It took 13 days, but I finally have my Olympic moment. The 2010 Vancouver moment was seeing Jon Montgomery walk through the streets of Whistler with the gold medal around his neck with Canadians celebrating side by side with him with one good man handing Montgomery a beer. It was so Canadian. It was THE moment of the games for me ahead of Sid's golden goal. The London 2012 moment came courtesy of the Canadian womens soccer team.
After getting jobbed in the semi-final by a referee's obscure call (I guess it happens in soccer too Brent Parker), the Canadian women gathered themselves and grabbed 3rd place with a win over France to get a medal that they deserved. Yes, it would have been nice to have seen that medal be gold or silver, but the Canadian ladies dug down and got the win to get the recognition. The entire country should be very proud of this team and there is no doubt in my mind that Christine Sinclair should be the Canadian flag-bearer in Sunday's closing ceremonies.
Like Montgomery though, the sad thing is that by this time next month Canadians will invest their time in something else and there will be another flavour of the month. Canadians won't give a rats you know what about the endeavours of Sinclair, Melissa Tancredi and Saskatoon's Kaylyn Kyle until the next World Cup and I think that is two years away. Its a story that never changes so I guess these athletes have to accept their 15 minutes in the spotlight and move on.
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The Riders will have the spotlight firnly on them tonight as they take on the Eskimos at Commonwealth. If this team plays 60 minutes of football, they should win, however that is a big if after the last two weeks. Rob Vanstone wrote about in his Thursday column and that is Riders quarterback Darian Durant telling everyone to just calm down a little. Durant told reporters (myself included)
"First and foremost, we’re sitting in first place. That’s what’s most important at the end of the day. I don’t care about how many games you win or lose. If you’re on top of the standings, what does it matter? We’re still sitting in a good spot. We have a chance to create a little separation here on Edmonton on Friday. That’s what we’re looking forward to. We’re not over-reacting inside of that building. Whatever people want to say or do outside of it, that’s fine. It’s up to us to make sure that we don’t get too high or get too low with everything that’s happening.’’
Darian is right with that statement. However, as the season progresses those two losses could come back to haunt this team when it comes to the final standings and whether or not the team gets a bye to the Western final or hosts a playoff game. It is that close in the CFL this year as evidenced by the standings. The team is in first place now and some will tell you that despite the collapses of the last two weeks. they are the best team in the CFL. I don't necessarily subscribe to that philosophy, but I can't argue that they should be 5-0 and if that were the case, they would be the best team.
Do I think they win tonight? As I said on the Sportscage Wednesday, I can't see this Rider defence getting beat by Steven Jyles. I also can't see the Riders putting up 30 points on that stingy Edmonton defence, but I see them getting enough to get the two points and what an important two points it will be as it will leave them at 4-2 and not 3-3. This could be a defining game for this team.
I think we all knew Odell Willis wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer when he got to Riderville, but did you hear his statement to the media this week when asked about his heart-to-heart meeting with Corey Chamblin to talk about his production. He said its all about the "R" on the helmet. The R?? The R???!!! Does Odell think he's in Ottawa? YIKES!!! I'm thinking Odell needs to show Chamblin something on the Commonwealth turf or else he might be an unhappy camper in the next few weeks. Some believe (and they may be right) that he's injured. If he is, he needs to sit down until healthy.
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I openly opined in a recent blog posting about what type of contract Jordan Eberle might get when his next contract is due. I may have received my answer this week thanks to the Carolina Hurricanes. They signed Jeff Skinner to a six year, 34.35 million dollar extension. Skinner is in the same mold as Eberle and Taylor Hall. I would think it would be wise for Steve Tambellini to sign both to similar deals in the near future. This likely won't happen until a new CBA is signed, but its not out of the realm to suggest both Hall and Eberle deserve six million a season.
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Rob Vanstone was not the only member of the Regina media to celebrate 25 years. Congratulations also goes out to Global TV's Warren Woods who has been with Global/STV for 25 years. Has it been 25 years already? Woodsy is the dean of TV sports in this city and perhaps this province. Like Rob, he has seen a lot and he has done a lot. He has been with Global/STV from Day One so he has seen a lot of people come in and out those doors on Hoffer Drive. The only thing he hasn't done is sit on the desk when the Leafs win the Stanley Cup and as I told him the other day, I hope that doesn't happen.
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The Blue Jays are just playing out the string now, but we will never know where this year's team might have been had they stayed healthy. Without Brendan Morrow, J-P Arencibia. Jose Bautista and Brett Lawrie, they appear to be finally down for the count.
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Currie Field will be the place to be this weekend. The Regina Red Sox and Medicine Hat Mavericks will meet in the best of 5 WMBL final starting Saturday night. Game 2 is Sunday and both will start at 705 before the series shifts to Medicine Hat for Games 3 and 4. If a Game 5 is needed, it would go at Currie on Wednesday night. If it should come to that Game 5, I would think an attendance record would be set at the old ballpark. The way the Red Sox are playing, I don't think it will come to a Game 5, but in sports, you never know.
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I know a lot of people from here go to Mexico for a warm weather vacation and they love it, but I just have no desire to go and that desire got lessened even more after hearing what happened to the Regina businessman. If I am going on a holiday, I want to go somewhere where I feel safe and I'm not looking over my shoulder every second or wondering if my valuables will still be in my room when I get there. NO THANKS!!!
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Who's the number one pick in fantasy football drafts? It has to be Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees does it not?
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I had a chance to see Peyton Manning's first drive in a Broncos uniform Thursday night as Denver opened up the pre-season in Chicago. I will admit he looked pretty damn good and better than I thought he would be. I still don't think Denver is a factor in the AFC West, but if first impressions are worth anything, Peyton isn't as far back as some suggest.
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You can have BMX racing in the Olympics and not baseball/softball? That's wrong!
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The Stampeders are a much better football team with Kevin Glenn at the helm than Drew Tate.
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Someone needs to please call Carly Rae Jepsen so I can stop hearing that stupid, stupid song. It seems to be playing an awful lot these days in businesses that I am at. STOP IT!!!!
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Have a good Friday. GO RIDERS!
