Linking the country: Bisons admit to using ineligible football player

Football

• Manitoba has "self-submitted" information that it broke eligibility rules, so there was something to the message board talk. It seems like the Bisons will get some punishment, although it's clear if would alter the Canada West playoff picture. Coaches are to meet on a conference call Tuesday. (rodpedersen.com)
  
  
• Laurier is much stronger on each side of the ball since it got shellacked by Western on Sept. 12. (London Free Press)
  
  
• One caveat with McGill's Charles-Antoine Sinotte setting an all-time record in pass receptions is that it was a product of former pass-wacky system, seeing as former teammate Erik Galas was the previous record-holder. Still, that's a lot of hits and tackles to absorb, so it's not a commentary on the player, just stat-keeping. (Montreal Gazette)
  
  
• Graduating Guelph quarterback Justin Dunk — how will you remember him? — says fans will be "pleasantly surprised" no matter who fills that all-important spot on the depth chart, Chris Rossetti or Kurtis Dance. Dunk also says he has CFL interest.
  
  Did anyone else notice that the story veers from football into talking about another Gryphons team (rugby? field hockey?), without ever mentioning the transition. We're starting to get worried that the Guelph Mercury sports editor suffered a stroke. (Guelph Mercury)

Basketball

• Manny Arop, the Edmonton native on Gonzaga who played vs. Alberta on Monday, had a great quote: "It was weird, but it was great." The Bulldogs won 94-53. (Spokane Spokesman-Review)
  
  
• It probably should be a bigger deal than some (yours truly very much included) are making of it: Every game St. Francis Xavier wins from now on is a new record for coach Steve Konchalski, since his next one will put him past legendary Brandon coach Jerry Hemmings for No. 1 on the all-time list. (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)
  
  
• Lindsay DeGroot, who led McMaster to a CIS bronze medal in 2008, might be able to help the Saskatchewan Huskies. You think? (Saskatoon Star-Phoenix)
  
  
• Former UBC guard Jason Yu is a the boy-wonder coach at Capilano College. (Capilano Courier)
  

Soccer

• Four teams are going into conference championships with key players off at a national team training camp which begins Wednesday in Florida.
  
  
  • Manitoba midfielders Caley Miskimmin and Desiree Scott
  • Laurier midfielder Alyssa Lagonia
  • Victoria forward Kendra Flock
  • Sherbrooke forward Josée Bélanger
    
    
  That's a tough pill for the teams to swallow. In the big picture is it's great five CIS players are at the camp. Still, the timing could have been better. (Waterloo Region Record)

Hockey

• McGill Martlets alumna Charline Labonté, the Canadian national team goalie, is profiled on Hockey Canada's website. Be on alert for a Roch Voisine reference!
  
  
• The OUA does have a pandemic policy, although one would hope they need never use it. The Waterloo Warriors (Waterloo Region Record)
  
  
• It might not be much new to report about Ryerson's plans for Maple Leaf Gardens, but it's cool Joe Warmington wrote a very optimistic column late last week about the plans for the one-time Carlton St. cashbox.
  
  The obvious comeback to his line the next player to score a goal at MLG will be a Ryerson Ram — "More likely it will be someone on the visiting team." That's a shot at Toronto's culture of losing teams, not at Ryerson! (Toronto Sun; see previous post)
  
  
• Touching story from down East: Some women who had planned to play for the discontinued varsity team at UNB have organized a club team called the Red Blazers. The name is a homage to late Fredericton sports columnist Mike Power, who coached hockey. Power died in May of cancer. (Fredericton Daily Gleaner)
  

Rugby

• Not a sport normally covered here, but the nationals are this weekend and St. FX and Ghisaine Landry are seeking the gold. Guelph's our personal rooting interest since its best player, Brittany Benn, is from Napanee. (Halifax Chronicle-Herald)