Category Archives: sports

Olympic, sports

Rio 2016 Olympic Moment: Rafaela Silva

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.

“The place for a monkey is in a cage. You are not an Olympian.” That was one of the text messages gold medallist Rafaela Silva received four years ago after being disqualified in the early stages of the London 2012 Olympics for an irregular manoeuvre. BBC

Olympic, sports

Rio 2016 Olympic Moment: Canadian women gymnasts

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.

The Canadian women gymnasts were not having a great day.

Olympic, sports

Rio 2016 Olympic Moment: Miguel Duran Navia

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 over the next two weeks, I’ll attempt to share a favourite moment.

Here’s my first moment:

podcast, social media, sports

Welcome! Episode #28: Georgia Sapounas

Georgia Sapounas is a former Canadian and World Champion figure skater and current Senior Manager of Digital Marketing for Team Canada (Canadian Olympic Committee).

In this episode we talk about her journey from a child wanting to be in the Olympics to being on the women’s team figure skating team at the Canadian and World Championships. We also chatted about her retiring from elite athletics and getting into digital and social media.

Today, Georgia heads up strategy and planning for Team Canada’s digital and social team.

Listen here:

Girth Radio
MixCloud 
iTunes
Google Play Music
Stitcher 
TuneIn
You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you’re so inclined.

Baseball, podcast, sports, Toronto

Welcome! Episode #27: Arturo Marcano

This podcast was originally published on: May 31, 2016 on Girth Radio.

Arturo Marcano is a Toronto-based author who writes about the problems in Latin American countries caused by the globalization of baseball, specifically Major League Baseball (MLB).

In this hour-plus long conversation Marcano shares with us:
– how MLB has helped shape the cycle of poverty in the baseball-talent rich nations of Venezuela and the Dominican Republic
– why this same problem doesn’t exist in Mexico or Japan
– why there are not a lot of players in MLB from Mexico
– the upcoming battle between Cuban baseball and MLB
and much, much more!

Enjoy!

Listen below:

Girth Radio
MixCloud 
iTunes
Google Play Music
Stitcher 
TuneIn
You can also subscribe to the podcast via RSS Feed if you’re so inclined.

social media, sports

The Day I Interviewed a Big Thinker

I was recently reminded of this short interview I did with Jon Sinden. Sinden is now the VP of Marketing for Beerlicious. His most recent gig before that was building the social and digital properties for Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE).

This particular interview was conducted in the press box high above center ice at the Air Canada Centre which is home to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors.

We chatted a bit about the role of digital and social in bringing fans closer to the action. I hope you enjoy!

sports

What the heck did we learn from the #WorldCup2014?

One thing I learned from this year’s edition of the World Cup in Brazil is that my son emotionally invests in his team: Argentina. The South American nation became his favourite to win the World Cup when he completed an in-depth assignment on Argentina for his Grade Two class. So it was no surprise that he wept when Messi and his team lost to the hated side from Germany. He blamed the referee for cheating (not far off if you believe some internet sites) and Germany for taking away Argentina’s rightful place as the best soccer nation in the world.

Argentina Fans Crying - from Jonathan Fun
Sad Argentina Fans – from Jonathan Fun

Here’s what else we learned:

  1. Even with the latest in technology and the ubiquitous nature of TV and personal cameras, soccer players continue to “dive” and embellish injuries.
  2. The world is in LOVE with The Beautiful Game. I mean, in LOVE like an 8 year old loves Pokemon or a 3 year old loves Lightning McQueen.
  3. Canadians love the World Cup and the international game of soccer more so than their national or local teams. We can name more players on the (insert team foreign country) team than we can Team Canada or any of Canada’s MLS teams.
  4. The team from Germany is not just a good tactical team. They are a damn good soccer team.
  5. Soccer TV commentators don’t need a “colour” man. They can do both play-by-play and colour commentating.
  6. Canada needs to learn how to play soccer and unlearn how to play soccer like it’s another version of hockey. Until then, they are doomed to never make it to the World Cup Finals tournament.
  7. England continues to disappoint. Were they ever a good team?
  8. Everyone, including myself, is a soccer expert for at least one month every 4 years.
  9. Soccer fans like to use Twitter.
  10. I know soccer. Proof:
Winner of the #WC2014 office pool!
Winner of the #WC2014 office pool!
sports

#FollowFriday – @PitchTalks

Pitch Talks - TED Talks with grass stains
Pitch Talks – TED Talks with grass stains

Think TED Talks with grass stains.

That is the message that greets you when you visit PitchTalks.ca. And you WILL visit that website. It’s one of the best new things on the internet today.

If you’re a baseball fan, this site is for you.

If you’re a sports fan, this site is for you.

If you’re a Toronto sports media fan, this site is for you.

And if you want to attend a PitchTalks go to the next one.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_byT4yQdNXM?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

sports

#TBT – Xinzhuang Baseball Court, New Taipei City

Toronto is baseball crazy at the moment with the Toronto Blue Jays doing well in the American League East this year. So far. However, baseball is not the sole domain of North America. It’s huge in Asia. Specifically, Taiwan.

I was in Taipei earlier this spring and got the chance to go to a baseball game between the Elephants and Monkeys. As my son would say, “Go Primates!”

The game was pretty good. However, it was the atmosphere that I enjoyed the most. No one is drunk although they serve beer. It’s a family atmosphere even though the crowd is split between the rival teams. And the crowd is generally very well behaved even though the entire stadium is singing, clapping and cheering throughout the game. It’s amazing!

Here are some photos inside and outside the stadium.

 

 

sports, Toronto, Toronto Is Awesome

Toronto Is Awesome: Reason #6 – Sports

This is my sixth article in the Toronto Is Awesome series. I would love your comments, thoughts and future suggestions for this series.

Say what you will about Toronto’s professional sports teams (yes we know they historically “suck” – I am still a die hard Jays fan) there is still one thing that you cannot deny: Toronto is a sports town. And not just professional sports.
No matter the season, we are an active city.
Rain or shine, cyclists can be found navigating the streets of (mostly downtown) Toronto; kids play soccer in the summer and hockey in the winter; swimming and martial arts classes are filled throughout the year and baseball diamonds are busy many weekday summer nights.
Sports. Ya gotta love this town!
toronto sports teams
toronto sports teams