Pros and Joes and a Couple of Guys Named Moe

For me the start of football season begins with an evening at Taylor Field called Pros and Joes.  You can just pay $100 and you get a tour of the facilities, talk with coaches and staff and conclude with a sinfully delicious buffet with ribs, chicken and then an auction.

The money goes to benefit prostrate cancer and is a guys-only evening. The women have their own version a little later on, but from what I hear, its basically the same thing. Next year there is a rumor the tour will be of the new Rider facilities. That will be a much sought after ticket.

So for a charity evening, what I love about Pros and Joes is that you learn about something new about the Riders you didn’t learn before and football is incredibly more complicated that reporters, bloggers or even your average Joe in Melfort can testify to.

I brought two friends with me this year and they were knocked out about the Riders use of technology to run meetings, providing players with footage of every other player you can think of and all the offensive and defensive formations they need to know and recognize.

Also, for the first time, we were permitted access to some storage facilities to the Riders and get this;  they are actually underneath the seats at Taylor Field. If anyone has any doubts why the Riders need a new facility, consider the possibility if you are seating within 10 yards of the edge of the field, you are likely sitting over the Riders medical supplies, charts, bandages, what have you.

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While we were enjoying Macho Harris conducting our tour group, there was a chance to enter Rider Head Coach Cory Chamblin’s office. Recent melting activity forced him to place towels in one of the air vents to soak up free running water but the rest of his office has a picture from his son inscribed Love You Dad!; along with a whack of books with the CFL Logo on them. Apparently the head of refereeing,Glen Johnson, had come in earlier to review the new rules. One was proving to be a bit problematic.

The rule about defensive backs contacting receivers past five yards down the field had defensive players like Harris in an uproar. Ask any defensive player and they will say offenses are getting whatever the board of governors for the CFL feels needs to be done to improve the offensive performance of the league and improve television ratings.

Removing the hand fighting past 10 yards will open the door for the offensive players that players like Weston Dressler will set new personal records if we use everything at his disposal. That’s what Harris said.

In his office, Chamblin addressed the Florida mini-camp which gave defensive coaches the first opportunity to implement new ways of covering players. The new techniques threatened to set new penalty flag records. The staff readjusted and have come up with a new scheme they feel will work.

While the new CBA sets the limit on on-field work to 3 ½ to 4 hours, the Riders use of video technology has players looking at more footage than other teams because of a larger staff and a better eye for finding the stuff the players need to be more successful.

The new coverage techniques went out over the players IPads and have been reviewed prior to the Riders leaving for the Saskatoon training camp.

The first day of camp is May 31, but Rider fans in PA should circle June 4 for a Riders practice walk-through in the afternoon. I imagine it will be held at Carlton Comprehensive High School.

The Riders have begun to fiddle with their roster prior to the CFL draft and training camp. Already they released  international defensive lineman, Chancey Aghayere; International offensive lineman, Pierce Burton;  International linebacker, Justin Cole; International quarterback, Seth Doege;  International defensive back, Ryan Steed.

Doege was the biggest name, but I don’t think anyone seriously thought he was still a player after his abortive efforts to relieve Darian Durant last year. That is the problem and challenge in pro football, you do not many chances step forward when you get the chance. The Riders announced they were bringing U of R Ram quarterback Noah Picton under the CFL Canadian qb apprenticeship rules. Picton will provide an extra arm for throwing some extra balls.

The Riders did add some Canadians by signing free agent Alex Carroll formerly of Queens who was added to the team negotiation list and then running back Ronlee King-Fileen. This kind of sparked the devil in me during the question and answer period where I asked about the Riders problems in developing a starting Canadian defensive player.

It was a question that Chamblin first took, taking great pains to mention how Canadian universities are developing finer athletes. He said the Riders didn’t have anything against Canadians, but with the rosters changing constantly, it was going to be a constant battle.

A battle will be brewing with the Riders sending out a survey to season ticket holders asking their thoughts about price increases and moving over to the new stadium. There will be people ticked because they have had season tickets for ages. Some of us are looking at boxes, which will be expensive, but give a better game-day experience.

Either way, things are starting to move forward as the Riders begin their assault on the 2015 season.