Tuesday Talk

- Did you feel like gouging your eyes out last night? NO NHL... NO Blue Jays... it's STILL not football season. As a last resort I probably would have even watched the NBA last night, but even their final was on an off-night. SportsCentre is good, but it's less good the fourth time around... although their Top 10 was a beauty. Chris Pronger's goof-ball quotes inspired their "Top 10 Playoff Sound Bites." #1 was Jim Schoenfeld's 'HAVE ANOTHER DOUGHNUT YOU FAT PIG' to Referee Don Koharski.

- Added to the fact there was nothing good on TV, it rained again. I decided to spend the night at home after covering two local sports games on my Sunday... plus I figured the Cardinals would be rained out... but, they got 5 1/2 innings in, and beat the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets 5-1, and are back to .500 at 3-and-3. Cards host the Jackets again tonight, while Melville (2-0) is home to Regina. Both weather-permitting of course.

- Our baby girl (pictured) is 3 weeks old today. Yes I'm a proud papa. She was half an ounce under 9 pounds last time the health nurse weighed her, so I'm guessing she's 9+ by now. She loves to eat, kinda like her dad! Her first car ride will be this weekend. Her Baba in Saskatoon is hosting her baby shower Sunday afternoon. We'll stop at the farm first on Friday/Saturday.

- RIDER SEASON TICKETS came in the mail last week. They're much different, and much cooler than I thought. I pictured a couple sheets of a bunch of tickets you'd have to rip apart... but they're done up really nice, like fancy little books... one ticket per page and a bio on a current or former Rider Great. Now, they're not all MY tickets. If you recall, GX newsman Randy Atkinson, and sales guys Doug Jonassen and Ron Hana and myself did the '4 tickets for $300' in the Rider Lotto last year, and promtly won season tickets, AND a Carribean Cruise. The travel company valued the Cruise at $5000, and gave us each non-expiring $1250 vouchers. We divided up the tickets yesterday. 4 doesn't go into 9 evenly, or 10 with the Pre Season game, and none of us wanted to use up one of our games for the Pre-Season. So we each picked one BEFORE Labour Day, and AFTER Labour Day Games... and we're leaving the LD Classic up for grabs for now. I got both Edmonton games, which I'm fine with... July 31 and November 6. My tickets have Ken Preston and Andy Fantuz on them.

- Still with the Riders... got a release yesterday saying SaskTel Max will broadcast their Pre Season game against BC this Sunday. I'll likely be between Saskatoon and Yorkton during most of the game which starts at 3:00. For those who can watch... it's on SaskTel Max Channel 602, and On-Demand on Max Local Channel 48 once it's over. GX94 will once again be part of the Rider Radio Network along with 600 CJWW Saskatoon, and of course the flagship, and our sister station, 620 CKRM in Regina. Rider coverage is only getting bigger and better with CKRM's new "Sports Cage" weekdays from 4:00 to 6:00 with Rod Pedersen and special guests.

- Hockey will always be my #1, but High School football might be my favourite thing to COVER. It's nice to be out of the booth or stands, and walking up and down the sideline at either Yorkton Regional or Sacred Heart. I'm looking forward to that cranking up again. And, it's probably not too soon to announce we'll be broadcasting the 6-Man Football Can/Am Bowl in Preeceville Saturday, July 3rd. I'll do the play-by-play, and I THINK Roby Sharpe, Coach of the YRHS Raiders is doing colour. THAT will be a blast! Roby is one of the biggest beauties I know, and will be a natural on the air. He's never met a mic he didn't like. He's not officially confirmed, but he was asked by Jason Boyda, the current Coach in Preeceville, and of Team Canada for the game, but soon-to-be YRHS Offensive Co-ordinator, as was posted on this blog last week.

- Cards and Mils are both at home tonight, but I think I'll go to the Yorkton Regional Awards night. It starts at 7:00 at the Anne Portnuff Theatre. It's nice to get something other than hockey or baseball on the air when we get the chance.

- The Yorkton Terriers' AGM is next Thursday, June 17th. To put your name forward for a board position, contact Randy Atkinson, Gene Krepakevich, or Ron Pasloski. Last year's board was two people short, and four two-year terms are up: President Lyle Walsh, VP Larry Wells, Treasurer Bill Wright, and Secretary Alan Hill. Not sure at this point how many of them are running again, but either way, no less than 6 positions need to be filled, either by incumbents or newbies, so don't be shy!

- No I didn't ignore the SJHL meetings. I talked to Yorkton's Trent Cassan and Don Chesney, and Melville's Jamie Fiesel and Neil Lamberty, all sometime between Saturday and Monday... and they all said nothing earth-shattering happened. The Terriers will be announcing a couple or 'future considerations' deals in the near future. One with La Ronge and one with Winnipeg South.

That'll do 'er for now!