Smoke’s Rant: Team Canada does Nation Proud at Women’s World Cup Despite Early Exit

Sure, some would say that it was disappointing that the Canadian team didn’t go as far as they did in the 2012 London Olympics where they captured bronze, but that is complete garbage. The girls went unbeaten in the round robin, then shut out a very strong Swiss team with a complete defensive game, the likes of which coaches around the nation should look at when trying to make their own minor teams better. Hell, GK McLeod had three clean sheets in five games. Christine Sinclair and company took the weight of a nation on their shoulders and performed on the biggest stage of them all up until the last whistle. Even, when faced with a team that was ranked higher in the world ranking than them, team Canada still went out and dominated the game; unfortunately the result did not go in their favor. So, what happened in the quarter finals against England?

One simple answer: we couldn’t finish. I am not talking about finishing strong in the game, I am talking about the inability to capitalize on golden opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net. The biggest culprit go throwing away chances was striker Melissa Tancredi. Less than 1 minute into the game, Christine Sinclair kicks a beautiful cross to Tancredi and she beats the defender that was on her, but instead of taking the time that she had and placing the ball for a perfect shot, she decides to fire a shot off in a hurried fashion and wings it about 10 feet over the net for a missed opportunity. Just get the ball on the giant net and see what happens! Throughout the game Tancredi had a handful of glorious chances to help get Canada the lead to tie the game when the team was down, but failed on every attempt. Coach John Herdman realized about three-quarters of the way through the game that Tancredi had lost confidence in herself and her abilities and mercifully decided to switch her out for Andria Leon, whom created more chances and looked sharper overall then Tancredi did. John Herdman relied heavily on some players to pull through for him, which ended up being his team’s downfall in the end.

Second simple answer: Sesselmann. For those who watched Canada’s last two games, a one name explanation is all you need. For those whom unfortunately didn’t catch some of the spectacular action displayed by number 10, let me catch you up to speed. Let’s start with the game against the Swiss. Sesselmann appears to have a lack of confidence from the very first kick. Placed at left-back to defend from any crosses that might worry the goalkeeper, it became very clear that the Swiss were targeting her side for entrance into the offensive zone. Everytime the ball crossed halfway, i would close my eyes and predict where there midfielder was going to take it, and without fail, it was always to Sesselmann’s side. Thank goodness John Herdman is not blind. Because halfway through the game, after numerous glorious chances for the Swiss, Sesselmann was put in the center-back position for the remainder of the game. This is not to say that this fixed the problem altogether, but it did reduce the number of chances for the opposition. So, one would ask themselves, why don’t we put another defender in the next game that has confidence in herself and is solid defensively. John Herdman may not be blind, but he might have amnesia, as Sesselmann was put in the starting rotation for the game against the English. Within 10 minutes, after Tancredi has missed a couple of grade A scoring chances, Sesselman coughs up the ball on an easy pass from her teammate this gives England a partial breakaway, which striker Taylor makes no mistake putting the ball past McLeod. It was the second guessing of herself and the errand passes she made all tournament that caused Canada to not go as far as its supporter wanted.

Despite Tancredi and Sesselmann’s lack of stellar play, the overall effort of the team was absolutely incredible. To have the girls even get past the round robin stage, is a feat in of itself. The fact that stepping on the pitch and playing with as much heart as they did inspired a nation of young girls and boys to pursue their passion in soccer, in the hopes that one day they can represent their country like Sinclair and company.

As Andrew Soltis brought up on The Smoke Show, Canada has a great chance to get right back on the horse in August as they represent their country again in the Pan-American Games in Toronto. This next tournament gives them a chance to prove to the world that they are even better than their World Cup result signified, and bring a nation to their feet one more time on home soil.

I am Smoke Stark and this has been my rant on Canada doing us proud at the Women’s World Cup. Thanks for reading and the night is always darkest before the dawn. 

Smoke's Rant: NHL 2015 Draft Predictions

My first rant for this week is more of a prediction. Since the draft order for Friday’s draft has been made available, I have work tirelessly to try and come up with the most accurate prediction of how the draft is going to go down. Keep in mind, these picks are baring any trades that may or may not happen. The Arizona Coyotes have already been fielding a few legitimate offers for their 3^rd overall pick, so that pick might be going elsewhere. With that said, the first overall pick in the 2015 NHL Entry draft will be….

1) Edmonton Oilers: CONNOR MACDAVID. (F)

Connor MacDavid has been talked about ever since he arrived on the OHL scene at age 15. The kid is an absolute wizard with the puck and can see the ice better than most current NHL stars. Even in a year where he sustained a pretty severe hand injury that put him out of action for months, MacDavid came back to the OHL (after a gold medal at the world juniors) to produce 3.5 points per game and still captured third in the OHL scoring race with 120pts. There is no doubt in any person’s mind that McDavid is going to be the next mega star in the NHL, that’s if the Oilers don’t screw him over like they have the last couple of 1^st overall picks they have gotten.

2) Buffalo Sabres: JACK EICHEL. (F)

Eichel is starting to develop an ego to match his incredible talent, as he has stated that whoever pick him must commit to playing him for the full NHL season or he won’t sign with the team. The Boston College standout has been going head-to-head with McDavid for the last year to see who goes number 1 overall. Eichel had a mediocre world juniors, which made the gap between the two star insurmountable. Scout and analysts alike have said that they would put Eichel 1^st overall in any other draft in the past, ahead of the likes of Steven Stamkos and John Tavares. Buffalo is in desperate need of a playmaking center to accompany their newest star acquisition: Evander Kane.

3) Arizona Coyotes: NOAH HANIFIN. (D)

Also hailing from Boston College, Hanifin has been rising up the rankings throughout the year. Some scouts had him going as low as 10^th overall, but his play in the later part of the NCAA regular season and playoffs, coupled with a stalwart performance as team USA’s anchor on defense, Arizona can ill afford to pass on this stud d-man who I would liken to a Alex Pietrangelo of the St. Louis Blues. With so many great forward prospects, the Coyotes need some help on the back end if they have any chance of becoming a contender years down the road.

4) Toronto Maple Leafs: DYLAN STROME. (F)

The Maple Leafs need a lot of help everywhere, but the most important position is right down the middle. The Leafs are likely trading away their star sniper in Phil Kessel, thus need a player that can fill in for Kessel in the near future. Despite being somewhat of a product of McDavid’s immense talent, Strome proved critics wrong as he kept up his stellar play when his teammate was injured getting 29points in 20 games. The extra bonus with Strome is that he won’t get wowed by the bright lights of the NHL because he has already gone through the process with his older brother Ryan, who is a star player for the Islanders. The only problem is that if he doesn’t get help, he cannot carry a team on his back, especially early on in his career. Dylan Strome is a player that the Leafs need, but should also pay careful attention in developing properly.

5) Carolina Hurricanes: MIKKO RANTANEN (F)

With the Hurricanes shopping around Jeff Skinner in the offseason, they are in desperate need of scoring at the top end of their lineup. Rantanen is a huge body at 6”3 and 211lbs, which he could use to make room for himself to be open for a beauty of a pass from Stall and company. Even though there are forwards considered better in the draft, the Hurricanes need to understand their need in scoring and have a player that is ready to step into the NHL right now.

6) New Jersey Devils: MITCH MARNER (F)

The London Knights playmaking forward is the perfect fit for the Devil’s if he slips down to number 6. The Devil’s struggled finding anybody to fill the 2^nd line center role to help the likes of Patrick Elias and relieve the pressure of Travis Zajac, who other teams have targeted on every shift he plays. Marner complied 82 assists for the Knights last year. Scouts have likened him to a Patrick Knae, but I would lean towards a Patrice Bergeron.

7) Philadelphia Flyers: LAWSON CROUSE (F)

Despite having a very German last name, this Canadian is all red and white heart. At 6”4 and 215lbs, Crouse can give Flyers fans a taste of the orange and black of old, but his playmaking hands and nose for the net will be a huge compliment for Claude Giroux and company. Crouse will be developing alongside a plethora of young prospects that the Flyers are bringing up in their organization. Imagine him on a line with Giroux and Brayden Schenn? Scary!

8) Columbus Blue Jackets: IVAN PROVOROV (D)

From the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, Provorov has been one of the main reasons that his team was so dominant throughout the regular season. Constantly giving the likes of the Prince George Cougars a headache the moment they crossed the red line, Provorov is the perfect addition to the weak Jackets blueline. I ask you this, name another defenseman after Jack Johnson? Exactly. Sergei Bobrovski can only do so much with before the onslaught of forwards swarm his crease. Ivan Provorov can be the start of a blueline rebuild that most believe is way overdue for an upgrade.

9) San Jose Sharks: OLIVER KYLINGTON (D)

Going slightly off the board with this pick, Kylington was considered to be the cream of the crop in the beginning of the season, but he struggled down the stretch and pushed him down most rankings. I believe the size and mobility will be clear to the Sharks and they will have another cornerstone d-man alongside Mirco Mueller.

10) Colorado Avalanche: ZACH WERENSKI (D)

Another top end talent coming out of the NCAA this season, Werenski is a big body presence on the back end, but also has the hands to put up some major points against other team’s top threats. 25 points in 35 games is pretty darn good for a defenseman, especially considered he was one of the youngest players in the league. Colorado needs another big time offensive defensemen on a core that is getting ancient by the minute.

11) Florida Panthers: TIMO MEIER (F)

After drafting Aaron Ekblad 1^st overall last year, the Panthers are looking to bulk up on the offence. No one fits the bill better than Halifax Mooseheads leading score Timo Meier. At 6”2 and over 200lbs, Meier possesses the raw talent to take games over down low. Not only is he a strong offensive force, he is also responsible offensively, which is a trait that is rare in such a young player. Alongside Nick Bjugstad and Alex Barkov, the Panthers could be building up one of the best young offences in the league.

12) Dallas Stars: JAKUB ZBORIL (D)

From the QMJHL Saint John’s Sea Dogs, Zboril is a fast puck moving defenseman, whose talents would fit perfectly into the style of play that the Stars have developed under coach Lindy Ruff. In his rookie campaign, Zboril tallied 33 points in 44 games. The stars are looking to make their d-core younger and faster if they are wanting to keep up with the likes of the Blackhawks and Blues. Zboril will not be on the opening day roster for the Stars, but expect him to put on a few more pounds onto his frame and be ready to make a big impact in a couple of years.

13) LA Kings: JACOB LARSSON (D)

Larsson is a stay-at-home d-man, who has had the chance to play with men in the Swedish Elite League. At 6”2 and just shy of 200lbs, Larsson’s style of play will help the Kings in one of the only areas that they are weak (in their own zone). For too long the Kings have relied on Johnathan Quick to bail them out, problem is, he only plays well if he gets into the playoffs. Larsson should signify a movement by Kings management to stop loading up talent for an all-out attack, and focus more on the times that the puck is in their own zone.

14) Boston Bruins: MATHEW BARZAL (F)

The young phenome ran into a bit of injury trouble, which took him out of action for over three months. Widely considered to be a top end forward talent in this year’s draft, his stock has dropped a bit. The Bruins are in desperate need of replenishing the offensive well in their organization. Barzal will not be available to play for the Bruins this year, no should he. Another year with the Seattle Thunderbirds under his belt will give him the confidence to try and crack the lineup for the 2016/2017 season.

15) Calgary Flames: Thomas Chabot (D)

With a wealth of young talent up front with the likes of Gudreau, Monahan, and Ferland, the Flames are in need up help on the blueline. With the best prospect being Tyler Wotherspoon, the Flames need to create a balance of young prospects in their system. Chabot is considered more of an offensive threat than other d-men in the draft, which is useful when you need to break out of the zone and feed your young teammates the put. Mark Giordano will be a great mentor for Chabot to make him a better-rounded player, but there is no denying his upside will make the Flames winners at the 15^th position.

16) Edmonton Oilers: GABRIEL CARLSSON (D)

Carlsson is a must for the Oilers! They have more than enough high end talent in the forward position, they need to get more defensively responsible. While playing with Linkoping’s junior team, Carlsson put up a very modest 7 points, but managed an astounding +21 rating in 39 games. He has managed to be selected for every national team that he can and excels when put in crucial situations. He says that his favorite player is Nicklas Lidstrom, the Oilers are just hoping that he can help save Scrivens (or Talbot) from drowning in a pile of pucks.

17) Winnipeg Jets: KYLE CONNOR (F)

Even though the Jets made the playoffs and was everyone’s Rudy for the 2014/2015 season, the Jets need to face reality; the Jets overachieved. With the likes of Evander Kane gone to Buffalo and Drew Stafford likely testing free agency, the Jets need some help up front. Mark Sheifele is the only player of note so far that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff can hang his hat on. Kyle Connor is the next answer to their offensive woes. The Jets had an awful time of not being able to get the next goal to put some games out of reach. Connor’s stellar play in the USHL was something that, no doubt caught the eye of Jets scouts as well as many others around the league. If Connor is still on the board, the Jets will not pass on him.

18) Ottawa Senators: PAVEL ZACHA (F)

The Sarnia Sting center is an absolute giant at 6”3 210lbs already. His rankings have been very consistent over the whole year at the 8^th spot in North America. His transition from the Czech Republic has been very smooth compared to other Europeans that have made the trek in years past, I guess it helps when your mentor if former NHL great Petr Nedved. With 34 points in 37 games, Zacha’s nose for the net will be a great asset for the Sens if he falls lower in the draft than other experts believe.

19) Detroit Red Wings: JEREMY ROY (D)

Ever since the retirement of Nick Lidsrom a few years ago, the Red Wings have been trying to fill the void at defense. Jeremy Roy fits the bill in the future. In Sherbrooke of the QMJHL, Roy had 43 points in 46 games, which still lead the team in defenseman scoring. Winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award last year and following it with a very strong performance in his shortened season this year, the Red Wings are looking at a player that can be a rock on the blue line for years to come.

20) Minnesota Wild: TRAVIS KONECNY (F)

The wild have always struggled with scoring, whether it is because they have had the most boring of playing styles, or if it’s because they trade away all their offensive talent. If the wild want to find someone to skate alongside Zac Parise in a year or two from now, Konecny has the balanced attack to light the lamp as well as be defensively responsible. With more than a point a game, the Wild need to have an offensive talent like Konecny in their system if they ever want to get passed the second round of the playoffs without relying solely on their goaltending.

21) Buffalo Sabres: NOAH JUULSEN (D)

The Sabres already have their forward of the future with Eichel, now it’s time for them to focus on their own zone. While Noah Juulsen did not have the greatest of starts, his play in the second half of the season showed scouts and experts alike that he is just getting started. With a 6”2 frame, Juulsen is another kid that needs to fill out more. Put, 20lbs of muscle on him and he becomes a dangerous weapon on a team that’s about as lethal as a ham sandwich. Stylizing himself after Canuck fan favorite Kevin Bieksa, Juulsen possesses a great eye for offense while still maintaining a great +/-. He won’t wow you with amazing goals, but Buffalo just needs him to help get rid of the red light sun burn that Sabres goalies are used to these days.

22) Washington Capitals: NICK MERKLEY (F)

The Capitals will be thanking their lucky stars if the Kelowna Rockets standout is still on the board at the 22^nd spot. He is a dynamic forward that can beat you with speed and get the best out of his fellow linemates with beauty passing and great vision. Merkley and Rourke Charttier tore apart the WHL this past season with a berth in the Memorial Cup as their prize. Despite being an undersized player, the eastern conference is a perfect place for the right winger to thrive. Seeing him beside the likes of Ovechkin and Backstrom will be the envy of the rest of the league. This could be the steal of the first round.

23) Vancouver Canucks: RYAN PILON (D)

Coming off a season that saw his team dominate the WHL until hitting the roadblock known as the Kelowna Rockets, this puck moving offensive d-man is exactly what the Canucks need in their system. Since the likelihood of Bieksa being a Canuck next season, Benning and company need to be looking at replacing him with a younger version. Even though fans might think that a stay-at-home guy like Brandon Carlo of the Tri-City Americans would be a better fit, I have to believe that the speed of Pilon is a great counter to the sluggish problem that the Flames capitalized on in this past season’s playoffs.

24) Toronto Maple Leafs: BRANDON CARLO (D)

The Leafs will be thanking the Canucks that they didn’t lose out on Carlo a pick before. Having already acquiring the services of Dylan Strome earlier, Shanahan’s management group will be looking to give the goaltenders a little help. Carlo is a huge 6’5 and 200lbs, with a mobility of a guy much smaller. Even though he is not known for his shooting ability, the Leafs will get a solid d-man that won’t disappoint (I’m looking at you Luke Schenn).

25) Winnipeg Jets: JANSEN HARKINS (F)

There is a gut feeling that the Prince George star forward will be called to the stage to put on a Jets jersey come Friday. With their second pick in the first round, the Jets will be looking to stockpile an already impressive forward core. Harkins is not likely going to be ready for the bright lights of the NHL for a few years at least, but when he does, you can look forward to hearing a lot of “ Harkins down the wing, shovels it to Sheifele aaaaand scores top self baby; what a beauty!”.

26) Montreal Canadiens: SEBASTIAN AHO (D)

Coming from Umea, just south of the arctic circle, Aho has been playing with men for the majority of the season. His small stature can be a bit of a problem, but the Canadiens have had some pretty good success with smaller talent. Despite his size, Aho has incredible speed and vision for the ice. The fact that he is an accomplished young two-way d-man, in a couple of years, he might even be Andrei Markov’s replacement.

27) Anaheim Ducks: EVGENY SVECHNIKOV (F)

This fast Russian winger used his speed in Cape Breton to launch himself to 78 points in 55 games. Evgeny also fits in with the Ducks size as he is 6”2 and 200lbs. Like Zacha, he has made a seamless transition from mother Russia to the CHL. He can create havoc for Perry and Getzlaf in front of the net, while still having the touch to tap in the dirty rebound. The knock on this player is that he might need a little work on the 200 foot game instead of concentrating on the offensive side of the puck.

28) Tampa Bay Lightning: PAUL BITTNER (F)

The Lightning showed in the playoffs that they need a little bit more size on forward. Bittner is a monster from the Portland Winterhawks at 6”4 with aggression to match. The Lightning are a speedy team but need a third line winger that gives John Copper a little more options when trying to use his minutes well and let some pressure off Stamkos and Tyler Johnson.

29) Philadelphia Flyers: DANIEL SPRONG (F)

Sprong gives the Flyers some much needed speed in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers have long been the victim of faster teams like the Canadiens and Lightning. He could be likened to Joe Sackic with his release. Sprong also shoots in bunches as he notched 270 pucks at the net, which could help create rebounds and other scoring chances.

30) Arizona Coyotes: COLIN WHITE (F)

With the last pick in the first round, the Coyotes will go back to the forward position for their second pick with Colin White. White has fallen down the ranks due to injury and a poor performance at he 5 nations tournament in Czech Republic. , but when he was on the ice, he tallied a point per game and has shown to be a playmaker with 26 assists in 45 games. He is also a clutch performer scoring the gold-medal winning goal in the world under-18 championship.

And with that, we the picks are locked in. If you disagree with the picks, please feel free to leave your comments below. As always, I am Smoke Stark. Thank you for reading, and with great power comes great responsibility.

Winona Wilde Album Review: You Loose Some, You Loose Some

New Music Review: Winona Wilde's You Loose Some, You Loose Some

Winona Wilde grabbed my hand and took me on a wagon ride touring her dynamic genre spanning 10 songs on “You Loose Some, You Loose Some”. From the trumpet speckled “Dating Song” which features Winona’s wit and humour alongside perfectly placed horn (which surely could make the grumpiest of cats to wiggle), to her wisdom and grit in the acapella’s “Six Feet of Earth Pt 1 & Pt 2”, to the smoky vocals and jazzed up arrangement with “Sugar Mama”, she showcases her diverse range and musical ability all without loosing ground of her own sound.

Tom Waits fans will find themselves nostalgic with “Winona’s Blues”, an unhurried but consistent waltz that made me feel as though I was being led along the dusty trails of a travelling musician. And then there is the simple yet potent acoustic “I Can Shout Louder”. This is my personal favourite, conjuring up feelings of my own stubbourness and strong will. This short but sweet gem leaves the listener feeling the fight and power of a strong woman on a mission. Rounding out the album is “Pop & Chips for the Apocalypse”, a solo piano ballad that beautifully paints the tensions of modern living and present day destructions, while still finding space to survive and thrive. At the end of this wagon ride, I felt as though I made a new friend, one who will always surprise me. Winona Wilde don’t mind looking the truth hard in the eye, she stares it down and then paints it out loud with the sweetness and depth of a deep brown sugar and a cool yet unflinching honesty.

You can catch Winona Wilde here in northern BC at these smashing events:

July 24-26 Hootstock Music Festival, near Williams Lake BC

July 28-30 Songwriting Camp, Wells BC

July 31-August 3 Artswells, Wells BC

You can also listen to her tunes on the airwaves from 9-10 am on our daily local show Due North.

LISTEN TO WINONA WILDE YAY!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNqOhVXlq8c

Smoke’s Rant: MOVE THE COYOTES

The NHL has had a pet project for the past half-dozen years or so: the Arizona Coyotes. Hell, they were originally the Phoenix Coyotes when they came from Winnipeg in one of the worst franchise moves of any sport. The situation that the current “Yotes” face is one of absolute ridiculousness; they do not have a place to play their home games. The government of the city of Glendale has decided in its infinite wisdom to lock out the NHL franchise by ripping up their arena contract mere months before the team is set to step back onto the ice for the next season. The reason that the government ended the deal was for two reasons. First, the team has lost a grand total of $30 million over the past fiscal year, which includes the government giving them $15 million as part of the original arena deal. Second, a representative of the government’s negotiating committee during the arena deal flipped over to the Coyotes right after the deal was done. The government actually had a clause in the agreement in which if someone defected to the other side, the deal was open to being cancelled. A lot of people have been bagging on the Glendale officials for the way they have handled the whole situation, but I have one response to their actions; it’s about damn time! The Coyotes should not be in the state of Arizona to begin with. There are so many better places that the team could relocate to in a manner of months; here are the three that have been rumored.

1) Seattle: Seattle is the perfect market for a team like the Coyotes to move because of the rich sports atmosphere that already exists. The Seattle Mariners have one of the best fan bases despite being in a relatively small market comparative to other MLB teams. The Seattle Seahawks are not only just a year removed from hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy, but they have the best fans in the NFL. The 12^th man has never been as stronger in the northwest of the United States. Put in a team that, not only is a playoff contender most of the time, but has one of the best prospect talent pools in the entire league. With the likes of Tobias Reider and Oliver Ekman-Larson already anchoring the offense and defensive cores, the Yotes have young guns Max Domi and Anthony Duclair rising through the ranks. Now add 2 more 1^st round draft picks in this year’s NHL draft and now the Coyotes are a team that the Seattle fans can go nuts over in the next couple of years. Couple the exciting team with the natural rivalry that will inevitably come to an outstanding boiling point with the Vancouver Canucks. Canucks fans should not kid themselves, their team is definitely an even match with the Yotes, especially in the next few years. The goaltending matchup already is intriguing with Miller and Smith between the pipes. I know that Smith has had a pretty rough time of it since leaving Russia with a gold medal around his neck. But, if he can gain back his form, there is no reason that the Seattle fans will have to go through much growing pains. The Seattle market has been itching to have an NHL team for a while; give it to them.

2) Quebec City: Talk about an automatic heated rivalry. Having the Habs against a team that could give them a run for their money is something that every fan east of Manitoba wants to see badly. Having fairly team genetics, the Yotes would instantly have a team that they could measure themselves against every year while creating some much need tension in Quebec. No longer will the focus of the Francophone’s be separating from our country, but now will have the biggest NHL games at least 6 times a year, with the chance of dismantling the young squad. Fans of the Nordiques are still in pain for losing Sakic, Forsberg, and Wendell Clark to Denver Colorado. The city has already made some significant steps towards inviting a franchise back to Quebec City by upgrading their arena as well as gauging the ticket sales that they would get through a petition. The only problem with Quebec City is that their city is still too fresh from losing their team in the eyes of the NHL elite, as well as, the Montreal Canadiens ownership not wanting the new team to damage their ticket sales by offering cheaper tickets for relatively the same quality of team. Some of the bigger franchises in the NHL have the power to veto any teams that they perceive to be encroaching on their potential ticket demographic. The odds for Quebec getting another team any time soon is very slim.

3) Las Vegas: Just when you thought that the NHL being in the dessert of Arizona was a dumbass idea, they go and top themselves by wanting to take the same team and move them to another hot as hades location. Does Gary Bettman not realize that he is dealing with an ICE HOCKEY team? People in both Arizona and Las Vegas don’t want to see a bunch of dudes skating on the ice that they would rather have on their glass. Las Vegas is a city where people go to gamble, have sex with overpriced hookers, and watch Penn and Teller bring back a mammoth from the dead and then proceed to cut it in pieces. Sports that have had success include the UFC and boxing. What do those two have in common that other sports do not? They are one-off events that people can flock to for the weekend. The NHL would literally have to schedule all of the Coyotes home games on the weekend or they would have as much fans show up as a preseason Florida Panthers game (less than 500). It’s all fun and games to have the NHL awards in Vegas because most NHL players and their families will show up, and Evander Kane will flaunt some his Sabres money while doing blow off a tigers back with his shirt off. There is no redeeming reason why the NHL would survive in Vegas, and to have the people running our great game think that this is a suitable location is quite frankly terrifying. There is a reason that the NFL, MLB, and NBA have not touched Sin City with a 25 foot pole.

In conclusion, the NHL should just move the Arizona Coyotes to Seattle so that they are in a city that will make the league money and give Vancouver fans a great rivalry for years to come. I am Smoke Stark and this has been my rant on the Arizona Coyotes mess. In the Game of Thrones, you either win or you die.

Smoke’s Rant: Women’s Soccer is Better Than Men’s

Since June 6^th, the world has focused its collective soccer minds on the nation of Canada as the host for the 2015 Women’s World Cup. The first day saw the host nation take on team China to open the tournament. Despite the lackluster effort by the Canadian squad, they managed to pull out a 1-0 victory with an extra time penalty kick goal by none other than Christine Sinclair. So why is even this match better than most men’s soccer? Because at least it had drama and built to an ultimate climax that rose a nation to its feet with one perfect swift motion of her right foot. Later in the day, the Netherlands pounced to a 1-0 lead over New Zealand and never looked back. With the exception of Germany completely dismantling the poor Ivory Coast, the games through the first five days have been very close. The odds on favorite United States were even in tough against a very game Australian team before the Americans decided to flex their soccer muscles and pot two late strikes to make it 3-1. Lastly, a game between the always insanely good looking nation of Sweden, versus the young fast Nigerian team was supposed to be an easy win for the Swedes. No one gave Nigeria that memo, as they kept on coming back and scoring after trailing. It was a back-and-forth match for the ages. By then end of the match, even one in the stadium, even some of the Swedish fans were happy that the Nigerians made history and grabbed an all important point in the standing. So, is that the only reason women’s soccer is better than men’s? Because some game were close?

Hell no, the reason that women’s soccer is far and above better than men’s is because women are tougher. Not a single time, in the first 4 days, did I see a single girl go down and grab a different part of their body for dramatic effect. Not a single time did a woman need to be carted off the field by trainers only to run into the game a minute later like nothing happened. Adrianne Leon got elbowed in the face so hard I swear I could hear Ronda Rousey smile from Santa Monica, yet she got up and got back in position. If the same play happened in a game with Italy and Spain facing each other, the guy would have fallen down grabbing his face and his leg (for no reason), then claim someone had shot him in the stomach. The women leave the acting to Helen Mirren and Jennifer Lawrence. Don’t get me wrong, I like when men act, heck, I am a huge fan of Chris Pratt and Hugh Jackman; but leave the theatrics to Starlord and Wolverine.

So, when watching the Women’s World Cup over the next month and a half, take the time to appreciate the skill and determination that these female athletes. Take the time to see how much cleaner the beautiful game is played when women take to the pitch. After this tournament wraps up, go back to watching the la Liga or MLS, then tell me which gender is tougher; then tell me which gender is better to watch. I am Smoke Stark, and this has been my rant on the Women’s World Cup. In a world of ordinary mortals, you are a wonder woman.

Smoke’s Rant: the New Ice Age Gets A New Logo

 

Last Wednesday, Greg Pocock and the rest of the Prince George Cougars ownership and management unveiled the new logo that the team will wear in the upcoming 2015/2016 season. It is the latest step in rebranding the Cougars after the new ownership bought the WHL team from the Brodsky family last year. During the unveiling, the team had the past jersey’s all lined up in order to show the evolution of the club from its days in Victoria. The one constant was the cougars being the same colour as we have all come to expect, however, now the Cougar has taken a different shape and color. The logo look more streamline and slick than ever before. The Cougar looks even more menacing as it pops out of the logo in a more three dimensional manner than previous renditions. The large “C” not only gives reference to the name, but some people have said that it draws inspiration from the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames logo from the NHL. Now, you may ask, is it a positive change from the last logo?

Hell Yeah, it’s a great change for the Prince George Cougars. The fact that it looks significantly different from the other versions of the logos, as well as, having the simplistic look is awesome. The gold trim around the “C” completes the effect of the team’s journey into a new chapter in the franchise. Gone are the days where you would go to a game and know that they are going to lose to every team in the league. This logo signifies that the New Ice Age is one that will revolutionize the way that this team will be seen by the citizens in Prince George as well as every opponent that takes to the ice at the CN Centre. Having a more simple design shows that the team will be looking to keep things simple when facing the opposition, instead of getting caught up in their old ways of mediocrity. But, this new unveiling doesn’t come without a modicum of complaints.

I have talked to a lot of Cougars fans over the past week to gauge what they think of the new logo and jersey. There were three consistent issue that were brought up.

1) Is that a Cougar??? The first issue that most of the fans identified was that the Cougar looks more like a Panther then an actual cougars. While this may be the case due to the colour scheme of the home jersey in particular, the overall aesthetic of the logo still feels like a cougar. The gold trim around the edges tries to convey the proper colour of a cougar without detracting from the overall design.

2) Where are the Patches??? The complaint that I agreed with the most was the absence of shoulder patches on the jersey. Most of the teams in the WHL and all of the teams in the NHL have patches on their shoulders to add more to the overall look of the jersey as well as celebrate some historical or geographical significance during the team’s evolution. The Vancouver Canucks have the old “stick and rink” logo from the 1970’s to commemorate their inception into the NHL alongside the Buffalo Sabres. The Victoria Royals, one of the Cougars rivals, has an alternate logo in the shoulder to pay respect to the city of Victoria. It’s a simple addition that goes a long way in completing the overall look of a jersey. Most of the fans that complained about the lack of a patch suggested they have a simple “P.G” or the original Victoria Cougars logo on the side to connect with the fans that have supported the team through thick and thin. Sometimes more can be a positive thing.

3) Same Jersey??? The last issue that the fans had about the new jersey was that it was the same jersey, but with a different logo. Fans wanted more of an overhaul of the overall jersey than just the logo. Some were tired of the same colour scheme, others were frustrated with the lack of originality of overall design. My thought is, why mess with colours that we can be identified with. The Prince George Cougars have been wearing the same colours for as long as I have lived in this great town. When I see those colours anywhere I go, I think of the Cougars. True, I support the cry for a different design of the jersey to match the awesome logo, but don’t mess with the black, red, and white. Those colours signify hard working citizens of this town that do an honest day’s work for an honest pay. The Cougars are a blue collar team, and those are the colours that work best.

I think the New Ice Age, took an awesome step forward with this new rebranding. I for one will wear the new jersey with pride, because I know that everyone in the organization is trying to make this Prince George’s team once again. Support the New Ice Age, and support your local WHL team. Cougar loud and Cougar proud. I am Smoke Stark, and this has been my rant on the Prince George Cougars new logo. Beware my power, Green Lanterns light!

CFUR @ Levitation Vancouver - First Thoughts

It’s the end of my first day with the Levitation folks, and I wanted to get this out there into the world as soon as I could – I love whoever thought of this. This festival has been a mecca of good vibes and even better music. To say the least, I am enjoying myself. I set out on this journey with the intention of having a legitimate Vancouver festival experience, so I brought my bike. I’m staying with a friend who lives near Commercial and Broadway, and the seaside bicycle route isn’t far from her place. I rode in the middle of the day in the hot sun with no water, and arriving at Stanley Park, I didn’t find the fest as easily as I hoped, so when I finally heard Tacocat through the trees, I was relieved. The bike valet service was amazing from start to finish, friendly and knowledgable, they directed me to water right away – the beginning of more incredible interactions to come.

The set up is pretty incredible, the stage is in Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park, so the whole grounds are beautiful and lush. The people who set up Eastside Flea thought to set up these beautiful lace chilling spots, with nice thick blankets and pillows and shade from the sun. Those chilling tents really saved my day – that and the availability of a water fountain near the heart flutters* actual flush toilets. It is a rare thing to have toilets other than port-a-potties available at music festivals, and my white shawl has no blue dip dye thanks to that availability.

My first instinct at festivals is to find the alcohol and the food. The essentials, of course. The beer garden was quick and spacious – it filled up later on but never felt like it was uncomfortable. There was a great concession stand and two food trucks, so I felt secure in the fact that I wouldn't go hungry.

I was in awe of the people immediately, coming from a small city where 80% of the population is above 40. I have so much respect for all the beautiful clothing choices at this fest – it takes years to accumulate and grow into a style like this. Every piece of clothing, every tattoo, all those thrifted shirts from the 70s – that is love. The people attracted to this music – groovy, psychedelic, fuzzy, alternative, rock…. These are the kind of people I like to get to know. These cats know how to have a good time, this scene isn’t violent, it isn’t judgmental, it’s just a collection of folks who want to chill out and feel good vibes.

The musicians are unassuming and friendly, I went back stage briefly for an interview with Tacocat, and everyone was very cool. I’m a little timid and take a while to ease into things, but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to break through and get some more soundbites and interviews.

I’ll talk more about the bands after I consolidate all my blitzed-out scribbles, but for now I will say one thing for sure about the music at Levitation Vancouver: it’s a little hazy, but oh so clear in my mind.

Stay fuzzy, Levitation and friends.

Smoke's Rant: Acceptance is a Virtue

The biggest sports and entertainment story in the continent this week was the transformation of 1977 Gold Medal athlete Bruce Jenner. Now going by Caitlyn, Jenner has been in the spotlight her whole life since capturing the world's attention in Montreal over 3 decades ago. Hollywood and the rest of the world has been following Caitlyn ever since she announced that she was going to transition from a man into a woman.  Because of her very public family situation with the Kardashians and the revolving door of reality TV shows featuring her and her family, most people thought that this was a publicity stunt aimed at getting even more attention and landing another TV deal. I myself was a little cautious because of the negative attention that the family has been getting over the year. Not only that, I was also a little nervous about the reaction of fans and keyboard warriors possibly crucifying the very brave woman for what she was about to undertake. All of that speculation on whether Jenner was serious about the transition and if the operation was going to go well, and what the general reaction was going to be was silenced when the Vanity Fair issue featuring the new Caitlyn Jenner was released mere days ago.

There was an overwhelming amount of support for the gold medalist as she looked like a seasoned model posing for the popular magazine. Fans and celebrities alike took to social media to express their admiration for Jenner's bravery and for her outstanding look that was accomplished. One celebrity, Jessica Lange, responded to those who thought the two now looked alike by stating, " It's Wonderful" (cbsnews.com), that they comparision is being made. The positive reactions that have flooded the internet over the past while, are in stark contrast to the reaction that Jenner would have got even 5 or 10 years ago.

The acceptance of Caitlyn brings in a new era of tolerance that the world sorely needed. The transgendered community has been fighting for their right and fighting to be treated equally by the general society. Jenner's transformation is the newest and brightest beacon for that fight. Unfortunately you cannot have a fight without oposition. Despite all the positive reaction towards Caitlyn, there has also been some backlash about the Vanity Fair issue as well. There is a renown pastor in the Arkansas U.S that has called her "No longer America's athletic hero" (New York Daily News), and JR Smith of the Cleveland Cavaliers labelled her a "Science Project" (USAtoday.com). It's acts like this that makes one wonder how far society has actually gone.

Caitlyn Jenner is a hero to the transgendered community and is still a hero in the eyes of the sports world. No matter what anyone does, they can never get their accomplishments stripped from them, especially when that action is just becoming who you are inside.

My name is Smoke Stark, and this has been Smoke's Rant. Live long and prosper Caitlyn Jenner.

So a magazine called you a name: a survival guide from Canada’s Most Dangerous City™

Pulled from local blog andrewkurjata.ca

Dear Vancouver,

I understand you’re going through a bit of a phase. It seems the Economist magazine described you as “mind-numbingly boring” recently and, well, you didn’t take it well. Not just the mayor, but the premier, have had to comfort you, and commentators have penned pieces firing back, even at the magazine itself.

First of all, let me just observe that this feels like the scene where the straight-A student has a minor meltdown because they get a C in gym class or something. I mean, you’re consistently ranked one of the best places in the world to live and here you are freaking out because of literally two sentences in a minor masthead. Speaking as someone where this

was prominently printed in a national magazine, I’ll admit it’s hard to take your concerns all that seriously. But let me be the John Bender to yourClaire Standish and teach you how to handle it when a magazine calls you a bad name.

Step one: don’t lash out

We might be a little late on this one, but it’s worth remembering: you’ll never get better if you don’t think there’s anywhere to improve. When Maclean’s called Prince George the most dangerous city in Canada, people got upset. We tried things like changing the parameters. Sure, we might have more crime per capita than anywhere else said the mayor (paraphrasing), but the important thing is how many volunteers we have!

I’m not arguing, having volunteers is great, but if crime is an issue it doesn’t really solve things. Likewise, just because you think the Economist is boring, it doesn’t mean you have more places for garage bands to practice their new songs. Look inward. Is there something you could be doing better? If not, great. But if there is, try and improve it.

Prince George being most dangerous had to do with a number of other factors (including overflow from gang jostling down in Vancouver), but the RCMP and city started looking at what they could do better and through a variety of outreach and strategic programs, things turned around and there has been a decline in serious crimes. And we still have lots of volunteers.

The point is this: you’re a big city. You’re going to receive some criticism. That matters less than how you handle it.

Step two: recognize you probably care about this waaaay more than anyone else does

Honestly, I’m not sure I would have even heard about this thing if it weren’t for Vancouverites collectively freaking out about it. Do you really think that people are going to stop coming to the seawall based on this thing? It’s the same deal with Prince George. The first year we were called most dangerous, there was a big news conference and days of press. Second time, similar reaction, but more muted. By the time the third year came around, the city basically shrugged its shoulders. Now the ranking has gone away. Last year, Initiatives Prince George asked people across Canada what comes to mind when they hear “Prince George” and, yeah, “crime” was on there but so was “friendly” and “community”. It’ll be OK.

Step three: haters gonna hate

It’s time to make like Taylor Swift and shake if off. Over the last few years, various community organizations have embarked on campaigns showcasing the benefits of coming here. And rather than target people who are thinking to themselves “geez, Prince George is so dangerous” they’re looking for people who are interested in the lifestyle Prince George has to offer.

Put it this way: ever go to a party where everyone’s having a good time except that one dude going on about what a terrible party it is? Why try and change his mind? Whenever someone comes at me about how they would never want to live in Prince George it’s like great! I won’t have to deal with you! If “Gulliver” doesn’t want to come to Vancouver, who’s really losing out?

Step four: make your own headlines

Prince George got national media coverage again this year when it hosted the 2015 Canada Winter Games. People from all across the country came to the city to discover that not only did they not get stabbed, they had a pretty OK time, too! Already, more major events are showing interest in the city because of what was pulled off earlier this year, and national press showcased a side of Prince George most of the rest of Canada had never seen.

So get at it Vancouver! Show the world you know how to party. Is there maybe some sort of major international sporting event you could hold next winter? Something like maybe the- oh, you did that already?

Hm.

Well, maybe you can get the royal family to name a baby after you or something.

Sincerely,

Andrew

Andrew Kurjata: local author, radio personality, journalist, and audio enthusiast