The olympics in general

[yepimonfire]

dont know if anyone noticed, but the olympics (in america at least ) ARE IN SURROUND SOUND! well imaged i must say too

 

[GO-NAD!]

The problems with Canadian hockey is that they are too steeped in tradition, stubborn and tend to favour veteran athletes and it holds the program back. IMO there is no reason why Brodeur should be the starting goltender this olympics. First of all Luongo is the better goaltender at this point in their careers. He is younger, closer to his prime. Brodeur is past his prime, he was also the starting goaltender last olympics 8 years ago. IIRC he let in 3 goals on 16 or 17 shots + 1 empty net goal. That is just a horrible performance and he was acting like a headcase in net and deserves to be pulled.

Olympic hockey mostly comes down to hot goaltending. Miller has been one of the best goalies all year with the Sabres and he continues to do so.

I think Canada has a better chance at winning Gold with Luongo in net, but I do not know if they have the balls to pull Brodeur for the rest of the games. Stubborn Canadian hockey.

I think you're right on all counts. Brodeur is thirty-freakin'-seven! And, yes he made some bone-headed errors. I'd put money on Luongo being in net against Germany. Goaltending used to be a big plus for Canadian teams. But, with Brodeur fading, I don't see anyone picking up the mantle. Luogo is great, but not outstanding in the way Brodeur used to be. Fleury has moments of brilliance, but is too inconsistent.

 

[MinusTheBear]

I think you're right on all counts. Brodeur is thirty-freakin'-seven! And, yes he made some bone-headed errors. I'd put money on Luongo being in net against Germany. Goaltending used to be a big plus for Canadian teams. But, with Brodeur fading, I don't see anyone picking up the mantle. Luogo is great, but not outstanding in the way Brodeur used to be. Fleury has moments of brilliance, but is too inconsistent.

You might see Luongo in net in the next game against Germany, but I would suprised if they ran the table with him even with Brodeurs sub par performances in his two games.

Olympic hockey is much different than NHL hockey. If you look at the makeup of the US team, they are young, speed oriented and have great goaltending. Perfect for the olympic style of hockey.

Canada has a lot of big physical bodies like Thorton, Nash, Pronger that don't necessarily match up well with speed teams. I noticed team USA dumped the puck quite a bit to Prongers corner to forecheck and also areas to force Brodeur to play the puck. I don't think Neidermayer has been playing all that great either.

Canada can still definitely win Gold, but it is a uphill battle at this point. Remember when Hasek was the hot goaltender? He was also playing for Buffalo at the time.

 

[GO-NAD!]

You might see Luongo in net in the next game against Germany, but I would suprised if they ran the table with him even with Brodeurs sub par performances in his two games.

Olympic hockey is much different than NHL hockey. If you look at the makeup of the US team, they are young, speed oriented and have great goaltending. Perfect for the olympic style of hockey.

Canada has a lot of big physical bodies like Thorton, Nash, Pronger that don't necessarily match up well with speed teams. I noticed team USA dumped the puck quite a bit to Prongers corner to forecheck and also areas to force Brodeur to play the puck. I don't think Neidermayer has been playing all that great either.

Canada can still definitely win Gold, but it is a uphill battle at this point. Remember when Hasek was the hot goaltender?

I don't have much to complain about regarding the forwards, other than not crowding Miller enough. Playing as well as he is, he has to be well-screened.
The physical play is fine on the NHL-size rink, IMHO. I have noticed that Pronger could be better in his own end.

The Americans have a fast team, but most of the game was spent in their own end or the neutral zone. I don't think that it was a big factor last night. They played with a lot of effort and are not undeserving of the win. But, had the goaltending been more evenly matched, I think the result would've been different. Of course, that may be just sour grapes on my part...

 

[itschris]

How about the Swede, (can't remember her name), that ate complete **** in the downhill, then came back the next day and got a medal in the combined? Now that's a tough chick. Huge thighs on that girl. Bet she could crack your head like a nut while you were going down on her if she wanted to.

I saw that! Man did she go splat or what? She looked like a rag doll when she ate it. There have been some pretty nasty crashes this year in all the downhill events. It's amazing to me that you can wreck at 80 mph and just basically shake the cobwebs and walk away. I wrecked on my motorcycle at 45 mph and had to have 3 shoulder surgeries. It just blows my mind the skill, the conditioning, and all that.

 

[itschris]

I'm really diggin' the snowboard cross and now the ski cross. That's just cool to see these guys racing side by side.

Does anyone watch figure skating? Besides the chicks being totally hot, I must say i have an appreciation for the skill and stamina. The blend of pure athleticsm and artistry is the draw for me. You rarely see both at a high level. The ice dancing was last night and while not as exciting as downhill, it was pretty cool to watch. Even my neighbor who's been making fun of me all week got caught up in it last night.

 

[darien87]

I'm really diggin' the snowboard cross and now the ski cross. That's just cool to see these guys racing side by side.

Does anyone watch figure skating? Besides the chicks being totally hot, I must say i have an appreciation for the skill and stamina. The blend of pure athleticsm and artistry is the draw for me. You rarely see both at a high level. The ice dancing was last night and while not as exciting as downhill, it was pretty cool to watch. Even my neighbor who's been making fun of me all week got caught up in it last night.

Snowboard and Ski cross are definitely cool. Too bad Christopher Del Bosco ate it on that last jump. I was kinda pulling for him.

Sorry, but figure skating and especially ice dancing?!?!? No way dude. I just fast forward through that crap. The last time I can remember being interested in figure skating, was the Kristi Yamaguchi days.

I actually got to meet Kristi at a signing about 10 years ago or so. I waited in line and thought about all the smooth things I was going to say to her to get a date with her and sweep her off her skates. But when I got up to her in line, my mind went completely blank. I didn't say a frickin' word. She just signed her picture handed it to me and I walked away. She probably thought I was retarded.

It's weird how you get star struck like that.

 

[itschris]

Snowboard and Ski cross are definitely cool. Too bad Christopher Del Bosco ate it on that last jump. I was kinda pulling for him.

Sorry, but figure skating and especially ice dancing?!?!? No way dude. I just fast forward through that crap. The last time I can remember being interested in figure skating, was the Kristi Yamaguchi days.

I actually got to meet Kristi at a signing about 10 years ago or so. I waited in line and thought about all the smooth things I was going to say to her to get a date with her and sweep her off her skates. But when I got up to her in line, my mind went completely blank. I didn't say a frickin' word. She just signed her picture handed it to me and I walked away. She probably thought I was retarded.

It's weird how you get star struck like that.

The women are totally hot... as are almost all of them ... the snowboard girls are definately on the list oo. My mom always like figure skating, so iguess I've just always watched it since I was a kid so maybe that's the draw... I don't know. There's definately a part of me that's a bit embarassed that I even would sit and watch Johnny Weir skate... let alone look forward to seeing him skate. I will say that I usually clean my rifles, drink beer from a dirty glass, and club seals right afterward though.

 

[XEagleDriver]

The problems with Canadian hockey is that they are too steeped in tradition, stubborn and tend to favour veteran athletes and it holds the program back. IMO there is no reason why Brodeur should be the starting goltender this olympics. First of all Luongo is the better goaltender at this point in their careers. He is younger, closer to his prime. Brodeur is past his prime, he was also the starting goaltender last olympics 8 years ago. IIRC he let in 3 goals on 16 or 17 shots + 1 empty net goal. That is just a horrible performance and he was acting like a headcase in net and deserves to be pulled.

Olympic hockey mostly comes down to hot goaltending. Miller has been one of the best goalies all year with the Sabres and he continues to do so.

I think Canada has a better chance at winning Gold with Luongo in net, but I do not know if they have the balls to pull Brodeur for the rest of the games. Stubborn Canadian hockey.

The result of the first game was good for both Canadian and USA hockey.
In Canada, hopefully it will spur a departure from stubbornness and complacency.
In the US, hopefully it helps to build more interest, more players, and fans.

If both squads play again this tourney, it will be in the Gold medal game--that would be fantastic for both programs, independent of the final outcome.


XEagleDriver

 

[TLS Guy]

Just watch out for the Lamoureux twins!

The whole family are expert hockey players, except the mother who is a champion swimmer and triathlon athlete. They were neighbors of ours in Grand Forks. Both my daughters baby sat them. The grandmother was a long time nurse on our cardiac floor at Altru Health Systems Grand Forks.

We have tickets to the Women's ice hockey final in Vancouver next week, so I hope they make it to the finals. We fly out of MPS on Wednesday. We will be staying with close friends who now live in White Rock BC very near the stadium. They are both physicians and colleagues from my days in Manitoba.

They are from Huddersfield Yorkshire, and Bob has lost none of his Yorkshire accent in over 40 years, nor any of the Yorkshireman's colorful phraseology!

So what ever happens we will have a good time.

I leave for the Twin Cities tomorrow. We get to Vancouver Wednesday. The American womens hockey team are in the final and we have tickets. So we will get to see the Lamoureux girls in action.

I think Grand Forks ND will go nuts if they get gold!

 

[GO-NAD!]

I leave for the Twin Cities tomorrow. We get to Vancouver Wednesday. The American womens hockey team are in the final and we have tickets. So we will get to see the Lamoureux girls in action.

I think Grand Forks ND will go nuts if they get gold!

Hmmmm, how do I put this? I hope you enjoy the game, but are dissapointed by the outcome.

 

[TLS Guy]

Hmmmm, how do I put this? I hope you enjoy the game, but are dissapointed by the outcome.

Oh well, I have Canadian citizenship also.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Oh well, I have Canadian citizenship also.

Well, I guess it's win-win, eh? I would certainly like to be there. Hope you bring ear plugs - it's gonna be loud!

 

[itschris]

I just noticed something... all you guys are talking about hockey... and I keep talking about figure skating.

COMMENCE NUT CHECK!

 

[darien87]

I just noticed something... all you guys are talking about hockey... and I keep talking about figure skating.

COMMENCE NUT CHECK!

That's okay dude, I'm not into either sport. But I did enjoy the movie "Miracle".

Let me know when Ohno's back on the ice for the 500m and the 5,000m relay.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I just noticed something... all you guys are talking about hockey... and I keep talking about figure skating.

COMMENCE NUT CHECK!

Hmmm, good idea. I certainly admire the athleticism of figure skating, but it doesn't really appeal to me. I do have to put in a word for Joannie Rochette who will skate tonight despite the fact that her mother just died a couple of days ago. That's what you call "intestinal fortitude".

 

[darien87]

Tron 2.0

What's with the Australian speed skating suits? Looks like something from Tron.

 

[Sheep]

So it's just TLS guy and Myself enjoying the Olympics in person? Man, I've been partying all weekend. Suuuuccccckkkkkeeeeerrrrrrrsssssss.

SheepStar

 

[GO-NAD!]

So it's just TLS guy and Myself enjoying the Olympics in person? Man, I've been partying all weekend. Suuuuccccckkkkkeeeeerrrrrrrsssssss.

SheepStar

You must be partying hard buddy - it's Wednesday. The "weekend" is just a distant memory to us working stiffs...

"Smarta** Ba****d", he mutters to himself....

 

[jostenmeat]

Hmmm, good idea. I certainly admire the athleticism of figure skating, but it doesn't really appeal to me. I do have to put in a word for Joannie Rochette who will skate tonight despite the fact that her mother just died a couple of days ago. That's what you call "intestinal fortitude".

What a moving performance. Even the NBC sportscaster Scott Hamilton was very choked up. I was impressed upon how the artistic element, in this case, really came through. I don't think she could impress her emotions, so profoundly, had she been speed skating instead. Just a subjective observation. I mean, it was really hard not to be moved. I watched with friends, and I think that perhaps all of us were kind of expecting her score to beat everyone else's. However, I do not know what types of jumps she implemented, how difficult they were, and how those were scored. If anyone missed it, take my word for it, it was very moving.

Too bad that Bode veered off the course.

Now it's time to call my friend to see if he's recording the US hockey game!