being a Toronto Raptor's fan. This NBA team has lost more games in which they led by double-digits than any other team in the league. Their game against the Milwaukee Bucks this past Monday was nothing short of a showcase for how to give up a lead late in a game. The Raptors had led for almost the entire game. Now, with 34 seconds left and the Raps on top by 3, I suppose it's not entirely uncommon to lose such a game. But what is very uncommon is that in those 34 seconds, Toronto allowed Milwaukee to score 13 unanswered points, winning by 10. Once again, they folded like a cheap tent.
I posted on a message board just a day before that game that the Raptors have all the talent they need to be contenders, but the one thing they lack is grit. Call it determination. Call it hunger. Call it killer instinct. Whatever you want to call it, it is what often separates winners from losers. Without it, you cannot win consistently.
Case in point: Last year, in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Raps led by as many as 22 points in the third quarter. This should have been enough to allow them to coast to a victory, right? Wrong. Not only did they lose the game, they gave up the lead while still in the third quarter! That was the night that Kobe Bryant scored his historic 81 points, handing the Raps a hard-to-swallow 104-122 loss.
So, the question now is what will Raptors do tonight in Washington? Really, it shouldn't matter. The Wizards have only won seven games all season. But the Raptors have lost to such teams before. It's a tough call. They may win by 20 or maybe lose by 10. Here's my prediction: Raps will build a sizable lead--perhaps 15 points. In the end, it will be a nail-biter that will see them narrowly squeak out a 3-point win.
Wednesday 7 January 2009
Sterling drops
One of the early pioneers of the First Nation's movement in Canada is gone. Sterling Brass died on Friday at the age of 70.
Chief Lawrence Joseph remembers Brass as a true leader who worked hard to improve the lives of First Nation's people.
He is survived by his three children Goldy Silver, Copper Nickel and Zinc Mercury.
Story
Chief Lawrence Joseph remembers Brass as a true leader who worked hard to improve the lives of First Nation's people.
He is survived by his three children Goldy Silver, Copper Nickel and Zinc Mercury.
Story
Monday 5 January 2009
A sparkling performance
Canada proved to be too much even for a motivated Swedish squad who fell short in the fight for Gold for the second year in a row to the same adversary. For Canada, it was its fifth consecutive Gold Medal, a feat they accomplished twice now, having also won Gold in years 1993-1997.
Canada wasted no time opening the scoring with a goal just 38 seconds into the game. The game remained close until the lead widened to two in the second period. Despite having six or seven opportunities with a man advantage, including two short stints with a two-man advantage, the Swedes could not capitalize.
Finally, an even-strength Swedish goal midway through the third period made it Canada 3 Sweden 1. When Sweden pulled out all the stops, vacating the net in favour of an extra forward with more than two minutes left in the game, Canada scored two empty-net goals, clinching the Gold Medal.
Canada wasted no time opening the scoring with a goal just 38 seconds into the game. The game remained close until the lead widened to two in the second period. Despite having six or seven opportunities with a man advantage, including two short stints with a two-man advantage, the Swedes could not capitalize.
Finally, an even-strength Swedish goal midway through the third period made it Canada 3 Sweden 1. When Sweden pulled out all the stops, vacating the net in favour of an extra forward with more than two minutes left in the game, Canada scored two empty-net goals, clinching the Gold Medal.
What's just below Gold?
National disgrace. This is the reality that every Canadian national hockey team (not to be confused with Canadian NHL team, who have been a national disgrace for longer than I care to remember) must contend with every time they step on the ice. Despite the tremendous pressure, team after team--junior, Olympic, World and women's teams keep coming through with the goods. The current World Junior Hockey tourney is no exception.
The Canadian machine has sputtered on the way here--they allowed the Americans to build a 3-goal lead on New Year's Eve, but fought back to win 7-4 and then in an even more remarkable match this past Saturday night, the boys scored on Russia with five second left in regulation to send it into overtime, where the Canadians won in a shoot-out.
So, tonight they go for Gold for the fifth time in as many tournaments. They face a very talented and determined Swedish team and it should prove to be a highly exciting and entertaining game. And once again, nothing less than Gold is acceptable.
The Canadian machine has sputtered on the way here--they allowed the Americans to build a 3-goal lead on New Year's Eve, but fought back to win 7-4 and then in an even more remarkable match this past Saturday night, the boys scored on Russia with five second left in regulation to send it into overtime, where the Canadians won in a shoot-out.
So, tonight they go for Gold for the fifth time in as many tournaments. They face a very talented and determined Swedish team and it should prove to be a highly exciting and entertaining game. And once again, nothing less than Gold is acceptable.
Sunday 4 January 2009
Q & A's from around the web
Why does my school make us pull up our pants?
If you don't like it, go enrol in plumbing school.
If you don't like it, go enrol in plumbing school.
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