Rebound: Sports predictions for 2012

Written by Curtis J. Phillips
Wednesday, 21 December 2011 12:14

Time to look into the crystal ball for the annual Sport Predictions for the Year 2012.

• Keyano Huskies enter their first year in the ACAC hockey ranks with a roster full of local players and former Oil Barons, many who have played in the professional ranks and have decided to go back to school.

Among the recruits landed by head coach Paul Strand are Colin Murphy, Vlad Serov, Harry York, Blue Bennefield, Scott Basiuk, Brad Mueller, Jarret Lukin and Harlan Pratt. Strand also convinces the Campbell clan—Brett, Drew and T.J.—and Stewarts—Bobby, Dan and Jay—to sign on.

Getting caught up in the hockey homecoming Chris Phillips and Scottie Upshall return from the NHL to home ice for a year.

• Local mixed martial arts legend Sandy Bowman comes out of retirement to fight Ken Shamrock in a MMA event at the Casman Centre.

Also on the card is local combatant Dwayne “D-Bomb” Lewis taking on Kimbo Slice. Both Bowman and Lewis win and announce their next fight will be against Tank Abbott and Tito Ortiz respectively

• Snowboarder Brooke Voight will make history as she completes the first ever quadruple back flip followed by three 360-degree spins while performing at Vista Ridge.

• NBA coaches go on strike. All American coaches refuse to cross the picket line.

The NBA continues with international high school and college coaches at the helm.

Surprisingly in the finals it is the Boston Celtics, coached by Composite High School’s Jonathan Lambert, taking on the Los Angeles Lakers, coached by Father Merc’s Brendan Toner. Lakers win in seven.

• Seeing that all of his peers have come to Fort McMurray—Mark Messier, Grant Fuhr, Glenn Anderson, Glen Sather—Wayne Gretzky comes to town in May for a quick visit.

On visiting he meets Oil Barons head coach Gord Thibodeau and after a brief chat decides to make a major investment into purchasing the team.

Gretzky relocates to Fort McMurray and purchases a home beside famed Gretzky memorabilia collector Shawn Chaulk.

• Keyano College Huskies men’s basketball team will travel to Nova Scotia for the CCAA national championships.

In the gold medal game, the Huskies down four points with four second left, will steal the ball with Zach Waldher shooting a 86-foot three pointer to bring the Huskies within one.

Their opponents will be called for a line violation on the inbounds.

Waldher will throw in an alley-oop at the buzzer with teammate Jesse Denscombe going up and up and then down and down, jamming the ball through the net and shattering the backboard into a million pieces.

A beaming Louis Barham dances in celebration amongst the falling glass. Huskies win and are YouTube sensations.

• MacIsland’s Tim Reid convinces city hall that we need an indoor bungee jumping facility plus an indoor speedway.

To the tune of $800 million, the projects are completed in record time and Fort McMurray becomes the new home of the famed Indianapolis 500 with seating for 100,000.

The first performance at the 100,000 seat venue is Justin Bieber. At the end of 2012 it is announced that Fort McMurray will have a CFL franchise in 2013…they will be named the Fort McMurray Screeches.

Catch you on the Rebound.