2010 Winter Olympics

[Adria]

Again, I was just saying that Embarrasing is a really strong word which makes you look condescending. And you didn't answer: IF a 3-2 overtime victory for Canada is embarrasing, what the hell do you call the 2-0 Loss at the Torino Olympics?

suicide watch, a black day in history, national tragedy - take your pick

Everyone was pretty choked about that loss. There was a period of stunned silence, then the finger pointing/blame game began and you can still find people pointing fingers today. The amount of scrutiny hockey players - and hockey programs - in Canada are under is obscene.



Anyway, congrats to Montgomery in bringing home another gold medal (skeleton) for Canada! The clip of his walk through Whistler Village following the race was awesome - someone handed him a pitcher of beer and he started chugging, despite being surrounded by news cameras. Then a short while later, during his interview, he auctioned off the rest of the pitcher (his day job is as an auctioneer), 'bought' it himself, and chugged the rest of it on camera. Awesome!

Aerials qualification round starts today - I love watching aerials.

 

[Grisu]

The NHL superiority is actually greater now than it was pre-1990. For instance, Canada would have won almost all gold medals before 1998 had NHLers been allowed to play. The Eastern Bloc kept all of their talent at home, away from the NHL. They often played on the national teams. Even if Sweden + Finland could have sent people before 1990 to the NHL, they rarely did.

I doubt that very much...back in the 90s the NHL seemed to be one of those out of your reach leagues. Hardly a swiss even got drafted there, for example. Nowadays more and more swiss players (and of course goalies) seem to edge their way slowly into the NHL.

edit: err, I see you wrote pre-90s...forget what I said then I think the difference now is smaller than in the 90s, but it might have been smaller before the fall of the USSR.

Many of the best players in the world were outside of the NHL, but now it is bringing those people over. I would say the domestic situations are now worse outside the NHL. Ovechkin, Semin, etc. would have played in and for the Soviet Union.

the KHL recently seems to draw quite a few very good players...

The real issue for Canada is that hockey is ultimately a team sport. Inferior talent that is well coached and practice together more frequently can often do well against superior talent that is unused to playing together. Not to mention the effects of a hot goalie. The Swiss guy did phenomenally.

The goalie is part of the team too It's not exactly a new thing that a hot goalie can do wonders

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

A hot goalie proves nothing about the talent of the rest of the team. The Swiss have definitely been getting better... and their league too. But that doesn't really generalize outside of the NHL. The KHL draws the skim milk whereas the NHL gets the cream.

The KHL isn't even as strong relative to the NHL as the WHA was.

Seriously though, let all of the teams train together for 4 months straight. Heck, even 4 weeks straight.

 

[Orange Seeds]

Again, I was just saying that Embarrasing And you didn't answer: IF a 3-2 overtime victory for Canada is embarrasing, what the hell do you call the 2-0 Loss at the Torino Olympics?

One of the darkest days in Canadian history and I am not exaggerating. If you want, I can search up some newspaper front pages after that loss.

I've said it before, but most people simply do not understand the passion and pride behind hockey in this nation.

If the KHL continues its business model as it has over the last year it will crumble. Owners are going into deep debt in order to offer exorbitant contracts to attract players into the league. Yet the attendance numbers I've seen were pretty dismal.

 

[mitsho]

Yes, 2nd gold for Amman this olympics which makes him the only ski jumper to attain both gold medals in two different olympics (Salt Lake, Vancouver). Yeah!

(and so we get away from hockey once again, not? And no, I don't need to see the newspaper headlines from that day )

 

[Grisu]

what do you mean get away from hockey? the game is in full swing

and Switzerland seems to have the same problems with Norway as Canada had with us

 

[mitsho]

Yes 3-3, I'm only watching tangentially, but it looks bad for us. But a draw just means that we will have a tougher opponent in the "play-offs for the quarter final", right?

 

[Grisu]

Yes 3-3, I'm only watching tangentially, but it looks bad for us. But a draw just means that we will have a tougher opponent in the "play-offs for the quarter final", right?

not bad, but could be a lot better

yeah, drawing/losing would mean a supposedly tougher opponent (though you never know). If they win, they certainly won't get any of the 2nd placed teams.

 

[mitsho]

oh well, question answered, but thanks though 4-3 and ten minutes to go

EDIT: Ups, d*** norvegians, incredible! Getting even all the time

 

[Grisu]

oh my....that was way closer than expected, but they managed in the end

next stop (most likely) belarus, might have been russia had we lost

 

[willemvanoranje]

eh, no? and Switzerland did draw against Latvia they're not that far from Switzerland in skill. Embarassing was the loss to Luxembourg, a team full of amateurs, but there the difference there was much bigger. Both teams here at the olympics were full of pros. It would be like the Netherlands losing to switzerland in football. If thats' an embarassment to you you get embarassed quite easily

Well, I do. I value the Swiss team higher than Latvia. But then imagine some team a bit better than Luxembourg and the Swiss. And to be honest, it's much easier to take a loss against Italy than a lost against Switzerland for us. I'm sure you understand. Whether it is an embaressment depends on the way of the loss. The last few decades we have shown that we are close to the best of the world, with both positive and negative exceptions. But we will never be able to be the equal of Brazil or Italy structurally. That's why a loss against Switzerland cannot automatically be an embaressment. For Brazil to lose against Switzerland, however, would be considered an embaressment in Brazil. No matter what.


Back on topic, I still can't believe Mark Tuitert beat Shani Davis on the 1.500m to win gold!

 

[emzie]

3 - 2? Going to be a bad day at work tomorrow.

 

[Esckey]

Its like watching the Oilers play.

 

[Kraznaya]

USA! USA! USA!

 

[Orange Seeds]

US had no business being in that game. Brodeur was terrible, Miller was incredible that is all you need to know. Things are not looking good right now. I think I'm just going to go to sleep...

 

[emzie]

US had no business being in that game. Brodeur was terrible, Miller was incredible that is all you need to know. Things are not looking good right now. I think I'm just going to go to sleep...

Don't knock on the Americans. We lost.

 

[Formaldehyde]

The NHL South beat the NHL North. Yay. I guess.

But this is a throwaway game. The next time they meet will be the game that determines the final outcome.

 

[azzaman333]

You guys realise that it's the winter olympics, not the ice hockey world cup, right?

 

[Esckey]

Well first of all its not Ice Hockey. Its Hockey. You don't call Baseball Field Baseball.

And second. Its Canada, the only things that matter up here is beer, doughnuts and hockey. The Winter Olympics was just an excuse to have one more hockey touniment on home ice

 

[Dachs]

Don't knock on the Americans. We lost.

Is you is or is you ain't an Ohioan?