Jamie Nye: In sports, great captains are first to take the heat

The Saskatchewan Roughriders should be lauded for leadership, albeit reactionary rather than proactive.

But they deserve credit nonetheless, as they tied for last in the CFL for requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to attend Rider games.

At least team president and CEO Craig Reynolds, at the recommendation of public health officers, finally agreed that — with the rising case numbers around Saskatchewan — it was time to do something.

Reynolds and the unfortunate souls in the ticket office and other business owners around the province who are now asking for vaccine proof are now facing vitriol and hate spewed at them. Meanwhile, our premier fully supports these decisions but doesn’t want to be the bad guy so instead is happy passing the buck.

Even Dr. Saqib Shahab, Moe’s medical adviser, surmised on our station last week that requiring proof of vaccine is likely the way to go.

Moe kept saying this is a more collaborative way of doing things than the heavy hand of government. If Moe was really a team player, and in this case the captain of that team, he’d step up like his counterparts in other provinces and take the heat, like great captains do.