Deciding what to do about rampant rumours of Houston Astros cheating isn't simple. But one of baseball's best teams needs to be punished
“I’ll take Baseball for $800, Alex.” “The answer is: paint your fingernails bright colours.” “Alex, what is, ‘What does baseball think is the best way for a catcher to signal pitches to the pitcher?’” That’s pretty much the sophistication level of a 21st-century sport being governed by 19th century technology. And, as a result, teams…
The man voted the seventh-most famous Canadian has finally talked himself out of his job as hockey analyst/cranky old guy to the nation. To the utter confusion of people outside Canada, the removal of a TV figure has convulsed the nation. After 38 years, he is no more. Confession: I did an entire chapter on…
As Sportsnet trims costs and their cantankerous commentator missteps, the outcome seems likely
You have to hand it to Don Cherry. Only the bombastic star of Coach’s Corner could give the cause of the war dead a bad name. Cue Saturday night’s Hockey Night In Canada. Cherry had exchanged his usual floral table cloths for a blazer with a military crest to recall Remembrance Day. Much to the…
And it will have ramifications for Canadian student athletes and the hockey leagues that compete with U.S. colleges for talent
What were the burghers who run California doing instead of upgrading their power grid? Let me see. Banning fur? Check. Undocumented aliens on state boards and commissions? Check. Allowing college sports stars to get paid for the use of their likeness? Check. Really? After all this time, they’re going to let the top performers in…
From disputed strike zones to goal-line uncertainty to bloody high-sticks, major-league officiating can't seem to embrace high-tech
It’s Game Three of the 2019 World Series and the Washington Nationals hope to extend their surprising 2-0 lead in games over Houston. The Nats have revival project Anibal Sanchez on the mound to give Washington fans their first home-field win in a Series since 1933. But the Astros are off to a quick lead.…
Cherry has been synonymous with the sport and its popularity since he started mangling the language and hammering Ron MacLean upside the head decades ago
To those wondering about the demise of Don Cherry, the rumours of his disappearance from Hockey Night in Canada have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, the end is in sight for the man wearing his wife’s table cloths. Hell, he’s 85. But while others in the Rogers Communications constellation have gone dark, Cherry’s star survives. If…
From Auston Matthews to Antonio Brown, the spotlight never seems to waver. Making a mistake can be very costly
It doesn’t take much to send Toronto Maple Leafs nation into a tizzy. As the 2019-2020 season dawns, the supporters of the acer saccharum are consumed with whether their young franchise star Auston Matthews should be the club’s next captain. Distilled into a single sentence: can Auston wear the C when he’s acted like an…
Giving young players a chance to grow? More like a salary dump that turned into a dumpster fire. Too many MLB teams won't even strive for mediocrity
It’s always exciting to watch history, to see once-in-a-lifetime performances. A show so notable you’ll tell your grandkids, “I saw them play.” The list should include the 1976-’77 Montreal Canadiens, the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the 2017 Golden State Warriors … the 2019 Detroit Tigers. The what? The Detroit Tigers? What’s that all about? To paraphrase…
Welcome to the future of big-league sports, which will depend on a merger of sports and the star-making machine of the culture industry
Mitch Marner has signed. Someone wake Lord Stanley in heaven. A parade is coming. Okay, that might be a tad optimistic. But the hopes for any National Hockey League playoff success in Toronto hinge on Marner, who may not get the headlines but is the key to the Maple Leafs offence. Marner’s signing ended a…
The precocious Canadian tennis star sets herself apart through her powerful will to win. Ask Serena Williams
There was a time when it didn’t take much to get Canadians excited. In 1976, the nation nearly imploded when Greg Joy finished with a silver medal in high jump at the Montreal Olympics. In 1972, Karen Magnussen became a legend in Canada by winning silver in women’s figure skating at the Sapporo Olympics. When…
“I’ll take Baseball for $800, Alex.” “The answer is: paint your fingernails bright colours.” “Alex, what is, ‘What does baseball think is the best way for a catcher to signal pitches to the pitcher?’” That’s pretty much the sophistication level of a 21st-century sport being governed by 19th century technology. And, as a result, teams…
