Thursday, March 29, 2007

Field of Dreams

Here's your Thursday morning FNL re-cap (Kenny):

After a train de-railed near the high school in Dillon, Texas mere days before the State Semi-Finals, resulting in the school's closing and shutting down the football field, Coach Taylor had to do some quick thinking to find himself a home field. In a stroke of genius, he decided to gather his players together to build a field in a rural cow pasture, gathering them even tighter as a group as they worked to create their very own football field.

Meanwhile, Tyra finally gave in to Landry's pursual and agreed to let him be her Algebra tutor, and in Landry's world, that was like winning the lottery. However, his car broke down just as it started to rain, leaving Tyra waiting alone at the diner, chatting awkwardly with a man sitting nearby. When finally Tyra gave up waiting on Landry, she decided to take off, but that man followed her, shoved her into a truck, and tried to rape her. Tyra fought back, burning him with the truck cigarette lighter and slamming the door on his hand, and he finally gave up. Moments later, as she stood crying in the rain, trying to gather up her books, Landry showed up at last, and he gathered Tyra into his arms and comforted her. It was a really sweet moment, and I hope Tyra gives the goofball geek a chance...But the whole time, I just kept thinking, "Why, when the rest of the world is at the football game, are Tyra & Landry planning to study?" I know she had a big test coming up, but I don't think anybody in Dillon misses football games - especially not Matt Sarracen's best friend, Landry!

And once again, Bo did not get enough air time, as Riggins continues to woo the single-mom-new-neighbour, Jackie. However, Tim did get a warning from big brother Billy that this is not going to end well. I hope for Tim's sake, he's wrong...I mean, he really has been getting the short end of the stick all season long in the relationship department.

And Waverly is Bi-Polar, and she's no longer taking her meds, and Smash is seriously scared. Can't say I blame him...She's kinda giving me the shivers every time she's on screen.

Best Bitch-Out of the Night: Lyla throwing water on Jason and lecturing him on how to turn his life around. Glad to see that Lyla has grown a spine and isn't afraid to tell him how it is, wheelchair or not!

Oh yeah, about that Semi-Final football game...It started to rain shortly after the game began, turning the cow-pasture-slash-football-field into one big mudhole. But the boys wanted to play, despite the officials' attempt to call the game, and they let 'em have at 'er, and of course the Panthers won. So Coach Taylor's cow pasture did, indeed, turn into the Field of Dreams.

Before signing off, I thought I should also mention a story that's become a hot topic in our area since it made front-page news in the Ottawa Citizen yesterday. 8-year-old Jared Murray of Shawville (great-nephew of Sens coach Bryan Murray), who played Novice B hockey for the Pontiacs all season long, has now been banned from playing in the Hockey Quebec Regional Playdowns, allegedly because of his size. Of course, in Shawville, where people are still bitter about having been forced to switch from the Upper Ottawa Valley minor hockey league to the Quebec Metro league many years ago, this has developed, once again, into a language issue. Many people feel that because Shawville is a mainly English town, that they are being discriminated against by the Metro league and its' French-speaking authorities.

Personally, for me, the language thing has gotten in the way of the real problem here: A child is no longer able to play the game he loves, and if the reason they're giving is that he's too big, then that is the angle from which this should be fought. Forget your French vs. English battle - this is about human rights, and a child being forced to sit out because of his size. And I guarantee you, this kid is an unhappy camper right now, because not only has he been forced to the sidelines, but Shawville Minor Hockey in its entirety is now boycotting the Regionals, and I can just imagine the kind of flak this boy is going to take at school from other children who don't understand the situation and blame him for cutting their hockey seasons short.

It's a gross injustice, to be sure. I just hope that those involved approach this from the right angle, or else minor hockey in Shawville is going to suffer for generations to come.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

This has nothing to do with today's blog, I just wanted to mention to you that there is a Wade Redden player profile on A Channel's website, if you haven't already watched it. I went there yesterday to watch Mike Fisher's profile. You click on tv shows, then Senators Primetime, then player profiles. There is a bunch of Senators to pick from.

Jill said...

Thanks PK! I actually stayed up til almost 11 one night after a Sens game to watch Wade's profile on A-Channel during Sens Primetime, I wonder if it's the same one? I'll have to check it out!

Anonymous said...

Yeah it's probably the same one.

Anonymous said...

hey Jilly-willy,
I was searching the web for blogs about the "Jared" story.. and came accross your blog... I started to post a comment about the incident then stopped... read your profile an luaghed 'cuase I was sure I knew who you were... Then I saw the Kanny and Luke references in your posts. It all makes sense now, agriculture, FLN, Sens....
BTW how is the supastah!?

Jill said...

Oh no...Johnny Nash on my Blog...this is SCARY!!!!!!

That's so weird, I just tried to find stories on Jared, and my Blog didn't come up at all...In fact nothing did!

Anyways, you probably won't like it here, Mr. Nash, because Luke told me yesterday he was sick of reading about what women want to eat...haha!!

And as for the "Supastah", he's currently in a dentist's chair somewhere, and I hope they're pulling his teeth and making him cry!!!!!

Jill said...

Bryan Murray weighs in...

MINOR HOCKEY MESS: Murray said he's disappointed his grand-nephew, Jared Murray, has become embroiled in the middle of a minor hockey mess in Shawville. Jared has been banned from a tournament because the eight-year-old is bigger and stronger than the competition. Other Shawville teams are now boycotting in support of him. Jared is playing in the highest level available for him (Novice B) in Shawville. "You make the choice to play at eight years of age in your hometown with your friends. You're not allowed to play in tournaments and everybody has to pull out to support you. I think it's pretty sad," said Murray. "You can say what you want, but you can never justify affecting young people the way they've been affected."

Jill said...

And here's Kenny's comment:
FNL was great! I loved it when Coach Taylor asked Jason if he ever thought of coaching.

On the Jarred Murray side of things I disagree that it will hurt Shawville and Jarred.

I don't think any kids will be mad at him from what I understand everyone stands behind Trevor's decision to pull all the teams out.

I also think this might help Shawville get what they have always wanted and that was allowed to play back in Ontario. It is such shorter travel. The hockey is no different except the rules are much easier to play by in Ontario and we will never have to worry about the language thing

Jill said...

OK, Kenny, I've been thinking a lot about your comments on the Jared Murray thing, and I do understand where you (and all the parents and everyone else) are coming from. The thing is, we've been through this battle with Quebec Hockey before and lost. In court. What makes anybody think it will be different this time? If it were me, I'd be saying, "OK, here's the hand we've been dealt, let's make the best of it." Using this issue with Jared Murray to launch another French vs. English fiasco is not going to help Shawville, it's going to hurt them. But that is just my opinion. I still think it is completely unfair that a child is being sat out, and somebody should fight for him, and I agree with the boycott. I just think the whole language issue should be left out of it this time.

Anonymous said...

Question:
Did the SDMHA do the right thing by pulling all teams?
Answer:
Time will tell. This kind of media attention will not likely help the SDMHA in negotiations w/ hockey Outaouais. However, this might open the door to have Hockey Canada and Hockey Quebec look at our (Coulunge included) unique situation.

Question 2:
Did the coach of Jared's team do the right thing by not going without Jared (if he had none of this would hae seen the light of day)?
Answer:
You're GD right he did. And shame on those mo-fos for singling out one kid.

getting angry now... late.
(comments on French vs. English withheld)

Jill said...

I gather you're an assistant coach with the team, so you've got more of an inside track I guess, but I agree that the team did the right thing in refusing to play without Jared. Bottom line is this really sucks for the kids, and what is happening to Jared is discrimination - whether it's because he's too big, English, or just a really good hockey player - and in this day in age, that should not be tolerated.

Anonymous said...

WTF? no new blog entries? how am i supposed to know what is happening on TV and/or in Qyuon!?!

Jill said...

Keep yer pants on...some days I'm busy, ya know...

Anonymous said...

so you're picturing me without pant eh? hmm duly noted.