The Result

Well I guess it’s time for me to give everyone an update. Two Sundays ago, I wrote about being on the eve of my Junior A camp. That time has now passed, and I would like to share my experiences with you.

Walking into the room that first Monday, I had many emotions running through my head. The time for me to shine had arrived. Now it was do or die, and I had to make an impression off the start. I did alright the first day, but the second day is where I got noticed. Scoring two goals and getting into my first ever fight definitely helps spark an interest in the eyes of the coach! Now, me being 5'11 and fighting a guy who is 6’2 I was definitely at a disadvantage. The fight ended up in a draw and I came out bloody and bruised, but it didn’t matter. I needed to show the coaching staff that I am an all around player, and I did. As the camp progressed, I continued to put forth a valiant effort, getting points in every game I played.  I made a lot of friends, learned a lot of new things, and developed a lot more confidence than I had at the start. Finally came the moment of truth. The coaches were calling in everybody who hadn’t signed. I waited in line in front of an intimidating, dimly lit referee room for my turn to hear what the coaching staff had to say.

To keep a long story short, this upcoming season I will be a member of the Mississauga Chargers Junior A hockey club. Yeah, I made it, and you know what, I have never been more proud of myself. I defied a lot of odds, and proved a lot of people wrong! But most importantly I made myself one happy guy. 

Now I need to continue to work hard. The season starts September 11, and I need to continue to work out, skate and earn myself the highest possible spot in the lineup. So I guess the next time you will hear from me is before and after my first ever Junior game! For anyone out there who  can relate to my situation, be it now or in the future, take this an example of how powerful willpower can be, and remember, never let go of what matters most to you!

This Is What We Live For

Life is full of ups and downs. That's just how it is. We live each day trying to make it through the day. How many times have you heard someone say, "I can't wait for today to be over." What do those people strive for each day? Do they strive to be the fastest person to reach the next day? What is their motivation? What is their fulfillment? Could you imagine your first grade teacher telling you that they couldn't wait to be out of the school each day? What message would that send to you as a student? As a kid? As a person in general?

Life happens, whether you like it or not. There will always be another problem to solve or obstacle to overcome.

The way we reach our goals, that is what life is all about. What we do with each day, that is the greatest thing about life. It's not about the outcome, it's about the process. The outcome is just part of the reward. But the fun happens while you are too busy to think about what is going on.

I'm Boring - What Gives?

So there hasn't been a whole heck of a lot to say in the last little while! Adam got me here to write some things on my numerous experiences while playing in the Beer Leagues that I play in, and unfortunately, the timing couldn't have been worse. My Monday night D1 division team; Club Sauce, we went out in the round robin portion of our playoffs in a rough game against a team that just dominated us with their size. My Wednesday team, playing in the B division, lost in the playoffs in a game that I had to miss due to school reasons. How lame! I have no stories!

The one cause for relief, however, is my Thursday night D2 division team; the Capitals. I've been playing with this group of guys for a number of years now, and to be honest, it's pretty much my favourite team that I've ever played on. No disrespect to my other squads, but these guys are one in a million.

I can't really specify just what it is that sets them apart from the others. It could be the camraderie in the dressing room that we show, from Sammy and his witty remarks to Bully and Josh with their domination over the remaining few beers in the parking lot afterwards. Maybe it's the fact that unlike many of my teams, it's a primarily older squad, with the youngest guy coming in at 21, and the oldest hovering around 40. Yet...whenever any of us come to the rink, it's just a place to get away, be yourself, and have a good time with a bunch of guys who enjoy their beer and their hockey.

Anyways, the reason that the Capitals are a cause for relief is because we're actually still playing! Better yet, we've been winning! When you win, things always seem to be a lot better off  both in the room, and on the ice. Of course, since this is the only team that I've got that's still going, I don't have much fodder for a weekly round-up. So instead, I've got a better idea.

Since we're in playoffs, I'm going to write a post for each game, detailing the score, any memorable moments from the game, and the overall attitude and feeling. Since it's the playoffs, the odds are that I'll get into some sort of melee at some point, and I'm sure eventually, I'll have something to wax poetic about.

It is, after all...the playoffs.

Moto2: New school class, old school racing

While I can’t recall being at Mosport or Shannonville as my dad raced, the smell of a two-stroke at full throttle makes me feel right at home. There is nothing quite like it, oil being consumed as the air/fuel mixture is burnt, exiting as a sweet blue haze of spent exhaust gases. At Indianapolis last year, watching the 250cc class of riders line up at the bricks, I took it all in knowing that this would be the last time I would watch the 250’s at the Grand Prix level. With as much horsepower as a late model subcompact and light enough to be bench-pressed, these parallel twins carry more corner speed than their 800cc MotoGP counterparts and handle like a roller coaster. That being said, I and the rest of the motorcycle-racing world were perplexed by the loss of the 250 class for 2010, replacing it with Moto2. While the new class was not scheduled to start GP racing until 2011, positive pre-season testing prompted sanctioning bodies (Dorna and the FIM, IRTA and MSMA)to accelerate the schedule. Add to that the fact that there are few manufacturers that make a 250 for viable street use, in which case it would be more financially sound to develop a production based street bike, and the outcome was inevitable. As far as the specs and rules are concerned:
· Honda will supply 600cc, four-stroke production based engines, which are required to last for 6 races before replacement or rebuilding
· Dunlop will supply tires
· Eskil Suter will supply the slipper clutches
· 2D will supply ECU’s, data loggers and timing transponders, with a maximum cost of 650 euros
· Chassis will be prototypical and teams are required to develop their own frames, swingarms, fuel tanks, body work and suspension setup
· Carbon fiber brakes are no longer allowed in an effort to minimize costs by using steel rotors
There are many other details and rules but those mentioned above are likely to determine how the 2010 season will play out for Moto2.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical, for how exciting could homologated racing be in the absence of the Japanese Big Four and Ducati? The reality is that the racing world is facing tremendous pressure to evolve in light of a bleak economic forecast and ever-stricter environmental regulations. For example, Aprilia would charge teams 1.2 million euros to lease an RSA250 for one season, not including development and other costs. In Moto2, once all the costs are tabled, it is estimated the total will be approximately 700,000 euros, which includes both riders and ownership of both bikes. If Zorro can field a team then it must be financially sound. Also, the switch to production based four-stroke engines means that oil will no longer be burnt as part of the normal combustion cycle and that they will run on standard fuel, both eco-friendly moves.

I’m all for saving money and the planet but I questioned the quality of the racing. After watching the first race of the season under the lights in Qatar, I realized just how far off I was. I won’t start regurgitating the highlights, mainly because you may have it on your PVR and there are just simply too many, so I’ll leave it at this. Picture 40 of the worlds premier riders trying to cram into Turn 1, and then battling for position for 20 plus laps, only to have 1st to 10th separated by mere seconds. During the off-season, shortness of breath and heart palpitations might be cause for concern on a lazy Sunday afternoon, but not while racing is on. Associated risks include nail biting and watery eyes, as blinking increases the chances of missing something.

Okay, so I might be exaggerating slightly, but Moto2 is truly the most entertaining motorcycle racing I’ve watched since Rossi battled Lorenzo for the last 3 laps at Catalunya in 2009. Don’t get me wrong, the GP class is still exciting, but in open class racing, the teams with the best engineers are the ones leading the way. Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo are extremely talented, but the YZR-M1’s they pilot are 230 hp rolling computers. The Moto2 class has its share of electronic aides and GP level tech, but identical engine specs from team to team ensure good battles and constant positional changes. No traction control, no electronically adjustable suspension, no tire pressure sensors, and so on. For those of you who scoff at these barbaric alterations, are you even aware that current MotoGP bikes have onboard GPS that allows teams to implement turn-by-turn changes via computer? If so, do you cheer for the ECU or your favourite rider? Do you lineup for the engineer’s signature after the race? Even World Champions like Rossi and Hayden both prefer a return to racing with less electronics, something echoed throughout the paddock. In Moto2 there are literally battles at every corner, of every lap, of every race and anyone betting on the outcomes is likely to have a losing record.

I’ll be the first to admit that I think electronics and computer management are necessary, not only to provide safety for the riders as the machines get faster, but because the engineering feats that racing breeds is what you and I take for granted when we ride a new motorcycle or drive a new car for that matter. Moto2, while stripped down, still benefits from these technologies, but when all teams are on a level playing field, funding is no longer a deciding factor in winning. The Moto2 bikes permit certain modifications as mentioned, but the strict rules act as an equalizer that leaves rider craft to decide the outcome of the race. There are those who believe that GP racing should be left as a showcase for technology, where the best teams should win because they have the best bike. Technology doesn’t create excitement, it just gives the rider the confidence to push harder at safe levels. The entertainment comes from the racing, no matter the technology, especially when you need a degree in electrical engineering to understand most of it. If you don’t believe me then go watch a flat track race at the Indy Mile and tell me it’s not good racing. 100 mph plus, no brakes, drifting around a dirt corner, rubbing elbows with your competition and some riders on pushrod Harley’s!

Like any new class, there have been some growing pains. Some complain that cost savings are not worth the sacrifice in performance, judged by slightly slower lap times than the previous 250’s. Also, some argue that there is not enough chassis development by teams because sponsors aren’t willing to risk consistent results for potentially larger payoffs. However, I believe that these situations will resolve themselves as the season progresses and as the series continues next year. Riders will adjust and teams will venture deeper into R&D as competition mounts between sponsors vying for a slot in a class that is likely to bring increased viewership. But you don’t even have to listen to me rant about the changes because in 2012, both MotoGP and even the 125’s will look very different as well. The GP Commission is reintroducing liter bikes in the GP class with the 125’s being replaced by a 250 four-stoke class, aptly named Moto3. Along with a host of other new specifications and rule changes, the aim is to increase entertainment through improved competition, while implementing cost saving measures.

In the business of sports, if it makes money, it makes sense.

Got Pain?

Chances are, you’ve got parts of your body that nag you from time to time. No matter what you do for a living, whether you’re on your feet all day or sitting on a chair, you’re bound to have a sore back, tight hamstrings, or just overall stiffness. Well, no longer.

First things first, here’s what you need. A foam roller (pick one up here - http://www.performbetter.com/detail.aspx_Q_ID_E_4279_A_rnd_E_43?kbid=1186), or ask around, you’ll find most for around twenty bucks. A cheaper but just as effective alternative is to use a pvc pipe as your roller, which can be picked up at any hardware store for a low price. Next, you’ll need either a lacrosse ball, baseball, or tennis ball, whichever you choose.

Here’s a video demonstrating what to do with the foam roller and ball.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8caF1Keg2XU

A couple of warnings beforehand. Expect these exercises to hurt at first, as the roller and ball will hit trigger points that inevitably, trigger pain. But over time, as your soft tissue adjusts, it will hurt less and less. Your body will feel a million times better, and those nagging aches and pains will miraculously disappear. Try it out, and enjoy your new pain-free body.

The Boys of Summer

Pacing nervously in my room, searching for inspiration, I paused at the sight of an old baseball sitting on the top shelf of my bookcase, surrounded by years of sports memorabilia. I began to trace the unending stitch across the leather surface when I noticed a faint signature. It was that of Devon White, All-Star, Gold Glove Award winner, World Series Champion and my favourite Blue Jays CF. ‘Devo’s’ famous catch in Game 3 of the 1992 World Series, oft compared to "The Catch", will not only be remembered for starting what would have been a triple play, but also as an example of his sublime athleticism. Continuing on, I passed by RHP Dave Stewart, also an All-Star, World Series Champion and ALCS MVP during the Jays’ 1993 championship run. While some will remember ‘Smoke’ for his off-field conduct, he was an ace for the Jays. Finally, I came across Cito Gaston, the preeminent player’s manager, All-Star and member of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. He was not only the manager of the first non-American team to win the World Series, but also the first African-American to manage a World Series winning team.

My parents gave this ball to me sometime in 1993, after they attended a charity dinner hosted by the Blue Jays. After placing it among my trophies and collectibles, it faded into obscurity, epitomizing the once famed franchise. I had all the inspiration I would need and the story was beginning to write itself.

The Jays were a good team in the early 90’s, but it was not until 1992, when they beat Atlanta in 6 games to win the World Series, that I began to take notice. In 1993 I was seven and the two most vivid memories I can summon are the epic food fight at my birthday party and Joe Carter's walk-off home run against the Phillies’ Mitch Williams in the bottom of the ninth of Game 6. Down 6-5, with one out and Ricky Henderson and Paul Molitor on base, Carter hit the 2-2 offering over the left field wall. I hadn’t a clue that this team and that moment would be the pinnacle of the franchise. I only knew that I wanted to experience it for myself. My parents signed me up next spring.

With high hopes in 1994 for a three-peat, the Jays struggled and were in third place in the AL East when the league announced the work stoppage that cancelled the 1994 playoffs, a day that will live in infamy for former Montreal Expos fans. When play resumed in 1995, the Jays were floundering and attendance began to decline steadily, from which it has never recovered. I’ll admit, my passion for the game waned as I got older, with hockey becoming more important. By the time I quit ball I had lost complete interest in the Jays. I would watch the highlights but I was indifferent as to the outcome.
Still, I’ve seen improvement in the last two seasons. Some will say that failing to make the playoffs are no improvement but when you are in the toughest division in baseball, things can progress slowly. The Red Sox and Yankees have licenses to print money and have won a combined 7 World Series since the Jays last won. The Rays have emerged as a powerhouse in recent years and made it to the finals in 2008.

So what I want to know is why hasn’t the new energy and excitement surrounding the young Jays translated into increased attendance?

In no particular order, here is my list of possible reasons:

1) The cost of tickets and concessions in tough economic times

Partly, if at all to blame. Nothing in life is free and the laws of supply and demand will decide ticket prices. Prices have dropped since the Jays were in their prime and even for ‘Premium’ games against teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, you can still get good seats for as little as $30, less for non-premium games. Of course, good is subjective and some people are hard to please. Besides, this theory doesn’t explain how the basement dwellers that play at the ACC manage to sell-out consistently. I’ll admit that concessions are expensive but if food and drinks are your primary concern then stay home.

2) Emergence of the Raptors and TFC

Torontonians are sports fans. Period. So of course competition from other franchises has not helped the Jays boost attendance. However, the Raptors haven’t made the playoffs in two seasons and with the exit of Chris Bosh, the future is uncertain. TFC has only been around for three seasons and Jays attendance has been dropping from well before the soccer team started playing.

3) The tarnished image of the MLB due to league-wide steroid allegations

While no Blue Jay has been found to have taken any PED’s to my knowledge, the impact on the sport had been huge. However, I don’t believe that it would be enough to precipitate the league-wide drop in attendance, because purists are few and far between and the average fan still likes their dingers.

4) Rogers Communications Inc.

When Rogers purchased the franchise from Belgian brewer, Interbrew SA (who previously purchased Labatt Breweries), the corporation took on a losing franchise that was hemorrhaging money. After the lockout, player’s salaries ballooned into ludicrous amounts and the Jays could not compete in a market dominated by the almighty American dollar. If anything, Rogers, after acquiring Sportsnet, gave Torontonians more chances to watch and despite the name change of the SkyDome, the refurbished Rogers Center gave fans a new reason to attend the games.

5) No marquee players

When the Jays traded Roy Halladay, they traded their biggest ticket draw as well. ‘Doc’ is well known for his arsenal of pitches and his durability, having 57 complete games under his belt for his career. It definitely hurt when he left but you can’t rebuild without tearing down. The Jays have a solid roster but no one player really stands out, besides maybe Jose Bautista. The Dominican leads the league in home runs with 37 and ranks 3rd in RBI’s with 90. He may not be marquee yet but in my opinion, winning is more attractive than stats. But in the day of the celebrity/athlete, talent seems to count for less than it used to.

6) America’s pastime

Ozzie Guillen, manager of the White Sox, suggested that Toronto needs a couple of hockey players in its lineup to draw a larger crowd. If you remember Dany Heatley failing to make it to home plate on a ceremonial first pitch at a Giants game, Guillen might need to rethink his idea. It does however bring up an interesting notion, that Canadians love their hockey and that baseball is America’s pastime. I don’t disagree completely but franchises like the Marlins, Pirates and Indians, are all in worse shape than the Jays as far as attendance is concerned.

7) Controversy behind home plate and sheer boredom

All games have referees, and the fallibility of human nature invariably leads to blown calls. I won’t get into the debate of whether or not the league needs to utilize video replay but the oldest professional sport in North America is bound to adapt to change slowly. Be patient and hopefully Bud Selig will make one right decision. Most sports can also be frustrating to watch at times, simply because reality is not always exciting. Have you ever watched the pre-lockout New Jersey Devils play the trap? What about the last 30 seconds of a basketball game drag on for 5 minutes? If you want pure excitement watch a demolition derby. As I mentioned, purists seem to be getting replaced by rabid fans waiting for their idols next Twitter post. Baseball is a thinking sport, an athletic chess match that has been around officially since the mid 19th century. Try playing it before you call it boring.

I’ve not written this to detail the careers of three former Blue Jays, to dredge up nostalgia, or to convince you that you should go watch a game, but rather to establish a link between the franchise that was and the current state of affairs in Toronto as a microcosm of the entire MLB. On average, attendance and TV ratings have been declining league-wide for several years, and the Jays are not the only franchise in jeopardy. Major league sports are businesses and in a league without a salary cap, only the richest survive. But the Blue Jays are my team, the team I grew up following and the reason I started playing. I refuse to believe that baseball is dead in Toronto and I hope there are readers out there who share my sentiment.

Physics OMMMGGGG

Last night, a funny thing happened to me as I was polishing off a twenty-eight page script that I was writing for a school assignment. While in the middle of taking a small break from hours of continuous writing, I logged on to the EA Sports website to check and see if there was any more information available on the upcoming release of NHL 11, the yearly hockey sports game that I am near-guaranteed to log hundreds of hours on.

Imagine my shock when the very first thing I saw was "NHL 11 Demo Released!" on the main splash page of the site. My brain immediately went in to giddy schoolgirl mode, and I scrambled for my PS3 controller, knowing that the download time would inevitably lead to some pensive waiting and youthful enjoyment. Upon logging in and starting the demo's download, I proceeded to burn through the rest of my script in a mere twenty minutes, e-mailing it to my teacher and turning back to my television to wait through the remainder of the agonizing 20% of download time.

To clarify something here - I am a gamer. I own all the major gaming platforms and I find it far easier (and more budget-effective now that I'm in school) to stay in on a weekend and tear through a couple of levels of a game, instead of routinely going out and spending money that I don't have. I do, however, have a realistic outlook on gaming, and I know that I cannot allow it to control my life, for fear of becoming one of "those" people. You know the type. The archetypical World of Warcraft nerd, complete with the CTS-preventing wrist brace and a dependancy upon diet cola. As such, I don't usually let myself get too terribly excited for the release of an upcoming video game. I keep myself fairly busy in the real world, and I look at them more or less as a diversion, as opposed to a necessity.

Unfortunately, there are two exceptions to this rule, but thankfully, Diablo III isn't coming out anytime soon.

The other exception, and perhaps the one game that I let myself get giddy over is the EA Sports NHL game, released every September, usually around the time that NHL pre-season camps open up. It will often kick-start my hockey fix and results in hockey overload during the month of September. To be honest, it's one of my favourite times of the year. Now, as anyone who's played the previous NHL titles is aware of, the games don't generally change very much from year to year. They'll update the rosters, add new uniforms, and maybe come up with a new feature or two. A few years ago it was "Be a Pro" mode, last year it was "Boardplay" and the EASHL online teamplay mode. So when I heard about the new physics engine that they were adding to the game, a la Fight Night, I was excited, but tempered my enthusiasm. Physics was great, but it's been around for a while, so no big deal, right?

For the second year in a row, the cover features a
Blackhawk doing something funny with his mouth.

Man, EA pulled a fast one on everyone who had even remotely lowered their expectations.

They've been pimping the new physics engine as the primary feature of NHL 11, and after playing the demo for four hours, I can positively say that they've hit on it. The game feels a lot more real, from the hitting, to the passing, and the shooting. I was impressed, I've got to admit. What I was more impressed with, however, was the stuff that was in the demo that they DIDN'T tell us about.

Things like overhauled presentation, menus, different puck sizes, new passing, disallowed goals (which man, you've got to do a double-take to believe that you're seeing it and it's not being done randomly), the introduction of proper UFA/RFA rules to the GM mode, the introduction of the CHL teams and their players, and of course, the EAUHL; the NHL version of FIFA's 'Ultimate Team' mode. I could go into so much detail on why all of these things enhance the game, but I don't want to waste your time. THIS is the NHL game that we've all been waiting for since the move to the next-gen consoles. It may very well give NHL 2004 a run for its money. If you're any kind of a hockey fan at all, pick up the demo (currently available for Gold subscribers on XBOX 360 and from the PSN Store on PS3).

Right now. Do it. Seriously. You won't regret it.

It'll make waiting for September 7th all the more agonizing.

I'll put up another post in a couple of days after I've really gone through and beaten the hell out of the game. Early impressions though...? I'm blown away. I'm sure you will be too!