Tag: Sam Scanlon’19
Rugby Wraps Up 2018 Fall Season
by The Cowl Editor on November 1, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
As the fall season comes to a close, Providence College’s Men’s Rugby Team concluded their 40th annual season on Oct. 27 with a considerable win over Saint Michael’s College by a score of 47-10. This marked the “Black Pack’s” second win of the season.
Their first win came against Middlebury College in the season opener on Sept. 15. The Black Pack narrowly edged out the Panthers 26-25. PC trailed for the entire game, but punched in a last minute try to cut the Panthers lead to just one. The conversion was then made by Nate Jakaitis ’20 to lift the Black Pack to a 26-25 victory.
The next four matches for the Friars did not go their way, as they dropped all four against some of the top teams in the league. Captain James Lesniak ’19 stated, “We had a tough schedule to start the season which had us playing the top 3 teams in the league, but it was great to finish our season on a high note with a win over St. Michael’s.”
In the Black Pack’s first loss of the season, Bentley University got the upper hand, winning 50-22. The following week, the Friars traveled to Norwich University to face off against the top team in the league. Norwich proved why they finished the year atop the standings as they brought the Friars their second loss with a score of 69-0.
The next two matches brought the Friars two more losses. A 49-24 loss to in-state rival Roger Williams, followed by a trip to University of Massachusetts-Lowell that ended in a 45-29 loss dropped the Black Pack’s record to 1-4.
The final match of the season brought the Saint Michael’s Purple Knights to Providence. The Black Pack’s offense continued to progress as they capped off their fall season with a sizeable victory (47-10) over the Purple Knights to conclude their season with a record of 2-4.
Perhaps PC’s grittiest team, the Black Pack exemplifies hard work, teamwork, and the epitome of toughness each season. Lesniak explained just how the Black Pack’s ferocity stays strong by articulating, “Our core mission is to play with heart, tenacity, and integrity.”
The season was plagued by injuries suffered by the Black Pack’s veteran core. “We were plagued by injuries this season,” said Lesniak, “four of our senior starters suffered season ending injuries. We worked through it by adopting a next man up mentality. A lot of younger guys stepped up to fill the voids.”
With what appears to have not been the season the Black Pack would have liked on paper, Lesniak remains positive by expressing even more excitement and praise for the squad’s young core. “The biggest takeaway from this year has to be our potential. With our new coach and our young talent, we have a lot to be looking forward to in the future.”
The Black Pack looks to come back in for their spring season with a vengeance. As Lesniak looks ahead to his final season in the black and white, he welcomes a positive outlook for the upcoming offseason. He concluded, “Our main focus to improving over the spring is our commitment. If we stay committed during the offseason, whether it be through keeping in shape or watching film, we can hit the ground running in our busy spring season.”
You can watch Lesniak and the Black Pack this spring as they look to capture a league championship.
New Season Begins for Men’s Hockey
by The Cowl Editor on October 18, 2018
Friar Sports
Friars Reload After Early End to Season
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
October is finally here, and with that, another season has commenced for Friars hockey. Led by captains Kasper Björkqvist ’20, Jacob Bryson ’20, and alternate captain Vinny Desharnais ’19, the Friars are hoping for yet another successful season culminating with their sixth straight trip to the NCAA tournament.
Only the Friars and the Denver Pioneers have appeared in the previous five NCAA tournaments.
The Friars have added a load of offensive weaponry in three talented freshmen forwards. 2018 first round Philadelphia Flyers draft pick, Jay O’Brien ’22, will slide into the first line center role. O’Brien posted 80 points (43 goals, 37 assists) in just 30 games in the 2017-2018 season with Thayer Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts. A quick skater with great playmaking ability, O’Brien will be heavily relied on to provide an offensive spark.
Another skilled freshman addition for the Friars is Rochester, New York product Jack Dugan ’22. Last season, Dugan skated with the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League and finished third in the league by scoring 66 points in 54 games. Dugan, a 6’2” 194 lb. power forward, has an excellent shot and the ability to make defenders miss. He will be crucial on the Power Play for the Friars by generating scoring chances.
Tyce Thompson ’22, another forward with a heavy shot, is looking to have a role on the blueline during the Power Play. Arizona Coyotes 2018 fifth round draft pick, Michael Callahan ’22, is an addition to the Friars sound defensive unit in front of goaltender Hayden Hawkey ’19. Along with Desharnais, Callahan provides a lot of size and he will be a solid shut-down defenseman who is not afraid to get into the dirty areas.
The Friars’ junior class, along with captains Bryson and Björkqvist, has a plethora of skill as well. Josh Wilkins ’20 has recorded 62 points through his first two seasons at the College. Wilkins, Björkqvist, and Brandon Duhaime ’20 are all goal-scoring threats, and with the addition of the skilled freshman class, the Friars are going to be able to deposit a substantial amount of goals this season.
Although offense was the story of the offseason, the Friars’ defense has proven to be critical thus far. After the Friars opened up the season with a 3-1 win over American International College (AIC), they traveled to Erie, Pennsylvania to participate in the 2018 Ice Breaker Tournament.
Game 1 was against the University of Miami Ohio Red Hawks. This marked the 7th straight season in which these two teams faced off. Hawkey stopped all 22 shots he faced, as the Friars defense shut out the Red Hawks. Further, the Friars killed off seven penalties in this game. The penalty killing unit has been crucial for the Friars’ success.
Defenseman Spenser Young ’20 lead the charge with two goals in the 4-0 victory, along with a handful of blocked shots. Greg Printz ’21 also picked up his second tally of the year and Vimal Sukumaran ’20 redirected a Desharnais shot from the point. With that overwhelming win, the Friars were slated to face the No. 2 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the tournament championship, a long-awaited rematch from the 2017 NCAA tournament that ended the Friars’ National Championship run.
However, Notre Dame took home the trophy as they defeated the Friars 3-0. Penalties riddled PC again in this tilt, as six Friars made a trip to the penalty box. All three penalties were killed off in the first period, but the Irish converted once in the second and again in the third to put the game out of reach.
Hockey East action will start this Friday at Schneider Arena against the University of Connecticut Huskies. As the Friars compete in one of the most dominant conferences in college hockey, their strong freshman class, as well as the solid returning core, is imperative for success. They will face two powerhouses in Boston College and Boston University three times each this season, giving the Friars a problematic schedule from the start. However, Head Coach Nate Leaman and the Friars have their eyes set on their 6th straight NCAA appearance and a trip to Buffalo, New York for the 2019 Frozen Four.
Boston Bruins Start Off Season With Devastating Loss
by The Cowl Editor on October 4, 2018
Professional Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
October is finally here and the quest for the Stanley Cup is officially underway.
The Boston Bruins finished last season with a 50-20-12 record, but the year was abruptly ended by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This season, the Bruins have added several new faces to complement their veteran core and boost their young talent. Chris Wagner, a Walpole, Massachusetts native, and Joakim Nordstrom are the Bruins’ new acquisitions up front, who will fill the fourth line role left by Tim Schaller. Wagner is an undersized powerhouse who thrives in physical situations, and he will fit the Bruins’ style of play perfectly.
The Bruins have also picked up two new defensemen to fill the void left by long-time Bruin Adam McQuaid’s departure. The most crucial acquisition was John Moore. Moore’s ability to skate with the puck was especially attractive to the Bruins. His role will be similar to that of Torey Krug, who will be out for the first three weeks of the season due to another ankle injury. Moore will play an extended role in the absence of Krug and McQuaid.
Tuukka Rask has been the Bruins’ franchise goaltender for just about a decade. The 31-year-old is quickly approaching 500 games played, and with that in mind, the Bruins have brought in Jaroslav Halak from the New York Islanders. Halak will serve as a backup goalie to Rask who can be comfortably relied on when Rask takes time off.
With the core of the team still in tact after last year, the Bruins are still in a great position to make yet another deep postseason run. Boston is home to one of the NHL’s deadliest offensive lines in Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak, and Brad Marchand, who are capable to combining for well over 200 points this season. Veteran center David Krejci will begin the season playing in the middle of two sophomores, Danton Heinen and Jake DeBrusk. Along with Ryan Donato, Heinen and DeBrusk broke out in the second half of their rookie seasons and will look to continue production through the start of this season.
Charlie McAvoy is another Bruins young stud. His offensive prowess as a defenseman is a main reason why top forwards are able to produce. As he skates with the 6’9” captain Zdeno Chara, he is able to make plays for the Bruins offensively. He will play a large role on the power play during the first month while Krug rehabs his injury.
The Bruins looked to put all of their summer transactions and training to the test in their first game on Oct. 3 against the defending Stanley Cup Champions the Washington Capitals. It was also Opening Night for the Caps and the Cup holders were celebrating with their June victory one last time with their city by raising their very first Stanley Cup Champions banner. However, they were unable to take away from the celebratory night for the Caps—the momentum of the night was just not on their side.
Rask was put to the test right away and not even 25 seconds into the game, T.J. Oshie was able to snipe one past him. And from there, the flood gates opened wide for the Captials and while the Bruins did all that they could to stay afloat, it was just not enough.
They headed into the second period down 2-0 after Evgeny Kuznetsov snuck one in 1.23 minutes after Oshie. Not even five minutes into the second, Rask let three unanswered goals hit the back of the net within a span of just over three minutes. Alex Ovechkin, Nic Dowd, and Kuznetsov all rallied their team to a 5-0 lead not even halfway through the second period.
Head Coach Bruce Cassidy decided to take action then and yanked Rask from the net to give newcomer Halak a chance. However, not even he could stop the Caps, as John Carlson fired one right over his shoulder from the top of the face-off circle, making the score 6-0 Caps.
The third period consisted of a single goal scored by Lars Eller, giving the Caps a 7-0 win over Boston on Opening Night. However, despite the obvious defeat on the score board, Boston did not end the night totally defeated; they out hit the Caps 28-16 and dominated in the face-off circle 41-19.
Obviously the Bruins still have a lot of work to do in preparation for the season based off of their lack of defense and offense against the Caps and they will have to recover quickly for their Oct. 4 game against the Buffalo Sabres.
NHL Expanding to Reach New Fans
by The Cowl Editor on September 27, 2018
Professional Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
The National Hockey League is in the midst of a long-term campaign in the hopes to broaden the game of hockey and the NHL globally. Their plan to expand includes playing in a series of games overseas in order to attract the attention of more fans and players to help the game grow. European countries with an already strong hockey and NHL presence will be visited, as well as China.
China, a country with virtually no hockey community, is where the NHL will spend most of its time and energy on growth. Its efforts started with the 2018 NHL O.R.G. China Games, a series between the Boston Bruins and Calgary Flames earlier this month. Game 1 was held at the Universiade Sports Center in Shenzhen, before they went up north to Cadillac Arena for Game 2 in Beijing. The Bruins took both games by scores of 4-3 and 3-1.
The trip was a great experience for fans in China to be introduced to the game of hockey by watching some of the best players in the world compete in their country. Watching NHL players is not as easily accessible for Chinese fans as it is for North American fans, so this was a great opportunity for fans to experience the highest level of hockey firsthand. However, the NHL is taking this expansion a step further, and it signed a five-year contract with their broadcast partner, CCTV, to broadcast NHL games and content. Now fans in China will have a lot more exposure to high end games.
The NHL is not only trying to expand their league, but also expand the game of hockey while in China. They plan on helping to develop youth teams to build the community across the country, as well as assisting in the development in the Chinese National team in hopes they will be able to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Additionally, the Boston Bruins made an effort of their own to promote Chinese players as they offered a Professional Tryout Contract (PTO)to Derek Dun, a Chinese Canadian goaltender who was playing with the Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League. Dun told the Bruins’ website that it was “a surreal moment to step out on the ice and practice with some of the best players of the world.”
Aside from China, the NHL will participate in a series of games across Europe. The Global Series games include the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils’ season opener in Gothenburg, Sweden on Oct. 6. Nov. 1-2 will bring another series of games featuring the Florida Panthers and the Winnipeg Jets in Helsinki, Finland.
Prior to their season opener in Sweden, the Edmonton Oilers and New Jersey Devils will each play a game against European professional teams. The New Jersey Devils will face off against SC Bern of the Swiss National League at their home arena in Bern, Switzerland on October 1, 2017. First overall draft pick, Nico Hischier, will make his return home to Switzerland to represent the NHL in his home country.
On Oct. 3, the Oilers will take on Kölner Haie, a team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Like Hischier, the Oilers 2014 3rd overall draft pick, Leon Draisaitl, will be making a return home to Germany. Interestingly enough, Kölner Haie, the Oilers’ opponent, is coached by his father, Peter Draisaitl.
The NHL is continuously making an effort to expand the league as well as the game of hockey around the globe. Their relationship with countries overseas is imperative to the league as they hope to generate a larger fan base, but also as they attempt to attract the best players in these countries to sign with NHL organizations to improve the quality of the league.
Serena Williams Feels Cheated After Upset Loss
by The Cowl Editor on September 20, 2018
Professional Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
The 2018 U.S. Open Women’s Championship match was surely a match for the ages, and it will live in infamy.
Serena Williams was matched up against Naomi Osaka, a 20-year-old hailing from Japan. Williams was seeking her 24th Grand Slam title, which would have given her a share of the all-time record for Grand Slam singles wins, while Osaka was gunning for the title of the first Japanese tennis player to ever take home a Grand Slam.
Osaka jumped out to an early lead by taking the first set 6-2 over Williams. Then things turned ugly. During a back and forth second set, Williams recieved a violation for receiving coaching tips from her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, from the sideline. No player is permitted to receive any sort of coaching during a match. Williams insisted that the “thumbs up” she received was not coaching and followed up by telling chair umpire Carlos Ramos, “I don’t cheat to win. I’d rather lose.”
Later on during the set, a visually upset Williams smashed her racket out of frustration, giving her second code violation, which is a point penalty. Therefore, Osaka was awarded an extra point.
At multiple moments throughout the match, Williams expressed her irritation with Ramos, ultimately calling him a “liar” and a “thief.” Calling Ramos a “thief” was apparently the last straw for the umpire, and Williams was awarded her third code violation for verbal abuse, which resulted in a game penalty. Williams’ back was against the wall, as that game penalty put Osaka up 5-3 in the second set.
An extremely emotional Williams called for tournament officials to issue an explanation and she continuously expressed her feelings that it was not fair to be given that penalty. Williams also made it clear that she believed she was treated unfairly in this situation because she is a woman. She argued, “There [are] a lot of men out here that have said a lot of things, and because they are men that doesn’t happen to them.”
Willams survived one more game before falling to Osaka in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.
Directly after the match, Williams’ coach Mouratoglou admitted to coaching her and went on to say, “I was, like 100 percent of the coaches in 100 percent of the matches.” This quote makes the whole situation a lot more interesting, as Serena was insistent that she was not “cheating.”
In a press conference following the match, Williams refuted Mouratoglou’s statement by explaining, “[W]e don’t have signals. We have never discussed signals. I don’t even call for on-court coaching. I’m trying to figure out why he would say that.”
She stuck to her story throughout the press conference, adding, “He took a point from me. He alleged that I was cheating, and I wasn’t cheating.”
Although this was an extremely intense match that will surely be talked about for ages, a great accomplishment for Osaka was overshadowed by controversy. The broadcast’s announcers explained, “[Osaka] was given one game and one point, but she absolutely earned everything else… she was a champion this whole tournament.”
Providence College Investigates
by The Cowl Editor on September 13, 2018
PCI
The Los Angeles Rams Will Win Super Bowl LIII
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
As week one has concluded for the 2018-2019 NFL season, Super Bowl LIII predictions are a popular topic of discussion. My prediction: the Los Angeles Rams.
The defending NFC West Champions enter this season coming off an 11-5 record in their 2017 campaign, but have added several key players to this year’s roster that complement their current playmakers.
The Rams boast the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year in running back Todd Gurley. Gurley finished the season with 1,305 rushing yards while leading the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 2,093 and touchdowns at 19. His ability to find the end zone and create positive yardage gives the Rams the edge they will need to hoist the Lombardi Trophy come February.
Leading the offense, however, is 2016 first overall pick, Jared Goff. The 6’4” 222 pound quarterback had an excellent sophomore season as he threw 3,804 yards and 28 touchdowns. Goff is emerging as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, which is imperative for a Super Bowl contender. Look for Goff to exceed last year’s numbers and lead his team to Atlanta for Super Bowl LIII.
A huge reason Goff is expected to have another successful year is because of his speedy and talented receiving core. Brandin Cooks was an exceptional offseason acquisition for the Rams as he gives Goff more depth at wide receiver. Cooks is a deep threat receiver who has an unbelievable ability to create separation for big time plays. He excelled last season in New England and played a large role in getting them to the Super Bowl.
Along with the Offensive Player of the Year in Gurley, Aaron Donald, the Rams’ top pass rusher, was named Defensive Player of the Year. He is one of the most dynamic players in all of football as he finished last season with 11 sacks and five forced fumbles.
To compliment Donald’s ferociousness up front, the Rams acquired Ndamukong Suh, who is perhaps one of the most aggressive defensive linemen in the NFL. The two of them will certainly wreak havoc on opposing offenses all season.
Finally, as if the Rams had any holes in their roster, they have added two of the NFL’s top defensive backs: Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib in their lineup. With quarterbacks already fearing the defensive line, this Los Angeles secondary is going to make quarterbacking a nightmare for opposing teams.
With all key components of their roster seemingly filled with top players, the Rams are bound to make quite the run this season. Do not be surprised when this talented group is crowned Super Bowl LIII Champions.
PCI: The Best Moment of Summer 2018
by The Cowl Editor on August 30, 2018
PCI
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
For the first time in history, the Washington Capitals are at the top of the hockey world after defeating the Las Vegas Golden Knights in five games to win the Stanley Cup. The sheer fact that Las Vegas reached the Stanley Cup final was in itself an outstanding moment. Seeing Alexander Ovechkin and the rest of the Washington Capitals reign as champions is undoubtedly the best sports moment of the summer.
Ovechkin, one of the highest NHL goal scorers of our generation, has been criticized for never winning a Stanley Cup. Until now, some experts have discounted Ovechkin when considering best players of all time; therefore, seeing him raise the Cup for his team was special to watch.
It seemed as though the 2016-2017 “super” team would capture the organization’s first title. When they fell short and subsequently lost Justin Williams, Nate Schmidt, and Kevin Shattenkirk, the 2017-2018 team was certainly battling against the odds.
However, the Capitals still maintained the rights to powerhouse forwards Ovechkin, Niklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, and Evgeny Kuznetsov as well as a top 10 NHL defenseman, John Carlson who led all NHL defensemen with 68 points last season.
Although the Capitals appeared solid on paper, it takes more than a good roster to win the Stanley Cup, a trophy which is often referred to as the hardest trophy to win in professional sports. The Capitals’ “Big 5” carried out their roles as they finished top five in team scoring for both the regular season and postseason. However, they had another underdog story of their own.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Capitals found themselves down three games to two in the best-of-seven games series to the Tampa Bay Lighting.
With their backs to the wall and the potential for another season to fall short of the Finals, Washington dominated Game 6, winning 3-0 to force a decisive Game 7 in Tampa Bay.
In Game 7, Ovechkin scored the first goal of the game giving Washington control and momentum on the ice.
Despite playing in a hostile crowd, Washington dominated and won on the road for the third time in the series, winning 4-0 to seal a trip to the Finals.
After dropping the first game in the finals, Washington came back to win four games in a row to seal their first title.
Lars Eller, the first Danish player to bring home the Stanley Cup, had a career year as he finished his season ranked sixth on the team in points. His late goal in the third period broke a 3-3 tie to top the Golden Knights 4-3 to clinch the title.
After the final horn buzzed, Ovechkin reflected on how big the moment was. “We did it. That’s all that matters. Look at the smiles on my teammates. This is something you’ll never forget. This moment, I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I’m so happy. It’s unbelievable.”
With Ovechkin and Washington winning their first Cup, Eller scoring the winning goal and bringing the Cup to Denmark, and watching Oshie share a special moment with his ill father on the ice after lifting the Cup, it is hard not to tip your cap to the Washington Capitals.
A Year in PC Sports: Fight for Drew Brown Night
by The Cowl Editor on May 3, 2018
Friar Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
The Providence College community lost a great one this year. Drew Brown ’16, a former Friar hockey player and National Champion, lost his courageous battle with cancer on November 11, 2017, at the age of 25.
The Friars hosted the University of Massachusetts Amherst Minutemen for a weekend series on Nov. 10-11. Earlier that week, the game against UMass Amherst was named “I Fight for Drew Brown Night” with all proceeds going to the Brown family. By doing this, it was a way the community could stand with Brown and fight alongside him. Unfortunately, hours before the game, Brown lost his battle. “I Fight for Drew Brown Night” proceeded as planned, with countless heartfelt tributes throughout the night.
With their fallen brother in mind, the Friars took the ice on Saturday night to play and fight for Drew Brown. Former teammate and captain of the Friars, Brian Pinho ’18, got the Friars going early as he deposited his first goal of the game in just under five minutes. Pinho’s emotion throughout the game was felt by everyone in the arena that night, so his first tally opened the floodgates and sparked the Friars’ onslaught.
Following Pinho’s first strike, four consecutive power play goals ensued for the Friars, starting with Scott Conway ’19, a pair from defenseman Ben Mirageas ’21, and Pinho’s second of the game. The power play success brought the score to 5-2 with one period left to play.
The Friars’ main goal was to win this contest against a Hockey East opponent. However, everyone’s mind was on winning for Drew Brown, and the entire locker room wanted to do something special for him.
A little over halfway through the third period, forward Erik Foley ’19 scored a beautiful goal to extend the Friar lead to 6-2. With time winding down and a sizeable lead for the Friars, something still felt missing from the game. The missing piece was provided by Kasper Björkqvist ’20 with under two minutes left to play on yet another power play goal. This goal, however, lit up the entirety of Schneider Arena. This goal was goal number seven for the Friars on “I Fight for Drew Brown Night”. In his time with the Friars, Drew Brown wore number seven.
PCI: Sam Darnold will be the First Pick in the 2018 NFL Draft
by The Cowl Editor on April 26, 2018
PCI
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
Draft Day is just around the corner. In recent history the 2018 NFL Draft has one of the most highly anticipated drafts due to the skill and athleticism of most of the prospects, but also because it is focused heavily on quarterbacks. However, there is no clear answer as to who will be the first overall selection.
For the second consecutive season, the Cleveland Browns will be making the first overall selection. The Browns finished the 2017 season with a record of 0-16, following a 2016 campaign that landed them at 1-15.
With a plethora of good quarterbacks on the table, along with some exceptional athletes, the Browns have several options. When Roger Goodell takes the stage for the first time on Thursday night, he will be joined by University of Southern California Quarterback Sam Darnold as the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
It is hard to not select Saquon Barkley, who spent the last three seasons as the running back for Pennsylvania State University, shattering numerous school records in the process. However, based on the Browns’ immediate needs, Darnold makes more sense than Barkley. The Browns recently filled their running back void during the offseason by acquiring Carlos Hyde, so a franchise quarterback is now absolutely imperative for the Browns, and Darnold is their guy.
The Browns have had terrible luck trying to find their starting quarterback, as seven different players have started a game under center over the last three seasons. The Browns have to pick a quarterback. Darnold has proven to be the most NFL-ready quarterback as he possesses the necessary qualities that successful NFL quarterbacks have had historically. He is an extremely precise pocket passer who can also be very mobile and evade defenders with his excellent footwork. Darnold has all the intangibles that it takes to be a successful quarterback in the NFL and jumpstart the future of the Cleveland Browns.
In his two seasons as a starter for the USC Trojans, Darnold threw for 7,229 yards and 57 touchdown passes. His size, arm strength, and precision have shown to be exactly what the Cleveland Browns need as their former failed starting quarterbacks such as Johnny Manziel and DeShone Kizer have been smaller and more mobile.
Darnold checks nearly every box based on what it takes to be successful in the NFL and what the Browns should be looking for in a franchise quarterback, so it should be a no-brainer to select Sam Darnold for the first overall pick.
#Humboldt Strong
by The Cowl Editor on April 19, 2018
Professional Sports
By Sam Scanlon ’19
Sports Staff
The Humboldt Broncos, a Canadian hockey team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), were slated to faceoff against the Nipawin Hawks in game five of their seven-game semi-final playoff series. The Broncos trailed 3-1 in the series and were in jeopardy of being eliminated from the playoffs in their next game.
The Broncos were set for a crucial game in Nipawin in the early afternoon on April 6, and only about a two hour bus ride stood in the way of the Broncos taking the ice. Long bus rides are just a part of the business for junior hockey teams. They are a chance for players to relax with their friends and teammates, watch movies together, and joke with each other before big games like the one looming over the Broncos.
Some time into the ride, the bus carrying 29 members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team, traveling north on Highway 35 in Saskatchewan, Canada, collided with a tractor-trailer at an intersection with Highway 335.
The crash left the team bus in ruins as it slid on its side down the highway, roof torn off, projecting the bodies of the players and staff from inside onto the highway.
Sixteen lives were taken, including 10 players, two coaches, the radio announcer, the team statistician, the bus driver, and the athletic trainer. The remaining 13 people on the bus escaped with injuries ranging from critical to minor, with some being deemed miracles for surviving the devastation.
The hockey community as a whole was shattered that day. Eventually, the whole country of Canada, as well as the United States, felt the impact of this terrible tragedy as President Donald Trump tweeted his sympathies to the families and friends, and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft sent his condolences with a large array of flowers.
Countless heartbreaking tributes were given across the National Hockey League, including the Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets playing their April 7 game with the name “Broncos” on the backs of their jerseys instead of their own last names. Many NHL teams stood united at center ice before their April 7 games to pay tribute to the Broncos during a moment of silence.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, one of the top players of this generation and undoubtedly the favorite player of numerous Humboldt Broncos, had a special Penguins jersey made which read “HUMBOLDT 18” on the back and had the entire Penguins roster sign it and sent it to the Broncos. The Stanley Cup, which is awarded to the NHL Champion, recently made its way to Saskatchewan to visit the injured Broncos in the hospital.
Along with an extremely successful GoFundMe campaign and countless tributes from NHL teams and players, people across the world mourned alongside Humboldt and honored them by putting their hockey sticks outside of their doors and wearing hockey jerseys on April 12.
After this horrible tragedy, the entire Providence College community prays with Humboldt and stands beside them as they mourn the loss of so many members of their beloved hockey team. We are all Broncos.