Sports

Dave Naylor: Prairie Grey Cup in ‘fail-safe’ Regina ready to roll

Published

2 years ago

November 16, 2022

REGINA – Two years after it was scheduled to be held, the Grey Cup game is back in Saskatchewan and, for the first time, being staged at Mosaic Stadium, the Canadian Football League’s “Cadillac” of stadiums that is a monument to the importance of the sport in these parts.

The fact the Roughriders failed to reach the 2022 playoffs in what was an all-around disappointing season for the Grey Cup hosts – finishing fourth in the CFL West Division with a 6-12 record – takes a little of the shine off this year’s party, but a prairie Grey Cup is pretty much fail-safe.

It’s also the first full week-long Grey Cup Festival since 2019, when Canadian football fans gathered in Calgary for the league’s annual championship, unaware of the many challenges that lay ahead with the onset of a global pandemic.

The 2020 Grey Cup had been awarded to Regina, but the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of the entire CFL season that year as well as the playoffs and championship game. The Roughriders moved into Mosaic Stadium three years earlier, but the facility has never hosted a Grey Cup – the team’s former stadium, Taylor Field, had been the site of the last national championship played in Regina in 2013.

There were certainly times in 2020 and 2021 – when the league resumed play during the pandemic with a shortened 14-game schedule – where it was fair to wonder if the CFL was going to survive. The fact that it did is reason to celebrate, even if the road ahead lies beset with challenges, both within the league’s control and beyond.

This year’s participating teams – the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts – represent the extremes when it comes to traction in their markets, be that with fans, business partners or the media.

The Blue Bombers are second in their market to the National Hockey League’s Jets but not by a whole lot. Their attendance is strong, there is Bomber merchandise all over Winnipeg and it’s hard to think of a time people have felt as good about the two-time defending Grey Cup champions overall as they do today.

They have a hands-on president in Wade Miller, a former player with both the Bombers and University of Manitoba Bisons who has built the most dominant CFL franchise since Warren Moon was winning Grey Cups in Edmonton during the early 1980s.

The team is run by a board of volunteers, each keenly aware of how much the Bombers matter to Winnipeg.

On the other side you have the Argonauts, a team that annually finishes last in league attendance and whose aging fan base has shrunken home crowds to less than 15,000 for most dates. (Full disclosure, I am an Argonaut season-ticket holder.)

Their players are mostly anonymous to the average sports fan in Toronto, where seeing Argo gear among the general public tends to be rare. The Argos also compete in a market that is home to the NHL’s Maple Leafs, the National Basketball Association’s Raptors, Major League Baseball’s Blue Jays, as well as Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC.

The Argonauts’ owners — Maple Leaf Sport and Entertainment — wanted the CFL to merge with the XFL two years ago and their commitment to the Argos is a matter of debate among ardent fans.

The gap between the two teams on the field is considerably less than off of it, but it’s still advantage Bombers.

Since Zach Collaros became their quarterback in October of 2019, the Bombers have barely lost. They roll into Sunday’s 109th championship game healthy, rested and humming, ready to crush the Argonauts en route to their three-peat.

The Argos, meanwhile, have never been mistaken for the best team in the CFL this season and their 11-7 regular-season record included six wins over sub-par teams from Hamilton and Ottawa.

That said, they’ve enjoyed some close contests with the Blue Bombers over the last two seasons, including Winnipeg’s only loss in 2021 that didn’t involve resting starters.

Toronto’s quarterback – McLeod Bethel-Thompson — divides opinions and probably has as many detractors as devout fans. And the Argos have Andrew Harris, arguably the greatest Canadian running back ever to play in the CFL and a key part of both Winnipeg Grey Cup runs, now wearing double-blue.

For Grey Cup history between these two teams, you have to go back to the 38th Grey Cup in 1950 that was played at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, dubbed the Mud Bowl.

But in terms of moments than changed CFL history you only need to go back to October of 2019.

That’s when then Argos GM Jim Popp negotiated a contract with Collaros whom Toronto had acquired from Saskatchewan a few weeks earlier.

Collaros hadn’t dressed for Toronto while healing from a head injury he suffered while playing for the Roughriders. But Popp was betting on him to be the Argos starting QB in 2020.

He scheduled a meeting with Argos president Bill Manning to get the deal approved. But when he got there, Manning fired him and the Collaros contract was never signed or registered to the league.

Three days later, the Argos new management team traded him to Winnipeg. The rest, as they say, is history.

Now, the Bombers this week are poised and ready to do what no CFL team has done in 40 years – win three consecutive Grey Cup championships (Edmonton won its fifth straight title in 1982).

Only a determined and often overlooked Argos team stands in their way.

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Sports

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

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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:

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Sports

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

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

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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