January
      10,
      2006
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Point-Counterpoint:
      the
      Merits
      of
      Overtime
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Chris
      O’Leary/Jake
      Troughton
     
     
      The
      Gateway
      (University
      of
      Alberta)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      EDMONTON
      (CUP)
      —
      Imagine
      you
     
     
      and
      a
      friend
      have
      stepped
      into
      a
      time
     
     
      machine.
      Instead
      of
      landing
      in
      a
     
     
      situation
      that’s
      both
      fun
      and
     
     
      seamlessly
      flawless,
      like
      being
      Louis
     
     
      XIV,
      the
      two
      of
      you
      find
      yourselves
     
     
      the
      focus
      of
      thousands
      of
      Romans,
     
     
      ready
      to
      watch
      the
      two
      of
      you
      fight
      to
     
     
      the
      death.
      After
      your
      standard
      brutish
     
     
      brawl,
      you’re
      both
      bloodied
      and
     
     
      beaten,
      yet
      there
      the
      both
      of
      you
      are
     
     
      still
      alive.
      At
      the
      conclusion
      of
      these
     
     
      events,
      the
      Romans
      didn’t
      bellow
      out
     
     
      to
      the
      spectators
      that
      both
     
     
      combatants
      fought
      valiantly,
      and
      since
     
     
      they
      both
      made
      it
      this
      far,
      that
      they
     
     
      were
      going
      to
      let
      them
      go
      to
      fight
     
     
      another
      day.
      No,
      it
      was
      at
      this
      point
     
     
      that
      things
      got
      interesting.
      And
      by
     
     
      interesting,
      I
      mean
      they
      let
      the
      lions
     
     
      out.
     
    

    
     
      With
      the
      lions
      on
      the
      battlefield,
     
     
      do
      you
      think
      you
      and
      your
      friend
     
     
      would
      join
      hands
      and
      walk
      to
      face
      your
     
     
      fate
      together?
      Hell
      no.
      One
      of
      you
     
     
      would
      probably
      push
      the
      other
      at
      the
     
     
      lions
      and
      all
      the
      Romans
      would
      go
     
     
      home
      happy.
     
    

    
     
      While
      fighting
      to
      the
      death
     
     
      and
      being
      fed
      to
      the
      lions
      didn’t
      quite
     
     
      make
      it
      through
      the
      ages,
      the
      spirit
      of
     
     
      these
      competitions
      lives
      on
      in
     
     
      overtime.
     
    

    
     
      As
      you're
      growing
      up,
      parents
     
     
      and
      coaches
      stress
      that
      sports
      are
      just
     
     
      for
      fun,
      but
      once
      you
      get
      into
      the
     
     
      competitive
      stuff
      the
      gloves
      come
      off.
     
     
      Everyone
      involved
      has
      put
      in
      too
     
     
      much
      time
      and
      money
      to
      step
      off
      the
     
     
      ice/field/pitch/court
      and
      have
     
     
      nothing
      resolved—and
      that’s
      not
      even
     
     
      considering
      the
      fan’s
      perspective.
     
    

    
     
      Let’s
      say,
      for
      whatever
      reason,
     
     
      you’re
      an
      Oilers
      fan.
      You
      save
      up
      all
     
     
      year
      and
      bought
      the
      best
      seat
      in
      the
     
     
      house,
      and
      before
      you
      can
      even
      pay
     
     
      too
      much
      for
      your
      beer,
      in
      typical
     
     
      Oilers
      fashion,
      the
      team
      gets
      down
      a
     
     
      goal
      or
      two
      quickly.
      If
      you’re
      a
      long-
     
     
      time
      fan
      though,
      you
      know
      how
      these
     
     
      things
      go.
      The
      Oil
      fight
      back,
      cutting
     
     
      the
      lead
      down
      to
      one
      midway
      through
     
     
      the
      third.
      In
      the
      game’s
      dying
      seconds,
     
     
      Edmonton
      pulls
      their
      goalie,
      and
     
     
      miracle
      of
      miracles,
      they
      score
      with
     
     
      two
      seconds
      left.
      Rexall’s
      going
     
     
      bananas,
      the
      Flames
      are
      reeling,
      and
     
     
      this
      game
      is
      far
      from
      over.
      It
      needs
     
     
      extra
      time.
     
    

    
     
      So
      why
      does
      the
      game
      have
      to
     
     
      end?
      Overtime
      is
      the
      most
      dramatic
     
     
      part
      of
      the
      game.
      It’s
      where
      legends
     
     
      are
      made
      and
      legacies
      are
      formed.
      How
     
    
   
   
    
     
      could
      you
      possibly
      be
      content
      with
      two
     
     
      teams
      resolving
      nothing
      in
      regulation?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      //Counterpoint//
     
    
   
   
    
     
      When
      our
      parents
      told
      us
      that
     
     
      sport
      is
      all
      about
      having
      fun,
      they
      were,
     
     
      of
      course,
      full
      of
      crap.
      But
      that
      doesn’t
     
     
      mean
      it’s
      all
      about
      winning,
      either.
      It’s
     
     
      about
      sportsmanship—win,
      lose,
      or
     
     
      even
      tie.
     
    

    
     
      The
      juvenile
      North
      American
     
     
      notion
      that
      a
      tie
      game
      “solves
      nothing”
     
     
      is,
      quite
      frankly,
      contrary
      to
      that
      spirit.
     
     
      It
      elevates
      base
      competitiveness
     
     
      above
      all
      else,
      demanding
      that
      athletes
     
     
      and
      fans
      refuse
      to
      accept
      the
      outcome
     
     
      of
      an
      evenly
      contested
      match
      until
     
     
      one
      team
      has
      been
      artificially
     
     
      subjected
      to
      an
      undeserved
      defeat.
      A
     
     
      tie
      solves
      exactly
      what
      any
      other
      result
     
     
      solves:
      the
      question
      of
      how
      two
      teams
     
     
      match
      up
      on
      a
      given
      day.
      When
      it
     
     
      happens
      that
      they’re
      even,
      people
     
     
      should
      have
      the
      grace
      to
      accept
      that.
     
    

    
     
      A
      hockey
      game,
      for
      example,
     
     
      is
      60
      minutes
      long.
      If
      the
      score
      is
      even
     
     
      at
      the
      end
      of
      that
      time,
      then
      the
      game
     
     
      has
      been
      tied.
      Putting
      the
      game
      in
      the
     
     
      books
      as
      a
      tie
      is
      an
      accurate
      reflection
     
     
      of
      what
      happened
      that
      particular
      day.
     
     
      Sure,
      no
      one’s
      going
      to
      be
      ecstatic
     
     
      about
      a
      tie,
      but
      everyone
      hates
      losing,
     
     
      and
      it’s
      hardly
      fair
      to
      extend
      a
      game
     
     
      just
      to
      ensure
      that
      someone
     
     
      experiences
      it.
     
    

    
     
      Of
      course,
      overtime
      is
      needed
     
     
      in
      the
      playoffs.
      Then,
      and
      only
      then,
     
     
      should
      it
      be
      necessary.
      We
      can
      still
     
     
      respect
      that
      two
      teams
      are
      even,
      but
     
     
      since
      there’s
      only
      room
      for
      one
      of
      them
     
     
      in
      the
      next
      round,
      you
      have
      to
     
     
      continue.
     
    

    
     
      Our
      insistence
      on
      crowning
      a
     
     
      winner
      above
      all
      else
      wreaks
      havoc.
     
     
      If
      we
      absolutely
      must
      break
      a
      tie,
      the
     
     
      only
      reasonable
      way
      to
      do
      so
      is
      by
     
     
      continuing
      to
      play
      the
      sport
      that’s
      being
     
     
      played.
     
    

    
     
      But
      it
      seems
      that’s
      quickly
     
     
      becoming
      an
      anachronism.
      Take
      a
     
     
      recent
      Oilers/Flames
      game.
      The
      two
     
     
      teams
      came
      out
      even
      after
      battling
      for
     
     
      65
      minutes,
      but
      that
      wasn’t
      the
      end
     
     
      of
      things;
      instead
      of
      settling
      the
      draw,
     
     
      the
      teams
      were
      forced
      to
      take
      turns
     
     
      skating
      unopposed
      at
      the
      net
      until
      one
     
     
      team
      could
      score
      more
      than
      the
      other.
     
     
      The
      “winner”
      was
      essentially
     
     
      determined
      by
      a
      skills
      competition.
     
     
      How
      is
      that
      in
      any
      way
      more
      satisfying
     
     
      than
      just
      accepting
      the
      tie?
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      e
      70
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Mens
      Basketball
      Panthers
      Defeat
     
     
      Cape
      Breton
      to
      Salvage
      Weekend
      Split
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Josh
      Lewis
     
     
      Sports
      Reporter
     
    
   
   
    
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      UPEI
      Panthers
      pulled
      off
      a
      84-
     
     
      75
      victory
      over
      the
      Cape
      Breton
     
     
      Capers
      in
      mens
      basketball
      action
     
     
      Sunday
      at
      the
      Chi-Wan
      Young
      Sports
     
     
      Centre.
      Tyler
     
    
   
   
    
     
      lead
      and
      the
      Panthers
      fought
      tooth
      and
     
     
      nail
      to
      hang
      onto
      it.
      Wood
      sank
      a
     
     
      three-pointer
      with
      5:40
      left
      to
      give
     
     
      UPEI
      a
      six-point
      lead,
      and
      Edwards
     
     
      got
      a
      trey
      of
      his
      own
      with
      2:35
      left
      to
     
     
      increase
      the
      lead
      to
      10.
      Doug
     
     
      MacKinney’s
      dunk
      with
      1:54
     
     
      remaining
      seemed
      to
      bury
      the
      Capers,
     
     
      who
      trailed
      by
      nine,
      but
      the
      visitors
     
     
      refused
      to
      throw
      in
      the
      towel.
      A
      three-
     
    

    
     
      pointer
      with
      19.9
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Wood
      and
     
     
      Sf
      e
      #0
      are
     
     
      Edwards
      shared
     
     
      player
      of
      the
     
     
      game
      status
      for
     
     
      the
      Panthers,
     
     
      who
      earned
      a
     
     
      split
      with
      the
     
     
      Capers
      —
      after
     
     
      losing
      a
      74-72
     
     
      squeaker
      a
      day
     
     
      earlier.
     
    

    
     
      .
      one
     
     
      Panthers
      led
      by
     
     
      as
      much
      as
      12
     
     
      points
      in
      the
     
     
      second
      half
      with
     
     
      momentum
     
     
      changing
      hands
     
     
      frequently,
     
     
      although
      UPEI
     
     
      fe
      2
      oes
     
     
      surrendered
      the
      lead.
      With
      12:38
     
     
      remaining,
      Wood
      charged
      to
      the
     
     
      basket
      for
      two
      points,
      knocking
      over
     
     
      a
      Caper
      who
      was
      charged
      with
      a
     
     
      defensive
      foul.
      CBU
      coach
      Jim
     
     
      Charters
      was
      furious,
      demanding
      a
     
     
      charging
      call
      on
      Wood,
      and
      was
     
     
      assessed
      a
      technical
      foul.
      Charters
      had
     
     
      some
      words
      for
      the
      officials.
     
    

    
     
      “You
      don’t
      expect
      to
      get
      many
     
     
      of
      those
      calls,’
      admitted
      the
      coach.
     
     
      “We
      didn’t
      think
      we’d
      get
      a
      fair
      shake
     
     
      on
      the
      road
      anyway,
      and
      I
      guess
      most
     
     
      coaches
      think
      the
      same
      way.”
     
    

    
     
      The
      teams
      traded
      some
      huge
     
     
      shots
      in
      the
      final
      minutes
      as
      Cape
     
     
      Breton
      struggled
      to
      narrow
      UPEI’s
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      UPEI
      Panthers’
      Tyler
      Wood
      ©
     
    
   
   
    
     
      seconds
      on
      the
     
     
      clock
      reduced
      the
     
     
      deficit
      to
      five
      and
     
     
      restored
      a
      small
     
     
      sliver
      of
      hope.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Tate
      was
     
     
      before
      Sherone
     
     
      Edwards
      took
     
     
      overt.
     
    

    
     
      With
      1:2
     
    
   
   
    
     
      $:@5C
      O°
      ns
     
     
      remaining,
     
     
      Edwards
      finished
     
     
      an
      alley-oop
      from
     
     
      Kyle
      Borden
      to
      get
     
     
      the
      crowd
      on
      its
     
     
      feet.
      The
      Capers
     
     
      were
      done.
     
    

    
     
      As
      if
      that
     
     
      wasn’t
      enough,
      the
     
     
      big
      man
      went
      in
      all
     
     
      alone
      on
      the
      next
     
     
      play
      and
      shook
      the
      building
      with
      a
     
     
      thunderous
      dunk,
      ending
      the
      game
     
     
      with
      a
      bang.
     
    

    
     
      The
      visitors’
      coach
      had
      nothing
     
     
      but
      praise
      for
      Wood,
      who
      only
      recently
     
     
      made
      his
      season
      debut
      due
      to
      injury.
     
     
      “Wood
      had
      a
      huge
      impact
      today.
      He
     
     
      runs
      the
      show,”
      said
      Charters.
      “We
     
     
      tried
      to
      wear
      him
      down,
      but
      he’s
      like
     
     
      the
      Energizer
      bunny.
      He
      never
      quits.
     
    

    
     
      “P.E.I.
      is
      an
      improved
      team
     
    

    
     
      since
      the
      last
      time
      we
      played
      them.
     
     
      They
      were
      a
      tough
      opponent.”
     
     
      )
      The
      Panthers
      led
      35-31
      at
      the
     
     
      half.
      The
      team
      travels
      to
      UNB
      next
     
     
      weekend
      before
      hosting
      the
      Saint
     
     
      Mary’s
      Huskies
      on
      January
      20.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Fik
      Photo
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Live
      Sports
      Action
      on
      Panther
      Radio
     
     
      While
      nothing
      beats
      catching
      live
      Panther
      hockey
      action
      in
      person
      at
      the
     
     
      MacLauchlan
      arena,
      if
      you
      can’t
      make
      it
      in
      you
      can
      now
      take
      it
      in...
      ONLINE.
     
     
      Panther
      Radio
      is
      a
      multi-faceted
      Internet-based
      service
      that
      brings
     
     
      exciting
      live
      sports
      action
      from
      the
      University
      of
      Prince
      Edward
      Island
      to
     
     
      you.
      Our
      first
      service
      is
      live
      UPEI
      Panther
      Hockey,
      bringing
      you
      live
      play-by-
     
     
      play
      and
      colour
      commentary
      for
      every
      regular
      season
      Panther
      game.
     
     
      Visit
      http://radio.upei.ca
      to
      listen
      live
      and
      to
      learn
      more.
      The
      first
      game
     
     
      of
      the
      regular
      season
      is
      Friday,
      October
      14
      at
      7:00PM
      with
      the
      pre-game
     
     
      show
      beginning
      15
      minutes
      before
      the
      puck
      drops.