Food Truck Friday

This Friday food trucks will congregate for the 2nd time this year at the Esplanade at Olympic Stadium for what I call Food Truck Friday. This event has quickly become a better reason to say TGIF on the first Fridays of each month as that is when this event happens. Over 35 food trucks plus entertainment and hopefully some warm weather as well should make this a great way to start the summer season. 

If you cannot make the Friday event you can find out where your favourite food trucks will be during the month by clicking here.

Food Truck Friday on the Olympic Stadium esplanade is from 4pm to 10pm. 

Food Truck Friday @ Olympic Stadium Esplanade

Sepp Blatter Resigns as FIFA Boss

By The Canadian Press

FIFA president Sepp Blatter will resign from soccer's governing body amid a widening corruption scandal and has promised to call for fresh elections to choose a successor.

Blatter, 79 was re-elected to a fifth term Friday, two days after a corruption crisis erupted and seven soccer officials were arrested in Zurich ahead of the FIFA congress.

"This mandate does not seem to be supported by everybody in the world of football," Blatter said Tuesday at a hastily arranged news conference. "FIFA needs a profound restructuring."

Elections are expected to take place sometime between December and March.

"I will continue to exercise my function (until the new election)," said Blatter, who looked strained and serious.

Three days earlier, Blatter was defiant and feisty in the same room when fending off questions about FIFA's battered reputation and the chance U.S. federal agencies could seek his arrest.

Blatter said he reached the decision after he had "thoroughly considered my presidency and ... the last 40 years in my life."

Photo by BBC Sports

Canadian men's coach Benito Floro had little to say about Blatter's resignation.

"I do not have any opinion because this is not my matter," the Spanish native said on a conference call to announce Canada's roster for its upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Dominica. "I don't understand the situation.

"My only desire is that FIFA work correctly and nothing more. But I don't control this situation."

Canadian Soccer Association president Victor Montagliani was not immediately available. Canada did not vote for Blatter at last week's FIFA Congress, saying change was needed in the way the game of soccer was governed.

Blatter joined FIFA in 1975 as technical director for development projects, was promoted to general secretary in 1981 and spent 17 years as right-hand man to Joao Havelange of Brazil before being elected to lead world soccer.

The new election will be overseen by Domenico Scala, chairman of FIFA's audit and compliance committee.

Scala gave a statement immediately after Blatter in which he praised a decision that was "difficult and courageous in the current circumstances."

"This is the most responsible way to ensure an orderly transition," Scala said.

Julio Franco: 5 decade baseball player

Here's a look at former Major League star Julio Franco by Vice Sports.

Urban Informed at the Movies - San Andreas

I have always loved a good movie, a night out on the town sitting in a theatre with some popcorn or nachos and just watching a good movie. Now we each have our own opinion on what constitutes a good movie for us and I in no way would tell you what is a good movie or not but I will post movies I think will be interesting to me.

With that said, the first movie that I will post is actually coming out today. San Andreas hits theatres today and from the trailer it gives you that feel of other movies that have dealt with major earthquakes and disasters that hit big cities. The popularity with the "big one" is a fascinating one, it may happen soon or it may not but Hollywood cannot stop making movies about what the "big one" would look like.

This movie stars WWE star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a rescue pilot and whether you love, hate or are indifferent to who he is one thing is sure, he will make this movie a popular one at the box
office.

Michael Sam to play in Montreal

The Michael Sam saga is going to take another turn as the 25 yr old football player is headed to Montreal to continue his playing career. Sam who is more famous for being the first openly gay player to make an NFL training camp now has the same distinction in the Canadian Football League. After unsuccessful stints with the St. Louis Rams who drafted Sam and then the Dallas Cowboys, Sam will come to the CFL not unlike other American players who come north not just to continue to play and earn a paycheque doing it but also maybe just maybe catch an NFL's scouts eye over the next 2 years. 

Michael Sam may not be the only gay athlete in pro sports in North America but the fact he was able to come out and endure the lauding and criticism that comes with the announcement has built his celebrity since he has yet to play a down as a professional football player. The Montreal Alouettes have always given NFL hopefuls and vets a chance to play as we have since with Chad Ochocinco, Tommy Frazier and Lawrence Philips to name a couple players so it was probably no surprise that once the Alouettes had Sam on their negotiation list it was inevitable Sam would end up signing if the NFL did not provide him a chance to play.

Hopefully when Sam arrives and starts training camp, the attention will go to his ability on the field and not his sexual orientation. Looking at his past at the University of Missouri, Sam is a talented defensive player who just help a Montreal defense that needs to redefine itself and become as dominant as they once were. I'm sure that this spring camp for the Alouettes will be watched closely by many people. 

5 Food Trucks to Watch for This Summer (2015)

Despite Winter trying to hang on as much as possible, Summer is just around the corner and with that comes Food Truck season and the premier food truck event will be coming back for another season at the Esplanade at Olympic Stadium once a month.

The First Fridays food truck event is probably the most anticipated event for foodies and people that just love food in the city to come out and try the multitude of food trucks that are available to try. The event takes place the first Friday of every month starting Friday May 1st from 4pm to 10pm at the Esplanade at Olympic Stadium. Last year more than 35 trucks participated giving you everything from oven made pizza to bbq chicken to sugar waffles to fish and chips and everything inbetween. I personally hope all the trucks will be back this year and hopefully more trucks will be introduced as Montreal is known as a food city probably second only to New York. With the diversity we have, I look forward to seeing and trying trucks representing different cultures that make up Montreal. 

As we await the arrival of the food season, here is a list my 5 food trucks to look out for this 2015 summer season. You might find them every first Friday at Olympic Stadium or you might just see them on the street at lunch time downtown or in your neighbourhood.



5)

  

The Gaufrebec Waffle truck was one of my favs in 2014. There is a choice of waffles you can choose from but my choice last year were the chocolate waffles. These treats are great to have when you're evening of food truck food eating is done. Looking forward to some more waffles this summer, 


4)

Pas d'cochon dans mon salon might be my favourite food truck of all. If you are a fan of pulled pork sandwiches then this is the truck for you. Many Fridays last summer this truck had some of the longest lines at the festival. I expect once again Pas d'cochon will be very popular and if you haven't tasted their bbq pulled pork, please look out for them. 

3)

Now of the 5 trucks I have listed this is the one that I have yet to try. However, Le Cheese truck is defintiely on my list for 2015, I mean who doesn't like a good grilled cheese sandwich or some good mac and cheese? I know that there will be a number of trucks with mac and cheese but I figure I better try these guys out. I hear they are the "Cheesiest truck on the streets". 

2)

Grumman '78 may be the taco truck started this whole food truck craze years ago. I remember back in 2012, Grumman was the first truck I tried and I haven't been disappointed since. Grumman has a variety of tacos and last summer they even had a Jerk Chicken taco! 


1)

I think that while Pas d'cochon may rank up there as one of my top favourite trucks, the Roux poutine truck is definitely 1A. The last 2 years now I have enjoyed their poutine and if you like spiced up fries then try Roux's different poutine choices. The seasoned fries alone make the poutine incredibly delicious. 

I'm not sure if they will participate at Food Truck Friday but you should be able to catch them downtown as in previous years. 



You can try these 5 and by all means go ahead and try the 35 plus trucks that will be participating on Fridays all summer long. There are choices for everyone. 

NBL Canada Finals

Everyone is talking about the future of Canadian Basketball these days but the best kept secret about Canadian Basketball is happening right now in the present in Ontario and the Maritimes. The National Basketball League of Canada is finishing yet another season and the final two teams standing after the playoffs are the Halifax Rainmen and the Windsor Express who will meet in the NBL Finals starting this Wednesday.

Both these finalists were the division champs during the regular season in their respective divisions as the Windsor Express won a very competitive Central Division with a 21-11 record while the Halifax Rainmen won the Atlantic Division with a 20-12 record. They were the only teams to get 20 wins in the 32 game season. 

With all the hoopla surrounding basketball in this country I would hope that the publicity of this league gets out and that the fans continue to support a Canadian league. The league seems stable and is giving Canadian kids a place to play ball although more should be done to coordinate with the CIS to have a draft of players from CIS basketball programs. However, seeing as how the NBL has come through the first several years and is even looking at adding another club for 2015-16, I think we will be ok with the slow but steady progression to becoming a national league. 

The NBL Canada Finals can be seen on the NBL Canada Youtube channel.