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Last Word On Sports

Sports News Since 2011. Honestly.

Last Word On Sports Logo

Sports. Honestly. Since 2011

Year: 2012

NHL Happy Hour: Not So Happy Edition.

Posted on by Maksim Vasilyev

Why do we drink alcoholic beverages?

It may seem like a simple question, but I assure you it is not. Alcohol after all is a drug or a remedy and can be taken as a positive, almost religious, experience or in some instances a negative one. Many cultures and people treat this tasty substance differently. We can, and many have written books about the thousand-and-one purposes and ways to enjoy alcohol. I will focus on the two basic reasons we all consume the good stuff: Celebrations and Sorrow.

If you are reading this, you are probably a hockey fan and currently are in deep mourning. Mourning of our beloved game that has been hijacked from us by the greed of the few. The numbers and blame will not be handed out here, but this does bring us to the sorrow aspect of drinking.  As fans we can’t help but think that our game has been hijacked and held hostage, taken from us by those who don’t care about the sport the way we do.

There could be many reasons to drink – you could be sad, down in the dumps, or angry.  But which drink to choose? What blend of liquor or beer will you go to? Some people may have their favorites, just like their favorite hockey teams or hockey players, but sometimes you need to put your favorites away and have a combo that will remedy you of ill thoughts and get you back on to the Happy St. Just like when your favorite player is hurt or your favorite team is out of the hunt, you resort to the back-ups to watch and to root for. Why? Well you have a need to fill and even though the reasons for having a back-up team could be questioned, every sport fan has done this before. Your need to root for someone, or the fact that you like players who happen to be on other teams, will drive you to dabble elsewhere. Rooting against your rival team is a good excuse, too.

Let’s get back to our drink.  Which drink is best to take away that sad and lost feeling we have right now?

Difficult question. You need something hard and something that has character. Do not go reaching for the 24-pack of Coors-water or Butt-Light. You want a full lager or a stout with a good finish and a cheap whiskey. So why the dark lager and cheap whiskey?  Well, for a few reasons.

Most dark lagers and stouts are a bit heavy, but have a pleasant finish that lingers a bit. The head is thick and always dangles on your manly mustache after a hefty drink. The aroma hits your nose with a pleasant greeting, almost saying “This is going to be awesome”,  as the hops explode over the increased surface area as you tilt the glass for a few gulps (always drink from a glass for this reason, for the love of God). Always take two gulps and make sure to make the last one stick around a bit longer. Chugging will only make you gassy. The weight of the beer will make you happier as your body will start to think you are getting full. This feeling will also relax you. This is where the cheap whiskey comes in to kick things up a notch.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8pRpKCvrPg&w=560&h=315]

The cheap whiskey is good for many reasons. One is that it costs $20-30 less per bottle and it gives you a bit more of an ass-kicking going down. Jack Daniels or Dewar’s is a good place to start. You want to taste the burn and the kick that makes you have the whiskey face (fine whiskey will go down too smooth, and who wants that?). This isn’t a daiquiri and umbrella happy hour, it is a time to have a real man’s drink – that’s the point.

Cheap whiskey is hard to drink, and even harder to like.  It takes years to be able to drink it without making a face. That is the trick here because you drink it and it makes you feel a bit more manly and strong. You get pumped from the feeling it gives you.  In some small way you pound your hairy chest and get over whatever ails you – in this case, the lack of NHL hockey.

A few pints and several shots later, you will be giddy and yuppy. Talking about the good times and the dirty things you will be doing to that awesome burrito at the Mexican deli next door.  Hopefully, if only for a short while, you’ll forget about that stupid labor dispute.

So that is my go-to combo for the dire sorrow feeling and the remedy for the downs in life. I strongly urge you to enjoy your holidays responsibly and drink in moderation (but with purpose).  We will talk about the victory drink combo next week and hopefully we will have some NHL news to celebrate!

 

Don’t forget to join me every Wednesday night at 10pm as Ben Kerr and I go back and forth on “Puckheads: The NHL Show“.  Join me on Twitter – @LastWordOnNHL

Manchester United Monthly – November

Posted on by Jack Stone
credit: Eschipul, CC

November’s fixtures are now complete, with another good showing by the Red Devils as they finish the month in first place of the EPL and are through to the round of 16 in UEFA Champions League competition.  Last month we ended on October 31st with Manchester United losing a 5-4 thriller at Stamford Bridge during Capital one cup competition – my how some things change.

November 3 vs Arsenal – United’s biggest competition of the month was welcoming the Gunners to Old Trafford for another feisty battle with referee involvement!  United went up early off a Robin Van Persie goal against his old chaps, and was followed up by a Patrice Evra header to make it 2-0, before Santi Cazorla netted at the final whistle in the 95th.  The bigger notes were not the score board, but that United were given a pk for a hand ball by Cazorla.  Rooney subsequently missed the net.  Also, Arsenal MF Jack Wilshire was sent off in the 69th minute for a 2nd yellow during an attack on Evra.  It is also noted that RvP had a debatable red-worthy tackle in the 61st minute, and luckily escaped with a yellow.

November 7 @ Braga – To the Champions League group stage match in Braga, where the home side struck early again against Manchester, this time from the penalty marker.  Braga were holding on strong to their 1-0 lead, until the 80th minute when Robin Van Persie tied things up.  The flood gates opened, leading to a Rooney penalty strike in the 84th to knock Braga down, and a Hernandez in the 92nd to make sure Braga were not getting back up. 3-1 Devils.

November 10 @ Aston Villa – A complete heartbreak for the Villains and another Red Devils come-from-behind and late winner!  This time the home side Villa were up 2-0 until Javier Hernandez decided to score, and then created an own-goal to tie things up. Then an 87th minute diving header by the Mexican would make the Villains sick to their stomachs, realizing they had just given up a 2-goal lead to the table toppers.

November 17th @ Norwich – This match will be one that we all look back to if United fail to conquer the Premier League this season, as they found themself on the losing end of a 1-0 score to a lower half team.  United’s line-up was a bit questionable as Wayne Rooney was not available due to an ankle injury.  The Red Devils started last season’s hero at Norwich, Ryan Giggs, which was noted as an error due to the aging midfielder’s poor performance.  Ferguson dressed a more defensive reserve unit and it showed while being down a goal late in the match they didn’t have Luiz Nani to turn to as he was dropped from the reserve list despite being healthy.

November 20th @ Galatasaray – United had already clinched the round of 16 so they brought a reserve squad to Turkey, which was a fair decision as the Devils much-needed a rest and some recuperation after the shocking defeat three days prior. Galatasaray won the match 1-0 ending United’s undefeated Champions League run, however the Devils still lead their group comfortably.

November 24 vs QPR – Once again the Devils conceded first before blowing their competition away 3-1 at Old Trafford.  Evans, Fletcher and Hernandez did the scoring to see off the Rangers and retain first place in the Premiere League after City tied at Stamford Bridge.

November 28 vs West Ham – It looked like the Devils were ready to thrash the Hammers after RvP scored just 37 seconds into the match! However it ended up being the only strike of the match as the Devils won 1-0.  Manchester controlled most of the play, but the Hammers did have an opportunity to draw late, but Anders Lindegaard, who got the start, made the most of the opportunity with a finger tip save from a close range header.

That concludes a seven match month, where the Devils have started to rest players any chance they get.  They begin December this Saturday @ Reading where they should hold first place going into the big battle at the Etihad vs. cross town rivals, Manchester City.

 

Don’t forget to catch me on “World Football Roundtable” on Last Word Radio every Monday and Thursday at 10pm EST.

 

The Hammer: Score Fighting Series and Interviews Galore

Posted on by Ben Kerr

The Boys at the Hammer feature weekly coverage of all things MMA. This week they are back from Montreal with a new episode recapping the experience at UFC 154 and you can listen to the archived podcast by clicking here. Hammer Radio 121.

“It’s a packed show this week and we lead off with all of the week’s MMA news including yet another Strikeforce disaster, some serious changes to Bellator’s matchmaking policies, Thiago Silva’s latest drug test failure, and what looks like the unfortunate end to Nick Denis’ UFC career.

Also last Friday night we were at The Score Fighting Series 7 in our hometown of Hamilton, Ontario, and we have interviews with The UFC’s Antonio Carvalho, Strikeforce’s Jordan Mein, and The Score Fighting Series’ Jesse Ronson, all discussing the event.”

The Hammer features LastWordOnSports’ own writer Greg Persson, long time internet superstar Steve Jeffrey, and is hosted by MMA aficionado Dave Abraham.

The Hammer has had interviews with some of the biggest names in MMA over the years, including BJ Penn, Dan Henderson, Sean Sherk, Mark Coleman, Rory MacDonald, Brendan Schaub, Mark Bocek, John Makdessi, Mark Hominick, Martin Kampmann, Johnny Hendrix, and others. They continue to bring unparalleled, independent coverage of all things MMA to fans of the sport.

They’ll give you the straight goods and the Last Word.

Don’t forget to tune into “Friday is MMA Night” on Last Word Radio from 9-10pm EST. If you miss the show, it will be available in our archives or on iTunes for podcast download.

Also, check out our BRAND NEW sports forums!

5 Ways NHL/NHLPA Negotiations Could be Solved

Posted on by Maksim Vasilyev

The dire state of our beloved sport is almost surreal. A year ago, only the worst pessimists might have predicted we would be in this predicament approaching Christmas – one without hockey. Not only is there no hockey, but a deal is nowhere in sight. It is a disgrace to everything that teams, players, and the NHL spend millions of dollars marketing their brands. The dedication to their beloved fans that we’ve heard so much about is more likened to a slap in the face followed by a few kicks to the groin.

So while most pundits and fans argue about who is right and who is wrong, I figured that we may need to laugh about this whole situation a bit, even if it becomes a sad laugh after a night of binge drinking. I decided to take a look at the most effective, be it a bit (okay, a lot) unrealistic, ways to settle this NHLPA vs NHL dispute.

5) A Game of Hockey:

Wait, what?

Hear me out! This is after all a game of hockey we are talking about here, right? So it just seems natural that we take both sides of the CBA debate and have them play.  The losers have to sign the winner’s latest proposal.  We could have the best of 7 series, sort of like the Canada/Russia Super Series. It will not only provide some additional revenue from ticket sales and TV broadcast, but it will also be extremely fun to watch some of the players provide those needed love taps to Garry Bettman as he skates across the middle looking down at the puck.  Can we bring Scott Stevens back for just one game?

So the teams would be picked by their leadership, but would require the negotiating committee to play as well. The NHLPA would need to dress the Fehr brothers and NHL will need to dress Gary and Bill or the deal would be null. Obviously the players would have an advantage as far as the talent goes and would decide who will represent them based on a vote. The team would rival any All-Star squad,  but could be fun to see who gets picked over who and even what players would even bother to show up.

The owners, since most of them don’t even know how and what hockey is it seems, would be allowed to buy players. They can pay as much as they want to whomever they want.   In theory they could actually hire the “disgruntled” NHLPA players without those players incurring a penalty from NHLPA – we have to be fair.  This could get interesting, but my guess is that NHLPA would have a big advantage here and I am okay with that. Seeing Gary on skates would make it worth every penny and probably extremely hilarious.

How I imagine things would go:

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/104347/we-are-the-champions

4) Intermission Half Ice Shot:

Here is an example of the activity:

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The obvious appeal here is how hard it is to tuck the puck from half the ice into a tiny hole like that (no mom jokes please). The stakes are usually very high and involve the winner taking home a car or even up to a million dollars. The difficulty comes from the tiny hole that the person has to slide the puck through (I said no mom jokes, dammit). Not only is this opening barely larger than the puck, but you have half a rink of ice that may have bumps and grooves that can cause the puck to jump or alter its direction.

What could be more exciting than seeing Fehr and Bettman standing in the middle of the ice, televised sort of like the draft, taking shot after shot. The winner gets to choose the two proposals on the table. The stakes couldn’t be higher and since both Fehr and Gary look like they are tip-top athletes, it shouldn’t take long to settle. In case it does take longer than 10 minutes, and it will many times that, there would be no breaks, no intermissions, and they would keep going until one wins or one quits (or one passes out). Not only would this make them “truly” work for a resolution without ending discussions after 10 minutes and taking two week hiatuses, but it would really sweat it out, until someone gets lucky and wins.

The downside to this is the possible boring aspect that may come with this (no one will be breaking television viewership records, but still more exciting than baseball), but I think that the hockey gods will guide the right puck and help us prevent a loss of a season. So for the greater good, you know?

3) Apple bobbing:

Apple bobbing, also known as bobbing for apples, is a game often played at Halloween. The game is played by filling a tub or a large basin with water and putting apples in the water. Because apples are less dense than water, they will float at the surface. Players (usually children, but sometimes drunken college students) then try to catch one with their teeth. Use of arms is not allowed, and often are tied behind the back to prevent cheating.

So we get Fehr and Gary (calling him Gary because Bettman reminds of Batman and he does not deserve it) together in the middle of Madison Square Garden. The Garden would be packed to the brim with cheering fans. Some players and owners would be standing around and we could even hear both the Canadian and USA national anthems. Gary and Donald say a few words about each other, how much they love the fans, and drop a few words about the proposals they both advocate for. Both would be dressed in sharp suits and since this would be televised, they are wearing make-up (Gary wears this even when not on camera).

After a few cheers and boos for both of them they proceed to do this:

The first one with a mouth full of apple is declared a winner and if we have a photo finish, we would send it to Toronto for the instant replay. The whole issue would be solved once again in under a few hours and with thousands of drunkish/happy fans to boot.

2) A Gentlemen’s Duel:

The fact is that there can only be one winner in these “negotiations”. I use quotation marks because from the outside they have seemed anything but negotiations, but more of demands by each side without any willingness to be reasonable, especially by the NHL side. Both sides did make some progress towards the delicious cream filled middle, oh I miss Twinkies already, but they also both seem to be stubborn enough to lose an entire season over pennies in the grand scheme of things.

Since both sides seem to be stuck, we must pick a winner and move on. No better way than to go back a few centuries to a simpler time, when a simple dispute resulted in one person being killed or severely injured (than killed by germs infection or by the local doctor).

A duel generally signifies an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.

The rules would be simple: walk 10 paces while having their back turned to each other, turn around and shoot a revolver (not automatic), and first person to drop to their knee loses.  Of course watching episodes of the Deadliest Warrior would make it even more interesting.

How I imagine it would go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxqZ5stYcLo&w=420&h=315

The winner will simply choose what CBA to use and we will have saved a season of hockey in about 10 minutes.

1) Cage Match to the Death:

Now, I know that this would not be OK by any current legal or moral rights, but since we left the real world about 300 words into the article, let us assume this is a not so distant future where things are settled with cage matches to the death. Think outside of the box here.

I think Donald is a bit bigger of a guy and this would be to his advantage. He is also guided by some of the toughest athletes in the world and surely will give him some tips on how to throw a few punches. He would no doubt take Gary to the ground and use his bottom half, the millionaires belly (as I call it), to try and smother poor Gary to death.

Gary on the other hand has to be light on his feet. Unfortunately for Gary he wont be able to use his evil bully tactics in the rink as he will not have a few billionaires backing him up. They will be by his corner, but in the cage he is on his own. He will try to get into Fehr’s head with some nonsense about teams not making enough money and hope to confuse him by claiming record setting revenue with record setting attendance numbers across the board. The confusion attack will most likely not work and he will need to rely on his head in other creative ways.

They will be provided some hockey sticks and pucks to hopefully end this sooner than later, but my guess it will be way later as both seem to poses zero attributes we usually associate with manly men and hockey players.

How I imagine it will go down:

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/104200/cripple-fight

Let me know what you think is the best way to settle this dispute in the comments below – do keep them sort of PG-13, but entertaining!

Feel free to follow me on twitter @lastwordonNHL and be sure to join Ben Kerr and I on Wednesday Nights at 10:00pm when we host the hockey radio show, “Puckheads”, on the Last Word Radio Network.  You can listen in live or to our past podcasts by clicking here, or by searching for us on iTunes.

Best Conference in Basketball: ACC

Posted on by Alex Ivic
credit: KrooExpress via photopin cc

If you were to ask me to rank the top three conferences in college basketball today, I would say the Big 10, ACC, Big East.  But starting next year, my answer for top conference will definitely be the ACC.

The college sports landscape has changed dramatically over the last few years, with a number  of major conferences having their membership drastically altered.  Maryland had recently defected to the Big 10 from the ACC, which was a substantial loss.  The best thing the ACC could do… continue to raid from the floundering Big East conference.  This morning the ACC unanimously voted to add Louisville to its ranks.

The ACC already has Pitt and Syracuse joining next ySear, with Notre Dame and Louisville now joining in 2014 or 2015 depending on what each school can negotiate with the Big East over their exit fee.  This arguably gives the ACC 5 of the 10 most successful basketball teams of the last decade and perennial Final Four threats in Duke, North Carolina, Syracuse, Louisville, and Pitt.  And the middle tier of teams is as good or better than any other conferences with teams like North Carolina State, Florida State, Miami and others.  If the ACC decides to expand in the future, UConn and Cincinnati are on their knees begging for admission.

The Big East on the other hand is dead as a power conference and should now be considered a mid-major.  Here’s a riddle for you:  What do you get when the Big East loses teams like West Virginia, ‘Cuse, Pitt, Notre Dame, Louisville and replace them Memphis, Tulane, Southern Methodist, Houston and Central Florida?  Either the Mid East or Big Least conference (both are applicable, so choose your favourite).

…and that’s the last word.

NFL Week 12 Top and Bottom Power Rankings

Posted on by Jack Stone

Week 12, Turkey week in U.S.A, is complete and was definitely enjoyed with a bunch of beers, turkey and most of all, NFL football! There weren’t many upsets this week, therefore the line-ups have not changed too much, but we always need to review our thoughts. Basement turkey first!

credit: PDA.PHOTO via photopin cc

28. Carolina Panthers – Big win on Monday Night Football against the quickly-dropping Philadelphia Eagles. Most importantly Cam Newton looked good, and it was nice to see Steve Smith in the mix.  They ran the football well, like they are known for.. BUT, they were doing all this against the Eagles, so there is definitely no hype… put this in perspective.

29. Oakland Raiders – Naming them the fourth worst team in the NFL feels like I’m giving them too much credit because they are a complete disaster!  Carson Palmer’s had a big return to Cincinnati where he got his chance to show his old team that he made the right decision leaving for the Bay area, but how did that go?  It was a 34-10 slap in the face, that’s how. I am shocked there are four teams worse right now… they must be B-A-D!

30. Philadelphia Eagles – Seven losses in a row and that alone validates them being in my “Bottom” list.  Vick is still injured, Mccoy’s out of action,  and after Monday Night’s loss to the Panthers they also found out that WR DeSean Jackson will miss the remainder of the season. Ugh. They are starting to compete with Jacksonville and Kansas City for that last spot.  Andy Reid’s not gonna be around in 2013, book it.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars – They won! But just as I said early in the season, the terrible teams of the AFC South will feed off eachother, and the Jags picked up a win at home against the terrible Titans.  Glad to see them win at home though, but it only gets them past one other terrible team.

32. Kansas City Chiefs – KC did play Denver closer than was expected.  Nowadays losing by eight points is kinda like a win for them, but shows how bad they really are! I don’t have much to say about them because we all know how awful they are.

Glad to be done with that dump! Look for the Jets to creep their way passed Carolina in the near future because they suck! The Bills and Titans are teetering on the brink.

Finally we get to the top! Again, there were no real shockers, so it’s largely the same.

5. New England Patriots – Five wins in a row, though they were mostly relentless beat-downs of lower ranked teams.  At this point it’s very tough to jump teams, but in week 14 they host Houston and the following week they host San Fran.  A couple of wins and the would undoubtedly leap forward and cause havoc in my rankings.   Can’t wait!

4. Denver Broncos – The hottest team in the league with their six-game winning streak.  They didn’t look overly convincing in their win @ K.C but still winning games and still getting more equiped with Peyton Manning. Very Dangerous!

credit: Cary Edmondson, Team Leaks CC

3. San Francisco 49ers – Did they just get better?  Colin Kaepernick played great against New Orleans on Sunday, continuing to show that depth they have in multiple posistions.  QB controversy? They have what it takes to win the bowl, and week 15 @ New England will be a fine show for us all!

2. Houston Texans – They won another sloppy one against a lower-ranked team.  Maybe they are getting bored, just like I am with writing about this team.  It’s almost the same thing for Houston – a one-loss team beat another sub-par team, but in week 14, as aforementioned, they have the dubious task of battling New England on the road.  I think this is best of both worlds as they need a reality check, and we, as rankers, need to see them play somebody good!  Get your popcorn ready…

1. Atlanta Falcons – Some would argue this because they scraped passed the Bucs in a one-point victory on Sunday. But this proves more of my theory that they find a way to win in whatever scenario they are put in.  Basically, they are versatile and make good decisions.  They aren’t my favourites on paper, but I don’t know how to beat them. Hard to mess with guys that always come out on top.

Don’t forget to catch the boys on Last Word Radio live on air every Sunday at 8pm EST for “The Fastest 30 Minutes in the NFL“.  And definitely check out “Beyond the Field” every night from 8-10pm EST for lively football discussion, industry leading hosts and phenomenal guests.

ACC-Big Ten Challenge

Posted on by Alex Ivic

Two of the strongest conferences in men’s NCAA Basketball kick off their annual challenge tonight and tomorrow, and it has the best college basketball games of the week.  In my opinion, this is some of the best non-conference basketball in the NCAA and definitely worth a look if you are even a casual NCAA fan.

With a number of legitimate Final Four contenders (Indiana, Duke, Ohio State, Michigan) and other perennial power teams (Michigan State, North Carolina, North Carolina State), this year’s Challenge will produce some remarkable college basketball so early in the season.

Below is a list of this year’s games, with my picks in bold.

TUESDAY November 27, 2012
• Iowa at Virginia Tech, 7:15 p.m.
• Minnesota at Florida State, 7:15 p.m.
• NC State at Michigan, 7:30 p.m.
• Nebraska at Wake Forest, 9:15 p.m.
• Maryland at Northwestern, 9:15 p.m.
• North Carolina at Indiana, 9:30 p.m.

WEDNESDAY November 28, 2012
• Virginia at Wisconsin, 7 p.m.
• Purdue at Clemson, 7:15 p.m.
• Michigan State at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
• Georgia Tech at Illinois, 9 p.m.
• Boston College at Penn State, 9:15 p.m.
• Ohio State at Duke, 9:30 p.m.

BEST GAME- Ohio State vs. Duke– If I need to explain why Ohio State and Duke is a stellar game in the NCAA, then you may have missed the last decade of hoops.  Ohio State hasn’t had any real tests yet, although they looked solid in a 11-point win over Washington.  Duke has already knocked off Kentucky, Louisville, and Minnesota, while racing to a 6-0 start.  Duke should win, but if defensive-minded Craft manages to disrupt Seth Curry, it will be close.

Don’t Miss This Game- NC State vs. Michigan– NC State is one of the most underrated teams in the NCAA this year, especially since their disappointing loss to OK State earlier this year.  They have dynamic scorers at a number of positions and will score in bunches.  Michigan, after years in obscurity, have been stocking their cupboards with top-notch talent the last three years.  They have depth, grittiness, inside-outside scoring, and basketball pedigree (Tim Hardaway Jr. and Glenn Robinson III have fairly famous NBA dads).  I picked them as a dark horse Final Four team this year, but as they are now ranked 3 in the AP poll I guess “dark horse” no longer applies.

By my count that has the Big Ten winning this year’s Challenge 7-5, continuing their recent success in the challenge.  Will Syracuse and Pittsburgh’s move into the ACC next year tip the scale back into ACC hands next year? We shall see…

…

RANT OF THE WEEK: Everyone hear about Jack Taylor from Grinnell College scoring a record 138 points in a college game?  This is an amazing feat of conditioning to play a game in which you shoot 108 shoots (including 71 from three-point); my arms are getting tired from just typing up this article.  And I applaud the coach for coming up with a system that fits his team’s personnel.

BUT… I am disgusted that Grinnell won this game by over 70 points, and continued to push the pace and put up threes at a frenetic pace.  I am not saying change your entire team dynamic and strategy, but have a little class and show respect for the other team.  Make some small adjustments to continue improving as a team without trying to run up the score (ex. bench players get more PT instead of Jack playing 36 of 40 minutes, work your half court offence, involve your post players, etc.)

 

A CFL Dream Come True!

Posted on by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

I don’t care if you are Canadian, American or something slightly more exotic, you all should seriously consider experiencing the Grey Cup at some point in your life.  I don’t mean the one littered with commercials and completed with an appearance from Gordon Lightfoot, Carly Rae Jepson and “Biebs” all from the comfort of your own homes. And I’m not even talking about going the big game necessarily.  I’m talking about the entire GC weekend.

Mike carrying the Grey Cup, walking down Yonge Street in Toronto

I spent this past weekend in Toronto, taking in the Grey Cup experience, and the only way I can properly do it any justice is to label it “magical”.  I spent much of Saturday touring the festivities, highlighted by visiting several team’s hospitality events.  I participated in the parade (more on that later… but the picture to the left will give you a clue!), and of course spent the evening at Rogers Centre.

On Saturday, a few guys I know, and another couple I only just met, attended the Official Grey Cup parties.  The idea is that each teams hosts its own party complete with live shows, meet-and-greet with players, coaches and owners, and a healthy mix of libations.  After we donned our t-shirts honouring the entire CFL on TSN panel, we were on our way via taxi to the Convention Centre.  While not a fan of the Green Riders, I was dragged against my will to the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ “Riderville”.

The sea of green and white was obvious.  While out of my element in my black and gold, I was able to meet a few fans from around the CFL world.  See, there is a special bond amongst fans of the Canadian League that we all know about, but can’t identify entirely.  It’s there, just under the surface, though you may have to scratch hard to find it.  It is something that allows us to approach anyone, in any coloured jersey, talk some trash but go away with smiles on our faces having met just another member of this gigantic, extended family.  If you are a fan, you know the bond of which I speak.

Mike and Danny McManus

Eventually I got my way and we left the Sea of Green for more comfortable surroundings of the “Wrecker’s Ball”, the appropriately named party hosted by the Hamilton Ti-Cats.  It was fascinating to wander around and mingle with fans, some of which I’ve certainly seen before at some point during my 26 years with season tickets (I’m 34 now) wandering the hallowed grounds of the now closed Ivor Wynne Stadium.

While I won’t report on everyone I met, let’s just say there were a few particularly memorable conversations.  While standing in line for a beverage, I met Danny McManus.  What a great guy.  I left the line to rally my comrades to come and meet the legendary pivot.  Danny Mac was courteous, approachable and professional.  After ribbing him about his Florida State Seminole loss to the Florida Gators earlier in the afternoon, he took the time to answer some questions.  He even let a very fortunate John LeDonne, a member of my party, try on his Grey Cup ring!  We left Danny with a toast of good cheer to the Ti-Cats and the Grey Cup and were off to our next celebrity sighting.

From Left to Right; Mike, Bob Young, Gerry, Rob, John

Not a few minutes later we ran into Bob Young, the owner of the franchise.  An all-round nice guy, Bob made time to answer our questions, which seemed insightful at the time, but in hindsight were probably much less than that.  After sputtering out a few ways he can turn the club’s fortunes around, we posed for a few snapshots and were on our way.  Next up for us was a meet-and-greet with WR Andy Fantuz, who, as with Bob Young, politely answered our questions, however ridiculous they likely were.

Brett and his cousin, Stephanie

After a little more mingling, we met up with Brett’s cousin, who is a Ti-Cats Cheerleader, before the cheer team performed a few songs for the crowd.   The performance was soon followed by some player introductions, as they answered some questions and then dispersed for some photo-ops.

 

 

 

 

I took advantage by approaching CFL Outstanding Special Teams Player, and East Division All-Star, Chris Williams.  I gave him some advice about his future as a football player, which I’m sure was not helpful in the least but must have been entertaining, before I re-connected with my party and made for the door.  It was a great Saturday night, but the best was yet to come.

On Sunday afternoon we were hanging around the hotel room, biding time before our dinner reservations at 3:30.  Brett (Bullough) told us he was heading to the Grey Cup Parade to “check it out for a bit”.  After weighing my options, I decided to join as did John and Gerry, who very nearly stayed back to watch some NFL.  We were told at the pep rally before the parade that some fans would actually get the honour of walking with the Grey Cup.  While the thought was fantastic, it seemed way too unlikely.  I believe at one point I turned to Brett and said, “We aren’t going to get a sniff of the Cup”.  If I only knew…

We were contemplating going back to the hotel, all four of us completely non-commital and uninvested in this parade.  Not that it wasn’t well organized and eventful, just that it was cold and we were completely underdressed.  In the end we decided to follow the throngs of CFL fans, and made our way down Bloor St.  At one point, Brett disappeared, which isn’t terribly surprising.  The rest of us decided to leave the parade and wait on the sidewalk.  The entire crowd passed us, but I noticed John approach some lady who was putting something on his wrist.  It took only a second or two to realize he was chosen to carry the Grey Cup.  Not to be outdone, I raced over and demanded a wristband (in a nice way), as did Gerry, and thankfully we were granted one as well.  Brett, who seemed to reappear at the very last second, begged for one two, which was the last bracelet handed out.

A snapshot from near the back of the parade, before we were chosen to carry the Grey Cup

I can’t explain to you what it was like fighting our way from the very back of the parade all the way to the front.  I weaved, bobbed, pushed, tackled and clawed my way through, leaving the other guys behind – survival of the fittest. I finally made it to the front and was given a lengthy list of instructions for how to hold the Cup.  With mounties flanking both sides, and with many, many on-lookers and television cameras, the Grey Cup was passed to me.  Overcome with emotion, all I could do was smile a silly, six-year-old smile, as I completely absorbed the crowd, the atmosphere, and privilege I had of holding one of sports’ oldest and greatest prizes, as I slowly made my way down Yonge St.

Gerry’s moment in the limelight

After me was John, Brett and Gerry in turn, each having their own personal experience with holding the Cup.  When the last of us passed off the trophy, our smiles ear-to-ear told the story.  We were handed t-shirts that read, “I Carried the Grey Cup”, as we made our way back to the hotel, calling everyone we knew along the way.  Pictures were uploaded, texted, shared and Tweeted, as we attempted to let everyone know of our triumph.

It was clearly one of the greatest moments in my life, and I have the CFL, the Grey Cup Committee and the City of Toronto to thank for giving it to me.

The opening kickoff of the 100th Grey Cup

After our dinner reservations we went to the Grey Cup game at Rogers Centre.  While the game, too, was memorable it was entirely due to the atmosphere and not the play on the field.  It was a pleasure to see fans from all over Canada and parts of the USA (met some Baltimore Stallions fans) coming together for the spectacle.

I’ve been to many sporting events in my life and have many fond memories, but the ones I have of the 100th Grey Cup will truly last a lifetime.  I urge all fans to make your own Grey Cup dreams come true.  Next year is in Saskatchewan, and I hope it’s just as magical.

Euro Football Weekend Rundown

Posted on by Luciano Giuliano

The three most notable events of the weekend are…

3) Rafa Benitez’s debut a disaster as Chelsea stalls against Man City

It was not an easy first game for the Spaniard on the bench as the new Chelsea head coach. The fans jeered in response to Roman Abramovich’s decision to fire Roberto Di Matteo with one game left and a slim possibility of second round qualification in the Champions League. How do you fire man who comes in mid-season and brings you the Champions League? Absolutely surprising stuff from the Russians.

The Blues seem to be in a bit of a slump in recent times and it will take time to for Benitez to straighten out his game plan. Chelsea was outplayed in their match against Man City, but did manage to chalk up their first clean sheet in 11 matches.

Roberto Mancini’s men had the better chances in this fixture with Sergio Aguero going close and Pablo Zabaleta exposing Chelsea’s vulnerable wings after Rafa decided to pair up David Luiz and Branislav Ivanovic in the heart of defence – something Di Matteo did not test.

Chelsea did not have many opportunities to score. Looking at the match statistics, it is clear that Man City performed better with 58% possession compared to 42%, as well as five shots on goal to Chelsea’s one. It is definitely a tough time for the Blues. Benitez certainly has his work cut out for him.

With the draw, Manchester City moves within a point of Manchester United in second with 29 points, while Chelsea sits in third with 26 points.

2) Barca youth academy crushes Levante

Barcelona FC continue their winning ways in La Liga with a 4-0 demolition of Levante. The   story is pretty much the same as usual – it was a Messi, Fabregas and Iniesta show with the Argentine bagging a brace.

The important note here is that the Blaugrana continue to produce youngsters worthy of playing for the senior side and their time comes, they will be ready. Already in his fixture, coach Tito Vilanova opted to give some youth team players some playing time in the Primera Division. From the 13th minute to the when Martin Montoya replaced the injured Dani Alves, until the 75th minute when Adriano entered for Jordi Alba, all of Barca’s players were graduates of the club’s legendary youth academy. Include even the coach, Tito Vilanova, and you have a club that has all of the ingredients for future success.

Barcelona is a model club for all football teams of the world. It must be said though, that the Catalan side is also very fortunate that they are currently going through a very talented generation of players. This will certainly benefit the club for the years to come as well as the Spanish national side that has already won everything possible. They will continue to win more of the prestigious trophies.

1) Milan devil brings high-flying Juve back down to earth

You wouldn’t think it only because of the rollercoaster season the Diavoli has had until now, but yes, AC Milan was able to obtain a rare win against Juventus at the San Siro on Sunday 1-0. Although the goal the Rossoneri scored was a controversial penalty (karma came back to bite the Zebra’s behind), it was a very solid performance on behalf of Massimiliano Allegri’s men who took the game to the Old Lady with heart, determination and high intensity which took the Bianconeri by surprise.

This is the second loss of the season Juventus has suffered, to both Milan-based clubs, due to underestimating their opponents. Surely the Chelsea affair did a number on mental and physical fatigue but it is not enough an excuse seeing that the match against the Blues occurred five days before.

The game-winner, as mentioned, was again ‘human error’ as the ref blew the whistle for a suspected handling offence in the box on behalf of Mauricio Isla after Antonio Nocerino headed the ball into the area. Replays suggest that ball actually hit the Juventus winger on the ribs. The referee continued the play, but was consulted by the goal-line judge who did NOT have a clear sight of the incident.

Despite this setback, it was a very entertaining game. The Rossoneri played very well in the first half and pinned the Old Lady back in her end of the field. Other than the penalty spot, AC Milan did not really muster any real goal threatening chances. Juventus was completely nonexistent.

In the second half, the Old Lady woke up from her sleep and took the initiative. The Bianconeri’s only real scoring chance was when Sebastian Giovinco pulled back for Mirko Vucinic who pulled the trigger straight at Kevin Constant who was standing on the line! Juventus laid a siege but the brittle Milan defence held on strong.

Opinion: It may have been a different game for Juve if Antonio Conte was on the bench screaming at his troops from the side. More importantly, Conte is able to read the game better than his replacements. For instance, stand-in coach Angelo Alessio brought in Simone Padoin for a spent Isla. Padoin has not played since God knows when. In my opinion, Juventus needed to be more daring by implementing a 3-4-2-1 with Giovinco-Vucinic supporting the lone striker or a 3-4-3 with Simone Pepe coming in to use his trickery out on the right wing against a very strong Constant. The game really should have ended in a draw, but this is the way it turned out. AC Milan gets revenge for the Muntari phantom-goal that was not given back in March in last season’s showdown.

In any case, I would like to congratulate AC Milan and the Rossoneri faithful for their victory. As said to a friend who is a Rossoneri fan, Juventus is still on top by a mile. Come and join us Milan fans!

Juventus continue to lead the Serie A with 32 points. AC Milan climbs to 9th with 18 points.