WEBVTT
00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:10.800
From the Bamboo Shoots studios in downtown Saskatoon, this is the Different Angles Podcast.
00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:11.759
I'm Ray Morrison.
00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:12.720
I'm Matt Morrison.
00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:27.519
Coming up, we will take a look back at what was not a great game for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders in Montreal on Thanksgiving Monday, and we will also have the discussion that we kind of teased last week about what people in and around Saskatoon are saying about viewing NHL games on television.
00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:30.879
That landscape has changed a lot.
00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:47.439
And our guest tonight is Jordan Walls, Director of Football Programs at Saskatoon Minor Football, coming off a wildly successful uh football day in Saskatoon with the uh University of Saskatchewan Huskies a couple weeks ago, and um the boys over at SMF are just doing great stuff all the way around.
00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:50.320
So uh we'll have to be able to chat with him.
00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:52.880
Um wasn't a great weekend for the riders, like you said.
00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:53.679
It was not.
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:57.439
But we start with It was a good weekend for the Saskatoon Hilltops.
00:00:57.679 --> 00:00:59.200
It was, and that's where we will start.
00:00:59.439 --> 00:00:59.759
Yes.
00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:03.840
Um but before I I want to get into talking about that, how was Thanksgiving?
00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:04.879
Thanksgiving was good.
00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:05.760
Oh, I'm glad you said that.
00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:07.359
Oh boy, here we go.
00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:07.920
Okay.
00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:09.280
There.
00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:10.400
Oh boy.
00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:12.959
He sent me home, he sent me home with leftovers.
00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:18.239
Episode two of the uh Different Angles uh podcast, and I'm already getting stuff.
00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:19.200
Already getting stuff.
00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:20.239
You know, it was a great weekend.
00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:20.799
Yeah, it was.
00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:22.560
Yeah, it was fantastic at your place.
00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:23.359
Yes, yes.
00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:25.920
I was gonna say, you know what the best part of Thanksgiving weekend was?
00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:29.040
What the family, the food, all that sort of stuff was great.
00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:35.200
But um the fact that on the Friday prior to the long weekend, it was announced that Nickelback is coming to Saskatoo.
00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:35.680
Ah, yeah.
00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:38.480
So that is by far the best news of the weekend.
00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:45.439
Yeah, that's that made my Thanksgiving weekend because you can never have a bad time at Nickelback or with Nickelback.
00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:47.120
There's two types of people in the world, right?
00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:48.079
Okay, I want you to remember this.
00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:50.000
There's two types of people in this world, okay?
00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:57.599
Uh the first type of person is people that love Nickelback, and the second type of person are liars, okay?
00:01:57.920 --> 00:01:59.439
So those are the two types of people.
00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:02.079
There's Nickelback fans and liars.
00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:03.359
Nickelback fans.
00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:04.719
And those are the that's what you're gonna do.
00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:08.479
And now just imagine if you could go to it at a at a downtown entertainment district and arena.
00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:13.039
Next week, Ken Wood from Vote on Deed will tell us why he doesn't think that's a good idea.
00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:17.120
We'll have a discussion with Ken looking forward to uh looking forward to uh to that.
00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:20.960
Uh did we uh happen to get that shot of my bride, Darby?
00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:21.520
Did we get that?
00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:22.400
So let's have a look at that.
00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:25.840
So we were sending the Saskatoon Hilltops really good vibes.
00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:40.719
There is uh your mom, my bride Susan, and rocking the Saskatoon Hilltops jersey on Monday, or jacket, pardon me, following the Sunday victory over the Edmonton Wildcats.
00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:46.400
Of course, uh Adam uh my son, your brother, three national championships with the Hilltops.
00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:47.360
So there you go.
00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:54.800
And yeah, the Hilltops uh post the semifinal win, 44-16 over the Edmonton Wildcats, and uh went pretty well.
00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.000
It was a little more kind of Hilltop-esque, if you will, right?
00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:02.240
28 second-quarter points for the Hilltops, and they were doing it like in all phases.
00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:04.400
Their defense had four interceptions Ray.
00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:08.719
Um, 228 yards rushing on the weekend.
00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:10.960
Like that's just a Hilltops win, right?
00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:20.879
When you just ground and pound, um Sam Zarkovich and Griffin Sander, both quarterbacks for the Saskatoon Hilltops, got to see playing time, which Sarge has been known to do, right?
00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:23.199
He kind of rotates through his quarterbacks a little bit.
00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:30.159
Um, not even necessarily if one is struggling, and I'm not insinuating that one is struggling, but uh just to give the opposing defense a different look.
00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:34.560
I mean, Sarge has kind of always kind of you know done that.
00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:39.680
Um but um yeah, seven of eighteen for passing in total.
00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:53.439
So the uh Hilltops quarterbacks between the two of them only attempted uh 18 passes, but when you put up 44 points and you rush for 228 yards, uh it doesn't really matter how many uh how many passing attempts you put up with those numbers, and you get four takeaways on defense as well.
00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:54.000
That's right.
00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:54.800
And that was huge.
00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:56.159
Four interceptions.
00:03:56.319 --> 00:03:58.879
Uh the one big return by Saui, too.
00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:00.560
There's a punt return down to 20.
00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:03.840
That was down to the uh Wildcat 20-yard line on a punch return.
00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:04.639
That was great.
00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:12.879
I would suggest, though, that this team will have to throw for more than 70 yards against the against Regina in order to win.
00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:15.680
And I I think that's what the quarterbacks sort of combined for.
00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:18.879
So as you mentioned, big ground game, defense special teams.
00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:21.360
So we always talk about connected football.
00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:23.199
That was there for the Saskatoon Hilltops.
00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:24.480
There's no question about it.
00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:30.959
But against a Regina team, you might need to spread out that defense a little more than than you had to against Edmonton.
00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:36.959
Yeah, the Regina Thunder, a 40-10 victory over the Calgary Colts in the PFC semifinals.
00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:40.000
So it is Regina and Saskatoon again, color me shocked.
00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:44.480
Um the interesting note about that is that that game's gonna be at Libel Field.
00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:51.439
So it's a little bit more intimate, a little bit more of a hostile environment because it's smaller, right, than uh than Mosaic Stadium.
00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:59.120
And the Regina Thunder took the season series against the Hilltops as well, September 26th, at home at SMF Field, the Thunder won 19-6.
00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:01.360
I checked this on a couple of different stats.
00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:06.240
Peter Borsch rushed for 337 yards in that football game.
00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:08.480
So you kind of know who Regina's got to be in the first time.
00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:11.680
36 carries for Borsch alone.
00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:12.560
Like that's insane.
00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:13.519
Yeah, absolutely.
00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:14.879
For 337 yards.
00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:16.800
So there's the first down every time you give them the ball.
00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:20.800
Yeah, September 12th, the uh Thunder beat the Hilltops 37 to 13.
00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:28.560
So the one game not so close, the one in Regina earlier in September, the one at home at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, uh a little bit closer.
00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.439
But again, yeah, it's you know, you could look at it two different ways, right?
00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:32.959
Third times the charm, maybe.
00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:38.800
And who knows, maybe that win against the Edmonton Wildcats was what the Huskies need or what the Hilltops needed to get going.
00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:39.920
You know, it's interesting.
00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:43.360
So that second game, September of the 26th, the score was 19-6.
00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:44.639
So that was a closer game.
00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:51.040
But in the 37-13 game, you know, it was Regina with 30 of their points in the second half of that game.
00:05:51.199 --> 00:06:06.720
So a bad second half, uh, obviously, yeah, when the opposing team's putting up 30 on you, but this is going to be really interesting now because you wonder about this hilltop team and just the guys who know how to win now, right?
00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:11.040
I mean, now you're going to presence even though it was only a four-and-four season.
00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:29.040
Now you wonder if sort of that that big play on special teams or another big defensive effort or something uh major happens on offense that that just kind of lifts you to some momentum in that in that because they'll need that against a very good Virginia team.
00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:31.279
And it is, it's just it's Saskatchewan football.
00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:31.519
Yep.
00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:31.839
Right?
00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:33.519
Like this is Saskatchewan football.
00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:36.000
We mentioned the 300 plus yards that Peter Borsch had.
00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:42.560
We mentioned the 200 plus rushing yards the Hilltops as a collective unit had um in their respective semifinals.
00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:49.120
Like Jaden Zillianka, the quarterback for the Thunder, only attempted 16 passes in that semifinal game against the Colts as well.
00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:52.720
So both of these teams opting to keep the football on the ground.
00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:55.040
Um and it's just Saskatchewan football.
00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:58.560
It's Hilltops football, it's what Sarge does, ground and pound.
00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:07.279
And it's funny because there's nothing surprising, there's nothing shocking about what's in the Hilltops playbook.
00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:10.399
I bet you what's in the Hilltops playbook are the same plays.
00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:19.519
Uh granted, Adam Adam was on the defensive side of the ball, but I bet you that offense from those three national championship is probably the same.
00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:19.839
Yeah.
00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:20.160
Right?
00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:21.439
So it is interesting.
00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:31.360
Um, but yeah, it could just be a good old-fashioned Saskatchewan October chili smash mouth football kind of game at Libelfill in Regina.
00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:35.439
It could be really low scoring, it could be really close, or it could be really high scoring.
00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:40.240
Um, I don't know if one of these two teams is gonna run away with the football game.
00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:47.680
Uh, I do think that uh a game of this magnitude will be close, and I do think that the Hilltops, you know, now they kind of have a little bit of confidence, right?
00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:49.519
So now they're starting to go a little bit.
00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:51.120
So it's gonna be interesting.
00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:55.439
Um I did mention the four interceptions that the Hilltops defense had.
00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:58.639
Carson Holcomb Holcomb had two of those interceptions.
00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:02.240
So uh a big day for the uh the Hilltops defense there.
00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:03.199
Going to be interesting.
00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:04.879
This is this is what you want, right?
00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:10.079
And you know, this is uh this is step one for Sarge, getting to the PFC final, right?
00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:14.800
So you're there, despite the fact you went four and four, you had your worst regular season in years.
00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:19.519
Yeah, you're in the PF PFC final and you have an opportunity to go to the national semifinal with a win.
00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:22.160
October 18th, 1 o'clock at Libel Field.
00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:31.920
And the reason for that is October 18th at 1 o'clock at Mosaic Stadium, the Saskatchewan Rough Riders will have their return matchup against the Montreal L OS.
00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:33.519
Is it the 17th or is it the 18th?
00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:36.240
I thought it was on the Sunday, Siddharth.
00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:36.960
No, it's on the Saturday.
00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:37.840
Oh, is that on the Sunday?
00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:38.960
Okay.
00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:42.080
Um, the Rough Riders now fighting for a crossover spot.
00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:42.960
Yeah, right?
00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.360
And that's what's what's interesting about that.
00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:53.279
Uh, Davis Alexander, 400 yards, five TD tosses, and a big 44-24 a win over the riders.
00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:59.759
And uh, you know, that is a good football team, but you can't give up, you know, the three big plays that were 40 plus through the air.
00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:06.240
I think one was down to the two-yard line, another two were for touchdowns, uh, one to Phil Pot and another one in the second half.
00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:07.039
To Rambo, yeah.
00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:08.639
Yeah, and you can't you can't do that.
00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:09.759
Well, and that's the thing.
00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:12.960
Like you talk about those touchdowns, like the two that we just mentioned.
00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:17.600
Okay, so the one to Philpot, a 46 yarder, the one to Rambo was a 51-yarder.
00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:18.159
Yeah, right.
00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:19.279
So that right there.
00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:20.879
Um, it is interesting, yeah.
00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:29.200
This defense just hasn't uh hasn't played up to I think the Corey Mace standard um during this this losing skid.
00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:32.879
Four in a row um that the Riders have have now dropped.
00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:37.840
You have two games left in the regular season, both at home, which is a positive, both at Mosaic.
00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:44.960
Uh despite all of that, despite the fact that the Riders are fighting for their playoff lives, yeah, um they do control their own destiny.
00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:48.799
So, you know, you do have that in your back pocket.
00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:59.120
Um, it will be interesting uh on this upcoming week against Montreal to see if Montreal rests anybody or if they wait until the final weekend of the regular season.
00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:01.840
But you go up against Montreal and you go up against Edmonton.
00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:08.080
So those are two tough, very tough matchups for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders, but you do control your own destiny.
00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:11.120
Um I thought there were some positives to take away from that game.
00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:12.879
Brad Lother was three for three, didn't it?
00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:13.919
Brad Lother was three for three.
00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:15.360
Keenan Schaefer Baker was good.
00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:15.519
Yeah.
00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:21.759
Granted, the one touchdown was in garbage time, but uh AJ Olette, we talked about it last week on the podcast, he has to get going.
00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:25.840
77 yards rushing as they kind of start to ramp him up as they come back from injuries.
00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:27.279
So that was good.
00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:31.679
And the riders were in this until midway through the third quarter.
00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:31.919
Yeah.
00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:32.240
Right?
00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:41.120
Like even when they came out of the out of the break, the riders go down on the opening possession of the second quarter, or second half, pardon me, the third quarter.
00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:45.840
They go down, they get the field goal, and now all of a sudden it's 17 to 16.
00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:52.080
So you're on the road in a hostile environment in Montreal, you're down 17 to 16, and you're kind of like, okay.
00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:52.960
Yep, right?
00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:57.360
This is you know, this this is this is doable.
00:10:57.519 --> 00:10:57.759
Yeah.
00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:00.159
The wheels just fell off.
00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:00.480
Yeah.
00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:01.440
So bad.
00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:02.080
Yeah, you're right.
00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:03.679
That is Saturday, October the 17th.
00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:05.440
Yeah, the Hill Toggle's the AD.
00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:05.759
That's right.
00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:08.639
But still, that yeah, Libel Field is uh is a tough place to play.
00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:10.720
But the Riders lost four straight.
00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:11.120
Yes.
00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:11.919
Eight and eight.
00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:12.639
So here's how it works.
00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:14.720
They're tied with Calgary at Winnipeg for points.
00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:17.600
If there is a three-way tie, by the way, Calgary's out.
00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:17.919
Yes.
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:18.080
Yep.
00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:18.960
So we know that.
00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:23.360
But but but the Stampson Bombers do hold the tiebreakers over the Riders.
00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:23.679
Yes.
00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:25.279
So that's a little bit of a challenge.
00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:32.159
But uh yeah, defensive coordinator Joshua Bell uh and this team, they've got some things to figure out on the defensive side of the ball.
00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:35.840
So you they're just giving up way too many, way too many big plays.
00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:37.759
And you don't mean to single anybody out.
00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:47.759
There is one uh defensive back, uh not import in that secondary, uh, who was outed on more than one occasion for his play.
00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:52.799
And that you just you can't you can't give up three 40-yard plays plus in a game like that.
00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:53.840
It's just not on the road.
00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:56.960
But also you're not you're not getting pressure to the quarterback.
00:11:57.039 --> 00:12:05.120
You're not, I mean, you know, through 16 games, the Riders defense has given have given up the fifth most points in the CFL, the sixth most touchdowns.
00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:07.360
They have just 14 total takeaways.
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:10.000
So as a unit, yeah, that's not great either.
00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:14.240
I mean, you can single out players here and there, but as a unit, that's that's not great.
00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:23.519
You know, and we've seen this um now that the NFL is getting underway, we've seen this uh a couple of times in the NFL with some teams that are off to the slow some slow starts.
00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:28.159
But you wonder if maybe Corey Mace takes over play calling duties on the defensive side of the ball.
00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:29.519
On the defensive side of the ball.
00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:32.320
Well, you know, the magic last year, right?
00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:33.440
Right in the Great Cup run.
00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:33.759
Yeah.
00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:35.200
So you you gotta wonder.
00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:35.440
Yeah.
00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:35.759
Right?
00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:36.480
And I don't know.
00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:39.759
I don't have any sort of I don't have any sort of insider information.
00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:41.279
I just, you know, I have no idea.
00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:48.960
But the last time the Saskatchewan Rough Riders lost four in a row, you've got to go back to 2023 when they lost six in a row to close out the regular season.
00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:52.159
But it's hard to believe a team that was once, what was it, six and two?
00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:52.720
Yeah.
00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:54.639
Just on the verge of missing the playoffs.
00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:56.879
And I felt who do your Broncos have this week?
00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.120
Uh the Seattle Seahawks.
00:12:59.279 --> 00:12:59.919
Thursday nighter.
00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:00.720
Seattle, okay, yeah.
00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:05.440
Thursday nighters that will kick off week six, an elite uniform matchup, Ray.
00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:08.799
You'll love this, okay, because they're both wearing their throwback uniforms.
00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:09.279
There you go.
00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:20.559
So the Broncos with like kind of the orange and like kind of like the royal blue, okay, with the big orange D on the side of the head, and the Seahawks are kind of going back to whatever shade of blue you would call that.
00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:20.960
Yeah.
00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:22.720
From the 80s or 90s or whatever.
00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:25.440
The John L Way, we're not gonna look at that.
00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:26.480
So that'll be.
00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:28.960
Like my Falcons who lost, uh, they have the Bears.
00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:29.919
Yes, I think.
00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:30.720
So we'll see how that's.
00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:32.080
I can't believe they lost that, to be honest.
00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:35.279
But no, I can't either, but that's uh that's that.
00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:38.799
Um and we want to get to one more point before we get to our guest tonight.
00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:40.559
Um, hockey on Sportsnet.
00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:55.840
I've heard a lot of people talking to me about what is going on now that they can't just flip on the TV on any given night on Sportsnet and see if you wanted to see the Utah Mammoth play the Colorado Avalanche, it ain't happening anymore.
00:13:56.000 --> 00:14:01.279
So it's an interesting time with regards to SportsNet's deal that they've pulled the games off of CBC.
00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:06.720
And now with Sportsnet Plus and a new streaming deal with their partner at Amazon.
00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:11.519
Uh you you pay for everything now and you see a little less.
00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:21.120
Now, in Saskatchewan, we're actually fairly well positioned because SportsNet West gives us the Flames in the Euler games, and then TSN3 gives us the Jets games.
00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:27.840
So we do we do get those, but that said, there's not there isn't hockey on every night now.
00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:45.360
No, and it'll be interesting to see once the baseball playoffs are over, how many best of's and top moments and you know, mascot mishaps we're going to see on TV because of this new deal with uh with Rogers and the National Hockey League.
00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:50.639
Well, and it is funny because you know, you like your generation, people your age are just ticked right off about this.
00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:51.039
Yeah.
00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:52.080
They can't believe that.
00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:53.679
Well, I I get it.
00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:59.120
I mean, I grew up but you gotta remember I I grew up I grew up with hockey.
00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:01.519
Basically we had a Monday night and Saturday night, right?
00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:01.919
100%.
00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:03.759
So that that was it.
00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:07.039
But uh and no games on City TV anymore either.
00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:09.679
And that's sort of interesting on Roger's part as well.
00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:15.919
So they're really pulling away from the traditional media and uh making people pay for what they want to see.
00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:23.039
A standard plan for streaming service costs$29.99 a month uh or$249.99 a year.
00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.000
And that's why people that's why people are upset because we're just not used to it.
00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:27.919
And I wouldn't say it's just people my age.
00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:31.600
I think it's no, I just want to be like it's like what are we doing?
00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:42.320
Any chance, any chance on the Different Angles podcast that we can get to like um, you know, just show our viewers and our listeners how much of a difference in age, like how much older you are than me.
00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:43.360
I'm gonna take that opportunity.
00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:44.399
Oh, is that right?
00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.039
Yeah, okay.
00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:46.399
So just be ready for that.
00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:47.759
Okay, I will be ready for that.
00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:54.960
Yeah, you know, the other part of that too, though, 26 uh games on Amazon Prime this year, which I think is up a little bit from the past couple of years.
00:15:55.039 --> 00:16:00.960
They also moved uh the Amazon Prime Prime games from Mondays to Wednesdays.
00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:02.559
And I actually forgot about this.
00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:09.200
There was a big deal about this in the summer, but I actually forgot about this that Amazon Prime has uh rights for some of the playoff series as well.
00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:09.600
Oh, yeah.
00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:12.240
I totally forgot about that until I was I was doing some notes.
00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:20.799
Well, the CFL isn't going to or the CFL, the NHL isn't going to give that to uh, you know, if they can sell it, they're gonna sell it.
00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:21.120
Right.
00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:28.879
And so they're they're trying to get some of the money back from an$11.2 billion deal for the next two years.
00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:34.240
The deal that was signed in 2013, by the way, yeah, that deal was for about 5.2.
00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:41.600
So basically, Rogers has paid twice as much for NHL rights, and they need to get some of that money back, and this is how they think they're doing it.
00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:43.440
Do you know who Jonah Siegel is?
00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:43.919
Yes.
00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:45.919
Okay, so do you follow him on Twitter?
00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:46.960
Uh I may.
00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:50.960
Okay, so he had a tweet uh earlier this week.
00:16:51.200 --> 00:17:04.480
The first prime game of the year, which was between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders, just shy of one million viewers, which is the largest audience, uh, the largest live sporting event in Canadian sports streaming history.
00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:05.440
Streaming history, yeah.
00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:06.079
Streaming history.
00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:11.440
Yeah, because the Leafs draw about one traditionally they've drawn about 1.2 million per game.
00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.079
Yes.
00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.519
So on a stream, yeah.
00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:16.960
I mean, Leaf fans, that is a whole other level of fandom.
00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:17.279
Yes.
00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:19.279
Uh in Toronto, in the GTA.
00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.720
I know you're a Lee fan.
00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:23.680
Uh and that's and that's uh that's what leads to that.
00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:32.799
But it is, you know, it is interesting too, just from like um, okay, so the way that they structure it with all the streaming and stuff like that, that's one aspect of it.
00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:39.920
Yeah, but the programming that is with these broadcasts um isn't what it used to be either.
00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:43.200
No more after hours, uh, no more Coach's Corner.
00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:51.200
Now, Coach's Corner hasn't been around since 2019, but you know, some changes to who's on the panel um over the past couple of seasons, right?
00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:55.440
Kevin BXa um is great on the Sportsnet panel, Lazes Elliott Friedman.
00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:56.240
I love what they have going on.
00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:01.119
Colby Armstrong has been a welcome addition to the SportsNet panel, good Saskatchewan.
00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:10.720
Um, but it's just so interesting the difference in the accessibility between watching hockey in Canada and watching hockey in the US.
00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:20.799
Now, we don't get to see any of those NHL on TNT broadcasts, but you know, you got guys like Paul Bisnet on the panel, Wayne Gretzky's been on the panel, Anson Carter, right?
00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:26.799
Liam McHugh is their Henrik Lunquist, Liam McHugh is their uh their host, kind of a younger kind of guy.
00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:44.240
So it's just interesting that you know there's this whole comp topic of conversation around, oh, hockey's for everyone, and you know, hockey is one of the most you know accessible sports in the world, and we want to try to grow the game and all this sort of stuff, and you're charging people 35 bucks a month to uh to watch hockey.
00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:45.680
But that's not on the NHL.
00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:47.519
I know, right?
00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:48.079
You know what I mean?
00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:48.960
But I I I get it.
00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:51.119
By the way, Colby Armstrong said he will make it a lot of time.
00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:58.880
He's just gotta find uh a time uh that's I do I do like the Prime video production of the NHL.
00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:06.880
Now I already have Prime, so you know, and I I do think that a lot of people, regardless of their age, do have Prime, similar to how they have Netflix or what have you.
00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:21.519
Um if you wanted an Amazon Prime subscription, it's it's ten dollars a month, um, which could, you know, be considered steep if you want to just watch NHL, but um those NHL games on Prime do come with a a Prime subscription, which again a lot of people already have.
00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:27.200
But getting to my point, I do like um the production of the Amazon Prime games.
00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:36.160
I kind of like, and I don't know if I'm like alone in this, but I kind of like how um during warmups they just have like the rink.
00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:40.480
They just have the rink, they just have the warm-ups, they have the like the in-rink noise.
00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:41.200
Yeah, right.
00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:43.599
So you can hear the crowd, you can be there testing the cameras.
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:44.480
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:44.960
I don't know.
00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:46.000
I kind of like that, you know?
00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:47.039
It's like you're there.
00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:47.359
Yep.
00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:50.160
Because I'm not going to a Leafs game in Toronto anytime soon.
00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:52.079
I'll tell you, I'll tell you that much.
00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:54.240
But you are going to Mosaic on Saturday.
00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:55.519
I am going to Mosaic on Saturday.
00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:57.519
That's why you knew the game was Saturday, not Sunday.
00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:58.640
Well, yeah, sorry.
00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:01.279
So the game is Saturday, uh, that Rough Rider game.
00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:03.680
Uh, when we come back, we will talk more of football.
00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:11.920
Jordan Walls, the director of football operations for Saskatoon Minor Football, coming up next on the Different Angles Podcast.
00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:25.759
And we're back on the Different Angles Podcast from the Bamboo Shoots studios in downtown Saskatoon.
00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:27.920
Pleased to be joined by somebody you know really well, Matt.
00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:30.799
This is Jordan Walls, who's with Saskatoon Minor Football.
00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:31.680
How are you, Jordan?
00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:33.359
Thanks for joining us.
00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:35.680
Uh, thanks for having me on.
00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:37.119
I'm excited to talk some football.
00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:39.920
Yeah, director of football operations for SMF.
00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:46.400
And uh, you know, Matthew touched on this earlier, but I just wanted to get your take on uh football day in Saskatoon.
00:20:46.559 --> 00:21:02.000
It was about a week and a half ago, but uh it was uh it was a great success, uh culminating in a husky football game, but uh so many things going on there with regards to uh the women's flag games, the the younger players playing the high school game in the stadium.
00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:08.480
Uh maybe talk about the second annual event and how it went from the the Saskatoon minor footballs uh standpoint.
00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:12.799
Yeah, I think for us it was uh another successful event.
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:16.319
Um it's a big day for us having everything in one location.
00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:26.160
Uh we're we're used to doing Flag on Saturday and our tackle program on Sunday in the fall, so having it all going on at one time at one place is is awesome.
00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:28.799
You walk around and it's just non-stop football.
00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:32.160
Um kindergarten to grade 12 and NFL flag.
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:52.079
Uh, as you mentioned, our Toon Squad, female league on the turf and on the grass fields around the two KFL games, the high school game, uh, and then get to watch the Husky game at the end was was awesome, and it's cool to sit back once that day's over and look out on the field and you see a lot of the guys playing for the Huskies who were once playing on the field in the KFL or in the flag.
00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:58.160
So it was a neat day for us and always fun to work with Husky Athletics in the university and and get that thing rolling.
00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:01.359
It's been it's been awesome for two years, and I'm Sure, it'll it'll continue.
00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:12.400
You know, it is such an exciting time right now in Jordan, whether it'd be the high school games going on, University Junior, uh Rough Riders giving us a suspenseful finish here at the end of this year.
00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:24.799
Uh maybe just a word on on that from SMF's perspective and just the growth of the game in the province and in and around uh Saskatchewan's uh biggest city as well.
00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:25.920
Yeah, totally.
00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:33.759
I think uh when you look at it as a whole, you see uh a strong, powerful um product, and that's with the high school.
00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:44.400
Um, you know, everyone's kind of chasing two teams in BJM and Holy Cross and the 6A and 5A, but there's a lot of competitive football games going on right now um across the province.
00:22:44.559 --> 00:23:01.519
You see, even down in Regina, there's there's really competitive, and then you touched on it with the Hilltops, they uh everyone was kind of writing them off after four losses, and they kind of sent a a statement win out to the league there that you know they're they're still around, and and if I'm a vetting man, I would say they they probably come out on top this Sunday.
00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:04.559
But um, you know, I like it.
00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:06.160
I'm on the Hilltop through and through.
00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:11.839
So they've been in that spot before, and and and you know, I don't see a change in their playing some good ball right now.
00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:20.559
They found something in the last game there, and then Huskies are rolling first in the Canada West, and and it looks like you know they're gonna be RD Cup might be going through Saskatoon again.
00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:25.440
So um just awesome to see football in in Saskatchewan and Saskatoon in particular.
00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:29.119
We always punch above our weight, and uh it's an excited time right now.
00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:39.039
Well, it is interesting too, just on your note on the Hilltops, Jordan, it's uh it's very hard to beat the same team three times in one season, and that's what the Thunder are gonna have to do, right?
00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:40.160
So I think I'm with you.
00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:45.440
I think the Hilltops kind of figured something out uh against Edmonton uh this past weekend that they can use.
00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:49.519
Um, Jordan, you and I, you know, we're kind of roughly around the same age.
00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:51.759
So I don't know how it was for you growing up.
00:23:51.920 --> 00:24:07.200
I don't know if Ray just maybe shielded me from a bunch of like football programs, but it kind of seems like, you know, back in the day, the options for minor football in Saskatoon were kind of you know kinsmen, and then you go into high school and that sort of thing.
00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:22.240
So maybe just, and I know you touched on it a little bit, but um, maybe if you could just expand on how much football has actually grown in Saskatoon over the past number of years, maybe just go through some of the some of the programs that are available to the kids.
00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:24.480
Yeah, I think you know the growth of it.
00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:28.079
I look back when I was in high school 12-ish years ago now.
00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:30.559
Um, there was no spring football for us.
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:32.480
We went to football sass camps.
00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:34.319
Yeah, yeah.
00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:35.279
Absolutely.
00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:37.359
Feel old, but sometimes.
00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:44.960
Um but yeah, we went to football SaaS programs, tried to make the provincial team, and if that didn't work out, you kind of had the summer off for yourself.
00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:54.240
So I think a lot of us chose different sports as our main sport and and kind of fell kind of fell up into football, if you will.
00:24:54.400 --> 00:25:04.079
Um, where nowadays kids have so much exposure to football, whether it be flag, uh touch, tackle, whatever it is, and they're starting to choose football as their number one sport earlier.
00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:18.000
So for us to continually develop programming that we can get as many kids as possible exposed to football at a younger age, and and we're seeing it that especially in the women's side, we're seeing it where they're choosing flag football as their number one sport.
00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:29.440
But you know, we offer flag in the in the spring and the fall, and we got a number of tackle programs, whether it be our Sixes side in the spring or our our high school spring academy, uh, or the KFL in the fall.
00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:35.920
I think we're getting a lot of kids through the door and and playing football at an early age, and it's awesome to see them fall in love with the game that we all did.
00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:39.680
Well, yeah, that was the other thing I was gonna bring up is the uh Spring Academy.
00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:42.319
I absolutely love being a part of that every year.
00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:46.160
Uh, that was something that you guys kind of started during COVID, right?
00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:50.400
To give those kids at the time some sort of football to play.
00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:58.079
Um, maybe if you could just take us through the past couple of years and and what it's grown into and just how big that Spring Academy is.
00:25:58.400 --> 00:25:59.039
Yeah, for sure.
00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:05.680
I think uh the first year I coached, and it was actually the year high school football canceled during the pandemic.
00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:10.480
So um I wasn't employed with SMF at the time, but I I got asked to volunteer coach.
00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:15.119
So they decided that they were gonna do a grade nine to 12 citywide league draft.
00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:20.640
I think there were six teams, and uh they were gonna play around Robin's schedule and and kind of go off.
00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:28.559
There were a few logistical errors with COVID and you know, equal or social distancing and pods and this and that.
00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:39.920
So it was um it kind of got derailed as in the grand scheme of thing, but we still pulled it off and and played a couple full games, and prior to that it had only been uh kind of controlled scrimmage like things.
00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:45.759
So now we're including special teams, we're including um playoffs and finals and this and that.
00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:46.640
So it's grown.
00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:53.279
There's now six teams in the varsity age, which is 10-11, and then four teams in our U 16 program, which is grade 8-9.
00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:59.680
And uh it's it's crazy how kids buy into the color they get drafted by.
00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:01.440
Every team is named after a color.
00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:03.759
It's team blue, it's team red, it's team orange.
00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:05.920
And uh those kids really just buy into it.
00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:06.559
They love them.
00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:14.880
We got great coaches in there, and they provide a fun and exciting experience and and culture and and really just get those kids on the field buying into it.
00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:29.200
And it's uh yeah, it's a well-oiled machine right now, and that's a credit to to Brian and Chad for getting that rolling and the rest of us who are involved with it, um, from the trainers to the coaches to the refs, um, the video crew that we have, the social media that we have.
00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:39.680
It's it's uh it's pretty cool when you go to other camps around the province and you hear guys from the south talking about our North Sask Academy League and who's good and who's not, and it's it's pretty cool.
00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:43.839
So, Jordan, uh a question about flag football and its popularity.
00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:48.720
How has that worked its way into the Saskatoon Minor uh football programming?
00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:52.720
Now that it's an Olympic sport, you see a lot of excitement about that.
00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:55.920
You see women's flag football, which is awesome to see.
00:27:56.079 --> 00:28:05.519
Uh maybe just a word on um uh the emphasis that Saskatoon Minor football puts on flag and uh the evolution of that you've seen.
00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:11.279
Yeah, I think uh you know it's probably been four or five years now we switched to NFL flag model.
00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:14.319
So we get jerseys based on NFL teams.
00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:18.319
They send a package of a jersey, shorts, flags.
00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.559
Um, so kids are kind of getting into that and and really enjoying the NFL side of things.
00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:32.000
But I think it just flag football becoming more and more you know predominant in the football world with the NFL backing it and it's going to the Olympics and all this stuff.
00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:35.920
I think we're seeing more older kids play flag football.
00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:47.599
Whereas before it was our big ages were grade four or five, grade six, seven, and now some of our bigger conferences or leagues are the eight, nine, the ten, twelve on the female side and the male side.
00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:56.000
And you know, when when we were playing football, uh it was only tackle, and then when you were done and you had nothing else to do, you played flag football as an adult in rec.
00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:59.039
And now I think more and more kids are seeing flag football.
00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:08.319
It's a unique game, it's a different game, it's fast-paced, and uh a lot of kids are enjoying it, and and they really want to play flag year-round on top of some of the tackle stuff that they're doing.
00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:13.279
What are some of the other initiatives right now that Saskatoon Minor Football has on the goal?
00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:20.480
Yeah, we got uh our Toon Squad travel team, is uh the tryouts for that is starting up here on Sunday, the next two Sundays.
00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:23.359
So we're taking four teams down to Orlando, Florida.
00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:25.680
We play at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.
00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:28.640
It's it's one of the best run tournaments I've ever seen.
00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:33.599
There's over a thousand teams, it's nonstop football, uh, multiple different age groups.
00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:38.880
We take uh 16U and a 14U team, but it goes all the way down to like U5 there.
00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.519
It's crazy.
00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:40.880
It's it's the heart of football.
00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:42.799
So yeah, uh, that's a big one starting up.
00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:57.440
We got our Institute of Saskatchewan football is going into the third year now, so registration for that is open, and uh that's gonna start here, semester two for all the high school kids who want to continue playing football and also get their high school education through the DLC.
00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:02.319
I I did want to talk about that, Jordan, because I see you got the harvesters uh the sweater on there too.
00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:05.519
But you know, that is kind of a relatively new thing for you guys.
00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:11.519
As you mentioned, it's going into your third year and just a massive, massive undertaking, but it's been a huge success.
00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:17.119
So um a lot of people may not know about the ISF and and uh stuff like that.
00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:21.279
So why don't you just fill us in on everything ISF related?
00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:30.400
Yeah, so it's a program that we offer through the SAS DLC, the distance learning, um, where kids can come to SMF and use the indoor center during the morning.
00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:38.079
So they'll go through workouts, they'll go through position indies, they'll go through some team time, some scrimmage, kind of a variety of different things, Monday to Friday.
00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:48.640
And then in the afternoon, uh they head across the street to the to the French school and they uh they continue on with their classes in a classroom setting with the with the SAS DLT teachers sitting in there.
00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:50.720
So Brian's done a really good job with that.
00:30:50.799 --> 00:31:00.079
We kind of just get to sit back and and watch and enjoy it um as as him and the the teachers and the staff kind of take that on and and get these kids in.
00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:02.480
And you know, they're we've had nothing but good things.
00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:09.839
They got to go travel to Europe um last season, played two tackle football games as well as some flag football for our female athletes.
00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:20.880
So um it is a lot of a lot of kids on the field at one time in any given moment, but um, they're doing a bang up job over there of of getting them in and out and and providing a good experience for them.
00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:37.119
Well, and that uh teacherslash football staff roster, whatever you want to call it, uh for ISF, is just absolutely loaded with uh with good old football guys, hey, from from the it's a bit of a who's who.
00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:50.400
Um, obviously Scott Scott Hanseth is is probably the big name there with you know his legendary high school football career at Holy Cross and um the staff that we've compiled over there is is a good mix of you know veteran high school coaches.
00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:55.680
We got Everett Iverson, who's current receiver's coach on the on the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
00:31:55.839 --> 00:32:01.119
So there's uh a lot of eyes on it and and a lot of talented coaches uh on that staff for sure.
00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:03.759
Lane Bricksaw, an offensive line coach for the Huskies for years.
00:32:03.839 --> 00:32:05.200
Brett Thompson's been around forever.
00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:07.759
Tyler Beyer, um, you know, I'm gonna miss someone.
00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:09.039
Brent Keeler is another one.
00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:12.720
I'll shout out, make sure I shout out everyone before one of those guys gets mad at me.
00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:14.079
Yeah, there you go.
00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:14.960
That's good.
00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:23.279
Uh so Jordan, give us a website and give us uh the information you want people to know about Saskatoon Minor Football before we let you run here.
00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:27.599
Yeah, it's uh www.saskatoon minor football.com.
00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:31.039
Uh you can find all of our programming there under the programs tab.
00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:39.680
Uh at registration, the tab right now that's open is the Toon Squad uh travel team triouts that are happening Sunday, the next two Sundays, I guess.
00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:44.880
And then uh our spring 2027 programming will open January 1st.
00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:47.519
And that'll also be on the website under a registration tab.
00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:50.720
And we're looking forward to another jam-packed year of football.
00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:51.599
Great stuff.
00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:53.359
Uh we appreciate the time, Jordan.
00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:56.000
Thanks for joining us here on the Different Angles Podcast, sir.
00:32:56.319 --> 00:32:56.799
Right on.
00:32:56.960 --> 00:32:57.440
Thank you guys.
00:32:57.519 --> 00:32:57.920
Appreciate it.
00:32:58.000 --> 00:32:58.559
We'll talk soon.
00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:02.319
We'll take a break and return after this.
00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:14.720
Well, that was great of Jordan Walls to join us uh here on the Different Angles Podcast.
00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:17.039
Welcome back, Ray Morrison, uh Matt Morrison.
00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:20.319
You know it's the interview segment when we wear the big headphones, right?
00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:26.000
We should get like Sennheiser or Bose or somebody to Okay, but here's the other sponsor sponsor this segment here.
00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:32.240
There was when we were doing all the pre-production meetings for different angles, you know, in in the summertime.
00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:33.599
Just set those anywhere.
00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:39.440
Um in the summertime, you know, there was talk about uh what are the little tiny earpieces, the IBFs or whatever?
00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:39.759
Yeah.
00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:40.160
Yeah.
00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:41.599
I've always wanted to wear one of those.
00:33:41.680 --> 00:33:42.720
I have never got to wear one of those.
00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:43.279
Oh, really?
00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:43.759
An IFB?
00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:44.000
Yeah.
00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:45.039
IFB, there you go.
00:33:45.119 --> 00:33:45.839
Yeah, that's what it is.
00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:46.079
Yeah.
00:33:46.240 --> 00:33:46.480
Yeah.
00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:48.480
And I've never got to wear one, and I want to.
00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:49.359
So we should look.
00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:51.119
I would just feel like uh such a big deal.
00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:52.079
I've got an old one.
00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:53.519
I could have put it in your container here.
00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:54.079
Yeah.
00:33:54.160 --> 00:33:58.880
So for I wanted to bring this back out for everybody that is uh watching.
00:33:58.960 --> 00:34:02.799
Obviously, you'll see it's uh it's uh what is this, like a cookie sheet?
00:34:02.880 --> 00:34:04.160
Not a cookie sheet, a pan?
00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:04.400
Yeah.
00:34:04.559 --> 00:34:05.440
A Betty Crocker pan.
00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:09.280
A baking tray for for people that are listening to this.
00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:12.719
You brought back my my baking tray from Thanksgiving.
00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:14.719
And in return, we kind of traded.
00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:18.159
Because what did you forget at um my house?
00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:19.280
My wedding bed.
00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:22.480
I was doing dishes at the end of the night and I forgot my wedding ban.
00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:23.119
So there you go.
00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:23.679
So there you go.
00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:25.199
But no, it is great of Jordan to join us.
00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:29.840
And um, shout out to him, shout out to Brian Gieber, Chad Palmer, everybody involved with SMF.
00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:34.639
I'm I'm very fortunate to be uh the play-by-play voice of the Spring Academy.
00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:36.719
Yeah, and uh have started.
00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:37.199
It's awesome.
00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:38.480
Yeah, great guys to work with.
00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:54.000
It's great, great guys to work with, and uh it's so good also to see, you know, like if you look at the coaching staffs of these teams, um, you know, the head coaches are oftentimes former teachers, maybe former head coaches of uh their high school teams.
00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:54.400
Yeah.
00:34:54.639 --> 00:35:06.559
But a lot of the position coaches, a lot of the offensive coordinators, defensive coordinators are all kind of relatively younger guys that maybe just finished their playing career with the Hilltops or the Huskies or maybe in a different market.
00:35:06.639 --> 00:35:17.280
So it's just so great to see those those guys that maybe grew up and came through the SMF ranks, um, went on to play post-secondary or junior uh to give back to uh to football.
00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:19.039
That's that's the really cool part for me, right?
00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:26.239
So Yeah, the October 16th, 17th, 18th weekend is gonna be busy in and around Saskatoon on Friday, the 16th.
00:35:26.320 --> 00:35:29.840
Canada West women's hockey, the Manitoba Bison's in to take on the Huskies.
00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:35.199
That'll start at 7 o'clock, and then there's a Saturday game at 5 o'clock on the 17th.
00:35:35.280 --> 00:35:40.639
The Husky women's team, they opened the season with a 2-0 start after back-to-back wins over the dinos.
00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:44.400
So they come home for theirs for their home opener uh undefeated.
00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:49.840
Canada West Football Friday night, Manitoba Bison, Saskatchewan Huskies, 7 o'clock.
00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:56.960
And also on Saturday, the 17th, uh there's Western Hockey League play at Sass Hell Center.
00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:59.360
The Blades will be taking on the Moose Jaw Warriors.
00:35:59.440 --> 00:36:01.039
That'll be a 7 o'clock start as well.
00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:04.000
And then Highway 11's gonna be busy.
00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:05.440
Yeah, October the 18th.
00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:11.599
It'll be the Saskatoon Hilltops at the Regina Thunder, 1 o'clock Libel Field in the PFC final.
00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:20.639
We'll see if either the Hilltops bounce back from a four-and-four start to take the league title again, or if the first place Regina Thunder get the job done there.
00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:23.039
How good of a Saskatoon Blade's been this year.
00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:26.400
Another four-point weekend last weekend, right?
00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:29.519
They beat Regina, they beat Mustra, both provincial rivals.
00:36:29.679 --> 00:36:31.199
It always feels good to beat your provincial rival.
00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:33.519
Now it's not beating PA, but it still feels good.
00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:36.000
Um but it's good to get those division wins, right?
00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:37.920
Especially especially early in the season.
00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:41.920
And obviously, uh we had Dan da Silva on the previous episode of Different Angles.
00:36:42.559 --> 00:36:45.840
So um so in different angles is you know massive.
00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:46.320
Yep.
00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:50.800
Our trivia question can be who is the first guest in Different Angles podcast history.
00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:51.280
There you go.
00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:53.280
And it'll have been Blades coach Dan Da Silva.
00:36:53.360 --> 00:36:58.559
But great to see the Blades and and uh Coach Da Silva doing well with the uh in the Western Hockey League.
00:36:58.719 --> 00:37:00.159
I know it's early, but hopefully they can keep it up.
00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:04.000
Oh, by the way, there is also Husky Soccer on over at Griffith Stadium as well.
00:37:04.159 --> 00:37:08.159
The women's soccer team will host a pair of Alberta teams October 17th and 18th.
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:13.119
McEwen, uh, and then the Alberta Pandas on Sunday at 12 o'clock.
00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:15.760
And the reason I bring this up is it's supposed to be a really nice weekend.
00:37:15.840 --> 00:37:16.000
Yeah.
00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:22.719
And then the men's soccer team will face Mount Royal on Friday at 12 noon because the football game is Friday night at uh Griffith Stadium.
00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:28.000
And then on Sunday, the Calgary Dinos will take on the Husky Men's Soccer Squad at 2 30.
00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:31.519
So 17 degrees in Regina for Saturday in a couple days.
00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:32.400
Oh, is that right, eh?
00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:32.960
For the rider game.
00:37:33.119 --> 00:37:34.400
For the rider game that you're going down to.
00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:34.800
Yes.
00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:35.360
Okay.
00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:38.159
So uh yeah, let's hope that they win.
00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:41.599
Well, let's hope that when you report back, you have something positive to tell us.
00:37:42.239 --> 00:37:44.960
Well, we'll see, I think we will uh They're not making it very easy.
00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:46.079
Close the book.
00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:47.599
No, they're not helping, are they?
00:37:47.760 --> 00:37:51.760
We will close the book on this uh edition of the Different Angles podcast.
00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:52.320
Why?
00:37:54.719 --> 00:37:56.880
So long for the bamboo shooting studio.
00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:10.800
From the Bamboo Shoots studios in downtown Saskatoon, this is the Different Angles Podcast.
00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:11.759
I'm Ray Morrison.
00:00:11.919 --> 00:00:12.720
I'm Matt Morrison.
00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:27.519
Coming up, we will take a look back at what was not a great game for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders in Montreal on Thanksgiving Monday, and we will also have the discussion that we kind of teased last week about what people in and around Saskatoon are saying about viewing NHL games on television.
00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:30.879
That landscape has changed a lot.
00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:47.439
And our guest tonight is Jordan Walls, Director of Football Programs at Saskatoon Minor Football, coming off a wildly successful uh football day in Saskatoon with the uh University of Saskatchewan Huskies a couple weeks ago, and um the boys over at SMF are just doing great stuff all the way around.
00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:50.320
So uh we'll have to be able to chat with him.
00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:52.880
Um wasn't a great weekend for the riders, like you said.
00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:53.679
It was not.
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:57.439
But we start with It was a good weekend for the Saskatoon Hilltops.
00:00:57.679 --> 00:00:59.200
It was, and that's where we will start.
00:00:59.439 --> 00:00:59.759
Yes.
00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:03.840
Um but before I I want to get into talking about that, how was Thanksgiving?
00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:04.879
Thanksgiving was good.
00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:05.760
Oh, I'm glad you said that.
00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:07.359
Oh boy, here we go.
00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:07.920
Okay.
00:01:08.959 --> 00:01:09.280
There.
00:01:09.519 --> 00:01:10.400
Oh boy.
00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:12.959
He sent me home, he sent me home with leftovers.
00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:18.239
Episode two of the uh Different Angles uh podcast, and I'm already getting stuff.
00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:19.200
Already getting stuff.
00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:20.239
You know, it was a great weekend.
00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:20.799
Yeah, it was.
00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:22.560
Yeah, it was fantastic at your place.
00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:23.359
Yes, yes.
00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:25.920
I was gonna say, you know what the best part of Thanksgiving weekend was?
00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:29.040
What the family, the food, all that sort of stuff was great.
00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:35.200
But um the fact that on the Friday prior to the long weekend, it was announced that Nickelback is coming to Saskatoo.
00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:35.680
Ah, yeah.
00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:38.480
So that is by far the best news of the weekend.
00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:45.439
Yeah, that's that made my Thanksgiving weekend because you can never have a bad time at Nickelback or with Nickelback.
00:01:45.599 --> 00:01:47.120
There's two types of people in the world, right?
00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:48.079
Okay, I want you to remember this.
00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:50.000
There's two types of people in this world, okay?
00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:57.599
Uh the first type of person is people that love Nickelback, and the second type of person are liars, okay?
00:01:57.920 --> 00:01:59.439
So those are the two types of people.
00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:02.079
There's Nickelback fans and liars.
00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:03.359
Nickelback fans.
00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:04.719
And those are the that's what you're gonna do.
00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:08.479
And now just imagine if you could go to it at a at a downtown entertainment district and arena.
00:02:08.719 --> 00:02:13.039
Next week, Ken Wood from Vote on Deed will tell us why he doesn't think that's a good idea.
00:02:13.199 --> 00:02:17.120
We'll have a discussion with Ken looking forward to uh looking forward to uh to that.
00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:20.960
Uh did we uh happen to get that shot of my bride, Darby?
00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:21.520
Did we get that?
00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:22.400
So let's have a look at that.
00:02:22.479 --> 00:02:25.840
So we were sending the Saskatoon Hilltops really good vibes.
00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:40.719
There is uh your mom, my bride Susan, and rocking the Saskatoon Hilltops jersey on Monday, or jacket, pardon me, following the Sunday victory over the Edmonton Wildcats.
00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:46.400
Of course, uh Adam uh my son, your brother, three national championships with the Hilltops.
00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:47.360
So there you go.
00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:54.800
And yeah, the Hilltops uh post the semifinal win, 44-16 over the Edmonton Wildcats, and uh went pretty well.
00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.000
It was a little more kind of Hilltop-esque, if you will, right?
00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:02.240
28 second-quarter points for the Hilltops, and they were doing it like in all phases.
00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:04.400
Their defense had four interceptions Ray.
00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:08.719
Um, 228 yards rushing on the weekend.
00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:10.960
Like that's just a Hilltops win, right?
00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:20.879
When you just ground and pound, um Sam Zarkovich and Griffin Sander, both quarterbacks for the Saskatoon Hilltops, got to see playing time, which Sarge has been known to do, right?
00:03:20.960 --> 00:03:23.199
He kind of rotates through his quarterbacks a little bit.
00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:30.159
Um, not even necessarily if one is struggling, and I'm not insinuating that one is struggling, but uh just to give the opposing defense a different look.
00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:34.560
I mean, Sarge has kind of always kind of you know done that.
00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:39.680
Um but um yeah, seven of eighteen for passing in total.
00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:53.439
So the uh Hilltops quarterbacks between the two of them only attempted uh 18 passes, but when you put up 44 points and you rush for 228 yards, uh it doesn't really matter how many uh how many passing attempts you put up with those numbers, and you get four takeaways on defense as well.
00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:54.000
That's right.
00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:54.800
And that was huge.
00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:56.159
Four interceptions.
00:03:56.319 --> 00:03:58.879
Uh the one big return by Saui, too.
00:03:58.960 --> 00:04:00.560
There's a punt return down to 20.
00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:03.840
That was down to the uh Wildcat 20-yard line on a punch return.
00:04:04.080 --> 00:04:04.639
That was great.
00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:12.879
I would suggest, though, that this team will have to throw for more than 70 yards against the against Regina in order to win.
00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:15.680
And I I think that's what the quarterbacks sort of combined for.
00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:18.879
So as you mentioned, big ground game, defense special teams.
00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:21.360
So we always talk about connected football.
00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:23.199
That was there for the Saskatoon Hilltops.
00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:24.480
There's no question about it.
00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:30.959
But against a Regina team, you might need to spread out that defense a little more than than you had to against Edmonton.
00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:36.959
Yeah, the Regina Thunder, a 40-10 victory over the Calgary Colts in the PFC semifinals.
00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:40.000
So it is Regina and Saskatoon again, color me shocked.
00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:44.480
Um the interesting note about that is that that game's gonna be at Libel Field.
00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:51.439
So it's a little bit more intimate, a little bit more of a hostile environment because it's smaller, right, than uh than Mosaic Stadium.
00:04:51.519 --> 00:04:59.120
And the Regina Thunder took the season series against the Hilltops as well, September 26th, at home at SMF Field, the Thunder won 19-6.
00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:01.360
I checked this on a couple of different stats.
00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:06.240
Peter Borsch rushed for 337 yards in that football game.
00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:08.480
So you kind of know who Regina's got to be in the first time.
00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:11.680
36 carries for Borsch alone.
00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:12.560
Like that's insane.
00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:13.519
Yeah, absolutely.
00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:14.879
For 337 yards.
00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:16.800
So there's the first down every time you give them the ball.
00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:20.800
Yeah, September 12th, the uh Thunder beat the Hilltops 37 to 13.
00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:28.560
So the one game not so close, the one in Regina earlier in September, the one at home at Saskatoon Minor Football Field, uh a little bit closer.
00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.439
But again, yeah, it's you know, you could look at it two different ways, right?
00:05:31.600 --> 00:05:32.959
Third times the charm, maybe.
00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:38.800
And who knows, maybe that win against the Edmonton Wildcats was what the Huskies need or what the Hilltops needed to get going.
00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:39.920
You know, it's interesting.
00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:43.360
So that second game, September of the 26th, the score was 19-6.
00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:44.639
So that was a closer game.
00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:51.040
But in the 37-13 game, you know, it was Regina with 30 of their points in the second half of that game.
00:05:51.199 --> 00:06:06.720
So a bad second half, uh, obviously, yeah, when the opposing team's putting up 30 on you, but this is going to be really interesting now because you wonder about this hilltop team and just the guys who know how to win now, right?
00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:11.040
I mean, now you're going to presence even though it was only a four-and-four season.
00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:29.040
Now you wonder if sort of that that big play on special teams or another big defensive effort or something uh major happens on offense that that just kind of lifts you to some momentum in that in that because they'll need that against a very good Virginia team.
00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:31.279
And it is, it's just it's Saskatchewan football.
00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:31.519
Yep.
00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:31.839
Right?
00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:33.519
Like this is Saskatchewan football.
00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:36.000
We mentioned the 300 plus yards that Peter Borsch had.
00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:42.560
We mentioned the 200 plus rushing yards the Hilltops as a collective unit had um in their respective semifinals.
00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:49.120
Like Jaden Zillianka, the quarterback for the Thunder, only attempted 16 passes in that semifinal game against the Colts as well.
00:06:49.199 --> 00:06:52.720
So both of these teams opting to keep the football on the ground.
00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:55.040
Um and it's just Saskatchewan football.
00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:58.560
It's Hilltops football, it's what Sarge does, ground and pound.
00:06:59.199 --> 00:07:07.279
And it's funny because there's nothing surprising, there's nothing shocking about what's in the Hilltops playbook.
00:07:07.439 --> 00:07:10.399
I bet you what's in the Hilltops playbook are the same plays.
00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:19.519
Uh granted, Adam Adam was on the defensive side of the ball, but I bet you that offense from those three national championship is probably the same.
00:07:19.680 --> 00:07:19.839
Yeah.
00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:20.160
Right?
00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:21.439
So it is interesting.
00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:31.360
Um, but yeah, it could just be a good old-fashioned Saskatchewan October chili smash mouth football kind of game at Libelfill in Regina.
00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:35.439
It could be really low scoring, it could be really close, or it could be really high scoring.
00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:40.240
Um, I don't know if one of these two teams is gonna run away with the football game.
00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:47.680
Uh, I do think that uh a game of this magnitude will be close, and I do think that the Hilltops, you know, now they kind of have a little bit of confidence, right?
00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:49.519
So now they're starting to go a little bit.
00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:51.120
So it's gonna be interesting.
00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:55.439
Um I did mention the four interceptions that the Hilltops defense had.
00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:58.639
Carson Holcomb Holcomb had two of those interceptions.
00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:02.240
So uh a big day for the uh the Hilltops defense there.
00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:03.199
Going to be interesting.
00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:04.879
This is this is what you want, right?
00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:10.079
And you know, this is uh this is step one for Sarge, getting to the PFC final, right?
00:08:10.160 --> 00:08:14.800
So you're there, despite the fact you went four and four, you had your worst regular season in years.
00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:19.519
Yeah, you're in the PF PFC final and you have an opportunity to go to the national semifinal with a win.
00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:22.160
October 18th, 1 o'clock at Libel Field.
00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:31.920
And the reason for that is October 18th at 1 o'clock at Mosaic Stadium, the Saskatchewan Rough Riders will have their return matchup against the Montreal L OS.
00:08:32.159 --> 00:08:33.519
Is it the 17th or is it the 18th?
00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:36.240
I thought it was on the Sunday, Siddharth.
00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:36.960
No, it's on the Saturday.
00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:37.840
Oh, is that on the Sunday?
00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:38.960
Okay.
00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:42.080
Um, the Rough Riders now fighting for a crossover spot.
00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:42.960
Yeah, right?
00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.360
And that's what's what's interesting about that.
00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:53.279
Uh, Davis Alexander, 400 yards, five TD tosses, and a big 44-24 a win over the riders.
00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:59.759
And uh, you know, that is a good football team, but you can't give up, you know, the three big plays that were 40 plus through the air.
00:08:59.919 --> 00:09:06.240
I think one was down to the two-yard line, another two were for touchdowns, uh, one to Phil Pot and another one in the second half.
00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:07.039
To Rambo, yeah.
00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:08.639
Yeah, and you can't you can't do that.
00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:09.759
Well, and that's the thing.
00:09:09.840 --> 00:09:12.960
Like you talk about those touchdowns, like the two that we just mentioned.
00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:17.600
Okay, so the one to Philpot, a 46 yarder, the one to Rambo was a 51-yarder.
00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:18.159
Yeah, right.
00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:19.279
So that right there.
00:09:19.440 --> 00:09:20.879
Um, it is interesting, yeah.
00:09:20.960 --> 00:09:29.200
This defense just hasn't uh hasn't played up to I think the Corey Mace standard um during this this losing skid.
00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:32.879
Four in a row um that the Riders have have now dropped.
00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:37.840
You have two games left in the regular season, both at home, which is a positive, both at Mosaic.
00:09:38.159 --> 00:09:44.960
Uh despite all of that, despite the fact that the Riders are fighting for their playoff lives, yeah, um they do control their own destiny.
00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:48.799
So, you know, you do have that in your back pocket.
00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:59.120
Um, it will be interesting uh on this upcoming week against Montreal to see if Montreal rests anybody or if they wait until the final weekend of the regular season.
00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:01.840
But you go up against Montreal and you go up against Edmonton.
00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:08.080
So those are two tough, very tough matchups for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders, but you do control your own destiny.
00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:11.120
Um I thought there were some positives to take away from that game.
00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:12.879
Brad Lother was three for three, didn't it?
00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:13.919
Brad Lother was three for three.
00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:15.360
Keenan Schaefer Baker was good.
00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:15.519
Yeah.
00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:21.759
Granted, the one touchdown was in garbage time, but uh AJ Olette, we talked about it last week on the podcast, he has to get going.
00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:25.840
77 yards rushing as they kind of start to ramp him up as they come back from injuries.
00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:27.279
So that was good.
00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:31.679
And the riders were in this until midway through the third quarter.
00:10:31.759 --> 00:10:31.919
Yeah.
00:10:32.080 --> 00:10:32.240
Right?
00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:41.120
Like even when they came out of the out of the break, the riders go down on the opening possession of the second quarter, or second half, pardon me, the third quarter.
00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:45.840
They go down, they get the field goal, and now all of a sudden it's 17 to 16.
00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:52.080
So you're on the road in a hostile environment in Montreal, you're down 17 to 16, and you're kind of like, okay.
00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:52.960
Yep, right?
00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:57.360
This is you know, this this is this is doable.
00:10:57.519 --> 00:10:57.759
Yeah.
00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:00.159
The wheels just fell off.
00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:00.480
Yeah.
00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:01.440
So bad.
00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:02.080
Yeah, you're right.
00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:03.679
That is Saturday, October the 17th.
00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:05.440
Yeah, the Hill Toggle's the AD.
00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:05.759
That's right.
00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:08.639
But still, that yeah, Libel Field is uh is a tough place to play.
00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:10.720
But the Riders lost four straight.
00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:11.120
Yes.
00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:11.919
Eight and eight.
00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:12.639
So here's how it works.
00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:14.720
They're tied with Calgary at Winnipeg for points.
00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:17.600
If there is a three-way tie, by the way, Calgary's out.
00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:17.919
Yes.
00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:18.080
Yep.
00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:18.960
So we know that.
00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:23.360
But but but the Stampson Bombers do hold the tiebreakers over the Riders.
00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:23.679
Yes.
00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:25.279
So that's a little bit of a challenge.
00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:32.159
But uh yeah, defensive coordinator Joshua Bell uh and this team, they've got some things to figure out on the defensive side of the ball.
00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:35.840
So you they're just giving up way too many, way too many big plays.
00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:37.759
And you don't mean to single anybody out.
00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:47.759
There is one uh defensive back, uh not import in that secondary, uh, who was outed on more than one occasion for his play.
00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:52.799
And that you just you can't you can't give up three 40-yard plays plus in a game like that.
00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:53.840
It's just not on the road.
00:11:54.080 --> 00:11:56.960
But also you're not you're not getting pressure to the quarterback.
00:11:57.039 --> 00:12:05.120
You're not, I mean, you know, through 16 games, the Riders defense has given have given up the fifth most points in the CFL, the sixth most touchdowns.
00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:07.360
They have just 14 total takeaways.
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:10.000
So as a unit, yeah, that's not great either.
00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:14.240
I mean, you can single out players here and there, but as a unit, that's that's not great.
00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:23.519
You know, and we've seen this um now that the NFL is getting underway, we've seen this uh a couple of times in the NFL with some teams that are off to the slow some slow starts.
00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:28.159
But you wonder if maybe Corey Mace takes over play calling duties on the defensive side of the ball.
00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:29.519
On the defensive side of the ball.
00:12:30.080 --> 00:12:32.320
Well, you know, the magic last year, right?
00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:33.440
Right in the Great Cup run.
00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:33.759
Yeah.
00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:35.200
So you you gotta wonder.
00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:35.440
Yeah.
00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:35.759
Right?
00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:36.480
And I don't know.
00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:39.759
I don't have any sort of I don't have any sort of insider information.
00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:41.279
I just, you know, I have no idea.
00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:48.960
But the last time the Saskatchewan Rough Riders lost four in a row, you've got to go back to 2023 when they lost six in a row to close out the regular season.
00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:52.159
But it's hard to believe a team that was once, what was it, six and two?
00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:52.720
Yeah.
00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:54.639
Just on the verge of missing the playoffs.
00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:56.879
And I felt who do your Broncos have this week?
00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.120
Uh the Seattle Seahawks.
00:12:59.279 --> 00:12:59.919
Thursday nighter.
00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:00.720
Seattle, okay, yeah.
00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:05.440
Thursday nighters that will kick off week six, an elite uniform matchup, Ray.
00:13:05.840 --> 00:13:08.799
You'll love this, okay, because they're both wearing their throwback uniforms.
00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:09.279
There you go.
00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:20.559
So the Broncos with like kind of the orange and like kind of like the royal blue, okay, with the big orange D on the side of the head, and the Seahawks are kind of going back to whatever shade of blue you would call that.
00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:20.960
Yeah.
00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:22.720
From the 80s or 90s or whatever.
00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:25.440
The John L Way, we're not gonna look at that.
00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:26.480
So that'll be.
00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:28.960
Like my Falcons who lost, uh, they have the Bears.
00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:29.919
Yes, I think.
00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:30.720
So we'll see how that's.
00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:32.080
I can't believe they lost that, to be honest.
00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:35.279
But no, I can't either, but that's uh that's that.
00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:38.799
Um and we want to get to one more point before we get to our guest tonight.
00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:40.559
Um, hockey on Sportsnet.
00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:55.840
I've heard a lot of people talking to me about what is going on now that they can't just flip on the TV on any given night on Sportsnet and see if you wanted to see the Utah Mammoth play the Colorado Avalanche, it ain't happening anymore.
00:13:56.000 --> 00:14:01.279
So it's an interesting time with regards to SportsNet's deal that they've pulled the games off of CBC.
00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:06.720
And now with Sportsnet Plus and a new streaming deal with their partner at Amazon.
00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:11.519
Uh you you pay for everything now and you see a little less.
00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:21.120
Now, in Saskatchewan, we're actually fairly well positioned because SportsNet West gives us the Flames in the Euler games, and then TSN3 gives us the Jets games.
00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:27.840
So we do we do get those, but that said, there's not there isn't hockey on every night now.
00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:45.360
No, and it'll be interesting to see once the baseball playoffs are over, how many best of's and top moments and you know, mascot mishaps we're going to see on TV because of this new deal with uh with Rogers and the National Hockey League.
00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:50.639
Well, and it is funny because you know, you like your generation, people your age are just ticked right off about this.
00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:51.039
Yeah.
00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:52.080
They can't believe that.
00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:53.679
Well, I I get it.
00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:59.120
I mean, I grew up but you gotta remember I I grew up I grew up with hockey.
00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:01.519
Basically we had a Monday night and Saturday night, right?
00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:01.919
100%.
00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:03.759
So that that was it.
00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:07.039
But uh and no games on City TV anymore either.
00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:09.679
And that's sort of interesting on Roger's part as well.
00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:15.919
So they're really pulling away from the traditional media and uh making people pay for what they want to see.
00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:23.039
A standard plan for streaming service costs$29.99 a month uh or$249.99 a year.
00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.000
And that's why people that's why people are upset because we're just not used to it.
00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:27.919
And I wouldn't say it's just people my age.
00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:31.600
I think it's no, I just want to be like it's like what are we doing?
00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:42.320
Any chance, any chance on the Different Angles podcast that we can get to like um, you know, just show our viewers and our listeners how much of a difference in age, like how much older you are than me.
00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:43.360
I'm gonna take that opportunity.
00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:44.399
Oh, is that right?
00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.039
Yeah, okay.
00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:46.399
So just be ready for that.
00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:47.759
Okay, I will be ready for that.
00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:54.960
Yeah, you know, the other part of that too, though, 26 uh games on Amazon Prime this year, which I think is up a little bit from the past couple of years.
00:15:55.039 --> 00:16:00.960
They also moved uh the Amazon Prime Prime games from Mondays to Wednesdays.
00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:02.559
And I actually forgot about this.
00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:09.200
There was a big deal about this in the summer, but I actually forgot about this that Amazon Prime has uh rights for some of the playoff series as well.
00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:09.600
Oh, yeah.
00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:12.240
I totally forgot about that until I was I was doing some notes.
00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:20.799
Well, the CFL isn't going to or the CFL, the NHL isn't going to give that to uh, you know, if they can sell it, they're gonna sell it.
00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:21.120
Right.
00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:28.879
And so they're they're trying to get some of the money back from an$11.2 billion deal for the next two years.
00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:34.240
The deal that was signed in 2013, by the way, yeah, that deal was for about 5.2.
00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:41.600
So basically, Rogers has paid twice as much for NHL rights, and they need to get some of that money back, and this is how they think they're doing it.
00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:43.440
Do you know who Jonah Siegel is?
00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:43.919
Yes.
00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:45.919
Okay, so do you follow him on Twitter?
00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:46.960
Uh I may.
00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:50.960
Okay, so he had a tweet uh earlier this week.
00:16:51.200 --> 00:17:04.480
The first prime game of the year, which was between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders, just shy of one million viewers, which is the largest audience, uh, the largest live sporting event in Canadian sports streaming history.
00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:05.440
Streaming history, yeah.
00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:06.079
Streaming history.
00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:11.440
Yeah, because the Leafs draw about one traditionally they've drawn about 1.2 million per game.
00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.079
Yes.
00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.519
So on a stream, yeah.
00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:16.960
I mean, Leaf fans, that is a whole other level of fandom.
00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:17.279
Yes.
00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:19.279
Uh in Toronto, in the GTA.
00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.720
I know you're a Lee fan.
00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:23.680
Uh and that's and that's uh that's what leads to that.
00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:32.799
But it is, you know, it is interesting too, just from like um, okay, so the way that they structure it with all the streaming and stuff like that, that's one aspect of it.
00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:39.920
Yeah, but the programming that is with these broadcasts um isn't what it used to be either.
00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:43.200
No more after hours, uh, no more Coach's Corner.
00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:51.200
Now, Coach's Corner hasn't been around since 2019, but you know, some changes to who's on the panel um over the past couple of seasons, right?
00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:55.440
Kevin BXa um is great on the Sportsnet panel, Lazes Elliott Friedman.
00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:56.240
I love what they have going on.
00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:01.119
Colby Armstrong has been a welcome addition to the SportsNet panel, good Saskatchewan.
00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:10.720
Um, but it's just so interesting the difference in the accessibility between watching hockey in Canada and watching hockey in the US.
00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:20.799
Now, we don't get to see any of those NHL on TNT broadcasts, but you know, you got guys like Paul Bisnet on the panel, Wayne Gretzky's been on the panel, Anson Carter, right?
00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:26.799
Liam McHugh is their Henrik Lunquist, Liam McHugh is their uh their host, kind of a younger kind of guy.
00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:44.240
So it's just interesting that you know there's this whole comp topic of conversation around, oh, hockey's for everyone, and you know, hockey is one of the most you know accessible sports in the world, and we want to try to grow the game and all this sort of stuff, and you're charging people 35 bucks a month to uh to watch hockey.
00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:45.680
But that's not on the NHL.
00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:47.519
I know, right?
00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:48.079
You know what I mean?
00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:48.960
But I I I get it.
00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:51.119
By the way, Colby Armstrong said he will make it a lot of time.
00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:58.880
He's just gotta find uh a time uh that's I do I do like the Prime video production of the NHL.
00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:06.880
Now I already have Prime, so you know, and I I do think that a lot of people, regardless of their age, do have Prime, similar to how they have Netflix or what have you.
00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:21.519
Um if you wanted an Amazon Prime subscription, it's it's ten dollars a month, um, which could, you know, be considered steep if you want to just watch NHL, but um those NHL games on Prime do come with a a Prime subscription, which again a lot of people already have.
00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:27.200
But getting to my point, I do like um the production of the Amazon Prime games.
00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:36.160
I kind of like, and I don't know if I'm like alone in this, but I kind of like how um during warmups they just have like the rink.
00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:40.480
They just have the rink, they just have the warm-ups, they have the like the in-rink noise.
00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:41.200
Yeah, right.
00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:43.599
So you can hear the crowd, you can be there testing the cameras.
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:44.480
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:44.960
I don't know.
00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:46.000
I kind of like that, you know?
00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:47.039
It's like you're there.
00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:47.359
Yep.
00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:50.160
Because I'm not going to a Leafs game in Toronto anytime soon.
00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:52.079
I'll tell you, I'll tell you that much.
00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:54.240
But you are going to Mosaic on Saturday.
00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:55.519
I am going to Mosaic on Saturday.
00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:57.519
That's why you knew the game was Saturday, not Sunday.
00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:58.640
Well, yeah, sorry.
00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:01.279
So the game is Saturday, uh, that Rough Rider game.
00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:03.680
Uh, when we come back, we will talk more of football.
00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:11.920
Jordan Walls, the director of football operations for Saskatoon Minor Football, coming up next on the Different Angles Podcast.
00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:25.759
And we're back on the Different Angles Podcast from the Bamboo Shoots studios in downtown Saskatoon.
00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:27.920
Pleased to be joined by somebody you know really well, Matt.
00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:30.799
This is Jordan Walls, who's with Saskatoon Minor Football.
00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:31.680
How are you, Jordan?
00:20:31.920 --> 00:20:33.359
Thanks for joining us.
00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:35.680
Uh, thanks for having me on.
00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:37.119
I'm excited to talk some football.
00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:39.920
Yeah, director of football operations for SMF.
00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:46.400
And uh, you know, Matthew touched on this earlier, but I just wanted to get your take on uh football day in Saskatoon.
00:20:46.559 --> 00:21:02.000
It was about a week and a half ago, but uh it was uh it was a great success, uh culminating in a husky football game, but uh so many things going on there with regards to uh the women's flag games, the the younger players playing the high school game in the stadium.
00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:08.480
Uh maybe talk about the second annual event and how it went from the the Saskatoon minor footballs uh standpoint.
00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:12.799
Yeah, I think for us it was uh another successful event.
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:16.319
Um it's a big day for us having everything in one location.
00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:26.160
Uh we're we're used to doing Flag on Saturday and our tackle program on Sunday in the fall, so having it all going on at one time at one place is is awesome.
00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:28.799
You walk around and it's just non-stop football.
00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:32.160
Um kindergarten to grade 12 and NFL flag.
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:52.079
Uh, as you mentioned, our Toon Squad, female league on the turf and on the grass fields around the two KFL games, the high school game, uh, and then get to watch the Husky game at the end was was awesome, and it's cool to sit back once that day's over and look out on the field and you see a lot of the guys playing for the Huskies who were once playing on the field in the KFL or in the flag.
00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:58.160
So it was a neat day for us and always fun to work with Husky Athletics in the university and and get that thing rolling.
00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:01.359
It's been it's been awesome for two years, and I'm Sure, it'll it'll continue.
00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:12.400
You know, it is such an exciting time right now in Jordan, whether it'd be the high school games going on, University Junior, uh Rough Riders giving us a suspenseful finish here at the end of this year.
00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:24.799
Uh maybe just a word on on that from SMF's perspective and just the growth of the game in the province and in and around uh Saskatchewan's uh biggest city as well.
00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:25.920
Yeah, totally.
00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:33.759
I think uh when you look at it as a whole, you see uh a strong, powerful um product, and that's with the high school.
00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:44.400
Um, you know, everyone's kind of chasing two teams in BJM and Holy Cross and the 6A and 5A, but there's a lot of competitive football games going on right now um across the province.
00:22:44.559 --> 00:23:01.519
You see, even down in Regina, there's there's really competitive, and then you touched on it with the Hilltops, they uh everyone was kind of writing them off after four losses, and they kind of sent a a statement win out to the league there that you know they're they're still around, and and if I'm a vetting man, I would say they they probably come out on top this Sunday.
00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:04.559
But um, you know, I like it.
00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:06.160
I'm on the Hilltop through and through.
00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:11.839
So they've been in that spot before, and and and you know, I don't see a change in their playing some good ball right now.
00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:20.559
They found something in the last game there, and then Huskies are rolling first in the Canada West, and and it looks like you know they're gonna be RD Cup might be going through Saskatoon again.
00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:25.440
So um just awesome to see football in in Saskatchewan and Saskatoon in particular.
00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:29.119
We always punch above our weight, and uh it's an excited time right now.
00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:39.039
Well, it is interesting too, just on your note on the Hilltops, Jordan, it's uh it's very hard to beat the same team three times in one season, and that's what the Thunder are gonna have to do, right?
00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:40.160
So I think I'm with you.
00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:45.440
I think the Hilltops kind of figured something out uh against Edmonton uh this past weekend that they can use.
00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:49.519
Um, Jordan, you and I, you know, we're kind of roughly around the same age.
00:23:49.680 --> 00:23:51.759
So I don't know how it was for you growing up.
00:23:51.920 --> 00:24:07.200
I don't know if Ray just maybe shielded me from a bunch of like football programs, but it kind of seems like, you know, back in the day, the options for minor football in Saskatoon were kind of you know kinsmen, and then you go into high school and that sort of thing.
00:24:07.359 --> 00:24:22.240
So maybe just, and I know you touched on it a little bit, but um, maybe if you could just expand on how much football has actually grown in Saskatoon over the past number of years, maybe just go through some of the some of the programs that are available to the kids.
00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:24.480
Yeah, I think you know the growth of it.
00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:28.079
I look back when I was in high school 12-ish years ago now.
00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:30.559
Um, there was no spring football for us.
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:32.480
We went to football sass camps.
00:24:33.599 --> 00:24:34.319
Yeah, yeah.
00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:35.279
Absolutely.
00:24:35.599 --> 00:24:37.359
Feel old, but sometimes.
00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:44.960
Um but yeah, we went to football SaaS programs, tried to make the provincial team, and if that didn't work out, you kind of had the summer off for yourself.
00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:54.240
So I think a lot of us chose different sports as our main sport and and kind of fell kind of fell up into football, if you will.
00:24:54.400 --> 00:25:04.079
Um, where nowadays kids have so much exposure to football, whether it be flag, uh touch, tackle, whatever it is, and they're starting to choose football as their number one sport earlier.
00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:18.000
So for us to continually develop programming that we can get as many kids as possible exposed to football at a younger age, and and we're seeing it that especially in the women's side, we're seeing it where they're choosing flag football as their number one sport.
00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:29.440
But you know, we offer flag in the in the spring and the fall, and we got a number of tackle programs, whether it be our Sixes side in the spring or our our high school spring academy, uh, or the KFL in the fall.
00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:35.920
I think we're getting a lot of kids through the door and and playing football at an early age, and it's awesome to see them fall in love with the game that we all did.
00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:39.680
Well, yeah, that was the other thing I was gonna bring up is the uh Spring Academy.
00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:42.319
I absolutely love being a part of that every year.
00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:46.160
Uh, that was something that you guys kind of started during COVID, right?
00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:50.400
To give those kids at the time some sort of football to play.
00:25:50.480 --> 00:25:58.079
Um, maybe if you could just take us through the past couple of years and and what it's grown into and just how big that Spring Academy is.
00:25:58.400 --> 00:25:59.039
Yeah, for sure.
00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:05.680
I think uh the first year I coached, and it was actually the year high school football canceled during the pandemic.
00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:10.480
So um I wasn't employed with SMF at the time, but I I got asked to volunteer coach.
00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:15.119
So they decided that they were gonna do a grade nine to 12 citywide league draft.
00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:20.640
I think there were six teams, and uh they were gonna play around Robin's schedule and and kind of go off.
00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:28.559
There were a few logistical errors with COVID and you know, equal or social distancing and pods and this and that.
00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:39.920
So it was um it kind of got derailed as in the grand scheme of thing, but we still pulled it off and and played a couple full games, and prior to that it had only been uh kind of controlled scrimmage like things.
00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:45.759
So now we're including special teams, we're including um playoffs and finals and this and that.
00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:46.640
So it's grown.
00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:53.279
There's now six teams in the varsity age, which is 10-11, and then four teams in our U 16 program, which is grade 8-9.
00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:59.680
And uh it's it's crazy how kids buy into the color they get drafted by.
00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:01.440
Every team is named after a color.
00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:03.759
It's team blue, it's team red, it's team orange.
00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:05.920
And uh those kids really just buy into it.
00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:06.559
They love them.
00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:14.880
We got great coaches in there, and they provide a fun and exciting experience and and culture and and really just get those kids on the field buying into it.
00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:29.200
And it's uh yeah, it's a well-oiled machine right now, and that's a credit to to Brian and Chad for getting that rolling and the rest of us who are involved with it, um, from the trainers to the coaches to the refs, um, the video crew that we have, the social media that we have.
00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:39.680
It's it's uh it's pretty cool when you go to other camps around the province and you hear guys from the south talking about our North Sask Academy League and who's good and who's not, and it's it's pretty cool.
00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:43.839
So, Jordan, uh a question about flag football and its popularity.
00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:48.720
How has that worked its way into the Saskatoon Minor uh football programming?
00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:52.720
Now that it's an Olympic sport, you see a lot of excitement about that.
00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:55.920
You see women's flag football, which is awesome to see.
00:27:56.079 --> 00:28:05.519
Uh maybe just a word on um uh the emphasis that Saskatoon Minor football puts on flag and uh the evolution of that you've seen.
00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:11.279
Yeah, I think uh you know it's probably been four or five years now we switched to NFL flag model.
00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:14.319
So we get jerseys based on NFL teams.
00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:18.319
They send a package of a jersey, shorts, flags.
00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.559
Um, so kids are kind of getting into that and and really enjoying the NFL side of things.
00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:32.000
But I think it just flag football becoming more and more you know predominant in the football world with the NFL backing it and it's going to the Olympics and all this stuff.
00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:35.920
I think we're seeing more older kids play flag football.
00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:47.599
Whereas before it was our big ages were grade four or five, grade six, seven, and now some of our bigger conferences or leagues are the eight, nine, the ten, twelve on the female side and the male side.
00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:56.000
And you know, when when we were playing football, uh it was only tackle, and then when you were done and you had nothing else to do, you played flag football as an adult in rec.
00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:59.039
And now I think more and more kids are seeing flag football.
00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:08.319
It's a unique game, it's a different game, it's fast-paced, and uh a lot of kids are enjoying it, and and they really want to play flag year-round on top of some of the tackle stuff that they're doing.
00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:13.279
What are some of the other initiatives right now that Saskatoon Minor Football has on the goal?
00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:20.480
Yeah, we got uh our Toon Squad travel team, is uh the tryouts for that is starting up here on Sunday, the next two Sundays.
00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:23.359
So we're taking four teams down to Orlando, Florida.
00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:25.680
We play at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.
00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:28.640
It's it's one of the best run tournaments I've ever seen.
00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:33.599
There's over a thousand teams, it's nonstop football, uh, multiple different age groups.
00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:38.880
We take uh 16U and a 14U team, but it goes all the way down to like U5 there.
00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.519
It's crazy.
00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:40.880
It's it's the heart of football.
00:29:41.039 --> 00:29:42.799
So yeah, uh, that's a big one starting up.
00:29:42.880 --> 00:29:57.440
We got our Institute of Saskatchewan football is going into the third year now, so registration for that is open, and uh that's gonna start here, semester two for all the high school kids who want to continue playing football and also get their high school education through the DLC.
00:29:57.599 --> 00:30:02.319
I I did want to talk about that, Jordan, because I see you got the harvesters uh the sweater on there too.
00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:05.519
But you know, that is kind of a relatively new thing for you guys.
00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:11.519
As you mentioned, it's going into your third year and just a massive, massive undertaking, but it's been a huge success.
00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:17.119
So um a lot of people may not know about the ISF and and uh stuff like that.
00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:21.279
So why don't you just fill us in on everything ISF related?
00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:30.400
Yeah, so it's a program that we offer through the SAS DLC, the distance learning, um, where kids can come to SMF and use the indoor center during the morning.
00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:38.079
So they'll go through workouts, they'll go through position indies, they'll go through some team time, some scrimmage, kind of a variety of different things, Monday to Friday.
00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:48.640
And then in the afternoon, uh they head across the street to the to the French school and they uh they continue on with their classes in a classroom setting with the with the SAS DLT teachers sitting in there.
00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:50.720
So Brian's done a really good job with that.
00:30:50.799 --> 00:31:00.079
We kind of just get to sit back and and watch and enjoy it um as as him and the the teachers and the staff kind of take that on and and get these kids in.
00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:02.480
And you know, they're we've had nothing but good things.
00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:09.839
They got to go travel to Europe um last season, played two tackle football games as well as some flag football for our female athletes.
00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:20.880
So um it is a lot of a lot of kids on the field at one time in any given moment, but um, they're doing a bang up job over there of of getting them in and out and and providing a good experience for them.
00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:37.119
Well, and that uh teacherslash football staff roster, whatever you want to call it, uh for ISF, is just absolutely loaded with uh with good old football guys, hey, from from the it's a bit of a who's who.
00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:50.400
Um, obviously Scott Scott Hanseth is is probably the big name there with you know his legendary high school football career at Holy Cross and um the staff that we've compiled over there is is a good mix of you know veteran high school coaches.
00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:55.680
We got Everett Iverson, who's current receiver's coach on the on the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
00:31:55.839 --> 00:32:01.119
So there's uh a lot of eyes on it and and a lot of talented coaches uh on that staff for sure.
00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:03.759
Lane Bricksaw, an offensive line coach for the Huskies for years.
00:32:03.839 --> 00:32:05.200
Brett Thompson's been around forever.
00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:07.759
Tyler Beyer, um, you know, I'm gonna miss someone.
00:32:07.920 --> 00:32:09.039
Brent Keeler is another one.
00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:12.720
I'll shout out, make sure I shout out everyone before one of those guys gets mad at me.
00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:14.079
Yeah, there you go.
00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:14.960
That's good.
00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:23.279
Uh so Jordan, give us a website and give us uh the information you want people to know about Saskatoon Minor Football before we let you run here.
00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:27.599
Yeah, it's uh www.saskatoon minor football.com.
00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:31.039
Uh you can find all of our programming there under the programs tab.
00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:39.680
Uh at registration, the tab right now that's open is the Toon Squad uh travel team triouts that are happening Sunday, the next two Sundays, I guess.
00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:44.880
And then uh our spring 2027 programming will open January 1st.
00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:47.519
And that'll also be on the website under a registration tab.
00:32:47.680 --> 00:32:50.720
And we're looking forward to another jam-packed year of football.
00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:51.599
Great stuff.
00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:53.359
Uh we appreciate the time, Jordan.
00:32:53.519 --> 00:32:56.000
Thanks for joining us here on the Different Angles Podcast, sir.
00:32:56.319 --> 00:32:56.799
Right on.
00:32:56.960 --> 00:32:57.440
Thank you guys.
00:32:57.519 --> 00:32:57.920
Appreciate it.
00:32:58.000 --> 00:32:58.559
We'll talk soon.
00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:02.319
We'll take a break and return after this.
00:33:10.880 --> 00:33:14.720
Well, that was great of Jordan Walls to join us uh here on the Different Angles Podcast.
00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:17.039
Welcome back, Ray Morrison, uh Matt Morrison.
00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:20.319
You know it's the interview segment when we wear the big headphones, right?
00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:26.000
We should get like Sennheiser or Bose or somebody to Okay, but here's the other sponsor sponsor this segment here.
00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:32.240
There was when we were doing all the pre-production meetings for different angles, you know, in in the summertime.
00:33:32.400 --> 00:33:33.599
Just set those anywhere.
00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:39.440
Um in the summertime, you know, there was talk about uh what are the little tiny earpieces, the IBFs or whatever?
00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:39.759
Yeah.
00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:40.160
Yeah.
00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:41.599
I've always wanted to wear one of those.
00:33:41.680 --> 00:33:42.720
I have never got to wear one of those.
00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:43.279
Oh, really?
00:33:43.359 --> 00:33:43.759
An IFB?
00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:44.000
Yeah.
00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:45.039
IFB, there you go.
00:33:45.119 --> 00:33:45.839
Yeah, that's what it is.
00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:46.079
Yeah.
00:33:46.240 --> 00:33:46.480
Yeah.
00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:48.480
And I've never got to wear one, and I want to.
00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:49.359
So we should look.
00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:51.119
I would just feel like uh such a big deal.
00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:52.079
I've got an old one.
00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:53.519
I could have put it in your container here.
00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:54.079
Yeah.
00:33:54.160 --> 00:33:58.880
So for I wanted to bring this back out for everybody that is uh watching.
00:33:58.960 --> 00:34:02.799
Obviously, you'll see it's uh it's uh what is this, like a cookie sheet?
00:34:02.880 --> 00:34:04.160
Not a cookie sheet, a pan?
00:34:04.319 --> 00:34:04.400
Yeah.
00:34:04.559 --> 00:34:05.440
A Betty Crocker pan.
00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:09.280
A baking tray for for people that are listening to this.
00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:12.719
You brought back my my baking tray from Thanksgiving.
00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:14.719
And in return, we kind of traded.
00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:18.159
Because what did you forget at um my house?
00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:19.280
My wedding bed.
00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:22.480
I was doing dishes at the end of the night and I forgot my wedding ban.
00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:23.119
So there you go.
00:34:23.280 --> 00:34:23.679
So there you go.
00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:25.199
But no, it is great of Jordan to join us.
00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:29.840
And um, shout out to him, shout out to Brian Gieber, Chad Palmer, everybody involved with SMF.
00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:34.639
I'm I'm very fortunate to be uh the play-by-play voice of the Spring Academy.
00:34:34.800 --> 00:34:36.719
Yeah, and uh have started.
00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:37.199
It's awesome.
00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:38.480
Yeah, great guys to work with.
00:34:38.719 --> 00:34:54.000
It's great, great guys to work with, and uh it's so good also to see, you know, like if you look at the coaching staffs of these teams, um, you know, the head coaches are oftentimes former teachers, maybe former head coaches of uh their high school teams.
00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:54.400
Yeah.
00:34:54.639 --> 00:35:06.559
But a lot of the position coaches, a lot of the offensive coordinators, defensive coordinators are all kind of relatively younger guys that maybe just finished their playing career with the Hilltops or the Huskies or maybe in a different market.
00:35:06.639 --> 00:35:17.280
So it's just so great to see those those guys that maybe grew up and came through the SMF ranks, um, went on to play post-secondary or junior uh to give back to uh to football.
00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:19.039
That's that's the really cool part for me, right?
00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:26.239
So Yeah, the October 16th, 17th, 18th weekend is gonna be busy in and around Saskatoon on Friday, the 16th.
00:35:26.320 --> 00:35:29.840
Canada West women's hockey, the Manitoba Bison's in to take on the Huskies.
00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:35.199
That'll start at 7 o'clock, and then there's a Saturday game at 5 o'clock on the 17th.
00:35:35.280 --> 00:35:40.639
The Husky women's team, they opened the season with a 2-0 start after back-to-back wins over the dinos.
00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:44.400
So they come home for theirs for their home opener uh undefeated.
00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:49.840
Canada West Football Friday night, Manitoba Bison, Saskatchewan Huskies, 7 o'clock.
00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:56.960
And also on Saturday, the 17th, uh there's Western Hockey League play at Sass Hell Center.
00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:59.360
The Blades will be taking on the Moose Jaw Warriors.
00:35:59.440 --> 00:36:01.039
That'll be a 7 o'clock start as well.
00:36:01.199 --> 00:36:04.000
And then Highway 11's gonna be busy.
00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:05.440
Yeah, October the 18th.
00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:11.599
It'll be the Saskatoon Hilltops at the Regina Thunder, 1 o'clock Libel Field in the PFC final.
00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:20.639
We'll see if either the Hilltops bounce back from a four-and-four start to take the league title again, or if the first place Regina Thunder get the job done there.
00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:23.039
How good of a Saskatoon Blade's been this year.
00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:26.400
Another four-point weekend last weekend, right?
00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:29.519
They beat Regina, they beat Mustra, both provincial rivals.
00:36:29.679 --> 00:36:31.199
It always feels good to beat your provincial rival.
00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:33.519
Now it's not beating PA, but it still feels good.
00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:36.000
Um but it's good to get those division wins, right?
00:36:36.320 --> 00:36:37.920
Especially especially early in the season.
00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:41.920
And obviously, uh we had Dan da Silva on the previous episode of Different Angles.
00:36:42.559 --> 00:36:45.840
So um so in different angles is you know massive.
00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:46.320
Yep.
00:36:46.480 --> 00:36:50.800
Our trivia question can be who is the first guest in Different Angles podcast history.
00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:51.280
There you go.
00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:53.280
And it'll have been Blades coach Dan Da Silva.
00:36:53.360 --> 00:36:58.559
But great to see the Blades and and uh Coach Da Silva doing well with the uh in the Western Hockey League.
00:36:58.719 --> 00:37:00.159
I know it's early, but hopefully they can keep it up.
00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:04.000
Oh, by the way, there is also Husky Soccer on over at Griffith Stadium as well.
00:37:04.159 --> 00:37:08.159
The women's soccer team will host a pair of Alberta teams October 17th and 18th.
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:13.119
McEwen, uh, and then the Alberta Pandas on Sunday at 12 o'clock.
00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:15.760
And the reason I bring this up is it's supposed to be a really nice weekend.
00:37:15.840 --> 00:37:16.000
Yeah.
00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:22.719
And then the men's soccer team will face Mount Royal on Friday at 12 noon because the football game is Friday night at uh Griffith Stadium.
00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:28.000
And then on Sunday, the Calgary Dinos will take on the Husky Men's Soccer Squad at 2 30.
00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:31.519
So 17 degrees in Regina for Saturday in a couple days.
00:37:31.760 --> 00:37:32.400
Oh, is that right, eh?
00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:32.960
For the rider game.
00:37:33.119 --> 00:37:34.400
For the rider game that you're going down to.
00:37:34.559 --> 00:37:34.800
Yes.
00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:35.360
Okay.
00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:38.159
So uh yeah, let's hope that they win.
00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:41.599
Well, let's hope that when you report back, you have something positive to tell us.
00:37:42.239 --> 00:37:44.960
Well, we'll see, I think we will uh They're not making it very easy.
00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:46.079
Close the book.
00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:47.599
No, they're not helping, are they?
00:37:47.760 --> 00:37:51.760
We will close the book on this uh edition of the Different Angles podcast.
00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:52.320
Why?
00:37:54.719 --> 00:37:56.880
So long for the bamboo shooting studio.
