January 29, 2005 | Sports Page 15
UNBC Coach Chosen

to Lead Provincial Team

By CAROLYNNE BURKIIOLDER
EDITOR IN CHIEF

The UNBC Basketball players are
not the only ones bringing attention to
the UNBC athletic program, their
coaches are also playing a role in gain-
ing new publicity.

In December, Loralyn Murdoch,
head coach of the UNBC Women’s
Basketball team, was chosen as the
Assistant Coach of, the U17 Provincial
Girls Basketball Team.

Murdoch was thrilled with this
appointment. This was not her first
time coaching at this level, as in 2001
she was chosen as the Head Coach of
the U16'BC Provincial Team.

"It was an awesome experience,”
said Murdoch "There was lots of
traveling and opportunities to play
many different teams.”

This time around, Murdoch even
more excited to coach at a provincial
level.

"This coaching experience will be

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY ROB VAN ADRICHEM
Loralyn Murdoch, head coach of the womens basketball team at
UNBC, poses happily for the camera during a interview.

on a much larger scale,” Murdoch
said.

"The girls will be playing in the
Canada Games this year, and this only
happens once every four years.”

Along with the Canada Games,
which will be held in Regina from
August 7th until August I]th, the
team will do lots of traveling and gain
experience playing teams throughout
the United States and Canada.

"I am so excited about this opportu-
nity,” said Murdoch. "This is a great
opportunity for UNBC, as well.”

The U17 teams are made up of
young women who have just complet-
ed their Grade 11 school year.

"These girls [chosen to play at the
Canada Games] are some of the best
athletes across the country,” said
Murdoch. "This position both gives
me the ability to recruit athletes for the
UNBC basketball team and also gives
UNEBC athletics exposure.”

3 SPORTS SHORTS

Let’s Reflect on Sports

ApAa HUSSEIN
SPORTS COLUMNIST

School is back. I love the holidays,
but maybe they were too long, I start-
ed spending way too much time won-
dering things like why Ja Rulc's "I'm
From New York" video is filled with
Yankees hats, until all of a sudden you
see an Expos hat. Did they run out of
Yankecs hats? Arc the Mcts so unpop-
ular that even New Yorkers would
rather wear an Expos hat? I don't
know, but I was troubled by it. (the hat
is in the background, and I may be
the only person in the world who
noticcd it, but this is what I do with
my free time). Yes, school came back
just in time.

Now, here are some holiday sports
stories that you may have missed
between cating Christmas dinner and
fighting with relatives.

Barry Bonds took stcroids. We
knew it before, and the only differ-
ence now is that we actually KNOW
he did it. I refuse to maintain the
nickname "The Barry” that I gave
Bonds. I don't know if his records
should be taken away, but he definite-
ly loses my nickname. Let that be a
Icsson to bascball players. If this docs-
n't work as a deterrent, nothing will.

The baseball free agent scason is
great. Free agent Carl Pavano visited
about four citics, (before signing with
the Yankees) turning it into a tour.

They called it Carlpalooza. I think
everyone should have something like
this named after them. I know I
would love to be able to think back
fondly on the days of Adampalooza.

There wer more signings and
trades in baseball, but I will only men-
tion one more: Randy Johnson to the
Yankees. My waction:
Waaaaaaliooooo! But scriously, they
traded Vazquez, who I am convinced
will be great. This is what Vazquez
had to say about tlic then rumored
trade: "I still trust in my abilities, and
if the Yankees trade me, they will
regret it.i I think the last time some-
one said something like this Babe
Ruth was prominently involved, and
we all know how well that worked out

Now for a ridiculous bascball story,
The Red Sox World Scrics Game 4
lineup card was sold for $165 000. I
am sure whoever bought it is rich, but
isn't there something else they could
have spent that moncy on? Anything
at all? Nothing? Really? Alright, just
checking.

Now, how about we talk basketball?
Kobe Bryant is struggling to kcep his
Lakers alive in the playoff race so far.
He is a great player though. I mean,
can you name anyone clse who has
fought with THREE hall of fame
NBA stars and gotten his way cach
time? Didn't think so... I think the
Christmas game ecxcmplificd Kobe
this scason: 42 points, and the Lakers
still lost.

In other NBA news, Vinee Carter
was finally traded. This trade was a

bad idea. What incomprehensible
reason caused tlic Raptors to trade
him within their division? I think
Jalen Rose summed up the trade best
when he said; “’m a GM in fantasy
basketball, and I’m a GM on
Playstation, so on Playstation I proba-
bly would have got a little more.”

Moving on to the NFL, Ict's all give
a standing ovation for the year Peyton
Manning had. Unfortunately he will
not win the Super Bowl. (miere on
that coming up)

I mentioned hefore how the Rams
are a rollercoaster of a team to cheer
for, and I definitely stand by that.
They inexplicably made the playoffs,
despite onc of tlicir players reperted-
ly threatening their coach. They both
denied the rumor, but it seems like the
two of them have some kind of
Scinfeld vs. Newman relationship,
which is definitely a had relationship
for player/coach.

Lastly, here is my favorite part of
sports: playoff picks. This time it is
the NFL. Since the first round fin-
ished‘ before this article's deadline I
am going to cheat a bit. (I was 2/4 in
the first round if anyone carcs}

Divisional:

Falcons over Rams; Vikings over

Eagles; Steclers over Jcts; Patriots

over Colts

Conference Finals:

Falcons over Vikings; Steclers over

Patriots

Super Bowl:

Steclers over Falcons.

Cape Breton Argues way to Atlantic Debating Crown
School’s debate team is tops in region for first time in history

Br Patrick MCNEI.

CareER TIMES (UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF
CaPE BRETON)

SYDNEY, N.S. (CUP)

Aftcr 17 ycars of compctition, the
University College of Cape Breton
has argucd its way to the top of cast-
ern Canada’s debating heap.

From Nov. 5 to 7, the Canadian
University Society for Intercollegiate
Debate’s Atlantic diampionships
were held at Memorial University of
Newfoundland in St. John’s to deter-
mine the top debating team in the
Atlantic provinces.

The team of Marc Botte and
Patrick McNcil emerged victorious,
marking the first time in the. 17-ycar
history of the event Cape Breton has
captured the crown. Dalhousic and
Memorial universitics have tradition-
ally held the team title.

The 12-team tournament was

among the tightest ever contested in
the Atlantic region. Botte arid McNcil
finished the preliminary rounds in a
five-way tic for third, and then defeat-
ed a team from Dalhousic in the semi-
finals.

They bested the best of Acadia
University’s debaters in the final
round after a narrow 4-3 decision.
Tlie round discussed the jurisdiction
of the Supreme Court in the United
States. Among other topics Botte and
McNcil debated on the weekend were
Star Trek, the admittance of women
into strip clubs, gambling on the
Québce Major Junior Hockcy
Leaguc, and gender in auto insurance
laws.

While winning the team champi-
Onship is uncharted territory for Cape
Brcton, this was not the casc for the
individual debater rankings. Last ycar,

the school’s Aiden Buckland captured:

the award for top debater.

Botte defended the title for Cape
Breton, emerging as the best debater
in Atlantic Canada. He has an exten-
sive history of strong individual fin-

eishes, including placing ninth at the
national championships in 2003 and
first at the Acadia at the Movies invi-
tational tournament in 2002.

The remainder of the academic
year promiscs to be cxtremely busy.
for the UCCB Debating Society. The
highlight of the winter term. will be
the national debating championship
at the University of Alberta in
Edmonton. Cape Breton also plans:
once again to hold its invitational
Capcr Cup tournament. Other invi-
tational cvents are cxpected at
Acadia, Dalhousic, the University of
New Brunswick and St. Francis
Xavicr University.

UNGRY FOR SPORTS?

Sate your appetite with Over the Edge sports.
Story meetings: Monday, 12:30

ee