Forty years ago on Sept. 28, one of Canadas greatest sports accomplishments took place - as Paul Henderson scored the goal in Moscow to make hockey history. I was there and it was quite a moment. But lets backtrack. I took in the Russian half of the series and for me, the experience was not what many people think. Wine, great Russian vodka and Russian women were not in the cards. Some 3,000 Canadian fans made the trip and many had a good time - day and night! Some had too much of a good time and were sent home, namely the dummies who got bombed (the one who made a relief appearance at Red Square and around Lenins tomb). As mentioned previously, I was sent to do radio reports for the stations I worked for in Halifax and as the radio arm of Canadian Press/Broadcast News - feeding voice clips which were sent to the whole country. Player interviews, features, interviews with Canadian and Russian fans (I had an interpreter), profiles, you name it, I probably tried to do it. Some of my favourite interviews include one with Foster Hewitt (who explained to me why he had such a hard time with the name Cournoyer while rattling of the Russian names with ease) and the many Russians in the arena, asking them who impressed them for Canada (The answer, overwhelmingly, was Phil Esposito). I went to practices in the mornings and the games at night. And the bulk of my time in the Soviet Union was spent waiting and waiting for a telephone line to the Western world. No vodka for this kid. I would arrive in my hotel room armed with my trusty tape recorder and a pair of alligator clips. I had the interviews lined up and before I put the clips on I would identify what was on tape - "Clip 1 - Esposito, Clip 2 - Dryden, Clip 3 - a Soviet executive." And so on. The trouble was getting an outside line from the hotel. Remember, there were some 3,000 Canadians trying to phone home - along with 40 media who were probably on the lines for a long time. So I waited and waited for two or three hours at a time, each day. That was my No. 1 activity in the 10 days in Moscow - wait after practice or wait after game. Aand on game days, wait after the skate and the game. Id get in my room as soon as the practice was over and wait all over again. And I couldnt go anywhere. I couldnt go to a bar or restaurant because I had to stay in the room. Nice time in Russia, eh? Seeing some of those 3,000 Canadians on the streets of Moscow was a treat. They were so identifiable - jeans and colour in their complexion. I swear, 95 percent of the people in Moscow dressed in grey, black some other dull colour. And the great Jean Beliveau was followed everywhere - by Canadians and Russians alike. He wore a great red blazer representing the Canadiens, but the most garishly garbed person I ever saw was the late Toronto columnist Dick Beddoes. Would you believe he wore a light brown, polka dot suit and an ascot topped off by a derby hat? Ive never seen anything like it since. As for Game 8, the intrigue started when I came for practice. I met a young Brian Williams, who probably doesnt remember this. But he and I were going to the dressing room when we were stopped by a Russian guy dressed in military garb. The guard stopped us and looked at the credentials. Williams had one pass that I didnt have. I dont know what it was – perhaps it was a special pass to those who actually covered NHL teams. The guard motions Williams to pass, but blocked me out. Williams then said, "Brian Williams, CHUM Sports and hes (looking at me) coming with me." The guard who I am sure doesnt know a word of English, gives a deadpanned look. He guard doesnt budge. Williams tried again, but this time louder and more forceful. "BRIAN WILLIAMS, CHUM SPORTS AND HE COMES WITH ME," he said. It must have been charm of the intonation, but the guard stepped aside and I got through. Now the dressing room interview I remembered the most from Game 8 was Tony Esposito, as I asked him how felt winning Game 7 and not starting the final game. His answer was pretty honest as he said, "We won Game 7, but I did give up five goals." The game took place and everyone knows about the goal. What they may not know is that I believe very few of the Canadian media present ever saw it as it happened. The Canadian fans did, but the media couldnt. You see, there was no press box so we didnt have an elevated view of the ice. The media were given great seats at ice level against the glass or in the second row and we had Ken Dryden in our sights for the first and third period. We saw the great plays by the Soviets, but not the ones 200 feet away from the Canadian zone. Now Henderson didnt do a solo rush for the winner, as he was behind the Soviet net moments before he scored his historic goal. So we had 11 bodies, (five players from each team and the Soviet goalie plus the officials in the way) in front and we couldnt see through them. And when Henderson scored, the red light didnt go on! It was a point of contention as voiced by Alan Eagleson in his beef with the Soviets. In fact, the light did not go on at all in the third period. So with bodies all over, an ice-level view from 200 feet away and no light going on, there was not much of cheer from Canadians down our end. Ive seen the goal over a thousand times Im sure, but didnt see it the first time until I saw the plays of the year in 1972. As soon as Henderson scored I made one of the best sport decisions of my life. I looked around and saw a packed arena and thought to myself that I wanted to get behind the Canada net - right next to the Zamboni. Thirty-four seconds left. If I leave my seat, I could miss the tying goal should the Russians score. I gambled, took my tape recorder and headed downstairs. It took just a minute as there were no people around - they were watching the end of the game. There was around five seconds left when I made it. There was only one other reporter there, a young Brian Williams. The game was over, CTV got a hold of Henderson, the players were celebrating and the TV guys kept the man of the hour for only 45 seconds or so. Maybe microwave or satellite time was expensive, or maybe the video link from Moscow to Helsinki to London to Canada was causing problems (because there were glitches in that final game). Whatever the reason, Hendersons TV interview was short. What happened next is indelibly inscribed in my mind. Henderson finished his brief interview with the TV guys and headed towards the only two reporters there - Williams and me. There were around 40 media people at the arena covering radio and newspapers, so where were they? Well, with the huge crowd, the Canadian media were caught in the 17,000 leaving and they couldnt go anywhere. Some jumped the ice and walked across, but were late to the party. Williamss memories are more about the people of Russia. "They were great, they were polite, they put up with the boorish behavior from Alan Eagleson and I even found the guards great," he said. "It was an incredible series. "It was the first and its hard to beat the first when it ends like it did. As far as Im concerned, it spurred international hockey. This was before many things, before a Canadian won Indy, won The Masters or became an MVP in big time sports - this was a moment that has grown." Williams added that it was one of the top moments of the last half century. "We think of Vimy Ridge when we think of the first 50 years of the 1900s," he said. "But the last 50 – youd be hard pressed to beat this series." After that game, I tried to get comments from fans - especially the Soviets. But I couldnt find an interpreter and the guard wouldnt let me in the Russian dressing room. So I went back to the hotel, waited for a land line to open and filed my final report. I didnt wait long, as most of the Canadians were partying and not using the lines anyway. Forty years - I still remember it so well. For TSN.ca, Im Alex J. Walling. Alex J. can be reached via email at: ajw@eastlink.ca cheap jerseys . Chiellini was substituted during Sundays match against Atlanta that his side won 3-1. He will miss the Italian Cup final against Napoli on Sunday due to thigh injury, but will recover within 20 days to play Italys first match at the Euros against Spain on June 10, Juventus said in a statement Wednesday. cheap nfl jerseys . Thats how well Francisco Liriano was pitching Sunday. "I thought there was a chance," Sanchez said. "His ball was really moving, particularly the slider, was moving all over the place. http://www.cheapnfljerseyschinapla... . They got it when Jamar Walls blocked punt touchdown return proved to be the difference Friday, clinching the Stampeders a home playoff game with a 27-13 victory over the hapless Eskimos. [url=http://www.cheapnfljerseyschinaplay.com/]jerseys from china . -- Canadians Dominique Maltais and Maelle Ricker won the womens World Cup snowboard cross team final Saturday. wholesale nfl jerseys . "I see a hockey player who has moxie, who has the ability to step up into the play when needed, he has the ability to play strong defensively, he skates strong, he loves the game," said Oiler assistant coach Steve Smith, who has seen virtually every one of the 34 games Schultz played this season with the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League. BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Uruguay won the Copa America for a record 15th time after beating Paraguay 3-0 on Sunday from two goals by Diego Forlan and another from Luis Suarez. Suarez scored in the 12th minute while Forlan hit the target in the 42nd and final minute of the match. "We played as a group," said Suarez, who was selected as the best player of the tournament. "I think when groups are united like this, everyone together and going for the same thing, you can get things done." The victory gives Uruguay its first Copa America title since 1995. The small country of 3.5 million also reached the World Cup semifinals a year ago, surpassing the performance of continental powers Brazil and Argentina. "This is not the most important thing in the world, but it is very important for the Uruguayans," Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said. "It allows us to be united." Argentina and Brazil were upset again in the quarter-finals of this tournament. Uruguay ousted Argentina on penalties and Paraguay eliminated Brazil, also in a shootout. Argentina has won the title 14 times, Brazil eight. Brazil had won four of the past five titles. "Before coming to the match I was already thinking that I wanted to dedicate (the victory) to all the players and coaches who had won the other 14," Tabarez said. Uruguay was the clear favourite going into the final, wrapping up a tournament filled with surprises. Not only had Brazil and Argentina been sent home early, but Venezuela reached the third-place match on Saturday before losing 4-1 to Peru. Those two countries have been the weakest in the region in recent years, but they suddenly look formidable going into regional World Cup qualifying later this year. Uruguays squad featured 20 of the 23 players it took to the World Cup a year ago, showing teamwork and unselfish play with none of the vast star power of Argentina or Brazil. "The important thing was getting started well," said Suarez, who had four goals -- one fewer than Perus Paolo Guerrero. "With two goals in the first half, I think it was very difficult for them to come back." Suarez gave Uruguay the lead in a match it dominated in the openiing minutes.dddddddddddd Receiving a pass in the area, the Liverpool forward beat defender Dario Veron to score from a deflected left-footed shot that went in off the far post behind keeper Justo Villar. Uruguay could have even have led in the second minute, when Villar stopped Diego Luganos point-blank header. Forlan, who was voted the best player at last years World Cup, made it 2-0 by lashing a left-footed shot from 12 metres (yards) that left Villar flat-footed. He was set up after teammate Egidio Arevalo Rios had stolen the ball from a Paraguay player near midfield. The Atletico Madrid striker had not scored in his 12 previous matches for the national team. Sebastian Eguren almost made it 3-0 in the 74th, foiled when Villar stuck out his left arm with the ball headed for the net. Forlan notched the final goal in the 90th, taking a pass from Suarez and scoring into the far corner. "This has been a lot of work, going back many years," Forlan said. "Its been a job of doing things well and its yielded results." Paraguay defender Paulo Da Silva added: "Uruguay won fairly and played better. Uruguay is a beautiful champion." Paraguay, which seldom threatened, play without injured forward Roque Santa Cruz and winger Aureliano Torres. Paraguay Coach Gerardo Martino and top assistant Jorge Pautasso were suspended from the match after being sent off for repeatedly arguing with the referee in Wednesdays victory over Venezuela. Martino, an Argentine, is seen as a leading contender to take over Argentinas national team. The Argentine federation was to meet Monday and decide on the future of coach Sergio Batista, who is reported to be on the way out. "More than anything, I think it was decided in the first half when Uruguay had more intensity than we did," Martino said. "In a game like this, Uruguay had the edge in most areas." Paraguay won Copa America titles in 1979 and 1953 and reached the second round at the 2010 World Cup. FIFA President Joseph Blatter and CONMEBOL head Nicolas Leoz, the leader of the South American confederation, were booed and jeered when they were introduced at 50,000-seat Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '