Latest News

a, Sports

Nesta bids Montreal farewell as Impact steals victory

by Mayaz Alam on

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Karl Ouimette, a 21-year-old fullback for the Montreal Impact, electrified the crowd of 18,993 in Stade Saputo when he headed in his first career goal in the 84th minute of the Impact’s final home game of the 2013 season to give the squad a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union. Ouimette’s goal, a redirection of midfielder Justin Mapp’s curling free kick, could not have come at a more opportune time as the Impact had headed into the game locked in a three-way tie with the Chicago Fire and the Union for the final two playoff spots.

Marco Di Vaio, now a grizzled 37-year-old veteran, was once again impressive for the hosts as he made his mark on the scoresheet for the 20th time this season in the MLS, a mark that sees him tied atop the scoring race with Fire forward Mike Magee. Di Vaio’s goal came in the 64th minute off of an assist from team captain Davy Arnaud. The shot finally ended the Impact’s goalless streak of 330 minutes. Their late season struggles to find the scoreboard are reflected in the standings, as Montreal had a six game losing streak heading into Saturday’s showdown. This problem has plagued the Impact in both of its seasons in the MLS, with their streak matching the club record, a figure that was set over the final six games of their inaugural season in 2012.

Both squads’ centre forwards had a profound impact on the flow of the game, albeit in different ways. Conor Casey of the Union established a physical presence early in the match by using his large frame to overpower Montreal’s backline. Di Vaio on the other hand was used as a target man and oftentimes looked to start attacks by receiving the ball in the middle third. Both were also the recipients of their teams’ yellow cards. Casey received his for jawing with the referee, while Di Vaio launched into Union Goalkeeper Zac MacMath following an alleged handball in the penalty box that wasn’t called.

Both teams played with urgency throughout the 90 minutes of play, which resulted in multiple tussles. Philadelphia manager John Hackworth attributed this to what was at stake for both squads.

“This was a playoff game without the playoffs,” Hackworth told Canadian Press. “Both of us had to win. We did a good job in the first half, but we couldn’t finish it off.”

The first 45 minutes were indeed controlled by the visitors as the Brazilian duo of Kleberson and Fabinho joined together to put the Union ahead with deft passing and clinical finishing. However the hosts took over in the second half as Impact head coach Marco Schällibaum implored his squad to do better.

“At half time, we discussed how we felt that we wanted to win, but wanting wasn’t enough,” Schällibaum said. “I told the guys that I believe in them. After such a difficult week and some tough results, it’s a great moment, and I’m very proud of the guys.”

Defensively, the Impact were led by former A.C. Milan star and living legend, Alessandro Nesta. The stalwart centre-back, now 37, exhibited the same dominance he showed throughout the length of his storied career. Prior to the match, Nesta was thanked by the franchise for his service to the club and the sport as a whole, as he will hang up his boots following the culmination of the regular season. Unfortunately, Saturday’s match may have been Nesta’s last as he went down clutching his leg following a challenge. A stretcher was brought onto the field but he refused to be carted off and instead limped off on his own power, to the sound of a standing ovation from the raucous and emotional crowd.

The Impact now head to Toronto for the final game of the regular season on Oct. 26. Despite sitting in third place in the Eastern Conference, the game is a must-win as five teams are within three points of each other in the battle for playoff contention.

 

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Black Milk – No Poison, No Paradise

by Morgan Alexander on

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Black Milk’s sophomore album, No Poison, No Paradise, is the perfect blend of smoothly laid hip-hop beats and a techno-synth vibe.

The Detroit rapper-emcee introduces a new kind of soulful lyricism mixed with a story-teller vibe that was largely absent from his 2010 release Album of the Year, a mix focused more on heavy drum beats and ephemeral themes. Now, after taking time off to perfect his skills in sound mixing and engineering, the 30-year-old rapper is back with a clean-cut sound that shows a new level of maturity.

Taking on the role of ‘Sonny,’ Black Milk spins rhymes focused on the troubles affronting any child growing up in the inner city, best played out in the combo track “Sunday’s Best/Monday’s Worst.” Unlike his past work, this album is less about the rhymes and more about the music. Black Milk takes time to let the vocals fade out so the listener can focus in on the smoothly mixed tracks, which artfully display techno beats melded with jazz interludes.

For a prime example of his expertise in the field of sound engineering, just look to “Sonny Jr. (Dreams),” an all-encompassing track that features strong drum beats overlaid on a mellow bass to make the listener feel like they themselves are laying in the bed of a young Curtis Cross getting ready to start a new day in Detroit.

While slower than most popular rap/pop compilations of today’s music, No Poison, No Paradise has the ability to appeal to both novices and veteran listeners of the hip-hop scene.

 

a, Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

tick, tick…BOOM! is no bust

by Jack Tokarz on

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It’s a musical where “everybody we know wants to be something else.” With a cast of three actors and a live four-piece band, Tuesday Night Cafe (TNC) presents tick, tick..BOOM!, by Jonathan Larson, best known for bohemian rock musical Rent. Choosing love, success,  or passion as life’s top priority is one of the many relevant themes at work in TNC’s latest feature.

This autobiographical piece centres on Jon (Brendan Macdonald) as he frets over his fast-approaching, much dreaded 30th birthday and his lack of success as a ‘promising young composer.’  It was originally written as a one-person show, where one actor portrays Jon and every other character in his life as he explores New York City through his own psyche. TNC and director Jon Corkal chose to portray a posthumously edited version of the musical with three actors. One (Macdonald) plays Jon, another (Nathaniel Hanula-James) mainly plays Jon’s lifelong best friend Mike, as well as every other minor male role, and a third (Teodora Mechetiuc) principally plays Jon’s girlfriend Susan, in addition to every other minor female role.

This musical does not present the typical musical tropes—there are no large choruses, no complex dance routines, and no overly cheerful characters. Besides the spontaneous singing and omnipresent band, it remains firmly centred in everyday reality—or, at least, Jon’s interpretation of reality.

Corkal uses an extremely minimalist set for this performance, which works both thematically and practically. With the small space of the TNC theatre and the band (John Castillo on electric guitar, Josh Loke on bass guitar, and Ben Mayer-Goodman on drums) taking up a third of the stage, Corkal wisely chooses to keep physical objects to a minimum to ensure ample moving space for the actors. Without the distraction of excess furniture or decorations, the audience is forced to focus on the cast and their relationships—the life and purpose of the show.  Due to the small theatre size, microphones are unnecessary for the casts’ beautiful, natural voices to easily be heard, enhancing the intimacy of the show.

Macdonald, Hanula-James, and Mechetiuc carry a lot of pressure in this show with no external support, and each one gloriously succeeds in the execution of each character. Macdonald at first appears a bit flat or uninspired, going through monologues as if bored and only picking up energy during songs, but this is merely how Jon is meant to be played. As the plot progresses and Jon faces increasingly emotional events, Macdonald portrays exact changes and believably shows Jon’s emotional state, no matter how subdued it is meant to be. Contrarily, Hanula-James and Mechetiuc constantly pour out energy in each line’s delivery, whether spoken or beautifully sung. Each of the actors’ voices can be distinctly enjoyed in their solo songs “Real Life” and “Come to Your Senses.”

The band fuels the show with constant energy and momentum, driving each song without inadvertently drowning out the singers. The band members also had a few lines, making them not just a live soundtrack, but truly integrated as well.

Ultimately, Corkal chose an ideal musical to perform at a university: the themes of career choice, relationship problems, fading friendships, and the pursuit of intrinsic happiness over commercial success—all fully explored—are omnipresent at McGill. Just as the characters must choose between a safe, comfortable life, and an exciting but dangerous one, you can choose to continue your life without the experience of this play, or instead try something new: an inspiring play with great music, occasional laughs, and terrific acting.

 

tick, tick…BOOM! plays from Oct. 23-26 at 8 p.m. in Morrice Hall on McGill Campus. Student tickets are $6.

a, Recipes, Student Life

Fall baking

by Leah Brainerd on

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Apple Crisp

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 cups sliced pared tart apples (about 4 medium)

2/3-3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup oats

3/4 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp nutmeg

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

light cream or vanilla ice cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F

2. Grease 8x8x2 inch pan

3.  Place apples in pan

4. Mix brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter in bowl thoroughly

5. Sprinkle mix over apples

6. Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown

7. Serve warm with ice cream

 

Best Apples for Baking

Cortland: Slightly tart and juicy, these apples are great for all types of baking!

Golden Delicious: One of the best baking apples because of its ability to retain shape while baking. The soft sweet flavour goes well in any baked dish.

Granny Smith: A go-to for baking with apples. These apples are crisp, tart, and sour which makes them great for crisps, and go well when mixed with other sweet apples.

Jonathan: These apples are quite tart and full of flavour. They also maintain their shape in the oven.

Winesap: Sworn by some to be the best apple for cooking, these sweet-flavoured apples are firm and have a spicy kick to them. They serve as great baking and sauce making ingredients.

 

Eat but don’t bake

There are some apples that are just bad news when it comes to baking. Many of these apples fail to hold their shape in the oven, leaving behind a mushy mess. The use of these apples in a baked dish will turn a winning recipe into a failure, even when followed exactly.

Gala, Macouns, Red Delicious, Fuji, Lady

 

a, News

Parents Weekend merged with Homecoming due to budget cuts

by Erica Friesen and Jessica Fu on

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Last weekend marked the first year that McGill’s Parents Weekend was fully integrated into Homecoming, an annual  three-day event that welcomes alumni back to the university.

Although the two occasions were advertised separately in previous years, parents were informed this year that McGill would not be hosting a seperate Parents Weekend, but would instead invite parents to participate in events alongside alumni as part of Homecoming.

Derek Cassoff, Director of Communications for Development and Alumni Relations,  said that the merging of the two events was motivated by numerous factors, including the provincial government’s cuts to McGill’s budget announced last December.

“The budget cuts […] have forced us to look at all of our programming across the board and see if there are opportunities to streamline things,” Cassoff said. “In this case there won’t be any major differences for parents who would normally come.”

Cassoff said that merging the two programs did not produce marked differences in what McGill offered parents, aside from the cancellation of the Parents Association Annual Dinner.

“It’s more of a realignment of the services we provide all of our community members—alumni, parents, friends, donors,” he said. “What we’re trying to do is making homecoming more inclusive to include not just alumni, but also other members of the McGill community who migwht be interested in celebrating with us.”

Cassoff said that the merge was also motivated by the desire to maximize turnout from both alumni at Homecoming and parents at Parents’ Tent in August, when parents are more likely to visit the city.

“It’s really a question of being strategic with the resources that we had,” he said.

Linda Good, a McGill parent from Oklahoma who has attended Parents Weekend every year for the past four years, said she phoned the McGill Alumni Association when she heard that the weekend had been cancelled. Although Good did attend Homecoming in its place, she said she was disappointed that it had been integrated into Homecoming.

“[Parents Weekend] gave us a better picture of what McGill is like—the student body—from a parents’ perspective,” she said.

Cassoff said that Homecoming and Parents Weekend programming will continue to be hosted together next year, but that feedback from attendees and changes to Homecoming would be considered later on in the semester.

a, Opinion

A deficit of attention to overdiagnosis

by Julie Vanderperre on

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The diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among primary school children has increased dramatically over the past several decades. Twenty years ago, approximately five per cent of American children were thought to have the disorder, compared to 11 per cent this year. While data from the US demonstrates the most extreme surge in diagnoses, the growing prevalence of children with ADHD is a worldwide trend. Such a steep and sudden proliferation of a congenital disorder has prompted skepticism; how is it possible for the prevalence of ADHD to have more than doubled in only two decades?

The answer is that an increasing number of children are being misdiagnosed.  ADHD has become a catch-all term for a host of other potential factors or conditions that result in similar symptoms.

Of course, this is not meant to trivialize ADHD; when properly diagnosed, it is a serious disorder with real effects on the ability to maintain focus and control impulsive tendencies. However, the recent increase of children being diagnosed with ADHD indicates the strong possibility that many of these cases can be attributed to other factors.

Our general approach towards education is changing. More and more focus is being placed on standardized testing, leaving less time for students to engage in subjects such as art and gym.  Some schools have even cut gym class altogether in an attempt to improve test scores by spending more time in the classroom. It is not surprising that when creative and recreational outlets are diminished and substituted with rote, repetitive exercises designed to increase standardized test scores, students become disinterested.

Yet parents, teachers, and doctors are increasingly blaming the children themselves by diagnosing them with a disorder, rather than addressing the underlying causes of their distraction.  It has even been shown that students with late birthdays, who are perhaps less mature than their classmates, have a higher rate of ADHD than their older cohorts, another indication that ADHD is being used as a go-to explanation for a student behind in class.

This leaves the question of whether these diagnoses are being made in ignorance or in spite of an understanding of these external factors. One possibility is that parents and teachers who are unable to control hyperactive children, or unable to provide adequate explanations for why they aren’t succeeding in school turn to ADHD as a convenient explanation. The frequency with which children diagnosed with ADHD receive medication to reduce their symptoms may indicate frustrated adults who don’t know how to cope with behavioural issues and learning obstacles in children.

While psychotherapeutic drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall have proven effective in managing the symptoms of ADHD, they are powerful stimulants that should only be used in cases of absolute necessity. Even proper use of such medicines could result in harmful side effects and dependency. The ease with which those diagnosed with ADHD may acquire prescriptions for these drugs means that their use among children has increased to such a degree that it is becoming mainstream. The prescription of Ritalin to children, for example, has doubled in recent years. Not only is this potentially harmful to the children to whom they are prescribed, but the effects of the widespread availability of these drugs are increasingly visible in universities, and even in high-achieving high schools where students have begun illegally selling and abusing ‘study drugs’ in order to gain advantages in competitive academic settings.

The widespread diagnosis of ADHD among young children, and the frequent prescription of drugs to fix their perceived problems is, indeed, an epidemic. It is necessary to identify and address the true causes of their difficulties. Otherwise, we threaten to restrict the life chances of an entire generation, and label healthy children with a disorder that they will carry with them into adulthood.

 

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

The Head and the Heart – Let’s Be Still

by Max Berger on

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I listened to Let’s Be Still on constant alert for a track that might outshine “Rivers and Roads,” The Head and the Heart’s traditional concert -closer and all-around gem of a song. In that regard, their sophomore album didn’t succeed—the sendoff song is still the cream of their catalogue—but when they design their set lists, they’ll now have plenty of other quality tunes to choose from.

Let’s Be Still  is a beautiful album, one that showcases the diversifying musical arsenal of a relatively new group. Though the band has toured extensively the past two years and gained national recognition, they only formed in the summer of 2009.

Opening the Americana-style album are two tracks that directly touch on prominent American issues. The robust “Homecoming Heroes” rallies against the lagging war the country has been fighting overseas. “Another Story,” with a line from its chorus, “Every time I hear another story/ Oh the poor boy lost his head,” seems to respond to tragic events such as the Newtown, Connecticut shooting.

Compositions like “Josh McBride” and “These Days Are Numbered” capture the band’s rustic, traditional folk sound that they often branch away from—but salvage here—with steady finger-picking and a soothing harmonica solo.

I applaud the risk-taking, but I found “Springtime” and “Summertime” to be questionable album calls. The synth-heavy pairing isn’t unpleasant, but it has no thematic unity with the rest of the album and doesn’t seem justified.

“10,000 Weight in Gold” is my pick for the album’s best track. While it probably won’t get the same airplay as single “Shake,” it pairs a sensitive ballad with a memorable riff that gives it staying power.

If Let’s Be Still is any indication, The Head and the Heart should be a fixture towards the top of the revived folk-pop scene in the foreseeable future.

 

a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

The Strumbellas – We Still Move on Dance Floors

by Jacqueline Galbraith on

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Canadian indie rockers The Strumbellas have been described as alt-country and ‘popgrass,’ among other ambiguous labels, but I can’t say I have a better phrase for what they do. Their sophomore album, We Still Move on Dance Floors vacillates between the quiet and unobtrusive, as well as a forced pep that unfortunately doesn’t quite translate into the catchy, upbeat hooks the band may have been aiming for. There’s nothing inherently wrong with The Strumbella’s latest offering, it’s simply underwhelming.

Bright spots of the album include the peaceful opening track “Sailing,” and “The Long Road,” both of which seem as if they’re destined to wind up providing the background for episode-ending montages on CW channel television shows. “In This Life” hints that something of the band’s original explosive yet folky brand of energy is still lurking there somewhere.

After listening to this album and reading that The Strumbellas were named the ‘band to watch’ by numerous publications after their debut, I was sincerely confused. Dance Floors is nice enough, sure, but not exactly what you would expect from a Juno-nominated group. My confusion was relieved after a quick listen to their first album, My Father and the Hunter, a vastly superior release. In comparison to Dance Floors, it was bursting with energy and gaveample evidence that the group indeed earned their ambiguous genre labels.

I’m forced to conclude that Dance Floors must be a sophomore slump for this obviously talented ensemble. It’s almost as if someone slipped The Strumbellas some Ambien; it’s still them, only more lethargic. The album is ‘fine,’ in every sense of the word, including the sense which implies the lack of anything better than average. Compared to The Strumbella’s proven potential, We Still Move on Dance Floors leaves something to be desired. Let’s hope they’re not moving too far away from what made them great in the first place.

 

a, Student Life

Midterm season: honesty is the best policy

by Kiran Ross on

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It’s October, also known as “midterm season” on campus. Over the course of the next few weeks, the Student Advocacy Office will be flooded with students who have received letters accusing them of a whole slew of academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures. Protecting your academic integrity is more than just a matter of ‘not plagiarizing.’

In any instance of plagiarism or cheating, students risk receiving a grade of zero. During midterm season, students are over-extended and violations of the Code usually aren’t deliberate. Most of the time, students just aren’t paying attention, or don’t give themselves enough time to complete their work. Here are a few easy ways to prevent this from happening to you.

Individual papers

Before handing in a paper, give yourself enough time to read it through once and make sure you have included all the necessary citations. You can also run your paper through one of the many free online plagiarism checkers, easily found with a quick Google search. Finally, don’t recycle parts of a paper you’ve used in another class; it’s considered “cheating” under the Code, even if you only recycle a few paragraphs from a 10 page paper.

Working with friends

When you want to help a friend, never share your assignment by e-mail or in hard copy—even drafts. Sharing your assignment with someone else and copying someone else’s assignment are both considered plagiarism and carry the same consequences under the Code. Note that although this type of plagiarism isn’t usually intentional or malicious, intent doesn’t matter under the Code. If you want to help a friend, it’s best to do it through discussion, either over the phone or in person. You should also ensure that collaboration is permitted in the context of your assignment by checking with your professor or teaching assistant.

Group work

For group projects or lab reports, remember that you are responsible for the academic integrity of everyone in your group. Even if you can prove that you didn’t write the part of a report that’s flagged for plagiarism or cheating, you could still be held responsible. Make sure that each member of your group is aware of the content of articles 16 and 17 of the Code—the plagiarism and cheating provisions—and the consequences for violating those provisions. Give each group member the opportunity to read over the paper or report in entirety before it’s submitted. Be alert; if you think that someone’s work is inconsistent, don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can also do a Google search of any suspect phrases to see if anything comes up.

Exams

There are several activities that constitute an offence under the Code in an exam context, including obtaining or attempting to obtain information from another student or unauthorized source during an exam; getting someone to take an exam for you or vice-versa; procuring, distributing, or receiving confidential materials like upcoming exams or lab results. Additionally, be aware that McGill uses Harpp-Hogan software to detect cheating in multiple-choice exams, which is extremely accurate in identifying exams that consistently have the same wrong answers. A Harpp-Hogan report is generally accepted as clear, convincing, and reliable evidence that cheating has occurred. When faced with a choice between getting a grade of zero because of cheating or doing poorly on an exam you haven’t adequately prepared for, the latter is clearly preferable.

Be vigilant about your academic integrity, especially during midterm season. It’s easy to slip up when you’re exhausted and overworked, but taking the time is well worth it when you consider the alternative.

If you have been accused of an offence or if you have any questions about how you can protect your academic integrity this midterm season, feel free to e-mail Student Advocacy at [email protected] or drop by our office in the SSMU Building.

By Kiran Ross, Director of Student Advocacy and University Affairs

Legal Information Clinic at McGill

[email protected]

a, Sports

World Series predictions

by Osama Haque, Mayaz Alam, Joshua Schulman, Natan Weinberger, Elie Waitzer, Drew Allen on

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Cardinals in 7 

The Red Sox and Cardinals were the MLB’s top two teams this past season despite the fact that much of the fanfare throughout the 162-game grind was devoted to more star studded teams, such as the two squads that lost in the Championship Series. St. Louis enters the series with the ability to trot out their dynamic duo of Adam Wainwright and Michael Wacha in Games 1, 2, 5, and 6—a frightening proposition for a Boston lineup that could only muster 3.17 runs per game against the Tigers. Against quality relief pitchers, the Red Sox will not be able to take advantage in late game situations like they did against the Tigers. Also, the Red Sox will face an interesting predicament when deciding where to play slugger David Ortiz without the option of a DH slot during the middle three games in St. Louis. Ortiz is as notorious for his awful defensive abilities as he is for his game-changing power. The combination of the above will make the series an interesting curtain call on an already dramatic post-season, but the Cardinals will ultimately come out on top.

— Mayaz Alam

 

Cardinals in 6 

As a proud resident of New York State, making the Boston Red Sox wait 86 years between World Series victories seems status quo. Although it has only been five years since the Sox last won baseball’s ultimate prize, it doesn’t appear that the St. Louis Cardinals will need the Curse of the Bambino to help them achieve victory. The reason: Michael Wacha, the Cardinals’ dynamic second starter who has not only pitched like an ace down the stretch but also earned the nickname “Wacha Flocka.” If Wacha can even partially replicate his video-game-level post-season stat line of 3-0, 21 innings pitched, 0.43 ERA, and 22 strikeouts, this series could be over quickly. The combination of Wacha and Cardinals’ ace Adam Wainwright (St. Louis’s Game 1 and 2 starters) have been unhittable all post-season. Finally, and most importantly, Boston’s current offensive model is not sustainable. Boston cannot count on hitting two late game, series-changing grand slams for the second time in as many weeks. St. Louis’ combination of superior pitching and sustainable offensive efforts led by Carlos Beltran and Allen Craig will prevail.

— Joshua Schulman

 

(via springfieldmo.org)
(via springfieldmo.org)

 Cardinals in 5 

It is interesting to consider who has the edge in this year’s Series, as the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox prepare for a rematch of the 2004 World Series. The Cardinals have surged through the post-season so far thanks to outstanding performances from ace Adam Wainwright and rookie sensation Michael Wacha. Wacha, who pitched within an out of a no-hitter in his final regular season start, proved that it was no fluke by shutting down the Dodgers’ offense in the NLCS and taking home MVP honours for the series. Supported by arguably the greatest active playoff hitter in Carlos Beltran and a solid, home-grown roster, the Cardinals have a very competitive team. On the other hand, the Red Sox sport a fearsome offence, boasting post-season legend David Ortiz, whose grand slam in Game 2 of the ALCS sparked Boston’s offence for the rest of the series. The Red Sox do have a couple of question marks, including one at third base, where Will Middlebrooks may be supplanted by top prospect Xander Bogaerts, whose one-out walk was key in Game 2. However, Former MVP Dustin Pedoroia and a solid bullpen will make the Red Sox a tough opponent. All things considered, the Cardinals have an advantage thanks to their strong starting pitching and balanced, consistent lineup.

— Natan Weinberger

 

Cardinals in 7

It’s going to be close, but there’s just no beating the Cardinals’ voodoo witch magic in the playoffs. This is a team who procures elite rookie arms like Shelby Miller (15-9, 3.06 ERA) out of thin air, and then has the depth to leave Miller out of their post-season roster and still feature a dominant rotation.  Boston has the edge on offence, with a deadly combination of power, speed, and on-base skills from top to bottom, but we saw in the ALCS that lights-out pitching can tame the Sox’ potent bats.  Carlos Beltran—arguably the most clutch post-season hitter of our generation—could soon be hitting in front of a healthy Allen Craig, who hit .454 with runners in scoring position this season—a proposition that should frighten the Boston faithful. The Cards are just too dangerous in a best-of-seven format.

— Elie Waitzer

 

 Red Sox in 7

The Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals are ready to rekindle old sparks from their World Series matchup in 2004. Both teams

(via ankagallery.com)
(via ankagallery.com)

have been excellent, but this series will go down to the wire. Each ballclub has multiple reasons to believe that they can win it all, but the Red Sox are stronger across the board than their opponents. The Cardinals’ pitching should keep them in the series as starters Adam Wainwright, Joe Kelly, and Michael Wacha have been stellar this post-season. Carlos Beltran has been on a tear for the Cardinals and should provide enough from the plate to ensure that St. Louis doesn’t go down without a fight. Boston, however, has a deeper rotation, lineup, bullpen, and are healthier. The Red Sox are once again destined for success, and David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia will be sealing the deal in Game 7 by bringing the trophy back to Beantown.

— Osama Haque

 

Cardinals in 6  

The St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Red Sox are two teams with great pitching, great hitting, and great defense. More importantly, the World Series has two teams with a flair for the dramatic ­—see David Ortiz, Game 2 of the ALCS, or David Freese in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. This late in the post-season, however, pitching has been, and always will be, the key factor in any World Series matchup, and the Cardinals have the arms to win it all. While Adam Wainright and Michael Wacha might not be as big of names as Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander, St. Louis has arguably the best one-two punch in baseball right now at the top of their rotation. Also, the Cardinals bullpen has been solid throughout the playoffs, which will make it difficult for Boston to string together late-inning comebacks like they were able to do against Detroit. In the end, the Cardinals will be able to shut down the Red Sox’ big sluggers, and take home their second championship in three years.

— Drew Allen

 

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