Kyle Lowry – Change the Culture

Before the arrival of a young kid from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Toronto Raptors, as well as the entire country of Canada, had somewhat lost touch with not only the NBA but the game of basketball when looking through a microscope.

In July of 2012, amid an offseason of questions and admitted mistakes made by a front-office under scrutiny, the Toronto Raptors organization was at a competitive and financial stand-still.

They had already lost their face of the franchise player in Chris Bosh, and a man that had all the hype in the world around him, Andrea Bargnani was proving to be somewhat of a bust-caliber player. Demar DeRozan was just a young player finding his way in the league, and new head coach Dwayne Casey was unsure of the direction that his team or his own management wanted to go in.

The Raptors went 23-43 in a 2011-12 lockout-shortened season, finishing near the bottom of the eastern conference.

On July 11, 2012, Lowry was traded to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Gary Forbes and a future first-round pick. After his first season in Canada didn’t amount to much other than becoming the starting point guard on a bad team, Lowry was introduced to a man that would end up paving the way for his hall of fame career.

On May 31, 2013, Masai Ujiri was hired as the Raptors’ general manager. Ujiri saw a different light in Kyle Lowry that he may have not even seen in himself. Ujiri wanted Lowry to become the best emotional leader and player he could possibly be on and off the court. Ujiri challenged Lowry to take the team and put it on his back, to exceed all expectations of a franchise in pieces.

“Do you want to be a $3 million player, $2 million player for the rest of your career”, Ujiri asked Lowry, “… or do you want to be a $10 million player or more?”

That is one way to motivate someone who had been fighting his entire life. At just seven years old, Lowry’s father left the family never to be heard from again. Lowry’s older brother took him in and raised him into the game of basketball, to take out frustrations on a basketball court in East Philly.

After reading into the life of Kyle Lowry and trying to understand where he comes from and what he stands for, you quickly can see how his life impacts the way he performs on the court.

Heart. determination and grit are just a few ways to define the career of Kyle Lowry in his time with the Toronto Raptors. In his early years of developing alongside his best friend in DeMar DeRozan, they had their ups and their downs the entire ride.

With the personal successes, they reached together, as well as the crippling playoff failures what felt like over and over again, Lowry has seen all of the bad and all of the good in his time wearing a Raptors jersey.

In 2018 when Masai Ujiri pulled the trigger on the biggest transaction in Raptors history, acquiring Kawhi Leonard for Lowry’s close buddy DeRozan, the Raptors signaled that they were all in. With an aging star in Lowry who they had been building around for close to a decade, it was now or never to finally reached the holy grail in the postseason.

The rest is history. The 2018-19 Toronto Raptors would go on to be probably the most lumped together, inspired and resilient NBA championship team ever. A first-year head coach in Nick Nurse and one season of Leonard and Danny Green, they accomplished exactly what they set out to do, win a ring and inspire a nation along the way.

From rags to riches was exactly where Lowry’s career in Canada had traveled. Once an afterthought, an undersized guard from Villanova that was labeled with relationship issues amounts to his coaches and a problem in the locker room. To look back on it now, it is safe to say Lowry has been the lead contributor alongside Masai Ujiri to the changing of culture in not only the Raptors organization but the sport of basketball in this country.

Trade rumors have swirled around this year regarding the services of the greatest Toronto Raptor ever. Regardless of where things end up, it is a sure thing that Canada will always embrace Lowry for what he did on and off the court, exactly what he was challenged to do in an offseason meeting in 2013.

Favorite Lowry Moments – 

There are so many. The run in 2019 comes to mind first of course. All of his insanely timely charges drawn, big threes in clutch moments, setting up his teammates when he didn’t have a chance to score.

His relationship with former Raptor DeMar DeRozan, that still lives to this day as a story that Raptors fans keep close tabs on.

Here are some of the highlights of Lowry’s legendary time as the face of Toronto Raptors basketball.

Championship Parade:

Lowry was a true national treasure on this amazing day in Canadian sports history. Seen holding the Larry O’Brien trophy tighter than he was even holding his own sons. Maybe a tad under the influence of alcohol, it was a treat to finally see all of the fruits of his labor.

He even led a chant in an effort to influence star player Kawhi Leonard to resign in the six… (It didn’t work).

Kyle and DeMar:

The two biggest clowns you will see in the background of a professional sports team, but when the game wasn’t being played and the cameras were rolling, these two made sure everyone knew that it wasn’t just regular team chemistry.

The reason these two were so successful together in Toronto was the way they connected mentally. DeMar has been open about his struggles with mental health and how much of a help Kyle is to him on a daily basis.

The friendship always made the game seem so much less important than it was, because win or lose, there was always a bigger picture.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

Evan Power’s NFL Offseason Tracker

Just over one month ago, the NFL put the cherry on top of a season of the ages, one that brought a variety of obstacles, barriers and most importantly, excitement.

Since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers raised the Lombardi Trophy on their own home field at Raymond James Stadium, NFL executives and teams across the league have wasted no time in retooling and revamping their organizational priorities.

Although it is rare to see a ton of activity take place immediately after the conclusion of a season, teams and players around the league have become increasingly more aggressive and public about what their future desires are.

The Deshaun Saga –

Of course, we can begin with the dramatic case of Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson who has made it loud and clear that he is done with playing for the team and is hoping they are able to move him sooner rather than later.

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The Texans on the other hand have not even been yielding calls in regards to Watson’s availability and have expressed zero interest in any transactions involving one of the NFL’s top young players.

This leads us to ask the question; Where will Deshaun Watson be playing in the fall? Only time will tell at this point. One thing that is obvious is that the situation could get ugly in a hurry, and Watson could be forced to forfeit his years’ worth of salary by holding out of team activities with Houston.

Russ on the move? –

A situation that may be closely monitored around town these days, and one that many fans of the Seattle Seahawks never thought would be a story.

The hall-of-fame QB of the Seahawks has been a hot topic over the past few weeks after rumours came out of Seattle claiming that Russell Wilson is currently not happy with how little the team seems to accommodate his needs, consider his opinions regarding team personnel and just overall don’t seem to improve the roster.

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It is one thing when a starting quarterback of a team insists that he wants out of a city due to the constant losing and incompetency of the franchise, like Deshaun Watson.

It is another thing when your star player, the quarterback and leader that you groomed and developed with nothing but a fourth-round selection the draft, a top-three signal-caller in the game today, is expressing these type of ill feelings towards the team he adores so much.

To be clear, this isn’t a trade request from Russ and there is just as good of a chance he is still in Seattle come training camp as there is he is dealt. Yet the relationship that seemed to be thriving for a decade between Wilson and Hawks head coach Pete Carroll seems to be fractured.

Keeping tabs on what happens in Seattle will truly dictate so much as what transpires around the rest of the league over the next few months. Once a Super Bowl champion, nearly a two-time champion, is Russell Wilson were to be on the move, the deal would be record-shattering.

JJ Watt finds his new home –

All we heard was “Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Green Bay or Cleveland” in regards to the potential landing spots of All-Pro defensive end JJ Watt just a few weeks back.

For good reason as all of those destinations made so much sense for the player and teams. All ready to win now, and with Watt would immediately improve the outlook of their defence before even reaching free agency or the draft.

Yet it was a dark-horse team that emerged victorious in this set of sweepstakes for a dominating force on the defensive side of the ball. The Arizona Cardinals and Watt’s former teammate DeAndre Hopkins were able to persuade the five-time pro bowler to go to the Grand Canyon state.

Definitely not the ideal destination for winning Super Bowls as of right now, but a short-term contract for a whole lot of money to live in a beautiful place like Arizona was eventually enough to gain the prized commodity that is, JJ Watt.

Watt is joining the likes of Chandler Jones, Budda Baker and Isaiah Simmons on a fastly improving Cardinals defence, as well as being reunited with former defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, the NFC West appears to be the division of death in the National Football League in 2021.

Tom Brady x Odell Beckham JR? –

As if the newly crowned world champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t already have a surplus of offensive weapons, there are strongly sourced rumours that have come out this week that claim Tom Brady is intensely pushing his front office to go after dynamic wide receiver Odell Beckham JR. of the Browns.

The Bucs biggest strength is at the pass-catching positions, having franchise-tagged wideout Chris Godwin for next season, and most likely returning in the fall with every pass-catcher they won the Super Bowl with.

Beckham is coming off yet another season ended early due to injury, this time a torn ACL saw him miss 9 regular-season games as well as Cleveland’s 2 playoff matches. A player that is set to be owed a boatload of cash next year, it is a realistic possibility the Browns look to move OBJ to make room for other positions of need, mainly on defence.

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If Odell were able to remain healthy next year, he is still one of the leagues premier receivers. In the pass-heavy offense of the Buccaneers and his ability to get open when attention is on the other stars around him, Beckham could be looking at the comeback season he has talked about over the last few offseasons in the sunshine state.

Over the next few months, there are sure to be a ton of crazy developments out of the NFL and I will be here to guide you through it all.

From players switching teams to the NFL Draft next month, buckle your seatbelts and strap up your helmets because if you like football drama, you’re in the right place.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

Evan Power’s Top 10 NHL Power Rankings – Week 7

And we are back!

Another week of my power rankings comes off a stretch of interesting developments in the NHL. Coaching changes, spicy upsets and some straight-up domination by some teams across the league have made ranking the top ten teams a more difficult task.

Starting in the North where the Toronto Maple Leafs spent the first part of their week continuing their rampage through all of the teams in Canada. 3 convincing wins on the road over the Edmonton Oilers proved that this is the Leafs’ division to lose.

They then marched into Vancouver over the weekend to face off against the lowly Canucks without their star center Elias Pettersson and ended up dropping both of those games off shining performances by Canucks G Thatcher Demko, a good sign for a Canucks teams that many including myself have labeled out of the hunt.

Staying in Canada where the Calgary Flames took a page out of the Habs book and relieved their head coach Geoff Ward of his duties, and instantly hired former Kings bench boss Darryl Sutter as his replacement.

Looking at the Central, there is some recognition that is owed to the Chicago Blackhawks who didn’t have high expectations for 2021 without a true starting netminder and their captain Jonathan Toews, yet they sit in the fourth and final playoff spot in the division at 13-8-5.

As Tampa, Florida and Carolina appear to be the big dogs in the division, the Hawks will have to fend off any second-half surges by the Stars, Preds and Blue Jackets to see themselves reach the postseason.

In the East, the Islanders embarrassed the entire Buffalo Sabres organization this week, as they took down the NHL’s worst team three straight times, moving them to 5-0 against Buffalo this season.

It remains a stiff log-jam in the East as of today, as the top six seeds are all in the hunt in the playoff race.

Lastly in the West, the Colorado Avalanche is going through a case of the injury bug with their top player and top defenceman are out of the active lineup. With Cale Makar and Nathan Mackinnon both sidelined, the Avs are holding themselves up, splitting series’ with the Sharks and Ducks this week.

Vegas, St. Louis, Minnesota and LA are all teams that can be considered threats to go on a run, as all have shown the capability to string together winning streaks up to this point.

Week 7 Rankings – 

1. Vegas Golden Knights (Last Week: 1)

Maintaining their number one spot in my week 7 rankings has the Golden Knights sitting atop the NHL’s best teams to date. Without recently extended Robin Leher, the Knights haven’t missed a beat with veteran Marc-Andre Fleury between the pipes. A luxury to say the least having two great goaltenders in these situations.

Their defence led by Alex Pietrangelo and Shae Theodore are coming into their own and teams are having plenty of trouble trying to put the puck into VGK’s net these days.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (Last Week: 2)

A stellar comeback performance during their matinee matchup on ‘Hockey Day in America’ propelled the Lightning back into the second spot in the rankings.

Andrei Vasilevsky continues his Vezina caliber season and the Lightning show how resilient they can be when trailing by multiple goals. Overall maybe the deepest team in the league, Tampa can roll all four lines in any given matchup.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs (Last Week: 4)

Toronto went into Edmonton for a three-game set this week as I mentioned, and completely embarrassed an Oilers team that had been rolling leading up to the games. Three games with a combined winning score of 13-1, including back-to-back shutouts against the league’s top two-point producers, is an astonishing feat.

Although the Leafs dropped back-to-back games against Vancouver over the weekend, I will give them a pass due to being at the end of a long trip in western Canada and their top scorer Auston Matthews nursing a wrist injury.

4. Colorado Avalanche (Last Week: 3)

The Avs are going through a tough stretch of injuries as I mentioned in the division breakdown, so it is hard to determine what kind of form the team is into this point. They don’t own an impressive record or boast any convincing statistical strengths, but based on personnel and firepower when they are fully healthy, it is hard to argue that anyone is better.

A good sign, Mikko Rantanen is carrying the heavy-weight without the usual studs, racking up 4 goals and 4 assists over their last five games.

5. Boston Bruins (Last Week: 5)

Boston seems to be able to beat anybody they play other than the pesky New York Islanders. They dropped a closely contested matchup with the Capitals in OT and bounced back to win the second game vs Washington in a physical game that saw them lose top pair defenseman Brandon Carlo to injury.

A vastly improved defensive team this season without the likes of Zdeno Char and Torey Krug, as well as a top team leaguewide on home ice, the Bruins maintain their spot this week.

6. New York Islanders (Last Week: Unranked)

Okay, I will admit my dislike for the New York Islanders now. I don’t like the way they play as a team under Barry Trotz and believe that it isn’t a very entertaining brand of hockey, especially when you have players with the skill of Mathew Barzal.

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Yet, it works. And that is why teams that are good can sometimes be the opposite of fun. Unranked to this point, I just didn’t put much stock into the low-scoring wins they have picked up over teams like the Devils, Sabres and Rangers.

Now after shutting down Boston, Pittsburgh and Washington on multiple occasions, as well as flipping the entire Sabres organization onto its head, I’ll give the NYI their owed respect.

7. Carolina Hurricanes (Last Week: 7)

The Canes absolutely robbed the Panthers in the Vincent Trocheck deal last season in an attempt to relieve the Panthers of their cap issues. That deal looks to be paying off big time as Trocheck leads Carolina in goals (13) and points (22) this season.

8. Florida Panthers (Last Week: 6)

Goaltending will be the story of the Panthers season, who seems to be able to take down teams at the bottom of their d\ivision with ease, yet struggle to finish games against tighter defensive teams. If their goaltending stays steady, they can make an interesting push for the postseason in Florida.

9. Pittsburgh Penguins (Last Week: 8)

A team with many names you wouldn’t recognize is finding a way to string together great performances in the difficult East.

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are still the moral leaders in Pittsburgh, they will need to see production from the likes of Kaspari Kapanen and Jared McCann to remain in the playoff conversation in 2021.

10. Winnipeg Jets (Last Week: Unranked)

Honorable mentions to the Oilers, Capitals, Flyers, Blues and Wild here, but after a strong week of play from the Jets finished off by an ugly blowout loss to the Habs on Saturday, overall it was very positive for Paul Maurice’s team.

The addition of Pierre Luc-Dubois currently looks like a more team-oriented improvement over Patrik Laine, and if he can mold into the role of number two center even more behind Mark Schiefele, this team will be a major threat in the North.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

Best NBA All Star Weekend Moments

The ‘2021 NBA All-Star Weekend’ is here and for the first time in history, the events will be carried out without the pleasure of having fans in the building.

This year’s festivities are taking place in Atlanta, Georgia where the best of the best NBA talent will gather in hopes to provide a product that is up to par with what the league has put on in recent years.

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The NBA all-star game was primarily looked down upon due to how little the players actually invested themselves in the quality of the game, mostly on the defensive side of the ball.

Up until just a few years ago that was the narrative, but with more recognition to how much people actually tune into the game, the players have taken their play up a notch and began to make the all-star game a great spectacle for basketball fans.

A special part about the NBA and its all-star event is their traditional skills competition, three-point contest, and dunk contest. WIth COVID making the NBA turn to a new format for the events in 2021, all of these plus the actual game will be played in a matter of hours on Sunday evening.

Both the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest will take place pre-game, while the Dunk Contest will be held at halftime of the actual game. The participants for each event are star-studded, to say the least, and that should make for some highly competitive action all night long.

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Prior to tonight’s action, there was an unfortunate exposure to COVID-19 amongst the eastern conference leading Philidelphia 76ers all-stars. MVP candidate Joel Embiid and defensive player of the year favorite Ben Simmons both were exposed to the virus through a mutual team barber, and are not able to take part due to protocols.

Many have crucified the NBA for even putting on the all-star festivities this season with the pandemic still breaking havoc, but commissioner Adam Silver stated in his yearly press conference on Saturday that he believes if done properly, the event can be a great success.

With league revenue at an all-time low, the all-star game is usually a way of the NBA generating more income and stabilizing the long-term financial health of the league. With no fans in the seats for the majority of teams around the league, television and merchandising for this year’s all-star game is essential for the league and its owners.

With all this being said, we should be in for an amazing and entertaining night of mini-games and superstar competition, and if it is anything like years past, maybe it will provide some can’t miss TV.

Here are some of the most memorable moments in the history of the NBA All-Star Weekend, what was your favorite? 

2016 Dunk Contest – Aaron Gordon vs Zach Lavine:

One of the most classic if not the greatest dunk contests in league history, you could not find one person actually sitting in their seats after each and every dunk these players performed.

The judging was skeptical as it usually is, and controversy was aplenty. LaVine and Gordon threw down some of the most creative dunks you’ll ever see in your life, even non-basketball fans would be in awe of this dunk contest. Difficulty and pure athleticism is the best way to describe this faceoff, it had everything.

2000 Dunk Contest – Air Canada’s Takeoff:

Another immortal moment brought to you by the dunk contest, this time rewinding back 21 years to the year 2000, where Toronto Raptors legend Vince ‘Air Canada’ Carter pulled off the amazing.

Many remember it as the famous call of “it’s over ladies and gentlemen” as Vince declared his own victory while staring down the camera after his dunk.

The performance even inspired one of the greatest hip-hop recording artists of the current generation, Drake, to write his own lyrics about the moment; “been going stupid since Vince Carter was on some through-the-legs, arm-in-the-hoop sh*t.”

Fergie performs the national anthem in 2018:

Maybe the funniest moment in all-star history, maybe in the history of the NBA really. For the wrong reasons, the NBA players taking part in the all-star game in 2018 couldn’t contain their laughter as singer Fergie put her own twist on the “Star-Spangled Banner.”

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Of course, the memes that came to life in wake of this performance by one of the most highly regarded female vocalists of the generation were comedy gold, and it was all in good fun.

Making a mockery of any national anthem isn’t the intention, but a little light-hearted laughter by the players as they were shown one by one on live TV trying to refrain from laughing too hard was perfect for anybody who can take a fun joke.

Kobe Bryant’s final all-star game in Toronto, 2016:

Finally, we finish off with the last time NBA legend Kobe Bryant competed in the all-star game in 2016, on Canadian grounds in Toronto.

This weekend was really just a further celebration of the career of Kobe, who may have had the greatest send-off season in league history.

Kobe’s entire family sat behind the western conferences bench as the iconic photograph of Kobe and LeBron James squaring each other up during the game symbolized the passing of a torch, similar to that of MJ/Kobe in 2003.

The NBA all-star festivities are always a great way to see the most laid-back side of players during the ups and downs of a crazy NBA season.

In 2021, it will be no different I’m sure as the event will be held in the mix of the insane times we are living in. Although it may not be the same with the lack of energy from live fans in the building, it will be great to see more moments and memories be made before the home stretch of the regular season kicks off on Wednesday.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

GM for a Day – Vancouver Canucks

This morning, general manager of the Vancouver Canucks Jim Benning hosted a press conference to provide his thoughts and a recap of the Canucks’ season to his point.

Despite the lackluster results that see his team near the basement of the North division, Benning is sticking to the script and reinstating the idea that the Canucks are a rebuilding team headed in the right direction, and this season’s lack of success is a by-product of being in a tough division.

In his seventh season as the GM of the Canucks, and his third without the eyes of franchise legend Trevor Linden watching from above, the team has seen its wild share of ups and downs throughout. Right now would be considered one of those excruciating downs.

It is clear that for the last few years Benning and his job security have been under the microscope of fans and media in this city. For all of the fantastic moves made, mainly throughout the NHL entry draft, there have been just as many, if not more questionable decisions.

For every Elias Pettersson, there is a Loui Eriksson in the press box collecting a $6 million cheque.

With every Quinn Hughes, there is an Antoine Roussel, a Jay Beagle, and a Brandon Sutter making far too much money for the roles they currently have on this underwhelming roster.

During the primal years of their young stars making under a million dollars towards the cap, the Canucks have been ravaged by the repercussions of poor asset management and money allocation.

Looking at the leagues’ teams in similar positions, you can’t help but look at Benning’s former team the Boston Bruins, who are contending for championships year in and year out all while managing their players and bankroll to perfection. Outside of David Pastrnak and Brandon Carlo, they haven’t even really drafted well as a whole, but they were able to micro-manage their team to the point where there is no such thing as a 7-year rebuild plan, it’s just retooling.

In his press conference on Friday morning, instead of taking ownership behind the poor decisions that were rushed into in the early stages of Vancouver’s rebuild, Benning took the time to instead reassure fans that the team is still “close but a couple of years away.”

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I guess that is fair enough, with players like Pettersson, Hughes, Boeser, and Höglander learning the everyday challenges of being successful in the NHL, the Canucks await more young and cheap help in the form of Vasili Podklozin, Jett Woo and Jack Rathbone.

Although that is a valid reason to believe this team is still years away from contending, that doesn’t mean that the moves made in the present won’t go a long way in boosting the teams potential when the time for winning is here.

To play a fun game of “be a GM” I want to lay out a few moves that I believe would be smart both financially and from a competitive point of view. There is nothing that can be done in the ‘now’ to salvage what feels like a lost season, but I believe there are things that can be done to boost the morale of the current locker room and the future of some of their players.

What I would do if I was the GM of the Vancouver Canucks for a day – 

So I have just relieved Jim Benning of his duties for 24 hours and it is immediately time for me to get to work with what I have. As the Canucks are a team that is against the cap, whatever comes in must have something else going out.

Trade Jake Virtanen, Jordie Benn and a 3rd round pick to Nashville for D Mattias Ekholm:

The bittersweet move of trading away Jake Virtanen is a decision I believe has to be made for the better of the team and for the payer. Virtanen came out of the WHL as a lottery pick that many people suggested was a tad too high for the type of player he was.

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A quick-moving power forward who could score goals from anywhere on the ice. In Vancouver, Virtanen has only been a shell of that player, some nights being all over the ice and instinctive, while others are nearly invisible.

Virtanen is the type of player that could thrive under a change of scenery, and Nashville is an organization known for reviving careers. Virtanen is a cheap, expiring deal for the Preds to take on in hopes he can go spark a very dull lineup in the Music City.

Predators GM David Poile has been shopping Ekholm for a while with how his team has performed in 2021, and Vancouver could be the place for him to get into some big minute roles and thrive in a division that lacks true defensemen like him. Ekholm’s $3.6 million is met by sending Jordie Benn the other way, and the 3rd round pick is a standard addition to a deal involving a team’s top-pair defenseman.

Relieve assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner of his duties, hire Bruce Boudreau:

If it wasn’t already glaringly obvious, the Vancouver Canucks are a horrendous defensive team this season. Not only this year for that matter but last year as well. For the last little while, the team has been bailed out by the consistent and stellar play of Jakob Markstrom between the pipes, this season without him, a developing goaltender Thatcher Demko and below-average netminder Brayden Holtby have been left out to dry on several occasions.

I have nothing against the work of Nolan Baumgartner, but clearly, the box and one system he deploys nightly hasn’t provided the statistical results he envisioned. Especially in the games against top opposition like the Leafs or Oilers, who have too much talent to just sit back against.

With head coach Travis Green’s deal set to expire this Summer, Boudreau can add a new piece of mind to a team that needs a new defensive voice, and perhaps be an option for the team to pivot to if Green’s contract doesn’t get retained.

These are a couple of changes I think can be realistically made without wagering too many assets or cap dollars, as well as significantly rejuvenate a lost locker room and provide new life to a roster that just wants to win.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

2021 NBA Season – First Half Recap

On Thursday night, the NBA concluded its first half of scheduled games in this pandemic shortened season.

Through all of the ups and downs, learning curves, and schedule-altering obstacles, the league has all in all done an exceptional job of maneuvering through the murky waters of playing basketball in a pandemic.

The quality of basketball has been off the charts, from insane solo performances of some of the leagues brightest stars, as well as teams that appear to be on the cusp of special runs in the second half, there can’t be many complaints about the overall product that has taken the hardwood through the opening 36 games.

After an abbreviated offseason that saw teams like the defending champion Lakers and runners-up Heat have to begin their campaigns on limited rest, it took a little while for almost every team to get into the full swing of things.

In the Eastern conference, teams that were far and away the most dominant in last year’s regular-season saw themselves actually take a step back, and as of right now a below .500 record is good enough for the final playoff spot in the conference.

The Philadelphia 76ers appear to be a powerhouse on the backs of MVP candidate Joel Embiid and defensive anchor Ben Simmons. Head coach Doc Rivers has done a phenomenal job working to the strengths of his players in his first season on the Sixers bench.

The Brooklyn Nets, who entered the season as a team to watch in the East, made one of the biggest splashes in league history, acquiring future hall-of-fame guard James Harden for an expensive package of players and future draft picks. The move brought the Nets from a stout threat in the East to the odds-on favorite to win the conference with the big three of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the before-mentioned Harden.

As for the biggest surprise of the first half, the New York Knicks, who have gone through a long and painful stretch of being a basement-dweller in the NBA. FIrst-time all-star Julius Randle has been a major contributor to the teams’ success and will likely be highly considered for the NBA”s most improved player award come season’s end.

Out west, it is all about the Utah Jazz to this point. A team that has been virtually unbeatable to this point and will likely be the runaway winner of the league’s top seed overall.

The Jazz are a different animal in that they don’t have one or two players that can beat you on a nightly basis, it is the entire five-man unit that teams must gameplan around.

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They handle their business defensively and it opens up many options for their offense, most heavily the three-point shot, where Utah is torching opponents at a record-breaking pace.

Another one of the feel-good surprises of the first half is the Phoenix Suns, who went out and acquired veteran point guard Chris Paul in the offseason, and the move couldn’t have fit any better. Paul is the leader that this young team needed and has been a terrific side-kick to the lethal scoring ability of Devin Booker, who has added winning to his resume in the 2021 season.

As for the ‘City of Angels’, LA is currently a hot spot for the NBA and basketball as a whole. The reigning champs have navigated their way through the first half for the most part without the services of Anthony Davis who has been sidelined due to injury and currently sit third in the western conference standings.

For the Clippers, they seem to be a team that has the potential to beat any opponent on any given night, but also suffer from a bad case of inconsistency and have struggled against some of the NBA’s elite squads.

MVP?

Obviously, it is well-known that the NBA MVP honors are perhaps the most coveted in all the sports. The criteria are very strict and to have what it takes to even be considered as MVP, your season has to be close to flawless.

In my rankings, I don’t think you can look at it anyway and not immediately have Nikola Jokic at or near the top.

Nearly averaging a triple-double per game, on 27 points and 12 rebounds a night, is incredible for a Nuggets team that maybe wouldn’t even be a playoff-caliber squad without him. Jokic is special in a way that he will not take a night off. As durable as they come playing in all 36 of Denver’s games to date, the Joker has made a very strong case for MVP of the first half.

Looking back at the 76ers, you also can’t ignore the work of their big man, either.

Joel Embiid has found a new gear under the guidance of coach Doc Rivers. He appears to have rounded into shape and be in the best condition of his career. Embiid’s ability to draw contact and earn opportunities at the free-throw line is better than anyone in the NBA, and it has fueled him to massive scoring games of 45 or more points on various occasions.

Finally, this could be the year the best player in basketball gets recognized as the league’s most valuable player. A strange concept to say the least, and quite frankly it doesn’t look great on the league or its voting committee that LeBron James hasn’t been an MVP for nine seasons now.

His value can not be explained over a couple of sentences. In his 17th season, 36-year-old James has made his impact on the Lakers across the stat sheet this year. Some nights he can score at will, others he will be facilitating and allowing his teammates to thrive. In the absence of LA’s best interior scorer, Anthony Davis, LeBron has found a way to make the Lakers’ offense continue its potent attack.

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With the first 36 games of each NBA team’s schedule in the books, the all-star break couldn’t come at a better time. The schedule has been drastically more compact this season and with protocols being the way they are, personal time for the players and staff has been hard to come by.

With a week off for everyone except the all-stars, hopefully, this time will go a long way in the rest and rehabilitation of all the teams league-wide, and we are in for a stellar second-half stretch drive.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

The Sports World Meets COVID-19 – One Year Later

It truly feels like yesterday, but we have nearly revolved around the sun one full time.

One of the most remarkable and unbelievable time periods the sports world has ever seen was only getting started with so many questions and very few answers this time, last year.

COVID-19 was only introducing itself in wake of North American countries beginning to test for the virus when the major sports leagues around the world began to take notice.

The virus was here, I’m also wondering how long it may have been here before things started to change, but reality continued as per how we used to, at least for a little bit longer.

Let’s take it back to March 10th, 2020. A night where the Vancouver Canucks were taking on the New York Islanders at Rogers Arena. A packed house with not one person in the building being aware of how lucky they truly were to be involved in such a historic night for all the wrong reasons.

The Canucks had been struggling, just 1 win in their previous 6 games, but the hockey gods had special plans for the last sold-out home game in Vancouver, and it didn’t disappoint.

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A thrilling 5-4 shootout victory as the Canucks played an incredible game on the back of Thatcher Demko, and it felt like a little bit of a turning point for the team who was in the thick of the playoff hunt.

That was the final time for the very unforeseen future that Rogers Arena had a full crowd, and we have been through hell and back ever since, because of what happened the following night over 2,100 miles south of where those fans celebrated the massive victory.

Chesapeake Energy Center in Oklahoma City, USA was supposed to just be hosting another night of NBA basketball between the hometown Thunder and the Utah Jazz when the unimaginable suddenly put the sports world on notice.

The game was delayed within seconds of the tip-off, with everyone in the stadium, including both teams very puzzled as to why the game was not getting underway

After minutes of standing around and awaiting an answer on whether they would be playing or not, the teams were told that they had the night off, the reason why? Jazz starting center Rudy Gobert was soon announced as the very first professional athlete to have a confirmed case of the Coronavirus.

Everything went haywire. Social media was in a frenzy about the health status of the players Gobert had been in contact with, from teammates to opposing players in previous nights. TV and radio stations began to flood their programs with anything and everything COVID-19 related and throughout the NBA.

Games that night were told to continue as scheduled, but not even 30 minutes after Gobert’s positive test is when NBA commissioner Adam Silver made the decision to take action by suspending the 2019-20 NBA season indefinitely.

The following day, the NHL announced the suspension of their season, as well.

In the aftermath of all of this commotion, more and more positive tests surfaced among the NBA players and staff. Stories of the Utah Jazz locker room being torn apart and reckoned by the actions of Rudy Gobert, who made light of the virus just a few days prior.

Over in the other sports leagues around the world, the MLB season was already having trouble beginning their season due to an expiring CBA, but COVID-19 forced commissioner Rob Manfred to indefinitely delay the beginning of baseball. The MLS and all European soccer leagues were soon brought to a halt as cases amongst players rose up more and more.

To make a very, very long story short, all hell broke loose in the great world of sports due to the pandemic that was only just beginning its ravage through North America.

The games we all love and are privileged to take in on a nightly basis were stripped from up, money was being flushed down the toilet for hundreds of multimillion-dollar organizations, and the waiting game was on.

The fix to all of these problems was not just going to randomly appear. This wasn’t a situation that anybody was willing to wait-out. It was now up to the head management of all of these leagues to concoct a plan for combatting an invisible enemy.

Slowly thereafter, we have worked our way to where we are today, almost a full calendar year since the moments that we entered this unthinkable predicament. A new way of life, we managed and learned about how to live and continue some normality in this situation.

The NFL turned to a live virtual draft instead of the scheduled public draft celebrations in Las Vegas, the first time we had seen such a thing, and it was an astounding success. SO much so that every other league followed in their footsteps, providing some special memories along the way.

The word ‘bubble’ had a new meaning to it.

Seasons resumed within the confines of personal bubbles, the NBA in Orlando and the NHL in Canada. Constant testing for the players and staff and mandatory quarantine periods, all to be able to finish what they had started 10 months prior in their respective seasons.

Overall, it couldn’t have gone any better. Bubble sports were a different experience for sure, but the players embraced the opportunity and the return of sports, in general, was a sight for sore eyes all around the globe.

Fast forward back to the present, where things have settled down and there are a whole lot more answers now than there ever was one year ago. The world isn’t as scared anymore and things have begun to turn over for the better.

Something that will have its own couple pages in our grandchildren’s history books later on in life, being able to be here to tell the tale is part of the reason I haven’t minded COVID sports for the last little while…

With that being said, with vaccines rolling out now and fans slowly making their way back into buildings, I am ready for the first time we get to see a packed Rogers Arena once again.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

 

 

 

Evan Power’s Top 10 NHL Power Rankings – Week 6

As a proud fan of the Vancouver Canucks, I think I am officially going to hang up the good ol’ “great week of hockey” intro that I use so freely in my work for these power rankings. Not because the quality of play around the league is deteriorating by any means, but because the Canucks are beginning to ruin the season for me as a whole, it isn’t fun right now.

With that being said, this isn’t about the Canucks. And as for the league, the 56 game season will reach its halfway point for some teams this coming week, and for every team, we expected to be performing well, there are just as many surprises to speak on.

Division by division, in the North it is safe to say it is Toronto’s division. After another great week that saw the Leafs lose their starting goaltender and top-line, superstar center, the Leafs put a beating on the hottest team in Canada, the Edmonton Oilers, and further proved why they will be crowned kings of the North.

The Montreal Canadiens became the first team to fire their head coach this year in the NHL, and the amazing start to the year that had people crowning them as Canada’s top team has gone to waste, and they now barely cling on to the final playoff spot in the division.

Out West, don’t look now but the Minnesota Wild are becoming the surprise of the first half. Depth scoring throughout their lineup and consistent goaltending from a rookie and journeyman has the Wild overcoming all their COVID concerns and performing at a very high level, sitting second in the division.

In the Central, the defending champs have once again found their stride behind their Vezina caliber goalie Andrei Vasilevsky, going 4-0-0 on the week and reassuring that they are not a team to be talked bad about over a bad stretch (guilty).

Staying in the division, the Chicago Blackhawks are being led by Patrick Kane on route to what is a fantastic start for a team that had low expectations. Without the services of Jonathan Toews or Kirby Dach, they are managing to get efforts from players you definitely have not heard of before every single night.

Finally, the East is the powerhouse division of the league, We know that one very quality team will be left out of the playoff picture in this division, with Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh, Philly, and NYI all looking like playoff teams.

Week 6 Rankings

  1. Vegas Golden Knights (Last Week: 2)

Another change to the top spot as my rankings begins to look like a basketball game, every week seeing a new lead change. Vegas was able to bounce back from their loss to the Avs on Lake Tahoe with a dominant 3-0 win against Colorado two nights later.

Their team is still meshing together, but unless they show any sort of glaring weaknesses in the coming weeks, they may not give up this spot for the rest of the year.

2. Tampa Bay Lightning (Last Week: 6)

I think someone on the Lightning may have seen my rankings and scoffed at the fact they were all the down at number six last week. I may have jumped the gun on the Lightning as they were going through some troubles in goal and on the defensive side of the puck. Following an undefeated week against good teams like Carolina and Dallas, Tampa looks poised to go on a nice midseason run in March.

3. Colorado Avalanche (Last Week: 1)

A two-spot drop for the Avalanche this week who are seeing their inconsistencies pop up in games where they look ready to string multiple wins together. As I have stated before, I believe the Avalanche are the most complete team in the league, but with their various young players and spotty goaltending, the consistency factor is what they are missing from being labeled as a top-two NHL squad as of right now.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs (Last Week: 4)

The Leafs went on a run of being carried by Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner for the last few weeks, but this week was different as they were faced with a plethora of injuries in key spots around their lineup.

Starting goalie Frederik Andersen went down before a game against the Flames midweek, and the team was able to do what they could with the inexperienced Michael Hutchinson playing on short notice in a 3-0 loss. Like good teams do, they bounced back the following two games on the back of Willaim Nylander’s two-goal performance vs the Flames, and a throttling of the Oilers on Hockey Night.

The Leafs feel like a deep team for once, and I believe it is sustainable and they are real Stanley Cup contenders in 2021.

5. Boston Bruins (Last Week: 3)

Something we aren’t accustomed to seeing with Bruins teams, coming unhinged in a short period of time was the variable of them dropping in my rankings this week. They went into a third period against the Islanders on Thursday in a 2-2 draw and ended up losing the same game 7-2. The following night at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers scored 5-second period goals to beat the B’s 6-2.

They bounced back on Sunday with a convincing 4-1 win over those same Rangers, but for Boston, they will hope these big explosive periods don’t become a common occurrence.

6. Florida Panthers (Last Week: 7)

Plus one in the ranks for the pesky Panthers, who have been scoring goals at an insane rate. 2-1-1 on the week with great come-from-behind performances versus the Stars, the Panthers are just some steady goaltending away from putting some pressure on Tampa Bay in the Central.

7. Carolina Hurricanes (Last Week: 5)

Carolina found themselves getting completely outclassed by Tampa Bay after looking so promising in past weeks. They are clearly missing the services of Teuvo Teravainen and Petr Mrazek but seeing players like Trocheck and Sebastian Aho carry the offensive burden in the meantime is a good sign for a team that has untapped potential.

8. Pittsburgh Penguins (Last Week: Unranked)

There are many teams that should be honorable mentions to jump into the rankings, like Winnipeg and the Islanders.

I am seeing a second wind from a Pens team that recently hired a new president and GM. The acquisition of Kaspari Kapanen is starting to look like a sneaky-good addition, and their young defense is starting to help out Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith more and more over their recent successful 4-2-1 run.

9. Edmonton Oilers (Last Week: 9)

The Oilers were the hottest team in Canada and perhaps the league until they dropped a stinker at home against the Leafs on Saturday night.

They are getting depth scoring from players like Dominik Kahun and Alex Chiasson and if they can maintain the level of player we saw against the Canucks in the middle of the week, the Oilers will be able to build up a good record in a streaky Canadian division.

10. Minnesota Wild (Last Week: Unranked)

A team that was really not expected to do anything this season is starting to find some exciting new faces and what they are capable of. Rookie Kirill Kaprizov is the odds-on favourite to win the Calder at this point in the year and with his linemates Mats Zuccarello and Victor Rask benefitting from his play, they are a new team to watch as we approach the halfway point.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

 

 

The 2010 Vancouver Olympics – 11 Years Later

As a resident of the greater Vancouver area, never in my life could I have dreamed for a more exciting time to be Vancouverite and more importantly a Canadian.

During the 2010 winter Olympic games in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., the vibe of the city was unmatched and the moments that were captured will live on in the city and countries history forever.

Looking back on the 2-week period that was the games, we were privileged to see the hard work and determination of our homegrown Candian athletes take center stage in a dominant fashion, winning an Olympic record 14 gold medals and leading the games in total medals, as well.

The success that was found in 2010 was something that nobody has ever been lucky enough to witness at all for their country, let alone on their own soil like it was for Canada in Vancouver.

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To say this was one of the most prime moments of my childhood is an understatement, it was really one of the most prime moments of my entire life. Growing up and having the opportunity to witness the atmosphere and spirit of the games in my hometown was something I did not take for granted.

The games still resonate with me today. The song “I Believe” by Nikki Yanofsky still remains an anthem of our country and the memories that were made during the games. The emotions showed by our athletes, Alexandre Bilodeau the freestyle skier from Quebec capturing Canada’s first of many gold medals, or figure skater Joannie Rochette in her bronze medal tribute to her late mother.

One of my clearest memories of eleven years ago was how it felt to go to school every day during the games. The excitement of young grade school children who were experiencing the success of their heroes and the love for Canada was bonding people tighter than they ever were before, or have been since.

Those days are long over now, and as we reflect on what life has thrown at us over the course of the last calendar year, it is healthy yet so very gutwrenching to glance back at some of the moments that are now considered Canadian heritage.

Canada’s Electric Entrance

The excitement of the host country entering the opening ceremonies at the Olympics is always so special, but for us, this felt like the sign of something good that was coming.

Watching on TV really didn’t do this moment justice for how electrifying it really was. In the leadup to the game, the coast-to-coast torch relay was the straw that stirred the drink in the leadup to Vancouver 2010, and it played a major factor in why the reception was even crazier than what was to be expected.

People lined the streets in their home cities to have the opportunity to see the torch get passed, for me and many of my peers, this was the best school field trip you could ever ask for.

Oh, what I would do to be back in that spot.

Always Remember the First

In the previous Canada-hosted games in Calgary and Montreal, Canada fell short of the top of the podium and was unable to capture any gold medals on their home ground.

In Canada, it took downhill freestyle skier Alexandre Bilodeau just 48 hours to become a legend in Canadian history. Cypress Mountain was the home of this monumental occasion for the country in what will go down as the first of a long line of athletes who made a name for themselves at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics!

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For many people who took in the magic of these games, this was the night where all of the good memories start to come back to you. A cold night but as beautiful as it has ever been on the streets of Vancouver and in Whistler village, where were you when Alex Bilodeau put Canada on top?

Jon Montgomery Celebrating the Canadian Way

Everyone remembers, and everyone LOVES Jon Montgomery of Russell, Manitoba.

Montgomery captured another gold medal for Canada in the Men’s Skeleton final, and in the celebration of the huge win, he did it in a way only Canadians could, by chugging a full pitcher of Molson given to him by one of the spectators.

Montgomery came out to explain why he felt the need to chug the beer afterwards, saying “The gold medal was the goal, but the golden moment that came next is something that you can’t prepare for. When my “beer angel” wandered out of a Whistler pub and presented me with that frothy pitcher of Canadian culture as I passed by -fresh from victory, my helmet still under my arm, cameras catching the moment – all I could do was be myself. At that moment, people felt a connection.”

O’ Canada.

Virtue and Moir –

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were the feel-good stories of the games, hands down.

The youngest team to ever win an Olympic gold medal in duos ice dance, and they did it with perfection and grace, all while defeating the dominant Russians and their friendly arch-rivals from the United States.

Canadians truly fell in love with this team through their chemistry and unmatched energy throughout every performance.

The gold medal dance is what ended up making the entire population of Canada melt, as to this day it is still considered the greatest team display of ice dance the Olympics has ever witnessed.

The Golden Goal

It just never gets old. Any Canadian with a memory of the games would be able to tell you where they were and who they were with when Sidney Crosby of Pearl Harbour, Nova Scotia scored the overtime winner to defeat the United States 3-2 in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game.

A tournament of dominance for the Canadian squad that was stacked with NHL stars and Stanley Cup champions, it was the young kid who ended up providing the most electric moment in Canadian Olympic history.

To think that this took place at Rogers Arena still gives me chills, and I can recall myself envisioning the moment taking place whenever I’m lucky enough to get to Rogers for a game, I can only imagine how the players felt.

What a 16 days it was for this city, not only putting ourselves on the map for the success in the games, but also for how the entire event was executed and the atmosphere that was created.

We hope that someday there is another opportunity to witness the Olympic games return to Vancouver and Whistler, as I’m sure we could take it up another notch.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9

 

Tiger Woods – From Athlete to Icon

On Tuesday morning, the sports world along with so many others were gut-wrenched by the news that golfing legend Tiger Woods had been involved in a single-vehicle accident in Los Angeles, California.

Unsure of the aftermath or repercussions of the crash, flashbacks of a nightmare day back in January of 2020 when the world was robbed of the precious lives of nine people, one of which being Lakers icon Kobe Bryant.

As we refreshed our timelines and slowly received news about the crash involving Woods, golf fans, as well as people who were just naturally attracted to the career of Tiger Woods, reminisced on what has been a shapeshifting and unprecedented journey on the PGA Tour and far beyond the game, too.

Learning that Tiger’s life was not in danger and that he was awake and responsive prior to going into emergency surgery, and that he was under strict medical attention at the hospital, we breathed a sigh of relief.

Though as we are still so unsure of the impact of his injuries, those of which including multiple broken bones in his lower right leg, we question where Tiger’s career goes from here, and if we will see him again playing competitively in the future.

For many, it is easy to believe that there is no chance this is the last of Tiger, I feel the same way. Tiger is gritty and determined and understands the power he has on the game and communities around the world.

His aura and stature attract eyes and make people tune into a sport that needs him s desperately.

Someday down the road, after a long and draining path to recovery, we will hopefully get to see Tiger Woods continue on his journey to Jack Nicklaus’ majors record, and restart what he was able to build up over his many years of dominance and prominence within the sports world.

I wanted to include some of my personal favourite Tiger moments in this piece, and share some of my thoughts on how Tiger has impacted golf and the world as an athlete and now icon.

TIger’s Comeback at the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational –

My first ever Sunday of watching an entire round of professional golf. I was tuned in from Tiger’s first tee drive until the very last putt that claimed his five-stroke victory in Florida.

His first PGA Tour win in over 2 years since struggling with his back injuries and withdrawing from many events prior.

Tiger was so dominant on this day and throughout the entire tournament. The way he approached every shot was so locked in and even in the more pressurized spots he was clinical and his execution looked as if it never lost a step in all the time off.

These will be some of my favourite moments that I have witnessed in my time of watching the great game of golf. Tiger has had a massive influence on me getting into the sport as well as making it such a cool hobby for people to get into and play.

Golf had never been so cool before Tiger. When he would walk up the first hole with his hat on backwards or his Sunday red and black attire that he claimed so many of his dramatic victories and runaway titles in, Tiger Woods made golf have swag.

That shot was just a display of what this player could do with a golf club in his hands, it had absolutely no business going in, but it’s Tiger.

Clutch Tiger at the 2008 U.S. Open –

The final hole of the 2008 U.S. Open was the scene of probably the most iconic shot of Tiger Woods’ career to date. Needing a birdie on the 18th to force a playoff at Torrey Pines, Woods’ 2nd shot laid him up to about 15 feet, where it came down to his signature putting ability.

From there it is history, and as Dan Hicks said in a legendary broadcasting call of the ages; “expect anything different?”

Tiger’s 15th Major at the 2019 Masters

This one resonates with anyone who is in touch with the sports world. There is something about the Masters that adds a little extra emotion and drama with every shot. On Sunday is in patented red and black, Tiger came from behind to claim his fifth green jacket and fifteenth major victory on tour.

At age 43 and entering Sunday two strokes back of the leader, Tiger put on a classic display of poise and resilience to get the job done at Augusta. Golf fan or not, this is the ultimate story of human perseverance.

Through tough times, self-inflicted or otherwise, we’ve all in some way been through what he’s been through. And to find that self-belief that you can still rise up from your personal adversity and succeed once more… well, Tiger’s accomplishment transcends any sports accomplishment or cool coloured jacket you can be given, it’s just life.

That is why we love sports, people!

Tiger the Father – 

The most recent of my most fond memories of the GOAT came at the PNC Championship in Orlando in December of 2020.

Tiger Woods and his son Charlie were the duo that stole the show all weekend, side by side looking like mirror images of each other, incapsulating some amazing moments and a side of Tiger that we could never have seen before.

All the accomplishments and accolades didn’t matter at this tournament, all that did was the pure and unfiltered bond between a father and son on the course, and it was Charlie who was showing off what he had picked up under his iconic father.

The PNC Championship is a unique event on the PGA TOUR Champions schedule where 20 Major winners compete as a team alongside a family member. Although TIger and Charlie finished 5 combined strokes behind the winners Justin Thomas and his father, they left the weekend with something much more valuable than a title.

On the road to recovery, I hope TIger can find healing and peace with what he has done for a game and communities everywhere. His knack for getting better and breaking barriers had created a legacy that will go unmatched for eternity, now all we can do is pray we get to see him return and make even more prominent memories.

Get well soon, Tiger.

Evan Power, Evolution 107.9