Nobody cares about attendance during Spring Training—or at least, nobody is supposed to. Each year MLB teams take a trip to either Florida or Arizona to prepare for the upcoming season. Pitchers and catchers report to camp around mid-February, with position players joining them a couple weeks later. The pre-season[Read More…]
Articles by Wyatt Fine-Gagné
MLB Season Preview 2015
The McGill Tribune sports team gives its annual MLB season preview.
Point counterpoint: Kentucky vs. The field
Over 40 per cent of college hoops fans penciled in Kentucky to win it all in their brackets this year. The experts say it would be foolish to do otherwise, but this is March Madness, and there are still 15 other teams left in the field. Nobody doubts that the[Read More…]
March Madness Preview 2015
Cinderella Picks Wofford Although they’ve appeared in the tournament three times in team history, the Wofford Terriers have never escaped the first round. This is a tough, physical team that is a perfect candidate for catching a high seed off guard. During its last tournament appearance in 2010, Wofford gave[Read More…]
Basketball: Martlets win fourth consecutive RSEQ title
McGill Martlets 53 UQÀM Citadins 51 There is a basket at Mitchell Gym in Lennoxville, QC that needs new mesh. The old netting is now in[Read More…]
Deep cuts – The 10-minute club
“Street Hassle” Length: 11:00 Artist: Lou Reed Album: Street Hassle Released: February, 1978 “Street Hassle” is without a doubt the standout track on the album that bears its name, and perhaps one of Lou Reed’s best, period. It is split into three distinct parts that tell three different stories. The[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric: Musical mutability
A couple of weeks ago, Sufjan Stevens announced that he will be releasing a new album in late March called Carrie & Lowell. The album will be his first studio release—not including Christmas albums—since 2010’s The Age of Adz. The news came shortly after Death Cab For Cutie and Modest[Read More…]
Redmen capture OUA East
McGill Redmen 5 RMC Paladins 1 Playoffs in sports are occasionally referred to as the ‘second season.’ The slate is wiped clean for all those participating, and while a high seed translates to home-ice advantage, it guarantees little beyond that. That being said, players on the[Read More…]
Changing the game: NBA Conferences
Although the NBA has a lot of things going right for it at the moment, years of disparity between the Western and Eastern Conference have caused many to wonder if some change in conference structure is needed. This gap has been especially clear this season, with Western Conference teams winning[Read More…]
Behind the legacy: A look into Montreal’s most famous crime family
A t the corner of Rue Jarry and Rue des Forges, in the north-end of Montreal, there is a small plaza. At first glance, it appears fairly ordinary–there are several independent shops, a karaoke bar, a couple of cafés, and a Uniprix. The area is close to the highway, but[Read More…]
Know your coaches: Martlet and Redmen basketball and hockey
Peter Smith – Martlet Hockey There are very few teams in university sports that can claim to be as dominant as the Martlet ice hockey team has been in recent years. A large part of that success can be traced back to the steady hand of Peter Smith, who has[Read More…]
Point counterpoint: Start vs. Sit
The Cowboys’ DeMarco Murray has rushed for over 100 yards in all but one game this season, and is on a pace to eclipse 2,000 yards by the end of the year. However, there are some who believe that Dallas is overworking its star running back, risking his future health[Read More…]
Changing the Game: Concussions in football
Since the issue of concussions in football began to capture headlines in the late ’90s, the NFL has implemented several measures to reduce head injuries in the sport. After moving kickoffs up five yards in 2010, the league reported a 43% reduction in concussions on kickoffs. Still, the risk of[Read More…]
Redmen take fourth National Championship to end dream season
It had been four years since the McGill Redmen baseball team won the final game of its season, but they were able to do just that Sunday afternoon, beating Concordia 6-1 in the CCBA National Championship Final.
The week that was for McGill Athletics: Oct. 28
Beyond the box score Redmen Hockey A road trip through northern Ontario netted the Redmen two wins over the weekend: A 5-2 victory over Nippissing and a 3-2 win against Laurentian. Centre Cedric McNicoll continued to add to his point totals, picking up two assists in each game, as McGill[Read More…]
Know your McGill Athlete: Elliott Ariganello
As the McGill Redmen baseball team’s season nears its end, so too does the career of senior starting pitcher Elliott Ariganello.
Redmen continue hot streak on Welence’s walk off
The crowd at Gary Carter Field Thursday left happy thanks to late-game heroics, as the McGill Redmen (14-4) baseball team topped the Concordia Stingers (10-7) 3-2 in the annual fan night game. The win was McGill’s 12th of the season, and its third walk-off win in four games.
Changing the game: NFL overtime rules
Two minutes to save the world One of the most exciting sequences in any football game is the fabled “two-minute drill.” Offences open up when they are up against the clock; more risks are taken, the pace is faster, and the crowd is on its feet. Whichever team starts on[Read More…]
Deep Cuts: Forgotten gems from one-hit wonders
Lawyers, Guns, and Money Artist: Warren Zevon Album: Excitable Boy Released: January 18, 1978 Though you probably don’t know who Warren Zevon was, you’ve probably heard “Werewolves of London” before—though it’s likely more often associated with Halloween or being one of the samples on Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long” than[Read More…]
Off the board: Changing the conversation on athletic hazing
Recent events surrounding the McGill Redmen football team have prompted a renewed conversation about the values, rules, and processes that govern athletics at this school.
Redmen thrash Gaels in dominant performance
Though they may have been disappointed by the weather for their home opener, the McGill Redmen (3-0) lacrosse team left Molson Stadium satisfied following a decisive 13-7 victory over the Queen’s Golden Gaels (1-1) Saturday afternoon.
The week that was for McGill Athletics: Sept. 16
Changing the game: Instant replay in baseball
Amid growing outrage over blown calls and mistakes made by umpires, the MLB made the decision to expand the use of instant replay for the 2014 season.
Fall 2014 sports team previews: Part II
Redmen Rugby The Redmen started their 2013 season with a new Head Coach, Eric Van Sickle, who has been a steady part of the team’s coaching staff since 2005. He did not disappoint, leading the Redmen on a regular season romp that culminated in their eighth consecutive conference title. Even the[Read More…]
NFL 2014 Season Preview
Trib jams of the summer
“Advanced Falconry”—Mutual Benefit Mutual Benefit’s LP Love’s Crushing Diamond was on repeat for me all summer, providing a soothing soundtrack to many early mornings and long bike rides. Its sound is folksy with warm banjo strings and natural vocals that bring to mind Sufjan Stevens. The unique atmosphere of “Advanced[Read More…]
Out of the Park
Olympic Park sits north-east of the downtown core and is tucked away on the edge of Viauville, right by Pie-IX station. The surrounding area is mostly residential, with a few stores sprinkled here and there, and main streets are often four lanes wide. There are very few attractions drawing crowds[Read More…]
2014 Major League Baseball Season Preview
American League East 1. Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox look poised for another deep playoff run after bringing home the hardware last year. Centre-fielder Jacoby Ellsbury left for the greener pastures of Yankee Stadium, but with the addition of Grady Sizemore and the emergence of Jackie Bradley Jr.,[Read More…]
Pop Rhetoric: You can’t handle the truth—unless it’s handled properly
The first time I listened through Benji, the latest offering from Sun Kil Moon, I was wandering around Macdonald Campus trying to find a place to get a coffee. I’d finally figured out where I could buy one when the sweet organ at the beginning of “Jim Wise” came on.[Read More…]
Osheaga: the small stage
There comes a time each year when it seems as though every other day sees another festival lineup released. As we crawl towards the end of winter, dreaming about weekends in the summer filled with music makes the final stretch a little more bearable. The headliners of these festivals don’t[Read More…]
Track and field: Men’s 4x400m relay team captures silver at Nationals
After a long season, the McGill track and field team made its final trip of the year last weekend to Edmonton to compete in the CIS championships. McGill broke several records at the recently renovated Butterdome as the nation’s best competed in one of the country’s premier track and field[Read More…]
Moving an MLB team
In 2005, the Montreal Expos packed up their franchise and moved to Washington D.C., changing their name to the Nationals in the process; this is just the latest instance of a professional baseball franchise relocating. In other leagues, the topic of franchise relocation has its usual suitors. For the NBA,[Read More…]
William Fitzsimmons—Lions
For the past 10 years or so television has served as a springboard for a number of artists making the leap to wider recognition. It’s been just over seven years since William Fitzsimmons’ “Passion Play” was featured on the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, and his sound remains largely the same.[Read More…]
Hockey: Redmen rally from four-goal deficit in thrilling overtime win
Although the stands were not quite full Friday night at McConnell Arena, it certainly sounded as though they were by the game’s end. After a rough start, the McGill Redmen pulled out a thrilling 7-6 come-from-behind overtime win over the Nipissing Lakers in their final regular-season game in the OUA.[Read More…]
Hockey: Redmen split weekend series with Lancers
Back-to-back games can be gruelling tasks in the sport of hockey, but the McGill Redmen managed to look fresh during the second of two home games against the Windsor Lancers this past weekend. The Redmen dropped Friday night’s game 4-3 in the shootout, but managed to rebound for a 6-2[Read More…]
Track and field: Setting the silver standard
This weekend, McGill played host to the 19th annual McGill Team Challenge—a two-day track and field meet. With around 900 athletes taking part, it was advertised as the largest competition of its kind in Canada. The meet saw a number of records fall and featured eight Olympians.Although the event was[Read More…]
Sports briefs – Jan 21
Martlet Hockey The McGill Martlets hockey team took down the Carleton Ravens 3-1 Saturday for their 38th consecutive regular-season win. The top-ranked squad never trailed during a game that saw them outshoot the Ravens 52-20. Gabrielle Davidson, who leads CIS in goals, opened the scoring halfway through the second period,[Read More…]
The big game in the Big House
On New Years Day, staff writer Wyatt Fine-Gagné and managing editor Ben Carter-Whitney were among the 105,491 fans who packed into Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, MI to watch the 2014 NHL Winter Classic. For this edition of Cheap Seats, they compare notes on their experiences. Ben Carter-Whitney (BCW):[Read More…]
Hawks soar as penalties plague Redmen
The ‘Loo came to town this weekend, with the Redmen hockey team hosting both the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks and the Waterloo Warriors. Friday night’s contest saw the Redmen lose 4-3 to the Golden Hawks, who currently sit last in the West Division. It was the first game between the[Read More…]
Third man in
Ever since he became the first openly gay active athlete in one of the four major North American professional sports, NBA centre Jason Collins has been widely praised and supported. However, at 34 years of age, his career seems to be nearing its end. Despite word from his brother Jarron—a[Read More…]
Season preview
Atlantic division Brooklyn Nets The league’s newest big market franchise is looking scarier than ever. The Nets have acquired essential pieces in building their championship team this season with the additions of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Andrea Kirieinko. Deron Williams can now relax and simply focus on distributing the[Read More…]
McGill offence silenced as season winds down
The introductions for the McGill Redmen’s (3-4) homecoming game on Saturday had a different theme than previous matches this season. Instead of meeting the starting lineup for McGill, the audience bid adieu to all those graduating at the end of the year. For these players it was likely their last[Read More…]
NHL preview
Western Conference Central Division Chicago Blackhawks: Can you say back-to-back championships? Because that’s what the Blackhawks have been thinking of all summer. With an amazing array of offence and defence, the Blackhawks aren’t worried about just getting by in the regular season. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, and Patrick[Read More…]
Third man in
This past summer, it dawned on me that I am no longer an enjoyable person to watch sports with. I have stopped asking too many questions, and I don’t scream advice or profanities at the pixels on the screen, nor am I the know-it-all preacher who imparts his ‘knowledge’ on those watching with me. What I am however, is impatient towards horrible commentators and analysts, many of whom are former athletes.
Point counterpoint
In recent months, the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) and member institutions have been under scrutiny as a rash of scandals have rocked college athletics. The nature of these issues stem from the debate surrounding student athletes maintaining their amateur status as there have been calls to allow schools to[Read More…]
Fall team previews: part II
Entering yet another season as the defending RSEQ champions, the Redmen (1-0-0) have something of a dynasty to uphold. Last year came right down to the wire as the team forfeited the first half of its otherwise undefeated season due to an ineligible player, but came roaring back to win the rest of its games. The icing on the cake was beating cross-town rivals Concordia in the final, securing a seventh consecutive RESQ title.
Point counterpoint
In July 2013, Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin signed a law which gave police officers the right to make arrests on the grounds of disseminating “gay propaganda.” A number of other anti-gay laws have since followed under Putin, creating a whirlwind of controversy. Two contributors weigh in on whether a boycott by athletes and nations of the 2014 Sochi Olympics would be a good idea.