The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
A new year is here, but this column isn't about resolutions. It's about what I would like to see happen in the sports world, both locally and around the globe. 1. The Bombers continue their improvement and become one of the best teams in their division, giving momentum into a new season Ð the playoffs. 2. Canada defends its Gold medal performance from Salt Lake City with a repeat in Turin, Italy. Security might be higher as Canada's competition may try to stop Wayne Gretzky from placing another loonie at centre ice. 3. Success for all the local basketball teams. This is especially true for the senior Kopper Kings, who appear to have a team capable of winning zones. 4. World Cup soccer glory for Portugal in Germany. They need to redeem themselves after a horrible performance in Japan/Korea in 2002. 5. An offensive explosion from the Bombers' third and fourth lines, including Kenton Staines and Keelan Cook's first SJHL goals and Travis Crickard earning his first win as a Bomber. 6. The Canucks winning their first Stanley Cup and the parade starting in Colorado and ending on Robson Street in Vancouver. 7. The Bombers' Richard Dupre goes on a tear and manages to finish the season averaging a point-per-game, just as he hoped to do. 8. All six Canadian NHL teams land a playoff position, then capped by an all-Canadian final Ð a first since 1989 when Calgary defeated Montreal for their first and only Stanley Cup. My preference would be Vancouver against Ottawa or Toronto. 9. Better officiating for the remainder of the SJHL season. 10. With all the moves the Toronto Blue Jays have made in the off-season, not just a playoff berth, but bringing the World Series trophy back to Canada Ð just to make the Americans angry. 11. Fifteen-hundred fans pack the Whitney Forum in support of the Bombers before the playoffs begin. I would have said 2,000, but that might be too greedy. 12. Brett Needham scoring a hat trick in the Whitney Forum. 13. Luis Figo scoring the winning goal as Portugal becomes World Cup Champions. 14. Alex Auld stopping a few more pucks for the Canucks. 15. Doug Stokes smoking a cigar Ð during a game. 16. Myself in Streetsville, Ontario covering the Bombers as they win the Royal Bank Cup. Last but certainly not least, a great 2006 for everybody.
