During a CFL career now in its 21st year, Danny Barrett has yet to pick up a Grey Cup ring. And he won't even discuss the possibility of coming to Ottawa next month in an attempt to do so.

"There's too much football left to be played to start talking about that," the coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders said yesterday.

However, Barrett doesn't mind talking about his team's chances of hosting a playoff game for the first time since 1988 and just the second time since 1976.

Everybody else in Regina is these days.

"It's been the buzz of the city since last week, when we knocked off Montreal and the other two (West Division teams, Edmonton and Winnipeg) lost. We feel confident playing at Taylor Field. It'd be nice to play in November in our home park."

A win over Ottawa tonight would be the fourth straight for the Roughriders and give them at least temporary possession of second place in the West.

EXTRA POINTS: Making his Roughrider debut tonight will be LB Alondra Johnson, a 39-year-old former star with Calgary, Johnson was signed by Saskatchewan "to bring intensity and leadership to our locker room," according to Barrett ... More than 100 students and family members from the Cree Football Nation in Mistissini, Que. will be at the game tonight as guests of the 'Gades. The kids were given a clinic by coach Joe Paopao, a couple of his assistants and players during the team's bye week in August.

don.brennan@ott.sunpub.com