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Trail Times-Friday, January 4, 1980--7

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EPP- ALK

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A new year, a new decade,
who knows what they will
bring us? I heard a guy on TV
yesterday reporting on the
outpourings of a so-called
prophet and if his report is to
be taken seriously the
inhabitants of this planet
might just as well start
preparing to cash in their
chips. However, he did end on
a cheerful note when he said,
to wind it all up, "You know,
prophets have been known to
be wrong."
,
Prophets of doom have been
peddling their wares, have
been forecasting the end of it
all, long before the ken of our
oldest citizens. If they had
been right in some instances
we wouldn't even be here
now, so I guess we'll do what
we have done in the past and
take it all with a grain of salt.
Enough of this talk of
disaster. From what we saw
on the tube on New Year's
t morning, amateur hockey in
J Canada may be about to get a
1
real shot in the arm. The
Canadian Olympic hockey
team's victory over the
Czechs by quite a comfortable
margin shows that we can
expect a return to the days
when senior amateur teams
from this country, like the
Penticton Vees and the Trail
Smoke Eaters, carried our
colors to victory in the big
world tournaments. Perhaps
that is being a 'little
,
presumptuous, but at least we
0
t seem to have taken a step in
11 the right direction by putting
together this group of athletes
to represent us in the big one
' at Lake Placid. It seemed to
me that the under-staffed
teams in the NHL would like
to have a chance to grab on to
some of these young men.
Then again, maybe I've got
the wrong slant on this. Of the
European teams that come
over here on some of these
exhibition jaunts, some seem
to prosper while others fall
flat on their faces. Isn't there
a possibility that we might be
being given the treatment.
When it comes to the big ones,
the Soviets, Czechs, Swedes
and now even the Finns show
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Warriors play and was really
impressed with the showing of
the team as a whole. It would
almost appear that the
growing pains they have
suffered all season, are
beginning to straighten
themselves out and they are
finding that they can play
comfortably with one another.
If the Warriors can survive
a season like this one, when
just about everything that can
happen to a team has happened to them - coaching
changes, internal flare-ups,
terrible lack of fan support
and the key injuries - yes, if
they can survive, they could
come out next season
prepared to do a real job.
Their rookie crop will be
pretty stable and the talent
that's there is unmistakeable.
After the two games against
Trail and Castlegar, this team
of Warriors has nothing to be
ashamed of.
I don't know what the
feelings of the majority of
Canadian fans is with regard
to the surfeit of college
football we have to put up
with on the tube over the New
Year holiday. I only know
that personally, I could gladly
pass on a lot of them. The
only thing is nowadays the
Canadian stations are cluttered with them too. Can you
imagine an American viewe.r
watching a football game
between UBC and U of
Calgary? I can't, I have no
feeling whatever as to who
they name the No. 1 college
team in the nation, I couldn't
care less. The millions of fans
who attend the seemingly
never-ending parade of
college football games must
find something entertaining
about it but to yours truly it's
just a bore; I'd get more kick
out of a two-hour stint of
Three's Company or Mork
and Mindy.
On Friday it's back to the
fray as the Retirees swing
back into action after the
Christmas-New Year break.
So far this season our curling
has been great, the turnout by

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will lead. We probably won't
create any havoc in the end
result by our efforts, but I'll
bet we'll have fun. I can't
think of any guys I'd rather
go with.
This year we spent both the
big holidays at home.
Christmas we were alone but
on New Year's Day we had
company, good friends who
enjoyed what we had to offer
and a few very pleasant hours
spent in convivial company is
what makes a holiday what
it's meant to be.
I imagine we will be
hearing some details about
the up-coming Play-for-Fun
tourney to be held, I understand, in February.
Another event I would like to
go and watch this year,is the
Pontiac Cup races at Red
Mountain. Would you believe,
in all the years · I've been
around here, on only one
occasion have I ever been to
watch an event up there. That
was way back when the
jumping was held across the
road from the Reservoir, and
I mean that is way back. I
think I'd enjoy it.

with
Harry
Pepper
From a national sports
magazine, comes this one
which for my money rates as
a gem. Serge Savard,
Canadiens defenceman, after
playing against Hartford and
Gordie Howe: "He didn't
show me anything new. All
our guys have been playing
like 51-year-olds this season."
Till next week, then!

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might just as well start finding that they can p.la CtlflSaDas e Wt:n:
preparing to cash in their comfortably with one another. on New Year's DaY. we had like 51-year-olds t1us season."- - - chips. However, he did end on
H the Warriors can survive company, good fri~ who
Till next week, then!
a cheerful note when he said, a season like this one, when enjoyed what we had to offer
to wind it all up, "You know, just about everything that can and a few very pleasant hours
prophets have been known to happen to a team has hap- ,spent in convivial company is
be wrong.''
,
pened to them - coaching what makes a holiday what
Prophets of doom have been changes, internal flare-ups, it's meant to be.
peddling their wares, have terrible lack of fan support
I imagine we will be
been forecasting the end of it and the key injuries - yes, if hearing some details about
all, long before the ken of our they can survive, they could the up-coming Play-for-Fun
oldest citizens. H they had come out next season tourney to be held, I unbeen right in some instances prepared to do a real job. derstand, in February.
we · wouldn't even be here Their rookie crop will be Another event I would like to
now, so I guess we'll do what · pretty stable and the talent go and watch this year,is the
we have done in the past and that's there is unmistakeable. Pontiac Cup races at Red
take it all with a grain of salt.· After the two games against Mountain. Would you believe,
Enough of this talk of Trail and Castlegar, this team in all the years · I've been
disaster. From what we saw of Warriors has nothing to be around here, on only one
occasion have I ever been to
on the tube on New Year's ashamed of.
morning, amateur hockey in
watch an event up there. That
~
Canada may be about to get a
I don't know what the was way back when the
l
real shot in the arm. The feelings of the majority of jumping was held across the
( Canadian Olympic hockey Canadian fans is with regard road from the Reservoir, and
~
te8lll'S victory over the to the surfeit of college I mean that is way back. I
~echs by quite a comfortable football we have to put up think I'd enjoy it.
margin shows that we can with on the tube over the New
expect a return to the days Year holiday. I only know
when senior amateur teams that personally, I could gladly
from this country, like the pass on a lot of them. The
Penticton Vees and the Trail only thing is nowadays the
Smoke Eaters, carried our Canadian stations are clutcolors to victory in the big tered with them too. Can you
world tournaments. Perhaps imagine an American viewer
that is being a little watching a football game
.
presumptuous, but at least we between UBC and U of
0
t seem to have taken a step in Calgary? I can't, I have no
ll the right ·direction by putting feeling whatever as to who
together this group of athletes they name the No. 1 college
to represent us in the big one team in the nation, I couldn't
' at Lake Placid. It seemed to care less. The millions of fans
me that the under-staffed who attend the seemingly
teams in the NHL would like never-ending parade of
to have a chance to grab on to college football games must
some of these young men.
find something entertaining
Then again, maybe I've got about it but to yours truly it's
the wrong slanton this. Of the just a bore; I'd get more kick
European teams that come out of a two-hour stint of
over here -on some of these Three's Company or Mork
exhibition jaunts, some seem and Mindy.
to prosper while others fall
On Friday it's back to the
flat on their faces. Isn't there
a possibility that we might be fray as the Retirees swing
being given the treatment. back into action after the
When it comes to the big ones, Christmas-New Year break.
the Soviets, ~hs,· Sw~es s_o·.f at ~ ·~
our_curling
and now even the Finns show has been great, the turnout by
up with those well-oiled the curlers has been well
machines that seem to run above average and the
like clockwork, while we have competition has been keen.
been striving for the right Over the holiday we
combination by putting received an invitation from
together teams of stars who the Trail Retirees for a visit
seldom seem to jell when it on Jan. 14 and I for one hope
comes down to the nitty- it is accepted. We pargritty.
ticipated with a lot of tliem on
By keeping this team the golf courses this past
together we could maybe re- summer and the occasions ,
establish our good name in . were always pleasurable
hockey. What has been done experiences and I would
so far seems pretty good to expect the ones on ice would
build on. It would appear to be the same,
be good sense, sorta like the
I don't know how many
saying about the family that members from Branch No. 14
plays together, this one w~uld will be going to the Legion
be in reverse, the team that Zone bonspiel in Nelson in
stays together, plays better February. Our rink is the only
together, over the long haul.
one on the board so far; Norm
While on hockey, I can say Harry will skip, I'll play
that for the first time in a long third, Cleve Cowland will be
time I went to watch the second and Bruce Ackerman

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