Isaac Simon, Saskatchewan Rattlers Guard | Good Sports EP3

Welcome to Good Sports! Sit down with Ryan Flaherty as he discusses this week in Saskatoon's exciting sports scene! Our feature interview for episode 3 is Saskatchewan Rattlers and Alberta Golden Bears guard, Isaac Simon!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Whatever makes you happy, what gets you out of bend,
whatever kicks the top website, you'll join in instead of
victorious day dream Don's Glory of Fame by me all

(00:26):
on the same team is the name of the game.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Oh there is that beautiful theme song. Thank you Sean
Carpinka as always for your contribution to this show. This
is Good Sports. Welcome to episode three. Very excited to
bring you this week's episode. I'm excited to bring you
every week's episode because I'm always excited about our guest.

Speaker 3 (00:53):
We have got one of the.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Saskatchewan Rattlers joining us this week on the show, the
only player the entire Canadian Elite Basketball League from Saskatchewan,
Regina's own Isaac Simon. Third year in the league, third
year with the Rattlers, also a member of the University
of Alberta Golden Bears. So Isaac will be joining me

(01:15):
here in just a few short minutes time. So please
hope you're locked and loaded for that, whether you're a
basketball fan or not. A great conversation with Isaac, so
looking forward to that. Coming up in the show. You
might notice got some new here's my Oh yeah, here
we go.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Uh huh, huh.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
Look that some new items for our set here that
is ever changing. I don't have I don't take a picture,
so I sometimes put the shirts in different places, so
it's always in flux. But I'm also always trying to
add to it. And very thankful to the Saskatoon Berries
for donating a donating some items this week. So Heather

(02:00):
Barry over at the Barris. Thank you to Heather and
the entire Saskatoon Barry's organization. No truth to the rumor
that Heather was hired just because her last name is Barry.
She just really good at her job you over in
the marketing department there. So thanks to Heather, a longtime friend.

Speaker 3 (02:16):
Of the show.

Speaker 2 (02:17):
And yes, we got our we got our a little pennant,
we got a foamy We've even got a little a
little Barry Bear right over here. He's hanging out next
to pok check check. You can't really see in that
that shot. But so as always, if you if you've
got any local sports memorabilia past or present, especially past,
actually to be perfectly honest, because we're kind of sad.
We got blades, we got rushed, we got rattlers. We're

(02:38):
always looking to add some new stuff. To the mix,
whether it's from a team that currently exists or maybe
one that previously existed as well.

Speaker 3 (02:46):
Of good word that.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
We might be adding a Saskatoon slam piece to the
wall here before too long. So if you got something
like that that's just kind of sitting in a box
somewhere and you want to maybe see it featured here,
let us know, send us a message, uh and comment
maybe below on YouTube. Hey I've got I've got a pennant,

(03:08):
or I've got a bobblehead or I've got a hat.

Speaker 3 (03:11):
I don't have anything to I don't need in my
house right now.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
We can always give it back to you, or you
can just donate it permanently to the collection. Either way,
we would love to continue adding. Let's just keep adding
until like you can hardly see me, you know, just
pile up things. So I'm just like, eh, just trying
to do the show over a giant pile of local
sports memorabilia.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
And then maybe we'll just go to a collectors show
and see if we can get some money for it. No,
absolutely not, so thank you to the Berries for that.
And yes, comment here on YouTube, or you can send
us a message at good Sports three oh six is
our handle on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at good

(03:52):
Sports zero six on x as well, although to be
very honest, don't really use that account very much. The
primary show account is the Instagram. We might expand to
some other platforms as well, but I'm an old man
and I can only muster one or two at a time.

Speaker 3 (04:08):
So that's that's that. Of course, we're.

Speaker 2 (04:11):
Right here on the Dufferent Avenue Media Network YouTube channel
uh and that's where you can find all the episodes
of the show right here. This week I mentioned we
got Isaac Simon on the show, but of course before
we get to Isaac, it's time for what's going on?

(04:42):
All right, and to begin what's going on? I love that.
That's that's great. We'll stick with the saxtude Berries because
they're off and running off and hitting off and fielding.
They're doing all those things. Their season is officially underway,
kicked off late last week as they they lost their
first game of the season, but as of recording here

(05:03):
on this Wednesday night, they have not lost again. They
rattled off four straight victories following that season opening loss,
and they're currently as we record this episode, hosting the
Fort McMurray Giants for the second night in a row
after beating them five to three on Tuesday. Berries will
then have an off day I believe on Thursday, if

(05:27):
I'm not mistaken, and then they're head eight on the
road for the weekend. They're going to visit Moose Jaw
and then face the Swift Current fifty sevens twice before
coming back home an off day on Monday, and then
they will host the Medicine Hat Mavericks, a team that
is very near and dear to my heart because I
once lived there and covered the Mavericks for three years,

(05:50):
including a WCBL championship. They will host the Mavericks in
next week Tuesday and Wednesday at next Gen Patch at
Karen's Field. So that's what's coming up for the Barris.
Off to a four and one start as of this recording,
and again coming off a pretty impressive freshman campaign their

(06:11):
inaugural season in the WCBL, winning thirty one games out
of fifty six and going to the league semi finals.
So very exciting, and they've off to this four and
one start without their best player, last year's WCBL Rookie
of the Year, Carter Beck, who will be back in
the lineup very soon. I am told if he's not

(06:32):
making his season debut as we record this episode, it'll
be very soon thereafter. And I mentioned Carter Beck because
he will be our guest next week right here on
the show. Carter back from the Saskatoon Berry's gonna be
on episode four. So there's a little tease. You don't
want to miss that. So that's what's going on with
the Barries. Next up, a very exciting item about our

(06:55):
guest from last week's show. Gauge Grassik just adding another
impressive award to her already jam packed trophy case. People
even have actual trophy cases.

Speaker 3 (07:08):
I don't know, but.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
Wherever she keeps these things, she's probably got to add
some space because she is now officially the U Sports
Female Athlete of the Year. Yes, congratulations to Gauge. She
got the good sports bump. Of course, that is across
all sports in Canadian university sport.

Speaker 4 (07:29):
She was the.

Speaker 2 (07:30):
Canada West nominee as the Female Athlete of the Year.
In the Canada West Conference, there is one female one
male athlete nominated from each of the four conferences. Then
they all go to a big event. It was in
I believe Collingwood, Ontario over the last couple of days
where U Sports has their annual conferences and things like that,

(07:51):
and they it was on just a day or two
ago that they officially announced Gage had won the awards.
So just another impressive addition to her resume. Along with
being the U Sports Women's Basketball Player of the Year
this past season. Of course, she was the Huskies Female
Athlete of the Year. On and on and on the

(08:11):
list goes on. What a year for Gauge Grassic. We
were so fortunate to have her with us last week
here on the show. Been seeing a ton of traffic
on the shorts that have been pushed out here by
our dufferin Avenue folks here and also the ones I've
been sending out on the Good Sports Instagram. So thanks
for engaging with that content. Hope you hope you followed

(08:34):
up and watch the whole interview. That's my hope. But
either way, congratulations to Gauge Grashic. Who knows what's next
for her in the awards department, but one more big
season coming up with the Huskies and the rest of
the league, the rest of the nations on notice as
the Dogs are going to try to run it back
with their top player, the best player in the country
at the helm.

Speaker 3 (08:56):
So that's what's going on with Gauge Graphic.

Speaker 2 (08:58):
How about the Saskatoon Valkyries, Western Women's Canadian Football League
team from right here in the Bridge City. They have
been the juggernaut of that league pretty much since its inception,
and they are having another very good start to their year,
which is it's hard to say start because it's such
a short season. It's a four game season and then

(09:19):
you're into the playoffs. But the Valkyries are three and
oh now after shutting out their arch rivals, the Regina
Riot down in the Queen City last weekend at Libel Field.
So with that victory, the Valkyries are three and oh.
It also means they have clinched first place in the

(09:41):
East Division of the six team WWCFL, and that means
that they will host the East Division or Eastern Conference Final.
That game will be on June twenty first at SMF Field.
Check their website for the actual time of that game,
although I'm going to guess one o'clock. Don't take my
word on it. They'll look that up. The championship game

(10:05):
in the league this year is gonna be somewhere in Alberta,
so that conference final will be their last home game,
the last time to see them here in Saskatoon. There
is one other opportunity though, and it is this weekend
when they close out their regular season schedule at home
against the Manitoba Fearless. They went out to Winnipeg a
couple weeks back and beat the Fearless. I believe the

(10:26):
score was twenty six to two, and so they will
look to cap off an undefeated regular season. That game
is on Sunday, June eighth, at one o'clock at SMF Field,
so get on out. It's also their alumni game, so
there's gonna be a lot of former Valkyries around them.
Then there's usually are at their home games, but it's

(10:46):
a special game to honor all their alumni because this
team has been around long enough now that there is
really a healthy contingent of alumni, which is really cool
to see because it means that women's tackle football is
alive and well and has been for well over a
decade now in Western Canada. So it's still a league
that is pretty much entirely volunteer powered and driven and

(11:10):
the players. Of course, most of them are all either
in school or have day jobs, so they really put
in a lot of time and commitment to playing in
the league, and so they deserve a good crowd at
their games. So this Sunday, June eighth, final regular season
game against Manitoba and then June twenty first opponent TBD.
It'll be either Manitoba or Regina because they will play

(11:30):
in a two three game the prior week while the
Valkyries put their feet up and get some time off
before hosting that conference final.

Speaker 3 (11:37):
So Valkyries, those are your dates to keep an eye on.

Speaker 2 (11:41):
That's what's going on with them. Let's move on to lacrosse.
The Saskatchewan Junior A Swat had a tough weekend at
home over the last weekend, albeit a lot of encouraging
signs for a team that has not won a game
official game, a game in the run of play at
leads least since May twenty ninth, twenty twenty two. That

(12:04):
is correct, You heard that correctly. It has been over
three years since the Swat won a Junior A game.
They had a couple that they were awarded by default
because of ineligible player usage. In that intervening time. But
in terms of games played on the floor, they haven't
won one since May twenty ninth of twenty twenty two,
and they have been rebuilding sort of their talent pool

(12:27):
in the last few years. This year's squad is certainly
the best one they've had for quite a long time,
but they just quite haven't yet been able to get
over the hump and get that w Three pretty closely
played games against the Edmonton Miners here in Saskatoon over
the weekend at Gordi how Kinsman Arena. They lost by
scores of twelve ten, thirteen to eight, and seven to one.

(12:49):
The thirteen to eight game they were within two until
about five minutes left, and the seven to one game
is was a lot closer than that score would suggest.
They just ran up against a very very hot goalie
tied In Redlick, who is a draft pick of the
San Diego Seals of the National Lacrosse League. He was
stopping pretty much everything they didn't score on until he
was about six minutes left in the game, so they

(13:11):
denied him of the very very ultra rare lacrosse shutout.

Speaker 3 (13:15):
But still it was.

Speaker 2 (13:17):
It was a well played game that the Miners along
with the other two Alberta teams in the Rocky Mountain
League at the Junior A level, the Mounties and the Raiders,
they just have a deeper talent pool to draw from
and the SWAT they're are working their way back, but
it's still still some painful lessons to come as they
try to get back into that win column. They will

(13:38):
try to do that again this weekend, albeit on the
road with two games. They are visiting the Mounties in
Calgary on Saturday and then the Yokatok's Raiders on Sunday.
They have just two more home games left on their schedule.
Those will be in a couple of weeks time against
the Raiders.

Speaker 3 (13:54):
So that's what's going on with the Junior A SWAT.

Speaker 2 (13:57):
Let's move on one final item here in what's going on,
it is about the track and field. The track and
the field, they put them together. It's called track and field.
The Saskatoons Secondary Schools Athletic Director at AKA the Triple SAD,
held its city Championships last week at the great new

(14:17):
facility out at Gordy House Sports Complex and just wanted
to kind of run down the team winners because obviously
there are one hundred and ten events that I would
be here all night or all day if I was
going to tell you who won everything. But just from
a team perspective, there are three age categories, Intermediate, junior,
and senior. We'll start with the girls, the Saint Joseph

(14:39):
Guardians taking the girls intermediate title. The girls junior and
senior titles both were won by the Holy Cross Crusaders.
On the boy's side, the intermediate title went to the
Walter Murray Marauders. They also took the boys senior title,
and Holy Cross took the boys junior title. The overall

(15:00):
team title went to Holy Cross with seven hundred and
sixty eight points. Holy Cross always in the mix for
the team title year in year out. Second place runner
up was Saint Joseph.

Speaker 3 (15:14):
They were at.

Speaker 2 (15:14):
Six hundred ninety seven points, and then Walter Murray third
place in the team title race six hundred and thirty
eight points, and then there's a very significant drop off,
like a three hundred point drop off to the next school.
So those three schools clearly a cut above. They're also
like the three biggest schools in the city, so they
have the most athletes, but they also devote a lot
of time and effort to their athletic exploits and it

(15:36):
proved itself out on the track. The most improved school
or team this year was Saint Joseph as they improved
their point total by one hundred and thirty five and
I want to give an honorable mention to the Evan
Hardy Souls, a bit smaller school, but they got the
second place in the most improved department. They moved their
total up by sixty nine points. It was below one

(15:59):
hundred last year and so a very significant jump for
Evan Hardy to come up second in that race. There
were two new city records established in two events, both
on the girls side. In the intermediate quadrathlon that includes
the one hundred meters eight hundred meters long jump and
shot put. Amiie Camargo I apologize when I'm saying that

(16:22):
incorrectly from Bishop Mahoney High School won that in a
record with a record ninety eight points. So congrats to
Emilie Camargo setting a new city record there and the
Saint Joseph girls intermediate four by one hundred relay team
also establishing a new city record fifty one point zero

(16:45):
five seconds, So some pretty impressive performances. That is a
wrap on the high school track and field championships. The
provincials are taking place in Moose Jaw this Friday and Saturday,
so we'll let you know next week if we had
any athlete or teams from the Saskatoon area perhaps set
any records or won any notable events.

Speaker 3 (17:06):
So we'll keep our eyes on that. But that wraps
up what's going on. Good fun, all right.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
Very excited to have our next guest here with us
in studio. The only Saskatchewan born player in the Canadian
Elite Basketball League any plays for our very own Saskatchewan Ratlers.
Third year now in the league and certainly making some
waves as well, opening a lot of eyes around the CEBO.
In fact, not just this year, but last year as well.

(17:33):
It's Isaac Simon. Isaac, thanks for being here, man.

Speaker 4 (17:37):
Thanks for having me man.

Speaker 3 (17:39):
Third year with the Rattlers. How how is it?

Speaker 2 (17:42):
Do you do you feel comfortable saying like you're a
pro hooper now or does that still seem weird because
you're still going to university?

Speaker 4 (17:49):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (17:49):
I mean, now that this is my third year, I've
kind of you know, adapted to it more. But it
does feel weird, you know, going back to university every
year and playing that, But I like you got to
you got to have that mindset when you're playing at
this level. You know, I'm a pro, I can I
belong here kind of thing.

Speaker 2 (18:04):
University of Alberta Golden Bears, by the way, I should
make sure we were clear about that. Weren't able to
keep you in the province for you sports. So we're
glad that we get to see you play here during
the summer. What's that dynamic like going back and forth,
Like do you get how do the guys kinda do
you get a lot of a ribbing or like what's
the what's the what's the environment back with the Bears

(18:25):
when when the pro guy comes back into the fold
after a season in the CBL.

Speaker 5 (18:30):
No, they've all been really cool, Like all my teammates
are really supportive, Like they asked how the summer is,
and you know, they don't see me any different when
I come back to the to the Bears.

Speaker 4 (18:40):
You know, those are all my guys. So it's nothing
really new.

Speaker 2 (18:43):
It's a it's a rule change though, right, It's a
role shift, right when you go from one team to
the other, because obviously with the Bears, you're you're like
the tip of the spear in a lot of ways.
And here obviously there's season pros, guys who've been around.
It's so much different environment. What's that process like for you?

Speaker 3 (18:59):
Are you do?

Speaker 2 (19:00):
How do you see yourself as in terms of like
a player that can you know, adapt in that sense.

Speaker 5 (19:06):
Yeah, it's been big for my development as like all
around basketball player. You know, I've played in like two
different roles now, you know, like obviously I have a
bigger role with you of a when I come here,
I play whatever role I can I can get right,
so you know, whether it's coming in and off the bench,
starting like I've been able to experience all those things
and it's helped me come, you know, a better overall
basketball player. And you know, I've seen guys on this

(19:29):
league like that's part of being a pro, like being
able to adapt to your environment and play whatever role
you need to.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
Because you know, you see some guys and I mean
it's obviously very unique setup that we have in the
CBL with the developmental program and the U Sports Draft.
But I think about sort of you know, for example,
you don't want a star player whatever the sport, when
they go on to like a national team and they
go to an international event and they're being asked to
do something different. Use a basketball example. Tyrese Halliburton right

(19:56):
US Olympic team last year. I don't think he played
a single minute in that whole tournament. And obviously he's
in the NBA finals. He's one of the superstars of
the NBA. And some guys and he's not necessarily one
of them, but some guys have a struggle with that,
you know, that that mental side because they're used to
being the man or the guy. But is it like
it's it's I would imagine there's some there's a humility

(20:17):
to it that's probably valuable, right for sure.

Speaker 5 (20:20):
Yeah, I mean you just got to understand the situation
sometimes and like for me, like I always just try
to like focus on working hard and like trusting God
with the rest, and you know, being here the last
two summers, I've been able to like learn from a
lot of great players and you know, kind of taking
that seat, like that back seat and like watching and

(20:42):
learning has been beneficial for me. When I do, you know,
want to have that leadership position at U of A
and you know I can apply some of the things
I learned from the summer.

Speaker 3 (20:51):
I it was really cool.

Speaker 2 (20:53):
I was lucky enough to be calling the game that
you got your your first points in the CEBL And
I just wondered, but what where was your head like
that that game?

Speaker 3 (21:03):
If like, what was that like?

Speaker 2 (21:04):
First of all, because I mean your first year, there
was a couple of like late game situations, but it
was you played very small amount of minutes. Last year,
you had a much bigger role with the team to
get in and sort of make that progress. What was
that like that first game where you really you were
able to have an impact on the game like that.

Speaker 5 (21:21):
Yeah, I remember that game. It didn't start off too
great for me. I think I like my first shift,
I turned the ball over. I was nervous, you know,
but I just remember like some of the older guys
saying like, hey, bro, like you're good, Like you know
you've been hooping in practice, like we know you can play,
like just just play like within yourself. And I remember,
you know, I got another shift out there, and then
you know, I saw it go through the hoop one

(21:43):
time and I was like, oh yeah, like you know,
that kind of confidence came back into me, and you know,
ever since then, you know, it's it's been good.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
It's funny because I mean you've put the ball through
the rim like thousands upon thousands upon thousands of times
in your life and yet this one basket right like
because of what it represents.

Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, it's just that big that that's a big moment
for sure.

Speaker 4 (22:06):
It's just it's just different.

Speaker 5 (22:07):
I don't know, Like, at the end of the day,
it's basketball. And I think that's why, you know, I've
regardless of what level you're playing at, at the end
of the day, it's hoops. So like you just got
to take it. You got to approach the game that way.
You can't think, oh, you know, I'm playing at this level.
Everything's different. Like, no, you gotta approach the game the
same way. And I think last year I took some
steps forward in that, you know, and yeah, it's been good.

Speaker 2 (22:29):
And now this year you've started a couple of games
and that's the first as well.

Speaker 3 (22:32):
I think it was.

Speaker 2 (22:34):
I think your first start was the first time we
saw in the league's history a Saskatchewan player starting. I
know the Ralliers have had at least one other I
want to say, Kay, Jones from Regina who was on
the team in the early years, but you know, I
don't think he ever started a game. So there's like
these these steps, there's continue marking these milestones. You've had
a couple of you know, double digit scoring games already

(22:55):
this season. What about just representing you sports? Talk about
the Saskatchewan think in a moment, but like just what
what do you get out of that sort of how
do you perceive representing that? Because I think we've seen
a really interesting progression in the league where these where
guys are starting to see where fans and and also
players maybe from the States or from elsewhere, are starting

(23:18):
to see the caliber of player that comes out of
U Sports, even ones that are still in like yourself.
What's that been like to kind of represent that and
what kind of reactions you get from guys when they're like, oh,
this is a U Sports guy and he's still you know,
about a couple of years left.

Speaker 5 (23:33):
Yeah, I mean there's been there's actually a lot of
talent in you sport. I think, you know, the elite
the CBL has been a good platform for guys like
myself to show that we can play and have talent
even looking like in years past, there's been guys that
have paid the wave, like a couple of guys from
you know, my program at U of A like Brodie
Clark and you know Jordan Baker and other guys like

(23:54):
that that you know, have shown that, like you know,
esports players can play. And you know, for myself, it's
I've been blessed with the opportunity to play at this
level and you know, I'm just trying to you know,
show well for those guys as well.

Speaker 2 (24:08):
There is I mean, we know there's a U Sports
Player of the Year award in this league as well.
Do you come into this season looking at that as
like is that a goal at all that you do
you try to you know, visualize or or or manifest
about you know, looking around at the other you know,
top U Sports guys who are in the league and
say like, well I can play with these guys obviously,
I know, like, is that something that's in your mind,

(24:31):
whether it's conscious subconscious, like coming into this year knowing
what you did last year and knowing what you're capable
of maybe doing this season.

Speaker 4 (24:37):
For sure, it's it's definitely a goal.

Speaker 5 (24:40):
I I also got to just approach it like whatever role.
You know the team needs me to play, I'll play,
you know, to help us wins. But from an individual standpoint, yeah,
it's something you know, I strive for and we would
like to accomplish.

Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (24:53):
Briefly, I want to talk talk about the season so far,
because you know, it got off to a bit of
a slow start, but you you managed to get that
first win out Niagara. It was a wacky, wild and
wacky it kind of finished, as many of these games are,
with target scorer.

Speaker 3 (25:07):
But what does that do for the team?

Speaker 2 (25:09):
And I mean, you guys were so close, you know,
the three games prior to that, we're all very close
games as well. Did you guys figure something out or
is there something that's clicked but it comes to target score.
Do you think you can kind of build off that
first win.

Speaker 5 (25:23):
Yeah, I think we're all starting to like figure each
other out, Like it's a new group and we're all
trying to figure out how to play with each other.
And you know, close out games. I mean the first
three or other than Vancouver, we're all really close games
and you know, we're losing by a possession or two
a lot of the times. So Coach has just been
emphasizing like the details, and you know, I think Niagara

(25:44):
obviously was really close, but you know, we found a
way to get it done. And you know, I think
we're going to continue to get better with each other,
and you know, we'll find ways to win.

Speaker 2 (25:54):
I think the Niager had won something like fifteen or
sixteen straight home games before you guys were able to
kind of steal that one from them, not even steal
that sounds like you didn't deserve it. Obviously you earned
that win, but it was it was a tight one
right right down to the wire. In fact, you have
two games where you've been both teams have been shot
away from three games even in fact where it's been
that situation, which which is the beauty and also like

(26:16):
the agony of target time? Right, what is the mental
because I mean, this is the only league where you
play that style. Do you have to make a mental
switch or anything like that, like even within the game
or is that where's the key to being successful? And
does target score periods to not be changing a mindset
at all?

Speaker 5 (26:38):
Obviously you've got to be aware of the score, like
in terms of the mindset, like you know, the first
team to ninety or whatever, right, But I think where
you can run into trouble is changing how you've been
playing the whole game. You know, like when you slow
the ball down and you know, you start to get
methodical with what you're doing, Like, that's where you can
kind of run into trouble. So, you know, our coach
and staff, you know, it's kind of ingrained in us, like, oh,

(26:59):
you know, playing with tempo, keep playing the way you're
supposed to, and you know that helps with you know,
being successful in it. But yeah, I know it. It's
it's hard not to, you know, like when when it's
when there's a target score up there, you want to
just focus on that.

Speaker 2 (27:13):
But yeah, I know with the with the new guys
on the team this year, that specifically the guys that
are new to the league as well as being new
to the Rattlers this year. Do you are you, you know,
first couple of games, are you having, like collectively the
guys that have been in the league before having to
kind of reminding the guys of like how this works.
Or is everyone like by the time the game arrives,
does everyone on the same page with that or is

(27:33):
there still some some hiccups maybe sometimes when guys are
still kind of experienced it for the first few times.

Speaker 5 (27:38):
Yeah, I think I think they got it under control now,
like they're all pretty smart dudes and playing basketball for
a long time. But yeah, I think at first, because
like it's such a you know, a foreign concept to
a lot of them, like they never played uh, you know,
target score before. It was maybe weird at first, but
they got outdo their belt now figured it out.

Speaker 3 (27:59):
I used.

Speaker 2 (28:00):
I find it's so fascinated to watch players come into
the league and sort of adapt to that.

Speaker 3 (28:04):
How do you do how do you find it?

Speaker 2 (28:05):
Just personally, like do you do you enjoy target time
or like what's your take on it?

Speaker 5 (28:10):
I think it's exciting, Like I think it's a lot
of fun. I like it because it gives every team
a chance, like bothams, whether or you're up or you're down,
like you have a chance to win. I think it's
obviously fun from a fan perspective, and you know, en
hitting a game winner as a player, like that's what
everyone wants to do, so he's pretty cool.

Speaker 2 (28:29):
I think the only players that don't like it are
like post guys that like are good at shooting free throws.
They used to get whacked, you know, in the intentional fouls,
and then they can just go and shoot a bunch
of free throws. But that's not I mean, we see
obviously games still end on free throws, but it comes
through the flow of the game instead of that whole
grinded out stuff. All right, Saskatchewan, obviously this is a
little Saskatchewan, a Saskatoon sports show. What else was a

(28:51):
Saskatchewan sports show? And I mentioned off the top, you're
the only Saskatchewan player in the in the league at present.
Very athletic family background. Your brother coached you in high school, right,
but he was a football star. Were you did you play?
Did you play a lot of football as well? And
if so, like, at what point did did you you
settle on basketball?

Speaker 4 (29:11):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (29:12):
So I was a big football guy like growing up too,
Like my dad played university football too, So come from
a football family. I played all the way up until
about grade ten, like high school, and then I decided
to a little bit more serious with basketball, and I'm
just decided to focus on that. But yeah, I know
football was like one of my first loves that growing
up for sure.

Speaker 2 (29:31):
What made the what what made you decide on basketball?

Speaker 4 (29:36):
I don't know.

Speaker 5 (29:38):
My dad thinks I'm actually a better football player than
a basketball player, but.

Speaker 4 (29:43):
I don't know. I think I just had more of
a love for the game.

Speaker 5 (29:45):
And uh, you know, I was involved in a lot
of club teams and always was around basketball.

Speaker 4 (29:51):
Maybe a little bit more, and you know, I just
enjoy the game a little bit more. I think.

Speaker 2 (29:56):
Yeah, I was laughing because chan Dessea Man who you know,
former Husky, former rattler, also from Regina, also big sports family.
I remember asking him because he was a pretty good
football player too. I remember asking him what he said.
I was because I get to play inside.

Speaker 5 (30:13):
Yeah, that's that's also a major factor. Man, Like with
the Elements living in the sas it gets pretty cold
in November.

Speaker 2 (30:20):
Although we saw we saw if you try to see
ebl outdoor game and we got halfway through it. But Elements,
it's tough to play basketball in the Elements. That's three
x three department, right, that's a different territory. What was
it like, I mean it was at Lee right, the
coach here right and he for those who don't know,
stud running back with the Reagina Rams back in the day,
not too many dad days ago. But what's it like

(30:42):
being coached by your brother. How does that dynamic play out?

Speaker 1 (30:46):
I don't know.

Speaker 5 (30:46):
I've always like Ali's always been kind of a coach
to me, Like he's he watches almost eight years Okay, yeah,
eight years.

Speaker 4 (30:55):
So I've always kind of like seen him in that sense.

Speaker 5 (30:58):
But it was it was a bit different at first,
but it was a pretty cool experience.

Speaker 4 (31:03):
You know.

Speaker 5 (31:04):
My senior year, we went undefeated and won, you know,
a provincial championship at five A as a small school,
which that hadn't been done before. So we made some
great memories and like, I don't I think he knows
my game better than anyone, honestly, just because he's he's
watched me since I was a kid grow up.

Speaker 2 (31:20):
So obviously his basketball acumen is up there, if not
there with, if not surpassing, his football acumen. Like what
do you have other siblings? They they play sports? Like
what's the how does the family all like get around
the field? What are we all playing?

Speaker 5 (31:37):
My I have an older sister as well, and she
was a really good track and field athlete. She went
to North Dakota State University and ran out there for
four years. And then my dad was a really good
football player. He went to US and played football there,
and then my mom. Mom actually didn't play any university
sports or anything. But I mean she's still good athlete

(32:00):
in her in her in her own too.

Speaker 3 (32:02):
Yeah yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
If she had if you had to paint Pitt Pegger
down for one one, what would what do you think
would be her best?

Speaker 4 (32:08):
That's tough.

Speaker 1 (32:09):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (32:10):
She played softball back in the day, That's what I
probably say.

Speaker 2 (32:13):
So all right, all right, I had a little drop
ball there, Okay, yeah, I got you. I was curious too,
like because you know, my Saskatoon guy and we always
have the Saskatoon Regina rivalry. But there's some really I
find it's interesting to sort of there are distinctions between
the two cities in terms of like different sports. And
I've always felt like, maybe this is totally just in

(32:34):
my head, but that Regina was like a little bit
more of a football sound and Saskatoon was a little
heavier on the basketball side, even though obviously there's great
basketball here or in Regina, great football, and Sasak was there,
like where was the balance of power? I guess when
you're playing high school hoops, was it concentrated in Reagina
or Sasatoon or was this kind of scattered around.

Speaker 5 (32:56):
It kind of what goes a year by year I
find like I found my uh, like my senior year,
the provincial championship was two Reagina teams like Reagina and Campbell,
So probably more Regina that year, but I mean this
last year, I think in the local high school it
was two Saskatoon and teams with well, so I think
it kind of flips, you know, different talent pools and
all that.

Speaker 4 (33:16):
But yeah, I think it just depends on the year.

Speaker 2 (33:19):
It was Harvest City, you went to your right Harvest
City where you won that five A. In fact, I
think I actually uh was asked to do a do
a re record of the play by play of that
that championship game.

Speaker 3 (33:33):
With Dander as a matter of.

Speaker 2 (33:35):
Fact, a guy who used to be an assistant coach
with the with the Rattlers and the high school chure
in town for a long time. And so I remember
watching that game and your team had quite the team
that year.

Speaker 3 (33:47):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (33:49):
Was that your first like significant sort of championship or
like where was where was where.

Speaker 3 (33:53):
Did you first kind of get to taste that?

Speaker 5 (33:55):
Yeah, so my high school career kind of obviously with
COVID kind of got cut shore.

Speaker 4 (34:00):
I missed two years.

Speaker 5 (34:02):
So I had my grade nine year and I think
we lost in Semis. So I got a bronze at Hoopla,
and then ten eleven COVID scrapped out.

Speaker 4 (34:12):
So grade twelve.

Speaker 5 (34:13):
There's a lot riding on it. I wanted to give
me a Hoopa championship, So I guess for high school sports,
for sure, I think it was probably the biggest.

Speaker 2 (34:22):
And so as you're kind of playing out, you get
and that's obviously really important year for you because not
only do you get to finish out your high school
career and playing, but also you're getting interest at the
time from n C double A. Can you just tell
me about that process and sort of how that played
out at the time for you and how you ended.

Speaker 3 (34:39):
Up at the U of A.

Speaker 5 (34:41):
Yeah, I mean in high school, I had a lot
of interest from US schools, and you know, I was
talking to a lot of them, but you know, I
was struggling with a lot of problems my senior year.
I had to you know, take some time off a
couple of months to rehab and and and get back
to being healthy. And that kind of you know, derailed

(35:06):
my recruitment a bit because I wasn't able to play
for a little bit. In terms of US schools, a
lot of them wanted me to do a prep year
and do like a post graduate year and uh, you
know play and you know, being a year older and
then go from there. But yeah, during that time, I
had you know, U sports schools reach out to me.

Speaker 4 (35:24):
And one of them was U of A.

Speaker 5 (35:26):
And I decided to take a visit there in my
in my senior year, and you know, I felt like home.
I really liked the environment, all my teammates and you know,
I got family out there. It's a really good school
and you know, I ended up going there, so and
it's where it's worked out well for me.

Speaker 4 (35:41):
I've I've really enjoyed my time there.

Speaker 5 (35:44):
But yeah, I know, like I could have maybe pursued,
you know, going to the States, but it just wasn't
my path.

Speaker 2 (35:50):
And it would be I mean, I don't want to
you don't want to assume anything, right, but that would
be a much probably a much different journey. Well it
would be obviously different physically, but like you go to
a school U of A where you're stepping on pretty
much first year, and you're a big piece of the
puzzle right away, sure, and who knows what happens if
you end up you know, maybe you get that year prep.

(36:10):
Would that be like in a JUCO or something like that,
or you go on that route or they just play
like a red shirt year or.

Speaker 5 (36:16):
It would have been like it's it's like a prep league, Okay,
you know they play against go to tournaments, yeah yeah,
and do all that kind of thing, play in front
of coaches.

Speaker 3 (36:22):
So it's like it's like it's like AAU but like, yeah,
beefed up.

Speaker 4 (36:26):
Exactly kind of thing. Okay, same sort of thing.

Speaker 2 (36:28):
Yeah, yeah, But I just it's just visually interesting those
those moments right when you look back on them, and
you're kind of like the sliding doors moments, right, And
sometimes the factors that lead you to one through one
door versus the other are out of your control. In
your case, you know, you're dealing with some knee issues
and stuff like to and who knows if you're healthy.
Maybe maybe you never see you here or write something

(36:48):
like that, or perhaps you are in the cev AL
but you're with another team at some point down the line.
So I mean, who knows right, that's all complete speculation.
But I find it interesting though that you're from Regina,
you end up at U of A and now you're
at the Rallers and one of the assistant.

Speaker 3 (37:02):
Coaches, of course, is Steve.

Speaker 2 (37:03):
Steve Burrows, who's head coaches the Regina Cougar's. How much
craft does he give you for for for going out
of province and not stay at home?

Speaker 5 (37:12):
He's recruiting me on a daily basis? Do you he
thinks I'm going there next year? I'm very sure, But
now Stee's my guy, and.

Speaker 2 (37:19):
I wanted to quickly titlle in this too because your
play in the league now, it seems like we've seen
a little bit of a resurgence, a little revival in
some of this NC double A interest am I am?

Speaker 3 (37:28):
I right there?

Speaker 5 (37:29):
Yeah, I mean you've in the last like year or so,
you've seen a lot of U sport guys go down south.
And for myself, you know, I've kind of weighed out
the options see what's best for me. But yeah, just
still still kind of figuring it out.

Speaker 2 (37:44):
Do you Your team at the University Alberta needs a
new coach.

Speaker 3 (37:48):
I've heard some scuttle but.

Speaker 2 (37:51):
Pure, pure conjecture rumor that you know, the next coach
could be Jordan Baker, which would be a really interesting
dynamic for those who don't. No, he coaches the Edmonton Stingers,
former player with the Stingers, but he's also been coaching
at my former school that Nate in Edmonton, go Ooks,
and so a lot of people think he would be

(38:12):
the natural guy to step in. Just I'm not asking
you to like get confirmed, deny or any of that,
or tell me what sort of scoopid you might have,
although if you do, please we'd be happy to know it.
But I'm just more more on a sort of a
hypothetical basis, Like you've played it, you know already this season.

Speaker 3 (38:27):
You guys have played Edmonton and he's an intense guy.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
You played against him as a player, Now he's a
coach on the opposite side. The dynamic of going again,
like from being you know, opponents to potentially being on
the same.

Speaker 3 (38:40):
Side with a guy like that.

Speaker 2 (38:43):
What would that be like, you know, to sort of
like have him as a coach if that were to
ever happen.

Speaker 5 (38:49):
Yeah, I mean Jordan's resume kind of speaks for itself.
I think he holds like every record that you have,
a like from points, rebounds, steals like all that. So
and he's been, you know, very good coach. So I
think if you were to be the next coach, it
would be great to learn from him and you know,
be on the same side of him for ones.

Speaker 4 (39:08):
But yeah, I don't know, we'll have to see.

Speaker 2 (39:11):
He's definitely one of the most I mean, no coaches
laid back, but there's definitely different styles and he's very,
very locked in and.

Speaker 3 (39:20):
Very focused on the sidelines.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
I remember him being it was a shoot around for
a game, and I think it was last year, maybe
the year before, and he was just sitting on the
baseline eating a sub before the game. This is when
he was still playing, and I just kind of made
a joke and it probably wasn't very funny, but I
just made a quick comment about getting his pregame meal
in or whatever, and he didn't even really it was

(39:42):
like I hadn't even spoken to him.

Speaker 3 (39:44):
Like he did not blame because you're just locked in.
That's just the kind of guy he is. When you are.

Speaker 2 (39:53):
Now in in year three and you're you've got some
of these guys that have be in the g League.
I think of an eight Pierre Louis for example, Jamier Chaplin.

Speaker 3 (40:00):
These guys, what.

Speaker 2 (40:03):
What's what specifically can you get from from guys who
have been at that level or who are coming to
the CEBL. What are the things that that can help
you in your game?

Speaker 4 (40:14):
It really depends.

Speaker 5 (40:15):
But one thing I've like, because I've been able to,
you know, spend some summers with a lot of great players,
is I try to pick on their routines and like,
you know, add different parts of their game to my game.
You know where I feel like I could improve, and
you know, going to practice and you know, I'm always
asking questions. I'm asking Nate like, hey, what did you

(40:35):
see in this ball screen? Or you know, before practice,
I'm asking to work out with some of these guys.
You know, just pick up on their habits and you
know how how they've been successful in their careers. And
you know, that's helped me a lot. And you know
how I approach the game and like how I prepare
and you know how I train as well too, So

(40:56):
you know, it's been a blessing to be around, you know,
that caliber of player.

Speaker 2 (40:59):
The last two the thing that I love, and this
is kind of circling back to earlier when I was
talking about sort of the perception of the U Sports
guys is when the new first year CEBL players from
the States come up and they have had very little
to no exposure to U Sports basketball, and when they
when they see you, guys, and especially when your teammates.

(41:19):
There was this moment in and I forget which game
it was this season, one of your home games, where
Nate was waiting to check in and you were out
and you made some play. I can't it was an
offensive play. I don't know if it was a dunk
or something. It was it was a very athletic scoring play,
and he just his eyes just went like this and

(41:40):
he kind of turned around and like look, not at
anyone in particular, but he was having to be right
in front of me because I was helping on the
broadcast that night, and I just I will never forget
that because he's going like this, this guy's at school,
like he's yep here, like the discovery I think the quotion.
I guess for guys, what's that like when you now
you do you make a player or something like that,

(42:01):
and one of those type of guys on your team
is going like what, like, where do you come from?
What is going on here? Why aren't you you know?

Speaker 3 (42:08):
Why I have done that? Seen you like March badness
or something like that.

Speaker 2 (42:10):
Like that must be pretty cool to have those kind
of reactions from from season to players like that, for sure.

Speaker 5 (42:15):
I mean, definitely gives you some confidence. And but I'm
I spend every day with these guys in practice, so
it's like they they see me doing a lot of
this stuff in practice. But it definitely is cool coming
from you know, those kinds of guys and of their
caliber and where they've played and all that, for sure.

Speaker 2 (42:32):
I mean, but practice is one thing. Doing stuff like
that in and.

Speaker 4 (42:35):
Yeah, yeah, game is definitely different.

Speaker 2 (42:36):
It is a totally different ball of wax. You gotta
be honest about that, for sure. Hey, can I get
your takes on some just some overall some general things here.
This is non rathers non CVL. But we were basketball.
We're talking basketball, and obviously the NBA Finals are about
to start. We've got four Canadians uh in the finals,
which ties a record. But I think the last time
there were four, like three of them were like deep

(42:57):
bench guys, and this time it's like four contributs for
like top rotation, either starters or like first, second, third,
guys off the bench. First of all, have you ever
have you ever had occasion to interact or meet any
of these any of these guys s g A or
nem Hard.

Speaker 5 (43:13):
Or No, actually I haven't, No, I haven't met him.

Speaker 2 (43:16):
Your Western guy, right, we got to get more Western
Canadians in there.

Speaker 5 (43:20):
If you asked Jaden Jayden Bediako's boys.

Speaker 3 (43:23):
Yeah, I'm sure he is. I'm sure he is. All right,
Uh this this s G A. I mean, he's the
m v P.

Speaker 2 (43:28):
But there's a lot of talk about the whole foul
merchant uh title if you want to call it that.
I mean, I think it's a whole lot of bunk.
The numbers certainly show that he's, uh, he's It's not
like James Harden right, baiton.

Speaker 3 (43:41):
Guys into we be on the three point line.

Speaker 2 (43:43):
But just what's your thought, what your what's you're taking
this sort of that that discussion in general, like bo
why certain certain guys get tagged with that?

Speaker 3 (43:50):
But do you think it's fair with him?

Speaker 4 (43:52):
No, I think it's I think it's pretty stupid.

Speaker 5 (43:54):
I mean you watch him play like he's one of
the most dynamic players in the league, and in terms
of him getting a lot of foul shots, I think I
saw a stat where he attacks the rim more than
any other player in the NBA.

Speaker 4 (44:05):
So it's like, you know, if you're being that aggressive,
you're bound to get foul calls.

Speaker 5 (44:09):
And yeah, I think people are always gonna try and
find knocks on you, and I don't think it's it's legitimate.

Speaker 2 (44:17):
Are you guys as a team do you guys get
are you know within the group like members of the team,
do you guys get together you're watching playoff games or
like what's the like how much basketball do you guys watch?
Like how much NBA are you guys watching on off
days or things like that, especially with the season starts
and the playoffs are on, so there's always game, great
games on every night, Like how much are you guys watching?

Speaker 4 (44:37):
Yeah, I feel like we watch them theever we can.

Speaker 5 (44:39):
Sometimes it's tough with traveling and all that, but you
never we're home and we got an evening together, Like
we'll go to someone's apartment and you know, turn the
game on, get some food.

Speaker 4 (44:47):
So yeah, we try to watch as most as we can.

Speaker 2 (44:49):
Is there a lot of like does it get heated like,
because I'm sure guys have their teams, their players, that
sort of thing.

Speaker 3 (44:54):
Like who's your Who's who are you? Do you have?

Speaker 6 (44:56):
Are you a Raptors guy in Canadian or do you
have players that you I'm a Raptors guy, but I've
been a Steph fan, like Golden State, like since I
was like in elementary school. So but Raptors are my
favorite team and then usually when they lose, I'm a
Golden State fan.

Speaker 2 (45:11):
Okay, okay, I took say everyone around your age is
probably a Steph, the majority of them probably Steph Curry.
What's been What do you think about the the Oka
see Indiana matchup.

Speaker 5 (45:25):
I think it's gonna be in the series, I think
as the potential to. But I think I got Okay
See winning. I think they're just rolling pretty crazy right
now and that their depth on the team, and I
think it'd be hard to beat. But I mean, Indiana
is a great team and in their in their own rights,
so I think it could be a good a good
series too.

Speaker 2 (45:44):
Someone I was reading somewhere that some of them said
it's a good thing that Indie beat New York because
the thunder would just smoke the Knicks or something like
that before straight which is really an interesting hypothetical exercise,
I guess if you want, because every team plays a
little bit different ale they've got their own you know,
different personnel. But Indy, this playoff run they've been on,

(46:06):
I mean, I just get struck by because I felt like, okay,
see has been you know, for most of the season,
best the team, right, but you know, playoffs are long
and things can happen, and this run Indi has been on.

Speaker 3 (46:18):
I think it.

Speaker 2 (46:18):
Surprised a lot of people the way they've won some
of the games, Like it's some of these stats of
their comebacks.

Speaker 3 (46:23):
Are just crazy, unheard of. It's certainly exciting.

Speaker 2 (46:29):
What do you make of the Indie like because a
lot I think a lot of people felt was Boston
and Cleveland and everyone else, and then it just comes up.

Speaker 3 (46:35):
Did you see this coming.

Speaker 4 (46:36):
Or absolutely not? No, I did not think.

Speaker 5 (46:39):
I knew like they had a pretty good regular season,
but I did not see them going on this kind
of run.

Speaker 4 (46:44):
I think you're lying if you did it. I don't think.

Speaker 5 (46:46):
I don't think anyone really saw Indy going to the finals.
But yeah, they play a great brand of basketball, Like
they share the ball, they defend, and they got a lot.

Speaker 4 (46:55):
Of talent on their team. So it's it's been really
good to watch.

Speaker 3 (46:58):
It's there.

Speaker 2 (47:00):
I love the matchup because they're both of those teams.
Like for a neutral fan, they're really easy to root
for mm like just both the style that they play,
whether it's in the sort of breakneck pace or okay,
SE's just swarming defense and transition. But also just like
the individual players on the team, they all seem like
pretty pretty good dudes for lack of a better term, like,

(47:22):
so individually, they're easy to kind of root for it
because everyone's while you get a great team that's fun
to watch, but maybe maybe their star player and I'm
not gonna pick anyone out, but maybe their star player
is like off the court is not a great person, right,
and it makes it complicates it a little bit for
some fans.

Speaker 3 (47:36):
Some fans can ignore that stuff.

Speaker 2 (47:38):
I'm not that type of fan, but I think that's
what makes it a matchup so fun is first of all,
you get two teams that haven't been there for a while,
and then it's also just like a lot of fun
basketball and some players that are kind of on the rise. Yeah,
like sort of the new faces of the league. So
that's that's really exciting.

Speaker 3 (47:52):
I read something.

Speaker 2 (47:55):
So the Stanley Cup Final as we record this episode
behind the Curtain. Of course, we're releasing on Thursday. You're
getting this episode on Thursday, but we're recording on a Wednesday.
So the Stanley Cup Final is is starting tonight.

Speaker 3 (48:06):
Are you a big hockey guy?

Speaker 2 (48:07):
I mean, you're Canadian, You're from Saskatchewan, but like, are
you a big hockey fan? Uh?

Speaker 5 (48:12):
So, I wasn't really a big hockey guy until I
went to U of A and the.

Speaker 4 (48:17):
Oilers are there.

Speaker 5 (48:18):
It's oilers though, Like oilers are crazy in Edverinton. So
I've been blessed to go to a couple of games
and you know, be around the culture and I've become
I like watching it now.

Speaker 4 (48:27):
It's entertaining.

Speaker 2 (48:28):
It's hard to get sucked in when you're especially when
you go to games.

Speaker 3 (48:31):
Yeah, environment like that.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
I'm sure the reason I bring it up was I
wasn't gonna grill you about hockey, but I read there's
a story out there this week that the oilers have
taken ice shavings from a bunch of the rinks where
somewhere a lot of their players played minor hockey and
like added them.

Speaker 3 (48:48):
To the ice at at Rogers.

Speaker 2 (48:50):
It's sort of like a I don't know, it's like
almost like another take on the Lucky Looney kind of phenomenon.
But the reason I bring it up is I was curious, like,
for you, obviously, that's not something you could really do
with basketball. You can't take like a piece of the
floor like off the floor, But like, is there a
gym in particular that that holds a special place for you,
like from your minor basketball days or or wherever at

(49:14):
some point coming up?

Speaker 5 (49:18):
Probably my high school gym just at home, Like I
spent countless hours there, you know, even growing up, Like
that'll always be kind of like home base for me.

Speaker 2 (49:26):
And that's it is that so Harvest City Academy.

Speaker 5 (49:29):
And that's where it's in Reagina right in Regina, Yeah okay, yeah,
right near like Northgate Mall.

Speaker 2 (49:34):
Okay, yeah, okay, okay, because I had not heard of it.

Speaker 4 (49:36):
Yeah, a smaller school.

Speaker 2 (49:38):
Yeah, so yeah, because I was like, how would you
do this like in a basketball versus Like, oh, maybe
I guess maybe you could take little bits of a
net cord and like make a net out of those yeah,
put it hanging at the I was like, yeah, how
would you do this in a basketball sense?

Speaker 3 (49:53):
I'm not too sure. I'm not too sure. Listen, Isaac.

Speaker 2 (49:55):
I I kind of jumped around a few different topics
there at the end, but I appreciate you kind of
tag along for the ride there. It's great chat when
you always enjoy having some time to chat. It's been
really cool to watch your I mean I've had the
privilege to watch you with the Rattlers, but also when
you come to town with the Golden Bears last couple
of years and played the Huskies. So I've gotten to

(50:18):
know your your dad a little bit, chats with him
and so get to just get to know a little
bit more about you that way as well. And it's
been neat to kind of watch you kind of develop
and and sort of grow into this professional basketball player.
So continued success, I know that the trajectory continues to go.

Speaker 3 (50:37):
Up for you.

Speaker 2 (50:37):
So I know we're really excited. I know the fans
here in Sataskatoon are really thrilled that you're a Rattler
again this year, and we're we're excited to see where
where your career takes you. So one year, some year
will be like, hey, look he was on our show
and now he's like you know so, so we really
appreciate him. Man, continue success and hopefully we'll see some

(51:00):
more wins as we carry on down this season. Calgary
and Vancouver this weekend a couple of big tests. So
I guess just before you go, quick thoughts on those
two games coming up, one in Calgary then home to Vancouver.

Speaker 4 (51:10):
Yeah, both really talented teams.

Speaker 5 (51:12):
We're gonna have to come locked in raid and play
both winnable games. Obviously we know we can play with them,
but yeah, I know, I'm excited for It's gonna be
a good challenge.

Speaker 2 (51:21):
Vancouver's gonna see a much different team than they did
when they were here in the season. Over right, guarantee
guarantee that one. Isaac Simon always a pleasure man. Thanks
for being here and good luck the rest of the way.

Speaker 4 (51:32):
Appreciate you'all having me, good fun all right?

Speaker 2 (51:36):
Before we go for this week, of course, we can't
wrap up the show without saluting our good sport of
the week, and this week's good sport is a former
member of the Saskatoon Blades and now he's a Memorial
Cup champion. I'm talking about Austin Elliott, the goaltender for
the London Nights. What an interesting season he had. It

(52:01):
started with the Blades. He was with the Blades to
start the season. Of course, he was actually a Blades
draft pick back in the WHL Prospects Draft, a twelveth
round pick in fact back then. So even the fact
that he became a WHL regular after being drafted in
the twelfth round impressive enough. Had two very solid seasons

(52:22):
with the Blades, but he was a victim of the
overage number crunch at the start of this past hockey season.
And of course, if you're not familiar with that, junior
hockey teams, major junior hockey teams have a roster limit
of how many overage players in this case twenty year olds,
that they can carry after a certain point in the season.
That number is three, and so every year in the

(52:44):
first part of October you'll see overage players get traded
or released because their teams have to get down to
that number three and maybe other teams don't have their three,
and so Austin was just a victim of the numbers game.
Really because the Blades had two other very good goalies
that they were pretty keen on, and Evan Gardner and

(53:05):
Ethan McCallum, and so he was placed on waivers essentially
after playing three games with the Blades to start the
year and winning all three UH, and he no other
WHL team picked him upcause not only was an overager
and there was only so many slots available, but he's
also a goalie, and so it's very it's not very

(53:25):
common to see teams with overage goalies. There aren't a
ton of them UH in major junior hockey because it's
such a valuable spot to have an overage slot on
your on your roster, and to give it to a
goalie you may only play about half the games that year.
You really have that has to be your your guy,
the guy that you're you're playing to be your main
number one goalie. And so he wasn't going to be

(53:46):
that guy for the Blades, so they put him on waivers.
But nobody else in the WHL picked him up, and
so that meant the QMJHL, the OHL they were there
were teams in those leagues that were now free to
claim him. Was actually the Barry Colts that made the
successful waiver claim to pick up Austin Elliott, but the
London Knights really wanted him on their team, so they

(54:08):
ended up swinging a trade with Barry to acquire Austin.
He never played a game with Barry, went to London,
joined the Juggernaut Knights, and the rest, as they say,
is history. He ended up posting a record of fifty
three and three this season, including those three wins with
the Blades all the way through to the Memorial Cup final,
and he was named the top goaltender in the tournament

(54:30):
as the Knights defeated the Medicine At Tigers in the final.
Bittersweet for me, as I mentioned, I've got a piece
of my heart that belongs to Medicine hat and so
I was kind of rooting for the Tigers in that game.
But it was very cool to see a player with
a direct connection to the Bridge City get a chance
to hoist that Memorial Cup. As we know, the Blades

(54:52):
have never won a WHL championship and they have played
in a Memorial Cup final back in nineteen eighty nine
when they hosted the event, but they also haven't won
that tournament, so if the Blades can't win it, then
at least it's kind of cool to see a player
with connection to the Blades get to win the Memorial Cup.
It's one of the hardest championships to win in all

(55:12):
of sports, because the first you have to win four
rounds of playoffs in your own league, and then you
got to go through the best teams in all the
other leagues as well in order to win it. So
Austin Elliott is our good Sport of the week and
we do want to give an honorable mention to medisin
Ad Tigers head coach. Another person with ties to the Blades,
Willie Desjardin, is also, of course a former Saskatchewan Husky,

(55:36):
was part of their only men's hockey national championship team
back in nineteen eighty three. He's now in his second
stint with the Tigers coaching them, and he's also their
GM and just one of the good guys, one of
the real good guys in all of junior hockey, in
all of sport really, and so this team coming up

(55:56):
one win shy hoisted Memorial Cup, but still cool to
see local connections on both sides of that final. Austin
Elliott our good Sport of the weekend. Our honorable mention
is Willie Desjardin. That's our good sport of the week
and that does it for episode three of Good Sports.
Thank you again so much to Isaac Simon for coming

(56:17):
on and spending some time with me here in the studio.

Speaker 3 (56:21):
Again.

Speaker 2 (56:21):
You can catch the Rattlers at home on Sunday the eighth.
It's a four o'clock tip off against the Vancouver Bandits.
They are in Calgary Friday night to face the Calgary
Surge as well. You can see that game as you
can see all CEBL games on CEBL Plus, which is
a free option for you. You can just go on

(56:43):
sign up and you get all the games for free.
But if it's a home game and you got a chance,
you got to come check it out.

Speaker 3 (56:48):
Should be a lot of fun.

Speaker 2 (56:49):
It's kind of a family they're calling it the Family
Day game on Sunday for the Rattlers against the Vancouver Bandits.
Again a four o'clock tip off for Isaac Simon and company,
So thanks again to him for being with us. And
as I mentioned, next week we're gonna have Carter Beck
from the Saskatoon Berry, so please do tune in for
that one uh and again like and subscribe, share widely
with your friends and family. Please let's get this thing

(57:13):
onward and upward, keep on growing the audience. And one
final reminder, you can also follow good Sports on Instagram
at good Sports three six. Keep your eyes out for
some cool little short clips from our feature interviews and
maybe some other treats as well. You can also follow
me on Instagram at r flairty p XP. It's mostly

(57:36):
just pictures of different broadcast boots from my perspective and
some other weird stuff as well, so you can follow
me there as well.

Speaker 3 (57:44):
That'll do it for this week.

Speaker 2 (57:45):
Please do join us again for Carter Beck and lots
more fun stuff next week here on the show.

Speaker 3 (57:51):
Until then, be a good sport.

Speaker 1 (57:54):
Whatever makes you happy, what gets you out of bed,
whatever kicks the cop website you'll join in. Instead of
victorious day dream, that's my glory or fame, that's body

(58:15):
me all on the same team.

Speaker 2 (58:17):
That bo is the name of the game.