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So much good news in sports world

Every time I think I am getting ahead of the curve writing a sports column ahead of time, teams I follow do something notable to talk about.
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Every time I think I am getting ahead of the curve writing a sports column ahead of time, teams I follow do something notable to talk about.

While most Canadian sports fans are dealing with a definite case of Raptor fever, and well they should be, they are not the only news in sports in Canada.

That said a Raptor win over the Golden State Warriors in game one of the National Basketball League finals is one of those sports moments of a lifetime for fans. Whether the Raptors win the series, or not, the first finals win was huge in the history of the franchise, and frankly the sport of basketball in Canada.

The sport has been gaining fans for years, but it has been something of a trickle. With no Canadian team in the National Hockey League finals – yes I know St. Louis has many Canadian players, but it’s simply not the same – sports fans were in a viewing lull. The Canadian Football League is not yet started, and the Toronto Blue Jays are frankly difficult to watch, so a hot Raptors team drew our attention, and that they are now in a real battle that could mean a championship, our imagination is fully captured.

That bodes well for the Raptors moving forward no matter the finals outcome, and could help with NBA expansion looking at Vancouver again, when the league finally moves to grow again.

It is also good news for a fledgling league such as the Canadian Elite Basketball League and our Saskatchewan Rattlers. It might be the Raptors that are grabbing new fans, but those fans may just head to a CEBL game after the NBA finals wrap-up too. The Rattlers certainly play an entertaining style of basketball, and they are deserving of attention.

By the way, if you like basketball, do check out the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL), which reminds a lot of basketball in terms of play style, even though it is an outdoor sport played on a near-football-sized field.

In terms of attention the Toronto Arrows used a drop kick in the final minutes of their Major League Rugby regular season finale to make the playoffs in their inaugural season, which is no small feat, even in a league of only nine teams in its second year of play.

The Arrows, with a predominantly Canadian roster finished third with 11 wins in 18 games, the same win total as second place Seattle and fourth place New York (also in their first season).

The Arrows face defending champion Seattle in the semi-finals Saturday, at the home of the Seawolves, so they have their work cut out for them, but TO has been playing outstanding 15s rugby over the latter half of the season, so while likely an underdog, I would not count them out. It should be a great game, and worthy of attention.

Speaking of worthy of attention, I caught a couple of games of the Canadian Wild of Southern Illinois as they kicked off their first season in National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) League.

I grew up playing fastball, and frankly it is a sport I wish had greater prominence in terms of a professional game, although I will say the Wild played some great ball and have won six-straight to start the season. There are not a lot of women’s sports that are on my watch list, but so far the ball here is very entertaining, and has my attention as most games appear to be online to watch.

Of note the Wild roster includes right-handed pitcher Kenzie Friesen and outfielder Jennifer Gilbert, both from Saskatoon, so there is a Saskatchewan connection.