Locker Talk Lineup for February 23

Here's the lineup for this week's show. It aired last night and will hit the Access 7 airwaves again Saturday at noon. It will also be available via the On Demand menu.

Locker Talk Guests for February 23/16
Co-Host: Carlo Palazzo

1. The Leboldus Golden Suns celebrate a second straight Luther Invitational high school basketball (LIT) championship, and now take aim at a fourth straight city and provincial senior boys title. Guests: Ben Hillis (Guard) & Carter Millar (Forward).

2. 2016 promises to be another busy year for Regina Minor Football. Guest: Kelly Hamilton (RMF President). 

3. Football Saskatchewan is also gearing up for a busy spring and summer. Guest: Mike Thomas (Director of Operations).

4. The Film Room. Locker Talk sports movie reviewer Carlo Palazzo reviews another sports cinema classic. This time: Lucky Number Slevin.

5. A pair of Regina high school football stars represented Canada at the recent International Bowl competition in the U.S. Guests: Mason Nyhus (QB-Riffel Royals) & Kyle Borsa (RB-Riffel Royals).

6. For Pete's Sake. Pete’s sports commentary.

Locker Talk lineup for February 16

Here is this week's lineup. The show aired last night on Access 7 in Regina, and will repeat Saturday at noon. It will also be available via Access' On Demand menu. Enjoy!

Locker Talk Guests for February 16/16
Co-Host: Mitchell Blair
 
1. A new book called “Giving Us a Sporting Chance: The Story of Sask Sport” chronicles the history of the province’s governing body for amateur sport. Guests: Lynn Gidluk (Author) & Cas Pielak (SaskSport Past President).

2. A preview of the annual Regina Thunder fundraising dinner and an update on preparations for the 2016 junior football season. Guests: Brin Werrett (Team President) & Brent Glen (Defensive Coordinator).

3. A preview of Queen City Coronation, the professional mixed martial arts card coming to Regina in March. Guest: Charmaine “Not So Sweet” Tweet (fighter).

4. Former NHLer, and sex abuse victim, Sheldon Kennedy will be the keynote speaker at an event put on in Regina in March by the Schizophrenia Society of Saskatchewan. Guests: Anita Hopfauf & Anthony Elsom (Schizophrenia Society).

5. A preview of Resurgence, the February card and Access 7 tv taping, put on by High Impact Wrestling in Regina. Guest: Alexander Prime (Wrestler). 

6. The Blair Necessities. Mitch’s weekly sports commentary.

7. Locker Talk Fitness File. For February. With hosts Daniel Ince & Michelle Espino (Driven Lifestyle Group).

Locker Talk lineup for February 9

Here's the lineup for this week's show on Access 7 in Regina. It aired last night, and will repeat Saturday at noon. It will also be available through Access' On Demand menu.

Locker Talk Guests for February 9/16
Co-Host: Mitchell Blair

1. An update on the 2015/16 season for the University of Regina men’s basketball team. Guests: Brandon Tull & Sam Hillis (Cougar guards).

2. A preview of the 64th annual Luther Invitational high school basketball tournament. Guests: Brock Lumbard (Luther senior boys basketball player) & Angela Bongamin (Luther senior girls basketball player).

3. An update on the 2015/16 season for the Regina Pat Canadians midget AAA hockey club. Guests: Darrin McKechnie (Head Coach), Tanner McKechnie & Thomas Goldade (players).

4. Regina youngsters aged 2-12 are being introduced to the sport of rugby via Regina Mini Rugby. Registration is now open. Guests: Dave Hamilton (Coach) & Kye Hamilton (player). 

5. A former U of R Rams star is hoping for an injury-free second season in the CFL. Guest: Addison Richards (Winnipeg Blue Bomber receiver).

6. The Blair Necessities. Mitch’s weekly sports commentary.

7. The CFL free agency period is upon us. Will the Riders be actively pursuing veteran free agents in restocking their roster? Guest: Rob Vanstone (Leader Post Sports Coordinator).

Locker Talk lineup for February 2

Here's the lineup for this week's show on Access 7 in Regina. It airs tonight at 9:00 and Saturday at noon. Not sure if there's a great demand for me to resume posting these, but what the heck!

Locker Talk Guests for February 2/16
Co-Host: Mitchell Blair
 

A Regina skip celebrates her first provincial women’s curling championship. Guests: Jolene Campbell (skip) & Ashley Howard (third). A profile of the University of Regina track and field team. Guests: Joy Becker & Liam Nystuen (Cougar track athletes). An update on the 2015/16 season for the Traveland RV Pilot Butte Storm Junior B hockey club. Guest: Cohen Yano (Storm forward). Access 7 Sports Plays of the Month. For January. An update on the 2015/16 season for the University of Regina women’s basketball team. Guests: Sidney Dobner (Guard) & Mykaela Kleisinger (Guard). A profile of the Regina Speed Skating Club. Guests: Bill Christ (Head Coach) & Kali Ann Friesen (Skater).  The Blair Necessities.  Mitch’s weekly sports commentary.

Prayers for La Loche

I'm not a politician, nor do I aspire to be one. I'm not usually one to climb atop a soapbox (unless the subject is the Green Bay Packers), but I'm having a hard time processing the events in La Loche today without feeling a combination of sadness, frustration and anger.

First, of course deepest sympathies go out to the people of La Loche, particularly those directly impacted by today's tragic events. The rest of us are rightfully shocked and sympathetic, but those feelings will diminish as we return to daily life in Regina, Ottawa and elsewhere. Here's the problem: I firmly believe the school shooting in La Loche is more than a terrible tragedy. It's a cry for help.

I've never been to La Loche. In fact, I've only spent one day out of my entire life in the northern part of this province. But, I've been privy to a fair bit of information about the situation up there. What happened today isn't a gun control issue. It isn't necessarily a political issue. It's more. Way, way more.

Suffice it to say our northern communities are no strangers to high rates of poverty, crime, substance abuse, violence and teen suicide (triple the per capita numbers of anywhere else in the province). And this isn't solely a Saskatchewan problem. Similar scenarios are playing out in northern communities across Canada.

So, what's being done about it? To be fair, governments have tried and continue to try. Cross ministerial and cross jurisdictional consultations have happened and programs have been launched. All the stakeholders have been invited to the table. But still, the pain continues. And it's not going away anytime soon.

Part of the problem is we're talking about a small and geographically spread out population base in the north. It's easy to forget about them while enjoying a glass of chardonnay in Wascana View or Lakeview. Small populations also don't carry a lot of votes. Then, have you ever tried to get politicians and/or bureaucrats from various levels of government to agree on anything? Good luck with that. And there's also a very real distrust of government types from "down south" within northern communities.

So, what's the answer? Lord, I wish I knew. But I do know that we all have a stake in this. (Trust me, when the powder keg goes off in the north, you'll feel it wherever you are.) We need to find solutions that are driven by the local communities. The people of La Loche and the north are the experts on what's happening in their backyards. Let's treat them like it.

But of course, solutions without resources behind them amount to lip service. And that's when the vicious cycle of distrust, despair and hopelessness is nurtured. Let's get everyone to the table (with chequebooks in hand), including the youth - especially the youth - and keep them there until some strategies are developed and committed to.

We have a new government in Ottawa. Let's see if Mr. Trudeau's "Sunny Ways" include the people of northern Saskatchewan. The mayor of La Ronge is running for the SaskParty government in the upcoming provincial election. Let's see if Thomas Sierzycki can convince his colleagues to address the problem. Let's see if the NDP can hold the government to account on this issue. Let's encourage the people of the north to put aside their (well-earned!) distrust of the southern political machinery in order to build a brighter future for their communities.

For now, sympathy and compassion must rule the day. The Premier should visit the community. Tears will be shed and speeches will be made. But then, the real work must begin. 

Let's do something before another mother has to bury a son or daughter because someone saw the only solution available to them at the end of a gun barrel. Or a needle.

I'm going to borrow a hashtag from the Toronto Raptors NBA team. I think in this case it's also an expression of solidarity with our northern neighbours.

#WeTheNorth
#PrayersForLaLoche