Mike Dojc

Some were demonstrated and then died, others enjoyed full medal status before going cold, and one was even resurrected. You never know, the IOC just might dig one of these up in the future. [Published in Bell T.V. Magazine]

Mascot Madness: Demons and Devils

Take away the zany mascots that goof around on the sidelines and the Madness loses its carnival soul. Here are the stories behind the crazy-getups of some of the NCAA’s cuddliest cheerleaders.

Is Canada Still A Bronze Medal Nation?

Multi-Medalist Mojo

Chilling With Clara Hughes

The Birds Of Baseball

The Orioles, Blue Jays and Cardinals can teach us a whole lot about lovin'.

Diary of a Horse Racing Virgin

I’ve plunged into many a baseball pool and I’ve spilled a keg’s worth of quarters into a one-armed bandit’s money sucking lips but I’ve never bet on the ponies before.

Brent Butt: Road Warrior

The Star of Corner Gas shares his travel secrets

Jocks & Jewels: Big League Bling

We’ve always known that athletes have to have stones to play their game, and will do whatever it takes to win a ring.

Lauren Woolstencroft: Paralympic Superstar

At the 2002 Salt Lake City Paralympics Lauren Woolstencroft whooshed by the competition, capturing a hat trick of medals. She scooped up golds in the Super G and Slalom disciplines, and a bronze in the Giant Slalom. The Victoria, B.C.

Stars Who Become Coaches Are Often Flops

When great ones decide to coach, the results are often ugly. The conventional wisdom is that it’s the card-punching players, the Pat Quinns and Mike Scioscias of this world that make the best coaches mostly because the game didn’t come so

Golf—The Great Green Casino

Gambling and golf go together like nachos and salsa. That’s to say they get along real well. A little golf wager can add some paprika to your putts, szechwan to your swing and quench that competitive fire that burns deep inside every duffer&rs

Green Dreams: The 70th Masters tees off April 6. Get primed by reliving the seven most mesmerizing shots in tourney history.

Maybe there’s something about the air in Augusta, but the birdies, eagles and albatross shots scored here have a tendency to trickle hole-ward bound in a theatrical fashion.

Around the Horn with Baseball's Top Initial Men

A.J. Pierzynski (White Sox Catcher)— The initials stand for Anthony John. The sports media took to calling the all-star backstop The Phenomenal A.J during the White Sox World Series run. The nickname was borrowed from TNA (Total Nonstop Action

Jock Up Your Horizons: How to Serve an Ace, Bend it Like Beckham, and Run a Marathon

Repeat after me, “This will not be the spring of 'coulda-shoulda -woulda' excuses.

Beast Master- Tiger Tamer Lives Life on the Growl

Tigers are just 500lb pussy cats to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus headliner Sara Houcke.

Jock Up Your Horizons Part 2: How to Hit a Homerun, Spike a Volleyball, and Drive a Race Car

HIT A HOMERUN

Slash, Burn, Chop ‘N’ Saw: Getting the Buzz on Timbersports

American lumberjack legend, Mel Lentz, yanks a cord and cranks up his 066 Magnum. He gently places it on the ground, the chain still whirring hungrily.

Talking Soccer with Team U.S.A. Star Landon Donovan

Sure, he’s not Beckham and he's not Ronaldinho but Donovan is the best homegrown soccer player North America has ever seen.

It's a Wild Wicket: Everything You Wanted to Know About Cricket But Were Afraid to Ask

Cricket is the second most popular sport in the world after soccer.

SMUSHED : Fist Full of Fuey at Rock Paper Scissors Championship

FailedSuccess' awesome RPS primer rekindled memories of my bizzaro experience going for gold at the World Rock Paper Scissors Championship:

Word From the Scrum—Everything You Wanted to Know about Rugby But Were Afraid To Ask

Rock, Paper, Scissors All-Star Rob Krueger, A.K.A. The Sinister Southpaw, on Hand Size, ESP, Mid-Riff Baring and other RPS Strategies.

See Smushed for part 1 of my RPS series. Here in part 2,Rob Krueger, a former world RPS champion and a member of the highly respected Legion of the Red Fist discusses his favourite sport

Hockey VS Hoops- Winter's Top sports really start to sizzle in Late April when the playoffs get started, but which ticket is hotter?

TIRED CLICHÉ

Rock Paper Scissors Playbook-The Final Chapter of the Newsvine RPS Series

First there was the primer, then there was the philosophy , and now comes the final chapter of the triology. With a little help from the Sinister Southpaw, here is the RPS playbook. Now all you home gamers can play like the pros. Remember, these a

Everything You Wanted to Know About Dragon Boat Racing but were Afraid to Ask

A dragon boat is a monster-canoe that seats 22, 20-paddlers, a coxswain to steer the regal beast on a straight course, and a drummer to bark orders and pound the pace. The races are 500 metres of paddle-powered fury, it’s no wonder this is the

Confessions of a Man on the Run: Everything you Wanted To Know about Running Clubs But Were Afraid To Ask

Whether you’re running to sweat off a few pounds, prepping for a marathon, or just jonesing for a fit way to meet active and attractive people, running clubs might be right up your alley.

Getting Air-Everything You Wanted to Know About Wakeboarding But Were Afraid To Ask

Sunni Anne Ball does some of her swiftest thinking forty feet above lake level, usually while upside down and spinning like a Chihuahua chasing it’s own tail.

The Sumo of All Fears: An interview with Emanuel Yarbrough, the World’s Heaviest Athlete

Hog-tie Mike Tyson and clone him twice and you still won’t have the heft and tsunami power of New Jersey sumo legend Emanuel Yarbrough, whose 6-foot-7inch frame supports 770 pounds of pure juggernaut.

Danica Patrick Has a Calcium Craving

It's less than a month away. Get Indy Fever Now! Belt out “Back Home in Indiana” in the shower and chug a jug of milk to get you in the racing mood.

It's No Cup of Tea Being a World Class Trophy: Shedding Precious Metal Tears with Sports' Priceless Prizes

The most cherished and recognizable cups in sports may be symbols of championship glory but over the years they have endured a litany of unfortunate events.

Tossing Dough with Canada's Top Pizzaiolo

Flour is flying everywhere. Diana Coutu, Canada’s reigning pizza champion, is slapping and stretching a thick ball of honey wheat pizza dough into shape. Her hands are a whirl of kinetic motion like a conductor leading an orchestra to a cresce

The ABCs of FIFA World Cup 2006

Finish this sentence: Ronaldinho passes it back to ……… . It doesn’t matter how big the beautiful game gets around the world, average North American sports fans just don’t follow soccer as closely as their football-cr

Knockaround Guy- Pro Bull Rider Chris Shivers' Stories are Real Steer-Jerkers

Who are the millennial cowboys? They drive pickups, not herds, they get buzzed on Jim Beam and they ride 1300 lb. bulls with names like Locomotive Breath, Hurts So Good and Freak on a Leash.

The WWE's Mark Henry-Talking Smack with the World's Strongest Man Part 1 of 2

This massive Texan man-mountain tips the scale at 380 pounds, wears Shaq-size shoes and hoovers 5000 calories a day. Mark Henry has rocked the worlds of powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, and the WWE.

Part 2-Interview With the World's Strongest Man

If you missed Part 1 here it is Now here's the second half of my conversation with WWE Superstar Marc Henry:

Talking Stanley with the Cup's Keeper, Hockey Hall of Fame Curator Phil Pritchard

As curator of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Phil Pritchard ahs plenty of artifacts to fuss over, but taking care of Canada’s Holy Grail, is his main responsibility. Standing 3 ft. tall and weighting in at a hefty 34 lbs. Lord Stanley’s Cup i

FIFA World Cup-England's Calgary Connection

Owen Hargreaves has been making headlines since he was sixteen. As a midfielder for the Calgary Foothills, Hargreaves got his mug in Sports Illustrated after finishing the season with 21 goals and leading his team to Alberta’s provincial title

Everything you Wanted to Know about Sailing but Were Afraid to Ask

Styx had it right, summer is the time to set an open course for the virgin sea and sail away. I talked ship with skip Gerry Campbell, who sets sails on his twenty-five foot trimaran every Wednesday night with the Toronto Multihull Cruising Club from

Sympathy for Soccer Referees

Every World Cup there are some calls or lack of calls that get fans roiled up and calling for a referee's blood. I get as mad as the next fan but I sympathize with the men with the whistles because I've been in their situation.

Respect the Race: Everything You Wanted to Know About Ironman Part 1.

The original rule sheet said it all: Swim 2.4 Miles, Bike 112 Miles, Run 26.2 Miles and Brag for the Rest of Your Life. PART 1 HAS HE LOST HIS MIND? CAN HE SEE OR IS HE BLIND?

Ironman Part 2: Can He Walk At All Or If He Moves Will He Fall?

If you missed Part 1 here it is. Now for part 2:

Ironman Part 3: Is He Alive or Dead? Has He Thoughts Within His Head?

For Part 1 click here and for part 2 click here. Now lets get on with the show:

Who's Your Favourite Ova?

A couple years back I did a story on Russian baskeball sensation Maria Stepanova when she played on the Phoenix Mercury. In 2004 Stepanova won the IOC sports star award which honours the top players from each of the 28 sports at the Olympic Games.

Game Room Invasion-Home gaming has undergone a paradigm shift in the last 30 years

Your buddy Ted wants to show you around his place. The problem is there are scented candles everywhere. Framed pictures of poodles and kittens line the walls. There’s even a bouquet of daisies on the kitchen counter.

Canadian Hoops Star Kim Smith Talks About Jumping into the WNBA

In April the defending WNBA Champion Sacramento Monarchs acquired Mission B.C.’s Kim Smith with the 13th pick in the 2006 WNBA draft. She was the 4th highest forward selected.

Life After Lance- Searching for Cycling's Next Superstar. A Tour de France Primer

For 23 days in July each year since 1903 (disrupted only by the two World Wars), France transforms its roadways into the greatest bicycle path in the world.

Cycle Words- Le Tour can be Confusing if You Don’t Know the Language.

For part 1 of my Tour de France primer click here.

Dart Me Up- Talking Darts With Aussie Pro Tony David

Born with the hereditary blood disorder of hemophilia, Australia’s Tony David walks with a limp and cannot fully straighten his right arm. Doctors said he would not live to see 20; Now 39, the man can shoot darts with the fluid precision of a

Attack of the Darts-Everything You Wanted to Know About Darts But Were Afraid to Ask

For more darts check out my other Newsvine darts post here

Hall of Horses-The Posters On Milkdud's Stable

If you’re learning to love the ponies, you need to know the greats. Below are some thoroughbreds to appreciate. If Newsvine gets really big maybe Milkdud's share of the revenues will match some of these studs:

NFL Preseason-The Buzziest Talking Points

The NFL preseason gets set to kick off in few weeks. Here are some of the Buzziest talking points.

Misty-Eyed-- A Conversation with Volleyball Superstar Misty May-Treanor Part 1.

Misty May-Treanor makes up half of the most dominant duo in professional sports history.

Part 2 of my Misty May-Treanor Interview

For Part 1 of the interview click here The Manhattan Beach AVP tour stop (Aug 12, 13) has been called the Wimbledon of Beach Volleyball, what separates this tournament from all the rest?

Mickelson Wants the Wanamaker Real Bad-Can the #1 Tiger Chaser Get His Groove Back?

The motto of the PGA Championship is “Glory’s Last Shot,” which certainly rang true last year for Phil Mickelson who had fared dismally in the previous three majors.

Fernando Alonso- Nerve, Verve and a License to Swerve

Spain’s numero uno racing star has got it all: the fastest car in F1, sizzling leading-man looks and a trunk-thumping tribute song – “Magic Alonso,” a catchy anthem boasting that Fernando is immortal and nobody can touch him &

And Then There Was Hockey...

Canada: A People's History was an unprecedented undertaking for the CBC.

Easy Ryders- The Lowdown on Golf's Greatest Team Event

It’s a rare sight to see professional golfers discuss tactics in the middle of a hole, or cheer supportively following a tremendous swing of the club.

Medals of Honour- Vince Lombardi Trophy

This Tiffany-fashioned sterling silver statuette of a "laces out", primed-to-boot football is the most coveted piece of blingbling in the NFL.

Rayzor Sharp-A Chat with the Leafs New #1 Goalie

When G.M. John Ferguson Jr. traded away goaltending prospect Tukka Rask to the Bruins for Andrew ‘Rayzor’ Raycroft, many Buds fans wondered if their team just traded away the future for a one-year wonder.

"So Due"- Sportscaster Blather or Baseball Prophecy

The most “deserving” contenders have been winning the World Series of late with the White Sox and Red Sox ending lifetime long title-free droughts in the last couple seasons.

Beating Runner-up Syndrome: Canadian NHL Teams Tired of Finishing Second

Game Seven can really sting- The Oilers are still reeling from the pain of losing the Stanley Cup at the eleventh hour. At least they can squeeze some consolation from knowing that they're not the only ones.

Who Should the 2006 Bobblie Go to?

Calling all sportnuts, lend me some peanut grease. I need your help with my 2006 Bobblie Awards article. The categories will be the same as they were for 2005 which is posted below.

BOO-The Battle of Ontario is Reborn Leafs vs Sens

The Senators reduced the Leafs to mulch last season eviscerating the boys in blue with blowout after blowout including 8-0, 8-2, and 7-2 ego-slashers. In the season series Ottawa buried the Buds 9-1.

Interview with Seattle Seahawk JP Darche

DOC DARCHE Yeah I know he's out on IR with a hip injury but he could be back if the seahawks make the playoffs. Anyway he's a really stand-up guy and here's too hoping he heals up soon

Bucking For Dollars- The Winner of the PBR World Finals Takes Home a Cool Million

Where Have All The Cowboys Gone? They’re roping themselves down on the backs of snarling mad 1800 lb. bulls with charming namesakes like Werewolf Snuff, Pandora’s Box and Scene of the Crash and trying to hang on for eight spine rattling

A Grey Cup full of Rain, Sleet, Slush and Hail

When you hold a sporting event in Canada, outdoors in November the results can be pretty chilling. Well beyond seasonal norms, the Grey Cup’s tempestuous track record with wild unruly weather is on par with the Bermuda triangle.

Tee Time, Anytime, All The Time!

Tee time, any time, all the time.

Zebra Stripers: Saluting The Game's Finest

They’ve got the Toughest Job in Pro Sports and the Least Respect

The 2006 Bobblies - Starting a Newsvine Tradition

Crack open your favorite nuts (ours are Brazilian) and pour yourself a tall beverage (preferably something bubbly). Now get set for the only awards show on the planet where the trophies jiggle and all the winners are guaranteed to not test positive

BOWLED OVER- Getting a Grip on the BCS

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by American college football’s ever-expanding postseason. At the rate they keep tossing new games into the mix by 2025 the bowl population will be bigger than Bowling Green Kentucky.

I Dream of Daytona (Part 1)

Even if you don’t know a stock car from a k-car, you’ve heard of the Daytona 500, a.k.a "The Great American Race"—the biggest motorsports event of the year.

I Dream of Daytona (Part 2)

Dang, missed part 1? 1991-Running Wide Open

DAYTONA 500 – Three for the Road

To win the Daytona 500 it takes equal parts cunning and courage. Drivers don’t only need a lead foot but they must also be a master drafter. The horse-power-pacifying restrictor plates (limiting acceleration and top speed) keep cars clumped t

Curling: The Sport That'll Knock Your Rocks Off

Super Bowl Snack Attack Squelcher

Mike Dojc’s Chicken Mango Cold Rolls Ingredients: cooked chicken breast, Mango, cilantro, shredded carrots, Thai Chili Sauce, rice paper.

Mascots Gone Mad

For the seven and under set, the game is just a distraction from the main attraction: the loopy, perpetually energized anthropomorphized animal crackers that bound along the sidelines and stadium aisles like Underdog hopped up on androgen.