Davis: Saskatchewan Roughriders have something golfers Morikawa and McIlroy lack — character

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Collin Morikawa couldn’t play for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

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Neither could Rory McIlroy.

Aside from the fact they’re millionaire golfers, not football players, Morikawa and McIlroy have recently acted like prima donnas by avoiding interviews after losing golf tournaments. The current Roughriders don’t behave like McIlroy did after missing several short putts that cost him the U.S. Open and Morikawa did after blowing a three-shot lead in last weekend’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

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Under head coach Corey Mace and general manager Jeremy O’Day, this crop of Roughriders doesn’t duck difficult situations. After getting penalized and fined for hitting Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterbacks in back-to-back CFL games last season, Riders defensive tackle Miles Brown was asked why he humbly faced the media afterwards.

“I assume it’s part of the job and I’m a job-doer,” said Brown, who recently signed a free-agent contract with the Calgary Stampeders. “So I’ll just do my job.”

Morikawa and McIlroy could learn from Brown’s comments: It is their job to tell people who help pay their salaries what they’re doing. It’s easier to answer a few media questions — and have those answers made public — than it is to answer thousands or millions of fans who want to know, “What happened?”

From a distance, Morikawa and McIlroy usually appeared to be stand-up, engaging guys. They were among the bright personalities remaining loyal to the PGA Tour, which has been trying to stay ahead of LIV Golf, an upstart league owned by a Saudi Arabian fund that has pre-paid millions to lure away some of the world’s best golfers in an effort to destroy the established circuit.

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Morikawa and McIlroy should understand the importance of grace under pressure. Of letting everyone witness their emotions after wins and losses. Of putting forward a reason for fans, sponsors, broadcasting networks, mainstream media and fellow golfers to respect the PGA Tour.

Yet, there was Morikawa, finally meeting with reporters 48 hours later as he prepared for The Players Championship: “I don’t owe anyone anything. No offence to you guys, but for me in the moment of that time, I didn’t want to be around anyone …

“I get it. You guys are there to figure out how we played and how things went. In my perspective, I didn’t want to talk to anyone and I think that’s fair to myself.”

Pardon?

Palmer would be turning over in his grave, especially because it was his tournament! Arnie’s charisma — the way he dealt with media and fans when he was winning and losing golf tournaments in the 1950s-70s — is a major reason why the PGA Tour became popular.

McIlroy had done much in recent months to promote the Tour, but his post-Open excuse was also feeble: “I didn’t want to speak to anyone, didn’t want to see anyone. I just wanted to get on the plane and go home.”

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Boo-hoo!

That’s much different from the Roughriders, with their maturity, professionalism and sense of responsibility.

Late in a victory last season over the Ottawa Redblacks, Riders defensive back Deontai Williams was penalized 25 yards and ejected for tossing an opponent on his head. Williams could have been suspended.

“If I play, I play,” Williams, who recently joined the B.C. Lions, told the media. “If I don’t, then it’s what it is. But like I said, I regret my decision and my intent was never to hurt him out there.”

Riders kicker Brett Lauther blamed himself for a loss when he missed four of seven field goals, including a last-play, 48-yarder that could have tied the Montreal Alouettes. Lauther entertained all questions from the media.

“A lot of people are working hard in this organization, not only the players and the coaches but the fans and the people coming out,” said Lauther. “Going out and doing that, it’s unacceptable.”

Roughriders players and management have faced the music before, usually humbly but not always happily.

Defensive back Glen Suitor did so after taking boneheaded penalties that cost his team a game in 1989; kicker Paul McCallum likewise after missing a short field goal in a 2004 playoff game; the entire 2009 squad after a too-many-men penalty cost them a Grey Cup victory against Montreal; and so far everyone on the current squad.

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None of them earn millions or regularly hit a golf ball 300 yards, but at least they have character.

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