Sports

January 23rd 2013 * Over the Edge

TOUGH START TO 2013 FOR MEN

GEOFF SARGENT

SPORTS EDITOR

After a very optimistic start to the season, where the team headed home for the holiday break in sole possession of a Pacific Division playoff spot, the men’s basketball team has not enjoyed 2013, losing all four games. This past weekend, the men hosted Winnipeg and Manitoba, suffering 91- 83 and 90-79 defeats, respectively, on Thursday and Saturday evening. Now sitting a half-game behind Thompson Rivers University for the final playoff ticket, and having already split the season series with the WolfPack, the Timberwolves head south for crucial road trips to #7 UFV and Victoria. “We have played a tough schedule to start [2013], with a tough road trip to the Prairies and games in very tough places to play,” said head coach Todd Jordan, downplaying the 0-4 start to the calendar year. “If we can do a better job executing our schemes both offensively and defensively down the stretches of games, the wins will come.”

The road trip to the Fraser Valley this weekend could be at the right time — the nationally ranked Cascades are also without a win in 2013, and have the lowest reported attendance in Canada West at only 244 fans per

game to boot. While most teams in the conference enjoy considerable success at home — something else Jordan alluded to — UFV sports a disappointing mark (2-4), balanced by their ability to win on the road (5-3).

The second road trip to Victoria looks more challenging on paper. The Vikes are 7-1 in McKinnon Gym, having won all battles since an early-season loss to Trinity Western in November. This past week saw the Vikes smoke both Regina and Brandon with 20-plus point margins of victory as the team continues their bid to be recognized with a national rank of their own.

With TWU and TRU facing each other in two weeks while the Timberwolves play tough games in Victoria, this road trip to a slumping Cascades team could be the most important games the Timberwolves play this season. “Most of our losses this year have been by only a couple possessions and we have usually had opportunities to win in the fourth quarter of games,” said Jordan. “Our margin of error has been very thin. More than anything we just need to get a bit tougher mentally at the end of games and make better decisions at crunch time.”

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GEOFF SARGENT

SPORTS EDITOR

For the first time in nearly 300 days, fans across Canada enjoyed (perhaps not here in B.C., given the results of the Canucks game) Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night. I used the return of hockey as a convenient excuse to stay in, watch the games, and note my observations on the grand reveal of the 2013 NHL season. If you weren’t present, here’s what you missed:

- A video compiled and narrated by noted hockey-loving, Canadian musician Dave Bidini, airing during the pre-game show. Called “Footsteps”, and showcasing other Canadian musicians across all genres of music discussing hockey, childhood, and what the sport has been to them, the video beautifully built tension, leading perfectly into...

- A “Dream On” montage for the cold open of the main show proper at 4:00pm. This was goosebump city, even on a second viewing via YouTube the next day. These cold opens are so consistently great that the drama years ago about CBC losing the Hockey Night in Canada theme song to money-hungry licensers is completely forgotten. Can you imagine saying that five years ago? However, in between these videos was...

- Alive performance by Simple Plan in Montreal. Really, this horrible band is still around? I thought the whiny angst sound of the early 2000’s was long since gone. Fortunately, the band’s prepubescent fan base I remembered was was notably absent from the crowd at performance, unfortunately replaced by their parents instead. Why is every live Canadian sporting event spoiled by terrible music?

- Talking heads on the CBC panel using thinly veiled pessimism to discuss the hopes of success this season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. This never gets old, honestly.

- Montreal bringing all the old-timers lout for a torch relay before puck drop. It might be time to take “The Roadrunner” nickname away from Yvan Cournoyer; in his advanced age he was slowed by stairs, but to his credit, he looked PISSED that he was slowed down by stairs. Every old-time hockey player looks like a mean son of A bitch. Eventually, the torch found its way to Jean Beliveau for the milk run to centre ice and the crowd ate it up.

+ The Canadiens were introduced to the crowd. Can you believe how many numbers are off-limits after decades of puccess? The second guy introduced wears #14!

+ During an early power play that ooked like it belonged in July, the

OBSERVATIONS FROM HNIC

crowd was quick to jump to a “Leafs Suck” chant. I really forget the simple pleasures in life. We should start that chant in class.

- Andrei Markov looked exposed throughout the first period and the rest of the game. Can you lose three steps over an offseason instead of just one? Time for the glue factory for Andrei, although his defensive partner Emelin looks like a great find.

- Don Cherry in midseason form. He didn’t stop talking once during Coach’s Corner and called Brian Burke a “dummy” and “down the garden path”. Their feud reminds me of two bighorn rams head-butting each other for hours on end. Also loved the never-ending criticism of U.S. college hockey despite all the contradictory evidence. Never change, Grapes.

- One thing Cherry was right about was Nazem Kadri. He and his line had an outstanding game, could the emergence of Kadri finally be underway?

- Glenn Healy with a horrible Air Canada luggage joke in the second intermission. No seriously, never change, Grapes. This is what we have to look forward to in the future.

- Late excitement as the Habs get within one goal late but fall short. They were absent from the game in the first two periods and deserved the loss, much to the chagrin of La Belle Province.

- Mike Gillis welcomes the fans back in Vancouver and describes them as “the best in pro sports”. At what, rioting? This vaunted sellout streak at Rogers Arena was immediately preceded by years of empty seats in the Messier era. Call a spade a spade. There’s hockey markets south of the border with better histories of being there if the team isn’t, and we’re not even talking about other sports yet.

- Sarah McLachlan was on hand for the anthem in Vancouver. Great moment as her outreach foundation was on hand for backing vocals, but Mark Donnely cannot be replaced that easily.

- Mark Lee has been relegated to Winnipeg Jets games on Saturdays, and it’s a glorious thing. The new voice in the booth is Rick Ball’s, who is not Jim Hughson, but is definitely not Mark Lee either.

- A bonus Coach’s Corner? And two again next week? Hockey fans are really being rewarded for their loyalty. - A Luongo sighting, when Schneider is yanked after five goals. If you like listening to over-reactionary Vancouver sports radio callers as much as I do, this is what you’ve been waiting for. Bonus shoutout to Luongo’s “secret” Twitter account — it’s an absolute goldmine.