For the final issue of After the Buzzer, I want to get both sentimental, and kind of silly. The first half of this column is a reflection on the creative team of the past year using basketball metaphors. The second, an exploration of some fun sports-themed hypotheticals from me and Kiran.

Shaq and Kobe

The year 2000 saw the Los Angeles Lakers winning the first NBA championship of the new millennium, off the efforts of the superstar tandem of Shaquille O’Neal, league MVP, and Kobe Bryant, All-Star. 25 years later, north of the border, The Innis Herald published their 60th volume, creatively directed by myself, Julian Apolinario, and Kiran Basra. 

Kobe joined the Lakers in 1996, fresh out of high school, to join Shaq, who was a four-year veteran, a star centre who had battled his way to the finals with the Orlando Magic. When I first joined the Herald, Kiran was the senior copy editor; I had only ever contributed. She copy-edited my first article and she started V60 by teaching me how the Herald functioned while simultaneously studying for a psych exam that was mere hours away. It was not only her experience but her commitment to teamwork and success for the Herald, that have made Kiran my valued partner in direction throughout the past year. 

In 2004, the Lakers dynasty had won three championships in a row, the first to do so since Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. But they were also subjected to constant infighting and had just been upset by the Detroit Pistons, breaking their streak. Us at the Herald? We simply will not have such things happen. At the end of 2025, our team is being broken up by the inevitable pull of graduation. Kiran is moving on to bigger and better things post-grad, and I could not be more pleased for her. Her presence and steady hand at the wheel will certainly be missed, but I’ll focus less on this bittersweet destination, and more on the pleasure of last year’s journey.

Cheers, Kiran. 

Sports Rules We Think Should Be Implemented

Julian Apolinario and Kiran Basra

• Merge Football and Baseball Together: Combine the excitement of action on the gridiron with the big wooden sticks of the great American pastime. The United States has long been internationally dominant in both domains, but I think it’ll matter a lot less how fast Lamar Jackson can run if the defensive line is equipped with baseball bats. Put a Louisville slugger next to Josh Allen and see how often he gets sacked.
• Basketball Gets Handsy: For too many years have the short been oppressed by referees chucking the ball way up in the air, hoping that everything just goes fine. Sometimes that just won’t do for the more vertically challenged among us. That’s why games should now start with players sitting cross-legged on the court, hands interlocked, with a far more equitable thumb wrestling. The WNBA has plenty of marriages, and just as many divorces: let’s raise the stakes by making some exes hold hands and stare into each other’s eyes in front of their new girl.
• Soccer But One Player Can Use Their Hands: In my view, soccer has long forced those gifted in the upper-body domain into the nets as goalies. I think it’s time for that to change. Let one player on the team use their hands: risk getting a thumb broken by a kick, or falling over trying to pick up the ball. Get a special jersey going to designate the hand guy. Take it off, share it around, confuse your opponents. 
• Team-based UFC: Speaks for itself.