High school basketball classic returns in January
The 67th annual Tribune Tournament, sponsored by Mountainview Building Group, tips off January 10th at four venues. The championship games are at Notre Dame./Supplied graphic.
Please Take Note Of Food Bank’s Seasonal Hours
By WAYNE REDSHAW
When are the owners of the 30 Major League Baseball teams going to wake up? MLB is the only major professional sports organization in North America that doesn’t have a salary cap like the National Hockey League or the National Football League.
Of course, MLB claims they do. They call it CBT (Competitive Balance Tax) or as it is referred to by many as a luxury tax. The CBT was introduced in 2003.
It is supposed to take the place of a salary cap. The CBT, so they say, regulates the total sum of money a given team can spend on their roster each season. A team is penalized if the combined annual average value of their player contracts exceeds that season’s tax threshold. A club is taxed on each dollar above the limit.
A club over the limit is subject to an increasing tax rate for consecutive years. For the first year, it is 20 percent. Two straight years the rate increases to 30 percent and for three or more consecutive years the penalty is 50 percent. And if a club dips below for a season, the penalty level is reset to 20 percent the next time they exceed the threshold.
There is also a surcharge for clubs that exceed the threshold by $20 million or more. For being over $20 to $39 million the additional surcharge is 12 percent, $40 to $59 million is 42.5 percent and $60 million plus is 60 percent.
Clubs who surpass the season threshold by $40 million or more shall also have their highest draft selection for the coming season moved back 10 spaces unless it falls in the top six. In that case, that club will have its second highest moved back 10 places.
Of course with this CBT there are loopholes and some teams, especially the Big Market Teams are taking advantage of it. This past week was a perfect example when the Los Angeles Dodgers announced the signing of 29-year-old free agent superstar Shohel Ohtani to an astronomical 10-year $700 million contract. And the big joke is the Dodgers are only being assessed $2 million per season for the next 10 years against the threshold instead of $70 million. That will reduce the Dodgers’ CBT payment considerably.
The Dodgers claim it was Ohtani’s idea to defer $680 million until 2034. Then he will receive equal payments of $68 million with no interest per year until 2043.
Whether it was or not, the Dodgers came out on top as it reduces what they will be shelling out for the CBT. With the bargain basement deal, the Dodgers can also build around Ohtani by picking up a few more free agents to stack their roster. They are apparently pursuing prized Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
It should be pointed out deferring is nothing new for the Dodgers. When they signed Freddie Freeman to a six- year $162 million deal, $57 million of the contract was deferred with payments starting in 2028 and ending in 2040. And Mookie Betts 12-year $365 million contract includes $115 million deferral from 2033 to 2044.
And the Dodgers aren’t alone. Other big market teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies to name just a few have played same game. It’s not only a joke it’s a total farce.
It would be nice to have a level playing field for all 30 teams but don’t count on it for the foreseeable future. The millions of dollars they are shelling out is like pocket change to them.
(Wayne Redshaw has covered amateur and professional sports for over 60 years. He can be reached at wredshaw@icloud.com).
Silver bells are ringing for Niagara College Brewmaster students as they prepare to cap off their studies by hosting Project Brew.
This will mark the 25th edition for Project Brew at NC– a silver celebration for the student-led festival which has become a rite of passage for final-term students from NC’s trailblazing Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program. While Project Brew gives the public a taste of unique craft beers from the next generation of beer professionals, student organizers have an opportunity to showcase their brews, and gain planning and event management skills during their last term of study.
“Project Brew has grown to become one of the signature academic events at Niagara College. The recognition of the 25th Project Brew is a testament to the dedication of all our past students,” said Craig Youdale, Dean of NC’s Culinary, Tourism and Beverage Studies division. “These students, along with our passionate staff, have put the work into creating a truly experiential learning activity that is the signature of what Niagara College is all about.”
Brewmaster student Gabriel Baker, who is originally from Nova Scotia, is Chair for the upcoming Project Brew. In addition to honing time management skills while coordinating the team of students organizing the upcoming Project Brew, Baker is creating a sour grape ale for his graduation beer project – one of several student beers to be available at the event.
“I wanted to do a project where I got to work with the Niagara College Teaching Winery … I had never made a sour beer before and I had never worked with grape skins, so I took it on as a big learning experience and a high risk, high reward project,” said Baker. “I believe that this experience will greatly help me in my future career in terms of having the skills to lead a team of people if that need should arise later in my career.”
Ceri Thibert, who grew up in Ottawa and now lives in Thorold, is working on logistics and details to enhance the guest experience such as decorations, music and the postcards guests will receive upon entry, to track beers they’ve tried, take notes and vote for their favourite (the winner will be announced at the event).
“I find every bit of the planning process rewarding because we’re creating something that celebrates all the hard work we’ve put into our beers and the program as a whole,” said Thibert. “I ultimately want to open my own brewpub where community is the focus, so planning a community-orientated event like this is a great way for me see firsthand what is needed to bring people together.”
Medea Romani (Pickering/ Thorold) is also part of the logistics, guest experience and décor team for Project Brew.
“It takes a village for Project Brew, and learning about how to organize and promote an event is a fantastic learning experience,” said Romani. “Events are something I could be interested in doing as a career, which I never would have expected from myself!”
Romani, who never drank a beer before applying to the Brewmaster program, said she is now passionate about craft beer.
“When coming up with my beer, I wanted to make something nobody had seen before,” said Romani, who is developing a gluten-free ‘soup beer’ which will be available at the event. “This beer was a challenge every step of the way and I can’t wait to see who is up for that challenge!”
Net proceeds from Project Brew ticket sales will be donated to the Matt Soos Memorial Scholarship. Matt Soos graduated from NC’s Brewmaster program in 2015, but sadly passed away only a few months after graduation. Muskoka Brewery (where he was working at the time of his passing) and Railway City Brewing (where he worked for several summers) generously donated money to Niagara College to setup the Matt Soos Memorial Fund, which awards a scholarship to the student who brews the best beer in the Niagara College Annual Brewmaster Competition each year.
Project Brew will be held on December 8 from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
In addition to sampling 16 student-crafted beers (14 brews from individual students and two class beers), guests can enjoy food from NC’s School of Culinary Arts, which will be available for purchase.
The event is planned for outdoors in the courtyard; (with fire pits) however, it may be relocated indoors in case of inclement weather.
Tickets are $20 plus taxes and fees which includes four beer tokens and a beer glass. Additional tokens will be available for purchase ($2 per token). Guests must be 19 or older to participate.
For ticket info visit projectbrew.squarespace.com.
Niagara College’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program was launched in 2010 as the first of its kind in Canada. The award-winning, two-year diploma program with NC’s School of Wine, Beer & Spirits offers extensive hands-on training at an on-site, state-of-the-art Teaching Brewery to prepare students for employment in the brewery, microbrewery and brewpub industries. Located at the College’s Daniel J. Patterson in Niagara-on-the-Lake, students have access to an on-site hop yard and local farm products to brew a full range of beer styles. Visit ncteachingbrewery.ca.
(Attribution: Niagara College media release)
‘Spirit Of The Big Ditch’ to be officially released at book launch Dec. 12
SPIRIT OF THE BIG DITCH: The Story of the Welland Canals in Pictures, Poems and Songs. By Robert Ratcliffe Taylor
Decades in the making, Robert R. Taylor’s latest book, SPIRIT OF THE BIG DITCH, is a richly illustrated 116-page collection of poems and songs inspired by the Welland Canals. The full-colour softcover publication includes 73 illustrations and retails for $25. Published by: The Historical Society of St. Catharines
A unique feature of the book is the inclusion of QR codes with each piece that when scanned, links the reader to an audio recording of the poem or song. The creative writings in the book are brought to life through these spoken word and sung performances by special guest performers.
SPIRIT OF THE BIG DITCH will be officially released at a Book Launch at the St. Catharines Museum on Tuesday, December 12th, but copies may be obtained earlier this month.
To obtain copies of SPIRIT OF THE BIG DITCH, contact the Historical Society of St. Catharines at: HSSC.contact@gmail.com
(alternately, call Dennis Gannon: 905 348-7420)
Features of SPIRIT OF THE BIG DITCH
• Noteworthy compilation of 44 Poems and Songs inspired by the Welland Canals from 1829 to the present
• 73 illustrations celebrating the history of the four Welland Canals
• Interpretative narratives by Robert R. Taylor, Professor (Emeritus) in History, Brock University
• 116 pages, printed in full-colour. Includes an Index and Endnotes
• QR codes that link the creative writings to special audio recordings by guest performers
• $25
(Attribution: news release)
Please support this important seasonal outreach
Caption: I started a View From The Bridge series a few years back. It involved opening the window on the vehicle’s passenger side and hoping for an interesting image from Woodlawn Bridge of either the recreational waterway or Welland River, both of which the bridge passes over. The range of photo ops from this four-season adventure turned out to be surprising. The natural beauty of what came into view is just another reason why I love Welland. This compilation is a portion of the collection, saved in my photo archive. Many thanks go out to my two drivers: wife Bernie Barkovich and frequent travel companion, Ron Lemon. /Joe Barkovich photos.
By WAYNE REDSHAW
The first name “Louie” may not be as common as it was but over the years and with my connections in sports I have met a few individuals named “Louie”. A couple have been successful businessmen in Welland while two others were involved in hockey.
First there was Louie Elia who owned and operated Ideal Fish and Chips on East Main in Welland for years. It was a landmark and his customers came from all over. Louie wasn’t an athlete by any means but he loved to follow the horses, especially when they were racing at Fort Erie. I usually visited him two or three days a week at his establishment as he knew I had access to the early morning scratches and after studying the racing form and the scratches he would give me his picks and money knowing I would likely see a bookie at a nearby bar later in the day and place his bets for him.
Then there was Louie Pelino, who was a partner in Pelino-Mataya-Molnar Collision, a very successful auto body repair shop. Louie played senior and intermediate hockey locally and with the collision body shop sponsored softball and hockey teams. He was a good supporter of sports in general in Welland.
Another Louie was Louie Varga, a trainer with the NHL’s Chicago Black Hawks. Varga started out assisting Frankie Christie of Buffalo Bisons of the AHL. Then when an opening came up in Chicago, Christie highly recommended Varga for the job.
I remember when I covered the 1971 Stanley Cup finals between Montreal Canadiens and the Hawks, Louie was on cloud nine and hoping to become the first Wellander to have his name inscribed on the Cup. Unfortunately, that didn’t materialize. The series went the distance — seven games — but the Canadiens won that seventh game in overtime in the Windy City.
The fourth Louie was Louie Nistico, who played four years in the now defunct World Hockey Association — three with the Toronto Toros, one with the Birmingham Bulls. He also got to play three games in the NHL for the Colorado Rockies.
Nistico was a member of Branford Alexanders, who won the Allan Cup, emblematic of the Canadian Senior A championship in the 1977-78 season. The following year the Alexanders moved to Welland and became known as the Welland Sunys, then the Welland Steelers.
With winning the Allan Cup the previous season as the Alexanders, the Sunys were presented with the opportunity to represent Canada overseas. It was a 16-day goodwill tour of Yugoslavia, Austria and Italy with games played in the three countries. I had the opportunity to accompany the Sunys on that trip and it was quite an experience. That is where I got to know Lou Nistico. He was quite a character, the life of the party.
Now there’s another Louie. However, this Louie is different than the four mentioned. For starters, he has four legs and barks. Yes, you guessed it — Louie is a dog. But he’s not your ordinary or average pet dog.
Louie is different in many respects and I think he’s very talented, especially on a skateboard. He is also a real showman. As a neighbour, I’ve watched Louie grow up and progress from a young pup. Now three years old, Louie, a purebred Boxer, is proudly owned by Henry and Leslie Watson of Wainfleet. Henry is a retired Hamilton firefighter and the Watsons moved to their lakeside Wainfleet residence over five years ago.
There’s a rather steep boat ramp that goes right into Lake Erie on their property and Louie has taken a real fancy to it. He started out by sliding down the ramp in one of Leslie’s big metal bowls. She didn’t give it to Louie, he removed it from one of the lower cupboards and went directly to the ramp, put his front paws inside and started sliding. There were times when he crashed and even went over the wall before reaching the bottom. But Louie was determined. He would bark at the bowl, then pick up the bowl in his mouth and return to the top of the ramp and try it again.
Leslie decided that the bowl was too noisy on the concrete structure and coupled with Louie’s barking, she would find him a different toy. Furthermore, her supply of mixing bowls was decreasing with Louie taking them to slide down the ramp.
One day while in the Treasure Hunt in Port Colborne she came across a skateboard and Henry and Leslie decided the board would be better and definitely much quieter as it had wheels. The only question was would Louie take to it?
That wasn’t a problem as Louie instantly knew what the board was for and how to use it. Two front paws on the board down he goes. Of course, staying on course is sometimes a problem as he still crashes and the odd time goes over the wall. But that doesn’t stop Louie from getting back up and trying it again. And as with the bowl, he retrieves the board and continues his journey or he returns to top of the ramp to begin again. He simply doesn’t give up.
Too bad there’s not such competitions for animals, especially dogs. There’s the “Doggie Bowl” that is staged the same day as the Super Bowl every year. It’s been going for years and howling success. In fact, sometimes I would say the “Doggie Bowl” has even been more entertaining to watch than the actual game itself.
I doubt if the International Olympic Committee would consider staging a separate Olympics just for animals as they have enough headaches now trying to stage both the winter and summer games once every four years.
Maybe there is some other organization out there that might be interested in staging an Olympic-style competition for animals. And it could include various events, not just skate boarding. I’m sure there’s a lot animals out there who have hidden talents, just like my buddy Louie.
Meanwhile, Louie is no doubt a pioneer. He is also content as he has his skateboard and his own ramp to do his thing.
Editor’s note: The author provided a short video showing Louie in action but unfortunately, it could not be used on the site.
(Wayne Redshaw has covered and written about amateur and professional sports for over 60 years. Now retired, he can be reached at wredshaw@icloud.com).
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