Olympics Thread

[VancouverCanucksGM]

Clear slash on the pads after the whistle, obvious call ref Burke.

BIG FKN GAME TMRW BOYS CANADA LETS GOOOO

Embarrassing. Open your eyes, use your common sense, and turn off the pro-Canada bias. Same shit that happens all the time on pucks at the net before the whistle.

I would never call that. Nor would I penalize the goalie for slashing back.

It's hockey. It's not fucking soccer.

Watching the NHL would make you think otherwise now-a-days.

[Virtual Jarmo]

It's hockey. It's not fucking soccer.

Watching the NHL would make you think otherwise now-a-days.

Touche.

[Virtual Jarmo]

The pace of this game is incredible.

[TorontoGM]

If you are warned by an official over something and you get penalized the next time you do it, its your own fucken fault.

[Virtual Jarmo]

If you are warned by an official over something and you get penalized the next time you do it, its your own fucken fault.

Meh. Shit call in OT of a gold medal game. Warning is one thing. Call it earlier in the game and then it stops.


US getting murdered on the boards in this game. Second man way too slow on the forecheck. They're outclassed here.

[Virtual Jarmo]

On the bright side, with that slashing call on Kunitz, I consider us even.

[TorontoGM]

What a game by Carey Price.

[Calgary.Flames]

What a game by Patrice Bergeron.

He was the smartest guy on the ice by far.

[Montreal Canadiens]

Canada dominated. Could have won 4 or 5 nothing.

And everyone was worried. Sheesh.

Going to be an awesome game vs Sweden.

[Virtual Jarmo]

Congrats, guys.

Canada's defensemen were just too good. US couldn't establish much of a forecheck and was limited in the offensive zone. Defensemen couldn't be as involved because of Canada's transition speed. Quick made it a much closer game than it should have been.

Hopefully the boys get past it and come home with the bronze. Going to be hard for them to bounce back tomorrow. This was their gold medal game.

[SharksGM]

Not just defense; Canada's forecheck was dominant and the forwards were pretty much always in the right place for the breakout. Nearly a flawless game. Maybe next time someone other than Chris Kunitz can get 5-6 scoring chances too.

[Penguin]

Naaaaaa na na naaaaaaaaaaaaaaa na na na naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa HEY HEYYYYYYY HEYYYYYYYYY

Goodbye.

[SharksGM]

Also I have no idea why the US forwards kept trying to cycle behind the net when there was always a Canadian D there to intercept the puck and no US forwards in support.

[Singin the BLUES]

Shut the fuck out............Canada rules......

[Virtual Jarmo]

Not just defense; Canada's forecheck was dominant and the forwards were pretty much always in the right place for the breakout. Nearly a flawless game. Maybe next time someone other than Chris Kunitz can get 5-6 scoring chances too.

I didn't see Canada's forecheck as dominant. The US exited the zone pretty easily for most of the game I thought. But Canada was murder on the half-wall and below the net. The cycle game clearly wasn't working. I was a bit surprised that they didn't try to deviate in the second half of the game, but that's what the team was built to do and they just couldn't do it. I thought Canada's defensive spacing was flawless on the big ice. They stopped the US quick transition game too. Defensemen had to carry the puck up and dump. I hated the dump and chase because the US forecheck couldn't sustain anything. Forwards needed to come back deeper into the zone and carry it in rather than circling in the neutral zone and waiting for a pass.

Canada proved their superiority in this game. The saving grace for me is that it didn't hurt nearly as much as the game in 2010.

[SharksGM]

lol.

[Virtual Jarmo]

Disappointing, but not surprising. I said it yesterday, the Canada game was their one big push. It didn't help that they couldn't buy a goal as the game went on. Once it went 3-0, the floodgates were going to open.

At least the tools badmouthing the US team all day will now go back to forgetting about hockey for the next four years. So we've got that going for us, which is nice.

[TorontoGM]

Doesn't matter what color the medal is, its still an Olympic medal.

[VancouverCanucksGM]

Doesn't matter what color the medal is, its still an Olympic medal.

Not in Olympic hockey.

I say this as a hockey fan in America. Not winning gold or silver for USA was pretty much as bad as winning the bronze.

If you're not one of the top 3-4 teams, then yeah, the bronze is great.

Otherwise, most players not playing for the gold, are thinking ahead to getting back to the NHL healthy and not getting injured.

Hockey is just not a popular sport in the USA. Unfortunately, no matter how bad Bettman tries to dumb it down for people who weren't fans, to try and become fans in the USA, it just doesn't work.

They've changed so much shit in the game to accommodate the American fans, it's ruined the game.

It's NEVER going to be a slow enough sport for the AVERAGE American sports fan to follow. I LOVED loving hockey when I was young down here, because very few people "got it". It was special to play and follow hockey. It also wasn't as slow or as commercialized as other sports.

Outside of 1980, which, let's be real, most were more happy about beating the Soviets, more so than the Soviet hockey team. I'd be surprised if most American's that watched that game could remember 2 players NOT named Craig or Eruzione.

Lastly, most American's don't have a sense of "national failure" with hockey like other teams, because most fans don't care about it. Most fans didn't care that USA lost either game, they gave less of a shit when the women's team didn't play for the gold in '06. Hell, they barely got riled up when the USA basketball team only won a bronze in '04, or as they were getting their ass handed to them over a 3 year span.

So, NO, it's not just a bronze to everyone, only to the one's it matters to.

[TorontoGM]

So you'd rather finish dead last and get relegated to Division 2 than win a Bronze?

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

[Virtual Jarmo]

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

I don't understand why Canadians hate America and Americans so much.

[TorontoGM]

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

I don't understand why Canadians hate America and Americans so much.

I just hate the status seekers and rich icky white men who run everything.

[SharksGM]

They've changed so much shit in the game to accommodate the American fans, it's ruined the game.

It's NEVER going to be a slow enough sport for the AVERAGE American sports fan to follow. I LOVED loving hockey when I was young down here, because very few people "got it". It was special to play and follow hockey. It also wasn't as slow or as commercialized as other sports.

Excepting the lockouts, the game and the NHL are in way better shape now than 10, 15 or 20 years ago. And hockey is certainly growing in popularity throughout the US too.

At least the tools badmouthing the US team all day will now go back to forgetting about hockey for the next four years. So we've got that going for us, which is nice.

Well, there were a number of peoples on the internet excited about the USA's huge goal scoring totals in the preliminary round and predicting this would continue in elimination games, so team USA getting shut out for 120 minutes after scoring 16 goals or whatever it was in the first 3 games was probably surprising.

Anyway I think it's pretty silly to say this is some kind of monumental fuck up or collapse (I'm not saying you were saying that, but some people thought so). It's a short tournament, shit happens. We'll see tomorrow how Sweden manages to do against Canada but I don't think there's a team in the world that can crack that system and the depth of talent. Not even in the playoffs do you see the crazy discipline in running 35-40 second shifts and maintaining exceptional positional play, tight gap control, basically allowing nothing but outside rushes offensively (which Keith has been beaten on occasionally, but to little effect).

[VancouverCanucksGM]

So you'd rather finish dead last and get relegated to Division 2 than win a Bronze?

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

You're missing the point, hardly anyone in this country could give a shit if they even played hockey in the Olympics.

You wouldn't know "what's wrong" with sports, you come from a country that has ONE sport. Albeit the best one, but it's still just ONE.

This country has many bad apples, but it still has quite a few good ones too, from many sports, weather they suck or not.

[VancouverCanucksGM]

Excepting the lockouts, the game and the NHL are in way better shape now than 10, 15 or 20 years ago. And hockey is certainly growing in popularity throughout the US too.

I'm gonna go ahead and disagree with you on that one. There's ZERO physicality in the game, outside of cheapshots, or piddly shit they have to call penalties on now. They've tried to manufacture goals for teams by making goalie equipment smaller and giving each team about 4-50 powerplays a game, eventually they'll get their way and they'll have soccer sized nets. Most teams if they're tied in the 3rd, simply skate for the free point, and then let the OT or circus show decide the outcome. Few teams play with any urgency to WIN.

There was a time when I could switch one ESPN and probably be interested in whatever game was on. NOW? I laugh when I see them promote "rivalry week" games with all the hits and fights and physicality that MADE them rivalries, then someone shoves someone too hard and the next day the same station comes out at what an outrage and horrible behavior the game has....it's bullshit. Give me Edmonton and Pittsburgh from the late 80's / early 90's over any of the shit today.

Well, there were a number of peoples on the internet excited about the USA's huge goal scoring totals in the preliminary round and predicting this would continue in elimination games, so team USA getting shut out for 120 minutes after scoring 16 goals or whatever it was in the first 3 games was probably surprising.

Most of them were probably bandwagon fans that show up early on, just in case they win gold, they can say they were there from the start.

Anyway I think it's pretty silly to say this is some kind of monumental fuck up or collapse (I'm not saying you were saying that, but some people thought so). It's a short tournament, shit happens. We'll see tomorrow how Sweden manages to do against Canada but I don't think there's a team in the world that can crack that system and the depth of talent. Not even in the playoffs do you see the crazy discipline in running 35-40 second shifts and maintaining exceptional positional play, tight gap control, basically allowing nothing but outside rushes offensively (which Keith has been beaten on occasionally, but to little effect).

I've got 2 words for that logic. Price / Lundqvist. It doesn't mater how deep or how talented the teams are. If one of these 2 let in a magic marshmallow, weather an easy miss or a missed tough save, it could ruin the game for that team. Ask the USA. If Price let's one of those in, it won't take long before all of Canada is questioning why Luongo wasn't in net.

[Virtual Jarmo]

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

I don't understand why Canadians hate America and Americans so much.

I just hate the status seekers and rich icky white men who run everything.

Do people like this not exist in Canada or in other parts of the world?

[Penguin]

So you'd rather finish dead last and get relegated to Division 2 than win a Bronze?

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

You're missing the point, hardly anyone in this country could give a shit if they even played hockey in the Olympics.

You wouldn't know "what's wrong" with sports, you come from a country that has ONE sport. Albeit the best one, but it's still just ONE.

This country has many bad apples, but it still has quite a few good ones too, from many sports, weather they suck or not.

Ya 10 golds, 10 silver, 5 bronze. Ahead of USA! Solid comment man!

[Bruins_GM]

Do people like this not exist in Canada or in other parts of the world?

From my personal experiences, Canadians who bitch the loudest and are the most extreme about America, don't own passports and haven't been to America.

[SharksGM]

I'm gonna go ahead and disagree with you on that one. There's ZERO physicality in the game, outside of cheapshots, or piddly shit they have to call penalties on now. They've tried to manufacture goals for teams by making goalie equipment smaller and giving each team about 4-50 powerplays a game, eventually they'll get their way and they'll have soccer sized nets. Most teams if they're tied in the 3rd, simply skate for the free point, and then let the OT or circus show decide the outcome. Few teams play with any urgency to WIN.

There was a time when I could switch one ESPN and probably be interested in whatever game was on. NOW? I laugh when I see them promote "rivalry week" games with all the hits and fights and physicality that MADE them rivalries, then someone shoves someone too hard and the next day the same station comes out at what an outrage and horrible behavior the game has....it's bullshit. Give me Edmonton and Pittsburgh from the late 80's / early 90's over any of the shit today.

You haven't actually watched an NHL game since 2006, have you? Goalie equipment is still huge and there are fewer powerplays than ever, not more. The fact that you apparently enjoyed watching hockey on ESPN or the ridiculous crap goaltending and shit defense of the 80s certainly seems to confirm that.

Anyway I think it's pretty silly to say this is some kind of monumental fuck up or collapse (I'm not saying you were saying that, but some people thought so). It's a short tournament, shit happens. We'll see tomorrow how Sweden manages to do against Canada but I don't think there's a team in the world that can crack that system and the depth of talent. Not even in the playoffs do you see the crazy discipline in running 35-40 second shifts and maintaining exceptional positional play, tight gap control, basically allowing nothing but outside rushes offensively (which Keith has been beaten on occasionally, but to little effect).

I've got 2 words for that logic. Price / Lundqvist. It doesn't mater how deep or how talented the teams are. If one of these 2 let in a magic marshmallow, weather an easy miss or a missed tough save, it could ruin the game for that team. Ask the USA. If Price let's one of those in, it won't take long before all of Canada is questioning why Luongo wasn't in net.

I don't understand what this was supposed to mean but goaltending was pretty exceptional for most teams throughout the tournament, especially the top 4. The difference was of course the superb coaching and depth of team Canada, just like I said.

[Bruins_GM]

I wonder how that USA team would have fared without Disco Dan at the helm...

[Commish Bub(NYR)]

I wonder how that USA team would have fared without Disco Dan at the helm...

Or if they had brought along BOBBY RYAN SUPERSTAR instead of ANYONE ELSE.

[TorontoGM]

So you'd rather finish dead last and get relegated to Division 2 than win a Bronze?

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

You wouldn't know "what's wrong" with sports, you come from a country that has ONE sport. Albeit the best one, but it's still just ONE.

And the award for most ignorant fuck goes to....

[Bruins_GM]

I wonder how that USA team would have fared without Disco Dan at the helm...

Or if they had brought along BOBBY RYAN SUPERSTAR instead of ANYONE ELSE.

Someone said Blake Wheeler got 2 shifts in the entire semi-final game?

[VancouverCanucksGM]

So you'd rather finish dead last and get relegated to Division 2 than win a Bronze?

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

You wouldn't know "what's wrong" with sports, you come from a country that has ONE sport. Albeit the best one, but it's still just ONE.

And the award for most ignorant fuck goes to....

Don't feel butthurt about it, just be happy you're country is good at the one sport it has.

[VancouverCanucksGM]

You haven't actually watched an NHL game since 2006, have you? Goalie equipment is still huge and there are fewer powerplays than ever, not more. The fact that you apparently enjoyed watching hockey on ESPN or the ridiculous crap goaltending and shit defense of the 80s certainly seems to confirm that.

Yes, I have watched the game, that's how I know it sucks. Goalie equipment is nowhere near the same size as it was in the late 90's early 00's. I'd take any Cup winner in the 80's over any of the recent winners and they'd kick the shit out them.

I don't understand what this was supposed to mean but goaltending was pretty exceptional for most teams throughout the tournament, especially the top 4. The difference was of course the superb coaching and depth of team Canada, just like I said.

I never said it wasn't great, I said if either one of these 2 let's in a softie, it could ruin the game for the other team.

[SharksGM]

You haven't actually watched an NHL game since 2006, have you? Goalie equipment is still huge and there are fewer powerplays than ever, not more. The fact that you apparently enjoyed watching hockey on ESPN or the ridiculous crap goaltending and shit defense of the 80s certainly seems to confirm that.

Yes, I have watched the game, that's how I know it sucks. Goalie equipment is nowhere near the same size as it was in the late 90's early 00's. I'd take any Cup winner in the 80's over any of the recent winners and they'd kick the shit out them.

So you'd prefer goalie equipment to have fewer limits on size because.... ?? And your favourite era of hockey is the 1980's, when goalie equipment was much smaller and the goalies mostly sucked and couldn't stop shit.

Pick a random NHL team from today and they'd probably beat the 80's Oilers at their peak. Today's players are way better trained, don't smoke like chimneys anymore, get far superior coaching and player better hockey than ever (and also include some of the best Europeans in the world). If that's not appealing to you because hockey became too popular to be cool and not indie enough, then that's too bad. There are more than enough new fans to replace people like you.

[TorontoGM]

So you'd rather finish dead last and get relegated to Division 2 than win a Bronze?

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

You wouldn't know "what's wrong" with sports, you come from a country that has ONE sport. Albeit the best one, but it's still just ONE.

And the award for most ignorant fuck goes to....

Don't feel butthurt about it, just be happy you're country is good at the one sport it has.

Ignorance truly is bliss.

[VancouverCanucksGM]

So you'd rather finish dead last and get relegated to Division 2 than win a Bronze?

America further exemplifies everything that is wrong with sports.

You wouldn't know "what's wrong" with sports, you come from a country that has ONE sport. Albeit the best one, but it's still just ONE.

And the award for most ignorant fuck goes to....

Don't feel butthurt about it, just be happy you're country is good at the one sport it has.

Ignorance truly is bliss.

So that would make you blissful?

[VancouverCanucksGM]

So you'd prefer goalie equipment to have fewer limits on size because.... ?? And your favourite era of hockey is the 1980's, when goalie equipment was much smaller and the goalies mostly sucked and couldn't stop shit.

No, I said LATE 80's early 90's. I highly doubt that. The earlier teams would beat them into submission, unless they played by todays "don't touch me or I'll cry" rules.

Pick a random NHL team from today and they'd probably beat the 80's Oilers at their peak. Today's players are way better trained, don't smoke like chimneys anymore, get far superior coaching and player better hockey than ever (and also include some of the best Europeans in the world). If that's not appealing to you because hockey became too popular to be cool and not indie enough, then that's too bad. There are more than enough new fans to replace people like you.

Except those fans aren't the diehard variety, their garden piss water variety. Most "fans" now-a-days have no idea what this league was like before 2006, they only know this figure skating shinny with the occasional suspension and the circus shootout.

They've ruined any teams with "rivalries". Their national broadcast channel is a second home network for the Pengwhines, they should call it PENbc. The playoffs for the most part are boring and do they even have multiple OT games anymore? They use to be a staple of to look forward to in the playoffs, now they just call a penalty or let one go, and the game is over.

[TorontoGM]

Canada is GREAT at many sports, you're logic is garbage and so are your opinions.

Why do we keep letting these morons in? He completely dismantles his team and does nothing but beak off at people on the forum.

[VancouverCanucksGM]

Canada is GREAT at many sports, you're logic is garbage and so are your opinions.

Why do we keep letting these morons in? He completely dismantles his team and does nothing but beak off at people on the forum.

Name the sports, please.

As for letting me in, look bud, they let you in. Anything after that is acceptable.

As for how I handle my team, why don't you worry about your own tee times.

[TorontoGM]

The medal totals for Canada from the Winter Olympics speak for itself.

[VancouverCanucksGM]

The medal totals for Canada from the Winter Olympics speak for itself.

No, it doesn't.

Does anyone outside of Canada give a crap about these alleged "sports"?

[TorontoGM]

The medal totals for Canada from the Winter Olympics speak for itself.

No, it doesn't.

Does anyone outside of Canada give a crap about these alleged "sports"?

Speeding Skating, Figure Skating, Bobsleigh, and Snowboarding are pretty popular outside of Canada.

[VancouverCanucksGM]

The medal totals for Canada from the Winter Olympics speak for itself.

No, it doesn't.

Does anyone outside of Canada give a crap about these alleged "sports"?

Speeding Skating, Figure Skating, Bobsleigh, and Snowboarding are pretty popular outside of Canada.

The next time I see ANY of those "sports", outside of snowboarding, on TV, when it's NOT an Olympic year, it'll be the first.

All I'm saying, is that the MAIN sport Canada is great at, is hockey. But I don't see them contributing to any other major sports across the globe. Maybe the occasional baseball player or basketball player, but those are few and far between.

[TorontoGM]

Oh so it has to be on American television to be a sport. okay.

[SharksGM]

lol at baseball being a major sport across the globe.

[VancouverCanucksGM]

Oh so it has to be on American television to be a sport. okay.

Call it as you want, they're shown on a lot more TV's than just America's though.

The 4-5 major sports are baseball, basketball, soccer, football, and hockey, no?

[VancouverCanucksGM]

lol at baseball being a major sport across the globe.

So you're saying they DON'T play baseball across the globe?

Huh, that's funny, where do all those foreign players come from?

Sure it might not be popular EVERYWHERE, but it sure as hell more popular than figure skating.

[TorontoGM]

Oh so it has to be on American television to be a sport. okay.

Call it as you want, they're shown on a lot more TV's than just America's though.

The 4-5 major sports are baseball, basketball, soccer, football, and hockey, no?

Soccer is a international sport.
Basketball, baseball and hockey are limited international sports.
American Football is not an international sport.

Sports isn't about television numbers if it were Cricket rules all.