Class of 2000 |
Ken Wiebe |
|
The Graduates
Bonnie Allen
Larry Todd Jim McKenzie Roy Bonisteel Patricia Bell Wendy Tebb Lindsay Crysler Renee Pellerin |
Current Location#6 - 760 River Rd. Winnipeg, MBR2M 5C3 204-255-6579 kenjr11@hotmail.com
Posted on January 22, 2003 by Ken WiebeGreetings all. Happy New Year and all that jazz, hope the holiday season was good to everyone. Tough to believe we're heading into Year 3 of the post-Journalism School graduates. In a lot of ways, it's tough to believe but in some others, so much has happened. I have been fortunate enough to stay in touch - and actually see - quite a few of you and for that I am thankful. So much has been going on in my life (possibly one of the excuses for not making steadier updates) and all of it is wonderful. Still writing sports for the Winnipeg Sun and loving it. Spanning much of the globe covering hockey (tough job for me, I know) and finished my fourth season covering baseball this past summer. Looks like I'll become a regular hockey writer and cover golf rather than baseball this summer. I was a little disappointed at first, but realize it will allow me to do my hockey beat job better. Since that is my primary beat, it warrants the most attention. Plus, I could use some extra time off between sports anyway and the pace of golf is actually even slower than baseball - as hard as it may be to believe. Although I hope to catch on as an NHL beat writer, primarily in the West or in Ottawa, I anticipate being in Winnipeg for a couple of more years (barring an unforseen incident), especially since the NHL is headed toward a major work stoppage in 2004. Who wants to cover a lockout or strike? Not me. Even more exciting is that I, just like Chad and Shelley, became a home owner. I purchased a 2 BR condo in St. Vital and moved in, by myself, on the 15th of January. It's a cosy, 880 square foot place with a spacious living room, nice kitchen, fairly new appliances, an office area (which could double as a spare room and a nice master bedroom - complete with walk-in closet. It came with all major appliances, including a washer/dryer in the bathroom. Very handy. It's super exciting to have my own place but the start-up costs are incredible. Oh well, paid off the student loan and decided to make an investment that I feel really good about. Still managing to play senior hockey in my hometown of Altona. I'll play about half of the league games (12 or 13) and be available for the playoffs as we look to defend our title. My boss has continued to be very understanding when it comes to my schedule. I also played baseball in Altona this past summer and helped our senior team win its second consecutive league championship. The days of a competitive playing career are winding down, but it's been a blast, keeps my relatively fit and gives me an edge in the sports I cover on a daily basis. Dating the same girl (Stacey Desilets of Winnipeg) for the past 15 months and it's going fantastic. Some of you have actually met her. We recently returned from a week-long vacation at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico (booked before I bought a condo). And as much as I wish the condo and vacation were a sign of good money, still not even making $35 grand/year, although I love what I do and believe the financial payoff will come later in the career as long as I continue to improve. I'm about to return from a week in Texas with the hockey team I cover, two days in San Antonio and five in Houston. I actually had a big thrill, journalistically speaking and as a sports fan, as I got to cover the highly anticipated match-up between rookie Houston Rockets centre Yao Ming of China and LA Lakers big man Shaquille O'Neal. It was highly entertaining, I was one of 200-plus media on hand and enjoyed the event. The past year has been filled with excitement as far as the job goes and I look forward to the coming months. I feel I'm moving along in the right path. How does everyone else feel about where we're at as we near the three year anniversary of our graduation? Highlights, lowlights, surprises? I'd love to hear them (I know I've heard many, just trying to spark conversation...). Bonnie Allen was my first j-school visitor at the condo. She actually spent five days looking after the place when I was in Mexico with Stacey before Bonnie ventured off for a 2-week vacation in Europe. That's all for now. I look forward to reading a few more postings. Take care and all the best.
Posted on November 25, 2001 by Ken WiebeDear friends and collegues, Greetings and salutations. I hope all is well. Things in Winnerpeg are going pretty well. I got a promotion at work to cover the Manitoba Moose full-time, meaning I take the majority of the road trips. Already I've made my way to Saint John, St. John's, Milwaukee and Grand Rapids. I'm currently on a stretch of 25 days at home, the longest stretch since August. It's been a whirlwind. The Goldeyes baseball team advanced to the Championship and I traveled with them for nearly a month straight, with stops in Fargo, Lincoln and New Jersey. I managed to go into NYC, not to Ground Zero, but I witnessed many memorials at fire halls and went to Washington Park, the centre for missing persons posters and things. It was powerful stuff, you can see it all on television but this really put a human face on it. You just didn't know if people were just proud or if they were missing a relative or even worse, a parent. Individuals would just break into tears, it was tough to watch. The city itself, which is booming at the worst of times, seemed paralysed by the events - and understandably so. The usual buzz was replaced by a sombre spirit. Even Times Square was a bummer, people laying on benches and it was eerily quiet. On Sunday night, there was no flurry of people pouring out of Broadway shows, there were people in the streets but it was very subdued. Things began to improve as the week went on but it was a bizarre sight to see the city in this form. However, I'm glad I got to witness a part of this world history. In other news, Bonnie Allen has moved on to Thompson for her next endeavor. It was great to have her around for a month to catch-up. There were plenty of high-five's to go around and we went out on the town a few times. And in a shocking development, the rumour is true, Mauri and I broke up several weeks ago. No, this is not a misprint. I've been a little caught up in my job and with playing hockey and she found out she'll have to spend the next couple of years, beginning in Dec. in Calgary to finish her masters in geochemistry and find work. It was a tough decision to make, but the timing is just not right for us. I'm not ready to grow up and make the necessary steps to make it work - like quitting sports so I can go out to see her - and that's not fair to her. So, as you can imagine, it's been a hectic couple of months for me - complete with several life-altering decisions. Through it all, I've kept a smile on my face and am absolutely loving life. I hope you all are too. Jilly, sorry to hear you got canned but it's their loss. You are a tremendous talent that has plenty to offer, regardless of the politics of the business. Kristen, if your future is not in tv, there will be something else for you. Don't lose your passion for writing even if work is not going as well as you'd like. It's a gift. To the recently wedded j-schoolers, Heather and Karen (yes and you Kimmy, but I've already congratulated you), many congratulations. And to everyone else, keep us all updated here. Cheers.
Posted on August 22, 2001 by Ken WiebeWell, well. Since my poor summer school lecture on keeping the site up to date went south, I thought I better do my part to give an update on my own happenings. Simply put, the summer has been a whirlwind tour. I can't believe it's over, but when I stop to look at what has all shook down, it all makes sense. Here's the Coles notes version: I had my contract extended at the Sun to the permanent variety, survived the firing of my first sports editor while keeping my own job in the Sun Media nation-wide round of cuts (must be because I make so much money, ha, ha, ha,ha, ha! In the words of our favourite bow-tie wearing ethics guest professor, I digress. Work has treated me fairly well. Covering baseball has been a blast as usual. I had to pay out of my own pocket, but I got a press pass to cover my first Major League all-star game in Seattle in July. WOW!!!! What an experience. Picture 1,000 journalists in two large ball rooms doing their best to get to the front of a scrum to get their questions in. It was something else. Went to a wedding in Vegas - no Wendy and others - not my own. But I stood up for one of my best friends and it was a great time. I've been working with Chad on his awesome endeavor and am constantly reminded of his brilliance - it's been a while since that first semester when we were shooting partners you know and I nearly dropped that camera (oops, did I say that out loud?). Mauri has been in Winnipeg for the summer, living just down the street from me and it's been great to be in the same city for four months. She's about to start her Masters in GeoChemistry in Regina this semester. Last but not least, I've managed to keep playing baseball in a senior league in my hometown and our team is in the championship final. After losing to Morden in hockey this winter, we have a great chance to redeem ourselves against Winkler. We're tied 1-1 in the best-of-five final with pivotal Game 3 tonight in Winkler. (I know you're on the edge of your seats, so I'll keep you posted). It's been a great summer of playing for me, played in both the all-star and club team provincials and as hard as it is to believe, hockey is less than two months away. I hope all of you are doing well. Jill, you rule as the unmarried house wife and for trekking to the Yukon - I'd love to go, but you're actually going. That is so awesome. Take care and all the best. I'll be seeing some of you soon. By the way, you'll never guess who my next roomie is going to be? Cheers.
Posted on May 13, 2001 by Ken WiebeHey gang, Chad is right. The site has been a great way to keep in touch and we should all give that five minutes a month to update each other. Before I go into a long Jerry McGurie rant, just know that if we all just sit down and write a quick note once a month, it takes only an hour of your time total for an entire year - sounds like some fundraising campaign, but it's true. I know we're all busy, but we're not that busy that we can't spare 60 mins over the course of 365 days. Anyway, life is going well here in the River City, some signs of flooding in the rural areas, the river was rising, but no real damage - at least not compared to 1997 levels. Work is good for the most part. In the last month, I covered my first Stanley Cup playoff game in Edmonton (game 6 vs Dallas) - we loaded up my Ford Escort and made the 14-hour trek, leaving on Friday after work and returning to Winnipeg on Sunday night at 11:30 p.m., the ultimate road trip. Also, it's been busy with the Moose of the IHL doing so well, they're in the conference final. I've also done a few stories on Penguins goalie Johan Hedberg, who spent most of the year here in Manitoba. For all of you who still think I'm just a jock, I've been upgraded to jock-plus. It's been a great month in the arts for myself and Mauri, who's spending the summer living just down the street as she prepares to do her masters in geology. Last weekend, we went to the Barber of SEville (opera) and last night is was the symphony - Mahler's Resurection. Both quite enjoyable. Next weekend we've got my roomates wedding and on the 27th it's the Broadway musical Rent. All in all, life is good. I hope everyone is doing well and I look forward to hearing about life in the fast lane from everyone. Cheers.
Posted on March 28, 2001 by Ken WiebeHey gang, sorry to be hogging the postings page but since there were no Oscars postings-- much to my amazement. Here's the three pieces I did as columnns/personal accounts from my Legends tour. Cheers. ********************** Column: Making of a legend? RED DEER -- It is about as close to the NHL as this scribe will ever come, without the guise of a press pass and a computer. Using modern-day terminology, it would best be described as the proverbial cup-of-coffee. Like most Canadian kids growing up on the mostly bald prairie, dreams of career in The Show filled my impressionable mind. Despite a solid, yet unspectacular amateur career, which included four years in the MJHL and two in the CIAU, the dream would be unfulfilled. Until now. The Legends of Hockey, operating in their 12th season, were looking to get a little younger-- at least for a three-game swing, culminating with a game at the Winnipeg Arena tomorrow night. And when the call finally came, one could only imagine the excitement and enthusiasm flowing through my veins. Bottle up shock and utter disbelief and you're approaching what I was dealing with. I could hardly believe my good fortune. It's not every day you have an opportunity to suit up alongside NHL veterans, you know. My blood pressure was beginning to rise, but it didn't really hit me until I arrived in Calgary yesterday afternoon. After a quick pre-game meal, the NHL superstars began to arrive in preparation for the game at the Westerner Centrium. Tiger Williams was the first to extend his hand in greeting. Brad Park and Marcel Dionne quickly followed suit. The rest of the players also went out of their way to make the outsider feel at home as they filtered in from different parts of the country. Holy cow! These guys were going to be my teammates. On the bus, the honourable Senator Francis Mahovlich sat in the seat in front of me. For those who don't enjoy or even acknowledge politics, you may remember Frank from his more familiar moniker, the Big M, member of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. Mahovlich tweaked a knee during a game at the Air Canada Centre over the weekend and was forced to take over the coaching and assistant general manager's duties on this leg of the trip as he waits patiently for an MRI. The injury dates back to 1976 when he was a member of the WHA's Birmingham Bulls. Old habits really do die hard. When it comes to level of competition out on the ice, it varies from city to city but one common thread during the outings is the focus on fun and putting on a show for the fans. However, prior to making the pilgrimage to Calgary I was given a stern warning about keeping my head up from the Legends of Hockey office. No big deal, I thought. Coaches always tell me to keep my head up, even though this round of games are non-contact affairs. Didn't you hear what happened to the last writer who joined the tour? Well no, what? Nothing major, he just lost a couple of teeth. The He was Calgary Sun sports writer Eric Francis, who dropped a couple of chicklets on his final shift of a three-game stint. Here's hoping history doesn't repeat itself in this case. As for the cup-of-coffee, cream or sugar won't be required. The experience itself will be sweet enough. *********************** RED DEER -- "Just remember your stick this time." The words rolled sharply, yet smoothly off the tongue of former Montreal Canadiens sniper Mark Napier as the Legendary Hockey Heroes bus rumbled to Lethbridge for the second game of the Western swing. Game three, the final contest in my three-day contract, is slated for the Winnipeg Arena tonight at 7:00 p.m. Don't worry folks, the words of wisdom were warranted this time. While making my way towards the ice in the Westerner Centrium on Wednesday night for the warm-up, I was so engulfed by the excitement that I had to return to the dressing room for my lumber (As I found out shortly, I was going to need it). The rookie mistake, due to a lethal combination of nerves and absentmindedness, elicited the first round of ribbing from the gang. It was a sure sign of things to come, but simply one to make a poor sports writer feel at home. A swarm of emotion shot through me as my blades carved into the ice for the first time. There were a few simple things to remember, hockey is a simple game you know. Don't think too much, just pass the puck on the tape and keep your stick on the ice. As the crowd began to filter in to near-capacity, it was a thrill to soak up the moment. Only former Boston Bruins star Terry Oâ?TReilly stayed on the ice longer than me. Then the bedlam began. As Tom Petty has been known to say, the waiting really is the hardest part. I've been in the situation countless times at all levels of hockey, but on Wednesday night, the feelings inside were so overwhelming I didn't know what to do. The skates came off and I began to pace uncontrollably. Back and forth, back and forth. Finally, the roar of the Tiger came upon me with a sharp and poignant message. "Just sit down and shut up," Dave Williams barked, doing his best to help out the young lad who knew better, but needed a simple reminder. "And start acting like you've been in the league more than one day." Point well taken. As I retreated to my stall between O'Reilly and the legendary Norm Ullman, the next bit of advice slid from the mouth of the man known as Taz. "That was your first mistake, listening to him," quipped O'Reilly. Lanny McDonald stepped to the podium next with the last word before the team prepared to take the ice. "Well kid, you made it through the warm-up all right but the game's a different story," he explained. Thank you sir. Although I'm far from a Finnish Flash, I felt like one on Wednesday night. Donning the familiar No. 13 of former Winnipeg Jets sniper Teemu Selanne, I was somehow transformed from hard-working mucker to speedy winger with a little touch to boot. It was a pleasant surprise. The introductions were next and the crowd supplied polite applause for the scribe who followed Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne out onto the ice. Referee Ron Hoggarth joked with Dionne about reclaiming third spot on the all-time scoring list from Mark Messier with his first period performance. Splitting time on the wing with vocalist Michael Burgess, my first shift finally came late in the first period. We managed to hem the puck in the offensive zone, Guy Lapointe hit me with a pass on the half boards, I faked the defender and found Oâ?TReilly in the high slot. He made no mistake, beating the goalie to the glove side. When the night came to a close, the stats sheet read: five shifts, five points and a lifetime full of memories. They say there are things that money can't buy and this experience is one of them. Skating with the Legendary Hockey Heroes with Frank Mahovlich and Bobby Hull behind the bench and alongside Ullman and O'Reilly is priceless. ************************
KEN WIEBE There was definitely a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but the end of the road came too soon. Last night in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Winnipeg Arena, the three-game tryout with the Oldtimer's Hockey Challenge came to an unceremonious close. Far too soon for my liking, but who am I to complain about my good fortune. When the final buzzer sounded, I was called into the general manager's office. The tap on the shoulder could only mean one thing and it wasn't good news. Head coach and assistant GM Frank Mahovlich had decided the sports scribe just wasn't quite ready for the big time just yet. Some additional seasoning would be required. It was down to the farm for me. They say you can't afford to take a night off in professional hockey and now I know why. Two out of three may not be bad in some sports, but when you're playing with former NHL greats and Hall of Famers, even taking a shift off is simply not tolerated.
"It's easy to play on the road, let's see how you play at home," one
of the grizzled veterans told me on the bus ride to Calgary from Lethbridge
on Thursday night.
I took all of this advice in, but apparently didn't soak it all up.
After two solid road games to start the three-game stint, the rookie had an
off-night.
The puck was bouncing and he couldn't find the holes out there, despite
playing with Terry O'Reilly and Norm Ullman.
As the time was winding down, the pressure was building to finish off strong
and leave on a good note.
The kid managed some good work along the borads as Ullman scored another
goal, but no word on whether he picked up the second assist.
It was to no avail, my fate had already been sealed.
"Keep working hard down there kid, you never know when you'll get the
call," I was told as I made my way around the room shaking hands with
those individuals who were remarkable teammates.
Simply put, the experience itself is something I'll never, ever forget.
Following Marcel Dionne out onto the ice for the introductions with friends
and family in the stands.
Even scoring one goal on a beautiful set-up was something I'll always
cherish. Putting five home in three games was unthinkable when the tour
began.
Thanks for the memories guys.
And if you're ever in need of that youth movement, I'm only a phone call
away.
All those 7 am practices have finally paid off. (Aside: Truth be told, that
is a myth about all kids having to get up that early for hockey practice,
especially in a small town, but don't tell anybody). Today I'll be suiting
up alongside former NHL greats and Hall of Famers Marcel Dionne and Frank
Mahovolich to start a three-game series with the Legends of Hockey. I'm
doing a few feature stories on former Winnipeg Jets and when they found out
I had played junior and college hockey, they said why not play? How could I
possibly say no? I couldn't.
So I'm off to Calgary then bussing to Red Deer on wed, Lethbridge on
Thursday and back to Winnipeg for a game at the Arena on Friday. Sat and Sun
off from work to enjoy my 26th birthday with Mauri.
Good news on the job front as well. The National Post got back to me to let
me know they were only hiring in early summer, but I should be a candidate.
Even better news at home as I finally was added as a full-timer at the Sun,
writing those 3-4 stories a day finally paid off - complete with full
benefits package.
Work has been great, I've been immersed in manitoba moose coverage as the
beat writer was on holidays for two weeks. Took another road trip and will
take one more to give me five on the season. Not bad at all. Sounds like
I'll be covering baseball for the summer. Yeah, I know, tough life.
Take care and all the best.
Future still bright
Well Edmonton continues to show me no love. First CBC, now the Edmonton
Journal. Despite a great interview and a solid resume the Journal has
decided to hire internally, someone from News will cover the Esks. No
worries, last time I got shut down by Edmonton, the Free Press, TSN and Fox
Sports all came calling in a span of one month. I can only hope to be so
lucky this time, but I'll find another opportunity. In fact, I may have
already, Allan Adams has left the National Post, leaving an opening for a
young hockey writer - I probably wouldn't fit the bill for that at all - or
enjoy it for that matter. Scott Taylor phoned me from Florida with the news
on Thursday and I've already placed a call to NP and put in my resume, so
I'll keep you posted. Hockey finals start on Tuesday and I'm off on the road
with the Moose this week for my fourth trip, this one to Grand Rapids,
Houston, Milwaukee and Cincinnati.
Cheers.
I'm on the short list (3 or 4) for the sports writer position at the Edmonton Journal to cover the Eskimos and the CFL. They're flying me down on Feb. 25, interview on the 26th and return to Wpg that night because I have to work the am shift on the 27th. Should be great. I hope to get together with the edmontonians Sunday night after the Oilers game, so I'll be in touch.
Below is
the story as it appeared on Dec. 21 - you can find some of my other
Hawerchuk articles on canoe.ca/slam, go to hockey section and previous
stories on Dec. 22. Once again I want to wish you and Shelley and the rest
of your families a safe and happy holiday. See you in 2001. Cheers.
Ken:)
Thursday, December 21, 2000
Hawerchuk a great one
Gretzky lauds Jets captain
By KEN WIEBE -- Winnipeg Sun
In the eyes of the Great One, Dale Hawerchuk is one of the best hockey
players to ever lace up the blades and was always respected by those he
played with or against.
"He's definitely up there with anyone, he's always going to rank among the
elite players," Wayne Gretzky said from his home in Los Angeles yesterday.
"He had tremendous balance, great vision and tremendous hockey sense. He
meant a lot to the NHL and a lot to the Jets franchise. I know he enjoyed
and liked playing in Winnipeg."
Gretzky also enjoyed playing in and against Winnipeg -- and it showed --
especially when it came to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Between 1983 and 1988, the Jets and Oilers went head-to-head five times
(three in the first round and another two memorable Smythe Division finals)
during the Gretzky era and Edmonton absolutely dominated, winning all but one game.
Winnipeg could take some solace in the fact that Edmonton went on to win
the Stanley Cup in four of those seasons.
Although Gretzky produced only two game-winning goals in those series, he
was responsible for many others and always seemed to come through when it
mattered most.
"The thing about (Hawerchuk) is that we knew how great of a player he was
from watching him in the series before us against Calgary," said Gretzky.
"He elevated the Jets to another level. He was a huge part of their success
against the Flames.
"Unfortunately for the Jets, we had so much depth as a hockey team," he
continued. "We didn't try to shut him down (individually), we just rolled
our three lines. At the end of the day, we knew that he couldn't
single-handily beat us. The (Jets) team was probably a better team than
their record showed. They just always had to face us in the first or second
round."
After dueling against him, Gretzky and Hawerchuk became teammates at the
1987 Canada Cup for Team Canada, which was guided by head coach Mike Keenan.
"Not many of us had known much about Keenan, so anytime something would
happen we would go to Dale to see what was going on," Gretzky said, noting
Hawerchuk knew Keenan from his junior hockey days.
At one point, Gretzky was as baffled as Keenan had the Team Canada players
turn their sticks over in practice and play with their wrong hand.
"It was something I had never seen before, but Dale said he (Keenan) had
been doing it for years."
Hawerchuk was a solid performer during the international competition and
was on the ice with Gretzky and Mario Lemieux -- matching "three of the best
offensive players of their time" -- when Lemieux buried the Canada
Cup-clincher with 1:26 remaining to give Canada a thrilling 6-5 victory over
the Soviet Union at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton.
The captain of the Jets scored four goals and produced six points in nine
Canada Cup games that year. He also played for Canada in the 1991 Canada
Cup, where he had two goals and five points in eight games.
"He accepted his responsibility on the hockey team," said Gretzky, who
played with Hawerchuk in St. Louis as their careers were winding down. "We
were down 3-0 and he started the comeback and (then) won the face-off that
led to the winning goal (in 1987)."
The thing that impressed Gretzky most in the Canada Cup was that Hawerchuk
was able to contribute in limited minutes, something Kevin Lowe (Edmonton
Oilers GM) remembered about him when talking recently about what it will
take for Canada's entry to have success at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake
City.
It's not just about the top two lines, but how premier players can adapt
to playing only eight or 10 minutes when they are used to playing 20-plus,
says Gretzky.
"(Hawerchuk) was used to carrying the whole organization," he explained.
"He performed under pressure and contributed when it counted. He was
extremely well-liked and more importantly, he was extremely well respected."
The Manitoba Moose will honour Hawerchuk in a pre-game ceremony when they
take on the Houston Aeros tomorrow night at the Arena.
Memo:
Yes, the joy of the job continues to unfold. After a tough week working on a
Dale Hawerchuk special, I had another huge breakthrough in my field - an
exclusive interview with Wayne Gretzky,yes the one and only. He called me
house - twice - when I was out he even called me back and was a great
interview. Wow!!! My roomates were absolutely beside themselves, so pumped
as I try to stay composed and interview the best player to ever play the
game. It was a great way to cap a year which saw me attend five Major League
Baseball games, interview Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa, among others. Not
bad for a 25-year-old rookie from Altona, MB and fresh out of college.
Here's hoping the good news continues in the new year. I want to wish
everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. If anyone is in the 'Peg,
please call.
Take care and all the best in the holiday season. Cheers.
Hey gang, I hope all continues to go well. Things at the Sun have been
interesting to say the least. The last week included my second trip with the
Moose - to Kansas City - over American Thanksgiving nonetheless. It went
well but I guess for all of you people who think I'm a softball sports
interviewer - which I am for the most part - you'll be surprised to know
that after a Moose loss where they fell behind 4-0 before losing 5-3, I
asked head coach and GM if their opponent threw some new wrinkles at them or
if they simply got out-worked? Feeling I was taking a personal attack on his
players, Randy Carlyle calmly told me to "Fuck off about out-worked. I'm not
going to criticize my players, if you want to write negative stuff about our
team, you go head. We were out of sync."
Allllllllllll....righty then!
Other than that the weekend went well and I cranked out some good copy. And
for the many of you who think I only enjoy sports, I worked on the federal
election coverage for the Sun yesterday - and loved it!!! I got the hot-bed
riding of Portage-Lisgar, where incumbent and maverick MP Jake Hoeppner -
formerly of the Reform Party - was crushed, falling to fourth spot in a
five-candidate race. Hoeppner, was the MP who told me he needed some luck
"and maybe some brains too - when I interviewed him for my Canadian Alliance
piece earlier this year at school. Apparently, he was correct. Despite our
tight deadlines, I managed to get comments from the winner of the seat,
Brian Pallister of the CA thanks to some past connections - his media
relations person was a former goalie in junior hockey who I played against.
I guess it really is who you know sometimes.
The hockey playing with the mighty Altona Maroons continues to go well as I
juggle work and sports, big game on Saturday in Portage. I'll keep you all
posted. Glad to hear everyone is doing well. Yeah, great for the Regina Rams
but the cost me my first trip to Halifax and a return trip to Toronto - all
for the good of school pride I guess.
Great rants on the CBC from you all, glad to see we still care about the
business we work in. Take care and all the best. I hope you all exercised
your right to vote yesterday.
Cheers.
From the office of Ken Wiebe
Greetings all from the River City,
Life is going well although it has been busy - ah, no excuses for not
keeping up with the postings. Anyway, I just had a great weekend with Mauri
and am thus energized for the remainder of the month which will be filled
with work and hockey - not only covering but playing as well. I'm playing
in the 50th anniversary with the Altona Maroons of the South Eastern
Manitoba Hockey League - my hometown team. It should be enjoyable, we've
got a great team and it will be nice to be a part of some tradition. For a
while it felt like junior hockey all over again, four games in eight days -
a couple of goals, an assist while going 2-1-1. We've got our home opener -
and season opener this Thursday at the Sunflower Gardens in Altona - where
I honed those skills. Should be a thrilling match-up. I'll keep you posted
BWO fans.
As for work, things are going pretty well. Not covering quite as much
hockey as originally scheduled but it is early and I am going on my second
road trip later this month to Kansas City for US Thanksgiving. My first
trip included stops in KC, Detroit and Grand Rapids, MICHIGAN. Quite
enjoyable actually, if you don't mind planes, 6 am flights and spending the
majority of your time at arenas. didn't get to see much other than the
games and practices but had a few nice meals and had a nice drive from
Detroit to Grand Rapids, seeing the beauty surrounding the changing of the
seasons - a few more oranges and reds in the leaves than we get in the GAP.
The mighty Bisons football team takes on the Regina Rams this Saturday for
a chance to go to Halifax for the Atlantic Bowl - if all goes well, I'll be
covering it and making the trip. Winner goes to Toronto for the Vanier Cup
on Dec. 2 in TO - also hoping to go there as well.
Had lunch with Wendy Tebb in the city last weekend, she's doing well and
enjoying her new job still. Jilly Mac, big congrats on your gig at CBC,
excellent job. Kimmy, congrats on the first press release. Glad to see most
everybody is doing well. Take care and Keep in touch. Cheers.
The Winnipeg Sun is proud to announce that rookie reporter Ken Wiebe - who
has added youthful exuberence to our sports staff and a fair knowledge
regarding sports - has been awarded the International Hockey League beat and
will spend much of the next eight months covering and traveling with the
Manitoba Moose.
Ken will cover the team extensively and make the majority of the road trips
with the team, which includes next Friday's opener in Orlando, Florida.
"It's just a thrill for me to be awarded this beat," said Wiebe, who played
two years of college hockey at the University of Regina after a productive
four seasons with the Winkler Flyers of the MJHL. "After covering
professional baseball during the last two summers, I can't wait to try my
hand at hockey."
Wiebe traveled extensively with the Winnipeg Goldeyes during the summer
months and also covered Major League Baseball games in Chicago, New York
City and Milwaukee, while contributing to a MLB notebook with Scott Taylor.
Sun sports editor Dave Supleve says Wiebe has been a welcome addition to the
staff but he needs to keep things in perspective.
"Ken's a hard worker but he's still got a lot to learn," said Supleve, who
covered the Jets while they were still in Winnipeg but is best known for his
work on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers beat. "He's got to fill at least a page
every day and that's no easy task for a raw rookie."
Wiebe isn't exactly a raw rookie, although he is fresh out of college, he
spent roughly two and a half years honing his craft at the Red River Valley
Echo, a weekly paper in his hometown of Altona, before earning his degree
from the University of Regina in May of this year.
"Ken was a solid person and a good writer, but he spends far too much time
learning useless sports statistics," said Dr. Roy Bonisteel, the now retired
journalism director and TV celebrity. "So I guess the job is perfectly
suited to him."
Former roomate Kevin Pratt, suffering from sleep deprivation on account of
covering the Olympic Games at all hours of the night, says Wiebe must do as
many stories as he can on former Washington Capitals if he wants to stay on
the Moose beat.
Wiebe also wanted to thank his friends and family for all the support in his
quest to become a hockey writer.
p.s. the opinions expressed in the article are not necessarily those of the
Winnipeg Sun. Thanks to Roy and Kevin and Soups for their fictional
contributions, the rest of the stuff is for real.
I hope everyone is doing well. Take care and all the best.
Ken:)
With my FP contract winding down to its last
few weeks and the uncertainty surrounding the eventual sale to CanWest
Global, I had to sign a free agent contract with the competition. Yes, as my
contract ends on the 27th of Aug., I will start at the Winnipeg Sun on the
28th, covering hockey mostly, some IHL hockey and local sports as well. I
have to take a pay cut but it should be good experience and I get to stay in
a market I am familiar with. It was the best option I had now, as the
Calgary Herald and Toronto Star gave me the thumbs down and I heard nothing
from the others. So that's where I'm at.
My summer has been phenomenal. Mauri and I just got back from the big apple.
One whole week in New York City - we stayed in Clifton, NJ where I covered
the Northern League All-Star game. But we had four days to relax and saw two
broadway shows - Les Miz and Swing - very good. Spent a fair bit of time in
Times Square and had lunch at Central Park. All my j-school friends will be
glad to hear we also went to the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of
Natural History. But yes, also to Yankee Stadium, where my credentials were
denied for the first time this summer. I have seen games from the press box
at Comiskey Park (2), Wrigley Field, County Stadium and Shea Stadium.
I've also learned the trick of living out of my suitcase. In my seven weeks
I've been on the road for 30-plus days, including the seven-game present
stint in Sioux Falls and Sioux City. It's been great though, can't complain
about covering baseball for a living.
Ken Wiebe reporting live from home base in Winnipeg - a place I've spent
very little time in during my three weeks back at the paper. I just got back
from a swing that took me to Madison, Wis., Chicago, Ill. and Milwaukee -
where I covered six Goldeyes games and three professional games. For you
ball fans out there, hold your breath - I had a chance to interview Sammy
Sosa last Wednesday. After the scrum ended I got to ask him a question about
using the All-Star Game as an opportunity to put the job back in the game.
It was pretty cool.
For all you broadcast people, I haven't given up on that medium either. In
the past week, I was a guest analyst on the radio broadcast for the Goldeyes
and today I made my big debut on Global television as a colour commentator.
Yeah, me on television. Don't worry, I know all of you are thinking this is
all I need, another boost for the old ego. Not the case, I have been
enjoying the opportunity but still have my head on straight and over the
weekend I played in three baseball games and my hat still fit - so I'm
keeping things in perspective.
No real news on the job front for the fall but the search is going well.
Happy to see the Herald strike end. Also have made some connections at ESPN
The Magazine - so we'll see what happens.
Karen, I didn't get a call from you. If you come again, make sure you do
call, okay.
Anyway, I hope all is well with everyone. I must go as I head out to Chicago
again this Thursday and have much to get ready. All the best.
Things continue to go well for me on my summer vacation. I'm down to 10 more
days before starting early at the Winnipeg Free Press on June 16. It'll be a
much-needed shot in the wallet and will be a great time. I'll be covering
baseball almost exclusively, following the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the Northern
League and contributing to a twice weekly column on Major League Baseball.
What an opportunity.
Last week was a big week on the job hunt for the fall as I sent out six
print resumes to major markets - to go along with my play-by-play resumes
out across North America.
I've been enjoying my time off working out, reading - no not sports books
but one on Zen and another by Peter Newman of Maclean's fame, Defining
Moments. Don't worry people, I'm feeling just fine - remember I'm not just
another dumb jock, although I do love my sports.
I'm sorry I missed convocation but I had a busy week back at home.
Take care and all the best.
I have been making audio tapes and will be working on cover letters
over the next two weeks. I am staying incognito in Regina with the
lovely Mauri Smith and her brother if anyone is curious.
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