Expect society will learn nothing when COVID-19 pandemic ends

Could the oxygen complex next to Merlis Belsher Place be used?

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic could be gone in record time, but it remains to be seen if that development would be truly appreciated.

Of course, the world has been in the grips of the COVID-19 pandemic for some time with the pandemic’s reality taking hold in North America on March 11 and 12. It was on those days almost nine months ago the first restrictions and stoppages started to take hold in North America to combat COVID-19.

Near the end of the November, news broke over mainstream media outlets that there are three vaccine candidates that can be rolled out in 2021.

Over this past week, stories broke that vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna could begin arriving in Canada early in 2021. Two other vaccines produced by AstraZeneca and Janssen could be in Canada during the second quarter of 2021.

The first cases of COVID-19 were reported in late December of 2019, and the fact there is talk about four credible vaccines that can combat this virus within a 365 day time period is incredible.

At the moment, the world record for fastest effective vaccine was set in 1967, when Merck licensed an inoculation for mumps in just four years.

Downtown Saskatoon back on March 22.

It is safe to say medical science has come a long way since the 1960s, which is why we are already talking about COVID-19 vaccines in a time span within a year. There has also been a big push throughout the world to create a COVID-19 vaccine.

As the mainstream media reports about the potential rollout for vaccines for COVID-19, you actually start to let yourself get optimistic that everything in the world could potentially return to normal in September of 2021.

If the world does return to normal by September of 2021 due to COVID-19 vaccines, I believe the bulk of human society in general won’t truly appreciate what happened. I believe humanity as a collective will just brush off the COVID-19 pandemic as a blip on the radar, if vaccines allow the world to return to normal in September of 2021.

While that scenario would shatter the world record for fastest vaccine, I believe it would enable society in general to act like the spoiled little kid who gets everything he or she wants.

It would be like, “That wasn’t a big deal, and now I am going to go back to living my life like I did before the pandemic.”

Will facemasks remain a necessity for a while yet?

While the vaccine stories have been big ones, they have run alongside continuing stories over the past two weeks of seemingly constant new case records for COVID-19 in Canada and the United States. In some spots there are new fatality records due to COVID-19.

The United States is starting to see days of experiencing over 2,800 deaths per day due to COVID-19 over this past week.

There has been talk of establishing field hospitals in Alberta. In Saskatchewan, there has been talk of trying to make adjustments to avoid using field hospitals that have been set up at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon and Evraz Place in Regina for as long as possible.

Both field hospitals are sitting ready but haven’t seen any patients to date.

Despite all the surging COVID-19 cases and a new round of various restrictions across Canada that have come with them, there are still way too many people that act like the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t exist.

To be fair, there are a lot of people in society that take the COVID-19 pandemic seriously, and they will cherish things more in everyday life that are taken for granted when the pandemic does end.  

With that said, there is a sizable minority that is too big that doesn’t take it seriously, which brings everything down.

You can see those examples as well in the sports world, which will reflect society to a certain extent.

Lots try to emulate “T.O.” in the pandemic.

A return to normal by September of next year would help the sports world in Canada. Even if that plays out, many sports bodies and teams would still have to deal with the reality of significant financial losses that were sustained in the pandemic in attempting to play during it.

In the current world, humanity in general seems content to live trying to be their best respective versions of former NFL diva receiver Terrell Owens.

At the moment, the world’s best option to get out of the COVID-19 pandemic is if the vaccines that have been created deliver results, because society in general can’t get on the same page.

It would be a great development, if the world returned to normal by September of next year.

If the world does return to normal under that scenario, you can unfortunately expect society as a collective will quickly forget about the COVID-19 pandemic and basically learn nothing from that whole experience.

Bedard back training in Canada, other notes

Connor Bedard is back into his off-season routine.

The skilled centre from North Vancouver, B.C., was selected first overall in April’s WHL Bantam Draft by the Regina Pats having already been granted exceptional player status to play full-time as a 15-year-old rookie on the major junior circuit. He is the first player to be granted exceptional player status to play in the WHL.

As a 14-year-old with West Vancouver Academy’s under-18 team playing in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League in 2019-20, Bedard piled up 43 goals and 41 assists for 84 points in 36 games. He was named the MVP of the CSSHL’s under-18 division.

With the start of the WHL season being pushed back currently to January 8, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bedard went overseas to play games in Sweden to prepare for the 2020-21 WHL campaign. The hockey season in Sweden was halted due to rising COVID-19 cases in that country.

As a result, Bedard returned to Canada. Having quarantined for 14 days, Bedard hits the ice for six to seven times a week and works out doing dryland training five to six times a week.

On Thursday, he spoke with the media during an online media conference.

“I’ve kind of been treating it like it was the summer,” said Bedard about being home again. “I go workout and train.

“Obviously, I wish I could be in Regina playing right now, but that is not the case. You kind of just have to adapt and try to figure out the best way to improve your game.”

Greg Harder of the Regina Leader-Post caught up with Bedard for a story in late November. In that piece, Bedard said he got back home on November 13.

In Sweden, Bedard played four games with HV71, which his based in Jonkoping, in that country’s under-20 league collecting two goals and two assists. He played one game with HV71 in Sweden’s under-18 league netting one goal and one assist.

During the media conference on Thursday, Bedard said his stay in Sweden was originally supposed to last longer.

“I was going to come back the third of December, and I was going to play like maybe 10 to 15 more games or somewhere around there,” said Bedard, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 165 pounds. “Their season got stuck until the new year, so I decided to come back.

“I am just training trying to get ready for our year.”

Still, he said the time he spent in Sweden was beneficial.

“I think being in a schedule made it a lot more normal,” said Bedard. “I am kind of at the rink all day.”

He found he improved his puck control skills on the bigger sized ice surfaces that are used in Europe.

“That (puck control) is something they focus on a lot and kind of being able to protect the puck,” said Bedard. “Coming back now when I am on the ice, I feel like that has gotten better.”

As for life away from the rink, Bedard said he found it different seeing people in Sweden getting around riding skis that were on wheels, which allowed them to ski on the streets.

When it came to communicating with family and friends back home online, he found he was often going to bed, while they were waking up. Bedard did all his schooling online.

Now back home, Bedard is focused on being ready for when the Pats get going.

He was asked about potentially returning to Sweden, if the start of the WHL campaign got pushed back again.

“It is a thought,” said Bedard. “I am kind of just hoping that we can get going here.”

Bedard said he was aware that the number of new COVID-19 cases had been surging in Canada, while he was away. Now when he works out during dryland sessions, he wears a facemask.

When asked about how worried he was about the WHL season coming up due to how the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into things, Bedard said he just tries to focus on his training.

 “Honestly, I try not to think about it,” said Bedard. “I’m not in the meetings.

“I’m not one of the ones trying to schedule it. I honestly have no clue what is going on. Obviously, we are still planning for that start.

“Anything can happen. I’m just trying to train for that start. Hopefully, it goes, but if it doesn’t, I kind of just keep training and see what happens.”

• On Wednesday, CurlSask caused a bit of a panic using the word “cancellation” in a tweet regarding the upcoming women’s and men’s Saskatchewan provincial curling championships, which were slated to run Jan. 29 to Feb. 7, 2021 in Estevan at Affinity Place. A clarification was sent out that the women’s and men’s championships wouldn’t be hosted in Estevan. A release said CurlSask has four scenarios to declare Saskatchewan’s representatives at the Scotties and the Brier, which are the respective women’s and men’s Canadian curling championships. CurlSask did not expand on those scenarios.
• As of Friday night, the 50/50 jackpot for the Hockey Harvest Lottery sat at $240,130. The lottery is being used to raise money for the player scholarship funds of Saskatchewan’s five WHL teams in the Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades and the Swift Current Broncos. Tickets can be purchased by clicking right here, and purchasers must be in Saskatchewan in order to buy tickets.
• As of Friday night, the December jackpot for the Saskatchewan Amateur Football Mega 50/50 lottery sat at $4,420. The funds from this 50/50 lottery will go to support the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder and the WWCFL’s Saskatoon Valkyries and Regina Riot. One prize will be drawn per month, and the draw dates are December 31, 2020, January 31, 2021, February 28, 2021, March 31, 2021, April 30, 2021 and May 31, 2021. Tickets can be purchased by clicking right here, and purchasers must be in Saskatchewan in order to buy tickets.
• On Friday, the University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team announced their NCAA regular season road games on Friday and Saturday night against the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers in Minneapolis, Minn., had been postponed. The decision was made by University of Wisconsin medical officials after positive COVID-19 tests were found within the Badgers women’s hockey program. The Wisconsin State Journal reported on Friday that at least two Badgers players had tested positive for COVID-19. The Badgers roster contains Saskatoon Stars female under-18 AAA hockey team alums and sisters Sophie and Grace Shirley. Sophie recorded her 50^th career goal and 100^th career point when the Badgers split their first two games of the 2020-21 campaign on the road against the Ohio State University Buckeyes.
• On Friday, the Boston University Terriers women’s hockey team opened their 2020-21 NCAA campaign slipping past the University of New Hampshire Wildcats 2-1 in Durham, New Hampshire. Saskatoon Stars female under-18 AAA hockey alumna Mackenna Parker had an assist on the Terriers first goal. Stars alumna Nara Elia is the Terriers captain this season.
• The WHL’s Saskatoon Blades have a fantastic new store in Midtown Plaza in Saskatoon. It is a definite stop for Christmas gift ideas.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Reacting peacefully to sports scene is wise in COVID-19 times

The Cougars had 18 players and staff test positive for COVID-19.

There are moments during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic you want to tell some in the sports scene or some fans of the scene to go take a valium or go smoke some medical marijuana.

It seems like any time there is a change with the sports scene that people want to lash out emotionally. It is almost like you get some sort of high by being triggered. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there are lots of opportunities to get triggered by changes in the sports scene.

Those people don’t seem to settle down, step back and think thinks out with a calm mind.

When you look at the sports world, it can be understandable. In the sports world, it seems society loves to see their sports figures be emotional, passionate and show heart. The same goes for the fans.

The emotion, passion and heart show you care about the sport and care about the team you are playing for, work for or cheer for.

What sometimes gets forgotten is sport rewards those who can control their emotion and passion and can conduct themselves in a cerebral and professional manner.

Joe Montana, who built a Pro Football Hall of Fame career playing for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, was known by one of his nicknames as “Joe Cool.”

Why was Montana known as “Joe Cool?”

Montana was “Joe Cool,” because no matter how big the stakes were in a game, or what adversities were faced in the contest he was playing, he never lost his cool.

He always shut out the noise and acted in control. He formulated a plan in his mind that this is what you had to do to get things done, and he would go out and execute those things to win the game.

You could find those types of qualities in most of the best athletes like hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and basketball icon Michael Jordan.

A lot of times, you don’t even need to look at the top levels of professional sports to find those qualities.

The Prince Albert Raiders displayed those qualities during the 2018-19 campaign when they finished first overall in the WHL and won the WHL title. As a unit, the players didn’t lose their cool and were focused on what needed to be done in the game they were playing that day.

Provincials in 2021 are mostly no in Man., uncertain for Westman Wildcats.

Even if scrums or fight situations developed and one of the Raiders showed great passion at that time, that player was still in control and knew what he was doing.

Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the world is a different animal. In North America, there have been some sort of restrictions in place to battle COVID-19 for a little over the past eight-and-a-half months.

As new case numbers have spiked throughout November in North America, restrictions have been reintroduced at different levels everywhere.

There have been situations that society has never dealt with as a collective in its history. One of those points came in late March and early April when pretty much all non-essential services in the world were stopped.

The last time the world experienced a pandemic that paralleled what is happening with the current COVID-19 pandemic was the Spanish Flu pandemic that ran from 1918 to 1920. Shutdowns did happen during the Spanish Flu pandemic, but only a handful of people in today’s world were alive back then and most would have been too young to have recollections of the Spanish Flu.

The Spanish Flu pandemic was caused by an H1N1 influenza A virus, and vaccines created by medical science in the current day have kept influenza viruses under control.

Still as a collective, society in the current day doesn’t have experience dealing with something like what the COVID-19 pandemic has presented.

In the sports world, the natural reaction is to act emotionally when a change occurs. At times, people that are lashing out need to step back and really look at what they are reacting to.

They have to ask themselves is it really worth ranting and raving over what they are reacting to or triggered from.

If you are ranting and raving over something immediately, that usually is a sign that you have been triggered.

In the current sports climate, the changes and the breaking news isn’t going to stop coming. That has been true even in the past couple of days.

On Monday, Hockey Manitoba announced all minor hockey provincials for the 2021 have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those tournaments would have run across the province throughout February and March of 2021.

An opening was still in place to allow provincial leagues to name a provincial champion in Manitoba.

The Acadie-Bathurst Titan and QMJHL are off until Jan. 2021.

On Monday, it was also announced that 18 members of the Mount Royal University Cougars men’s hockey team had tested positive for COVID-19. The positives tests included both players and staff members. The team is in isolation and due to Alberta public health orders, the Cougars won’t be training again until next year.

Also on Monday, the QMJHL announced all league activities are suspended starting on Tuesday and running through to Jan. 3, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If that wasn’t enough, Brady Lang of 650 CKOM reported on Monday the City of Saskatoon pulled all hockey nets off outdoor community rinks due to the provincial public health orders that are in place. Those restrictions are currently set to be in place until Dec. 17.

To different degrees, you could find people raging on any of these topics. At the end of the day, does that rage really help anything outside of blowing off steam?

You could also react too far in joyful way when good news appears to occur.

On Tuesday, Curling Canada announced the 2021 Scotties, the Brier, the men’s world curling championship and the Canadian national mixed doubles will all be hosted at the Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alta., in a bubble city format. The official dates of these events are still to be announced.

When this bit of news dropped, there were those that acted like life was going to return to normal starting tomorrow.

The Curling Canada announcement was great news, but you do have to take the news knowing that there is a risk those four events still might not happen.

There is also great optimism about the four vaccine candidates that mainstream media outlets have done a number of stories on the past handful of days. The expectation of what might happen in those stories still has to be tempered.

For myself when I hear those vaccine stories, I have moments where I envision everything returning to normal by September of 2021. I realize the game isn’t over and there are still a lot of steps that have to be taken to get to that point.

I don’t try to set a date for those things and try to let it play out as it will play out and react the best I can to the developments.

With all that said, I am not against athletes having a good cry or being upset session, if their season comes to an unexpected end. If they can do that with a friend or teammate and even talk those feelings out with a teammate, that type of action is even better.

The 2019 WHL champion Raiders were cool even in emotional times.

The up and down waves of emotion are going to continue to come during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here is hoping everyone in society can find a way to ride those waves out as evenly as possible.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

The Stars most memorable night at Agriplace Arena

First provincial title won in March of 2015

Kianna Dietz celebrates scoring for the Stars.

It might have been one of the most hyper championship celebrations of all time.

On March 25, 2015, the host Saskatoon Stars blanked the Prince Albert A & W Bears 2-0 in Game 3 of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship series. With the win, the Stars swept the best-of-five set 3-0 and captured the Fedoruk Cup.

After the game’s final seconds ticked away at the Agriplace Arena, the Stars poured off their bench in a highly energetic celebration. They were bouncing all over the walls like young kids on a sugar rush the day after Halloween.

The pure excitement like came from the fact the Stars roster was young. The Saskatoon side had six players in their 15-year-old years and five players skating in their 14-year-old underage years.

Sophie Shirley controls the puck in the offensive zone.

Anna Leschyshyn dressed in that championship winning game as a 13-year-old associate player call up. Grace Shirley had also been playing regular season and post-season games as a 13-year-old associate player call up too.

The image of the Stars engaging in just pure and unfiltered joy was actually quite entertaining and even cute to watch. That win marked the first time the Stars won a provincial title on a circuit that is now known as the Saskatchewan Female Under-18 AAA Hockey League.

They beat their tradition rival to do it as well in a Bears side that is now known as the Prince Albert Northern Bears.

Nara Elia gets set to dangle past the Bears defence.

Looking at the Stars players, you could see they knew they did something special.

Going into that title winning game, there weren’t any thoughts about post-game celebrations on the Stars side. The focus was on beating the Bears.

The Bears had 17-year-old veteran Jessica Vance in goal who is still the SFU18AAAHL’s all-time leader in regular season goaltending wins. They had a couple of talented 17-year-old veteran forwards who could put up the points in Madison Casavant and Tylor Lindsey.

They had a 15-year-old offensive defender in Brooke Hobson, who had a shot that seemed to be given to her as a gift from the heavens and was a skilled power-play quarterback. 

The Stars celebrate a title winning goal from Jordyn Gerlitz.

Captain Morgan Willoughby, who was a 17-year-old veteran defender, was playing with grit returning halfway through the season from a serious knee injury.

Prince Albert had younger players who might be X-factors too in 14-year-old rookie underage defenders Hannah Koroll and Jordan Ashe along with 13-year-old rookie underage forward Abby Soyko.

The Bears were guided by head coach Jeff Willoughby, who was already a league veteran and two-time league coach of the year at that point in time.

The Stars countered with the two best players in the league in centre Sophie Shirley, who is Grace’s older sister, and winger Nara Elia, who were all-world talents skating in their 15-year-old sophomore years.

Captain Paige Michalenko was a steady veteran presence.

Elia scored the double overtime winner in Game 1 of the championship series with Sophie and 15-year-old winger Abby Shirley picking up assists.

In Game 2 of the series in Prince Albert, Sophie had two goals and an assist as the Stars blanked the Bears 3-0. In the Stars eight games of their post-season run to that point in time, Sophie had an incredible 12 goals and 12 assists.

The Stars were leaning on the talented Emma Johnson, who was a 15-year-old sophomore, to deliver in goal.

The five players the Stars had playing as 14-year-old underagers were already performing like veterans in forwards Mackenna Parker, Kianna Dietz, Jordyn Holmes and Jordyn Gerlitz along with supremely talented offensive defender Willow Slobodzian.

Goalie Emma Johnson keeps the Bears at bay in the third.

While the Stars were young, they were steadied by the presence of 17-year-old veterans in defender and captain Paige Michalenko, forwards Courtney Cormack and Brittany Heuchert and netminder Karlee Fetch.

Jenna Nash was having a strong season playing defence in her 17-year-old season until a knee injury brought her campaign to an end shortly before playoffs started. Nash was still around offering support to her teammates.

Danielle Nogier, who was a 16-year-old centre, did a thankless job as a tight checking defensive shutdown forward. Hollie Coumont, who was a 16-year-old defender, provided points while being a colourful character who had character.

Hollie Coumont was a character who had character.

Julia Rongve, who was played in her 15-year-old sophomore season, usually skated on the top line with Sophie Shirley and Elia and fulfilled any role the team asked of her.

 The Stars depth was rounded out by 16-year-old defender Danielle Girolami, 15-year-old defender Rayna Jacobson and 15-year-old utility player Kalista Senger. All three played important minutes at different points in the campaign.

Veteran hockey coach Greg Slobodzian took on the duties as Stars head coach that season and shared the league’s coach of the year honours in that campaign with Chad Kish, who was the head coach of the Weyburn Southern Range Gold Wings.

Anna Leschyshyn picked up an assist on the Stars second goal.

The crowd was squished into the Agriplace Arena for the Game 3 clash for the league title between the Stars and Bears on that March day in 2015.

Vance and Johnson took centre stage in the opening 20-minutes with the Stars holding a slim 8-7 edge in shots on goal. Sophie and Elia were working their magic, but weren’t able to get the host side on the scoreboard.

The Stars supporting cast stepped into the spotlight in the second period and made the ultimate difference in the contest.

At the 7:31 mark of the frame, Dietz set up Gerlitz for the tally that put the Stars up 1-0. Gerlitz, who was a speed and high energy forward, would go down as first player to score an SFU18AAAHL championship winning goal for the Stars.

The Stars begin celebrating their league title win.

Again, Gerlitz and Dietz were playing in their 14-year-old rookie underage seasons for the Stars.

Just 14 seconds later, a net scramble occurred in front of the Prince Albert net. A sprawling Vance and Morgan Willoughby couldn’t stop Dietz from popping home the all important insurance goal.

Dietz immediately raised her arms in the air and she was mobbed by her teammates on the ice. While she was a rookie, Dietz had already established herself as the glue gal in the Stars dressing room. She had a deep love for her teammates and team.

Leschyshyn picked up a helper on that tally.

The Stars raise the Fedoruk Cup.

The Bears attempted to battle back but the damage was done.

Johnson slammed the door the rest of the way officially making 22 saves to pick up the shutout win in goal. Vance turned away 20 shots taking the setback in net for the Bears.

The Stars forward unit of Nogier, Cormack and Heuchert performed a perfect shutdown job on the Bears in the final minute of the third period.

When time expired, the Stars were finally league champions.

In 2010, 2011 and 2012, the Stars made the league final but came up empty handed against Olivia Howe and her Notre Dame Hounds dynasty team.

Brittany Heuchert, left, and Hollie Coumont kiss the Fedoruk Cup.

The 2014-15 campaign was the time everything came through for the Saskatoon side in a magical season.

The Stars advanced to the Esso Cup female under-18 AAA national championship hosted that year in Red Deer, Alta., in April of 2015. Saskatoon fell to the host Red Deer Chiefs in a semifinal game 2-1 after a tiebreaking shootout.

The Stars rebounded and won the bronze medal game 5-1 against the Central Plains Capitals from Portage la Prairie, Man.

Overall, the Stars posted a 45-5 record in 2014-15.

Still, the most memorable night was winning the league championship at Agriplace.

The Stars pose for a team picture after winning the Fedoruk Cup.

Due to the fact a soldout concert wrapped up at the neighbouring SaskTel Centre, the Stars and their families were trapped by traffic at Agriplace following the championship win, and that was a good thing.

After the Stars players got showered and changed, the celebration continued for 90 minutes in the lounge area at the facility. It provided the opportune time for fellowship.

The memories made by all those with the Stars that night were ones that last for a lifetime. They truly were “the Shining Stars of Saskatoon.”

Shirley hits milestones with Badgers

Another day, another milestone for #Badgers @sophieshirley9!

A day after earning her 100th career point, Sophie potted her 50th career goal today! #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/EfRtjL343u

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey) November 29, 2020

Sophie Shirley added a couple of big milestones to her already well-decorated hockey resume over the past couple of days.

On Friday, the gifted centre, who is in her junior year, picked up an assist as her University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team fell in their NCAA regular season opener 3-2 to the Ohio State University Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio.

The helper was Shirley’s 100^th career NCAA point.

On Saturday, the 21-year-old Saskatoon product scored twice to power the Badgers past the Buckeyes 5-0 in the second clash of a two-game series in Columbus, Ohio.

Shirley’s first tally was her 50^th career NCAA goal. In 79 career games with the Badgers, Shirley has 51 goals and 51 assists for 102 points.

During her rookie campaign in 2018-19, Shirley piled up 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points in 41 games helping the Badgers win an NCAA national championship.

Last season, Shirley recorded an incredible 29 goals and 32 assists for 61 points in 36 games for the Badgers. She was a finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top player in NCAA women’s hockey.

The Badgers weren’t able to complete their post-season run in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

Shirley played two complete seasons for the Saskatoon Stars female under-18 AAA team and three games as an associate player call up in the 2012-13 season. In 58 career regular season games with the Stars, Shirley piled up 41 goals and 27 assists for 68 points.

At the moment, the Badgers are set to return to action this coming Friday, when they are scheduled to travel to Minneapolis, Minn., to play the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Hear what #Badgers @sophieshirley9 had to say after UW’s 5-0 win at OSU! pic.twitter.com/hgEhcg5Ih5

— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerWHockey) November 28, 2020

Clark celebrates 25^th birthday on Saturday

Emily Clark meets her fans at the SaskTel Centre in Nov. 2018.

Emily Clark, who has made her mark as one of Saskatoon’s all-time hockey greats, celebrated her 25^th birthday on Saturday.

Clark, who is a member of Canada’s senior national women’s hockey team, played three seasons for her hometown Saskatoon Stars female under-18 AAA hockey team from 2009 to 2012. The supremely talented forward appeared in 82 regular season games for the Stars piling up 45 goals and 46 assists for 91 points.

During her final campaign with the Stars in 2011-12, Clark set the team record for most points scored in one regular season at 60. She piled up 26 goals and 34 assists for 60 points in 26 regular season games.

Her Stars record for most points in one regular season was matched by centre Mackenna Parker in the 2017-18 campaign, when Parker piled up 33 goals and 27 assists for 60 points in 23 regular season games.

Emily Clark, centre, with her old Stars teammates in Dec. 2019.

Clark’s number 13 was retired by the Stars in December of 2019.

Clark won two gold medals representing Canada at the women’s under-18 world hockey championships in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

She was a member of Canada’s women’s hockey team that won a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Clark played four seasons with the University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team from 2014 to 2019 posting 70 goals and 76 assists for 146 points in 147 career NCAA games. She helped the Badgers win an NCAA national championship in her final season with the team in 2018-19.

In all her hockey stops, Clark has been popular with all her teammates. She continues to be one of the game’s top role models.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

When COVID-19 restrictions are announced, social media is not the place to be

Facebook can be a really crappy place at times.

It appears it was a great week to be a rageaholic.

The rageaholics came out of the woodworks this week anytime new restrictions were announced to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world.

On Tuesday, rageaholics went off the rails in Alberta, when new restrictions were brought forward in that province.

On Wednesday, it was Saskatchewan’s turn to be a rageaholic stomping ground.

Of course, new restrictions are being brought in because the number of new COVID-19 cases are spiking across Canada. Just for Alberta and Saskatchewan alone the cases have been rising at an incredible rate.

As of Friday, there were 14,217 active COVID-19 cases in Alberta and 3,263 active cases in Saskatchewan.

Back on Nov. 1, there were 5,172 active COVID-19 cases in Alberta and 798 active COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan.

Back on Oct. 1, there were 1,596 active COVID-19 cases in Alberta and 144 active COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan.

When new restrictions get announced, social media is not the place to be. On Facebook and Twitter, it is quite easy to find posts full or rage, hate and piss and vinegar.

Of course you get the side that goes off that the restrictions are too tight. You also have the side that hammers down the restrictions don’t go far enough.

Looking at all the social media posts, you come away with the impression that everyone in society in general is some sort of version of former NFL diva receiver Terrell Owens.

When Owens used to play in the NFL, one of the common acts to imitate him was to go on a rant and say, “It is all about me. Me! I’m the greatest. Me! Team is spelled M, E. Me!”

In general, it is safe to say all humans are selfish to a certain extent. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it feels like the selfishness of humanity has hit new levels. We are definitely not in this all together.

I hate to say it, but some loud people in the sports world - that includes some in Alberta and Saskatchewan - seem to have abandoned preaching the importance of team and seem to be saying things that makes them symbolize all those “me” traits Owens used to show off.

The urge to play in an effort to stay relevant seems to be the most important thing in the world to those people.

Starting on Friday in Alberta, all sports in that province have been cancelled for a three-week restriction period, but exceptions may be granted.

Hockey Canada’s selection camp for its world junior team is going on at the moment in Red Deer, but the sport body announced on Wednesday that players, coaches and staff had entered a 14-day quarantine retroactive to Monday. All camp activities are paused until Dec. 6.

The Bears won’t enjoy any more wins for a bit.

The shutdown came after the confirmation that two players at the camp have tested positive for COVID-19. A staff member had tested positive for COVID-19 on Nov. 21.

A new batch of restrictions took effect in Saskatchewan on Friday. All team sports and group activities are suspended.

Athletes and dancers 18-years-old and under may keep practicing in groups of eight or fewer if they use masks and physical distance three metres from each other. Fitness activities of groups of eight or less are still allowed as long as masks are worn and there is three metres of physical distance between participants.

Capacity at casinos, bingo halls, arenas, live theatres, movie theatres, performing arts venues and other facilities that had a capped capacity of 150 people will be restricted to 30 people.

Indoor gatherings such as banquets, weddings, funerals, conferences will also have a limit of 30 people and food and beverage service will be prohibited.

All places of worship must reduce capacity to 30 people, and no food or drink can be served.

Restaurants and licensed establishments are limited to seat four at a single table.

Mandatory non-medical mask wearing was extended to more areas. That includes all students, employees and visitors at schools, all employees and visitors in common areas in business and workplaces and all residents, employees and visitors in all common areas in provincial and municipal correctional facilities.

These new measures and public health measures that were all ready in effect in Saskatchewan will remain in effect until December 17.

On Wednesday, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League junior A circuit announced it won’t be playing any games from Friday through to Christmas.

As sports got going again during the pandemic, it felt like there were some in minor sports bodies and with teams that acted like sports would not be shut down again, and it seemed like that message filtered to some players and parents.

If anyone really believed that, they were delusional, because what happens with the pandemic is out of anyone’s control. Everyone in any sports organization should know that the risk on going ahead with play in these current pandemic times is that games and competitions can be scrapped and sports organizations and teams can lose substantial amounts of money by playing.

It felt like there were some out there that knew the risks, weren’t truly honest about them and got burned by them.

There are also a large number of sports organizations and teams that are honest with their players.

Actually, there have been a number of coaches that have done admirable work in being honest with their players.

Special shout outs go to Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team head coach Scott Flory, Prince Albert Northern Bears head coach Jeff Willoughby, Saskatoon Stars head coach Robin Ulrich, University of Regina Cougars women’s hockey team head coach Sarah Hodges and University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team head coach Steve Kook.

Those special shout outs come from interactions with the players on those teams as well as the coaches themselves.

There won’t be any Stars victory celebrations for a while.

That list could be expanded, if it wasn’t for limited interactions due to the pandemic. I know I have left a large number of good coaches out.

Still, it feels like society in general is not in this all together when it comes to dealing with the pandemic. The sports world is not immune to this.

It seems the only way out of this is to hope the mainstream media stories that there are at least three COVID-19 vaccine candidates out there that could possibly be rolled out in 2021 becomes reality. That could optimistically return everything to normal by September of that year.

Relying on humanity as a whole to get on the same page to battle the COVID-19 pandemic right now looks to be a non-starter.

The mystery of Rangers’ Maracle, other notes

So were there Indigenous hockey players in the NHL before the late Fred Sasakamoose?

It appears there was a least one for sure. It also appears that it took some painstaking work a journalist to uncover that one, which might add some historical snapshots of time.

The one Indigenous player that came before Sasakamoose was Ayr, Ont., product Henry Elmer “Buddy” Maracle.

Maracle played 11 regular season games at left wing for the New York Rangers in 1930-31 collecting one goal and three assists and was held pointless in four playoff games. He was a member of the Mohawk tribe.

Irene Schmidt-Adeney, who is a reporter at the weekly Ayr News, has spent a tonne of work uncovering Maracle’s history.

He was born in Ayr, Ont., on September 8, 1904 and passed away on June 20, 1958 in Dallas, Texas. Schmidt-Adeney said Maracle passed away due to a kidney disorder. He was a produce truck driver at the time of his death.

She added that stories about Maracle during his hockey career often had racist headlines. His final season of hockey was with the minor league San Diego Skyhawks in 1943-44.

After his hockey career finished, Schmidt-Adeney said Maracle became a United States citizen. According to her research, Maracle gave up his Mohawk status in 1955.

His Texas death certificate from 1958 said his color or race was “white.”

Historical archives and newspaper archives were able to show facts on Maracle. They help paint a snapshot in time.

At the point in time Maracle lived, it was likely more advantageous to renounce your Indigenous status. The fact he did that likely made it harder to track down his cultural background.

As a result, Sasakamoose, who is from the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation, is often recognized as the NHL’s first Indigenous player with treaty status when he played 11 regular season games for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1953-54 campaign. Sasakamoose passed away on Tuesday after being recently hospitalized for COVID-19.

Sasakamoose will always live on as a legend, because he did a tonne of work to help better the lives for Indigenous athletes. He always identified with his culture and will always be viewed as a hero.

On Maracle’s front, you can’t fault him for choices he made with the facts that have been uncovered in his life. He was a product of his point and time in history.

• On Wednesday, Softball Saskatchewan announced it was suspending all sanctioned activities until January 15, 2021 due to the rise of COVID-19 cases in Saskatchewan.
• On Wednesday, the WHL announced that the WHL Cup tournament was cancelled for the 2020-21 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event features the under-16 teams from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
• On Wednesday, a Saskatchewan Amateur Football Mega 50/50 lottery was announced to support the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops and Regina Thunder and the WWCFL’s Saskatoon Valkyries and Regina Riot. One prize will be drawn per month, and the draw dates are December 31, 2020, January 31, 2021, February 28, 2021, March 31, 2021, April 30, 2021 and May 31, 2021. Tickets can be purchased by clicking right here, and purchasers must be in Saskatchewan in order to buy tickets.
• On Friday night, the 50/50 jackpot for the Hockey Harvest Lottery sat at $220,520. The lottery is being used to raise money for the player scholarship funds of Saskatchewan’s five WHL teams in the Moose Jaw Warriors, Prince Albert Raiders, Regina Pats, Saskatoon Blades and the Swift Current Broncos. Tickets can be purchased by clicking right here, and purchasers must be in Saskatchewan in order to buy tickets.
• On Friday, the University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team opened their NCAA regular season schedule falling 3-2 to the Ohio State University Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. Sophie Shirley, who is an alumna of the Saskatoon Stars female under-18 AAA hockey team, had an assist for the Badgers. The Badgers roster contains Sophie’s younger sister, Grace, who is also an alumna of the Stars.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Beloved Sasakamoose leaves great trailblazing legacy

Fred Sasakamoose 1933-2020

Fred Sasakamoose, right, at the 2018 Memorial Cup.

When I first met Fred Sasakamoose way back on February 25, 2004, he was underestimating the epilogue of his life.

We had a long visit in the old conference room on the second floor of the Prince Albert Daily Herald office building. I was interviewing him for a story for the next day’s paper.

Sasakamoose had recently been in Shaunavon, Sask., as a guest at the Hockey Day in Canada festivities. He attended on an invite from CBC.

During a banquet at that event, longtime Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster Dick Irvin Jr. introduced Sasakamoose to the crowd. Irvin summarized Sasakamoose’s place in hockey history.

He was one of the first Indigenous players to play in the NHL. He made his NHL debut on November 20, 1953 with the Chicago Blackhawks playing against the Boston Bruins.

Sasakamoose played one more game with the Blackhawks before being sent back to the junior Moose Jaw Canucks.

With the Canucks in 1953-54, Sasakamoose appeared in 34 regular season games collecting 31 goals and 26 assists. In February of 1954 after the Canucks season finished, Sasakamoose was called back up to the Blackhawks.

The centre played in 11 games in total with Chicago collecting no points and six penalty minutes.

Irvin’s father, Dick Irvin Sr., coached Sasakamoose in Chicago.

At the time I interviewed Sasakamoose in February of 2004, he was 70-years-old. He thought at that time what took place in Shaunavon was a high point in his life.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brigette Lacquette (@briglacquette)

“That put the icing in my life,” said Sasakamoose. “The finishing touch of the cake.

“The finishing touch on my life, when they put on the icing by Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, by CBC Hockey Night in Canada, (and) by the people of Shaunavon for the invitation. I hope they read this in Shaunavon, and what I finished saying.

“It was the greatest moment of my life.”

Little did Sasakamoose know, his story took on a bigger life from that point.

He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. The Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation member became a member of the Order of Canada in 2018.

On top of those honours, Sasakamoose has been inducted into the Saskatchewan First Nations Sports Hall of Fame, the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame, the Meadow Lake Wall of Fame, the FSIN Circle of Honour and the Canadian Native Hockey Hall of Fame.

Today we are sadden to hear the passing of @FredSasakamoose. You will be greatly missed by our indigenous communities. You have paved the way and allowed us to believe in our dreams. #warrior #leader #Inspiration #nativepride pic.twitter.com/B7pvNFHhCC

— Jordin Tootoo (@Jtootoo22) November 25, 2020

He continued to be an incredible positive influence on young Indigenous athletes and that developed into lifelong friendships into adulthood.

Sasakamoose spoke on the real hard subjects too. Much of his childhood was spent at the St. Michael’s Indian Residential School in Duck Lake, Sask. During a Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearing in Prince Albert in 2012, he publicly acknowledged that he was sexually abused by other children at the school when he was nine years old.

At age seven, he and his brother, Frank, were whisked away by the government to the school.

Sasakamoose overcame all of that adversity to make it to the NHL. Following his time in the NHL, Sasakamoose’s playing career concluded with time spent in various minor leagues.

When he was done playing, he became a band councilor with the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation and served one six-year term as Chief.

He spent a large amount of time developing sports programs for Indigenous children.

On Tuesday, Sasakamoose passed away at age 86 after recently being hospitalized for COVID-19.

So sorry to hear about @FredSasakamoose today. Thank you for being a leader and paving the way for all of us indigenous hockey players and helping us dream big. You will be missed. pic.twitter.com/SYAYozKDEs

— Theo Fleury (@TheoFleury14) November 24, 2020

Tributes poured in from all over the hockey world, especially from the Indigenous community.

Because of Sasakamoose’s exploits, it allowed the sport of hockey to be blessed with the likes of Bryan Trottier, Theo Fleury, Jordin Tootoo, Brigette Lacquette, Ethan Bear, Brady Keeper, Justin Nachbaur and Jaydon Dureau to follow in the strides Sasakamoose made.

Sasakamoose watched those youngsters grow with great pride and was someone they could always turn to.

A lot of Sasakamoose’s biggest impacts on a number of those individuals came after I did my interview with him back in February of 2004. During that visit, I could tell I was only scratching the surface of the wisdom Sasakamoose, who was born on December 25, 1933, had to share.

It is safe to say some great wisdom was shared with various Indigenous athletes after my visit with him in Prince Albert.

Fred Sasakamoose (#21) in Saskatoon in Jan. 2018.

During the initial aftermath of the news of his passing, it feels like Sasakamoose should have had more opportunities to continue to have a profound impact on people. He was truly a gem of a person.

If each of us could emulate a fraction of who Sasakamoose was, this world really would be a better and more understanding place.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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2013 Grey Cup was Rider Nation’s best day at Taylor Field

Me, left, next to Chris Schultz on TV.

Thanks to looking over Chris Schultz’s shoulder, I had my moment at the 101^st Grey Cup.

Following the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 romp over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to win the Grey Cup at home on the frozen concrete of Taylor Field on November 24, 2013, I found myself heading to the booth on the north side of the legendary facility that was hosting TSN’s game day panel.

I was part of the group that got to look in through the window as the members of the panel gave their final thoughts on the contest. I was looking over the shoulder of Schultz, who was a former offensive tackle and 1991 Grey Cup winner with the Toronto Argonauts.

Later on that night, I noticed my TV appearance was captured on photo by a couple of buds in Mike Kaye and Jeff Urkevich, who posted the images on Facebook. I laughed when I saw them, and they are still a good keepsake memory.

This past Sunday, the CFL wrapped up a Grey Cup Unite promotion that began on Monday, Nov. 16. It marked a week long virtual celebration of the CFL and its iconic title game that dates back to 1909.

Grey Cup Unite ran during the same time this year’s Grey Cup festival was to be held in Regina, and the championship contest was to be played on Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.

With the world locked in the grips of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the 2020 CFL campaign got outright cancelled.

Rider Nation mingled in the streets before the 2013 Grey Cup.

There was talk about playing a shortened CFL season in a hub city format in Winnipeg, Man., but the entire campaign was officially terminated on August 17.

During the Grey Cup Unite week that just wrapped up, my mind drifted back to that seasonably pleasant day and night in Regina on November 24, 2013. That game was played seven years ago today, and it feels like some kind of other lifetime ago.

Still, I wish something could make me go back in time to relive that day again. Even just being seven years younger that I am today, I felt I was able to truly soak in and enjoy that day.

At that time, I was still working at the Medicine Hat News as a beat writer that covered the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. I had booked a vacation week that started on that Grey Cup Sunday.

With how the stresses were in the workplace at that point in time, I aimed to use my vacation weeks as tools to give myself strategic breaks. Looking at the CFL schedule, I thought the Roughriders could be in that game.

Fans walk to Taylor Field for the 2013 Grey Cup.

Even if they weren’t, I expected to attend a Grey Cup party in Medicine Hat and had plans to enjoy the day that way.

I was actually in Calgary a week earlier on November 17, 2013 at McMahon Stadium, when the Roughriders hammered the host Calgary Stampeders 35-13 in the CFL’s West Final.

When I got home, I did check Ticketmaster’s website to see if there were tickets available for the Grey Cup. Of course, the game was a sellout.

During my career as a sports reporter, I knew usually at big events like the Grey Cup a portion of tickets are set aside for dignitaries and special guests. Tickets that are set aside for those purposes that aren’t used usually go back on sale to the general public.

On the Tuesday just two days after the West Final, I was able to buy one of those tickets that were put back up for sale to the public.

The Saturday before the Grey Cup game, I actually worked a WHL regular season contest, where the host Tigers downed the visiting Regina Pats 5-1 at The Arena in Medicine Hat. The Tigers crew knew I was heading to the Grey Cup game, and they all told me they hoped I had fun.

Fans gather outside Taylor Field before the 2013 Grey Cup.

I believe I only slept five hours that night and began my jaunt to Regina at 7 a.m. on Grey Cup Sunday.

When I arrived in Regina, it was like everywhere I went in town was a joyful, feel-good party. After wandering the streets around Taylor Field enjoying festivities with the rest of Rider Nation, I made my way to the stadium to ensure I got to see the pre-game show.

During pre-game show, the sellout crowd of 44,710 spectators was already in a walking on air mood when the Saskatoon-based band the Sheepdogs was on the field playing. As game time neared, you believed this would be the perfect dream night for Rider Nation.

This belief was backed up when the Roughriders charged the field in their traditional “Bring ‘Em Out” style.

The game’s signature moment came early in the first quarter, when Roughriders franchise quarterback Darian Durant scrambled up field, got hit and fumbled the ball high into the air to be pulled down by star running back Kory Sheets.  Sheets rumbled off a magical 39-yard game for the home side.

Fans line up to get into Taylor Field for the 2013 Grey Cup.

As a Roughriders fan, you had a big gut feeling that this game was going to go your way after seeing that play.

That drive eventually resulted in a diving 15-yard touchdown reception by legendary CFL receiver Geroy Simon that put the Roughriders up 7-3. Saskatchewan scored 24 points in the second quarter to take a 31-6 lead into halftime.  The outburst included another beauty 42-yard touchdown catch by Simon.

After Hedley’s entertaining halftime show, Hamilton scored the first 10 points of the second half to create a little worry for the Roughriders fans cutting Saskatchewan’s lead to 31-16. That was as close as the visitors got.

A four-yard touchdown run by Sheets and a 26-yard touchdown reception by receiver Weston Dressler put the Roughriders up 45-16, and the victory celebration in Saskatchewan started in earnest.

Sheets had two major scores along the ground and piled up a Grey Cup record 197 yards rushing on 20 carries to be named the game’s MVP. He ran with power and authority.

The inside of Taylor Field at the 2013 Grey Cup.

Durant completed 17-of-24 passes for 245 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Slotback Chris Getzlaf was the contest’s most outstanding Canadian player hauling in three passes for 78 yards.

The game was also highlighted by two big sacks from Roughriders defensive lineman John Chick.

On a fan front, I was pumped to see the Roughriders run over Tiger-Cats star quarterback Henry Burris, who once played for the Roughriders in the early 2000s. Crazy part was I would met Burris about four years later after he quarterbacked the Ottawa Redblacks to a Grey Cup win in 2016.

I learned Burris was a gem of a person, and also having a better understanding of the business of sports, I regretted the fan heckles I sent his way over the years at CFL games including the 2013 Grey Cup.

Even with that noted, I still relish and have the greatest memories of the Roughriders Grey Cup win in 2013, which was fourth Grey Cup victory in team history. It felt like the right outcome for the final Grey Cup ever played at Taylor Field.

Taylor Field shortly after the Roughriders win the 2013 Grey Cup.

When the clock ticked to zero, people were hugging their neighbours all around them. The image of Durant hoisting the Grey Cup with a huge smile on his face will also live forever. The green and white confetti raining down on the Roughriders players was also a site to behold.

For the longest time after that game ended, I remember just sitting in the stands and soaking everything in. On the fan front, it was the greatest day.

I also had four buds who were University of Regina Rams football team grads on that Roughriders team in Neal Hughes, Brendon LaBatte, Getzlaf and Jordan Sisco. Thanks to those connections, I actually spent some good social time with a number of players on that Roughriders team over the years including Durant.

They are all great guys, and I was really proud that they got to achieve that moment in their careers.

Actually, the idea of the Roughriders winning the Grey Cup at Taylor Field wasn’t even something that seemed conceivable for the bucket list.

The final scoreboard of the 2013 Grey Cup.

After reveling in the moment, I made my way to the booth where the TSN panel was to get my TV moment.

From there, I disappeared to “the Green Mile” and into the Regina night to enjoy the celebration, which went well into Monday morning.

For like a 24-hour period, it really felt like life was just truly good. Even now, I feel fortunate I got to enjoy that feeling.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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