Current status: Situation update
Let the Games Begin!
Gear up, folks, because it's that time of the year again when sports take over the world, and sometimes even manage to distract us from our political woes. Here's a quick run-down of the sports happenings in our corner of the globe, keeping it simple and fun.
During those few days between late May and early June, we witness nature blooming and sports thriving. Cool nights, spring heat waves, and carpets of wild forget-me-nots fill the air with an alluring scent. It's as if the entire natural world is amplifying the energy of the sports universe that is in its own growth spurt.
In the realm of sports, there's no escaping it - no matter where you turn, you're surrounded by it. From hockey and basketball, to Major League Baseball, preseason football, women's soccer, cycling, Formula 1, tennis, golf, or even casual joggers on the street, sports are everywhere. They almost make us forget about the political shenanigans that remind us of our semi-colonial status in a decaying empire.
Before fully stepping into summer, let's take a quick tour of the sports world and list some of its fascinating moments, focusing on the rare fauna inhabiting this universe. Be warned, this exercise is superficial, so let's leave the advanced statistics to the experts.
In April, while the Canadiens were pushing hard in their playoff run, the Women's World Ice Hockey Championship took place in the Czech Republic. Featuring ten teams, it was the 24th edition of this event where Canada and the United States have exchanged the gold medal. This tournament brings together two eternal rivals, while allowing eight other nations to play a supporting role.
Sadly, I barely had time to pay attention to this competition, only managing to wish gold to the Finnish team. Come on, just a small deviation from the routine...
Back in Toronto, the Maple Leafs once again fell victim to the pressure during the NHL playoff mountain range, a trend that borders on the psychoanalytical.
Other teams who were expected to make it to the ultimate game on ice, instead stumbled at the worst possible moment. In the span of a week, Montreal Victory, who ruled the LPHF regular season, was eliminated in the Walter Cup semifinals, and the composite team representing the snow-covered lands of Charles III at the Men's World Hockey Championship was shown the door by tiny Denmark.
On May 24th, as my son's school's cadet football team, the Harfangs, finished their spring training camp with a preparatory match against Saint-Hyacinthe, the Montreal Alouettes kicked off their preseason at Percival Molson Stadium. During the first half, the game's big star was the punter - these are the distinctions of Canadian football, folks.*
Fortunately, my Harfangs don't play Canadian football: they have four attempts to gain their ten yards of field. The Canadian Football League's insistence on playing differently is as desperate and ridiculous as the Canadian political class's attachment to a sovereign who can barely serve as a facelift for a federalist regime chronically lacking in historical symbols.*
And speaking of symbols, on May 25th, the 30th anniversary of the Nordiques' exile was celebrated. Some speculate that this episode, which occurred five months before the 1995 referendum, may have significantly deflated the separatist vote in the future capital of a sovereign Quebec. Could Jacques Parizeau, that great bourgeois lover of numbers and lucidity, have appreciated the full value of the identity dimension and the spontaneous, joyful, and irrational popular national sentiment that fuels the supporters of certain sports teams? The carnival is caught in the stands of Rogers Place in Edmonton right now.
A word on CF Montreal: painful. A figure on baseball: $336,254,918 (the Dodgers' payroll).
The poor teams of baseball can only dream of the parity that now reigns in the NBA, where, barring an unlikely turnaround, Luguentz Dort of the Thunder and Bennedict Mathurin of the Pacers, two big guys from Montreal North, are about to face off in the finals in the coming days. Yes, the next Duvernay-Tardif will, as they say, be "diverse" - a beautiful story in the making.
This text is part of our Opinion section, which fosters a diversity of voices and ideas. It is a column and, as such, reflects the values and position of its author and not necessarily those of Le Devoir.
Did You Know?
In late May to early June, typical sports highlights in Canada include:* - Golf: RBC Canadian Open (June 2–5)* - Football (CFL): CFL preseason/opening games* - Hockey: Mixed national team and league competitions* - Soccer: CPL matches, youth/women competitions* - Other Events: Multiple provincial/international events in Québec
In Canada, sports enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the RBC Canadian Open, a renowned golf tournament held in late May to early June. The event is major sporting highlight during this period.
Simultaneously, Canadian Football League (CFL) teams engage in preseason matches and opening games, preparing for a season filled with excitement.
Hockey fans can enjoy both mixed national team and league competitions during the same timeframe, offering a diverse spectrum of games to follow.
In the world of soccer, Canadian Premier League (CPL) matches, youth, and women's competitions are popular events showcasing the country's rising talents.
These sports events, along with provincial and international events in Quebec, make the late May to early June period a celebrated time for sports fans in Canada.
