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CBCSportsca Blogs Canadas hidden treasures of sport News Sports Radio TV My Region Watch Listen Member Centre Login Sign UpHalifax (Shearwater) Change City18c Hockey Headlines Scoreboard Standings Stats NHL Schedule Teams Players Hockey Night in Canada Highlights Fantasy Pool NHL Playoffs FIFA World Cup Football Headlines CFL Scoreboard CFL Standings CFL Stats CFL Teams NFL Scoreboard NFL Standings NFL Stats NFL Teams NFL Players Video Alpine Skiing Curling Figure Skating Basketball NBA Scoreboard Standings Stats Teams Players Basketball News Feed Baseball MLB Scoreboard Standings Stats Teams Players Baseball News Feed Soccer MLS Scoreboard MLS Standings International Stats Soccer News Feed Amateur Sports Golf Tennis Blogs and Columns Amateur SportsSubscribe to Blogs and Columns Canadas hidden treasures of sport December 17 2009 1103 AM Posted by Scott Russell Every time the Lou Marsh Award pops up all Canadian sports fans get an eye openerTheres a ton of talent out thereThe mystery is why most of the candidates that make it to the final ballot for consideration as Canadas Athlete of the Year are anonymous to most people in this countryThis year Sidney Crosby the brilliant captain of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins captured the prize named after the late Toronto Star sports editor an award which dates back to 1936 and whose recipients have included Wayne Gretzky Barbara Ann Scott Catriona Le May Doan and Mike Weir For Crosby its a second victory and well deserved considering hes the best Canadian hockey player alive and led his team to arguably the most difficult championship to capture in North American professional sportJust about everybody knows Sid the Kids nameThe same is true of Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns a perennial finalist because hes the best playmaker in bigtime basketball which is the second most popular team sport in the world next to soccer But thats where the familiarity gets fuzzyIts a revelation to discover that Canada also boasts sluggers like Jason Bay and Justin Morneau each capable of more than 100 RBIs in Major League Baseball Or that Daniel Nestor the best doubles player in tennis hails from north of the borderJust scratching the surface If you dig deeper you understand that world champions like Christine Nesbitt of speed skating John Kucera of alpine skiing Jasey Jay Anderson of snowboarding and Alexandre Bilodeau of freestyle skiing also bleed red and white This is to say nothing of swimmer Ryan Cochrane who won two medals at the world aquatics championships or Priscilla LopesSchliep a hurdler who captured silver at the world track and field summit They are Canadians close to the pinnacle of the most contested sports on the face of the earthThe names already mentioned barely scratch the surface There are golfers mixed martial artists figure skaters and football players who also deserve considerat...