Category: Sport

This time of the year I’m half way through my Canucks season. This year it’s been up and down, we’ll probably make the playoffs but not make it past the 1st round. Again. Sigh.

The tragic thing is that even I love my ‘nucks and listen to every game I possibly can (and there’s 82 in the regular season so that’s a commitment!) my mind is already turning to footy. It’s still two months until it starts but every day I check the Tigers site for news and I scan the sports section each morning hoping that footy will start it’s climb back to being the only thing in print rather than one page stuck behind the cricket and the two weeks a year of tennis that we have to suffer through.

And just to show how tragic I am here’s a list of Tiger related stuff I can see without moving from my chair in the office.

• Alarm clock
• 2005 Membership stickers
• 2006 Membership sticker
• 1970s logo stickers
• Photo of Punt Road sign saying ‘This Is Tigerland’
• Membership card for this year
• Stubby holder (with stubby)
• Pen
• Radio
• Wrist band
• Membership letter
• My photo with the team
• Flag
• Three tiger caps
• Desk flag
• Bert’s first tiger jumper
• Stuffed tiger
• Photo of Andrew Kellaway (on Rae’s desk)\

Today’s the day.

The Canucks played 82 regular season games.
They have played 13 playoff games.
They had their best season ever.
They defeated St Louis 4-3 after coming back from 3-1 down.
They’ve scored miracle goals.
Made miracle saves.
Suffered huge losses after being up 3-1 to find themselves tied at 3-3.

None of this matters now.

It’s game 7 today and 60 minutes on the Ice will determine if we make it through to meet the Ducks in the conference final.

The Stanley Cup awaits, Go Canucks!

Calling all Tiger Fans! The Tiges have put some new stuff on the site – including a screensaver, wallpaper and, for those who have never heard it, our magnificent club anthem (while in spirit probably close to it’s original 1950’s sound it’s a very different version to what they play at the G, but hey – it’s still the best song in the league). Here’s some help if you need the lyrics.

For the uninitiated the bit where the bloke sings ‘Yellow & Black’ is what makes a victory so much sweeter ’cause you yell this out at the top of your lungs. 40,000 Tiger fans screaming ‘Yellow & Black’ must scare the hell out of anyone.

Unbelieavable!

The sooky sooky cry baby bad loser pretty boys of Hawthorn have kicked up such a fuss that the AFL video review panel had no choice but to report the gallant Greg Stafford and send him to the tribunal on Wednesday night.

He’s a ruck man for god’s sake! He’s meant to hurt people! Oh, what’s that? He’s not meant to. Well opposition players shouldn’t take to the field if they can’t take a little tap to the cheek. And the umpire should learn how to bounce the ball properly. And as for this trumped up kneeing nonsense, sheesh. Football is a contact sport.

We all love ya Staffy, elbows down and chin up son.

Comeback #1

Canucks, down 3-2 in game one of a best of seven series to advance to the next round of playoffs. Clock ticking down, crowd roaring, time running out then suddenly a shot – the game is tied with 1 second left on the clock! The game goes in to sudden death overtime where we score and win 4-3 to go 1-0 up in the series. Best part – the goal was scored by Trent Klatt – a native of Minessota – against whom we were playing. Check the picture here.

Comeback #2

And I was at this one. The Tigers were pathetic. Down 51 points at the 22 minute mark of the second quarter and we’re all thinking of hitting the train to go home. Then we scored a goal. The another. And another – in the second half we scored 12 unanswered goals, and in total 14 goals to 2 to effect our greatest ever turnaround of 71 points to win the game (Tigers website listing of the goals). We were absolutely delirious as we left the game, singing our magnificent anthem as we marched down the ramps, smiling from ear to ear. Hawthorn players slunk from the ground to boos from the few Hawks supporters left as we Tiger followers bellowed through two rounds of ‘Tigerland’. For one glorious night we are top of the ladder and the world is a wonderful place.

The story of my all time favourite football photo.

Here is a better view of the actual photo that ran. The courage, pride and defiance this man showed with one simple gesture, in light of the vitriol hurled his way, is an inspiration.

This afternoon I’m off to the ‘G to see my Tiges go round against the Dockers but my heart will be in Vancouver as the Canucks take on St Louis in game 2 of the first round of the playoffs. I’ve got a mate set to SMS me the scores as he listens in from work.

All I can say is Go Nucks, this time it’s your time.

I’m sorry. If any of you tuned in to CKNW I can not apologise enough. There’s still time to go in the game and we are down 0-5. In footy terms it’s like being down 120 points with ten minutes to play in the final quarter.

The pain, the misery. How can they play this poorly? We were one game off winning the division title and now we’re being massacred on our home ice. Poor Tom and John have to call this game – you can hear the despair in their voices. The crowd, who were wild as the puck dropped, seem not to be there.

How can you do this ‘nucks? This year is supposed to be your year.

And to think each round of the playoffs is a best of 7 series. This may go on for three more games.

Sigh.

(And they scored again. 0-6. I can’t listen anymore)

Today is ‘P’ day – playoffs start for my beloved Canucks and, assuming they keep on winning, they will keep on going until June.

Play starts at 12.30pm here so I’ve cleared my schedule and am locking myself in the office to listen to the game live on CKNW. If you’re sitting around listening to your office mates prattle on about the weather tune in – you may have no idea what’s going on but it’s as entertaining as anything you’ll ever hear. John and Tom are hockey commentators without peer.

And the new Tiger’s ad, for the game against the Dockers, should be up later on today.

And the Aussies are going to win the first test against the Windies.

So. Carn the Tiges! Go Nucks! Come Aussie, Come On!

and that’s all from the armchair.