[OT - Olympics] Ashamed to be Canadian

[drothgery]

Hey! We're dominating in women's hockey!

obArrogantAmerican: You only think that, because you haven't played us yet...

As to the Canadian team, I think there are a number of factors. European players as a whole know how to play on the larger ice surface. I mean just look at the games played. Its not North American hockey at all. Little hitting, long bomb passes, etc. That can only benefit European players.

I didn't watch the games, and I don't know hockey, but Team USA doesn't seem to be having the same problems. So I think I'd have to discount the 'North Americans can't play on a large surface' theory, unless you think that home ice advantage is just offsetting it.

 

[Storminator]

I agree completely, I would rather see the U.S. college/amateur athletes lose in Hockey and Basketball then watch our best professionals win. All star games get crappy ratings for a reason, and now the Olympics are no different.

Way back when, the Communist countries could put together amazing teams, and they could always claim to be amateurs. After all, they were never paid right? Some of these teams stayed together for years, and were really good. Like the Soviet hockey team. And then the USA put up a bunch of college kids who came together as a team and pulled off the Miracle on Ice.

Now the USA puts up some astoundingly good basketball teams, and they haven't lost a game since the '92 Dream Team. But one day, there's going to be a team that pulls off the upset, and that win will be every bit as good as the Miracle on Ice. It'll go down in sports lore as one of the greatest wins ever. And for that moment, the USA owes it to the world to put forth the best teams possible, so that victory, when it finally comes, doesn't come cheap.

The Olympics are about the best in sports, not the qualified best, not the best from this category or that. When you win in the Games it means they couldn't find anyone better anywhere on the planet. That still means something, even if the atheletes have day jobs.

PS

 

[MythandLore]

Wow! What a day in hockey so far!
USA spanks Belarus 8-1!
Finland SPANKS Russia 3-1!?
Canada ties with Czechs 3-3
And as I type Sweden is Spanking Germany 6-0 right now! Wow!

And people thought Sweden beating Canada was a flook, yeah right.

 

[MulhorandSage]

Vancouver Canuck fans know the Swedes are no fluke.

Scott Bennie

 

[MythandLore]

Vancouver Canuck fans know the Swedes are no fluke.

That's what I've been saying, they have their eyes on the gold.

 

[Imperialus]

I agree. Canada's team is made up of amazeing athleates, but their egos are all so big they cancel out any talent that they have. I mean christ, we bairly scraped a win past the Germans and our top players probably makes as much in 4 months as that entire team does in a year... I dunno. Colour me unimpressed.

 

[Nightfall]

I'm just stoked that Finland COULD beat Russia. Those guys were tough. Course the US didn't play as well as they could have against those Russians.

 

[PenguinKing]

obArrogantAmerican: You only think that, because you haven't played us yet...

Hey, last time I checked, our women's team hadn't even been scored on - and that's after three games.

- Sir Bob.

P.S. Nih!

 

[Agamon]

Hey, last time I checked, our women's team hadn't even been scored on - and that's after three games.

Yeah, that's because they haven't played the US yet. When was the last time the Canadian women's team beat the US women's team? It's been a few years I think. Should be an interesting final.

As for the pros being in the Olymipics, I agree that they shouldn't be. In fact, in 2006, they likely won't be. Only because the games are in the States are they participating this time. Those games in Lillehammer were awesome, especially when we weren't supposed to get anywhere with our B team plus Lindros and Burke.

 

[coyote6]

All the top teams are rife with professionals. I really don't care who started it - but it's just not olympic anymore. It's just sickening.

I used to think that, but someone pointed out something: if the Olympics are only for "amateurs", then the Olympics are only for people who can train full-time to be an athlete, yet make no money at doing it.

In other words, they're only for the rich, or those with rich sponsors. And then, those that win at the Olympics can get fat sponsorship deals -- and get richer. Which doesn't sit right at all.

So, let the pros play; then at least the athletes can earn a living doing what they do, while they prep for the Olympics. Athleticism is athleticism.