The weekly assembly of who is hot, mad, and just down on their luck in the sporting world

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

The Good

“The Dog Pound”: It’s not the Cleveland Browns’ fans, but rather a 14-bedroom, four-bathroom house near the campus of the Ivy League University of Cornell. Its residents include thirteen players from the program’s basketball team, as well as a team manager. Talk about a bonding experience! The house hosts everything from TV episode parties to video-game competitions, and it does not diverge from what you may find at any regular frat house or dorm room: empty pizza boxes and mounds of garbage. Clearly this bonding experience is working, as they recently won their third straight Ivy League Championship, upsetting two higher-ranked opponents during a strong showing at the NCAA’s March Madness National Championship tournament.

The Mad

Samuel Eto’o: The Inter Milan striker recently learned why most people don’t loan their €150,000 Bentley GT, or any other luxurious vehicle for that matter: good things don’t happen. Throw in a 20-year old teammate who has been labeled the “Austrian Cristiano Ronaldo” (in other words, a lady killer), and you are just asking for trouble. What happened? Well, the car was stolen while parked in the streets near the Sheraton Hotel in Milan, Italy. I wonder what he was up to… Hopefully Samuel has learned his lesson: never, ever lend a car that is worth more than most people’s homes out to a playboy teammate who does not need to focus on his “paid” job in hand.

The Downtrodden

Derrick Lee: Now, it’s never funny to laugh at other people’s misfortunes, especially when the person in question has had a laundry list of injuries in his career, but when it happens to occur after finding out the oft-injured Chicago Cubs star Derrick Lee recently was having a pregame meal when, out of nowhere, the chair he was sitting on collapsed, leaving him with a sore back and an embarrassment that seems all too similar to a common sight gag. The 34-year-old did play in the Cubs game that night, but left early to seek treatment for his back.

A look into the world of athlete superstition: the hidden OCD?

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

Superstition: (from cracked.com)

[a] an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear.

[b] An irrational belief, practice, or ritual that a person feels he needs to embrace or perform in order to bring about good luck or a desired outcome.

[c] A belief, not based on reason or scientific knowledge.

From these varying definitions of superstition, options B and C seem most fitting for the sporting world and its many athletes. Accordingly, whether one believes in superstitions or not, it is nigh impossible not to come across them while watching or playing sports—they are omnipresent. Some athletes wrap the tape around their bat a certain way; others tuck their jersey just so into their pants; and a few just have to wear their lucky boxers or t-shirt. Despite the subtle differences, every sport – and seemingly almost every player – seems to have some sort of clear-cut superstition that they hold in high regard. To many, superstitions make them believe they are in control; in control of both their emotions and performance.

In reality, the fascination athletes have with superstition really could be considered as a form of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). To break it down into dollars-and-cents, is an athlete wearing the same boxers game-in-game-out or dribbling the ball exactly three times before a free-throw any different than an individual who must have everything organized or taken care of in a certain way or else they may snap? Frankly, no.

And while athletes’ superstitions are not commonly deemed as being “problematic”, they really should be taken more seriously as they can be likened to a psychological disorder.

Nevertheless, athlete superstitions are often quite interesting and even baffling. We all have our vices (and, arguably, our superstitions) without even realizing them. The only difference is that athlete superstitions are often broadcast to the world, whereas the neuroses of the “common” people are relegated to being behind closed doors. Yet some athletes have not avoided the OCD label, and have actually been diagnosed as having a problem. The most famous of all is soccer superstar David Beckham, whose superstition, practicing his free kicks for hours after everybody has left, led to him being diagnosed as having OCD.

To that effect, here are some of the most interesting and bizarre athlete superstitions in sports history.

Wade Boggs (MLB; retired)

Boggs may just have had the most superstitions of any athlete—ever. He would eat poultry before every game; would have to take exactly 150 ground balls during infield practice; entered the batting cage at exactly 5:17 pm and ran wind sprints at 7:17 pm; and before each at-bat, he would write the Hebrew word “Chai” into the dirt of the batter’s box. That’s not all though, between pitches while on defense in the field, he would swipe the dirt in front of him with his left foot, tap his glove two or three times and adjust his cap. Apparently he had even more that he did not mention, or that people did not notice.

Turk Wendell (MLB; retired)

Wendell brushed his teeth between every inning he pitched and always chewed four sticks of liquorice while pitching on the mound.

Mike Bibby (NBA)

A lot of athletes bight their nails nervously. Atlanta Hawks guard Mike Bibby takes it a step further: he cuts his nails with fingernail clippers almost every time he is given a breather from the action—timeouts, substitutions, etc.

Kevin Rhombergs (MLB; retired)

Rhomberg’s had to, if someone touched him, touch them back. If he was tagged out, he’d wait until the defense cleared the field and chased down the player who tagged him.

Serena Williams (Tennis)

Serena proves that even the biggest stars have their superstitions, as she stoutly believes that her wins come as a result of a routine she must follow. She brings her shower sandals to the court; ties her shoelaces a specific way; bounces the ball five times before her first serve and twice before her second; and she even wears the same pair of socks throughout a tournament. She has confirmed this “obsession” by even blaming losses on not following this routine correctly.

Patrick Roy (NHL; retired)

Roy, one of the greatest goalies of all-time, would skate backwards towards his net at the beginning of every game before turning around at the last second to the effect of, which he thoroughly believed upon, making the goal shrink. During the action, he would also have in-depth conversations with the posts, and thanked them when a puck was deflected. He often even touched or caressed them.

Lyoto Machida (UFC)

Machida believes that drinking his own urine helps cleanse his body and does it on a daily basis. Oddly enough, this may actually be true.

Other Notable General Superstitions

- Playoff beards

- The Madden cover curse

- Style guides (Wayne Gretzky’s jersey tuck; Michael Jordan’s UNC basketball shorts; certain colours worn on certain days; lucky jersey numbers or shirts)

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

This week: bowing out and giving thanks

So here we are, the last “Sport for Thought” of the year. It’s certainly been a lengthy and event-filled year in sports, ripe with enough material to easily satisfy the needs of this column. Thankfully, that will seemingly never end as there will always be either an idiot athlete who sparks a conversation or an overzealous fan who does something so idiotic that it demands to be addressed.

70,000+ words: that is what I have published this past year (with a little help). Crazy, no? I used to struggle writing one or two 2500 word essays or projects on a semester basis, now 3000 words just for The Argus sports section was a requirement for me – and that’s not including school work. Never in my life did I think sports would be the avenue I would use to attack and put aside my fears and struggles with writing; they have certainly put them into perspective, to say the least. I also never thought I could even handle it. Frankly, I was wrought with fear going into the first week, but now it has become routine, and I owe thanks, once again, to sports. They have helped bridge the gap, and here I am still standing.

Making the transition from making the headlines earlier in life to writing them has also been a blessing in disguise. Sports really can build bridges and open up doors to numerous career opportunities, or even life altering decisions that one would never think they would actually make. Sport for thought = endless possibilities. That’s my conclusion.

And as this is the last “Sport for Thought”, I feel as though I must thank everybody for putting up with my development as a writer; hopefully it was not too faulty and arduous. I also hope you have enjoyed what I’ve dug up, either online or locally, as much as I have in writing and reporting it.

While I’m at it, I must also thank The Argus for giving me this opportunity, and to all my colleagues who have been great, and most importantly, easy to work with this year.

So, without further ado, and surprisingly without a question to ponder, I can now happily bid you adieu, arrivederci, and ciao. And don’t forget: there are more to sports than meets the eye; dig deeper, question things, and never doubt yourself. Sports can do more than build character, they can build an appreciation for things you may have feared or never even perceived as attainable. Think about that next time sports are brought up: you don’t have to be playing them or watching them to learn something.

(Along with 5 that should be left behind)

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

If one were to truly boil down sports to their core basics, they could ascertain the fact that sports have much more in common with the videogame and movie industries than what commonly meets the eye.

Yes, videogames do have their yearly sports tie-ins—Madden ’10, NBA 2K10, and so on—as well as numerous sports dramas like *61 and Miracle that are “based upon actual events”. But at the basic level, sports also have sequels, reboots, character changes (trading), and twists in common with these two entities.

These events not only shock the immediate viewers, but they often change the dynamic of the way these industries cooperate as well as the way people utilize and combine them in hopes of making the overarching sporting experience that much more insightful and engaging.

Think for a second: don’t teams put out “sequels” every year, hoping for a different ending? They usually return favourite stars and introduce new actors (players) to the fold; sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. This sure sounds familiar. As do series reboots in the entertainment industry, they can most certainly be likened to the sports equivalent of cleaning house or rebuilding a franchise.

So, where is this all going? Well, now that this “sports universe is not much different than the video game and movie universe” mind-frame has been put in place, this question beckons to be answered: What videogames based on sports deserve a reboot or sequel? Here is an arguable top 5:

NBA Jam (SNES, 1993):

Not surprisingly, this arcade basketball classic actually already is in the process of (re)development and will be hitting a console near you sometime this summer. Oh, the yearning for the renewed days of “he’s on fire”, “boomshakalaka”, and triple front flip summersault dunk are coming close to an end. With revamped and updated rosters and team databases, along with the likelihood of a homage or two to the original game and its contingent of NBA stars (the Seattle Supersonics and Shawn Kemp anybody?), the “new” NBA Jam looks primed to charm and captivate fans once again with some 2 vs. 2 action. Fast fact: The original arcade release generated revenue of $1 billion in quarters alone at arcades.

Barkley Shut-up and Jam (Sega Genesis, 1994)

In what was really a prelude, or prequel if you prefer, to the NBA Street series that most recently has catered to the street-ball crowd, Barkley’s Shut Up and Jam had some enjoyable game-play mechanics. These include trash-talking and street-ball style action at its best. It stayed close to the formula that NBA Jam introduced —tournament style play as a means to an end—and included colourful teammate choices such as “Sweet Pea” and “Stonewall”. When “Sir” Charles or Charles “The Round Mound of Rebound” Barkley endorses a game, you know it should be ripe with controversy, laughter, and fun.

Blades of Steel (Nintendo Game-Boy, 1988)

Do you covet the Konami Cup? How about the chance to play as any one of the NHL’s…8 teams (what)? Despite these oversights, the game was one of the first of its kind and it provided a fun waltz through the hockey universe while on a long road trip (batteries pending). Regardless of a lack of teams, and stone-age graphics, the game was nevertheless a blast—it needs an update.

Tecmo Super Bowl (NES, 1991):

While Madden has the monopoly over NFL-licensed football games these days, this original was one of the first sports games to sport the full licensing privileges of both the NFL and the players association. It was named one of the Top 100 video games of all-time by various magazines and outlets and was really the predecessor for the popular Madden franchise. A remake of this would not only appease its fans, but it could also cater to those looking for an alternative to the sole video-game football dictator that is Madden football.

Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City (SNES, 1994)

Google it (Wikipedia) and then laugh at its premise; Jordan as Super Mario says it all.

Games that should never see the light of day again (nor should they have in the first place):

- Shaq Fu (SNES, 1994)

- Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (PS2, 2003)

- Any type of fishing or horse racing related game

- Brett Hull Hockey (SNES, 1994)

- Olympic associated tie-ins

Photo by Cole Breiland

Thunderwolves men’s basketball coach and OUA West coach of the year talks with The Argus

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

Argus: Prior to this past season, you stated one clear goal: making the playoffs. Clearly the team far surpassed that goal. Are you at all surprised by what transpired this year? And, as a result, will the team’s goals be on the loftier side for next season?

Morrison: If you would have told me in the pre-season that we would be playing in the Final 8 as the #6 seed, I would have been pleasantly surprised. However, as our team took shape throughout the season, each win grew our confidence and our belief that the opportunity to exceed our goals was knocking at our door.

In respect to next season’s goals, they haven’t changed much in my mind. We began the 2009/10 season working on a two-year plan to raise a banner in the Thunderdome. While this goal has not yet been reached, the experience gained this year will only help us as we continue to work towards that ultimate goal next season.

A:   The team’s balanced scoring must have been a delight for both you and the players, what with everybody factoring in on almost a game-by-game basis.

M: I think we have found a winning formula in the sense that we want to build our team to be versatile and deep. We can sacrifice individual talent for a balanced group that is hard to contain. The factoring of each player provides an opportunity to foster closeness on the team, which has always been one of our strengths at Lakehead.

A: What has it meant to you to be named the OUA West conference’s Coach of the Year?

M: The Coach of the Year award is the biggest ‘team’ award out there as it reflects on the progress and success of the program. Because of that, it was special to accept on behalf of the players, assistant coaches and staff. Personally I look at it as a sign of respect from my peers within the conference for some hard work put in over the last 7 years.

A:   The team’s one individual award that seemingly sticks out is that of Greg Carter winning OUA West defensive player of the year. Just how important was Greg’s defensive wall to the team’s performance on a nightly basis?

M: Greg’s ball pressure usually sets the tone for us on every defensive possession as he makes it difficult for the opponent to get into their offense while having to deal with him buzzing around. He also contains the opponent’s top perimeter scorer every weekend. These two qualities were both major factors in our major defensive improvement as a team from 2008/09 to 2009/10.

A: 6-16 to 17-5 in the regular season? To what do you attribute that?

M: Many factors have contributed to our stronger season, including finding the right mix of players who are willing to commit themselves to being better as a unit. We made sacrifices as a team all season long in order to be better prepared to win each weekend, and those efforts paid off in a major way. The key now will be to raise the bar for next year so that our success level will also be to the next step.

A:   Looking towards next season, do you have any particular recruitment plans or voids to fill with players graduating?

M: In CIS basketball, a program must always grow and develop or risk being pushed to the bottom. We return most of our roster and as a result have adjusted our recruiting patterns slightly for this season. In the past we focused on young players with potential and time to develop in order to form a strong core unit. This has been accomplished and now we are looking to bring in 1-2 more experienced players that can fit in with our personnel and help us get to that next level.

A:  After this year’s successes, will anything below what you accomplished this year be a letdown, in your opinion?

M: Our goal since 2003 has been to raise a men’s basketball banner in the Thunderdome. This year we had an opportunity to do so for the first time but fell just short. Next season’s preparations have already started and the goal will remain the same but with more experience on hand to reach that goal than ever before.

A:   Any regrets from this year?

M: There were many mistakes made by everyone on the team this year including myself. So far we have handled them well and become stronger as a result each time. My only regret would be if in the future we forget these learned lessons and repeat our mistakes.

A:  And finally, your pick for NBA champions this year?

M: Knicks in 2010-11; while we are waiting I hope Toronto gets to the Conference finals.

The weekly assemble of who is hot, mad and just down on their luck in the sporting world

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

The Good

Chad Ochocinco: The rambunctious Bengals wide receiver just loves the spotlight, and it loves him back. Not content with just being a multi-millionaire playboy football star, Chad has taken his sideshow to network television. You can find him bustin’-a-move on the current season of Dancing With the Stars—with whom he is competing against a wide array of stars, including Buzz Aldrin—or you can catch him later this summer when he launches his own Bachelor-esque dating show called “The Tournament”. The premise: Chad will go through 85 (his number and roughly translated last name Ochocino) women vying for his love and affection in hopes of finding the “one”. While those shows are often contrived hoaxes, it’s hard to argue with his objects of choice: women, women, and more women. He really is damn entertaining.

The Mad

Robert Whaley: The ex-NBA player was recently busted with weed between his buttocks…weed between his buttocks; that is not a typo. The funniest (stupidest) thing is that it was discovered after he was pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt. Seriously, you’d think if someone was “transporting” contraband that they would be smart enough to at least buckle up. Apparently not! Oh, Whaley also had an outstanding arrest warrant out on him as well. Congrats on the trifecta Robert: ticket for not wearing a seat belt, busted for “crack” smuggling, and arrested for fleeing from a previous charge.

The Downtrodden

Ben Roethlisberger: “Big Ben” once again finds himself between a rock-and-a-hard-place as he was recently accused of sexually assaulting yet another young female. This time it is a 20-year old college student in Georgia, where the Steeler’s QB resides during the off-season. To add to his quickly diminishing public profile, and possibly his career, is the fact that his own coach, Mike Tomlin, is now stricken with anxiety over the situation, which is never a good harbinger of events to come. “My concerns are many,” Tomlin said, “but I think at this time it’s kind of appropriate to watch these things and let these things run their course. I think it would be inappropriate for me to have strong feelings one way or another with the investigation being ongoing and so forth. Like everyone else, you watch these things unfold.” The 20-year old woman accused Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her in a Georgia nightclub earlier this month. Not surprisingly, Ben already faces a lawsuit filed last July by a woman who says he raped her in 2008 at a Lake Tahoe hotel and casino, an allegation he strongly denies, along with the most recent one. Lightning often strikes the same area twice for a reason Ben. Playing along with the “innocent until proven guilty” assumption, he has not been taken into custody, nor has he been criminally charged in either case. For a hilarious take—or not—of the situation take a gander at the South Park season 14 premiere, which takes a shot at athlete infidelity with reference to Roethlisberger—and Tiger Woods, naturally.

Why do athletes play past their prime? Maybe it’s because they fear life away from the game.

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

When to call it a career? That daunting catechism may quite possibly be the most unsettling and frightening question any professional athlete may come across in their career. Nobody knows the right way to say goodbye. Forget next season’s contract, or that they may be in a season long slump, retirement for athletes is scary despite being—one would think—set for life financially. Some play a frustrating game of hop-scotch with it, afraid to make a decision, while others just refuse to ever give up the goat until a sudden, and soul crushing, realization that they no longer have what it takes, physically or mentally. But, it’s the select few that refuse to give-up that are the most intriguing.

Why are they so Herculean? Is it because they need the money (unlikely), love the lifestyle, the fame or the limelight (highly probable), or is it because they know nothing else outside of their chosen sport—it is all they have ever done, and all they really know how to do.

For many, the post-career, or “retirement”, is something that they wish would never bear its face. Unsurprisingly, this contrasts the beliefs of any blue or white-collar Joe out there who works their entire lives away in hopes of saving for retirement—in their 60’s or 70’s. On the flipside, most athletes commonly retire between the age of 30 and 40, give-or-take a few years on either side of those figures.

But, it is these special few—the exceptions on either side—that are the most intriguing: some play well past their prime—even past their downfall; others fold them up to early; while some are given no alternative when their careers are tragically wisped away from them in an instant due to an injury.

Yet a small portion of these individuals, the ones who just refuse to give up and who, no matter what, always find a way back the next season, are special. The toughest thing is to make it big, the next is giving it up. When they are young it’s: (s)he’s too small, not smart enough. And when they become seasoned veterans it’s: they are too old and slow, the reaction time is no longer there. Luckily, the heart often prevails over both the cynics and the unceremonious statistical numbers in the latter years.

Despite that, there are always the critics who say: “it’s time he gave it up”, or “he’s doing nothing but hurting his team nowadays.” What they often fail to shine the light on are the intangibles that these athletes, often former superstars, bring to their team. Time and again their mere presence in a locker room brings up spirits and their experience is often referenced in hopes of fostering the development of young talent.

Who are these select few? How about Michael Jordan, who came back from retirement twice; his first comeback bore sight to no setbacks when the Bulls won another three straight titles after his brief two year hiatus to play baseball and to make Space Jam. His second comeback was the type that has been discussed: he still had the talent, but the skills were clearly diminishing. Yet, he was still a bright spot on a porous Wizards team. While the second un-retirement might be regarded as a black spot on his legacy by some fans, it shouldn’t. He simply loved the game too much to give it up. Heck, if somebody told you that you could no longer cut it at your dream job and should retire or quit, what would your response be? Though so!

Then there is Ken Griffey Jr. who may be the best, untainted professional baseball player ever. Had he not contracted the injury bug in the early 2000’s—losing at the least three or four full seasons during his prime—he would have arguably shattered numerous records, including home-runs, without cheating. And yet, he is undeterred and is still playing despite declining stats output and a body to match. If you go to Seattle and ask why, all you would have to do is take a look in the change room. Griffey has transformed a defunct and sullen team into a unit that not only enjoys playing again, but also appreciates each other’s company; Japanese superstar Ichiro Suzuki was all but headed out the door before Ken returned to the city that “The Kid” (Jr’s nickname) built.

It is these intangibles that these “shell-of-themselves” superstars bring to their teams and their fans—who never seem to complain about seeing their favourite for one more year—that should dwarf the perceived negatives. They do it for themselves— whether for the love, money, or fame is irrelevant—the fans, as well as for their teams who very well may need the boost or the extra fan support that their sheer presence constantly draws in.

And this is why, despite the constant barrage of cynicism and criticism, that they refuse answering to retirement. And despite their statistical downfall, most fans would grudgingly attest to the fact that they have giddily cheered on at least one of these “past their prime” athletes at some point in their lives. And, instead of hearing “you suck”, they often hear “thanks for another year!” Just make sure to cover up those tears when they finally do call it quits for good.

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

This week: Athletes and food: is there a proper formula?

It would probably puzzle many that when an athlete is “caught” eating something it is usually an item that would be deemed as being “garbage” for such a highly tuned machine. Or could it be very good product placement? Nevertheless, it is highly probable that many individuals—based on, “if I see it, it must be real”— are constantly coaxed into believing that: if an athlete can do it and get away with it, then surely I can. The problem: you don’t train like them nor do you live the same lifestyles as them. Yes, you are often in a rush and convenience is often key, but it can arguably take just as long, or longer, waiting in a drive-thru line as it would to make a proper and nutritious meal. Despite that, the former dominates our society. And athletes may have more to do with that—and the obesity epidemic sweeping the developed world— then they would generally like to acknowledge. Yet, it’s true that it’s not uncommon to spot an athlete on camera scarfing down on McDonald’s, potato chips, and the like. But why? And how can they get away with it most ask? In all likely-hood, it is probably their “cheat” meal of the week. Or, in some bizarre twist, it may even very well be suggested by some avant garde nutritionist touting its possible pre-game energy boosts. But, the real explanation is that they probably grew up on the stuff and are as hooked on it as any other common Joe blow out there. Contrary to belief, athletes are, as most of everybody is, human and non-impervious to foodie temptation. A burger and fries before a game? Why not! How about some crème-filled donuts? Of course! And the worst of all, McDonald’s? Well, it’s commonly eaten by the likes of LeBron James and Chad Ochocinco, to name but a few. Now, while Chad may be a self-proclaimed golden arch convert, and superstars like James and Dwight Howard may endorse the Happy Meal, it is safe to say that they don’t eat this “crap” everyday—or one would think not? It’s also debatable that they may very well actually eat this on a weekly basis, but it’s certainly not all they eat—not by a long shot. Chicken breasts, protein powders, Greek yogurt, salmon, these are merely a few of the staples of the healthy athlete’s diet. Chuck in some whole grains for carbs and some milk for calcium and you have the beginnings of what most would call their meal plan. So, how do you eat before a big game or performance? Do you attack the fast-food outlet? Or do you play it smart and follow scientific guidelines? Furthermore, do you track calories, fat, or carb intakes? If not, maybe it should be at least a brief thought as we all can not get away with the un-spoilable Happy Meal (google: happy meal sits for a year without changing at all). Or maybe again, maybe there is some hidden or untapped nutritional science behind that milkshake and quarter-pounder….then again, probably not.

Photo by Cole Breiland

‘Wolves bow out of national championship to #1 ranked Alberta Golden Bears after drumming of UQTR

Lyle Morissette

Sports Editor

If history teaches us anything, and I quite certainly does, then one of its most ominous lessons for ‘Wolves fans is that being the host team for the Cavendish Cup is rarely a good harbinger in regards to the chances of it winning the championship. In fact, prior to this year’s festivities, only 9 out of the 63 hosts have captured the title, that’s roughly a dismal 14.3% of the time. So, which end of that stick did the host ‘Wolves find themselves on this weekend?

Well, first off, that total of two goals from last year’s bereft performance were certainly washed away, becoming a quick afterthought after the ‘Wolves opened up their championship bid with a 7-2 drumming—and elimination—of the UQTR Patriotes on Friday. Their three goals alone in the first period trumped the two goals they scored in their two games combined last year.

Clearly last year’s showing may have been on their mind as the ‘Wolves surged out of the gates with three goals in the first period alone from the likes of Kris Hogg, Dan Speer, and Brock McPherson, and never looked back. Speer added a later goal as did Ryan McDonald, and Matt Caria also potted a pair of his own to close out the ‘Wolves offensive onslaught on the night.

“I thought that tonight our fore check was the key,” said Thunderwolves head coach Joel Scherban. “We knew coming in a few weeks ago that we needed to step up the pressure and I think we did that tonight to generate a lot of offence.”

All three of Lakehead’s first period goals were assisted by fifth-year senior Scott Dobben who also happened to earn the Thunderwolves player of the game honours as well.

Between the pipes, both goaltenders were busy in net as Lakehead’s first year net minder, and fan favourite Alex Dupuis made 35 saves on 37 shots to earn the victory.

But, the early celebration was short lived because on Saturday night history made itself all but to real once again, making an ugly appearance that would eventually smear the ‘Wolves title hopes and add them—for second straight year—to the history books as yet another host who failed to win it all. This time, is was the #1 ranked—and 13 time Cavendish Cup champions—Alberta Golden Bears who stood in their way, breaking many players and fans hearts in the process.

The action started off quickly and frantically for the ‘Wolves who were gifted with an early power-play that defenseman Ryan Baird capitalized on, scoring just 2:58 into the game to give the ‘Wolves the 1-0 lead.

That was all to be written for the ‘Wolves though as the power-play, which had gifted them early on, quickly became their enemy. The Bears tied it up with a 5-on-3 power-play marker of their own to send the first period to recess at 1-1, and then added three more on the man-advantage as the game progressed to the final buzzer.

The Bears would add one more not on the power-play and the ‘Wolves two, both by Brock McPherson, and during a man-advantage, as the Bear’s top power-play unit in the country capitalized on far too many ‘Wolves mistakes on their way to the eventual 5-3 win.

The immediate prize was a birth in the Cup final for Alberta where they faced a Saint Mary’s Huskies squad that played in its first national championship final since 1973.

“We took some undisciplined penalties and those always end up hurting you,” said Scherban.

“After that, our team lost its composure a little and made some bad puck decisions… and things unraveled from there.”

“That’s what ultimately killed us in the end,” added ‘Wolves forward Dan Speer, who along with Shandor Alphonso, Mark Soares, and Scott Dobben, played in their final games donning a ‘Wolves uniform.

Benjamin Niittula

Hockey is a game we have all grown to love, and the sometimes barbaric nature of the game is something we have all grown to accept and love. But the fact remains, hockey is a ‘game’ and without doubt, it should be played for fun.

However, as of late, there has been a substantial amount of headshots which have led to some serious injuries and have generated quite an abundance of negative press towards the fundamentals of the game. More important than the reputation of the game, is the well being of its players – which is currently becoming a major issue.

In recent years, a startling amount of NHL and Minor league players have been victims of devastating injuries as a result of an increased amount of “headshots”. For the most part, headshots that occur at the minor league levels have resulted in some “high profile” suspensions; however, not until recently has the NHL had to deal with the rise in these hits to the head.

As a result of these hits and resulting injuries occurring at the NHL level, the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) has met with the NHL Board of Governors in order to make drastic changes to the rules pertaining to headshots.

The message sent to both the league and players is an overwhelming one of severe punishment on the ice and suspension off the ice to those who commit these headshot offenses.

A few of the major headshots brought to the desk of the disciplinary committee are Patrice Cormier’s vicious elbow to the head of Mikael Tam on January 18, 2010, and Mike Richards hit on David Booth on October 25, 2009. Both incidents have brought headshots into the media spotlight and have created a firestorm of bad press for the NHL and all junior and farm league affiliates.

The NHL has decided to set a new precedent with respect to the on-ice punishment for such offenses by allowing referees to penalize and issue game misconducts to players based on the severity of the hit.

Moreover, with the recent implementation of the blindside hit to the head rule which 1st came into play on March 25, 2010 they will be able to grow on this rule, and I don’t think it will take anything out of the overall integrity of the game.

Thus, the game evolves based on the changing nature of the tactics used by the players. Primarily at the grassroots level, there needs to be more emphasis on player safety, and although the goal of the game will always be to win, the safety of young players should always be at the forefront. In addition, the integrity of the game should always be considered when the rules evolve.

There will always be contact involved with hockey as a result of finishing your checks, being aggressive on the fore-check and applying a strong defensive line. However, a clean body check can also be a safe body check in all aspects of the game.

The overall goal in maintaining the integrity of the game, and keeping the player’s safety as the top priority, will make the future of hockey brighter.