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Hartley Miller's Slap Shots - February 17th Edition

By Hartley Miller

-by Hartley Miller

With their playoff fate in their own hands, the CNC Lady Kodiaks blew not one, but two chances in College Volleyball. The UNBC Timberwolves (women) are in a similar boat with one game left in BCCAA Basketball, and will try to avert the same fate of their cross-town counterparts, the Kodiaks. Yes, the old cliché of “controlling your own destiny” certainly applies to these teams.

On the last weekend of the College Volleyball Season, the CNC women played a double-header at Fraser Valley. Even though they carried a dismal 4-10 record into those matches, the Kodiaks knew a split of games could get them their first playoff spot since the 1997/98 season, ending an eight year drought. But, so close, yet so far, as they dropped a pair of 3-2 decisions to finish with a 4-12 record, and 7th place in the 9-team league. After these heartbreaking losses, a dejected Kodiaks coach, Michele Parker said, “It's extremely disappointing (missing the playoffs). It was something we were hoping was going to play out for us this year, but unfortunately we just didn't bring the game we should have. The reality was that we had the playoff spot and it was ours to lose and theirs to win and that the pressure got to us a bit”. Parker, who has been coaching the team for three years, is non committal about whether she will return for a 4th season.

Meanwhile, the UNBC T-wolves will be asking themselves the following question: Will they do a better job in controlling their own destiny? The UNBC women are 8-9, tied with Kwantlen for the 6th and final playoff spot. And you guessed it, the two go head to head Saturday, on the Lower Mainland. The winner will qualify for the playoffs, while the loser suffers the consequences. And how close should this game be? When they met just over a month ago at CNC, Kwantlen scored a 48-47 victory.

The 7-10 UNBC Men’s team is facing a similar challenge. The men are barely holding down the 6th and final playoff berth, behind 7-9 Douglas, and ahead of 6-10 Malaspina. The bad news for the T-Wolves is they lose a two way tie-breaker to both Douglas and Malaspina, so even with a victory at Kwantlen they need help to reach the playoffs. Not to complicate matters further, if all three end up with the same record, UNBC would get in, based on how a three way tie-breaker works. Douglas closes with a double header at last place (3-13) CBC while Malaspina entertains 9-7 Capilano in a double dip. Capilano has already clinched a playoff spot. The Lady T-wolves control their own fate while the men have put themselves at the mercy of others.

Naturally, the best way to avoid all that stress is to make sure you don't wait until that last game to find out whether you make the playoffs. Controlling your own destiny is always what any team strives for, but when your season ends because of a loss in your last game, it’s not a lot of fun, just ask the CNC Lady Kodiaks.


From the quote rack:

• "And my initial reaction was, 'Oh, my gawd, don't tell me Bobby Orr is involved in this as well.'
Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon Star Phoenix, after Cam Cole of the Vancouver Sun said he hopes the greatest hockey player in history is not part of an alleged gambling ring. 

• “You don't think Gretzky is serious about fighting the gambling allegations swirling around him? Rumor has it he has already has a Dream Team defense in place: Robert Shapiro, Alan Dershowitz and Marty McSorley”.
Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times 

• "Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet is hoping that he doesn't come out of this smelling like a Rose.''
Bill Littlejohn, in Tom Fitzgerald’s syndicated column, on the N-H-L gambling allegations. 

• "Apparently she met some guy with a car. You know how girls are."
NBC's Jay Leno, on singer Sheryl Crow breaking up with cyclist Lance Armstrong. 

• "The last time there was that much bull in people's faces, Rafael Palmeiro was testifying before Congress.’ Jeff Funnekotter, to Cam Hutchinson of Saskatoon Star Phoenix, after a bull terrified spectators by leaping into the stands in Mexico City. 

• “Luciano Pavarotti, the Italian tenor of the Three Tenors, the last tenor if you believe the hype, will perform [in the Opening Ceremony] meaning that not only are the Games not over, they can't even start until the fat lady sings.”
Bernie Lincicome of the Rocky Mountain News, on the start of the Winter Olympic Games. 

And, how was your week? 

Hartley Miller is the sports director for radio stations 94X and the Wolf@97FM. He also writes for the PG Free Press.



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