Latest news with #DavidBeard
CBC
2 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
Edmonton Elks hoping for 1st home-opening win in 4 years
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs once said: "don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice." A catchy sound bite that's easier said than done, but that's what the Edmonton Elks are hoping to achieve this week in preparation for their CFL home opener Thursday against the Montreal Alouettes. The Elks are eager to erase the memories of their horrendous starts the last three seasons (0-5, 0-8, 0-7) and looking to rebound from their season-opening 31-14 road loss to the B.C. Lions. Winning their home opener for the first time in four seasons is the No. 1 priority, said centre David Beard. "We're trying to block out all the rest of the noise," he said after another upbeat practice. "We, as players, have to reduce it down to simply winning the next game. "As much as we understand and recognize the importance of winning, and we want to get off to a hot start, we have to reduce it down to just winning the next football game. So we're trying to block out the extra noise, the pressure and just trying to do our job the best we can." The Elks started well in B.C., but a second-half collapse sent them back into the film and meeting rooms to make substantial changes. "In all three phases there are things we needed to clean up," said head coach Mark Kilam. "Offensively we have to stay on the field, we have to sustain some drives, we've got to be more productive on first downs. Game 1 shows you what you need to get better at." One of those things is to reduce costly penalties, an issue that has plagued the team for several seasons. "We didn't have a ton of penalties, we had operational penalties that are killing our momentum on offence," said Kilam. "Those are all preventable penalties, stuff we need to cut out." The Elks have had 12 days to make whatever changes they deemed necessary, the one advantage of having a bye week after just one game played. "We had the bye week, a chance to reset," said running back Justin Rankin, held to just 24 yards in seven carries against the Lions. "I think everybody's coming back hungry. We want to put on a show for the fans so we're excited to get out there and get after it." Rankin said there have been a lot of changes made in preparation for Thursday's game and one of the keys is getting the running game back to what it was last season when the team led the league in rushing yards. "It's super important," he said. "We're a physical team, that's kind of our motto, what we want to be. That starts with the running game. We'll get that together. One week doesn't define who we are." Success for the running game starts with the offensive line and its ability to open holes, something they weren't overly successful at against the Lions. "We were not happy with that result," said Beard. "First and foremost, for our group, we want to make the run game better. I feel like we've identified a lot of issues. "We've corrected them in the meeting room, we've brought them onto the field, made the corrections. Now it's a matter of making sure we execute on game day." On the injury front, two of the three players hurt in the season opener — offensive lineman Brett Boyko (hamstring) and wide receiver Arkell Smith (head) — are questionable for Thursday. Left tackle Martez Ivey (hamstring) is ready to play. The Alouettes enter the game at 2-0, including a 39-18 road win at Ottawa last week. They won both their meetings with Edmonton in 2024, including a 23-20 win at Commonwealth Stadium in Week 2.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Elks look for first home-opening win in four years as Alouettes roll into Edmonton
Edmonton Elks' Justin Rankin (5) is tackled by B.C. Lions' Deontai Williams (9) during the first half of a CFL football game in Vancouver, on Saturday, June 7, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns Apple co-founder Steve Jobs once said: 'don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice.' A catchy sound bite that's easier said than done, but that's what the Edmonton Elks are hoping to achieve this week in preparation for their CFL home opener Thursday against the Montreal Alouettes. The Elks are eager to erase the memories of their horrendous starts the last three seasons (0-5, 0-8, 0-7) and looking to rebound from their season-opening 31-14 road loss to the B.C. Lions. Winning their home opener for the first time in four seasons is the No. 1 priority, said centre David Beard. 'We're trying to block out all the rest of the noise,' he said after another upbeat practice. 'We, as players, have to reduce it down to simply winning the next game. 'As much as we understand and recognize the importance of winning, and we want to get off to a hot start, we have to reduce it down to just winning the next football game. So we're trying to block out the extra noise, the pressure and just trying to do our job the best we can.' The Elks started well in B.C., but a second-half collapse sent them back into the film and meeting rooms to make substantial changes. 'In all three phases there are things we needed to clean up,' said head coach Mark Kilam. 'Offensively we have to stay on the field, we have to sustain some drives, we've got to be more productive on first downs. Game 1 shows you what you need to get better at.' One of those things is to reduce costly penalties, an issue that has plagued the team for several seasons. 'We didn't have a ton of penalties, we had operational penalties that are killing our momentum on offence,' said Kilam. 'Those are all preventable penalties, stuff we need to cut out.' The Elks have had 12 days to make whatever changes they deemed necessary, the one advantage of having a bye week after just one game played. 'We had the bye week, a chance to reset,' said running back Justin Rankin, held to just 24 yards in seven carries against the Lions. 'I think everybody's coming back hungry. We want to put on a show for the fans so we're excited to get out there and get after it.' Rankin said there have been a lot of changes made in preparation for Thursday's game and one of the keys is getting the running game back to what it was last season when the team led the league in rushing yards. 'It's super important,' he said. 'We're a physical team, that's kind of our motto, what we want to be. That starts with the running game. We'll get that together. One week doesn't define who we are.' Success for the running game starts with the offensive line and its ability to open holes, something they weren't overly successful at against the Lions. 'We were not happy with that result,' said Beard. 'First and foremost, for our group, we want to make the run game better. I feel like we've identified a lot of issues. 'We've corrected them in the meeting room, we've brought them onto the field, made the corrections. Now it's a matter of making sure we execute on game day.' On the injury front, two of the three players hurt in the season opener — offensive lineman Brett Boyko (hamstring) and wide receiver Arkell Smith (head) — are questionable for Thursday. Left tackle Martez Ivey (hamstring) is ready to play. The Alouettes enter the game at 2-0, including a 39-18 road win at Ottawa last week. They won both their meetings with Edmonton in 2024, including a 23-20 win at Commonwealth Stadium in Week 2. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025. John Korobanik, The Canadian Press
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Behind the Scenes at Lightning Lap 2025
You've heard the expression, "It takes a village." This is the 18th year we've made the trek from our editorial headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan for a week of fast lap times around the 4.1-mile Grand Course at Virginia International Raceway. This year, we entered 13 performance cars into the gauntlet. Nobody wants to work from home during Lightning Lap, and it takes a lot of GoPros, lap timers, tires, and snacks to get the job done. Here's a look at the people and machines behind the scenes of this year's annual track test. BACK TO LIGHTNING LAP 2025 Each car has a checklist before it leaves the paddock: Are the GoPros running? Is the SD card pushed into the Racelogic VBOX lap timer? Are the tire pressures set? And please honk the horn to sync the video! There are two GoPros mounted to each vehicle to capture every curb-eating attempt at a good time. Although the quickest laps are completed in just a few minutes, after three track days, there are terabytes of footage. The 771-hp Bentley Continental GT Speed suckling from the teat of VIR's electrical grid. Pit lane runs parallel to VIR's front straightaway. Automakers who send engineers and PR folks use the stairwell from the paddock garage above to get to the pits, where they will often adjust tire pressures and run a stopwatch of their own. Our social media team worked feverishly to answer every question posted by our Instagram followers. If you're a grilled-cheese sandwich and managing testing editor David Beard is giving you this look: run. Our video and photo crew work out of the same paddock garages IMSA's race teams do. Sometimes, there is tape left on the concrete from engineers of race weekends past. This year, we found a green dinosaur sticker from AO Racing's "Rexy" Porsche 911 GT3 team. Fitting, because there was no shortage of green cars this year. Photographers are required to wear a harness while strapped into the photo vehicle during car-to-car photography. It's there to prevent them from accidentally falling out. But if staff photographer Marc Urbano wants to wear it casually as a fashion accessory, we won't stop him. Associate testing editor Gannon Burgett (left) and video editor Alex Malburg (right) have mounted enough GoPros to Lightning Lap cars to know that putting the camera on the roof—and out of the travel of the windshield wipers—is the right way to do it. There's more than 6500 horsepower among the cars in this image. And that's without including the 266-hp Subaru Ascent rental car in the background. The 276-hp Hyundai Elantra N rests on a set of QuickJack portable car lifts as it awaits a new set of rubber. Editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga refers to Lightning Lap as "employee retention week." Just before technical editor Austin Irwin was about to pursue his dream of becoming the world's greatest (and potentially largest) tap dancer, the opportunity to set a hot lap steered him back. Yet, he still got to dance. That moment when someone says, "Lunch is ready." If "Guys Being Dudes" were a band, this would be the album cover. Buyer's Guide director Rich Ceppos has spent a lifetime in cars. He competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1987. He wrote the tested review of the $400,000 Ferrari F40 in 1991. And he's had his name on the Car and Driver masthead for more than 20 years. What does a guy like Rich think about when he's waiting to set a fast lap in fast cars? "Did I really lock my hotel key in my room?!" We use toy cars to help set up and practice the giant group shot for the magazine cover. Not even joking, that's how we do it. Road warrior Jacob Kurowicki cheeses for the camera after forcefully declaring, "Cars are more exciting on two wheels, damn it!" Editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga's first Lightning Lap was in 2008. Then, he set a time in a Chevrolet Cobalt SS. Today, he's helping a new driver get up to speed around VIR's daunting road course. Towers of Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires waiting to be scrubbed beneath the 5319-pound Lucid Air Sapphire. There are 24 turns to tackle within VIR's Grand Course layout. They lay within five sectors and have names like NASCAR Bend, Climbing Esses, Oak Tree, Bitch, and Roller Coaster. Getting a car through each of these without a mistake can be nerve-racking. These frenemies shared a rented generator and DC fast-charger to keep topped up on energy. The Lucid Air Sapphire would later set a time that put it into the all-time top 10. The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT would slice 13.4 seconds off the last Taycan we ran here. Vehicle testing director Dave VanderWerp, chatting up the Porsche team about attacking VIR—er, about when to pull the right paddle to unleash the Taycan Turbo GT's 10-second blast of 937 horsepower. Drivers go out. Drivers burn rubber. Drivers come in. Drivers pore over track data to pinpoint where they must drive faster. Tire warmers tell you just how badly Porsche wanted a good lap time out of what's likely the last gas-powered Cayman. From left to right: 9000-rpm redline, 937 horsepower, 937 horsepower again. What a 205/45R-17 tire from a Mazda MX-5 Miata Club looks like against the 345/30ZRF-21 rear artillery from a Lamborghini Revuelto. The Cayman 718 GT4 RS MR reached 1.23 g's through Turn 1. Checking in on tire pressures is key to maintaining wildly sticky grip around VIR. David Beard's live reaction after being told there were no more grilled-cheese sandwiches. Another beautiful year of Lightning Lap is in the books! You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
