Sports in Canadian culture - Page 124

EdFromOttawa · #**2461** Posted **Oct 21, 2014, 2:42 AM**

Very cool FIFA documentary looking at Ottawa, TD Place Stadium and Ottawa Fury FC.

The S'toon Goon · #**2462** Posted **Oct 26, 2014, 8:45 PM**

http://www.tsn.ca/report-rays-owner-...treal-1.116444

Go Expos!

I know it has been said probably countless times, but Montreal in the AL East would certainly be a recipe to success! Maybe the Jays national brand takes a hit, but the instant rivalry could strum up more general Canadian interest?

The S'toon Goon · #**2463** Posted **Oct 26, 2014, 8:49 PM**

Sorry I didn't see that someone posted the article in the stadium thread already. Your forgiveness please!

SignalHillHiker · #**2464** Posted **Oct 27, 2014, 11:13 AM**

Swilers men win 11th straight Goodyear Cup; women’s side claim Deacy Cup

Quote:

The dynasty continued for the St. John’s Swilers in Goodyear Cup competition Saturday.

The Swilers defeated the Conception Bay South Baymen 37-7 at the Swilers Complex for the team’s 11th straight provincial senior A championship.

The Swilers got two tries from Zac Coughlan to pace the win. Patrick McNicholas scored one try and added two conversions and a penalty kick for 12 points.

Other try scorers for the Swilers were Robert Wilson, Morgan Lovell and Devin Lacey.

Tony Pomeroy had the try for Baymen and Michael Pittman converted.

Meanwhile, the same two clubs were represented in the women’s championship match Saturday.

The St. John’s Swilers defeated the Conception Bay Baymen 38-19 in sevens rugby for the Deacy Cup at the Swilers Rugby Complex.

Olivia Genge paced the Swilers with 18 points on two tries and four conversions. Aaron Boland contributed two tries and single tries came from Sarah Mantin and Zoey Walsh.

Samantha Pomeroy had two tries with two conversions for the Baymen, Teresa Quinlan had one try.

http://www.thetelegram.com/Sports/20...wilers-sweep/1

isaidso · #**2465** Posted **Oct 27, 2014, 7:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The S'toon Goon

http://www.tsn.ca/report-rays-owner-...treal-1.116444

Go Expos!

I know it has been said probably countless times, but Montreal in the AL East would certainly be a recipe to success! Maybe the Jays national brand takes a hit, but the instant rivalry could strum up more general Canadian interest?

Baseball manages to remain culturally important in most parts of the country despite just 1 MLB team in Canada. It's testament to the sport's deep Canadian roots. MLB should never have left Montreal and we now have a younger generation in that city that's grown up without it. If we carry on another 9 years with no MLB in Montreal, the sport in that market will start to suffer so its return soon is crucial.

The sport at the professional level has never been properly developed nationally. It's remained largely a recreational activity for Canadians. That needs to change. I'd love to see MLB in both Montreal and Vancouver within the next 10 years. Hopefully, by 2040 Calgary and Edmonton can secure MLB franchises as well.

World's 1st Baseball Game, Beachville, Ontario

blueandgoldguy · #**2466** Posted **Oct 28, 2014, 9:52 PM**

Tampa Bay ownership is using the threat of relocation to Montreal to force the county/city to pay for a new stadium. Not sure how successful they will be given the fiasco that is the taxpayer-funded stadium in Miami for Jeffery Loria. Tampa does have a lease through 2027 though and their tv contract is up for renewal. Apparently they are one of the top-15 teams for regional tv viewership so a huge increase in tv revenues is likely which would offset the rather lacklustre attendance.

If Montreal gets a team, whether it is Tampa or Oakland, I'm sure it is at least 5 years out. They only started exploring the possibility of a stadium last year and the process seems to take a minimum of 3 - 5 years before a shovel hits the ground. The government won't be paying for all of it like they have with the Quebec arena. I expect the owner would have to put up a minimum of $100 million which he would try to recoup through ticket taxes or PSLs. Probably have to use the stadium naming rights to fund some of the stadium and the might get a percentage (say 30 - 50%) from the province and city.

Still a long ways off though. A baseball team can't come to Montreal without guaranteed stadium financing in place.

suburbanite · #**2467** Posted **Oct 28, 2014, 11:13 PM**

Canada sets a new record for number of non-Americans on starting lineups this year in the NBA.

http://www.basketball.ca/13-canadian...sters--p157120

Can't wait to see these guys play.

davidivivid · #**2468** Posted **Oct 28, 2014, 11:16 PM**

Great article about Quebec City's Rouge et Or football team in Newsweek:

Quote:

Canada's Laval University Shows How to Do Football Right

The defending national champion, who has not lost in more than 20 games adorns itself in hues of red and gold—but it is not Florida State. It traces its origins and its French sobriquet to a Catholic priest who emigrated from France—but it is not Notre Dame. And its nouveau riche imprint on the sport may be tracked back to a deep-pocketed alum who took it upon himself to jump-start the program in the 1990s—but it is not Oregon.

No—or should we say, non?—to all of the above. The most dominant team in college football in America—sorry, in North America—is Laval University of Quebec City, Quebec. On Sunday, the Rouge et Or crushed Bishop’s University, 64-3 (“Un Massacre!” blared a local daily), to run its record to 7-0 this season. The victory was the 25th straight for the two-time defending national champions of Canada, and their 69th in a row on their home field just a few miles north of the St. Lawrence River, Stade Telus.

This autumn Laval is seeking to win its third consecutive Vanier Cup (i.e., the Canadian national championship), and, having outscored opponents 373-65 thus far, the Rouge et Or are prohibitive favorites. Not bad for a football program that did not exist 20 years ago.

[...]

http://www.newsweek.com/canadas-lava...l-right-279774

middeljohn · #**2469** Posted **Oct 28, 2014, 11:18 PM**

It begins tomorrow my friends. First time in a long time I'm not blindly-optimistic about the Raptors. This year I can just be optimistic. I think 47 wins is the most likely outcome, but 50 is within reach depending on our health and our competion's.

suburbanite · #**2470** Posted **Oct 28, 2014, 11:20 PM**

Vegas has them as favourites to win the Atlantic, getting past that first playoff round is going to be the challenge.

rousseau · #**2471** Posted **Oct 28, 2014, 11:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbanite

Canada sets a new record for number of non-Americans on starting lineups this year in the NBA.

http://www.basketball.ca/13-canadian...sters--p157120

Can't wait to see these guys play.

Toronto is turning into a basketball powerhouse. Nine of those 13 Canadians are from the GTA, and two of them were number one overall picks. Two number one picks from the same city is unprecedented. It's never happened before.

Andrew Wiggins could be a breakout player. Last year's no. 1 pick Anthony Bennett had a disappointing rookie season, but many people are putting that down to an injury, being overweight, and sleep apnea. He's got those things fixed now. Will be interesting to see if he quiets the naysayers.

rousseau · #**2472** Posted **Oct 28, 2014, 11:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by middeljohn

It begins tomorrow my friends. First time in a long time I'm not blindly-optimistic about the Raptors. This year I can just be optimistic. I think 47 wins is the most likely outcome, but 50 is within reach depending on our health and our competion's.

I shudder to think what winter here would be like without the Raptors. They're the only thing keeping me going during the three-month period of darkness from December to February.

middeljohn · #**2473** Posted **Oct 28, 2014, 11:46 PM**

It's the only reason I got cable lol.

The_Architect · #**2474** Posted **Oct 29, 2014, 1:47 PM**

We're now starting to see the true effect the Vince Carter era of the Raptors has had on the GTA (and Canada in general). Much more top level basketball coming out of the province.

Acajack · #**2475** Posted **Oct 29, 2014, 3:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Architect

We're now starting to see the true effect the Vince Carter era of the Raptors has had on the GTA (and Canada in general). Much more top level basketball coming out of the province.

Interesting that the presence of the Blue Jays for much longer has not led to a similar spinoff for baseball.

suburbanite · #**2476** Posted **Oct 29, 2014, 4:32 PM**

Toronto has Joey Votto, but B.C. has always been the biggest producer of players. Part of it has to be climate. An indoor, accessible sport like basketball in a city with a large immigrant population and long winters makes sense. Now you also have the powerhouse high school and rep basketball teams that continually attract the top talent in the city. I was never part of the youth baseball community but I don't think anything similar exists there.

rousseau · #**2477** Posted **Oct 29, 2014, 5:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by suburbanite

Toronto has Joey Votto, but B.C. has always been the biggest producer of players. Part of it has to be climate. An indoor, accessible sport like basketball in a city with a large immigrant population and long winters makes sense. Now you also have the powerhouse high school and rep basketball teams that continually attract the top talent in the city. I was never part of the youth baseball community but I don't think anything similar exists there.

I don't see how climate would have anything to do with it. Summers in the GTA are warmer than BC, and in winter nobody plays baseball anyway. Or are kids really playing baseball in freezing cold rain in January in Vancouver?

That wouldn't explain all the baseball players coming out of the northeastern and midwestern U.S., where the climate is the same as Ontario, anyway. And on the other hand, the U.S. state producing the most basketball players is California.

I don't know if there are any definite reasons for the perceived greater popularity of baseball in BC. You don't have baseball teams in high school in Ontario. I played softball growing up as a kid, but these days football/soccer has taken over as the go-to sport for kids during the summer.

There isn't a sense of ownership of the Blue Jays in Toronto the way there is for the Leafs and, increasingly due to greater number of GTA players in the NBA, the Raptors. Baseball seems like an attraction much like Cirque du Soleil. You don't see kids throwing baseballs around in Toronto just like you don't see kids swinging on makeshift trapeze poles.

Riise · #**2478** Posted **Oct 29, 2014, 5:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

Baseball manages to remain culturally important in most parts of the country despite just 1 MLB team in Canada.

I'd love to see MLB in both Montreal and Vancouver within the next 10 years. Hopefully, by 2040 Calgary and Edmonton can secure MLB franchises as well.

I'm not sure if that is the case in Calgary. I think 2040 would more likely mark the removal of the last baseball diamond in the city rather than the arrival of an MLB franchise.

The_Architect · #**2479** Posted **Oct 29, 2014, 6:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rousseau

You don't have baseball teams in high school in Ontario.

My high school baseball "coach" has some explaining to do then.

Quote:

There isn't a sense of ownership of the Blue Jays in Toronto the way there is for the Leafs and, increasingly due to greater number of GTA players in the NBA, the Raptors. Baseball seems like an attraction much like Cirque du Soleil. You don't see kids throwing baseballs around in Toronto just like you don't see kids swinging on makeshift trapeze poles.

I don't even know where to start with this part. Just crossing out the entire thing.

Steveston · #**2480** Posted **Oct 29, 2014, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Architect

We're now starting to see the true effect the Vince Carter era of the Raptors has had on the GTA (and Canada in general). Much more top level basketball coming out of the province.

Methinks Steve Nash might have had some influence on impressionable young Canadian athletes, as well.