Sunday, February 23, 2020
Belleville Senators 2020
Alex Formenton
(Photo-Courtesy of Belleville Senators-Jason Scourse)
For the
third time this season, we ventured out from “The County” to
watch the Belleville Senators. I am sure that many of you would agree
with me when I write that there is still a period of adjustment in
the area following the demise of the Belleville Bulls.
Too often do
I hear reasons why people do not show up at the rink, now the CAA
Centre. Most of the reasons, (excuses), are pretty lame. The brand of
hockey at the American Hockey League is far superior to that of the
Ontario Hockey League. I highly recommend at least one trip to the
rink to see the evidence for yourself.
You will
discover that the game is much faster, that the hitting is harder,
that the passes are crisper. The game is at a higher level. There has
also been a fair amount of complaining about ticket prices. Hogwash.
Check the web site, or call the box office. They make up packages
including souvenirs or meals at McDonald's that are as good as any
you will find at a OHL rink today.
Compliments
of a friend, we sat in the first row, directly behind the goal, at
the north end of the rink-the Zamboni end. No sooner had we
positioned ourselves, just before the warm-ups, when the Mayor of the
city, Mitch Panciuk, and his guest that evening Eugene Melnyk, walked
by us on their way to their seats. You may recall that Melnyk owns
the team, as well as the Senators in Ottawa.
The
Belleville Senators are enjoying their best season since moving from
Binghampton. Last year, the team finished in fifth place, with 82
points. They already have 82 points this season, and have 22 games
remaining! Their longest winning streak of seven games came to a halt
last weekend when they dropped a pair of games to their arch rival
Toronto Marlies. There were seats available at the rink last Friday
night. There was a rumour that the game was sold out. Ignore those
rumours. If you want to attend a Sens game, even against the Marlies,
I suggest you call the arena for tickets.
Most local
hockey fans are never happy when the parent club calls up
Belleville's best players, for a variety of reasons. Many of the
players who took the ice last weekend have been to Ottawa for a cup
of coffee or two. That is the very nature of a farm team. Young
players develop in the American Hockey League, and earn passage to
the NHL.
I received a
tip from one of the scouts to keep an eye on Belleville forward Alex
Formenton. He was drafted in the second round by the Sens in 2017,
following his junior career in London with the Knights. A lanky kid,
standing 6' 3”, he is a gifted skater, and a fine finisher. He has
22 goals, and 20 assists in the 48 games this season. He also has 52
minutes in penalties, indicating he does not shy away from some of
the rough stuff.
We witnessed
to plenty of “spirited hockey” at ice level, behind the goal.
That is where teams like to “cycle the puck”, to keep control in
the opposition end. The defending team does it utmost to clear the
zone, usually within the rules of the game. Penalties were about
even, but the Marlies did score on their power play, making a big
difference in the final outcome.
Formenton
played one game for the parent club in the 2017-2018 season, and nine
games last year. I suggest that if you wish to see him play in
Belleville, you had better head to the rink for one of the team's
remaining home games. They have 12 more home games, two against the
Marlies. As the playoffs approach, there will be more fans in the
seats. Last Friday's crowd was announced at 3 603, quite respectable.
Remarkably,
the Sens have a much better record on the road than at home: 27
points at home, and 43 points on the road! Go figure. So much for
home ice advantage. I will ask around to see if there is a reasonable
explanation. In the meantime, see you at the rink!
James Hurst
February 17,
2020.
-- James Hurst 613.399.2278 sportslices.blogspot.ca
2020 XFL
The XFL
kicked off last weekend in four American cities. And yes, Vince
McMahon has his finger in this pie. It is his second attempt to
create a football league for American audiences in a season when fans
are not thinking a lot about the NFL. It is intended to fill the gap
when the Super Bowl ends. His first attempt was a dismal failure-the
first XFL, which had only one season. Others tried to start up the
Alliance of American Football, which went bankrupt in the first
season.
Now Vince
knows that we play football here in Canada, and that it is also
played around the world. But the man in charge of the WWE, formerly
the WWF, knows that the appetite for football in the United States is
insatiable. He has tinkered with his wrestling empires for many
years, and they are most successful. It is described as
entertainment, as it is for some. But he wanted to take another shot
at the game played on the gridiron. He arranged for the ABC/ESPN
empire, and FOX Sports to handle the television coverage, always a
very clever thing to do.
There are a
few rule changes that have been incorporated into the new XFL, none
too serious, and most quite sensible. Kickoffs have been orchestrated
to provide returns, a very good idea. The ball is hoofed from the 30
yard line, and must land between the 20 yard line and the end zone.
The coverage team (the kicker's pals) line up on the receiver's 35
yard line, and the receivers on the 30. They must not move until the
ball is touched, or 3 seconds after it hits the ground. It worked
just fine.
Then there
is a two pass rule. You may throw two forward passes, as long as the
first is caught behind the line of scrimmage. That has potential, but
I did not see it executed in the games I saw. They also have
implemented a “one foot rule”. Receivers need to get one foot in
bounds for success. The NFL requires both feet, and that is just too
nebulous.
Here are the
results from last weekend's games:
DC Defenders
31 Seattle Dragons 19
Houston
Roughnecks 37 Los Angeles Wildcats 17
New York
Guardians 23 Tampa Bay Vipers 3
St. Louis
Battlehawks 15 Dallas Renegades 9
Here's
another novel approach for the league: there is a Team 9! A
collection of 40 players who practise several times a week. The coach
is Bart Andrus, who once was the head honcho for the Toronto
Argonauts. These players work out in Dallas in hopes that they will
be called up to one of the teams that have names, replacing injured
players. All chasing the dream, to play in the NFL.
Trenton
Thompson had a very successful college career. He decided to forego
his senior year, and placed his name in the draft pool. He was not
chosen. Over the next couple of years, he was placed on the roster of
the following teams: the Cleveland Arrows (AAF), the Arizona Hotshots
(AAF), the Washington Valor (Arena Football), the Edmonton Eskimos
(CFL), the Houston Roughnecks (XFL). He was released to “Team 9”
this year, in expectation that some team will pick him up before the
end of the season.
There are
several reasons why he has been released so many times. One of them
is not talent. I will let you decide what the others might be. It is
a violent, brutal game. Players know that, before they ever lace up
their cleats. Most of the players hail from the southern states, from
the Carolinas west to California. That is why there is a quota system
in the Canadian Football League. By limiting the number of imports to
twenty players, there is more opportunity for Canadian kids to play
the game.
The
Championship Game takes place on April 28th, when the
winner of the East division meets the winner of the West Division.
Definitely
worth a look.
James Hurst
February 11,
2020.
-- James Hurst 613.399.2278 sportslices.blogspot.ca
Thursday, February 13, 2020
Super Bowl LIV
You
know
that it is not just another football game. A culmination of
everything in the football world from the 2019 season in one
final
game. The San Francisco Forty-Niners headed to Miami to take
on the
Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday for the big game. It was a most
entertaining game, with an exciting halftime show headlined by
J Lo
and Shakira. Certainly a pleasant distraction from the bumping
and
grinding on the football field.
The
Chiefs
emerged victorious, 31-20, scoring three touchdowns in the
fourth
quarter. The game was tied 10-10 at half time. The 49ers
scored the
next ten points. And then the Chiefs put the hammer down, and
surged
to victory. They were led by Patrick Mahomes, their young very
capable superstar who was presented with the Most Valuable
Player
Trophy after the game.
But
Mahomes,
and every other professional quarterback who has ever played
the
game, will tell you that they could not succeed without
protection
against rushing defensive linemen.
In
2014, the
Chiefs signed a young medical student attending McGill
University in
Montreal, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. In a week's time, he will
celebrate his 29th birthday. He originally signed a
four
year contract for 2.34 million dollars, with a bonus of $ 100
000 to
help pick up the cost of medical texts.
“When I
got drafted in 2014, it was a promise that I made to myself
that I
was going to keep grinding and pushing to combine my passions
at the
highest level to show people what was possible. With the help
of
Coach Reid and with the Faculty of Medicine at McGill, it was
possible to do that.”
Three
years
later, he signed a deal giving him $42.35 million, with $20.28
million guaranteed, and a $10 million signing bonus.
He had
started medical school in 2010, but continued playing
football. “I
think there are a lot of similarities between football and
emergency
medicine. You never really know in emergency what's going to
step
through the door. There's also that adrenaline rush, in both
instances.”
One
thing
that did not hurt Laurent's chances when he went to the Chiefs
was
that Coach Andy Reid's mother also graduated in medicine from
McGill,
one of the first women to do so. It is not too far fetched to
think
that she might have suggested to her son that he “should give
that
nice young man a second look.” Perhaps.
Mind
you,
Laurent stands 6' 5”, and tips the scales at 325 pounds. He is
an
offensive guard, and wears # 76 on his back.
The
next
time you run into him, you might get a chance to see his Super
Bowl
ring. A great accomplishment for the MD from Mont Saint
Hilaire,
Quebec. Felicitations, Laurent!
James
Hurst
February
4,
2020
-- James Hurst 613.399.2278 sportslices.blogspot.ca
National Basketball Association 2020
The
basketball world lost one of its legendary players last weekend when
a helicopter crashed in California. Kobe Bryant was killed, along
with his daughter, and seven other passengers. His passing was
acknowledged by several basketball teams by allowing the 24 second
clock to run out on the first possession. It was as if time stood
still, paying tribute to a great player. Late last week, LeBron James
passed Kobe on the all time scoring list, moving into third place.
His tribute to Kobe was most deserving.
At the tail
end of last week's column, I said that I would report on the Raptors
this week. Much of what I write will be a tribute to Kyle Lowry.
I was
shocked to learn, in my bit of research, that Lowry is now playing in
his 8th season for the Raptors. Before that, he played
four years for Houston, and three years in Houston. Time flies.
From the
team's perspective, he worked very well with Demar DeRozan up to the
beginning of the season last year, but just not quite good enough to
make a deep playoff run. DeRozan was traded for Kawhi Leonard. Good
things happened for the Raptors, culminating in an NBA Championship.
Leonard left
at the end of the season, creating a significant void. Fortunately,
several other members of the team have stepped up to keep the Raptors
in contention. Such is not the case with the Golden State Warriors.
Once Steph Curry suffered the injury at the start of the season, the
team spiraled out of contention, now resting firmly in last place.
Lowry comes
from a tough area of South Philadelphia, but in most of his
interviews he does not like to dwell on his past. He reports that he
learned a little from all of the coaches he has played for, including
Kevin McHale, who coached him in Houston. “He was only trying to
help me become a better player. Team, team, team. I didn't understand
his philosophy.”
For Lowry,
trust is a most important concept. The development of that trust does
not come easily for him. As his game improved, in high school, he was
approached by several colleges. But he ran into some unfortunate
situations because of that process. Others made commitments on his
behalf, without his knowledge. Some colleges, four in fact, committed
a scholarship to him, then yanked it off the table. He played his
street ball against guys who were five years older than he was,
playing tough to earn court time.
In 2010, his
wife, Ayahna, told him he was going to be a father. “That changed
everything for me,” he said. He now has two boys, Karter and
Kameron. Sometimes you can see them racing against Lowry to the
dressing room after a game.
Pound for
pound, he has to be one of the toughest players in the NBA. Standing
at just over six feet, he often plows to the basket fearlessly, and
takes the blows. But that is part of his game, and he leads his team
with his competitiveness.
He now
averages 20 points per game, with more than 7 assists. Over the last
several years, he has averaged more than 30 minutes a game, never
easy minutes.
The Raptors
are well positioned at this point in the season to have a good
playoff run. There are strong teams in the East, as in the West.
Would there be another title in the cards for this year? Not likely.
But there will be great basketball from the Raptors, led by Kyle
Lowry.
January 27,
2020
James Hurst
-- James Hurst 613.399.2278 sportslices.blogspot.ca
At the All Star Break 2020
Patrick Kane
Players from
the National Hockey League are now enjoying this year's All Star
break, roughly half way through the season. The same will apply
shortly to the players from the National Basketball League.
On a
personal note, it was great to run into so many friends and
neighbours last Friday night at the Wellington Dukes' game. There
were very few empty seats at the DukeDome, primarily because it was a
game between the arch rivals in the league, Wellington and Trenton. I
am certain that rivalry existed long before I was born. Both teams
have excellent records this season, and Trenton is a few points ahead
of Wellington, with five games in hand. It certainly would be a great
match up during the playoffs, down the road.
The National
Football League concludes its season in about ten days with the Super
Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs will play the San Francisco 49ers in
Miami to decide the championship. It should prove to be a great game.
Both teams have explosive offenses.
The Chicago
Black Hawk's Patrick Kane received a nice ovation from his teammates
last weekend when he recorded his one thousand's point in the NHL.
His teammates swarmed the ice to congratulate him, a fine gesture on
their part. It was a bright spot in a rather difficult season for the
Hawks.
They are not
yet out of the playoff picture. On one side, the Boston Bruins lead
the standings with 68 points. Washington has 71 points, also
qualifying for post season play. The Flyers have 58 points, and would
be the last team to qualify, should the season end at this team. That
would put the Leafs and the Panthers tied at 57 points each, out of
the playoffs. The Sabres and the Habs each have 51 points, and need
to press hard after the break.
The Habs
took a chance when they grabbed Ilya Kovalchuck off the waiver list
from the Los Angeles Kings. In 17 games for the Kings, he had 3
goals. He has scored four times for Montreal, in 8 games. Of course
it is too early to tell, but he has certainly sparked the Montreal
squad since his arrival. There are many reasons for his revival, but
I believe the change of scenery is an important factor. He was the
first overall pick when he was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers, but
that was just after the turn of the century!
In the
western regions of the NHL, the fight for a playoff berth is
extremely tight. The Blues are in front with 68 points. Four teams
are tied for the last spot with 57 points each. The Hawks and the
Jets are not far behind with 54 points each. It certainly appears to
be a white knuckle ride for all contenders.
The
Belleville Senators are now in 2nd place in the North
Division, two points out of first place. Drake Batherson leads the
team with 41 points, and is fourth in scoring in the league. Josh
Norris has 38 points. They have a couple of games this coming
weekend, Friday night in Utica, and Saturday in Belleville. All
hockey fans appreciate the game played at the AHL level, and realize
that many of the players will some day end up, permanently, in the
NHL. Game time: 7:00pm.
The
Australian Open Tennis Championships opened Sunday in Melbourne. The
devastating fires that have plagued that nation do not appear to
affect the tournament. Canada has several players in the tourney,
including Milos Raonic. He has not been active for quite some time,
and is seeded 32nd. He did have a strong opening match, winning in
straight sets. Bianca Adreescu is nursing a sore knee, and is not
playing Down Under. There are several other Canadians in the hunt,
perhaps the largest contingent ever.
Brooke
Henderson was one shot off the pace, as the first women's tournament
of the season concluded in Orlando. That bodes well for the long
grind that faces her, and the rest of the competitors, as they travel
across North America, and across the Pacific, throughout the summer.
Their season concludes in Naples, Florida, in November.
I promise
that I will have a full report on the Toronto Raptors next week.
Solemnly, I believe.
James Hurst
January 20,
2020.
-- James Hurst 613.399.2278 sportslices.blogspot.ca
