The Canadian Press, Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca
Watching Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive end Willie Jefferson be a part of the CFL Combine presented by New Era coverage last week it was quite clear the man is set for his second career in sports media when he’s done making life miserable for quarterbacks.
As Ed Tait wrote, Jefferson was fantastic on the sidelines providing coverage. This got me thinking what my ideal CFL broadcast crew would look like if it was made up of current and former players.
Let’s say the CFL ON TSN panel was given a much-needed week off (shout out to Kate Beirness and company!) and I was given full executive producer responsibilities, this is how I would staff it. There is no way to replace what we currently have going on TSN. Charisma and on air relationships take years to get right, but my group would at least be a super fun experiment.
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Studio Host: Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons
Hosting a show like this you need someone that makes everyone feel good, someone with an abundance of energy and the sort of charisma that can light up any room. Now throw in an individual who has won at every level and has seen it all. Pinball will keep all the other experts and analysts in check if there is too much bickering because who wants to disappoint Pinball? You know those parties you are excited to attend because the host always throws a hell of a shaker with a well-stacked open bar, the seven-layer dip never goes empty, and the music is a stream of surprisingly great songs? That’s how I would feel if I saw Pinball suddenly appearing on my screen.
The Coach: Chris Jones
Every great studio show needs a coach and I’m getting the most polarizing one out there. The man is loved in some parts of Canada, hated in others, he’s made personnel decisions that have gone against the grain and he also has won a Grey Cup. No matter how you feel about coach Jones you are tuning in to see what he has to say.
The Cagey Veteran: Brandon Revenberg
Brandon dominated in both the run game and in pass protection in 2023 and was rated as one of the best guards according to Pro Football Focus. You can never have enough offensive linemen on set and my show is getting a five-time All-Star who can also speak about how difficult it is to be so good at your job without having won it all. He’s like the Charles Barkley of CFL left guards. All right that last sentence is stretching things a bit, but I’m in charge.
Known for his smarts on and off the field, Peter Dyakowski would bring insight into the football insider role (David Chidley, CFL.ca)
Football Insider: Peter Dyakowski
The job requires a high level of intelligence with strong research skills so let’s go get the 2012 Canada’s Smartest Person award winner. Dyakowski played for nearly a decade and was the treasurer for the CFLPA, so his rolodex of contacts is robust enough to handle the assignment.
The Young Guy: Nate Behar
As someone closer to 50 than 40, I know my inclination is to hire all players from my generation or ones that were stars when I started watching the CFL. Behar is under 30 and a few years ago he started his own tech company called The Firework App, which is a platform to assist athletes looking to develop/strengthen their own brand. The wide receiver is perfect for my broadcast crew as you always need a diverse range of voices and experiences.
‘The Corner’s Corner’ with Garry and Jamal Peters
Listen, as someone who has worked in sports media since the late 1990s the one thing I can tell you is we producers are suckers for a good gimmick and we love silly sounding segments (we also love alliteration). For this seven-minute block of TV I’m getting two defensive backs with a combined 19 interceptions over the past two seasons to break down the best and worst moments of pass defence from the previous week. I want to know just who is that one corner that quarterbacks are afraid to test, who got fooled the worst on a double move and why that was definitely not a pass interference penalty.
Who better to break down big receiving gains than Kenny Lawler, who has racked up yards through his four-year CFL career? (BlueBombers.com)
The Tactician: Kenny Lawler
Going back to Pro Football Focus for a moment, the Blue Bombers’ star receiver led the league in both average depth of target (18.2 yards) and yards per route (2.69). Lawler didn’t play until Week 7, yet he finished the year with 901 receiving yards. I want someone on my team who can speak on proper route running and the joy of racing past every defender for a 60-yard gain.
The Storyteller: Tanner Doll
I have never met Tanner Doll but anyone with half a decade of long snapping under their belt must have some crazy stories. Fun fact, Doll had six solo tackles last year as part of Ottawa’s punt coverage team which was second in the CFL among long snappers.
Second Screen Broadcast Team: Simoni Lawrence & Charleston Hughes
You are lying if you say you have no interest in watching a game where two of the games greatest trash talkers are calling the action. If a game is a blowout I’d still watch to take in their unvarnished opinions. Sure, the alternate broadcast with these two future Hall of Famers would have to be on a larger than normal tape delay but we’re also getting insight from two men with over two decades combined of elite play between them.
The Quarterback: Damon Allen
You really think I wasn’t going to include a former quarterback on my broadcast crew? If you are looking for someone with a wealth of experience look no further than a man who played for the “Rough Riders” of Ottawa, spent a year in Memphis and has won Grey Cups in Edmonton, Toronto and British Columbia. In Allen’s first year the internet did not exist and in his final season YouTube was in its third year of existence.
