Election Day sports quick hits

On the day of Alberta's municipal elections, politics isn't the only hot topic of discussion amongst Edmontonian's as both the Oilers and the Eskimos, as well as week six in the NFL, all have story lines worth noting.

First, after starting the season with two wins the Oilers have lost their last two and have looked like the young, inexperienced team everyone expected. Despite the past two games, both of which were games where the Oil led but managed to lose, there is still lots of room for optimism. In past seasons fans and media pundits would jump all over the Oilers after losing two straight games in such a fashion but this year has proven to be quite the different story. It's safe to say that both the media and the fans have bought into what general manager Steve Tambellini has been selling; that this season is just step one of the rebuild process.

Rather than criticizing every mistake, fans have come to accept the fact that while this team might not be good now, they have the potential to be great later. This goes to show just how strong and loyal the Edmonton fan base truly is. Selling a rebuild to fans in markets like Florida and Carolina is much harder than it is in markets like Edmonton and Toronto and thanks to the faithful followers of their franchises teams like Edmonton and Toronto should be given the necessary time to successfully build their team into contenders.

This isn't to say that the Oilers won't be great this season. While the start has not been ideal it's tough to say how long it will take for the team to gel and mold itself into an ultra-competitive team. This could take place after 25 games, 50 games or after an entire season, the point is is that while the coaching staff and the players work out the kinks, fans have shown their willingness to be patient and support their team entirely. This makes the Oilers one of the truly lucky franchises in the NHL; not many teams have the continuous support that they do and that should make Tambellini's job that much easier.

Eskimos are still in it

It's hard to believe how, after such a disastrous season, the Edmonton Eskimos are still tied for the final playoff spot in the west division. Three wins in the past four games have given the Eskimos a sense of belief that maybe, just maybe, they still might play in the Grey Cup, live in front of their home crowd.

While this may still be a very unlikely scenario, the fact that it still exists astounds me. In a league of only eight teams the playoff window is always left wide open and that has allowed the otherwise hapless Eskimos a chance to play for the top prize. As Edmonton is set to host the nations largest football event in the nations largest outdoor stadium the team itself can't help but imagine how great it would be to play in that game in front 60,000+ screaming fans. But with three games left to play, two of which are against the Saskatchewan Roughriders- not the easiest of opponents-the Eskimos face a seemingly un-climbable uphill challenge but sometimes it's that adversity that brings the best out in football teams.

Time will tell how the Eskimos will respond to this challenge but with Ricky Ray playing his best football and with the CFL being a quarterback driven league, the Eskimos stand a chance on beating out the B.C Lions in the standings. With the Lions opting to cut veteran Casey Printers and going with rookie QB Travis Lulay as the starter, it will be interesting to see if he can outplay Ray down the stretch because ultimately that's what it will come down to.


NFL Week six

With week six almost done the NFL has built up quite the amount of story-lines, too many to follow extensively in one blog, but a couple highlights must be discussed.

• The Cowboys have now fallen to 1-4. What an unbelievably unpredictable start to the season for the Cowboys. While their recent loss to the Vikings wasn't a blow-out, it still exposed the teams lack of offensive execution. While boasting the leagues third highest yards per game average with 400 yards, the Cowboys are ranked 17th in average points per game with 20.4. It's simple, a team averaging that many yards per game has to score more points. Romo needs to get it done because in five games he has only ten touchdowns, and with Witten, Williams and Austin as targets this is simply not good enough.

• The 49ers finally won in one of the weeks ugliest games against the Oakland Raiders. Raiders QB Jason Campbell went 8/21 and threw for 83 yards and two int's . Campbell managed to throw for zero yards in both the second and third quarter yet the Niners weren't able to get the games first TD until the final play of the third quarter when Niners QB Alex Smith threw a bomb to receiver Michael Crabtree who leaped straight up and landed hard in the end-zone for the touchdown.

• The Seahawks and the Rams won again, proving that they are both much better teams than their last season counter-parts. Time will tell if these teams can continue their impressive performances.

• Ben Roethlisberger showed that he carries little to no rust after his five game suspension was lifted. While it was against the Cleveland Browns, arguably one of the worst teams in the league, Big Ben was able to throw for three touchdowns. The Steelers have surprised many by going 3-1 in Roethlisberger's absence but they still desperately need his skills as the team currently sits 28th in the league in passing yards per game with 160.2.

• Are the Jets the real deal? Not only is Mark Sanchez playing well but now LaDainian Tomlinson is back on the scene scoring two touchdowns in the Jets' win over the Denver Broncos. Rex Ryan has his team proving that last season was no fluke. The possibility of a sophomore slump is starting to seem less and less likely as each week passes.

**Don't forget to VOTE! Polls close at 8 pm.**


Photo credit: Dub Architects and Justin Edmonds

Oilers/Panthers recap and 49ers 0-5

The Edmonton Oilers had no business beating the Florida Panthers last night. The Oilers barely managed a paltry 13 shots on net-minder Tomas Vokoun. Yet with some brilliant re-directions from forwards Dustin Penner and Ryan Jones, coupled with some outstanding goal tending from Nikolai Khabibulin, the Oilers were able to steal one.

The win goes to show two things, one, that the Oilers are still a work in progress and two, that the Oilers desperately missed Khabibulin last season. Watching the young Oilers falter under an intense Panthers forecheck wasn't all that surprising to me, I expected this would happen a lot this season, but what I did not expect was Khabibulin standing on his head. It's too early in the season to be making bold predictions, although this never seems to stop analysts from dumping their Nostradamus-like revelations on us, but if the Oilers can continue to get this level of goal tending you can expect to see them make a serious push for the playoffs.

The Oilers continually get compared to the likes of the Coyotes and the Avalanche of last season. Both those teams made surprising runs to the playoffs and they did so on the backs of great coaching and great goaltending. I love the combination of Renney and Krueger behind the bench and if one of Dubnyk or Deslauriers can provide decent back-up goaltending, and they will need at least 20-25 games from them, then the Oilers could very well emulate the Avalanche' season. ( I say the Avalanche more-so than the Coyotes for the simple reason that I doubt the Oilers will cruise to 50 wins and 107 points.)

Judging from last nights stagnant offensive output its safe to suggest that some line-up changes will be expected. Penner finished last season on a line with Cogliano and Brule so it wouldn't surprise me to see that line reunited. This would bump Paajarvi up to the top line with Gagner and Hemsky. I really have liked the chemistry from the Hall-Horcoff-Eberle line and I don't see any reason to split that one up just yet. The fourth line has been the most impressive for me. Fraser and Jones look very comfortable together and whether it's Zach or Big Mac attacking on the right, you know this line will bring it every shift.

For the time being the Oilers are undefeated! As a fan I will relish this moment, as a skeptic I laugh in my own face. The Oilers will have some time off to work on some of their shortcomings before playing the Wild on Thursday. If they can come out strong like they did against the Flames then the they should be fine but if they come out flat like last night, much like the Eskimos, the streak will end at two.

49ers are 0-5

I cannot understand how and why Mike Singletary still has a job. It doesn't make sense. The 49ers came into the season with high expectations, whether this is the cause of the teams downfall is not really known- some teams can't handle the pressure I suppose- but high expectations or not this team should be better than this. The 49ers join the Carolina Panthers and the Buffalo Bills as teams who still have yet to win a game. At the moment it looks as if big changes are needed, so why are the 49ers brass so gun shy?

I'm not in the locker rooms or on the sidelines or at practices but it looks to me like this team is not responding to what the coaches are preaching. They continually make mistakes and not just the turnover ratio, which by the way sits at a glaring -10, but penalties on both offense and defense have hurt this team more than anything else. Which leads to the conclusion that the firing of offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye wasn't the only move needed in order for the team to respond on the field.

The finger must also be pointed to the players themselves, they must be held accountable. While the defense hasn't been stellar they're not the ones losing games for their team. Quaterback Alex Smith has thrown nine interceptions and only six touchdowns in five games. While Frank Gore has only one rushing touchdown and averaging only 3.5 yards per carry it is important to point out that he is number two in receiving behind tight end Vernon Davis, with 284 yards and two Td's. Other than Davis and Gore the 49ers have no clear offensive weapons and wide receivers Crabtree and Morgan barely get the ball enough to criticize. Either the offensive line needs to give Smith more time or Smith needs to be smarter with the ball. I'd say he needs to get his receivers more involved with the game but I fear that will just lead to more int's.

It's easy to criticize a team that has yet to win a game. Either this team is not as good as everyone thought they were or the team is just as good but have chosen to shut down and ignore the flamboyant ramblings of Singletary (seriously that "we will stop Drew Brees" rant was ridiculous.) I liked Singletary, the guy has that no B.S , old school mentality but clearly it's not working (Personally I like the look of Pete Carroll on the Seahawks' sidelines.) Either you make personel changes on the field or on the sidelines, either way changes are clearly needed sooner rather than later.



Khabibulin Photo Credit: John Ulan
Singletary Photo Credit: siliconangle.com

Down and Out

Although the Eskimos might not be mathematically out of the playoffs judging from last nights performance at Ivor Wynne the playoffs look like nothing but a distant dream. After their 36-11 beat-down at the hands of the Hamilton Tiger Cats the Eskimos are two points behind of the B.C Lions for the final playoff spot in the West. If the Lions pull out a victory over the Bombers on Thanksgiving day, the Eskimos might as well start clearing out their lockers.

Going in to last nights game the Eskimos had to have known that the Ti-Cats were hungry. Everybody talked about how defensive coordinator Greg Marshall ripped his defense a new one after the Eskies squeaked out a 37-35 win last week. It obviously worked as the Hamilton defense held the Ricky Ray and the Eskimos to zero passing touchdowns and forced two interceptions. Not to mention Mathieu Bertrand fumbling the ball two times.

My question is is as a coaching staff why wouldn't Kevin Strasser elect to maybe run the ball for a change. All in all the Eskimos offense attempted a total of ten rushing plays. Ten! How one dimensional do you want to look? Ricky threw the ball 34 times, completing 25 of those passes for 198 yards and an interception. Not impressive numbers for a quarterback who received ample amounts of time in the pocket. The highly criticized offensive line only allowed two sacks in the game, nothing overly glaring there considering their disastrous start to the season.

So why don't the Eskimos run the ball? You're on the road, control the clock! I can understand if you've given the running game an honest look and nothing's opening up and the argument could be made in that case when you look at McCarty's negative three yards on three attempts stat. But he only got three attempts! I guess McCarty is the Eskies new top receiver because he caught the ball seven times, a game high amongst receivers.


The Eskimos defense and special teams didn't fare much better. Despite the seemingly reinvigorated effort the defense has shown since the arrival of new linebackers coach Mark Nelson, the Eskimos looked lost out there last night allowing Glenn to throw for 339 yards and three touchdowns. With the exception of the one touchdown the rushing defense did their job against a dangerous DeAndra' Cobb, holding him to only 49 yards on the ground in 16 attempts. Watching that fumble and recovery by Stevie Baggs on the Eskimos kick return was just painful. That single handily killed any momentum the Eskimos had.

Stopping Cobb could be the only positive in an otherwise brutal performance by the Eskimos. Now its up to the Bombers to help out the Eskimos. If the Bombers pull out a victory that will set up a great match-up for the Eskies and Lions next week in a possible playoff showdown. Of course if the Eskimos actually showed up to play last night they could have controlled their own playoff destiny instead of watching it unfold on television.

Quick NHL hits

• Watching Ondrej Pavelec hit the ice on his own was purely frightening. I'm not a praying man but my thoughts go out to him and I hope he makes a speedy recovery.
• Pavel Datsyuk shocked us all when he pulled off the Gordie Howe hat-trick last night after dropping the gloves with Corey Perry. The Detroit-Anaheim rivalry has established itself as being one of the best rivalries in the West.
  
• The Europe experiment looks like it's going well but man oh man do I hate listening to American announcers. Not all of them of course but for the most part these guys treat the game as if its baseball and do more story telling than actual play-by-play. Where's Jim Hughson when you need him?
• And finally I love that Zdeno Chara signed a seven year extension with the Bruins. Not only is he the face and captain of that franchise but he has become the sole reason why teams hate to play the Bruins. The signing also gives me peace of mind knowing that my Chara jersey is safe and sound. Nothing worse than getting a name on the back and then having that player get moved the next season. ( Talk to Oilers fans about the number 44)

Photo Credit- Edmonton Journal

MMA strikes hard in Alberta

Corey Lautischer has waited two and a half months for this night. After weeks of rigorous training; Monday to Friday, day in and day out, coupled with a steady diet of plain rice, oats, chicken, broccoli, eggs and almonds, he will get his chance to prove why in the end it should be his hand raised victorious. The 25-year-old fighter sits in a small changing room behind a large curtain, underneath the arenas bleachers. He is not alone. With him are several other fighters who, like himself, have something to prove.

Outside the stands are slowly filling, drinks are being served. Ringside dinner tables are being privately catered by chefs who cook behind the scenes on the arena floor with portable steam tables, grills and convection ovens. Another group of fighters sit in a very similar room across the arena floor behind the opposite set of bleachers. But Lautischer, along with the others, are not only fighting an opponent, they’re also fighting a mentality. A mentality that doesn't escape even some of the fans inside the building itself. They do so because although Edmonton might be home to the second highest concentration of sanctioned MMA fights, second only to Vegas, there is a lingering mentality that he and those like him, are not respectable athletes. It’s a battle Lautischer is more than happy to fight.

Hayabusa MMA

Luke Harris, 33, is a professional MMA fighter as well as the owner of the well-known Hayabusa gym located in St. Albert, Alberta- a community west of Edmonton. The gym hosts some of Alberta’s best up and coming mixed martial artists, including Lautischer, and offers training to those seeking skills in a variety of mixed martial arts: karate, wrestling, judo, jiu jitsu, boxing, and muai thai.

While the gym seeks to attract professional fighters from all across Canada it also offers classes to regular martial arts seekers as well as children. As a former professional Judo competitor Harris teaches Judo to young children, the youngest being three years old, but also through the sport, discipline and respect. Children learning judo and karate at a young age is nothing new, but learning from professional MMA fighters in a professional MMA gym is and while the parents of the children are not worried, some taking part in classes themselves, stereotypes continue to linger.

“That’s the misconception about MMA and the aggressiveness being any different than all the other martial arts; it’s the same,” explained Harris when asked whether MMA training can lead to violence.

“The people fighting in MMA, who have passed their medicals, are the fittest people out there,” said Harris. “We fight at a professional level, like professional hockey, not everyone will reach this level.”



Common misconception

The professional sport of MMA has been taking a beating amongst traditional sports analysts and fans who have dismissed the sport as nothing more than senseless violence. Some still do not recognize MMA as a legitimate sport despite the impressive knowledge and technique involved. This mentality is supported at the government level as major states and provinces like New York and Ontario are still on the fence in regards to legalizing the sport. Commissions are set in each state/province to help regulate the sport and keep it as safe as possible. These commissions control who fights whom, making sure that no one fighter is stacked up unfairly against another. That would be dangerous.

Mike Froese, 39, has been training in mixed martial arts for six years, now training at the Hayabusa gym. Froese scoffs at the criticism saying that MMA is a dangerous sport and that it attracts only the uneducated and blood thirsty.

“What would be dangerous is taking an unskilled fighter and putting him up against a skilled fighter,” said Froese in a post-training interview. “That’s where the commissions get involved.”

“Fighters are responsible for selling tickets, on a local level we’re the ones who bring the crowd in,” said Froese. “We’re all athletes of the sport so we respect each other, the respect level is huge, it’s just business in the ring.”

Froese, Lautischer and Harris have all fought and lost in their professional careers. Losing changes a man, it humbles them. While MMA and boxing have been compared at exhaustive lengths it is important to point out that while boxing has been legalized and featured in movies and T.V shows for decades, MMA is just earning the same notoriety. The exact number of fighters who have died as a result of boxing is unclear (sherdog.net puts the number at 70 between 1998-2006), but what is clear is that only two MMA fighters have died during the entire history of sanctioned MMA.

Another point to be made is that all three Hayabusa fighters have won their matches as a result of submission, offering the major difference between the two sports.

“When you look at boxing the majority of the hits are head shots,” said Froese. “In MMA, head shots are just a small part of the game.”

Fight Night

Back at the Expo Centre in Edmonton, Aggression MMA 5 is well underway. Patrolling the area are five policeman accompanied by an upwards of 15 security guards. Lautishcer is featured in the second bout, dispatching his opponent in 25 seconds, choking him to the point of unconsciousness. This is where the safety of the sport gets called into question.

However at ringside there are three trained physicians on scene who respond admirably and quickly revive the fallen fighter. Behind the giant curtain that divides the ring from the backstage, away from the eyes of the fighters and the fans, stands an ambulance and two EMS paramedics. Ryan, one of the paramedics who asked only to use his first name, has worked well over 20 MMA fights as well as the CFR (Canadian Finals Rodeo). Never once has he been needed during an MMA event.

“No one has got to the point where the physicians have needed an ambulance,” explained Ryan. “We stay backstage and away from the action. Just like cowboys at a rodeo they [fighters] don’t want to see us.”

The safety measures undertaken by the physicians, paramedics and even the fighters themselves ensure that while the sport may be violent in nature, it is not just an excuse to go out and hurt another man.

“It’s mostly misconceptions through the media,” explains Lautischer. “It’s like any other sport, there’s camaraderie amongst the guys and there’s a lot of personal growth involved.”

When asked what it will take to convince traditional sports fans that MMA is indeed a legitimate sport Lautischer, Harris and Froese all agreed on the same single word: time. The only question left is how much time it will take.




Luke Harris celebrates his victory at the Expo Centre in Edmonton, AB for Aggression MMA 5

Mukai Maromo focuses on his opponent Kurt Southern at Aggression MMA 5 at the Expo Centre in Edmonton, AB. Southern earned a submission victory (triangle choke) over Maromo in the first round.
Tim Hague grapples with Travis Wiuff at the Edmonoton Expo Center at Aggression MMA 5. Hague knocked out Wiuff in the second round.

Luke Harris takes a punch from Siarhei Misialik at Aggression MMA 5 at the Expo Centre in Edmonton, AB. Harris won the fight in the second round via submission (arm triangle choke)

Corey Lautischer waits backstage at Aggression MMA 5 before his bout versus Adam Bodwell at the Expo Centre in Edmonton, AB. Lautischer (guillotine) choked out Bodwell in 25 seconds.

Corey Lautischer focuses in on his Aggression MMA 5 bout versus Adam Bodwell at the Expo Centre in Edmonton, AB. Lautischer (guillotine) choked out Bodwell in 25 seconds.

Travis Wiuff gets rubbed down before stepping into the ring with Tim Hague at Aggression MMA 5 in Edmonton, AB.

Tim Hague squares off with Travis Wiuff at the Edmonoton Expo Center at Aggression MMA 5. Hague knocked out Wiuff in the second round

All photos taken by:Trevor Robb