Memorable shots of 2014
One was a jaw dropper, one was a blast and one was a winner. All three were stand up and cheer moments. And they all came in 2014. They were the standout shots of the year, and they came in basketball, soccer and curling competition.
Here they are, from No. 3 to No. 1:
3. RYAN YETMAN
It wasn’t the winning goal, but it was a memorable one in September at King George V Park.
With Holy Cross Kirby Group Crusaders up 1-0 and the St. Lawrence Laurentians pushing for the tying goal in the Challenge Cup final, a Holy Cross counter attack ended up with the ball Ryan Yetman’s boot.
A substitute, Yetman provided the turn-out-the-lights-the-party’s-over goal with two minutes to play.
His high, hard blast from 25 yards gave Laurentians goalkeeper John Douglas no chance to make a save.
It was the sort of strike you see on pro soccer highlights, and Yetman responded like the pros.
He peeled off his jersey in celebration as his teammates chased him down.
“It was just one of those things you don't think about,” said Yetman. “I was just trying to get it on target and see what happens because that wind was nasty.”
2. MEGAN ROBINSON
It was the sort of desperation shot that usually comes up empty.
Megan Robinson's incredible three-pointer from downtown St. John’s in November will be remembered for a long, long time even though it wasn’t a winner.
The Dalhousie Tigers had dropped a free throw that gave the visitors a three-point lead with two seconds on the clock and Memorial out of time outs in an Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women’s basketball game at the Field House.
It meant the Sea-Hawks had to go the length of the floor. Or ...
Rebecca Amo-Mensah in-bounded the ball to Robinson, who took a couple of steps and then heaved the ball beyond half court. The buzzer sounded with the ball in the air and then ... nothing but net!
The shot brought the big crowd to its feet screaming and cheering for several minutes.
The trey tied the game 65-65 after regulation, sending it into overtime where the Tigers pulled it out. But it was Robinson’s miracle toss that everyone was talking about long after the game.
“In front of that big crowd, that shot was awesome,” noted MUN’s Lindsay Taylor.
1. BRAD GUSHUE
As he crouched in the hack to throw his last rock, Brad Gushue may or may not have been thinking of the $25,000 prize money at the end of the rainbow 146 feet of pebbled ice away.
In any case, the pressure was on the Bally Haly Golf and Country Club rink at the Canadian Open a few weeks ago in Yorkton, Sask.
With hometowner Steve Laycock lying three, Gushue had made a double takeout with his first shot of the final end. But that was just part of the setup.
The Saskatchewan skip then froze his last stone to a rock lying in the four-foot. Gushue elected to draw for two points to win the game.
With his front end of Brett Gallant and Geoff Walker sweeping superbly, Gushue’s last stone just got past a Laycock rock for second shot and the deuce.
Gushue had followed the rock down the ice and when it was clear he’d delivered the goods, he threw up his hands and punched the air with his fist. He team, with his clutch shot, captured the title on a 6-5 decision.
“The guys gave me a shot to win and they swept that perfect. Boy, oh boy, it feels good,” said Gushue, in his post game interview on CBC.
“That’s the hardest shot I’ve ever seen this year, and to draw to the side of the sheet to the side of the button that we hadn’t played on all game, I don’t want anyone other than Brad throwing that shot,” third Mark Nichols told Sportsnet after the match. ••••• Hockey broadcaster Bob Cole of St. John’s couldn’t be more proud of his Order of Canada appointment.
Cole received the honour recently along with fellow Newfoundlanders Jean-Pierre Andrieux and Robert Mellin.
Cole, who has received a number of awards over his long career, including induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996 as the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence; an honorary Doctorate of Laws from Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's in 2002 and a Gemini Award in the area of Sports Play-by Play in 2007, said the Order of Canada “is probably as high as you’re going to go, y’know.”
He said he’s received tremendous feedback since the announcement was made.
“It’s really amazing. It blows me away. You never think about getting something like this. I dunno, you can’t explain it, ”he said.”
Each year there are a trio of ceremonies in Ottawa where honourees are formally invested into the order by the Governor General. Those involved will be able to attend an upcoming ceremony of their choice in the new year.
Cole said he’ll also get to wear a special lapel pin as an Order of Canada recipient.
He mentioned that CBC’s Peter Mansbridge wears his Order of Canada pin all the time. At lest he used to up until recently when, according to the Toronto Star he replaced it with the crest of a flying fish and, in tiny letters, the word “Relax.”