The World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies out lasted the Tampa Bay Rays in the waiting game that was Game 5 of the 2008 World Series to clinch the series. Game 5 started sometime on Monday evening and after a two day rain delay ended around 10 PM last night with a three inning marathon that had a bit of everything. Clutch hitting, good defense, good execution, good pitching, good running, bad running, bad pitching and even some bad decisions were all seen in the second part of Game 5. I think it just came down to Philadelphia wanting it more. Cole Hamels who pitched extremely well throughout the series and playoffs was crowned Most Valuable Player. Congratulations Phillies and enjoy it while it lasts because in just over five months time all this will be but a memory and the quest to crown a new champion will begin.

I love watching the first ten rounds (slight exaggeration) of the playoffs when everything is fresh and the hope abounds that every series will go seven games. When nothing is known and everything is possible. Baseball has another month to go. But the World Series is not that enjoyable. It is baseball’s yearly swan song; the end of the playing season and the end of warm weather. It is more like a slap on the face back to reality. Summer is truly gone and the hot days spent looking around Pesky’s Pole, or looking down from the ‘tiers’ of Heaven at Yankee Stadium, or looking across Waveland street from the top of the ‘Bud Tower”; the days spent eating peanuts and cracker jacks to the crack of the bat when the ball connects with the sweet spot and the smell of popcorn, hotdogs and the other concession food that adds an unique fragrance to each ballpark, are gone for another year.

The time has come for us to hunker down in our homes, perhaps sitting around the fireplace with a big mug of hot chocolate, counting down the days until the wind shifts bringing the familiar sound of baseball back to us from the sunny south. Time to hang up our gloves, jerseys and other game day swag in the back of our closets and bring forward the bulky sweaters, leg warmers (are they still in fashion this year or was that so yesterday), winter jackets and for those brave enough to go outside, the hockey stick and skates. Just don’t put the baseball stuff too far out of reach just in case a last minute trip to Florida or Arizona can be arranged.

2008 Canadian Men's National Field Lacrosse Championships

Over the Thanksgiving weekend the senior men's field lacrosse championships took place in Calgary Ablerta. Led by tournament MVP Kevin Moleski, the Ladner Pioneers went undefeated to become the 2008 Senior Men's National Field Lacrosse champions. They handed Coquitlam their only loss of the tournament while earning the Ross Cup. The Victory Cup winners, Black Sheep, went 2-1 in the round robin and lost to Ladner in the semis before defeating London, the lone Ontario team, for the cup. London also went 2-1 in round robin play and lost to Coquitlam in the semis. Calgary's first team won the Victory Trophy by defeating their Alberta rivals from Edmonton.

Ladner Pioneers

Not surprisingly, the tournament All-Star team is comprised mostly of Ladner and Coquitlam players with three each. The combatants in the Victory Cup game supplied three players and the Calgary 1 team supplied one. The all-star team: from Ladner, goalie Kevin Moleski, d-man Owen McNabb, and middie Brian Safarik; from Coquitlam, d-man Shayne Bennett, middie Rob Van Beek, and attackman Peter Tellis; from Black Sheep, middie Rajinder Wasson and attackman Jeff Zywicki; from London, d-man Luke Forget; and from Calgary 1, attackman Mark Sherman.

2008 Atlantic Challenge Cup

The 2008 Atlantic Challenge Cup was played out this past weekend in Moncton, New Brunswick. Team Nova Scotia sweept the Gold medals on the male side by defeating Team PEI 5-2 (U16), Team New Brunswick 5-4 (U15) and Team New Brunswick 6-4 (U14). Bronze medals went to New Brunswick (U16), Newfoundland and Labrador (U15) and PEI (U14).

On the female side, New Brunswick defeated Nova Scotia 4-3 in the gold medal game of the under 18 level while PEI shuout New Brunswick 2-0 to claim the under 15 gold medal. Nova Scotia recieved yet another medal as they defeated Newfoundland and Labrador4-1 in the under 15 bronze medal game. The under 18 bronze medal went to Newfoundland and Labrador as they defeated PEI 4-2.

Disappointment and Disgust

That is how I feel after the divisional series in the MLB playoffs. I am disappointed that the ridiculously named Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were unable to overcome past ghosts and defeat the Boston Red Sox. In the past few playoff meetings against the Sox, the Angles have not faired so well and had a post season losing streak against the Sox extend into double digits before the Game 3 victory. Right from the start I was worried about this series and it seems my worries were well founded. With the team the Angels had they should have done better.

The Angels disappointment is being overshadowed by the disgusting performance of the heavily favoured Chicago Cubs. The best team in the NL in the regular season had all in baseball expecting a lengthy playoff run for the North side Cubs but once again they played the minimum three games. I guess they are hoping to get some golfing in before the wind brings the cold, white powdery stuff to town. Losing to a Dodger team that spent most of the season just trying to stay at the .500 mark is nothing short of embarrassing.

As I watch the rest of the playoffs without the Cubs in it, I will be pondering which team is worthy of my loyalty. I shall see what steps are taken in the off season before jumping ship but right now the water is looking better than being on the Cubs boat. I guess the only thing worse is being a Mets fan. For the rest of this playoff I will be rooting for the worst to first Rays. Please knock the Sox out of the playoffs.