Christine Sinclair has won the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s top athlete of 2012.

And while many within the soccer community will say the Sinclair choice should have been an obvious one, there was one major distinction between Canada’s greatest soccer player and the rest of the field.

And, in Janine Helland, not only are the women’s national teams of years past recognized, but also the Edmonton Aviators.

Not only is the Vancouver Whitecaps’ announcement that it won’t field a W-League team in 2013 disappointing for women’s soccer followers, it comes at a very uncomfortable time for the Canadian Soccer Association.

But women’s national-team coach John Herdman isn’t so sure. Instead or rosy prognostications about women’s soccer in Canada, he said it’s time for us to lower our expectations, as time has come for the program to take a few lumps.

But, in FIFA’s eyes — they are both controversial figures. And if there is one thing we have learned about FIFA, black sheep rarely get recognized.

After a weekend of shocks, we have the final eight for both the men’s and women’s national championships.

The dressing room for the CFL Eskimos was not part of the proposal, and Mayor Stephen Mandel told reporters that he wants to know why it can’t be used. If the Eskimos simply don’t want to share, he said he “has no sympathy” for that position.

A new fourth way for the renovation of Commonwealth Stadium ahead of the U-20 Women’s World Cup and the Women’s World Cup will be debated by Edmonton City Council on Halloween.

When the result of voting for FIFA’s women’s player of the year is revealed Jan. 7, it will be a referendum of sorts.