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David Staples: Fear of COVID knocks out Edmonton Oilers and cross-border games until after Christmas – Edmonton Journal

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3 years ago

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Author of the article:

David Staples  •  Edmonton Journal

Publishing date:

Dec 20, 2021  •  4 hours ago  •  5 minute read  •  80 Comments

Connor McDavid (97) of the Edmonton Oilers breaks in on Derek Forbort (24) of the Los Angeles Kings in a 4-2 Oilers’ win at Staples Center on Feb. 23, 2020, in Los Angeles. Photo by Harry How /Getty Images, file

This in from the National Hockey League: “The NHLPA and NHL have agreed to postpone cross-border games through Dec. 23.”

The following Oilers games have been postponed: Dec. 20 vs. ANA, Dec. 22 @ LAK and Dec. 23 @ SJS.

My take

1. I wrote about the COVID issue at length yesterday, so I’ll refer back now to what I said, essentially that it’s a time of fear and confusion right now due to the Omicron virus but if we find this virus is mild and does not threaten our healthcare system, it’s time to lift all our lockdown restrictions. We’re all double or triple vaxxed. We can still practice social distancing if we feel vulnerable. If Omicron has no more impact than the common cold, it’s time to start acting like a brave and healthy society, not a fearful and dysfunctional one. The mental, physical and economic hardship of lockdown is crippling but it’s been utterly overlooked and downplayed by the hardcore of the pro-lockdown crowd from day one — even sneered at by a short-sighted and all-too-comfortable minority. But it strikes me that the unrelenting fear, isolation and stagnation are now far more dangerous than the ever-dwindling risk of the virus. Again, it could be that Omicron changes that calculation, but if it does not I can no longer in good conscience support the locking down and masking of my children, my family, my city and my province. How about you? How do you see it?

2. The NHL has about 90 players now on COVIC protocol. They’re all out for a substantial length of time, which has caused the cancellation of games and a watering down of existing games. It’s now brought on this pause in part of the schedule until after Christmas or longer (when has any kind of lockdown measure been as short as it’s first promised to be?). But the issue now isn’t the health impacts of COVID itself. Almost all of these players — or all of these players — are either asymptomatic or are experiencing mild symptoms. In other words, their youth, their excellent fitness and their fully vaccinated status are doing what we’d hope they would do: protecting them from any kind of serious outcome of COVID. In other years if these players were this healthy they’d almost certainly still be suiting up for games and no one would think anything of it. But because the fear of COVID is so strong in a large group of people, we’re still taking extremely restrictive and punitive action when young and healthy people get the disease. Is it not time for that to end, for the NHL to stop all testing of non-symptomatic players? I would suggest it is.

3. You could argue that if they get sick, the players will threaten spread to others. This is a fair point. It’s not unreasonable. But I will offer a counter-argument, that at this point anyone in North America who wants to be fully vaccinated is fully vaccinated. They’re also able to get booster shots. In other words, they’re highly protected from COVID, perhaps as protected as they will ever be. And, after almost two years of this mess, folks are also versed in how to protect themselves from COVID, through physical distancing and isolation if they’re highly vulnerable or around someone who is, and through changes to diet and fitness regimes that can greatly lessen obesity, which also offers solid protection from the worst outcomes. The argument that it’s time to get on with our regular lives — save for some hideous and healthcare system-threatening impact from the Omicron variant — has never been stronger. Outside of an Omicron melt down, it’s now time to do what Sweden did from the start, and learn to live with the virus with minimal lockdown measures and a reliance on the vaccines, common sense and personal responsibility to get us through. How did this work out for Sweden? Poorly at first, as they had a high death rate, but since early June their death rate has been flat. As other jurisdictions have had third, fourth and fifth waves, Sweden so far has not.

4. It’s too early to tell which direction the Omicron variant will take us. Some say it’s going to be the worst wave yet and crash our healthcare systems like never before, as this highly contagious variant both hammers the unvaccinated and also breaks through into the vaccinated population and produces enough outcomes to make a difference. But the early news out of South Africa, where the variant first took hold, is more hopeful than that, with leading physicians saying almost all cases have been asymptomatic or mild, with their healthcare system still on its feet, and with some even hoping that this variant will act as a form of inoculation, that if most of us get it we won’t get that sick but we’ll be protected from future more virulent variants of COVID. Of course, South Africa has a much younger and less obese population than Western nations, and it’s also had an exceedingly high level of previous COVID spread, which bolsters immunity greatly. We still don’t know how Omicron will impact our own society, one that is uniquely vulnerable to COVID because we’re older and less physically fit, on average, than other nations, and also because our highly-complex healthcare system, with its high levels of care and many rules of care, is vulnerable to being overwhelmed, with just 150 to 300 COVID patients in ICU able to sink our system in Alberta, a province of 4.4 million. Our healthcare workers are outstanding but they’re getting burnt out by a system that hasn’t been able to adapt rapidly to the threat of COVID — and anyone opposing all forms of lockdown can’t get around that fact.

5. On a lighter note, I’m glad the Edmonton Oilers won their last two games before the break. It will put this fanbase in a better head space for Christmas, and making Oilers social media more bearable without the anti-Oilers management faction in full voice, crying out for heads to roll. I mean, such fans are perfectly entitled to their opinion, and it’s not crazy talk in any way to hold such a view, but I’m far more of a glass half-full type so I won’t miss the rancour. Plenty of times to get out the knives and pitchforks if the Oilers don’t succeed in the playoffs. For now, I’m pleased with the team’s record of 18 wins and 11 losses.

The NHL is broken into two groups right now, haves and have-nots, and the Oilers are finally one of the haves, most definitely.

6. I wonder what this all means for the World Junior tournament?

P.S. This article at first reported that the entire NHL was shutting down, a major misunderstanding and mistake on my part, as it’s just cross-border games on pause for now. My apologies to readers for this mistake.

Staples on politics

Are Albertans cool with an Omicron Christmas and a locked down New Year? I highly doubt it

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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9 hours ago

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November 8, 2024

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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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November 8, 2024

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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November 8, 2024

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

—

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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