Riders Now

You could say it's the dream of any parent in Saskatchewan - watching their son play professional football at home.

Dale and Deb Heenan were in the audience yesterday morning, when the Roughriders announced their son Ben as the first overall draft pick.

Dale said he didn't expect to be in the room to hear the announcement. He thought he would be at home, watching it on TSN.

He and Deb agree that football is their son's sport. They explained that Ben has always been an athlete.

With a new season comes a whole new look for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The photo of the team’s new jerseys which were leaked on Twitter and Facebook were true. The uniforms were unveiled Wednesday morning.

CEO Jim Hopson is impressed.

“I’m very happy the way ours turned out. It’s new and it looks modern and sleek, but there’s still a hint, or a link to our retro jerseys.”

Hopson said they wanted a new look for the team.

It’s not yet clear what the Saskatchewan Roughriders will do during Thursday’s CFL Canadian draft.

Roughrider general manager Brendan Taman met with the media Tuesday as the team prepares to pick first overall.

It’s been questioned whether the Roughriders will pick first. There's been a lot of speculation that the team may move the pick in order to pick up a few more selections.

A few dozen fans got their first look at the 2012 Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The team took to the field at Mosaic Stadium Wednesday for the first day of mini-camp.

This is the first time the team has ever hosted a mini-camp. Teams have been allowed to host them since last year, when the new collective bargaining agreement came into effect.

However, most teams opted not to hold one last year because of time restraints.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Eskimos made a trade Monday.

The team has acquired import offensive lineman Xavier Fulton from Edmonton for a conditional sixth round draft pick in the 2013 CFL Canadian Draft.

The six-foot-four, 300- pound Fulton was a fifth round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2009 NFL Draft.

The 25-year-old Chicago native has also spent time in the NFL on the Colts, 49ers and Redskins practice rosters.

He spent the 2011 season with the Virginia Destroyers of the UFL.

By Jamie Nye

paNOW staff

Dario Romero and his aggressive play are out, but Macho is in as the Roughriders prepare for a mini-camp this month.

The Riders announced the 34-year-old Romero is being released after just one season with the team. He was signed last year from Edmonton. The two time CFL Western All -Star broke into the CFL with the Eskimos in 2001, then spent three seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He also played with the Alouettes before returning to the Eskimos for three more seasons.

The former ‘Mayor of Swaggerville’ has been impeached.

Those were the words of Odell Willis when he donned number 11 for the green and white to meet the media on Monday.

He took on the name ‘Mayor of Swaggerville with the Blue Bombers last season when he led the CFL in quarterback sacks. Now the defensive end says his focus will be to bring that type of play to the Riders.

Willis also said fans can expect to see him a little less boisterous off the field.

The names on the Saskatchewan Roughrider depth chart under Darian Durant will be much different for the Riders when the training camp starts in June.

Cole Bergquist was released by the Green and White today. Bergquist has been with the Roughriders for two years, but as third string quarterback attempted just six passes last season.

The move completes a back-up quarterback house-cleaning. The Riders released veteran Ryan Dinwiddie back in January.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have loaded up on linebackers.

The team signed four imports to attend training camp as the team has to replace all three starting spots after Jerrell Freeman signed in the NFL and both Barrin Simpson and Sean Lucas retired.

Alvin Bowen, Abraham Kromah, Tony Taylor and Jamar Williams were signed to contracts.

Bowen, Taylor and Kromah all have NFL experience. Williams made 91 tackles in 54 games in the NFL as a member of the Chicago Bears.

news@panow.com

Gene Makowsky announced his retirement from the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a tearful good-bye on Friday.

"It’s been a great ride. It’s tough it’s over but life goes on," he said from the Green and White Lounge at Mosaic Stadium in Regina.

In a room full of family and people from the Saskatchewan Roughriders organization he said, "I feel very fortunate to be able to play for so long for the team I love."

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have landed two of the most coveted free agents.

Weyburn product Brendon LaBatte and former Toronto Argonaut Dominic Picard met with Roughriders management Thursday morning to sign their new contracts.

The offensive linemen have been two of the best in the league over the last few seasons.

LaBatte is coming off one of his finest seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Riders opened their coffers to land the University of Regina graduate.

The CFL's free agency deadlines passed this morning and while some players are on the move the biggest names are still in limbo.

The Roughriders have lost one wide receiver so far but it is not Andy Fantuz yet.

Cary Koch was the first of the team's free agents to move. He has signed with the Edmonton Eskimos to re-join General Manager Eric Tillman. This will end a two year stay with the green and white which included a decent rookie season helping the team get to the Grey Cup in 2010