Randy Ambrosie optimistic about 2021

[B.C.FAN]

The Edmonton Elks held their first full practice Thursday with 11 players still in COVID protocols.

The postponed Elks-Argos game has been rescheduled for Nov. 16 in Toronto. Edmonton and Saskatchewan have also swapped home dates in their back-to-back series Nov. 5 and 13. That means Edmonton will end their season with 3 road games in 7 days, Nov. 13 in Regina, Nov. 16 in Toronto and Nov. 19 in B.C. If playoff positions are on the line, a road-weary, banged-up Elks team will be at a big disadvantage.

[Hambone]

If playoff positions are on the line, a road-weary, banged-up Elks team will be at a big disadvantage.

Gee that's too bad.

[Sir Purrcival]

Sometimes there are events that transcend the sport and although I am certainly no fan of either the Elks or their fans, it does sadden me that this virus is still getting in the way of having a normal life. It is times like this that all of us have to reach as deep as we can and remember that we are all part of a community despite our differences. When I see protestors at hospitals, or see our democratic process so wrapped up in hatred and anger that regular people, good people are afraid to express their voice out of fear of repercussions, I wonder where we went off the path. I am just a single, somewhat maudlin voice on this forum but I have faith in this community to see the long view and not only here but in our everyday lives. The CFL is just a microcosm of our world. It must embody the spirit of sportsmanship and civility, especially when it seems that some of those things are in short supply everywhere else. I am grateful that they have managed to reschedule the games and without a doubt those players and their team have an uphill battle. I hope that whatever the outcome for them that they meet that challenge well and win or lose, I will rejoice in their ability to play and hope that for the rest of this season that their are no repeats of what happened to them.

[BC 1988]

The Edmonton Elks held their first full practice Thursday with 11 players still in COVID protocols.

The postponed Elks-Argos game has been rescheduled for Nov. 16 in Toronto. Edmonton and Saskatchewan have also swapped home dates in their back-to-back series Nov. 5 and 13. That means Edmonton will end their season with 3 road games in 7 days, Nov. 13 in Regina, Nov. 16 in Toronto and Nov. 19 in B.C. If playoff positions are on the line, a road-weary, banged-up Elks team will be at a big disadvantage.

Interesting to see what the process was to arrive at this solution (rather than just doing the forfeit L for EDM) .

CFL basher Arash Madani ranting about it on Rintoul & Surman (about the disregard for safety aspects by playing 3 road games in 7 days.)

If they get any more of these, they will quickly have no leeway to reschedule.

[DanoT]

The 5 extra roster spots will be a help for tired players, but only 2 days off including travel days is tough.

Back in the 60s (and 70s?) the teams made a 2 game western or eastern road trip but it usually meant 3 days between games so Sat. at home, then Wed. and Sun. away games.

Smaller rosters back then, smaller players too.

[BC 1988]

https://www.cp24.com/news/alberta-s-ken ... -1.5604395
Sobering news, particularly this as it relates to attendance at Alberta sports events:

In recent days, the Alberta Medical Association and infectious disease specialists have said the only solution to the COVID-19 crisis is to immediately shut down schools, businesses and attendance at sports events - but with full compensation.

Makes it fortunate the league was able to get half the season done with at least partial attendance. "Full compensation" is an interesting concept.

[TheLionKing]

Jason Kenney and his party should be turfed out of office for the way they handled the pandemic. Opening up the province early just for political expediency. Even with the surging rise in Covid, he is still refusing to implement restrictions.

[Hambone]

Jason Kenney and his party should be turfed out of office for the way they handled the pandemic. Opening up the province early just for political expediency. Even with the surging rise in Covid, he is still refusing to implement restrictions.

On a per capita basis Saskatchewan has been showing case and death rates every bit as bad as Alberta in recent days. That should probably be no surprise given they are dead last of the 10 Provinces and 3 Territories in vaccination rates in the country and have been for 2 months now. Alberta had consistently been #12 but recently have been showing a significant surge in vaccination rates. BC is ranked somewhere around 7th or 8th with 89.046% of 12+ having received at least 1 dose and 81.636% being fully vaccinated. Saskatchewan on the other hand is showing 79.264% of 12+ with one shot and finally cracked the 70% barrier of fully vaccinated about a week ago. They are now at 70.706% fully vaxxed. SK has just paused their organ donor program due to lack of ICU beds due to Covid. On Thursday they confirmed 60 of the 84 ICU patients in the province are Covid patients.

[Sir Purrcival]

As much as I think Kenney is due criticism for his handling of the pandemic, it bears saying that his actions and those of other political personalities who have let ideology get in the way of good judgement are only really a symptom. The raw truth is that Albertan's or anyone else could have easily done all the things that the scientific community has recommended on their own volition. If politicians are guilty of anything it is pandering to groups of self indulgent, entitled, dare I say spoiled populations who somehow believe that their "rights" include doing any damn thing they please without regard for the rest. We hear cries of totalitarianism, big brother, analogies to the holocaust and frankly I don't think that most of those who make these kinds of analogies would know what hit them if they were ever subject to such conditions.

I would love for things to go back to the way they were as I'm sure most of us would but I would never think to discard good common sense and informed decision making for the sake of wishful thinking or wild, unsupported claims from "some guy" on twitter. That is not the UCP's (or any political party's) sin to bear alone. It falls on the shoulders of anyone who has actively taken steps to avoid doing things that could have helped through this crisis. Anti Vax health care workers who deal with fragile populations and who literally make their living via the field of medicine should be ashamed of their fear mongering. Doctors prescribing unorthodox treatments in contradiction of established medical wisdom have violated their most basic oath's to "Do no harm". Religious leaders who seem more concerned with the sustainment of their little fiefdoms rather than be a conduit for good, sound advice are a plague on the faiths that they purport to cherish so deeply.

No, the reality is that politicians largely reflect the values of the population that elect them. So while you can take whatever potshots you want at any political leader, it bears remembering that you mostly get what you vote for. In Kenny's case, he wasn't a big mystery. Even his election was tainted with accusations of misdeeds. It didn't matter to the bulk of the voting public in Alberta. He was the man. In short, like many things in life, you reap what you sow. I still see people travelling for the sake travelling. I know people who have actively lied about their need to not wear a mask in public settings. I am ashamed to say that I even have a relative that has feigned a hearing impairment so he doesn't have to respond to people who have asked him to wear a mask. As a member of the human species, it is an embarrassment to see how many are making choices that seem to not only disavow the current situation but actively make efforts to sabotage others trying to deal with it as best they can.

[Gridiron Ernie]

As much as I think Kenney is due criticism for his handling of the pandemic, it bears saying that his actions and those of other political personalities who have let ideology get in the way of good judgement are only really a symptom. The raw truth is that Albertan's or anyone else could have easily done all the things that the scientific community has recommended on their own volition. If politicians are guilty of anything it is pandering to groups of self indulgent, entitled, dare I say spoiled populations who somehow believe that their "rights" include doing any damn thing they please without regard for the rest. We hear cries of totalitarianism, big brother, analogies to the holocaust and frankly I don't think that most of those who make these kinds of analogies would know what hit them if they were ever subject to such conditions.

I would love for things to go back to the way they were as I'm sure most of us would but I would never think to discard good common sense and informed decision making for the sake of wishful thinking or wild, unsupported claims from "some guy" on twitter. That is not the UCP's (or any political party's) sin to bear alone. It falls on the shoulders of anyone who has actively taken steps to avoid doing things that could have helped through this crisis. Anti Vax health care workers who deal with fragile populations and who literally make their living via the field of medicine should be ashamed of their fear mongering. Doctors prescribing unorthodox treatments in contradiction of established medical wisdom have violated their most basic oath's to "Do no harm". Religious leaders who seem more concerned with the sustainment of their little fiefdoms rather than be a conduit for good, sound advice are a plague on the faiths that they purport to cherish so deeply.

No, the reality is that politicians largely reflect the values of the population that elect them. So while you can take whatever potshots you want at any political leader, it bears remembering that you mostly get what you vote for. In Kenny's case, he wasn't a big mystery. Even his election was tainted with accusations of misdeeds. It didn't matter to the bulk of the voting public in Alberta. He was the man. In short, like many things in life, you reap what you sow. I still see people travelling for the sake travelling. I know people who have actively lied about their need to not wear a mask in public settings. I am ashamed to say that I even have a relative that has feigned a hearing impairment so he doesn't have to respond to people who have asked him to wear a mask. As a member of the human species, it is an embarrassment to see how many are making choices that seem to not only disavow the current situation but actively make efforts to sabotage others trying to deal with it as best they can.

Sound thoughts, well said, Sir Purrcival. Appreciated. And I'll say, Kenney gets no respect from me, IMO he's wrong-headed, and has mishandled things badly. Yet while it's true the folks that elected him are in part responsible for that (and for their own actions and attitudes, for sure), I'll quickly add that only 54% of the popular vote went his way. There's a lot of Albertans (a few of which I know personally) who are suffering under the current government there that wanted none of it. A good portion. And I feel for them. But I hear you. It's a real sad story. As it is in Saskatchewan currently.