Canada fucked! Tight game, but Russia was clearly the superior team. Some of the Russian stickhandling is amazing and their speed was too much for Canada. Our boy Fraud was responsible for the winning goal as he took an incredibly stupid penalty (what a surprise) and Russia scored on the ensuing PP. Another bad day at the office for Pronger. Brodeur played great. Canada had a disallowed goal, but they really weren't deserving this day.
Russia 2- Canada-0
- Thread starter Cock Throppled
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It was like the Canadians were telegraphing all their passes seeing as how the Russians were intercepting them.
And yes to use an ancient cliche, the Canadians didn't get the bounce their way.
It doesn't help with most of the Canadians being stagnent for a year.
And yes to use an ancient cliche, the Canadians didn't get the bounce their way.
It doesn't help with most of the Canadians being stagnent for a year.
Gretzky should get raked over the coals for this one....
This team was slow and plodding on defense, and lacking spark and scoring up front....despite a truckload of younger, faster, more talented players left at home.
The fact Bertuzzi was added was a mistake - not because of his troubles, but because it was representative of the team's misdirected focus right from the start.
Gretzky may be the great one, but he is not above taking his licks for this - and big time.
A huge disappointment, but can't say I didn't see it coming.
This team was slow and plodding on defense, and lacking spark and scoring up front....despite a truckload of younger, faster, more talented players left at home.
The fact Bertuzzi was added was a mistake - not because of his troubles, but because it was representative of the team's misdirected focus right from the start.
Gretzky may be the great one, but he is not above taking his licks for this - and big time.
A huge disappointment, but can't say I didn't see it coming.
Maybe it's a good thing?
I personally would have liked Canada to metal, who wouldn't. But this nonesense of expecting them to win gold is just that..nonesense. Just think for a second if they would have won another gold, can you imagine the pressure Team Canada would be under in 2010? They're be a bloody riot if they didn't win gold in our home country. But how do you win a game like this where anything less than perfection isn't good enough. The answer of course is that you don't. Any metal should be valued, not just gold.
I personally would have liked Canada to metal, who wouldn't. But this nonesense of expecting them to win gold is just that..nonesense. Just think for a second if they would have won another gold, can you imagine the pressure Team Canada would be under in 2010? They're be a bloody riot if they didn't win gold in our home country. But how do you win a game like this where anything less than perfection isn't good enough. The answer of course is that you don't. Any metal should be valued, not just gold.
These are professional, highly paid athletes. Being off for a year is just another excuse. They are playing for their country in the olympics. Time to pick it up a notch, dig deep and start playing with some heart.niteowl said:
When you consider the sacrifices that most olympic atheletes have to make to compete, these guys should be fuckin ashamed of themselves.
I do agree that its ridiculous that we should expect them to win gold every time out, but I don't think its ridiculous to expect them to play with heart and give it 100%.
Tom
Maybe this is the spark north American hockey needs to push it out of its complacency.
They lost
They were outplayed - and I will say it again, is this a team?
The women were playing together for at least 8 months. These guys, what, a quick discussion on the plane ride over?
Oh well, they will have to go cry in their pouillie foisse champagne, and maybe drive their too fast sports cars to get the agravation out.
The good thing is maybe now the focus can get back to the real athletes like Cindy Klassen and Chandra Crawford.... individuals who train hard to get a chance at the podium of the Olympics, not some over bloated wealthy hockey "heroes" who parrachute in expecting an easy skate.
Cheers
They lost
They were outplayed - and I will say it again, is this a team?
The women were playing together for at least 8 months. These guys, what, a quick discussion on the plane ride over?
Oh well, they will have to go cry in their pouillie foisse champagne, and maybe drive their too fast sports cars to get the agravation out.
The good thing is maybe now the focus can get back to the real athletes like Cindy Klassen and Chandra Crawford.... individuals who train hard to get a chance at the podium of the Olympics, not some over bloated wealthy hockey "heroes" who parrachute in expecting an easy skate.
Cheers
H
Hardatwork
Maybe they should have done what they said they were going to do prior to this year's training camp. They said they would evaluate the players as the season progressed and yet they still left players like Eric Staal, Jason Spezza, Alex Tanguay, Sidney Crosby, Marc Savard etc.. off the team. These are players that are in the top 20 scoring in the NHL and instead Gretzky and Co. chose to go with the name players who have great reputations, but for whatever reason were having off years... players like Bertuzzi and Iginla. Considering that we were shutout in three games, maybe having the hot players entering into the tournament should be the way to go. I know, I know, it's easy to say that now, but hopefully we practice what we preach when it comes to 2010.
Gretzky is a lousy coach..."superstar" players always make lousy coaches..they are the equivilent of "dumb blondes" in the real world. The grinders usually make the best coaches.
Don't blame Gretzky
His is hilarious. Gretzky was god-like for winning the gold only 4 years ago and now he's a bum for Team Canada not making it to the metal rounds?
Both are over-reactions.
Granted I think he could have picked different players but the basic fact of the situation is that for whatever reason this team never jelled, whereas in 2002 it did.
Should thinks be shaken up? Sure why not.
But making Gretzky a scape goat isn't going to solve much of anything. He didn't become stupid all of sudden. He tried to put together a mix of veteran and young players in the hopes the young players would learn what it took to win. He also tried to get more experience rather than less, which is why Crosby never made the team. This is pretty much the exact same formula he used in 2002, the big difference is that this time the veteran's were too old and when players such as Yzerman and Mario took themselves out, the chemistry wasn't the same.
His is hilarious. Gretzky was god-like for winning the gold only 4 years ago and now he's a bum for Team Canada not making it to the metal rounds?
Both are over-reactions.
Granted I think he could have picked different players but the basic fact of the situation is that for whatever reason this team never jelled, whereas in 2002 it did.
Should thinks be shaken up? Sure why not.
But making Gretzky a scape goat isn't going to solve much of anything. He didn't become stupid all of sudden. He tried to put together a mix of veteran and young players in the hopes the young players would learn what it took to win. He also tried to get more experience rather than less, which is why Crosby never made the team. This is pretty much the exact same formula he used in 2002, the big difference is that this time the veteran's were too old and when players such as Yzerman and Mario took themselves out, the chemistry wasn't the same.
Bad Day For Canucks
Did anyone notice that Kelly Hrudy singled out Bertuzzi's lazy penalty after the loss as the turning point in the game for Team Canada ? Tough week for Bert.
And to add to our hockey misery here in Vancouver it appears Sami Salo injured his shoulder and it might be a seperated and Mattias Ohlund is getting X-rayed for broken ribs from today's games. So we might be without these two players for six weeks. YIKES!
So back from the Olympics we will be less Jovo, Clouts, Salo, & Ohlund. And Naslund has that nagging injury.
Well at least we can still cheer on the Twins and Ruutu in the games.
Did anyone notice that Kelly Hrudy singled out Bertuzzi's lazy penalty after the loss as the turning point in the game for Team Canada ? Tough week for Bert.
And to add to our hockey misery here in Vancouver it appears Sami Salo injured his shoulder and it might be a seperated and Mattias Ohlund is getting X-rayed for broken ribs from today's games. So we might be without these two players for six weeks. YIKES!
So back from the Olympics we will be less Jovo, Clouts, Salo, & Ohlund. And Naslund has that nagging injury.
Well at least we can still cheer on the Twins and Ruutu in the games.
Olympic Hockey should be returned to the amatuer ranks. I havn't seen a good tournment since Canada vs Sweden in 94(?), that went to the shoot out. (Karyia, Forsberg, and Corey Hirsch.) Pro players are already overpaid, and have the chance to win the Stanley Cup. Amatuer players will never get that chance, but when they are asked to play for their country play with more heart and pride then their pro player counterparts.
It's easy to second guess the choices made by Gretzky and company, hopefully this will be a wake up call to the sport. Find a dedicated full time coach, and choose players not because of who they are, but how they play.
It's easy to second guess the choices made by Gretzky and company, hopefully this will be a wake up call to the sport. Find a dedicated full time coach, and choose players not because of who they are, but how they play.
