Faces Magazine January/February 2021

FACES Nick Kypreos

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Issue no. 65

HOW BOUT THAT

ELI ANKOU Catching Up With Ottawa’s Newest Cowboy

Talks Undrafted & Previews Upcoming NHL Season

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SHAWN MCKENZIE

Questions With

& HisJourney To Broadcasting

BRENT WALLACE

JEFF O’NEILL

ERIK GUDBRANSON OTTAWA SENATORS DEFENCEMAN COMES HOME

S P O R T S + E N T E R TA I N M E N T + L I F E S T Y L E

SIT BACK, RELAX, ENJOY THE (VIRTUAL) SHOWINGS. We are now open for virtual appointments.

The relationships we build are just as important to us as our homes and communities.

We’re happy to be back helping you start your next chapter with a process that’s as easy, safe, and stress-free as possible.

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EXPLORE OUR COMMUNITIES

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F A C E S

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In This Issue

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

18 ERIK GUDBRANSON Shares insights and memories from his childhood in Ottawa, and what he looks forward to the most about coming home.

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NICK KYPREOS Stanley Cup Champion and top Sports Analyst Nick Kypreos talks growing up in Ontario, making it to the big leagues, and putting it all on the table in his new book, Undrafted.

Nick Kypreos for Harry Rosen

SENS TALK

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JEFF O’NEILL 12 Questions With The O-Dog: Hockey’s Ex NHLer turned TSN reporter.

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We caught up with Shawn to discuss his journey to SportsNet, what Sens fans can expect from the NHL’s upcoming Canadian Division, and some advice for aspiring sports broadcasters.

SportsCentre’s Ottawa Bureau Reporter talks career, Canadian Division, and offers candid advice.

SHAWN MCKENZIE

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

In This Issue NFL

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ELI ANKOU Eli Ankou (pronounced Ee-Lee) is one of only four people from Ottawa to ever play in the NFL. After years of hard work, dedication, and some uncertainty in his early NFL career, today he takes his place on the largest sports franchise in the world: The Dallas Cowboys.

MUSIC

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NICKELBACK Bassist Mike Kroeger reflects on the 15 years since All The Right Reasons was released and the relevance of Rockstar today.

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MANDIA Ottawa artist Mandia reflects on her extensive music career that has seen her work with some of the biggest producers in the industry and get a shoutout from DJ Khaled.

She discusses what’s next in her music, and her best advice for aspiring artists.

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BARENAKED LADIES Faces sat down with Tyler Stewart ahead of BNL’s virtual Christmas concert in December to discuss how the band has shifted focus due to COVID, plans for their postponed 2021 tour, and what he’s learned after 30 years in the business.

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IAN BLACK We caught up with Ian to hear about his journey to becoming CBC’s on-air climatologist, his life off the screen, and his best advice.

How To Sell Your Home For the Highest Possible Price in Any Market, Without Wasting Time!

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CONTENT 85

2021’s New Lineup From fully electric luxury SUVs to a new take on a classic, here’s how brands have dramatically reinvented themselves for 2021.

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5 Ways To Make Zoom Meetings Less Awkward Page 85

STYLE GUIDE What to wear in Winter 2021.

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5 Common Valentine’s Day Mistakes To Avoid

Ottawa Senators 2021 Season Preview: New goalie, new division, and new hope for the future. By Steve Warne

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TO ALL FRONTLINE AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS,

THANK YOU

FOR YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT, EFFORTS AND DEDICATION. 12 | FACES MAGAZINE

Caroline Dagenais, RPN, at the Brewer COVID-19 Assessment Centre

$150,000 RAISED IN SUPPORT OF THE OTTAWA HOSPITAL In support of

À l’appui de

January/February Volume 65 FIND FACES

Editor In Chief Evan Childerhose

Faces Magazine is distributed bi-monthly and offered free at select locations across Ottawa and in cities across Eastern Ontario. Full issues are also available online. Faces Magazine is a non-traditional print medium with a strong brand presence on social media.

Publisher Justin MacKinnon Hank’s Paw Publishing (A Division of 8624771 Canada Inc.)

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Contributors Alex Feeney Catheryn Risto Lucy Dong Morris Miller Tayna Gautier Meaghan Vincent Steve Warne Laura Pietrobon Max Polizi Kate Wright Todd Hamilton Stewart Clarke Liam Fox Ryan Bova Trevor McIssac Kenzie Harrison Connor Khonick

Contributing Photographers Cover Photo: Sean Sisk John E. Sokolowski Jana Chytilova Andre Ringuette Connor Armstrong Taylor Condon Peter Wright Yana Klaiz Lucas Short Photos of Nick Kypreos provided by Harry Rosen Inc.

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

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January February 2021

WHAT TO DO COVID-19 has caused many of winter’s annual events to be cancelled or modified.

Please take necessary COVID-19 precautions when attending any events or gatherings.

EXPLORE THE RIDEAU TRAIL A 387-kilometre trail that runs along the Rideau River from Ottawa to Kingston, the Rideau Trail takes skiers across Ontario’s farmlands, picturesque river-side villages, and Murphy’s Point Provincial Park. Any part of the trail is great for a day-trip adventure.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE 2021 OTTAWA AWARDS Voting for the 2021 Ottawa Awards begins on January 3rd at facesmag.ca/awards. Here, you can browse over 300 categories of businesses and professionals, and vote for your favourites across the city, once per day.

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VIEW THE CITY SKYLINE (BY HELICOPTER) One of the most unique ways to explore Ottawa is by helicopter, and luckily, Ottawa has a few great options for these tours. A great weekend outing or date idea for those that are not afraid of heights, a helicopter site-seeing tour is a great way to experience a new side of the city.

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PATINAGE EN FORÊT This skateway is a great winter adventure. The 3km trail takes you through stunning forest scapes. Skaters can even enjoy the sunset during their visit. It’s the perfect day-trip, under an hour’s drive from Ottawa into the Gatineau hills.

WINTER ZIPLINING Arbraska Lefléche is an outdoor ziplining and adventure park only an hour from Ottawa.

Their winter ziplining is a perfect way to spend a winter afternoon; soaring over tree-tops.

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ERIK GUDBRANSON Photography by Sean Sisk

Entering the NHL 3rd overall, Erik Gudbranson made his debut in the 2011-2012 season for the Florida Panthers where he spent the next 5 seasons. He played a key role in their landing at the top of their division in the 2015-2016 season. But, with a disappointing end in the first round of playoffs, management philosophy shifted, and Gudbranson’s bags were packed as he headed to Vancouver. Despite being bounced around from Vancouver to Pittsburg, to Anaheim, he finally made his way home to the Ottawa Senators this year. Born and raised in the Nation’s Capital, Gudbranson brings his experience, stature, and defensive prowess back to his hometown. As the Sens Army welcomes him home, the Faces team catches up.

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Gudbranson is well-adjusted to the NHL fame he’s been afforded. His career has been impressive, but he remains humble. He hasn’t forgotten where he comes from: though he lives in the Muskoka area during his time off, he regularly has come to visit and shoot pucks at his parents’ house in Orleans, where he grew up with his three other siblings.

It wasn’t all trips to the rink for Gudbranson growing up. Erik’s younger brother Denise was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in 2006, and the family spent years battling this illness, which ended with a miracle bone marrow match that saved his brother’s life.

Erik shares this story and his continued commitment to supporting Canadian Blood Services, other insights and memories from his childhood in Ottawa, and what he looks forward to the most about coming home.

I was born at the Civic Hospital downtown, and moved to Orleans - Chapel Hill South - when I was two. I went to a French school called Le Prelude and played hockey for the Blackburn Stingers when I was a kid. I had a great childhood. I have three younger siblings, so our was house pretty wild. If you drive by my parent’s house to this day, the garage door is still caved in from hockey pucks (laughs). I still go back there just to shoot street pucks.

Ottawa is such a great town, and the east end of Ottawa is home for me.

Were you a Sens fan growing up?

I was actually a Canadiens fan growing up but Ottawa was a very, very close second. On certain nights, I remember there were a few seasons where the Senators were actually really good and the Habs were terrible, and I just couldn’t tell my dad that I was a fan... so I probably was a Sens fan that year (laughs). Let’s put it this way: when the Sens and the

Leafs were playing, I was always cheering for the Senators.

You were drafted 3rd Overall in the 2010 NHL Draft to the Florida Panthers. Recently in interviews, Brian Burke has talked about the different interview questions he asks the prospects, and how some players have talked their way out of being drafted based on how they respond to these questions. What was the predraft interview process like for you? Did you have a feeling Florida would draft you after you spoke with them?

I spoke to them twice, they were my first interview. I was super nervous. I had about a 20-minute conversation with them and it went extremely well, but that was 2-3 months removed from the draft. Going forward to the draft, I had a scheduled meeting with them the day before, and we ended up having an hour and 15-minute meeting. I left that room thinking “this would be the biggest head-pick ever if they didn’t pick me” (laughs). It went that well, so I kind of had an idea in the back of my mind. Going to the rink, we were all suited up, family was looking good, and my agents said “hey listen, I know

where you’re getting drafted to... do you want me to tell you, or do you want to wait?” and I said “I want to wait,” but really that just solidified what I had thought the day before.

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I have three younger siblings, so our house was pretty wild. If you drive by my parent’s house to this day, the garage door is still caved in from hockey pucks.

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What are some of your favourite childhood memories from growing up in Orleans?

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When you go through something like that as a family, how could you not be supportive of Stem Cell Research and the processes that could save lives? My family and I have been very lucky to be able to work with them, and so fortunate to still have Denise around.

Tell us about the role your parents and family have played in your success.

They’re everything, it’s everything. I am very fortunate to have had parents who’ve been together for so long and who have always supported every decision that I’ve made. The message was pretty much “be respectful and work hard at what you do, and we’ll open as many doors as we can for you”.

Family is everything when it comes to doing what you do.

Prior to the NHL shut down due to COVID in March, you were on track to have your best offensive season yet, playing well for Anaheim after an early-season trade from the Penguins. How much confidence has last season given you as you look ahead to the upcoming season?

I had a few injuries and a few surgeries over the last 4 years, and this year was the first year where I came back and I was starting to feel good and starting to feel like my old self. The pandemic has given all those aches and pains and those surgeries a little bit of extra time to heal up, which is somewhat of a blessing in disguise.

Now the frustrating part is not playing hockey (laughs). But I feel good, I feel very excited and rejuvenated, and I get to come home and play for my hometown team. There’s really nothing more exciting than that.

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What did it feel like when you heard you’d been traded to Ottawa and what are you most looking forward to about playing here next season?

This year is a little bit different, so my expectations are different. But, you know, I’ve lived this crazy life of being a hockey player in a different city so far away from home, and now the excitement of being able to come home and experience that with my friends and family on a daily basis is what I’m most excited for. I just remember thinking last year how cool it was going to be to be able to bring someone into the dressing room and give an experience like that to someone every day. Unfortunately, that might not be the case currently, but I’m hoping that one day I’ll be able to do that.

Your younger brother Dennis is a leukemia survivor and you are an active supporter of the Canadian Blood Services. You’ve done a lot of work for them over the years, including hosting your own golf tournament to raise funds. Tell us about your brother’s story and how important it is for you to raise awareness for stem cell research and the work that Canadian Blood Services do?

Denise was diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia) in 2006. It started off really weird. He ended up having an ear infection that morphed into half his face being paralyzed.

He had a couple surgeries on it and then they took him into the hospital and tested his blood, and they were like “oh my god, this is awful.” So he went through 6 months of heavy

chemotherapy, went into remission for a year, and then unfortunately the cancer circled back and he had to turn to the International Bone Marrow Registry to find a bone marrow donor.

The odds of finding a match are incredibly, incredibly low. They usually test your family first because that’s your best chance: to have a sibling or a parent be a match for you. But it just so happens that Denise had no matches in the family, not even one that they would consider using or trying. My sister and I are actually a perfect match, which is super good to know for the future. But for Denise, we had to turn to the Registry. They looked within Canada first and ended up hitting a 10 out of 10 match with a lady from Newfoundland. To explain this to you in a very broad way, the possibility is absolutely absurd. It was a 1 out of 14 chance that he would get that particular donor, and he landed on it.

So, he went to Sick Kids in Toronto for about 3 months, where they intentionally drained and completely eliminated his immune system. They had him in an air-tight room where you have to walk in like an Astronaut to visit him. But I never went to see him there because it was too risky.

They intentionally gave him this new bone marrow and let him re-build himself, and they rebuilt his immune system, which is absolutely incredible.

When you go through something like that as a family, how could you not be supportive of Stem Cell Research and the processes that could save lives?

My family and I have been very lucky to be able to work with them, and so fortunate to still have Denise around.

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I am just as excited to learn from these young guys as I am to maybe show them a thing or two that I picked up in the league.

With the Senators having one of the youngest teams in the NHL, are you looking forward to the leader/mentor role that you will have on the team this year?

Ya, it’s going to be fun. It’s the first time in my career where I’ve had the opportunity to play that role. I mean, I’m still 28, so I’ve got so much to learn in this league myself. The game has evolved and is continuing to evolve so much.

I am just as excited to learn from these young guys as I am to maybe show them a thing or two that I picked up in the league (laughs).

But ya, it’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m very excited about the challenge.

Tell us a little about your life away from hockey, what do you like to do?

I’ve got a few hobbies, but the biggest one is probably golfing... which is not a shock at all (laughs).

That’s the boring one, the fun one is that my wife and I love to cook.

We love to take on challenges, we actually tried to do an 8-course tasting menu for my brother and sister-in-law this year.

We enjoy cooking and staying in, that kind of stuff. I live up north in the Muskoka area, just north of Toronto, so I’m trying to learn how to be useful with the outdoors too. That’s my new hobby now, is trying to pick up new tricks of the trades around my place and it’s been a lot of fun.

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Best movies you’ve ever seen? Or your go-to Netflix show?

So up here, this part of the Muskokas is known to have awful internet, so I actually haven’t watched Netflix at all during the pandemic, not one show. My favourite movie though has to be Shawshank Redemption, it’s just a great, great story.

What are some of your favourite places to go to in Ottawa?

What restaurants would you recommend?

I was always a huge fan of Vittoria Trattoria. I was a huge, huge fan of that place. In the east end, I was a huge fan of going to Broadway’s in Orleans for breakfast. That was an automatic thing with me and my buddies, we would always go there, we loved it. There are so many spots in Ottawa, but you have those hometown places you have to go to and that’s certainly one of them.

If you could give a young kid reading this -someone who wants to follow in your footsteps- some advice, what would you tell them based on what you’ve learned so far during your career?

Have fun with it. Always have fun with it. That’s really what it is. If you’re not having fun then there’s probably something else you should be doing that will be more fun for you. I wouldn’t do what I do if I didn’t enjoy everything that comes with it. @guddy44

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I wouldn’t do what I do if I didn’t enjoy everything that comes with it.

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HEALTH

4 MISTAKES YOU’RE MAKING IN YOUR MORNING ROUTINE

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here’s a lot of preference involved in choosing a morning routine: some like to sacrifice an extra hour of sleep in favour of more time to eat, prepare, plan, or even relax in the morning. Others opt to shower at night rather than in the morning, and some plan a big breakfast while others skip it altogether.

A lot of your morning routine is forged on what you respond best to. But there are a few of non-negociables.

Here are 4 mistakes that are common-place to morning routines.

1

SNOOZING Setting multiple alarms or snoozing for extra sleep should never be commonplace in your morning routine, and here’s why: snoozing your alarm does not help you wake up or help you to feel more rested, because your body isn’t entering into REM sleep, and doesn’t need more than one alarm to wake up.

REM sleep (the deep phase of sleep that is responsible for dreaming) will only happen at a certain point in your sleep cycle. Experts say that it takes about 90 minutes for a full sleep cycle. So, when you’re snoozing your alarm every five minutes, you may feel like you’re getting more sleep, but you’re actually forcing your body to start, disrupt, and restart sleep cycles every 5 minutes. You aren’t giving your body any actual quality sleep, and so you won’t feel more rested.

To maximize your sleep, you have two options. Either set your alarm for the latest possible time, and enjoy your REM sleep till then, or, set it 90 minutes before your intended wake-up time. You’ll wake up to the first alarm and snooze for 90 minutes, which will allow your body to enter into a full sleep cycle, and give you a bit more rest.

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NOT STRETCHING Your body is completely relaxed during the night, and that feeling is hard to shake when you wake up. Stretching and moving can help stimulate your brain, giving you a rush of endorphins that help to wake you up further. You don’t need a full workout to access this, you just need to stretch a bit. By not stretching, your body has a harder time of getting out of the relaxed state it spent the night in.

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EATING A SUGARY BREAKFAST Sweet foods in the morning are commonplace, but that doesn’t mean they are part of a good morning routine. Breakfast foods that are high in sugar will cause your blood sugar to spike, giving you a temporary boost of energy before you crash. Cut the sweets and aim for more sustainable energy.

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3

NOT HYDRATING If your body is an engine, water is like the oil needed for it to run smoothly. One of the first things you should do in the morning is drink some water. The coldness will help you to wake up and the hydration will kick-start your body and help you to feel less groggy.

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Thai Flame

1902 Roberston Rd #104 Tucked out of site in Bells Corners, this strip-mall eatery serves beautifully balanced stir-fries, richly flavoured curries and a plethora of Thai favourites in an unassuming dining room.

Owned by a Laotian family, main dishes are served alongside a generous helping of sticky Jasmine rice kept warm in a woven bamboo basket. For a truly authentic experience, try the pla sam rot (three-flavoured fish) - a whole fish in a sweet-and-sour sauce with pineapple, lime and bird’s eye chilies.

CITY

Ottawa’s Tastiest Thai RESTAURANTS

With winter on the horizon, an onslaught of blowing snow and below-freezing temperatures are right around the corner, whether we’re ready for it or not. Determined to make the shut-in season a little more bearable, we’ve gathered a repertoire of the best Thai to titillate your taste buds. Whether you prefer exclusively authentic or westernized fusion, each of these spots offers a unique take on the spicy sustenance and are sure to add a little heat to your hibernation.

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Khao Thai 103 Murray St.

has been handed out to only three other Ottawa area This Murray Street restaurestaurants, ensures that at rant, which opened in 2004, least 60 per cent of dishes celebrated their certification Tees Up For A offered New Decade on the menu are of authenticity from the Royauthentic Thai cuisine, and al Thai Government in the Photography by Jesi that theCason cooking methods summer of 2019. The Thai are the same or very similar Select designation, which to those in Thailand. Further-

more, it verifies the usage of Thai ingredients and food products, meaning that you’ll be hard pressed to find any ketchup within the vicinity here. Although Khao Thai remains completely, and proudly, authentic, owner Pai Chiturai, admittedly does have to reduce the spice level for many inexperienced Canadians.

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Farang Thai An Ottawa based catering company run by Cameron and Corrine Fraser, Farang Thai is “committed to making Thai food that tastes the way it’s supposed to taste in the region it comes from,” according to the website. Cameron, who first visited Thailand in 2007 to study Thai kickboxing, has made subsequent trips to the popular southeast Asian backpacking destination, developing his own recipes based on his own taste testing experiments at a variety of vendors and restaurants.

All of the frozen meals are gluten-free and ingredients are sourced locally as often as possible, however purchasing a minimum of three meals at a time is required.

Siam Bistro

1268 Wellington St. W

Social Thai 399 Bank St.

Although this small stylish Centretown spot serves the typical Thai fare found in North America, like curries, stir-fries and noodle- and rice-based dishes, diners have the option to choose their preferred protein - chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu - along with the spice level - mild, medium, spicy or “thai spicy”. They also serve some novelty items that prove more difficult to find in Ottawa’s Thai

restaurants, including khan pong (shredded vegetable fritters), yum gai tod (crispy chicken salad) and yum ma muang (mango salad). Just be prepared to pay a couple of dollars more compared to similar restaurants in the city.

A cozy spot in the heart of Wellington West, there’s a reason that Siam Bistro has been open for over 30 years. Generous portions, intense flavours and quality ingredients have catapulted Siam Bistro into the top tier of Thai restaurant picks.

Curries, noodle dishes, soups and spring rolls make up the 75 various sweet, sour, salty and spicy dishes on the Siam Bistro’s dine-in menu, which are also available for take out.

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Photos: Nick Kypreos for Harry Rosen

Nick Kypreos Stanley Cup Champion and top Sports Analyst Nick Kypreos talks growing up in Ontario, making it to the big leagues, and putting it all on the table in his new book, Undrafted.

Tell us about your childhood in Toronto. Was hockey a big part of your life growing up? Any special memories?

My family is Greek, so hockey wasn’t one of those things that we passed from generation to generation, from grandpa to grandson.

My dad came to Canada when he was 17, and he’d never seen the game before. The only ice that he knew was in his drink [laughs].

I watched my dad discover the game almost at the same time as I did. My earliest memories were of him watching the game on our black and white TV. I remember how he marveled at the grace and speed of the game, and at how big and strong and agile these athletes were. Naturally, I was drawn to that at a very early age.

Did you grow up a Leaf’s fan?

Who were some of your favourite players?

My dad was a Leaf’s fan, so that’s where I got it from. I was very young and I don’t remember a lot about David Keon, but my dad always talked very highly of him. He always made it a point to mention how he thought he carried himself with class.

After a successful OHL career, how did it feel to be 18-19 and undrafted? Did you use it as extra motivation?

There’s no question that at the time, I was jealous of the first-rounders. I remember walking into our dressing room in North Bay and hearing of Kevin Hatcher who was a first-round draft choice of the Washington Capitals. He had something like an $80,000 signing bonus. This is in the mid-80s, so that’s a lot of money. I remember thinking “how do I get it in on the action?”.

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I felt like I was on the outside looking in. The saving grace in all of this was, and still is, that once you step on the ice with a Kevin Hatcher, or anyone else for that matter, and the Zamboni doors close, you’re all equals. At least for the next hour or so. There are no advantages if you’re fighting for a puck: it’s only about how hard you want to fight for it. So that’s how it basically started out for me. I knew that I had a bigger hill to climb, but I was willing to climb it.

Tell me about the moment you were given a contract after training camp with Philadelphia.

How did it feel?

I was surprised. I didn’t see it coming at all. To think that I went to Philadelphia’s training camp and left with a professional contract… I mean, I was thinking that I was just going for a great experience. Instead, I came home with a contract and a $10,000 signing bonus. I mean, it wasn’t $80,000, but it was $10,000 more than I had.

It was an amazing feeling and it completely changed the way I felt about myself. To walk back into my Junior A city of North Bay as the property of the Philadelphia Flyers, was a game-changer.

Though you were a big scorer in the OHL, your role on the ice shifted to more of an enforcer in the NHL. Tell me about how this change took place, how you grew into a more physical role, and what that demanded from you as a player?

It was all me. I don’t think anyone really said “you have to do this or else you won’t make it”.

As I say in my book, I was able to form a good friendship with Tim Kerr. Tim made a point to tell me

“I wanted to take people inside the story of someone who wasn’t a firstround draft choice, someone who wasn’t destined to be a superstar, or to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. This is for the 99 percent of us who had to find a different way to get there.” that I was going to have to be patient when I didn’t score right away and that I was going to have to find different ways to contribute.

I always enjoyed a little bit of the rough play. I fought in Junior... I didn’t fight often, but when I did, I knew I could handle myself and do fairly well without embarrassing myself or my team. So I always felt that if I wasn’t going to score, then there had to be other ways to help contribute and boost morale for my team.

So when it didn’t click in the NHL, it was a little easier of a transition than for other scorers who never really could go to that place that I could go.

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

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Photos: Nick Kypreos for Harry Rosen

Tell me about being part of the 1994 Stanley Cup-winning New York Rangers. What was a highlight of that run for you?

Now you’re putting me on the spot here... why don’t you just ask me who my favorite child is? [laughs] To be honest with you, we had so many great moments, but throwing out the first pitch at the Yankee Stadium, the house that Ruth built, that was a very special day. It’s in great detail in the book.

It was a fantastic experience, but I entered it cautiously. I grew up in Toronto and I knew the attention, the media, the circus at times, the scrutiny, the fan frustration of no championships since ‘67.

The funny thing about it is that I always felt like I could handle anything, even booing or bad press. But what really stuck in my mind was that now my parents, my sisters, my family, my cousins, aunt and uncles, they were going to be right on top of me too. It was going to affect them as well. That’s just part You later played for the Toronto Ma- of playing in your hometown, but it ple Leafs. What was it like being able was also a tough time for the Toronto Maple Leafs because they came off the to play for your home team? success of the Conference Final in the

early 90s, and then it started to swing.

I didn’t catch the Leafs at a great time, it was at the end of that Doug Gilmour era. He got traded to New Jersey, and a lot of those key guys that were instrumental in that success were either traded or let go.

After the NHL, you went on to have a successful career in broadcasting.

Do you remember what you thought of sports reporters before you got into the profession?

I always valued them. I knew they were a conduit for the fans, so I valued them because I knew they played an FACES MAGAZINE | 31

F A C E S

M A G A Z I N E

O T T A W A

“They say that you won’t appreciate a lot of these things that have happened in your life until your career is over. Then, when your career is over, you’re caught thinking about the present or the future and you never really go back. There’s really never a great opportunity to go back and reflect.”

important part in your image and how you were perceived. I always had a lot of time for all of them, and I always thought I had a good report for every beat reporter in my respective cities. I was proud of the fact that people genuinely thought that hockey players were the most down-to-earth athletes of them all.

You’ve recently released your book Undrafted. What was the writing process like for you? Why was it important for you to write this funny but honest memoir?

It needed to come out in my voice, and I tend not to take myself too seriously [laughs]. I wanted to take people inside the story of someone who wasn’t a first-round draft choice, someone who wasn’t destined to be a superstar, or to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. This is for the 99 percent of us who had to find a different way to get there.

Did you enjoy the process?

Do you think that you’ll write more books in the future?

It was meticulous and time-consuming, yes, and I needed every bit of one full year to do that.

32 | FACES MAGAZINE

Perry Lefko did a great job. My wife graduated with a journalism degree and does a lot of writing, and she helped me find my voice in the book which I’m forever grateful to her for.

There are times when I’d wake up and think “this is a great story” and then a week later I’d say “take it out” [laughs]. So it’s hard, it’s not easy and it’s time-consuming, but coming off of broadcasting after 21 years and finding yourself in new and unfamiliar surroundings, I found working on the book almost therapeutic at times. It’s a great chance to reflect. They say that you won’t appreciate a lot of these things that have happened in your life until your career is over. Then, when your career is over you’re caught thinking about the present or the future and you never really go back. There’s really never a great opportunity to go back and reflect.

I think when you put pen to paper about your life and truly reflect, you find in hindsight that some things wouldn’t have happened unless other things had happened, things that at the time looked really bad, but ended up being really good because it led to something else.

Doing all of that reflecting and putting so much detail into the book, were you nervous for the release? What did that feel like for you to put it all out there?

It’s kind of surreal to hold a book with your face on the cover and your life on 300 pages.

Fifteen years of your life. It was a strange but good feeling. It was no different than reflecting on a championship or crossing the finish line in the New York Marathon. I felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment when I held it in my hands for the first time.

If you could go back in time and speak to the 19-year-old Nick, just before he entered the NHL, who was currently undrafted, what would be your one piece of advice to him?

Breath. Take a deep breath, and just truly believe that you’re in it for the long haul. You want to be there standing at the end, which means you’re going to have to be patient, and you’re going to have to get up a lot when you fall.

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

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Looking at this upcoming season, what are your thoughts about the rumored Canadian division?

I think the Canadian division is going to be fantastic. I wonder if there will be such a demand for it that fans will refuse to go back to the old divisions. All the teams have really improved in many ways.

Expectations have never been higher across the country, and I include Ottawa, who I think has spent some money wisely.

I’m really looking forward to it. Hopefully everybody can stay healthy and we can put the worst of this pandemic behind us.

Tell us about Little Buddha Cocktail Company.

This idea was formed at a dinner party at our at our friend’s farmhouse in Creemore, and I was talking about needing a different challenge away from hockey. So we started discussing these RTD’s, ready-to-drinks.

We discussed which ones that we liked and ones that we didn’t like, that we found too sweet or gave us a headache after having two. We made a wish list, and that wish list came to fruition because of my wife and our business partner Kimberley who handles the day-to-day operations. We’ve built the company in the last 14 months.

Photo: Nick Kypreos for Harry Rosen

“Our drinks are certified organic, zero sugar, gluten-free, and keto-friendly premium distilled vodka cocktails. We’ve sold close to 25,000 cases in the LCBO and the plan is to go national.”

Our drinks are certified organic, zero sugar, gluten-free, and keto-friendly premium distilled vodka cocktails. We’ve sold close to 25,000 cases in the LCBO and the plan is to go national. We’ve already been able to go to Alberta and Saskatchewan, and we’re hoping by this time next year we will be across the country. I think what’s even better about it is that it’s run and driven by two amazing women. @RealKyper

FACES MAGAZINE | 33

SPORTS

OTTAWA SENATORS 2021 SEASON PREVIEW: New Goalie, New Division and New Hope for the Future

By Steve Warne S i nce t he i r i m p ressi v e r u n to t h e 2 0 1 7 East er n C o nferenc e Fi nal , the Ottawa S enators have reel ed off three awfu l seaso n s i n a r ow. S om e t i m e i n 2 0 1 8 , th e c l u b d ec i d ed to en ter a m aj or rebu i l d. Natu ral ly, every rebu i l d s tarts wi th a dem olit io n an d s e v e r a l t r i p s t o th e d u m p. B u t t h e Sen s c o m p l etely obl i terated that 2017 ros ter, s c ori ng the earth beneath. Not on e fullt i m e p laye r or c oac h r em ai n s f r o m t h at t eam . “ Nobody has ever tras hed a team l i ke we have, ” owner Eu g ene Mel nyk said, w h i l e g u es ti ng on a p odc as t bac k i n November.

Nice to Meet You: New Arrivals Matt Mur r ay, Tim Stue tzl e , Evg enii Dadonov, Er i k Gud b ra n s on , Alex Galc henyuk, Austin Wats on , Jo sh Br own, Logan Shaw, Mic hael Haley

Fare Thee Well: Notable Off-season departures Crai g Ander son, Bobby Rya n , Anth on y D uc lair , Mar k Borow ie c ki, Ro n Hainsey, Mikkel Boe dke r, Jayce Hawryluk, Sc ott Sa b ou rin

Goaltending: Welcome, Matt It’s hard to know if Craig Anderson’s stats were fading due to age (now 39) or playing behind a terrible team, but it was probably a bit of both. It was definitely time to pass the goaltending torch and the club obviously didn’t feel like they had anyone ready to succeed Anderson. So, they acquired and signed 26-year-old Matt Murray.

Murray is a two-time Stanley Cup winner in Pittsburgh, which speaks for itself. But, on the other hand, Murray also had an .899 save percentage last season on a good team and was brutally outperformed by teammate Tristan Jarry. The Sens are betting $25 million (over 4 years) that Murray will bounce back 34 | FACES MAGAZINE

and that a change of address will serve him well. To get a two-time Cup winner who’s still only 26? It feels like a good, low-risk investment.

NHL teams must carry three goalies with them at all times this season and it’s looking more and more like Anders Nilsson’s post-concussion issues will force him out of action this season. So, Marcus Hogberg will be the primary backup with Filip Gustafsson or Joey Daccord on the taxi squad.

Defence: A Work in Progress As Thomas Chabot begins his eight-year, $8 million contract, he can probably count on a ton of ice time again. Last season, he was the only NHL player to hit 26 minutes in average ice time per game. After Chabot, it’s difficult to say who will slot in where. Among NHL-ready prospects, Erik Brannstrom is the only other defenceman who’s universally seen as having star potential, coming over from Vegas in the Mark Stone deal. Like a certain Swedish defenceman named Erik who came before him, Brannstrom is small and highly-skilled but doesn’t have Karlsson’s top end skating ability.

Chabot will occasionally come off the ice to rest, giving Brannstrom and Mike Reilly a chance on the left side. Sens head coach D.J. Smith is thinking of letting newcomer Erik Gudbranson (what’s with all the “Eriks” on defence?) ride shotgun with Chabot, at least to start the season. Nikita Zaitsev and Josh Brown will also man the right side. With expanded rosters/taxi squads, you can count on Christian Wolanin, Christian Jaros or Artem Zub to play and push for full-time jobs as well.

The Sens goaltending and team defence must make major strides if the team is to be competitive this season. They allowed more

Centres

goals last season than anyone, except for Detroit which was historically bad. Eventually, Ottawa will infuse elite young defenceman like Jake Sanderson (1st round), Lassi Thomson (1st round), Jacob Bernard-Docker (1st round), and Tyler Kleven (2nd round) into their lineup but it won’t be this season, not to start anyway.

Forwards: Go Daddy Wingers: Wingers The Senators were also near the bottom of the league in goal scoring. But they did make a rare trip to the NHL’s high-end, free agent market and picked up Evgenni Dadonov. Dadonov reliably potted 25-28 goals in each of the last 3 seasons with the Florida Panthers. Now 31, he piled up a combined total of 182 points during that time frame.

He’ll get top minutes, both 5 on 5 and on the power play.

The Sens will also kick the tires on 26-year-old free agent Alex Galchenyuk, who had some fine seasons in Montreal - cracking the 50-point mark twice - but he hasn’t done much in the last 3 years.

Most of the scoring improvements this season will come from the younger guys simply being a year older and being asked to take on bigger roles.

Brady Tkachuk will be in the final year of his entry level contract. Thus, he’ll be looking for a massive, long term payday like Chabot. Tkachuk will be at his wrecking-ball best so expect a huge leap in offensive production. Drake Batherson and Nick Paul could both be major contributors if their evolving NHL confidence can match their skill. There’s also a whole slew of other interesting prospects who could push for full-time jobs like Alex Formenton, Vitaly Abramov, Rudolfs Balcers or Egor Sokolov.

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

The centre ice position has been lean in Ottawa in recent years.

But the Sens now have four centres with high pedigree - all chosen in the first round. It’s everyone’s goal to have flashy German forward Tim Stuetzle (3rd overall, 2020) play right away but it’s a big jump from German pro hockey. Logan Brown (11th overall, 2016) enters his fifth training camp so the clock is ticking. Sens GM Pierre Dorion calls Brown the most skilled prospect up front.

However, just as Mark Stone did, Brown will have to overcome a lack of quickness in his skating in order to properly express those high-end skills. Josh Norris (19th overall by San Jose, 2017) played only three games

NHL Game of Thrones: Who’ll be King of the North?

Due to COVID-19, the 2021 NHL season will be 56 games long and each team will face only the teams in their division during the regular season. The top four teams in each division will make the playoffs; each round a best-of-7. To minimize travel, all four divisions have been realigned. The Sens will play in the North Division and their only opponents all season long will be the six other Canadian teams - the Montreal Canadiens,

2 0 2 1

in Ottawa last season. He didn’t score but his noticeability factor was off the charts every single shift. Colin White is the one outlier. White has already played enough NHL games where opinions have begun to form; his billing as a player with first line potential has begun to fade.

Still, he is being paid like a top 6 forward so he’ll be given every opportunity to produce, even if that means a shift to the wing.

Also at centre, the Sens have the trusty Chris Tierney along with Filip Chlapik. Chlapik has played 56 games for Ottawa but hasn’t emerged as the elite scorer he was in Quebec Junior - nor has he been given much of anything but fourth line minutes.

Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets. That means Ottawa will face rivals like Toronto and Montreal at least nine times this season. If familiarity truly breeds contempt, things could quickly get testy in the North.

To make the playoffs, Ottawa would have to better than three Canadian teams. A tall order, indeed.

But, in a short season, anything’s possible.

FACES MAGAZINE | 35

F A C E S

NICKELBACK M A G A Z I N E

O T T A W A

Celebrates 15 Years of All The Right Reasons An Interview With Mike Kroeger

Nickelback was a hallmark of the Canadian music scene in the early 2000s and 2010s. The band, formed in 1995, has seen decades of success: an unprecedented accomplishment within the music industry, both in Canada and across the world.

Their post-grunge rock albums, including Silver Side Up, All The Right Reasons, and Dark Horse, would become anthems within small-town Canadian communities, a f itting prescription for a band formed in the small town of Hanna, Alberta. On a global scale, they’d be named the band of the decade by Billboard Magazine for the 2010s.

Faces sat down with bassist Mike Kroeger to discuss the 15 years since All The Right Reasons was released.

Mike shares his memories of recording the album, his favourite track, and his best advice for the rockstars of tomorrow.

36 | FACES MAGAZINE

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

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“That’s what we did: our best work.

We left it all on the table.”

FACES MAGAZINE | 37

F A C E S

M A G A Z I N E

O T T A W A

All The Right Reasons turned fifteen in 2020.

When you were recording the album, did you realize that it would become such a successful and historic body of work?

I’d like to say yes, but at that point, we were on a little bit of a downswing. Prior to All The Right Reasons, we released an album called The Long Road, which, in relation to the album before it, was kind of perceived as a failure (laughs). We did Silver Side Up and that was a big deal, and then we put out The Long Road and you know, everyone kind of gave us the cry on the shoulder talk about how “you only get to climb the mountain one time” and “it’s ok, it’s natural to have a decline in your career after you have such a big record like Silver Side Up”. So when we went in to make All The Right Reasons, all bets were off. We didn’t care anymore, we were just going to do what we wanted to do.

You can never go in thinking you’re going to make a half a** album. You can also never go in thinking you’re going to make an album that’s going to go diamond either. You just do your best work, and that’s what we did: our best work. We left it all on the table (laughs). It went really well, and we were lucky that people reacted to it.

38 | FACES MAGAZINE

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

2 0 2 1

Thinking back to who you were as

Photograph was sort of a reflection

a person and who the band was

of our childhood, Chad and I. I think

in 2005, what do you think is one

that means a lot. It’s essentially an

profound difference in how you

autobiography of the way we were

approach music and your career

living at that time, and some of the

then vs now?

things Chad was getting up to... it’s a snapshot of living in a small town.

Well, one thing that was still kind of a new idea for us back then was that

What would you say is a trait

we were playing music for a living.

of yours that is truly Canadian

That it was our job, you know? Music

that you have taken with you

careers are generally measured in

throughout your career?

weeks, and we had gone through years and it was looking like we

I think I realized fairly early on, after I

were going to be able to do this for

left the small town and got out into

a while. It was a different idea for us,

the world, that the small town blue-

to not really be in a panic or a hurry.

collar work ethic is a real thing, and

We knew we had to go in there and

it’s a real gift to have that installed

we couldn’t come out until it was

in your DNA. It’s the idea that the

the best it could be. During the

harder you dig the more you get. We

making of that record was when we

all grew up in that world and so we

truly realized that this is what we do

have learned a really well-developed

now, this is our life. We do music for

work ethic. That real grit you see in

a living.

small towns. I think that really has served us well.

I know you’ve said that there were some tough recording sessions for

What do you miss most about

the album: some sessions came

being on tour?

easily while others didn’t, and yet the work had to get done. How did

I’m down here in Los Angeles with

you as a band handle the stress of

my family and we’re all just riding it

it all?

out.

After a while, it becomes more

You know, it’s really simple: the thing

important what you don’t do rather

I miss the most is being out there and

than what you do. In the beginning,

being able to play music every night

you want to grab on and explore

for people. It’s the feeling of being

every

get,

inside with a crowd of Nickelback

anything you can get your hands

opportunity

you

can

fans. That’s about as simple an

on. And you do that and then after

answer as you can imagine, but it’s

a while, you realize you have to be a

the truth. I really miss being able

little bit more concerned about what

to just to go out and play music for

you do, because you start getting

people. And that’s all I want to do.

more opportunities.

If you had to choose one track on that album that had personal signif icance, what would it be?

FACES MAGAZINE | 39

NIC KEL BACK F A C E S

M A G A Z I N E

O T T A W A

I can’t not ask you about

on there is real. It’s really

There are a million of them,

All The Right Reasons’

important

remember

and I should probably write

track Rockstar. I know

that when you look at that

a book because I think

you’ve said that all of the

and you watch those videos,

there’s some good stuff

things touched on in the

that you just remember;

I’ve gotten over the years

song are rooted in fact -

this is not reality, this has

that I’d like to share. But I

that they are part of the

been edited, this is what

think the most important

rockstar life or things

somebody wants you to

thing is to give it a real

that rockstars laugh at.

see. Their real-life is far

hard thought about what

Do you think that song

more boring than this…

you want, and make sure

is still relevant today, but

sadly.

that whatever you’re doing,

to

maybe even more so as

that at the end of that race

we see such a different

You’ve probably had a bit

world with social media,

of spare time these past

and everyone trying to

few months. What are

Is that ending where you

live out their celebrity

your hobbies?

want to be and are you

aspirations?

there is what you want.

willing to give everything

Well, I’m trying to play

you have to get there?

Isn’t it kind of funny that the

music still as much as I can,

That’s really the question,

lyrics of Rockstar turned

so I’m having a good time.

because you’re going to

into today’s YouTube or

I’m getting in the studio.

have to give up everything.

know it at the time, but we

The

What’s next for

were sort of developing an

pandemic has been that I

archetype for what famous

get to live with and see my

people would become. I

family. This has been the

Right now there’s no real

think it’s already starting

longest I’ve been with my

sign of getting let out of the

to fade. I think people are

family since my kids were

house anytime soon, so we

already starting to f igure

born.

are cooking up some ideas

out that it’s all fake. That

have been on the road for

that

Instagram star? I didn’t

Typically

of

I

this

would

Nickelback?

for the next few months.

that

months this year. So it’s been a special gift to get

There’s

that guy doesn’t own that

to live a normal home life

yet, we’re still just sort of

Lamborghini... and I think

with my wife and children.

picking through ideas and

have

actually

gift

guy’s private jet, and that

kids

isn’t

real

realized

the

What’s the greatest piece

think that’s really good.

of advice that you’ve

received in your career,

really

people that

important

to

when

for

understand

you

look

at

your smartphone, nothing

40 | FACES MAGAZINE

album

done

seeing what we have and

falsehood of it all and I

It’s

no

and your best advice

for the aspiring stars of tomorrow?

what we can do. @michaeljkruger

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

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CITY

THE TOP 5 REASONS THAT NEIGHBOURS FIGHT, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY

I

t’s par for the course: spending so much time in close proximity to another person or another family will give rise to many opportunities for disagreement, and sometimes, they come to a head.

The good news is, if you’ve experienced a neighbourly blow-out, you’re not alone.

Over a third of us have had a heated exchange with our neighbour at some point in our lives.

3

North American real estate and housing source homes. com commissioned a study to get an inside track on the inter-neighbourly behaviours that unite us. After surveying 2,000 homeowners in North America, they identified the most common reasons that neighbours argue.

1

KIDS

Kids can generate a lot of noise, at all hours of the day. And, they’ve never been big fans of property lines, too. While most neighbours aren’t completely off-put by having neighbourhood kids run around their property or play a loud game of street hockey, two problems arise: when the noise is consistently too loud too early or too late in the day, and when children are consistently unsupervised on their property, leaving them liable without even knowing it.

NOISE The most common of all, noise ranks as the leading cause of neighbourly arguments. A whopping 18% of respondents reported having this fight with their neighbour at least once. Just like anything, timing and consistency are the key factors at play here. If either of these is off, the chances of your neighbour being upset skyrocket.

2

PARKING

4

Especially in the winter when snow makes our parking spaces that much thinner, sharing a driveway or a street with your neighbour will lead to a dispute 11% of the time.

Blocking parking spots, filling rightfully reserved ones, or consistently parking your car in front of your neighbours house can lead to tension. Especially after a long day of winter driving, coming home to find your parking spot inaccessible can be, at the very least, frustrating.

42 | FACES MAGAZINE

Almost 10% (9.5%) of survey respondents have reported having a heated exchange about children with their neighbour: for concerns with noise, supervision, or damage.

PET DEFECATION

If your animal is able to enter your neighbour’s yard, the odds of your animal marking its territory there are pretty high. Over 9% of neighbours will fight over pet droppings, especially after a spring snowmelt reveals that you’ve let your pet run free in their yard one too many times.

5

DAMAGE TO PROPERTY

Hockey pucks, dogs who love all things wooden and wiry, and the most treacherous of all: stones shot out of a lawn mower. Damaging your neighbour’s property can happen without you even realizing it.

Which is exactly why it’s a common fighting ground: Finding property damage done by a neighbour who has yet to acknowledge it can be aggravating to say the least, and a recipe for tension, according to over 7% of survey respondents.

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GUIDE: Health & Happiness Every issue, we find five lifestyle changes that are so simple, so surprising, and so successful that they are sure to spark a massive difference in your health and happiness.

A Tidy Kitchen Is Linked To Healthier Eating Habits A study published in Environment and Behaviour observed the relationship between kitchen cleanliness and snacking behaviour with over 100 participants, who were placed in either a clean kitchen or dirty kitchen, and then asked to write about their feelings while snacking on an all-you-can-eat snack buffet. The study participants that were in a cluttered kitchen were found to be more likely to choose unhealthy snacks, and eat twice as many, like those in tidy kitchens.

The study links this relationship to a feeling of being in or out of control. Clutter raises our stress levels and makes us more likely to stress eat. On the flip side, keeping a clean kitchen can help us stay on track with our meal plans and goals.

Music Doesn’t Improve Productivity, Unless It’s This Genre Whether it’s work or study, many people strap on their headphones to zone in on the task at hand. The problem is, most tracks on your playlist are actually proven to disrupt focus and diminish mental performance.

WFH? Don’t Work On The Couch When you’re working and sitting for extended periods of time, it’s best to be sitting on a firm chair, which helps to support your posture and relieve strain on your back muscles. Cushions, beds, and couches aren’t actually meant for you to sit on for long periods of time, and after repeatedly straining those muscles by working from your couch for months at a time, you could do some serious damage to your back and neck.

Research has shown that a moderate level of noise can boost creativity and promote focus.

But this doesn’t apply to the Hot 100 – only ambient or instrumental music will take you there.

Music with no words played at a soft-medium level will help you focus.

A soft and congruent harmony, with no words, won’t drag your brain around the same way that a lyric-filled pop song or 80’s classic will, even if the song is about working for the weekend.

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ELI ANKOU

Eli Ankou (pronounced Ee-Lee) is one of only four people from Ottawa to ever play in the NFL. After years of hard work, dedication, and some uncertainty in his early NFL career, today he takes his place on the largest sports franchise in the world: The Dallas Cowboys.

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

Off the field, Eli remains connected not only to his Ottawa ties, but his

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Black and Indigenous roots, also. His mother belongs to the Ojibwe Tribe, and his father is from Togo.

Eli has made it his mission to not only educate himself on the communities he comes from, but to connect Ottawa’s youth to their roots and culture as well. He has spearheaded The Dreamcatcher Foundation, an organization aimed

at promoting and connecting underserved communities in the Nation’s Capital with resources and support.

At only 26, Eli remains a consistent and physical force on the field.

After an exciting run with the Dallas Cowboys this season, he remains focused on carving his spot on the team in 2021.

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

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ou’re now a member of the Dallas Cowboys. How is life for you in Dallas? Are you enjoying the city so far?

I’m loving the city, it’s one of the nicest cities I’ve been to, and I’ve been to quite a few cities lately (laughs).

Dallas has been awesome. The city is great, the weather is perfectly balanced in my opinion: you know, it’s not too cold.

I know in Ottawa right now it’s snowing really hard, and some parts of Florida can be really hot during the summer... so I feel like Dallas is kind of in-between. It’s dry, but it’s not cold enough to get through your clothes.

The team has been awesome.

Everyone’s taking me in with open arms: the coaching staff, the players, it’s been great so far.

Are there any specific players or staff members who have really taken you under their wing?

It was pretty much an instant connection with Tyrone Crawford, he’s really been helping me adjust.

Neville Gallimore has been here for a few months, too. There’s like 4 of us Canadians on the team right now, so it gives us something to talk about (laughs).

Since we last spoke with you a few years ago, a lot has changed.

You’ve stated before that one of your biggest takeaways from your NFL journey to date has been patience. Tell us a little about the ups and downs you’ve experienced, from coming out of UCLA undrafted, to being moved around a bit in the NFL. How would you describe the last few years?

Going into the league, they always tell you that it’s not a secure job, and it’s not a job where you find yourself somewhere and stay there. I knew that going in, but I think what’s really hit me is how true it is. Ya, I spent a lot of time in Jacksonville, and it was awesome. But I think it really hit me when I went to Cleveland, and once Cleveland was done and I was going somewhere else. I guess the more I moved teams this year, the more it kept sinking in.

Sometimes things can be out of your control, and you just have to keeping doing your own thing. For me, that’s what the case was: to keep running and doing my thing, pushing as hard as I could.

I know what I have to offer as a player, and it’s just a matter of finding that right place. With Dallas this year, it’s been a really good experience so far. They’ve been able to put me to good use and I’ve been able to help as much as I can. The coaching staff has been awesome. So it’s just one of those things where I just have to keep trekking forward.

The Dallas Cowboys are the most valuable sports franchise in the world. What was it like for you to find out you’d been traded to the Cowboys?

Well it’s funny because, as you know, I’ve been moving around a lot this season, and I found myself in my third location since camp started. That was in Cleveland, Indianapolis and then Houston. So as I was trying to find an apartment in Houston, I got a phone call from my agent saying “hey by the way, you just got traded to the Cowboys” and I thought he was just joking. But he was like “no man, I just

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got the call you’re getting traded”.

So I went from getting ready to live somewhere to “I have to move right away”.

The idea of going to play in Dallas was obviously an amazing opportunity for me, so I was really looking forward to it and was really excited. The first thing that came to mind was “I’ll also get to play with a couple Canadians, so we’ll have something to bond over.” (Laughs) How has the team been coping with the injuries to key players this year? Is the mood on the team positive as you head down the stretch run of the NFL Season?

Everyone is staying checked in, mentally and emotionally. Obviously this team has faced great trials and tribulations this year in games, with injuries, and with the passing of the late Marcus Paul, which was really unfortunate and totally unexpected.

But everyone is staying checked in and focused. We do know that we have another few weeks left to play out and hopefully get a spot in the playoffs. It’s just one of those things where you really have to keep yourself mentally checked-in, together, and make sure that you recognize this is something you’re doing together.

I think the team has been doing a really good job with that.

What is life like for you away from the football field? Who are some of your favourite musicians?

I will listen to anything. If someone gives me some music, I will take the time to actually give it a chance, because I like discovering new music.

As of lately, I’ve been listening to DAX, who is Daniel Nwosu. We actually used to go to St. Pete’s together, and he’s been blowing up lately and doing an amazing job. One of my former teammates Chad Thomas has been making music, you can find him as Major Nine, he makes really good stuff. I listen to these guys out of the West Coast called Hippie Sabotage and Odessa. I will literally listen to anything, it could be a rap artist one minute and then next on the list is a composer (laughs) so a very wide variety of music.

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We had the vision of being able to give that to kids in Ottawa: a day to just go out to play and forget about whatever issues they may be having in their lives.

Tell us about the Dream Catcher Foundation. Why was it important for you to do this and what made you want to start it?

Being in the position that I’m in as a professional athlete, and in the public eye, I think it’s my responsibility to bring as much attention to a cause that I think is important as possible. I think that this cause is one that hasn’t had a lot of attention drawn towards it, and I’d like to be a catalyst to help shed some light.

The Dream Catcher Foundation obviously started as a foundation to help underserved, Indigenous communities, and now it’s aiming to bring attention to other causes that can help those communities. Not only by simply going out and physically helping them, but by garnering the attention needed from anyone that can help.

Last summer, you held Eli’s Dream Catcher Camp Day in Ottawa. Tell us about that day and the reaction from the kids who attended it?

So we actually made the Dream Catcher Camp free so any kid who registered could come in, get coaching, and hear guest speakers for free. We had members of Law Enforcement, actually my brother was one of the speakers over at the camp, he’s an officer over in Ottawa.

We had the vision of being able to give that to kids in Ottawa: a day to just go out to play and forget about whatever issues they may be having in their lives. It was a blast, and we had loads of fun.

It’s something I would’ve loved to do again this year, but obviously with COVID it was just very difficult, so whenever things kind of subside, it’s something we would definitely love to get back into and have guests from local Indigenous communities come to and have some fun with all of the other kids from the inner city, and just kind of get everyone going. I think it would also be a good opportunity for a bit of a cultural exchange. Growing up, I don’t feel it was something that was focused on enough. As a kid, learning about Indigenous culture was never

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learning from the source. I learned from my mom, but other kids don’t really have a grasp on what Indigenous culture really is. So I think that would be a great opportunity to have kids be able to exchange what it’s like to be a part of a certain community.

How do you describe Ottawa – or even Canada – to your American teammates who have never been here before?

If someone asked me what there is to do in Ottawa, here’s what I’d tell them: I personally love Ottawa, it’s a great city, it’s well taken care of. There’s also a rich history with the Parliament Buildings and the creation of our Nation’s Capital.

But the major thing that I tell them is: “If you’re going to go to Ottawa, just be ready to go see a bunch of museums. That’s like our number one thing, we have SO many museums, you’re gonna love it. Obviously downtown you have the canal during the wintertime, you have beavertails...” and obviously whenever I say beavertails everyone always freaks out like “What do you do with the rest of the beaver?” (laughs).

We also have so many beautiful lakes around; beautiful scenery, Gatineau park, Parc Omega, there’s so many things surrounding the city, you can’t really run out of things to do or see. It’s funny, I was just talking to Neville who, funny enough, actually grew up on the same street as me, but we had no idea. He moved into the neighbourhood when I was moving away, but we had no idea until we talked about it a couple weeks ago.

As you head into 2021, how would you sum up 2020 for you? And what are you looking forward to the most in the New Year?

Something we take for granted is the sense of security and routine in our everyday lives, and it’s something that was taken away from a lot of Canadians, Americans, and people all around the world this year. It has put strain on a lot of people’s mental health. Once we get back into a routine, get back to doing our thing as people, it’ll definitely help our situation.

I think this year has been a good opportunity for us to look at ourselves, whether it be the way we do certain things or even as of late a lot of our social causes. People have had the chance to actually research these topics because they have so much time to themselves. We’ve seen a wave of people who want to do good, and I’d just like to see that wave kind of develop into the new year, you know, people continuing to take action.

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Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

You are an inspiration to a lot of young kids in Ottawa, kids who now believe, thanks to you and Neville, that they can make it to the NFL. What is your best advice for anyone looking to follow in your footsteps and play professional football?

I want to tell them to keep their grades up, keep doing everything right, and don’t focus too much on what all the other kids are doing. Sometimes sacrifices are needed. Guys like Neville and I, we were just like them, we were just high school kids who had a vision, and obviously Neville and I did it in a different way from each other, but the point remains: everyone starts somewhere, everyone starts at a very humble point.

The main thing you have to remember is to just keep pressing, just keep working and one day you can be there.

I feel like it was yesterday I was looking at the TV screen and thinking how crazy would it be to play in the NFL one day, and suddenly I find myself on national television every Sunday, kind of just going to work.

So don’t ever stop dreaming, keep working hard, and just know that we came from the same place. It is possible. @eliankou

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LIFE

4 OF THE MOST COMMON

Dining Etiquette Mistakes People Make When Fine Dining

Heading out for a nice dinner on Febuary 14th? Avoid these four fine dining faux-pas

1

NOT CHECKING YOUR COAT At a nice restaurant, there will be a place away from your table to hang your coat. Your server can also take any bags and hold them for you while you dine. Typically at nice restaurants, you should only bring with you what is needed for your dining experience. If you have a purse, you can bring it with you and drape it on the back of your chair, leave it on an empty chair, or ask for a purse hanger or stand. You should avoid leaving it on the floor.

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SITTING IN THE WRONG PLACE The rule of thumb when dining out is that the guest (or guests) get the best seat. If you’re on a date, and you’re the host, then make sure you give the best seat (most comfortable) to your guest. If you are a guest, however, your only rule is to wait until the host has sat down or otherwise indicated where they’d like you to sit. Do not take the best seat unless it is offered to you.

3

SITTING STRAIGHT, BUT STILL INCORRECTLY It is common dining etiquette to not slouch at the dinner table, but where some still go wrong is by pressing their back against the seat. You want to leave a little space between you and the back of your chair, not actually touching it. This will improve your posture, too.

4

ELBOWS ON THE TABLE Contrary to popular belief, you can have your elbows on the table at a nice restaurant, but only when you aren’t eating.

If you have a utensil in your hand and an elbow on the table, that is considered bad form.

But, between courses or even between bites, you can gracefully set your elbows on the table.

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FEATURE

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O T T A W A

W E A L T H P A R T N E R S

CONTROL MARKET RISK VIA DOLLAR COST AVERAGING The U.S. election has come and gone and it appears that one or more effective vaccines will soon be at hand to help curb and ultimately bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What remains however is uncertainty over the economic restart and how this will impact stock markets. There is always something to concern someone.

shares. When markets rise to what may be considered overvalued territory in good economic times, you automatically purchase a lower quantity of shares. The end result over time is an “average” price somewhere in the middle. Let’s look at a simplified hypothetical scenario covering three payments of $100 over three months.

We all know that owning high quality businesses is key to earning above average returns and wealth creation over time. Investing in “quality” ensures sustainability, and survivability, particularly through challenging socioeconomic times as the world has experienced.

But what about market risk because of all the noise surrounding investing? Some people cannot help but worry about whether they should invest now or wait for a downturn. What about a methodology that effectively helps to take away market risk for those worried about uncertainty?

Amount invested

It is called Dollar Cost Averaging.

This involves committing equal amount of capital to purchase equities on a recurring basis at specific intervals – most effectively on a monthly or at least quarterly timeline.

Anyone who has read “The Richest Man in Babylon” recalls the lesson about “paying yourself first” which is another benefit of regular periodic investments. After all, if you pay everyone else first…what is left for you?

Often, not much! By committing to paying yourself first you ensure the most important bill of all gets paid – you!

Dollar Cost Averaging works effectively by distributing the price at which you buy shares across a broad period of time – sometimes the price may be low (attractive) and other times the price may be higher (less attractive) but this price averages out over time to ensure that 100% of your purchase is not at the WRONG time. The effect is that with an equal periodic investment, when economic or COVID-19 events cause equity values to fall, you automatically purchase a higher quantity of

Share Price

Shares Bought

$1000 $100 10.00 $1000 $ 50 20.00 $1000 $ 75 13 (rounded)

You invested $3,000 in total. You bought 43 shares – a few at high prices and many more at lower prices.

Would you profit or lose if after three months you sold all shares at the last price of $75? The fact is that 43 shares x $75 is $3,225 or a profit of $225 or 7.5%. Even with minimal commissions, the profit is compelling.

Imagine the impact over a 10, 20 or 35 year time period by investing in the S&P500 or similar proven managed fund. Wealth creation is simple if you stick to a plan, invest regularity in proven investments, and don’t let your emotions derail you. Anyone looking to build wealth and minimize their risk could easily adopt the above strategy.

Michael Prittie, CFP, CIM FCSI, CIWM is a Portfolio Manager and Branch Manager with Mandeville Private Client Inc/Capital Wealth Partners in Ottawa.

Mandeville Private Client Inc. is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments. Please read the prospectus before investing.

MANDEVILLE PRIVATE CLIENT INC. and the Winged Lion Design are trademarks of Mandeville Holdings Inc.

www.michaelprittie.ca

LIFE

HOW TO Iron A Dress Shirt In 60 Seconds Flat

B

eing a wiz at ironing dress shirts is a great skill to have in your arsenal. But, it can be an intimidating task: one wrong move, and you can create some cut-throat creases.

Many times we’re caught ironing out a shirt last minute. This is where precision and speed are most needed.

The good news: pressing a dress shirt isn’t as time consuming or as hard as it seems. Here’s how to smooth out any wrinkles in your ironing routine.

TIME SAVER:

If you’re simply wearing this shirt under a jacket, you can cut some corners and only tackle:

2 Fronts 1 Collar 2 Cuffs

WHAT YOU NEED When you’ve got a shirt that needs ironing, complete your set up simply: grab the board and iron from its resting place, plug in the iron and wait for it to heat up. Make sure the board is on a flat surface, and not tilted.

HOT TIP: Check the hot surface of your iron for any stains before you plug it in. If there’s any residue left on the iron, it’ll leave a nasty smear on your shirt.

START THE CLOCK Grab your shirt and lay out a front panel first.

Iron across the panel and hit all problem areas as needed, moving the iron swiftly and keeping the area moisturized before ironing.

Quickly get your front panels done, then onto the sleeves.

TRICK UP THE SLEEVE Do not touch those edges. When you’re ironing sleeves, skate up the middle and avoid the two sides at all costs, to avoid any creases. Next, do the back panel.

THE PLAN OF ATTACK There are areas of your shirt that may need attention: 2 Front Panels 1 Back Panel 2 Sleeves 1 Collar 2 Cuffs

COLLAR Unfold your collar, spray it down, and iron it flat from the underside. Stand your iron up, and carefully fold the collar back into position, ironing over the fold to sharpen it. This will look great, and hold your necktie better, too.

MOISTURE If you’re in a rush, using the highest heat setting is best practice. You’ll need to make sure to always keep your iron moving.

Make sure you’ve got enough water in the iron to keep it appropriately steamy. When in doubt, always err on the side of having more steam than less.

STEAMY SECRET: For even better and quicker results, don’t put any water in your iron- instead, have a spray bottle at your ready. When it’s game time, use the bottle to spray the hot surface of the iron and keep it wet directly as well as your clothes, rather than spraying only your clothes.

CUFFS For your cuffs, always iron on the inside, not outside.

TIME Stand your iron up safely, unplug, and dawn your newly pressed shirt for the day or evening ahead.

It really is that simple, and like most things in life, practice makes perfect.

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LIFE

Drive Guide Here’s what’s coming to showrooms in 2021.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 The First In The Family

I

t’s the Genesis G70 sedan, but it’s an SUV. The second release in a rollout of new SUVs for Genesis, the GV70 is a unique and versatile SUV with a youthful and sporty look the remains elegant.

Technology blends seamlessly with classic designs in the elegant yet minimalist interior.

The GV70 comes with turbocharged 4-cylinder, twin-turbo V-6, and rear or all-wheel drive options.

The GV70 is set to begin deliveries in the summer of 2021, with no official pricing released as of yet.

The First-Ever BMW iX BMW welcomes the new year with the release of the iX, their first-ever fully electric, mid-size luxury SUV. The iX is reminiscent of the X5 in size and structure, though its design is much more geometric. With a stunning front view and spacious interior, the iX is decked out like any BMW, 58 | FACES MAGAZINE

with a full infotainment system and driving capabilities. As an electric vehicle, the new iX will have a driving range of an estimated 480 kilometres. Set to be released in the next few months, the electric SUV will have an MRSP of over $75,000.

2021 Kia Sorento Seeks Adventure

The New Acura MDX: Sporty And Spacious

The Audi E-Tron Sportback

A

udi has taken the classic look of their luxury sedans and turned up the volume for an electric luxury crossover with a sporty design.

Though not as revolutionary as other electric releases this year, the E-Tron Sportback (and E-Tron) will offer a driving range of over 350 km with an uncompromised driving experience and top-tier aesthetic.

The Sportback will have an MSRP of over $85,000 in Canada when the model hits showrooms this year.

The 2021 4-Door Ford Bronco

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he re-imagined Ford Bronco is with adventure in mind. Ford borrowed more than just the name from the iconic Broncos of the 1960’s and 70’s: they also made sure that the durability and classic, rugged design of today’s version

followed suit, too. The 2021 4-door model (a new 2-door model is slated for this year as well) offers impressive off-road capabilty, over 200 features packed into a powerful 4x4 that is made for you, and generations to come, to enjoy. It’ll start at $40,000 come the spring of 2021.

The Volkswagen ID.4 Another fully-electric SUV first, the Volkwagen ID.4 enters the 2021 car market ready to compete this year.

The compact SUV will be available across the US, Europe, and China in early 2021, but Canada won’t see it just yet. It will have an MSRP in the low 40’s or less: part of the price & performance package that Volkswagen says will be standard in their over 75-different fully electric models released in the next 9 years.

Not only will the ID.4 provide performance and comfort, it will be carbon-neutral and supported by Volkswagen’s new electric ecosystem.

“ID.4 customers will receive a vehicle that has been produced with a carbon-neutral balance. And if it is charged using sustainably produced electricity – like Volkswagen Naturstrom – it will remain carbon-neutral on the road too.” Says Volkswagen.

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STYLE Tom Ford Aviator-Style Gold-Tone and Tortoiseshell Acetate Sunglasses $504

Tom Wood Coin Gold-Plated Necklace

Oliver Spenver Solms Stretch-Cotton Corduroy Blazer $495.00

$357

Laura Piana Dolcevita Slim-Fit Baby Cashmere Rollneck Sweater $1561

Gucci Logo-Print Silk Pocket Square $166

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Bulova Classic TwoTone Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch $525

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

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Style Guide Winter 2021’s Official

Here’s How To Do ‘New Year, New You’

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STYLE

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Charvet Pre-Tied Silk-Jacquard Bow Tie $268

Richard James Herringbone Wool Jacket $791

Polo Ralp Lauren

Fendi Round-Frame Gold-Tone and Acetate Optical Glasses $414

Slim-Fit Cotton Oxford Shirt $102

Jo Malone London Oud & Bergamot Cologne Intense $238

Winter Blues

Mikia Bloodstone, Silver-Tone and Glass Beaded Bracelet $199

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STYLE

Balanced Browns Maison Margiela Silver and Gold-Tone Ring $411 The Row Harvey Suede Bomber Jacket $3879

OFFICINE GÉNÉRALE Benoit Garment-Dyed Lyocell Shirt $268

NN07 Richard Wool Rollneck Sweater $198

Celine Homme Pleated Prince of Wales Checked Wool Skate Pant $854 Saint Laurent Wyatt Leather Chelsea Boots $714

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THE TOP 5 HIGHEST EARNING PODCASTS IN 2020 Is there money in podcasting? The answer, like with many things in life, is: it depends.

Once you have an audience, there are a ton of ways to actually monetize your podcast; like sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and spin-off products. But capturing a targeted and significant demographic takes unique, engaging, and consistent content. It’s a lot of work, but finding the right formula can prove successful.

Here are the podcasts that have done just that, according to Forbes, who have named the top 5 highest earning podcasts in 2020 so far.

#1 - THE JOE ROGAN PODCAST Most regular podcast fans won’t be surprised to see Joe Rogan’s name on the top of this list. Over 9 million people regularly listen to The Joe Rogan Podcast, and he’s claimed that over 190 million people download his content per month. His podcast delves into the human experience in an honest and down-to-earth way with the help of celebrity guests who walk through some defining moments in their lives, including Matthew Mcconaughey, Elon Musk, and Mike Tyson.

Joe Rogan has the biggest podcast following there is. Just this year, he signed an exclusivity deal with Spotify worth 100 million, and most sources say he makes about $75,000 per episode, over $800,000 per month. #2 - CHAPO TRAP HOUSE With so, so, so much political unrest in the US this year, it’s no wonder a political podcast was able to make it to Forbes’ #2 spot on this list.

That podcast is called Chapo Trap House, hosted by Will Menaker, Matt Christman, Felix Biederman, Amber A’Lee Frost, and Virgil Texas.

The podcast takes current political topics and combines them with humour. It’s a hit for people who want to stay current and discuss important issues, but can’t stand the dryness of political news.

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Over 35,000 people listen to Chapo Trap House, and the group makes over $150,000 per month. #3 - SMART PASSIVE INCOME Pat Flynn’s podcast checks the “how to get rich” box off this list. He delves into the ways that listeners can make passive income (money while you sleep), and live a comfortable and stress-free life doing it.

Pat brings on a host of people to interview about their ways to make passive income, most of whom have their own courses, formulas, and products they are trying to sell.

These people pay for Pat to promote their products to his market of entrepreneurs.

Pat’s two podcasts make a whopping $100,000 per month. #4 - LAST PODCAST ON THE LEFT Hosts Ben Kissel, Henry Zebrowski, and Markus Parks have taken the ‘scary stories by the campfire’ model and turned into into a successful podcast. The show features horror stories- both true and fable -and the discussions that follow them. The stories aren’t always about ghosts and haunted houses, they discuss aliens, odd rituals, and other occult topics.

The show has over 510 episodes, and their fan base is almost 12,000 regular listeners. With their sponsorships, live shows, and merch, the group earns about $55,000 per month. #5 - TINY MEAT GANG A comedy-focused podcast about current trends, major news stories, and the male experience, Tiny Meat Gang is a podcast run by two social media (vine and youtube) comedians Cody Ko and Noel Miller. The podcast takes current stories and discusses them with a comedic spin. The duo also get into the stuff of men- their own funny stories, opinions, and gossip as it relates to being ‘manly’.

The’ve put out over 163 episodes, and have been ranked #1 on Apple and Spotify podcast charts more than once.

They make an average of $51,000 per month for their podcasting.

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M

andia

Mandia has been perfecting her craft since she was 8-years old. The Ottawa born, Greek-Canadian artist has always been inspired by musical greats like Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston, and worked throughout her childhood and teens years to create music with the same soulful resonance and powerful vocals.

While Mandia lives in Ottawa, she has worked with producers in both Canada and the US. These were collaborations of Grammy Award winning producers 1500 or Nothin and Songwriter James Fauntleroy (BeyoncĂŠ, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake) FACES MAGAZINE | 67

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in the U.S. and Kuya Productions (JRDN, Shaun Desman, Nelly). In her teen years, her work has appeared on Much Music, YTV, ETalk, Family Channel, and radio.

We caught up with Mandia to discuss her recent work, her favourite achievement, and her best advice.

Tell us about your childhood.

What were some of your favourite things to do as a kid?

Any special memories?

I’m an Ottawa girl, born and raised. I went to Canterbury High School. I was in the vocal program there. I’ve always been in music, throughout my entire childhood. I actually started singing when I was eight years old. I was in the classical music program at Canterbury, and during that time I was recording a lot of music internationally. I started recording in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Toronto because that’s a very big music scene. So my childhood was pretty busy.

When did your passion for music start? Was there anyone who inspired you to pursue music as a career?

I think my parents had a really big involvement in it, they were always super supportive. I was entering into a lot of singing competitions at a young age, and I was taking lessons, and I think they just saw the potential and were always really supportive of everything that I was doing. With the help of their advice and of other music professionals in Canada, I’ve had a big team to inspire me to keep doing it, but my parents were definitely largely involved.

Tell us about your experience meeting DJ Khaled. What is he like in person?

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“Be consistent. There’s going to be a going to knock down your doors and end of the day, if you keep doing what people are going to love it.”

The day of my single “Pull up” featuring an R&B artist named Eric Bellinger was released, I was in Toronto working on music and just so happened to meet him. He was in town for his concert and we ended up talking. I let him know that I released my song and he was super supportive of it. We ended up taking a video that went a bit viral online, he kind of backed my song up which was really cool.

What achievement are you most proud of in your career and why?

I think one of my biggest achievements would be being on Family Channel, I think that was super cool at such a fun age. That was a channel that I grew up watching. Another achievement would be a lot of the people that I’ve worked with. I’ve worked with some really great Canadian producers and songwriters. Just to be able to be in the same room and to be working with some of the greatest people who are making some of the greatest music right now I think is an achievement in itself.

Tell us about your new song ‘Took So Long’ and the inspiration behind it?

During the pandemic I was working on writing a lot.

That was one of the records that came about during the pandemic. That song is a feel-good melodic song, and I think it’s the first of many that

are going to be coming from the music that I’m going to be releasing this year. So this was a little bit of a taste to show people what I’m capable of, my vocal range, and what I’m about to release this year.

Do you spend any time in Ottawa?

Yes, I’ve spent a lot of time in Ottawa. All of my family and friends are here. One of my favorite spots to go to is Tomo, that’s definitely a spot that I love to hit up. It’s one of the best sushi spots here in the city. I really just love the ByWard Market and I think it’s such a beautiful hub. There’s so much great scenery and history there.

Do you have an artist who inspires you/ has inspired you in your career? Someone you hope to work with?

Absolutely, I always like to say that I’m inspired by the divas of the music industry: Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Christina Aguilera... those were the girls that I grew up listening to from a young age.

How has COVID affected you as an artist?

For one, I don’t have an athome studio, so in order to record my stuff I need to get into a studio. But, I’ve been able to focus on songwriting and creating a sound, so now when I do get in the studio I have a lot of material to record.

lot of people who are tell you no, but at the you’re going to do,

I know a lot of artists are struggling right now due to the fact that they can’t perform and do shows, and a lot of artists have been affected. I’m in the middle of creating a body of work, it’s just been hard to get in the studio.

What do you have planned for the future for your music/career?

Definitely a lot of videos dropping this year, and I’m super excited for that. I’ll be dropping a little bit more consistently this year with a few singles, and then eventually, hopefully, a body of work.

I think another goal of mine is to work on a Christmas album next year, so I have a lot of things in the works. I also have a lip gloss line that I’m launching within a month called Diamondology. It’s my new brand that I’m launching for all of my fans.

One piece of advice for an upcoming artist?

Be consistent. There’s going to be a lot of people who are going to knock down your doors and tell you no, but at the end of the day, if you keep doing what you’re going to do, people are going to love it.

The great thing about music is that over time, people will find something that they may like, so be consistent.

@mandiamusic

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WHAT YOUR FAVOURITE COLOUR SAYS ABOUT YOU

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veryone has a favourite colour; doesn’t that seem a little strange to you? It’s not like having a favorite food that’ll bring you satisfaction. Or a favourite movie that’ll bring you entertainment.

So why choose a colour that you favour?

Maybe it’s because, at your deepest core, your favourite color actually says something about your personality. There could be some type of connection between how you handle day-to-day tribulations to what colour you choose for your living room or car.

WHITE This colour is often known for its elegance and so are the people who choose it as their favourite. An article in Psychology Today suggests if you like this colour, you strive for organization throughout your own life, from your workspace to your car to even your relationships.

White also has a reputation for being the “brightest and cleanest” colour. So, adding to your organizational habits, you might also find cleaning to be very relaxing and satisfying.

BLACK An article reviewed by Dr. Lauren Guilbeault suggests that people who choose black as their favourite colour may have a complicated personality. You strive on being proper, polite, and regal but also want power and control in life. With this need for power and control, you’ve learned to share your opinions with some authority, sometimes coming across as too serious or intimidating.

You also tend to not share things well with others, often making situations more dramatic than they need to be. The colour black is also known as a shade, which would suggest you’re mysterious or independent, which might add to your power fantasy.

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J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y

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YELLOW

BLUE

BROWN

Remember Joy from the movie Inside Out? There’s a reason she was designed with a yellow palette. You are known for your energy and happiness, which is shown all over your body. You are an optimist to the end, refusing to see the glass as anything but half full, even if it seems ignorant to others.

While the colour blue is often associated with the emotion of depression or sadness, that’s not the case with people who choose it as their favourite colour.

According to an article publish on Psychology Today, these people often find peace and tranquillity with the colour, often encouraging them to find the same in their own lives.

Often the colour associated with earthy and organic materials, this usually means you appreciate the beauty of nature around you. Gardening and growing food might be a very satisfying hobby for you. You also enjoy the simpler lifestyle than that of luxury. A sweet little home on the countryside is more appealing to you that that of a large mansion in the busiest part of the city.

But you also have a shy nature to you, so if you want to show off that energetic happiness, people have to invite it out of you. You desire the social traits of orange or purple lovers, you want their respect and crave admiration.

You don’t value the quantity of friends but the quality. Your small group of friends are of high value to you. You jump to the opportunity to help others in need but are cautious of being taken advantage of. After someone meets you for the first time, they’ll often remember you for being warm, friendly and engaging.

You’re a planner, having a high dislike for impulsiveness. You’re always expected to be the dependable and punctual one in the group. You value family immensely, always putting them above all else, confirming that you appreciate a comfortable and stable home-life.

GREEN

GREY

ORANGE

A colour often associated with wealth and greed, it can also mean good fortune, fertility and rebirth. This could signify that you are able to commit yourself to relationships with more ease than others. But you can also become obsessed with your reputation, meaning you care too much about how people perceive you.

Don’t let its reputation of dreariness fool you. People who love this colour seem to have a flair for style, transforming their home décor into something resembling chic and modern. But, grey could also mean that you appreciate your privacy and alone time.

Meet the anti-grey people. Instead of keeping to themselves, people who choose orange as their favourite colour are the life of the party and thrive on being so. This makes you a true people person.

You do have a sense of priority though, often targeting what is most important in your life and dividing what is not. You tend to see the big picture through multiple points of view. This makes others respect your objective and fair outlook to difficult situations.

You prefer to keep to yourself rather than being the life of the party. You’re also fair-tempered, often entering tough situations with calmness and composure. People often rely on you to keep the peace when tensions run high.

According to an article posted on Medium.com, team leading and building are natural skills, along with problem solving and inspiring others.

You love living in the moment and being present in everything exciting and new.

Unfortunately, being so sociable makes you easily swayed by outside opinions and impulsive to important decisions.

PINK

PURPLE

RED

If you are connecting pink to emotions of love, then you would be correct.

According to Dr. Lauren Guilbeault, Those who favour this colour usually search for unconditional love in their life, whether that be from a romantic partner or close friend. They often express themselves in such way too to earn that unconditional love.

Do you stress over the little things in your life or your work? You might choose purple as your favourite colour.

Perfectionism is not a strange concept to you, making your intuition in many situations better than most.

Often associated with anger and rage, people who favour this colour are usually not that far off. Red is often showing that you’re assertive in any conversation, vigorous and prone to impulsive actions with varying moods. But you still have sympathy for your fellow people, which can connect your high sex drive.

You often give off a caring and encouraging vibe in your friend group, wanting peace and harmony among your loved ones. It’s also very possible, in your very core, you are a romantic. This could also mean you have a flirtatious nature, feeling a sense of euphoria when with a new partner or dating.

You also tend to burst with creativity, no matter which type of project to take the helm on. Friends and family might use the word “visionary” when describing you. You also relish on being different, unique and walking your own path no matter what anyone thinks of you.

This could also mean you’re driven to adventure and very active in your dayto-day life. It can also be connected to the emotion of love, trying to take your positive traits of sympathy, outgoing and being a natural born leader into your relationships.

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THE 5 BEST AND WORST MOVIES OF 2020 2020 came to an end, probably to the excitement of many out there. No doubt about it, this has been a tough year to get through. Could dive into more detail about the pandemic shutting down the economy, or the riots throughout North America condemning police brutality or simply the line-up of celebrity deaths that hit us the hardest.

On top of all that, movie theatres have been suffering harshly as well. Some have been walking the thin line of bankruptcy and it’s unknown if these businesses will survive going into 2021. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the line-up of films that were still released this year, praising the good and critiquing the less than average. Here are the top five best and worst films of 2020:

5. MULAN (2020) On the surface, Mulan can be perceived as a competently made movie with some decent performances from the cast. Unfortunately, we simply cannot ignore how much they watered down this story from the original animated classic.

They wanted to take a more serious approach to this story, taking out the comic reliefs and creating something a war epic.

Unfortunately, taking out the comedy also took out the enjoyment. Instead of the bubbly and relatable Mulan from the original who must fight against her own limits to protect her family and save China, we have a stonefaced lead who is practically flawless in every way. People were hoping that this would be the Disney live-action remake that would break the cycle of disappointment, but it didn’t deliver.

4. THE GRUDGE If you’re a horror fan, then you know about the Ju-On/ Grudge film franchise. The original Japanese film has been hailed as one of the creepiest films of all time and the 2004 remake seemed to thrill audiences with the same amount of chills. So, it’s not very clear what the intention was for this misguided reboot.

Instead of the classic Kayako and Toshimo duo, we get this weak tie-in storyline that transforms the story into something that’s, for lack of a better word, “Americanized.”

Despite strong performances from William Sadler and Lin Shaye, they couldn’t save what will become a blackmark in the franchise.

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3. HUBIE HALLOWEEN On one hand, fans of Adam Sandler and Happy Madison Productions probably knew what to expect from a film like this: ridiculous and childish humour with a lot of slapstick. On the other hand, after last year’s compelling and tense Uncut Gems, this is a pretty weak follow-up for the actor.

Is this the worst film from Adam Sandler? No. It’s not as annoying as Little Nicky, not as immature as Pixels and not even as misguided as the Grown-Ups movies. But, since we know now that we can expect more out of Sandler as an actor, we should really start demanding it instead of divulging in his need to talk like a mumbling loon.

2. DOLITTLE After his triumphant run in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Tony Stark/ Iron Man, moviegoers were excited to see what would be next for Robert Downey Jr. Unfortunately, much like Adam Sandler in Hubie Halloween, this was a weak follow-up to such a previous massive triumph. Ignoring all the wasted voice talent of the animals, RDJ seems completely lost in this movie, constantly looking lost and empty with a silly Welsh accent attached. Along with painfully bad comedy, this will be hard one to get through.

1. ARTEMIS FOWL When adapting books into films, we know that certain elements of the story need to be sacrificed in order to make it to the big screen.

However, with Artemis Fowl, is really hard to understand what the idea was for such

WORST WORST WORST WORST WORST WORST a creative premise. In the books, Artemis Fowl is a child criminal mastermind who goes through redemption arc, making a complex and interesting antihero.

Well, in the Disney Plus adaptation, we got none of that. Instead of a criminal enterprise and kidnapping, the character of Artemis Fowl into another bland Disney hero with none of the edge the book series had. The effects are laughably dated and the story somehow manages to throw too much and too little at you all at once.

Even the impressive cast of Colin Ferrell, Josh Gad and Dame Judi Dench couldn’t save this dumpster fire.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

365 DAYS It’s a good thing that Tommy Wiseau’s cult classic The Room set the standard for movies that are so bad that they’re good because without that influence, Netflix’s 365 Days would’ve been forgotten pretty quickly. This film became so well-known for its low quality that it became one of Netflix’s most watched properties this year.

365 Days follows a woman whose relationship is in shambles and travels to Sicily. There, she meets a man named Massimo who has a dangerous streak. A lot of critics were ripping this movie apart so frequently that they actually called 50 Shades of Grey a masterpiece in comparison… think about that.

CAPONE

THE NEW MUTANTS This was an unfortunate set of circumstances. New Mutants went through so many rewrites and reshoots over the years that, after being dropped this year, people were hoping that this film would bring life back into the dying X-Men franchise. That was not the case.

The sad reality is that this movie almost works by allowing us to get to know each character through their own tragic backstories.

The idea of having these well-known superheroes as patients in a mental asylum is a welcomed creative turn for this genre. And while it was ambitious trying to add some horror into this franchise, it just didn’t work as a whole unfortunately.

It’s a shame that director Josh Trank has gained the reputation he has now.

Starting out strong with his directorial debut Chronicle, he suddenly hit rock bottom with the Fantastic Four reboot in 2015. Hoping to regain some of his original glory, he tried to shine a light on the final days of Al Capone after he was released from Alcatraz to die of syphilis at home.

With Tom Hardy starring, this could have been a very thought-provoking film.

Unfortunately, what we got was an uninspiring look at how the mobster spent his last hours and Hardy trying way too hard to be Marlon Brando in a urinesoaked undies. The ending result of this film was pretty embarrassing to say the least.

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BEST BEST BEST BEST 5. THE INVISIBLE MAN

After the disappointing reception 2017’s The Mummy brought audiences and critics, it seemed as though Universal’s Dark Universe was going to crash and burn before it even took off. However, after giving Upgrade and Insidious writer Leigh Whannell full control of their next project, we got a fiercely intense and relatable tale about how much pain abuse can inflict on someone.

Elizabeth Moss gives one of the best performances of her career, really diving into the role of someone desperately trying to break free from her torment. The film is also a new welcomed concept that transforms the original tale into something both familiar and original. While Oscar buzz for this film is unlikely, this will still go down as one of the most surprising hits of 2020.

4. RUN And you thought Joan Crawford was bad. Run tells the story of a young girl who suspects that her mother, played by Sarah Paulson, is hiding a dark secret. No internet at night and limited phone calls are only the tip of the iceberg of the rules she must follow.

One of the reasons Run works so well as a thriller is because of how simple it is. The premise is basically a girl stuck trying to get out of this terrifying reality. She’s stuck in her wheelchair, she’s stuck in her house and she’s stuck emotionally; and her mother’s the only one with the key. Once you start this film, you won’t want to hit that stop button.

3. SOUL The reaction to this film’s trailer was interesting, getting a lot of different reactions from people.

Most comments were on the fact that the first half of the trailer was beautifully poetic while the second half going into all too familiar territory, with people comparing it to designs from Inside Out. Thankfully, Pixar has yet to lose their touch.

Funny enough, while still targeted towards children, this movie tells a story that might connect more to adults. It delivers a powerful message that you shouldn’t settle for less and follow your dreams, no

J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y matter how distant and challenging they may be. This might be Pixar’s most mature film to date, which is welcomed in today’s social climate.

2. ANOTHER ROUND Mads Mikkelsen has more than established himself as one of the greatest villainous actors working today. Starting with his chilling performance as Le Chiffre in Casino Royale and his memorable stint as Hannibal Lecter on television, he’s become that actor you love to antagonize in a role.

However, despite his background, he still manages to portray comedically buzzed and drunk quite naturally. In Another Round, he plays a history teacher who partakes in an experiment with his friends where they maintain a 0.05% BAC throughout the day. But don’t let this Hangover-esque plot fool you.

The film is surprisingly funny while gracefully exploring both the comedy and heartfelt tragedy of this tale. This is not a film you’ll regret viewing.

1. DICK JOHNSON IS DEAD Why would a man ever agree to have himself be filmed being struck by a car, or crushed by an air conditioner, or bludgeoned to death? Simply… because he loves his daughter.

Richard “Dick” Johnson was a clinical psychiatrist who is suffering from dementia. Knowing that his days are numbered, his daughter (a talented cameraperson) pitched him an idea to involve him in a documentary style film.

She has him act out certain death scenario, attend his own funeral and even act out how he would enter the gates of Heaven. While, on the surface, this seems like nothing more than a home movie but, at its centre, Dick Johnson Is Dead confronts a universal fear that everyone sooner or later has to bear.

With the pandemic thrusting this fear into all of us, this film reminds us that there could be something comedic or even beautiful to the end of one’s life. No other film in 2020 deserves this spot more than Dick Johnson Is Dead.

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Tomorrow took a science-fiction/ action approach and Happy Death Day took a horror/slasher approach.

This time around, Palm Springs takes a more realistic stance at the concept. Sure, there is comedy in the film with Andy Samberg delivering his usual wacky performance, but you can really feel how stuck these people are in this situation. It almost feels like these two are stuck in a purgatory situation, doomed to do this for all eternity, which can be a frightening reality for anyone.

This mixed set of emotions really helps set it apart from the other movies and really lets it shine as an original.

COLOUR OUT OF SPACE This is a film that’ll divide a lot of audiences. Mixing the lore of Lovecraftian with old school B-movie pulp, horror fans will either love the nostalgia this movie offers or criticize the tone as “ridiculously silly.” Regardless of your opinion, you must admit that this is a very stylized, almost beautiful film.

Nicolas Cage plays a farmer with a wife and two kids who discovers a meteoroid that crashed in his front yard. Suddenly, the meteor starts shooting purple light all over his property and infecting the local water supply. The result is a bunch of goofy gorey fun that will satisfy most horror fans.

TENET Tenet got a lot of attention earlier this year being the latest ambitious project from Christopher Nolan, who previously directed Inception and the Dark Knight trilogy. The catch? No one knew what it was about, with even the actors starring in it stating their confusion of the plot. And when the film finally released, it really divided audiences.

Some praised the performances and ambitious action scenes while others couldn’t help but point out the inconsistencies in the plot and science behind each scene.

Regardless, the film allows Nolan to attempt a spy-thriller while keeping to the monotone tone he has made popular. Whether you liked the film or not, you can’t deny it was certainly an experience.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

PALM SPRINGS It’s pretty amazing how many ideas can come from the one concept of reliving the same day over and over again. Groundhog Day took a cynical-comedic approach, Edge of FACES MAGAZINE | 73

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Brent Wallace

One-On-One With TSN’s

SportsCentre’s Ottawa Bureau Reporter talks career, Canadian Division, and candid advice.

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J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y You’re a proud Maritimer. Tell us about your childhood growing up on the East Coast. Did you play any sports?

Do you remember the first big NHL interview you did that went really well (or maybe not well)?

I did, I just wasn’t very good at them [laughs]. I played hockey early on, became a goalie, wasn’t really good at that, so I took up basketball at the high school level. Then I realized I wasn’t really good at that either, so in grade 11 after I got cut from the team, I started working with Fundy Cable. It was a company like Rogers Cable, and they started doing color commentary on the local broadcast for high school basketball games.

I worked in Halifax and then Montreal for a year before getting to Ottawa, so I was covering the Montreal Canadiens. Their farm team used to be in Fredericton, so I grew up watching some of the players who were now on the team.

When did you know that you wanted to pursue a career in broadcasting? What attracted you to it?

When I graduated high school I opened a sports clothing store. I wanted to go into business. But some series of events led me to close the store down. I went to a year of university and realized I wasn’t really good at it. One day my mother saw in the newspaper that there was a broadcasting school in Halifax. She said, “Why don’t you go do that?”

And that’s what I did.

How did you get your start at TSN? I went to The Atlantic Broadcasting Institute in Halifax that at the time was owned by Alex J Walling. He was the TSN reporter for the Maritimes at the time.

During that time I was working on the TSN broadcast for the 1993 Atlantic Bowl. I was in the booth with John Wells and the late Leif Petterson.

After the broadcast, I told Mr. Wells that I would be at TSN in five years. He signed the back of my press pass with ‘see you at TSN in 5 years’. I was hired by TSN in 1998.

The year I was there, we were photojournalists, and so we would have to hold cameras while asking questions at the same time. I just remember asking Mark Recchi a question, and he popped his head around the camera to see who was actually asking. I’ll always remember that moment. He was like, “Oh, there you are!”

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In some ways, it’s easier, and in others, it’s a lot more difficult. At the beginning of COVID we were busier than we’ve ever been at any time, and I started at TSN in ‘98.

In March, we were just trying to get stuff on the air. We were trying to do everything we could just to fill content and find out what was going on. I remember that the first two months after that March 12th pause was the busiest time we’ve ever worked.

The players were a lot more receptive, but we had to be creative in what we were doing. We aired old rewind Sens games and we would get players that were instrumental in those games to do interviews with us. It was a change from talking about power plays on a daily basis.

The players were always respectful to me because I had to do everything, so they would actually give me more time. Mark Recchi was always high on my list.

Thinking back to the person you were when you joined TSN in 1998, what are some of the biggest changes in how you approach your work from then to now?

One of the neatest things when I first joined TSN was covering the 2000’s Presidents Cup in Virginia. I think it was the first big golf tournament I covered. I remember sitting on the green at 16 and waiting for players to come up, because they were about to win. At the time Davis Love III was this huge golf star, and I had my mic sitting by me waiting, and he sees it and he says, “TSN, I love you guys!” It was a moment when I realized how big TSN was across North America. That’s when I said to myself, “I better not screw this up.”

So I started on August 27th and was covering a CFL game in Montreal, I believe Calgary and Montreal. I had to do a preview story for it, and I remember writing the story, and afterward it was like 5 minutes long when it was supposed to be a minute and a half. At that moment I said to myself “I don’t know what I’m doing, they’re going to fire me on the first day here.”

I just remember being completely overwhelmed.

Broadcasting and sports journalism have changed quite a bit in the face of COVID. How has your daily routine, and the way you connect with players, changed?

Now I have a different sense of how you cover a story and how you approach people, and a better sense of what the actual story is about. Most of what we do is based on emotion. Over anything else, emotion is what the story becomes. So it’s about how we [reporters] get to how they feel about it.

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I know we all hate that question, “How does this feel?” But ultimately it’s what everybody wants to know. So my biggest change has been learning to figure out the emotional side of every story and what it means to that athlete at that time.

What are your thoughts on the rumored Canadian Division? Where do you think the Sens stand in the lineup?

Anything that gets hockey back on the ice, I’m all for. We have some exciting teams to play in Canada, the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid, Elias Pettersson and the Vancouver Canucks, Auston Matthews and the Leafs, there’s great hockey teams north of the border. So if we’ll get to see them often, let’s play. I don’t care who is playing right now, I just would like to see some semblance of sports return, in NHL fashion, so I’m all for how many games they want to play and whoever they want to play.

Let’s rank ‘em... Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, and then Ottawa.

What are your thoughts on Ottawa’s Off-Season?

I think they’ve done a very good job of bringing in very strong prospects and they’ve added some really good pieces in like Matt Murray and Evgenii Dadonov. But what happens off-ice is another thing.

One thing the Senators and every organization does in this league is they sell hope. That every prospect they’ve ever drafted is going to play in the NHL. Their whole job is to sell fans on hope. I think in the last 6 years, the Sens have drafted 50 players, and only 5 of them have played 100 games. So the chance that all of these players pan out and become stars?

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O T T A W A translate in the future on the ice for the Ottawa Senators.

What do you think the Sens franchise can do to win back the trust and loyalty of the fanbase?

I think they’re starting on the right track, but there has been so much damage done to the fanbase in Ottawa.

They have a long way to go to win it back. There’s no question about that.

Adding some pieces for fans to get excited about is a good start, but I just think if you’re going to keep telling us you’re going to build a winner, stop using the term ‘re-build’ and start actually building on the ice. Start showing us results.

I feel like they keep pushing this term ‘re-build’. We are going into year four. It’s time to start showing the fans, on the ice, that they can win hockey games.

This interview will be in our Jan/Feb issue, the first issue of 2021. What are you looking forward to most about the new year?

Hockey [laughs], some semblance of normalcy... whatever that will mean in 2021.

I’ve averaged over the years at over 120 nights in a hotel every year. I haven’t been in a hotel room since December 30th of 2019. The last day I traveled was back from Pittsburg on December 31st 2019.

I’ve never experienced anything like this. Nobody has.

I’ve painted every room in the house, I can’t do anymore.

I would like us to get back to where we get to see people again, and cover things we are passionate about, and get to do all that stuff we love to do. It appears we are going to get back to something, I just don’t know what that is, but it’s got to be a lot better than this.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

One of my broadcasting teachers once said, “Whenever you are covering a story, make sure that the way you approach it is by telling me, the viewers, something they don’t know.”

And that could be something small or big at the time, but whatever it is, let people know something new that they may not have known before. That’s something I always try to find in my stories, the “what don’t they know.” It’s become something I live by. @tsn_wally

LOCAL BREAKING NEWS

GRAHAM RICHARDSON & PATRICIA BOAL

WEEKNIGHTS 6

WEEKNIGHTS 6 CTVNewsOttawa.ca

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Ian Black

Ian Black has been with CBC as a weather reporter for almost 35 years. In that time, he has delivered countless forecasts to households across Ottawa.

Unlike many weather reporters in Canada, Ian comes from a science background, and is a certified broadcaster with the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society.

His passion for the weather has always made him a popular figure with friends and colleagues. Today, Ian has over 240,000 followers on Twitter, who regularly engage with him to ask about upcoming forecasts and strange weather events.

We caught up with Ian to hear about his journey to becoming CBC’s on-air climatologist, his life off the screen, and his best advice.

Faces: Tell us about your childhood. What area did you grow up in? What are some of your favourite memories from your childhood?

I was born and raised here in Ottawa, I’m a child of the ’60s. I grew up in what you would call an upper-middle-class neighborhood. It was between Baseline and the Queensway, called Graham Park. It was the kind of neighborhood where you’d walk to school and walk back for lunch at your own house.

I was the last of four children.

Dad was a high school principal, mom was a nurse.

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Do you have any memories growing up or any special places in Ottawa?

the library and coming back and saying, “Mom, we shouldn’t be doing this, it’s not safe.”

Ottawa is such a wonderful city to grow up in. I remember my summers were split between going to camp out of town near Algonquin Park, and my cousin’s cottage up to the North in Lac-Sainte-Marie. I look back very fondly on my childhood and I was very fortunate to have that.

When it was time to go to school, I was accepted into the Department of Physics at the University of Waterloo. I was also accepted into the School of Architecture, which was apparently a big deal and I didn’t know it, so I said, “Ok, I better try this.”

But it wasn’t my love.

What I remember the most about growing up in Ottawa is that feeling you get when you’ve been gone for a while as a child, and you come back and see that first glimpse of the city skyline. You just get this feeling like, “I’m home, I’m back.”

You are a self-proclaimed weather geek, and were fascinated by weather as a child.

Tell me about the moment you knew that this wasn’t just a phase. When did you know that you actually wanted to pursue meteorology as a career path?

I remember sitting on the front porch with mom watching the thunderstorms, then going into

Fortunately for me, in a strange twist of fortune and fate, that School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo was within the Department of Environment, which is just brilliant.

Most schools would lump it in with engineering, but not at Waterloo. I thought it was such a neat idea to have the school of Architecture as part of the Department of Environment.

The Department of Environment had a huge, brand new, I’d almost call it a supercomputer… because it took up a whole room. I became interested in things like satellite imagery and remote sensing, but it wasn’t until my third year in the co-op program there that I found my place.

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IAN BLA CK I saw a local news show and I thought to myself, “That was the worst weathercast I’ve ever seen in my life!” It was awful. The fronts were backward.

It was a real ‘eureka’ moment for me. I said to myself, “I can do that, I can help.” I wanted to go from station to station across Canada, and maybe even into the States and improve their weather reporting.

I went to one station, CTV, and spent a couple of months there, helped them out, and went to the next station, which was CBC.

Back in the day, you’d come out of the field of broadcasting to do weather in Canada.

It wasn’t like in the states, where you were technically a Meteorologist or Scientist.

CBC had hired a broadcaster to do the weather, and I would help this person. I’d write the script, I’d get the graphics ready, and we’d do little stories on the weather. Then she left, and they hired me right on the spot and I’ve never looked back. I have been there since 1989, and with CBC for close to 35 years.

What do you think is the biggest difference between the person you were the day you walked onto the job, to now?

I didn’t come from the broadcasting field, I came from the science field. So in the beginning, I wasn’t the greatest storyteller or the best communicator.

I was, in that usual sense, kind of nervous at the beginning.

I used to have this recurring nightmare where I’d be in front of the camera and they’d say, “Okay, you’re up in

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30 seconds.” The red light, the guys ready to go, and in my dream I’d go, “Oh my God, I’ve got nothing. I’m not ready, I haven’t researched anything.”

It was the same feeling you’d have in school when you had an exam coming up.

Today, I could fill 2 minutes in my sleep, just talking about what the day was like today.

At some point, being on live TV didn’t bother me anymore.

I never had that dream again.

In the 90s, you had a program where you’d go to schools and talk to grade 5 students about the weather. Why was this such an important thing for you to do, and why is it important to teach this to young children?

It’s funny because I’ll be walking around downtown and someone will say, “Oh hey, you came to my school when I was in grade 5.”

It’s amazing how kids find what I do fascinating. It is a fascinating job. We used to have these open houses here at CBC, and one of the most popular spots was to play with Ian Black’s green screen and do the weather.

If I was able to find my childhood dream job, and if I can get anyone else interested in science or broadcasting or communications, or whatever their dream is, that’s the whole game.

You have an incredible following on Twitter, and have become not only a source for weather information, but a person that people can ask questions to and receive real answers in real-time. Do you enjoy this ability to connect with people directly about the questions they have?

We had an earthquake 5-10 years ago. It was on Twitter within seconds. It was on the radio within minutes, on the news at 6:00 PM, and it was in the paper the next day. Twitter is immediate, it’s the most apropos medium for weather, especially if there’s breaking weather.

In terms of the audience that I serve on Twitter, I firmly believe it’s a crucial audience for the CBC. I try to engage them as much as possible.

Some people will say to me, “I’m going to Kingston today, what’s the forecast?” And if I have time I’ll do it. But more typically it’s someone saying, “Look at this phenomenon I saw in the sky! What is it?”

And I’ll research it and get back to them.

I think one of the reasons I’m quite successful on Twitter is because I spend the time. And it takes a lot of time... you’ve got to listen to what people are saying, listen to what they’re asking, and realize what it is they want out of your forecast.

What do you think this winter has in store for us, weather-wise?

I find talking about the weather tomorrow is a pretty difficult, sometimes complex field.

There are some pretty sophisticated technologies involved.

But there are medium-range forecasts and there are what you would call long-range forecasts, which would be talking about the upcoming winter. I don’t bet the farm on these things, and I wouldn’t bet money on it. But I would suggest that this winter looks like it’s going to be a milder than normal winter. You’ll get days where it’s cold, you’ll get cold spells, but on average when you look back on it you

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“I think one of the reasons I’m quite successful on Twitter is because I spend the time.

And it takes a lot of time... you’ve got to listen to what people are saying, listen to what they’re asking, and realize what it is they want out of your forecast.”

will say, “Wow, that was a milder than normal winter.”

What are you looking forward to most in the new year?

I think it will be what you would call an active winter, so you’re going to get frequent storms.

Now whether or not they’re going to big snowstorms all the time or a mix of snow and rain... you know, this is Ottawa. We get freezing rain a lot, other than St. John’s Newfoundland you get freezing rain here in Ottawa more than anywhere else. So I suspect we will get a little bit of freezing rain, which is my least favourite.

I’m really looking forward to being able to go for drives with my mom. We used to do that an awful lot and I’m a big explorer. I like getting up there and seeing parts of our region I haven’t seen before. Of course I bring my camera along. My mom comes from a generation where, you know, they didn’t have a car. It was a treat for them when their uncle came over and took them for a ride in the car. So she just loves it and it’s relaxing for me. I don’t have two hands on the wheel, all stressed out, trying to get to work fast.

You’re a hockey dad. What is one of the biggest lessons that parenting has taught you?

Tough question. Being a hockey dad had a lot of early mornings when the kids were younger.

Both my kids played competitive - my daughter still does.

So you’re a very busy person, but you want to be there for your kids. The biggest lesson parenting has taught me is I want my kids to be able to tell me anything. I don’t want them to hide anything from me. On the other hand, I don’t think they need me to be their friend, I have to be Dad.

What is your best advice for anyone looking to achieve what you have: a sustained and successful career doing what you love?

Well, my dad would tell me as a kid and I still remember, “Find something that you love, work hard, stay in school, find your dream, and do it.”

@BlacksWeather

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The Best Things In Life.

FACESMAG.CA @facesottawa

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3 Steps To The Perfect Valentine’s Day

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With a little help from psychology, we’ve created the perfect blueprint for making your partner feel special on Valentine’s Day, no matter how much or little you spend.

Plan An Experience Countless polls have all concluded the same thing. When people are asked what their best Valentine’s day gift was, most people say ‘that time when’. Experiences are the best gifts you can give to your significant other. So, even if you two don’t have much time together on Valentine’s Day, make sure you plan something new. It doesn’t have to be skydiving or rock climbing, it can be as simple as trying a new restaurant or cracking open a board game at home. These gifts of time will be remembered fondly for much longer.

3 Use The Gift of Surprise Here’s the deal about ‘best gift ever’ status. If you reflect on all of those birthdays and Christmas mornings as a child, in hindsight, the excitement of wondering what was in all those wrapped gifts was way better than any gift that you ever got. If you really want to make your partner have a special day on Valentine’s day, treat them to a surprise.

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Make It A Day On Valentine’s Day, make your partner feel like anything could happen at any time. Of course you can set a time to celebrate, but by all means don’t follow it. Make breakfast in bed, or have your partner wake up to a special gift. Deliver a gift or a

lunch to their office during the day.

Have something planned for dinner and afterwards. You want to make your special someone feel special for the whole day, just like if it was their birthday.

Plan on opening gifts in the evening, but build up suspense by giving them clues to your gift throughout the day. You could even gift little things that go along with your big gift. When he or she looks back on the day, they will remember feeling that childish wonder.

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Now This Surprising finds from the world of research.

Here’s The Most Popular Cocktail In The World (And It’s Not A Margarita) International drink & bar outlet Drink International recently released their report on the top 50 best selling cocktails from around the world, gathering data from establishments across the globe.

Their 2020 report noted some interesting comebacks and fallbacks, like the fall of the White Russian, and the rise of the Pornstar Martini and Tommy’s Margarita.

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But the top tier drink on this list hasn’t wavered in recent years, and that is an Old Fashioned. This classic cocktail has topped lists around the world for over six years.

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Toronto Is No Longer The Most Expensive City To Live In, And Ottawa Ranks Above Montreal According to PadMapper’s monthly Canadian Rent Report, Toronto is no longer the most expensive city to live in anymore. Vancouver, all the way in British Columbia, once again surpassed to become the most expensive market for one-bedroom rentals all throughout Canada.

According to PadMapper’s research data, the average monthly cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver will cost $1,950, while in Toronto, the average cost is $1,900.

According to that same data, Ottawa is the eighth-most expensive place to live in Canada, with the average one-bedroom apartment cost being as high as $1,420.

Wine And Cheese Could Be Good For Your Brain, A New Study Says A new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has shown that eating cheese and drinking red wine in moderation daily can actually protect cognition long-term.

The study analyzed over 1,700 people in their 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s over a 10 year period. Specifically, the study looked at each person’s Fluid Intelligence Test– their ability to think quickly, as well as each participant’s diet.

After ten years, the study found that cheese was the strongest predictor of positive FIT scores over time, showing a protective effect against age-related cognitive decline.

Next on the list was red wine. Those who drank a glass of red wine daily scored better on average on their 10-year FIT score.

The other high-scoring food was a weekly serving of lamb, and it was found that a high-salt diet had the opposite effect and posed a risk factor for lower FIT scores over time.

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BNL BARENAKED LADIES

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Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart has been a rockstar for over 30 years. In that time, the band has soared to fame across North America and the world.

Like all other musicians, Barenaked Ladies had to adjust amid COVID restrictions in 2020.

They spent time at home, but continued to do what they loved: make music, together.

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Faces sat down with Tyler ahead of their virtual Christmas concert in December to discuss how the band has shifted focus due to COVID, plans for their postponed 2021 tour, and what he’s learned after 30 years in the business.

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What are you looking forward to most this Christmas, any traditions with your family?

I have 3 daughters, they range from ages 9 – 21. So there’s a degree of total Christmas excitement for the nine-year-old, and I think the other 2 are just looking forward to coming back from their university houses, which are essentially very expensive computer rooms right now, because they aren’t going to classes [laughs].

It’ll be nice to have everyone home.

It’s a cozy time of year, and you can’t really go anywhere, so we’ll be spending lots of time eating and drinking, watching films and singing.

I know the band has big plans this December with your Very Virtual Xmas show. Can you tell me how the idea for this show came to be and what fans can expect?

I think the mere notion of getting together to play music and to see each other is what started this idea.

Everything’s been canceled this year, so we haven’t been on the tour bus hanging out, on stage hanging out, or in strange cities finding the best coffee or sandwich: we’re in our homes. So going to the studio to make joyous Christmas music together and have a few laughs is just what the doctor ordered.

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O T T A W A This isn’t your first foray into connecting with your fans digitally in the COVID era, you’ve been doing your #selfiecamjams.

Is it a weird feeling performing for a virtual audience?

You know, one of the great things about being in a rock band is playing live. It’s that instant gratification that you get, that hint of adrenaline and serotonin that happens when you’re playing for a live audience. there’s really no substitute for that energy. We’re lucky because we have been around for a long time, so we know how to bring the energy.

It’s akin to making a record actually.

Sometimes when bands go into the studio, especially young bands, they find it very difficult to capture the energy of their live show because the studio demands a certain amount of precision. Back in the day, they were spending a lot of money on studio sessions and tape; tape was expensive, and in general the microscope of the studio would sometimes lead to these inhibited performances, and you have to overcome that as a band.

I think overcoming not having an audience, even though you’re playing for one, is a very similar thing. You have to bring the same energy and just assume people are

going to be getting down, watching on their tiny computer screens, with a drink in their hand after eating way too much at dinner because there’s nothing else to do.

You’ve had some big names on that show, is there anyone else slated to appear?

Let’s just say we always have some surprises up our sleeve. We are excited about doing this and excited about dusting off our Christmas catalog. We haven’t done much at Christmas in the last few years, so I’m hoping the songs come back to me like riding a bike. Then again, a lot of our catalogs have remained dormant because we haven’t been doing a whole heck of a lot.

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LET’S HOPE FOR THIS VACCINE AND HOPE FOR SOME SANER, CLEARER HEADS. WE WOULD REALLY LOVE TO GET ON THE ROAD, IT’S JUST SO STRANGE NOT BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT YOU DO.

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It’s amazing to me how fast 20 years have gone by. I don’t recall it going so fast from age 0 – 20. You know, I find it harder to fathom these past 20 years because it seems like yesterday. On the other hand, what a nice thing to celebrate. I really think that record, with the 5 piece Barenaked Ladies, was sort of the quintessential statement of that line-up. The process of making it with Don Was and Jim Scott was such an amazing time.

Since we’re talking about the Christmas Season, here’s a story: smack dab in the middle of those sessions, Mr. Wrong Howard, AKA Richie Cunningham, AKA one of the most successful Hollywood directors ever, came in with The Grinch, the one he made with Jim Carrey. He asked us to do a song for it, so we did, and we recorded a song with Ron Howard in the studio. And that song is Green Christmas. Since we did it during those sessions, we decided to put it on the Maroon reissue, and that’s just in time for the holidays, and we love that song.

It’s got a lot of fun energy, and the fact that it was in a Ron Howard movie with Jim Carrey was pretty cool.

Looking to 2021, you’ve got your tour scheduled. Anything else you’re excited for in the new year?

I am excited for uncrossing my fingers, because they have been crossed ever since we postponed the tour. We were really looking forward to that tour because of the Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket, two bands who experienced a lot of success alongside us in the 90s and 2000s.

They’re all really good guys, so we are looking forward to doing that with them.

Let’s hope for this vaccine and hope for some saner, clearer heads. We would really love to get on the road, it’s just so strange not being able to do what you do. I know I speak on behalf of musicians everywhere that having the rights to play concerts, tour, entertain people and to collaborate, and then having that taken away has been absolutely crushing. We have all found ways to deal, but the best way to deal is to get that vaccine and get us back on the road and get people in the stands having a great time together, like we are supposed to be.

You’ve been with the band for 30 years. What do you think it takes to achieve that level of success and consistency? What’s your best advice?

Always listen. Listen to your fellow band members, what they have to say, and how they think. Be open to criticism and encouragement, from good times, bad times, everything.

So listen and be open. I think those two are the key. And failing that, learn how to give good backrubs so everyone loves you.

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@Baldy67

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT BEING IN A ROCK BAND IS PLAYING LIVE. IT’S THAT INSTANT GRATIFICATION THAT YOU GET, THAT HINT OF ADRENALINE AND SEROTONIN THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE PLAYING FOR A LIVE AUDIENCE. THERE’S REALLY NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THAT ENERGY.

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This past fall the band also celebrated 20 years since the release of Maroon. Is it weird to think that it’s been 20 years?

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5 Ways To Make Zoom Meetings Less Awkward Heading into our second socially distanced year, Zoom continues to be a primary source of communication for many workplaces across North America. And, despite going into year two of this pandemic, we still haven’t mastered the art of video chatting without a tad of awkwardness looming over. Here are five ways to help you make Zoom meetings feel more natural and less cringy.

Be Engaged (Even If You Aren’t) Meetings are, for the most part, really boring. They usually touch on subjects you rarely care about and all you’re thinking about is getting back to your desk to browse Facebook.

The only problem, you’re not in the office anymore. When you have that camera on, people see only your face and how it’s reacting to the situation.

If they see you constantly looking off to the side, playing on your phone or just looking completely disinterested in what’s going on, it makes things more awkward. It’s the equivalent of talking to someone in person and they don’t make eye contact. Don’t be that person.

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Invest In The Proper Equipment One of the biggest reasons for virtual meeting ‘awkwardness’ is poor quality audio.

Now that you are required to work from home and need some kind of communication that doesn’t involve tediously writing out novel-long emails, you need the proper equipment. No, obviously don’t bankrupt yourself, but get yourself a quality microphone that’ll pick-up clearer audio if your current setup isn’t working.

Even if you have this equipment built into your computer, they tend to either be of low quality or fade quickly. Really consider going on the market for better equipment.

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Make Sure You’re Muted We’ve all seen the compilation videos of people forgetting to turn their mics off. Hilarity ensues… until it happens to you. Let’s be honest, you act way differently at home than how you do at the office. You probably watch TV while working, maybe you beatbox while on hold on the phone or maybe you talk to yourself more than you like to admit.

Regardless of what it is, there is no shame in any of it; just make sure your mic is muted before you embarrass yourself. You should be getting used to turning that mic button on and off anyway because you never know what could happen. Maybe your dog starts barking or your roommates start fighting in the other room.

Whatever it is, just practice hitting that mute button whenever it’s your turn to listen.

Schedule A Bathroom Break Have you ever been in this situation; waiting for a meeting to start, you see that the host has opened the Zoom client, waiting for them to let you in… and suddenly your bladder feels fuller than the Olsen twins occupying a house with Bob Saget? That’s the meeting anxiety sneaking up on you.

Don’t Be Afraid To Socialize From the looks of it, we’re going to be doing the whole work from home and Zoom meeting tango for a while. How long is not really certain at this point, but you should try to make the most of it.

Don’t be afraid to set aside some personal time with the people you’re sharing the meeting with.

Research shows that teams that sometimes share personal information perform better than teams that don’t. No, you don’t have to bare all of your feelings, but you can share how you’re handling work, how quarantine is going, or even what you did over the weekend.

If you have a meeting at 1pm, try scheduling a bathroom break at 12:50pm. That meeting might go on for an hour or two and you don’t want to be sitting there, legs crossed and suffering. Scheduling a bathroom break beforehand will also cut out the awkwardness of announcing to everyone that you have to relieve yourself.

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4 Common Mistakes To Avoid On Valentine’s Day

We’ve uncovered some of the most common pitfalls even the most well-intentioned of lovers fall into.

B l ac k Y o u t h H e l p l i n e BYH is a Canadian-run organization that offers accessible, safe, and culturally-appropriate resources to youth of all backgrounds. Its services begin with a helpline, but include professional, culturally relevant youth and family assessments and intervention, stay-inschool initiatives and referral assistance, helping black youth overcome barriers to accessing social services in Canada. blackyouth.ca 1-833-294-8650

Not Signing The Card Don’t make the mistake of letting the card speak for you. The card aisle is littered with great poems and notes that may express exactly how you feel, but those words need to be in your hand writing if you don’t want it to look and feel like a cop-out to your valentine.

Even if you are buying the most expensive or most thoughtful gift a person can find, it loses a lot of context without a hand-written note.

Don’t let the card speak for you … sign your card.

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B l ac k H e a lt h A l l i a n c e Choosing The Wrong Flowers Not Planning Ahead You want to make sure they’re happy, so you will take your partner anywhere they want to go on Valentine’s Day, right?

Wrong. Not having anything planned, even with good intentions, comes across as uncaring and lazy. Have a plan, make a reservation. Make your partner feel like you thought about this ahead of time.

Red roses may be generic, and your partner most certainly isn’t…therefore you should think outside the box for your choice of flowers? Not this time. Different colours of flowers carry different meanings (think funerals, graduations, weddings), and your partner may associate them with those occasions. While you might think you are adding to the romance by choosing a different flower, you may be taking away from it instead.

Not Discussing A Budget Whether it’s too much or too little, not meeting financial expectations is a source of tension for couples on Valentine’s Day. If it’s appropriate, establishing a budget for gifts can help to avoid the unwanted surprises or feelings of misunderstandings.

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12 Questions With former NHL All-Star and host of TSN’s Overdrive

Jeff O’Neill

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You grew up a Leafs fan.

Who were some of your favourite players?

I was definitely a Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour fan.

Doug Gilmour was like my hero growing up... I tucked my jersey in just like him. I didn’t like using a straight stick, but I used one because of Doug Gilmour. It’s one of the awesome things about having played for the Leafs: my childhood heroes have become my friends. Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour, Darryl Sittler, I’ve become friends with all the guys. It’s quite an amazing thing, because those guys were heroes, they were like gods to me.

You were a first-round draft pick for the (now called) Carolina Hurricanes. Do you remember the moment you knew you were going to the NHL? I was in a situation where I pretty much knew. The stars had to align and I had to put

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the work in, but I kind of had a feeling I was going to play in the NHL one day. I didn’t really care where I was. I didn’t really understand how special the meaning was.

I played 2 years in Hartford, I played 8 years in Carolina, but coming home and playing in a Canadian market was different. Just by going to the rink and being downtown Toronto, or being in a place like Ottawa or Vancouver, anywhere around Canada on a Saturday night, you get a sense of how much it means to people, and how big it is.

As athletes and hockey players, you don’t realize how big the atmosphere is. You go to the rink a couple of hours early, go to an underground parking lot that leads you right to the dressing room, and you get no sense of the magnitude of the event.

After I retired and worked as a broadcaster at games, I finally said “this is so awesome being around all these peo-

ple and feeling the tension in the air.” That’s just an awesome feeling.

Did you notice a big difference in the media attention you got after switching from Carolina to Toronto?

For the first few years that I was in Carolina, there was one guy that covered the team [laughs]. It was like one guy, and if he kind of went on a bit of a slide, I kept saying to myself “how long is no one going to notice this awful production right now?”

That’s one of the things people always would ask, is “why would you want to play in a big market like Toronto and deal with all of that?” But that’s part of playing in a great market. I love both cities and playing in both markets, but the difference in media attention is definitely noticeable in Toronto.

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Looking back on your NHL career, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

I think helping a team get to a final. We were always the little market team, and it was always the Detroits and Colorados - or teams like that - winning the Stanley Cup. We didn’t do a whole lot, and we weren’t expected to do a whole lot. So just to get one opportunity - although we lost in the finals - on an individual level to score 40 goals was a nice thing for me. Playing in an NHL All-Star game was also nice.

Do you remember what your opinion of sports journalists was when you were a player?

Before you got into broadcasting?

I thought they always wanted to kind of put down the players. I always thought they wanted the negative story, which sometimes that might be the case, but for the most part, they just tell the story. If it’s good, it’s good.

And if it’s bad, it’s bad. I had to make some friends along the way that I thought would never be my friends, but they’re all basically good people trying to do their job.

You’re currently a co-host on TSN’s Overdrive. Tell us what it’s like going to work with Bryan and Jamie every day?

It’s different. Like any other relationship where you have to sit and chat with somebody for 3 hours a day, we have our moments.

Everyone thinks it’s a dream job, which it is, but sometimes it’s just a grind, especially through the pandemic.

There have been times with no sports, and it’s like you’ve got to figure out something to talk about for 3 hours a day. For the most part, we have a great relationship, and I think we are all lucky to work with each other.

“Just by going to the rink and being downtown Toronto, or being in a place like Ottawa or Vancouver, anywhere around Canada on a Saturday night, you get a sense of how much [hockey] means to people, and how big it is.”

Which one of your co-hosts has the worst taste in fashion?

I think it’s Bryan Hayes. He wears some questionable s**t every day. He wears these undershirts with 3 buttons on them and he thinks they’re cool like dress shirts, and it’s a bad look. He wears some bad golf stuff too, I don’t know... he’s got some tough stuff going on.

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Your wife is Korean, and you’ve mentioned before that you’ve been learning the language. How is that going? Is it a difficult language to learn?

Ya, it’s just not happening.

I couldn’t even deal with French in high school.

Whenever I’m around my wife and her parents and family… I can tell that I was doomed from the beginning. You try to take baby steps, and then you hear them speaking fluently, and you know it’s never going to be in the arsenal. So I kind of gave up on that. I gave it a shot, but it’s just way over my head and I know I’ll never be able to do it.

You’re a girl dad. How has that changed you as a parent?

It’s been awesome. I mean, I thought for sure I would’ve had a boy somewhere along the line, and be going to the rink and doing all the hockey dad stuff. But my 3 girls are definitely a learning experience. They are all very smart, they love their cellphones. They love skateboarding and skiing in the wintertime too.

In some ways, I’m glad I didn’t end up in a hockey rink. Because sometimes when you’re an NHL kid, you feel like if you don’t make it into the NHL you’re some kind of disappoint-

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ment. So I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with that.

What are your thoughts on the OHL going ahead with play without body checking?

I think it’s crazy, and I’m not speaking about this from like a ‘rock-em sock-em’ point of view where you have to bash somebody’s brains in and the game is no good without violence. It’s just not good for the players to go out there and play a sport that has no physical contact in it, because the sport’s not played the right way.

There’s no connection to safety if you’re going to sit beside guys on the bench for an hour and a half at a time.

Football has body contact, the NHL playoffs had body contact, and they resumed play. I actually don’t think they will go through with it, so I hope I’m right on that.

Looking ahead to the NHL season and this rumored Canadian division, where do you think the Sens stand?

I think the Sens are going to be better than people think. They’ve signed a ton of players. I think they solidified their goaltending position, I hope Matt Murray can be their backbone. I love Brady Tkachuk, I think he’s an awesome talent. I love their coach, too. I think he’s a great guy, a great coach, and a great hockey person. They’re definitely going in the right direction. I’m glad they made a statement that this summer they’re not just going to say “ok we’re still 2 or 3 years away”. They’ve added a bunch, they’ve brought in some guys, they’ve brought in some leadership, and they said that maybe next year, or the year after, “we are going

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to be a force in the NHL”. I think they’re going to surprise a lot of teams in the Canadian division.

What is your best advice for anyone who aspires to achieve a level of success like you have?

My advice for anyone looking to get into broadcasting is that you just have to find an angle on why someone would want to hear what you have to say. I think you just have to be yourself and just find that right angle. When I first started broadcasting, I thought I had to speak like a broadcaster. What that was, I had no idea. I was getting frustrated. After a couple of months, I said, you know what, I’m just going to be myself. I have the advantage of being a former NHL player and a former Leafs player, so maybe people might want to hear what I have to say more than someone who doesn’t have that experience.

You just have to find that angle. Find what your opinion is and why people would want to hear it. @odognine2

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