- 08:34 PM
- 11/20/09
| Name: | Rod Murray |
|---|---|
| Homepage URL: | http://spitztengle.wordpress.com |
| Location: | Edmonton |
| Gender: | somewhere along the continuum |
| Member since: | January 25, 2006 |
| Last visit: | November 20, 2009 |
Spitztengle has posted 21 links and 288 comments to SportsFilter and 1 link and 280 comments to the Locker Room.
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.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 - 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 - 4 comments
Radio Silence Causes Panic!: Team-to-Rider radios are being banned for two stages of this year's Tour. A welcome change for a dwindling number of traditionalists, a harbinger of disaster and controversy to the new generation. Radios or no radios? That is the question.
posted by Spitztengle to general at 12:04 PM on July 14 - 4 comments
Changing of the Guard: Sportswriter Mark Spector laments the loss of "character" as the torch is being passed from old to new when the core of longtime NHL referees retire over the next couple of seasons.
posted by Spitztengle to hockey at 01:45 AM on April 09 - 2 comments
Haile Gebrselassie Sets New Marathon Mark: Haile Gebrselassie clocks in at 2:03:59, breaking his own world record in the marathon in Berlin on Sunday.
posted by Spitztengle to other at 01:37 PM on September 28 - 5 comments
PointSpreads for this weekend are:
Montreal -91/2
Saskatchewan -21/2
And eventhough he is surely out of the hunt (if he was ever in it other than for comparison sake anyway), Schultzie has the ALS by 6 and the RIDERS by 5.
posted by Spitztengle at 04:04 PM on November 20
We urge all South Africans and other people to respect this professional ethical and moral way of doing things.
Wow! Now if only people were urged to be as respectful and ethical when this firestorm first hit the news. I do think this is a good (and right) decision though.
posted by Spitztengle at 02:41 PM on November 19
Interesting study on refereeing in basketball
This is why the huddle is so awesome. Doubtful that this would've ever made an FPP, but I'm a huge fan of anything related to the officials. With this study, I'd definitely need to look more closely at method, but I don't think there's really anything new being said here.
"You never want to be the less aggressive team." Really?
I'm not sure exactly if this is the one that stirred some controversy a while back, but some studies, including those done by Mark Cuban, can be a bit problematic in both assumptions in their premise, and in method/analysis.
Nonetheless, I'm always excited to see officials as worthy of investigation--even if only peripherally, as these researchers indicate is most likely the case when looking for relevance to management strategies.
posted by Spitztengle at 05:48 PM on November 18
Lions are off to a pretty decent start ugh!
posted by Spitztengle at 02:33 PM on November 15
The Big Man Chris Schultz has the semis picked:
Hamilton by 5
Edmonton by 6
posted by Spitztengle at 03:56 AM on November 15
Please, do NOT tell anyone in the Green & Gold fanbase that I am saying this, but the Double E have just not been consistent enough to warrant a Grey Cup attempt this year. The big game is in Calgary, and those boys will be hungry to have a shot at playin' in it. I do remember when Edmonton spoiled those dreams in the past, but they've scored only 15 points in that stadium this year!?!? I do think this could be a shootout style game for the ages, but in the end, the Stamps will hold court. Calgary by 5.
Good on BC for gettin' the crossover, but even better for the TiCats to be the league's most improved team. It's hard not to like this edition of the Tabbies. Sunday, they'll be the bigger and better cats. Hamilton by 17.
Prefontaine just might be the reason the Esks keep it respectably close.
posted by Spitztengle at 03:53 AM on November 15
If anyone is wondering ... PointSpreads for Sunday's games are:
Hamilton -21/2
Calgary -61/2
posted by Spitztengle at 05:33 PM on November 13
I'm a huge Byron Scott fan. I don't think he'll be unemployed long. As Pat Riley used to say, "Shoot 'em up and sleep in the streets, B!"
posted by Spitztengle at 02:46 PM on November 13
Let me join the chorus of those singing songs of thanks to you, DJE ... this pick 'em pool rocks!
Hats to you, MrFrisby, for neckin' it out in the final sprint ... and to first-timer j5v ... well done to push it so hard to the end.
owlhouse, you crack me up ... I've got more mileage out of some of your joke stories this year than runningbacks had yardage!
LET THE PLAYOFFS BEGIN!!!
posted by Spitztengle at 06:20 PM on November 12
How, after all this time, could I dare to still pick the Double E? 'Cause I'm still pickin' with my heart, not my head. Logically, after bein' burned in both previous meetings against the Lions, the Eskimos are valid underdogs. However, we got burned BAD the first meeting at Commonwealth. We got burned really BAD in the second (that whole Geroy last minute TD thang). But I've seen Ricky win a Grey Cup in the din of the dome in Vancouver. Eventhough they just haven't put it together consistently yet, they aren't that bad of a ball club. Besides, Edmonton went the eastern route to no avail last year. Let the Lions do that this time around. Edmonton by 8.
You know what? I hate to say it, but Andrus is gonna finally convince his squad to go out with some class. The Argo performance in Edmonton last week was embarrassing. They need to do "something" to salvage any sense of dignity. As such, they might just make a contest of this one. BAAA HHHAAAAHAAAHAAAA! Did you think I was serious? Even if they do put their best foot forward, the Alouette machine is too greased to get a grip on. Montreal by 21 ... and that'll be with the foot off the gas for the second half.
Holy coin toss, Batman! Can the Riders rebound from a stinker performance last week? Are the Stamps really peaking at the right time? The Riders are a better ball club than the Lions. And there's that whole tie to resolve from these two teams' last meeting. I mean it might not be that crazy to pick a draw this time around also. In the end, I think there can be only one ... and since they are LONG overdue, I'll have to think that the Riders are primed to actually win the Western Conference ... make the Stamps earn the right to play at home by having to play the semi. Sasquatchewan by 3 even if that FG comes in OT, it's still gonna be three.
Drumroll please .................................................. frankly, a Bomber win would just be wrong ... wrong for the league ... wrong karmically ... the TiCats deserve the home field ... and will surely get the Bomber monkey off their backs to end this season. Hamilton by 10.
oh ... one more thing ... LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GREEN & GOOOOOOOOLD!!!!!!!!
posted by Spitztengle at 05:27 PM on November 06
PointSpreads for the week are:
BC -31/2
MON -91/2
SASK -11/2
WIN -31/2
posted by Spitztengle at 01:02 PM on November 05
Schultzie has:
BC by 11
MON by 15
SASK by 5
HAM by 2
posted by Spitztengle at 01:01 PM on November 05
I'll second rocketman. While there is undoubtedly "some profanity", on the whole, SpoFites are a relatively clean bunch who self-police already.
I think of it this way: I attend sporting events (football stadiums, hockey arenas, basketball courts, etc.) on a very regular basis. People talk. Children are present. If someone starts blarin' out filth-flarin'-filth, somebody says, "Hey, not in front of the kids." If somebody slips the odd cuss word into a normal conversation ... c'est la vie. He's (the 11 year-old) gonna hear/read it somewhere. Rather than try to eliminate it entirely, I say we set the example and continue to engage with those who exceed our established norms.
posted by Spitztengle at 12:16 PM on November 05
Before I post his picks, I thought I'd share Schultzie's invite for feedback from CFL fans/TSN audience. Anything we can do to make the game better ...
And also, good luck to j5v and MrFrisby as they duke it out, not unlike the Riders and Stamps (or Lions and Esks for that matter), right to the bitter end of the season.
posted by Spitztengle at 01:41 AM on November 05
CFL Pick 'Em, Division Finals Edition
Perry Lefko from Sportsnet, who deems himself as "peerless" among prognosticators is calling for an Alouette-Rider Grey Cup too. Als win but don't cover, and the Riders win but do this week ... or so he says.