Some Canadian thoughts on the Grand Prix season Now it's about to get serious for the skaters with the biggest of ambitions this season, with the Milan-Cortina Olympics moving closer on the horizon

The Grand Prix season is almost upon us, and we've got an early look at how things stand for @SkateCanada athletes going into the six-event series. All that and a bunch for your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Over-reaction Tuesday: The 'reputation poll' is taking a beating It's been a rough season to date for some of college football's most highly regarded teams coming into the season. Maybe they just weren't worthy of all that hype

A pair of shockers in Week 6 have largely derailed two of the pre-season's most highly regarded college football squads. We delve into that and a bunch more in the weekly CFB thoughts on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'Something that I'll cherish forever' For Canadians Alicia Fabbri and Paul Ayer, there's a heartwarming story behind the free dance they hope will leave a bright light on this season's biggest skating goals

There's a bit of extra emotion behind the free dance this season for @SkateCanada's Alicia Fabbri and Paul Ayer. We get into that and lots more in this dispatch, all part of your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Over-reaction Saturday: When the song remains the same Two of the biggest results of Week 5 wound up playing out in ways that we've seen before. And maybe we need to stop being surprised about it

We saw a whole lot of familiar on Saturday ... and we're here to celebrate some surprises, too. The weekly CFB thoughts on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Making time for a grand appearance Uliana Shiryaeva was hoping to gain more international experience this season, and the Canadian teen will get a major opportunity to do that at Skate Canada International

Canadian teen Uliana Shiryaeva wanted more international experience this season. She'll get a rather large opportunity next month. That and whole bunch more in your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Over-reaction Tuesday: Separating the best from the rest Already, we're starting to see results that put the contenders and pretenders into clearer focus. But we're still waiting for a truly dominant team to emerge

Week 4 answered more questions about contenders and pretenders. And reminded us at least one team in particular remains very good. The weekly CFB thoughts on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'We're excited for a little change' While they're on a golden run early in their final season as juniors, Canadian pairs Ava Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov can't wait to take their talents to the senior level

This week, we catch up with @SkateCanada junior pair champions Ava Kemp and Yohnatan Elizarov, who are living in two worlds this season and thriving in a big way. Your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Over-reaction Tuesday: Is it ever too early for playoff talk? Yes, we're still in September. But already, some early results this season are causing us to question who really is CFP worthy ... and who isn't.

It's only September but we're (reluctantly) diving into some College Football Playoff talk already. All that and more in the weekly CFB thoughts on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'It felt like it was like home' Their move to the London area has already been a roaring success for Canadian ice dancers Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac

It was a big move for them, but already it has turned out to very much be right one for @SkateCanada ice dancers Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac. Plus a Junior Grand Prix update for you on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Over-reaction Tuesday: Why college football Saturdays are never truly sleepy The blockbusters certainly weren't there in Week 2, but the inevitable surprises came to roost again for fans of this entirely unpredictable sport. And that's what makes it fun

Just when you thought we might be in for a quiet Saturday of college football ... well, things happened. The weekly CFB thoughts on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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A (backward) leap into history Their ages alone will allow Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps to make history at the Milan Olympics. But the Canadian duo won't be settling for just that

Canada's Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps have history on their minds heading into the Olympic season. Plus an update on a prominent @SkateCanada ice dance team. All that and much more on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free).
rwbrodiewrites.substack.com/p/a-backward...

Over-reaction Tuesday: An opening weekend that truly delivered We were promised a blockbuster Week 1, and we surely got that. Compelling contests between the sport's powers, and one significant shocker of a result

College football is back and that means it's over-reaction time for moi again on the Substack thing. And Week 1? Well, that's where this whole concept first started. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Camping out with some of Canada's finest The Olympic season is now upon us, and Skate Canada's annual high performance camp is a first step toward many big moments that lie ahead for this icy crew

Skate Canada's annual high performance camp is the launching point for the Olympic season. And we've got a selection of many thoughts from the proceedings. Your weekend long read on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Men's skating in Canada just got more interesting The return of two-time national champion Keegan Messing caught pretty much everyone by surprise, but it's real exciting news for the sport

The return of Keegan Messing has sent shockwaves through the Canadian skating world. We dive into that and a whole lot more in your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!). @SkateCanada
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Question-able thoughts for an Olympic season ... and maybe some answers Our annual series of summer queries zeroes in on the Milan-Cortina Winter Games. And a few other topics occupying this author's brain

It's August and that means it's question time in this space. As in, some queries about what might unfold in the Olympic season to come. Your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!). @SkateCanada
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'It'll make that moment even more special' There's something about Italy that makes their current journey toward the 2026 Olympics something more meaningful for Canada's Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud

Italy is a country that Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud have yet to visit, and the @SkateCanada pairs team is aiming to check off that travel box at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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All eyes on Milan for Canadian skaters As summer competition picks up, the biggest show on ice begins to come into clearer focus. Here's how Canada's top skaters stand heading into the Olympic season

Yeah, it's dead smack in the middle of a hot summer. But cool yourself off with an early, early primer on the Olympic season from a @SkateCanada perspective. Your holiday weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'I'm still having the time of my life' Boot problems aside, Kaiya Ruiter is enthused about soon showing off two new programs she and her team have cooked up for the Olympic season

While she works her way through some boot issues, 2024
@SkateCanada champion Kaiya Ruiter is excited about taking two new programs into the Olympic season. Your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'The stars really aligned for me' Music rights clearance has been a source of frustration for some Canadian skaters heading into the Olympic season. Roman Sadovsky feels 'very lucky' he wasn't one of them

It's one of the hottest topics in figure skating. But for @SkateCanada champion Roman Sadovsky, tackling the music rights clearance issue wasn't much of an issue at all. Your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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When 'plus' just doesn't add up A bad news email from Rogers this didn't sit well with a whole bunch of sports fans. And they've got reason to be as hot as the weather about it all.

It's a hot summer day and a certain telecom company has me in a ranting mood. Plus a few skating nuggets (including some kinda fun numbers) to round out your early weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'That was like a pinnacle in our careers' For Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford, the road to the Skate Canada Hall of Fame began with a breakthrough national championship in 2012 in New Brunswick

Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford's path to the @SkateCanada Hall of Fame was truly launched back in 2012 in New Brunswick. A long read for your holiday reading pleasure on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'I really want to establish myself' David Bondar is moving up to senior domestically this season, and the Canadian junior champion is eager to quickly make his mark among the country's best

.@SkateCanada junior champion David Bondar is going senior domestically this season, and it's a transition he's hoping to make in a big way. Your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'I don't see the ceiling closing in on her anytime soon' Canada's Breken Brezden is still discovering just how good she can be, and she's aiming to keep the trajectory of her skating pointed upward into a new season

Manitoba's Breken Brezden has the attention of @SkateCanada brass with her continued growth on the ice. And she's hoping it takes more places in the season ahead. Your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free).
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'It was time to learn something new' Much as it made her roar during the past season, Maddie Schizas has been forced to move on from "The Lion King" for the Olympic campaign

On @SkateCanada's Maddie Schizas, The Lion King, Worlds, the Olympic season ... and so much more. This week's dispatch for you (a little bit earlier than usual) on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Some Grand news ... and some Canadian thoughts The lineups are out for the International Skating Union's biggest events of the fall months. We take an early look at what it all means for skaters wearing the red maple leaf

It's Grand Prix assignment release day, and we've got some thoughts about it all from a @SkateCanada perspective (as always). Plus it's also personal milestone time. Your early weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy (and subscribe) ... it's free!
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Falling into an Olympic state of mind The Milan-Cortina Winter Games are still more than eight months away, but events this week produced some thoughts about where Canadian skaters are headed.

The 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics moved into a spotlight this week for some of @SkateCanada's top competitors. We've got some thoughts about that and more. All of it here for you on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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How Canada's men can soar once again The 1990s were a golden age for male skaters wearing the red maple leaf. One of those legends offers up some advice for the current generation.

This week's dispatch examines where we've been in @SkateCanada men's skating ... and how we might get back there again. A think piece for your early weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'I'm almost back to where I was' Wesley Chiu lost the back half of last season to an ankle injury, but the 2024 Canadian champion believes he's on the right track to challenge for an Olympic team berth

In this week's dispatch, we check in on 2024 @SkateCanada men's champion Wesley Chiu and the progress of his recovery from a season-ending ankle injury. Your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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'Always remember why I do this' If there's a lesson that Katherine Medland Spence took home during a breakout season, it's to embrace the joy the sport she loves brings to her.

This week, we catch up with @SkateCanada's Katherine Medland Spence, whose renaissance season helped remind her why she loves what she does. It's all here in your weekend reading on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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Shining under the brightest show lights Keegan Messing has always been attracted to the 'performance' side of the skating world, and it's tours like Stars On Ice that have allowed him to expand the creative side of what he does.

Two-time @SkateCanada champion Keegan Messing was always someone made for the show life. And that's why tours like Stars On Ice bring him such joy. Some earlier than usual weekend for you on the Substack thing. Enjoy ... and subscribe (it's free!).
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