The heat has been on the Saskatchewan Roughriders this week.
The CFL team practised in scorching temperatures each day at Mosaic Stadium and appears to have successfully dealt with the effects of the heat.
Guard Brendon LaBatte estimated linemen could lose between three and eight pounds during practice if they were in full pads for the whole workout. Hydration is a must during and after practice.
“It’s mostly fluid loss,” said LaBatte, whose team is to face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday at Mosaic Stadium. “It’s not like you’ve really got to get crazy trying to drive in calories to make it up. If you just get sipping on water and any sort of electrolytes, it seems to come back on.”
Guard Peter Dyakowski also is a proponent of hydration, having seen 300-plus-pound teammates lose 10 to 15 pounds on scorching days.
“Whenever I have the opportunity, I’m drinking even more than I feel like I need because it’s tough otherwise to get enough,” Dyakowski said. “But I like it when it’s hot. It keeps me loose. It’s a bit of a challenge, but it’s not anything insurmountable.
“Whenever I feel like the heat is getting to me a little bit, I give myself a bit of a mental slap and I tell myself that I’ve been through much worse in my university days in Louisiana (at LSU).”
Roughriders head coach-GM Chris Jones said the staff sent information to the players before the week started, telling them what to eat and how much to drink to prepare for the heat. In Jones’ mind, the players never wilted during the week.
“We try to fatigue them to the point where we’re making them physically and mentally fatigued (so) that it’s not the first time when they get into the game,” he said. “That’s what we’re attempting to do at practice.”
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Josh Bartel definitely enjoyed Friday’s practice.
A family of four from Melbourne was at Mosaic Stadium for the workout and met the Roughriders’ Australian-born punter.
It was the first time that someone from Bartel’s homeland visited him here — other than his parents, of course — and he was happy to have them around.
“It’s actually nice that the Canadian league is getting a little bit of traction back in Australia,” Bartel said. “Having a countryman in the stands cheering for you is great because you know they’ve always got your back win, lose or draw.”
The family is to attend Saturday’s game and Bartel vowed to do something just for them.
“They’re sitting over there in the corner,” he said, gesturing toward the southeast section of the stadium, “so I said I’ll kick one to them — which hopefully I don’t, because it would be a really bad punt.”
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All week, Jones has offered his support for kicker Tyler Crapigna, who missed important field-goal tries in each of Saskatchewan’s first two regular-season games.
On Friday, a Hamilton radio type asked Jones why he stood behind Crapigna so firmly.
“He’s an 86-per-cent kicker (for his career),” Jones replied. “You’re probably not even 86-per-cent successful putting your keys in your car.
“He’s a guy who can go out there and perform his job at an 86-per-cent level. It just so happens that he missed at inopportune times.”
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The Roughriders are to face a Hamilton team Saturday that hasn’t played since June 25.
The Tiger-Cats lost their opener 32-15 to the Toronto Argonauts and then had a bye in Week 2. But Jones is sure Saturday’s visitors will be prepared for the contest.
“Kent Austin didn’t just forget how to coach,” Jones said of Hamilton’s bench boss. “He’s got an outstanding staff around him and a big core of that group has been there for quite some time — and that’s not to mention their quarterback (Zach Collaros), who’s one of the most elusive guys in the league.
“They’ve had a week to prepare, they’ve been able to watch the first couple of games that we’ve played. I’m sure they’ll bring a good game plan in here and be a challenge.”
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Prior to each of their regular-season games, the Roughriders have dealt with some kind of distraction.
Before the June 22 opener against the Montreal Alouettes, one of the storylines pertained to the Roughriders facing their former quarterback, Darian Durant, for the first time.
Much of the talk before the July 1 contest against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers dealt with the grand opening of Mosaic Stadium.
On Friday, Jones was asked about the recent release of Jonathan Newsome and the newly signed Ottawa Redblacks defensive end’s side of the story that appeared on Twitter.
“There has been a lot of things, hoopla going around and stuff, but I think our guys have done a pretty good job of just worrying about what they need to worry about,” Jones said. “Character-wise, I think this group is very solid.”
