Sports Roundtable – March 21

Hunting season officially comes to an end

Braden Dupuis, Paige Kruezwiser, Autumn McDowell

The Cougars women’s basketball team competed in the CIS Championships this weekend. Who would you name as the team’s MVP for this year?

Dupuis: I know this is a cop-out answer, but it’s not fair to pick just one. The whole team has been great all year. Honourable mention to the fans that came out to get drunk and make noise during the championships. The Least Valuable Player award goes to the beer stands charging six bucks a can. Pretty sure I gave them enough money to break ground on a campus rink.

Kreutzwiser: It sounds like Michelle Clark had a stellar season, but Brittany Read owned the show on Saturday. Pretend that It Was A Good Day by Ice Cube was playing while you read that. Get her on the court and she’s trouble!

McDowell: Well, the obvious choice is to cop out and say that all of the fifth-years played amazing, which they did, but since the question asks for just one player I’m going to have to go with fellow Sheldon-Williams Alumni, Lindsay Ledingham. From hitting clutch threes, to rallying her team, Leddy deserves the MVP nod.

Former Saskatchewan Roughrider John Chick was recently released from the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars. Do you think he will be back with the Green and White this season?

Dupuis: I would love to see Chick back in Riderville, as he was pretty dominant during his time here, but last I heard, he actually hadn’t been released by the Jags. If he does end up leaving, I have the feeling he’ll sign somewhere else. Whatever, John. We don’t need you or your diabetes.

Kreutzwiser: Well they already talked to his agent, so that says something in itself. And sure, why not add another guy in his 30’s to the team…

McDowell: Doubtful, but that would be unreal if we had him back on our roster. The Riders appear to be building a team that can have a legitimate shot at winning the Grey Cup at home, so I think they will make every effort to get him. But, realistically, if I was a betting girl – which I am – I would bet that Chick will not be with the Riders this season. Sorry in advance for crushing your dreams.

Do you think Kobe Bryant’s injury will put an end to the Los Angeles Lakers playoff chances? 

Dupuis: Kobe Bryant stars in this year’s early Oscar favourite, “Black Mamba Down,” the heart-wrenching tale of one rich, successful athlete who had it all – until karma caught up to him. This spring, Kobe Bryant learns that when life gives you lemons, and you sexually assault those lemons, you can’t just settle out of court and be done with it.

Kreutzwiser: “Kobe Bryant sits with ankle injury; Lakers win anyway.” Props to USA Today for what I think is a hilarious article title from last week. My opinion: the Lakers have some decent players and Bryant is overrated. That is that.

McDowell: In true Kobe fashion, I predict he will come into the game in the final seconds, hobble around on his good foot and hit a clutch deep three at the buzzer to send his team to the playoffs. Yup, sounds about right.

The Winnipeg Jets are moving into the Western Conference. What are your thoughts on the realignment in the NHL?

Dupuis: It’s beneficial for most teams travel-wise, and the new playoff format will serve to even things out and mix things up a bit. Most of the rivalries have also been kept intact from what I can tell, and that was really the only thing I cared about.

Kreutzwiser: Uh oh, the dreaded hockey question. Well, if this realignment means easier schedules for players then understandable. Why can’t my work just realign stuff to better fit my schedule? Oh right, that is because I am not a professional athlete and real life doesn’t work that way.

McDowell: It’s pretty obvious that it makes more sense to move the Jets to the Western Conference, just in terms of insane travel. This idea of the wild card intrigues me, as well as the new playoff format, but I think that I have to see them in action to see if I really like them or not because currently I’m not sure how I feel about the possibility that five teams could make it from one division, and only three from another. Either way, it’s still hockey, and me likey hockey.

The 2013 World Cup soccer tournament will be in Regina from March 22 to April 13. Will you be attending any games this year?

Dupuis: I think I went to this or a similar tournament a couple years back. They sold really big beers, but you could only drink them in designated areas, so you couldn’t watch soccer and drink beer at the same time. How in the frustrated fuck am I expected to start a soccer riot without a comically oversized beer in my hand? Count me out.

Kreutzwiser: So, I Googled this thing and wow are the expectations high! More than 20,000 spectators expected? That just blew my mind. Unfortunately, I can’t say that I am probably going to go, considering that is going into finals season and I hermit myself during that time.

McDowell: Well, I was planning on it, but the whoever is in charge of answering the emails on their website apparently doesn’t like doing their job. I sent them an email on March 7 – still hitting refresh repeatedly, anxiously anticipating the response.

Photo by Arthur Ward