The Pan-Am Torch Run: Unforgettable

It was an amazing experience; almost surreal at times and even more awesome than I expected.

I carried the Pan Am Games Torch in Oshawa yesterday. And I liked it.

It all started on a bit of a lark when I filled out the online application. I used to have a bit of cred with various politicians and the like when I was a working journalist out here, but that was a long time ago so I didn't think I'd get any special treatment. I talked about my love of Oshawa and Durham Region on the application and how I have promoted the city and region over the years and then finished with an attempt at humour by bragging about IPA Tales, the beer blog I (sometimes) write.

Damn if it didn't work. "Congratulations! You have been selected as a torchbearer for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay!"

Cool.

I got a number (061) and a start point (380 Gibb) and time (5:48 pm) and was told to be at the Civic at 3:45 for orientation and to get my uniform for the relay.

Marta and I

Soon after that I started getting nervous. What if my knee (torn meniscus, arthritis) doesn't hold up well to the run? The last thing I want is to look like an old man or worse, stumble and fall. I wanna look cool, smooooth even, when I carry the torch.

What if I drop it? What if I'm too hungover from the college reunion party I was attending in Burlington the night before? What if I fail the drug test afterwards?

All those thoughts quickly dissipated when I arrived at the Civic, thanks to the energetic and adorable Ms. Strutt, who took us through our paces and got us pumped up for the run.

She also thanked 'Marta' for participating in the relay, except I heard 'Marita' and thought the woman in our group being followed by cameras was Marita Payne, who was a Canadian track star in the 1980s and is now better known as Andrew Wiggins' mother. Except Marita would be in her 50s by now and this woman was 30, 35 tops.

She was clearly a celebrity as there was an entire TV crew following her around and speaking in a Latin language. And then it hit me - or, more accurately, as we stood outside in the rain waiting for the bus to take us to our drop-off spots, another torch bearer told me she was Marta, the soccer player.

Our Torch Relay team

"Marta? The Brazilian superstar?" I replied, running back to my car to retrieve my camera and quickly introducing myself. "Weren't you the World Footballer of the Year?"

"Five times," she corrected me.

And this is the runner who will be passing me the torch. So cool.

And then we were off, with the convoy consisting of our bus, a van holding a gaggle of photographers, and our guardians, which were mostly cops.

It's been a long time since I was chased by cops but on this day it was a good thing.

At each drop-off we cheered the runner as he or she got into position to take their turn with the torch and the friends and family members on the street snapped as many pictures as they could before the torch relay caught up to them.

And then it was my turn. Only problem is my loved ones were standing about 100 metres away from my 'spot.' I started waving them forward and the energetic and adorable Ms. Strutt did the same, poking her head out the bus to implore them to keep going.

Passing the torch

And they did, at a dead run. By the time they caught up I was about one minute away from my turn.

And here comes Marta. The torch pass was delayed 30 seconds or so while the TV crews got their shots - I guarantee I was all over Brazilian television yesterday - and then we touched torches to transfer the flame and I was off.

Too fast, my guardian told me. "Let the camera truck get a bit ahead," he said as I slowed to a walk briefly. And then I was off again, running smoooothly with police officers all around me, and keeping up a steady dialogue the whole way.

I felt young again for most of the 200 metre run, especially as I saw out of the corner of my eye my son Matt trying to keep up with me as he videoed the experience. "So fast," he puffed to me later.

Too fast, I responded.

And then it was over, as I got to the next check-point and passed the flame off to runner #62. And I felt exhilarated and ready to do it all over again.

I was glad my family was there to watch - including my parents, who made the trip from Toronto, only to miss my run while trying to find my station (they got to watch the video, thanks to Matt) - and I am so happy I got to share the experience with them.

Truly unforgettable.

C'mon, Quebec City, or Calgary - I don't care. Win that Winter Olympic bid so I can do this again.

Cheers!

McDavid, Generals put Oshawa in hockey's bright lights

It's official: McDavid McMania arrives in the Shwa tonight.

Tickets went on sale for games 1 and 2 of the OHL final Monday morning and were sold out (in about an hour!) as local hockey fans - and ticket scalpers - clamoured for a chance to see hockey's next wunderkid, a once-in-a-generation player named Connor McDavid.

Did I say scalpers? I did say scalpers. Tickets were being sold on Kijiji shortly after the box office opened for $200 and more. Each. For a junior hockey game.

To put that in perspective, tickets to TFC's home opener - a hot ticket for sure, with international stars Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco in the lineup - were selling on the same site for $150.

This is the OHL final and a berth in the Memorial Cup awaits the winner so there would be interest in the series regardless of who the Oshawa Generals were playing. But $200? That's insane. But that's the kind of mania that has been following McDavid all season long.

Connor McJesus McDavid

The future Edmonton Oiler (local media have taken to calling him Connor McJesus) is an electrifying player who puts people in their seats, only to lift them out as soon as he touches the puck. He has broken more ankles this season than Lionel Messi (to use another soccer analogy) and has put up mind boggling numbers in the process. Try 120 points in just 47 games and he would have run away with the scoring title if he hadn't broke his hand in an ill-advised fight before the World Juniors.

(He came back in time to lead Canada to the gold medal. Of course.)

He has even stepped it up a notch in the playoffs with 42 points in 15 games for his Erie Otters as they ran over all western conference opponents - including Sault Ste. Marie, the number one ranked team in the country.

Now he has the Oshawa Generals in his sights, the last step before Memorial Cup glory.

The problem for McDavid and his Otters is the Generals may have something to say about who wins this series. Erie may have a McSuperstar and the most explosive offence but the Gens can score too and they boast a defence that has been called one of the best in the history of the Ontario Hockey League.

And you know what they say wins championships...

The team and its fans may also have a wee bit of a chip on their shoulders, considering the national media has been providing a 'Connor McDavid Watch' all season long, while not giving Oshawa - the top ranked team in the nation for sixteen consecutive weeks - any publicity at all.

My guess is the boys have something to prove.

But back to those damn scalpers. My Saturday night is free this weekend and the J Man and I would have loved to snap up some tickets.

This year`s Generals were doing a lot of this

So would my pal Mark. While there will always be a wide gulf in our NHL allegiances - he's a diehard Habs supporter while I will die a Leafs' fan - we share a passion for the Oshawa Generals. He goes to as many Gens games as he can and he sure wanted to go to one of the weekend matches at the General Motors Centre.

That didn`t happen and Mark was a little pissed, progressing through the classic four emotions of loss, at least where ticket scalping is concerned: Anger ("this is junior hockey, ffs"); Disgust ("people bring their kids because they can't afford NHL games"); Scheming ("we'll dress up like pizza delivery dudes to get in free"); to Resignation ("at least it will be on Sportsnet").

Mark will be watching and I will be working (I'll try not to run over the sports reporters and TV talking heads expected to litter the downtown streets) when this series gets rolling shortly after 7 tonight.

Wayne Gretzky called McDavid the best player to come out of the draft in 30 years (translation: better than Crosby) but the Generals and their supporters aren't intimidated.

Bring it.

Oh yeah. Go Gens!

Community art thriving in Oshawa's Living Room

The last Saturday before Christmas was a busy day for me, as I'm sure it was for most people. I had a few shopping stops to make and not a lot of time to do it as I was headed across the border for a brief beer shopping excursion before finding my way to a Christmas party in Burlington.

I managed to avoid the mall this day, but not Wal-Mart and Target and the Christmas stress was palpable among the throngs of shoppers looking for last minute bargains.

I had one other stop on this day, however, that more than made up for any Christmas blues I may have been experiencing. The Living Room Community Art Studio in downtown Oshawa.

Mary

The Living Room is a storefront art studio for the community - especially those who are most marginalized. On any given day the place is filled with budding artists - most of them children - intent on expressing themselves through their art or learning about their craft at workshops staffed by volunteers.

Front and centre in this magical place are two people near and dear to my heart: my sister-in-law Mary and my brother-in-law Anthony. Mary in particular is like a rock star here: children would constantly come up to her to show her their work: "Look at this Mary!" and "See what I did Mary?" and "Can you help me?"

And she would look. And she would help. An actor by trade and an art therapy graduate, Mary would be ringing up a small art purchase and chatting with me, a woman who had come in to praise the studio and a budding artist or two, and then, as smooth as tomorrow's silk, take two strides to her left to welcome participants at a workshop that was just getting underway and then return to us and the conversation without missing a beat.

Like a boss.

Anthony, meanwhile, was also on hand offering advice and assistance, though his presence was a bit more restrained. A movie man himself, with a ton of experience in independent films as a producer/director and in supporting roles in bigger budget flicks, Anthony spent this day ensuring the workshop participants were able to realize their artistic potential and have fun doing it.

They make a great pair, these two. And the art community in Oshawa is the better for it.