Author Topic: Canada's Governor General Wants Women To Compete For Stanley Cup (Read 131 times)

Twentytwofifty · « **on:** February 22, 2005, 07:32:30 PM »

Governor General wants women to compete for Cup
WebPosted Tue, 22 Feb 2005 09:36:34 EST

Canadian Governor General Adrienne Clarkson doesn't think the Stanley Cup should be a casualty in the war between the NHL's owners and players.

Clarkson believes if the NHL isn't going to use the trophy this season, it should be freed from the league's clutches and contested in a showdown between the world's best women's hockey teams – the Canadian and U.S. national squads.

Could Hayley Wickenheiser, left, hoist the Stanley Cup in 2005?
"I think the Stanley Cup is so important to Canadians. It's our game and the Stanley Cup symbolizes that," explained Clarkson Tuesday in an interview with CBC Newsworld.

But Cassie Campbell, who plays on Canada's national team and for the Oval Extremes in Calgary, says she'd rather see women's hockey get its own cup.

"For us, it's about fighting to have our own championship and one that's eventually going to be just as prestigious as the Stanley Cup is now," Campbell said. "Hopefully we have an NHL-type season and we have more teams across the country and across North America, and that's where my connection is."

The Canadian and American hockey teams have met in the women's gold-medal game of the last two Olympics. Millions across the country celebrated when Team Canada won at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

"In Salt Lake City we all realized women's hockey was important," said Clarkson. "It was women at their very, very best and I would love to see that rewarded."

In Clarkson's opinion, the Canadian-American Stanley Cup showdown would draw a huge audience and also encourage more young girls to play hockey.

Clarkson feels Canadians would support the idea, because they appreciate the game at its highest levels of competition.

"It's not like we're saying to some little minor league 'why don't you win the Stanley Cup.' We're talking about excellence in hockey. I think Canadians care about that."

When NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced last Wednesday the labour stalemate between the owners and the players' union left him no choice but to cancel the hockey season, it meant for the first time in 86 years the Stanley Cup wouldn't be awarded.

The trophy has been handed out every year since 1919 when an epidemic of the Spanish flu wiped out the finals.

"I wouldn't want to see [the Stanley Cup] miss another year," Clarkson said.

Clarkson, in an interview with the Globe and Mail, says she feels it's her duty to fulfill the wishes of her predecessor Lord Stanley of Preston, the Governor-General who donated the beloved trophy.

In 1893, Lord Stanley purchased the silver-bowl trophy for about $50 and put it in the care of two trustees. The Cup was to be awarded to the best hockey team in the Dominion of Canada.

The Montreal AAA squad won the first Stanley Cup. The Ottawa Senators, Toronto Arenas and Vancouver Millionaires have also claimed the trophy. But since 1926, the Stanley Cup has been awarded solely to the NHL champions. Formal care of the Cup was transferred to the top professional hockey league in 1947.

But earlier this year, Edmonton lawyer Roderick Payne challenged the NHL's monopoly on the Stanley Cup, claiming independent trustees, not the league, controlled the trophy.

Payne's interpretation was dismissed by Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant, who determined the NHL has control of the Stanley Cup.

Clarkson says she hasn't had any contact with the Cup's trustees about the possibility of a challenge cup outside the auspices of the NHL. She believes it's up to the public to decide what should happen next.

"[The Stanley Cup] is so beyond 'just a little trophy,'" Clarkson said, "we have to see what Canadians want to do with it."

http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2005/02/22/Sports/clarkson_stanleycup05022.html

Twentytwofifty · « **Reply #1 on:** February 22, 2005, 07:33:06 PM »

white Boy · « **Reply #2 on:** February 22, 2005, 07:35:17 PM »

fuck the bitches

Lincoln · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2005, 08:46:46 PM »

Too bad Clarkson has damn near zero credibility on anything.

M Dogg™ · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2005, 09:14:58 PM »

After hearing about all the tradition the Stanley Cup has, I'm kinda sad not to see it. \

Ok, I'm over it now

eS El Duque · « **Reply #5 on:** February 23, 2005, 11:20:59 AM »

lol..fuck that bitch...god is she stupid

like the great Eric Cartman said "HEY! You get your bitch ass back in the kitchen and make me some pie!"

B-Blaze · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2005, 08:46:24 PM »

The Stanely Cup is the best looking Trophy in all of sports its soo HUGE....First of all the bitches wouldn't even be able to lift it...and second if they had ANY pride they should get there own trophy so girls that play hockey can one day dream of winning a girls cup