Favourite Canadian Columnist?

Sure. We have Junior D in Ontario. One step below Junior C, which is the same level as Junior B in every other province (Ontario Junior B being on par with Junior A in the rest of Canada).

He's not dead. Much too loud to ever die -- that's a reference to himself as well as his suit jackets (and I say that with a lot of affection).

There was a magazine story last year about Don that won a National Magazine Award here on Friday. I'll try to find a link to it.

 

Double J, your Ontario ego is showing through. If Ontario Junior B was on par with Junior A in the rest of Canada, they would win the Royal Bank <cough, cough, Centennial> Cup every year. And they don't.
Matter of fact, recent history says


2005-06 Burnaby Express (BCHL)
2004-05 Weyburn Red Wings (SJHL)
2003-04 Aurora Tigers (OPJHL)
2002-03 Humboldt Broncos (SJHL)
2001-02 Halifax Oland Exports (MarJHL)
2000-01 Camrose Kodiaks (AJHL)
1999-2000 Fort McMurray Oil Barons (AJHL)
1998-99 Vernon Vipers (BCJHL)
1997-98 South Surrey Eagles (BCHL)
1996-97 Summerside Western Capitals (MarJHL)
1995-96 Vernon Vipers (BCJHL)

 

Well, technically our Junior B teams are not eligible for the Royal Bank Cup. Only Junior A teams, which we call Tier II, can play in that tournament. But it's a known fact in Ontario that the top Junior B clubs, situated in the SW part of the province, play at the same level as the Junior A teams, the majority of which are in the Greater Toronto Area. The only main difference is in location -- the OPJHL was actually created by a merger of two old Junior B leagues based in and around Toronto.

And the OPJHL hasn't performed badly at the nationals in recent years, winning it in 2004 and going to the semis in 2003, 2005 and 2006. The 2003 and 2006 losses were both one-goal games. That, to me, says Junior A/B hockey in Ontario is indeed on a par with the rest of the country.

 

Going to the semis ain't winning!

 

True.

Hey, speaking of winning, when's the last time an Alberta team won it? ;D

 

Who cares? Two Maritime teams have won it in the last 10 years!! And my team won it in the early 90s.

 

Mr J,

Good luck finding the story. The magazine that published it folded. Again.

YHS, etc

 

JJ,

Where the hell is Mt. Brydges? Never heard of it.

As for the Jr. A debate, JJ is right, Jr. B teams in the loops in southwestern Ontario would be very competitive if they played in the OPJHL. Aside from a few teams, most of that 50-odd team league is shit.

I saw some of this year's Royal Bank Cup and, aside from a round-robin game between the eventual finalists, Yorkton and Burnaby, the hockey was awful.

 

Huggy, Mt. Brydges is located between London and Strathroy, just off Highway 402. All the Junior D teams are located in this part of Ontario.

Mr. F, you are correct. I forgot, it folds every year or two whether it needs to or not.

Anyway, I thought it was a pretty decent profile of Grapes.

 

Mr J,

Like the world needs another one.

YHS, etc

 

That's generally true.  Some of the better Jr. B teams like Niagara Falls and Cambridge were probably very comparable to the top Tier Two teams in Ontario this year, even with the caveat that they're limited in import picks and such.

In my opinion, the OPJHL just grew too big, too fast, and it tends to be watered down, with a lot of the teams in areas where there should only be Jr. C.  That's what leagues outside the Hockey Canada umbrella will do, when you reconcile and bring them back under the fold.

Jr. D and Jr. C here are roughly the same level also, just in different geographic areas. Actually, there was a movement afoot by half the Jr. D teams to call themselves C this year. After it was pointed out that Jr. C lost more players to Jr. D than vice versa, they didn't push the change.

As far as I know C and D are really almost specific to Ontario and the eastern provinces.  Ottawa's Jr. B and Ontario's Jr. C are very similar in calibre.

 

Back to the topic.

My parents had home delivery of the Globe & Mail going back to the late 50's. I was brought up on Scott Young and Dick Beddoes whom I read religiously as a youngster.

Right now I'd have to say that the best columnists are still working at the Globe & Mail. For my money the aforementioned Brunt & Roy MacGregor have no peers.

I'm a big fan of Ms. Blatchford until she starts talking about her non-existent sex life.

I like Damien Cox at the Star most of the time and The Sun has my least favourite columnists, starting with Mr. Rumour, Al Strachan and the shrieky Steve Simmons.