qbert72’s profile

qbert72: 23

Name:	Alexandre Simard
Homepage URL:	http://www.brocheafoin.biz
Location:	Montréal
Gender:	M
Member since:	January 29, 2002
Last visit:	May 14, 2008

qbert72 has posted 14 links and 696 comments to SportsFilter and 22 threads and 519 comments to the Locker Room.

Sports Bio

Je suis un montréalais.

Two sports memories...

1

In 1981, baseball is on strike, and Montreal discovers soccer. Le Manic de Montréal is drawing huge crowds to the Stade Olympique. Yes, the same toilet bowl usually inhabited by a few thousands Expos fans (and I'm one of them).

I was nine, at that time, and attended a game against the Washington Diplomats with my father. I had never seen so many people at the same time. So many different people, too.

I can't tell you much about the game. In my recollection, everybody was standing during the whole game, and I couldn't see a thing. What I remember clearly is the "Guess the attendance" game on the jumbotron, and the Italian man beside me who was screaming in ecstasy for the highest number to win: "Cinquanté mille! Cinquanté mille!" And damn it, he won, and nearly died on the spot. We were more than 50 000.

2

Fast forward to 1996. We're in September, and the Expos are still in it, miraculously. It's as close to a full house as it can be: 25, 30 thousands at best. Bottom of the 8th, the score is tied, bases loaded, two outs. The best utility player in baseball that year comes to the plate: F.P. Santangelo.

The crowd is wild for the man without first names. F.P.! F.P.! Good at-bat, a few foul balls, closely fought. And then, F.P. is hit by a pitch. The crowd erupts in joy. Everybody is jumping around, the standing ovation lasts a few minutes. I kid you not. Standing ovation for being hit by a pitch. F.P. gives us the tip of the cap. We go home happy.

My teams? Expos, Canadiens. As a good Canadiens fan, I pride myself in knowing exactly what is wrong with the team, and on never supporting them unless they've won 3 or 4 in a row. As a good Expos fan, I will cheer to death any AAA guy wearing the nice logo. Go ahead, make my Zach Day, and I'll Rocky Biddle 'til the cows come home.

I miss the Forum, the tree-color cap and the powder-blue uniforms, though.

Recent Links

"That," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said, "was officially heartbreaking." Backstrom knocks in winning goal for wrong team.

posted on Mar 10, 2008 - Go to the detail view for this result

A Pro Hockey Player, a Noise Label, a Dream Realized Boyd Devereaux grows tired of the usual Nickelback and Bon Jovi pre-game pump up jams and begins surreptitious nightly excursions into the underground psych and noise scenes, which will lead him to found his own record label.

posted on Aug 30, 2007 - Go to the detail view for this result

'Hubba Hubba and Other Grunting Sounds' That's how 18 year old high school pole vaulter Allison Stokke was introduced to the world a couple of weeks ago. Hours later, she had already achieved sex-symbol status, in classic Internet meme fashion. Will she ever get a normal life back? Will the Washington Post front page help? Is there any hope of avoiding this kind of situation for an attractive female athlete?

posted on May 29, 2007 - Go to the detail view for this result

The "old NHL" lives on. Two of the most skilled teams in the league went at it Broad-Street-Bullies-style last night. After a questionable late hit to Chris Drury, all hell broke loose. Senators goalie Ray Emery, back from a 3-game suspension, celebrated by fighting Sabres keeper Martin Biron and enforcer Andrew Peters. Does the NHL need more or less of this?

posted on Feb 23, 2007 - Go to the detail view for this result

Vote for Rory! This grassroot fan initiative has made journeyman Rory Fitzpatrick the fifth highest vote getter at his position for the upcoming All-Star game. If he can climb up to #2, he'll be a starting defenseman, alongside Scott Niedermayer or Nicklas Lidstrom. He's not sure he likes the idea.

posted on Dec 7, 2006 - Go to the detail view for this result

Recent Comments

Danica Patrick Wins IndyCar Race in Japan Danica Patrick became the first female winner in IndyCar history Sunday, taking the Indy Japan 300 when leader Helio Castroneves was forced to pit for fuel in the final laps. The 26-year-old driver won in her 50th IndyCar start. "She's rocketed herself to the top end of the roll call for most successful female racing drivers ever," writes Gemma Briggs. "The last significant victory was probably Michele Mouton's World Rally Championship win ... way back in 1981."

posted to Auto Racing at 8:59 AM CDT

Drood, I think netbros' point is that there is a factual error in rcade's post.

posted at 1:14 AM CDT on April 21

Bush Booed By Beltway Baseballers! The high heat shut 'em up a little bit, though.

posted to Baseball at 4:44 PM CDT

first pitch at the Montreal Expos home opener in their new stadium

Aww, man, don't rub it in. It was snowing here this afternoon, and I wondered how an opener in our brand new outdoors downtown stadium would have felt like.

posted at 10:47 PM CDT on March 31

"That," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said, "was officially heartbreaking." Backstrom knocks in winning goal for wrong team.

posted to Hockey at 7:53 PM CDT

I thought Backstrom's reaction was very weird. He just stayed there and started adjusting his gloves. But there's not much he could do, I guess. Huet and Ovechkin were already lying face to the ground in disgust.

This is the worst "own goal" I've ever seen in hockey. Steve Smith's in 1986 had bigger consequences, but it was a fluke play. Backstrom's shooting it in like he would do if he was at the other side of the ice. I feel really bad for him too.

posted at 8:53 PM CDT on March 10

Bryan McCabe says hello.

Thanks, grum. I wanted to see other candidates. I still think Backstrom has this beat. McCabe is at least aiming towards the corner, just (a whole lot of) not enough. Backstrom actually strikes it back to the goal from outside the crease.

posted at 10:12 PM CDT on March 11

Blackhawks to play in the Friendly Confines? The Chicago Blackhawks are gunning for an outdoor game and it looks as if they want to play it at Wrigley Field. [via]

posted to Hockey at 7:23 PM CDT

What are the chances of a Habs-Leafs outdoor game?

The Canadiens played against the Oilers in Edmonton for the first occurence of these outdoor games. I'm afraid other teams will get their turn before it comes back to us.

Doesn't Montreal have an outdoor soccer stadium where they could play?

Unfortunately, we don't. We have a huge, crumbling indoor stadium, and a few small-ish outdoor stadiums, including the the Alouettes' home, which seats 20 000 people, and the upcoming Stade Saputo, which will seat a maximum of 17 000. So it doesn't look good that way either...

posted at 4:13 PM CDT on February 24

First Day of Term Despite the hour, the temperature was already into the mid-twenties. Despite the temperature, I was shivering. It wasn’t nerves; it was terror.

Nine years and a day after it happened, JJ looks back at his first round as a professional golfer.

posted to Golf at 1:37 AM CDT

Great story, very well told. Thank you, JJ.

posted at 7:57 PM CDT on January 30

Fan Signs The fight for attention can be seen at stadiums across the nation. This struggle is no more evident than when a fan proudly displays their crappy homemade creation for all to see.

posted to General at 7:44 PM CDT

Orphan fans up for adoption was our most successful sign this summer.

posted at 8:56 PM CDT on January 9

Josh Beckett's Ex Sings Tonight's National Anthem in Cleveland Jose Can You Believe It? Country singer Danielle Peck will sing the national anthem at tonight's Red Sox/Indians playoff game. She's the ex-girlfriend of Red Sox starter Josh Beckett. "It's an incredible coincidence," said Tribe spokesman Bob DiBiasio. "How are we supposed to know who Josh Beckett dates?"

posted to Baseball at 3:26 PM CDT

We should have a weekly roundup like this.

posted at 11:18 PM CDT on October 18

A Scientific Hitter in the Computer Age David Ortiz of the Red Sox does not look like a computer nerd, but he is.

posted to Baseball at 3:05 PM CDT

Cool stuff. Love the picture of him and Manny looking like they could eat Lugo for breakfast.

posted at 4:59 PM CDT on October 17

Top 50 Sporting Injuries - a list from the Times.

posted to General at 4:13 AM CDT

I would move that Dravecky story up quite a bit.

Me too. I was watching the game on TV when it happened. Extremely disturbing sight and sound. His bone breaking echoed in the Olympic Stadium like a gunshot. Awful.

posted at 5:13 PM CDT on October 17

Giants Tell Bonds He's Gone "This journal will be one of my last entries as a San Francisco Giant. Yesterday, I was told by the Giants that they will not be bringing me back for the 2008 season," Barry Bonds wrote on his web site today. "It is comforting to know that those who have come before me -- Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, to name a few -- have forever remained in the hearts of the fans, as I know I will too."

posted to Baseball at 6:37 PM CDT

the hands-down winner has to go to be this one

Prediction-wise, I just can't get enough of rcade's 2006 Stone Cold Lock.

posted at 8:28 AM CDT on September 24

Floyd Landis loses arbitration: by a 2-1 vote, an arbitration panel voted to "uphold the results of Landis's positive test" in the 2006 Tour de France. If Landis does not appeal, he will be stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title and be suspended from racing for two years. Full text of the decision here.

posted to Other at 3:22 PM CDT

Somewhat related: former Québec cycling superstar Geneviève Jeanson, now banned for doping, has finally admitted she took EPO from the age of 16, after years of vehement denial and plans for legal procedures all over the place.

posted at 10:42 AM CDT on September 21

Yanks' Shelley Duncan Crushes Poor Child's Hopes, Dreams, Future, Then Laughs And Sacrifices A Black Goat To The Dark Lords Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad.

posted to Baseball at 5:07 PM CDT

I'd settle for being just the most clever sweeper.

posted at 11:55 AM CDT on September 18

For what it's worth, I think you do a good job at it, Crafty.

posted at 3:30 PM CDT on September 18

of course, most non yankee/sox fans would find us both insufferable

Meh, it's fun to watch, in a car wreck kind of way.

posted at 12:31 AM CDT on September 19