Odds and Sods

Miss (Karen) Cay would never forgive me for not alerting Prince Albert vocal talent to the following possibility.

The Riders are looking for someone to sing the National Anthem.

1) Submit an audio file of you performing the Canadian National Anthem to anthem@saskriders.com (please include your name, address and phone number in the email)

 2) Then, if you are chosen as a semi-finalist you will have the chance to perform in front of our panel of judges in Saskatoon on May 9th or Regina on May 16th

 3) If you are selected as a finalist, you will be given a ‘green ticket’ and asked to come back for a rehearsal at Mosaic Stadium with the possibility of performing at a 2015 home game!

SIGA

SIGA and Northern Lights Casino main sponsors of the 31st PAGC Fine Arts Festival

4h ago

Workplace incident

City of Prince Albert pleads guilty to workplace safety violation, handed fines

6h ago

Lighting it up

P.A.'s Zablocki leads Regina to victory on Day 4 at Esso Cup

Apr 24, 2024

Tune up those instruments, warm up your vocal cords and start recording – submissions close on April 24th! 

During my time at the Herald, using the invaluable press box pass, I covered a few people singing the national anthem from PA, Paul Lomheim comes to mind, and I think, but am not sure about Heidi Munro. PA does have a good reputation for live music outside of the city, so it would be nice to kick Saskatoon and Regina’s bloated behinds and show them what raw vocal power sounds like in front of 33,000 rabid Rider fans.

We are a week away from the Pros and Joes evening where fans can mingle with Rider coaches and players and tour the facilities and see how things are progressing with the 2015. This is the third year for the event and since the money goes to cancer prevention, I have no problem making this the third year for me to go.

However, I do want to give Prince Albert Rider fans an opportunity to pose questions of Rider CEO Craig Reynolds, GM Brendan Taman or Rider Head Coach Cory Chamblin. If there are any questions you have of the guys, ask away at the bottom of the story and I’ll take all the questions posed here and then ask them at the Q and A at the Pros and Joes. The Riders may try to expand their reach to let fans feel involved from across the province, but sometimes we Rider fans have to take matters into our own hands.

After the Riders mini-camp in Florida, things are out of the Riders hands as we approach the NFL Draft, the next big event on the post season football calendar. Apparently a few of the Rider prospects are looking to land work in the NFL because signings have been few since the camp wrapped.

The change in Canadian football rules limiting physical contact between receivers and defensive backs will spark a move towards drafting offensive linemen as teams look to go all Canadian on the line and move towards Americans at the receiver and slot back position to get more speed.

What that does to the Riders drafting situation is going to be interesting. The Riders will be looking to see who goes south in the NFL draft and basically stay away from them. They would prefer guys from the west or at least guys who are not biased against Saskatchewan, and they need guys with an absolute hunger to improve.

The more I hear about the advisability of moving towards an all-Canadian offensive line in a couple of years, the more I can see the Riders trying this one for size. For starters, an All-Canadian offensive line is not new in Saskatchewan and both the U of S and U of R have been producing CFL if not NFL worthy offensive linemen the last 10 years.

The Riders will need some Canadian depth on defense and will be looking to establish a positon at linebacker, strong side defensive back or defensive line as Canadian, with the quality Canadian back-up ready to step in. They could go for Addison Richards of the U of R at receiver, just because you can never have enough Canadian receivers, but while the Riders might go for him, I’m getting the feeling the Riders CFL draft may be going in a different direction. The key to the Riders success will be how wisely they draft and sign free agents.

Former Roughrider Chris Williams, who we traded to Hamilton once upon a time, who then attempted to flee Hamilton for the NFL because he didn’t like his contract (causing no end of chuckling here since Kent Austin never liked his contract with the Riders when he was a QB) has come back from his NFL trial with the Chicago Bears and is now an Ottawa Red black. This means Ottawa has moved a light year ahead in offensive production since last year if Henry Burris can hit Williams with a pass.

I’m not sure about if I am just bad mouthing Ottawa or if I am serious. Ottawa gets better on special teams with Williams and you have to respect his speed on the outside, the problem is Williams needs to be hit at full stride to be fully feared.  However you slice this, I still wonder where the Riders offence and special teams would be if Rider coaches and management found a way to keep him here.

Dan DePalma, who impressed me with his big play catches here in Saskatchewan last season caught tired of waiting for the team to do something and has apparently signed with WINNIPEG! Not a bad move for DePalma, who seemed to be looking at an all Canadian receiving lineup with the exception of Dressler.