Random Sports Thoughts As We Stumble Into 2018
• You may have noticed the three-part series this week on Pictou County sports happenings in 2017. We couldn’t decide which story was the biggest of the year – there were a few contenders, all of them noteworthy and unique – so we didn’t choose one singular moment, instead, we let the events stand on their own. It is fitting.
• They had some problems in the first half of the season, such as the month of November, but the Junior A Crushers still have a chance to make a run for a playoff spot over the next several weeks. It will be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline on Jan. 10.
Will they be buyers, will they be sellers, or will the Crushers go with what they have and see if it’s good enough?
• A year ago around this time, then-Pictou County Scotians coach Al Whidden said he thought his team could win a Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League championship in 2017. At that point, the Scotians were looking quite ordinary, but they would go on to win the whole thing, making believers out of everyone. They are probably a better team now than last year’s version was, but the Scotians won’t surprise anyone this time.
• Pittsburgh Steelers, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Maple Leafs (yes, I went there) and Cleveland Indians: they will be the champs in 2018.
• Blayre Turnbull and assistant coach Troy Ryan didn’t need to be told this, but they both agreed with the following, just weeks away from when the Canadian women attempt to defend their Olympic hockey gold: if you don't win a gold medal when playing hockey for this country, nothing else matters. They might as well finish out of the medals altogether if that happens, because no one back home will care about silver or bronze. Like, absolutely no one.
Non-Sports Thoughts of the Week:
• For a guy who is always complaining about the bad drivers in Pictou County (with good reason, by the way), didn’t I feel like a dope last Friday: I was backing out of a parking spot at a downtown New Glasgow bank, only to hear a guy behind me blare his horn before I turned it into a bad day for both of us. Luckily, one of us was paying attention to what was going on, so if that guy reads this, thanks for the heads-up.
• Most people don’t keep a New Year’s resolution – if they make one at all – so one might question whether there’s much point in doing it.
But look at it this way: if you do make one, and give a half-decent effort trying to keep it, it might work out for you: the momentum and the resolve could build inside, until you become an unstoppable force ready to kick some ass and take names.
Because we are stronger than that pack of cigarettes, that case of beer, or that bucket of fried chicken (with gravy)… oh, never mind, we’re really not stronger than those things.
And now I want fried chicken with gravy.
But just in case a miracle happens, make a New Year’s resolution, anyway – you might surprise yourself.
Happy 2018, and keep moving forward.
Kevin Adshade is sportswriter with The News. His column appears each Saturday.
