Ole Miss. As a senior In 2010, Laurent posted 21 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2 sacks and played in the East-West Shrine Game. In high school he was ranked #16 player in Georgia, and the #19 defensive player in the nation by Rivals.com.    
 
Eskimo General Manager Eric Tillman says, ""We're very pleased to have secured Ted's rights and to do so without giving up a first rounder was a pleasant surprise. Over the weekend, I was in contact with Ted and his agent, John Owens.  The NFL is still a very viable option for them but they are intrigued by our league, especially given Ted's Canadian roots. Clearly our conversations will take on a much more serious tone now that we have drafted Ted.  The draft is always a roll of the dice, and there are many dynamics, including the NFL labour dispute which will factor into their decision making process.  Regardless of how this unfolds, we're very hopeful Ted will be an Eskimo at some point in his career.  It's our job now to accelerate that time line if possible by articulating the many advantages offered by playing in the CFL."

BOMBERS PICK IN SUPP DRAFT

WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have selected non-import receiver Kito Poblah in the 2011 Supplemental Draft. In order to do so, the Blue Bombers gave up their first round pick in 2012.
 
Poblah (6-2, 213, Central Michigan, DOB: September 18, 1987 in Montréal, Québec) was a team captain in his senior year when he finished second on the team with 558 yards and five touchdowns.  In four years, Poblah caught 154 passes for 1,908 yards and 15 touchdowns and had a streak of 36 consecutive games with at least one reception.  He finished his career at Central Michigan in ninth place on the school's all-time receiving yardage list.

FRAZER TOP PERFORMER

Cranbrook, BC - The Kootenay ICE Hockey Club announced today that Forward Matt Fraser has been named the Boston Pizza Top Playoff Performer for the 2011 WHL Playoffs.

Matt was a physical force at both ends of the ice throughout the WHL Playoffs. He helped lead the ICE to their third career WHL Championship with 17 goals and 10 assists for 27 points in just 19 games. In the playoffs, Matt recorded four game winning goals and had nine multi-point games. During the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup, he was the second leading scorer in the tournament with four goals and two assists in five games and recorded two game winning goals and two multi-point games.

The ICE would like to thank Boston Pizza for their sponsorship of the Top Playoff Performer Award.

THE MONDAY MORNING GOALIE

Congratulations, we made it.

This week officially marks the end of the football off-season and come Wednesday the pigskin will be flying at Mosaic Stadium as the Saskatchewan Roughriders open their 2011 rookie camp. Generally 30-some players take part in the three-day event and the majority of those are carried over to main camp which begins Sunday.

If you’re lucky enough to reside in Regina and area, come on down to the workouts. The early forecast calls for sun and 23 degrees for Wednesday’s afternoon workout and rain Thursday and Friday for the morning workouts. Quite honestly I can’t remember a rookie camp that was conducted in sunshine.

According to the Roughriders’ roster on the team’s official website www.riderville.com, there are 73 players currently listed. That means there’s room for a few more if need be.

There will be some very interesting battles to be played out and the two which intrigue me the most are the starting centre job, and the competition to replace Andy Fantuz.   There are a handful of jobs open including both starting cornerback positions, the defensive tackle spot vacated by the Chunky Adams, centre and slotback.

This training camp will be a major change for Rider football operations coordinator Jeremy O’Day, who retired in the off-season after 14 great seasons (12 in Saskatchewan).

“It’s definitely been an eye-opener.” O’Day said on Friday. “I have a much better appreciation for what’s done in the office. As a player you take for granted what the other people do and when it’s not done the way you like it, you complain. Now I know what goes into it. I’m glad I made this decision to move over to football operations and my body fields better for sure.”

We asked O’Day why he opted for the management side of the game rather than coaching.

“Security,” the Buffalo, NY product stated. “And that’s not to say I’m any more secure than a coach but they have to be prepared to travel. Right now my family is not at the age where I want to move them around. They’re just starting school, they’ve got lots of friends and we have a great neighbourhood. I know I would love coaching, but right now it’s not for me.”

So the search is on for O’Day’s replacement and the position will be much-scrutinized in the weeks ahead. There will also be much scrutiny of the performance of whomever wins the job.

“There will be a lot of pressure on that person,” O’Day forewarned. “I’m looking forward to seeing the battle. When I switched over the first thing the team asked was who was going to replace me? It will definitely be interesting. I can’t remember the last time I watched a game rather than playing in it so it will be different.

At the top of the depth chart right now are Rider vets Dan Clark and Marc Parenteau, and we’ll find out soon who else wants to join them.

“Those two guys will get a shot but we’ll see what plays out,” O’Day advised. “We have two or three options but we also drafted a guy. There will be competition there and that’s the way it should be. They always brought in guys to push me and maybe replace me and made me fight for my job.

“I’m a little biased but there’s a truth to it; if the offensive line doesn’t play well your offense can’t do anything. They’re veteran, but they’re also a little older. We understand that. It’s time that we start having our young guy step forward and produce a lit bit better.”

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The new chapter of Gary Etcheverry’s life has begun. As he has stated upon his resignation as a defensive assistant last week, he’s a family man now and both he and the team will go their separate ways. As the Leader Post’s Rob Vanstone pointed out in his Friday column, Etcheverry drew much criticism from players-turned-commentators Scott Schultz and Glen Suitor. On Football Friday on the Sports Cage, I asked Schultz about the Etcheverry news.

“Well listen. I don’t want to beat a dead drum,” said the Old 96er. “I personally didn’t like the style of defense he did but that said, the man had tremendous success with the Roughriders. I’m man enough to admit that and objectively look at it that way. But if you at it, with the success that he had, he was rewarded with a demotion. I wouldn’t stick around for that either.

“However I’m very, very excited Richie Hall is back and very, very excited Greg Marshall is at the helm. They’ll be great. If you were to sprinkle in Etcheverry, I could handle that amount of involvement of his whacky schemes. To see him leave? I’m not for it and I’m not against it. I’m like ‘meh’, the Riders are going to be just fine with the defensive coaches that we have.”

People didn’t want to take the Riders’ explanation of Etcheverry’s departure at face value but over the weekend I found out much more of the story. It’s true, he’s become a family man and unfortunately in sports you rarely can have both. Schultz was satisfied with the Riders’ explanation.

“I take it at face value because I’ve been in his shoes,” Schultz explained. “I like the man off the field, I just didn’t like his schemes. People said the same thing about me. In life you’re forced to make tough decisions based on the situation you find yourself in. I don’t think he’s stewing about it. For me, it was my decision to leave. Schultzie was ready to rock ‘n roll and go. So is Etch.”

“Gary’s not out looking to hurt anybody or take out vengeance. Like anything you take life as it comes and something has affected his life and he needed to adjust. He’s a grown man and he’s entitled to do that.”

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There will be many more training camp notes and observations from this blogger coming in the next few weeks.  However to get a different perspective, I asked Hall of Fame Roughrider broadcaster John Lynch to put some thoughts down about the 2011 Riders for today's column.  This is what John Frenzy wrote:

- I was amazed when I attended the Alberta Sport Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in Red Deer Friday night, in which the legendary Albeta and Sask. sportscaster, Ken Newans was inducted into the Hall of Honour, at how many outstanding football personalities where there, like Doug Mitchell, Norm Kimball, who expressed the fact that the Roughriders should be the "team to beat" in the West this year.


- The Rider coaching staff has to be rated the best in the league when you look at the fact that there are no rookie CFL coaches amongst them and all nine coaches have had Grey Cup experience either as a coach or a player.


- Darian Durant starts his fourth year at Quarterback, after having led the team to the last two Grey Cup finals, and throwing for a league leading 5500 yards last year. He looks forward to his fourth year and has spent most of the off season in Sask., traveling to different fan functions and banquets over the winter and, he realizes even more and more how important football is to Sask, and as he is a winner all the way he should just get better in his fourth year and be right at the top of the list with Anthony Calvillo when you talk about who is the best Quarterback in the CFL.


- Wes Cates who for some reason doesn't get the credit he deserves should have another banner year at running back, and needs only 136 yards to become the Riders 2nd all time leading rusher. He rushed for over 1000 yds in 2010 and is an outstanding blocker and receiver, and consistently makes the big play.   He will be challenged again by Hugh Charles, who has shown a lot of potential and the fans love him.   Newcomer Brandon West from Western Michigan, had an outstanding college career as a running back and kick retuner and should challenge Charles for the back up running back spot.

- Newcomer Graham Bell should challenge the incumbents Chris Szarka and Neil Hughes for the fullback position and in addition he is a special teams standout.It is not likely all three will be on the roster when the season starts.


- The veteran laden Rider offensive line should have another banner year with the wily veteran Steve Buratto back as the Rider line Coach for the third time.


- The loss of Andy Fantuz and his league leading 87 receptions, won't hurt the receiving corps as much as some people think because of the depth the Riders have at that position.   Chris Getzlaf, who had his best year last year with 45 receptions, is really coming into his own is slated to start in Fantuz's spot at slotback, and in addition Weston Dressler with 81 receptions last year is a guy you can always count on to make the big play and rookie Kerry Koch showed enough last year to believe he can be a stand out.  Jason Clermont showed he still has enough in the tank to perform at a high level and Rob Bagg when healthy is another dandy and Jordan Sisco the former Regina Ram who attended an Indianapolis Colts pre season try out camp last year is considered to be another promising Canadian receiver. who just needs to play to display his true talent .

- Two new Americans with big play potential , Ernie Wheelwright from the University of Minnesota where he holds many of the receiving records, and Baltimore Ravens of the NFL, and Terrance Nunn from the U of Nebraska and Tampa Bay and New England of the NFL bear close watching.


- The defence will have a new but familiar look this year with the return of Richie Hall and his "bend not break" philosophy, but will have very few changes of personnel. Veteran defensive tackle Chunkie Adams was released and will be replaced by either veteran Dario Romero who has played for the Eskimos under Hall or second year man Rod Wright the former Texas Long Horn who was an All American in 2005 and a candidate for the Outland Trophy as the outstanding defensive lineman, who has been in the NFL with Tampa Bay and NY Jets.for the last four and one half years.   The Riders were looking for more size at that spot . Only one will stay, the same goes at defensive end where second year man Brent Hawkins will face a challenge from Tearrius George who was acquired as a free agent from the Stamps, and has versatility on his side as he can play defensive tackle as well.. Canadians Luke Mullinder at defensive end and defensive tackle Keith Shologan are favourites of new defensive line coach Mike Walker and are certain starters.


- The line backing corps should be as solid as ever with last years leading tackler Barron Simpson back in the middle flanked by potential super star Jerrell Freeman and All -Star Sean Lucas and the secondary anchored by All Canadian James Patrick and the reliable Lance Frazer, should be as good as any in the league.


- The addition of veteran Special Teams Coach Craig Dickenson should improve the Riders historically bad special teams immensely and the addition of the electrifying kick returner Tristan Jackson as a free agent from the Eskimos should give the Riders their best kick returner since Cory Holmes if he can return to the form he displayed in 2009 in Edmonton.


All in all Riders Fans have every reason to expect the winning to continue.

---

Whew!  This column is getting a little long in the tooth.  We're already at 2000 words.   Here are a few random thoughts before we go:

- The Montreal Alouettes have signed free agent kicker Sandro Deangelis to a two-year deal.

- U of R Rams QB Marc Mueller leaves for Edmonton today.  He is one of four quarterbacks on the Eskimo roster and it would appear he has a chance to make the team.   However it won't matter as he has already committed to returning to the Rams for the 2011 season.

- Thanks to the Saskatchewan Rural Sports Hall of Fame & Museum for having me out to Indian Head Friday night to MC this year's induction class.   Headling in the class was Fort Qu'Appelle's Charmaine "Not So Sweet" Tweet who is pictured here:

Saturday night Charmaine, who works at the bank in Fort Qu'Appelle, won the first-ever female MMA bout at Saturday Night Fights III at the Turvey Centre.  I wasn't there but CKRM's Phil "The Thrill" Andrews was and he reports Charmaine choked out her opponent 30 seconds into round one.  Her opponent was none other than Tia Wyshart, sister of New York Islanders defenceman Ty Wishart who was in Regina for the event.

Here's a photo Phil took from his BlackBerry from the fights:

As always the event was soldout.

- User-submitted photos are always great, like this one from Ken Stromberg.  The Pats penalty box attendant took this BlackBerry photo out at Craven on the weekend.  These are the grounds, making us wonder if there will even be a country music jamboree out there this July.

- Please consider attending the 17th Annual Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame Celebrity Golf Tournament Friday, June 17 at Deer Valley.  Several celebrities will be on hand for the event including Rider great George Reed.  You can email sshfm@sasktel.net for information or to register.

- Tomorrow is the annual Rider players' golf tournament at Deer Valley and we'll be broadcasting the Sports Cage live from out there just like last year.  It's always a treat.

- I must say I've honoured to be speaking to a U of R's Lifelong Learning Centre class about new/digital media and how it relates to "real media".  It's going to be a lot of fun.

- Don't forget Mondays are all-you-can-eat soup & salad lunch at the Press Box Sports Bar for $7.99 and Monday nights are a full rack-of-ribs meal for just $5.99.  Check it out!!

TALK TO YOU IN THE CAGE AT 4:00 PM
RP

SPORTS UPDATE

The Saint John Sea Dogs are this year's Memorial Cup champions after a 3-1 victory over the host Mississauga St. Michael's Majors. Goalie Jacob DeSerres stopped 34 shots in his second straight Memorial Cup final. Last year he helped the Brandon Wheat Kings reach the title game before surrendering nine goals in a loss to the Windsor Spitfires.


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It was an Indy 500 finish that will haunt J-R Hildebrand. The rookie driver held a four second lead going into the final turn but crashed into the wall as Dan Wheldon snuck by for the victory. It was Wheldon's second checkered flag at the Brickyard. He also won 2005.
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The Toronto Blue Jays mashed their way to a 13-4 rout against the Chicago White Sox. Aaron Hill hit his first career grand slam, Corey Patterson added a two-run shot and Edwin Encarnacion also homered for Toronto, which had a season-high 18 hits. The Blue Jays have won 22 of 27 meetings with the White Sox, including 15 of 18 at home.
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The New York Yankees avoided a three-game sweep with a 7-1 win over Seattle. Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia continued his domination of the Mariners, allowing just one run in eight innings. It was Sabathia's sixth straight win against the Mariners and improved him to 8-and-1 in 11 starts at Safeco Field


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San Francisco catcher Buster Posey has undergone surgery to repair torn ligaments in his ankle sustained in a collision at home plate Wednesday night. The 2010 NL Rookie of the Year said it was ``highly likely'' his season would be over on Friday after he broke a bone in his lower left leg and injured the ankle in a collision with Florida's Scott Cousins. There is no timetable for his return.

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Two senior executives have been suspended as FIFA -- soccer's world governing body -- deals with a corruption scandal. Mohamed bin Hammam and Jack Warner have been suspended after an ethics panel determined there was sufficient evidence that the two offered bribes to delegates. The panel also exonerating its president Sepp Blatter from any wrong doing in the matter.

DUB CHL AWARD WINNERS

Mississauga, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the ten national award winners for the 2010-11 season including four players from the Western Hockey League.  The Red Deer Rebels Ryan Nugent-Hopkins claimed the Jack Link's Top Prospect of the Year while teammate Darcy Kuemper picked up the PERT Plus Goaltender of the Year.  Medicine Hat Tigers' forward Linden Vey took home the Chrysler Top Scorer of the Year trophy and the Moose Jaw Warriors Spencer Edwards claimed the Home Hardware Humanitarian Player of the Year award.

PRESSURE ON WYLIE

BYLINE: Abe Brown
FOOTBALL NEWS NOW Staff Writer

This we know. Last year, the Oakland Raiders running game was a beast, second best in the NFL. Running back Darren McFadden hit the 100 yard mark 6 times, after only doing it once his first two years combined. And the Raiders offensive line pushing around defenders was as much a Sunday staple as post-church senior citizens invading Village Inn for brunch.


But this year the Oakland OLine will have some new, young faces. Rookie Stefen Wisniewski appears set at center with fellow rookie Joseph Barksdale getting a chance to compete for the starting job at right tackle. Jared Veldheer is at left tackle and the guards positions should be some combination of Daniel Loper, Samson Satele or Bruce Campbell. Although there’s a lot of potential talent, it could be a starting offensive line with only one player (Satele) who has more than 11 career starts while Wisniewski, Barksdale and Campbell have none.

With all of that inexperience and the departure of head coach Tom Cable and last year’s offensive line coach Jim Michalczik, will the Raiders be able to duplicate their running success? The answer to that question lies in another one…who is Bob Wylie?

He’s Oakland’s new offensive line coach after spending last year as the Denver Broncos assistant OLine coach. Like the Raiders this year, last year’s Broncos started a rookie center in J.D. Walton and were also completing a transition from a zone-blocking scheme to power-blocking. So did it go well for the Broncos? If the franchise’s 2nd worst rushing offense since they joined the NFL is considered “well,” then yes…yes it went “well.”

A look at Wylie’s coaching history isn’t exactly brimming with success either. Before Denver, Wylie spent three seasons in the Canadian Football League (in Saskatchewan in 2009). Prior to that, he has been an offensive line coach in the NFL for a total of 11 seasons making stops at Tampa Bay (1992-1995), Cincinnati (1996), Chicago (1999-2003) and Arizona (2004).

In those 11 seasons, only twice has Wylie’s team had a top 15 rushing offense. And the last three times Wylie coached offensive line had two rookies starting, the rushing offense was 26th (Denver – 2010), 22nd (Arizona – 2004) and dead last (Chicago – 2002).

That’s not to say his past teams’ inability to run the ball is all on him or that the Raiders are sure to see a major drop off from last year’s totals, especially considering their assistant offensive line coach is Steve Wisniewski, an 8-time Pro Bowl player and member of the NFL 1990′s All-Decade Team. Perhaps McFadden has turned the corner in his development where he’s getting his yards even if he’s running behind this offensive line.

But if the Raiders running game struggles because their offensive line doesn’t dominate like last year, it wouldn’t be a rush to judgment to ask…”What about Bob?”
 
http://www.footballnewsnow.com/2011/the-raiders-running-question-what-about-bob/

FRIDAY'S HOCKEY RESULTS

- The Mississauga St. Michael's Majors earned a spot in the Memorial Cup final with a 3-1 win over the Kootenay ice. Mississauga will face the Saint John Sea Dogs in Sunday's final.

-- Boston and Vancouver will meet for the Stanley Cup. Nathan Horton scored with 7:33 left to give the Bruins a 1-0 win over Tampa Bay in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference final. The Stanley Cup final starts Wednesday in Vancouver.
(CP)

FRIDAY SPORTS CAGE PODCAST

Here it is!  I gotta fly out to Indian Head for the 2011 Rural Sports Hall of Fame induction dinner.  You can download today's show here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?h2lm74ueii1ke8c

ESKS RELEASE FOUR

(Edmonton)   The Edmonton Eskimos have released defensive back Lenny Walls, backup defensive lineman/long snapper Neil Puffer, kicker/punter Jamie Boreham and defensive lineman Michael Stadnyk, as the club prepares for the opening of training camp on June 5th.

RIDER ROOKIE CAMP TIMES

WEDNESDAY JUNE 1st
2:00 pm Rookie practice
4:00 pm Rookie players and coaches available to media

THURSDAY JUNE 2nd
9:30 am Rookie practice
11:30 am Rookie players and coaches available to media

FRIDAY JUNE 3rd
9:30 am Rookie practice
11:30 am Rookie players and coaches available to media

SATURDAY, JUNE 4th
VETERANS REPORT – NO MEDIA AVAILABILITY

SUNDAY JUNE 5th
8:15 am 1st practice
10:45 am 2nd practice
12:45 pm Players and coaches available to media

MONDAY JUNE 6th
8:15 am 1st practice
10:30 am 2nd practice
12:20 pm Players and coaches available to media

TUESDAY JUNE 7th
8:15 am 1st practice
10:30 am 2nd practice
12:20 pm Players and coaches available to media

FRIDAY RODSERVATIONS

We've got lots to discuss today.   Hopefully you learn something you didn't already know.  Let's go:

- The conspiracy theorists are already out.  No one wants to take Greg Marshall and Ken Miller's explanation of Gary Etcheverry's resignation at face value.  It's been discussed on talk radio, on blogs and message boards and it seems many have come to the conclusion that Etcheverry left because he couldn't handle a demotion from defensive coordinator to defensive assistant once Richie Hall was hired.  Even though Marshall went out of his way to tell us the resignation had nothing to do with that, people still don't want to believe it.   Let me ask you this; if Etch had such a problem with the structure of the coaching staff, why would he accept the team's offer then resign now?

- I'm not sure I have the strength to deal with the nincumpoops for the next six months.  One lady emailed the Sports Cage Thursday saying "I am so PO'd right now I can hardly think straight.  Etch is a winner, Hall is NOT.  The Riders are now going to slide big time.  Riders would not have been in the last two Grey Cups if not for Etcheverry's defense."    I replied back to her by asking who was the Roughriders' defensive coordinator when they won the Grey Cup in 2007?  Her reply was "Hmm - Austin must have thought he was OK otherwise he would not have been there ... good point ... not so mad now ... thanks ... BG"

Only recently have I come to the realization how little some people know about what's going on.

- On Thursday's Madani Report with Sportsnet's Arash Madani on the Cage, Arash reported that he spoke with Gary Etcheverry and he said he was going to become a family man, and had accepted a position with an electrical company where he'll be able to work from a home office.  Also, he has not closed the door on a return to football one day.

- On Thursday the Riders unveiled their 2011 marketing campaign centred around The Rider Oath (http://www.rideroath.ca/) .   Reaction to the campaign has been swift and harsh by a lot of the Rider Nation.  Oh yes, another season must be upon us.  The surest sign is that people are bitching.

- Personally I don't think the Riders even need a splashy marketing campaign at this point in time.  If it's true 85% of successful sports marketing is winning - and I believe that to be true - then let the team's performance speak for itself and save the brainstorming on marketing for a rainy day when it's needed.  Something like "Roughrider Football in 2011 - Come And Get It" would suffice, in my honest opinion.

- Roughrider rookie camp opens next Wednesday.  As yet no times have been announced and on Wednesday I saw Rider receivers coach Bob Dyce at Mosaic Stadium.   He said at that time they were still meeting to discuss when the sessions will be.  My guess is they'll be somewhere around 9:00 am to noon.

- Training camp, to me, is the most important time of the year for us in the media.  Many of you are unable to get out to see the workouts so you rely on us for your info until you can see the squad in the preseason games.  Can't wait!

- It's FOUR SEASONS FOOTBALL FRIDAY in the Sports Cage today from 4-6 pm on 620 CKRM and it's the last show of the off-season.  Today the Old 96er Scott Schultz and I will take your calls and texts for the full two hours getting you ready for camp.  Please get your questions ready..

- Kerry Joseph is getting married in New Orleans, Louisiana this weekend.  Our man Jeff Armstead is there and will be providing photos for the Monday Morning Goalie.

- Training camps are on the verge of opening and Maurice Lloyd is still without a team for which to play.  Perhaps jumping at the big bucks in Edmonton in 2008 wasn't such a good idea.

- Ticats GM Bob O'Billovich speculated this week something we've all heard for quite awhile; IF there's an NFL season this year it will likely come with an abbreviated training camp, perhaps even none at all and maybe even no preseason games.   If this is the case, it's going to make it extremely difficult on Andy Fantuz to make the Chicago Bears.  He can study their playbook all he wants but until he's on the field running routes and showing off his abilities, he's behind the 8-ball.  And the fact he wasn't involved in Jay Cutler's informal workout with receivers last week doesn't help.

- A team of destiny?  The Kootenay Ice spanked Owen Sound 7-3 in the tiebreaker at the Memorial Cup in Mississauga last night.  Now they face the host team in the semifinal tonight.  The winner advances to face St. John in Sunday's championship game.

- There's lots of hockey news out there.  This week we learned Dave Sawchuk has been named the play-by-play man for Victoria's WHL team on 91.3 The Zone.  That's dreadful news for our longtime friend Randy Merkley, the former voice of the Chilliwack Bruins who was hoping to land the gig.  Perhaps the Regina product will call games for Chilliwack's new BCHL team, which is relocating from Quesnel, BC.

- The Moose Jaw Warriors are reportedly very close to naming and announcing their new head coach.

- Former Warriors coach Dave Hunchak is working as an electrician in Moose Jaw while he awaits his next coaching job.  It could be in Vancouver, where Giants GM Scott Bonner is interviewing candidates to be Don Hay's assistant.  Word is Bonner wants someone with WHL bench experience to fill in while Hay coaches at the 2012 WJHC in Alberta.  Shaun Sutter might be a good candidate as well.

- According to Vancouver radio station News 1130, Giants owner Ron Toigo wants Pat Quinn to takeover for Hay during the world juniors but Quinn wants to keep his options open, and still hopes to be coaching in the NHL.

- Who's going to be the next assistant coach for the Regina Pats?  Good question.

- The question has come up this week with the impending return of the Jets to Winnipeg; what's former Jets goalie Tim Cheveldae doing now?   Yesterday a listener named Terry Benson wrote into the show and said Chevy is living in Saskatoon and is now an EMT/Firefighter for the Department of National Defense at Dundurn.

- I love those old hockey jokes.  When Tim Cheveldae and Alain Chevrier were the goaltending duo for the struggling Detroit Red Wings in the late 80s/early 90s, they said "There are two Chevys in Detroit and neither one will start."

- Happy 30th birthday today to our long-time friend Trevor Secundiak, sales manager at the Ramada Hotel & Convention Centre.

- Good luck to former Rams receiver Josh Shaw today.  He's having a vasectomy.  Shaw was on the receiving end of the infamous fake-kneeldown pass from Darryl Leason against the Hilltops in the late 90s.

- Many are wondering why the Blue Jays still have JoJo Reyes on their roster, given the fact he's gone nearly 30 starts without a win.  The reason?  They don't have anybody better.

- Are you watching the NBA playoffs on TSN?  I can't decide if TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager is sharply dressed or looks like a clown.  That's quite a wardrobe he has.  I also can't decide who to pull for in the NBA Finals; the Mavericks or the Heat.  In the end I'll probably root for Dallas.

- What's with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban?  Did someone shoot him with a tranquilizer dart?  He's been strangely silent during his team's playoff run.

- In our house we are bitterly disappointed that a Target is going in the Northgate Mall in 2013.  We were hoping for the Southland Mall, which is a five-minute walk away.

- I must say this radar text alert service has saved me mucho dollars since I signed up a few months ago.  I asked a Regina cop on the weekend how the Regina Police Service feels about the service and his response was "we just want people to slow down and not drive like idiots.  If they're warned about a radar and it causes them to slow down, we're happy".

- Some guy pulled up beside me at a red light in front of the Pasqua Hospital last week and heard I was listening to ESPN Radio.  He yelled "Hey shouldn't you be listening to CKRM?".  Here's the truth; I listen to sports talk radio all day, everyday.  Without exception.  And I thank those who turn off their satellite radios and tune into the Sports Cage each day at 4:00.

- Scruffy alluded to it yesterday and it's true, we had a splendid ratings book this spring.  However my boss said the numbers aren't for publication and he doesn't want us to brag.  But to the listeners, THANKS!

- Great tweet from comedian Adam Sandler this week: "@RealAdamSandler: I'm tired of girls complaining that there's no good guys left ...hello...they're where you left them, IN THE FRIEND ZONE"

- The best interview I heard this week was AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson on Howard Stern.  It was absolutely fascinating.  Did you know he's only 5'6" and is the tallest member of the band?

- The book "How I Became A Man" by Chaz Bono is on sale now.

- Lady Gaga has been named the most powerful celebrity in the world by Forbes Magazine due to her 32 million Facebook friends, 10 million twitter followers and $90-million in earnings in the past year.

- Nice guys who deserve a plug: Rob Vanstone.

- Today's Press Box Sports Bar Friday Lunch Buffet: BREADED CHICKEN, BREADED FISH, ONION RINGS, PEROGIES & SAUSAGE, MASHED POTATOES, CREAM CORN, RICE, PIZZAS, CAESAR SALAD AND DESSERT.  11-2 at 909 Albert St. N.

- And if you haven't yet, check this place out this weekend!

THURSDAY SPORTS CAGE PODCAST

Thursday's Sports Cage was dominated by discussion of Gary Etcheverry's resignation.   Joining me on the show were Scruffy, Arash Madani for The Madani Report and we heard from Rider coach Greg Marshall.  You can download the file here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?yihg3qdppws56ig

ETCHEVERRY RESIGNS!

Here's the news release from the Roughriders:

GARY ETCHEVERRY STEPS DOWN AS RIDERS ASSISTANT COACH

The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced today Gary Etcheverry has resigned his role as defensive assistant coach for the club.

“Due to personal and family commitments, Gary expressed his desire to pursue business opportunities outside of football. While the timing is unfortunate, we understand that this opportunity is what’s best for Gary and his family,” stated Riders Vice President of Football Operations Ken Miller. “We’d like to thank Gary for his hard work and dedication he has shown to the Riders over the past few years.”

Etcheverry spent the past three seasons coaching with the Riders, serving as the defensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010. Etch joined the CFL coaching ranks in 1997 after a number of years coaching in the U.S. college system and NFL Europe.

---

Roughriders V.P. of Football Operations Ken Miller also made the announcement on the team's State of the Franchise conference call this morning.     Rider head coach Greg Marshall said this situation has nothing to do with Etcheverry's role within his coaching staff.

Some other conference call notes:

- Miller on Etcheverry's resignation: "He's going to pursue a business opportunity and concentrate on family considerations.  Although Etch's resignation is untimely, we understand and support his decision."

- Marshall on the resignation: "His number one concern was that he didn't want this perceived as a problem due to a change in his responsibilities.  This is strictly a personal decision based on some things away from football and has nothing to do with his role here.  We talked at length about it and I was disappointed when it came about and I enjoyed the time we had to work together and get to know each other a little bit better."

- As Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco noted on the Sports Cage Wednesday, Rider President Jim Hopson confirmed an update on our entertainment facility progress is expected shortly, perhaps even Friday morning.

- Marshall said the initial plans for the kicking game are to have veteran Eddie Johnson perform all three duties (punting, kickoffs and field goals).   Marshall noted Eddie beat out Justin Medlock in Toronto for that job before suffering a season-ending injury.

- Miller said the hiring of Marshall does not signal mean a shift in focus from offense to defense.  Marshall also said not to expect drastic changes from the way Miller ran things.

- Hopson says they are in great shape with season ticket sales and that the club is at an all-time high of 25,000.   With temporary seats they are at 30,000 capacity.  He said there is a reduction in flex-pack sales, and an increase in season ticket sales.  The Riders are encouraging people to buy their tickets early and plan ahead.

- Hopson says there is a Rider Oath.  With all the success of the team and great crowds, they want to make the game day experience even better by asking fans to be respectful and to support the team in an appropriate way.  You will be hearing a lot about this theme.

- Marshall said training camp will dictate whether they keep a quarterback on the practice roster or not.  They currently have four QBs on the roster; Darian Durant, Ryan Dinwiddie, Cole Bergquist and Chris Leak.  All four will participate in rookie camp which begins on Wednesday.

- Marshall said Durant is nowhere near the ceiling of what he's capable of.  He said Darian and the team's goal is to win a championship.  Whatever it takes to win a Grey Cup, he's willing to do it.  Great athletic ability, hasn't got a ton of starting experience but with the limited time he's had, there's a lot more there for Darian.

- Marshall said losing Fantuz in the off-season was the best time for that to happen, so Durant and the coaching staff have more time to adjust.

- Regarding replacing SB Andy Fantuz, Marshall said they may go with an American.  Signing non-import offensive lineman Alexander Gauthier has allowed them ratio flexibility.

- Marshall said the goal is always to the win the Grey Cup but it's never easy.  Even getting to the Grey Cup is difficult, let alone winning it.

- Marshall: "Anything that happens with this football team is my responsibility."

BOMBERS NAME GUEST COACHES

WINNIPEG, MB – Head Coach Paul LaPolice has announced his guest coaches who will assist the Blue Bomber coaching staff during the 2011 training camp.  Mickey Donovan, Joe Loth, Jermese Jones, Bob Cameron and Troy Westwood will all be on hand when training camp opens on Sunday, June 5th.

HAY TO LEAD CANADA

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League, announced today that Don Hay, head coach of the WHL's Vancouver Giants, will be head coach of Canada's National Junior Team for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, scheduled for December 26, 2011 to January 5, 2012 in Calgary and Edmonton, Alta.
 
Hay will be joined on the coaching staff by assistant coaches George Burnett (head coach and general manager, Belleville Bulls, OHL), Ryan Huska (head coach, Kelowna Rockets, WHL) and Pascal Vincent (head coach and general manager, Montreal Juniors, QMJHL).
 
Don Hay, 57, will step behind the bench of Canada's National Junior Team for the first time since leading Canada to a gold medal and its first-ever perfect record at the 1995 IIHF World Junior Championship. One of just five WHL coaches with 500 regular season victories, Hay has won three WHL championships (1994, 1995 with Kamloops, 2006 with Vancouver) and three Memorial Cups (1994 and 1995 with Kamloops, 2007 with Vancouver) and is a two-time WHL Coach of the Year (1998-99, 2008-09). The Kamloops, B.C., native was a 2008 inductee into the B.C. Hockey Hall of Fame.

MAAS ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

(Edmonton) With 11 CFL seasons, nine with Edmonton, and two Grey Cup rings to his credit, quarterback Jason Maas announced his retirement today.

Respected by his teammates and opponents for his strong leadership and fearless playing style, Maas was twice Edmonton’s nominee for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player Award (2001, ’04) and was a CFL All-Star in 2001. The University of Oregon product earned a special place in club history in 2005 when he came off the bench in both the West – Semi Final and Final games to ignite the offence and engineer game winning drives, propelling the Esks to their 13th Grey Cup championship.

In making the announcement, Maas says “ Edmonton and the Eskimos gave me an opportunity to fulfill a dream of playing professional football. To my many teammates, coaches, locker room staff and the many fans I met over the years, thank you for your support. This community welcomed me and my family and for that I’m truly grateful.”

In 2004, Maas joined Hall of Famer Warren Moon as the second Eskimo quarterback to pass for 5,000+ yards in a season. He finished the ’04 campaign with career best numbers: 361 completions on 549 attempts (65.8%), 5,270 yards and 31 touchdowns, 79 carries for 252 yards rushing and 8 TDs.

Following the 2005 Grey Cup win, Maas was traded to Hamilton where he played for a season and half. Traded to Montreal in September 2007, he finished out the season with the Alouettes. Maas returned to Edmonton in 2008.

B.C. LIONS SIGNINGS

(Vancouver) The BC Lions Football Club announced today that quarterback Kevin Riley along with import receivers Kierrie Johnson (pronounced Key-air), William Osborne and Jared Perry have signed with the team and will attend BC Lions rookie camp slated to begin in Kamloops, BC on Thursday, June 2nd.


Riley wrapped up a productive four-year, 36-game career at California throwing for 6,182 yards on 465 completions and 50 touchdowns with a completion percentage of 55.5. He had 31 starts to his credit with the Golden Bears leading the squad to a 19-12 record from 2007 to 2010.

Johnson played three years at the University of Houston after transferring from Blinn Junior College. He appeared in a total of 38 games and notched 85 receptions for 1,308 yards and 12 TD’s. As a senior last season, he ranked third on the team with 37 catches for a career-high 572 yards. Kierrie also returned eight kickoffs for 134 yards and a healthy 16.8-yard average.

Osborne played in 42 games over five years at Texas Southern University and recorded 154 receptions for 2,042 yards and 14 TD’s. The speedster out of Marshall, Texas also enjoyed a standout career as a returner and had his finest season as a junior in 2008, earning two spots on the All-SWAC Conference First team as both receiver and kick return specialist.

Perry finished his four-year career at Missouri with 137 receptions for 1,844 yards and 13 touchdowns. He had his best season as a senior notching 46 receptions for 696 yards and six touchdowns. Perry signed with the San Francisco 49’ers as an undrafted free agent in 2010 and was released in July prior to training camp. He also had a short stint with the Philadelphia Eagles and the UFL’s Las Vegas Locomotives last year.

BOMBERS HEAD TO BRANDON

WINNIPEG, MB – As the excitement continues to build in anticipation of the 2011 CFL season, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are excited to announce that they will be holding one of their training camp practices in Brandon, Manitoba.  On Saturday, June 11th, Blue Bomber fans in the Westman area are encouraged to come watch the Blue and Gold as they take the field at Vincent Massey High School for practice.
 
"This is an exciting time for both the city of Brandon and the Winnipeg Football Club," said Blue Bomber President, Jim Bell.  "We're looking forward to making the short trip out west where we can connect with the many Bomber fans outside of Winnipeg and ensure that Blue Bomber football reaches out to our entire province."

PATS TO HOLD SPRING CAMP

Regina, Saskatchewan – This weekend the Regina Pats will have their top prospects in the Queen City for spring camp. The goal of the camp is to get the players acclimated to the Regina Pats Hockey Club before training camp in late August and for the front office and coaching staff to get an exclusive look at the prospects playing within their own age group.

Over 20 of the Pats top prospects will take part in 2 practices, seminars on education, training regiments and nutrition. Players will also get to know the Pats staff and learn about what the WHL has to offer. Seven of the top 10 picks from the Pats 2011 WHL Bantam Draft are attending. Adam Brooks (25th overall) and Dane Schioler (36th overall) are not attending the camp because of Manitoba U-16 Top 40 Camp, while Nathan Churchill (106th overall) has education commitments. All three will be attending Training Camp in August.

Practices will be:
Saturday – 10:00am to noon
Sunday – 9:30am to 11:00am
At the Co-operators Centre (Players and coaches will be made available after practice)

THURSDAY EYE-OPENER

- At the Memorial Cup in Mississauga, the host St. Michael's Majors beat Owen Sound 3-1, to advance to the semifinal tomorrow.   They await the winner of Kootenay and Owen Sound in tonight's tiebreaker (5:00 pm on Rogers Sportsnet).  St. John's has already qualified for Sunday's final.

- It’s a long ways from Estevan to Arizona State University, but for former Estevan Bruin Ben Findlay that is the route he has chosen to take. The Arizona State Sun Devils have announced the Regina product is part of their 2011-12 recruiting class.   Last season in Estevan, Findlay had 42 points in 57 games. In three years with both the Bruins and the La Ronge Ice Wolves, Findlay collected 37 goals and 76 assists.

- In the Stanley Cup playoffs, there will be a seventh and deciding game between Boston and Tampa Bay tomorrow night.    Teddy Purcell and Martin St. Louis scored twice as the Lightning beat the Bruins 5-4 last night.   David Krejci's was the scoring leader for Boston with a hat trick.    The winner tomorrow night will face the Canucks in the Stanley Cup finals.

- CFL training camps will get underway next week with the NFL still very much up in the air due to their current lockout.   On Wednesday Hamilton Ticats GM Bob O'Billovich said there's a chance the NFL will stage an abbreviated training camp or perhaps none at all.  He said young American players could be looking for a place to play, and may choose to come to Canada.   The Roughriders are the featured team on today's State of the Franchice conference call.  You can hear the highlights on today's Sports Cage on 620 CKRM.

- In the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks beat Oklahoma City 100-96, to advance to the Finals.   Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion each had 26 points for Dallas.    The Mavericks will play the winner of the Miami-Chicago series for the title.

- At the ballpark Andrew Jones went 3 for 3 including a pair of two-run homers in the Yankees' 7-3 win over the Blue Jays in the rubber match of the series

(Courtesy 620 CKRM News, www.620ckrm.com)

WEDNESDAY SPORTS CAGE PODCAST

Wednesday's show was jam-packed and you can download the podcast here.  Among our guests was Team 1040 Vancouver radio's Rick Ball, Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco and our NBA insider Jeff Armstead.  My co-host was Scruffy.  Click this link for the show:
http://www.mediafire.com/?xm0sm7jl1hz90n1

BELLI JOINS SPORTSNET

TORONTO (May 25, 2011) – Rogers Sportsnet has added Adriano Belli as its new CFL analyst.

"Sportsnet, Wow! Does it get any better than this? After 10 years of being allowed to crush quarterbacks, now I get to critique those pretty boys." said Belli.  "I couldn't be more excited about working with a network that fits my personality. I'm so looking forward to sinking my teeth into the upcoming football season, in the same manner I've done against opposing running backs over the years. "

Belli will appear weekly on Sportsnet Connected over the course of the 2011 CFL season.   From the CFL preview show to the Grey Cup in Vancouver, Belli will breakdown the league's hottest issues on Connected.

"Adriano Belli is a great addition to the Rogers Sportsnet team", said Scott Woodgate, Vice-President of News, Rogers Sportsnet.  "After 10 years on the playing field, we look forward to Adriano's insight delivered the only way he knows how - in a captivating and entertaining way.

RIDERS SIGN THREE DEFENDERS

The Saskatchewan Roughriders announced they have signed import defensive end Courtney Harris, import defensive back Eddie Russ and import linebacker Johnathon Smith. The financial details of the signings were not released.
 
Harris (6'3 – 259 lbs) played two years at Miami before transferring to North Alabama where he played the last two seasons. In his senior year he tallied 55 defensive tackles, ten quarterback sacks and was named a First Team Division II All-American and was one of eight national finalists for the Gene Upshaw Award which is presented annually to the NCAA Division II Lineman of the Year. The 24-year-old also played in the Cactus Bowl in December.
 
Russ (6'0 – 185 lbs) has played at Harding University where he tallied 70 tackles, six interceptions and two fumble recoveries in the past two seasons. In 2009, the 24-year-old also returned 19 kickoffs for 388 yards and had four punt returns for 27 yards. Previous to attending Harding, the Florida native played at Antelope Valley College where he set a record by returning six kickoff returns for touchdowns in one season.
 
Smith (6'2 – 227 lbs) played two seasons at Connecticut before transferring to the University of Delaware. The 27-year-old is a multi-dimensional player who spent time on both sides of the ball as a running back and a linebacker. Offensively he had 99 carries for 430 yards and eight touchdowns in two seasons. And defensively Smith tallied 31 defensive tackles and a sack in two seasons as a linebacker.

HOWELL HIRED

WINNIPEG, MB – The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are happy to announce that recently-retired Markus Howell will be joining their coaching staff as Defensive and Special Teams Assistant.
 
"I'm very grateful to have been given this opportunity by Coach LaPolice and the rest of the coaching staff," said Howell.  "With my playing days now over, I'm excited to turn my attention to coaching and look forward to working with the rest of the staff as they prepare for the upcoming season."
 
Howell retired earlier this month after an 11-year career that included six years with Winnipeg where he was a real triple threat, spending time as a receiver, defensive back and returner.
 
"We're ecstatic to bring Markus Howell on board. In my ten years coaching in the CFL he is one of the most consummate professionals I've ever worked with," said Head Coach Paul LaPolice.  "He's played all sides of the ball in the CFL and will make an immediate impact by being a great asset and mentor to our young players."

TUESDAY SPORTS CAGE

Here is Tuesday's podcast of 620 CKRM's Sports Cage.  In this 40-minute file you'll hear from Global's Derek Meyers and me along with guests Kelly Moore (former voice of the Winnipeg Jets) and Arash Madani of Sportsnet.  You can download the show here:
http://www.mediafire.com/?75k44ia447r05bt

PREDATORS SIGN BARTLEY

Nashville, Tenn. (May 24, 2011) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has signed free-agent defenseman Victor Bartley to a two-year, two-way contract worth $525,000 on the NHL level and $67,500 on the AHL level in both 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Bartley, 23 (2/17/88), spent the 2010-11 campaign with Rogle of Sweden’s second division (Allsvenskan) ranking second among league defensemen in points and assists, and tied for third in goals (11g-23a-34pts, 52gp). The 6-0, 203-pound blueliner also finished first on Rogle in shots on goal (132) and second in penalty minutes (56), helping the club to a 26-11-15 record, good for second in the Allsvenskan. Despite Rogle falling short of promotion to the Swedish Elite League (Elitserien) for the 2011-12 season during postseason qualification play (Kval till Elitserien), Bartley tied for first in assists and sixth in points (2g-7a-9pts) among all skaters in 10 tournament games.

The native of Maple Ridge, B.C., native played five Western Hockey League seasons with Kamloops and Regina from 2004-09, amassing 168 points (36g-132a) and 466 penalty minutes in 336 games. He had his best junior season in 2008-09 when he tied for ninth among WHL defensemen in goals (15) and ranked 12th in points (46) while captaining the Pats. Bartley split his first professional season between the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies and AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers in 2009-10.

TICATS RELEASE DEANGELIS

Hamilton, Ontario - The Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced today that the team has released non-import kicker Sandro DeAngelis and import linebacker James Hargrave.

DeAngelis played in all 18 games last season after signing with the Ticats on February 22, 2010. 

Hargrave did not suit up for a regular season game in 2010. 

LIONS SIGN TWO, RELEASE THREE

(Vancouver) The BC Lions Football Club announced today that imports Ronnie McCullough, and Tyrell Graham have signed with the team and will attend BC Lions rookie camp slated to begin in Kamloops, BC on Thursday, June 2nd.
 
The Lions also announced that wide receiver O'Neil Wilson, offensive lineman Joe McGrath and defensive lineman Jeremy Geathers have been released by the club.

ROOM FOR TWO?

Winnipeg Blue Bomber President Jim Bell, G.M. Joe Mack and head coach Paul Lapolice were featured on Tuesday's CFL State of the Franchise conference call.  A lot of the discussion centred around the impending relocation of the Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg.  Jim Bell took the reins to answer reporters' questions on that topic:

- "Certainly that is the news of the day and the week with respect to the NHL coming back.  The way we look at that is we, as a football club, have a solid business plan going forward with the respect to our stadium, with respect with how we've gone about our business with the community within the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba.   Will there be an impact with the NHL returning to Winnipeg?  There may be but our feeling as the Winnipeg Football Club is that there's room for two, in fact room for three with the Moose right now and the Goldeyes.  We partner with True North in our concert business and expect to do that in the future and it's a solid partnership."

ON THE WINNIPEG NHL TEAM LOOKING FOR 3-YEAR SEASON TICKET COMMITMENTS

- "We have a very loyal and committed fanbase and we anticipate we will do better this year on field.  If we put this in perspective, we lost a lot of close games last year but our fans have responded in droves as suggest  by our season ticket numbers.  Looking forward with the new stadium and establish pricing for sponsorships and tickets, we don't feel threatened within the business community.  It will be very workable as a club as we look forward.

ON THE PROGRESS OF THE NEW STADIUM

- "I can tell you we're very encouraged with the progress to date.  We get a lot of positive feedback from our fans who go on our website and watch the progress via the webcam on a daily basis.  As of right now we are on time and we are anticipating that the stadium will be ready in June of 2012.  I would say we're rounding first base so there's a lot of work to be done but I can comfortably tell you we're on time with the timeline set out for the project."

NHL.COM: COACHING CAROUSEL

BYLINE: NHL.com Staff Writer Adam Kimelman

While most of the attention of the hockey world is focused on the conference finals, five teams -- the New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars -- have their view in other places.

Those are the only teams with coaching vacancies, and as the summer nears, those five teams are zeroing in on potential candidates.

Big names and coaches working their way up the professional ladder all have been tossed into the rumor mill. Here are a few of the candidates whose names you might be hearing more of in the not-too-distant future.

THE VETERANS

Marc Crawford -- He won the Stanley Cup in 1996, his second season with the Avalanche, and then guided the Canucks to the playoffs four times in seven seasons. His two seasons in Los Angeles and Dallas weren't as successful, but a team could take a chance on him.

Ken Hitchcock -- The veteran coach won a Stanley Cup in Dallas in 1999 and got back to the finals the next season. He also guided Philadelphia to the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals and led Columbus to the only postseason berth in franchise history, in 2009. Critics say he struggles with younger players, but he's a proven winner. He could be a candidate for jobs in New Jersey and Minnesota.

Jacques Lemaire -- Is he likely to coach again? Probably not. But he's retired before and come back. Could he be convinced again? With his track record of success, any team would like to have him on board.

Craig MacTavish -- He coached the Oilers to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final as an eighth seed, but has been out of coaching since Edmonton fired him in 2009. His name has come up in connection with openings in New Jersey and Minnesota.

Michel Therrien -- He also is in the running for the Minnesota job. He played junior hockey for Lemaire and has adopted many of his coaching traits. His background with Lemaire and Montreal -- he coached six seasons in the organization, including two with the Canadiens -- could make him a possibility in New Jersey. He does have a record of success, guiding the Pittsburgh Penguins to the 2008 Stanley Cup Final.

THE ASSISTANTS

Mike Haviland, Chicago -- Here's how highly regarded Haviland is -- Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville chose him as his assistant for this season's All-Star Game. Haviland spent three seasons as the Hawks' AHL coach, where he groomed a number of players that went on to lift the Stanley Cup last year. He's been Quenneville's top assistant for three seasons, and his name has come up in coaching discussions before. Colorado tried to interview him prior to hiring Joe Sacco, but the Hawks wouldn't let him talk to them. The GM who made that call was Dale Tallon, and with the Florida job open, Haviland seems like a favorite to land there. He's also a New Jersey native and a former Devils prospect, so that possibility exists.

Brad McCrimmon, Detroit -- The long-time NHL defenseman recently resigned his post with the Red Wings after three seasons as an assistant under Mike Babcock. McCrimmon ran the defense for the Wings, but now wants to try for his own team. He shouldn't have to wait long for his phone to start ringing.

Kirk Muller, Montreal -- The 19-year NHL veteran has been an assistant coach in Montreal since 2006, and appears to have gained enough experience to be in the running for a top job. New Jersey has a history of hiring coaches with Canadiens experience, plus he spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Devils. He also played his last four seasons in Dallas, where one of his teammates was Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk. His name also has been linked to the Minnesota job.

John Torchetti, Atlanta -- A well-respected long-time assistant, Torchetti has some head coaching experience. He had a big role in the Blackhawks' rise in his three seasons there as an assistant, and was Craig Ramsay's top assistant in Atlanta this season. Tallon also is familiar with Torchetti from their days in Chicago, so he could be a possibility in Florida. He's worked in that market as well, spending a season and a half as a Panthers assistant coach and also interim head coach during the 2003-04 season.

OTHER POSSIBILITIES

Dave Cameron -- The coach of the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey League is a highly respected junior coach. He guided Canada to a silver medal at the 2011 World Junior Championship, got the Majors to the OHL finals this season and now is coaching in the Memorial Cup. The Majors are owned by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, which could make him a possibility for the Senators opening.

Kevin Dineen -- In six seasons as coach of AHL Portland, he's led the Pirates to two division titles, two conference finals and won a coach of the year award. He's also credited with helping develop a number of key players currently with the Pirates' parent club, the Buffalo Sabres. His teams have won 45 games four times. He's considered by some to be the top NHL coaching candidate working in the AHL, and it's likely his name will be associated with all five openings.

Gerard Gallant -- Gallant has experience at all levels of hockey, as a player and coach. He spent parts of three seasons as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and also has been an assistant with the Blue Jackets and Islanders. Now in his second season with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, he led his team to the league title and a spot in the Memorial Cup. He's also developed nine players ranked on NHL Central Scouting's top North American skaters for the 2011 Entry Draft, including four who could go in the first round. His name hasn't popped up too much in the rumor mill, but that could change if the Sea Dogs win the Memorial Cup.

Kurt Kleinendorst -- In his first season with the AHL Binghamton Senators, he's guided that team to the AHL finals. Prior to that, he coached the under-18 team at the U.S. National Team Development Program, and won a gold medal at the World Under-18 Championship. He's certain to be a candidate for the job in Ottawa. He also has a connection to New Jersey, having spent nine seasons as an assistant coach and scout for the Devils and coach of their AHL affiliate.

Mike Yeo -- After 10 seasons as an assistant coach in the Pittsburgh organization, including five with the Penguins, Yeo took his first head coaching job this season, with the AHL's Houston Aeros. It's been a solid move, as Yeo has guided Houston to the conference finals. The Wild, the Aeros' NHL parent club, likely will consider him for their job.

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