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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News Record, 2016-01-13, Page 14Championships in Toronto A city deprived of championship gold in a major sport may have a light at the end of a long tunnel Josh Batkin Freelance Writer I am twenty six years old and the last time a Toronto- based sports team won in one of the three major sports (hockey, baseball and basket- ball), I was five years old. Thanks to a phenomenal run last season, the whole country of my generation, and above, had flashbacks of those '93 Toronto Blue Jays. The Montreal Canadiens had stormed back after a game one loss, to win four games in a row that beat out the Los Angeles Kings to win hockey's Holy Grail for a league best, twenty-fourth time. Fun fact; Those Cana - diens were likely the last team in the NHL to be comprised of solely North -American born players. The Toronto Raptors were two years away from being The Toronto Raptors. The Toronto Maple Leafs were actually doing not only good, they were doing great! Doug Gilmour and Felix "The Cat" Potvin were leading the Buds to the promised land. Gilmour scoring a franchise - record 127 points, while Pot - vin was posting under three goals against average when ninety percent of the league was scoring over three goals. It was a promising year and the parade route, I'm sure, was in the drafting room in city hall. However, they would go on all the way to the Western Con- ference Final, where they lost in seven games to Gretzky's Los Angeles Kings. That game sixloss still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth to this day. Now thanks to the recent surge and talent on the rosters of the Raptors, Leafs and Blue Jays, Toronto may finally see a championship brought back to the city oh -so -deserving of a champion. New head coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs and highest paid coach in NHL history, Mike Babcock, has noticeably changed the cul- ture of a team that is mostly unchanged from last year's team that had some of the worst team stats in the league. The plan is long term. Nobody expected the Leafs to be where they are today in the standings and that directly reflects the attitude that Bab- cock and Co. have brought behind the Leafs bench. A number of players have been quoted saying that Mike has brought out the best of their competitive nature. The day he was announced at the new coach for the Leafs, one of his first statements to the media was "there's going to be pain, but it will make us better and put Toronto back to its rightful place atop the league" With the amount of up-and-com- ing talent that the Leafs have in their minor systems, some- thing that hasn't been seen in recent years because they have usually traded their up and comers for "now" players, the light at the end of the tun- nel isn't only there, it's as bright as I've ever seen it. John Gibbons, the Toronto Blue Jays skipper, successfully managed what was likely a team full of big egos last sea- son when the Blue Jays went all the way to the ALCS (American League champion- ship series). With a roster, in my humble opinion, full of potential all stars, Gibbons knew who to play, where to play them and when to play them. The biggest move would be on every fifth day when he would sit newly acquired gold glove, all star catcher, Russell Martin in favour of backup catcher, Dioner Novarro. Novarro, now a Chicago Cub, would catch for the Jays most consistent pitcher in Gold Glove nomi- nee, Marco Estrada. Estrada would go on to have a career season, posting a 13-8 record in the regular season. His big- gest win however, came in the playoffs when the Gibbons went to Estrada over former Cy Young winner, RA Dickey against the Texas Rangers in a must win game three of the ALDS. Estrada went six shut- out innings and went on for the win, getting the Jays started in the series that they would ultimately win in five games. Minus the additions the Jays had at the deadline last season in ace David Price and leadoff hitter Ben Revere, the Blue Jays are still amongst the favourites this up and coming season to get to the World Series. With the help of League MVP, the bringer of rain, Josh Donaldson, there's no doubt in my mind that the Jays will do great things this season. This leaves the Toronto Rap- tors. Established in 1995, the Raptors have had many high and many low times in their twenty year history. The future however is as bright as it has been in a long time. With cur- rent all stars, DeMar DeRozen and Kyle Lowry manning up the best back court in the league, the Raptors today are nine games above .500 for the first time this season, the Rap- tors were tops in the East last season, and are only 3.5 games behind King James's Cleveland Cavaliers for tops in the East this season. Head coach, Dwayne Casey says playoffs could start to become a regular occurrence for this squad, which has never been the case for the only NBA team north of the boarder. They have been noted to have the "best fans in the league'; and thanks to that and having Global Ambassa- dor, Drake, the Raptors are get- ting noticed by the who's -who in the NBA and are nowconsid- ered a "force in the league." That is something neither other Toronto-based team has established as of yet, but are both well on their way to follow- ing the Raptors' pace in bring- ing hope to a city that hasn't had much in the last two dec- ades. A sense of pride, winning and consistency is on the way, Toronto sports fans. It's been the punch line of jokes my entire life, but "wait 'till next year" might actually mean something now in Toronto. I look forward to it and as a sports fan myself, am also very excited about the up and com- ing seasons in 2016. Let's Go Toronto! Wednesday, January 13, 2016 • News Record 15 BCH Minor Hockey results January 3 - 9 January 3 Midget Rep 4, Twin Centre Stars 3 Novice Local 1 3, Central Perth LL 1 Peewee Rep 2, Goderich Sailors 0 Atom Girls 1 1, Mt. Brydges Cougars C 3 Midget Rep 3, South Kent Lightening 4 Bantam Rep 1, Goderich Sailors 1 January 4 Midget Local 1, Blyth -Brus- sels Crusaders 3 January 6 Peewee Girls 6, Lambeth Lancers C 1 Bamtam Local 11, Wingham Ironmen 6 January 7 Pewee Local 1, Mitchell Meteors 6 January 8 Midget Girls C 0, Almaguin Gazelles 1 Peewee Rep 1, Drayton Defenders 4 Bantam Local 2 4, Blyth - Brussels Crusaders 2 Midget Girls C 2, Bruce Pen- insula North Stars 5 January 9 Atom Local 1 0, Ripley Wolves 3 Peewee Local 8, Seaforth Stars 2 Novice Local 3 9, Ripley Wolves 2 Midget Girls C 3, Timmons 2 clintonnewsrecord.com Te 9ee *au %a 70:61,14 at ?lie eae4ei: Clinton United Church 105 Ontario Street 519-482-9553 www.cli nton un ited.ca Ministry Team Word and Sacrament: Rev. Randy Covey MDiv Children and Youth: Kathy Douglas DM Director of Music: Louise Dockstader JANUARY 17 10:30 am Worship Nursery & Sunday School Robbie Burns Evening Jan 23 Call office for dinner reservation Christian Reformed Church 243 Princess St. E. Clinton Pastor Ron Luchies 519-482-5264 Sunday January 17, 2016 Morning Service - 10:00 am Evening Service - 7:OOpm Wednesday's 7:30 pm - Ladies Evening Coffee Break "You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near."James 5 vs 8 All Visitors Welcome! First Baptist Church 85 Huron St., Clinton 482-3598 SUNDAY JANUARY 17, 2016 MORNING SERVICE 10:30 AM Lay Pastor - Wally DeWolfe Bible Study Wednesday 7:30 PM TO ADVERTISE IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE CALL Clinton News Record 519-482-3443 PRESS '0' BIBLE MISSIONARY CHURCH 35 Toronto Blvd., Vanastra (519) 482-8183 JANUARY 17, 2016 Sunday Morning Worship 11:00 AM Sunday Evening Worship 7:00 PM Pastor Josh McCarthy Everyone Welcome! HEARTLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH 52 Victoria St., Clinton - 519-606-1015 www.heartlandclinton.ca Pastor Charles Gingerich Sunday Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. Prayer & Share 7:00 p.m. Expect a welcome and a blessing! St. Paul's Anglican Church A Congregation of the Parish of The Holy Spirit 49 Ontario St., Cinton The Reverend Lynn Mitchell, Interim Priest Organist & Choir Master: Dana Prouse Sunday January 17 Worship at 11:15 am Everyone Welcome Annual Vestry meeting January 31