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Old 07-01-2020, 12:16 AM   #1
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Default The Canada Day List, best Canadian Moments in Sports

Happy Canada Day! While things seem to be battered and divisive right now in our corner of the world, nothing brings this country together more then sports. Whether its millions watching the Stanley Cup, or cheering Canadians on in the Olympics, there is nothing more unifying then sports. So I want to look at what I think are the greatest moments or events in Canadian Sporting history.

so through on your Maple Leaf toque, wrap that red and white scarf around your neck and crack open your favorite Canadian Beer as we do not serve Japanese or American Beers in this bar and lets go.

1) 1972 Paul Henderson Scores to win the Hockey Summit.

To understand how much was at stake we have to first realize that people at the time believed that Canada was losing its grip on hockey dominance. Traditionally Canada would send its best amateurs to the Olympics and without exception dominate the hockey tournament. The tournament itself was seen as Canada and everyone else with a couple of exceptions like Britain beating Canada in 1936. But something changed in 1956 as the Soviets who had been carefully studying the Canadian game began to dominate the Olympics.

"Pfft" Most Canadians and Journalists stated, the best Canadians play in the NHL. Pro Canadians versus the Russians would be a waxing. And Canada believed that the 8 game series between the best of the NHL Canadians vs the Russians would be a blow out. In fact Canadian scouts came back unimpressed. Sure the Russians could skate and pass, but they were passionless and their goalie Tretiak wouldn't be able to stand up to Canadian shooters.

That's why it was such a surprise when the Russians were the better team in the first four games in Canada coming out with a 2-1-1 record including a blow out in game one and a win in Vancouver where the Canadians were boo'd off of the ice.

The Canadians slowly started building momentum in Russia, after losing the first game before bouncing back to win the last three games giving them a 4-3-1 series win.

In game 8 with the Russians ready to declare victory via goal differential, Paul Henderson scored the biggest goal in Canadian history with 34 seconds left.



2) Toronto Blue Jays win back to back world series

I was never a baseball fan, but I was glued to the TV for the Jays two World Series wins. While this wasn't the case of the plucky underdog winning the world series as the Jays went 96-66 in their first year of winning the series behind a really talented lineup and in the second year the Jays were 95 and 67 with a even more talented lineup. Canada was galvanized by the idea of the World Series coming to Canada and the entire country followed the Jays. However the second World Title certainly had the more dramatic ending as Joe Carter hit a walk off 3 run home run as the Jays came back to win to win the world series



3) Toronto Raptors win the NBA Championship

The Raptors are known more as an underachieving franchise then a steady contender. That's why the biggest moment in the teams history leading up to the 2019 season was Vince Carter winning the Slam Dunk Contest in 2000. The Raptors had a pretty strong regular season team and caught fire in the playoffs heading into a final against the Expected to win dominant Golden Stte Warriors who had won the previous Championships. Lead by amazing playoff performance by Kawhi Leonard The Raptors made history by bringing the Larry O'brien trophy to a non American team for the first time in history.





4) Sidney Crosby yells to Iggy and Canada wins the 2010 Gold Medal

It was a magical Olympics in Vancouver and while we can make fun of Gretz's exasperated look when the torch failed of the cheesiness of driving medal winners around in the back of pickups. it was a amazing Olympics a Canada finished on top of the standings,But as always Men's hockey took the center stage as Canada fought to the gold medal game and salted out the victory with the infamous Iggy call and goal scored by Sidney Crosby followed by a crowd eruption that echo'd across the country.



Oh and call me cheesy, but I loved this song.



5) Donovan Bailey Wins 100M Olympic Gold

For a long time there was a shadow over Canadian track and field thanks to Ben Johnson's suspension for steroid use in 1988. However Canada got some redemption and the country had its golden moment in one of the predominate Summer game track and field sports as he became the Worlds Fastest man running clean against a dirty field and set a world record on 9.84. He later pummeled Michael Johnson who pulled up lame when he realized he looked like a big gigantic jerk face.



6) George Chuvalo fights Ali.

There is an argument to be made that Chuvalo was the inspiration for Rocky, a iron jawed boxer known for his determination and guts. He was a last second announcement to fight Ali the greatest fighter to ever live. Chuvalo went all 12 rounds and went toe to toe with Ali putting the Champ in the hospital. It remains of the great stories of guts and determination.



7) Canada's 1984 Olympic Swim team.

You can argue that the LA Olympics were severely weakened by the boycott of the Eastern Block athletes in retaliation for the American boycott of the 1980 Olympics and you'd be right, however who cares. I would argue that even with the Eastern Block athletes Alex Bauman and Victor Davis would have probably been pretty successful. Plus they started the Canadian frisbee tradition.





8) Bianca Andreescu wins the 2019 US Open.

We've been teased by Woman's tennis for a long time, just when we think we've got a dominant woman's player it just doesn't happen. Eugenie Bouchard had a good streak before falling back, Carling Bassett was solid but could never reach the top. That's why all our hopes are on Bianca who came out of nowhere in 2019 and used her power game to beat the greatest woman's player of all time in Serena Williams to make history.




9) Elizabeth Manley wins Silver in Calgary



One of the biggest upsets of all time for Canada and in front of a home town crowd in Calgary during the 1988 Olympics. The main story was the battle between Debbie Thomas of the US and Katerina Witt of East Germany in the Battle of the Carmens' They were expected to finish 1 and 2. And while Thomas fell apart and Witt skated a conservative routine Manley had the skate of a lifetime coming within a fraction of a point of winning the gold medal. What was really amazing about this was that Manley had no sponsorship and she was sick. for the whole Olympics.






Happy Canada Day everyone!
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Old 07-01-2020, 12:20 AM   #2
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Great memories.

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Old 07-01-2020, 12:23 AM   #3
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Added Liz Manley's 88 performance
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Old 07-01-2020, 12:24 AM   #4
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Gotta have Mike Weir winning the Masters in 2003!

Edit:
2002 Olympic hockey gold for both the men and women, ending our 50 year drought without a gold in our national sport
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Old 07-01-2020, 12:32 AM   #5
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Old 07-01-2020, 12:45 AM   #6
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regarding 5. my preference is the relay win the following week. having the world's fastest man is one thing- having four of our guys take on the Americans on their turf- and win handily (with the lead before Bailey got the stick) is something I will never forget (and is actually my number one moment, but realize it can't actually displace the actual number one here)

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Old 07-01-2020, 12:48 AM   #7
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Old 07-01-2020, 12:49 AM   #8
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People forget how fast Bruny Surn was and Robert Esmie and Glenroy Gilbert were very good sprinters as well. As much watching that race that we talk about Bailey. Surin dominated that third leg and gave a pretty good lead to Donovan.
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Old 07-01-2020, 07:51 AM   #9
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Old 07-01-2020, 07:57 AM   #10
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An important thing about GSP is that he fought clean in an era before the UFC got serious about testing and that he beat a murderers row of guys that included some serious 'roid monkeys. Very, very strong candidate for MMA GOAT.
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Old 07-01-2020, 08:23 AM   #11
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Podborski winning the world cup.



Jacques Villeneuve F1 World Championship 1997
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Old 07-01-2020, 09:03 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch View Post
People forget how fast Bruny Surn was and Robert Esmie and Glenroy Gilbert were very good sprinters as well. As much watching that race that we talk about Bailey. Surin dominated that third leg and gave a pretty good lead to Donovan.
and Gilbert's second leg, was - at least at the time- I believe- the fastest ever run


Esmie was the underdog (and subbed in at the last minute) but held his own in basically a draw with a much more famous sprinter. then Gilbert and Surin destroyed their fields
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Old 07-01-2020, 09:35 AM   #13
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Terry Fox.

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Old 07-01-2020, 10:57 AM   #14
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I had a real mental debate on the Terry Fox one, and came to the conclusion that he fell more into the list of great Canadians/events.


There was also the lady who swam Lake Ontario which was un heard of at the time, and I left that one out as well.
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Old 07-01-2020, 11:11 AM   #15
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Quote:
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I had a real mental debate on the Terry Fox one, and came to the conclusion that he fell more into the list of great Canadians/events.
More into the title of Greatest Canadian Ever.
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Old 07-01-2020, 11:17 AM   #16
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Quote:
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5) Donovan Bailey Wins 100M Olympic Gold

For a long time there was a shadow over Canadian track and field thanks to Ben Johnson's suspension for steroid use in 1988. However Canada got some redemption and the country had its golden moment in one of the predominate Summer game track and field sports as he became the Worlds Fastest man running clean against a dirty field and set a world record on 9.84. He later pummeled Michael Johnson who pulled up lame when he realized he looked like a big gigantic jerk face.



Happy Canada Day everyone!
Loved Bailey as a kid. This celebration is so great. I played baseball the next season, and remember telling my dad that if I ever hit a home run, I was coming in like Bailey.

Got an inside the park home run, 3rd to home like Bailey. Retired from baseball.
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Old 07-01-2020, 12:36 PM   #17
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Got an inside the park home run, 3rd to home like Bailey. Retired from baseball.
because the pitcher was coming with the high heat at your next at bat otherwise


there is nothing like the swagger of a sprinter- if you don't have it- you are toast
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Old 07-01-2020, 12:40 PM   #18
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Gretzky to Lemieux..... final game 1987 Canada Cup.

A tremendous moment.
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Old 07-01-2020, 12:45 PM   #19
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I remember being so excited for the Canadian men's team qualifying in 86 for the World cup...then they played in it was a great moment being at Commonwealth for the draw with Brazil pre world cup 94


this list could possibly use some Christine Sinclair though!
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Old 07-01-2020, 02:06 PM   #20
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because the pitcher was coming with the high heat at your next at bat otherwise


there is nothing like the swagger of a sprinter- if you don't have it- you are toast
Meh, we were only 10.
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