Nine and Nine is a No No

Saskatchewan Roughrider fans can be forgiven if they cringe when they are confronted with the possibility of another nine and nine record for their beloved Green and White this year.If that in fact does happen it would be a record setting fourth year in a row that this team managed to frustrate their loyal supporters with a mediocre regular season performance.

The Riders have finished at nine and nine an unbelievable six times since they compiled an 11-7 record in 1988 and of course the pundits who point out that the regular season record means nothing as long as you make the playoffs point to the fact their beloved Roughriders finished third at nine and nine in 1989 he year they won their second Grey Cup.

The reason that the previous regime of Shivers and Barrett was turfed was because of the three consecutive nine and nine seasons and Tillman and Austin were brought in to set new higher standards. However in reality when you look at the schedule nine and nine to some of the wise is viewed upon as a very distinct possibility.

The Alouettes since coming back into the league in 1997 have owned this team having beaten them eighteen times in twenty meetings with the only Saskatchewan victories occurring in Montreal in 2001 when the Green Machine came out on the long end of a dull defensive struggle 13-7. The other victory was in the friendly confines of the then Taylor Feild in 2004 when the Riders won a thriller 35-19. and this is the team Saskatchewan open up against this year on the road at Molson Stadium on June 29th.

Then its those two Western teams that are expected to be one and two in the Western Division this year Calgary and BC at home with the Stampeders here on Sunday July 8th at five pm. followed five days later on the Friday the 13th with Dave Dickenson and the Leos the defending Grey Cup champions providing the opposition and most agree for the Riders rebuilt secondary these three contests will be an acid test .

The following two weekends the hated and rebuilt and reorganized Eskimos provide the opposition with the first encounter in the Alberta capital on Friday July 20th and then back at Mosaic Stadium on the 28th. The hideous part of this Eskimo scenario is that two weeks later they return to Regina on the 18of August so the Riders and Eskimos who most feel will befighting it out for the third and final playoff spot in the west play three times in a four week period and there are many critics out there who feel that Ricky Ray the igloo dwellers signal caller is the best field general and pure passer in the entire league.

In between the second and third Eskimo matchup the Riders are on the road in BC and Toronto.So the first eight games for this years edition are to say the least very key in determining their ultimate finish.

The Riders get a bye as do all the Western teams after the 18th of August.in preparation for the second half of the schedule which begins on the Labour day weekend.and of course the Bombers will be hereon Labour day with the return match in Winnpeg one week later and this years contests between theRiders and Bombers should be like a civil war with no less than six ex Riders toilingfor the Blue and Gold.

The Rider record prior to Labour day has been terrible in recent years as since 1978 the Saskatchewan crew the Riders have had a winning record on only eight occasions the last two being in 2002 when they were six and four and 2003when they were six and five.So if this is to improve it is a must that they get off to a good start such as wining two of their first three.

The Riders play four at home and four on the road in the first Eight with the remaining ten game split evenly between home and away.

The Riders journey to Calgary in mid September after there game against the Bombers and then wind up the month withtwo critical encounters at home against BC and Montreal.

To open October on Thanksgiving day they again journey to he cowtown for a second meeting with the Stampeders in three weeks and then its back to back encounters with the Ti-Cats and then off to Edmonton againfor their fourth contest of the season against the northern Albertacrew and finally they wind up the season at home with a rare early November game against the Argonauts.

Any way you look at it this team must be focused and committed right from the start in order to avoid falling victim again to a losing record by Labour Day and therefore avoid having to scramble in the second half of the schedule.to attain a playoff spot.

The fact remains another nine and nine record will turn the fans off in larger numbers.than before.