Author Archives: Noah Stewart

Deadpool 3 looks intriguing

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The famous antihero Deadpool is back to complete the trilogy for Marvel. If i’m honest, one of my favourite superheroes or characters from the marvel universe, is undeniably without a doubt Deadpool. No matter who your favourite superhero is, we can all agree  that you and me both are excited for the upcoming Deadpool movie.

The raunchy comedy always gets me going, especially if I had a few libations while watching. I’m also a big fan of the way that Deadpool’s character breaks the fourth wall and talks to the camera. I don’t know about you but it makes me feel like I’m a part of the movie. The film will finally make its debut in July, after first being teased in September and November of 2023, until it was pushed back due to the writers and actors strike.

In the first movie, we saw the character development of Wade Wilson and how he came to be the inevitable and invincible Deadpool. The second movie he was a part of the X-Men, and when worlds collide in Marvel, it gets me going! If you didn’t know, they actually filmed the first two movies down here in Ryan Reynolds hometown Vancouver, but sadly they won’t be returning to Vancouver to film, but instead they will be filming on the other side of Canada, down in Toronto.

Now let’s take a deep dive into what we know about the upcoming movie. The second trailer came out this morning on April 22nd, with the first showcase of the movie happening on the biggest stage of them all, the Super Bowl. The first trailer that came out, had shattered records. In the first 24 hours, the trailer had already surpassed 365 million views which was even more than anticipated Spider-Man: No Way Home. The highly awaited MCU movie plans to hit the cinemas in July and I don’t know about you but I’ll be in the cinemas on opening day with my $20 bucket of popcorn and my $10 fountain drink.

This Deadpool film will be unlike any other, as he will be partnered up with co-star Hugh Jackman who will play his iconic Wolverine. There isn’t too much information that we have about his role, but after watching the trailer a couple times, i’ve put together the idea that Wolverine is washed up and Deadpool needs him, but is Wolverine willing to help is the question. Deadpool looks to become the ‘hero among heroes’  with the trailer teasing that Deadpool needs Wolverine’s help, as he already destroyed the world just like he needs to. We know that there’ll be multiversual antics between the two, but we will have to wait and see. Jackman isn’t the only big face making its debut in the Deadpool franchise, but actress Emma Corrin will be in the film as well, playing the debut of the X-Men villain, Cassandra Nova.

In the second movie, we were introduced to many heroes apart from the X-Men and I’ve got good news! If you enjoyed their part in the movie, then don’t get too excited but Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Shatter, Yukio, and Peter all make their return alongside Stefan Kapičić is back in his role as Colossus. Sadly, Zazie Beetz who played Domino, announced that she will not be back for the third movie. If you were a fan of the loveable girlfriend of Deadpool who had slipped her way out of death, then rejoice because Morena Baccarin will return to the trilogy film as Vanessa. Fans hope to see more of her in this year’s movie as they felt like she was being shorted of screen time.

“I can understand that people felt that way and I certainly was disappointed that I didn’t have more to do, because I just loved the part so much, But in watching the film and reading the script, it felt like such an emotionally pivotal role in the film and the entire arc of his character in the film is set into motion because of what happens to my character.” said Baccarin.

Josh Brolin is still unconfirmed as the actor for Cable but what we do know is the fact that Vinnie Jones will not be making his return as the famous Juggernaut. In one major announcement, Marvel came out with information that two certain actors will make their return for the trilogy. That being, Leslie Uggams will return as Blind al as we also saw in the trailer as she’s back with her funny antics and quotes, and Dopinder is also back, being played by Karan Soni who will now complete the hat trick by being in all three of the Deadpool movies.

When talking about the movie, director Shawn Levy said that this isn’t Deadpool 3 in any way but something totally different. “It’s the third Deadpool movie, but it’s not Deadpool 3. It’s a different thing that’s very much Deadpool and Wolverine, And it’s not trying to copy-cat anything from the first two movies. They were awesome, but this is a two-hander character adventure.” said Levy. There was a very slight easter egg involved in the trailer, as at one point we see a destroyed 20th Century Fox logo destroyed and broken, buried in the snow.

Back in October of 2022, Jackman had said “I’ll probably have more fun on this movie than any other I’ve ever done.” That’s pretty huge coming from Jackman who is a renowned actor who has been in plenty of films. Now talking about the trailer, we see that Deadpool and Wolverine somewhat relate as they both sit at the bar drinking but there is one difference made from that scene. Deadpool has gained and holds the respect and love from those around them, but Wolverine on the other hand, does not have any respect, even in his own universe. We got this intel as the bartender reminds Wolverine that he is not welcome here or sadly even anywhere in his universe.

One of the biggest events that occurred in the movie, was right at the very end where we see Wolverine and Deadpool take a huge jump into the magical portal. Does this mean a sorcerer from the MCU universe will be involved in the film? This could be a little insight that we might see Dr. Strange or even Wong, but it is unlikely so who knows, we may be introduced to a whole new sorcerer.

Cassandra Nova will be making her villain debut and we are all excited to see. During the trailer we get a glimpse of her home base and it was pretty recognizable as it was a huge Ant-Man mask. This just proves what kind of villain she is, as she walks out of a decomposed, former helmet of an Avenger, Ant-Man.

As the months begin to count down and the week turns to days, we will soon be watching the much anticipated and be licking our lips at the Deadpool & Wolverine movie. Like I said earlier, Deadpool is one of my favourites in the MCU and there is nothing stopping me or getting in my way from not enjoying this movie. Both the last Deadpool movies were immaculate and hit all the right spots, from action to comedy to drama, it had it all. And now we get to see that once again but this time accompanied by the decorated Wolverine.

The Warriors of Vancouver

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The Vancouver Warriors season is now officially concluded, and we can look back on how it went. You may have been scared or worried around the halfway mark of the year as they were near the rock bottom of the standings, at an abysmal record 2-8. Another blooper season was ahead for us Warrior fans, and things were not looking too good for our future. Not making playoffs is a common theme here around Vancouver sports but Head Coach Curt Malawsky is a hometown native and he wants to keep lacrosse in this city, doing whatever it takes.

Momentum had shifted and the Vancouver Warriors picked up the slack and ended up going on a 5 game win streak and winning 6 of their last seven before the final game of the regular season. Those big wins were not just against weaker teams, but they took the motivation they had, they used to grab some big wins over big big names like the defending champions, the Buffalo Bandits. There was a strong chance that this could be that time to shine for Vancouver sports as the Canucks already punched their ticket to the playoffs, and the Warriors looked to follow it up. 

 

Unfortunately, the Vancouver Warriors fell short in a tightly congested battle with the San Diego Seals, losing 16-9. This meant the Warriors would have missed the 2024 playoffs by just a tiny strand of hair. Their final record at the end of the season was 8-10, in which four teams had the same record but only one of them was able to get in. After the loss in San Diego, Curt Malawsky never dwells on losses but only focuses on what’s next in their story. 

“We’ve been on a real good run here winning 6 of the last 7, but you understand what the standard is to be an elite team in the National Lacrosse League…losing stinks but you have to learn from losing. Never ever question our guy’s heart, never ever question their work ethic, and never ever question their passion and how much they care about the front of their shirt. Next time we are in a position like that, a do or die game, it’s a different level. You always have to lose before you start to win… and I think that’s something the guys will take away from it. Should be proud of the run we made” said Malawsky.

If the Warriors began to heat up a tad bit earlier into the season, then we would be watching both Canucks and Warriors playoff games at Rogers Arena, and that would be electric and we will just have to wait for next year.

Missing the playoffs is always less than ideal, but there are positive takeaways from the Warriors season. For instance, the Warriors have not been able to pick up eight or more wins in a season, dating back to 2017, but now that is all different with this year. Curt Malawsky has brought a whole new level of competition back to his hometown, leaving fans like you and I, glued to our seats or standing in the party zone during the whole game. Lacrosse has never been such a lively experience at Rogers Arena until this year, as the barn always was packed and the crowd never let up. I attended 3 games this season, two as a media member, one in the crowd and each of those times I went, I was always so tuned into the game as the music never stops playing and the fans never stop cheering. Head Coach and GM Curt Malawsky is more than proud to have lacrosse in Vancouver.

“We had a really good run and I think we legitimized lacrosse here in Vancouver. We’ve had some tough, thin years and I like to think that fans could appreciate the way we play, the effort, the passion, the dedication, the selflessness, and the support. I don’t think we’d make that run without the support of the fans and I’ll remember those last few games at home and all the fans that were there. We got draft picks in the bag coming…and we’ll try to put a good product forward for the province of British Columbia” said Malawsky. 

The Vancouver Warriors are building towards the future with their young draft talent already making waves on the turf field. Braiden Laity and Owen Grant are two of the young studs that have been able to make their name big when playing. They both have had stellar seasons, even both of them picking up a rookie of the week nod in back to back weeks. Just a couple years back, in 2021 is when we drafted one of the hardest working and dedicated players on the team, with the 4th pick, the Warriors selected Adam Charalambides. If you have seen this guy play, then you would be left in awe with his ability to create open shot opportunities, and move the ball with flawless perfection. Charalambides has been a key factor to the Warriors success this year as he was second on the with points, finishing off two shy away from the 100 point mark, with 98. This was almost double his previous amount of points last season, when he scored 59 points. 

Assistant captain Keegan Bal was tearing up Rogers Arena, and every city the Warriors visited. I can not even count how many games this young star has picked up an hatrick, because there would be way too many to count. Bal was 5th in the whole league in goals scored with 49 shots finding the back of the net. Bal hit many personal milestones throughout the year, as he scored more goals in this season then he has in any other, and the same guess with assists. This was Bal’s first time being a 100 point scorer, and he was one of the most, if not the most, entertaining players to represent the Vancouver Warriors. Bal will continue to be a bright young star for us in the next coming years and use his seniority to help lead the next generation of Warriors players.

Curt Malawsky is a really big reason that the Warriors got themselves into the position that they were. Malawsky is coming off an impressive season with the Calgary Roughnecks, winning the NLL Head Coach Of The Year award. He needed to find a new home this year, and luckily his hometown team, the Vancouver Warriors, had an empty void in the head coach slot. Malawsky is proud to be the bench boss for Vancouver and proud to lead a squad of many talented stars. 

“(They) never quit, stay in the fight is our mantra…I just liked how the guys cared about each other. You know the sacrifices they made for each other. It’s what they did in that room that turned the season around and you know being a part of a group of young men that really care about something and care about each other, really cared about the front of the shirt. I’m really proud of those guys in the room… we had a good run” said Malawsky.

If you are a Vancouver Warriors fan, then do not be too worried that we missed the playoffs this year, because if this is any insight into how well the Warriors will play next season and the years following, then we are in for our treat. Curt Malawsky continues to revitalize the lacrosse landscape in the province of British Columbia, and you better make sure you head to a game next year, tickets are cheap, and watching the Warriors is priceless enjoyment.



The NBA playoffs are here!

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I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for my favourite time of the year, playoff season!

Luckily both the NBA and NHL playoffs usually fall under the same time schedule so we get double the action, but today I’m going to be talking all about the NBA playoffs. I have loved watching and playing basketball since I was just a young kid. I don’t know, there was always something so enticing about it. I picked my favourite team to be the Chicago Bulls since they had a player with the same last name as my first name and he also rocked my number I wore while playing sports growing up. That year the Bulls took on the Boston Celtics in the first round and unluckily, the Bulls were eliminated but not without sparking a whole new joy in a young brain of mine. This just shows that no matter who your favourite team is, you have story behind it.

The 2024 NBA playoffs begin on April 20th and each matchup looks more enticing than the last and boy, I can’t wait. There still are two deciding games left as the Sacramento Kings take on the New Orleans Pelicans in a battle for the final Western Conference playoff spot in which the winner will take on the team with the best record in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder.. Then on the Eastern side of it, my favourite team, the Chicago Bulls take on the Miami Heat with the winner advancing to the final Easter spot, to play the team with the best odds to win the championship, the Boston Celtics. Star players of the Heat and Pelicans, Jimmy Butler and Zion Williamson had both suffered injuries in their first play-in game, leaving them to be questionable in the game that matters most. I’m praying that my Chicago Bulls will be able to pull away with the victory, since it would be a playoff series rematch of the Celtics and Bulls, which was the series that kick started my passion for basketball.

Western Conference

Now one of the biggest playoff series coming up is the 2023 Western Conference finals rematch between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are once again the underdog of the matchup, but when you have LeBron James on your team, you can’t be counted out. The Nuggets had dominated the Lakers year round as they swept the season series 3-0 and if that is any hint at what the playoff series might look like then… yikes. It will be a dogfight between two of the league’s most dominant big men in recent times. Former 2 time MVP,  Nikola Jokic will be standing toe to toe with nine time all-star Anthony Davis. Will the Nuggets be able to complete another sweep over the Lakers in a consecutive playoff rematch?

Transitioning over to the other side of Los Angeles basketball, the LA Clippers matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. I feel like I have seen this matchup way too often but I must be mistaken since they haven’t played each other in the playoffs since 2021. This game was meant to be on the big stage of LA due to the big named players on both teams. The players of Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and James Harden all combine for 47 all star game appearances, and even six NBA scoring titles. This will be an historic matchup as it features some childhood favourite players who are still making the journey for a championship ring. The Mavericks are the underdogs heading into the series but they may be the best bet on underdogs of this year’s playoffs.

In my opinion, there were some surprising teams that actually excelled this season. One of them being the Minnesota Timberwolves who finished third in the Western Conference with a 56-26 record which is a major improvement from being the 8th seed just last year. The T-Wolves take on the 6 seed Phoenix Suns led by former NBA champion Kevin Durant who is no stranger to the magnitude of playoff games. Even though the Suns are the lower seed between the two teams, they have put on impressive play against the Timberwolves, sweeping them during the season 3-0 by a cumulative amount of 47 points. Timberwolves star big man Karl-Anthony Towns has only been able to play in 2 games since March 4th due to injury, leaving fans to wonder if he will be ready for such a high stakes game.

Eastern Conference 

Moving on to the Eastern Conference, the theme carries through with teams that have had bounce back seasons compared to last year. I have to say that the Eastern team that I would give the comparison of the Timberwolves season to is the Orlando Magic. Whether you tuned in to see their young core dominate the game, or you just wanted to hear the catchy theme song they have that I couldn’t get out of my head for a while. After having a more than disappointing season last year as they missed the playoffs, finishing with the record of 34-48 but this year was a completely different Orlando Magic team as they secured the 5th seed with a record of 47-35. The Magic will play the 4th seed Cleveland Cavaliers and I think it will be one of those matchups that goes to game 7 due to them both having young cores and tying the regular season series 2-2. The teams also both ranked in the top 10 defense and on the lower half of the offensive rankings. Both teams are built around their big man Jarett Allen, Evan Mobley, Jonathan Isaac, and Paolo Banchero, so don’t expect the games scoring to be high, but a gritty battle nonetheless.

A team that truly surprised me with how high they ended up being seeded, was the New York Knicks as they ended up grabbing the two seed in the east, in which the last time they finished with that seeding position was over a decade ago, during the 2012-13 season. The scary thing is they are faced up with the intimidating Philadelphia 76ers led by big man Joel Embiid. The 76ers were at one point near the top of the Eastern standings, until their star player in Embiid went out with an injury till the near end of the season, leaving the 76ers to slowly slip down the standings and wind up in the play-in tournament. In games where the 76ers have played Joel Embiid, the squad has gone an astounding 31-8. They collided with the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament battle and were inches close to defeat but snuck away with the one point victory to confirm their playoff position. We haven’t seen these two teams meet in the playoffs since 1989, but when they met in the regular season, the Knicks bested the 76ers beating them three out of four times, with all three of the Knicks wins being above double digits and the biggest win margin being 36. Two young promising stars of the next generation, Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brunson will showcase their talents against each other in the playoff series.

The last of the matchups that have already been determined, is the Indiana Pacers taking on the Milwaukee Bucks and there is a bit of history behind the battle. Five months ago, the teams faced off and the Greek freak Giannis would go berserk for 64 points and a Pacers rookie scored his first points. As soon as the game concluded, the Pacers had run off with the game ball before Giannis could even notice, and Giannis would go in a full pursuit to obtain the ball for his stellar performance. This playoff matchup has been a long time in the making as it hasn’t occurred for 24 years. Both teams are offensive threats as they find their squads both ranked within the top six offesnes in the league. The Bucks look to continue for playoff success even after firing Adrian Griffin mid season and transitioning over into an old school coach who has paid his dues, Doc Rivers. The Pacers look to continue their success from the regular season as they beat the Bucks 4-1, hoping that same win rate can transition over into the playoffs.

The NBA playoffs start on Saturday April 20th and I will be tuning into a lot of these matchups, especially if my Chicago Bulls are able to secure the 8th seed. In all seriousness, this is a very competitive year of playoff matchups, with hype and anticipation floating around them all, hopefully your favourite team will go all the way and win the coveted NBA championship.

Banger after banger

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Now that the dust has settled, and UFC 300 is officially a week in the past, I can give you an insight on just how spectacular that night was and boy, was that ever one of the best fight cards I’ve seen, top to bottom. From the bloody wars to start off the night, to the most insane knockout I have ever witnessed, it was a great show. If you don’t know too much about the UFC, i’ll tell you all about it by starting off with telling you that the Ultimate Fighting Championship is the biggest mixed martial arts promotion in the world since 1993.  If you weren’t a big fan of the event before Saturday, then you picked the right time to start watching as this event was easily the biggest night in mixed martial arts history, and I’ll tell you why. The  President of the UFC, Dana White knew this card had to be unlike any other, and that’s why he said that “in the history of combat sports, there has never been a card better than this, top to bottom” and that was not a prediction, but just an insight into how spectacular this event came to be.

First off, just to give you a little background on the mega event, Dana White, had changed the fight of the night bonus alongside the performance of the night bonus from $50k, all the way up to $300k. This was a power move from White as fighter pay has been a topic of discussion for awhile now, and with this bonus, it gives fighters an incentive to perform at a whole nother level. Even if you weren’t a huge fan of the UFC going into this event, you probably were after. A cumulative of 13 different fighters on the card held championship gold at some point, alongside 16 fighters that are currently ranked in the top 15 and crazy enough, UFC 300 took place 11,111 days after the inaugural UFC 1 went down.

The event began with the early preliminary fights, in which usually the fighters are middle of the pack fighters, you don’t see many big names but that was all different for UFC 300. This card was supposed to have you sitting in your seat from the very first fight to the main event, and the only time I had gotten out of my seat was to go to the washroom or just go and grab a quick beer, so I’d say that Dana White delivered with his promise. If you were watching with me on Saturday, you would’ve seen me glued to the screen with non stop excitement, and that probably goes hand and hand with any other UFC enthusiasts that tuned in.

Early Preliminary Card

The card started off with a huge bang, and it only went up from there. Opening up UFC 300 was former UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson “Figgy” Figueiredo taking on former UFC Bantamweight Champion Cody Garbrandt who also coached a season of the reality show, The Ultimate Fighter. It was an absolute battle until the inevitable happened and someone was finished. Figgy and Garbrandt were trading shots and grappling attempts but after Figgy was initially looking for the arm-triangle, he was able to land some clean strikes and transition into the rear naked choke, where Garbrandt had to give in and submit. Following the fight, Garbrandt had announced that he was hospitalized after the fight.

“I felt great in my fight, until I started to experience vertigo I couldn’t control the spinning once it was to the ground…I ended up going to the hospital where I was still experiencing the vertigo throwing up until 4 am. I’ll get this corrected, I’ve dealt with vertigo since 2012. Thank you to the fans that came out to support, it wasn’t my night, but I love doing what I do” said Garbrandt. 

The fight that followed right after, was the matchup that fans were enticed by due to their status. Jim Miller would take on Bobby Green, in which it would be a battle for the ages. Jim Miller’s has elite legend status as he is the only fighter to compete at UFC 100 in 2009, UFC 200 in 2016, and now completing the trilogy by fighting at UFC 300 in 2024. Whats even more impressive about this, is the fact that only one other fighter that fought on the UFC 200 card, remains active. Now, let me tell you about the fight a bit. It was a complete bood bath from the first round to the final round. Jim Miller’s main goal, was to put on a show for the fans in attendance and all across the world, and he delivered. Even though he wasn’t able to pull away with the victory, he was still able to leave his mark literally, by staining the mat for the rest of the night with his blood. Bobby Green picked up the decision victory in one of the biggest fights the early prelims have seen.

The Main Card

Now when we talk about the main card, there is many different ways you could describe it. Historic, record breaking, sensational, or even mind-blowing. But the way I would describe it to you or anyone, is eye opening. Why? Because each fight delivered from the first round to the last, leaving fans and even myself in awe and hoping that I could see more events like this in the future. The main card consisted of two title fights and even a fight between two legends of the sport for the title of being the Baddest Motherf***er. Five fights, 6 former champions, one huge main card.

Former champion Charles Oliveira took on rising star Arman Tsarukyan in a 3 round lightweight clash, and that was the perfect fight for fans to tune into and set the bar as it made sure fans were ready for the upcoming title fights. If you are a fan of wrestling and grappling then this fight was made for you as Oliveira and Tsarukyan were showcasing their flawless transition and takedown skills as it was a battler of the wrestlers. The judges had the contest tied 19-19 in points going into the final round. Both corners know they needed to get in the octagon and walk out with a finish, but Arman Tsarukyan was able to state his case and give himself a bigger name by defeating Charles Oliveira by split decision.

The biggest fight of the night was between former champions Max Holloway and Justin Gaethje would class for the BMF title. This was a perfect matchup for any UFC fan as Holloway has been know for his ability to put on all time classics and showcase his iron chin of steel. He is known for not being knocked out and has even never been knocked down to the canvas. The fight was a complete slobberknocker as Holloway would piece up Gaethje with his powerful boxing abilities. At the end of round 2 before the buzzer went off, Holloway would hit Gaethje with a swift spinning back kick to the nose, shattering Gaethje’s nose. There was a slightly controversial moment in the fight where it looked like Holloway was knocked down for the first time in his career, but it was later discredited and counted as a slip instead.

 The fight was near the end and it was already an all time classic. It looked like Holloway would cruise his way to a decision victory to capture the BMF title, but as time winded down to 20 seconds, Holloway would point at the mat to signal that they should swang and bang, and Gaethje would eventually agree and they began to throw haymakers. It was with one final second on the clock where Holloway would connect with the cleanest and meanest punch if i’ve seen, sending Gaethje falling face first to the canvas and laying him there outcold. It may have been the biggest holy sh*t moment I have ever witnessed, leaving me with my jaw touching the floor in awe.

The ref of that fight was well rounded Marc Goddard who has paid his dues. The third man in the cage with the fighters was Goddard and he was left in visible awe after the knockout and even asked for his reaction to be released. “I’d love the UFC to release the mic’d audio from me, I literally screamed out at that ending, first time in 20 years. It was an automatic reaction I guess. I’m still speechless. Still have goosebumps. Both of these guys are the epitome of our sport. Sheer class. What a privilege” said Goddard.

The final fight of the night was the main event for the UFC Light Heavyweight championship and  decorated former two division champion Alex Pereira would defend his gold against the former holder of the belt, Jamahal Hill. Now i’ll be honest and admit it but Alex Pereira is one of the scariest dudes I have ever seen. His death stare and eyes that don’t move are just a frightening sight and I have no idea how his opponents remained calm and compose when standing across the octagon from the towering Brazillian kickboxer. Jamahal looks to recapture his championship gold which was once his, until he had to relinquish due to injury. Pereira and Hill began the fight trading exchanges as Hill was looking to dominant with his leg kicks, while Pereira would land clean punches constantly, despite being a kickboxer all of his life. Pereira would take a hard kick to the groin area, but before referee Herb Dean could step in, Pereira waved him off and not even 5 seconds later, he had flatlined hill in round one with a clean left hook and followed it up with ground and pound to retain his title. 

Just like that, the main event was over in round one, and the whole UFC 300 experience was over, or so we thought. Heading into the post fight press conference, President and CEO of the UFC, Dana White would announce a couple mega fights for upcoming events. The biggest takeaway from those announcements was that finally after all the lengthy discussions, Conor McGregor would make his return to the octagon to take on Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in Las Vegas. If this event was able to et you into the sport, then you will not be disappointed with the future schedule of fights as Dana White has been putting on mega show after mega show, with the next event being next week as Nicolau takes on Perez on April 26th.



Curt Malawsky: An Ode To Vancouver

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Vancouver Warriors fans have been through it all when it comes down to recent success. The team hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2017 and has struggled since. Fans thought that with the signing of former National Lacrosse League championTroy Cordingly as head coach for the 2022-23 season, they would see a blink of success. It was far from that as they ended the season with a record of 4-14, landing themselves last in the NLL West Division. Warriors fans were lost by the fact that not even a championship level coach could save the team, but that was until an announcement last summer. Vancouver was parting ways with Cordingley and bringing in a new face. It wasn’t just any face, but another one with an NLL championship under his belt.

Curt Malawsky was coming off an impressive run with the Calgary Roughnecks, winning NLL Head Coach of The Year last year, and it was time for him to move closer to home. It just so happened that his hometown Vancouver Warriors had an empty void in the head coaching slot. Coming home was appealing to Malawsky, as he wanted to bring a whole new level of competition to Vancouver. The question  to be answered was if he was finally what Vancouver needed to succeed. Only time would tell and boy, has Malawsky ever proven himself.

The 2023-24 regular season is coming to an end with only two games left for the Warriors, and they are teetering on the outside of the playoff picture, with only one game behind. They began a rocky season hanging around the bottom of the standings, leaving fans to wonder when it will genuinely be Vancouver’s time to shine. The season was not even halfway over and hope began to fade.

Then something snapped and momentum became fully tilted in favour of the Warriors. They picked up a win against the defending champion Buffalo Bandits, and then the landscape began to change. The Warriors followed it up with a loss before firing off four straight wins to put them into a playoff race. The season is not over but Malawsky has already delivered with seven wins on the season, marking the highest total since 2017. Malawsky says lacrosse has a big impact in B.C.

“The fan support is just outstanding. My heart is jumping out of my chest when I see the kids and I see all of the fans. Vancouver deserves to have a (lacrosse) team (it) can get around, but for us lacrosse guys, it’s just really nice that we can have our fans support us, the B.C. guys feel good.”

Over 20 percent of the Warriors roster is from the Lower Mainland and it just keeps growing. Overall,B.C. is well represented on the roster as captain Brett Mydske, Matt Beers, Ryan Martel, and many others are all hometown heroes. The whole Warriors organization is in full swing and support for Malawsky as head coach. Warriors stars Keegan Bal and Adam Charalambides are two of the hottest players in the league today. Bal has nothing but praise for the job Malawsky has done.

“He’s the best coach in the world and there’s no doubt about that. To know that it starts from the top down, I think that builds a ton of belief and resilience within the room and to know (the coaches) are gonna put us in the best spots for us to succeed and we just need to go out the next games,” said Bal. 

Charalambides agreed with his teammate, noting that Malawsky’s attention to detail really stands out. “It’s awesome, he’s a player’s coach and (for someone who) coaches (at) as high as a level he does, he just gives you so many little layers and little nuances (that) he sees as the game goes on and allows us to make those in-game adjustments, noted Charalambides. “I think it’s why you see us get so many good looks, you know third quarter, second quarter, first quarter. We were playing with those minor adjustments (that) Curt gives us and we just stick to our process and systems, it’s working out for us.”

Representation matters for the Warriors, as they continue to put out banger after banger on the turf field. Malawsky’s coaching ability and style is unlike any other, with his main emphasis being defensemen alongside young talent. The rising Warriors stars are what Malawsky sees as the future, but it’s not just the youth on the team that he cares about. The youth and children involved in the Coach Curt’s Corner Program also mean a ton to the general manager and head coach. The Warriors partnered up with Malawsky to run the program and at every home game, he and the team host a child and their family from B.C Children’s Hospital to attend the game and meet the bench boss. He’s a big believer in supporting his community as he builds a genuine connection with the youth. As soon as he meets up with the child and their family, the whole ruthless, aggressive head coach feeling is gone, and the father in Malawsky comes out.

“It’s amazing, I met little Ollie and his friend today and my heart just goes out for them. He’s in a real tough circumstance (and) if we put a smile on his face (then) that’s what it’s all about. I got to hug him (andthen) he takes his mask off and under there was the biggest, best smile that you could believe. I feel very fortunate and humble that I’m in the role that I’m in, so any opportunity that I can, or our guys can, to do good will for anybody, we want to do that.I It’s important, and it’s meaningful. It’s not, ‘Let’s just give 15 minutes here,’, it matters and I hope the families enjoy it.”

Malawsky should not be leaving Vancouver anytime soon, at least in my opinion. He continues to better the team and organization with a new sense of attitude and competitiveness fans haven’t seen in a long time, and he continues to run his Coach Curt’s Corner program, being a leader for the next generation.

 

 

Warriors’ First Nations night was heartwarming for all

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The National Lacrosse League has again rolled out its Every Child Matters initiative for this year. The league has been growing in participation with programs tied to Indigenous initiatives, which includes accessibility to education programs for not just Warriors players and coaches, but staff and fans as well. Look for Warriors players and every team across the league, as they will all rock Every Child Matters decals on their helmets. The Vancouver Warriors went above and beyond with their third annual First Nations Celebrations Night on Friday, March 1st against the Buffalo Bandits.

In addition to the Warriors wearing Every Child Matters orange t-shirts and staff and coaches wearing a decorated Every Child Matters pin during warmup, the team hosted Musqueam Indian Band Chief Wayne Sparrow for a pre-game presentation. Sparrow also appeared on the jumbotron to hype the lively Vancouver crowd throughout the night. Squamish Nation Councilor Wilson Williams and Chief Jen Thomas each assisted Sparrow with the pre-game land acknowledgment and ceremonial ball drop.

A special performance was also included for the singing of the national anthems, a high-spirited presentation of the Coast Salish Anthem. During the game, there were stands around the concourse selling limited Every Child Matters orange t-shirts and educational booths from the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and BC Lacrosse Association.

Rogers Arena saw a youth invasion for most of the night, as the pregame consisted of many kids from the Lower Mainland and Indigenous communities standing alongside the black and gold Warriors. The building was packed with kids of all ages waving foam fingers and cheering on the team as each of their 13 goals went into the net. The crowd did not let up and assisted the Warriors in the big win. 

Coquitlam, B.C. product and Warriors Head Coach Curt Malawsky said the crowd’s deliverance made a difference. “(It was) unreal. (The fans are) spending their hard-earned money, bringing their family here, and supporting us. They can do a multitude of things in Vancouver, and they choose to come and see us.”

The crowd’s nonstop emotions had a huge impact on the Warriors’ performance and Malawsky acknowledges how thankful he truly is to have the barn packed. He has been around the league for 16 years but has never seen a crowd in Vancouver like he did for the game against the Bandits.

Malawsky also feels strongly about the involvement lacrosse has with kids at a young age. “It was outstanding, we had 70-plus kids on the floor, First Nations kids from all around the Lower Mainland, and it was heartwarming. (To see) the smiles on their faces, and the opportunity they gave us to hang out with them.”

The youths’ involvement was heard and seen all around the arena as every section was packed with kids who didn’t give up throughout the entire game. The Warriors are an organization that always looks for ways to participate in the community, like the “Stick to School” program which visited 80 schools over the last six months. 

“We are a pay-it-forward organization, we want to give back to the great game we have here, so to have some of the young kids from First Nations was special. The (players) were enjoying it, it was real, and that is what I loved, it brought tears to my eyes. We got a lot of hugs from the kids, and I think it was just excellent. It was very heartwarming,” Malawsky reiterated. 

It was, as Malawsky said, a very heartwarming night, and the Warriors will proudly don their Every Child Matters shirts and decals for the next home game.