In honor of the 100th Grey Cup and what has been a jam packed November, Ruttig's Rants: Rapid Fire Edition makes it's triumphant return to close out the month. Let's get it started.
While on the topic of the 100th Grey Cup it was very hard for me to keep my eyeballs glued to what was a relatively boring game of football. Credit to the Toronto Argonauts defense for shutting down the Stampeders early and often, but I found myself tuning into Packers-Giants on TSN2 for most of the second half. As for the halftime show: Remember it is a football game, not a twelve year old pop concert.
Goes without saying that Ricky Ray needs to be applauded for rejuvenating his career in leading the Argos and silencing many doubters who thought the veteran quarterback was past his time. He may have never had the statistical dominance that Damon Allen or Anthony Calvillo have had, but I am sure Ray will take his now three Grey Cups in what will be a career we should praise more than we do, but we won't.
Also Kevin Glenn should be congratulated for coming back from the brink and leading the Stampeders to twelve wins and a Grey Cup berth. Yes his performance in the final was poor, but Glenn has battled hard throughout his CFL career and will likely never get back to the big game. Here is hoping he goes back to the Bombers in the offseason and keeps the starting role in this league he deserves.
Extremely early odds for the 2013 Grey Cup in Regina have the Riders sitting at a +600 payout. If anyone is bold enough to think that the football gods will let that happen it is worth a look. A huge hand should go to the CFL for being classy and letting Taylor Field have one last Grey Cup in its dying years. The Riders need to make some improvements, if they want to be in their home Grey Cup, but like we saw with the Argos sometimes getting hot at the right time is all it takes.
One last Canadian football note: props go to Laval for winning yet another Vanier Cup in their rematch of last year's classic with McMaster. The game was the most attended game in CIS history with only the 1989 Vanier Cup at the newly built SkyDome coming close. It is time for the CFL and Canada to embrace the college game and give our game a truly Canadian focus and reserve more roster spots for our homegrown talent.
Turning the Canadian spirit sour after the Grey Cup was the NHL lockout saga adding an extra chapter as both sides have finally agreed to mediate. A three billion dollar company throwing away this much money is appalling and even if they return, it is going to be an empty season at best.
Making things worse for hockey fans: the World Juniors are in Europe this year. Thank God Tim Hortons drive thru is open 24/7. We will all need it.
It will be likely that staying up will be worth it as the NHL lockout will allow for a bumper crop of talent to play in one last tournament. Canada will however now be missing one of those stars as Ryan Murray underwent surgery for a shoulder injury suffered during WHL action for the Everett Silvertips. His loss will be a huge blow in a year where Canada will be missing home ice advantage and Russia will be equally as strong with CHL and KHL talent.
For those who really need their hockey fix and are getting ready for the aforementioned WJHC, Sportsnet's Friday Night Hockey has been showing marquee talent across the CHL all season long.
Has there ever been a team to play as good of games to start a season 3-11 like the Toronto Raptors have? Canada's only team right now have found a way to make every game this year close save for the one early season blowout in Oklahoma City, but seem to find a new way to lose every night. Andrea Bargnani's four point performance in their double OT loss to San Antonio Sunday might just be the final straw that gets the trade waters moving for the former number one pick. That stretch last year where he was one of the top five scorers in the league before his legs gave out seems like forever ago now and the always passionate Raptors fans are about to turn on him for good if he doesn't turnaround fast.
On a positive Raptors note, all of you who dismissed Jonas Valanciunas for being European when the Raptors selected him in the 2011 Draft, your apologies will be accepted at the door after his big twenty plus point performance Sunday against the Spurs. Ed Davis also had a big game off the bench, further heating up the Bargnani animosity as Davis continues to get buried on the bench after continuing to improve and work hard with the limited minutes he is given.
Shame goes to TSN for not using its college basketball rights and not showing the ACC vs. Big Ten Challenge this week. With multiple Top 25 matchups and Canadian content on Michigan as they take on NC State Canadian sports fans deserve better from the three letter network who stubbornly are taking their ball and going home without their crown jewel due to the lockout.
College football down South will have a hot storyline as Notre Dame somehow, some way finished their season undefeated and will likely face one loss Alabama/Oregon in the National Championship Game. For all the controversy the no playoff format has created for the NCAA it should be credited for the fact that they have the most entertaining and important regular season in all of sports as one loss on any given Saturday can sink an entire state's dream of a National Championship.
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