Canadian Crossing

CFL game's exciting finish shown to U.S. viewers

The NFL Network has had specific criteria for which CFL games are shown on its channel: the games that best fit into the schedule of the U.S. cable channel. The games aren't picked for the teams or the matchups, but based on the night that game is scheduled.

This week's game featured Montréal and Toronto at Rogers Centre. The Alouettes had the East Division crown wrapped up, and the hometown Argos had a slim shot at hosting the East Division semifinal game against Hamilton.

The game was tied at 30 near the end of the game. Montréal jumped out early, Toronto came back and took the lead, and the Alouettes came back to tie it.

Montréal intercepted the ball late and set up a potential winning 36-yard field goal. Up until now, this might reflect a NFL game, but what happened next could only be found up North.

Damon Duval, the heralded Montréal kicker, lined up for the field goal. Three Toronto players, including kicker Noel Prefontaine, went into the end zone. If Duval had missed, and the ball didn't get out of the end zone, Montréal would have scored a point to win the game.

Normally, even in the CFL, a single player will go back to run the ball out of the end zone to avoid giving up the point. But Toronto wanted to kick the ball out of the end zone instead. If Montréal had missed and Toronto had successfully kicked the ball out of the end zone, the game would have remain tied. Unless Montréal kicked it back.

Anyway, Duval lines up for the kick, misses it. Prefontaine gets knocked out of the end zone by his fellow teammate. That Argo teammate kicks the ball out of the end zone. Duval catches the ball and kicks it back. The Toronto effort to kick it back didn't get out of the end zone, a Montréal player fell on the ball for a touchdown, and the Alouettes won.

The referees conferred over whether "no yards" was involved (must give 5 yards for anyone receiving a kick). It wasn't an issue, and Montréal had the victory.

To see the video of this hilarious play, click the video above or go to cfl.ca and click on "Highlights" to see for yourself.Or just click on this link.

NFL, eat your heart out.

Finding some Canadian films at international film festivals

Canadian films don't just waltz into your local megaplex theatre; they usually sneak in the back way, often to your video store, if at all.

International film festivals offer a brief glimpse into films from across the world, and Canada. Even within international film festivals, Canadian films don't get a whole lot of light on them.

This year's Chicago version is a great example. You could find films from around the world, but only 2 true Canadian films. Well, maybe 3 if you count one that dealt with immigration and cultural clashes from their previous country.

"Heartbeats" is the second film from Xavier Dolan. Ironically, the Chicago festival carried Dolan's first one. Gay and Montréal play heavily in Dolan's work. In "Heartbeats," the love triangle meets at the apex, a young man been pursued by Dolan (gay) and his female friend (straight).

We don't know through the film which way the person of their desire goes, and that is part of the story. The movie is cute enough; we don't get to see enough of Montréal, but what little we see is cool.

"Twice a Woman" is also shot in Quebec in French (yes, both movies have English subtitles). But after starting in Montréal, the movie shifts to rural Quebec. The basic story is that a woman is in an abusive marriage. She runs away with her teenage son to a distant town, much smaller and more laid-back than their Montréal home.

This was a powerful movie that conveys a wide variety of emotions. Of the two movies, this one was better.

I am hoping to make up for the lack of Canadian cinema but taking in the Windsor International Film Festival. "Trigger" (with Molly Parker) and "Daydream Nation" (with Kat Dennings) have a lot of buzz from the Toronto International Film Festival, and both will play in Windsor. I hope to have a report on these and other Canadian films when I get back.

The Windsor International Film Festival takes place November 4-7.

Long-time Montréal Expo Vladimir Guerrero finally makes World Series

The World Series begins tonight in San Francisco. And the World Series usually brings us a sad story about a player that has toiled in the major leagues but never made it to the World Series – until now.

Ken Griffey, Jr. has the most home runs in history (630) of those who never played in a World Series.

Vladimir Guerrero has 436 home runs and tonight marks his World Series debut. And the long-time Montréal Expos outfielder has had a great career, but this is his first visit to the Fall Classic.

If you tune in tonight, you will see him in right field, where he hasn't spent much time this year. Though he was known as tremendous defensive outfielder, the turf at Montréal's Olympic Stadium hasn't done Guerrero well (see Dawson, Andre) and he has spent more time as the DH lately.

You will definitely see Guerrero as the DH in the lineup on Saturday when the World Series shifts to the Lone Star State.

I have watched Guerrero over the years, sometimes in person, with great admiration. I even got to see Guerrero play in Montréal in 2002. Chris Reitsma of the Cincinnati Reds (a Canadian from Alberta) hit Guerrero with a pitch, and Reitsma was booed for the next three innings. This is how passionate the Expos fans were.

Guerrero's then-teammate Orlando Cabrera has been in the playoffs for the last few years, this year with Cincinnati. Cabrera has a World Series ring with Boston in 2004. Guerrero would like to join that club.

The World Series is carried in the United States on FOX and Rogers Sportsnet in Canada. Canadians can choose to watch FOX through its affiliates via cable.

picture credit: Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

NHL Network debuts live Hockey Night in Canada action

For those who haven't been watching on NHL Center Ice, or haven't realized this was an option, today marks the live NHL Network season debut of Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC).

The channel has carried both ends of the HNIC doubleheader, though last year and this year, the channel shows the second game tape-delayed. Having a tape delay isn't so much a problem, except the channel has a huge bar below the screen that runs scores constantly. So you end up finding out which team won the game that you are watching.

Unlike NHL Center Ice, the NHL Network does show the feed in HD, though tonight's second game feed is available on NHL Center Ice in HD.The NHL Network coverage gets underway at 6:30 pm ET with the Scotiabank Pregame.

The advantage to NHL Center Ice is that you get all the HNIC games, Canadian commercials included, and the backup HNIC games as well. The disadvantage is that most of them are in SD, and for that privilege, you pay 4 installments of $42.95.

So if you aren't going to pay for NHL Center Ice, the NHL Network is as close as you will get to Hockey Night in Canada. The channel won't carry every week, but they will air most of the games. Now if we can just get them to carry the second game live ...

Randy Quaid and his wife choose Canada for asylum

Randy Quaid and his wife Evi aren't on vacation in Canada. Well, they said they came to Canada to relax. But they are trying to get asylum from an arrest warrant in the United States.

The arrest warrant stems from a charge of illegal squatting in a home.

The Quaids were arrested in Vancouver.

I would love to seek asylum in Canada, and would definitely choose Vancouver if I had that option. So would a number of Americans as well. But none of us are as famous as Randy Quaid.

We will have more details as they warrant.

Canada's Purolator steps up for those who need food

I had noticed various promos and ads for Purolator's efforts to gather food to those who are less unfortunate. But when I saw the truck and the food drive effort on Labo(u)r Day in Hamilton, Ontario, I paid more attention.

Since I write about these topics for my sister blog, BalanceofFood.com, I thought I should link to that story.

Always good to see a company with a heart to those struggling to get food, but especially proud to see a Canadian company behind the effort.

Here is the story.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving comes early by American standards, but today is Canadian Thanksgiving. Canadians celebrate the harvest festival on the second Monday in October. Americans currently celebrate the Thanksgiving time on the fourth Thursday in November, but that has changed over the years.

Canadians eat similar foods to Americans on Thanksgiving, as we learned earlier this year at the Canadian food event (which I hosted).

And don't worry, sports fans. Canadians also celebrate Thanksgiving with football. The CFL traditionally plays a doubleheader on Thanksgiving Monday. This year, Calgary will be at Montréal while BC travels to Winnipeg.

Americans living near the Canadian border had a chance in years past to see both games via the CBC, since the channel carried football on the special holidays. However, with the new CFL contract, TSN has all the games, including the holiday telecasts. And no, today's action isn't on the NFL Network.

Canadian NHL teams on U.S. television, a shrinking proposition?

This might be the year to buy NHL Center Ice or find some other option to follow Canadian NHL teams in the United States.

NBC has zero Canadian teams scheduled; Versus has its usual limited Canadian presence. And the NHL Network, a bastion of sanity, looks like it may fall short of its normal output.

Versus has to carry one game featuring two Canadian teams, the first time the channel has ever done this, but that is only because the NHL wants the Heritage Classic broadcast in the United States.

The NHL Network, which had carried both games of the Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) doubleheader, will do so again, though the second game remains tape-delayed. The cable channel isn't carrying the front end of the HNIC doubleheader in the first two weeks and selected weeks throughout the season.

And when the NHL Network does carry Canadian teams, Toronto dominates the landscape. So if you like the Toronto Maple Leafs, the NHL Network will be on speeddial.

The NHL Network schedule features live weekday games. But the rebroadcast schedule will determine whether more Canadian NHL action reaches American homes. And there are no plans right now for NHL Network to carry Hockey Day in Canada, as the channel did last year.

Besides NHL Center Ice, there is NHL GameCenter LIVE, the NHL's digital subscription programming package. You also can stream Hockey Night in Canada from CBC's Web site. I can't vouch for any of this, nor will determine whether the value makes sense.

There is a free preview of NHL Center Ice from Opening Night (tonight) through October 24. Take a peek and see whether you can get into it for the cost. NHL Center Ice does offer Canadian commercials if that adds to your enjoyment. The drawback is that the games will rarely be in HD.

Here is the regular cable and broadcast schedule of Canadian teams on United States TV (all times ET). Blackouts apply in local markets:

NBC — Zero. Wait for the playoffs, and maybe that might happen. Maybe. NBC should have been required to carry the Heritage Classic (Versus will carry the game).

Versus — 8 games, 6 of them featuring the Montréal Canadiens. Calgary (Heritage Classic), Toronto, and Vancouver get one appearance each, and the Maple Leafs and Canucks won't be seen until March.

November 16 Philadelphia at Montréal, 7p
January 18 Montréal at Buffalo, 7:30p
January 25 Montréal at Philadelphia, 7:30p
February 9 Montréal at Boston, 7p
February 15 Buffalo at Montréal, 7:30p
February 20 Montréal at Calgary, 6p Heritage Classic (McMahon Stadium)
March 2 Pittsburgh at Toronto, 7p
March 23 Vancouver at Detroit, 7p

NHL Network — 32 live games, most of which will be the first game of CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. There is a shot of more Canadian-based action on tape delay. The team breakdown goes like this: Toronto 21, Montréal 9, Vancouver 5, Ottawa 4, Calgary 1, Edmonton 1.

* CBC telecast

Saturday, October 23 Toronto @ Philadelphia 7p*
Saturday, October 30 NY Rangers @ Toronto 7p*
Wednesday, November 3 Toronto @ Washington 7p
Saturday, November 6 Buffalo @ Toronto 7p*
Saturday, November 13 Vancouver @ Toronto 7p*
Saturday, November 20 Toronto @ Montréal 7p*
Thursday, November 25 Colorado @ Edmonton 9p
Saturday, November 27 Buffalo @ Montréal 7p*
Thursday, December 2 San Jose @ Ottawa 7:30p
Friday, December 3 Vancouver @ Chicago 8:30p
Saturday, December 4 Boston @ Toronto 7p*
Sunday, December 5 Calgary @ Chicago 7p
Friday, December 10 Montréal @ Detroit 7p*
Saturday, December 11 Montréal @ Toronto 7p*
Thursday, December 16 Boston @ Montréal 7p*
Saturday, December 18 Toronto @ Vancouver 7p*
Wednesday, December 22 Vancouver @ Detroit 7p
Saturday, January 1 Toronto @ Ottawa 7p*
Thursday, January 6 Pittsburgh @ Montréal 7:30p
Friday, January 14 Vancouver @ Washington 7p
Saturday, January 15 NY Rangers @ Montréal 7p*
Wednesday, January 19 Toronto @ NY Rangers 7p
Saturday, January 22 Washington @ Toronto 7p*
Saturday, February 12 Toronto @ Montréal 7p*
Saturday, February 19 Ottawa @ Toronto 7p*
Saturday, February 26 Pittsburgh @ Toronto 7p*
Saturday, March 5 Chicago @ Toronto 7p*
Saturday, March 12 Buffalo @ Toronto 7p*
Saturday, March 19 Boston @ Toronto 7p*
Saturday, March 26 Toronto @ Detroit 7p*
Saturday, April 2 Toronto @ Ottawa 7p*
Saturday, April 9 Montréal @ Toronto 7p*

Former Toronto ace Roy Halladay throws playoff no-hitter

So Roy Halladay, up until this year a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, wanted to have a chance to pitch in the postseason.

Blue Jays fans could only have wished Halladay would have done what he did today for Toronto: throw a postseason no-hitter.

Halladay became the second pitcher ever in MLB history to throw a postseason no-hitter, as his Philadelphia Phillies shut out the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Division Series.

The only base runner the Reds could get was Jay Bruce, who walked in the fifth inning. You got the impression that even if the Reds had 12 or 15 innings, they still wouldn't have had a hit off of Halladay.

One of those players who couldn't get a hit off of Halladay was the Toronto area native Joey Votto, who will likely win the MVP since postseason stats don't count.

Of course, the only other postseason no-hitter was Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series for the New York Yankees over the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Halladay pitched a perfect game earlier this year against the Florida Marlins. Halladay is one of a handful of pitchers to throw more than one no-hitter in a season, though the second of the two will obviously live in infamy for generations to come.

Halladay will likely start Game 4, but of course, that would be contingent on the Reds winning a game between now and then, not that likely given the events of October 6, 2010.

Congratulations, Doc. Just wish Toronto could have had some of that postseason magic.

Canada has two great first basemen: Joey Votto and Justin Morneau

"Who is the best Canadian-born first baseman in Major League Baseball?"

If you asked this question in 2006-2009, the answer would easily have been British Columbia's Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins. Morneau won the AL Most Valuable Player in 2006 and was runner-up in 2008. He became the first Canadian to win the Home Run Derby in 2008.

In 2010, Joey Votto (Toronto area) of the Cincinnati Reds is the new king of Canadian-born first basemen. Votto is the likely NL MVP this year, leading the Reds to its first playoff appearance since 1995. The Reds first baseman finished second in batting average (.324) and third in HR (37) and RBI (113).

Morneau hasn't had much of a chance to defend his crown in 2010. The Twins first baseman has been out since July 7 with a concussion, ironically against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Morneau did finish with a .345 average in 81 games.

The Twins are in the playoffs; Morneau is better but will be out for the ALDS. Morneau hopes to play for Minnesota should the Twins advance to the ALCS.

The likelihood of a Minnesota-Cincinnati World Series is highly slim. There has been only two World Series featuring Central Division teams — 2005 (Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros) and 2006 (St. Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers) — since the three division setup started in 1994. But having Morneau and Votto on the same field in the top stage in baseball would give Canada a chance to shine.

Amusingly, Votto's Reds go up against the Philadelphia Phillies, whose playoff opening starter is longtime Toronto Blue Jays ace, Roy Halladay.

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The Toronto Blue Jays aren't going to the playoffs, but you can't say they've been a boring team — especially if you like HRs.

Jose Bautista finished the season with 54 HRs, setting an all-time team record. Bautista had 15 more HR than the AL's second place finisher, Chicago's Paul Konerko. And the Blue Jays set a team record with 257 HRs. The team mark tied for 3rd all time, only 7 HR behind the 1997 Seattle Mariners.

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UPDATE (10/4): The Minnesota Twins decided to shut down Morneau for the season. We wish Morneau a full recovery in time for the 2011 baseball season.