No pulling punches against the weak
No matter which sport you’re talking about, one of the signs of a good team, aside from the won-loss record (you are what your record says you are, as football coach Bill Parcells once said) is the ability to consistently beat the teams you’re supposed to beat.
That is what the Pictou County Junior Scotians have done this season. Winners of 16 out of 21 games, the Scotians are a collective 8-0 against the Cumberland County Blues and Antigonish Bulldogs, two Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League teams that have struggled this season.
Things get significantly easier when you can feast on the weak, and by the same token, red flags go up when a team too often plays down to their opponent (there are exceptions to that thought: some teams seem to have another team’s number no matter what). It’s almost never a good sign, though – it usually means they aren’t hungry enough.
Don’t look now, but the NSJHL season is winding down and the Scotians have to be considered a legitimate contender; they solidified their goaltending with the early-season trade for Brandon MacDonald, they’ve been tough to score on – third in goals allowed throughout the league – and with six players on their roster with 10 or more goals, they have offensive balance (Bradley MacEachen and Riley Cameron each have 15 to lead the team), meaning that the opposition can’t concentrate on shutting down one or two players.
Pictou County is 1-4 this season against the Strait Pirates, who will be in Trenton on Sunday at 7 p.m. in what is almost certainly a playoff preview.
Lucky for the Scotians, they are far enough ahead of the Pirates in the standings that it would take a near-miracle for them to catch Pictou County, thanks in no small part to the Scotians’ dominance against the league’s also-rans this season. Non-Sports Thought
of the Week • Not every motorist has quite figured out how four-way intersections work, I see. And the left lanes on East River Road? It’s wonderful when someone gets in the left lane and goes 40 clicks in perfectly fine driving conditions, all the way to Blue Acres.
• I gather the Kardashians are still famous (although I personally don’t know anyone who watches their TV show(s). I assume they’re still famous because entertainment TV tells us they’re still important, because I can’t think of any other reason. Other Random Sports Thoughts • Win or lose in the Super Bowl on Feb. 7, Peyton Manning needs to hang ‘em up once his season is over. He’s a great quarterback, but Manning is showing his age. His passes don’t have the zip they used to have and he’s a shell of his former self. As we all all find out sooner or later, the mind is willing and able, but the body is slowly shutting down.
• I won’t say I’m thrilled that the Montreal Canadiens have fallen into the tank in rather epic fashion, but I can’t say I’m disappointed, either. Oh, I take most of that back: I really am thrilled.
Many diehard runners run from January through December, no matter what kind of weather is confronting them.
But for others, getting off the couch during the cold, dreary months of winter can be a challenge, so that’s where the Pictou County Hypothermic HalfMarathon comes in: it offers a tangible, within-sight goal to keep runners on the road – as slush-filled as they may be at this time of year.
“It’s so easy to become inactive during the winter months, so something like this kind of pushes you,” said Terri Waldron, who is the co-race director along with her husband Chris. “It’s easier to stay on focus.” Also a fundraiser for the YMCA of Pictou County’s Strong Kids campaign, the fourth annual event will take place on March 6, starting at the Little Harbour Community Centre.
“We are very passionate about this event and want to advertise as much as possible, as we believe in health and wellness and want to encourage as many as possible to participate,”said Terri Waldron.
There will be a $20 entry fee for runners.
“All money raised will go to the campaign,” said Chris Waldron. “We raised slightly over $1,000 last year and we hope to match that, plus more, this year.”
To register, go to raceroster. and anyone looking for more information can email terri.waldron@sobeys. com.