Monday, December 24, 2018
Football Bowls-Big Business
Many of you
will be tuning in to an American phenomenon during the next few
weeks. In the early 1950s, my parents transported the family to
California, at Christmas time, to spend a few weeks of sunshine. An
interesting trip, as we traveled by train. It was the first year of
Disneyland, which we enjoyed, as well as the Rose Bowl parade. My dad
scalped a couple of tickets for himself and my older brother to
attend the Rose Bowl game. The teams in that game were the UCLA
Bruins and the Michigan State Spartans
At that
point in time, there were very few bowl games. It has snowballed
since then. There are now more than forty bowl games. I will not
bore you with all of their names. Some are much more important than
others. The most important championship game is supposed to be played
between the two best teams in the nation. For years, that became a
contentious issue. Nowadays, a system is in place which is by no
means foolproof, but is pretty close to being accurate.
The records
of all teams, wins and losses, are used as a basis of determining the
best teams in the league. Experts then look at the schedules that the
teams play. The University of Central Florida has not lost a game
this year; however the school is ranked lower than some teams with
poorer records. That is because UCF did not play against really
strong opponents all year.
There are
three divisions in American College sports. Last weekend, the Mary
Hardin-Baylor Crusaders defeated the Mount Union Purple Raiders 24-16
to win the Division III title. Valdosta State won the Division II
title, squeaking by Ferris State 49-47.
Most
American college football fans pay more heed to the Division I games
which take place over the next three weeks, culminating with the
College Football Championship, taking place on January 7th
in Santa Clara, California. It will feature the winners of the Cotton
Bowl and the Orange Bowl.
The
Celebration Bowl was played last weekend in Atlanta. North Carolina
A&T defeated Alcorn State 24-22 for that title. In Albuquerque,
Utah State hammered North Texas 52-13. At Orlando, Florida, Tulane
won the Cure Bowl with a victory over Louisiana-Lafayette41-24. In
Montgomery, Alabama, Eastern Michigan Eagles lost to Georgia Southern
Eagles 23-21 for the right to hoist the Camellia Bowl. Finally, last
weekend, Appalachian State Mountaineers defeated the Middle Tennessee
Blue Raiders 45-13 for the New Orleans Bowl.
On Saturday,
December 29th, the semi-finals for the National Championship take
place. Clemson (13-0) will play Notre Dame (12-0) in the Cotton Bowl.
Alabama (13-0) plays Oklahoma (12-0) for the Orange Bowl in Miami
Gardens.
In the
meantime, you will be able to watch the following bowls: Camping
World, Alamo, Belk, Pinstripe, (in Yankee Stadium, naturally,) Dollar
General, Arizona, Armed Forces, Peach, Military, Outback, Gator,
Sun........and almost 20 more!
The
traditional Rose Bowl Game will be between Ohio State and Washington,
on the 1st of January.
Mind you,
College Basketball is well underway at this time, so you should have
plenty to keep you busy. Keep extra batteries handy for the channel
changer!!
Of the four
teams in the hunt for the national championship, Notre Dame comes out
on top, financially. The school is guaranteed six million dollars,
plus travel expenses of more than two million!! And you know how much
the players get from this!
James Hurst
December
2018
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Hazing-Part Two
I do not
often spread a topic over two weeks. Such is the case, this time.
In last
weeks blurb, the issue of hazing was tied to bullying. Both of these
topics relate to power, to the people who have it and how they use,
or abuse it. As a result of the hazing, and the abuse of power,
individuals are subjected to traumatic experiences, and needlessly
suffer from them.
I am not
wearing rose-coloured glasses here. We have all experienced trauma,
on many different occasions. We learn how to deal with it, how to
cope with it. Hazing involves unnecessary trauma, making it just
plain wrong.
Ryan Munce
experienced this type of trauma as a rookie goaltender with the
Sarnia Sting in 2002-2003. “I was shocked when it happened. It goes
against the fabric of what you're supposed to be doing,” he stated
in the radio interview. He was supposed to be involved in a team-
building exercise.
He was
supporting the position taken by Daniel Carcillo, an NHL player who
retired in 2015. Carcillo has been experiencing the effects of too
many shots to the head, and is no longer involved in the game.
Carcillo played 429 games in the National Hockey League, for the
Coyotes, the Black Hawks, the Kings and the Rangers. He amassed 1233
penalty minutes in those games, and had 100 points.
As is the
case in all walks of life, there is a code of behaviour, often
unwritten, to which members of the group must conform. Hazing
generally falls into that category with sports teams. Shoulders are
shrugged, there may be some quiet mumbling among the coaches and
management, activities are condoned.
But when the
hazing involves serious physical or sexual abuse, the line of
appropriate behaviour has been crossed. It should not be tolerated.
It should be reported.
Many of the
sports in question are physical in nature. Football players must be
strong and aggressive to be successful. Hockey players also need to
be aggressive, must be able to perform well on skates, and carry
sticks to bang on opponents, legally. Neither game is for the feint
of heart.
Veteran
players feel that hazing is sort of a test of a young player's heart.
If he, or she, can take the abuse, then they belong. Bizarre
thinking, but that's the way it is.
Ryan Munce
was asked in the interview why he just didn't leave when he was
hazed. “I did not want to give up on my dreams. Occasionally, some
players (in that situation) get traded. Some get sent home.
Munce never
did make it to the NHL. He played three years for the Sting, then
several years in the American Hockey League, and the ECHL. He retired
from hockey as a player in 2011. He is still involved in the game. I
am certain he keeps a close eye on “rookie activities”. And that
is a good thing.
He is
helping to break the chain of unnecessary violence.
James Hurst
December
2018.
Hazing-A Nasty Business
It has always been my
position that if a player has the talent and the skills to become a
member of a team, he or she should not be subjected to the activity
commonly known as hazing. The
topic has been in the news recently, due to the information that came
out of St. Michael's School in Toronto, and several other incidents
which have taken place over the years.
I
recently noticed on Sean Kelly's Facebook page that he was discussing
that topic with a former hockey player, along with a doctor from
Belleville, Dr. Julie Gowthorpe. The player in question was Ryan
Munce, and he was mainly referring to his time with the Sarnia Sting.
Another of his teammates, Daniel Carcillo, has also discussed hazing
incidents from that time with the Sting, recently reported in The
Globe and Mail.
I
was able to listen to the show via the internet, as I currently
reside in Fort Myers. I have always been keenly interested in the
topic, and, for the most part, I am completely against any
dehumanizing behaviour that goes under the guise of “hazing”.
Many schools entertain activities to “welcome” new members,
particularly sororities and fraternities. I believe there are no
fraternities nor sororities at Queen's University in Kingston,
because there were serious injuries that resulted from those
activities, many years ago.
Hazing
is usually done by older members of the organization to “initiate”
the new members or the rookies. The intent is to bring the new
members into the family, so that they get to develope the team
attitude or spirit. Unfortunately, in many situations, the veterans
go far over the line. Therein lies the tragedy.
In
Junior Hockey in Canada, some of the veteran players are 21 years
old. Many of the rookies are barely 16, and do not live at home. In
some instances, far from home, with billets. Many of the billets,
families who provide a home for the players, are wonderful, and offer
a great comfort to the young players. Others are horrific, in the
game to collect money from the team, but supplying little to the
players. These young men have voracious appetites, and need plenty of
nutrients to survive. There are cases of billets who lock fridges and
cupboards; there are others who provided a can of beans and an opener
for dinner. Teams attempt to screen for good billets, but there are a
few who slip through the cracks.
Essentially,
these horrible hazing practices involve bullies. The whole topic of
bullying has become an important one in our society. I hinted that
the difference in age is a factor in junior hockey. There is more to
it than that. The older players are usually larger and stronger. They
have been together for 3 or 4 years, and may hang around together.
The “veterans” were bullied and hazed when they were the rookies.
They believe it is their right to dish it out to the new kids.
Occasionally, they go too far.
Hazing
arises from bullying. Bullies exist in all walks of life. To name a
few: sports, religion, education, politics, business, certainly in
the military. I am certain you could add many other categories to
this list, individual areas that might have affected you.
During
the interview, it was pointed out on several occasions by Dr.
Gowthorpe that hazing can be a traumatic experience, and a very
unnecessary one. For Ryan Munce, and Daniel Carcillo, it was indeed
traumatic.
To
be continued next week.
James
Hurst
