the other press Sports Saturday Night Just Wouldn the Same Jordan Cripps Sports Editor Like many other avid Hockey Night in Canada fans, I was more than a little bit worried when I heard that Ron MacLean wouldn't be returning to the CBC if he couldn't get a new contract signed. I had these terrible visions of what “Coaches Corner” would be like with Don Cherry having complete free- dom to talk. Without MacLean’s voice of reason, “Coaches Corner” would have been a 3-hour show! I don’t know if this possibility is nearly as bad as the possibility of Cherry having a different sidekick. I just can’t think of anyone that is suited to the role of Grapes’ side- kick like Ron MacLean. Needless to say, I was relieved when I heard that he had put his differences with the CBC asisde and signed a new contract. What I found amazing about the whole situation, though, was the level of public outcry over the possibility of him not returning. The CBC reported- ly had 10,000 e-mails written after the news broke that he wasn't going to return without a new contract. Every time I turned on the radio, his name was being mentioned, and it didn’t even matter what station I was listening to. For a few days, this was among the biggest news stories in Canada. It got to be amusing when people who had little or no knowledge of hockey or of Hockey Night in Canada began to weigh in with their opinions. At this point it became silliness. I couldn’t read a paper or watch TV without someone, who seemed to me to be unqualified to have a strong opinion on the matter, making many of the same points I had just heard a similar person make on a Have Been different station. Things really got out of control when Labatts, who is a major sponsor of Hockey Night in Canada, began to get feedback that Mr. MacLean couldn't be allowed to stay off the air. Because of this, there were reports that Labatts became more and more heavily involved in trying to get the CBC and Ron MacLean back to the bargaining table. Usually, this kind of a response is lim- ited to times when superstar athletes decide that they are not making enough money and withdraw their services. I began to wonder what it was about this situation that made people so vocal. Is it just that he is that good? Probably. He is the person that seems to hold the whole show together when, in different hands, chaos would probably remain supreme. I don’t think it’s an accident that he is the one that is given the task of interviewing Gary Bettman a few times every year. He seems to be able to get under the skin of Mr. Bettman in a way that many other reporters must envy. He seems to take the coverage above the level of other major sports broadcasts such as the NBA or Major League Baseball, where the focus is sole- ly limited to whatever action is shown onscreen. Another thing that I began to think about was what effect this would have on future contract negotiations. Will Peter Mansbridge now make his con- tract demands public in an attempt to win public support? Mr. MacLean has set the precedent, and others are sure to follow after the success of his campaign. October 9, 2002 Royals Defeat _ DC Alumni 4 Jordan Cripps Sports Editor Douglas 89 | DC Alumni 79 DOUGLAS) COLLEGE It was a tale of 2 halves at the annual Douglas College Alumni bas- ketball game. This year’s version of the Douglas College Royals men’s basketball team faced strong competition from former Royals play- ers, but managed to come out on top thanks to an inspired second half. The Alumni squad is made up of former Douglas College Royals who have gone on to play elsewhere. The Royals got out of the gate quickly as they took an early lead but the Alumni stormed back, led by strong defensive play. They were also helped by several Royals turnovers that led to points for the Alumni. Coach Dave Munro felt that in the first half, his players were still “in pre-season mode.” The defense of the Alumni squad was strong, pressuring the Royals into making dangerous passes and hurrying shots. Both teams seemed, at times, to be trying to find their legs as they tried to set up their offense. It was the Alumni team, though, that took control offensively as the 1st half progressed. They quickly over- came the Royals’ quick start to take the lead. By halftime, they had carved out a 47-36 lead. As the Royals came out to begin the 2nd half, it became apparent that they weren't going to let the Alumni squad run away with the game. From the opening whistle, their intensity doubled and they seemed to be more focused on the opposition. In the early going, they weren't able to cut into the lead but their defensive play seemed to wear the Alumni out. When Coach Munro called a timeout early in the 2nd half, the momentum quickly began to turn. Led by strong defensive play and a number of turnovers, the Royals quickly cut into the deficit, tak- ing the lead 66-62. Greg Jackson’s quickness and ability to read the Alumni offense led to three or four quick turnovers and fast-break baskets. Taylor Cherris-Wilding and Ian Hogan led the offense. Cherris-Wilding extended the Royals lead by hitting the Royal’s only 3-pointer of the game. In the second half, Ian Hogan used his 6 foot 9 frame to control the offensive post, and demonstrated a strong inside game. The Alumni didn’t have anyone that could match up to his size and the Royals began to pull away, although the Alumni managed to keep the score close until the final minutes of the game. The pace of the game slowed through the 2nd half as the intensi- ty picked up. Both teams were in the penalty early, and free-throws became plentiful as the half progressed. The Royals were able to cap- italize on this, demonstrating a nice touch from the charity stripe. The Alumni were playing with a shorter bench than the Royals. This became a factor as the Royals seemed to be the fresher team down the stretch. Because the game was an exhibition, Coach Munro wanted to get all 15 of his players some playing time. This led to some of the Royals being more rested as the game progressed. The Alumni squad, with only five substitutes, didn’t have this luxu- ry. After the game Coach Munro said that if his team plays like it did in the 2nd half, they should have a successful season but warned that their 1st half wasn’t going to get it done. He felt that his team was able to get everyone into the game and that they were “able to try some things” in preparation for upcoming BCCAA league play. The Royals continue their exhibition schedule by playing TWU at the Pinetree Community Centre in Coquitlam, October 8th. The Royals were led in scoring by Hogan’s 15 points, while Cherris-Wilding contributed 16 points of his own. page 21 ©