By the Book

Most of you might not know it, considering how many of you leave the Concordia Gym right after the men’s basketball games, but basketball games are doubleheaders, and Concordia’s women’s basketball team is starting to put some very good games together in their push to break a two-year playoff-less span in the five-team Quebec conference.
After losing their first four games to start the 2007-08 season, the Stingers have gone 2-1, beating Bishop’s and McGill at home and this past Saturday losing a close game against the undefeated and No. 9 ranked Laval Rouge et Or.
This is a young team, and they finally seem to be molding together and it shows in their play. The Stingers had the lead after three quarters against Laval and were within one possession late in the fourth.
Four of the five teams in the Quebec conference make the playoffs. Laval is well ahead with 14 points, UQAM is 4-2 with eight points and what follows is a three-way tie for the final two playoff spots between McGill, Bishop’s and Concordia with four points.
It’s quite easy to see the difference in the treatment of men’s and women’s basketball by the fans at the Concordia Gym, and really all games in the Quebec conference. No school keeps records of the distinct difference in attendance between the two games because admission gets you into both games. However, when some people have to watch the game from the entrance during men’s games and there are more empty seats than people at the women’s games it doesn’t take numbers to prove your point.
In the past few years, there was a pretty significant gap in the play of the men’s and women’s basketball teams with the men’s team routinely in the top-10 and the women’s team struggling to string together wins. This year, the men’s team is still in the top-10, but the women’s team will provide a lot of excitement as they make their push towards the playoffs and are gaining more and more confidence as their strong play continues.
So do yourself a favour and after the men’s game finishes up stick around. You paid for two exciting games of basketball, you should watch two exciting games of basketball.
Where’s the W?
In journalism they always say to make sure you have the 5 W’s and the H. Well, sports reporters at Concordia this weekend are still looking for their W’s. They did get 6 L’s, though. That’s right, folks. A 0-6 weekend combined for both men’s and women’s hockey and basketball teams. And the worst part was that some of the games weren’t even close.
These weekends happen, and the best these teams can do is keep playing.
They shouldn’t really worry, though. I’m leaving the city this week, which always means the teams I leave behind do well.
So steroids are alright?
The International Association of Athletics Federations ruled this week that double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius cannot participate with able-bodies at the Beijing summer Olympics. Pistorius said he will appeal the decision.
The IAAF says that Pistorius, who lost both his legs and uses curved, prosthetic “Cheetah” blades are a technical aid and against the rules.
Pistorius competed in the 400 at two international-level able-bodied meets in 2007. He finished second in a B race in 46.90 seconds. In the other competition, he was disqualified for running outside of his lane.
The only thing I don’t like about this is the slap in the face that Pistorius is giving the Paralympic Games. The Games are there for a reason, and if one athlete goes to the Olympics, then the Paralympic Games are no longer the best available athletes, and that will never allow it to grow in popularity and give the athletes who participate in it the notoriety they deserve.

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