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Nobel laureate alumnus Jack Szostak speaks at Moyse Hall

by Anand Bery on

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Dr. Jack Szostak, one of six McGill alumni who have been awarded with a Nobel Prize in Phisiology or Medicine in 2009, spoke at the university on Friday, delivering the keynote address at the Faculty of Science’s Undergraduate Research Conference.

After the conference’s prize ceremony, Szostak was introduced by Dean of Science Martin Grant, who spoke highly of Szostak’s work and distinction.

“[Dr. Szostak] is the kind of alumnus who makes me proud to be Dean of Science at McGill,” he said.

Szostak spoke briefly about his beginnings — his chemical interests and his time at McGill — and  went on to discuss the progression of his research and the twists and turns of his career.

For four years, Szostak said, he went to the chemistry lab after school as a child. At McGill, he began performing finely controlled chemical experiments.

After graduating, Szostak went on to complete his PhD in biochemistry at Cornell University under Professor Ray Wu’s supervision, and then started his own lab at Harvard Medical School.

The question and answer session that followed was perhaps more valuable to students than the keynote address itself. Szostak answered questions about finding the right research topic and on his life and work after the Nobel Prize.

Szostak stressed the importance of going after “big” questions when trying to consider interesting ideas for research.

“This is the hardest part, and it’s often hard to know what questions are worth asking,” he said.

When asked about how winning the Nobel Prize changed his approach to his work and science in general, Szostak said little had changed—he was still in it for the science, and the goal of answering the biggest question of all in his field: how Darwinian evolution began.

Julie Kaiser, Najla Tabbara, and Alessandra Ricciardi, three U3 students in Microbiology, found the talk stimulating.

“It’s cool how [Szostak] was inspired right here at McGill, how the beginnings of his research began here,” Tabbara said.

Opinion

Don’t be liberal with Canadian lives

by Brendan Steven on

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Liberal incompetence on national defence is nothing new—it’s been pointed out to them for more than a decade.

Former Chief of the Defence Staff General Rick Hillier perhaps put it best when he referred to the 1990s as the “decade of darkness.” In that decade, everything was subject to budget cuts. The military was starved for support. Despite this, demand on the military only grew as operations abroad rose sharply.

Thankfully, that decade of Liberal darkness is over. You’d think the Liberals would have wised up to proper security policy and learned a thing or two about national defence. They haven’t. The entire Liberal caucus is up in arms over a government contract to purchase 65 new F35 Joint Strike Fighters. Complaints about the deal have come from all directions, and argue three basic points: the F35 isn’t the right fighter for Canada, the contract shouldn’t have been sole-sourced, and the planes are too expensive.

All of them are wrong.

The F35 is a fifth generation aircraft, one of the finest fighters we can produce. Fifth generation fighters are distinguished by an array of sensors and networks which allow them to share data between planes instantaneously. They consolidate this information with off-site data from connected networks and provide pilots with an unprecedented amount of tactical awareness. They also carry some of the finest stealth equipment money can buy; pilots can find few planes that are safer than the F35.

The Canada First Defence Strategy made it clear that Canada’s only option for replacing its aging fleet was a fifth generation fighter. Defence procurements are extremely long-term commitments, and we needed a vehicle that was going to be cutting-edge for a long time. The F35 is precisely that vehicle.

Contrary to Liberal fibbing on the issue, the F35 was subject to a competitive bid when it was originally conceived. Lockheed Martin won that bid, and developed the Joint Strike Fighter to the specifications of the nine countries who were participating in the program.

At a cost of $9 billion spread over the next 15 years, these 65 planes are a virtual steal. The cost has been pushed down because nine countries will participate in the acquisition; this collaborative approach has made the F35 extremely affordable for Canada.

But affordability is only part of the question. Canadians need to ask themselves: do we want the best military we can possibly have, or do we want to go back to the “decade of darkness?” Soldiers are gaining access to the equipment and technology they need not only to succeed on the battlefield, but to survive.

Michael Ignatieff has made it clear he will cancel the JSF contract if he becomes prime minister. He should be given a history lesson. Jean Chrétien did the same with a contract to replace Canada’s Sea King helicopters: he cancelled the deal upon entering office, costing Canadians $500 million and taking from the military the cutting-edge EH-101 helicopter.

But it seems the Liberals never learn from their mistakes. For the sake of all Canadians, I hope they never get a chance to repeat them.

Opinion

Quit acting like a brat

by Marko Djurdjic on

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It’s your first year, and you’re excited. In high school, you were the actor. That’s how people knew you. You were in all the school plays, and you received rewards, recognition, and bouquets. To improve your craft, you have come to McGill, where you actually get to interact with people who care about the theatre and aren’t just in the class for an easy A. But upon arrival you discover something shocking: most plays are not directed by knowledgeable professors, pros in your eyes, but by—gasp—other students! Not someone trained in the art of directing a play and leading the actors, but just another kid. “What the shit?!” you exclaim, while shock clouds your once-passionate eyes.

A small piece of advice, frightened little one: get over yourself. You are not the best actor anymore. There are dozens of people at this school with talent equal to or greater than your own, people who deserve parts more than you do. If you get a part with six lines, be thankful. Another lesser candidate probably didn’t get any. Nobody here knows how talented you were in high school, and no one cares. What people care about is seeing your performance abilities now, at this moment, at this stage of your “career.” You are being cast by the performance you put forth in your audition, not how good you were as Stanley in your mid-winter production of Streetcar two years ago.

This may be a lot to take in, but when I overhear a first-year (who  makes it known that they are a first-year) complain about how they thought they’d be directed by “real directors,” i.e. professors, I feel compelled to point something out: there are students who you should thank for directing, and pray that they consider you worthy. I’ve seen student-directed plays here at McGill that have shaken me to the core, and overhearing someone with no previous McGill acting experience insult directors they have never worked with offends me as a friend of some of these directors and as a fellow theatre student and performer.

Student-directed plays succeed because they are fantastic productions put on by people who care for and appreciate theatre, not by those students in high school who only did drama for the quick marks and for the chance to say “fuck” in front of a teacher because it was asked for in the script. These plays are meticulously crafted, with whole teams running every aspect of the productions. Yes, they are all students, but they are students who know what they’re doing.

Don’t just complain. Sign up and audition. Take pride in these auditions! Take pride in knowing that the majority of theatre at McGill is student-run for a reason. You have no grounds for apprehension and no basis for your insults. Not auditioning for a smaller, student-directed play because you want to be on the main stage is one of the worst mistakes you can make as a theatre student. The best plays are not necessarily the biggest or the most extravagantly-produced or those with the biggest budget—some of the best are produced on barely any budget at all. It’s talent that drives plays and makes them what they are, and if you are talented, you will be recognized, main stage or not.

Opinion

A loss for the UN

by Vicky Tobianah on

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After two rounds of voting last Tuesday, Canada withdrew its bid for a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council, a seat which it deserved to win. It was the first time in over 50 years that Canada did not win its campaign for a seat. Canada not only lost prestige by losing the election, but also a chance to use its foreign policy record as a supporter of human rights and democratic regimes as an example for other member states.

The seat is supposed to go to a country that has made significant contributions to international peace and security. During Canada’s last stint on the council, in 1999-2000, it led the fight against blood diamonds, promoted the creation of the International Criminal Court, helped protect civilians caught in armed conflicts and promoted smart sanctions against uncooperative regimes. Canada used its chairmanship of the G8 to reach out to leaders from Africa and the Americas and to secure an agreement to enact the Muskoka Initiative for maternal newborn and child health. Canada clearly has the necessary skills to steer the UNSC in the right direction. During its campaign for the seat this time, it made particular mention of its leadership in Afghanistan as evidence that it can take a leading role in international affairs.

In the last 10 years, Canada has become a new presence in world affairs—a shift from its previously passive image. Canada has condemned the nuclear ambitions of Iran and helped promote sanctions against it. In early June, Canada agreed to implement the measures outlined in UNSC Resolution 1929 and confront the Iranian nuclear threat. With a seat on the Security Council, Canada might have had the opportunity to encourage the international community to follow suit.

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff said last month that he didn’t think that Canada deserved to win the election for the seat. He is wrong. If there is one country that has earned the right to be on the Security Council, it’s Canada.

Ignatieff fails to recognize Canada’s efforts in the international arena during the last 10 years. Increases in Canadian aid to Africa, efforts to improve the health of mothers and children, and working to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria are only a few of Canada’s recent accomplishments. As a potential future leader of Canada, Ignatieff should be the first to proclaim these achievements and support Canada’s increased involvement in international affairs, no matter who the current government is. It is a sad day for Canada and for the UN when a chance to bring open discourse, transparency, and a re-focused agenda is taken away.  

Successive Canadian governments have said that the integrity of the UN must be maintained through a process of reforms to eliminate its debilitating partisanship. In December 2004, Canada encouraged General Assembly members to focus on more constructive resolutions rather than focusing on a single area: the Middle East. This would enhance the credibility of the UN and make its organization more influential globally. A year later, Prime Minister Paul Martin vowed “to eliminate … the annual rite of politicized anti-Israel resolutions” at the UN. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has also pledged to pursue UN reform to make the system more transparent, accountable and effective.

The potential to implement such reforms has disappeared along with Canada’s bid for the Security Council. It is a serious loss for Canada, and even more serious a loss for the UN.

Opinion

The Trib’s General Assembly Endorsements

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McGill Tribune

Resolution Regarding AUS Fundraiser—YES

This resolution mandates that SSMU conduct a bake sale to raise funds for the AUS. The latter has had serious financial difficulties, many of which cannot be blamed on the the current executives. While the Tribune realizes that the motion is being put forward not by Arts students trying to rescue their own organization but by others trying to have a laugh at the AUS’s expense, we love a good bake sale, and support any effort to help the AUS return to the black.

Resolution Regarding Gerts Renovations—DIVIDED

This resolution would mandate that “the renovation of Gerts include a ‘stripper pole’ in the final design specifications.” The Tribune editorial board is divided on this motion, each side claiming the merits of its argument are so self-evident as not to require explanation. Tribune readers will have to follow their conscience on this one.

Resolution Regarding Liability—YES

Another joke resolution, this one mandates that SSMU, in light of the administration’s recent concerns over use of the word “McGill” in the names of student organizations, refer to itself for the rest of 2010 as “the Students’ Society of The Educational Institute Roughly Bounded by Peel, Penfield, University, Sherbrooke, and Mac Campus,” or as the acronym SSTEIRBBPPUSAMC for short. The Tribune supports this resolution, particularly because of the clause which says “The SSTEIRBBPPUSAMC will not make any changes with its name that incur financial loss,” such as changing its logo.

Resolution Regarding Student-Run Printing Services—YES, with reservations

This resolution would mandate SSMU to use Copi-EUS, the only student-run printing service on campus, for all printing jobs exceeding the capacity of the SSMU office printer. The Tribune supports this resolution, so long as SSMU diligently investigates whether Copi-EUS can handle the kind of large printing jobs SSMU requires, and whether they offer a competitive price.

Resolution Regarding the Maintenance of the SSMU Liquor License—YES

This motion seeks to establish a board of directors for SSMU to bring the organization into compliance with provincial law requiring that the holder of a liquor license be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Quebec. The board would consist of SSMU executives and councillors who meet those requirements. If this resolution doesn’t pass, SSMU is in danger of losing its liquor licence, something the Tribune is very, very against. Vote yes on this one—for us, if not for yourself.

Resolution Regarding Volume at Gerts—YES, with reservations

The Tribune enthusiastically supports this resolution, which would require the bartenders at Gerts to lower the volume at which music is played during the day to a standard conversation level, approximately 60 decibels. We think it’s unnecessary to afix a rigid maximum volume, but the resolution should be passed nonetheless. As it stands, trying to talk over the music is just about impossible. We have a hunch that making the bar into an enjoyable place to be during the day may be good for business, and abandoning the concert-level noise at noon is a good way to do that, even if it means the bartenders don’t get to blast Kid Cudi. This resolution would improve campus life in a concrete way, and should be passed overwhelmingly.

Resolution Regarding Gender Parity—YES

The current system whereby males speak interchangeably with non-males at SSMU Council and General Assemblies poses no apparent problems, and there is probably not a burning necessity to eliminate it. At the same time, the whereas clauses of the resolution make fair points: females do outnumber males at McGill, are not underrepresented in McGill politics, and gender parity does force those who prefer not to identify with a gender to make a public declaration or remain silent. We recognize that gender disparity exists in Canadian political life, but we see no evidence of it at McGill. Thus, while it may do little harm, gender parity seems like frivolous regulation that could be safely removed.

The Tribune looks at the nature of these resolutions and is forced to draw the conclusion that the GA is a joke—a long and painful joke. Some insist that more advertising and promotion would improve the GA. Instead, hours and thousands of dollars later, the GA continues to be a forum of first-come first-serve democracy that is either a partisan showdown of Robert’s Rules knowledge or just not attended.  SSMU should look to other venues to replace the GA—like the already-existent Council. This one should be the last.

News

Talking to Quebec’s delegate to New York

by Ricky Kreitner on

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John Parisella, Quebec’s delegate-general to New York and a McGill alumnus, recently spoke to the Tribune about the Tea Party, U.S. congressional elections, and the prospects for high-speed rail travel between Montreal and New York. Parisella was kind enough to answer some questions before heading having dinner at his home with former Quebec Premier Daniel Johnson Jr.

What are some of your responsibilities as Quebec’s representative in New York?

My job is to promote and represent Quebec’s interests in the United States. We have three important priorities these days: trade issues, renewable energy, and promotion of a high-speed rail link between New York and Montreal.

You blogged on Maclean’s website this summer about taking the train from New York to Montreal.

Yes. Well, I wanted to live it, and I thought it was a smart thing to do because, first, the people in the high-speed rail community appreciated it. Secondly, it made the point [that current travel time between the two cities is too lengthy] — it’s not just theoretical. I actually lived it, and blogged it. Third, I think it was the right thing to do, and it gave this the right kind of attention.

What’s happening with the train? Is there any time frame we can look forward to?

Time frames are always difficult to point out. There’s two things to note: number one is that it’s the first time that high-speed rail is supported by the U.S. administration. The second reason is the appointment of the former Canadian ambassador to the United States during the Clinton years, Raymond Chrétien, the nephew of the former prime minister, as our emissary on that issue. That’s good because it gives us a leader who’s going to talk to all the other leaders in the United States. The Northeast corridor is the most densely populated area in North America, and we’d like to see ourselves as part of that. It’s hard to pinpoint a date, but the hope is that it can be done within this decade.

Do you have any thoughts about the upcoming U.S. midterm elections?

There are definitely polls indicating the Republicans are going to make some important gains in both houses of Congress. It’s clear that it’s not as easy to predict as one would think, because people don’t generally vote purely along party lines like we do in Canada. It all comes down to getting the vote out, making sure the enthusiasm factor works in your favour.

Do you think Quebec has any stakes in the outcome of the U.S. congressional elections?

Honestly, not really. The administration has indicated favour towards liberalized trade. We have had “Buy American” clauses put in, but that’s to be expected when you’re coming out of recession and jobs are hard to find. But overall the administration is in favour of freer trade. The administration is obviously behind high-speed rail, and in favour of renewable energy. Those things won’t change, because the administration will still be in power.

My experience talking to Republicans is that they, too, are in favour of free trade; in fact, they’ve been less protectionist than the Democrats. With high-speed rail, I get the sense that both parties seem to favour it, but Republicans are a little more skeptical on the cost involved. I think there wouldn’t be much of a difference, and [Quebecers] shouldn’t see ourselves as winners or losers in this election.

What are your thoughts on the Tea Party?

The Tea Party is a real, legitimate movement. It’s populist, it’s libertarian, it’s certainly conservative. It represents a lot of people’s anger. But I think the anger is more because of the state of the economy. One out of 10 Americans can’t meet his or her mortgage payments. One in six can’t find a job, or are unemployed, or have given up looking for a job. There’s a lot of anger and discouragement.

How do you find living in New York? Do you have any favourite spots?

New York is a great experience; it is truly an incredible city. Favourite spots: I would have to say the Upper West Side and Central Park, for the sense that you can get away from the rat race of New York and still stay in New York. The one thing that gets everybody talking and I show everybody is the High Line. I think it’s one of those great urban inventions. I’ve actually brought the mayor of Montreal to see it, and I’m bringing the mayor of Quebec City to see it when he’s visiting us next month. So I’m doing a lot of good promotion for the City of New York, I can assure you.

News

The Trib’s guide to the Fall General Assembly resolutions

by Sean Wood on

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Direct democracy will be on full display on Thursday’s General Assembly, which will take place at 6 p.m. in the Shatner Building cafeteria. The GA, which is held once a semester, give students a chance to share their opinions and vote on resolutions proposed by fellow students and member of the Students’ Society Council. As usual, the motions submitted run the gamut from serious to silly.

Resolution regarding Gender Parity

This resolution would abolish the current policy that allocates speaking privileges at SSMU Legislative Council and at General Assemblies to males and non-males in alternating order.  Billy Farrell, who wrote the motion, said that speaking privileges should no more be determined on the basis of gender than on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other similar characteristic.

“When you actually stop and think about it, it doesn’t make sense,” he said.   

Resolution regarding AUS Fundraiser

If passed, this motion would require SSMU to hold a bake sale for the AUS in order to rescue it from debt. This year’s AUS inherited a $50,000 deficit from last year’s executive, and has incurred major losses this year from Frosh and a federal back-tax seizure.  

“Our faculty societies are important, and it’d be good for SSMU to show solidarity with them,” said Farrell, who also wrote this motion.  

 

Resolution regarding Gert’s Renovations

The most far-fetched motion at this year’s GA would mandate Gert’s to install a stripper pole and host an “Amateur Night” every Thursday if it passed.  Paul Nobel, the author of the motion, said that it was a serious attempt to “differentiate Gert’s from other bars,” but it is clearly one of the many half-serious motions that always appear at the GA.  

Resolution regarding Liability

A joke motion with a serious punchline.  In light of recent disputes over SSMU clubs and services’ right to use the McGill name, the motion proposes that SSMU rename itself the “Students’ Society of the Educational Institute Roughly Bounded by Peel, Penfield, University, Sherbrooke, and Mac Campus,” or SSTEIRBBPPUSAMC.  It would make no changes that would cost anything, and SSMU would not have to design a new logo.  

“The changes would be in all communications,” said author Eli Freedman, “most importantly in communication [of] the administration. Using this foreign or unknown acronym they’ll need to explain why it was [passed], and that explanation will include addressing the issue at hand, which is the liability concerns.”

Freedman said that the motion would be a way to comment on McGill’s tight-fisted use of its name, and a way to promote the GA as a forum open to any constitutional motion, however silly it might be.  

Resolution regarding Student-Run Printing Services

In an effort to promote student-run initiatives, this resolution would redirect overflow on the SSMU office printer to Copi-EUS, the only student-run printing service on campus.

Resolution regarding Maintenance of SSMU Liquor Licence

In Quebec, liquor licences have to be held by either Canadian citizens or Quebec permanent residents.  SSMU’s Legislative Council currently oversees its liquor licence, but as members of Council are not required to be Canadian citizens or Quebec permanent residents, SSMU is currently violating this law.  If passed, the resolution would create a new board of directors that meets the requirement to hold the license.  

If the resolution does not pass, SSMU may face punishment from the province.   

“It’s important for us to be square with the law,” said SSMU President Zach Newburgh, who wrote the resolution.

Resolution regarding Volume in Gert’s

In response to complaints from patrons, this resolution would require Gert’s to keep the music volume below 60 decibels, except during special events.  

“We want to be able to talk there,” said resolution author Alan Cyril.  

Gert’s manager Natasha Geoffrion-Greenslade, however, said that the resolution would not be a good way to solve the problem.   

“Obviously for a lot of events you don’t want blaring music, but music is very important for creating an ambience,” she said. “I really think it should be judged on a case-by-case basis by the manager on the floor.”

Sports

McGill denied bronze medal in Martlet Invitational

by Christophe Boyer on

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Sophie Silkes
Sophie Silkes

The McGill Martlets suffered a highly competitive straight-set defeat to the University of Montreal Carabins, 27-25, 25-21, 25-22, in the bronze medal game of the 20th annual McGill Martlet Invitational Volleyball Tournament. The Martlets led 21-17 in the first set, and 18-14 in the second, but were unable to find their killer instinct in front of a home crowd at the Sir Arthur Currie Gymnasium.

“We have to finish games,” said Head Coach Rachele Beliveau, “we get up in games and assume we are going to win, we have to work on finishing teams off,”  

McGill started well, leading 21-17 and forcing the Carabins to call a timeout to compose themselves. Montreal charged out of the break, though. Led by Marie-Sophie Nadeau, a six-foot-one freshman and all-tournament player, Montreal came from behind for a 27-25 first set victory. Nadeau made a couple key blocks in the closing points of the set to help push the Carabins ahead.

Despite the Carabins’ strong front line, the Martlets did not feel outplayed.

“Their blocking was good, but they weren’t that much bigger than us,” said power-hitter Emily Kyte. “That wasn’t the reason they won.”

The Martlets kept their composure to start the second set. They fought hard by getting to the net, going up 18-14. Again, Montreal overcame the deficit and went on an 11-3 run to close out the set 25-21.

The Carabins would not let go of their momentum and quickly took the lead in the third set. They did not look back, continuing to outplay McGill en route to a 25-22 set win and the bronze medal.

 “[It] would have been nice to take our first game of [the] season against them, especially in our own gym,” said fifth-year power hitter Amy Graham. “It was a shame. We have to work at finishing games off.”

Despite the straight-set loss, the Martlets still feel that they are the better team. Graham had a message for the victorious Carabins: “Next time, watch out!”

Kyte echoed the same sentiments. “It was definitely not our best effort today,” she said. “We are going to beat them the rest of the season, we should do a lot better.”  

Kyte, fellow power-hitter Olivia Grecu, middle Kelsey Irwin, and setter Marcela Mansure all stood out for the Marlets in the defeat.

The Martlet Invitational started off promisingly for McGill. They kicked off the tournament with a convincing straight-set victory over St. Mary’s on Friday. But the excitement was short lived as they were defeated 3-0 by Calgary later that night.

McGill played Dalhousie twice on Saturday. They won 3-1 in the first game to earn a rematch in the semi-finals. Dalhousie rested many of their players for the elimination game. A rested and confident Dalhousie team got the better of McGill 3-1 in the semifinals. The loss denied the Martlets the chance to play for the home tournament championship. McGill has not won the Martlet Invitational since 1997.

Dalhousie went on to beat Calgary in the gold medal game on Sunday afternoon, rallying from two sets to none to capture their first tournament title.

Although McGill’s inability to finish is a concern, their 8-7 record in CIS tournament play is encouraging for Beliveau and the rest of the team.

The Martlets will continue fine-tuning their team chemistry when they compete in the QSSF-AUS Interlocking tournament at Laval from October 29-31.

Sports

Fantasy football midterm report

by Sam Hunter on

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OK, so most of you, by this point in the fantasy season, have figured out what you’ve got to work with and you’re either: (a) in cruise-control to the finals, (b) desperately cursing Beanie Wells’ and Ryan Matthews’ names from the league basement, or (c) fighting to separate yourself from the middle of the pack. In each of these scenarios, a different course of action is appropriate.

In the first case, remember that you hold the power and, as things stand, you’re in the driver’s seat. Take a realist approach to your trading politics and don’t give any struggling teams a hand up. Instead look for teams in desperation for a win with key players on a bye week. Try and turn immediate help for them into future gains for your powerhouse.  Don’t deal with the teams that are still contending unless you’re absolutely fleecing them. Instead, you can make small-scale value trades to shore up any of the few weaknesses on your roster by dealing with the bottom feeders who, by this point, are kicking themselves .

The second scenario can result from a few factors, including, but not limited to: injuries to key starters, a poor draft strategy, and/or general lack of knowledge regarding the game of futbol.

You’re probably screwed if you have two or fewer wins at this point, but to give yourself a fighting chance, start aggressively searching the waiver wires. Forget the Yahoo pro tips, everyone looks at those­—you either have to hunt down the experts and get their information before it’s disseminated on the web or you have to start tracking trending player development yourself. Get familiar with Excel.

More realistically, you need to take risks with your waiver wire pickups, since if the risks don’t pay off things can’t really get worse (you can’t do worse than last). Forget guys like Jacoby Jones, who’re good for only four points a game. Instead, go with a Davone Bess-type player, who might put up zero or might put up 10. If he gets hot, he’ll be good for your roster, or he can be dangled as trade bait for the suckers that can’t differentiate between a streaker and a real player.

Additionally, you can look to make an earth-shattering trade. Usually the eight-player swaps turn out badly for everyone involved, but every once in a while it can save your season.

Finally, for those of you who are treading water in the middle of the pack, you have got almost unlimited options. Unlike the losers discussed above, it’s usually unwise to swing for the fences with a single haymaker trade. (Yes, I just mixed two unrelated sports metaphors while discussing a third.) Instead, make some measured moves to gather assets for your bench. The most important thing you can do at this point is to realize who’s in a slump and who’s simply in for a bad season.  

If your superstars are struggling, cut them some slack, but don’t get too attached to underperforming players that were only middling to begin with­—there are always better medium-range pickups on the waiver wire.

Winning at fantasy football is a strange mix of luck, hard work, and ruthless negotiating, but the monetary payoff is all worth it in the end.

Sports

Fans and Redmen drop the ball in loss to Montreal

by Haruki Nakagawa on

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John Kelsey
John Kelsey

The McGill Redmen Football team is still looking for its first win of the season after losing to the Montreal Carabins 30-7 on Saturday.

Carabins quarterback Alexandre Nadeau-Piuze threw to 14 different receivers, racking up 337 yards and two touchdowns while leading the Carabins to the comfortable win.

The Redmen were fighting an uphill battle against the seventh-ranked Carabins, on the field and in the stands.

You wouldn’t have known that it was a McGill home game from looking (or listening) to the vocally pro-Carabins crowd. At one point, McGill Security had to step in and quiet the rowdy Montreal supporters.

Head Coach Sonny Wolfe refused to blame the crowd. “Games aren’t won in the stands,” said Wolfe, “they’re won by kids blocking and tackling.”

The Redmen weren’t able to block and tackle enough to keep the potent Carabins offence from outscoring them. Still, the Redmen did not deserve to find themselves down by 13 at the half.

So far this season Jeff Thompson has provided a spark for the Redmen on kick returns, but he’ll want to forget about this game quickly. Midway through the first quarter Thompson fumbled in the McGill end zone while attempting to return a missed Carabins field goal. Montreal recovered the loose ball for the only touchdown of the first half, adding a spark to what was a close game at that point.

The Redmen made key stops in the red zone, holding the Carabins to three first-half field goals, but the defence struggled to stop the Carabins from getting into the red zone repeadedly.

Both offences made plays through the air, but it was the ground game that set the Carabins apart. Montreal outushed McGill 149 to 32. The Carabins averaged 5.1 yards-per-carry, keeping the McGill defence on its heels.

A bright spot for the Redmen was the play of wide receiver Michael Chitayat who had eight receptions for 90 yards. Chitayet was rewarded for his good work, catching a Ryne Bondy pass at the back of the endzone to put some points on the board, cutting the score to 23-7.

The play of defensive lineman Ben Thompson was another positive for the embattled Redmen—the senior registered 8.5 tackles.

Nonetheless, another loss means more disappointment for a team already suffering from injuries and heartbreaking come-from-behind losses.

“We thought the playoffs [were] something we could do,” said Wolfe. “It hasn’t been a successful season.”

The playoffs are out of reach, but there are still a lot of games left in the season and the players are determined to prove themselves.

The Redmen are looking to end their losing streak when they play at home against top-ranked Laval on October 23rd.

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