CIS Preview: AUS

In the smallest of the 4 regional divisions of the CIS there are only 4 schools with a football program. The first organization of Atlantic Universities was in 1974 as the Atlantic University Athletic Association. This was created after the Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Atlantic Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Association joined together. In 1999 they changed their name to Atlantic University Sport (AUS). The four football programs play for the Jewett Trophy in the Loney Bowl. Perennial Power Saint Mary’s has been receiving some challenges as of late from the Axemen from Wolfville and Acadia University. This year we will see who will be the lone team out of the playoffs as there is always a chance for a team from the AUS to make it to the Vanier Cup.

Last year Saint Mary’s finished on top of the AUS standings, as well as #6 in the nation, and won their 23^rd Jewett Trophy. After losing their first game against StFX the Huskies won 8 games in a row until losing to Calgary in the Uteck Bowl. This year Saint Mary’s will be returning 4 keys to their offense last year including 3^rd year QB Jack Creighton who has steadily improved in his years at the school. Also returning are 2 AUS all-stars last year that will form their dominant duo of RBs as Craig Leger and Devon Jones both comeback. On defence Saint Mary’s will have their 2^nd team all Canadian Defensive Back Mark Holden who will be leading the secondary. The strong recruiting added with the number of all-stars returning makes Saint Mary’s a strong contender to make it back to the Vanier Cup. They have been consistent over the years and it seems as though they will make it through the AUS and into the CIS playoffs once again.

Last Year StFX started the season by beating Saint Mary’s and took the momentum to a 5-0 start to the season. They won a thrilling game against Acadia in the Loney Bowl semi-finals but came up short against perennial power Saint Mary’s in the finals. This year their hopes are high as they return 4 All-Canadians in Henoc Muamba, Tom Lynch, Dave Skillen, and Nate Annan, Last year’s rookie of the year for the AUS. They have some solid leadership with these veterans returning but will also have a large amount of new faces. The 2009 team was made up of mostly veterans and most have moved on and graduated. The new faces won’t worry the X-Men as they look to win the Jewett Trophy this year. They have a good chance to dethrone the kings and make it into the CIS playoffs this year. Saint Mary’s is very strong but don’t be surprised if StFX gives the Huskies a run for their money this year.

The Axemen would like to spoil the party for Saint Mary’s and StFX as they return some strong veterans. Last year Acadia finished in 3^rd place and lost to StFX in the Loney Bowl Semi-Finals after blowing a lead. This year there are some key returning students that will help out on offence. Unfortunately the two places where the Axemen have new faces is the QB and the Offensive Line. With this challenge Acadia will be depending on their defence to carry them into the playoffs. The defence will return 8 players from a team who dominated offences last season. They may not have the power to overtake Saint Mary’s this year but there is some great potential for the future seasons

Mount Allison is the only team outside of Nova Scotia with a football programand they have not had great success. With some returning talent and a new coaching staff the Mounties seem poised to improve on their 0-8 2009 season. On Offence the team is intact with all 12 starters returning from last year. This includes AUS Outstanding player Gary Ross at Wide Receiver and three members of the East team in the annual East/West game. On defence there will be 9 returning starters as the stability remains. The Mounties do not seem to have the power that the other three teams have but they will not be push-overs this year. They will improve on their 0-8 start but do not expect them to make it into the playoffs.

AUS Quick Facts:

Championship:

Jewett Trophy

- First Awarded in 1960

- Game is known as the Loney Bowl

- Saint Mary’s University has won 23 times

- Acadia has won 25 times

- Last year Saint Mary’s Huskies defeated the St. Francis Xavier X-Men (31-22)

- The top 3 teams move into the playoffs for the Jewett Trophy

Schools:

Saint Mary’s Huskies (Saint Mary’s University; Halifax, Nova Scotia)

St. FX X-Men (St. Francis Xavier University; Antigonish, Nova Scotia)

Acadia Axemen (Acadia University; Wolfville, Nova Scotia)

Mt. A Mounties (Mount Allison University; Sackville, New Brunswick)

Rivalries:

Acadia University vs. St. Mary’s University

Awards:

MVP:

- Awarded to the Outstanding player in the AUS

- First Awarded in 1972

- Mount Allison’s Wide Receiver Gary Ross won last year

Defensive Player of the Year

- Awarded to the outstanding defensive player in the AUS

- First Awarded in 1980

- StFX’s linebacker Tom Lynch won last year

Rookie of the Year

- Awarded to the outstanding rookie in the AUS

- First awarded in 1977

- StFX’s Defensive Lineman Nate Annan won last year

Coach of the Year

- Awarded to the best coach in the AUS

- First awarded in 1971

- Saint Mary’s Head Coach Steve Sumarah

Lineman of the Year

- Awarded to the best down lineman in the AUS

- First awarded in 1974

- Saint Mary’s Defensive Lineman Devon Hicks won last year

Student-Athlete Community Service Award

- Awarded to the athlete who focuses on academics and community service

- First awarded in 1986

- Acadia’s Offensive Lineman Greg Knight won last year

Volunteer Coach of the Year

- Awarded to the best volunteer coach in the AUS

- First awarded in 1998

- Saint Mary’s Devin Murphy won last year

CFL Week #9 Review

This week in the CFL the East had the week off while the West went to battle with the two worst teams in the league. It seemed to be a week full of boring games but it turned out that the bottom dwellers fought to stay out of the basement. Only one team achieved this feat as the other fell to possibly the best team in the CFL. Saskatchewan continues to falter as they lose again. The Stamps continue their dominance of the Western Conference as they attempt to pave a street to the Grey Cup. This still leaves B.C. and Edmonton trying to play their way out of the basement to prevent four Eastern teams from making the playoffs and two Western teams miss. They will have a long road to go as the season reaches its mid-point and they both seem to be missing something. Next week comes Labour Day where you can expect some changes or some last chances. As the second biggest weekend in CFL comes on I will take a look at the last week leading into the home stretch for the playoffs. Just as all other leagues are firing up the CFL is beginning to talk about how the teams will attempt to make the playoffs.

Calgary still rolling

CAL 48 – 35 BC

Casey Printers (10/26, 191 yds, 1 TD) made his return from a knee injury but it did not help the 6 game losing streak of the B.C. Lions. Meanwhile Printers’ counterpart went on to control the entire game. Henry Burris (20/34, 276 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT, 1 rsh TD) led the Stamps to the victory over the B.C. Lions as they take over the West and the CFL. The B.C. Lions need to figure out what they need to change as they lost their 7^th straight game. Many are blaming the QBs but in reality they need to look at the offensive line. With a total of 23 sacks allowed in 8 weeks something needs to be done. The only other team that is as bad as B.C. is the Winnipeg Blue Bomber who also have 23 sacks allowed and are at the bottom of the Eastern division. This not only affects the passing game but also the running game. This was shown in the rushing yards as Calgary earned 215 yards rushing and the Lions only got 44 yards. As the Lions struggle in B.C. the Stamps continue their run to the top of the league. The only issue that Calgary has right now is the number of interceptions that Burris has thrown. Burris currently has 21 interceptions including 3 against the lions. If he can stop giving the ball away the Stamps will be on their way to a home province Grey Cup.

Edmonton Finally gets Another Win

EDM 17 – 14 SSK

The Edmonton Eskimos showed some fight as they surprised the Saskatchewan in the final minutes of the game. If Edmonton can keep this fight through the second half of the season who knows what they can accomplish. Both teams battled to the end but the Ekies came out on top. Led by their defence that forced 6 turnovers the Edmonton Eskimos got their second win of the season putting them in 3^rd in the West. The Roughriders sit in 2^nd in the West as they begin to look more human every week. Edmonton is going to have to keep fighting like they did in this game if they hope to make it into the playoffs. Nobody had a specifically great game for Edmonton but the defence carried them. If the offence can follow the defence Edmonton may have a chance. Saskatchewan has to right the ship, although it is not time to panic, if they hope to go back to the Grey Cup this year. There is almost no doubt that the Roughriders will make the playoffs but if they hope to make it far they can’t let this lose affect them.

POW Awards

Ken-Yo Rambo, WR (Offensive POW)

9 rec

108 yds

2 TD

James Patrick, S (Defensive POW)

3 tkl

0 sck

3 INT

Noel Prefontaine, K (Special Teams POW)

3/3 FG

1/1 XP

11 pts

Jon Cornish, RB (Canadian POW)

6 rsh

70 yds

0 TD

Standings

Western Conference

1. Calgary Stampeders (14 pts)
2. Saskatchewan Roughriders (10 pts)
3. Edmonton Eskimos (4 pts)
4. B.C. Lions (2 pts)

Eastern Conference

1. Montreal Alouettes (12 pts)
2. Toronto Argonauts (10 pts)
3. Hamilton Tiger Cats (8 pts)
4. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4 pts)

Power Rankings (CFL.ca)

1. Calgary Stampeders (–)
2. Montreal Alouettes (–)
3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (–)
4. Hamilton Tiger Cats (–)
5. Edmonton Eskimos (+2)
6. Toronto Argonauts (-1)
7. Saskatchewan Roughriders (-1)
8. B.C. Lions (–)

Next Week

Labour Day Classic

B.C. Lions vs. Montreal Alouettes (Sept. 3^rd; 7:30 pm)

Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (Sept. 5^th; 4:00 pm)

Toronto Argonauts vs. Hamilton Tiger Cats (Sept. 6^th; 2:30 pm)

Edmonton Eskimos vs. Calgary Stampeders (Sept. 6^th; 6:00 pm)

CIS Report:

The CIS season begins on Tuesday as the OUA begins their season piting The Queen’s Golden Gaels against McMaster Marauders. The second game will be the Ottawa Gee Gees and the Windsor Lancers. With the season starting the first official poll of Canadian media has been formed.

CIS Rankings:

1. Calgary Dinos
2. Laval Rouge et Or
3. Saskatchewan Huskies
4. Saint Mary’s Huskies
5. Ottawa Gee Gees
6. Laurier Golden Hawks
7. Montreal Carabins
8. Queen’s Gaels
9. Western Mustangs
10. McMaster Marauders

CIS Preview: Sport Etudiant/QUFL

Originally a part of the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union (CIRFU) the schools in the Sport Etudiant along with school from Ontario played for the Yates Cup. This league was established in 1897 and the Yates Cup was established in 1898, making it the oldest championship trophy in North America. In 1974 the Ontario and Quebec Intercollegiate Football Conference (O-QIFC) was formed between a number of schools from Ontario and Quebec. In 1980 the Ontario based schools, except for Queen’s and Ottawa, formed the OUA while the others remained in the QIFC. Finally in 2000 Queen’s and Ottawa left and the QUFL/Sport Etudiant was formed of only Quebec Teams. Currently they play for the Dunsmore Cup starting in 1980.

Last year Laval was ranked #1 in the nation and were expected to run away with the Vanier Cup for the 6^th time. Unfortunately they met the Queen’s Gaels who beat them in a thrilling game in the Mitchell Bowl. Going into a season at #3 in the nation is an unusual place for the Rouge-et-Or but it won’t affect them too much. Laval will start a new QB Bruno Prud’homme who will learn a new system under new Offensive Coordinator Marco Ladeluca. As long as the Defence reloads, which is most likely with three of the 12 starters leaving, Laval will remain. This added to their home field advantage throughout the playoffs and CIS playoffs, including The Vanier, it is hard to say that the boys from Quebec City will not make it back to the Vanier Cup. Look for Laval to be back where they belong this year much like other years.

The rivals of the strongest team in Quebec look to add to their successes last year as Montreal will attempt to overthrow Laval. Last year the Carabins beat Laval launching them into the national rankings. This year Quarterback Marc-Olivier Brouillette, who made the Montreal Alouettes on defence and special teams, will be replaced by Alexandre Nadeau-Piuze. Piuze has experience as he took over for Brouillette during an injury. On the defence Montreal will lean on their line to guide them. This year there are a number of new faces on the line but they all seem to be prepared. Look for the Carabins to fight for first in the QUFL but to ultimately fall under the power of Laval.

The Bishop’s Gaiters ended last season winning their last three games to end up third in the QUFL. This year there have been some key loses to the pros but they are a veteran team. Led by 5^th year QB Jesse Andrews and new offensive coordinator Benoit Groulx the offence should be strong. The big challenge is the schedule that will potentially give Bishop’s 13 straight weeks of football if they were to make the Vanier Cup. This seems unlikely but without the CIS 3 playoff games and 2 more for the QUFL playoffs it still means the Gaiters will play 8 games into the playoffs. This schedule could be hard but it seems as though their offense will carry them into the playoffs but probably not much further

The Stingers had an early exit last year and were gutted in the off-season as they brought 102 players to reload the team. This year there will be 54 new players and a new coaching staff that will attempt to get into the playoffs. On all sides of the ball there are new faces although there is optimism that the talent is ready. Unfortunately the young blood on the team might not have what it takes to get into the playoffs this year. If they are as talented as the school says they will look out for the next couple of years. This year, however, does not seem to be Concordia’s year and they will most likely miss the playoffs

McGill was on the short side of a three way tie for the playoffs last year and remained out as Concordia and Bishop’s made it in. This year the defence has lost 8 players as they attempt to rebuild an average defence from last year. On offence All-Canadian receiver Charles-Antoine Sinotte returns to provide Jonathan Collin a great weapon. They will be dependant on their offence once again to attempt to get into the playoffs. The offence took them far last year and it may be the same story. With Concordia being fresh it might give McGill a chance but Sherbrooke is back and healthy making the challenge even harder for the Redmen.

Sherbrooke were last place in 2009 after a number of injuries hampered their bid to play for the Dunsmore Cup. This year they hope to do what was expected of them last year and they have a good shot. As one of the strong competitors in the QUFL the Vert et Or will need to stay healthy to make it. Both sides of the football show some solid veteran leadership that will help Sherbrooke make the playoffs and maybe challenge Montreal for the second spot behind Laval.

QUFL Quick Facts:

Championship:

The Dunsmore Cup

- Began in 1980 for the Quebec-Ontario Intercollegiate Football League championship

- Donated by Bob Dunsmore of Queen’s University

- Laval Rouge-et-Or have won 8 times

- Queen’s University has won 7 times

- Last year Laval Rouge-et-Or defeated the Montreal Carabins

- Top 4 teams make it to the playoffs for the Dunsmore Cup

Schools:

Laval Rouge-et-Or (Université Laval; Quebec City)

Montreal Carabins (Université de Montreal; Montreal)

Bishop’s Gaiters (Bishop’s University; Sherbrooke)

Concordia Stingers (Concordia University; Montreal)

McGill Redmen (McGill University; Montreal)

Sherbrooke Vert-et-Or (Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke)

Rivalries:

McGill University vs. Concordia University

Université Laval vs. Université de Montreal

Awards:

Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy

- Awarded to the Outstanding player in the QUFL

- Laval’s QB Benoit Groulx won last year

Defensive Player of the Year

- Awarded to the Outstanding defensive player in the QUFL

- Sherbrooke’s linebacker Corey Greenwood won last year

Outstanding Lineman

- Awarded to the best down lineman in the QUFL

- Laval’s Offensive Lineman David Bouchard won last year

Rookie of the Year

- Awarded to the outstanding rookie in the QUFL

- McGill’s QB Johnathan Collin won last year

The Best Way To Play Better Tennis

There are thousands of articles and books with tips on how to play better tennis. Most of these are written by pros who employ various techniques and drills to improve strokes and strategies. However the best way to get better is very rarely identified. It is simply to practice or play with more players.

Anyone who competes in tennis will tell you that although instruction and practice ground your strokes, you cannot tell if you improve until you play with or against other people. Other players test your skills. The more often you play with different players, the more you are tested and the faster you improve. The surest way to improve is in competition because your game is really on the line, but any play against different opponents is instructive because every player plays differently.

Most tennis players tend to play with the same players over and over because it’s comfortable and easy to arrange. However, if you really want to improve you need to get out of this comfort zone and actually play against a variety of different styles and skill sets. New players force you to develop new or better shots and strategies. You’ll also get the bonus of meeting people and making friends. You can find new players by asking a pro to set you up or using tennis websites like www.usta.com or www.juump.com.

Sherpa Nad at Bike School

Bike School!

I started adventure racing last summer, and it has been a journey of growth and a lot of learning. When I first bought my mountain bike, I crashed within the first hour of having it from simply not knowing how to properly ride clipped in. Through trial and error I got an idea of what good riding entailed but ended up in a few additional crashes on the road and the trail. Finally, I decided I need to go back to basics and learn proper technique from a professional. Enter Ian Thomson stage left!

I have know Ian for a long time, and his cycling resume is quite extensive. I also knew he taught “bike school” for both mountain and road cyclist so I finally booked some time to learn how to get over my fears and become a better more effective rider.I did the basic course, as I am a green horn despite the miles I have put on my bike.

The session is about 1.5 hour long. For 1.5, you learn how to:

1. Correctly review and mount you bike with clips.

2. Clip in both feet and unclip effectively.

3. Emergency breaking.

4. Balance drills.

5. Small space maneuvering drills – riding between pylons but steering through them.

6. Steering drills (slalom through spaced pylons) but leaning into the turns.

7.Cornering with speed.

Ian would go over the techniques, demonstrate on his own bike and explain the physics behind the experience and why my bike was made to withstand the demands.  He taught me proper climbing and descending technique. The flow of the program was theory, demonstration then drills after drills. If you are nervous he would stand by your bike and make sure to be there to catch you if you started to fall.

I learned an enormous amount and feel better about getting on my bike. I will go back and take the next level to learn more technical riding and balancing skills but for now I need to practice on what I learned and develop from there. I walked away from the experience empowered, happy and more confident.

The cost is $20. Ian works with all levels of cyclist. He is also a certified triathlete coach and an endurance athlete.

Ian can be found at http://definitelycore.com/

CIS Preview: OUA

The OUA was first formed after the division of the CIAU and the formation of the Quebec-Ontario Athletic Association in 1955. In 1971 Laval, McGill and Montreal withdrew from the Q-OAA and the remaining schools were all located in Ontario. As a result the remaining schools voted to change the name to Ontario University Athletic Association (OUAA) and keep the trophies and records from the Q-OAA. In 1997 the women’s league joined with the OUAA to form the OUA. A number of schools have joined the ranks, the most recent being University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

This year the major story in the OUA and the CIS was the suspension of the University of Waterloo’s entire team. The suspension came after the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) discovered nine anti-doping infractions. This led to the CIS and OUA to suspend the team and prevent them from competing this year. This led the CCES to begin testing other CIS schools to determine if others had the same issue. So far there have been no other cases of illegal drug use in the CIS. This year the OUA will be down one team and the league will be reduced to 9 teams and 6 will make the playoffs as usual.

The defending Vanier and Yates Cup Champions look to repeat a miraculous season in which they beat some of the best teams in the nation to move on and win the Vanier Cup. Last year the Gaels beat #5 Western in the Yates cup finals and then moved on to beat #1 Laval in the Mitchell Bowl. They then moved on to the Vanier Cup in Quebec City where they defeated the Calgary Dinos. They became the most exciting teams to watch as they won all three games by an average of 3 points. This year the Gaels will look completely different after they graduated 12 players. They also lost their leaders in QB Danny Brannagan, Defensive back Chris Smith, and linebacker Shomari Williams to the CFL. The Gaels will go into the season with a very fresh defence but will have some great experience on offence returning. Look for Queens to struggle early as they begin to learn the system. They will make the playoffs and have a chance at the Yates Cup but they will not have an easy time of it.

Last year Western made it to the Yates Cup finals and lost to the Queen’s Gaels in the best Yates Cup final ever. This year Western will be competitive again after losing very few players and having the depth to replace the players lost. Hec Crighton award nominee, Michael Faulds, has left but will be replaced by Donnie Marshall and a host of strong backups. Last year’s all-purpose touchdown leader, Nathan Riva, will be returning at running back protected by another deep section of the team at offensive line. The defence will be led by the fab four linebackers including OUA President’s trophy winner John Surla, Argos draft pick Conor Elloitt, Adrian Kaiser, and Jason Kosec. With the depth on both sides of the ball and the talent at the starting positions look for Western to make a strong bid for the Yates Cup as well as the Vanier.

Last year the Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks entered the playoffs on a high after beating Queen’s in the last game of the regular season. They made an early exit after losing to Western in the semi-finals of the Yates Cup. This year they look to make it further as they return with a very strong team. The receivers will lead the offence as the leader in all-purpose yards and All-Canadian, Dillon Heap, returns. On defence the Golden Hawks return 8 of their 12 starters and add some experience with University of Waterloo transfers. With competition on the offence look for the Golden Hawks to depend on defence while they figure out how their offence will look. They will be competing once again and have a good chance at challenging Western for the Yates Cup.

In the nation’s capital the Ottawa Gee Gee’s made the playoffs last year coming in fourth with a solid season. This year the Gee Gees will be looking to make a run at the Yates Cup as they lose very few of their starters from last year. On offence the Gee Gees lost one starter, who is now the RB coach, as the no. 3 offence last year will return intact led by 4^th year QB Bradley Sinopoli. Defensively Ottawa will look towards their line led by 5^th year Sebastien Tetrault. This year the Gee Gees will look to their new coaching staff to improve on their 6-4 2009 season. Look for the Gee Gees to make a run deep into the playoffs. The inexperience of the coaching staff might hamper the bid for the Yates Cup but they have a chance once they make the playoffs.

The McMaster Marauders will begin where they left off last year as they open the season against Queen’s. This year they look to go deeper into the playoffs and challenge for the Yates Cup. The offence will return their line as 3^rd year QB Kyle Quinlan will lead the Marauders offence using his great core of wide receivers. On defence McMaster will look to their line to lead them to the Yates Cup. This year it seems like McMaster will be up against some tough competition and may struggle with the strong teams. The Marauders will go deep into the playoffs but it is unlikely they will be able to get past Laurier or Western.

The Guelph Gryphons have been slowly improving making the playoffs with the number 6 spot last year. On offence the Gryphons will be looking to 3^rd year QB Chris Rossetti to replace one of the best QBs in Guelph football history, Justin Dunk. The Defence will be returning 10 of 12 starters this year. The Gryphons will be coached by a new staff as they look to improve on last year’s performance. This year does not seem promising as Rossetti will have to learn the offence and the returning offence will have to learn a new offence. They will be relying heavily on the Defence in an attempt to make the playoffs. The Gryphons might squeak in to the playoffs as they will start against the two worst teams in the OUA and look to start strong.

In Windsor the Lancers look to improve from last season as they missed the playoffs and won only two games. This year much of the team returns for another attempt to make the playoffs. Sam Malian is back under centre after an injury plagued last season. On defence Windsor will be dependant on the secondary to stop the passing attack of the other teams. Look for them to battle the Guelph Gryphons for the last playoff spot. The Lancers will most likely not win this battle but they have a shot.

CIS football in Toronto has been suffering as of late and that is especially true at University of Toronto. The Varsity blues have won 1 game in the last 8 years and that one game came against another Toronto team against the York Lions. This year U of T looks to improve led by Andrew Gillis who will return under centre for Toronto. On defence the Varsity Blues will be looking towards Derek Batchelor. The Blues will try to regain their former glory as they will most likely have more wins than last year but will be a stretch to make the playoffs this year.

The other team in Toronto looks to snap their 3 year losing streak as the York Lions look to their new team to win a game. New coach Warren Craney will try to snap the streak as he has already recruited a solid coaching foundation. Former standout Guelph QB Michael Faulds and former defensive back coach Harry Laflamme will look over the defence. The Lions this year will break the streak that they don’t want but will not take the playoffs.

This year the OUA will have some great games as some of the former bottom dwellers will be improved and the former champions will be in tough to repeat. The most likely matchup will be Wilfred Laurier and Western. Again with the single elimination playoff games anything is possible and look for Queen’s, Guelph, Ottawa, and Mcmaster to be in the hunt. The teams in the OUA seem to be some of the stronger teams in the nation and  it wouldn’t surprise many if the Yates cup Champion was playing in the Vanier cup come November.

OUA Quick Facts:

Championship:

Yates Cup

- Began in 1898 (Oldest Football Trophy in north America)

- Donated by H.B. Yates of McGill University

- Western has won 28 times

- University of Toronto has won 25 times

- Last year The Queen’s University Golden Gaels defeated the Western Mustangs (43-39)

- Top 6 teams enter the playoffs for the Yates Cup

Schools:

Queen’s University Golden Gaels (Queen’s University, Kingston)

Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks (Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo)

Western Ontario Mustangs (University of Western Ontario, London)

Ottawa Gee Gees (University of Ottawa, Ottawa)

McMaster Marauders (McMaster University, Hamilton)

Guelph Gryphons (University of Guelph, Guelph)

Waterloo Warriors (University of Waterloo, Waterloo) [Suspended]

Windsor Lancers (University of Windsor, Windsor)

Toronto Varsity Blues (University of Toronto, Toronto)

York Lions (York University, Toronto)

Rivalries:

McMaster University vs. Wilfred Laurier University

University of Western Ontario vs. Wilfred Laurier University

University of Western Ontario vs. University of Waterloo

University of Toronto vs. York University (Red/Blue Bowl Game)

Awards:

MVP

- Formerly known as the Omega Trophy (1957-1999)

- First awarded in 1957

- University of Western Ontario’s QB Michael Faulds won last year

J.P. Metras Trophy

- Awarded to the Lineman of the year in the OUA

- Shares the name with the National CIS trophy

- First awarded in 1974

- Windsor University’s Ofensive Lineman Matt Morencie won last year

Norm Marshall Trophy

- Awarded to the Rookie of the Year in the OUA

- First Awarded in 1976

- McMaster University’s Defensive Back Cody Lynch won last year

President’s Trophy

- Awarded to the Outstanding Stand-Up Defensive Player in the OUA

- Shares the name with the National CIS trophy

- First Awarded in 1980

- University of Western Ontario’s Linebacker John Surla won last year

Coach of the Year

- Awarded to the best coach in the OUA

- First Awarded in 1976

- Wilfred Laurier’s Head Coach Gary Jeffries won last year

Dalt White Trophy

- Awarded to the Yates Cup MVP

- First awarded in 1979

- Queen’s University’s QB Dan Brannagan won last year

The Answer Proves his worth

“The Prodigy” BJ Penn was considered the greatest lightweight in UFC history until Frankie “The Answer” Edgar beat him at UFC 112. It was considered one of the biggest upsets in sports and was nominated for exactly that at the ESPYS. Since that fight BJ has wanted a rematch and has talked about it seeming as though he though Frankie had gotten lucky. Frankie on the other hand still had a lot of respect for Penn but also thought Gray Maynard, who is undefeated, deserved the shot to fight for the title. Penn took this to mean that Frankie believed BJ didn’t deserve a shot to win back his title. So the talk started and the match was made. Most of the talk came from Hawaii where BJ was training as Frankie stayed silent. Penn finally got his shot at UFC 118 as they Edgar defended his title for the first time. The story remained the same as in UFC 112 as Frankie completely dominated Penn. The final scorecards were in and Frankie Edgar remained the champion by a score of 50-45 by all judges. This time Edgar decided to fight BJ on the ground as he scored a takedown in every round and proceeded to dominate Penn. When Penn tried to reverse roles and take Edgar down Frankie slipped out and continued to pummel Penn. It was no contest for Frankie as he easily won every round. This fight proved that Edgar deserves to be the champion of the lightweight division and showed that BJ might be on the downturn. It is too early to say for sure but if Penn does not do something he will go down as a great champion who underachieved in the majority of his career. Penn will now go back to the middle of the division and Gray Maynard will fight Edgar for the title. Maynard won this right after beating the hometown hero Kenny Florian in a unanimous decision earlier in the night.

The other big fight was built as boxing vs. MMA as Heavyweight champion boxer James Toney faced off against MMA legend and UFC hall of famer Randy Couture. This matchup could not have been easier for Couture as Toney was taken down in the first minute and submitted in 3 minutes. It was built as the battle between boxing and MA but really didn’t solve much other than an MMA fighter is better than a boxer in the octagon. After all of James Toney’s talk about how easy it would be to win in MMA he was proven wrong by one of the best. The night of fights resulted in no knockouts preventing a knockout of the night bonus from being handed out. In the other categories Joe Lauzon won the submission of the night after sinking in an armbar against Gabe Ruediger. Marcus Davis and Nate Diaz won the fight of the night after a war that left Davis with a swollen right eye and the loss by submission.

Here are the results:

Lightweight Championship

Frank “The Answer” Edgar def. “The Prodigy” BJ Penn

(Unanimous Decision)

Randy “The Natural” Couture def. James “Lights Out” Toney

(Submission; Arm Triangle rd. 1)

Demian Maia def. “Super” Mario Miranda

(Unanimous Decision)

Gray “The Bully” Maynard def. Kenny “Kenflo” Florian

(Unanimous Decision)

Nate Diaz def. Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis

(Submission; Guillotine Choke rd. 3)

Joe “J-Lau” Lauzon def. Gabe “Godzilla” Ruediger

(Submission; Armbar rd. 1)

Nik “The Carny” Lentz def. Andre Winner

(Unanimous Decision)

Dan Miller def. John Salter

(Submission; Anaconda Choke rd. 2)

Greg Soto def. “Slick” Nick Osipczak

(Unanimous Decision)

Mike Pierce def. Amilcar Alves

(Submission; Cross Body Armbar rd. 3)

CIS Preview: Canada West

The Canada West Universities Athletic Association was formed in 1919 as the Western Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (WCIAU). It then split into the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (CWUAA) and the Great Plains Athletic Association (GPAA) in 1971. It has been this way since although Canada West is the official representative of Western Canada in the CIS. Slowly new teams have been adopted into the CWUAA. Currently there are thirteen schools in the CWUAA that participate in a number of different sports. There are 6 charter members  including University of Alberta, University of British Columbia, University of Calgary, University of Lethbridge, University of Saskatchewan, and University of Victoria. There are a number of other schools as well as schools who participate in certain sports. The most recent addition was in 2010 when the UBC-Okanagan Heat, were accepted into Canada West.

The biggest story in 2010 was the withdrawal of Simon Fraser University from Canada West as well as the CIS. They will be moving to the NCAA becoming the first non-U.S team to join into the U.S. national college league. The Simon Fraser University Clan have had experience in the U.S. as members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. They will be competing in the Great Northern Athletic Conference in Division 2 football. Last year they went 1-6 and had a hope of making the playoffs until they forfeited two wins. They were punished for having an ineligible player and were also involved in a game being taken off the schedule. This was against Manitoba who forfeited 3 wins for using an ineligible player. Simon Fraser’s departure leaves Canada West at 6 teams forcing two of the teams to be eliminated this year.

Last year the Calgary Dinos came out of Canada West and moved on to the Vanier Cup where they lost to the Queen’s Gaels out of the OUA. They also had the Hec Crighton Winner (CIS MVP) in Erik Glavic under centre. Glavic will be returning this year along with 4 other All-Canadians on offense. For the team that averaged 581.5 yards the offence is back and ready to go to the Vanier Cup again. On defence the Dinos have lost 4 players but have added All-Canadian Safety Anthony DesLauriers who transferred from Simon Fraser. Calgary seems to have all of the tools to repeat this year as long as their defence remains solid after the loss of 4 starters.

The team hoping to end Calgary’s reign is last year’s #1 seed team in Canada West and perennial favorites, Saskatchewan Huskies. The Huskies plan to beat Calgary using their defence that was ranked #1 last year. The offence is led by Laurence Nixon who will be returning after his best season in the CIS. For the Huskies it seems to be the status quo again as they look to be one of the two teams challenging for the Hardy Cup this year.

In their fourth year playing football in Canada West Alberta made it into the playoffs off of a 4-4 record. They moved on to face their rivals in a playoff repeat of the Battle of Alberta against Calgary. In this game they were devastated by the soon-to-be Hardy Cup champions. This year almost the entire team will be returning. A total of 41 players will be returning this year. For a team who led Canada West in Sacks, Fewest Sacks against, and punts and field goals they still have some room to improve. They have the potential to make the playoffs again. They will most likely not challenge the two powers for #1 in the division but in the playoffs are a different story when every game can be won by any team. Look for Alberta to make it into the playoffs and wait to see if they can beat one of the two powers.

In Regina the attitude was sour last year until they learned that Manitoba had lost 3 wins due to ineligibility rules. This threw them into the playoffs and they went on to face provincial rivals Saskatchewan. Unfortunately the power dominated the game winning 53-23 as Regina’s season ended short. This season the Rams will look to 5^th-year quarterback Marc Mueller to lead their offence and 5^th-year linebacker Bruce Anderson to lead the defence. Adding to this is their number one recruit 6’6” 305 lbs defensive lineman Akiem Hicks who will help lead the Rams into the future. Look for Regina to battle for a playoff spot this year but they do have the potential to make it if they can squeeze out some wins.

UBC is beginning a new era for football as they begin this season with a rookie head coach in Shawn Olson. They will be depending heavily on running back Dave Boyd to carry the offence as Cody Husband will anchor the line after missing the cut for the Hamilton Ti-Cats. Linebackers Devin Kavanagh and Nathan Kanya will lead the defence. This year looks to be a rebuilding year for the thunderbirds and they may be battling to the end for a playoff spot but I wouldn’t be willing to bet that they will make it.

Last year the Manitoba Bisons were thrown out of the playoffs after they were punished for using an ineligible player. They were punished by forfeiting 3 wins in their season. This year they look to put it behind them as they begin their season with almost half of the players leaving the team. This will be a big challenge for the former powers of the west. They will look to their QB battle between Khaleal Williams and Kevin Hayes for a leader on offence. With a number of new faces on the team this year there is not much to expect from the Bisons. They are in a similar position to UBC as they rebuild and will most likely not make the playoffs this year.

Canada West this year may involve the same teams as last year with Calgary and Saskatchewan remaining at the top. Along with them it seems that Regina and Alberta will be the other two entries as UBC and Manitoba seem to be focusing on future success. It seems as though it will be a rematch of last year for the Hardy cup between Calgary and Saskatchewan and Calgary may come away with the victory again. The number of returning All-Canadians will give Calgary a great chance at returning to the Vanier as they attempt to redeem themselves and win the national championship.

Canada West Quick Facts:

Championship:

Hardy Trophy

- Began in 1922

- Named after Evan Hardy, Head of Agriculture Engineering at University of Saskatchewan, who played for the team as a professor until a rule change

- University of Saskatchewan Huskies have won 19 times

- University of Alberta Golden Bears have won 18 times

- Last year the Calgary Dinos defeated University of Saskatchewan Huskies (39-38)

- Top 4 teams enter the playoffs for the Hardy Trophy

Schools:

Saskatchewan Huskies (University of Saskatchewan; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)

Calgary Dinos (University of Calgary; Calgary, Alberta)

Alberta Golden Bears (University of Alberta; Edmonton, Alberta)

Regina Rams (University of Regina; Regina, Saskatchewan)

UBC Thunderbirds (University of British Columbia; Vancouver, British Columbia)

Manitoba Bisons (University of Manitoba; Winnipeg, Manitoba)

Rivalries:

University of Calgary vs. University of Alberta (Battle of Alberta)

Awards:

Frank Gnup Memorial Trophy:

- Awarded to the Outstanding player in Canada West

- Named after Frank Gnup, former UBC coach

- Calgary Dinos’ QB Erik Glavic won last year

John Metras Award

- Awarded to the Outstanding lineman in Canada West

- Shares the name with the National CIS award

- University of Alberta’s Craig Gerbrandt won last year

Defensive Player of the Year

- Given annually to the best defensive player in Canada West

- Saskatchewan Huskies’ Linebacker Taylor Wallace won last year

Russ Jackson Award Winner

- Given to the best Student Athlete in Canada West

- University of Manitoba’s Linebacker Thomas Hall won last year

Coach of the Year

- Awarded to the Best coach in Canada West

- Calgary Dinos’ Head Coach Blake Nill won last year

CIS Preview: Introduction

Being a member of the football community in Canada I see the difference between the U.S. and Canada all the time. They have a larger pro league in the NFL and a larger college league in the NCAA, which in some areas is more popular than the NFL. I’d like to be one of the people in Canada to support our own college league. Many do not know much about the league and for many they have not heard about it much. Well over the next five days I will review the college ranks in Canada. This is the first entry and will be an overview of the league in general. For most of us Canadians who have graduated from a university inside Canada we will be cheering on our alma mater. Some are not as long such as myself, who did not go to a university with a football team so I will be cheering on to see some great exciting games. For those who have not paid attention to Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Football this first entry will act as a review of the entire league and will outline some of the major stories leading into the new season. I will also be including weekly national rankings in my CFL posts.

CIS Preseason Rankings:

1. University of Calgary Dinos
2. University of Saskatchewan Huskies
3. Laval Rouge-et-Or
4. Ottawa Gee Gees
5. Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks
6. McMaster Marauders
7. Montreal Carabins
8. St. Mary’s Huskies
9. Western Mustangs
10. Queen’s Golden Gaels

CIS Overview

The CIS is the governing body of all university athletics who play and compete in Canada. The CIS was started in 1906 with the founding of the CIAU that included schools from Ontario and Quebec. In 1923 the Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Union was formed to provide athletic competition for women in Ontario and Quebec. Eventually leagues in the Atlantic Provinces and Western conference created their own associations, 1910 and 1920 respectively. In 1961 all of the divisions in Canada joined together under CIAU banner to compete on a truly national level. Finally in 1997 the Ontario Women’s Interuniversity Athletic Association joined with the CIAU and made the final union. In 2001 the CIAU officially changed their name to CIS completing the change. The CIS is made up of The Canada West University Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Sport Etudiant/Quebec University Football League (QUFL), Atlantic University Sport (AUS). The Vanier Cup became the official Football championship in 1967 and a playoff system was adopted. Unlike the NCAA the CIS uses a playoff system whereby all four divisions of the CIS enter one team, the champion, into the playoffs. These include two bowls, the Mitchell Bowl and the Uteck Bowl, that are played between these four teams. The winner of each enters the Vanier Cup for the National Championship.

CIS Quick Facts:

Championships:

Vanier Cup (National)

- Named after former Governor General Georges Vanier

- First given out in 1965 where the teams were decided by a committee

- Last year the Queen’s University Gaels defeated the Calgary Dinos to win their first ever Vanier Cup

- The Western Mustangs have won it 6 times in 12 appearances

- Laval Rouge-et-Ore are second with 5 wins in 5 appearances

Mitchell Bowl (Semi-Final)

- Named after former CFL commissioner and NHL Board member Douglas H. Mitchell

- Replaced the Atlantic bowl in 2002

- Last Year Queen’s Univeristy Gaels beat the Laval Rouge-et-Ore, 33-30 for their first Mitchell Bowl

- The Saskatchewan Huskies have won it 4 times in 4 appearances

- This year the AUS champions will face the Canada West Champions

Uteck Bowl (Semi-Final)

- Named after former St. Mary’s University coach Larry Uteck

- Replaced the Churchill Bowl in 2003

- Last Year the Calgary Dinos beat the St. Mary’s Huskies, 38-14 for their first victory in the Uteck Bowl

- Laval has won 3 times in 4 appearances

- This Year the OUA champions will face the Sport Etudiant champions

Awards:

Hec Crighton Trophy

- Awarded to the MVP of the CIS

- Awarded first in 1967

- Calgary Dinos’ QB Erik Glavic won last year

President’s Trophy:

- Awarded to the Outstanding Defensive Player in the CIS

- First awarded in 1980

- Concordia linebacker Corey Greenwood won last year

J.P. Metras Trophy

- Awarded to the outstanding down linemen in the CIS

- First awarded in 1974

- Windsor offensive lineman Matt Morencie won last year

Peter Gorman Trophy

- Awarded to the Rookie of the Year in the CIS

- First awarded in 1976

- Calgary’s Defensive Lineman Linden Gaydosh won last year

Frank Tindall Trophy

- Awarded to the Coach of the Year in the CIS

- Named after Frank Tindall, Queen’s University coach and Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee

- St. Mary’s Head Coach Steve Sumarah won last year

CFL Week #8 Review

The West took a break this week letting the East have all the fun during the West’s bye week. Realistically only two teams had much fun and the fans may or may not have been too happy. In a week with some boring games there were a few good stories. Hamilton showed that they could beat someone other than Winnipeg during rivalry night in Toronto, whether or not the referee gave them a few calls or not. Montreal showed that they are still the team to beat but lost the key to the offence as their leader went down. Next week the East will take their rest and prepare for the Labour Day Classic as the West takes the field.

Montreal still the best but at what cost

MTL 39 – 17 WIN

Montreal started off as usual dominating the game only allowing Winnipeg to score 7 points in the first half. It seemed like another dominant performance that the Montreal Alouettes would easily walk away with. That is exactly what they did but they suffered a big lose as Anthony Calvillo (13/21, 164 yds, 2 TD) went down after being hit in the 2^nd quarter. He attempted to leave under his own power but then collapsed and was carted off the field. He was taken to a Montreal Hospital for observation. This scared the Alouette nation as Chris Leak (10/15, 99 yds, o TD, 1 INT) took over and kept the game in the hands of Montreal. All is well in Montreal now that their quarterback has been evaluated and released from the hospital. Calvillo suffered a bruised sternum after falling on the ball during the tackle. Luckily the Alouettes will be able to take a rest as they have a bye week in week #9. This will allow Calvillo to rest and take it easy as he recovers. He will most likely not miss too many games, if any, and will be back to lead the Als against B.C. Meanwhile Winnipeg continues to struggle as they could not capitalize on the loss of Montreal’s most potent offensive weapons. They could not get it going with Stephen Jyles (11/22, 123 yds, 1 TD) as Buck Peirce remained out with an injury. Overall the Bombers could not stop the best team in the East and remained at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Next week both teams will be off as the East will take a bye week. After this week will be labour day weekend where Montreal will face B.C. in Montreal and Winnipeg will face Saskatchewan in Saskatchewan.

Penalties and No Offence set the Argos Back

HAM 16 – 12 TOR

After the Toronto Argonauts beat one rival and moved to the top of the standings in the east they faced off against their rivals from down the QEW. Hamilton had not won a game against any team but Winnipeg this season and came in against an Argo team who had just beat the best team in the league in Montreal.. Toronto started off with a bang as Chad Owens returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown that was called back due to a holding call. Andre Durie then earned 61 yards on a run that was also called back for holding. This is how the game continued for the Argos as they received 10 penalties for 115 yards in the game. The offences were non-existent on both sides with the score 12-3 for the Argonauts in the third quarter, most points off of kicks and 1 point from a safety. They continued the somewhat dominance until a string of bad penalties, and one missed penalty, gave the Ti-Cats an opportunity. First Jim Barker received a penalty for delay of game after challenging the spot on a 2^nd down completion forcing the Argos to attempt a field goal that ended with a bad hold. The Argos held the Ti-Cats to a field goal on the turnover and received the ball again on a kick. Ryan Christian (4 ret, 96 yds) fumbled the ball in inside the ten yard line as the Ti-Cats recovered. The one main thing with the fumble was that the Ti-Cats had clearly committed a foul utilizing a high tackle, around the neck, to cause the fumble but no penalty was called. This resulted in DeAndre Cobb running the ball in for the only TD of the game. Following the Touchdown the Argonauts Cornerback Lin-J Shell was thrown out of the game for spitting on another player. Shell denies that he spit on anyone but the referee made the call ending the game for Shell. The Argos could not muster the energy to come back and lost the game. Next week both teams will be off for the Eastern Conference bye week. They will then both travel to Hamilton to play in the Labour Day Classic as the Argonauts look for revenge and the Ti-Cats look to continue their winning streak.

POW Awards

Brandon Whitaker, RB (Offensive POW)

11 rsh

74 yds

2 TD

Chip Cox, LB (Defensive POW)

9 tkl

1 sck

1 fmb rec

1 TD

Jovon Johnson, KR (Special Teams POW)

6 ret

105 yds

1 TD

Andre Durie, SB (Canadian POW)

7 rec

69 yds

1 rsh

15 yds

Standings

Western Conference

1. Calgary Stampeders (12 pts)
2. Saskatchewan Roughriders (10 pts)
3. Edmonton Eskimos (2 pts)
4. B.C. Lions (2 pts)

Eastern Conference

1. Montreal Alouettes (12 pts)
2. Toronto Argonauts (10 pts)
3. Hamilton Tiger Cats (8 pts)
4. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4 pts)

*Power Rankings (CFL.ca)

1. Calgary Stampeders
2. Montreal Alouettes
3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
4. Hamilton Tiger Cats
5. Toronto Argonauts
6. Saskatchewan Roughriders
7. Edmonton Eskimos
8. B.C. Lions

*due to the bye week there has been no change to the power rankings

Next Week

Calgary Stampeders vs. B.C. Lions (Aug. 27^th; 7:30 pm)

Saskatchewan Roughriders vs. Edmonton Eskimos (Aug. 28^th; 7:00 pm)

Interview with Mike Vilimek- Former CFL Fullback

Last week I had the opportunity to talk with former Montreal Alouette and Ottawa Renegade of the CFL. Mike Vilimek was born in North Vancouver, British Columbia and attended Simon Fraser University (SFU). He played as a tailback at Simon Fraser University when they were members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the U.S.A. As a tailback he set records for most yards in one game, with 315, and most yards in a season, with 1,187, both in his senior season before SFU left the NAIA. He graduated from SFU with a Bachelor’s degree in business in 2002 and went to San Francisco to workout at the San Francisco 49ers minicamp. He then entered into the CFL draft after his experience in the USA. He was drafted by the Ottawa Renegades with the second overall pick in the 2002 expansion draft. He then signed with the Montreal Alouettes in 2005 and played in two Grey Cup’s in 2005 and 2006. In 2007 Mike tore his ACL during a punt return in Toronto and retired after the 2008 season when he could no longer play to his potential due to the injury. He now works and lives in Vancouver and still follows his old team, Montreal, as a CFL fan.

AB- How was your experience at Simon Fraser University?

MV- My experience there was great I had a lot of fun. I decided to go to Simon Fraser for two main reasons. First I wanted to get my business degree and I knew that Simon Fraser had a good business program. Another reason was that I knew that the SFU football program was very good. They played against U.S. teams as a member of the NAIA and they were very successful against these teams.

AB- You mentioned that you went to SFU partly for the football program. Did you have hopes of making it to the pro level or was football just an activity until graduation?

MV- Going in to the university I was very realistic about the situation. Someone told me once that only about 1% of all players in high school make it into the pros. I knew this going in so I knew that it was probably not going to happen. I concentrated on my degree mainly because I knew whether I made it or not, having a degree is very important. It wasn’t until my junior year when I realized that making it to the next level was a possibility.

AB- Being a member of SFU and playing when they were a member of the NAIA, what do you think of the decision of SFU to enter the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)?

MV- I think it is a great decision for the university. The university tried to enter into the NCAA but they had rules preventing any team from outside of the United States from entering the NCAA. A lot of the NAIA teams had moved and SFU wanted to follow but they weren’t allowed to. When I was a senior the team decided to leave the NAIA and enter the CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport) because a lot of the competition had entered the NCAA. I never did play in the CIS because they moved the year after I graduated. They have wanted to be members of the NCAA for a while and now they are allowed to. I think playing in the NCAA will help SFU with recruitment and will give the players more exposure in the U.S. while still giving them a Canadian education.

AB- How was your experience in San Francisco at the 49ers camp?

MV- I was asked to go to San Francisco after the NFL draft when one of their fullbacks was injured. I never played fullback but my build did not match the NFL standards for a tailback. When I got the call it was before the CFL draft and I jumped on the chance to try and make the team. They told me that they liked me and that I likely wouldn’t get playing time because the injured player would be coming back. They told me that I would be on call if there was another opening but I decided I wanted to play right away and entered the CFL draft instead of waiting for the NFL.

AB- How was draft day for you?

MV- It was actually not very exciting because I had already known I was being drafted. It was exciting to make it into the CFL but I had received a call from Eric Tillman, who was the GM of Ottawa, earlier in the week telling me they were going to draft me. It was an expansion year so Ottawa had the first two draft picks and I was told I would be taken with the second pick. They called and told me they wanted me to be in Ottawa for the draft so that they could announce their draft picks right after the draft. The experience of the combine and the draft itself was great but the actual day was a little anti climatic. I actually had a lot of calls from my friends asking to come to their places to watch the draft and figure out where I was going to play. I had to tell them I was watching it with my dad because I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone that I was going to play in Ottawa until they made the announcement.

AB- As a fullback in football you generally don’t get a lot of recognition, much like linemen, How was it playing fullback in the CFL?

MV- It was a big transition because I had played tailback in university but my build wasn’t made for tailback in the pros. I was much bigger than the tailbacks so they moved me to fullback and you get some recognition from the coaches but the media and fans don’t really give you much. The main thing I found was that you don’t really understand what fullbacks go through until you play fullback. I would always give credit to fullbacks when I played tailback but until I played I didn’t know exactly how demanding a position it is.

AB- Playing in the U.S., how was the adjustment from the U.S. rules to the Canadian rules?

MV- There are a lot of different adjustments to make. The special teams have a lot more room to cover. The coverage is also very different because of the distance the defence has to cover. The system they used in Toronto was a zone coverage called cover match which is very different than the NFL who uses a lot of man coverage. The offences are built much different as well due to the level of passing.

AB- As a recent convert to the CFL I have always told people that the NFL likes to call themselves a passing league but realistically the CFL is the true passing league, would you agree with this?

MV- Yes I would agree with that. I usually tell people to watch the average NFL game and the average CFL game and see which is more exciting. There is going to be boring games in both leagues but the CFL is more exciting overall.

AB- You were drafted by the Ottawa Renegades and then signed with Montreal in 2005. How do those two cities compare in terms of the love for football?

MV- It was actually a very big difference. Ottawa was an expansion team and the city was very excited for the team. It was a lot of fun in Ottawa but there was a lot of adjustment. I was playing a new position and playing U.S. rules in university I had to adjust to the CFL rules as well. We also played Montreal a lot and would get beat pretty bad most of the time as they were still a power then. The fans were great in Ottawa, they supported us after our losing seasons and were very loyal. After my three year contract was up I was a free agent and both Montreal and Ottawa offered me good contracts. I decided to play for Montreal because I thought it was a better choice. Playing in Montreal was great. The fans there were very passionate, they would love you when you were winning and let you know it when you were losing. I wouldn’t want it any other way because it shows they care and made us want to win for them. I also had some great success with Montreal including going to two Grey Cups.

AB- Toronto just had rivalry night when they played Hamilton. I wanted to know what you thought of Toronto’s other great rivalry against Montreal?

MV- Playing in Montreal I think that rivalry was great. Some of the most memorable games I played were against Toronto. It always seemed to be big games when we played them. Usually they were for the Eastern Conference title. I remember getting a lot of playing time when we played them. We would always want to run against them so I ended up being exhausted on the train rides back to Montreal.

AB- How was your experience in the Grey Cups with Montreal?

MV- The Grey Cups were the two most memorable games I played. My first one in 2005 was very special because it was in my hometown of Vancouver. Having all of my friends and family there made it even better. Montreal made both of the games great. They paid to have our families flown in and put up in a hotel. They did it out of their own pockets and it made the games very special.

AB- Playing with the expansion Renegades, How successful do you think the new Ottawa franchise will be?

MV- I think the fans are there but the ownership has been the problem in the past. The previous owners seemed like they wanted to leave once things got difficult. I think the group they have right now is great. They are all from Ottawa and seem like they really want the team to work. They also have some great plans for the new stadium so I think all of that together will make for a successful team.

AB- On the CFL website you are listed as a Free Agent. Are you done or are their hopes to play again?

MV- No I’m done I should be listed as retired. I had a very bad knee injury in 2007 against the Argonauts. I blew my ACL playing in Toronto. I came back in 2008 and Montreal was nice enough to keep a roster spot open for me. I never could play in 2008 and decided to leave after that season.

AB- What do you think of the state of football in Canada?

MV- Football is the healthiest it’s been right now. With a league like the CFL there is a need for ticket sales. The CFL is a gate driven league and the population allows for this to happen. If you look at the NFL they are a television driven league. TSN has been great for the CFL but we are not able to drive television as much as the U.S.A. Expansion is going to be good as the CFL will go to Ottawa. I think they will also create another team to even the league out with 10 teams.

AB- Speaking of expansion where do you think the CFL will expand if it does create a tenth team?

MV- I think the East Coast is a great place to put a team. The only concern would be there is no real big stadium that could support a team. Remember the league is a gate driven league and they would need a good size stadium to make a team viable there. I know that there has also been some talk of putting a team in Quebec City which could support a team and I think that would create a great rivalry with Montreal.

AB- Do you still watch the CFL? Is B.C. your team now that you are living in Vancouver?

MV- Yes I still watch the games. My team is actually Montreal. I have a lot of friends that still play their so I still cheer for them. If I only catch one game a week it’s usually the Montreal game.

AB- What do you think of this season so far?

MV- There are a lot of surprises this year. Toronto is doing a lot better than most people thought they would. Corey Boyd is carrying the team and Cleo Lemon hasn’t taken over a game yet. Edmonton is not looking too good right now but they will turn it around with a few changes. B.C. is not doing well and many are blaming the quarterbacks but they need to improve the line if they are going to be successful. They need to follow Montreal who has been dependant on their line to be so successful.

AB- Do you have any predictions for the season?

MV- I think that Calgary will move on from the West. They look very strong this year and I think they have a good chance to beat out Saskatchewan for the Western Conference. From the East I think Montreal is going to move on. In the Grey Cup I think it is the West’s year so I think that Calgary will win the Grey Cup this year.

AB- Do you think that it is more important for the CFL players to learn how to adjust than the NFL players?

MV- I think it is very important for players to adjust. I think in the CFL it tends to be more important. The pay in the NFL allows for the players to retire with what they have earned while they were playing. In the CFL you make enough while you are playing to live comfortably but it is not enough to retire on. I think a lot of players realize this in the CFL but there are still a good amount of former players that do not know what to do when they leave game.

AB- Since you are done with football what are you up to right now?

MV- Right now I am working at ACL services. It is a software company and I am doing some product management and marketing. I also have signed on as a consultant with juump.com. I do some various jobs with them. That’s what I’ve been up to since leaving the game.

Interview with Paula Findlay-World Triathlete

I had the opportunity to chat with Paula Findlay yesterday where she is currently preparing for Nationals in Kelowna, British Columbia. The 21 year old triathlete has made the news with her recent win in  London, England and her follow-up victory in Kitzbühel, Austria. Her next world race is September 12 in Budapest, Hungary.

She graciously gave me some of her precious time to chat about her recent fame, her rise to the top and her Olympic hopes. Paula, is if nothing else but best described as a sweet heart, but nothingness than a determined animal on the race course!

NR – Nationals are in Kelowana, BC on Sunday, how are you feeling about the race?

PF – I don’t know how I feel about it right now, it’s a bit of a fast turn around between the race in Europe and with the jet lag and everything. I feel ok right now, but it may hit me later in the week that I have traveled a lot recently.  I am excited regardless it will be interesting.

NR- Are you familiar with this course, or is it brand new to you?

PF- No, I have raced it for the past 4 years. It’s fairly similar from previous years.  I raced as a junior on it for two years so the course is different but I raced it as a senior the last two years and it will be identical.

NR – Going back to the start of all this, why triathlon? What drew you to the sport?

PF- I actually started as a competitive swimmer when I was 11, I was training 9 times a week in the pool for two hours. Being a competitive swimmer requires so much time commitment, I did it all throughout junior high and high school and the beginning of university. I had, had success with running in high school track and cross country so it was suggested I try a triathlon because I already had the swimming and the running. I tried my first triathlon when I was 16. I really enjoyed it, and my swimming at this time was hitting a plateau. It was draining me to be swimming all these hours a week and not really progressing forward anymore. I was looking for a fresh start to something and knew that triathlon would be something I could be good at if I put some focus and time into it. I kept up with my competitive swimming team and the training, I just had a new focus which made like swimming a lot more.

NR – How did this progress then into the international circuit? Was it an immediate transition into the competitive environment?

PF-  It was pretty immediate. My first race was a local race in Edmonton, then I started to enter a few junior series races which they have every year and I actually qualified for Worlds in my first year. I was still very new to it all I had only been riding a bike for six months leading into that race.  It was huge learning experience. I qualified for Junior Worlds 4 years in a row, so I did get international experience that way but it’s very different then the elite races I do now.

NR – Was the distance jump from Junior to senior substantial? Did you find you were able to manage the transition successfully?

PF -  Junior races are half the distance of the senior ones.  A lot people have trouble with the extra swim component but coming from a swim back ground, it wasn’t too bad, the biggest challenge for me was the bike component. It is a lot longer in the senior races, it wasn’t physically hard just more mentally getting through the 8 laps. I do prefer the 10km vs the 5 km run, the longer the better for me in general.  I prefer the Olympic distance overall it wasn’t a huge transition for me.

NR- What kind of hours are you putting into training on a weekly basis?

PF-  When I am in full on training mode, it’s usually 22-25 hours a week, that does not take into account all the extra stuff you have to do like physiotherapy, massage, chiropractor and stretching. It is a full time job.

NR- In advance of a race, do you have the opportunity to see the course before you actually race it? Do you have a chance to see the layout prior to the competition?

PF-It depends a lot on where the race is taking place. The race that took place in London (See Race Highlights Here) was in the middle of a huge city with so many tourists. The bike portion a lot of the time goes against the grain of traffic on the actual race day, so it can be hard, but often times they have a bike tour of the course. They will take police cars and set up a designated time with police to go around and see the course on the bike.  For example in the race this weekend it’s in a small town with no a lot of people around so I can run the course as many times as I want. It all depends on the location of the race and if it’s a huge city it’s a lot more difficult to preview it. In those cases you have to visualize the course in advance as you won’t have a lot of access ahead of the race.

NR -Referencing you race in England recently, when you were in the run component and you grabbed the fence as you came around a corner and sling shot your way ahead a little further, do you get penalized for that? It was a masterful strategic move.

PF-  It’s interesting you mention that, as I just had a meeting with my coach regarding that and  you’re actually not allowed to grab external things to propel you forward.  I just have to be careful not to do that again, at the time it was just instinct to grab something to hold you up as you came around the corner. I didn’t do it on purpose, it just happened.

NR  – How does it feel racing against these elite and seasoned women?  Is it intimidating? How do you manage that pressure?

P- It’s really weird as I did a few of these races last year and it wasn’t as big a deal as it now. It was good experience racing against them last year without all the  pressure. I was just getting experience. I do see them all as being faster than me in my mind and being able to run with them and outrun some of them I can’t believe it. Lining up at the start line with all these Olympians I still feel inferior to them its cool to be able to run with them.

NR – A little different direction with questions, when you are finished your race what do you normally eat?

PF- When I finish the races, I get an upset stomach so I don’t usually feel like eating to much. Usually it’s a bar or something while I am sitting in building control as they pull you away right after the race to get blood taken.  You end up sitting around the race course for 2-3 hours after the race is done  waiting for the blood work. I will have an apple or banana. The night following the race I am lot more hungry, I will sometimes wake up 3 times during the night starving.

NR – What’s been you most challenging race so far?

PF- One of the most challenging ones was the world championships in 2008 I was a junior and they were actually in Vancouver. It was absolutely freezing cold, we swam in the ocean and it was the middle of June and it was pouring rain and I think the ocean was about 12 degrees and the outside temperature wasn’t much warmer. It was physically the hardest thing and I also got a flat tire on the bike. Everything about that race was not fun for me.

NR – Best race so far?

PF- I would have to say London because of how I felt on the run, it was almost effortless I didn’t feel very tired at the end, it was almost effortless.

NR – Looking forward in your career, do you have your eyes on the Olympics in London 2012?

PF-Yes, that’s my goal right now. I have to qualify for it and that starts next year, that whole process.  That is the goal for the upcoming year and if I am lucky enough to make it then I hope to put in a good performance as it’s the same course we just raced on. It’s nice to have the chance to try the course a few years before.

NR – Have you ever considered an Ironman?

PF-  I have thought about it a little bit, it is something that people do after they have done their Olympic racing but it seems like a long distance to me.  I don’t know if I could bike that far, I would like to try a half Ironman and see how that goes and then decide after.

NR – What is your best race component? The swim?

PF- No actually the running is my best, I am the most confident in the run.  The swim is there but it’s not significantly better than the other girl,s I can get out in the lead pack but I am not the fastest swimmer by far.

NR – How are you enjoying the celebrity?

PF- I am enjoying it, to a certain point. I do like it and I appreciate everything and everyone talking to me but it is overwhelming.

Paula will be racing in British Columbia this weekend with her next World Race Next World Race Sept. 12. She is one to watch.

Sherpa Nad Experience: Platform Tennis (or paddle tennis)

Yesterday, I popped over to the West end of Toronto and had a tour and chat with Suzanne Lanthier one of the Kingsway Platform Tennis’s managers. She graciously showed me around the club and gave me a break down about what platform tennis is all about.

Platform Tennis, or paddle tennis, is best described as tennis meets squash – and its actually traditionally a WINTER sport.

It’s action packed, and has no age limits. There are no single person games, all games are played in foursomes.

They have mixed social leagues or ladies/mens leagues.

About the court and equipment:

The court itself is about 30% smaller then a traditional tennis court.

The court texture is also very gritty almost like really thick sandpaper and is elevated on a wooden platform. If you look closely at the pictures you will see it’s wooden planks.

It’s surround by chicken coup wire, which is actually used in play.

The courts are also heated by propane in the winter, keeping them clear of snow and ice during play. You can continue to play even if it’s snowing outside.

There are moving panels at the bottom of the court so snow on the court can be shoveled off through the openings.

The  rackets look like paddles, and were made entirely of wood in the early days of the sport.

The balls used feel like squash balls but look like tennis balls. They are a combo of both balls and are not as bouncy as tennis balls but not quite as tough or as small as squash balls.

About the sport:

Even though the peak season for the sport is in the winter, at Kingsway Platform Tennis Club they play throughout the summer simply because they love the sport.

The opening season usually starts in September  and runs  to April.

Tennis rules are used for scoring, but players can allow the play to continue when the ball bounces off the cage similar to squash. There are ref’s either it’s entirely self managed.

Platform Tennis In Action

The object is not to smash the ball.

In the winter, most people dress in yoga pants/jogging pants. Layered clothing, as it gets hot while playing.

Tournaments usually take place in March with the season slowing down as summer approaches.

The bigger tournaments take place in the U.S mainly New York and Chicago.

About the club:

There are 5 courts at  Kingsway.

It’s maintained by volunteers.

There is an annual fee, (very reasonable) and they currently have 200 members.

The courts are available all week long and most members have their own keys.

There is also a lovely club house to stow all your stuff, and spare paddles and balls for those new to the sport with no equipment.

There is a mixed social league and competitive league and at the end of the day it’s all about the party after.

The atmosphere from when I first arrived was warm and welcoming. All the club members I spoke to were gracious, friendly and SO passionate about the sport. It’s as if everyone was bursting at the seams to play. I did not see anything but smiles and good sportsmanship and am thinking I would like to join the club come the fall to keep myself busy.

Curious? Check them out at Kinsgway Paddle Tennis.

CFL Week #7 Review

This week in the CFL things were changing two teams showed that they are emerging talents as another two showed how bad they can be. Edmonton and B.C. continued their slide down the CFL rankings as both were blown out by the other team. Toronto and Hamilton showed that they may have what it takes to challenge in the playoffs. Calgary and Saskatchewan continued to dominate the West just before the bye week. Montreal looked like they were a regular team for the first time this year. Finally Winnipeg seemed like they were stuck in limbo as they did better than Edmonton and B.C. but do not seem to be close to the level of the other teams. Five legends in the CFL were inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame including Don Narcisse (SSK, WR), Tracy Ham (EDM/TOR/BAL/MTL, QB), Bob Cameron (WIN, P), Elfrid Payton (WIN/SHR/BAL/MTL/TOR/EDM, DE), and Joe Pistilli (QJFL, Builder). On the same week some new legends were born in some very good games.

Thigpen Makes it into the Record Books

HAM 39 – 28 WIN

Marcus Thigpen started the year off as a returner for the Hamilton Ti-Cats and was a member of that great number of returners that made this the year of the return man. He now has quickly turned in to the most diverse threat in CFL history. In Friday’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Thigpen (67 all purpose yards and 1 Touchdown) became the first player in the CFL to score five different ways. That includes Punt return, Kick return, Missed Field Goal return, Receiving Touchdown, and, as of Friday, Rushing Touchdown. Thigpen is now the only player in the storied history of the CFL to score in all areas. Along with this the Hamilton Ti-Cats easily made it past the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the 3^rd time this year. Although Thigpen broke this record Kevin Glenn (18/26, 276 yds, 3 TD 2 INT) was the true star for Hamilton as he connected with the league leading receiver, Arland Bruce III (2 rec, 64 yds, 1 TD), for one of the three receiving Touchdowns. The Blue bombers could not seem to pull it all together for the win. First their ne placekicker suffered a leg injury before the game forcing the Bombers to stay away from field goal attempts. They also earned 127 on penalties and turned the ball over more than Hamilton. Buck Peirce (7/12, 63 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT) was back for 2 quarters but was taken out for Stephen Jyles (14/22, 227 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT). Hamilton continues to be on the rise in the East while the Bombers seem to be stuck in the bottom of the conference for another year. Next week Hamilton will travel down the QEW to face off against the Argonauts. The bombers will go on to face a much more difficult opponent than Hamilton in Montreal.

The Argos Take Top Spot

TOR 37 – 22 MTL

The Argonauts went into week 7 looking for revenge of their earlier 31 point loss to the defending Grey Cup Champions. Montreal had beaten Toronto in week 5 by a score of 41-10 showing that the Argos were not ready to match the powers of the CFL. In week 7 they proved that notion wrong and finally put to rest the thought that they would collapse after they faced Montreal. The Argos welcomed the Alouettes into Toronto for the first time this season and beat the beasts of the East 37-22. Led by another great performance by Cleo Lemon (13/19, 269 yds, 3 TD, 0 INT) and Chad Owens (6 rec, 163 yds, 2 TD) the Argos showed that they are ready to compete. It also marked the first time that the Argos won a game without Corey Boyd rushing for over 100 yards in the game. Corey Boyd (12 att, 63 yds, 1 TD) did his best and almost reached that mark even as the Alouettes keyed on him all game. The Argos also found another big play returner in Ryan Christian (1 ret, 110 yds, 1 TD) who broke a team record for longest Kick return. The Alouettes did not go out without a fight, however, and they battled back led by Anthony Calvillo (37/49, 450 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT). It was not enough as the Argos beat a very good Montreal team at their best. It did come at a price however as the Argos lost Cedric Gagne-Marcoux (OL), Jermaine Copeland (WR), and Willie Middlebrooks (CB). As a reslt of the win the Argonauts are now #1 in the Eastern Conference which is a far cry from their 3 wins last year. Fans will have to keep watch as the Argos continue to excite, win or lose, and have now proven they can hang with the powers. Nest Week the Argos will welcome the Ti-Cats on Rivalry night in Toronto as they end Football Week in Toronto. Montreal will go home to face Winnipeg and most likely gain their confidence back.

Other Scores:

SSK 37 – 13 B.C.

CAL 56 – 15 EDM

POW Awards

Chad Owens, WR/KR (Offensive POW)

6 rec

163 yds

2 TD

291 All Purpose yards

Jerrell Freeman, LB (Defensive POW)

3 tkl

3 sck

0 INT

0 FF

Kelly Campbell, KR/PR (Special Teams POW)

10 ret

303 total yds

1 TD

Matt Kirk, DT (Canadian POW)

3 tkl

2 sck

0 FF

Standings

Western Conference:

1. Calgary Stampeders (12 pts)
2. Saskatchewan Roughriders (10 pts)
3. Edmonton Eskimos (2 pts)
4. B.C. Lions (2 pts)

Eastern Conference:

1. Toronto Argonauts (10 pts)
2. Montreal Alouettes (10 pts)
3. Hamilton Tiger Cats (6 pts)
4. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (4 pts)

Power Rankings (CFL.ca)

1. Calgary Stampeders (–)
2. Montreal Alouettes (–)
3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers (–)
4. Hamilton Tiger Cats (+1)
5. Toronto Argonauts (+2)
6. Saskatchewan Roughriders (–)
7. Edmonton Eskimos (-3)
8. B.C. Lions (–)

Next Week

Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Montreal Alouettes (August 19^th; 7:30 pm)

Rivalry Night/Closing of Football Week in Toronto

Hamilton Tiger Cats vs. Toronto Argonauts (August 20^th; 7:30 pm)

Bye Week:

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Calgary Stampeders

Edmonton Eskimos

B.C. Lions

Welcome! Jen Fawcette – Sherpa in Cycling

About me in four sentences: I’m an Avid cyclist, a full body laughter, carb lover, potty mouth.

Passion in Life: Road cycling. No matter how good you get there are always new roads and challenges to tackle.

Worst/Funniest Sherpa Experience: Falling on my face while out cycling and walking around for a week afterward with scabs that looked like a nasty STI. It was the worst, they oozed too. Ugh.

One unexpected fact about you: I can play the spoons (yes this is a musical instrument) and speak broken Spanish after several drinks.. But the spoons are much cooler.

New York Becomes the last Frontier

Ontario MMA fans rejoice, Dalton McGuinty and Sophia Aggelonitis have decided that Ontario will now legalize MMA fighting starting in 2011. This came from almost out of nowhere with no real warning that the Ontario government would change their stance from before. I learned of the change on Saturday morning through Dana White’s twitter (@danawhite). Dalton McGuinty was not available for comment after the decision but Sophia Aggelonitis, Consumer Service Minister, explained the decision. She claimed that the decision came through the observation of MMA in the past. Another theory is that the Ontario Government needs something to earn some money and drive the economy. This is probably the most likely reason as Ontario is currently in a $20 billion deficit and a major MMA event can drive in $6 million in one weekend for the city that it is located in and the province. The decision has been made and MMA fans in Ontario are breathing a sigh of relief and saying finally. There is probably nobody more excited than UFC President Dana White. As another place falls under the pressure of the still growing sport and the money that an event can generate Dana White is slowly taking over the world with his sport.

The MMA rules will follow many of the other places that allow MMA including Quebec. They will use the Ontario Athletic Commission to regulate the sport as they already regulate boxing in Ontario. This seems to be an easy decision as Montreal and Vancouver have both held successful events within the past year. Ontario is one of the largest markets for MMA and has yet to be used for an event. Starting in 2011 this will change and expect the UFC to be the first to jump on the opportunity. To this point UFC 124 is the last event planned and will take place in Las Vegas between Georges St. Pierre and Josh Koshcheck in December. Expect a late winter early spring event with a load of Canadian talent. Unfortunately it seems like Georges St. Pierre will not be fighting as it may be too close to his December fight. Look to see another number of great Canadian fighters to make their appearances (See the list below). Also expect to see a great number of Ontario talent including Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout from London, Ontario. All that remains for the UFC and MMA is one of the biggest cities in the world and one of the most famous stadiums ever. This would be New York state and specifically New York City and Madison Square Garden. If this area is legalized then there is nothing more worth-while to conquer for MMA. Adding Ontario to the list allows for MMA and UFC to take advantage of one of the largest untapped resources for the sport.

Canadian UFC Fighters

Lightweight (155 lbs):

Mark “Boots” Holst (Ottawa, Ontario)

Mark Bocek (Toronto, Ontario)

Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout (London, Ontario)

Welterweight (170 lbs):

Georges “Rush” St. Pierre (Montreal, Quebec) [Champion]

Rory “The Water Boy” MacDonald (Quesnel, B.C.)

T.J. Grant (Calgary, Alberta)

Middleweight (185 lbs):

Joe “El Dirte” Doerksen, Middleweight (New Bothwell, Manitoba)

Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald (New Glasgow, Nova Scotia)

Patrick “The Predator” Cote (Rimouski, Quebec)

Light Heavyweight (205 lbs):

Krzysztof “The Polish Esperiment” Soszynski (Edmonton, Alberta)