Category Archives: Sports

Is it Time to Deliver a Knock-Out Blow to Fighting in Hockey?

By Jason Menard

The question isn’t whether fighting in hockey has outlived its usefulness; rather, we have to start looking at whether it ever had a point in the first place.

I consider myself a hockey fan. I have been since my youth, I played the game growing up, and I continue to follow it both as a fan and as a writer, covering junior hockey for Hockey’s Future. I say this to establish my bonafides in light of the inevitable backlash I’ll receive from a certain sub-section of fans.

You see, for some if you don’t like fighting, you’re not a true fan. Continue reading

Knights to Remember

By Jason Menard

While London, Ontario has received a black eye thanks to a thrown banana, it’s important to not let the negative obscure the positive that this city – and its hockey fans – have to offer.

Nothing’s ever perfect and beyond the moronic actions of one banana-throwing idiot, there are certain negative things that London is known for. The market is somewhat fair weather, failing to sell out the John Labatt Centre unless the team is amongst the upper echelon. There’s always at least one moron who disrespects the national anthem to shout “Go Knights Go!” before the song is finished. Games are filled with, uhm, “plentiful and opportunistic” advertising. And let’s not even talk about the music – I’m all in favour of a permanent ban of “Cotton-Eyed Joe” in any arena.  Continue reading

What if We Stopped Filling Space with Empty Words?

By Jason Menard

Empty words plague sports and business writing alike, so when it comes to providing value to the audience, why do we prize who says something over what they say?

Earlier today Doug Smith, a Toronto Star sports writer/columnist, wrote an insightful blog post under the heading “Talk is cheap and sometimes not necessary,” in which he examines the value of canned quotes over author-penned insight.  Continue reading

How Crosby’s Retirement, or Worse, Could Bring Out Best in NHL

By Jason Menard

For true fans of the game of hockey, the second-best thing in the world would be that Sidney Crosby is forced to retire at the age of 24 due to continuing concussion complications.

The only thing better? Crosby’s death.

Now, please, please, please realize that when I talk about what it would take to make things better, I’m doing so in true Swiftian, “A Modest Proposal” fashion. Continue reading

Five Ways to Cure NHL’s Allergy to Defense

By Jason Menard

The NHL is currently conducting a little on-ice R&D in an attempt to fix a game that’s pretty darn good as it stands. So why are the eyes of a hockey-loving nation focused on Toronto for the next two days?

Allergies.  Continue reading