Sports

Rowing Canada fires national women's team coach Dave Thompson – CBC.ca

Published

5 years ago

March 2, 2020

Five days after women’s head coach Dave Thompson was fired by Rowing Canada, chief executive officer Terry Dillon is backing the remaining leadership group.

Dillon would not get into the reasons for Thompson’s firing, calling it an “employment matter” and saying it was covered by a confidentiality agreement, but on Monday he endorsed former assistants Michelle Darvill, Phil Marshall and Lesley Thompson-Willie.

That trio will now be responsible for preparing the Canadian women’s rowing team for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, including possibly qualifying more boats for the Summer Games.

“We have an extraordinarily talented coaching team and we have a high level of confidence in the coaches that are in place with the women’s program,” Dillon said. “They bring a huge amount of experience to this group. They’ve been very much integral to the success that the program has had over the last several years. We feel really confident that that team is capable of taking the group forward.”

Dick Tonks remains in place as the head coach of the men’s national team.

Six Canadian crews have qualified for the 2020 Summer Games, five of them women’s boats that Thompson had coached with the help of Darvill, Marshall and Thompson-Willie. Thompson had been hired on Dec. 17, 2016 after a disappointing showing at the Rio Olympics when Canada’s rowers only earned one medal, a silver in the women’s lightweight double sculls.

Thompson earned a coaching excellence award in 2019 from the Coaching Association of Canada for helping Hillary Janssens and Caileigh Filmer to a bronze at that year’s world championships.

Dillon said he is confident in the team’s current leadership group and will only hire an additional coach if it’s deemed necessary for the preparation of the upcoming Olympics. Rowing Canada has no plans to hire a new women’s head coach until the start of the next Olympic quadrennial.

“This is definitely one of the most talented groups of women that Canada has probably ever had,” Dillon said. “We’re looking at how we move forward with that group and give them the best possible chance of success. We’re also looking to see whether we can qualify an additional women’s boat and three additional men’s boats.

“We’re feeling very positive about where we’re at and our prospects for Tokyo.”

Canada will participate in three World Cup regattas before the Olympics — Sabaudia, Italy, beginning on April 10, then Varese, Italy, starting on May 1 and a last-chance Olympic qualifier in Lucerne, Switzerland that will begin on May 22. The Canadians have also planned a pre-Olympic camp Sagamihara, Japan before the Tokyo Games begin in earnest.

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Sports

Sports betting roundup: NFL and college football were all about the favourites

Published

13 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

The past weekend of football was all about the favourites.

The favoured teams went 13-1 straight up and 10-4 against the spread in the NFL. In college football, the three most teams bet at the BetMGM Sportsbook in terms of number of bets and money all won and covered. All three were favourites.

Trends of the Week

The three most bet college teams that won and covered on Saturday were Ohio State (-3.5) vs. Penn State, Indiana (-7.5) at Michigan State and Oregon (-14.5) at Michigan. Penn State has now lost seven straight home games as underdogs. The Nittany Lions were up 10-0 in the first quarter and were 3.5-point favourites at the time. The Buckeyes won 17-10.

In the NFL, the three most bet teams in terms of number of bets and money were the Washington Commanders (-4) at the New York Giants, the Detroit Lions (-2.5) at the Green Bay Packers and the Buffalo Bills (-6) vs. the Miami Dolphins. All three teams won, but only two of the three covered the spread as Buffalo beat Miami 30-27.

When it came to the players with the most bets to score a touchdown on Sunday, only two of the five reached the end zone — Chase Brown (-125) and Taysom Hill (+185). David Montgomery (-140), Brian Robinson Jr. (+110) and AJ Barner (+500) did not score.

Upsets of the Week

The biggest upset in the NFL was the Carolina Panthers coming from behind to beat the New Orleans Saints 23-22. New Orleans closed as a 7-point favourite and took in 76% of the bets and 79% of the money in against-the-spread betting. The Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen following the loss. They have now lost seven straight games after starting the year 2-0.

Arguably the biggest upset in college football was South Carolina beating No. 10 Texas A&M 44-20 at home. Texas A&M closed as a 2.5-point favourite and took in 59% of the bets and 58% of the money.

Coming up

Right after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees to win the World Series, odds for the 2025 World Series were released.

The Dodgers have the best odds at +400, while the Atlanta Braves and Yankees are next at +800.

The Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies round out the top five, both at +1100.

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This column was provided to The Associated Press by BetMGM online sportsbook.

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Longtime rivals Ovechkin, Crosby join Necas as NHL’s three stars of the week

Published

13 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Anne Joseph

NEW YORK – Washington Capitals left-wing Alex Ovechkin, Carolina Hurricanes centre Martin Necas and Pittsburgh Penguins centre Sidney Crosby have been named the NHL’s three stars of the week.

Ovechkin had a league-leading five goals and nine points in four games.

The 39-year-old Capitals captain has 14 points in 11 games this season, and his 860 career goals are just 34 shy of Wayne Gretzky’s record.

Necas shared the league lead with nine points (three goals, six assists) in three games.

Crosby factored on seven of the Penguins’ eight total goals scoring four goals and adding three assists in three appearances. The 37-year-old Penguins captain leads his team with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 13 games this season.

Crosby and Ovechkin, longtime rivals since entering the league together in 2005-06, will meet for the 70th time in the regular season and 95th time overall when Pittsburgh visits Washington on Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4, 2024.

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Oliveira, Mitchell named as finalists for CFL outstanding player award

Published

5 days ago

October 31, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – Running back Brady Oliveira of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell are the finalists for the CFL’s outstanding player award.

Oliveira led the CFL in rushing this season with 1,353 yards while Mitchell was the league leader in passing yards (5,451) and touchdowns (32).

Oliveira is also the West Division finalist for the CFL’s top Canadian award, the second straight year he’s been nominated for both.

Oliveira was the CFL’s outstanding Canadian in 2023 and the runner-up to Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for outstanding player.

Defensive lineman Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund of the Montreal Alouettes is the East Division’s top Canadian nominee.

Voting for the awards is conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada and the nine CFL head coaches.

The other award finalists include: defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal linebacker Tyrice Beverette (outstanding defensive player); Saskatchewan’s Logan Ferland and Toronto’s Ryan Hunter (outstanding lineman); B.C. Lions kicker Sean Whyte and Toronto returner Janarion Grant (special teams); and Edmonton Elks linebacker Nick Anderson and Hamilton receiver Shemar Bridges (outstanding rookie).

The coach of the year finalists are Saskatchewan’s Corey Mace and Montreal’s Jason Maas.

The CFL will honour its top individual performers Nov. 14 in Vancouver.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31.

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