Tranny is so much more than a book about a band

By

-

November 26, 2016

I love a good band memoir, and 2016 has been a great year for me in this regard. Legendary punks NOFX released their book, The Hepatitis Bathtub, earlier this year, and I read it three times (and saw the band twice) during my nine-day trip to Southern California in April. After devouring their contribution to the literary world, I eagerly awaited Against Me! frontwoman Laura Jane Grace’s new memoir. .

For the uninitiated, Against Me! has been around since the late-’90s, when they began as an anarchist punk band in Florida. The band’s line-up has had many changes since they formed, but the most significant change is with respect to its lead singer, Laura Jane Grace. Grace was born Tom Gabel and lived as him until 2012 when she came out publicly as transgender and announced she would be transitioning to living as a woman. Grace’s struggle with gender dysphoria (“a condition where a person experiences discomfort or distress because there’s a mismatch between their biological sex and gender identity,” as defined by the NHS in the UK) is the subject of her memoir.

After uncomfortably Googling “tranny laura jane grace” and placing an order on Amazon, I received Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock’s Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout in the mail the day it came out. Amazon same-day delivery is a beautiful thing.

While neglecting schoolwork, I finished Tranny in less than 24 hours. That’s not to say I’m an exceptionally fast reader or that the book is short; it’s just that good. It’s less of a tell-all about the band’s history — although the book does follow their journey from Tom Gabel’s initial solo effort to one of their most recent releases, Transgender Dysphoria Blues — and more of an extremely personal account of Grace’s internal struggles with gender dysphoria as she grew up in conservative Florida.

The most revealing parts of the book were excerpts from Grace’s journals that she’s kept all her life. There’s some humour at times, like a mention of Grace and a friend’s stoned plan to turn part of their tour bus into “Cookie World,” but more often it’s heartbreaking to read about the constant conflict she felt between her masculine, punk-rock exterior and, as Grace put it, “her” — the woman she truly felt she was.

Tranny has reignited my love for this band. As I now listen to their old songs for what feels like the hundredth — maybe thousandth — time, I have some insight that I didn’t have before. Many of the lyrics I hadn’t given a thought previously now have meaning to them. Knowing so many of a musician’s personal stories fosters a new type of relationship with the music I already loved so much.

I would recommend Tranny to any Against Me! or punk fan, to anyone who’s questioned or struggled with their gender identity, or to anyone looking for a new perspective on an often misunderstood music genre.

True to my modus operandi, I’ll probably re-read it twice before the end of the month.

URP’s production of Rent hit all the right notes

By

EIC

-

November 26, 2016

0

ali-bw — URP's production of *Rent* was filled with wonderful casting, including Ali Watson as Mimi.

The 20th anniversary production of Rent by URP wrapped its last show on November 20, and I’m not alone in wishing it would stick around for longer. I already wish I could see it again.

Upon entering the theatre, the stage was set elaborately, shifting from brick walls, to dingy apartment, to poster-covered walls on New York’s streets. Darren Adams, the actor playing Roger, was swinging his legs as he sat on a table on stage. Even from a distance, half an hour before the show began, I could feel his brooding permeate the seats. He’s incredibly skinny, and there were a couple of murmurs in the audience wondering if this slender guy could produce the power and raw emotion the role requires.

Have faith in the people who were cast, because the entire cast was phenomenal. I thought they’d be good, but they all exceeded my expectations. Chris Olson played Collins, a role that requires a baritone or tenor range, and knocked it out of the park. Angel, played by Kurtis D’Aoust, was also brilliantly cast.

Emily Canavan, the production’s Joanne, delivered a wonderful vocal performance. Canavan’s dance moves during “Tango: Maureen” were nicely matched by the story’s narrator, Mark (Nick Heffelfinger), who also delivered a stellar performance. Mimi (Ali Watson) beautifully captured the nuances to the role, the optimism with the hopelessness. Synthia Yusuf brought a youthful flair to Maureen, making “Over the Moon” her own and delivering one of the most enjoyable renditions of it I’ve ever witnessed.

The ensemble was just as talented as the main cast, and they had opportunities to show it off with solos throughout the show. Everyone was so talented, and not just vocally. The choreography was well-executed and the accompanying musicians were on the ball as well. The musicians even had a quadrant of the stage to themselves, amidst the organized chaos that rolled across the stage.

As assured by both Adams and director, Richard Berg, in their interviews with The Peak, “Another Day” was a standout of the evening. “Tango: Maureen,” “Seasons of Love,” “La Vie Boheme,” and “Take Me or Leave Me” were also wildly appreciated by the audience.

Of course, opening night had a couple of technical difficulties, but nothing that truly detracted from the great experience. A couple mics dropped out here and there, and a few cast members didn’t have great lighting. The audience was so caught up in the magic they didn’t seem to notice, though.

If you missed it, don’t make the same mistake twice. As they say in New York, “Forget regret. Or life is yours to miss.”

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY

By

Peak Web

-

November 26, 2016

0

By: Sarah Finley, Courtney Miller, Jessica Pickering, and Jessica Whitesel

Follow The Peak on Spotify to stay up to date on New Music Friday.

“Rockin’” – The Weeknd

Jessica Whitesel: After all the hype, we finally have Starboy. And honestly, I’m still not fully convinced by this new version of the Weeknd but this song does capture some of the old Weeknd that we know and love. Out of all the song I’ve heard from it I probably like this one the best, but that could be because there’s no Daft Punk.

Sarah Finley: I love the old melancholy Weeknd and the new, upbeat, reinvented Weeknd. This track is a bit all over the place instrumental-wise, but honestly? It works.

Courtney Miller: For the first half, I was on board. Vocals blended well with the track, the track was original enough that I didn’t automatically confuse it with 16 other songs — I could live with that. During the second half, the song fell back into mediocrity for me.

Jessica Pickering: I’m done with the Weeknd’s shit. I feel like I’ve listened to his stuff every week I’ve done New Music Friday and I’m sick of it. I don’t care anymore.

“Helpless” – Ashanti feat. Ja Rule

JW: 2016 needs to stop. The word “shorty” died in 2002 with both of your careers. Please return to your respective rocks. People will probably like it because it’s from The Hamilton Mixtape, but I don’t. Also mixtapes died with the Walkman. I’m tired of 2016 being the zombie of 2002, somebody kill it with a chainsaw already.

SF: While I can appreciate the piano chord progression and soulful singing, I felt transported back to being seven years old and eavesdropping on my sister and her friends through her bedroom door. This track does not belong anywhere past the year 2008.

CM: YESSS! The Hamilton Mixtape is amazing. As a true mix, it has some elements of the original, but I really like how they revamped it. I mean, no one will be better singing this tune, no matter what iteration of it, than Phillipa Soo and Lin-Manuel Miranda, but this is perfectly good to jam to.

JP: HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS HAD COME OUT?!?! I’m so mad at myself right now. Love it. Always love it. Admittedly not the best from The Hamilton Mixtape, but the entire album has been fire so far.

“Trust” – Flume feat. Isabella Manfredi

JW: I have trust issues with this song. The main percussion has now given me two mini-heart attacks. The first when I thought my house was going to explode due to faulty wiring (it came on after I turned a light off, because that’s totally how electricity works) and the second when I thought the train that I was on was going to die (I don’t need to explain this one, because TransLink). But once you get over that, it’s an OK song.

SF: I’m fairly certain Flume can just do no wrong. This track follows his typical echoey instrumental and vocal vibe, and Isabella Manfredi’s voice flows seamlessly with their sound.

CM: The wind chimes are almost discordant right from the get-go and it’s hella distracting from the other elements in the song. Once you tune out the chimes though you kind of tune out the whole song. Skip.

JP: Is there a broken ice cream truck nearby? Cause that’s what it sounds like. I don’t want this.

“Daddy Lessons” – Beyoncé feat. Dixie Chicks

JW: I was apprehensive about this song. I mean Beyoncé and the Dixie Chicks? There is no way this could be good. I was wrong — it actually is pretty alright. It’s still a little more country than I would like and the horns and the repeated Texas do make it sound like an odd reworking of Chicago. It also runs a little too long, but it’s still pretty alright.

SF: I’m in the same boat as Jess. I saw this was a Beyoncé and Dixie Chicks combo and felt a bit queasy. After all, Lemonade got me through the world’s worst breakup. This album has sentimental meaning to me. Honestly, just listen to the original track. Queen Bey doesn’t need anyone else on this track — or in any part of her life, if you listen to the whole album — and neither do you. Bey is enough. Dixie Chicks can take their things and go.

CM: I am such a sucker for horns, and the rhythm they open this song with is catchy as hell. Queen Bey can do anything, honestly, and even though the original was good, this one is too. Also, damn, they sound way better together than I thought.

JP: I hate that I have to put up with the Dixie Chicks just to listen to Beyoncé. This is really testing me and I don’t think I can do it. I hate country. I left Maple Ridge for a reason.

“Glorious” – Måns Zelmerlöw

JW: Mornings are the worst. This shitty electronic version of Muse and all other related rock bands from the ’00s (maybe Creed?) is the musical representation of mornings. I’d say mornings hate me but I also know myself well enough to know that I will always hate his song just as much as mornings. That last sentence made zero sense, much like this song so I’m going to leave it there. You can be just as confused as I am.

SF: I honestly thought this was Nickelback at first, and I think my heart stopped. The chorus sounds like something that would appear on a Disney movie — think Zac Efron’s HSM era — and later be turned into a much more popular cover by Coldplay. I’ll pass.

CM: I like how there’s almost no intro and we get right into it. It starts out with a rock-adjacent sound and then gets kinda pop/DJ/dancey. The vocals are really good, the track doesn’t hit a rut, I’m really digging this. Thanks Zelmerlöw.

JP: I swear I’ve heard this before. How sure are we that it’s new? Par for the course as far as pop music goes. Nothing to write home about.

“Hey Mama” – Galavant

JW: Nothing like a song that is probably supposed to be a club banger dedicated to mothers everywhere. But like the overprotective moms that provoke rebellion? Maybe? Or maybe music is just marketed to teenagers and I’m officially old now.

SF: The Nicki track by the same name was much better. Weak vocals run through its entirety, and electronic instrumentals not dissimilar to Crazy Frog illustrate the bass drops. It’s a hard pass from me.

CM: Two good tracks in a row, a cut from The Hamilton Mixtape — I don’t know what I did to deserve this as the final New Music Friday of the semester, but bless. An all-around solid song: lyrics, melody, beat, etc. I’m adding this to my library.

JP: Am I on a ship? Can we make this a fun pirate track? This song isn’t bad but I was looking for more of a sea shanty vibe. Don’t care for all the autotune. MOAR WHISTLING.

“The Operator” – Max Pope

JW: Remember when Franz Ferdinand and all other British bands that sounded vaguely similar were cool? Well these guys do, and they’ve brought it back in the dying days of 2016. Because if nothing else has been proved in this trash fire of a year it’s that going back in time to save all the shitty parts of the past is the greatest!

SF: I feel like I’m living in sepia, dressed in a 1920s ballgown, smoking long filtered cigarettes and drinking fancy cocktails at a speakeasy. It makes me feel fancy, but nothing exciting really ends up happening. Just a bit dull.

CM: This reminds me of Mother Mother, if Mother Mother were a little less individualistic. I like the snazzy guitar, and I like Mother Mother, so I’m down for this song. If you like the idea of Mother Mother but wished they were a little more chill, this might be good for you.

JP: Not feeling it. The song sounds like it’s in conflict with itself. That song makes me sound like garbage but I promise it makes sense if you listen to the song. I’m not just trying to sound pretentious.

“Dissolve” – Ronika

JW: I’m getting Estelle vibes from this. It does however have TV commercial written all over it. I could see this in a perfume, car, or top-shelf liquor commercial. But I could also see (hear?) this in a soap commercial too. Now I just want to buy expensive shit. Good job, capitalism.

SF: Whispery vocals that are almost sensual in tandem with background Flume-esque instrumentals make this track alright, but not great. This song is too long, IMO. Everyone else can make a song in three minutes. Why do you need five?

CM: This has like that ’80’s synth meets awkwardly seductive vocals thing going on. I like the lyrics, but the vocals are too weak and breathy and the twinkling noises around 3:15 are giving me bad Mario Kart flashbacks.

JP: I feel physically uncomfortable with this music. It’s terrible. It’s too bad, because the vocals are actually pretty good but I can’t handle the backing track.

“Hunk With a Hunch” – Velociraptor

JW: This song sounds like it would be in a mid-’00s TV show. Or something that would have been on a Warped Tour compilation. The 15-year-old me would have been eating this shit up, now I’m just sad that this song is associated with what is an otherwise pretty cool dinosaur.

SF: This reminds me of my Blink-182, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Wayne’s World, etc. days and I could quite honestly do without that. Everything about this track screams unfortunate, from the name to the sound to the awful key changes halfway through. Please let me live in peace.

CM: First off, I really hope this is amazing because I am on board from the artist name already.

Damn it. I’m getting often-rejected pop-punk wannabes from this sound. I love pop-punk, but this is seriously lacking. Also I think he’s just tossing in “nonchalance” in there for shits and giggles.

JP: The cover art says ’80s and my heart says bad. Really not a fan of the useless (and terrible) key change at the end. Uncalled for.

“Spacesuit” – Matt and Sam’s Brother

JW: Well, shit this is dark, and also kind of Warped Tour-y sounding. And also weird off-off-brand “Major Tom.” But it actually works. It’s like it’s so off-brand that it’s actually cool? I clearly am not cool enough to understand cool and how it works. Also it’s the solo project of the lead singer of JPNSGRLS which is a local band so that’s neat.

SF: Honestly? Terrible. While the last track reminded me of Blink-182, RHCP, Wayne’s World, and others, this one reminds me of an emo cross between Owl City and Never Shout Never. Remember Never Shout Never? Didn’t want to? You’re welcome — neither did I.

CM: If I owned a dingy bar and had trouble booking music acts, I still wouldn’t book them. The vocals just aren’t my style of good. I like the lyrics, but I would rather read them as poetry than experience this song again.

JP: The album art is literally from The Jetsons. The lyrics are something 16-year-old me would have come up with. This song just seems to borrow from things everyone once thought were a good idea.

“Should’ve Been Me” – Naughty Boy

JW: This song sounds like the future “We’re going back in time” BoJack Horseman episode for 2016. “Generic 2016 pop song / repetitive lyrics about my broken heart / electronic sounds are rad / and hide our collective sadness.

PS My fake lyrics are way better than the real ones. You’re welcome.

SF: This song was easy to tune out and I feel like that’s not a good sign. We get it, it should’ve been you all along. I feel that way about a lot of things. For example, my classmate whose father won the literal lottery. That should’ve been me all along.

CM: The beat and rhythm are kind of average. This is one of those songs that sounds better the louder you play it. When I listen to it at near-deafening levels, I am all over this, grooving and everything in my office chair. When I listen to it as a normal person might, I’m bored. My kind of good music doesn’t need volume to make it good.

JP: This is reminding me of songs I use to warm up to in dance class. The nostalgia is real. I’m not even going to comment because I know I have rose-coloured glasses for this song.

“Shapes (Dual Point Remix)” – Fjord

JW: This song is shockingly chill. I could see this playing in a really cool office or coffee shop or bar where you know you don’t belong but by some weird twist in the time-space continuum you ended up there. Honestly, I’ll probably listen to this one again.

SF: This song begins with the same sort of light, echoing, bubble sound — literally the only way I can describe it is as bubbles — that “Tongues” by Joywave has. This track is quickly forgettable. Maybe good to have in the background while you get high? Otherwise, nah.

CM: Well it definitely sounds like a remix, except it’s super dull and monotonous. I got hopeful with the shift around the two-minute mark, but it turned out just to be a tease.

JP: I remember this band. They are often in New Music Friday and I often hate them. Seems like we’re sticking to the status quo this week.

Women’s basketball defeats Cal Poly Pomona 68–50

By

EIC

-

November 25, 2016

0

Tayler Drynan (#3) finished with three points in a season high 23 minutes.

It was a rare noon tip-off for the women’s basketball team on Friday, but that didn’t hinder them from rolling over Cal Poly Pomona. On the back of a strong defensive performance, SFU came away with a 68–50 win over the Broncos.

“I thought we were pretty good defensively at the start of the second half,” said head coach Bruce Langford afterwards. “I thought we were just OK defensively in the first half, but we gave them some looks and they just missed some shots. In the second half, we really shut them down in terms of having any looks.”

The game was attended by a horde of young children, and they brought some unbridled enthusiasm rarely seen in the West Gym. After a rough start where the opening tip-off led straight to three Cal Poly Pomona points, SFU played well defensively, only allowing one three-point attempt the whole half — which was missed. Senior Ellen Kett played 18 of the 20 minutes in the first half, going three for four from behind the arc with 11 points.

However, it was in the second half where SFU started to flex some muscle. They outscored the visitors 37–25, and limited the Broncos to just 33.3 percent from the field. It also featured big minutes from freshman Tayler Drynan, who played in place of Ellen Kett when she was rested.

The standout performance of the game was easily turned in by freshman Ozi Nwabuko. She finished with 19 points, with 15 of those coming in the second half. It was the third straight game she has either led or tied for the team lead in points. Langford had nothing but high praise for her afterwards.

“Ozi’s very, very good defensively. We were a little concerned that she was going to get in the way offensively,” said Langford. “But as you can witness, she’s the fastest kid I’ve ever coached by a mile. And I’ve coached some national team Olympic athletes. She is quicker than you can shake a stick at.”

Another storyline was the players who didn’t get minutes, as there could be some injury concerns going forward. Despite being seen on the bench before the game, redshirt junior Elisa Homer did not play and was not on the bench during the game. Arguably SFU’s best shooter, she is suffering from the effects of a concussion and “won’t be playing tomorrow for sure,” according to Langford. The team is hopeful she will make the trip up to Alaska next week.

“She’s the fastest kid I’ve ever coached by a mile.”

– head coach Bruce Langford on Ozi Nwabuko

Vanessa Gee injured her ankle three weeks ago, and is “ready to come to Alaska” but like Homer, will not feature in tomorrow’s game.

That game will be against Cal Poly Pomona again. With it being the second straight game against the same opponent, the key will be remaining levelheaded, according to Langford.

“We did that in the CIS [Canadian Interuniversity Sport] for years,” Langford said on playing back-to-back nights. “We use to have the CIS complex, which is the team that wins the first night loses the second night because they think they’re God’s gift to the human race, and the other team is a little pissed and comes back. So we have to make sure our kids don’t get God complex.”

With a 7–1 record to start the season, SFU looks like the team to beat in the conference. And unlike last year — where the team was at one point down to six players and mostly relied on the trio of Ellen Kett, Elisa Homer, and Alisha Roberts to drive the offence — the Clan now has a deep bench and impact freshmen such as Ozi Nwabuko, Tia Tsang, and Tayler Drynan able to get points and eat up minutes. With all these ingredients, it’s shaping up to perhaps be a memorable season for women’s basketball.

The Tourist Company explores space in Apollo

By

EIC

-

November 25, 2016

0

The Tourist Company’s new album, Apollo, is out of this world, if you’ll forgive the pun.

But seriously. The album is catchy and fresh, foregoing the typical guitar-driven indie sound for of keyboards and synths. On top of this expansive base they’ve layered everything from tambourines to trumpets, with echoey vocals and lyrics that yearn for the expanse of outer space.

On the album we see songs like “Sputnik,” “Astronaut,” and “Weightless and Stranded.” Where did this space theme come from? On the phone with The Peak, lead vocalist Taylor Swindells said it stems from his childhood.

“When I was five or six I was really obsessed with outer space; I was fixated on it. I remember we used to watch these documentaries, and a few years ago all that imagery came flooding back to me,” he explained.

Apollo was born during the Peak Performance Project in 2014, when the Tourist Company was busy proving their worth against other local bands, placing third overall. Swindells said he brought the substance of the album to his bandmates — Jillian Levey (vocals/keys), Josué Quezada (bass), and Brenon Parry (drums) — and they added their own flavour and parts to the mix.

The new album has pushed the band away further from their folk origins into a new expansive electronica. This is partly due to Swindells’ choice to write from a piano rather than a guitar. “I started as a classical piano player, so I wanted to step back and write this record from the keyboard, which was a big shift,” he said. “Making the piano the driving force, with guitar as an accent, definitely leaves more room for other sounds and makes the music a lot more cinematic.”

The Tourist Company rejects being confined to one genre, but in terms of musical influences they cite a mixed bag of orchestral-electronic musicians and local indie groups, including Son Lux, Death Cab for Cutie, Arcade Fire, Royal Canoe, We are the City, and Jordan Klassen.

At the moment, the four band members are on a whirlwind cross-Canada tour with Apollo. Working their way through over 20 shows in seven provinces, from Halifax to Victoria in just over a month, they’re truly living up to their name. Swindells told The Peak the tour has been great, and one of the surprising highlights so far was their show in Quebec City.

“It was kind of a last-minute addition to the list, but the venue was right down the street from the old city [in Quebec] and the old city walls. The owner was really fun and boisterous and it was kind of a perfect storm of all these things we weren’t expecting,” said Swindell.

They’re rounding off their tour in BC this week with shows in Kelowna, Rossland, Victoria, Nanaimo, and then finally Vancouver on November 26. What should we expect for their show at the Fox Cabaret? The entirety of Apollo album played “good old-fashioned indie-style,” with tons of energy and lots happening on stage.

As It Is doesn’t care about how fucking cool you think you are

By

EIC

-

November 25, 2016

0

as-it-is-press-photo-2016 — A train runs along the Evergreen line earlier this week in preparation of opening today.

“We realize, that on this tour, the large majority of people have never heard of us.”

At least that’s how As It Is front man Patty Walters described opening for Sum 41 and Senses Fail on the Don’t Call It A Sum-Back Tour at the Commodore Ballroom. They wasted no time during their half-hour set, playing songs from both their forthcoming album Okay, and their debut album Never Happy, Ever After, which was released in April of last year.

“I always give everything I have live,” said Walters, and it showed when he sang song after song whilst jumping off anything that he could. One of his more impressive feats was jumping off the drum kit and still managing to stay in perfect pitch.

As It Is knows the importance of getting the crowd pumped, getting everyone to clap to the beat and start a mosh pit front and centre, because nothing makes a pop-punk concert more pop-punk than a mosh pit. They also know that coolness is overrated, as Walters shouted to the crowd, “I don’t care how fucking cool you think you are, I want to see everyone jump up and down!”

After the show, I got to chat with Walters in the alleyway behind the venue. In a world where musicians can act like entitled pricks and get away with it, Walters’ humble attitude was refreshing: “It’s a very careful balance between being confident and being arrogant. You can’t come off as, like, a dick.”

Since late 2014, the band has been signed to pop-punk powerhouse Fearless Records. This has been a change from being independent, but not in a bad way. “[Fearless] doesn’t ask us to change a whole lot of anything. The writing, the integrity of our band isn’t any different. It feels better because we have so many more opportunities now,” reflected Walters. They feel especially lucky to be able to work with producers they admire and to go on amazing tours.

The first two singles off Okay, “Pretty Little Distance” and “Okay,” sound incredibly happy at first, but once you listen a few times, you realize that they are quite introverted and sad. Walters calls this “the As It Is special.” Growing up, these were the types of songs that the band listened to, especially from bands like Jimmy Eat World and Death Cab For Cutie. This was the theme on their debut album, as well. However, with the new record, they’ve let themselves be a little more honest and confessional. They’ve written a bit about their families, personal struggles, and vulnerabilities.

These first two singles have more of a pop vibe than their previous releases did — a far cry from their EP, This Mind of Mine, which was released in 2014. I asked Walters if this is a trend that will be further cemented on their upcoming album. “Yes and no,” he said. “On this record, there are going to be songs that are a lot darker, going back to earlier stuff . . . but there are also poppier songs . . . [We are] kind of doing the darker stuff darker and the poppier stuff poppier.”

While As It Is ‘came a long-ass way to be here,’ their future is looking more than Okay.

NFL Blitz Week 12 with Jason Romisher

By

EIC

-

November 24, 2016

0

It was 10–4 last week, to get back to the winnings ways. If you missed it, Washington absolutely destroyed Green Bay on Sunday night, led by the strong play of quarterback Kirk Cousins who had 375 passing yards and three touchdowns. Cousins, who only got a one-year deal in the off season to prove he was a top-flight quarterback, was so fired up after the game that he screamed in his general manager’s face, “How you like me now?!” In other action, the Cowboys, Raiders, Patriots, and Seahawks all took care of business and continue to look like the front runners for the Super Bowl. Looking ahead to this week, I must begin with a happy American Thanksgiving to you all. Two of the three Thursday games should be highly entertaining and are Game of the Week worthy, with only the Colts vs. Steelers looking like a dud due to Andrew Luck’s injury. This week also features a Grey Cup Preview, which features a player I actually have coached against.

Minnesota (6–4) at Detroit (6–4), Thursday 9:30 a.m.

Having lived in Ontario for most of my life, these early kickoff times are just unnatural. American Thanksgiving is a time call in sick, drink beer, and watch football. A 9:30 a.m. start is just too early for such pastimes. Nevertheless, this game is critically important as the winner will claim first place in the NFC North. The Vikings are coming off a big win against the Cardinals to avoid a fifth consecutive loss. The Lions have been mediocre all season with most of their games, including last week’s comeback against the lowly Jaguars being decided by extremely close margins. I’ll take the Lions at home in this one as I have more faith in Matthew Stafford than his quarterback counterpart Sam Bradford.

Prediction: Lions 23 Vikings 20

Game of the Week

Washington (6–3–1) at Dallas (9–1), Thursday 1:30 p.m.

A divisional rivalry game with two hot teams playing in Big D on Thanksgiving — you’ve got to love sports! Washington is riding high with back-to-back wins over the Vikings and Packers. Their offence is clicking on all cylinders with Kirk Cousins distributing the ball with authority to the likes of Jordan Reed, Pierre Garcon, Jamison Crowder, and DeSean Jackson. Washington has also established the running game with Rob Kelley rushing for 87, 97, and 137 yards his last three games. The Cowboys meanwhile have set a franchise record with nine consecutive wins. They are also just the third team in NFL history to compile over 400 yards on offence in eight consecutive games — a streak which is ongoing. What is dangerous for opponents is that star receiver Dez Bryant seems to be rounding into form. With the league’s leading rusher in Ezekiel Elliott and a resurgent Bryant, rookie quarterback Dak Prescott should have the opportunity to play even better. The Cowboys beat Washington earlier in the season 27–23 in Washington. In this matchup, look for a muffed Cowboys kick in this season of awful NFL kicking to propel Washington to the upset win.

Prediction: Washington 31 Cowboys 30

Pittsburgh (5–5) at Indianapolis (5–5), Thursday 5:30 p.m.

The Colts are a mediocre team with Andrew Luck. Without him, they will not have enough to beat the Steelers even at home. A big factor is that backup Scott Tolzien has a short week to prepare for this matchup and has had limited practice reps with the first team offence all season. Steelers take care of business.

Prediction: Steelers 27 Colts 17

San Diego (4–6) at Houston (6–4), Sunday 10 a.m.

The Chargers are coming off their bye week, and are facing a Houston team on a short week after a hard-fought Monday night loss to the Raiders. I think the Texans are the worst team leading a division in the league, whereas the Chargers are the best AFC team with a losing record. I like the Chargers defence to be the difference in this one, sparked by a big game by rookie pass rusher Joey Bosa.

Prediction: Chargers 24 Texans 21

New York Giants (7–3) at Cleveland (0–11), Sunday 10 a.m.

The Browns cannot seem to catch a break with the schedule. They’re 0-11, and the Giants with their five consecutive wins roll into town. Last week the Browns gave up eight sacks to the Steelers and got their rookie quarterback Cody Kessler knocked out of a game for the third time this season. Both Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown have also been injured this season behind the Browns’ shaky offensive line. Look for big games from Giants defensive ends Olivier Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul as the Browns head closer to 0–16.

Prediction: Giants 34 Browns 17

Cincinnati (3–6–1) at Baltimore (5–5), Sunday 10 a.m.

When is desperation time going to set in for the Bengals? Last week they managed just 13 points against a mediocre Bills defence at home, and now face a very good Ravens defence on the road. The Ravens should also know that they need to win to keep pace with the Steelers for the division lead. The Bengals are further limited by injuries last week to all-world receiver A.J. Green and shifty running back Giovani Bernard. The Ravens channel their inner Edgar Allan Poe and declare to the Bengals, “Nevermore!”

Prediction: Ravens 26 Bengals 16

Arizona (4–5–1) at Atlanta (6–4), Sunday 10 a.m.

The Falcons are rested after their bye week and are at home in the dome against a Cardinals team playing back-to-back road games. The Falcons are a dominant team at home and will be buoyed by the return of running back Tevin Coleman. When Coleman is paired with Devonta Freeman out of the backfield, the results have been electric. Keep an eye on the matchup between Falcons receiver Julio Jones and Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson. These two elite players facing off should be a lot of fun. Atlanta wins a close one.

Prediction: Falcons 29 Cardinals 28

Los Angeles (4–6) at New Orleans (4–6), Sunday 10 a.m.

The Rams’ outstanding defence can only do so much when their offence cannot score more than 10 points. For much of last week’s game, the Rams’ D held the Dolphins scoreless before two second-half touchdowns sent the Rams to a 14–10 defeat. The Saints at home are an extremely difficult team to stop for 60 minutes. I can’t see the Rams and rookie quarterback Jared Goff scoring enough points to outpace the Saints. Look for a big game from Saints rookie receiver Michael Thomas who will get back to being Drew Brees’ favourite target.

Prediction: Saints 24 Rams 15

Jacksonville (2–8) at Buffalo (5–5), Sunday 10 a.m.

One of my favourite moments as a kid watching football happened in 1998 when a former CFL star quarterback named Doug Flutie ran a naked bootleg for the game winning touchdown as the Bills beat the heavily favoured Jaguars. In this matchup, the Bills are favoured to win and rightfully so, as they are facing the woeful Jaguars. Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor will keep the Bills in playoff contention in this matchup. Look for a big game from Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander, who is tied for the league lead with 10 sacks. Alexander was a career special teams player who waited 10 years to be a regular defensive player, and is making the most of the opportunity.

Prediction: Bills 36 Jaguars 24

San Francisco (1–9) at Miami (6–4), Sunday 10 a.m.

Miami gutted out a tough road win last week against the Rams, which highlighted how much their quarterback Ryan Tannehill has improved as a player. Tannehill’s growth and the Dolphins’ surprising 6–4 record is making head coach Adam Gase look like a very smart hire and a potential coach of the year candidate. They should improve to 7–4 against a 49ers team that is low on talent and facing a long trip to humid Florida.

Prediction: Dolphins 34 49ers 24

Tennessee (5–6) at Chicago (2–8), Sunday 10 a.m.

At 5–6, the Titans are still very much alive for a playoff spot, because of how unimposing Houston at 6–4 is at the top of their division. The Titans have a very favourable matchup this week despite playing on the road, because they play a Chicago team which has lost two straight after an improbable win over the Vikings. Compounding matters is that Bears quarterback Jay Cutler may not play this week due to injury. The Titans and their “exotic smashmouth” offence will put up enough points to send the Bears spiralling further to a top three pick in the 2017 draft.

Prediction: Titans 38 Bears 21

Seattle (7–2–1) at Tampa Bay (5–5), Sunday 1:05 p.m.

Tampa Bay is suddenly right in the thick of the playoff race on the strength of back-to-back wins and by being just one game back of the Falcons. They pulled a shocker last week by going into Arrowhead and beating Kansas City. With star receiver Mike Evans, a good young quarterback in Jameis Winston, and with running back Doug Martin returning last week from injury, this is a stern test for the Seahawks on the road. With all that being said, the Seahawks are looking like they’re a Super Bowl team again and Russell Wilson will find a way to win this game one way or another. Look for Wilson and Jimmy Graham to both have big games in a close Seahawks wins.

Prediction: Seahawks 33 Buccaneers 31

Carolina (4–6) at Oakland (8–2), Sunday 1:25 p.m.

Oakland is coming off a big win in Mexico City last week against Houston and will face a Panthers team which beat New Orleans last week to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Panthers will probably be without former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Luke Kuechly which will significantly hurt their chances. I like the Panthers to nevertheless steal one against a Raiders team on a short week which was disrupted by an international game. Cam Newton finally plays like an MVP in a big-time road upset.

Prediction: Panthers 37 Raiders 33

Upset Special

New England (8–2) at New York Jets (3–7), Sunday 1:25 p.m.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady might be playing the best football of his career at age 39. Since serving a nonsensical four-game suspension, he has thrown for 1,915 yards, with 16 touchdowns and just one interception in six games. He is also just one win away from tying Peyton Manning for first place among quarterbacks with 200 wins and needs just 57 yards to be the fifth quarterback in NFL history to reach 600 yards. Not bad for a sixth round draft pick who only got his chance to play because of an injury to franchise starter Drew Bledsoe. There is cause for concern in this matchup though, as the Patriots are playing consecutive road games against a divisional opponent who is coming off a bye. Jets coach Todd Bowles is also a very good defensive mind and will have a strong game plan in place. Their quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick returns to the starter’s role after an injury and should know that this very well could be his last NFL start if he has another poor performance. Fitzpatrick is a grizzled veteran who has played for six NFL teams and will leave everything on the field against a hated foe. The Patriots also have not played great defence this year and have had trouble forcing defensive turnovers. The Jets find a way.

The Seahawks are looking like they’re a Super Bowl team again

Prediction: Jets 28 Patriots 27

Kansas City (7–3) at Denver (7–3), Sunday 5:30 p.m.

These divisional rivals face off in a game with major playoff implications. While both are 7–3, it remains to be determined if either is really playoff calibre. Both the Chiefs and Broncos are offensively limited and will need to step up their overall play to be Super Bowl contenders. I like the Broncos at home off their bye week to beat a Chiefs team which was upset last week at home against Tampa Bay. The Chiefs’ defence has not looked as stout as Denver’s and that will be the difference in this matchup. Look for Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders to make a few big plays to give their mediocre offence some juice.

Prediction: Broncos 23 Chiefs 19

Green Bay (4–6) at Philadelphia (5–5), Monday 5:30 p.m.

In their last four games, all defeats, the Packers have given up 33, 31, 47, and 42 points. Last week, their former MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a terrific game with 355 yards and three touchdowns. Great quarterback play cannot make up for an atrocious defence, though. I would speculate that if the Eagles hang 30 plus on Green Bay that defensive coordinator Dom Capers may have to look for another job. The Packers are playing consecutive road games and are in major jeopardy to miss the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Facing them is an Eagles team that started the season 3–0 and has crashed back to earth with losses in five of their last seven games. The Eagles’ five losses have been by close margins though, and they boast a stout defence. That should be enough for them to send the Packers to their fifth straight defeat.

Prediction: Eagles 27 Packers 24

Bonus 104th Grey Cup preview

Calgary (15–2–1) vs. Ottawa (8–9–1), Sunday 3:30 p.m. in Toronto

After an outstanding regular season, the Stampeders crushed the BC Lions 42–15 in the Western Final. They will be facing an Ottawa team which finished first in a putrid Eastern Conference and advanced to their second consecutive Grey Cup with a narrow win in the Eastern Final over Edmonton. The key question in this matchup is whether the Redblacks can pull off a monumental upset over a Calgary squad which has looked like the best team in the CFL from start to finish. The top storyline in this matchup is the opportunity for revenge that 41-year-old Redblacks quarterback Henry Burris will have against the team that unexpectedly traded him away five years ago. Burris has had an up and down year with an injury early on and may be playing the final game of his career. Nevertheless, this is a dream matchup for him and a win would provide a storybook ending to a long and distinguished career. Calgary is led by quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell who threw for 5,385 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season and looks like the front runner for CFL’s Most Outstanding Player.

Look for a big game from Stamps running back Jerome Messam. Messam rushed for 1,198 yards, and had 54 receptions for another 485 yards with 12 total touchdowns. I had the chance to coach against Messam in 2004 when he played for the Brampton Bulldogs in the Ontario Varsity Football League. He was an outstanding player with a rare blend of size, power and speed. That season, he had a five-touchdown and a 300-yard performance against Oshawa. That winter, Messam impressively rushed for 300 yards again for Team Canada in a gold medal win over Team USA in the NFL Global Junior Football Championship where he was named tournament MVP. In our matchup, the Huronia Stallions defeated Brampton 19–9 and we held Messam to 16 carries for 76 yards and no touchdowns. The key play was in the first quarter when they went for it on fourth and goal at the nine-yard line on a toss play to Messam that saw our safety Greg Van Bolderen make an open field solo tackle. In this matchup, Messam will crush Burris’ dream finale by returning to the GTA and having a huge game to propel the Stampeders to a Grey Cup victory.

Prediction: Calgary 39 Ottawa 31

SFU swimming seizes the moment at Clan Cup

By

EIC

-

November 24, 2016

0

The annual Clan Cup International on November 18–20 at the Margaret and Paul Savage Pool was a success for SFU, as the team led every day of the tournament. “The competition was very successful, with SFU winning the Clan Cup,” said head coach Liam Donnelly. Coach Donnelly definitely has a lot to be happy for, as many new records were set by the swimmers and quite a few surpassed expectations.

On day one, SFU closed the night with three wins out of eight against Whitman College and the SFU Aquatic Club. Swimmer Mackenzie Hamill set a new time record in the finals of the 800m freestyle, surpassing Adrian VanderHelm’s record from last year’s event. With a couple more wins from other swimmers, SFU stood at 335 points.

Day two brimmed with victories, as the men and women’s team dominated the competition by securing 13 of 16 events. Notable performances were executed by swimmers Jessie Gibson, Meaghan Frenks, Lauren Diehl, and Sidney Peake of the women’s team. The day finished with 901 points for the Clan as the team held its ground at the top position.

The Clan did not fail to impress on the last day: eight different swimmers seized individual titles, while the men and women’s team raced to win the 400m freestyle relays. Day three of the Clan Cup International ended with a high score of 1,401. Breaking down this score, the women’s team brought home 783 points while the men achieved 618 points.

“Jessie Gibson achieved an ‘A’ standard for the NCAA National Championships and automatically qualifies to compete in early March in Birmingham, Alabama,” said Donnelly. Senior Claudia Mathieu said, “It really showed what the swim team was made of. People were tired and beat by the end of it, but right until the last relay everyone gave it their all. With already one woman making the ‘A,’ and a dozen making ‘B’ cuts, it could only mean great things for the team.”

Gibson, Hamill, and VanderHelm broke SFU records at the end of the Clan Cup. Donnelly added that 28 “B” standards were achieved by 11 different swimmers: Kristen Olvet, Lauren Swistak, Miranda Stever, Meaghan Frenks, MacKenzie Hamill, James Cormier, Adrian VanderHelm, Andrew Woinoski, Gabriel Lee, Tim Woinoski, and Daniel Kilmaster.

“I think the team has seen what they are capable of accomplishing and it’s given us great confidence going into our next big swim meet next weekend in Seattle,” said Mathieu.

Men’s basketball hopes to continue rolling as they head to California

By

EIC

-

November 24, 2016

0

Kedar Wright (#11) is not expected to play this weekend due to injury. Wright led the team in scoring in exhibition play and was expected to carry much of the offensive load this season.

After claiming back-to-back wins against Lindenwood University last weekend, the men’s basketball team heads to Riverside, CA to take on California Baptist University Friday and Concordia University Irvine Saturday.

With the two wins, in four games, the men’s basketball team already has more wins against NCAA Division II competition than the team did all last season, when they earned only one, and a late one at that, coming February 11.

But the big question is: can SFU keep up the momentum with a shortened bench? On the weekend, the Clan dressed only nine players and gave minutes to just eight. Most notable of those absences was guard Kedar Wright.

Wright, who had led the team in points in exhibition play with 63 points in the three games and was expected to carry a bulk of the offence this season, was injured in the game before against Lindenwood on a foul. Wright was wearing a sling around his arm Saturday, and for now, the timetable for his return is unknown.

“We don’t know. Right now, it’s kind of day-to day, and we’ll have to talk to the doctor and see where he’s at, but he had a slight separation in his shoulder and we’ll just see how he responds to rehab,” said Hanson after Saturday’s game.

Gibran Sewani hasn’t played since the exhibition game versus Quest University, suffering the effects of a concussion in a September practice. He was expected to return to practice this week

Redshirt freshman Aleks Vranjes hasn’t played since their first game against Douglas College, where he put up 24 minutes and looked like he’d be a big part of this team. Bowen Bakken has also not played since the Quest game. Vinnie Safin did not play last weekend, but was in the lineup the weekend before at the Sodexo tipoff.

Freshman Bongani Moyo does not appear to be officially redshirted — he was dressed for Saturday’s game — but has not played a minute in the regular season. His play in exhibition was limited to 16 minutes over three games, receiving only two minutes each in the first two games.

However, the team appears confident that it can rise above a shortened bench.

“Good teams have to be able to play with nine, 10, 11 guys every night,” said Hanson. “Our practices have to prepare us for playing when you’re tired, making good decisions, so [Saturday] was a great game to see how we cope in tight game situations.”

A big key to that is getting big performances out of both the new additions and players who don’t typically score. Redshirt-freshman Michael Provenzano played 36 and 39 minutes last weekend, scoring 14 points, after having played 14 and 26 minutes in his first two games. Sophomore Tyrell Lewin had a career-high 14 points Saturday, after putting up eight points in his first three games and only putting up double digit points three times in his pure freshman season.

The play from the bench will be important, and Andrew Williamson and Hidde Vos in particular will likely be relied to play some big minutes. Williamson and Vos both played over 20 minutes Saturday, coming off the bench, after playing eight and 11 respectively on Friday.

“[The key to sustaining this momentum is] riding on the energy that we’ve had from these two games,” said Lewin on Saturday. “There’s definitely some stuff to fix still, but I’m sure as long as we keep the energy and positive frame of mind, keep attacking, we should do well in the next couple of games.”

“We’re going into the dragon’s lair,” said Hanson, referring to Friday’s matchup in particular. “Our guys will be in tough and it’s going to be a real challenge, getting ready for practice this week. I think it’s great though, to play the best teams in the nation and see where we stack up. It’s going to be really tough.”

California Baptist are ranked ninth nationally, having won their two Division II matchups, and were competitive in an 81-73 loss to the Division I University of California Berkeley Bears.

And on Saturday, though Concordia University Irvine have not fared well in non-conference play so far, going 1-4, last season they were a force in the NCAA Division II PacWest conference, going 22-6 overall, and 15-5 in the conference — tying for best conference record.

It will be an important test to see if SFU can pull off a win or two, and if not, remain competitive in both games with a shortened bench.

Men’s wrestling finish second at Spokane Open

By

EIC

-

November 23, 2016

0

Simon Fraser University - North Idaho College Men's Wrestling — Morgan Smith (centre) is now 11-0 to start the season.

The SFU men’s wrestling team wrapped up a successful trip to Spokane, Washington this weekend with a second place finish at the Spokane Open. This tournament is one of the first for the Clan and usually attracts some of the best talent in the Northwest, including several NCAA Division I schools.

“Overall it was a good performance from a group that’s missing two of our leaders. With seniors Tyler McLean and Josh Kim out of the lineup with injuries, the rest of the squad stepped up and really competed hard,” head coach Justin Abdou said of the team’s performance overall.

The Clan had several impressive individual performances as well, with Sean Molle (HWT), Reid Watkins (174 lbs), and Kenji Yamashita (149 lbs) all taking third place.

“Kenji avenged two losses from earlier this season to his North Idaho opponent, which was a real positive for him after missing all of last season due to injury,” Abdou said. “Reid has already had as many matches this year as he did all of last year, which was cut short from injury. If he stays healthy and continues to improve he will be a real threat come March.”

Cruz Velasquez (133 lbs) also had a successful tournament, as defended his championship from last year’s Spokane Open, once again placing first. When asked about his performance thus far this season, Abdou did not hesitate to say, “He’s been great so far. Opponents are finding him very hard to score on.”

At 197 lbs, there was an all-SFU final between Morgan Smith and Ciaran Ball. Interestingly, these two athletes not only go to SFU together, but also were training partners in high school when they both attended Meadowdale High School in Lynnwood, Washington.

“Wrestling Ciaran was exciting. I’m always glad when a teammate makes it to the finals, I just don’t expect to wrestle them. We do train a lot together, and he’s my best friend. I think we have made each other better. I don’t think about that tuff before I step on the mat. My mental preparation is always the same,” Smith said when asked about wrestling his teammate.

Smith recently bumped up to 197 lbs, as he wrestled in the 184 weight class for all of last year. The bump seems to be working out well for him, as he has yet to lose a match in his new weight class.

“[He] dominated all of his opponents this weekend with 4 pins and 2 major decisions. He is 11-0 on the season,” Abdou said of Smith’s wrestling over the weekend.

When asked if he did anything different to prepare this year, Smith said, “I wrestled all summer and competed in tough tournaments [. . .] Last year didn’t end how I wanted it to, so I’m doing everything in my power to make sure I don’t feel that way again. Nothing has changed really in terms of work ethic, I’ve just learned a lot about wrestling.”

“I feel like our team is a very tight-knit group and I think that we have yet to see our full potential” he continued” We started off slow but we’re picking up steam, which has to do with cutting weight properly and getting our minds right. Our identity as a team is that we’re intelligent and extremely hard-working, which to me is a deadly combo.”

The Clan compete next in a series of duals in Great Falls, Montana next weekend before wrapping up the first part of the season at the Reno Tournament of Champions. The Clan International wrestling tournament will also take place in West Gym on December 2nd and 3rd.