Canada's goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau (16) recorded a clean sheet in the country's first-ever trip to the men's World Cup knockout round.FRANK GUNN/The Canadian Press
Jamie Ross is The Globe’s sports editor; Cathal Kelly is The Globe’s national sports columnist.
Jamie Ross: There is a World Cup going on, and the Canadian men played the biggest game in their program’s history yesterday, but did ya hear? The Maple Leafs drafted Gavin McKenna first overall in the NHL entry draft on Friday.
Cathal Kelly: Hockey? Still?
It was always obvious that the Leafs would take McKenna because they cannot afford any original ideas. If they’d gone another route and it hadn’t worked out immediately, they’d be killed. McKenna is the only safe option.
I was struck by one thing about him – how ready for prime time he seems to be.
We’re not talking about his physical talent. There have been plenty of outstanding number one picks, and more than a few total busts.
But what McKenna undoubtedly has already is charisma. Beyond being young and fit, hockey players aren’t generally movie-star good looking. McKenna could be a Ralph Lauren model.
And unlike all the other top Toronto picks of recent years, he seems to like the camera. Often, that goes away, especially in Toronto, and they turn surly.
But if McKenna can channel some Morgan Rielly – an affable guy capable of stringing together a couple of sentences – he will be a massive hit in Toronto.
Gavin McKenna has oodles of on-ice talent and could model for Ralph Lauren, Cathal Kelly figures.Adrian Kraus/The Associated Press
To my mind, this creates a new problem for the Leafs. Auston Matthews is still the best player in Toronto. But how much longer is he the star?
You took us here. Any other burning hockey news you need to deal with immediately?
J.R.: I was joking about the outsized shadow the Maple Leafs cast over our collective sports awareness. I expected a little ‘lol’ in response and a pivot back to World Cup, where Canada owned the day. Then you proved me right with a 203-word reply.
C.K.: I’m like a bull who sees the red cape. You wave it in front of me, and I yank it off you and explain how it’s not really red. It’s more of a magenta. Then I bore you with the meaning of magenta for 1,000 words. Somehow, this is a job.
Back to the World Cup. First, and most important, we had burgers at Ercole’s in Manhattan Beach on Saturday night. That’s when I knew things were headed in the right direction for all Canadians.
The game itself was a trip. I won’t go over it all here, since I wrote a column about it.
But what struck as it was going on was that, for a moment, Canada was at the centre of the global consciousness. There were no other games on Sunday. This was the marquee match-up by default.
The match was a grind, but I think it was entertaining (it’s hard for me to tell as I watch a game for work). So a big, big moment for our international image, well taken.
Right after, I walked into a crowd of Canadian fans on the concourse who had just been subsumed by a much larger group of Mexican fans. There were more Mexican supporters here on Sunday than any other national group.
The world's eyes were on Canada's men's soccer team on Sunday, as they were the lone match on the World Cup schedule.FRANK GUNN/The Canadian Press
The Canadians were chanting ‘CA-NA-DA’. The Mexicans surrounded them good-naturedly and took over: ‘MEH-HEE-CO’. Tell you what – we may get that trade deal after all.
J.R.: When I was watching at home, I thought about that too: how many people would be tuning in worldwide given there were no other games on. I was keeping an eye on the Women’s PGA championship because Brooke Henderson was in the hunt. She fell off, and the day belonged to Canada.
I didn’t see them on display so much in this one, but I’ve been struck by some of the tactics used on corner kicks and free kicks at this tournament.
The concept of a ‘Meat Wall’ is new to me, though it makes sense. The offence floods the zone on a corner kick, the ball curls inward and the hope is that it pinballs off one of the dozen or so bodies standing there obstructing the goalie, and goes in the net. Not so different from hockey. Like my coach used to tell me, “Go park your fat ass in front of the net.” He was nice.
Then there’s the wall used by defenders on a free kick. The part I hadn’t really noticed before is the guy planking behind it. I guess the idea is that if the man taking the kick tries to go under the wall when it jumps, he will smash his shot into the guy who’s sprawled across the turf. I want that job.
C.K.: It’s wonderful to see that you’ve been able to bring some of the lessons taught to you by your vaguely psychotic mentors into the modern office space. I for one appreciate your encouragement and your all-caps e-mails.
As regards the tactics, this is what happens when you let computers do your thinking for you. Eventually, everybody’s looking for statistical anomalies and goofy on-field hacks. The guy lying behind the wall is one of my favourites. How about nobody jumps? That way, there’s just less to go wrong.
And something tells me the Meat Wall isn’t going to last. It’s too ugly to watch. Nobody wants a 2-1 game where all three goals were scored by centre backs who hit the ball with their back as they were being judo-flipped in the area. I feel an instruction to all referees coming on.
Now that we’ve got a look at the brackets, who do you like? Give me your semi-finalists.
Germany's Deniz Undav reacts after scoring during his team's match against Curacao in Houston, earlier this month.Eric Gay/The Associated Press
J.R.: Semi-finalists? Who am I, Nate Silver? My picks would be the most predictable and least sexy. I assume this is just a set up for me to ask you who you have, so you can come with some brainy, off-the-board dark horse that will make you look like you actually know what you’re talking about.
C.K.: Austria-Germany semi. Anschluss II: The Anschlussing. Write it down.
My only hope is that some team that isn’t European or South American makes the final. I realize that hope will go unrealized.
If you had to pick, the Americans look like the best team that meets that definition. And they’d still have to get through Spain, and then France. So no.
Perhaps this is a moment to give credit to the main hosts. So far, the tournament has been impeccable. They even arranged a war so that the man in charge wouldn’t take too much of an interest.
Some day, one of these super events is not going to work out. Not today.
You’re out and about in the centre of the universe. What’s your take on the vibe and how it is or isn’t taking over Toronto?
J.R.: Toronto’s been loving the World Cup as far as I can tell. The fan parades have been a sight to see.
It will help even more that the city secured its first truly premier match of the tournament: Portugal faces Croatia. Give us Ronaldo and Modric. Someone made the point at the office that given the size of the Portuguese diaspora in Toronto, it was a shame they weren’t originally scheduled to play here. I expect the streets will be full Thursday.
C.K.: There is zero doubt that that will be the most watched sporting event of any kind ever to take place on Canadian soil. Croatia 2-1. Ronaldo weeps.