Category Archives: sports

Sean Fitz-Gerald

According to his LinkedIn profile, my next guest has spent the last 4-5 years herding elementary school aged children through their first steps in house-league soccer, ball hockey and ice hockey.

In 2015, he was named Sportswriter of the year by Sports Media Canada.

In 2016, he joined The Athletic to help build, lead and grow it’s Toronto operations.

This past spring, Penguin Random House published his book, “Before The Lights Go Out: A Season Inside A Game Worth Saving”.

Please Welcome! to the show, the senior national writer for Canada for The Athletic, Sean Fitz-Gerald.

This is Episode #195 of the Welcome! podcast.

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Ronda Rousey: 2018 Wrestlemania Impact

Has Ronda Rousey made a real impact on WWE? What about Rousey’s impact on WWE’s flagship pay-per-view, Wrestlemania?

One of the ways to understand this is by looking at Rousey’s impact on betting. I asked international betting expert, Jim Murphy, if Rousey has had an impact on betting for this year’s Wrestlemania.

Negligible if any.  The WWE might be trying to change course on how they’re promoting her midstream.  She cut a promo last week that wasn’t really good.  They had originally scheduled her for every RAW until Wrestlemania but that plan has changed.  She was originally announced for last night’s RAW but wasn’t there and they showed a video of her instead. Meanwhile, she was on the ‘Ellen’ show this morning.

Here’s what I’m thinking–they’re going to keep her out of situations where she has to ‘cut a promo’.  They can show her training in the gym and she looks like a badass.  I’ve always thought she does well in the talk show format but doing a scripted pro wrestling promo is a different deal entirely.  Besides, she can open up promotional channels that no one else on the roster is able to (eg: talk shows like ‘Ellen’).  They’ll likely have Stephanie McMahon bury her in promos on RAW for the next two weeks.  She’s scheduled for the final pre-Wrestlemania episode of RAW.

Otherwise–it’s still a little early for significant betting on Wrestlemania 3 1/2 weeks out and it’ll definitely be an afterthought until after the first weekend of ‘March Madness’.  The WWE hasn’t really gone into top gear promotionally for Wrestlemania and it might end up being that Rousey doesn’t draw the mainstream interest they thought she would.  She hasn’t produced any ratings bump in her TV appearances so far.  There’s not really a ‘buzzworthy’ match on the card so far.  AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura is a big deal among hardcore fans but not really in the mainstream.  They’ve been teasing a John Cena vs. Undertaker matchup and that might end up being the biggest match on the card.

For more information on this year’s Wrestlemania betting visit Sports Betting Experts. 

Canadian Baseball Hall Of Fame and Museum

Earlier this spring we took a day trip to St. Marys, Ontario for a mini baseball tournament on the fields of Canada’s Baseball Hall of Fame. I had never been to the CBHOF. I was amazed at how small the actual Hall is.

The Hall (and Museum) is located in a former home on a parcel of land donated to the Hall by the St. Marys Cement Company.

Canadian Baseball Hall Of Fame and Museum
Canadian Baseball Hall Of Fame and Museum

While the home may be small, there is so much on display on the main floor and even more stored away on the second floor.

I remember watching this game in my parents living room. George Bell was, and always has been, my favourite baseball player.

Toronto once tried to acquire the Giants baseball team. They even had stationary made!

The Terminator!

Yes, the Babe played in Canada before his MLB career began.

 

UFC 206 in Toronto

Earlier this month the UFC finally came back to Toronto to host UFC 206: Holloway vs Pettis. Holloway ended up winning over Pettis in a thrilling TKO. However, the final bout was overshadowed by the intense match between veteran Cub Swanson and the youngster Doo Ho Choi.

And I happened to be in attendance at this historic event as a guest of King & Bay Custom Clothing. It was my second live UFC event. The first was UFC 129: St. Pierre vs Shields.

See some photos here: https://goo.gl/photos/9hYpqxWYRHQws1F77

Rio 2016 Olympic Moment: Evan Dunfee

Everyone loves the Olympics. Even the harshest critics among us can find a feel good human story once in a while. As we all experience the Olympics I’ll attempt to share a favourite moment.

Speed walking usually earns some snickering and double takes. However, these are amazing athletes just like many others in Rio, Brazil. Canada’s Evan Dunfee is one of our elite athletes. And he is also a leader in the speed walking community.

Rio 2016 Olympic Moment: Erica Wiebe

Everyone loves the Olympics. Even the harshest critics among us can find a feel good human story once in a while. As we all experience the Olympics I’ll attempt to share a favourite moment.

Erica Wiebe went from never winning a point in university wrestling to winning a Gold Medal in freestyle wrestling at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Brazil. Congratulations Erica!

Rio 2016 Olympic Moment: Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D’Agostino

Everyone loves the Olympics. Even the harshest critics among us can find a feel good human story once in a while. As we all experience the Olympics I’ll attempt to share a favourite moment.

Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D’Agostino are both middle distance runners competing in Brazil this summer. During their 5000 metre qualifying race Nikki and Abbey collided with Abbey bearing the brunt of the collision. What followed was what we all hope for (deep down at least). They showed what we like to call “Olympic spirit”.

Rio 2016 Olympic Moment: Adam van Koeverden

Everyone loves the Olympics. Even the harshest critics among us can find a feel good human story once in a while. As we all experience the Olympics I’ll attempt to share a favourite moment.

Adam van Koeverden is one of Canada’s most popular Olympic athletes. He’s also been able to transcend his sport. We don’t just remember Adam every four years. He has remained in our consciousness since he arrived on the kayaking scene years ago.

Recently, he wrote a piece about sexism/feminism in sports. You can read it here.

Rio 2016 Olympic Moment: Penny Oleksiak

Everyone loves the Olympics. Even the harshest critics among us can find a feel good human story once in a while. As we all experience the Olympics I’ll attempt to share a favourite moment.

Even before last night, Penny Oleksiak was the odds on favourite to carry the Canadian Flag into the Closing Ceremonies in Rio. And now, the first time Olympian, who was unsure she would even be on the swim team in Rio, has won Gold. Apparently she is the first Gold Medalist at these Games born in the 2000s.