Sports in Canadian culture

[esquire]

Very cool initiative by Molson and Sportsnet. Considering that hockey broadcasters don't travel with the teams anymore and call half the games off a TV, you would think the incremental cost of adding languages now would be pretty minor.

As for German, there is a pretty sizable Mennonite population in Manitoba that might be interested in Jets games in that language.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Either a brilliant piece of marketing by TSN 1050 or the Argos and the CFL are deader than a dead skunk on the TCH. I have zero confidence that anyone in the Toronto based Canadian Sports Media are anything more than idiotic NFL fan boys or sadly deluded Leaf fans, so that means the Argos are a massive afterthought in the city.


The initial banner



After Argo and CFL fans raised a stink.

[esquire]

I heard Rod Pedersen going off on that yesterday. I think it's pretty clear that the CFL is an afterthought in Toronto.

The thing that's funny to me about all of this is that Toronto holds the cards to make the CFL matter nationally, in much the same way that it has made the NHL matter nationally. But it refuses to. Yet despite that, it still can't land a NFL team. So as a result we are in this weird no man's land where the CFL is floundering but the NFL isn't in Canada and may never be. So all the folks in Toronto can do is watch and talk about Tampa Bay's team on their sports radio station. I'm not sure how this arrangement is more fun than enjoying what you already have.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by esquire

I think it's pretty clear that the CFL is an afterthought in Toronto.

Absolutely. It may as well not exist.

Originally Posted by esquire

The thing that's funny to me about all of this is that Toronto holds the cards to make the CFL matter nationally, in much the same way that it has made the NHL matter nationally. But it refuses to. Yet despite that, it still can't land a NFL team.

Are we talking about Toronto the city or MLSE? I don't think there's much of an appetite for an NFL team but MLSE has probably poked around more than once.

I don't understand your NHL comment. The NHL has existed in Canada for over a century due in part to more than just Toronto.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Are we talking about Toronto the city or MLSE? I don't think there's much of an appetite for an NFL team but MLSE has probably poked around more than once.

I don't understand your NHL comment. The NHL has existed in Canada for over a century due in part to more than just Toronto.

I mean the city. It's pretty clear that the attitude goes beyond indifference to outright antipathy toward the CFL. As though the CFL was somehow standing between Toronto and a NFL franchise when that is obviously not the case.

It is abundantly clear that Toronto sets the trend in English Canada... the CFL in its current form exists because Toronto got it going. If the Leafs had followed the same trajectory as the Argos since the 70s then the NHL would be an afterthought across most of the country too.

[Acajack]

News of the birth of a 12-team Super League in European soccer got me thinking of discussions we've had on this thread.

For those who aren't aware what are effectively the top teams in England (6), Italy (3) and Spain (3) are creating a new cross-border league. The plan is or was to have IIRC the top team in France (PSG) and top two in Germany (Bayern Munchen and Borussia Dortmund) join them to make 15 in a non-relegatable pack. There would be 5 other spots (relegatable) to make 20.

But the French and German clubs have balked at the idea, and said "we're French and German clubs - we play and want to continue to play against cities in our own country, even if they're small".

Also there is talk of a bit of a war between the Super League and UEFA (affiliated with FIFA) and that Super League players would be barred from playing in the World Cup!

One possible impact of this is that it would likely kill the English Premier League especially, with its top six teams gone.

[esquire]

I read something to the effect that Germany's clubs are fan-controlled to prevent losing control to wealthy buyers (the 50+1 structure). So they're out.

The Brits can't be shocked by this. You let a bunch of rich dudes take over your longstanding sports institutions and it won't be long before they start scheming ways to make more money with them, tradition be damned.

I get that pro sports exist to make money, but there should at least be some concessions to the traditions that made them important to fans in the first place. If I were a fan of European soccer I would not be impressed by this.

[JHikka]

Super League is an abysmal effort aimed at greed and betrayal amongst its member clubs. I hope it fails before it even begins, and the clubs considering it admonished and penalized heavily for even considering it.

Originally Posted by esquire

The Brits can't be shocked by this. You let a bunch of rich dudes take over your longstanding sports institutions and it won't be long before they start scheming ways to make more money with them, tradition be damned.

The interesting bit is that because the UK is no longer tied to Europe on regulations it's possible they can bring in especially heavy domestic rules on ownership if they so want. This venture may lead to more fan-owned teams in that country, or the preventing of foreign-ownership up to a certain percentage.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Super League is an abysmal effort aimed at greed and betrayal amongst its member clubs. I hope it fails before it even begins, and the clubs considering it admonished and penalized heavily for even considering it.

Wait a minute, I thought you were all about teams and leagues doing everything possible to maximize their profit regardless of what fans think?

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by esquire

Wait a minute, I thought you were all about teams and leagues doing everything possible to maximize their profit regardless of what fans think?

When the system and culture allows for it, yes. Super League, at least in this instance, is a reversal from club association roots and history. Other franchise leagues are free to do as they like.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

I read something to the effect that Germany's clubs are fan-controlled to prevent losing control to wealthy buyers (the 50+1 structure). So they're out.

The Brits can't be shocked by this. You let a bunch of rich dudes take over your longstanding sports institutions and it won't be long before they start scheming ways to make more money with them, tradition be damned.

I get that pro sports exist to make money, but there should at least be some concessions to the traditions that made them important to fans in the first place. If I were a fan of European soccer I would not be impressed by this.

A lot of the speculation on French social media is that Paris-St-Germain probably won't hold out forever.

Though for the moment their line is "we *want* to play Sochaux, we *want* to play Auxerre... that's who we are".

Note that those two clubs play in urban areas of about 150,000 people max.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

Wait a minute, I thought you were all about teams and leagues doing everything possible to maximize their profit regardless of what fans think?

LOL

[megadude]

Despite being one of the biggest sports fans on Earth, this why my enthusiasm for sports has waned over the years. Way more about money than the game, even at amateur level (college).

My top three favourite sports, in no particular order, are F1, soccer and college football. Those are arguably the top three that sold out the most to greed and cast tradition to the side.

So shameful and disgusting.

I hate to see interference or manipulation in sports as much as the next guy, but I'd totally be fine if Chelsea, Man City and Real were booted from the Champions League semis next week and replaced with the three teams not part of that group that got the deepest in the tournament before elimination.

Enough is enough. This is why there are rules on private enterprises. This is why there are bylaws preventing the demolishing of heritage buildings despite them being privately owned.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

One possible impact of this is that it would likely kill the English Premier League especially, with its top six teams gone.

Last 15 mins:

@danroan
Chelsea now preparing documentation to request withdrawing from the ESL
https://twitter.com/danroan/status/1384564733433597952

@MartinLipton
Manchester City pulling out of Super League. City have told organisers they no longer want to be part of the £4.6billion scheme. Full details coming
https://twitter.com/MartinLipton/sta...68903515377665

@JacobsBen
It's not just the English teams rapidly pulling out... senior sources at Atletico Madrid tell me they are OUT, too.
https://twitter.com/JacobsBen/status...70576237469697

@talkSPORT
BREAKING: All 12 clubs are meeting tonight to discuss disbanding the Super League.
https://twitter.com/talkSPORT/status...72320346382336

Never in doubt.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by Acajack

One possible impact of this is that it would likely kill the English Premier League especially, with its top six teams gone.

The teams wouldn't be gone from their national leagues. They'd be playing games midweek in the Super League, which would essentially function as a replacement for the Champions League.

Though I'm glad to see the idea falling apart. Seems like the backlash to the naked greed and elitism was too much for the football powers that be.

[Acajack]

Wow. The power of UEFA (and therefore FIFA).

[megadude]

There's was always an element of bluffing to this for the big clubs to get even more concessions. Not necessarily now, but down the road, even though just a couple years ago they already got UEFA to accept that the top four leagues would get 4 places guaranteed instead of those lower top 4 finishers having to go through qualifying.

But, this was also a serious proposal and pretty sure they were hoping it would go through and was not just grandstanding. The way they did this secretly and how pompous Perez (the figurehead) was being is what made this so revolting.

Several years ago the NBA changed the ball without consulting current players. You know, the guys who would actually be playing with it. They used it for a while in games and there were non-stop complaints so they backtracked. This of course was not nearly as serious as the ESL. In this case, this idea would have massive implications to many facets of the game and the communities where it is played. Owners meeting secretly to plot this scheme that would rob the game of its tradition. No wonder people hate the super rich. It's guys like these that perpetuate the stereotype. Surely though, someone in that circle must have anticipated this?

[megadude]

Arsenal are 9th in the EPL, tied with newly promoted Leeds. Everton are ahead of them. They just drew against relegation bound Fulham two days ago with a 94th minute equalizer. Liverpool drew 1-1 with Leeds yesterday. Chelsea drew 0-0 with 16th place Burnley today.

Leicester are 3rd. West Ham is tied with Chelsea, who are 4th. These "mid table" teams are ahead of Liverpool and Tottenham.

Leicester won the EPL a few years ago.

AC Milan in the last seven years have finished between 5th and 10th.

Nine time defending champ Juventus just lost to Atalanta a couple of days ago and are behind them in the table.

Of these lower clubs I mention, they have between zero and two players that could make the starting XI of most of those bigger teams.

But ya, create a league of rich teams where the founding 15 can't get relegated. To hell with what sports is about (competition) and let's make it about the money.

How about Hockey Canada revive the Canada Cup and play it between Canada A and Canada B. That way, Canada can't lose to Switzerland anymore (30k reg'd hockey players - hell Slovakia only has 11k to Canada's 608k) anymore and is guaranteed the gold medal. Can do the same for the juniors so they can't lose to Kazakhstan like they did circa '97.

The ICC did something similar for cricket, which used to have a 16 team World Cup. You got your big 8 teams and a couple not far off of them. Then some below that, which are developing. Hell, Canada is one of those teams and have played in multiple WCs. Then lower teams like Ireland and Kenya were beating the big boys at the WC. Then teams like that were actually threatening to beat out teams like the West Indies in qualifying. So to save the blushes of those teams, the ICC said the WC is now for 10 teams and it'll be a 10 team round robin thus reducing the chances of one of the big boys only playing three games and failing to make the knockout round and crashing out of the WC early. Funny how they can talk about growing the game, but then say, ya, you developing nations, who are fully capable of beating the big teams, can stay home.

[JHikka]

Brampton receiver Josh Palmer is a new hope in one of football’s biggest star wars — the NFL draft
Joe Callaghan
Fri., April 23, 2021

"He comes from an incredibly athletic family. His father Keith played varsity football at the University of Windsor and was his son’s original coach. Palmer has also been blessed to count Super Bowl winner and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner Anquan Boldin as a confidante.

Yet, in a week in which the Brampton native and Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver paces and hopes and waits to hear his name called at the 2021 NFL draft, with scouting reports labelling him the kind of steal that could appeal to the New England Patriots or New York Giants, he turns somewhere else entirely, a different galaxy, for inspiration — Darth Vader.
...

NFL playoff games … just dreams then. But to have a chance at realizing them Palmer had to leave home. At 15 he moved to Florida to St. Thomas Aquinas, a storied Ft. Lauderdale high school that produced the Bosa brothers and, from another generation, Hall of Famer Michael Irvin.

...

He may also be starting a Brampton mini-takeover of NFL sidelines with childhood friend John Metchie III, who is projected to be national champion Alabama’s leading wide receiver next season ahead of the 2022 draft.

...

“There’s a lot more talent to go around in Brampton,” he said. “I try to look at it compared to basketball. A while ago there was a huge wave of Canadian talent coming into the NBA. We’re just trying to create that movement for the NFL.”

Brampton’s production of athletic talent, already prolific in soccer, basketball and track and field, would seem to be stretching to the NFL next. Palmer’s first cousin, Renee Steenge, is another Brampton product and an Olympic hopeful in speed skating.

“It really opens it up to other kids from Brampton. They look up at this entire generation and see what they can do,” says Alethia. “I’m telling you … Brampton … I don’t know what’s in the water but we’ve got something special. In so many sports, boys and girls, these kids are talented. They just need the support behind them to get out there and spread their wings.”

https://www.thestar.com/sports/footb...nfl-draft.html

[khabibulin]

Canada's Brooke Henderson captured her 10th career LPGA title on Saturday with a 4-under 67 in the final round of the LA Open.

The 23-year-old from Smiths Falls, Ont., owns more wins than any other Canadian on either the LPGA or PGA tours.

The win is Henderson's first since 2019, when she broke a tie with Sandra Post on the LPGA tour to claim her 9th title and sole possession of the Canadian record, moving ahead of George Knudson and Mike Weir who each have eight.