I know I've started my column off like this before, but anyone who knows me, knows how much I love sports. Short of bowling (which I even watch in a pinch) I could watch sports every day/night of the week. I'm actually the one watching Monday night football while John says, "is that all you're going to do tonight?" Absolutely, that's what I'm doing.
My love of sports is not my concern lately, it's TSN. Yes, The Sports Network. The CANADIAN answer for the wrap up of all my sporting events of the day.
First of all, if we get 'a certain announcer' (my friends know who I am talking about) covering one more Rider game, my kids are going to commit me. One might think that TSN has an agreement with the Saskatchewan Roughriders to have him doing the game coverage so that people would go to Taylor Field and watch the game in person, (just to avoid listening to him) except that this is Saskatchewan and the game is already sold out. This guy is the worst announcer (and trust me, there have been some bad ones) to cover football. I know I'm a bit of a homer (and rightly so) but this guy is the typical fence jumper. He starts out every game bashing the Riders and how could they have this winning record and then by the fourth quarter, the green and white are the best team ever. Surely they can't be that short of knowledgeable announcers that they have to use a guy who usually covers figure skating.
In a normal season, we usually get a variety of announcers that cover the Rider games and that works fine because then one gets a different perspective of the game covered by guys who have football in their blood. This has been FIVE (maybe six) straight weeks we have had to put up with him. Thank God I have season tickets, so that I don't have to listen to him when there is a home game. It's gotten so bad that we sync our radio to CKRM so that while we watch away games on TV, we don't have to listen to the commentary.
But wait, (as the commercials say) it doesn't stop there. I know I don't live in the centre of the universe (Toronto) but when a CANADIAN not only shoots the lowest round of his professional PGA career, but is in the top five in season points, shouldn't that get some "importance" recognition on the NATIONAL sports coverage? I was at the Rider game on Sunday and fishing on Monday but like many other Weyburnites, I had my PGA app open for hole-by-hole coverage of Graham DeLaet. Each evening when I sat down to catch up on my daily sports highlights, I was once again disappointed and infuriated at where the "Canadian" content ranked.
On Sunday, they started off with Rider/Bomber game highlights, followed by Blue Jay highlights, fourth round action at the U.S Open and then NASCAR Truck series. There wasn't even a mention of Graham in the intro and the highlight of the night was soccer. Really!!
On Monday, TSN started off with Roger Federer being knocked out of the U.S. Open, then a short blurb on Milos Raonic (who was playing on TSN2 at the time), then to the Toronto Blue Jays game results (of whom at the time had a 63-75 record) and then they continue on with the American and National league baseball results for 17 minutes. When they finally get to the golf highlights, who do we see first? That's right, Tiger Woods. I know. Not only did he finish tied for 65th, but we also got the earth-shattering, verbal diarrhea that his daughter accompanied him for the final round and wore Tiger's traditional red shirt. Are you kidding me? Then came a 'short' bit on Graham showing two putts that he missed. I think the quote was "couldn't make a putt." They didn't show the two birdies that he made on 17 and 18 to secure him third spot in the tournament, fifth in the Fed Ex Cup standings and a much valued spot on the President's Cup team. The announcer did mentioned that "he secured a spot on the President's Cup team - nice story" and then moved on to other useless sports coverage. Once again.ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
When Mike Weir made the President's Cup team, there was endless hype before, during and after the event. As a lover of golf and a proud Canadian, I celebrated the fact that a Canadian golfer cracked the highly elite group of professional golfers to compete in a world class event.
Graham has worked hard for this ranking. He has earned every accolade that comes his way. Let us settle for nothing less in showing our support for him. Take a moment and let TSN know how you feel. Not just as a Weyburnite, but as a Canadian.
Pet Peeve of the Week: This 'peeve' is a personal one and one that I get stopped for in the grocery store quite often. People who don't cut their branches and they are hanging over the sidewalk and even the street. It makes for treacherous conditions when a person is walking or riding their bike (like me) in the daytime and especially at night. Come on people, use a little common sense and take care of this problem before someone really gets injured.
Maybe that's just me.let me know what you think!
