Canadian schools in Division II?
Posted on January 14th, 2008 – 3:31 PMBy Michael Rand
In what is clearly a violation of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the NCAA is paving the way for rogue teams from Canadian nation-states to perform their sports here in the U.S. of A. Crazy, we know, but read on:
NCAA Division II delegates approved a pilot program Monday allowing Canadian schools to apply for membership as soon as June 1, which could lead to Canadians competing in some Division I sports. The program was approved by a vote of 258-9 on the final day of the NCAA convention and takes effect immediately. Details still must be worked out, but the concept is designed to allow Canadian schools to enter into the pilot program and explore membership. Schools that meet the June 1 application deadline could start the process of joining Division II as soon as the 2008-2009 academic year. The program allows the NCAA to study any logistical challenges from competing outside the United States.
Logistical challenges? Yeah, there aren’t any cars or Internet in Canada. Try that for starters, then get back to us. … OK, OK, this is all a joke. Well, everything but the italicized part. We love Canada. It really is the best.
29 Responses to "Canadian schools in Division II?"
The Canadians will regret this, or maybe they won’t. The NCAA needs some more interest in some of its “fringe” sports, maybe Canada can create that interest for a year or two. Besides, anything that hurts UND’s hockey recruiting is fine by me. Damn Canadians.
That said, Montreal is a fantastic city, even if it does think that it’s actually located in France. I will return when the dollar rebounds and the Canadian dollar is weak again. What? You mean, I’m never going back? Crap.
Hosers.
Would they get the benefit of playing on one of those CFL fields that is like 200 yards long?
If you thought SCSU students liked to have a beverage or two before the big hockey games can you imagine how much LaBatt’s is going to be consumed before a [insert a Canadian college here since I don’t know any] Hockey game.
If this really be in the works, I vaguely remember when a friend went to the University of Washington that Simon Fraser, a B.C. school, and “belonged to the NAIA for more than 30 years before its American competitors moved to NCAA’s Division II”. So the subject might be stickier than it looks though why D11 might be doing this is unknown
unless the number of competitve D11 schools is down…
But I don’t want to have a men’s and women’s Cricket team at the U…
I will say this. Simon Fraser has probably the most beautiful campus I’ve ever seen…mountains on one side, ocean very close, REI kind of outdoor people though I didn’t notice a sport of any kind
It is really a ploy to get Curling into all American colleges. Damn those broom Conglomerates and their world domination.
Something the NCAA should think about is the student athletes with not-so-clean crimal records. Don’t ask me how I know this, but up in the Land-O-Plaid, a DUI on either your criminal OR civil record is considered a Felony…not a misdemeanor like here. They WON’T let you into the country.
Canada: We have enough of our own drunks, thank you.
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Don’t ask me how I know this, but up in the Land-O-Plaid, a DUI on either your criminal OR civil record is considered a Felony…not a misdemeanor like here. They WON’T let you into the country.
Actually, I think there is a form you can fill out that allows you to enter, but you do have to fill it out, otherwise Joker is correct, they won’t take your kind. You can ask me how I know this, as my friend had to jump through all those hoops for a business trip to Montreal.
That said, I don’t think the Cincinnati Bengals will be playing any exhibitions up there anytime soon. (/obvious)
One thing that cracks me up about Canada every time I go there, and I go there fishing as often as I can, is that liquor stores are called “Beer Stores”!! Cracks me up every time the way they label the store generically the way we might label a store a “Running Shoe” store or a “Sporting Goods Store”. But, one thing I have discovered is few people say “ay”. I think there is a fine for that or something.
Example of a store not named in a generic way: Cox Smokers Warehouse
This place does exist. I think it’s in Kentucky?
or Drug Store
I hate when Quebecians (whatever they are called) pull that “I don’t speak English” Schtick (I mean they don’t actually say that, obviously)..I was there once and after 55,000 restaurants, hotels, and gas stations I got fed up (I get fed up easily)…anyway, I told one pimply gas station kid that unless he told me ..in English ..what I owed I was walking. He told me. But much of Canada..and most Canadians are a fine bunch (for a nation that resides within 2.2 miles of the US border) but Quebec and the wannabe Frenchmen…pleeze. Even many from their own country do not like them and their accident of foreign fate language…
Paul - I didn’t run into the “don’t speak English” thing much up in Montreal. Then again, I usually made a pathetic attempt at speaking French and that helped them warm up to me and speak English.
I actually sat in what would be considered a “Quebecer Bar” when I was up there, and I didn’t really talk much at first because I didn’t want to impose. But the cute bartender started talking to me and others around me started in, as well.
What I learned:
1. When you don’t speak the language, try to speak it or try not to impose yourself
2. Cigarette packaging in Canada has the most disgusting pictures of tumors on the outside (good conversation starter)
3. A cute girl with a French-Canadian accent > A cute girl without a French-Canadian accent.
P3, a Beer Store is only allowed to sell beer (or low-content malt liquor), whereas a Liquor Store is only allowed to sell hard liquor since age/government restrictions on purchase vary. You can find both (with beer stores having drive-thrus) very readily in Winnipeg, which I must say is a hellhole.
You can find both (with beer stores having drive-thrus) very readily in Winnipeg, which I must say is a hellhole.
Now that’s saying something. Not enough alcohol to drink the descriptor “hellhole” away. Oh, Winnipeg, where did you go wrong? Oh yeah, when the Jets moved away…
Ironically, the best part… actually, the ONLY good part, about Winnipeg was getting to see the Manitoba Moose, which was conveniently stolen from our great state. Go Minnesota!
Agree on Winnepeg, and also on trying to speak French. I learned some things before I went last (to Montreal) that were somewhat alarming. I discovered there were only about 10,000 Frenchmen who..in total… immigrated to France’s Canadian colonies, yet for many decades French Canadians had one of the highest birthrates in the world. Thus those happy people in bed created Quebec and other “French” speaking cities. I also discovered that the closer you get to Montreal or any points East on the transcontinental highway (worth the trip itself) the more signs in French show up just the way signs in Spanish show up going to AZ. That I liked since I could practice my pathetic French. But I could never shake the feeling that after the 7 year war when France had to give up the Americas that all this bedwork began in earnest to create a new nation. Well I guess there are worse ways..
Just a little insight into Joker’s point, which is the kicker for this whole concept, and to clarify Stu’s comment.
Too many times I’ve had the non-pleasure of trying to get over U.S./Canadian border for business. Even with proper work papers and equipment manifests it’s a hassle. On most occasions they simply held us up at the border for four hours doing equipment and body searches, individual interrogation, shakedowns over personal items not on the manifest. On two occasions at least one of us was denied entry due to (in each case) a 20 year old DUI that was off the books 15 years earlier, and a 20 year old misdemeanor drug charge (one joint, high school, duh) off the books 19 years earlier.
Not only is a DUI/drug charge considered a felony, but it stays on the Canadian books for at least 25 years whether or not it’s expunged from your record here.
Hard-core agents will ask if you’ve ever been convicted of a crime. This is a work-around for cases where crimes are expunged from records. If you’ve been arrested for DUI but convicted of Careless or Reckless, they may ask you about the arrest rather than the conviction. If you don’t admit to the arrest for DUI, they can keep you out for lying. Depends on the agent.
(Hint: Don’t get in the line with the guys with crew cuts. And don’t cross the border the day after U.S. troops accidentally killed four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.)
To clarify Stu’s point. If you’re turned back for any reason you need a Minister’s Permit to enter the country again. You need to go to a Canadian Ministry and apply for a Minister’s Permit. After legal fees that will exceed five grand. If you have ever in your lifetime had a DUI/drug arrest best to apply for the Minister’s Permit before crossing the border.
Of course music and performance groups are treated different than, say, businesspeople going to a convention in Banff. But the consensus is it’s only getting worse. The Strib recently wrote something about this re: fishing and hunting groups and people who live near and work over the border
Part of the explanation is post 9/11 security issues. I don’t completely buy that - I’ve dealt with this since the early’80s. It’s still about cultural bias (mostly anti-U.S.) and the personality of the agent.
Imagine the Hold Steady pulls up to the border. Craig’s wearing his Twins hat, his other five and his six Twins t-shirts are in his luggage. The roadie and bass player each got a DUI fifteen years ago. If they make the show on time, it will feature out-of tune guitars, a shirtless, hatless Finn, and no low end.
Imagine two bus loads Northern Michigan State football players and coaches, along with a few panel trucks of equipment, pull up to the Toronto border. After the equipment is thoroughly searched against the manifest, and if none of them has ever got Dwight Smithed, and they’ve all got passports, have a good game.
P3 - it’s “Quebecois”.
Wow, that was one long PSA/rant… I’m still riled about it and I haven’t been over the border for over five years!
Imagine the Hold Steady pulls up to the border. Craig’s wearing his Twins hat, his other five and his six Twins t-shirts are in his luggage. The roadie and bass player each got a DUI fifteen years ago. If they make the show on time, it will feature out-of tune guitars, a shirtless, hatless Finn, and no low end
I bet it’d still be an okay show. Shame about the bass, though.
http://www.muzzleofbees.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/the-hold-steady-lolla.jpg
Imagine… what’s underneath that Twins jersey.
Imagine… what’s underneath that Twins jersey.
A T-shirt that says, The Dude from the Strib thinks my old band was better.
Ramon, I agree that even with all the right ID etc, Canadians make it seem like getting into their country remains some truly enormous thrill. Maybe it’s because of the old beater Mustang 11 or the long hair or the smell of something burnt, but give it a rest ““Quebecois” (I like that !). But, what I think is happening is a rebound effect of sort since Canada took a heavy hit by American officials because the airplane suicide lunatics may have come through Canadian turf and likely did. So, now even though Greeks don’t look a ton like guys named Al Quaeda the border guys still cop an attitude. So, be it…
Actually P3, it’s because we haven’t shown our appreciation to them for giving us Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Gordon Lightfoot. And the fact that Blue Rodeo never got as big in the U.S. as Wilco.
You may think I’m just trying to be clever. I’m not.
I’m probably alone in this, but the Canadians could have kept Neil Young. They also haven’t apologized nearly enough for Anne Murray and Bryan Adams.
