Over three straight days of pouring rain, Trinity Western University became home to the Women’s soccer CIS championships. Eight teams from across the country came to represent their schools in the single elimination playoffs that took place from Nov. 6-9.

In case you haven’t noticed lately, the National Hockey League is run by a bunch of high-end economists who don’t understand hockey or geography. Evidently neither do they understand money. Currently, only six of the 30 NHL teams are Canadian. With the NHL’s constant push of hockey markets in the U.S., one should be asking, why not look to Canada?

There has been a lot of talk recently around a second NHL team in Toronto. While numerous executives declined the possibility of Toronto being granted a second NHL team, the NHL seems to miss many simple factors. Since the Collective Bargaining Agreement depends deeply upon new revenues, tickets sold, and concession stands, let’s help the NHL make some money, grow the game globally and change the NHL forever.

After splitting a set of games with a win over the Saskatchewan Huskies and a loss to the Alberta Golden Bears two weeks ago, the Spartans seem to be starting to hit their stride after a trio of wins last week over the Fraser Valley Cascades, Western Washington Vikings and Thompson Rivers Wolf Pack. The wins improve the Spartans’ record to 6-6 overall and 3-4 in Canada West.

After a 93-74 win over Saskatchewan, in which Jacob Doerksen lit up the Huskies for 38 points and Jamie Vaughan threw down a nasty alley-oop dunk for an “and one,” the Spartans struggled against Alberta’s defensive presses. They were edged after a questionable call, which nullified a three pointer by Louis Hurd in the final seconds and lost 64-60.

The Spartan men beat the odds to come in second in the CIS Championships.

On paper, Trinity Western University was not a team that was going to make the championship. However, this squad had experienced much this season, and a run to the finals was just what they needed.

The matches were held at Carleton University – home of the top-ranked Carleton Ravens. The Spartans first faced off against the Laurier Golden Hawks. The game was very defensive-minded and the Spartans capitalized on a close range set-up for Adrian Kekec. The Hawks responded with relentless attacks, but the tight Spartan defense and keeper Andrew Kowan denied the strikers again and again.

Welcome back from Reading Break. Let’s think about some things that actually matter in life: the recent news in the world of professional sports.

– Lewis Hamilton won the 2008 Formula 1 Drivers Standings Championship, beating rival Felipe Massa by one point. Hamilton became the first black driver to ever win a Formula 1 championship.

– Vancouver Canuck Roberto Luongo registered three straight shutouts before finally losing 2-1 in a shootout to the Colorado Avalanche. The Canucks beat the Minnesota Wild, Phoenix Coyotes and the Nashville Predators to give them five wins in the last seven games.

For the first time in six months, the nets were raised in the David E. Enarson Gymnasium for Spartan volleyball.

After being defeated by the Simon Fraser University Clan in their Canada West opener last Friday, the men’s Spartan basketball team continued to struggle, dropping two games to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds this past weekend. The pair of losses have the men at 1-3 in the season against CIS teams, and 0-3 in Canada West.

Against SFU, the Spartans jumped out to a 24-13 first quarter lead, but struggled to establish any type of half court offense in the second half. With less than two minutes left in the fourth in the midst of a tie game, TWU could not get their shots to fall or stop SFU’s Greg Wallis, who dominated inside for 32 points. The Clan were able to edge the Spartans 79-71.

Let’s get to work.

Many people have managed to let me know that having your goalie as a captain should be allowed and is a good idea. However, all of you failed to bring up an example of for who and when it has ever worked in professional sports. Let me help you out.

• John Ross Roach, Toronto St. Patricks, 1924-25.
• George Hainsworth, Montreal Canadiens, 1932-33.
• Charlie Gardiner, Chicago Black Hawks, 1933-34.
• Bill Durnan, Montreal Canadiens, 1947-48.