How to Enjoy Training – Prince Albert Walk Through

Okay Prince Albert, Thursday is when you get a chance to check out the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a team that asks for an investment of money plus about eight hours driving time each game but provides a thrill when they win like nobody else.

The Riders will be doing a walk through, so when you get to where the Riders are working out at the Alfred Jenkins Field House, position yourself accordingly. A walk-through is basically the team out on the field walking through the formations and plays they will be using during the game. Since the Riders will be going to Fort Mac for their first exhibition game against the godless Eskimos on June 13, this will be kind of a run through for the team of what to expect and how to react when they get there.

The good news is the team will be available for autographs as well and they are always available for pictures.

One thing about the Riders I have found, especially since I put up Eddie Russ Jr. in my place a few years ago, these are just young guys thousands of miles from home not knowing what to expect. They appreciated fans wanting to talk football, and even if you don’t know anything specific about football, ask them about where they are from, what they think of the province etc. If you have kids, or if you are a kid, get out and take this event in.

I’ve been fortunate to be writing this column and have been in various forms for maybe 10 years, but I will be the first to admit that there is so much I did not know about football and find fascinating. For instance, on the walk through, take a moment to watch how the running backs and receivers go into different positions and patterns prior to the ball being snapped.

Safety first

Safety concerns and tips surrounding discarded needles in P.A.

2h ago

Liquor stores must change hours

Prince Albert limits liquor store hours

5h ago

skin care +

LUXE22 Clinic : Elevating Beauty with Expert Treatments

6h ago

On an actual field, the pace will be that much faster and you can miss it easily, whether you are there in person or watching on TV. But take a moment to appreciate the intricacy of the offense and football is more than just being able to catch a ball, or hit someone, or throwing or kicking the ball. These guys are being asked to think on the field and think on a split second level and think as a 12 man unit all on the same page.

That means everyone has to recognize what defense they are facing, what the options are, who will be picking up the extra rusher or whatever is involved in the defense. That is different from playing in a beer league in a park on a Sunday afternoon.

On defense, take a moment to appreciate how fast this defense will be. This defense is being built to attack and to dictate to offenses. In past years, the Riders have been weak against the run, and the Ottawa expansion draft has weakened the Canadian content levels at many positions. Now the Riders have to bring their young Canadians up to speed and see which Canadians are up to the standard of playing in this defense.

The defense will be more vocal than the offense, because they are built to react and to throw off the timing of the offense. The offense succeeds by executing its plays; the defense succeeds by disrupting those plays by making the offense think for one more second than they have time for.

On special teams, the Riders brought in a punter at the last moment named Ray Early who turned heads day one in Saskatoon with mega punts with the wind. No word what happened when he punted into the wind. The Riders also added Canadian defensive lineman Cameron Sheffield who played with the Eskimos.

The Riders are making a serious effort to add a Canadian and a back-up on the defensive line and will probably look at one at safety as well to help the ratio. However, after seeing the signings and the draft, I think the Riders will leave the safety position partially in Tyron Brackenridge’s hands and have Shea Emry and a Canadian defensive lineman as the Canadian content on defense.

Anyway, it will be fun to watch, and if you are in the mood, go to Boston Pizza afterwards as Rod Pedersen, former voice of the Raiders, brings his Sportscage roadshow to PA. At the very least, it does have a few laughs.