Ryan Reisert / McGill Tribune

Ryan Reisert / McGill Tribune

Last summer at McGill, a crew of players met regularly to play pickup. Week in and week out, you’d see the same people on the court.

Of the regulars, there was one figure who stood out from the crowd. He didn’t mingle and he didn’t join any of the pickup games (at least the ones I played in). He spent hours either alone or with a partner doing exercises: endless pump-fakes, elbow jumpers and enough drop-steps that, if it were me, I would have been puking all over the court from dizziness. Not only was he notable for his solitude but also for his size—Tristan Renaud-Tremblay, the starting power forward for the McGill Redmen basketball team, spent the past summer honing his game. While I bricked shots all over the far courts, I was soothed by the rhythmic sounds of his dribble, dribble, shot: thud, thud, swish.

Renaud-Tremblay’s goal, his near singular devotion, is to become a professional basketball player. Though he towers over most of us, as a 6’6″ power forward, he’ll probably never be strong enough or even close to big enough to make it to the NBA. With a focus on getting better every day, he plans to make a career for himself in Europe.

Despite his intimidating height, when he’s in motion he reminds me of a whippet. Rangy, long, and with a certain refined elegance to his movements, he makes his living on the basketball court with footwork and agility. Because of his lack of size, even a tiny misstep will result in a humiliating block.

Tremblay says that his only basketball talent as a youngster was his height, but the success he enjoyed because of that height made him love the game more and pushed him to improve.

Soon enough he was dreaming of playing Division I ball. He took steps towards that end by enrolling at Champlain College Saint Lambert, a CEGEP renowned for sending players on to Div. I colleges. Renaud-Tremblay played for three years there under Head Coach John Dangelas, before receiving a scholarship offer from Div. I The Citadel, the military college that was lampooned in Pat Conroy’s The Lords of Discipline.

Personal discipline had never been a problem for Renaud-Tremblay (as his summer training schedule demonstrates), so he didn’t balk at the thought of a highly structured military life. Once at The Citadel, he was asked to redshirt his freshman season, as the team hoped to turn him into a more perimeter-oriented player. He had no objections, as his goal was, and is, to become as good of a player as possible—whatever that entails. However, he soon realized that while he wasn’t an anti-authoritarian, he struggled to subsume his personal goals in order to fall in line with the others around him. Still spending almost all of his free time training, in between classwork and military exercises according to the school’s vigorous schedule, Renaud-Tremblay’s body began to break down. Unwilling to compromise his training, he simply wasn’t recovering properly. The coach who recruited him (Ed Conroy) moved on to a bigger Div. I program (Tulane) and Renaud-Tremblay felt lost. 

After speaking with Dangelas, his former coach and now a Redman assistant coach, he began to think that McGill could offer him the autonomy to better achieve his goals. He believed that even if he failed, he would at least have taken control of his own destiny.

At McGill, Renaud-Tremblay sees himself as part of a changing culture: a renewed commitment to winning signalled by the hiring of Head Coach David DeAveiro and Dangelas. Together with Simone Bibeau, a fellow Saint-Lambert alumn, Renaud-Tremblay saw himself as an important cog in what was becoming a well-oiled offensive system: himself on the inside, Bibeau creating shots from the perimeter, and a bunch of guys who could make big plays when needed (Karim Sy-Morissette, Vincent Dufort, Winn Clark). However, when Bibeau suffered a season-ending injury in a preseason practice, Renaud-Tremblay understood that more of the offensive load would fall on him. Since then, he’s struggled on occassion.  

“That’s where he gets in trouble sometimes, because he knows he’s the go-to-guy, I think he forces the issue too much,” DeAveiro said. That may have been the case in a lacklustre Thursday night performance against UQAM in which he finished with five turnovers, shot 2-7 from the field, and pulled down only five rebounds. The Redmen won anyway, on the strength of a huge night from Sy-Morrisette.

Renaud-Tremblay bounced back on Saturday night in Lennoxville against the Gaiters, leading his team to a 67-54 victory by registering 18 points on 80 per cent shooting.

One of the main things Renaud-Tremblay attributes his improvement to is his greater understanding of the game. He’s learned a lot by constantly watching basketball over the past months and really studying the professional game.

When asked who he watched the most, he said that, in part due to his own lack of athleticism—compared to most NBA players—and in part due to the lockout (which he couldn’t wait to end), he’d been watching the classics—particularly, the 1980s Celtics and their star, Larry Bird.

“What I like about his game is that there are no restrictions in terms of moves or what he can do,” Renaud-Tremblay said. “Like, ‘if he plays me that way, if I do this I’m going to surprise him with a different kind of shot.’ He almost never gives you the same look twice.”

“This is why I’ve been able to step my game up … being able to see the game in [a cerebral] way.”

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A B.Com. from McGill’s management program, an MBA from Columbia, and experience as a commodities trader: not exactly the credentials one would expect from a high-ranking member of one of baseball’s premier front offices. While Shiraz Rehman may not fit our traditional idea of what makes a mover and shaker in the professional sports industry, he is representative of a new generation of baseball executives who base their decisions in finance and academics. Newly hired as the Assistant to the General Manager of the Chicago Cubs, Rehman, 34, is living the dream of every university graduate who figured that the closest they would ever get to trading and signing players was in fantasy.

Shiraz Rehman was born in Montreal, but moved to New York before he entered first grade. He maintained ties with his city of birth and decided to return by attending McGill as a commerce student in the faculty of management. The combination of an Ivy League-level education and the ability to play his favourite sport made McGill the perfect destination for Rehman. “I didn’t want to go to just an academic school that didn’t have a baseball program,” he said, “and I wasn’t interested in going to a smaller institution that didn’t have the academic standards I was looking for just to play ball. McGill checked both boxes.”

His four years at McGill as a student and a varsity athlete significantly helped Rehman in reaching the position he holds today. 

“I loved my time at McGill and in Montreal,” Rehman said, with a hint of nostalgia for his alma mater. “I really enjoyed my experience as a student athlete. Anyone who plays sports at McGill or elsewhere knows that there are personal sacrifices to be made in time, but I think they pay off in spades. Obviously I love the game of baseball and enjoy playing it, but the relationships I was able to build, either with coaches or with teammates are things that I keep to this day and are invaluable to me.” 

Rehman still maintains his relationship with Redmen baseball Head Coach Ernie D’Alessandro, who took the reins of the program when Shiraz was in his second year. “Ernie’s a great guy,” Rehman added, “he sent me a couple of notes after he heard I got hired.” Rehman’s lasting connection to the Redmen was evident in 2010, with the team struggling financially and Rehman working in Arizona, he shipped a dozen bats to McGill, saving the team over a thousand dollars.

Coach D’Alessandro, who has led the Redmen to three national championships, has fond memories of Rehman. “Our coaching staff could see right away that he was a smart and personable young man with a good knowledge of the game,” D’Alessandro said. “More importantly though, he had a great love of baseball. Shiraz was well-liked by his teammates and had a great sense of humour. He was always driven to improve and worked hard, both on and off the field, so it’s not surprising that he is succeeding at the highest level of the game, as a front office employee.” 

Rehman is quick to praise the education that he received at McGill as vital to his success both in the business world and in baseball. “I believe that the McGill commerce education that I had was pretty neat relative to some of the U.S. schools. I think [McGill] is more focused on the type of classes and skills that are more practical out of the chute.” He also couldn’t leave out the friendships and relationships he developed in the program. “I thought the social network created in a B.Com. program was outstanding. I also really enjoyed management carnival,” Rehman joked.

After graduating from McGill in 1999 with a degree in finance and accounting, Rehman moved into the business world and worked as a commodities trader and a financial consultant. Later, he completed an MBA at Columbia University. He decided to transition from the business world to his true love of baseball and got an internship with the Red Sox in 2005 after attending baseball’s winter meetings and memorizing the names and faces of everyone he met. That’s where he met then-Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and his assistant Jed Hoyer, the two men with whom Rehman now shares a front office in Chicago. 

The transition from the business sector to the baseball world was not an easy one. “I was an intern and worked my fingers to the bone a little,” mentioned Rehman of his time with the Red Sox. “Often in sports, you end up having to take a bit of a longer road whereas you may have sexier paycheques or job titles in other industries. You make a lot of sacrifices both financially and personally in order to climb up the chain. And you have to have a willingness to work hard.”

But Rehman’s hard work paid off. Later that year, he and two other members of the Red Sox staff would move on to join the Arizona Diamondbacks, Rehman’s first real job in baseball. He spent six years in Arizona, making it all the way to director of player personnel. In November, he got the call from Chicago.

After missing the playoffs for a third straight year and finishing fifth in the NL Central division, the Cubs hired Theo Epstein, famous for breaking the Red Sox’ 86-year World Series “curse,” to work his magic at Wrigley. In building his new front office, Epstein brought in Hoyer, his former assistant and most recently GM of the San Diego Padres, to be his General Manager. Rehman was hired as Assistant to the GM, which means he will be reporting directly to Hoyer.

Joining an organization with as much history and tradition as the Cubs is a challenge Rehman is eager to tackle. 

“I’m really excited. I have a ton of respect for both Theo and Jed, having had a chance to work with both of them. Combining the opportunity to work with them in an organization that has the long, tremendous history that the Chicago Cubs have is a combination that’s tough to beat,” Rehman said. “It’s a dynamic place that’s exciting to come to every day. We’re interested in trying to solve problems, trying to get better, and trying to win a World Series. I’m really excited by the opportunity and it’s something I’m really grateful for.”

Although he’s only been with the club for a few weeks, the serious work is already beginning for Rehman as teams begin to pursue free agents in attempts to improve their teams for the upcoming season. Although Rehman refused to comment on whether his Cubs are in on the Albert Pujols hunt or whether they’re pursuing other top-rated free agents, he will certainly have a great influence over who the team decides to sign, draft, and trade. “My job title means a whole lot of things,” Rehman said. “Baseball jobs in front offices tend to be all hands on deck. First and foremost, I’ll be helping Jed and Theo with building our 40-man roster as well as [collecting and analyzing] scouting information, financial information, and statistical information. We put it all together to feed information to facilitate making quick decisions.”

In the past decade, baseball has changed to the point where both on-field baseball knowledge and analytical skills are the driving forces behind baseball decisions. Statistical analysis got itself back in the news with the release of the film version of Moneyball in September, and Rehman is part of the new generation of baseball executives with roots in the financial field, particularly with degrees from Ivy League universities, who are changing the face of the game. Rehman notes that this phenomenon has been developing for much longer. “I think we’ve seen it a lot over the last 20 years, more of a flow of these types of people into the game,” Rehman said, refuting the notion that it started with Moneyball. “Different skillsets and ideas existed in baseball before then, but it’s certainl
y gotten a little more popularity and coverage recently.”

Coming out of the business world, Rehman believes that no form of knowledge or analysis should be discredited in making decisions. Having been part of three front offices at this point in his career, Rehman notes that the ones that seem to operate the best are those in which problems are attacked from every possible angle. “It’s a standard line but I think it’s true: getting a lot of different skillsets in a room is the best way to solve problems or to get the right answers. When you’ve got as much baseball knowledge and on-field knowledge as you possibly can, using the traditional ways of evaluating a player, along with the more analytical ways—be it statistics or performance—putting those two together is the best way of evaluating players.”

For those looking to be the next Shiraz Rehman, Major League baseball teams look for a unique combination of skills and experiences. For most of us who don’t have those, the possibility of a job like Rehman’s will continue to reside in the realm of fantasy, not reality. 

“You have to make sure that you have a breadth of experience,” Rehman cautioned. “It’s not just about having played college or pro ball, nor is it about being a pure numbers guy. I have overseen entry-level hirings in Arizona and we’re looking for both those who have experience with the on-field game in terms of playing, coaching, and scouting, as well as those that can be analytical. In general we look for people who position themselves on both sides of the fence.”

While very few McGill students can describe themselves as having both of these qualifications, Rehman’s story shows that in a changing world, diverse experiences, a willingness to work, and the ability to think critically go a long way. Whether he can help Epstein and Hoyer break another “curse” remains to be seen, but just by making his way up the MLB ladder, Shiraz Rehman is already a success to those at McGill and will continue to be a source of pride for years to come. 

A-: Redmen Lacrosse

The McGill Redmen lacrosse team had high expectations for this season, considering that they managed to recruit freshman Alex Rohrbach and faceoff wizard J.J. Miller, to strengthen an already good core. The team didn’t disappoint, as they went on to finish the season with a 9-0-1 record while outscoring their opponents 120-64 in the process. The team’s only loss, in overtime, came against their archrivals and eventual CUFLA champions, the Bishop’s Gaiters. Despite their nearly flawless record, the Redmen fell in the semifinals of the Baggataway Cup to Brock, winners of 18 of the last 26 championships, in an extremely closely-fought game.

Though it was a disappointing elimination, the Redmen have a lot to look forward to next season. The team will be fielding a roster very similar to their current one, and although they’re losing a few important players, the Redmen now know what to expect from the CUFLA West’s best teams and will be entering the season hungrier than ever for their first Baggataway cup. 

A-: Martlet Soccer

The Martlets (8-3-3) began the season on a high note, finishing in the CIS Top 10 in each of the first four weeks, before hitting a significant roadblock that saw them disappear from the Top 10 until the last week of the season, when they were ranked number 10. Yet the Martlets’ ticket for the CIS championship was punched before the season began because McGill played host to the annual tournament. Going into the tournament with the lowest seed, the Martlets saw themselves pitted against Canada’s number two-ranked team, the Trinity Western Spartans (12-1-1). An extremely tight game ended with an incredible upset victory by the Martlets. Unfortunately, McGill’s momentum was stopped short, as they lost to the Montreal Carabins (12-0-2) in the semifinal and then the Ottawa Gee-Gees (12-3-1) in the bronze medal match to finish fourth overall in Canada. Though the team staggered in their last two games of the CIS championships, the fact that the Martlets beat one of Canada’s top teams bodes extremely well for the future of this young group.

C+: McGill Rowing

The 2011 season was a transition year for the McGill Rowing Team. McGill was at a disadvantage in terms of experience, whereas most other teams were filled with much more practiced rowers. Despite this inexperience, McGill remained competitive in many races. Both the men’s and women’s teams improved throughout the year, gaining valuable racing experience while becoming a greater threat to the rest of the boats out on the water. Notable finishes at the OUA conference meet were Men’s Heavyweight Double finishing sixth of 15, Women’s Heavyweight Four finishing seventh of 12, and Men’s Heavyweight Four finishing sixth of 12. The Novice teams also placed well throughout the year. At OUAs, one of the Men’s Novice Teams finished first of 12, and another Women’s Novice Team placed second of 12. With a large number of rowers returning and the continued development of their novice teams, next year is sure to be a strong one for McGill’s rowing crew. 

C-: Redmen Football

Another season without a win rightfully put a damper on the Redmen’s campaign. Their winless streak now runs 21 games, and most distressingly, McGill is losing a number of big name players entering the 2012 campaign. Kicker, and winner of the RSEQ Community Involvement Award, Austin Anderson and back-to-back Defensive All-Star Ben Thompson are graduating, in addition to offensive threats Bobby Mikelberg and Michael Chitayat.  

However, despite the losses and graduating leaders, the 2011 season saw three encouraging improvements that could bode well for upcoming years. The Redmen remained fairly competitive in all of their contests, avoiding the 60-point drubbings that plagued them in years past. Secondly, injured star quarterback Jonathan Collin took some snaps this season, which means he may be back to his starting role in 2012. And finally, recently promoted Head Coach Clint Uttley will have his first full year at the helm in 2012, and a new coach may be just what the Redmen need to inject some life into a sputtering program.

B+: Redmen Soccer

McGill came charging back to prominence this season, with an impressive second-place finish in the RSEQ and a thrilling fifth place finish at Nationals, thanks to a pair of goals by George Banks in the consolation finals, after losing to eventual silver medallists, Saint Mary’s, in the quarter-finals. They finished the season with a 10-5-2 record—including post-season play.

Awards abounded this year for McGill with several players earning all-star honours. Fifth-year defenceman and captain Thomas Lucas earned RSEQ first team honours, while midfielder Yohann Capolungo and forward George Banks both secured second team all-star awards. Finally, Head Coach David Simon was named RSEQ Coach of the Year. 

McGill will unquestionably miss the defensive prowess of Lucas next year, but a number of exciting young players give the Redmen a high chance at achieving success in 2012. Look for sophomore Alexander King, who was McGill’s leading scorer, to have another big campaign next year. 

McGill Rugby

Men: A+, Women: B

The Redmen rugby team had another incredible season in 2011, culminating in their sixth straight RSEQ championship. McGill achieved an even more impressive accomplishment—dominating AUS champion University of New Brunswick 36-0, to claim the Eastern University Canadian title. For their strong efforts, the team also reined in several individual awards. Six Redmen earned RSEQ all-star honours, including Captain Alexander Sunell and fifth-year wing Gideon Balloch. Balloch was particularly outstanding this season, and won the conference’s scoring title with 41 total points. The individual awards spread to the coaching staff, as Head Coach Craig Beemer was voted RSEQ coach of the year. With only six seniors graduating, the Redmen look poised to continue their rugby dynasty in 2012. On the women’s side, the Martlets once again lost in the Quebec semifinal and will seek redemption next year.

McGill Cross-Country  

Women: A, Men: C+

In CIS cross country, the Martlets capped off a successful season with a fifth place finish at the CIS national meet in Quebec City. The team qualified for the national meet with a first place finish at the RSEQ in Chicoutimi. Veteran Charléne Puel led the team with a 25th place finish, closely followed by rookie Jessica Porfilio in 27th, who was voted RSEQ rookie of the year. Veteran Sarah McCuaig took home RSEQ MVP, despite running with an injured foot all season.

The Redmen weren’t able to mirror the success of the Martlets, as the team was plagued by injury and illness most of the season, only running a full team at two of five meets. Despite this, the team finished third in the RSEQ provincial meet, beating out the Concordia Stingers by eight points. The Redmen experienced a big turnover in the last two years, and has a young squad.

1. Winter Classic

The NHL will further prove it has a Pennsylvania fetish on Jan. 2 (the NFL gets New Year’s to itself because it’s a Sunday) as the Flyers host the New York Rangers in the league’s showcase event at Citizens’ Bank Park. The Flyers are participating in their second Winter Classic (they last played in 2009) and join their Keystone state rivals, Pittsburgh, as the only teams to play in multiple classics. League-sponsored favouritism aside, the Winter Classic deserves its marquee billing. Hockey was invented outdoors—Stanley Cups were even won outside way back in the day—and seeing it played in its natural setting is a sight that never gets old. Sure, maybe the league has gotten a little too comfortable in keeping the games in cold-weather baseball stadiums. I’d personally love to see a game played on the Strip in Vegas or the Rideau Canal in Ottawa (shameless homer plug, right there), because it’s possible that fans will eventually get bored. Regardless, the league makes tons of money off merchandise and TV ratings, so it looks like the Winter Classic isn’t going anywhere soon. If you’re in Philadelphia, or if you’re watching TV and bowl games aren’t your thing, check out the Winter Classic because with global warming and all, it may not last forever.

2. World Juniors

In a hockey-mad country, it’s no wonder that one of our great holiday traditions is to wake up at ungodly hours to watch 18-20 year old kids play hockey against the best the rest of the world has to offer. Although the first few games of the tournament typically consist of Canada beating up on the countries where hockey isn’t so popular, the tournament’s championship game (which more often than not includes Canada) is must-see TV and always ranks near the top of TSN’s most-watched events of the year. This year the tournament is back in Canada, which means that instead of traveling halfway around the world to create a sea of red and white in a foreign arena, we get to do it in our own back yard. If you’re from out west or are going to be in the neighbourhood to hit the slopes, make your way to Calgary or Edmonton, this year’s co-hosts. The feeling you’ll get when ‘O Canada’ is played after the game is hard to replicate, and having seen Jordan Eberle’s legendary goal to knock out the Russians in the 2009 semifinal in Ottawa, I can certainly attest to that. If you can’t make it to see Team Canada, the other games should be very entertaining as well. That same year I witnessed a matchup between Latvia and Kazakhstan where the stadium was nearly full. Oh, and if you’re from the U.S., please stay home.

3. NCAA Bowls

Jan. 1, 2008. New Orleans. The Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The year was poised to get off to a great start, as my father, my brother, my cousin, and I took in New Year’s Day at the Louisiana Superdome to watch the Georgia Bulldogs take on the Hawaii Warriors.

All four of us were cheering for the scrappy Hawaii team, which was coming off anunbeaten season, quarterbacked by the future Washington Redskins third stringer, Colt Brennan. We were all decked out in Hawaii T-shirts, leis, and hats, and arrived at the stadium in the middle of the Bulldogs cheering section.

Lasting memories from the game include Georgia fans heckling us, the length due to constant injury and TV time-outs, and when my cousin, using a Southern drawl, convinced a junior college coach that he was an all-Ontario Tight End only to receive the coach’s business card. 

This year, fans in New Orleans will be treated to two spectacles: the Sugar Bowl and the BCS Championship. If you’re in the Big Easy (or Glendale, Miami, or Los Angeles, for that matter) take the opportunity to see the stars of tomorrow along with the pageantry that only a bowl game can provide. You won’t be disappointed.

4. Crashed Ice

Along with Moscow, Valkenburg, and Munich, Quebec City is home to one of five Red Bull Crashed Ice races. Swarms of (mostly drunken) fans surround the curving 575 metre track, standing right in the heart of Quebec City, allowing spectators to watch over 100 athletes race. In a combination of speedskating, boardercross, and downhill skiing, fans are likely to see skating of up to 60 kilometres per hour, daring jumps over obstacles, and of course, some major wipe-outs. This is an event everyone has to experience at least once. The ambience is great but it’s outside, so dress accordingly. 

After being outside for an hour, watching the Jumbotron televisions while also trying to find a good place to catch just two seconds of the race live, I opted to go to a bar. Every bar was full to the brim, with all eyes glued to the televisions providing full coverage of the race. The energy of those around me was contagious, and made the experience that much better. This is an exciting event and a sport that makes Canadians proud. Last year, Canadian racers placed second and third at the World Championships, and at least one Canadian placed in the top three at every other competition. Get ready for Red Bull Crashed Ice Quebec City on Mar. 15-17, 2012.

5. Dolphins Football

What do birds, humpback whales, monarch butterflies, and retired grandparents all have in common? They migrate to warmer climates during the winter. So this winter break, if you’re lucky enough to enjoy your own short-term-migration and spend some time with the elderly in Florida, take the opportunity to go to a Miami Dolphins game. While fans in Pittsburgh and Green Bay will tell you that a real football game is fought in the cold hard conditions of winter, going to a Dolphins game in 25° Celsius weather in December beats sitting in -10° Celsius any day.  From experience, the atmosphere at the game is electric, from tailgating outside the stadium to singing the Dolphins fight song along with 75,192 other fans—it’s a great way to enjoy an NFL game in a stadium where there are no bad seats. The fight song claims that Miami is “The greatest football team, we take the ball from goal to goal like no one’s ever seen.” Even if this is unfortunately no longer true (even T-Pain’s version of the song couldn’t revamp the team), despite their 0-7 start, the Dolphins decided not to “suck for Luck” and won three in a row followed by a last second one point loss to the Cowboys on American Thanksgiving. So head to Sun Life Stadium on New Year’s Day and see the Dolphins take on their division rival New York Jets to experience football the way it should be enjoyed.