Football in a Hockey Crazy Country

Football in Canada

Unless you've been living under a rock, you will have definitely heard how Toronto sports fans are going crazy after the Argonauts beat the Calgary Stampeders 35-22 in the 100th edition of the Grey Cup, which was held in Toronto. If you dig a little deeper, you will have heard that the Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton is being demolished and rebuilt, causing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to temporarily relocate to Guelph.

So what does all this mean for football in Canada? Well, a lot. Football, more specifically the Grey Cup, is 100 years old, while football wasn't in much demand… until recent years, that is. The game at the Rogers Centre drew over 53,000 fans for game night. An average audience of 5.5 million viewers saw the game on TSN, making it the most-watched CFL championship game ever recorded on English-language television. And that is exactly what football in Canada needs.

Two-time Grey Cup champion Blake Marshall, who played for the Edmonton Eskimos, said he believes that "once people watch Canadian football, they'll be drawn towards it more than the NFL." And he's got a valid point. "I've played with American players, as we're the same calibre. People just think that everything American is better, but when they watch the Canadian game, they'll realize that it's more exciting," added the former Western Mustang running back.

It's safe to say that Marshall may be a bit biased towards the Canadian game, but you really can't blame him all that much. Not that I'm saying that the NFL is not a good league. The NFL is by far the more popular league and will be for the foreseeable future. It's also home to 32 teams, four times more than its Canadian counterpart. But that doesn't mean the CFL can't improve. And they appear to be improving slowly.

There's a new team starting in Ottawa, the third attempt at starting a team in the capital. Future expansions are being planned and considered for a number of cities, most notably Halifax, Moncton, Quebec City, London and Windsor. Mark Cohon, the CFL commissioner, has his eye set on expanding the league to Atlantic Canada, owing to the obvious football craze that exists in the region. The main challenge for proponents of a CFL franchise in the Atlantic provinces is corporate support. Financial instability was the main reason the Ottawa Renegades were dissolved after just four seasons of play in 2006.

Marshall is among other football fans in London who believe that the city would be able to support a CFL franchise. And who is to say the city won't be able to? Look at the fan following the London Knights get at every home game. The London Lightning team is seeing attendance slowly rise. The Western Mustangs are a footballing powerhouse in the region and the TD Waterhouse Stadium is almost CFL ready, save for a few renovations and more seating space for fans.

London may not be the first choice for a CFL expansion just yet, and football-crazy Atlantic Canada needs a few franchises first that would expand 'Canada's League.' Scenes in Toronto prior to the Grey Cup in 2012 are enough proof that the league and the sport are not going anywhere. Football may have lost about a generation of fans, but if recent trends are to go by, all that could soon change.

After all, as the league's motto goes 'Notre Ligue. Notre Football' or, translated into English: 'This Is Our League.'

Originally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.php?storyID=9130&sectionID=4&issueID=218
Image Credit: http://cfl.uploads.mrx.ca/league/images/en/inside/2011/10/en_1280x748_CFL_MapCities4743.jpg
Video Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laeOn5DKnmA

Blue Jays Fixations...

John Gibbons and Alex Anthopoulous: Now Canada is excited...

I thought this would be the best time to finally write about the Toronto Blue Jays. Yes, I've put this piece off for a number of weeks, but the buzz that surrounds the Blue Jays makes me want to write this piece as soon as possible.

For baseball fans in Canada, whether you live in downtown Toronto, minutes from the Rogers Centre, or out in Halifax, or maybe even in Vancouver, the Toronto Blue Jays are Canada's baseball team.

I've been told and read for myself that the team is awful, but then the events of the past few weeks unfolded. John Farrell left for Boston, Mike Aviles was sent to the Cleveland Indians, the Jays acquired Maicer Izturis... and then the big one.

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about the mammoth 12-player trade between the Blue Jays and the Miami Marlins. On November 14, Toronto acquired pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, shortstop José Reyes, utility man Emilio Bonifacio, and catcher John Buck for pitcher Henderson Alvarez, infielders Yunel Escobar and Adeiny Hechavarria and prospects. Miami fans were furious at this seemingly lopsided trade and, on the other side of the spectrum, Jays fans were ecstatic. The team's fan base has also been whipped into a frenzy of excitement after the signing of free agent Melky Cabrera.

Rightly so, because when you look at it from a Canadian perspective, Canada's MLB team finally has a chance to do something in the American League East Division. In a hockey-crazed country, baseball finally has a chance to shine next season. I'm not saying the team will definitely make it to the World Series, nor am I saying I've become a Jays fan overnight, I'm just saying that there is hope at last.

The other big announcement made so far this off-season for the Jays was the hiring – or, rather, the re-hiring – of manager John Gibbons. The hiring of Gibbons by Blue Jays' GM Alex Anthopoulos was seen by fans as a weird one, given the availability of other big name managers on the market.

"I have more conviction in this hiring than I've had in any," Anthopoulos said emphatically during the November 20 media conference announcing Gibbons as manager. "I can sleep like a baby at night because I know it's the right decision." Clearly Anthopoulos is convinced that Gibbons is the right guy to lead the new Jays team next season.

There are two sides to every coin, and some fans question the decision by the Jays' front office. I'm going to remain unbiased, though, and not tell you my stance. Like I mentioned, I'm not a Jays fan and I don't see myself hopping on the bandwagon any time soon. Some of us expected the Los Angeles Angels to be genuine World Series contenders after they added Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, but they never made the playoffs in the post-season.

So really, if you're a Jays fan, you're in for some exciting times. Just hope the team brings the same excitement to the season next year. If they do, Jays fans, you might just have something to cheer about next fall.

Originally Written for the Interrobang:http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.php?storyID=9077&sectionID=4&issueID=217
Image Credit:http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/_hROeh2hJf3IMSgt4u8Tiw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MTk3NTtjcj0xO2N3PTMwMDA7ZHg9MDtkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTQxNTtxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ap_webfeeds/a9b8c79cb4047020210f6a706700dd07.jpg

The Festival of Lights...

The Festival of Lights...

At the beginning of November, we celebrated Diwali, or the Festival of Lights. Now you're probably asking yourself what is Diwali? Or why do people celebrate Diwali? The answer to that is simple.

Diwali is a Hindu festival, and in a multicultural country like Canada it becomes one of utmost importance, especially to people who grew up celebrating the festival. It's essentially a five-day festival, but that's not the way I celebrated it. Of course, the prime reason for that is largely the fact that I'm not a Hindu, but as a child growing up in India, the lights fascinated me.

Typically, in the area I grew up, families lit their homes (hence the term "Festival of Lights") and exchanged sweets with one another. Diwali doesn't occur on a fixed day, just like most Indian festivals. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali typically falls between mid-October and mid- November. Diwali is an official holiday in a number of Asian countries: India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore as well as other countries like Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago as well as Suriname.

Diwali is by no means a public holiday in Canada, so if you're someone who celebrated the festival, you still had to go to school or to work that day, even if you didn't feel like it. You also saw how large department store flyers tend to advertise Diwali shopping and it's all part of multiculturalism.

So what do people do on Diwali in Canada? Many Canadians do celebrate the festival, which also attracts plenty of media and public attention. Various community groups, businesses, schools and associations celebrate Diwali each year, largely due to the number of employees that might celebrate the festival.

Victoria Park in London saw a near traditional celebration. Besides fireworks on November 17 (which happened to be the official date for the festival in 2012) the place saw Lakshmi puja, bhajans (Indian devotional songs), a quiz on Ramayan (one of the great epics on India), music, entertainment, dancing and celebration by Hindus and non-Hindus alike.

But now here comes my favourite part. What would I do on Diwali growing up? For me the festival largely involved buying tons of fireworks. Huge sales (or "melas," as we called it back home) would sprout up in numerous locations and they were always buzzing with life. Returning home with stacks of fireworks, it was time to move the vehicles into the garages, leaving plenty of space on the roads and on our driveways as we'd take turns, family and friends included, to light those fireworks, each of us full of such passion and enthusiasm. And when we were done burning about a thousand rupees' worth of crackers (About $17 to $19), we'd take turns scrubbing gunpowder and smoke off our skins before gleefully hogging sweets as if there were a shortage coming.

I miss that here, and I won't lie. I'm scared at times that lighting a firecracker would land me a ticket of some sort. The festival is monitored strictly for obvious reasons: the noise, the risk of fires and the very rare chance of a stray firework. But all that said and done, that won't stop me from heading out and picking up a few sweets, even if I have to eat them myself. I may not be celebrating the festival in the true sense, but look at it this way: the world is a global village, and if it's not me celebrating, then someone else definitely is.

Here's hoping everyone had a safe and happy Diwali.

Image Credit::http://www.stow.ac.uk/media/diwali.gif

Arkell Street, Hamilton

Hamilton's own: The Arkells.

I remember a time last year when I was torn between seeing Arkells at the London Music Hall or reporting on a London Knights game. Fortunately (or unfortunately at that time), I'd volunteered for the Knights game even before I knew what Arkells was. And then I began regretting my decision. For what it's worth, the Knights game was pretty insane and I got to speak to Austin Watson and Greg McKegg, so in truth, I'm not all that displeased.

I don't think I've been drawn towards a Canadian artist since living in the country as much as I've been drawn towards Arkells. I elucidate the difference as knowing some artists from back home (Nickelback, Simple Plan and Drake, to name a few). So what does someone like me do? Well get my hands on both Arkells albums, no doubt: Jackson Square and Michigan Left, for those who are unaware.

I don't know what I love about Arkells. Admittedly, they're no Coldplay or Green Day but they still have that unexplainable draw that causes me to fanboy over them. And by fanboy, I don't mean the way some people gush over an 'artist Canada should attempt to hide forever.' Yes, I'm talking about that teenager: Justin Bieber.

If you recall the April 9 issue of the Interrobang, where I elaborated on 10 things that Canada taught me, I did mention the Arkells performing in London, the show that I missed and the fact that my iPod would have to work overtime. Well, all that was all forgotten on September 13. If you were in London then, you'll probably know that the Western Fair was on. Arkells performed as part of the Western Fair's free concert series. Naturally, I got all excited and ecstatic and made sure to clear my schedule. I had already missed one Arkells show in London and I sure wasn't going to miss another one.

And there I was, amidst hundreds more, singing out loudly to songs I didn't know the words to. And this was probably the second-best concert I'd ever been to. (Four in my entire life isn't a whole lot, I know.) The only reason this isn't number one is simple – Chris Martin dancing on stage – but that's a different story.

Another thing I like about Arkells: the band was named after a street in Hamilton. That is beyond cool simply because you name streets after famous things, and not vice versa.

I've distracted myself long enough. For now, I need to get back to my iPod, Arkells beckon. And for the record, I've yet to pick a Canadian Football League team to follow. "Ticats Are Hummin" might just sell me on the Hamilton Tiger- Cats. But that's a decision for the future. Right now, I'll stick to learning every Arkells lyric.

Originally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.php?storyID=8976&sectionID=3&issueID=215
Image Credit::http://vancouverisawesome.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/arkells.jpg

Canadian Castle's

Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion: Hamilton meets Edmonton...

I loathe myself for two reasons. One for letting my workload get to me and not being able to write anything for last week. And two, and I can't stress this enough, for not realizing what this week is all about. I've recently gone on a Castle-watching spree. The ABC series is something different from all the sitcoms I usually watch, and it only just struck me that both the lead actors (Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic) are Canadian. This is something I should have written about ages ago!

I've noticed that Nathan Fillion has been around for a while. He was cast in Joss Whedon's Firefly (which, coincidentally links, Fillion to one of my other favourite shows, The Big Bang Theory). On digging further, I noticed that Fillion went to school in Alberta, where he is from: The Concordia University College in Alberta and then the University of Alberta. I often chat with friends back home about Castle, and the one thing that comes up – especially if they're female – is his looks, his charm and his personality, especially portraying the role of Richard Castle. It's an area I don't have any comment, naturally.

But then I move on to Kate Beckett, or rather Stana Katic. For starters, she's from Ontario; Hamilton, to be exact, although she did live and grow up in Chicago, Illinois. This time when I chat with people from back home, they usually have no comment. For starters, if they're female, they're usually too busy ogling Nathan Fillion, or if they're male, they think they have other, more important shows to watch. So usually, it's just me against the world. I'm actually excited about both these characters to be honest; I'd say they're a perfect match.

Anyway, I thought I'd finally move on to the show itself. I was skeptical at first when I saw the ads on TV back in India; I wasn't so sure how the show would pan out, much like Burn Notice, although I was insanely excited for Burn Notice when I saw the first trailers. I'm more of a sitcom kind of guy; anything that makes me laugh usually has priority when it comes to watching TV, so Castle is a welcome change at times, something different (though it still makes me laugh). I'd say the show is well supported, especially by Jon Huertas and Seamus Dever in the roles of Esposito and Ryan, respectively.

While I haven't been able to watch the new season of Castle yet, owing to my lack of a cable connection, I'm sure the show is moving forward well. I'm eagerly waiting for the day I'll get to watch season five. Until then, I have the first four seasons on DVD to keep me company. Canada has outdone herself once again, this time through two quirky actors that know how to work together well on screen. Kudos, Canada, Kudos!

Originally Written for the Interrobang:http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.php?storyID=8896&sectionID=3&issueID=213
Image Credit: http://fandomania.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/castle-206-1-7.jpg