Spitztengle's profile

Spitztengle
6458
Name: Rod Murray
Location: Edmonton
Gender: somewhere along the continuum
Member since: January 25, 2006
Last visit: November 24, 2010

Spitztengle has posted 24 links and 525 comments to SportsFilter and 1 link and 457 comments to the Locker Room.

Sports Bio

image hosting by http://www.picturehosting.com/ I guess it would only be appropriate to say that my fandom in the sports world is exemplified by my alter-ego "Superfan". It started out as a bit of a gag in high school when I showed up for the season opening pep rally wearing a toga, a fake mustache and sunglasses, and a long, black wig tucked under a modified Trojan/football helmet. A stolen garbage can lid with an "S" spray-painted on it stood for "Superfan". Not a soul in the whole school knew who it really was. Ah, high school ... good times while they lasted. From there, my first road trip to the Grey Cup in 1990 was marked by the purchase of an Edmonton jersey with #1 as the number. No, the name on the back didn't say Moon (as in Warren Moon). The name on the back was (and still is) SUPERFAN. Today, EVERYONE in section U (and a whole bunch of other Double E regulars) know me as Superfan! I do get loud at the games. A proud season ticket holder since Commonwealth Stadium opened, as a sports fan, I identify as a CFL fan first. Of course, I also ref in the neighborhood of 150 basketball games per season. I couldn't do that without being a huge fan of the game. Heck, I'm a huge fan of every game. Some quick highlights and favorite memories (in no particular order): 1. Jimmy Connors in one of his last appearances at the US Open. The guy's grit had me pumpin' my fist in the air so hard I hit my hand on the ceiling! 2. Yes, I have cried witnessing the finishes of several Ironman races on television. So moved by the likes of Paula Newby-Fraser and Mark Allen I took up the darn sport myself. 3. Ben Johnson's win at the '88 Seoul Games. I ran more than a final few metres with my fist raised in the air after that victory! I called the winning time beforehand too! 4. Showtime! The LA Lakers were my favorite team. Magic, Kareem, Worthy, et al ... legends. My fave though? Byron Scott. "Shoot 'em up and sleep in the streets," Pat Riley told him. My motto! 5. Backup QB Cody Ledbetter hits the other Flutie (Darren) with his back to the goalpost in the endzone, right at the final gun, for a win over the Calgary Stampeders in the Labor Day rematch. I yelled so hard at that game I actually passed out on my feet earlier in the game.

All that said, I do have a critical side to my fandom. I am a PhD (ABD) from the University of Alberta whose area is critical cultural studies (elsewhere referred to as: sociology of sport, physical cultural studies, sport history, sport philosophy, wankademic BS, mental masturbation, etc.). I "read" sport qua culture. My dissertation title is New Racism in Contemporary Canadian Sport. My MA thesis is The Good Official ... Interrupted, using Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner's breakthrough into the NBA as a central case study.

I've also got a bit of an athletic background of my own. I did race triathlon for several years (1990-1996). But a far greater part of my involvement in elite sport comes as a basketball referee. I retired from active duty in 2007, but in the years prior, I worked as a crew chief on the collegiate floor. My highlight was a men's national final in 2000.

Recent Links

Second Chance League?: The Edmonton Eskimos are apparently set to announce the hiring of Eric Tillman as their new GM, but not before floating the idea out to their fans first. His track record as a GM isn't in question. But is an absolute discharge from a Saskatchewan court for his guilty plea of sexual assault to a minor enough to satisfy Edmontonians? The stakes are redemption, for Tillman and the Eskimos, as Edmonton gets set to roll the dice.

posted by Spitztengle to football at 01:45 AM on September 14, 2010 - 2 comments

Alberta Gold: No, not oil---it's curling: Edmonton's Kevin Koe follows up his Canadian championship win at his first-ever Brier appearance last month by winning gold at the World Championships in Italy.

posted by Spitztengle to other at 02:39 AM on April 12, 2010 - 1 comment

Streak Spoilers: USA spoils Canada's bid for 6 straight WJHC titles with an overtime win.

posted by Spitztengle to hockey at 12:22 AM on January 06, 2010 - 15 comments

When Second Place is Newsworthy: Tyson Gay ran the second fastest 100m time ever at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix meet on Sunday. Considering the dominance of Usain Bolt since Beijing, an American Record at 9.69s (same time as Bolt's WR gold medal win in Beijing) is worth posing the question: Are his competitors as far behind Bolt as we seem to think? Gay's performance on Sunday might suggest otherwise.

posted by Spitztengle to olympics at 11:39 PM on September 21, 2009 - 4 comments

Basketball's Bertuzzi? : In an international friendly tune-up match between Canada and Italy, Stefano Mancinelli responds to a little loose-ball contact with a vicious elbow to the back of Aaron Doornekamp's head. Two Toronto Raptors, Andrea Bargnani and Marco Belinelli were forced to play peacekeeper.

posted by Spitztengle to basketball at 12:08 AM on August 03, 2009 - 4 comments

Recent Comments

CFL Playoff Pick 'Em, Division Final Edition

So according to TSN boxscores:

Toronto 17 - Montreal 48 [Boxscore]

Saskatchewan 20 - Calgary 16 [Boxscore]

Passing Stats:
Calvillo - 334 yds
Burris - 229 yds
Durant - 180 yds (over 100 to Getzlaf alone)
Lemon - 169 yds

Team Sacks:
Montreal - 5
Saskatchewan - 3
Toronto - 2
Calgary - 1

posted by Spitztengle at 10:38 PM on November 21, 2010

CFL Playoff Pick 'Em, Division Final Edition

Who among you SpoFites plan on hitting E-town for the big game next weekend? I've got a line on some primo tickets if you're looking. It's shaping up to be a pretty awesome weekend by the looks of things.

posted by Spitztengle at 06:59 PM on November 20, 2010

CFL Playoff Pick 'Em, Division Final Edition

Ooh, this is gonna hurt. As much as I would like to see a rematch of last year's cup, and as much as I'd hate to see the Stumps win it on Edmonton soil, I think it's gonna be Cowtown vs. the Larks in the Coupe Grey. Therefore:

Montreal by 18.

Calgary by 3.

Calvillo for yards.

Stamps for sacks.

posted by Spitztengle at 06:56 PM on November 20, 2010

Former NHL coach Pat Burns passes away

.

posted by Spitztengle at 08:46 PM on November 19, 2010

CFL Playoff Pick 'Em, Semi-Final Edition

Anyone outside of Canada wanting to know where they can watch the Grey Cup on Nov. 28th can check out this list.

posted by Spitztengle at 10:00 PM on November 16, 2010

CFL Playoff Pick 'Em, Semi-Final Edition

OVERTIME in Saskatchewan! Lulay connects on a hail mary with no time on the clock to force OT. WOW!!!

posted by Spitztengle at 07:28 PM on November 14, 2010

CFL Playoff Pick 'Em, Semi-Final Edition

Hamilton by 6

Samsquanch by 2

McCallum

posted by Spitztengle at 09:09 AM on November 14, 2010

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

Bull busts out at Canadian Finals Rodeo. Injures only one spectator thanks to some fancy lasso work by one of the pick-up riders. No video with this link, but I'm sure there will be some of the whole affair soon to follow.

posted by Spitztengle at 01:23 AM on November 13, 2010

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle

mayor won't let the Lingerie Football League come to town.

I had no idea this even existed!?!?

posted by Spitztengle at 12:32 PM on November 12, 2010

CFL Pick 'Em, Final Standings

Well played, tommy ... well played!

dnA snoitalutargnoc ot dyslexic no gninniw eht aznatsoC!

posted by Spitztengle at 12:30 AM on November 09, 2010

Oregon's New Basketball Court Floors People

It appears like there is no mid-court stripe. That seems important for back-court calls. Even if it is there but barely visible, it seems like a problem.

Maybe a river needs to run through them there woods at midcourt? Or a cutline to prevent spread of forest fires? Something. That does seem like one problem with the design.

I am in favor of creativity like this though, and I actually quite like the design. I think that players spatially orient and familiarize with court markings quite quickly. The rim is still 10' (part of me wants to quote Gene Hackman from Hoosiers right now).

The standard/mandatory court markings being visible is essential though, so that can't be sacrificed for the design.

posted by Spitztengle at 10:30 PM on November 08, 2010

SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle

By the look of that ref's casual pace towards the endzone, I'm assuming that they were taken off-guard by this play as well. I'm gonna bet that the zebras had to huddle after this one too.

posted by Spitztengle at 12:57 PM on November 08, 2010

CFL Pick 'Em, Week 19

Toronto 30 - Montreal 4 [Boxscore]

posted by Spitztengle at 07:08 PM on November 07, 2010

CFL Pick 'Em, Week 19

Edmonton 23 - Saskatchewan 31 [Recap]

Playoff picture is now in focus:

Argos @ TiCats
Lions @ Riders

posted by Spitztengle at 10:13 PM on November 06, 2010

Nation Taking No Joy in Cowboys' Pathetic Collapse

Kind of made me look to see if there was an onion substitute for the ball/puck 'o' in the Sportsfilter header.

posted by Spitztengle at 05:22 PM on November 06, 2010