Rider Rumblings Ep 162: Pre-season evaluation
One down, one to go.
Article content
Article content
After the Saskatchewan Roughriders opened their CFL pre-season schedule on the weekend with a 15-9 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Green and White are now set to meet their Blue and Gold rivals in an exhibition rematch on Friday in Regina (7 p.m., CFL+) to wrap up training camp.
Article content
In Episode 162 of the Rider Rumblings podcast, Leader-Post sports editor Taylor Shire and columnist Darrell Davis recap their highlights of the first pre-season game while looking ahead to to rematch at Mosaic Stadium, with cutdown day looming.
Article content
From a standout performance from safety Jaxon Ford, to some solid return numbers from rookie Drae McCray, the duo also talks about what needs to improve for the Roughriders before Week 1 of the regular season.
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
These teens have been friends forever. Now they'll try to make the Mooseheads together
Social Sharing A few rounds after he was picked third overall in the recent QMJHL draft by the Halifax Mooseheads, defenceman Malik L'Italien was at the team's table speaking with one of the team's players. L'Italien was telling forward Shawn Carrier about how he'd love Halifax to draft a speedy forward from Montreal named Jayden Napon. As L'Italien made his case, he heard the name Jayden Napon announced over the loudspeakers. Excited, he spoke to the team officials. "I was just, like, so happy," said L'Italien. "I was like, 'Did you guys just draft him?' They didn't know he was my best friend." L'Italien and Napon, 16-year-olds who share the same birthday, first met more than a decade ago and are longtime best friends who have often played on the same teams. "I was so happy because the Mooseheads is the best organization and I knew I was back with Malik, so that's why now I'm working so hard to hopefully make the team next year," said Napon. The pair have chemistry from years of playing hockey together, but that bond was also built playing intense games of "mini sticks" indoors, where participants play on their knees and use tiny plastic hockey sticks. "We were kind of cheating," said Napon. "Me and Malik, we were putting ourselves together against his brother and another guy, so we were really strong." Birthday tradition The bond also came from sleepovers and hanging out together. Given the shared birthday, it's a tradition to celebrate at L'Italien's home and then at Napon's on the next day. This past season, Napon played midget AAA hockey for the Laval-Montréal Rousseau-Royal, while L'Italien played at Stanstead College, a Quebec prep school just north of the Vermont border. Napon, who is 5-10 and weighs 160 pounds, is a left winger who can score. L'Italien, who is 6-2 and 190 pounds, is an offensive defenceman comfortable anywhere on the ice. "He's dangerous, like, he moves so well and has a great shot," said Napon. While they can't be linemates, they'd love to be able to share the ice together with the Mooseheads. "I think we're a bit of a cheat code, I would say," said L'Italien. "And because we know each other … we know, like, the plays we're doing and stuff." While L'Italien is a lock to make the team, Napon, a fifth-round draft pick, has a tougher path forward. But the opportunity to again play on the same team as his best friend gives him extra motivation.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Shoppers are discovering once rare plants in local retailers in Canada
Plants that have colourful patterns that resemble paintings and even a starry sky were sold for hundreds of dollars during the pandemic houseplant boom. But amateur gardeners are finding that the Philodendron Pink Princess, Philodendron Ring of Fire and Monstera Thai Constellation are no longer hard to find in Canada. In fact, trips to local big-box retailers, grocery stores and nurseries are like treasure hunts for plant enthusiasts as they discover these non-traditional plants are sold for much lower prices today. This is a trend retailers and growers attribute to the continuing demand for unusual varieties. Rare plants in Canada: Genna Weber with spiritus-sancti Genna Weber holds one of her prized plants called the Philodendron spiritus-sancti, once considerd a 'holy grail' among plant enthusiasts. (Genna Weber) Because of the demand, these businesses found a way to mass produce them, which helped lower the prices. 'The plants that were rare and trendy during the pandemic are more mainstream now,' Justin Hancock, director of research and development for wholesale horticultural grower Costa Farms, said in a recent video interview with from Miami. Demand was a big factor in bringing in the non-traditional plants into Longo's stores, said Deb Craven, president at the Ontario grocery chain. 'I think what we noticed, especially during COVID, was that there was a demand for other types of plants and maybe plants that our guests wouldn't have been looking for in the past that they were starting to look for,' Craven said in a video interview from Ancaster, Ont. Rare plants in Canada: Philodendron Ring of Fire The Philodendron Ring of Fire is among the variegated plants that grew popular during the pandemic. (Home Depot) Pricey plant splurges Before the coveted plants started popping up at grocery stores, Pol Apiwong was among those who splurged on rare plants during the pandemic. Apiwong said he paid a grower in Thailand in 2021 around $400, excluding shipping, for a small Philodendron Spiritus Sancti, which was viewed as a 'holy grail' plant then. Before and during the pandemic, he said plant enthusiasts had to import rare plants or buy them from personal collectors or smaller plant shops. Four years after his big purchase, the Spiritus Sancti's price has plunged. The plant is currently sold out at the JOMO Studio plant shop in Toronto where Apiwong works as a manager. It has the price tag of $45 for the same size he paid the Thai grower. 'We continue to see excitement around new and unusual releases,' he said in a phone interview with 'People still want to buy something special.' Rare plants in Canada: Philodendron Spiritus Sancti Genna Weber won this small Philodendron Spiritus Sancti in a giveaway in 2022. She says the plant was selling for around $500 at that time. (Genna Weber) Genna Weber, a plant influencer with the handle Genna's Plants on Instagram and YouTube, recalled buying a small Philodendron Pink Princess for about $25 in 2019. Then during the pandemic, the houseplant market took off as lockdowns kept Canadians at home. At that time, these plants were tougher to find as demand was high, she said. Prices were often at least $100 for a small Pink Princess, which has splashes of bright pink foliage, and even a few hundred dollars for a large specimen during the pandemic. 'And now, you can basically pick them up in any garden centre or Canadian Tire for next to nothing, like under $20 for a plant,' Weber said in a recent video interview with from her plant-filled living room in Norwich, Ont. Weber significantly grew her collection during the pandemic to more than 200 plants today. 'And then the supply kind of caught up with the demand.' Rare plants in Canada: Philodendron Pink Princess Genna Weber, a plant influencer on Instagram and YouTube, holds a Philodendron Pink Princess. (Genna Weber) Mark Beaty, senior merchant of the garden department at The Home Depot, said interest has continued to grow. He noted 'an immediate positive' response, anecdotally, when the big-box chain started to sell a plant that has creamy white variegation that some say is reminiscent of a starry sky, called Thai Constellation, in March 2023 in Canada. 'Our customers see them trending on social platforms like Pinterest and are inspired to bring them into their homes,' he wrote in an email to 'Our associates see rare plants at trade shows and will send me photos, asking 'have you seen these?' which leads to me ensuring we eventually carry them in-store.' Why are prices down? The spike in demand for the trendy plants has led to producing and selling greater quantities of them, thereby reducing the price, said Julie Codere, lawn and garden category director at Rona. Despite plant sales cooling since the COVID-19 peak, she said the Canadian big-box retailer has seen 'steady purchases' of these unusual plants. 'Our 'trendier' plants usually sell quite fast as we have repeat customers that shop often and also employees that share on social media as well,' Codere wrote in an email to from Boucherville, Que., noting popular ones include a plant with golden-yellow leaves called Chameleon ZZ plant, another with splashes of cream, white and yellow on its narrow foliage called Pothos Variegated Amplissium, Monstera Thai Constellation and a plant with varying white variegation called Philodendron White Knight. Rare plants in Canada: Chameleon ZZ plant The Chameleon ZZ plant is among the popular plants at stores in Canada. (Rona) She said Rona discovers 'trending' plants by visiting trade shows as well as following blogs and plant groups on social media. 'Large producers have specialized teams of researchers and passionate growers that bring that new discovery to the market and we're able to sell it at a competitive price,' she wrote. Perhaps one of the best examples of a once-rare plant that has become widely available in Canada, the Monstera Thai Constellation is another plant whose price has plunged. It was harder to find several years ago, selling for three digits or more, depending on the seller and size. But the plant recently became more accessible. Costa Farms began to send shipments of the Thai Constellation to its partners including retailers in Canada just last year, Hancock said. He said it's difficult to propagate some plants like Thai Constellation by the tens of thousands through traditional cuttings, which are stems with nodes from which roots will grow. But his company found a partner that could more efficiently and affordably propagate the Thai Constellation through tissue culture, allowing Costa Farms to sell larger numbers of the plant at lower prices, Hancock said. Monstera Thai Constellation Monstera Thai Constellation has variegation that resembles a starry sky. (Home Depot) These are some of the formerly rare plants that are now accessible to the masses: Monstera Burle Marx Flame The Burle Marx Flame has lance-shaped leaves in its young form that become heart-shaped with slits resembling a flame when it matures, according to Costa Farms. Monstera Burle Marx Flame Monstera Burle Marx Flame has been mass produced. (Costa Farms) Epipremnum pinnatum Albo-Variegata Epipremnum pinnatum Albo-Variegata, or Albo Pothos, has cream and white patterns, with leaves fenestrating as it matures. Epipremnum pinnatum Albo-Variegata Epipremnum pinnatum Albo-Variegata is commonly sold at garden centres and local retailers.(JOMO Studio) Alocasia Frydek Variegated Alocasia Frydek Variegated is prized for its green velvet leaves with white and cream patterns. Rare plants in Canada: Alocasia Frydek Variegata Alocasia Frydek Variegata is also known as Variegated Alocasia Frydek or Alocasia micholitziana 'Maxkowskii Variegata.' (JOMO Studio) Alocasia Jacklyn Alocasia Jacklyn, or Alocasia tandurusa, has distinctive dark-veined, bright green, arrowhead-shaped and hairy leaves with striped stems. Rare plants in Canada The Alocasia Jacklyn has drawn buzz because of its distinctive foliage. (JOMO Studio) Philodendron Gloriosum Philodendron Gloriosum is a crawling plant — which means it grows horizontally — with heart-shaped velvety leaves. Rare plants in Canada: Philodendron Gloriosum Philodendron Gloriosum is a crawling plant native to South America. (JOMO Studio) Anthurium Crystallinum Velvety anthuriums such as Anthurium Crystallinum were on many pandemic plant parents' wish lists. The Crystallinum has dark green, heart-shaped leaves with contrasting white veins.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Montreal Roses star returns to roots with Ukraine call-up
Social Sharing It's been a dream season for Montreal Roses striker Tanya Boychuk. The team's co-captain scored the first goal in the franchise's history in the opening minutes of their first game. The 25-year-old has three goals and an assist so far in the Northern Super League's inaugural season, helping lift the Montreal squad to the top of the table. The Edmontonian's flair for finding the back of the net has not gone unnoticed. Ukraine's national program came calling and invited her to participate in a camp in Poland. For Boychuk, whose father, Vlodko, immigrated to Canada from Ukraine in the 1990s, it's a dream come true. "It's something that my family and I have been talking about since I was like three years old, playing in the backyard with my dad, but we never really acted on it," she said after a recent Roses practice session. WATCH | Tanya Boychuk on joining Ukrainian national team: Montreal Roses forward to join Ukrainian national team for friendly game in Poland 3 days ago Duration 0:48 Boychuk has played for Canada in the past. She was a big part of the U-20 CONCACAF Championships teams in 2018 and 2020, scoring five goals in eight games. The senior national team also called her up in 2022. Boychuk says she's not turning her back on Canada, but in the current context, accepting Ukraine's invitation was a no-brainer. "Ever since the war restarted, it's just been one of my goals to represent the country and be able to wear that badge," she said. "I'm doing what I felt was right for my heart." Boychuk still has lots of family members in Ukraine, and more, still, in Poland. They were displaced as soon as Russia's invasion began in 2022. Boychuk says the war is never far from her thoughts. "It's really hard because obviously the worst is still happening. Just a couple days ago, there were more bombs in the capital," she said. Boychuk said her family lives in a little village and "they're safe right now." "Every morning, my family and I wake up and we cross our fingers that they didn't bomb our family's village." Deep roots Boychuk's Ukrainian roots run deep. She was born and raised in Edmonton, but the language spoken around the kitchen table was Ukrainian. She went to Ukrainian school on Saturdays to learn about culture and history, practised traditional Ukrainian dancing and was involved with a Ukrainian youth group. Soon after Russia invaded the country, her mother quit her job to devote herself to her role as the president of the Alberta branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. Orysia Boychuk says watching the war unfold, and the toll it is taking on Ukrainians still in the country, is heavy. "It's very challenging. It's hard to listen, to watch," she said, her voice catching. "But we do what we can and we find that space where we can give and support." Orysia said she's overwhelmed with pride and gratitude for her daughter's decision. "To see young people like Tanya carrying this, the Ukrainian spirit, the pride and the strength onto the international stage — you know, what more can I ask for? It's very special and very emotional." Boychuk's teammates fully support decision For any player in the NSL, national team call-ups are to be celebrated. Canada has sprinkled a few young players on its roster in its past few games. Boychuk's Roses teammates will be cheering her on. "It was awesome," she said smiling when asked about their reaction. "It wasn't an easy choice, but it was the best choice for her," he said. "I'm very happy for her and I'm sure she'll have an impact." Boychuk could see action in a friendly match on Friday, June 27, as Ukraine will play Poland in Mielec, Poland. The Ukrainians didn't qualify for the last World Cup, but Boychuk hopes she can play a part in helping the country make the 2027 version in Brazil.
