- The Grey Cup; image: Roland Tanglao
Last weekend, Canadian football fans had a lot to be happy about. First, they were treated to one of the best Vanier Cups of all time.
Then, the Canadian Football League’s (CFL’s) biggest prize, The Grey Cup, was also awarded.
On Friday, two very different teams competed for the Vanier Cup, the trophy for Canadian Inter-university Sport (CIS) football.
Laval, the defending champions, boasted an incredible defense which allowed opponents a measly 12 points a game throughout the 2011 season. McMaster, which hadn’t appeared in the CIS final in 41 years, possessed a strong offense featuring one of the league’s top quarterbacks, Kyle Quinlan.
As everyone expected, the game was closely contested.
In the end, it took double overtime and one of the most dramatic finishes in all Vanier Cups to decide a winner. With the game on the line, McMaster kicker Tyler Crapigna split the uprights with a 20-yard field goal that won the game for the Marauders, 41-38.
But football fans were back in front of their TVs on Sunday in order to watch the Winnipeg Blue Bombers square off against the B.C. Lions for the 99th Grey Cup game. As with the Vanier Cup on Friday, the two teams had considerably different strengths.
The favoured B.C. Lions statistically had the best offense in the league during the season. Meanwhile, the Blue Bombers, statistically lay claim to the CFL’s best defense in 2011.
The home crowd at B.C. Place was treated to an exceptional game that was fought hard by both sides.
The Lions offense simply proved too much for the Bombers’ defense, as they jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. Despite a late fourth quarter comeback attempt by the Bombers, the Lions won 34 – 23.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
When watching or playing sports, teams that are expected to win are called “favourites” and teams that are expected to lose are called “underdogs.” What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a “favourite” or “underdog?” When you play sports, do you prefer being the “favourite” or the “underdog?”
Reading Prompt: Text Patterns
Today’s article is organized in a very specific way to help readers understand the text. Reread today’s story and think about the purpose of each paragraph. Which paragraphs have a similar purpose? Why do you think so?
Primary
Recognize a few organizational patterns in texts of different types, and explain how the patterns help readers understand the texts (OME, Reading: 2.2).
Junior
Identify a variety of organizational patterns in a range of texts and explain how they help readers understand the texts (OME, Reading: 2.2).
Intermediate
Analyse increasingly complex texts to identify organizational patterns used in them and explain how the patterns help communicate meaning (OME, Reading: 2.2).
Media Literacy: Audience Responses
Who would agree with with the opinions shared in today’s article? How might different types of fans respond to the text?
Primary
Describe how different audiences might respond to specific media texts (OME, Media Literacy: 1.4).
Junior
Explain why different audiences might respond differently to the same media
text (OME, Media Literacy: 1.4).
Intermediate
Explain why different audiences might have different responses to a variety of media texts (OME, Media Literacy: 1.4).
