Selasa, 18 Juni 2019
2 shot at Raptors rally - Canada News - Castanet.net
UPDATE 3 p.m.
Crowds have dispersed from Nathan Phillips Square following a massive rally for the Toronto Raptors that was briefly interrupted by a shooting at the edge of the festivities.
The event continued even as pockets of fans rushed for safety.
Police say two people were shot and suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries.
They say two suspects were arrested and firearms were recovered.
City spokesman Brad Ross says more than a million people were gathered in and around the area of Nathan Phillips Square.
UPDATE 2 p.m.
The Raptors celebratory rally at Nathan Phillips Square was briefly suspended after police said there were reports of a woman being shot.
Cellphone videos posted on social media show people running from the area near the stage.
Police did not have any further details.
Eye witnesses say word of the shooting sent a section of the crowd into a stampede, with people screaming and hiding in nearby bushes.
They say children in strollers were bowled over as frantic parents tried to shield them.
Police have set up barricades on the south side of the square.
ORIGINAL 1 p.m.
Police say shots have been fired at a massive victory rally for the Toronto Raptors.
They say there are reports of a woman being injured.
Festivities were briefly suspended.
Some in the crowd are seen running from the area.
More to come...
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June 18, 2019 at 04:55AM
Raptors victory parade causing overcrowding, delays on GO trains - CTV News Kitchener
CTV Kitchener
Published Monday, June 17, 2019 3:09PM EDT
Last Updated Monday, June 17, 2019 7:09PM EDT
Hundreds of thousands of people crowded the streets of downtown Toronto Monday for the Raptors Championship Parade.
So many people, in fact, that several subway stops were shut down.
Representatives for GO Transit say they experienced an “unprecedented afternoon commute” and they’re running at full capacity.
They advised anyone travelling to or from the downtown core to leave work early or wait until after the rush hour.
Some additional trains were added while others experienced delays.
GO Transit says they added an extra train to the Kitchener line leaving Union Station at 7:20 p.m.
They’re asking travelers to be patient as the train is expected to be very crowded.
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June 18, 2019 at 06:09AM
Karlsson signs eight-year contract with Sharks - NHL.com
Erik Karlsson signed an eight-year contract to remain with the San Jose Sharks on Monday.
Financial terms were not released. The 29-year-old defenseman could have been an unrestricted agent for the first time July 1.
"I'm super excited to continue my journey with the Sharks," Karlsson said. "Since my first day here, I have only good things to say about the people, organization and the fans. The entire Bay Area has been extremely welcoming to me and my family. I appreciate that, and we can't wait to spend the next eight years in San Jose.
"As far as hockey goes, I'm excited to continue the chase for the ultimate prize: the Stanley Cup. Last year was an unbelievable run but we didn't achieve what we set out to do. But the dedication I witnessed from my teammates, coaches, staff and organization showed me that we all have a great future ahead of us, and that we are capable of fighting for that championship year in and year out."
[RELATED: Karlsson, Sharks put faith in each other]
Karlsson had 45 points (three goals, 42 assists) in 53 games during his first season in San Jose and was tied for second on the Sharks with 16 points (two goals, 14 assists) in 19 Stanley Cup Playoff games. However, he was injured and did not play when they were eliminated by the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of the Western Conference Final on May 21.
"This is a place I want to be and can reach my potential," Karlsson said. "I have nothing but good things to say about everyone, the trainers, the staff, everyone. This was a big decision for me. I know this is the right one for me, for my family and the organization. I'm happy with how everything happened and that they didn't force me into making a decision earlier than this. The process was handled well on both parts."
Video: Karlsson signing shows Sharks still in "win-now" mode
Karlsson was acquired with forward prospect Francis Perron in a trade with the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 13 for forwards Chris Tierney, Rudolfs Balcers and Josh Norris, defenseman Dylan DeMelo, a second-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and a conditional pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
He had surgery to repair a groin injury May 31. The Sharks said he is expected to be healthy for the start of next season.
"We are extremely pleased that Erik and his wife Melinda have committed to the San Jose Sharks and that they have done so prior to July 1," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said. "Players with Erik's elite level of talent are rare and when they become available, it's important to be aggressive in pursuing them. He is a difference maker who consistently makes the players around him better. We are pleased that he has been proactive in addressing his injury from last season and are looking forward to him being part of our organization for a long time to come."
Selected by Ottawa in the first round (No. 15) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Karlsson has 563 points (129 goals, 434 assists) in 680 regular-season games with the Sharks and Senators, and 53 points (eight goals, 45 assists) in 67 playoff games. He has won the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman twice (2011-12, 2014-15) and has been named an NHL First-Team All-Star four times (2011-12 and 2014-15 through 2016-17).
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June 17, 2019 at 10:00PM
Senin, 17 Juni 2019
Frenzied celebration caps unforgettable year for Raptors, Kawhi Leonard - Sportsnet.ca
TORONTO — Wearing a ‘Board Man Gets Paid’ T-shirt, square sunglasses, and grey New Balance sweat shorts, Kawhi Leonard reached down over the railing from the red-and-black double-decker bus splitting the unruly crowd along University Avenue. Emerging from the ocean of people, a gift. A house-warming gift for Kawhi. A Kawactus.
That Plant Guy got to personally deliver his flora, while Leonard wore a shirt bearing the famously deadpan phrase he reportedly uttered while vacuuming rebounds on college practice courts, with Drake on the same bus, chugging beers and celebrating wildly, was like some sort of NBA Internet meme supernova.
Kawhi finally got his house warming gift #WeTheNorthDay | @Raptors pic.twitter.com/oGrjEodVDl
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 17, 2019
And that’s essentially what Monday’s NBA championship parade in Toronto felt like — a frenzy. The city was letting it all out. The busses had barely left the team’s practice facility before they were brought to a halt at Exhibition Place’s Princes’ Gates by fans filling the streets, darting in front of the vehicles carrying players, staff, and their families. The mayhem continued throughout the procession, slowing progress to a crawl, to the point that the planned rally at Nathan Phillips Square was delayed by nearly three hours.
That caused problems for the droves that packed the square, some of them camping out for days to earn placement near the front of the stage. There was no shelter from the sun, no water readily available, nowhere to sit, no space to even move. Backstage, a steady stream of struggling fans, some barely maintaining consciousness, were lifted from the crowd and brought to a mock triage area in the shade, where they were given water and room to lie down.
The energy in the square went from raucous in the morning to dreary and fatigued in the early afternoon, as impatience set in and the focus of the organizers turned from amping the crowd up to calming it down, at one point broadcasting a plain message on the video boards asking those in attendance to “Please respect each other’s space.”
The atmosphere rebounded emphatically when the Raptors congregation finally arrived around 3:00 p.m., allowing the on-stage rally to begin about 30 minutes later. As the Raptors were introduced one by one, each ovation louder than the last, and Leonard was presented with a key to the city by mayor John Tory — “You are family, you are one of us, this city and this country love you,” Tory pronounced, emphatically — the square was delirious with joy as all those sun-soaked fans chanted “Stay, stay, stay!” In that moment, it was hard not to feel like the worst of the day was behind.
It wasn’t. During a speech by MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum, a human stampede broke out in the southeast corner of the square. According to Toronto Police, a shooting occurred and four victims received non-life threatening injuries. Three were arrested, and two firearms were recovered.
This is what we know now, of course. In the moment, there was only panic from that area of the massive crowd. And things could have been much worse if not for a timely and composed address from Raptors play-by-play analyst Matt Devlin, who paused Tanenbaum’s speech to appeal for calm. After the brief interruption, the rally continued, and the day ended with a series of positive and entertaining speeches from various players, including Leonard, who ended his remarkable season just as he’d begun it, with an unforgettable laugh.
Again, a frenzy. The day was everything all at once. And the fact that there were troubling and violent moments shouldn’t overshadow the fact that the vast majority of those in attendance, whether along the parade route or in the square, celebrated with gleeful enthusiasm. It wasn’t a perfect day, but it couldn’t possibly be with millions involved. It remains a reliable rule that if you gather a large enough group of people, you are inevitably inviting some form of unpalatable behaviour from certain pockets of it. We’re dealing with humans, after all.
And in the days following Toronto’s Game 6 triumph over the Golden State Warriors, that’s exactly what we’ve seen from so many of the Raptors — their human side. They’ve celebrated with unbridled passion and delight, removing many of the walls they build around their personalities during the season as they strive to approach their jobs with unyielding professionalism and seriousness.
Monday, we had Pascal Siakam starting his own “Spicy-P, Spicy-P!” chant. Serge Ibaka plugging his online cooking show and waving a giant black flag centred with a gold continent of Africa. Fred VanVleet telling the crowd, “You killed us when we got swept two years in a row, so you better celebrate this s––– for the rest of the summer!”
And Leonard about as unguarded as he gets. When he finally arrived at Nathan Phillips Square and paused briefly for a chat with a small group of local media, he brought his daughter, Kaliyah, with him. Kaliyah wasn’t alive to experience her father’s last parade in 2014 with the San Antonio Spurs, when they all piled onto barges and floated along the San Antonio River Walk. And even though she’s still a little young to fully appreciate what was happening around her, it was still important to Leonard that she saw every bit of it this time around. You never know if it’ll happen again.
“She played a role. Our families all play a role in a season,” Leonard said. “We’re so focused. We don’t really have no time to just relax and do some of the dad things that you want to do. Because you’re always either getting treatment or you just want to sleep. And they did a great job of letting me be the player I wanted to be, by letting me relax when I get home. And now it’s her time.”
To that end, Leonard spent a quiet Father’s Day with Kaliyah and his girlfriend, Kishele Shipley, enjoying a meal and each other’s company. That was after a whirlwind celebration tour with his teammates that began in San Francisco, passed through Las Vegas, and finished in Los Angeles. Leonard said these days following his second championship have been his most fun and relaxing in some time. After nearly 10 months of hard work, it was time for some pay off.
“Man, that’s what it’s about,” he said. “Everybody was so excited and happy just to be out and finally relax and not go through a routine no more.
“I’m enjoying this. It’s not time to stress. It’s still time to have some fun. I’ve just been enjoying my experience.”
Of course, there is a time limit on that. In only two weeks, Leonard will have a monumental decision to make — one that will decide the course of not only his career, but that of several NBA franchises, for years to come. As the clock quickly ticks toward his impending free agency, the discourse surrounding Leonard is about to shift from the appreciation of his tremendous accomplishments in this season to the speculation over where he’ll play in the next. In many corners outside Canada, it already has.
Monday, Leonard said he hadn’t considered it yet. But surely he has. Wouldn’t you? There are hundreds of millions on the line — it’d be a little crazy not to. But he has nothing to gain by discussing it publicly at the moment, so he kept things vague as reporters pried for hints and clues.
Is the plan to cross that bridge when you get to it?
“Yeah, for sure,” Leonard said. “When it’s that time and it’s time to sit down, me and my group is going to sit down with each other. And lay it all out.”
But you only have two weeks until free agency — that time has to be coming soon, no?
“It doesn’t matter,” he shrugged. “I’m going to take the right time. You don’t need too many days to figure it out. And we’ll see. We’ll see what happens.”
Well, what factors are important to you in the decision?
“I haven’t been thinking about it,” he repeated. “I’m here to have fun. Once that time comes, then we’ll all lay the pros and cons out.”
In the meantime, fans can prepare themselves for The Reports. They’re coming. That sources say Leonard is leaning one way or another. That his uncle and advisor, Dennis Robertson, told someone who told someone else that his nephew was almost certainly going to this place or that. That Leonard had purchased property here, or was seen meeting with so-and-so there, or signed up for a loyalty program with this furniture retailer, and who signs up for those things if they aren’t going to be around for a while?
Thing is, no one outside his circle has known what Leonard’s been thinking at any point over the 11 months since he was traded to the Raptors — and you can bet that will remain consistent over the next two weeks. He’s a quiet dude, and his people are quiet, too. ‘Real Gs move in silence,’ as Lil Wayne once said, and Leonard hasn’t shown himself to be anything but. Odds are, we’ll learn his decision precisely when he’s ready for us to.
And he’s been nothing but honest about what’s important to him when he’s chosen to speak about it. His family, his health, his comfort, winning. The Raptors can sleep well at night knowing they’ve done all they can to satisfy those requirements. They’re champions, Leonard remained healthy enough to compete at a high level into mid-June, the franchise bent over backwards to make him as happy as possible, and his family got to experience the passion, diversity, and pride of Toronto up close Monday, as millions packed the streets.
“My last parade, the experience wasn’t like this with all these people. It was crazy, it was crazy,” he said. “Everything is good. It was a good experience, experiencing mother nature, all four seasons. Man, it was a great experience. Everybody off the court was great. The fans. Just meeting people in Canada. It’s been fun.”
Fun enough to stick around for a few more years? Enough fun to come back for at least next season and help the Raptors try to defend the title? We’ll see. The world will know sooner than later, as free agency opens June 30 at 6:00 p.m. ET. Raptors fans have two whole weeks to worry about it. Monday just wasn’t the time. Monday was a celebration. An imperfect one — but the one Toronto got, the one it deserved. After 24 years of waiting, the city got to let it all out. And what a frenzy it was.
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June 18, 2019 at 10:12AM
GO Transit Anticipates Packed Trains this Evening Following Raptors Parade - insauga.com
The Toronto Raptors parade is now in full swing, and it’s a wildly packed event.
Just before noon, the city of Toronto reported that Nathan Phillips Square has reached max capacity.
No one else will be allowed on the Square as a result.
Nathan Phillips Square is at capacity, no one else will be allowed on the Square. Watch the parade + rally on big screen at Coronation Park. Everyone onsite: please celebrate safely… @TorontoPolice want you to be able to enjoy the entire event! #WeTheNorthDay #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/D9AfdMnEZr
— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) June 17, 2019
Meanwhile, GO Transit expects Raptors fans to heading back home at the same time as the usual rush hour commuters.
“We anticipate trains to be excessively packed,” says GO Transit’s Lakeshore West Train account on Twitter.
“For the safety of everyone we are asking people who can leave work early to please do so.”
Enjoy the parade and stay safe!
Photo courtesy of @cityoftoronto
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June 17, 2019 at 11:58PM
Jets trade defenceman Jacob Trouba to Rangers for Pionk, 1st-round pick - Sportsnet.ca
The New York Rangers sped up their rebuilding effort Monday by acquiring offensive-minded defenceman Jacob Trouba from the Winnipeg Jets.
New York sent young defenceman Neal Pionk and the 20th overall pick in the draft to Winnipeg for Trouba. The 25-year-old gives the rebuilding Rangers a legitimate top-pairing blue liner to help their climb back toward being playoff contenders.
"When we’re out there trying to improve the team, we’re looking for players that will fit into what we’re doing," Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton said on a conference call Monday night. "Does it accelerate it? We’ll see. But we’re certainly getting a really good player that we’ve coveted for a while. It fits with what we’re doing, and we’ll see where it takes us."
Trouba is a restricted free agent who needs a new contract, which shouldn’t be a problem for the Rangers. Gorton and agent Kurt Overhardt spoke after the trade and agreed to talk later this week.
"I have an idea of what I think it will take," Gorton said of signing Trouba. "We move forward with complete confidence that we can get a deal done."
The Jets didn’t have that confidence or the desire to sign Trouba long term. So they listened to offers around the league and opted to take this one from the Rangers before the draft this weekend.
"We just felt it was best to open up the door to the possibility of trading him," Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. "He’s someone we saw grow and develop. He’s played hard for our organization for a period of six years."
Trouba has 179 points in 408 regular-season NHL games. Last season, the right-handed shooter had eight goals and 42 assists for 50 points and averaged just under 23 minutes a game.
He’ll probably play more than that for the Rangers.
"He’s a big defenceman, he’s 25 years old, he can play against the best players, he can provide offence," Gorton said. "He’s going to come here and he’s going to play big minutes. He’s very versatile. We can envision him playing in all scenarios and being a big part of it."
Trouba was a big part of the Jets making the playoffs three of the past five seasons but was never going to surpass Dustin Byfuglien on the depth chart. There’s no one in front of him on the right side on defence in New York.
Winnipeg still needs to get new contracts done for star wingers Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor and not a whole lot of salary-cap space to operate with. Cheveldayoff acknowledged, "there’s realities in hard cap world" the Jets must manage.
"We still got lots of moving parts or balls in the air, so to speak," Cheveldayoff said. "There’s no question we have a challenging summer still ahead of us."
The Rangers’ summer should be more about adding, given their heavy quantity of salary-cap space. They’ll spend more on Trouba than Pionk, who’s also a restricted free agent, but can continue to be active in trade talks and free agency.
"I hope there’s more things out there," Gorton said. "There’s a lot of talk. There’s a lot of different names out there. There’s a lot of different ways to improve your team."
Pionk, 23, had six goals and 20 assists last season with New York in his second NHL season. The Jets will be counting on Pionk to fill a void after trading Trouba and likely losing defenceman Tyler Myers in free agency.
"He’s a young player that we believe has upside that is going to continue to grow," Cheveldayoff said. "He’s someone that we think, given the group of players that we have in our organization from our forward standpoint, that he’s going to complement very, very well."
The 20th overall pick was originally the Jets’ pick they sent to the Rangers at the trade deadline for centre Kevin Hayes. Winnipeg traded Hayes’ negotiating rights to Philadelphia for a fifth-round pick.
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June 18, 2019 at 06:52AM
Fans leave heaps of garbage behind after Raptors Championship parade - Daily Hive
The massive parade for the Raptors, honouring their first-ever NBA Championship, has ended — but the clean up has just begun.
Paradegoers who joined in on today’s massive celebrations seemed to forget that picking up after themselves is important.
Images showing piles of trash along the parade route were shared on social media.
We’re better then this. #garbage #WeTheNorth #WeTheNorthDay #Raptors #Toronto pic.twitter.com/B6aGMolu5j
— Oliver Hierlihy (@ohierlihy) June 17, 2019
it is really upsetting to see so much litter in garden beds/streets/parks as a result of today’s #RaptorParade . If you can’t pick up after yourself you’re trash. Use a bin!!! this is disgusting and infuriating and so disrespectful to Toronto and those who live here. pic.twitter.com/YfmKnHejMT
— al pal (@alp4l_) June 17, 2019
The real MVPs from today’s #RaptorsParade are the City’s cleaning crew who will be working hard tonight to get everything back in good shape. Mountains of garbage out there pic.twitter.com/5W2xZmXE1i
— Anam Sivia (@anamjit) June 17, 2019
And people were definitely not happy about the trashy aftermath.
Do I’m a cynic. Here’s my takeaway from watching the Raptors parade: people in Toronto are pigs. Pick up your garbage and take it with you. Dispose of it. Don’t leave it on the streets
— MrsSteak (@MrsSteak) June 17, 2019
Loved the energy at the parade. But people please god damn pick up your own garbage. You can have fun and be civilized at the same time. #RaptorsParade
— Zain Munir Patel (@zafateniac) June 17, 2019
oh man I’m leaving work now in the aftermath of the parade and the streets are just completely covered in garbage and wrecked cars
— ☆ri @ julius biscotti owes me 10 pcs of chicken (@driftingstars) June 17, 2019
Long shot…but it’d be super cool if every person picked up a piece of garbage or water bottle on the ground & disposed of it on their way home from the celebrations.
🤷♀️😋
It’s looking pretty messy. #garbage #CleanUp #trash #Recycle #Toronto #Parade pic.twitter.com/y1XDBxRcdO— Amanda McCafferty (@CTMsAmanda) June 17, 2019
Policy for big parades and parties: everyone must bring a bag for garbage collection. #topoli #onpoli
— Emily (@napemily) June 17, 2019
Yeah let’s just trash the entire city with garbage cause that’s Canadian right? -.- #RaptorsParade
— Yash Kadaru (@YashsWay) June 17, 2019
Hoooo my goodness people sure did leave a lot of trash around that raptor’s parade. Looks like an incredibly inhabited wasteland out there
— Jacqui Komarniski (@jkomarni03) June 17, 2019
The parade, which began at Princes’ Boulevard at 10 am, continued along Lakeshore, York Street and University Avenue before finishing up at Nathan Phillips Square.
The City of Toronto has not announced the official number of people in attendance it’s estimated that nearly 2 million flooded the streets to cheer on the championship team.
While the day began with jubilation, a shooting in the midst of the celebrations at Nathan Phillips Square in downtown Toronto left four people with injuries, according to police.
-With files from Kayla Gladysz and Eric Zimmer.
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June 18, 2019 at 06:52AM
Raptors victory parade: Drake tells crowd 'you deserve' championship - Global News
Canadian rapper Drake called on the crowd to show Kawhi Leonard how much the NBA championship means to them and to tell each other they are the champions, while telling the crowd they "deserve" the victory.
Drake has been considered the team's global ambassador throughout the series and was seen cheering on the team throughout each game.
For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/5398166/li...
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#Raptors #WeTheNorth #Drake #WeTheChamps #NBA #NBAFinals #NBATV #NBAPlayoffs #RaptorsParade #TorontoRaptors #WeTheNorthDay #GlobalNews
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June 18, 2019 at 03:35AM
'I don't believe anyone went into work today': Kawhi Leonard awestruck at Raptors parade - CBC Sports
Monday is not turning out to be a very productive day in Toronto.
As the Raptors' championship parade headed down Lakeshore on its way to Nathan Phillips Square, huge crowds flooded the streets to celebrate the franchise's first NBA title, and the city's first major sports championship since 1993.
Raptors superstar Kawhi Leonard, perched on top of a double-decker bus alongside Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and Drake, was in awe at the sea of people.
"I don't believe anyone went into work today," said the Finals MVP. Always the pragmatist, Leonard quickly amended his statement: "Or they got the first few hours of the day off.
"Look at it. It's crazy."
"The last few days have been amazing. No sleep. A lot of celebrating." - Kawhi Leonard <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeTheNorthDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeTheNorthDay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RaptorsParade?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RaptorsParade</a> <a href="https://t.co/3kaILFMrwA">pic.twitter.com/3kaILFMrwA</a>
—@cbcsports
Leonard said the days since the parade have featured no sleep and a lot of celebrating.
Meanwhile the NBA future of the 27-year-old all-star is still on the minds of fans — and players. Lowry led a "five more years" chant along the parade route in reference to Leonard's upcoming free agency decision.
The Raptors can offer Leonard a five-year extension worth about $190 million US, while other teams can offer only four years for about $140 million.
Leonard could start negotiating with teams as a free agent on June 30.
Crowd to Kawhi: ONE MORE YEAR<br><br>Kyle Lowry to crowd: FIVE MORE YEARS <a href="https://t.co/rYImiYzVTv">pic.twitter.com/rYImiYzVTv</a>
—@YahooCASports
Leonard is still just taking it all in after winning his second career Larry O'Brien Trophy.
"It's been amazing," he said. "Thank you Toronto, thank you Canada for the support, we did it."
As the parade inched forward — noticeably behind schedule — members of the Raptors smiled from open top double-decker buses, some splashing the crowds with champagne. At one point, Lowry, the longest-serving member of team, was seen hoisting the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy while some of his teammates smoked cigars.
"This is unbelievable," Lowry said.
Drake, red solo cup in hand, was also at the centre of the celebration as he sat next to Leonard as the Finals MVP showed off his trophy to the crowd.
CBC tossed the microphone to Drake on top of a bus!<br><br>And Drake had some words for crowd <a href="https://t.co/koQkZK0gXl">pic.twitter.com/koQkZK0gXl</a>
—@cbcsports
The Warriors took out a full-page ad in Monday's Toronto Star to congratulate them on their achievement.
The Warriors really took out a full-page ad in the Toronto Sun congratulating the Raptors <a href="https://t.co/87vYCJ0uj9">pic.twitter.com/87vYCJ0uj9</a>
—@ThompsonScribe
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June 18, 2019 at 01:04AM
First responders dealing with lost kids, dehydrated fans at Raptors parade - CP24 Toronto's Breaking News
TORONTO -- Lost children and dehydrated fans are some of the issues first responders say they are dealing with as a sea of fans awaits the arrival of the Raptors in downtown Toronto.
Fire district chief Stephan Powell says firefighters are dealing with about a dozen calls for dehydration in the packed Nathan Phillips Square outside city hall.
Powell says fans gathered to celebrate the new NBA champions should stay hydrated and leave the crowded areas if they are not feeling well.
Toronto police Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu says several children have been separated from their parents during the parade.
She says police will bring the children to 52 Division downtown to be reunited with their parents.
Sidhu says there are no reports of unruly fans or arrests.
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June 18, 2019 at 01:09AM
Plenty of history ahead for Canadian wunderkind Brooke Henderson - Sportsnet.ca
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The only person who smelled of champagne more than Brooke Henderson Sunday evening was her father, Dave.
On Father’s Day, Henderson, the 21-year-old wunderkind, captured her ninth LPGA Tour title. It’s the most ever by a Canadian on either the LPGA or PGA Tours, and she made history. But history, is, well, just getting started.
Dave Henderson, who played golf himself at a decent level in Smiths Falls, Ont. but spent his life as a school teacher, has been honing Brooke’s swing since she was able to first follow sister Brittany (now her caddie) to the nine-hole course near their summer cottage, about 90 minutes southwest of Ottawa, or to their local course in Smiths Falls.
Brooke, as a youngster, would chase after golf balls thinking that the first person to get to the ball in the hole was a winner. Brittany and Dave would look away and Brooke would be running full-tilt to get her ball in the hole. She’d then stand with her hands on her hips if she hit her ball off-line by a couple yards.
Now he’s seen his youngest daughter become the winningest male or female Canadian golfer on the biggest tours in the world.
“It was fantastic,” said Dave, the remnants of a Californian rosé brut still on his shirt. “Brooke at every level has won tournaments. She was No. 1 amateur. To see that growth all those years, well, (golf) is a process-oriented thing, and we’re always looking at the next thing, but we’re very proud of Brooke.”
Sunday in Grand Rapids, Dave was doing his usual routine of following Brooke ahead of everyone else. He was a math guy, and he played the percentages and the probabilities. He knows where Brooke’s next shots are usually going to be.
“Brooke is able to change what she does from venue to venue,” said Dave, “and that’s what makes her special.”
Win #9!! #CanadianRecord #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/sxx7RNsotf
— Brooke Henderson (@BrookeHenderson) June 16, 2019
But Dave was calculating the probabilities Sunday a little later than he probably would have liked.
Brooke started the day with birdies on Nos. 4 and 6, but the rest of the leaderboard was chock full of challengers, and they weren’t backing down.
Multi-time LPGA Tour winner Nasa Hataoka fired a 7-under-par 65. Su Oh was 5-under through nine holes. Brittany Altomare shot 4-under 68, while Lexi Thompson made eagle on the 72nd hole.
They all, however, finished at 20-under, one shot back of Henderson.
She just needed to make par on 18, a straightaway par-5, and she three-putted. But she made that par. She got choked up. Her father raised her hands in the air. Fellow Canadian Alena Sharp was there for a big hug — and more tears — along with Sharp’s caddie Sarah Bowman.
After Henderson fired the 36-hole course record through the first two rounds (her back-to-back 64’s were punctuated with an ace in the first round) she wasn’t able to keep the momentum going over the weekend. But it was enough.
“Everything was kind of going really easily for me the first two days. I was making a lot of birdies and really I felt like I could have shot a lot better than 8-under both those rounds. Just the way things were going, things were easy,” she said. “Then today I was just trying to make birdies. They weren’t seemed to be falling, but it was just good enough to stay ahead of the crowd.”
This was Henderson’s second win on the LPGA Tour of 2019 — she defended her title at the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii earlier this year — and the Meijer LPGA Classic is one she’s won before, too.
She says, specifically, this week’s layout reminded her of courses in Canada — similar grass and tree-lined fairways — but she says nothing makes her feel more comfortable than having had success.
“You kind of come in here knowing that you have a good opportunity to do the same thing,” she said, “and I think that kind of gets me excited and looking forward to the week maybe a little bit more.”
Henderson now looks ahead to next week at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship — she has finished no worse than T-6 at that major — and defending her title at the CP Women’s Open in August. The question for Henderson, at 21, with nine LPGA Tour titles and money and fame and influence, is how far can she go?
Just watch her.
Every week on the LPGA Tour she gains more confidence. She should be ranked much higher in the world, but is a victim of how much she plays. This week a hot start and a hot putter meant she was unbeatable.
Not only that, but she’s healthy. And her family support is rock solid.
“After good health, we probably rank family as number two of what we do,” said Dave. “We cherish that, and hopefully that’ll always continue: good health and family.”
And by the looks of it, good golf is going to continue, too.
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June 17, 2019 at 06:49AM
Parade, rally to celebrate Raptors to draw huge crowds downtown - CP24 Toronto's Breaking News
Codi Wilson, CP24.com
Published Monday, June 17, 2019 5:08AM EDT
Last Updated Monday, June 17, 2019 6:57AM EDT
Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to gather in the downtown core today for a parade and rally in honour of the NBA champion Toronto Raptors.
Elated fans watched the team make history on Thursday night after defeating the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, a franchise first for the Raptors.
The win also marked the first time a Toronto team has won a major professional sports championship since the Blue Jays won the World Series in 1993.
Today’s parade will start at 10 a.m. on the grounds of Exhibition Place and will move east on Lake Shore Boulevard before turning north onto York Street and University Avenue. It will ultimately head east on Queen Street and will end in Nathan Phillips Square for a rally at 12:30 p.m.
A parade-viewing party will also be held at Coronation Park on Lake Shore Boulevard.
The following road closures will be in effect as of 9 a.m.:
• Bay Street between Dundas Street and Richmond Street West.
• Queen Street West between Yonge Street and University Avenue.
• Chestnut and Elizabeth Streets will be fully closed.
• Armoury Street will have restricted access
• Eastbound exit ramps from the Gardiner Expressway for Spadina and York-Bay-Yonge
A spokesperson for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment previously said that as many as two million people could show up for the big event on Monday, which has been declared “We The North” day.
Fans arrived at Nathan Phillips Square as early as Saturday night to get a spot for the rally and people from around the province and country are expected to arrive in the city today to celebrate the landmark occasion. As of Monday morning.
Mayor John Tory has encouraged Toronto employers to allow their employees to take off some time to celebrate the event today.
Good morning Toronto! Today is #WeTheNorthDay! Our city is ready to celebrate the @Raptors NBA championship with a parade and rally. Encouraging everyone to come out for today’s #RaptorsParade! #WeTheNorth #WeTheChampions pic.twitter.com/hKWqobBkRC
— John Tory (@JohnTory) June 17, 2019
The Raptors will ride along the parade route in open air double decker buses with the Larry O’Brien trophy in tow and a fly-by from the Royal Canadian Air Force's Snowbirds is expected at Nathan Phillips Square this afternoon.
The city is advising members of the public to take public transit if they plan to attend today’s parade.
“If you’re coming down to celebrate, whether it’s at Nathan Phillips Square or to take in the parade anywhere along the route, leave the car at home,” City of Toronto spokesperson Brad Ross said Sunday.
“Take public transit – you’re guaranteed to get there instead of sitting in traffic.”
Several TTC routes will also be on diversion as a result of the festivities:
• 5 Avenue Rd
• 6 Bay
• 29 Dufferin
• 121 Fort York-Esplanade
• 501 Queen, 504 King
• 509 Harbourfront
• 510 Spadina
• 511 Bathurst.
• The 510 Spadina will not be available at Union Station.
Go Transit previously said that all regular routes will be running Monday and Union Station will remain open.
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June 17, 2019 at 04:08PM
Durant, Thompson decisions put Warriors dynasty on pause - Sportsnet.ca
The Toronto Raptors not only won their first NBA championship on Thursday, they ruined the goodbye party for the iconic Oracle Arena. The question remains, though: Did they say goodbye to the Golden State Warriors dynasty at the same time, or just momentarily put it on pause?
Free agency was always going to loom over these Finals, with arguably the best three potential free agents this summer (if you believe that Klay Thompson is better than Kyrie Irving unlike the all-NBA voters) all playing in the series. Well, now those free agency waters that both franchises and players have to navigate are murkier in the wake of serious injuries suffered by Thompson and Kevin Durant. And both are members of the Warriors.
Should the Warriors bring both back? Can they? If they do, does that automatically extend the team’s title window? The franchise that seemed to be on autopilot now has the toughest road to travel this summer.
Thompson and Durant can both become unrestricted free agents. They also both sustained leg injuries that will keep them out anywhere from six months to a year.
If they leave, the Warriors are sunk. Golden State can’t replace their hall-of-fame skill sets and there is no pathway via the CBA to have the financial capability to add comparable talent.
Both men were playing the best basketball of their careers when they got hurt and now have injuries that could mean they never return to that level.
Thompson enters unrestricted free agency for the first time while rehabbing a left ACL tear he suffered on Thursday, while Durant’s ruptured Achilles in his right foot during Game 5 of the NBA Finals means he has to rehab from the sport’s most menacing injury.
Both Los Angeles franchises will be interested in Thompson. The Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks have long been rumoured Durant landing spots.
For Thompson, the decision is very binary. He’s always stated he wants to stay in the Bay Area. Assuming they offer him a full five-year, $190-million max contract, the three-time NBA champion has no reason to leave.
Even with a catastrophic injury, Durant has all the leverage. He can choose to exercise his $31.5-million player option for the 2019-20 season with the Warriors and not become an unrestricted free agent. Under that scenario he could choose to rehab on company time with the Warriors, then re-enter the free agent market a year from now with less elite player competition.
But Durant’s injury and uncertain physical health actually makes it more likely he will opt for long-term security. So, after being expected to leave Golden State in search of a new challenge and validation, his injury actually makes the Warriors a more intriguing option. In the wake of his injury, and with the Warriors losing without him, Durant is receiving the most praise he ever has during his time in the Bay. The former MVP is no longer being ridiculed for joining a 73-win team, as it’s now apparent the Warriors can’t get four wins in the Finals without him.
Durant is looking at four years and $164 million with a new team if he chooses to leave, compared to $221 million over five seasons if he stays. Those expected salaries are based on the assumption that competing teams will still be willing to give him the full max shortly after suffering a serious injury.
The other advantage the Warriors have is they could get some cap relief, which gives them an added incentive to allocate salary cap space to a player who’s not going to be playing basketball on Opening Night.
Given they’re the team Durant was on when he got hurt, the Warriors can apply for the Disabled Player Exception. That would allow Golden State to get cap relief if it’s believed Durant’s injury could keep him out for a full year, even if the injury doesn’t keep him out for the entire season.
The Warriors were able to sign Durant as a consolation prize after losing the 2016-17 Finals in the first place because of an unlikely cap spike that summer thanks to the NBA’s lucrative TV deal. Now another unlikely scenario could mean the consolation prize to a lost Finals and losing Durant to injury would be re-signing him until he’s 35.
In two weeks, the duo of Thompson and Durant will be offered over $400 million combined in five-year max contracts from Golden State. The Warriors are going to pay them a boatload of cash because they have no alternative. If they don’t spend that money on two of the best three-point shooters ever, it’s not like they can spend it on anybody else. The fact that Golden State has both players’ Bird rights means they are no longer luxuries for the Warriors; they are necessities.
It’s already been reported the Warriors want to keep both on five-year max deals, as they should and anybody would.
But it won’t be cheap. Owner Joe Lacob will be looking at a salary cap and luxury tax bill of $375 million.
In the short term, bringing them back brings the franchise stability but not immediate ability.
If Durant and Thompson not only miss the balance of the 2019-20 season, but also take awhile to return to their former form, the Warriors will look similar to the version of the team that lost Game 3 of the Finals despite Stephen Curry going off for 47 points. The box-and-one will go from a janky defence to a steady diet of what Curry will see because of the rest of Golden State’s offensive limitations.
It’s worth noting a top playoff seed isn’t even a guarantee, as they may need to load manage Curry and Green just to keep them healthy until the spring.
This is the tradeoff when building a super team. You lose your depth, you lose your flexibility, and you get expensive and old quickly.
Even if the entire Hamptons Five lineup moves in to the Chase Center, they’ll be in their 30s next year. The oldest member of the group would be Andre Iguodala, who at 36 will likely play one or two more seasons before retiring. Shaun Livingston, who has been the team’s other stalwart super sub since 2015-16, is expected to retire.
At this point, dynasties go one of two ways. They break up prohibitively — think the 1990s Chicago Bulls or the “Big Three” Miami Heat — or they run it back and run it into the ground — think the 1980s Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. Sometimes the actors in the dynasty are the last to know it’s over.
The players themselves seem defiant that the Warriors dynasty is done.
“I wouldn’t bet against us being back on this stage next year and going forward,” Curry said post-game.
Draymond Green went even further saying, “I think everybody thinks it’s kind of the end of us. But that’s just not smart. We’re not done yet. We lost this year. Clearly just wasn’t our year, but that’s how the cookie crumbles sometimes. But, yeah, I hear a lot of that noise, ‘It’s the end of a run’ and all that jazz. I don’t see it happening, though. We’ll be back.”
The question is who will that “we” be comprised of? With Curry and Green alone, the floor for the team is still high. But with injury and free agency questions looming, it could be them alone for some time.
The Warriors are more vulnerable than ever before. That fact alone means the dynasty will be different if somehow they get back to their winning ways. The fact they are no longer the prohibitive favourite no matter what they do means it’s a dawn of a new day in the NBA.
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June 15, 2019 at 11:58PM
Woodland captures U.S. Open for first major title - TSN
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — In front of Gary Woodland was a 263-yard shot to the scariest green on any par 5 at Pebble Beach, especially with a U.S. Open on the line. Behind him by one shot on the leaderboard was Brooks Koepka, the most dangerous figure in major championship golf these days.
The safe shot was to lay up on the 14th and take his chances with a wedge
"The idea was to play for the win," Woodland said.
With an extra boost of confidence from his caddie — Brennan Little, who was on the bag for Mike Weir in his Masters victory — Woodland delivered the shot of his life with a 3-wood that narrowly cleared a bunker, settled on the edge of the green and set up a birdie that gave him the cushion he needed.
The rest was pure theatre — a 90-foot pitch off the 17th green he nearly holed, a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 2-under 69 and a three-shot victory that denied Koepka's bold bid to match a century-old record with a third straight U.S. Open.
Woodland's pitch across the 17th green over a hump that checked and trickled to tap-in range effectively clinched it, taking its place with other big moments on the 17th green in the U.S. Open such as Jack Nicklaus and his 1-iron off the pin and Tom Watson's chip-in birdie. It even got the attention of Nicklaus.
"Took a lot of guts," Nicklaus said on Twitter.
Woodland had that it abundance, along with a message from an inspirational friend.
"You got this."
Until Sunday, when he cradled the silver trophy at Pebble Beach, Woodland got more attention from one hole in a pro-am at the Phoenix Open. He was gracious and encouraging to Amy Bockerstette, a 20-year-old with Down Syndrome and sheer optimism. Woodland invited her to hit a shot on the par-3 16th (into a bunker). He wanted to blast it out of the sand but she said, "I got this." She hit it out to 8 feet and made the putt. The PGA Tour-produced video has more than 20 million views.
"I told myself that a million times today," Woodland said. "I've got this."
Koepka didn't make it easy, keeping the pressure on Woodland until the very end.
Both represent the modern athlete in golf. Both are unflappable.
Needing three putts to win, Woodland finished in style. He raised both arms in the air to salute the crowd, turned toward the Pacific and slammed down his fist.
"I never let myself get ahead," Woodland said. "Once that went in, it all came out of me. It's special to finish it off here at Pebble Beach."
Koepka had to settle for a footnote in history. He closed with a 68, making him the first player with all four rounds in the 60s at a U.S. Open without winning.
"It was awesome to come this close to going three in a row. It's incredible," Koepka said. "I didn't really think about it until I was done on 18 and realized how close I actually was to not making history, but tying it, I guess you could say. Just wasn't meant to be this week."
Distance was no problem for Woodland on the 14th hole. It was the potential outcome.
"Left is not good, right is out-of-bounds, long is not ideal and the bunker speaks for itself," Woodland said. "So to execute that shot under the pressure, under the situation, that shot gave me the confidence. I felt better after hitting that shot on the golf course today than I had in a long, long time."
He believes it allowed him to hit one just as good on the 17th.
Woodland dropped the 5-iron from his hands when it sailed well to the right of the green with the pin 90 feet away over a hump.
Up ahead on the par-5 18th, Koepka drilled a 3-iron just over the back of the green, leaving him a 50-foot chip for eagle to tie, with a birdie likely to do the trick considering what Woodland faced on the 17th. Koepka chipped to 10 feet and narrowly missed the birdie putt.
Woodland, unable to hit putter and get anywhere near the hole, opted to pitch it with a 64-degree wedge. He clipped it perfectly just over the hump, and it checked about 12 feet from the hole and trickled by the pin to secure par, and effectively the U.S. Open.
"I was just trying to get it over that hump," Woodland said. "I thought it had a chance to go in, but it's not one I want over."
Woodland played conservatively down the 18th and made one last birdie that only mattered in the record book. He was aware that Tiger Woods had a 12-under 272 during his historic rout at Pebble Beach in 2000, and he topped him.
That birdie put him at 13-under 271 and earned him $2.25 million, the richest payoff in golf.
The difference was Woods won by 15 shots and was the only player under par. With a marine layer blocking the sunshine, and no significant wind at Pebble Beach all week, 31 players finished under par.
Koepka started four shots behind in his bid to join Willie Anderson as the only players to go back-to-back-to-back in the toughest test in golf. He made up ground quickly with four birdies in five holes.
"I felt like, 'We've got a ball game now,'" Koepka said.
He failed to get up-and-down from a bunker for birdie on the par-5 sixth, and missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-3 seventh. Still, he stayed within range, just like he wanted, knowing that anything could happen on the back nine of a U.S. Open.
Something wonderful happened to Woodland.
"Gary played a hell of a round today," Koepka said. "Props to him to hang in there. To go out in style like that is pretty cool."
Of the four other players who had a shot at three straight U.S. Opens, no one came closer than Koepka. He now has a victory in the PGA Championship and runner-up finishes in the Masters and U.S. Open.
Justin Rose was the only one who caught Woodland all day, with a birdie on the opening hole. Rose bogeyed from the bunker on No. 2 as Woodland birdied, and he never caught up. Rose fell out of the race with three bogeys in a four-hole stretch on the back nine. He shot 74 and shared third with Xander Schauffele (67), Jon Rahm (68) and Chez Reavie (71).
Woods birdied six of his last 12 holes and was never a factor. He tied for 21st, 11 shots behind.
___
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June 17, 2019 at 08:29AM
Minggu, 16 Juni 2019
Canada on the move at the World Cup, European champion Dutch next challenge - TSN
REIMS, France — Canada is on the move at the Women's World Cup.
After dispatching 19th-ranked New Zealand, fifth-ranked Canada left Grenoble and headed north for Reims on Sunday to prepare for a Group E showdown with the eighth-ranked Netherlands. With both teams already qualified for the round-of-16, Thursday's match at the Stade Auguste-Delaune will determine who awaits in the knockout round.
Finishing first in the group sets up a round-of-16 matchup with the Group D runner-up — either No. 3 England or No. 7 Japan, who face off Wednesday. Placing second means a date with the Group F runner-up, either the top-ranked U.S. or No. 9 Sweden, who also meet Thursday to decide the group winner.
While the Canadian offence has yet to hit high gear, Kenneth Heiner-Moller's team is headed in the right direction.
Canada is through to the knockout phase for the third time in seven World Cups — and for the first time in a tournament outside North America (they also advanced in the U.S. in 2003 and on home soil in 2015).
Saturday's 2-0 win over No. 19 New Zealand marked Canada's first two-goal performance at the World Cup since a 2-2 draw with Australia in 2007. It's also the first time Canada has opened the tournament with two straight wins and defeated a confederation champion (New Zealand rules the modest Oceania soccer kingdom).
Canada's rock-steady defence has not conceded a World Cup goal in 256 minutes, with England's Lucy Bronze scoring the last in the 2015 quarterfinals.
"Anybody that watched us tonight sees a confident team and someone who hasn't given up a goal in the tournament, which is very important, and we don't intend to," forward Janine Beckie said after the New Zealand win.
The Canadians are now unbeaten in 10 games (7-0-3) in 2019, one off the team record. The current run includes nine shutouts with the Canadians outscoring the opposition 11-1.
Canada also extended its shutout streak in all play to 423 minutes, dating back to a 2-1 friendly win over Nigeria on April 8.
"We pride ourselves on our defending as a team. it's what we're known for, being hard to play against," said captain Christine Sinclair, who has been asked to defend more under Heiner-Moller.
Canada has not lost since a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the U.S. in the CONCACAF Women's Championship last October. Its confidence is growing.
"I think there's five or six teams that can win the World Cup and we're one of them," Heiner-Moller said on the eve of the tournament. "But we can also lose to some of the other teams."
Added Sinclair: "We know on any given day we can beat anyone. Obviously in a tournament it's about doing that consistently, especially once you get to the knockout rounds. But we're ready."
Canada has never lost to the Dutch in 12 meetings (9-0-3). They tied 1-1 at the tournament four years ago in Montreal with the Dutch scoring an 87th-minute equalizer.
Canada won 2-1 last time out in an April 2016 friendly in Eindhoven.
Since then, however, the Dutch went unbeaten in winning the 2017 European championship. They grabbed the last European World Cup berth by defeating Switzerland and Denmark in playoffs, both on 4-1 aggregate
The Dutch had to go the playoff route after finishing second (6-1-1) in the qualifying group behind Norway (7-1-0) — losing a decisive game 2-1 to Norway in Oslo —despite outscoring the opposition 22-2 in the eight games.
Canada and the Netherlands are tied on points and goal difference going into the Group E decider. The Dutch have scored one more goal.
In the first two games, Canada had 38 shot attempts to its opponents' seven. Eleven of those were blocked and 17 off target with Canada holding a 10-1 edge in shots on target.
Canada had an 18-5 edge in corners and 992-246 edge in passes completed.
The Canadians had 65 percent ball possession against Cameroon and 70 per cent against New Zealand.
"It goes to show the improvements we've made and how dominant we can be," said Sinclair. "Having teams sit back, try to absorb pressure, catch us on the break, I mean when I first joined the national team, that's how we played. And now we're dominating teams, not giving up shots.
"It's crazy and it's amazing to be part of this group."
The Dutch numbers are similar — 69 percent possession against the Kiwis and 58 per cent against Cameroon. They have had 27 attempts on goal, with seven on target, 11 off target and nine blocked. They have completed 938 passes over the two matches.
Both teams have prolific strikers. Canada has the 36-year-old Sinclair, four goals from breaking Abby Wambach's world record of 184. Sinclair could have had a hat trick against he Football Ferns, hitting the woodwork twice and sending a redirect over the bar.
The Netherlands have 22-year-old Vivianne Miedema, who became her country's all-time leading scorer Saturday when the Arsenal sniper scored her second goal of the game — and the 60th of her career — in a 3-1 win over Cameroon.
Miedema has her eye on 100 goals.
"I have no idea where this will end ... I'm hoping to add a lot of goals," Miedema, speaking through an interpreter, told the post-game news conference.
Joining the likes of Christine Sinclair on the scoring chart, "would be amazing," she added.
Both sides believe the best is yet to come.
"I know this team's got more," said Heimer-Moller.
"We can still play better," echoed Miedema.
"I think we can beat Canada," said Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman, named Best FIFA Women's Coach in 2017. "We need to be really good defensively, not give away any opportunities or openings."
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June 17, 2019 at 12:53AM