Penton: Fitting celebration to end of Sinclair’s career
By Bruce Penton
The best aspect of the sendoff to Christine Sinclair’s glorious career as a soccer superstar in Canada is that it didn’t open with a minister telling the gathering that her’s was a life well lived.
So many athletic, entertainment and political icons are lionized after death, but the Sinclair celebration came when she was fully alive, engaged and still able to play — although not at the highest, international level to which she has been accustomed.
The Canadian soccer world paid tribute to the retiring Sinclair Dec. 5 in Vancouver, renaming B.C. Place as “Christine Sinclair Place” for one night while the Canadian women’s national team defeated Australia 2-0 in a friendly that was dominated by tributes to the greatest female soccer player in the world.
And she’s Canadian. A B.C. girl who is now 40 years old and will continue to perform, for one more year, anyway, on the pitch as a member of the Portland Thorn in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Humble and self-deprecating, like any good Canadian, Sinclair’s retirement from the international game drew the appropriate celebration. The 48,000 people in attendance roared when her name was announced as part of the starting lineup. When the game clock hit ’12’ minutes, a full stadium standing ovation took place in deference to Sinclair’s jersey number. A video tribute drew cheers from the crowd and tears from Sinclair, who was accompanied pre-game on the field by her two nieces.
Sinclair, who grew up in Burnaby, was but a child of 16 when she made her debut with Canada’s national team. She has since won 14 player of the year awards for Canadian soccer and has helped Canada win gold, silver and bronze medals at the Olympics. Internationally, she scored goals in five of six World Cups in which she competed and is No. 1 when it comes to goals scored in international play, with 190. American legends Amy Waumbach and Mia Hamm are second and third, respectively, with 184 and 158.
Overwhelmed with the tributes pouring in from all over the world — messages came from Prime Minister Trudeau, actor Ryan Reynolds, American soccer star Megan Rapinoe, and others — she did only a couple of TV interviews following the match with Australia and said the overriding emotion was “Honestly, just joy.”
“I've done everything I can on this national team,” she was quoted as saying in a Canadian Press story. “I'm 100 per cent satisfied and content. And to go out with a win in front of my friends, in front of my family, honestly, it's been the perfect night.”
Our Gretzky retired, our Ronnie Lancaster retired and our Fergie Jenkins retired. All athletes’ careers have to eventually end and now our Christine Sinclair has retired. What a great run she had and all Canadians can be proud of her storied career.
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PGA Tour player Rickie Fowler, an opponent of the plan to ‘roll back’ the golf ball about five to 10 per cent, with a mock conversation to a new golfer: ‘Oh, you love the game? Yeah. Hey, thanks for joining us over COVID. Now we're going to make you hit it 20 yards shorter.’”
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel: “And you wonder why college football is considered a cesspool of corruption? What’s it tell you about the soul of a sport in which a player being injured is part of the CFB Playoff criteria, but a coaching staff that cheats (see Michigan) is not part of the selection process?”
Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: “Well, of course the baseball world is 100 per cent focused on where Shohei Ohtani signs, especially since playing with Mike Trout he brought the Los Angeles Angels so many World Series championships.”
Jack Finarelli again, on quarterback Brett Rypien signed by four different NFL teams within an 11-month period: “He is more likely to be named ‘Man of the Year’ by United Van Lines than he is by any NFL fanbase.”
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Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca