Laval: 2023-24 U-Sports Canada Men's Basketball National Champions

 

The Laval Rouge et Or concluded an historical journey in historical fashion Sunday night, defeating the Queen’s Gaels 77-71 to capture its first gold medal in the program’s history in the final of the 2024 GreenShield U SPORTS Final 8 Men’s Basketball Championship, presented by Michelob Ultra Sunday night in front of an ecstatic home crowd at the Laval University PEPS in Quebec City.

Qualified as the tournament’s hosts, the Rouge et Or consecutively took care of the Victoria Vikes (first seed), the Dalhousie Tigers (fourth seed) and the Queen’s Gaels (second seed).

With the win the Rouge et Or becomes the first French-language university and only the third RSEQ team to capture the national banner.

Back to the game. Energized by a very engaged crowd of 3,200 fans, the Rouge et Or quickly set the tone to the title match with a 16-points run to transform an 8-5 deficit into a 21-8 lead. The OUA champions still haven’t said their last word. Methodically, the Gaels climbed back into contention and jumped seven points ahead with 17 minutes to go in the game.

As they typically did since the beginning of that tournament, the Rouge et Or did not throw the towel. Steeve Joseph and Ismaël Diouf, who was the player of the game, enabled the local favourites to come from behind and write their own chapter of Canadian university basketball history.

Diouf concluded the final with outstanding 26 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and two steals in 37 minutes of play. Joseph added 24 points and six assists.

For the Gaels, the U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year Luka Syllas (23) was the only Gaels scoring over 20 points. Playing their first national final in program history, the Gaels will return to Kingston with a silver medal.

Tournament MVP : Ismaël Diouf (Laval)

Players of the Game: Ismaël Diouf (Laval) and Cole Syllas (Queen’s)

2024 U SPORTS Men’s Basketball Final 8 All-Star Team:

Shawn Maranan (Winnipeg)

Diego Maffia (Victoria)

Malcolm Christie (Dalhousie)

Cole Syllas (Queen’s)

Ismaël Diouf (Laval)

Montreal Carabins: 2023 Vanier Cup Champions

Jonathan Senecal and a stout Montreal Carabins defence proved too much for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Saturday afternoon in Kingston, Ont.

Senecal's second-half touchdown led Montreal to a hard-fought 16-9 Vanier Cup win over a game Thunderbirds squad. The Carabins' defence didn't surrender a touchdown and finished the season allowing just seven field goals in their four playoff victories.

"We were confident coming in with the way our defence was playing," said Montreal head coach Marco Iadeluca. "When your defence plays that kind of football, going into any game you have to feel comfortable.

"And then we have number 12 [Senecal] at quarterback, which is just spectacular."

Seneca was awarded the Hec Crighton Trophy on Thursday as Canadian university football's most outstanding player. He added Vanier Cup MVP honours after completing 11-of-26 passes for 171 yards and an interception, as well as a team-high 50 yards rushing on 10 carries with the TD.

Senecal's seven-yard touchdown run at 8:47 of the third put Montreal ahead 16-6. The drive followed Kieran Flannery-Fleck's 14-yard punt that gave the Carabins possession at their 38-yard line.

"This is what we wanted," Senecal said. "We worked hard for 16 weeks and were able to come out on top, it's just a great feeling.

"Our defence is the best in the country and they just prove that week after week. They just make everything easier."

Montreal linebacker Nicky Farinaccio earned top defensive player honours.

UBC makes it interesting

UBC made it very interesting, pulling to within 16-9 on Kieran Flannery-Fleck's 24-yard field goal at 9:48 of the fourth. The Thunderbirds marched from their 51-yard line to the Montreal 16-yard line before settling for three points.

Later, UBC drove to the Montreal 33-yard line before Garrett Rooker's pass on third-and-four fell incomplete with just over two minutes to play. After their defence held, the Thunderbirds took over at their own 35 with 1:30 remaining, but Rooker's pass on third-and-four gave the Carabins possession at the UBC 41 with 1:02 to play.

That led to a Philippe Boyer punt, which gave UBC a final possession at its 18-yard line with 3.8 seconds to play. Rooker completed his pass to Jason Soriano, but he was tackled short of centre field.

Montreal to face UBC in Vanier Cup after downing Western in Uteck Bowl

"We knew going in we had to be able to move the ball and score some points and we just weren't able to," said UBC head coach Blake Nill. "We moved the ball at times but I thought we had a couple of situations where you'd like to have back but that's the way the game is played.

"Montreal is a very good football team. We're a good team too, we just didn't make enough plays."

'Toughest team we played all year'

Coach Iadeluca had nothing but praise for the Thunderbirds.

"That was the toughest team we played all year," he said. "They were resilient on offence, very athletic on defence.

"But I am so proud of this football team. They work hard, they're disciplined, they wanted this from day one and kept their eye on the prize the whole time."

Rooker finished 26-of-40 passing for 278 yards before an energetic Richardson Stadium gathering of 7,100 on a cool, breezy, overcast afternoon. Isaiah Knight ran for a game-high 73 yards on 15 carries.

Montreal's defence also came up big early in the fourth, stopping Knight cold on third-and-two at the Carabins' 53-yard line to protect their 10-point lead.

These two teams met in the 2015 Vanier Cup, which UBC won 26-23 in Quebec City. The Thunderbirds made their seventh appearance overall, having won four times, while Montreal was in the title game for a fourth occasion, also winning in 2014.

UBC held the edge in total offence with 345 yards to 323 for Montreal, but the Carabins dominated the rushing game with 163 yards to 84 for the Thunderbirds.

City of champions

With the Carabins' win, Montreal becomes the first city since 1980 to boast Vanier Cup and Grey Cup champions in the same year. Last week, the Alouettes upset the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28-24 in Hamilton to secure the franchise's first CFL title since 2010.

Edmonton last claimed the Vanier Cup-Grey Cup double title 43 years ago.

Iraghi Muganda had Montreal's other touchdown. Boyer booted the converts while the other points came on a safety.

Flannery-Fleck finished with three field goals for UBC.

Flannery-Fleck's 41-yard field goal at 14:09 of the second quarter cut Montreal's half-time lead to 9-6. The Carabins threatened to extend their advantage with Carl Chabot taking Senecal's third-and-four completion to the UBC six-yard line on the quarter's final play.

It appeared Chabot had room to maybe get out of bounds, stop the clock and give Montreal a final opportunity to at least try a short field goal. Then again, UBC made an interesting decision to decline a holding penalty against the Carabins that gave them their third-and-four situation instead of second and long.

UBC mounted a promising drive from its 23-yard line but it ended with Knight's fumble that the Carabins recovered at their own 39 with 6:02 left in the quarter.

Flannery-Fleck put UBC on the scoreboard with a 32-yard field goal at 4:01.

Muganda's 18-yard TD run at 12:17 of the first put Montreal ahead 9-0. The Carabins went ahead 2-0 at 7:10 when Flannery Fleck conceded the safety.

Vanier Cup headed to Saskatchewan for 1st time

The Vanier Cup will head to Saskatchewan for the first time.

U Sports announced Saturday the '25 Vanier Cup will be played in Regina. The 60th edition of Canadian university football's championship game will go at Mosaic Stadium and coincide with the University of Regina's 50th anniversary.

It will be just the third time ever the Vanier Cup is held in Western Canada.

U Sports also announced Quebec City will host the '26 Vanier Cup. It has staged the game seven times.

Laval: 2022 Vanier Cup Champions

LONDON, Ont. – Kevin Mital turned into a dual threat on Saturday, as he made eight catches and threw for the decisive touchdown as the Laval Rouge et Or downed the Saskatchewan Huskies 30-24 in the 2022 Canada Life Vanier Cup before a sellout crowd of 8,420- at Western Alumni Stadium.

The second-year receiver, who won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the U SPORTS player of the year on Thursday night, captured the Ted Morris Trophy as the Vanier Cup MVP. He is only the second player ever to complete the Hec-Ted double in the same year, following Calgary’s Don Blair in 1995.

“There's no way to take this away from us. We are the Vanier Cup champions of 2022,” said Mital. “We've worked hard for this, and now we go down in the history books as being the best team in Canada this year. Everything that I said this year and set up in terms of goals, we did. It's a sweep. I said we are going to win the Dunsmore, the Mitchell and the Vanier Cup, and that's what we’ve done.” 

Mital’s 142 receiving yards led all players, but it will be his turn as a passer that may be most remembered. With Laval holding a 20-17 lead early in the fourth quarter, Mital took a direct snap and connected with Daniel Dallaire on a jump pass to break the game open.

“He's very proud,” said Glen Constantin, the Laval head coach. “He'll back up what he says and forces everyone on the team to do it too. He's just a really good football player and competitor. When he came back from Syracuse, he told me two things – ‘I want #8 and to win the championship.’ He breathes confidence, and it transcribes onto our team. He’s a generational talent for us, probably the best receiver we’ve ever had.” 

The win is the 11th for Laval, extending their national record but their first since 2018.

“It doesn't get old for the simple reason that it's a different group, different story, different challenge and a different road,” said Constantin after the win, his 10th as head coach. “Every cup has its own stories.”

Laval kicker Vincent Blanchard played a large role in getting the Rouge et Or to that point, as he kicked for five field goals – tying the Vanier Cup record – and connected on a 49-yarder on the stroke of halftime that tied the game at 17. His 49-yard boot was the second-longest in Vanier Cup history, behind only a 50-yarder kicked in 1995. Blanchard added two conversions and an 85-yard kickoff single to finish with 18 points, the second-highest by a kicker in a Vanier Cup.

Laval quarterback Arnaud Desjardins completed 27 of his 36 pass attempts for 397 yards – the fourth-highest total in Vanier Cup history. Desjardins’ favourite targets were Mital and Antoine Dansereau-Leclerc, who had eight catches for 119 yards.

“He's a cool customer,” said Constantin of his quarterback. “He's a young quarterback, only in his second year. His future is bright. He's got this calmness, and he is a cool customer under pressure.” 

For Saskatchewan, Mason Nyhus had an outstanding performance in his final U SPORTS game, completing 34 of 43 passes for 344 yards and three touchdowns. Caleb Morin led the Huskies receivers with seven carries for 97 yards.

While the Huskies offence appeared to be rolling after a first half that saw them put up 281 total yards, they stalled in the third quarter.

“The third quarter, we didn't do enough,” said Huskies head coach Scott Flory. “We started to get traction late, and this will be a point of emphasis for sure in our post-season analysis. The third quarter wasn’t one of our best.”

The Huskies offence responded in the fourth quarter, driving 86 yards in seven plays following Mital’s touchdown pass. However, on first and goal from the Laval 6, Nyhus’ pass into the end-zone was intercepted by Félix Petit, elating the Rouge et Or bench as he handed possession back over to the Quebec side.

“[That was] huge,” said Constantin on the play. “It's better to be lucky than good. We had our fair share of luck. We had a couple of tipped balls and made great plays, so that stop in the end zone was huge. [It was] one of the critical stops we needed to make. It was huge for us.”

The Huskies were able to put a scoring drive together later in the fourth, but they could not complete the comeback.

“We marched the field, had a turnover, and then marched it again,” said Flory on his team's determination. “We competed, and it was a tough game. There's a finality [to sports], there is someone who wins and loses. Unfortunately, we are on the other end of it, and it’s not easy.” 

The Huskies, who led Canada West from wire to wire and won their second straight bowl game, finish the season with an 11-2 overall record (7-1 CW).

“These games always come down to a handful of plays,” said Flory on the loss. “Credit to Laval, they made those plays. Their quarterback played a great game. They did some really good things. But you look at our side, and I think that Mason was phenomenal out there. He’s an elite-calibre player and leader, and he showed that here today. It's tough and will take time to digest. I'm really proud of our guys and the season and everything we had to overcome.”

Charles-Alexandre Jacques took home the Bruce Coulter Award as the game’s top defensive player. The second-year linebacker finished with 5.5 total tackles (one solo, nine assists.)

Everett Iverson and Daniel Wiebe had the Saskatchewan touchdowns, while Kalenga Muganda had the other Laval major.

Random World Cup Musings, 3/29/2021

Today, the Canucks of the Canadian Men's National Soccer Team will wrap up the first half of the first round of CONCACAF 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifying with a match against the Cayman Islands. The following day, Japan's national team will play a similar mismatch game against a similar minnow in Mongolia ahead of the qualifying bubble in Asia.

The Canada-Cayman Islands match at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, is a very odd one, but is the historic first meeting at senior level between both sides, who usually face each other in 20/20 cricket. The match was technically supposed to take place a few hours before the ill-fated match between the Under-23 scratch side and Mexico in Guadalajara. However, if my own headcanon is correct, Ben Pugh, who is five years my junior, has shown his youth in managing a team of this magnitude by not submitting proper COVID-19 documentation on time.

Technically, the match would be a forfeit win to Canada and John Herdman would have the right of it to accept. The problem is that a number of players on the roster for Canada are in the middle of title races for their clubs, not to mention Alphonso Davies needing form ahead of a return to action for defending world champions Bayern. Compounding matters is the fact that Suriname booted six goals past Aruba, powered by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's unassuming, if chubby, nephew Nigel.

In the end, the match is set to kick off at 6 p.m. UTC-5 in Florida. Doubtless the Cayman Islands, who have had a breakthrough CONCACAF Nations League campaign, will be parking the bus and playing defensive football. Mongolia will be keen on employing a similar approach, albeit their World Cup dream is all but finished. The key for Canada is to break down the bus, or buses, and force the part-timers to run and chase, and that's when the goals will fly, and the gulf in class will be rampant in spades. It will be a performance with skill that was sorely lacking from the Under-23s who would have been in a better position to make it to Tokyo...had they defeated Haiti and/or Honduras. The original kickoff time was set for Sunday at 4 p.m., so the weather should be a bit more nicer, but not even a weather respite will avoid what should be a procession.

Predictions:

Canada 9, Cayman Islands 0

Japan 6, Mongolia 0

CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying 2020

CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying 2020: Wind Of Change

#Tokyo2020 #USWNT #CWOQ #USAvMEX #CANvCRC #CanWNT

Laval Rouge et Or: 2018 Vanier Cup Champions

QUEBEC — Quarterback Hugo Richard said "preparation and intensity" made the difference on Saturday as the fifth-year pivot led the Laval Rouge et Or to their record tenth title, beating the Western Mustangs 34-20 in the 54th Vanier Cup.

That preparation showed early as Laval scored its first of four touchdowns one minute into the game, with Richard hitting receiver Vincent Forbes-Mombleau on 46-yard throw in the end zone.

Richard said he didn’t expect to score a TD on his second throw of the game, but the Rouge et Or were ready from kickoff.

"We’ve been training hard all year and been waiting for this moment," he said.

Richard thrilled the 12,380 hometown fans at Telus stadium in Quebec City by completing 23-of-31 pass attempts for 348 yards and two touchdowns. The fifth-year QB also ran for 60 yards and a score.

Laval extracted a measure of revenge after its 39-17 loss to the Mustangs in last year’s Vanier Cup played in Hamilton. Western is second to Laval with seven national football championships in 14 appearances. Both teams went into the match undefeated during the season. The No. 1-ranked Mustangs were riding a 23-game winning streak. Laval still holds the consecutive win record at 25 (2012-14).

Laval head coach Glen Constantin said his team was "humbled" by the Mustangs last year.

"It’s been 12 months we’ve been waiting for this. The kids made a vow we’d be back," he said, crediting Richard and star defensive end Mathieu Betts for their leadership.

"Quarterbacks get in trouble when they try to do too much. (Richard) stayed within his scheme, he executed very well. He was sharp, he was clean. He had an outstanding game."

Richard said his next goal is to graduate, but was coy about his future. He was named game MVP, as he was in 2016 when Laval won its last Vanier Cup.

Betts, who has been scouted by the National Football League, could be destined to play pro football next year.

The loss was a little more painful than expected for Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall. As the clock ticked down the final seconds, he took a hit to the leg when a tackled player plunged to the sidelines.

"Maybe I deserved it," he joked. "I’m proud of my team. I’m disappointed, obviously."

Western QB Chris Merchant also got off to good start with a 26-yard completion to Cole Majoros, but was intercepted by Laval’s Maxym Lavallee with a 31-yard return. Laval’s David Cote notched a field goal on the subsequent drive. The Rouge et Or led 10-0 after the first quarter.

Marshall cited the pick as one of the turning points in the match.

"That’s sport. It was a play here, a play there. That changes the outcome of the game. I’m just happy we get to come here and compete," he said.

Merchant completed 26-of-46 passes for 358 yards and one touchdown, but was intercepted three times.

The second quarter started with Western encroaching on the Laval zone on a 10-yard run by Cedric Joseph. Two completions by Merchant put the Mustangs on the goal line and Joseph strolled into the end zone untouched.

Richard threw a 27-yard pass to Jonathan Breton to gain position on the next drive, then hit Benoit Gagnon-Brousseau with a 22-yard for a score to go up 17-7. Western took over deep in its own zone, gambling on third and inches to prolong the drive before kicker Marc Liegghio then nailed a 36-yard field goal.

Liegghio kicked an 18-yard field goal with one second remaining in the first half, to leave the score 17-13.

Marshall said he felt his team would be able to stage a strong comeback going into locker-room, but the Rouge et Or played stingy defence to start the third and shut out Western’s offence until 10-minute mark of the fourth.

"(They) pinned us in and we started our drive at 15 yards after the kickoff. Credit to them. They did a good job," he said.

Merchant has one more year of eligibility and may get another shot at a second Vanier Cup. He said he was disappointed with his performance.

"I threw too many interceptions, gave the ball to them too many times. It’s a tough loss for us. We’re going to go regroup as a team and come back next year."

Western actually gained more total yardage than Laval (503 to 471) but the Rouge et Or defence was able to snuff out threatening attacks from the visitors.

This was the third time Laval and Western have met in the Vanier Cup. The Rouge et Or won the first matchup in 2008.

Canada Trip 2016

Here is a gallery from my travels to Canada. A little bit more time and money would have seen me check out a few more parts of the Lower Mainland. Good first time out. Will look forward to checking out Canada when the weather is a little bit better.

Back On The Rocks! Be There!

In less than a month, my heart, mind and soul will be on something other than soccer, Los Angeles, California, AFL, NRL, Vine banter, tumblr postings, and America in general. The details are still being flushed out, but in less than three weeks, I leave for Canada. I am heading to Vancouver to spend a few days, take plenty of photos, take plenty of action shots, and celebrate the Canadian Thanksgiving, which doubles as Columbus Day in the United States. More on that in a bit.

Spring will turn to summer in Australia, but first, the winter will have to end and right now, it is, with a focus on cricket, basketball, and soccer. Teams in the A-Leeague and W-League are reloading and refreshing and in some special cases, resetting. The AFL and NRL seasons are concluding and there is a chance that the NRL's premier will be from Victoria and the AFL's premier will be from New South Wales.

I think to myself, as my updated iPad belts out an Atlas Genius ballad: can Greater Western Sydney win two more games and live up to the words of its bold fight song that go, "You feel the ground a-shaking, the other teams are quaking in their boots before the Giants!" Already their reserve team have won the North East Australian Football League flag, their first-ever piece of palmares. (Yes, I am using the French term for honors.) Maybe a flag double is in the offing. Of course, if Hawthorn FC defeat the Western Bulldogs, it's a matter of "take your pick."

I don't have too much motivation to make a sequel to "Butterflies and Dragons." I enjoyed the journey, I enjoyed writing the story, but I don't feel obliged to write a follow-up yet. I have a Gochiusa vignette that is being drafted, which will parallel with my escapades in Vancouver. If I can surmise something of note, I might decide to make this last a few chapters, maybe 10-20.

Having a strong period of rest is going to be necessary for me to keep my mind in check, keep my mind in focus. My mom bought a new luggage case for me, and I will be bringing it to go with my new knapsack and my Anime Expo 10 Years bag, to show that I am an anime fan heading into Vancouver. All that is really needed is for my sister to provide me with the cash needed for lodging and for any food or souvenir expenses.

I can't wait to post the album of my trip to Canada, and I plan to use up as much camera space to provide everyone with my journey. Hopefully no snags take place on the trip, and I am able to enjoy the journey without any problems. Because of this, my Bold Predictions for the Ruby Period may be impacted, and no voting will be taking place for a good deal of the matches. However, I will be posted recaps of all the action that took place in the rounds I didn't get to vote on here on The Bedlam on Baltic Avenue. Look forward to it!

I Decided To Make A Big Sacrifice Today Ahead Of A Big Journey.

I have to decided to say so long to Pangya until September. After doing a run which saw very little yield in terms of Gacha rares, the choice was made by me to leave the game, uninstall the client, and forward the money from my work to my trip to Vancouver. It's a long-awaited trip, and a trip that I have chased for months but now, I am ready to finally work towards this journey to Canada.

To me, Canada is a very, very wonderful place. It's got knowledgeable people, the food is supposed to be pretty good, poutine is everywhere, and finding a Tim Horton's is not that difficult. I've decided to start my spending on the first phase, and that is transportation. In the past, I took the Crucero and the Greyhound to visit Hayward and the Bay Area, and I took those buses to go to San Diego. This time, with the Coast Starlight being too expensive for my taste, I have chosen to go Greyhound again, Economy class, round trip to Vancouver.

Because of this, spending on Anime Expo will have to be in the diminutive. If I need to spend anything, it has to only be on food. I don't need to get Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie via plushies. I don't need to buy shirts or other plushies, especially if there is no plushie of Fubuki from Kancolle. I already have Akagi anyway, she's a sweetie pie. I still have to do my work for AX and the Access Control department. If I become selected as a Ranger, I'll do my work cause I already have one year of experience down.

I also have to renew my Flickr membership. More money that has to be channeled away. I am very dependent on my performance with The Stoppage Time. I need to publish my articles constantly and consistently so that I meet the salary requirement. There will be times where I just focus on my writing, where I focus on my nonprofit work, where I focus on my sister's work, stuff like that. With Pangya not taking away my money until September, my funds are now freed up to finance this trip.

I am excited about getting my travel plans started. I don't need to be a big spender, I just need a ride and a place to stay when it comes to visiting Canada for what will be the first time in my life. I need to do this now, because next year, I expect to have to make payments on my college loans that are being consolidated. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so I want to make this visit something I will never forget. I just hope my mom, my dad, my sister, and everyone I know understands my decision to commit to this trip.

So I decided to make a big sacrifice today ahead of a big journey. I may have to make some more in the future. In fact, the Christmas bonus check at the Bar Foundation, assuming I am still on the books there by then, will go to my parents, all of it, to make up for all the grocery runs I couldn't do in April, May, June, July and August for them. This is how much I am hedging everything towards this visit, and I will do my best to get this done.

Say Your Prayers, Donald Trump: Here comes Justin Trudeau!

 (CNN)According to the Reputation Institute, it is the "most admired" nation on earth. Immigrants flock there from all over the world -- for the most part politely standing in line for the opportunity.

Taxes seem to get lower every year and the government runs a surplus. Burdensome regulations have been slashed and the tax code's been rewritten to encourage business investment and pro-family policies. Abroad, it's taking the fight to ISIS with a reinvigorated military, standing side by side with Israel and against aggression from the mullahs of Iran and Vladimir Putin's Russia.

No, it's not three years into the Marco Rubio administration -- it's present-day Canada, and its courageous leader just got booted out of office after nine years of steadily maneuvering the ship of state.

The Conservative Party's loss is to the detriment of its neighbors to the south and the world at large, since the Tory leader, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, was defeated by the unprepared, gaffe-prone but well-coiffed son of a former prime minister, Justin Trudeau.

Harper's fate is all the more shocking when you consider how well Canada weathered the 2008-2009 financial crisis under his watch. He didn't bail out anyone (except the U.S.-based auto industry), no financial institutions failed and the Canadian economy hummed along.

Part of Harper's success -- and doom -- lies in the commodity markets. With sky-high oil prices and other resources reaching record highs, Canada got rich as other industrial powers paid top dollar (or top loonie, if you will) for the raw materials they needed to grow. As oil prices fell off a cliff, the Canadian economy slowed, even briefly dipping into recession this year. But Harper made the necessary cuts and kept taxes low. Amazingly, he balanced the budget ahead of schedule as the commodity markets nosedived.

Despite their success, Harper's policies, too, seemed to echo the "American" political discourse, a byword for becoming what Canadians fear most -- too much like their rapacious, bellicose and paranoid neighbors to the south. In Canada, identity is tied up in a few things (hockey, universal health care) but none more powerful than a genteel anti-Americanism that tinges every political debate in the Great White North.

When Harper introduced anti-terror legislation called C-51, or "Canada's Patriot Act," after prominent attacks inspired by radical Islam, the wing nuts of Canada's left came out of the woodwork, painting the Prime Minister as a tyrant in the making.

His inaction on climate change -- a shrewd move for a near-petro state -- enraged the ecowarriors.

But the final straw came when Harper took a stand for an inclusive, but fully Westernized and assimilating Canada -- banning the niqab, or face veil, from being worn at citizenship swearing-in ceremonies. The din of the "culturally sensitive" left's cries was deafening -- "racist," "Islamophobe" and "anti-immigrant" entered the normally polite Canadian discourse.

What lies next for Canada is bad news for America and especially conservatives.

Canada under Harper's leadership was a conservative wonderland with balanced budgets, increasingly low taxes and a robust foreign policy aimed at taking on terrorists and bullies the world over. But that is poised to change under the Liberal Party's Trudeau, who promises to run deficits, pull out of the anti-ISIS operation in Iraq and Syria, and re-establish ties with Iran. He also wants to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada.

Furthermore, although the abortion debate has been "settled" for a generation by repeated diktats from Canada's uber-leftist Supreme Court, Trudeau has stamped out dissent within his own party over abortion, where a thriving anti-abortion wing once existed.

Without Harper at the helm, the lessons of Canada's miracle -- surviving the financial crisis, balancing budgets, slashing red tape and taxes while maintaining a healthy welfare state -- will be lost to history as Trudeau's Liberals in a fit of pique roll back the gains the Great White North has made.

Politics is a fickle game and fatigue is a real phenomenon. Harper's achievements will be relegated to the dustbin of history.

As Shelley's "Ozymandias" reminds us, "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Hello, Canadian fart-sniffers.

As if things weren’t bad enough for Canadian soccer, seeing that the women’s national team, a.k.a. “Big Red”, give up a late goal to Australia and see them knocked out of the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the salt was rubbed in the already gaping wounds of those who followed the round ball up in the Great White North.

That bunch of fart-sniffers, also known as the Canadian Soccer Association, decided to give CONCACAF, and Canadian associated football aficionados in general, the middle finger by rejecting an offer to host the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament.

To which BoBA responds simply with, “What is this faggotry!?”

From the London Free Press:

CHENGDU, CHINA -- The battleground is supposed to be 28,269 seat Chengdu Sports Stadium in the middle of downtown in this Sichuan Province capital city of seven million people.

It's where Canada plays Australia tomorrow in the go on or home game in Group C of the Women's World Cup.

But it was a practice field behind a bowling alley here yesterday where the shots were being fired as the Canadian players expressed disappointment and coach Even Pellerud and manager Les Meszaros escalated their outrage at the Canadian Soccer Association here yesterday.

That's where the spit hit the fan with the revelation on Sunday that the CSA turned down a CONCACAF request to play host to the Olympic qualifying tournament.

Angus Barrett of St. John's, the head of delegation, executive member of the association and director at large, was confronted by media members here to explain the decision.

He said the CSA, an organization currently without a president, a CEO or an executive director, "couldn't afford the $300,000 to $400,000 it would cost" to play host to the six-team tournament in Canada despite the advantage it would give Canada in getting to next summer's Beijing Olympic Games. The event is now likely to be held in Haiti.

"Haiti can afford it but Canada can't?" said Meszaros. "How do you explain that to the Canadian public?"

You can't. Especially after Pellerud, who is on the final year of his contract, was inspired to reveal more of the dirty details.

"We're talking about pocket money. We could easily get all that money back in ticket sales if we put up the money," he said of the event next March.

Do the math. It's chump change.

Pellerud said he'd even arranged a local organizing committee to play host to the event in Victoria.

"I told the association they could take the money out of our team budget. That was my offer to them. We believed there would be no problem at all recovering it. The CSA simply didn't want to make the effort to do it. It's a very big disappointment to me and the whole team."

Kara Lang, a member of the Canadian team which finished in the final four of the Women's World Cup four years ago but then lost the get-to-the-Olympics game against Mexico in the qualifying tournament in Costa Rica, said it was "extremely disappointing" to the team.

"It really would have put us at an advantage. It would have made it a lot easier."

"It's disappointing for sure," said veteran Andrea Neil. "I don't know if there are reasons for it that we don't understand."

Barrett said: "The CSA decided it would cost us too much to host. Next year is going to be a very expensive year with World Cup qualifying games for the men's team and the women's team preparations for the Olympic qualifying. There are huge demands for national teams next year."

He said despite setting a record attendance of 1,192,161 in playing host to the recent FIFA U-20 World Cup, the association managed to lose money. Five years ago, the association played host to the FIFA U-19 Women's World Championships centred in Edmonton and made enough money to cover costs and pay FIFA host seeding money back.

Barrett didn't dispute the advantage it would give Canada to qualify at home.

"I agree. There's no doubt about it," he said. "I don't blame Even one bit. He wants the best for his players."

And the CSA doesn't? Where there's a will, there's a way.

Pellerud showed the will and the way.

The Canadian Soccer Association has clearly lost their way. The organization has become a national disgrace.

No question, this group of fart-sniffers has no respect for the game itself, and one must ask of their qualification to make these types of faggotrical decision-making. I, for one, am disgusted, and laugh at their faces in smite, as Haiti, a once war-torn country where Jean Bertrand Aristide ran amok like Baron Samedi on a Sunday morning, will pick up the pieces and do the right thing for once.

“They who give the middle finger to an excellent opportunity must be shot, and left to rot in the street.” -Anonymous

They're going to rue that call for a while, those Canucks will...

I feel for the Canadian football fans. Not those who support the CFL, but those who are soccer fans up north. Armando Archundia took a goal away from them in stoppage time, denying extra time, and the game, and a berth in the final, and the USA defeated Canada 2-1 at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Those fans up north are going to rue that call, and label Archundia as a villain. The BigSoccer forums are going to be busy with the wrath of the Canadians, and some sympathy but tons of relief from the USA supporters. And don't forget, mixed reactions from the Mexican supporter, too.

Two people I have to feel for in his match:

First, Michael Bradley of the USA. There is not a worse feeling in the world for Bob Bradley than to see his son sent off. He had to make that tackle, though, so it was a proper sacrifice.

Second, (and this is to be fair to both sides), Atiba Hutchinson of Canada. Things could have been interesting had the game gone to extra time. I, personally, thought it went in. But it is said that the team that has the most breaks will win it. The offside was the biggest break for the Nats.

I give my kudos to:

Frankie Hejduk. What a was to break your Gold Cup du(c)k, Frankie. His first-ever goal in this competition, and his first goal in over seven years. Incredible. Welcome back, Frankie. Relax like that guy going to Hollywood after seeing some movie-worthy drama in th dying moments of the game, and get ready for a curtain call on Sunday.

Landon Donovan. A goal, an assist, and a card. Had it been a red instead of yellow, that would be a Gordie Howe-like hat trick. (I know Gordie plays a different sport, but the form is similar) A brace on Sunday, and he will kill to records with two volleys past the keeper, over the line, inside the posts, and into the nylon.

I personally hope it's the USA vs. Guadeloupe, but I have a gut feeling, the inevitable classic is coming up Sunday.