Ryan Reisert

In case 24/7 coverage of the MUNACA strike prevented you from following sports this week, here’s what went down…

RUGBY­

Canada got their World Cup campaign underway Wednesday with an impressive win against Tonga. A late try by Phil Mackenzie sealed the deal for the Canadians and the replay of the match on TSN drew more viewers than the Blue Jays game. Canada’s next game ended in a loss to the highly-respected French, but the Canadian team showed heart and hung around with some of the best in the world. Canadian rugby fans should be excited by their performance so far.

BASKETBALL

In Lithuania, basketball fans were treated to a stunning display at Eurobasket 2011, the European qualifying tournament for the Olympic basketball tournament this summer. Spain defeated France 98-85 to take their second straight European crown. Macedonia was the Cinderella story of the competition as the world’s 47th ranked team finished fourth. The small Balkan nation will get another chance to qualify for the Olympics in July.

FOOTBALL

The weekend was all about quarterbacks as Tom Brady and Cam Newton followed up dazzling week one performances, each passing for over 400 yards for the second straight week. The Sunday nighter was an emotional affair as Eagles pivot Michael Vick made his first start at the Georgia Dome since going to jail. Vick would leave the game in the third quarter with an injury, while his Falcons successor, Matt Ryan, would throw four TDs.

HOCKEY

The hockey world got a rare piece of good news in an otherwise dismal summer as Teemu Selanne announced that he will return for a 19th season as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. Winnipeg Jets fans will be circling Saturday, Dec. 17 on their calendars as the Finnish Flash will return to the place where he first broke into the NHL.

BASEBALL

When it seemed like there would be no real races for the postseason, baseball fans were caught by surprise when the Boston Red Sox lost six out of seven games against division rivals Tampa Bay between Sept. 9 and 18. A seemingly insurmountable nine game lead for Boston in the AL wild card race was trimmed to just two by Sunday night. Elsewhere, the Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers clinched their divisions, punching their respective tickets to the playoffs.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Cody’s abs are like the Nile, un-ending, rippling, and impossible to look away from.” Ian MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun, about Cody Hodgson’s level of fitness going into training camp.