Now it can be told: Brett Lauther has allegiances to the Roughriders and the Elks.
The Brookfield Elks, in the latter case.
Lauther, the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ placekicker since 2018, played for Brookfield’s entry in the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League from 2009 to 2012.
Most notably, he had 10 points in 12 games during the 2010 playoffs — credentials that make him an eminently qualified headliner for the fourth annual Roughrider Foundation Winter Classic, to be played on Jan. 31 in Saskatoon.
“We had a pretty good team,” Lauther recalled of his time with the Elks. “We had a really good run. We made it to the finals in our division, with an opportunity to go to the final, and I think we took it to overtime in Game 6. We almost won at home to force Game 7.
“Those were the best days. There are good memories with those guys on that team.”
One of those recollections seems out of character for the conventionally congenial kicker.
He got in a fight.
That explains his uneven penalty-minute total (23) during the 2010 post-season.
“I’m never a person who would start a fight, but I definitely wouldn’t shy away, especially because of the guys I played with,” Lauther said.
“We were losing 4-1 at the time. I got in my first-ever junior fight. The guys were pretty pumped up. By the time I was showered and changed, the game was tied 4-4 and the boys won it in overtime.
“In that junior league, if you got in a fight, you got kicked out of the game.”
This from someone who is accustomed to doing the kicking.
In fact, he kick-started the Winter Classic, proposing the idea of a charity hockey game in a most fruitful conversation with Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation Executive Director Cindy Fuchs.
Two great people. One great cause.
The teams, captained by Lauther and Chris Getzlaf, will collectively deploy four former NHL players — Ryan Bayda, Mike Commodore, Sheldon Kennedy and Mike Sillinger.
Kennedy was part of a Swift Current Broncos team that won the 1989 Memorial Cup … in Saskatoon.
Sillinger suited up for Team Canada when it won the 1990 world junior hockey championship … in Saskatoon.
Commodore was a member of the Stanley Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. Their No. 1 goaltender was Cam Ward … from Saskatoon.
Bayda — from Saskatoon! — was a member of the Hurricanes when he scored his first NHL goal, against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 18, 2003.
The Leafs’ goaltender on that occasion was Ed Belfour. Like Bayda, Belfour is a graduate of the University of North Dakota men’s hockey team.
Bayda’s time at UND (1999 to 2002) coincided with that of former Roughriders defensive lineman Scott Schultz, who was a member of the school’s football program from 1997 to 2000.
For more information on the upcoming Winter Classic, CLICK HERE.
(B)RING IT HOME
Roughriders receiver Samuel Emilus had a hilarious exchange with Teagan Witko and Dave Thomas on CKRM’s SportsCage earlier this week.
Witko: “Before we dive into your re-signing, have you had your day with the Grey Cup yet?”
Emilus: “I haven’t, but it’s in the works. I’ve talked to the people I need to talk to. Hopefully I can get it in Montreal a couple of weeks from now.”
Thomas: “Isn’t that kind of rubbing salt in the wounds, though?”
Emilus: “Maybe that’s the whole reason why I wanted to do it.”
Witko: “He’s earned it, Dave.”
Emilus: “I earned the right to have the Grey Cup in Montreal. The week after the Grey Cup, they were asking me if I was going to bring the Grey Cup back home (to Montreal). I was like, ‘The Alouettes couldn’t do it, but I’ll do it.’ ”
TRIVIA QUESTION
Who led the 2025 Roughriders in average yards per carry?
(Give up? Scroll down for the answer.)
JOHN BRODIE’S VISIT
Former NFL quarterback John Brodie, who passed away at age 90 on Friday, figured prominently in the first United States live network telecast of a game from Taylor Field.
The date was Oct. 3, 1982. During an NFL players’ strike, NBC programmers were looking to fill the football void on Sundays.
Roughriders to the rescue!
Don Criqui handled the play-by-play and Brodie provided colour commentary of Saskatchewan’s 53-8 victory over Calgary.
Saskatchewan scored on its first play from scrimmage, when Dwight Edwards caught a short pass from Joe (747) Adams and sped 84 yards for a touchdown.
Adams threw two more touchdown passes, both to Joey Walters, to help Saskatchewan assume a 34-0 lead by halftime.
Criqui and Brodie had called a game in Toronto one week earlier.
“I really like the game and I’ve followed it a lot on television,” Brodie told John Chaput of the Regina Leader-Post on Oct. 1, 1982. “I even saw that (1962 Grey Cup) game that had to be stopped because of the fog and resumed the next day.
“I’ve always thought Canadians knew the way to go about it. I feel the game should be played as if it’s second-and-10 and you throw the ball on every down. Well, here it is second-and-10 (by U.S. standards).
“And with the big field, I don’t think the defence has a chance. I think it’s a wonderful game.”
Well, maybe not for the Stampeders on the first Sunday of October, 1982.
Calgary’s quarterback for the obligatory second half was Phil Kessel — whose son, Phil Jr., played in 1,286 NHL regular-season games.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
The other day, I saw an online discussion about who has the shortest name in NFL history. It seems to be a tie at five characters: Bo Nix = Ty Law.
As for the Roughriders, the shortest names are six characters.
• Ab Bole (inside wing and middle wing, 1919-1921).
• Joe Fry (offensive lineman, training camp 1952).
• Bob Fee (fullback, training camp 1958).
• Ray Ash (offensive lineman and linebacker, 1959), who signed with the Roughriders 67 years ago today.
• Ken Don (linebacker and fullback, 1960-1963).
• Bob Lee (fullback, training camp 1963).
• Nat Dye (offensive lineman, 1964-1965).
• Cal Fox (linebacker, training camp 1974).
• Ron Moe (linebacker, training camp 1975).
• Tim Guy (defensive lineman, 1977).
• Ed King (offensive lineman, 1998).
• Qua Cox (defensive back, signed/released 2015).
• Vad Lee (quarterback, 2016).
OPEN FOR FIERCE DEBATE: Do we go with Al Ford (six characters) or Alan Ford (eight)?
I opted for the former, because Mr. Versatility has always used “Alan Ford” to sign autographs.
The longest name in Roughriders history?
La’Akea Kaho’ohanohano-Davis (27 characters).
We dove into the latter topic after the Hawaiian-born linebacker signed with the Green and White in 2023. For more, CLICK HERE.
(HAND)SHAKE-AND-BAKE
In nearly 40 years of scribbling for a living, only once have I seen an interviewee shake hands with every reporter before a media conference.
Kian Schaffer-Baker did just that on Tuesday, shortly after the Roughriders announced that the popular pass-catcher had signed a two-year contract extension.
Peter Mansbridge had a comparable story to tell on his podcast, The Bridge, when it was released on Thursday.
“Desmond Tutu, a Noble Peace Prize winner and a dynamic leader from South Africa, arrived in the studio for an interview,” the legendary CBC journalist recalled. “And what did he do when he got there? He stopped and walked around and shook everybody’s hand in the studio — all the crew members. He wanted to hear from them, talk to them.
“He didn’t need to do that, but he did.”
Programming note: Check out the Jan. 15 edition of The Bridge, if you haven’t already done so. Included is Mansbridge’s story about his boyhood idol, Ron Lancaster.
THE TAKE ON DRAKE
The other day, I asked Roughriders receiver Dhel Duncan-Busby: “Who is the most famous person you have met?”
The answer: “Drake and DeMar DeRozan.”
Impressive!
“I met Drake at a fund-raiser,” Duncan-Busby continued. “I was very young when I met DeMar DeRozan. We played on the Raptors’ court. He was sitting there right before the game, so I got to meet him there.
“I was so young when I met Drake that I don’t remember a lot about it. I just remember being there for a fund-raiser and he was there. It was, ‘That’s Drake! What’s up?’ That was it.”
KICKING THIS AROUND
On Friday, the Roughriders announced the re-signing of American kicker Michael Hughes, who made both his field-goal attempts in his first (and heretofore only) CFL game.
Hughes connected from 42 and 28 yards against the visiting B.C. Lions on Oct. 25.
That got me thinking: How many kickers have made all their field-goal attempts as a Roughrider? Here is the data:
4-4 — Ryan Meskell (Oct. 13, 2023 at Calgary).
3-3 — Ivan MacMillan (Aug. 24, 1975 versus Ottawa).
2-2 — Michael Hughes (Oct. 25, 2025 versus B.C.).
1-1 — Roy Cameron (Aug. 23, 1963 versus Calgary).
1-1 — Ken Clark (Sept. 4, 1983 versus Winnipeg).
1-1 — Terry Leschuk (Aug. 10, 1985 versus Hamilton).
SHORT SNORTS
• Oft-overlooked stellar performance from 2025: In the Western Final against B.C., Lauther was 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 on converts. The Lions’ lone field-goal attempt, from 42 yards, hit an upright. Three points ended up being the difference as Saskatchewan won 24-21.
• Quirky stat: Quinn van Gylswyk’s only CFL field goal was a 54-yarder (for Saskatchewan against the visiting Calgary Stampeders on Aug. 13, 2016).
• Here’s a coincidence: Harold (Hal) Preston, a member of the Roughriders/Regina Rugby Club from 1919 to 1923, hailed from Lancaster, England. And what number did the Lancaster-born Preston wear? 23!
TRIVIA ANSWER
Grey Cup-winning quarterback Trevor Harris led the 2025 Roughriders in average yards per carry (6.6).
Eight rushes for 53 yards.
The “T-Mobile” nickname is well-earned.
ROLL CREDITS …
• Nice people who deserve a plug: Jessica Gelowsky, Breanna Desnomie, Rylee Cohen, Jolene Campbell, Jacob Carr, Mychaela Carr, Dale Richter, Bonnie Thomas, Rylan Hill, Bernadette McIntytre, Rich McIntyre, Dhel Duncan-Busby, Brett Lauther, Mitch Picton, Kian Schaffer-Baker, Caroline Sorensen, Alvina Sorensen, Len Davidovich, Marlene Hoffman, Rick Wychreschuk, Erika Nagy, Greg Indzeoski, Brendan Indzeoski, John Chaput, Evelyn Chaput, Morgan Chaput, Lana Chaput, Kian Schaffer-Baker, Mike Sillinger, Jamie Heward, Frank Kovacs and Sheldon Kennedy.