In their standard pre-game ritual, on Wednesday the Canadian team at the World Cup of Hockey before their game against Slovakia was not overconfident, knowing that in elimination rounds, anything goes with such a desperate (albeit winless) opponent. In my standard pre-game ritual, I put egg rolls in the oven so they would be ready by the second period, and donned my Montreal Canadians _ jersey ("McKenna, #8," in honor of Mark Recchi, one of the greatest ever to play the game), a ritual which helped Montreal oust Boston in seven games in the first round of last year's playoffs (I wasn't able to find time to watch any of the Tampa-Montreal games).

After a hard-fought first period, the Slovaks collapsed in the second, allowing four goals in about nine minutes. Canada's incredible skill and the luck of my tasty egg rolls and fashionable jersey were evident. Canada's overpowering offense continued into the third, when Jarome Iginla bulged the twine and put Canada into the lead 5-0. The Slovaks were clearly defeated, yet in a genuinely un- sportsmanlike and un-Canadian gesture, Team Canada continued pressing to embarrass the Slovaks by trying to increase their margin of victory to an even more ridiculous score. They didn't — thank God.

Don't get me wrong. I love Team Canada as much as the next guy — maybe more — but to press for goals in such a way is just wrong. This team was winless. We absolutely thumped them last time we played them, and this was no different. For real hockey buffs, it was a Calle Johansson-like gesture

in front of the open net; as the announcer put it when Johansson did it, it was "salt in the wound.” There was no need for Johansson to stop in front of the empty net to give the defense a false hope of catching him in the crease before he scored a sure goal, and he isn't even a classy player. The announcer berated him. You won't find any announcers berating Team Canada on the CBC because we are, and always have been, a classy team. Until now.

I am a huge fan of Canadian hockey, but sometimes, you have to look past your own bias. I'm not going to write an article aimed at Ilya Kovalchuck or Alexei Kovalev for trying to be heroes and taking away Russia’s only chance in the dying minutes of their last game. Nor am | going to berate Keith Tkachuk and the American team for their "I told you so" attitude after the game, even though I hate that team. I won't do that because before you can criticize other teams for being un-sportsmanlike and not playing the game with integrity you have to make sure that your team sets the bar for such play, especially at the international level. Canada used to do that, but after our last performance, I'm not sure anymore. Maybe what they really need is Mark Recchi.

(Note: Mark Recchi, a Philadelphia Flyer's star, recently took a pay

cut to go back to the team with whom he started his career and won a Stanley Cup -- the Pittsburgh Penguins, even thought they suck. That's integrity.)

TEAM EMBARASSES SLOWAKS, SELF

Rumours of Impending UPEI Staff Strike Proven False

There appears to be no cause for time and this situation is not unusu- alarm over another threat of a-strike al. Peggy Leahey, Director of UPEI at UPEI. Rumors swirling around Human Resources, says the negoti- the UPEI Campus leading con- ations have been going well and are cerned students to believe the UPEI expected to be concluded over the faculty is in a legal strike position course of the fall and winter.

have been proven to be completely

false. Both the union representing Student Union President Clare the faculty and the university Henderson responded positively to administration state that negotia- these statements by declaring, "the tions are ongoing and the union is Student Union is pleased to hear not in a position to strike. Most that it looks unlikely that the stu- technical and administrative sup- dents will be disrupted by a strike or port staff at UPEI have been work- lockout this year."

ing without a contract since it expired in April of this spring.

With rumours of a strike shown to have no merit, at the moment stu-

Anything can happen in negotia- dents can put aside the strike fears tions, but currently the situation that plagued the university last year. appears to be good. Leo Cheverie, Well, at least for a while. It should the president of CUPE Local 1870 be kept in mind that it would not be representing UPEI support stafftold unusual for a negotiation such as the Cadre the union is currently in the current process to experience the normal process of negotiations bumps in the road. But it is more with dates set for negotiations likely that rough seas for students throughout September and October. may return in a year's time as the Even though their previous contract faculty association's contract expired, Cheverie said negotiations expires next June.

with UPEI have traditionally taken

‘homes and day programs with people who have developmental

[ane fae new and meaningful experience? Why not spend time at L’Arche Cape Breton!

L’Arche is‘an intemational federation of communities creating

disabilities. There are over 100 L'Arche communities all over the world. L'Arche Cape Breton is always looking for energetic and enthusiastic people to spend time as live-in assistants in our community. It can be a way to have fun, to discover the beauty of people with disabilities and to learn about yourself. Assistants at L’Arche Cape Breton help the core members (those with developmental disabilities) with basic tasks of daily living, but also spend time having fun and participating in community events. We will help with your medical expenses and you will receive a monthly stipend.

L’Arche Cape Breton

Phone: 756-3162 or 756-3118

Changing the world...One heart at a time.

UPEI Cadre September 14, 2004 page 16