The Fan In Van Podcast & Blog - Matt Lee

SNET: PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP-CP) — Authorities arrested more than 120 people and uncovered dozens of steroid labs in an international investigation into the illicit trade of performance-enhancing drugs, federal officials announced Monday. In the United States, agents seized 56 labs that manufactured anabolic steroids and human growth hormone, the DEA said. Agents seized 11.4 million doses of drugs in all.

Sounds like we’re about to be hit with another Super Sports Steroids Hurricane and it could hit pretty hard. Wait until that client list comes out; that’s when the media will have a field day. I’m willing to bet that Bud Selig and Roger Goodell are pissing themselves pretty good right about now, coming up with a speech to prepare themselves against the backlash this drug bust is going to have.

More interestingly, I’m very disappointed with how this has all been happening in the media. The NFL and MLB, the world’s most popular sports leagues and most successful, were once portrayed as the traditional sports and the ones that involved a lot of finesse, skill, size and heart. But in the past two years those kinds of traditions are being unfurled under this ugly black eye for their sports and it’s truly disappointing to see. Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Ricky Williams are all players in this conspiracy, but nonetheless the sports themselves are starting to lose credibility.

Team Canada is out at the Rugby World Cup and have one more test with Japan before they come home, but it’s a matter of pride at stake for the side and you can bet that they’re going to come out charged and ready to play. Both teams haven’t won a game in the tournament and neither are willing to go home without a win so this’ll be a good game. It’ll also be interesting to see how the two different styles of play will clash in the game: Canada’s simplistic style of hard play and big forwards will certainly mismatch with Japan’s fast and speedy gameplay.

Simon Fraser University versus the University of British Columbia in the 30th edition of the Shrum Bowl. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited about this one, especially seeing that it will take place at SFU’s Terry Fox Field. The only thing I’m peeved about is that the tickets for the game cost $20 each. How hard is it for me to pay $20 to see a team play who hasn’t won in three seasons? Pretty hard. But as both a reporter for the SFU newspaper, I’m pretty much inclined to have to go. It’ll be tough for me to swallow the $20 price.

Speaking of, you can read all my work with The Peak at http://www.peak.sfu.ca/the-peak/2007-3/issue4/ and scroll to the Sports section.

Having watched the Lions/Roughriders game last night, it seems like there’s no doubt in my mind that Rob Murphy is one of the dirtiest players in the CFL. They said this on CBC before the scrum ensued to end the first half, but it seemed like his tactics all but confirmed this statement. Murphy had Jon Chick, a player with diabetes, down on his back and had his hand on his throat as if he were going to sock him one. How barbaric did it look? Pretty barbaric. I guess it’s all in the game, but it just seemed like Murphy wasn’t using his head when he did this and I won’t be surprised if he or Rasouli are suspended.

But back to the game itself; what a game it was. It looked like the Roughriders had the Lions’ number in the first quarter, managing to secure three touchdowns before the quarter was even over but kudos to the Lions and specifically Jarious Jackson for having that no-quit attitude to win the game. It’s no wonder Wally’s got confidence in JJ and to me he’s earned another start. Great to see Geroy Simon of all receivers get the game-winning touchdown in the final minute, he’s deserved it after having a pretty tough season thus far. All in all, this game could turn out to be the most critical game of the season for the Leos and it’s a good thing it went their way.

• Kevin Bieksa (stomach muscle)
• Jannik Hansen (broken thumb)
• Trevor Linden (sore groin)
• Aaron Miller (abdominal surgery)
• Willie Mitchell (sore groin)
• Brendan Morrison (sore groin)
• Ryan Kesler (sore groin)
• Byron Ritchie (sore groin)
• Rick Rypien (sore groin)
• Sami Salo (fractured wrist)

Yeah. I think that speaks for itself.

Looks like the Vancouver Canucks are picking up right where they left off — with a handful of players on the injured list. I can’t say that this comes a surprise to some guys like Salo and Cooke, but there are so, so many groin injuries that it’s become laughable. And call it what you want (bad luck, karma, voodoo or hocus pocus) but I still believe that there are SOME people who should be held responsible. Roger Takahashi, Vancouver Canucks’ strength and conditioning coach. It’s a theory. But I’m sticking with it. Groin injuries occur because a player is not stretching properly or is in rough physical shape. And here the Canucks are with Takahashi, doing kung fu and yoga classes when they should have been getting intense training from the get-go in July and August. It just doesn’t make sense to me, and I’d hate to see the Canucks flounder this year because there are so many ridiculous minor injuries to half our squad.

It seems to be more apparent that Ryan Shannon will lock up the last roster spot, and why shouldn’t he? He’s earned it, hasn’t he? He’s skated hard for this team in the preseason and showed moderate chemistry while playing with different players from Mason to Markus and Kesler to Cooke. I like what I’ve seen from the Boston College Alum and I think he could surprise a few people with his play this season. He has a real opportunity here to seize the bull by the horns and run with it and make a name for himself. This guy is NHL ready, my friends.

The latest rumour going around is that the Canucks are offering up Luc Bourdon to the NHL in hopes of landing a top-six winger. Montreal has apparently shown interest and dangled Michael Ryder, but even if this is true, I think I’m hesitant to make this move. Ryder has shown he doesn’t want to return to Montreal next year, opting for arbitration this past offseason and looking more like he wants to play on a winning team, but it scares me to know he could easily play for a different team next season should the Canucks acquire him. I don’t believe in this rumour, but I’m hoping Canuck brass are smart enough to showcase Bourdon around (a potential Ed Jovanovski) before they make a play for a winger who they could lose by next September.