-David Falk
Review: Matthew Good
Where: Shaw Conference Centre
When: November 14

Matthew Good’s last three visits to this city were composed of two acoustic tours in the Myer Horowitz, and one full band show in the Jubilee. This time around Good decided to take on the acoustically challenged Shaw Conference Centre and a predominantly stand-up venue for spectators. The Shaw also has to be the first Matthew Good show in several years to offer a beer gardens and, with easier access to alcohol, it means the crowds behaviour might be a little more rowdy.

First things first I would just like to say in response to some of the fan behaviour, do not heckle the head liner the whole time as one fan at the front did, do not sing off-key over the whole crowd during an acoustic number, and finally do not drink excessively and then spill your guts right near the front of the stage as one fan did about ten minutes before Good appeared on stage. I heard one fan muttering “there went prime concert real-estate” as his friend led him away.

With this behaviour it seems appropriate that Matthew Good opened up his set with the new song The Boy Who Could Explode the chorus “What are you thinking?” repeating over and over again. Not that the few incidents of fan behaviour defined the whole crowd assembled that night. The majority of the crowd was well behaved and very much into the whole experience.

Good followed his opener with three other new songs from his latest offering Vancouver before sliding right into an old Matthew Good Band hit Load Me Up. With the crowd 100% won over by then he proceeded to sonically attack the crowd with renditions of songs predominantly off his current and previous solo efforts.

The crowd ate it up they sang along with Load Me Up, waved lighters for Odette, and cheered loudly for the first two instantly recognizable minor chords of Born Losers. A highlight came mid-set with a mind-blowing take on Avalanche (from 2003’s Avalanche) and A Single Explosion (from 2007’s Hospital Music) both back catalogue songs that have become devoted fan favourites over the last few years.

Good and his band didn’t talk much only interrupting the steady stream of music for a story about Pontiac Sunfires, and the sexual exploits of a pirate and a ninja. He also treated the fans to a brief “Micheal Buble jazz break”, and a polka near the end of the set. During the latter, one of our beloved drunk hecklers got kicked out by security. Unfortunately for him, Good noticed and quipped “Oh man, what are you going to tell your friends? I got kicked out during the polka.”

In all honesty, Matthew Good’s latest effort didn’t quite strike me as solid gold. I was a little iffy on it, but since the show every listen to the new material conjures up memories of the past night. Forging the emotional connection, that was absent before. which means Good and his band did their job.

This was for me the best show I’ve seen Good perform with a band, though it doesn’t quite match up to the raw intensity of his solo-acoustic show two years ago. Praise have to go to his unintroduced backing band, in particular his guitarist who had some particular stand out moments during the short but solid set.

As much as I would have preferred to hear some more back catalogue songs like Near Fantastica, Pledge of Allegiance, or Suburbia, one still cannot help being drawn into the slow building Weapon, or heartbreaking Apparitions the latter with newly featured slide guitar that has given it more character then even during the MGB heyday, and a nice post-nineties tinge. But this wasn’t a small theatre show for only devoted audience it was a large room rock show.

While I was looking for a way describe the show, Good provided the answer with his second encore. Opting to play Giant (a back catalogue song!),with a cheerleader intro “K-I-C-K-A-S-S that’s the way we spell success” the recorded sounds pulsated around the room, before the band tore into the track Kick ass? Success? Yeah, that is a good way to describe the night.

The all-Canadian teams were announced Thursday night at the Quebec City Convention Centre with the Vanier Cup-bound Dinos and Gaels claiming six and four selections, respectively.

Leading the way for Uteck Bowl champion Calgary was Hec Crighton-winning quarterback Erik Glavic of Pickering, Ont., who was also named to the first constellation in 2007 when he claimed his first Crighton trophy as a member of the Saint Mary’s Huskies. Glavic was brilliant in his first season at U of C, averaging 273 passing yards per game and leading the Canada West with 14 touchdown passes, while adding another 503 yards and six scores on the ground.

Glavic is joined on the first offensive team by teammates Matt Walter, a running back from Calgary, and Nathan Coehoorn, a wide receiver from Redcliff, Alta. Walter, last year’s Canada West nominee for CIS MVP honours, topped the conference and was second in the nation this fall with 1,103 rushing yards, while Coehoorn hauled in 41 balls for 765 yards and four majors.

Grant Shaw was the only Huskie to make the team this year.

Three Dinos made their way to the second CIS team, including inside receiver Anthony Parker of Okotoks, Alta., and freshman tackle Kirby Fabien of Calgary on offence, and linebacker Andrea Bonaventura of Hamilton on the defensive side. Fabien was the only rookie selected as a 2009 all-Canadian.

All four Queen’s all-Canadians earned a spot on the first team, including inside receiver Scott Valberg of Kingston, Ont., and tackle Matthew O’Donnell, also of Kingston, on offence, and defensive end Osie Ukwuoma of Mississauga, Ont., and cornerback Jimmy Allin of Belleville, Ont., on the other side of the ball.

Valberg led the nation with 913 receiving yards and finished second with 55 catches in his fifth and final campaign as a Gael. O’Donnell, standing a towering 6-foot-11, was the cornerstone of an offensive line that helped Mitchell Bowl champion Queen’s rank second in the country in passing with 348 yards a game and fifth in scoring with 34 points per contest.

Ukwuoma was a major reason the Gaels allowed an OUA-low 98 rushing yards a game, while Allin led the conference with five interceptions.

For the second straight year, the Quebec champion Laval Rouge et Or led the all-Canadian tally with seven total selections and also had the most first-team CIS all-stars with five, two on offence and three on defence.

Offensive tackle David Bouchard of Trois-Rivières, Que., and guard Pascal Baillargeon of St-Anselme, Que., as well as defensive tackle Jean-Philippe Gilbert of St-Victor-de-Beauce, Que., halfback Maxime Bérubé of Valleyfield, Que., and cornerback Olivier Turcotte-Létourneau of Quebec City were all named to the first squad. Bouchard was the QUFL nominee for the J.P. Metras trophy as CIS down lineman of the year.

Teammates Julian Feoli Gudino, a wide receiver born in Costa Rica, and Christopher Milo, a punter from Montreal, represented the 2008 Vanier Cup champions on the second all-CIS team.

Rounding out the list of first-team all-Canadians on offence were Sherbrooke running back Pascal Fils of Montreal, StFX wide receiver Akeem Foster of Ajax, Ont., Mount Allison inside receiver Gary Ross of Windsor, Ont., Windsor centre Matt Morencie of Windsor, and McMaster guard Justin Glover of Hamilton.

Fils led the nation in rushing this fall with 1,331 yards, while Morencie claimed the Metras trophy.

Ross was the AUS Hec Crighton trophy nominee after he set a single-season conference record with a CIS-leading 60 receptions, and established AUS career marks for catches (172) and receiving yards (2,582). The fourth-year senior was also named a second-team all-Canadian as a kick returner.

Rounding out the first all-CIS defensive team were Montreal tackle Gregory Alexandre of Montreal, Carabins teammate Mathieu Brossard, a defensive end also from Montreal, Concordia linebacker Cory Greenwood of Kingston, Western linebacker John Surla of Niagara Falls, Ont., StFX linebacker Henoc Muamba of Mississauga, Simon Fraser free safety Anthony Deslauriers of Surrey, B.C., as well as Guelph halfback James Savoie of Niagara Falls.

Greenwood captured the Presidents’ trophy as the best defensive player in the country, while Surla was the OUA nominee for the award.

The top special teams players in the nation in 2009 were Alberta punter Hugh O’Neill of Edmonton, Regina placekicker Perri Scarcelli of Calgary and Wilfrid Laurier kick returner Dillon Heap of Waterloo, Ont., who set a single-season CIS record with 842 punt return yards.

Valberg, Ukwuoma, Allin, Bérubé, Ross and Savoie all return from the 2008 first all-Canadian squad. Ukwuoma and Ross are three-time CIS all-stars.

Highlighting the second-team all-Canadian selections for 2009 was a trio of CIS major award nominees including Western quarterback Michael Faulds of Eden Mills, Ont., who was up for the Hec Crighton trophy; Alberta defensive end Craig Gerbrandt of Sherwood Park, Alta., who was in the running for the Metras; and StFX linebacker Tom Lynch of Escott, Ont., who was a finalist for the Presidents’.

Faulds set both the CIS single-season (3,033) and career (10,811) records for most passing yards in his fifth and final campaign with the Mustangs.

2009 CIS FOOTBALL ALL-CANADIANS

FIRST TEAM

Offence

Pos. – Athlete – University – Year – Hometown – Academic Program

QB Erik Glavic Calgary 4 Pickering, Ont. Social Sciences
RB Pascal Fils Sherbrooke 4 Montreal, Que. Open Studies
RB Matt Walter Calgary 3 Calgary, Alta. Science
WR Nathan Coehoorn Calgary 3 Redcliff, Alta. Social Sciences
WR Akeem Foster StFX 3 Ajax, Ont. BA
IR Gary Ross Mount Allison 4 Windsor, Ont. BSC
IR Scott Valberg Queen’s 5 Kingston, Ont. Education
C Matt Morencie Windsor 5 Windsor, Ont. Human Kinetics
T Matthew O’Donnell Queen’s 3 Kingston, Ont. Kinesiology & Health Studies
T David Bouchard Laval 5 Trois-Rivières, Que. Masters Finance
G Justin Glover McMaster 4 Hamilton, Ont. Comm. Studies
G Pascal Baillargeon Laval 3 St-Anselme, Que. Arts

Defence

DT Jean-Philippe Gilbert Laval 5 St-Victor-de-Beauce, Que. Masters Law
DT Gregory Alexandre Montreal 3 Montreal, Que. Undecided
DE Mathieu Brossard Montreal 5 Montreal, Que. Management
DE Osie Ukwuoma Queen’s 4 Mississauga, Ont. Business
LB Cory Greenwood Concordia 4 Kingston, Ont. Human Environment
LB John Surla Western 3 Niagara Falls, Ont. Social Sciences
LB Henoc Muamba StFX 3 Mississauga, Ont. BIS
FS Anthony Deslauriers Simon Fraser 3 Surrey, B.C. Arts
HB Maxime Bérubé Laval 4 Valleyfield, Que. Business Administration
HB James Savoie Guelph 3 Niagara Falls, Ont. Landscape Architecture
CB Olivier Turcotte-Létourneau Laval 3 Quebec City, Que. Business Administration
CB James Allin Queen’s 5 Belleville, Ont. Arts & Science

Special Teams

P Hugh O’Neill Alberta 3 Edmonton, Alta. Arts
K Perri Scarcelli Regina 5 Calgary, Alta. Continuing Education
KR Dillon Heap Laurier 3 Waterloo, Ont. Business

SECOND TEAM

Offence

QB Michael Faulds Western 5 Eden Mills, Ont. GS
RB Nathan Riva Western 2 London, Ont. King’s College
RB Nick FitzGibbon Guelph 4 Puslinch, Ont. Sociology
WR Julian Feoli Gudino Laval 3 San José, Costa Rica Industrial Relations
WR Cyril Adjeitey Ottawa 4 Ghana, Africa Biochemistry
IR Anthony Parker Calgary 3 Okotoks, Alta. Open Studies
IR Cory Watson Concordia 4 Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que.Independent
C Derek Weber Saint Mary’s 5 Whitby, Ont. Arts
T Kristian Matte Concordia 4 St-Hubert, Que. Leisure Sciences
T Kirby Fabien Calgary 1 Calgary, Alta. Social Sciences
G Terriss Paliwoda Alberta 4 Edmonton, Alta. Native Studies
G Matthew Norman Western 2 Montreal, Que. Social Sciences

Defence

DT Sébastien Tétreault Ottawa 4 Granby, Que. Human Kinetics
DT Eddie Steele Manitoba 3 Winnipeg, Man. Arts
DE Craig Gerbrandt Alberta 4 Sherwood Park, Alta. Physical Education &Recreation
DE David Skillen StFX 5 Fredericton, N.B. Business Administration
LB Andrea Bonaventura Calgary 4 Hamilton, Ont. Social Sciences
LB Tommy Lynch StFX 3 Escott, Ont. BSc HN
LB Giancarlo Rapanaro Laurier 4 Niagara Falls, Ont. Kinesiology
FS Courtney Stephen Laurier 2 Brampton, Ont. Comm. Studies
DH Mike Miller Acadia 3 Riverview, N.B. Kinesiology
DH Mark Holden Saint Mary’s 3 Halifax, N.S. Arts
CB Grant Shaw Saskatchewan 4 Edmonton, Alta. Arts & Science
CB Dylan Hollohan StFX 2 Moncton, N.B. Engineering

Special Teams

P Christopher Milo Laval 3 Montreal, Que. Arts
K Justin Palardy Saint Mary’s 4 Truro, N.S. Arts
KR Gary Ross Mount Allison 4 Windsor, Ont. BSC

THE SCOTTISH War Blind celebrated the start of work on their multimillion pound facility yesterday (Tues).

The new centre is backed by Iraq hero Ben Shaw, 26, who lost his eyesight in a roadside bombing near Basra in February 2007.

As the charity’s youngest user, it is hoped the new Linburn complex – which replaces the run-down 1940s building – will provide brave war veterans like Ben to get the vital help and support they need.

Costing £3 million, the services in the new centre will focus on teaching the ex-servicemen and women how to cope with modern life without their sight.

Rebuild lives

As well as those recently injured in the line of duty, the charity also assists older clients who are suffering from worsening or progressive blindness.

When the existing building first opened in 1944, the organisation provided vocational training for those returning from war with visual impairments.

But nowadays the focus has evolved towards helping soldiers rebuild their social and life skills, developing hobbies and providing a community for them.

Ben was on his second tour of Iraq when he was severely injured by a roadside bomb outside of Basra.

His vehicle was thrown into an oncoming petrol tanker and he was wounded by shrapnel.

“Flashes”

Ben’s comrades dragged him out of the wreckage and drove straight to the British Military Field Hospital.

The soldier can’t remember a lot of what happened to him at the time.

He said: “I have flashes of memory, although a lot of it has gone.

“I can remember arguing with one of the guys about batteries for equipment, and the last thing I remember seeing was a friend holding a towel to my head as we were on the way to the hospital.

“I still had sight in one eye at that point, and I was looking up at him as he told me I was going to be OK.”

“Essential”

One of Ben’s eyes was lost in the explosion and surgeons were unable to save the other as the optic nerve had been severed.

George Notman, facilities manager for Royal Blind and Scottish War Blinded, said men like Ben are now the charity’s main beneficiaries.

He said: “Since the 1940s, the needs and demographic of those we support have evolved and we are committed to ensuring our facilities are suitable for the generation in which we are operating.

“This new facility is essential in bringing our services up to date, providing effective support and skill development and ultimately delivering what our beneficiaries now need.”

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

Remember back in July, when my husband and I were on the hunt for a new rug for the living room? (No? Check out the post here.) Well, I thought you’d be interested to see what we ended up with. Drum roll please….

Wait for it…

Ta-da!

What do you think? (-Moe)

I lurve this rug! I know we’re all kinda over zebra print, but I like how it’s interwoven with the groovy hearts. And it’s designed for teens, so the price is right! (-Moe)

Love Safari rug from Kathy Ireland Home Young Attitudes collection, $289 for 5′5″x7′9″, Shaw.

After a 12 hour photo shoot at work, I made my way home to the promise of a little home brew (sort-of) and some quality Thai.   About a beer and a half & a half portion of Phad Thai later I got a text from L² to meet up at The Passenger, a new joint over at 1021 7^th St, NW.

A very short walk later I was sitting in a small booth in a room that was both cozy & barren.  Keeping it simple the proprietors are going for a “neo-speakeasy” feel. The menu reflects the feel with a short list of craft drafts (including one of my favorites, Lagunitas Pils @ a mere $5), wines by the glass, “Our Kitchen is a Sandwich Press” food options including Cured Olives, a Kimchi Hotdog & Beef Jerky from locals, Red Apron Butchery.  They are also supposed to be opening Columbia Room in the same location.  Think of it as an 18 seat version of José Andres’ Mini Bar, but for cocktails.

I didn’t get to spend much time exploring on my first trip, but it will certainly not be my last.  The Passenger, smacks of quality neighborhood haunt.

1. Ghetto – Hathaway, Donny
2. Inner City Blues – Washington, Grover Jr.
3. Woman Of The Ghetto – Shaw, Marlena
4. Pusherman – Mayfield, Curtis
5. Home Is Where The Hatred Is – Phillips, ‘Little’ Esther
6. Stone To The Bone – Brown, James
7. Expansions – Smith, Lonnie Liston
8. Also Sprach Zarathustra – Deodato
9. Stratus – Cobham, Billy
10. Shaft – Hayes, Isaac
11. He’s A Superstar – Ayers, Roy
12. Superfly – Mayfield, Curtis
13. Summer In The City – Jones, Quincy
14. For What It’s Worth – Mendes, Sergio
15. Steppin’ Stones – Harris, Johnny
16. Nubian Lady – Lateef, Yusef
17. I’d Rather Be With You – Collins, Bootsy
18. Straussmania – Salinas, Daniel
19. Children Of The Ghetto – Pine, Courtney
20. Other Side Of Town – Joseph, Julian
21. By All Means – Mouzon, Alphonse
22. Look Of Love – Hayes, Isaac
23. If You Want Me To Stay – Stone, Sly
24. Why Can’t We Live Together – Thomas, Timmy

One of yesterday’s big losers was Jacobs Engineering Group (JEC) which posted mediocre 4Q earnings (poor margins) and then slashed its guidance for 2010.

Brandon Jacobs

 Less you aren’t familiar with this name, you should know that Jacobs provides engineering and construction (E&C) services to the defense, energy and infrastructure sectors. So if you want to build a new gasification plant or modify an industrial process, you give these guys a call. That being said, if you want a little insight into where capital spending is headed in the year ahead, at least as far as big ticket capital projects go, it pays to listen when JEC speaks.

As it turns out, JEC is not the only E&C that recently offered sobering guidance for 2010. At the end of October, Shaw Group, which has a big power business, disappointed the Street when it guided to lower revenues and earnings in 2010. Fluor followed that up two weeks later with a messy quarter and guidance that once again, came in below street estimates for 2010. In FLR’s case, there was also a big order cancellation and mgmt. was cautious when it came to predicting any big contract wins in the near-future. And that brings us back to JEC which said yesterday that several of its end-markets are recovering slowly and it doesn’t really expect a pick-up until the back-half of 2010.

So much for the argument that world-wide capital spending is a coiled spring ready to explode. Now just because the E&C guys aren’t doing cartwheels as they look ahead a year, doesn’t mean that capital spending around the globe is ready to fall off a cliff. Conversely, it does reveal a landscape where companies are still being cautious before committing to big capital outlays. And until these companies get a much clearer signal that demand is picking up, we will continue to see modest capital programs.

So who might this affect? Well, one company that immediately comes to mind is GE.

 Now I read a piece this morning out of Goldman where their options desk was asking investors to get long ahead of two GE meetings in December ….the first will outline business prospects for GE in the year ahead and the other will delve into GE Capital and its prospects in 2010 and beyond. The buy recommendation from GS was largely predicated on how GE has reacted in the past following these type of “outlook” meetings.

Count me in the camp that took this recommendation and threw it in the garbage. From what we have just heard from the E&C guys, I don’t want to bet on GE’s industrial Infrastructure business carrying the company in 2010. It’s not that GE is weak in this area but if GE’s customers aren’t buying, what difference does it make. Moreover, with consumer credit continuing to get marginally weaker every month and commercial real estate getting much worse every month, does anyone really want to tie their wagon to GE Capital in 2010?

Dcist has all the details on Public Enemy’s concert to benefit the Sasha Bruce House for at risk youth in Southeast. Bring a winter coat to donate along with your admission price.

Dcist is also reporting world-class cyclists may do more than one lap around the District next year when the 2011 Giro d’Italia comes to town. I guess it pays to have a cyclist mayor.

The Prince of Petworth is chronicling the journey of the city’s new streetcars.

WAMU says the advertising industry is trying to block Virginia Congressman Jim Moran’s bill to combat obesity among kids.

Greater Greater Washington has a post on plans to improve the walkability of two neighborhoods on opposite ends of the city.

DCMetrocentric has a post on plans to revive the Howard Theater in Shaw.

Activists are about to throw down the gauntlet (again) with an E-cycling lawsuit. They want federal regulation of electronics recycling. Today, our old computers, TVs and cell phones often end up in China, India and impoverished countries where they are stripped by hand at great human and environmental toll.

Dreaming of your very own wind turbine behind your rowhouse or atop your condo building but not sure there’s enough wind around here to make the hefty investment worthwhile?  The TerraPass blog has as a story that could help you figure it out.

I leave you this morning with Treehugger’s  Copenhagen crib sheet to understanding the issues, the factious politics, the science, and the stakes at next month’s international climate talks.

by Patkau Architects

Despite losing 39-38 to the Calgary Dinos in the Canada West Final, Saskatchewan Huskies kicker Grant Shaw hit five field
goals in the game.

The fourth-year Edmonton native hit field goals from 27, 37, 38, 40, 8 and 35 yards out. Shaw also had 241 yards on four
kickoffs and 226 yards on five punts.

While not part of the special teams award, at defensive back he did also have 4.5 tackles.

This is Shaw’s third selection of this award this season.

George Bernard Shaw fue un escritor irlandés, ganador del Premio Nobel de literatura en 1925 y del Óscar en 1938 por el guión de la película Pygmalión.

Bernard Shaw, como pasatiempo, cuidaba su jardín poniendo mucho empeño en dicho trabajo.

Un día una amiga de su esposa, y que a la sazón era muy miope… fue a rendirles visita.

Cruzando el jardín…encontróse con Shaw, el cual estaba en plena tarea, podando sus arbustos. Paróse la señora y, sin reconocerle, le preguntó:

— ¿Hace mucho tiempo que trabaja para los señores Shaw?

— Cerca de treinta y tres años, señora — contestóle Shaw.

—Es usted un maestro y me gusta su trabajo. ¿No le apetecería trabajar para mí? Le pagaré más sueldo.

—Me he imposible, tengo un contrato firmado de por vida con la señora Shaw.

— Pero esto es lo que se llama esclavitud, no se puede comprometer a nadie para toda la vida, y menos si se le ofrecen ocasiones para prosperar.

— Usted lo llamará esclavitud, yo lo llamo matrimonio. —replicóle Bernard Shaw, dándose a conocer.

Hubert Buydens, Patrick Neufeld, Taylor Wallace and Grant Shaw have been selected as Canada West All-Stars.

For Left Guard Buydens, it is his fourth straight selection to the team over a five-year career. Buydens is also a two-time All-Canadian.

Buydens is joined by Left Tackle Patrick Neufeld who was selected for the first time.

Linebacker Taylor Wallace received his first selection in his final year of eligibility. Grant Shaw was selected as a Corner.

Overall, second-place Calgary has the most number of All-Stars, at seven, with top-seeded Saskatchewan grabbing four positions. A quartet from both the Manitoba Bisons and Simon Fraser Clan are on this year’s roster, while three members of the Alberta Golden Bears and Regina Rams were selected. The UBC Thunderbirds have two 2009 Canada West All-Stars.

Here is the complete of Canada West All-Stars:

Offence
Quarterback: *Erik Glavic, Calgary (4th year, Social Sciences)
Running Back: *Matt Walter, Calgary (3rd, Science); Dave Boyd, UBC (3rd, Human Kinetics)
Wide Receiver: *Nathan Coehoorn, Calgary (3rd, Social Sciences); Victor Marshall, Simon Fraser (1st, Bachelor of General Studies)
Inside Receiver: Anthony Parker, Calgary (3rd, Open Studies); Jordan Sisco, Regina (4th, Campion Arts)
Tackle: Kirby Fabien, Calgary (1st, Social Sciences); Patrick Neufeld, Saskatchewan (3rd, Arts & Science)
Guard: Terriss Paliwoda, Alberta (4th, Faculty of Native Studies); Hubert Buydens, Saskatchewan (5th, Arts & Science)
Centre: Alex Krausnick-Groh, Calgary (2nd, Kinesiology)

Defence
Safety: Anthony DesLauriers, Simon Fraser (3rd, Bachelor of Arts)
Cornerback: Sam Carino, UBC (4th, Arts); Grant Shaw, Saskatchewan (4th, Arts & Science)
Halfback: Pete Adams, Manitoba (3rd, Environment & Earth); Nigel Palma, Simon Fraser (2nd, Bachelor of Arts)
Linebacker: Andrea Bonaventura, Calgary (4th, Social Sciences); Taylor Wallace, Saskatchewan (5th, Arts & Science); Chris Folk, Simon Fraser (4th, Bachelor of Arts)
Interior Lineman: Eddie Steele, Manitoba (3rd, Arts); Bjorn Person, Regina (5th, Kinesiology & Health Studies)
End: Craig Gerbrandt, Alberta (4th, Physical Education & Recreation); Everton Black, Manitoba (3rd, Arts)

Special Teams
Kick Returner: Jeremy Botelho, Manitoba (4th, Kinesiology & Recreation Management)
Placekicker: Perri Scarcelli, Regina (5th, Continuing Education)
Punter: *Hugh O’Neill, Alberta (3rd, Arts)

• Estate : Silverhand (Thomas)
• Networth : $50,295
• Jobs : Both – Servants
• Names : Pheonix (age:23 ), Heather (age:24 )
  • Lucy’s Children
    • Dawn (age: 11)
    • Emma (age:
  • Phoenix’s Children
    • Elle (age: 5)
    • Annora (age:4)
• Tax’s – none
• Schooling (paid by Thomas)
  • Aiden – Knights
  • Private
    • Dawn
    • Heather
• School Fee’s – $1000
  • Nelle / Annora
• Tax’s – $100
  • 2 kids

Heather started this round pregnant and quickly gives birth to a baby girl called Lauda.

The rest of the round tick’s along quite peacefully, their tax’s are low as service class, Thomas pay’s for Lucy’s Children’s Education making life reasonably easy.

1. Who gets the offensive game ball?

The Outsider: Cory Jones and Braeden George each had three touchdown receptions. Both had long TDs catches as well. Jeff Hassler had over 100 yards rushing on only nine carries. The offensive line gave the quarterbacks time to throw and opened up huge holes for the running backs. So, there are a lot of choices here. I am going to go with Laurence Nixon who threw five touchdown passes and only one interception. He was 19 for 28 and 284 yards in the air in about three quarters of action. Nixon managed the game and the Huskies moved the ball at will. He had one of his best performances of the season and won his first playoff game as a starter.

BleedingGreen2009: With 9 carries for 113 yards, RB Jeff Hassler gets my game ball for the second week in a row. Add these same totals over another half of football and he would’ve been on pace for the exact same amount of yards (226) as the week before. In the Star Phoenix on Saturday he was quoted as saying “I don’t know quite what to expect yet, but I’m looking forward to it and hopefully I can still perform.” Hassler did not look at all like a player in his first playoff action. His two huge runs at the beginning of the game set the tone for anothjer dominant offensive performance. It got the crowd into it and spurred the team on to another blowout

Dallas: Slotback Braeden George gets my game ball. He had a breakout game with 140 yards receiving and three touchdowns. His catch just inside the endzone at the end of the third quarter was one of the best I’ve seen. He had two defenders on top of him, and yet he went up and made the catch, coming down just inside the endzone. Credit to Laurence Nixon for putting that ball where only George could catch it.

Taylor Wallace leads the Huskies to the field.

2. Who gets the defensive game ball?

The Outsider: Again, there are a lot of choices here. David Rybinski and Joel Seutter on the defensive line dominated the Rams O-Line. Peter Thiel and Nicco Higgs led the team in tackles. Mitch Friesen and Cody Halseth had great coverage in the defensive backfield. I am going to go with Joel Seutter for my defensive game ball. He was in the Rams backfield all day and made some good run stuffs. He played very physical and tenacious. There were a number of plays where he hit the Rams O-lineman so hard that they ended up on the ground. A pleasure to watch.

BleedingGreen2009: LB Nico Higgs. The Rams running backs were held to just 68 yards rushing and Higgs was a huge reason why. He picked up a team leading 8 tackles, limiting Inglis and Mosiondz to very little yardage, particularly on the first few Rams offensive possessions when they could get absolutely nothing going.

Dallas: My pick is linebacker Peter Thiel, who had an outstanding game. He made many key tackles at the line and was in the Rams’ backfield often, finishing with 1.5 tackles for a loss. He’s as dominant a middle linebacker as there is in Canada West, and he has taken his game to another level now that the playoffs are here.

3. Who gets the special teams game ball?

The Outsider: Shayne Dueck was on the punt cover and return teams and had two great blocks that set up good returns from Luke Thiel and Travis Gorski. But I am going with Tony Michalchuk for being the wedge buster on kick-off cover. On one play, he busted the wedge and made the tackle limiting the Rams return to only a few yards. That’s tough to do.

BleedingGreen2009: No player to me outshone any other, as everyone on special teams seemed to have very solid games, so I’m going to give it to the punt and kick returning trio of Travis Gorski, Luke Thiel and Jeff Hassler. Gorski had a 36 yard return, Thiel a 27 yarder and Hassler a 48 yarder to put the offense in great position on those drives, making great use of the space they had to work with.

Dallas: Shayne Dueck had a couple nice takcles on punt cover and gets the game ball from me. He had one tackle late in the second quarter where he stopped returner Chris King dead in his tracks and put a big hit on him. I have to mention Grant Shaw, though, as he was on the field for about five straight minutes of game time in the third that included his interception, which followed with his convert, kickoff, and playing corner on the next series. It was an impressive athletic display.

4. What surprised you the most?

The Outsider: There were two things that surprised me. First, that the Huskies put 33 points on the board before the Rams could answer. The Huskies scored on five of their first six possessions. I expected the Huskies to win this game, but I thought the game would be closer. The second was that the Rams threw for 470 yards. Watching the game, I had no idea they moved the ball that well. Granted, a lot of this occurred when the game was well in hand for the Huskies and the Huskies didn’t do as many stunts.

BleedingGreen2009: This shouldn’t come as that big of a surprise but I couldn’t believe how much time Nixon was being given to thrown the ball. He had “all day” to get the ball to his receivers as the Offensive line did another great job of limiting pressure.

Dallas: That Andrew Busby was actually dressed and playing. He had a good game against the Huskies in September, but was nowhere to be found on Saturday. Especially after seeing him play for the Hilltops for so many years, I expected to catch a few passes.

5. What was the play of the game?

The Outsider: Braeden George had a beautiful TD catch from Laurence Nixon near the end of the third quarter. The Huskies had the ball on the Rams five yard line. George, lined up in the right slot, ran an out about 1 yard in the endzone. Nixon placed the ball in a perfect spot and George made the catch between two defenders.

BleedingGreen2009: The game result was out of the question by this point, but Braeden George’s 79 yard touchdown pass from Trevor Barss was fun to watch. It was a beautifully thrown ball that caught George in stride and by the time he had it in his grasp there was no catching him, scoring his third touchdown of the game.

Dallas: Grant Shaw’s pick six. I don’t think there are many plays quite as satisfying as seeing a defensive back from you team head to the end zone with nobody in front of him.

6. What was the turning point of the game?

The Outsider: Grant Shaw’s 69 yard interception return for a touchdown. The Huskies were up 19-0 at the time and the Rams had the ball on a third down and three play. Rams QB Mark Mueller threw a short pass to the right sidelines and Shaw stepped in front of the receiver for the pick six. If the Rams had scored on that drive, the game was probably going to be much closer. Instead, the Huskies took a 26-0 lead and never looked back.

BleedingGreen2009: Corey Jones 67 yard touchdown to put the Huskies up 19-0. Jones took a 15 yard pass from Nixon and after one missed tackle used his speed to take it to the endzone. It was at this point in time that there was a feeling that this was going to be a long afternoon for the Rams, and that the Huskies, playing focused, disciplined and in sync,were on cruise control.

Dallas: I have to agree with the Outsider on Shaw’s interception touchdown. The touchdown took the game from being a hot start by the Huskies to a completely dominant performance. It deflated the Rams, especially since it happened right in front of their bench. The Huskies rode the momentum right through the game and even though the Rams put up a fight, each of their punches was answered, and then some.

Grant Shaw walks into the endzone for a touchdown

7. Who was the unsung hero?

The Outsider: Cody Halseth. That’s a name we don’t hear a lot, but he is a good player who had a great game yesterday. Halseth came into the game when Bryce McCall was injured. He had two interceptions and 3.5 tackles in about a quarter and a half of action. He prevented a touchdown with one of his picks. He looks to have a strong future with the Huskies.

BleedingGreen2009: I have to go with Cody Halseth as well. I groaned when I saw Bryce McCall go down, pretty well ignoring the fact that they had a pretty good replacement doing a fine job, picking up two interceptions, one of which snuffed out a drive along with a handful of tackles and a fumble recovery.

Dallas: Travis Gorski, who mad a few nice blocks and was out in front of a few plays to clear the way for Hassler and Jones on their long runs.