The recent ruling to allow 14-year-old John Tavares to enter the 2005 OHL entry draft is a sad reminder of the poor state of the game in our country. The ruling has been presented as a positive opportunity granted by the OHL, but is nothing more than an irresponsible attempt to create a new profitable attraction in junior hockey.

Shawn Green is a professional baseball star and a practicing Jew, and last weekend he found himself caught between these two parts of his identity. His L.A. Dodgers stood only 1.5 games ahead of the San Francisco Giants in the race for the NL West pennant, the very team they were set to play in a key three-game series.

Another week, another close call. But once again the Queen’s football team failed to pull off a win.

Knowing the difference between “good” fat and “bad” fat can impact your health in a positive way. With all the talk of fat wreaking havoc on the body, it can be hard to imagine some fats being healthy.

Kara Kitts is the Journal’s female athlete of the week for her key contributions to her team’s undefeated status. Kitts, a fourth year striker for the Golden Gaels Women’s soccer team, scored a key goal last Saturday afternoon, lifting Queen’s to a 2-0 win over Waterloo. Kitts then scored the lone goal the following day as the Gaels battled Wilfred Laurier to a 1-1 draw.

It seems impossible to dissociate the words “disappointment” and “hockey” these days. In keeping with the times, the Queen’s women’s field hockey team opened their season with two disappointing losses in Nepean last weekend. But there’s more hope of the Gaels improving than the collective bargaining agreement situation in the NHL.

The Gaels’ men’s and women’s cross country teams exceeded expectations this past weekend with solid performances on a hilly McGill course to kick off the season.

Gaels football fans, players and coaches could be forgiven if they experienced a little déjà vu during Saturday afternoon’s game in Ottawa against the Gee-Gees. In what seemed like a rerun of the week before, Queen’s jumped out to a huge early lead, only to watch it collapse, resulting in a heartbreaking 24-19 loss.

I’ve got some bad news. The NHL players have been locked out and they’re not getting back into their dressing rooms for a long time. As a fan of the game, I almost asked hockey fans for a moment of silence in light of this sad fact. However, we will all have enough time for silence from October onwards when our reasons to cheer disappear.

There’s a buzz in Bartlett Gym these days. The sound resonates so loudly that they might have to rename it “the Hive.” There’s an aura of optimism and anticipation surrounding the Golden Gaels Men’s Basketball team as they prepare to begin the 2004-05 season.

The Golden Gaels varsity soccer teams began their seasons auspiciously this past weekend. Both the men’s and women’s teams traveled to Ottawa on Saturday for their regular season openers against the talented Gee Gee’s, then returned to Richardson Stadium to meet Trent on Sunday afternoon.