25,1991 @ The kid knows her stuff on CFL I took a fair amount of flak about a recent Canadian-Football-League- ing column I wrote a while ago. Most of the arguments were made by people who know as much about sports as I do about needlepoint, and as such, were dismissed out of hand. But there was one extremely knowledgeable young woman I talked with this week who, at the very least, got me to agree to take another look at the CFL. Oh yes, this football fan is female, in Grade 9 no less, and knows as much or more about the game as any jock Tve talked to lately. I wasn’t easy on her, but she an- swered all my tough questions with a genuine confidence that comes with knowing your stuff. I liked that a lot, for reasons I'll touch on later. But first, just the fact that 14-year- old Jennifer Chernoff is a big CF'L fan makes me think there’s hope for a league that I wrote off a long time ago. Her favorite player is Doug Flutie, and no, not just because he’s cute, which, being a cynic, was the first question out of my mouth — to make sure the kid’s not just another pretty face. “J just think he’s a good player,” she said. “Last year he came in here and was a little shaky because he didn’t know the game that well, but this year he knows the game better and I think that shows. He’s got 4,000 yards passing and he’s the leading passer in the league. They’re projecting he'll be the MVP if he keeps up this pace.” Pretty impressive, I thought. And that’s about how the rest of the inter- view went. I told her what I thought was wrong with the league and she told me what she thought was right and wrong with it: She doesn’t deny the CFL has some problems, but she also says the league is a better, more exciting product than it gets credit for. She had a cogent stand on just about every. issue I threw at her and brought up others I hadn’t even thought about. She’s against expansion of the league into the United States because she feels the Americans would try to compromise the uniqueness of the game. She thinks Toronto Argos owners Bruce McNall, John Candy and Wayne Gretzky, who brought the Rocket-show to T.O., have injected some enthusiasm and fun back into the league. Free Agent cess, trying his best to do the same thing McNall and company have done in Hogtown. One success, of course, was getting Flutie. I don’t think any- body can argue with that. She won't predict the Grey Cup but rationally says a Cup appearance for the B.C. Lions is a possibility and would be great for the fans and the province. About the only thing she doesn’t have a firm opinion on is the fate of the financially troubled, ownerless Ot- tawa Rough Riders. That puts her in the same league with the CFL brass. If the CFL did have a firm idea about what to do with the east R She thinks Lions owner Mi ghies it would have Pezim is, with varying degrees of suc- done it a long time ago. und sure, she knows it’s hard for the CFL to compete head to head when it’s stacked against the NFL and the Na- tional Hockey League at the same time. watches a lot of CFL games on television, has seen three live games and has met her hero Doug Flutie in person. : Jennifer Chernoff’s a hell of a kid in more ways than one. She’s a tough kid with a mind of her own. She's stuck with the belief in her game even though most of her friends in Grade 9 at Stanley Humphries secondary school can't see the appeal. Knowing what a chance a person takes being different in little old Castlegar, I respect her for that. She's also made me take a second look’ at our football game. About the only knock I have against Jennifer is not really a knock at all, more like a disappointment. It’s just that she doesn't like hockey. Now there’s a sport that could use a healthy dose of knowledgeable fans, as opposed to the ones who just think they know what they're talking about. I can only hope she'll pick it up lat- er in life, maybe when she turns 15. You're Invited This is your invitation to attend the Covenanting Service of Rev. ‘Ann Pollock at Castlegar United Church on Sun., Sept. 29 at 3 p.m. when she is formally welcomed to our church and community. another 5 We can’t take years of the worst overnment in Canada. No Frills - No Gimmicks Low Cost Warehouse Operation SAVE AS MUCH AS BONUS PRIZE AVAI FANTASY HOCKEY DE Gour ream Team Contest ae * It's Free to Play! * Castlegar News Readers win prizes worth thousands of dollars! * Exciting grand prize package & dozens of weekly prizes! : * Amazing $100,000 Bonus Prize! It's yours if your roster has the top scoring player at the end of the regular season in each of the 18 groups. THE GAME PLAN. 1. Pick Your Team It's Free to play! And it's easy too. Just choose one player from each of the 18 groups listed on the entry form. Base your selection on which player you think will lead his group in points (goals & assists) during regular season play. Prizes will be awarded through- Out the contest period and at season's end to the contestants with the highest point totals. Note: + All entries must be postmarked by October 3, 1991. + Only one entry per person. 2. Follow Along Every Saturday, beginning November 9, we will publish the names of: The Top Ranking Contestants (overall) and The contestants with the greatest gains since the previous update in the following categories: + Movers & Shakers (Greatest Point Gainers) + Sharp Shooters (Most Goals) + Play Makers (Most Assists). 3. Personalized Updates Available For just $4.00, you can get Personalized Reports on your team's standings. Just check the applicable box on the entry form and include a cheque for $4.00 to receive: A Confirmation of Entry Report in mid-November, including: r Se ee SS ee Se ee 1 Group 01 - Centres 1 OQ John Cullen, HFD = 110 l 20CraigJanney,BOS 92 30) PatLaFontaine.NY! 85 40 Mark Messier,EDM 63 § 5 CJeremy Roenick, CHI 94 Group 02 - Centres 10 Sergei Fedorov, DET 79 20) Ron Francis, PIT 87 30 Dale Hawerchuk, BUF 89 4D Joe Nieuwendyk, CGY 85 5 ( Pierre Turgeon, BUF Select one (1) player from each ef the eighteen (18) groups listed. indicate your selection by placing an (X) in the box opposite the player's fname. Last season's final point totals are included. Mail or deliver to: THE NEWS 197 Columbia Ave. Casilegar, B.C. V1N 3H4 i] Group 03 - Centres [10 DaveGagner,MIN 82 J 20 Doug Gilmour, CGY 81 30 Bernie Nicholls, NYR 73 146 Denis Savard, MTL 59 150 Thomas Steen, WPG 67 Group 04 - Centres 10 Per-Erik Eklund, PHi 20 Ed Olczyk, WPG 30) Dan Quinn, STL 40 Mike Ridley. WSH 5 Darren Turcotte, NYR Group 05 - Centres 1) Rod Brind’Amour, STL 49 2.0 Stephan Lebeau, MTL 53 3 Stephane Morin, QUE 40 40 Mike Ricci, PHI a 50 Cliff Ronning, VAN 44 1G) Ray Bourque, BOS 20 Paul Coffey, PIT 3.0 Phil Housley, WPG 4 O Brian Leetch, NYR 5 DAI Macinnis, CGY T Group 07 - Detencemen 11.0 Jett Brown, STL 59 ,20.Chris Chelios. cHi 64 J 3G Steve Duchesne. PHI 62 40) Kevin Hatcher, WSH 74 150 Gary Suter, CGY 70 Group 08 - Defencemen 1 Rob Blake, LA 46 2Q James Patrick,NYR 59 30)Steve Smith.—EDM 54 40 Scott Stevens, NJ 49 50 Zarley Zalapski, HFD 54 Group 09 - Defencemen 1D Bruce Driver, NJ 45 20 Dave Ellett, TOR 49 3Q.LarryMurphy, PIT 43 40 Yves Racine, DET 47 5OGienWesley.BOS _43 Group 10 - Detencemen 1 DAllatrate, WSH 32 ff 2.0 Doug Lidster, VAN 3 O Marty McSorley, LA 4.0 Matt Schneider, MTL”~-30 50) Mark Tinordi, MIN 32 1 Group 11 - Right Wingers 1.1.0 Theoren Fleury, CGY 104 9 20 Jari kurri, LA 5 I 30 Steve Larmer, CHI 101 40. CamNéely,BOS 91 U sO mark Recchi, PIT 113 Group 12 - Right Wingers 10GaryLeeman, TOR 29 2.0 John MacLean, NJ 78 3.0 Stephane Richer, MTL 61 40 Rick Tocchet, PHI 71 5(Q)PatVerbeek,HFD _82 Group 13 - Right Wingers 10 Russ Courtnall, MTL 76 20)MikeGartner,NYR = 69 30 Trevor Linden, VAN 69 41 MikeModano,MIN 64 5 0B. Shanahan, STL 66 Group 14- Right Wingers 1Q Dino Ciccarelli, WSH 39 ff 20) PatElynuik.WPG 65 4D Jaromir Jagr, PIT 5 DO Mats Sundin, QUE T Group 15 - Left Wingers 1100. Andreychuk, BUF 69 1 200 Brian Beliows, MIN * 75 30 V.Damphousse, TOR 73 p22 Kirk Maller, Ny 70 5) EsaTikkanen, EDM _ 69 Group 16 - Left Wingers 10 Geoff Courtnall, VAN 65 20 Murray Craven, PHI 66 3.0 Tony Granato, LA 64 40) Petr Klima, EDOM 68 5 (0A. Mogiiny, BUF 64 Group 17 - Left Wingers 10)Greg Adams, VAN 45 20)ShayneCorson,MTL 47 30Gary Roberts, CGY 53 40 Craig Simpson.EDM 57 30 Michel Goulet, CHI H ! t Group 18 - Left Wingers 1) Dave Capuano, VAN 44 20 MartinGelinas,EDM 40 fj 3D Bobby Holik, HFD 40 Mike McPhee, MTL SQ) Steve Thomas,CHi 54 50 Paul Ranheim. CGY ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3. ‘Check the applicable box below. Make cheques payable to SportsMark Inc. Y () VES; | have included $4.00 (which includes G.S.T.) and would like to receive a confirmation of entry report in mid-November and a final standings report in mid-April n (no; 1. do not wish to receive the reports. PLEASE FILL IN THE INFORMATION BELOW COMPLETELY; PRINT CLEARLY IN CAPITAL LETTERS. [I LT TTT 1 [I Address PEEL PTET cityProvince[_| | | | EET TL Postal Code il Phone (H) [ a. Your player selections, their current point totals and your rank. It’s time for a change. ELECT Ed CONROY ROSSLAND-TRAIL 619 Columbia Avenue Castlegar 365-0126 _%& on Furniture for every room in your Home A Final Standings Report in earty April, including: a. Your player roster, their final point totals and your rank. NOTE: This service is optional and not required for entry. Are you a News subscriber? For internal use only 40 Yes 60 19-24 70 25-34 In which of the following age categories do you fit? 00 18 & under 8D 35-49 #3. jonl_ SORRY, WE CAN'T ACCEPT PHONE CALLS ABOUT THIS CONTEST. or postmarked ‘will be taken for lost, damaged or Mailed 3. Only Fantasy Hockey entries printed in The News or hand drawn Fan reserve the right to disq ‘4. Onty one entry per person. Any ‘S.Fantasy Hockey is for the N.H.L regular season only. All statistics are - fecetved trom an on-ling stats service and updated weekly 6. Any ties during the season oF at season's end will be broken by the following: (1) most goals scored, (2) higher plus/minus rating. W sill ted, a supervised draw will be made. 7. The contest leader will only be allowed to win the weekly or monthly leader prize once. In addition, in any given week, a contestant may only win one prize. in the event a tie occurs in the Movers & Shakers, Sharp Shooters or Play Makers category. the prize will be awarded to the contestant with the higher overall rank in the contest. 8. Weekly winners must see their names in The News and contact The News at 365-7286 within one week to claim their prize. 9. Prizes must be accepted as awarded, no cash equivalents, no substituies. All winners agree 10 use his/her name, address and photo for publicity inthe more Scoring player (as of the end of the 1991/92 reguiar there is a tie In total points in any player group at the end of the season. iho player with the most goals will be considered to be the highest scorer. I! sil tied, the player with the best plus/minus rating will prevail. tf a te still exists after both tie-breakers have been invoked, all of the tied players considered to be the highest scorer in the group. A maximum of $100,000 will be awarded. If more than one contestant qualified for the prize, the money will be split eventy. {It requesting the Personalized Reports, you must include $4.00, check the ‘applicable box on your entry form, and complete the address section of the ‘entry orm in full including postal code.Nowty The News in writing of any change of address. 12. The Personalized Report service is optional and not a requirement for entry 13. The decision of he judges is final 14. By entering this contest, you acknowledge having read these rules and agree to be bound by them.