soccer – mackaycartoons

Saturday October 29, 2016

October 28, 2016 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday October 29, 2016

‘Pretty Good Rich Kids’: Reaching the OHL takes more than talent

What does it take to make it to the Ontario Hockey League?

Skill? Certainly. Speed? Sure. Strength? No question.

November 28, 2007

But it also takes something else — something over and above raw talent and physicality. To make it to the OHL, you also need a winning ticket in the lottery of birth.

A year-long Spectator investigation finds a highly significant number of the league’s Ontario-raised players are from suburban neighbourhoods where most people are well-educated, earn high incomes and live in expensive homes.

The odds of them crossing paths with someone living in poverty are extremely low.

For anyone familiar with the extraordinary cost of playing hockey in Ontario — $15,000-or-so annually for an elite AAA player and getting higher — this won’t come as a shock. If you want to be the next Sidney Crosby, says Wilfrid Laurier University’s William McTeer, “the first question you have to ask is how much money do your parents have and are they prepared to invest in your future as an athlete.”

But cost isn’t the only thing keeping children in Hamilton and across Ontario out of the game.

Several factors, including geography, public policy and the funding mechanisms of non-profits, are making it increasingly difficult for low- and middle-income families to access the sport, particularly at competitive levels.

“I think it’s tragic,” says Philip White, a sport sociologist at McMaster University. “You live in a culture where everybody is supposed to have an opportunity to advance and kids are simply shut out.”

Our analysis is grounded in data. Stick with us while we get the heavy stuff out of the way. (Continued: Hamilton Spectator)

Saturday June 6, 2015

June 5, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday June 6, 2015

FIFA President Victor Montagliani says Canada won World Cup hosting privileges by default

With rampant allegations of corruption, fraud and bribery within the FIFA executive ranks, it’s unsurprising that Canada Soccer is facing questions about how it won the bid for this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.

According to Canada Soccer president Victor Montagliani, the answer is simple: no one else wanted to host the tournament.

“With all due respect, we were pretty much the only country that wanted it,” he told Rick Cluff on CBC Radio One’s The Early Edition.

“When we bid for it, there was seven originally. Five dropped off right away and they chose to bid for other World Cups. There was only one other country with us which was Zimbabwe and they pulled out.”
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Embattled FIFA President Sepp Blatter could still attend the final match of the Women’s World Cup in Vancouver, despite his resignation. (Ennio Leanza/Keystone/Associated Press)

With 14 arrests of high-ranking officials and the resignation of embattled president Sepp Blatter causing a media firestorm, the women’s tournament is at risk of being overshadowed. But, Montagliani says he will welcome Blatter to Vancouver for the final match should he choose to come.

“We’ve been told that he is attending … it probably will be a media circus, but in the same token you have to respect the fact that he still has the office of the presidency,” he said.

“He has every right to attend a FIFA event as the president.” (Source: CBC News)

Published in the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, Viking Weekly Review (Alberta), Edmonton Journal, and Corner Brook Newspaper

Thursday May 14, 2015

May 13, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday May 14, 2015

Sexually explicit taunts must be confronted, justice minister says

Canada’s justice minister is applauding the actions of the Toronto TV reporter who confronted a group of hecklers over a sexually explicit taunt.

Peter MacKay says that while criminal charges could be used to discourage people from shouting profanities during live broadcasts, showcasing the problem also acts as a deterrent.

Hydro One is firing a Sunshine List employee involved in the vulgar incident with CityNews reporter Shauna Hunt at Sunday’s Toronto FC game.

“Regarding the incident at the Toronto FC game between a (CityNews) reporter and fans, Hydro One is taking steps to terminate the employee involved for violating our Code of Conduct,” said Daffyd Roderick, director, corporate affairs for Hydro One.

“Respect for all people is engrained in the Code of Conduct and in our Core Values and we are committed to a work environment where discrimination or harassment of any type is met with zero tolerance.”

Roderick identified the employee as Shawn Simoes, an assistant network management engineer who made $106,510.50 a year.

Earlier today, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment said the Toronto FC fans involved in the incident will be banned for “at least” a year.

CityNews reporter Shauna Hunt confronted several men on Sunday while she was outside of a Toronto FC game. While recording a standup for her report, a number of men shouted the phrase “F— her right in the p—-!”

The camera kept rolling as video shows she confronted some of the men who had shouted at her, as well as a group of men standing behind her waiting for their chance to do the same.

Simoes, the employee being fired by Hydro One, did not shout the previously mentioned phrase, but did speak to Hunt on camera after the incident occured. “It is f—ing hilarious,” he told the reporter. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

February 22, 2008

February 22, 2008 by Graeme MacKay

Here’s a call out to all to vote for a couple of my cartoons competing in the Austrian Cartoon Contest. A few things you need to do. The first and most painful thing to do is to take 11 seconds to register for the priviledge of voting. So when you click on this link go to the place that takes you to the “Voting Gallery” and register in the area on the far right. After you’ve done that track down where you’ll find my two cartoons:

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…by clicking on the search scroll down box where it says Land/country, select Canada, and you’ll find my stuff along with a few others from Canada.

The theme is “Soccer”. Even for a guy like me who has practically zero interest in soccer there’s quite a few really good cartoons among the 800, yes, 800 individual works in competition. I considered each one, (before nominating my own) and you should too.

I’m constantly receiving email invitations to enter cartoon contests all over the world, but they often seem to be from far flung regions where North American gag cartoons differ from the cerebral and esoteric illustrations of such places as Uruguay, Turkey, Estonia, and Whereeverstan. I actually only enter one or two contests every year – the NNA’s and the World Cartoon Contest. I like this contest because it’s got a slick presentation online and it’s open to all to vote on. The cartoons vary from the very funny to the really bizzare, but it’s amazing how many interpretations emerge from a game we North Americans love to ignore.