GA Russell

The Bears want a new stadium, and they are considering Indiana. The Chicago Bears playing in Indiana? Team says it's expanding search for new stadium site beyond Illinois

4 comeback players https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/15/mmqb-4-players-who-keep-finding-new-heights/ ***** When Cameron Dukes started for the Argos, he received death threats. And I thought that nobody cared about the Argos! https://3downnation.com/2025/12/14/cameron-dukes-claims-he-received-death-threats-as-toronto-argonauts-starting-qb/ ***** Sask analysis https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riderville-roundup-december-14-2025/ ***** This thread's view count currently stands at 516,900. That is a 9,800 increase since Nov. 24 (466 per day).

But everyone prefers a professionally made CD to a homemade CDr, right? Yes, you can put your download onto a portable hard drive, and then burn it whenever necessary; but I am not referring to people who would do that sort of thing. I am thinking of the typical adult who bought LPs before 1990 and CDs after. He has stopped buying CDs. And apparently (I'm guessing) he stopped buying CDs about the time that the BMG Record Club went out of business.

I don't think it's a surprise that teens and recent teens prefer the new way of doing things. What surprises me is that adults have abandoned the CD. A very important aspect of owning physical media (books, CDs and DVDs) to me is that they go out of print. The fact that an album is available for streaming today does not ensure that it will be available tomorrow. Owning the physical media allows you to know that it will be there when you want to enjoy it.

About 1969 I read in Down Beat one of their writers (probably a columnist) refer to an incident, but he did not name names. A musician (I think a sax player) was mad at his employer, and intended to quit. So for his last performance, every note of every solo was the same note. One note for an entire set. Instead of ruining the performance as he expected, the crowd loved it and went wild. Does anybody know who the employee and employer were, and anything else about that anecdote?

schedule analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/12/5-rivalry-games-to-circle-on-your-calendar-in-2026/ ***** Hall of Famer Larry Reda has died at 94. RIP. https://3downnation.com/2025/12/12/canadian-football-hall-of-fame-builder-larry-reda-passes-away-at-94/ ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

more schedule analyses https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/10/5-juicy-rematches-from-2025-in-2026/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/10/landrys-takeaways-from-the-2026-cfl-schedule-release/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/11/the-weekly-say-moments-to-look-forward-to-on-the-2026-cfl-schedule/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/10/2026-cfl-schedule-does-calgary-stampeders-no-favours/ https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/hamilton-tiger-cats/unveiling-the-hamilton-tiger-cats-2026-schedule/ ***** Free Agent analyses https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/11/top-10-pending-free-agent-defenders/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/1-pending-free-agent-from-every-team-the-riders-should-be-looking-at/

Episode 51 https://artpepper.bandcamp.com/track/straight-life-episode-51

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The league released the 2026 schedule today. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/09/cfl-announces-2026-season-schedule/ https://www.cfl.ca/schedule/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/cfl-releases-2026-schedule-with-kickoff-set-for-june-4/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/09/the-full-2026-cfl-schedule/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/09/2026-cfl-season-opens-thursday-june-4-in-hamilton-concludes-with-113th-grey-cup-in-calgary/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/09/5-must-watch-cfl-games-in-2026/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/09/eight-takeaways-from-the-2026-cfl-schedule/ https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/circle-the-date-2026-cfl-season-opens-june-4/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/09/winnipeg-blue-bombers-mercilessly-roast-cfl-opponents-in-schedule-release-video-game/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/09/ranking-every-cfl-teams-2026-schedule-reveal/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/09/sellout-city-winnipeg-blue-bombers-2026-cfl-schedule/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/09/road-to-repeat-saskatchewan-roughriders-2026-cfl-schedule/ ***** Florida A&M has named Henry Burris as its acting Head Coach. https://3downnation.com/2025/12/08/cfl-legend-henry-burris-named-acting-head-coach-at-florida-am-university/ ***** 2025 Grey Cup Final metrics https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/cfl-the-numbers-are-in-112th-grey-cup-caps-successful-2025-season/

Top 10 Interceptions https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/08/top-10-interceptions-of-2025/ ***** Free Agent analyses https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/08/mmqb-4-impactful-free-agency-extensions-so-far/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/08/9-top-canadian-pending-free-agents/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/08/10-players-missing-from-the-top-30-pending-free-agents-list/ ***** Jim Barker's title will be Director of Player Personnel. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/08/argos-bring-back-jim-barker-as-director-player-personnel/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/barker-back-with-argos-this-time-as-director-of-player-personnel/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/08/official-toronto-argonauts-hire-jim-barker-as-director-of-player-personnel/ ***** The rapper Drake, who is from Toronto, was seen out in public wearing an Argos jersey. https://3downnation.com/2025/12/06/canadian-rap-icon-drake-caught-on-video-rocking-vintage-toronto-argonauts-jersey/ ***** Stewart Johnson said that the Ticats are losing money, but an investor in the McLaren racing team has purchased a piece. https://3downnation.com/2025/12/08/angelo-paletta-joins-hamilton-sports-group-as-minority-owner/ ***** Sask analysis https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/riderville-roundup-december-7-2025/

Top 30 free agents, and other analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/05/cfl-cas-top-30-pending-free-agents-12/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/04/potential-landing-spots-for-5-pending-free-agents/ ***** Damien Alford highlight reel https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/05/damien-alford-cfl-2025-highlights/ ***** The Argos will not retain John Murphy, their key personnel man. https://3downnation.com/2025/12/05/john-murphy-out-as-toronto-argonauts-assistant-general-manager-sources/ ***** Jim Barker, a favorite of mine, will return to the Argos in a personnel role. https://3downnation.com/2025/12/05/jim-barker-rejoining-toronto-argonauts-in-player-personnel-role/ ***** Moustafa Ali has died at 59 of ALS. RIP. https://3downnation.com/2025/12/05/former-second-round-cfl-draft-pick-moustafa-ali-passes-away-at-59/ ***** Sask analysis https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/with-harris-back-who-will-be-qb2-in-riderville/

The Cigars International Christmas sale is now up. https://www.cigarsinternational.com/shop/10-packs-free-20-ci-bucks/2066611/ If you order promptly, you may receive your package before the sale ends, which will give you the opportunity to spend the CI Bucks you receive for more free CI bucks. CI also (today only) has a 20% off nearly-sitewide sale, which is not for the Christmas sale items. Code: JUMP20

Steve Cropper has died at 84. RIP. Steve Cropper, guitarist and member of Stax Records' Booker T and the MG.'s, has died at age 84

Peter, I haven't gotten started yet! It's been a hectic time.

2025 Top 10 Catches https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/02/top-10-catches-of-2025/ ***** Top 3 Free Agents of every team https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/03/3-top-pending-free-agents-from-every-east-division-team/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/03/3-top-pending-free-agents-from-every-west-division-team/ ***** Winnipeg free agent analysis https://3downnation.com/2025/12/03/10-pending-free-agents-the-winnipeg-blue-bombers-should-bring-back/

The Argos have promoted their QB coach Mike Miller to head coach and offensive coordinator. Miller gets the credit for the success of Bethel-Thompson, Kelly and Arbuckle since 2022. https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/01/report-argos-to-hire-mike-miller-as-head-coach/ https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/argonauts-to-promote-miller-to-head-coach-position/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/01/toronto-argonauts-to-name-mike-miller-as-new-head-coach/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/02/official-toronto-argonauts-hire-mike-miller-as-new-head-coach/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/02/head-coach-mike-miller-to-also-be-offensive-coordinator-rest-of-toronto-coaching-rest-unclear/ ***** David Naylor says that Coach Huf will join the Argos as an advisor. https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/report-hufnagel-to-join-argonauts-in-senior-advisory-role/ https://3downnation.com/2025/12/02/john-hufnagel-to-join-toronto-argonauts-in-senior-advisory-role/ ***** 3 records broken in 2025 https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/02/3-records-that-were-broken-in-2025/ ***** Free agent analysis https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/02/7-under-the-radar-pending-free-agents-who-could-break-out-in-2026/ ***** 2026 Schedule speculation https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/one-week-until-cfl-2026-schedule-release-what-changes-should-be-made/

Taken together, these performances show that Jeremy Pelt never intended simply to play Christmas music – he endeavored to rethink it, with each track unfolding like a conversation between respected tradition and present-tense imagination. The venerable Christmas standard “We Three Kings” is transformed into a sleek, modern jazz waltz with a distinctly hip vibe that recalls Freddie Hubbard's “Blue Spirits.” The colors and phrasing the ensemble brings to “Christmas Time Is Here” are impressively unique and beautifully call to mind the song's hopeful last line: “Oh, that we could always see such spirit through the year.” “The Little Drummer Boy” receives a strikingly modern treatment with a distinctive, thought-provoking interpretation of a tune you thought you knew. In the capable hands of this all-star quartet, “Winter Wonderland” bounces along with straight-ahead joy, while “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” glows with whispered intimacy. It's all vintage Pelt — inventive, soulful, and deeply musical. Sure, it's a Christmas album, but at its core, it's a sparkling celebration of jazz itself, played with warmth, wit, and real sophistication. - Excerpted from the liner notes by Ray Osnato

Best wishes, Gheorghe!

2025 season analyses https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/01/mmqb-3-conclusions-from-the-2025-season/ https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/01/5-faces-in-new-places-that-impacted-2025/ ***** Free Agent analyses https://www.cfl.ca/2025/12/01/5-pending-free-agents-that-need-to-stay-put/ https://3downnation.com/2025/11/30/fond-farewells-one-popular-pending-free-agent-every-cfl-team-needs-to-walk-away-from/ https://pifflespodcast.com/blog/piffles-top-5-pending-free-agents-the-riders-need-to-bring-back-steves-version/ ***** Ottawa analysis https://3downnation.com/2025/11/30/five-burning-questions-for-the-ottawa-redblacks-in-the-2026-cfl-offseason/

Issue #1. Surprisingly violent, with hangings and a stabbing.