Sports in Canadian culture

[Acajack]

Interest in golf in general seems to have plummeted in my age group which I guess is one of the prime demographics: white collar men in their 50s.

Some people do play but I know very few who play regularly. Mostly they'll play if there is a charity tournament or something, and put together a foursome.

The only buzz I hear related to watching golf on TV is about Tiger Woods, especially when he makes a spectacular comeback.

As for under-appreciated or unsung athletes, how about Félix Auger-Aliassime? He's in the ATP top 10.

He gets a lot of coverage and attention here in Quebec but not sure about the "ROC" ().

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Interest in golf in general seems to have plummeted in my age group which I guess is one of the prime demographics: white collar men in their 50s.

Some people do play but I know very few who play regularly. Mostly they'll play if there is a charity tournament or something, and put together a foursome.

The only buzz I hear related to watching golf on TV is about Tiger Woods, especially when he makes a spectacular comeback.

As for under-appreciated or unsung athletes, how about Félix Auger-Aliassime? He's in the ATP top 10.

He gets a lot of coverage and attention here in Quebec but not sure about the "ROC" ().

I hear Felix's name quite a bit on TSN all the way over here.

[JHikka]

Tennis gets a lot of coverage. FAA isn't underrated or undercovered.

[suburbanite]

Golf as a hobby seems more popular than ever to me, definitely boosted by two years of Covid where golfing was one of the only available social gatherings. Try getting a tee time at any public course in the GTA these days, or look at how membership dues and entrance fees have skyrocketed. All of my buddies who were never interested in golf where the ones calling me up constantly in the summer of 2020/21 because they got the itch.

In terms of the PGA Tour, no one has quite been able to fill the void left by Tiger and casual viewers tune in for guys who are breaking the mold. The LIV Tour is only going to make things worse.

[jonny24]

Golf seems very popular among all my mid-late 20s friends. Then again basically all my friends are from my rugby club, so probably more likely to enjoy another athletic endeavour than the average person. But it also seems to hold true at work as well.

[megadude]

I really do hate TSN, mostly because of their dysfunctional website but also the number of errors their hosts make, as I've noticed over the years. I prefer The Score and Sportsnet. Now I don't know if all of them do this, but TSN's highlight packages are unbelievably bad. I've watched three highlight videos in the past 48 hours and two were just plain stupid.

I wanted to watch some highlights of the Jays win a couple of days ago and they only showed a single scoring play. Today I wanted to watch the English Super Cup highlights between Man City and Liverpool. They said "Let's pick it up in the 93rd minute (2-1 game at this point), where new signing Darwin Nunes scores. In the 97th minute, new City signing, Erling Haaland hits the cross bar." The End. WTF?!

Are they purposely abbreviating the highlights so people will watch the game on whatever outlet live? I remember on some CMNT highlights in WCQ they skipped showing the first goal in a 2-1 win for instance.

[elly63]

It's a shame how the multisport games have fallen in popularity but here was a moment to be proud of.

• Video Link

[Denscity]

38000 people take in Crankworx mountain bike festival slopestyle final.

[Al Ski]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Interest in golf in general seems to have plummeted in my age group which I guess is one of the prime demographics: white collar men in their 50s.

Some people do play but I know very few who play regularly. Mostly they'll play if there is a charity tournament or something, and put together a foursome.

The only buzz I hear related to watching golf on TV is about Tiger Woods, especially when he makes a spectacular comeback.

As for under-appreciated or unsung athletes, how about Félix Auger-Aliassime? He's in the ATP top 10.

He gets a lot of coverage and attention here in Quebec but not sure about the "ROC" ().

Golf always struck me as something that up and coming corporate butt lickers had to pretend to like in order to curry favour with the butts they were licking.

I've played a few times (actually played the front 9 at Glen Abbey before I politely bowed out - shot about 900 over par) but it's not my thing.

I live a couple of blocks away from (whatever some Corporate decided to call it this year) stadium at Jarry Park and can actually hear the end of match cheers from my place. Tried to get Félix tickets in 2019 but had to settle for Nadal instead.

The hype is real, I can follow his (Félix) matches without actually following his matches, just by the sound!

But just like every sporting event these days, WAY overpriced and not ultimately worth it.

The days of the average kid being able to watch his hero in action are long gone unless they have 'connections'.

Those stories that were written, back in the day? There will be no further stories written.. maybe some Tweets.

This will have long term consequences that our short term profiteers haven't fully digested. (online E-Sports anybody? Not that that isn't a total scam..)

But short term profit is all that matters now - who cares?

Turn the entire arena into corporate suites and who gives fuck if anybody in them gives a fuck.

Have you ever hung out in these things?

Half the people there are sucking boss dick, a quarter of them are middle-aged married douchebags hitting on the (provided) young hot bartender.. a few are actually following the game on TV(!).. hardly anyone is actually watching the game.

It's gross and disgusting.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Al Ski

It's gross and disgusting.

Quite similar to your posts.

[Acajack]

Awesome seesaw Dunsmore Cup battle between Laval and Montréal.

Laval wins 25-24 on a rouge on a missed field goal on the final play of the game, when the Montréal player didn't have time to kick the ball back out and tried (unsuccessfully) to run it out of the end zone.

Laval will now play Western who massacred Queen's.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Awesome seesaw Dunsmore Cup battle between Laval and Montréal.

Laval wins 25-24 on a rouge on a missed field goal on the final play of the game, when the Montréal player didn't have time to kick the ball back out and tried (unsuccessfully) to run it out of the end zone.

Laval will now play Western who massacred Queen's.

I looked it up and there has only been one Dunsmore Cup in the last 25 years that didn't involve Laval... the 2002 game between McGill and Concordia.

[Acajack]

Since their football program was created in 1996, Laval have won the Vanier Cup 10 times. Not bad when you think there are almost 30 teams competing.

[monic10]

Do you guys enjoy Canadian football league?
I follow/watch this? BT Sport carries games with games Thu-Sun with some Monday games. The league had 9 teams across two divisions (East & West - based on the pre-CFL leagues) playing an 18-game regular season. Top 3 from each advance to playoffs were called The Grey Cup.
And I am traveling to Toronto with a group and would like to arrange activities such as a private football, and ping-pong tournament.

Are there any sports centers that provide this with accessories available?

Or is there a similar activity you can think of that is good for a private group?

[elly63]

^Spam account? The link takes you to a page on ping pong paddles

[megadude]

Canada won their first Davis Cup. Helps to ease the sting of the soccer team bowing out, which is fine. Advance from the group stage in four years time when the WC is here!

Canada's sporting prominence has gradually gotten better and better over the last few years.

[Coldrsx]

Another gold for at the WJC and what a finish!

That Bronze medal game was insane as well.

[elly63]

Honorary Canadian, pro wrestler Leaping Lanny "The Genius" Poffo has died. I remember seeing him in the mid/late 70s wrestling along with his father Angelo "The Miser or Carpetbagger" Poffo and brother Randy "Macho Man" Savage. In the pre non OTT character style of pro wrestling back then you could have made a case for Lanny eclipsing Randy for future potential. He was one of the earliest to do a moonsault outside of Japan. RIP

[esquire]

Originally Posted by elly63

Honorary Canadian, pro wrestler Leaping Lanny "The Genius" Poffo has died. I remember seeing him in the mid/late 70s wrestling along with his father Angelo "The Miser or Carpetbagger" Poffo and brother Randy "Macho Man" Savage. In the pre non OTT character style of pro wrestling back then you could have made a case for Lanny eclipsing Randy for future potential. He was one of the earliest to do a moonsault outside of Japan. RIP

Wow, that's news to me. He was 68, just entering his senior citizen years. (When I looked that up, I found out he was actually born in Calgary...) His brother Randy only made it to 58.

It is amazing how many wrestlers die before their time.

[jamincan]

Isabella and Ava Holmgren went 1-2 for the Junior Women World Championships in Hoogerheide this year. This is the first time Canada has podiumed in the sport, let alone Isabella being Jr World Champion.

A bit of background: Isabella and Ava are twin sisters and their entire family dominate cyclocross in Ontario. I think this is the first year that they've raced most of the season in Europe with them doing well in the world cups including Ava winning at Besancon a week ago.