Now Here's A Crock......UPDATED March 28, 2008

Why would the UCI sue RWP?
Because he is running for president of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, that's why, and cycling would do anything to discredit him, since he has been on their case for years.
Never underestimate the ability of an IF to stoop.
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UCI & Verbruggen Sue Dick Pound

The UCI has moved to the next level in its ongoing dispute with WADA and the organization's former president Dick Pound. The UCI has issued a statement that they will be suing Canadian lawyer Dick Pound for "continual injurious and biased comments" against both the UCI and former UCI President Hein Verbruggen.

Pound was until recently the President of the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA), and he and Verbruggen had a running war of words over Pound's comments about the efforts (or lack therof, according to Pound) of the UCI to combat doping.The text of the UCI statement:The UCI and Mr. Hein Verbruggen have sued Mr. Richard Pound ex-president of WADA before Swiss courts for what they perceive as being continual injurious and biased comments by Mr. Pound against UCI and Mr. Verbruggen in the context of the efforts made by them to eradicate doping from their sport. Indeed, on many occasions, Mr. Pound has publicly questioned the extent of the UCI's efforts in the fight against doping.

One would think that the UCI would have more important things on its agenda than suing Dick Pound. Like, cleaning up the sport????

They must have more money than FIFA!!

No men's Soccer Either

That Own the Podium OTP funding can't come too soon for Canadian teams.

Once again, a Canadian team has failed to qualify for the Olympic Games. Men's soccer (under 23) will be staying home this summer.

What a disappointment for Canadian teams. The cost of developing a system, then training a large number of athletes for any team, then getting them the essential competition, then getting them to the Olympic Qualification Tournament, and keeping them sharp after they qualify, is gigantic.

Let's hope that popular sports like soccer, basketball, volleyball and field hockey can benefit immediately for additional funding. It may be too late for 2012, but there is light for 2016.

Our Canadian children need to see our athletes at the OG. When they see women's and men's hockey playing at the OWG, don't you think that inspires them? You bet!

So, let's get the funding to Canadian teams. Let's get the system working. It's well past time.

Canada and an Olympic Boycott

It's good to see that COC CEO Chris Rudge has said that Canada will NOT boycott the 2008 Olympic Games. Good for him.
I was in the room for the vote in the spring of 1980 when the COA voted to boycott the 1980 Games in Moscow. And I supported the boycott.
I have changed my mind. Boycotts don't do anything except kill the dream of so many athletes. I knew/know some Canadians who didn't get to go to Moscow because of the boycott. It broke their hearts.
I have believed for quite some time that boycotts do not work. They don't make a statement to the country that is the target, and they don't say anything to the country that decides to boycott.
In this case, does anyone really think that if Canada doesn't send its athletes, China will notice or change it's stance on human rights? Not likely.
I despise the idea that the Olympic Games can be used for political purposes. But I know that they are. Sports and politics are intertwined....starting with the IOC.
Let us support Canadian athletes who speak out against injustices wherever they may be; let us all speak out against injustice. But let's not ever again squash the dreams of any Canadian child to become an Olympian. THAT would be an injustice.

More on the Brier

Russ Howard wins as repeat analyst. Joan Mc Cusker did a good job in the last two draws of the Brier. Russ is quite fair, he presents one educated view of the game as it progresses, he has the better tone of voice, he allowed viewers to hear the athletes (skips and others).

Somehow, it has eluded the CBC crowd that there are 4 aspects to air time: booth time, skips time, players time, and no comments. These 4 should not be distributed equally, and "booth time" definitely does not get more than the others.

Thanks to the TSN and CBC for NOT showing viewers the "routines" that players have as they prepare for their delivery. There was nothing more irritating for fans than to watch Dave Nedolin go through his pre-delivery routine.

Unlike some analysts, I think that Kevin Martin has grown a lot in the last while. John Morris has brought a fine contribution to the team, and he too has grown in his game. Yes, he still gets mad, but his coping skills are seriously improved this year. He deserves a large bouquet.

Maybe the networks can persuade Jim Cotter and others to drop the ball cap. It sure looks dorky, and doesn't fit the game at all.

The tribute to Don Wittman (and Chev and Maxwell) was very nice. They stand as giants in curling's development in this country. The patch on the curlers' jackets was obtuse. Looked like a last minute design and execution; it probably was. More is expected from the CCA.

Please, let the game speak for itself. No one needs to tell us "Howard is going to take out the yellow one," as Harris did, as the rock approached the house. Good grief. We can see the obvious!!!

We're looking forward to the Worlds. Let's hope that the round robin play is good, and that the playoffs are better. This Brier final will stick out as one of the game's true duds. Poor ice and poor play. Disappinting for the athletes and the fans.

The Brier Final

What a bust.
A highly-anticipated game, the culmination of a great week of men's curling, two of the best teams in the world. And they can't get the ice right.
What a disappointment.

How do you pronounce "SASKATCHEWAN" ?

Let's hope that Joan's first order of business this afternoon is to take Bruce Rainie aside and have a lesson in pronounciation. He sounds as if he is from Toronto!

Brier, A Great Week of Curling

What a fine week of curling. I'd love it to go forever!!
Russ Howard has done an excellent job as the analyst for TSN druing the daytime. More on that later.
Brad and the boys from the Rock never really showed up. I watched just a few minutes of his loss to BC this morning, it didn't look as if he had his heart in it, and probably didn't. He looked quite sad.
Although Jeff Stoughton expresses disappintment (http://www.cbc.ca/ blog) in Burtnyk's show this week, I thought he had the best attitude all week. He knows that this is just a game, and that there are more important things in this life. Brad will learn that one day. For now, though, he is really disappointed. It shows.
So we are into the Page playoffs. Great games coming up. That Kevin Martin and his team, are extraordinary. He must have an incredible kinesthetic sense. It would be interesting for experts to be able to "measure" why he does so well: his motor skills, his physiology, his mental skills. He'd make a great subject.
I know someone who studied his spouse and her specific athletic performance for a PhD dissertation....maybe we can find someone who would take on this project!!

No Ball Caps, Please

Curlers shouldn't wear ballcaps on the ice.

Why? Viewers can't see their faces, that's why. Viewers watch the delivery, the path of the rock, and of course the action in the house. The curler's face tells us something about the shot.

Help us follow the game, please!

Brenda Martin and the Canadian PM

Steven Harper has never been accused of too much compassion. And, the situation of BRENDA MARTIN in a Mexican jail won't change that. Hard of heart, deaf to opinions other than his own, a bully of the first order.
BRENDA MARTIN is now in the hospital unit in the Mexican jail in which she has languished for 2 years. Apparently charged with being an accessory in a fraud case involving her former employer (who has stated that she was not at any time involved in his nefarious doings), MARTIN was not permitted a lawyer or a translator when she was brought before a judge. Her human rights were trampled upon, according to her lawyer, and her friend in Trenton, Ontario.
Her appeal to this injustice was denied early this week.
As MARTIN languishes in jail, now at 90 pounds, the Minister says she has send "notes" to the Mexican government, and is now powerless to do anything more.
If MARTIN dies in jail, without any intervention by the PM or more assertive measures by the Minister, it will definitely be time to go to the polls.
There are so many examples that illustrate that this man should not have been elected, nor should he continue in office. But the deaths of Canadians due to negligence of the government is unacceptable, not only to me, but also to many others.
A Federal election costs somewhat over $2.5 millin per constituency. This time, it will be money well spent, to get rid of this government, and its "leader."
He is not a "leader." He is a bully who now says that the bill on RESPs must not be implemented. This bill was passed by parliament. He was having a snooze when it went though.

Let's get to the polls. It is time for a new government, one with a leader who does not bully parliament, does not act in secret, one who respects the people of this country.

Please email the PM to take action on behalf of BRENDA MARTIN. Now.
pm@pm.gc.ca

Updates

Winter will leave, I'm sure! Someday!!

A good weekend for sports on TV. The Brier got off to a good start on TSN. The Sunday afternoon "colour" commentatoor was Russ Howard who did a great job. He offers very different insights from Ray and Linda. Very refreshing. Thanks, TSN! And, he and Vic probably had more "dead air" than the CBC staff in most of their games. We actually could listen to the athlete deliberations, without having to listen to colour commentators then beat on the skips' decisions. How refreshing!! Once again, "there's more than one way to skin a cat."

The Score aired the CIS woomen's basketball final from Saskatoon. Since I finally have The Score, it was great to be able to see the game. They aired ONE women's game of this tournament, and are airing FOUR games of the men's final basketball tournament. Small steps, to be sure. But let's pick up the pace! More women's games in 2009, please.

One notable problem in the telecast was the sound. With the noise of fans, it was very difficult to hear the female colour commentator (Shawnee Harle) most of the time, and the man's voice was drowned out quite often.

Otherwise, a good game, played before a rather slim crowd, which is too bad.

Water polo team dunks Romania in huge upset

Victory in Ordea gives Canada first outright berth in Olympics

March 08, 2008
Randy Starkman SPORTS REPORTER (Toronto Star)

Nathaniel Miller wore his bite marks proudly in Romania last night, a souvenir of Canada's "Miracle on Water."
The Canadian water polo team had no business beating Romania in their home pool with an Olympic berth on the line. The Romanians were huge favourites, trouncing Canada by 10 goals a week ago in Hungary. The undersized Canadian crew knew the crowd would be against them and likely the referees, too. And, besides, upsets rarely occur in water polo.
But one did this time.
The headline on waterpolo-world.com said it all: Canada causes earthquake in Ordea.
The tremors were still being felt after a 9-8 victory for Canada that qualified the country in men's water polo outright for the first time in Olympic history – they got there before by invitation, boycott or being the host.
The receptionist at the team's hotel in Romania at first said no one from the Canadian team could come to the phone because they were celebrating, but Miller kindly obliged. It turns out head coach Dragan Jovanovic had set a two-beer maximum, anyway, because they have two games left.
It was a vicious game that left Miller and a few of his teammates with bite marks, all from the same 6-foot-4 offender who may or may not have been a descendant of that great Romanian, Vlad Dracula.
"I'll take it," said Miller, a Montrealer who at 28 is the team's elder statesman. "While he was worrying about biting me, I was worrying about putting the ball in the net."
Jovanovic, a star goalie for the former Yugoslavia, started laying the groundwork for the victory when he took over as head coach in 2004. He demanded a much greater commitment from the players than ever before, one that saw many veterans step aside.
"Right from the start, he changed the mentality," said Miller.
A toughness that belied their youth was evident yesterday. At an average of about 23 years old, the Canadians have one of the youngest teams, with only four pros on their roster. When they got into penalty trouble, they had 18- and 19-year-olds battling against 32-year-old Romanian pros.
They stuck to the defence-first system preached by Jovanovic, blocking over a dozen balls with a smothering defence. The inordinate number of blocks seemed to take a toll on the Romanian psyche.
In the final seconds, one of the Romanians grabbed the ball and was poised for a seemingly dangerous shot, but squeezed too tightly and it fell harmlessly into the hands of a Canadian defender.
Miller watched the last seconds tick off from the penalty box.
"That was the greatest moment of my life," Miller said. "We trusted in each other and trusted in our coach and pulled off a huge upset. Going into this, I don't think anyone in the sport thought we had a chance to win."

-30-

This is a stunning upset! Way to go Canada!

Random Thoughts on a Very Snowy Saturday!

Leading the good news is that the Canadian Men's Water Polo Teaam has qualified for the first time ever, through QT, for the Beijing Olympics. This is great news for water polo athletes, fans and for Canada. Canada is a water country; our divers, synchro athletes, swimmers and water polo athletes are terrific. If there were more pools so we could introduce young people to many different kinds of water activities, it would be great!

In today's Globe and Mail, Bob Weeks pays tribute to the CBC for 42 years connected to the Brier, the Canadian men's curling championship. A well-deserved tribute. It's been a long time, innovations to enhance the game, and fine hosts have given curling a Canadian and world profile that was instrumental in getting the game into the Olympic Winter Games.

It's always interesting to consider people's philosophy, where they are coming from, why they hold the views that they express. Having spent many years in sport, where athletes (and coaches) measure from the TOP, I am always a bit surprised to read in the newspaper or in blogs or on websites, a very different perspective. Some people express the view that "things are a lot better than they were [at the Memorial Centre] in the old facility." Many of us express it differently: "things could have been closer to the best/finest/most innovative facilities." That's how I feel about the lvec; it could have been so much more.

It's ridiculous to say "this is just a small town, so what we got suits us." That's why Kingston will always be a small town, till the mayor, council and civic leaders stand up and say how fine a city it is, that it is a great place to live....get on their podiums, sound proud of the place, provide some positive, community-building leadership. Leadership.

Saturated?

Cancellation this week of two shows slated for the dreaded lvec is disappointing for fans of those shows, for the facility itself, and for Kingstonians.

The question is: is Arcturus SMG saturating the market? Does Arcturus SMG know the market, and where does it get its information about it? As of today, here are/were more than 17 events on the program up to June 30th.

Certainly, it takes time, perhaps even a cycle of a year, to find out what the locals want. Arcturus is no new rube in facility management. They operate over 11 facilities in N. America, including this one and the Hershey Centre in Mississauga. And every market is different.

Kingston has to make some decisions, and there's one very big one. How will it decide that an event should be in the wonderful new Grand Theatre vs in the new K-Rock Centre? One good example is Englebert Humperdinck and Avril Lavigne. The Grand would be a good venue for EH, and the lvec for AL.

Let us hope that there is public discussion about event location in Kingston. Neither facility should be left behind, both should be well-served and busy. But, each facility will serve different kinds of events, and perhaps diffferent client groups. Let's get that discussion going in public, and not leave it to whomever they hire to book/program/manage the Grand (is Arcturus SMG going to get that as-yet-unanncounce contract?).

If the market is saturated now, what will it be like when they start to book events at the Grand?

Speaking of Marketing the LVEC......

Is the operator, Arcturus SMG, in charge of marketing the dreaded LVEC to the citizens? Or who is in charge of marketing the lvec?

Since this project was the idea of the current mayor of the city, why doesn't he become the CHAMPION of the place? How about putting on a big smile and getting out and about the community, talking to groups, getting into The Whig (which has always been a BIG fan of the rink), getting on the radio (and not just K-Rock! Any idea how many Kingstonians don't/won't even LISTEN to Krock??), getting seen around the community as the rink's biggest fan?

Every project needs a BOOSTER or two or several. Every marketing expert will tell you that every successful project needs a CHAMPION.

Come on, Mayor. Make a plan. Set some goals. Commit to making 6 public mini speeches, positive ones that is, per week, about the rink that you wanted so badly. Be positively proactive, with a smile, a warm handskake, and sincerity. Do it YOURSELF; don't just send one of the councillors out to CHAMPION your pet project.

Or is it too late?

Enjoy the Humour!

This morning's Whig Standard offered readers an amusing irony. Reporter Ian Elliot writes about Queen's University's gigantic cost over-runs on the under-construction Queen's Centre. [Interestingly, this story was extensively covered in the Queen's 'Journal,' last Friday February 29th!]

Vice Principal Simpson is reported to have said that because of rising costs, etc, they are looking at "value engineering" to somehow lower costs for phases 2 and 3 of the Centre.

Kingtonians will remember when the dreaded LVEC was being rammed down our throats, that the project manager said they would use a concept called "design build." This actually is a known strategy in the construction business. In the case of the lvec, we now know that what this meant is that a number of items on the list of inclusions, got deleted: the best example of which is the 300 seat restaurent. It turned into a smaller restaurent, and a "Sports Cafe" that isn't finished yet (nor equipped since there is no one who wants to run the restaurant. So the LVEC budget will have to include all the equipment that it was thought would be provided by the restaurant operator). And, it probably meant inferior materials to those initially proposed.

Anyway, isn't the irony great? The City calls it "design build" which means 'we can change the design and use inferior materials,' and Queen's uses the phrase "value engineering" to mean the same thing!!!!

Are we sposed to miss this "spin"?? Not as niaive as they think!

Oh How it Gets in Your Craw!!!

It sure gets in the craw of some of you cowards (those who refuse to identify yourselves) that all is not peaches and cream at the new LVEC.!!!!

The more "anonymous" postings there are on this blog, the more it expresses the opinion that the avid boosters (at least those who have not been public about the lvec) are not pleased with the way it has turned out, and don't dare say so in the newspapers or to the mayor and council. Will you ever stand up and be counted?

Is there fear of reprisal?

P.S. did you notice that CKWSTV did the SAME story at 6pm last night?

No One Thought About the Equipment?

The first of what may become a series of "shows" is poised to play at the K-Rock Centre (still known to many locals, including media, as the LVEC).

For 2 days, staff of Disney High School Musical - the Ice Tour have been trying to unload their gear from what seem to be about 8 or 9 trailers. The unloading area at the LVEC is two back-in trailer spots, both of which can't be used at the same time, unless one tractor (the part that pulls the trailer) is disconnected.

Oh yes, they also unload into the large doors where the Zamboni is parked. This is off King Street, between Place d'Armes and Barrack Streets. So that block of King Street is unavailable to vehicle traffic. (Yesterday too, a van was parked on the sidewalk on this block)

Yesterday, there were 7 trailers parked on the streets around the LVEC, either unhitched or waiting (idling) with their tractors. Unhitched trailers were/are in the on-street spots on Place d' Armes at the corner of Wellington, on both sides of King Street between Queen and Barrack, on Barrack Street in front of the Food Basics, across the main Barrack Street doors of the LVEC, on the north side of the facility (where the team buses have been idling for extended periods of time).

To access the building's unloading area, these 18 wheelers drive into the stub of King Street north of Place d'Armes; they idle there till a worker comes from the lvec to "direct" them as they back into the building. As they back into the building, traffic coming off the Causeway piles up past Fort Frontenac toward the bridge.

It is doubtful that it will take long for word to get around the tour/business world that Kingston's facility is a nightmare for touring companies. There's nowhere to park trailers that carry the costumes, the sound systems, the on-ice equipment, and the unloading area is grossly indequatee. There's no waiting area, except on-street, in the vehicle parking spots. How many touring shows will come this way? If it's a problem to unload, will they come?

Oh yes, and once they get the trucks unloaded inside the facility, where will they put all the performers' costumes/gear? There is virtually no space under the stands; the Fronts have adjacent dressing rooms, so there is the visitors' dressing room? And one other?

Didn't anyone think about all the gear and equipment that shows bring with them? Didn't anyone realize that shows travel with LOADS of equipment? Yes, many people did. But those with the votes didn't hear.

After the 2 Disney shows on Tuesday and Wednesday, the trailers have to be reloaded, and (as often happens) wait to depart in convoy. What a frustration. Word will travel quickly, "Be prepared for a nightmare of unloading/loading in Kingston." And, we can guess what the promoters will decide.

What will be interesting to observe (along with the high staff requirement to make all this happen) is the 36 hour turn-around for the Friday night Frontenac's game. And then, gasp, staging for the 2008 Freestyle Motocross World Tour slated to start less than 20 hours after the Fronts' game.

The line item for "staff" on Arcturus SMG's LVEC budget will be gigantic. Will it seep down to Kingston taxpayers?

My objection to locating this facility on this spot always was, and still is, that there are few amenities in the building; meeting rooms, under-stands space, large concourses, dining areas, suitable coat-check...all these essential were erased from the plan when they decided the building had to go here. A tragic legacy for Kingston's City Councils.

Canada and the Pan American Games, 2015

There's been a lot of reecent discussion about Canada bidding for the 2015 Pan American Games. They were last hosted by Canada in 1999, and by 2015, it will be high time that they are held in this country.
Certainly Ontario would be a fine host, but other provinces, like Alberta, would do a good job.
Canada needs to get its act together. A multi-sport summer event is imperative. Our young people need to see our heros, need to feel the excitement, and need to leadership that the PAG would offer.
Below, Gross speeaks to benefits for soccer that a multi-sport games would bring. Just think of all the other summer sports that would benefit!!

By George Gross, The Toroonto Sun
March 3, 2008

Soccer in southern Ontario would receive a major kick forward if Premier Dalton McGuinty took on a leadership role in acquiring the 2015 Pan American Games for the region.
Part of the job already has been done by Michael Chambers of Ottawa, the president of the Canadian Olympic Committee, and Paul Henderson of Toronto, a former member of the International Olympic Committee and president of the International Sailing Federation.
The pair recently visited Vasquez Rana in Mexico City, head of the Pan-American Games and, therefore, the most influential person to talk to about southern Ontario's bid plans. They came away satisfied that this area would have a good chance of getting the Sport Festival of the Americas, providing the Ontario government would take on a leadership role.
"Improved soccer and other sports facilities would benefit from us hosting the 2015 Games," Henderson said yesterday. "For instance, the final of the soccer tournament would be played at the new Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton, a site which could be built only if we get the Games.
"Cities such as Barrie, St. Catharines, London could benefit from the Games by hosting various events.

"We can't wait for the feds to do something internationally. The Ontario preem has to grab the bull by the horns and lead our Pan-Am bid just like B.C. Premier (Gordon) Campbell supported Vancouver's Olympic bid."
Henderson is frustrated and I can understand it. After all, Ontario hasn't played host to a major international multi-sport event since 1932. And that, friends, was 76 years ago!

-30-

Strauss Canada Cup on CBC

Viewers enjoyed the game this afternoon, Koe vs Gushue, with side trips to the women's 1 vs 1 game that Stephanie Lawton won.
It was refreshing to listen to the teams make decisions about their strategy and shots, and not have to strain to hear what was being said.
Thanks to the analysts and "host" for allowing the athletes to speak for themselves, and the game unfold as they determined. There was little second-guessing, and even less "I would have done this" or "Koe is thinking that he should...."

The biggest criticism that we curling fans have today is that the CBC is only showing one game today.

Looking forward to the games tomorrow! Let's hope they show them one after the other.

p.s. can you imagine what the PAID attendance was today? It was a sea of empty seats......

The Globe and Mail Takes a Swipe, but at Who?

The Globe runs a feature occasionally, across the top of two pages, with pictures of people who have had a "good week" and people who have had a "bad week." The number of times they have featured a female can be counted on the fingers of one hand. But that's another story.

Today, writer Paul Attfield features Jennifer Jones' picture, a small write up, and then finishes with a swipe. Something about women's curling being on the program of the Olympic Winter Games (the correct name for it), and women's ski jumping not getting on the program.

Here's the email that I sent to the Sports Editor in response to the swipe; it is signed with my city of residence and blog url.

"Good morning, Paul.
Your swipe at the end of the note about Jennifer Jones having a good week reveals quite a bit about you.
Your knowledge about curling, women's ski jumping or the Olympic Winter Games, or perhaps all three of them, is lacking.
Curling, both men's and women's, met the criteria for inclusion in an Olympic Winter Games. Check out the IOC website to find out what is required in order to be on the OWG program.
Women's ski jumping has not met the criteria. Nothing that VANOC or the Canadian government or the COC do, will change that. The IOC will not relent.
And, swipes like yours won't get women's ski jumping into the OWG either!"