It is a rare Monday that I sit at the keyboard unsure of what to type in terms of sports.
It’s not that there are not lots of things going on in the world of sports that I am following, in fact my DVR is basically flirting with being full, which means on my upcoming days off I will be binge watching a lot of sports.
But, the sports I am watching tends to be in the middle of things, which makes commenting on things a tad difficult when the resulting view will be read in a weekly publication.
For example, the World Cup of Rugby and the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships which I previewed last week are both under way, but far from getting to a point where it’s clear what may be the outcome.
Well perhaps in lacrosse it’s a bit obvious that Canada remains the powerhouse. Early games in round robin play with Canada involved leave the impression of Canada being a very large cat playing with very small mice. Canada has outscored their first three opponents 51-16, and to think they might do anything but repeat as world champs would be to be betting on an incredible long shot.
In terms of Rugby, a seven-week marathon event is barely started, Canada having not even played its first game as I pen this.
That said the two-time defending champion New Zealand All Blacks won their event opener 23-13 over the always competitive Â鶹ÊÓƵ Africa Springboks team, so repeating as champs may be in the cards for the Kiwis.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are usually worth considerable ink at this time of year, but alas they were on a bye week, so there isn’t much newsworthy in terms of the green and white.
Of course it did the heart of a ‘Rider fan good to watch Montreal comeback from a 24-point deficit for a last-minute win 38-37 win over Saskatchewan’s nemesis in Winnipeg. Beyond our interest as Roughrider fans, the game was very much an example of how dynamic the ruleset of the Canadian Football League allows games to be. There is often talk about how games in the league are rarely over because you can score a lot of points in a short time, and that was proven in the Alouette comeback.
Of course in terms of football Canada West action is also under way meaning the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and University of Regina Rams are in action. Admittedly, I rarely watch non-pro sports, opting for the top level I can access, but Canadian college football is an exception. With the games on cable each week it’s a great opportunity to watch some great Canadian college football, and get a sneak peek at some future CFLers.
The thought of writing on the Toronto Blue Jays crossed my mind, but this is their last week of action this year, so a post mortem on the team is much more appropriate next week, (yes that is a hint of what is to come), but for this week baseball is shelved.
As a last thought on this ramble through sports this week, I do wish there was a pro level men’s fastball league we might be watching wrap up its season at this time of year. I find my interest in fastball growing as it wanes for baseball and its ever slow pace of play, but alas there is not even a whisper of a league.
