Victoria Sports Online

by Jammer Karim

Jets @ Chargers (-7.5)

I bet against the Jets last week and lost. So what do I have for an encore? That’s right, I’m betting against the Jets again. The Chargers are for my money the best team in the AFC, and for that matter, all of football. Balance in every sense of the word and a QB who I thought should’ve garnered more MVP votes. The match up of this weekend is going to consist of Vincent Jackson taking up residency on Revis Island and attempting to do what not even the likes of Randy Moss, Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, and Reggie Wayne have been able to do: Be a factor with super cover corner Darrelle Revis draped all over him. Arguably the best defensive player in the league, Revis will have his hands full with VJ this week, but if his track record is any indication, he may end up with more catches than Jackson does this week.

Hockey fans in Victoria welcomed the Western Hockey League with open arms in Wednesday's Subway Super Series contest but a return to the British Columbia capital remains indefinite.

Blog Written on November 1, 2009:

I forgot how fun fall in Victoria can be! We did a nice muddy cross ride yesterday. It's basically mountain biking on a road bike with thicker tires...safe! haha but sooo fun!

Rising triathlete Kirsten Sweetland is expected to be one of several Island athletes marching into London Olympic Stadium beneath the flame for the 2012 Summer Games. But her father, Rob Sweetland, has one up on her. He actually gets to sleep with the Olympic flame. Sweetland, an RCMP sergeant with the Island district administrative detachment in Victoria, is one of five police officers who will be within a few metres of every one of the 12,000-plus torchbearers for every step of the 45,000-kilometre journey leading up to the 2010 Winter Games.

The revolving door continues to swirl for Victoria Salmon Kings as they try to make sense of their awful 1-7 start to the 2009-10 season. The Kings announced Wednesday the signing of forward Randall Gelech, a Saskatchewan boy who split the 2008-09 season between the AHL’s Grand Rapid Griffins and Rochester Americans.

The third-seeded University of Victoria Vikes hope to become only the second team in history to capture back-to-back McCrae Cups on home turf when they host the CIS women’s field hockey championship for the second consecutive year, from Nov. 5-8.

Steve Nash has accomplished quite a lot in his career. Nash is a two-time recipient of the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award, six-time NBA All-Star and creator of the Steve Nash Foundation for underserved children. But on Friday Nash will lose the basketball for a graduation robe as he will be accepting an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Victoria at a special convocation ceremony.

The Victoria Grizzlies opened up their 2009-10 seasons in Nanaimo this past Friday against former teammate Cody Bremner and the Clippers. Nearly 1,800 fans saw an exciting early season game, as the Grizzlies eventually took it by a 5-4 margin.

Joel Lowry had two goals for the Grizzlies including the game tying marker in the third, which set up Dylan Novakowsk's game winning goal with less than four minutes left in the game. Greg Simpson and Brad Pawlowski also scored for Victoria.

The Victoria Rebels obviously had some aggression to burn off this past weekend as the team annulated the last placed Vancouver Trojans 84-19. Following disappointing losses to Surrey and Vancouver Island, Victoria made good use of their bye week to prepare for the not so USC-like Trojans.

Quarterback Yannick Rickli was absolutely outstanding as the Rebel's pivot threw for nine touchdowns, setting a BCJF record in the process. Even more impressive was that Rickli's single game performance was more touchdowns than he had thrown in the first five games of the season.

It's official. Refereeing in sports is at a major crossroads.

Yesterday, the fate of one of the last remaining spots in World Cup 2010 between Ireland and France was left in the hands of an officiating crew who allowed a goal to France even though the French team was offside and star Thierry Henry clearly handle the ball before providing an assist for William Gallas. The goal which is been dubbed “The Hand of Henry” is the most controversial handball incident since a young Diego Maradona helped Argentina past England in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup.