Olympics Day 3: Misplaced Arrogance

I intentionally did not write last night because the post would have consisted something like this, "Canadians are annoying idiots." And that would have been it. A little bit of uncomfortable sleep has made me a bit more verbose and perhaps a little nicer.

Let me take you in the way back machine to Wednesday when the Americans played the Swiss and won 3-1 in regulation. Canadians talked trash about how their team blew out Norway and would destroy the Swiss. Advance the timeframe a bit when the U.S. 'only' beat Norge 6-1 and Canadians talked trash about how the U.S. wasn't as good as their team. After the Americans cleared off the ice, Canada took on Switzerland and beat them 3-2 in a shootout. In a shootout.

And you know what? Yep, the Canadians talked trash. Seriously? Your team needed a skills competition to defeat the Swiss and yet you can slur the Americans? Yeah, ok. As another American said to me, the Canadians are 'our bratty little brothers that barely count.' They are envious of us (look at that medal count at the Olympics held on their soil) while we really don't dislike them. I don't know about you, but even with 2002 considered, I still see the Russians as our rivals. I don't know, you tell me ...

The United States faces Canada on Sunday. Some other quick notes on yesterday:

*There was a good amount of U.S. fans in the building during the Norway game but we were outnumbered by obnoxious neighbors to the north rooting for American injuries and embarrassment. Stay classy Canada.

*Abraham Lincoln took in the game. Well, not him but a really close properly-bearded doppelganger wearing a stovepipe cap, Team USA sweater with #16 and LINCOLN on the back. Awesomeness.

*During that game Chris Drury scored. And I cheered. He is a lot less loathsome when he isn't being paid seven million bucks. Here expectations are different as he is the 13th forward. He isn't being the worst captain in the 86 year history of a proud franchise. He is the 13th forward who comes in to add energy and a penalty killing. And he is pretty decent at that. So when his contract runs out in the summer of 2012, some other team should go after him - give him a league minimum deal and he happy with the results.

*For the second straight day the Slovakians helped provide a great atmosphere inside Canada Hockey Place. There wasn't as much vitriol with the Russians as there was with the Czechs but both sides showed passion as their teams met in an incredibly exciting game. The Slovaks shockingly prevailed in extra rounds of a shootout where Alexander Ovechkin - of all people - went just one for three. Talk about shocking. And I was a bit surprised that the Slovaks only gave Marian Gaborik one opportunity but having Canuck Pavol Demitra score the winner in Vancouver was pretty impressive.

*Even with the win by the skin of their teeth, Canadians were out in force on Granville Street last night. Imagine a massive frat party filled with drunken children and you have a close idea of what it was like. Hopefully it will be much more low key Sunday night, a sad atmosphere of crestfallen kids drowning their sorrows in alcohol. Hopefully.

Well, today is my last day here in Vancouver and I have a ticket to just one game - Czech Republic vs. Latvia - but I think I will try to get myself one to see Hank one more time as the Swedes open the day against Belarus. As long as Tommy Salo doesn't show up, the Swedes should be ok. Look forward to finding out!

V2010: Canada

Amid great fanfare earlier this week, Hockey Canada released the roster of players that will face an insane amount of pressure in Vancouver. I didn't promptly post this report, sorry, but what is there to say?

They are who we thought they were! And that sucks because we all thought they would be really good. This team will challenge for the gold with a balanced attack, a rock solid defense and some pretty damned good goaltenders. As well as Mmmaarrrtttyyy.

Fatso should be back in net but I am still holding out hope that he will be supplanted by Roberto Luongo as the starter. Mmmaaarrrtttyyy will certainly get at least one start against one of the cupcakes and all of the Devil fans will be able to touch themselves in glee as their boy looks good on an international stage. Against some poor team, with the best defensive corps on the planet. What a star. Greatest goaltender evarrrr, amiright?? /sarcasm

Actually, and I am loathe to say it, the Day-Glo smile of Marc-Andre Fleury could very well be the one that deserves to be beaming from Vancouver as he has been the best of the three goaltenders from what I've seen so far this season. Too bad reputation will give Tubby the advantage. Much like it gave him the Vezina in 2008.

While the Russians will have a slight edge with pure scoring talent, from top to bottom the Canadians are far better. Their "grit" guys Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow and Mike Richards are all NHL captains and all can put the puck in the net. Four of the five guys on the Sharks power play then Getzlaf and Perry, Cindy and Nash ... the only guy I have any issue with is Patrice Bergeron. My conspiracy theory is that Hockey Canada wanted another French Canadian on the roster so the Bruin gets the call. They can play him out of position where they wouldn't do that to Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis is getting past his prime and Steve Stamkos isn't yet near his. The guy I would have picked in Bergeron's place? Shane Doan. The guy excels in all areas, is leading the upstart Coyotes to a helluva season and has already played his guts out for the red and white. Ah well.

Some of the pundits cried foul over Drew Doughty as the seventh defenseman but let's face it, the kid is there to learn, not to play. Not with Niedermayer/Pronger, Seabrook/Keith and Weber/Boyle making a near-perfect unit. One pairing of former teammates, one of current teammates and Weber - a shooter - with Boyle - a passer.

The Canadians should start off the tournament right by blowing out Norway on the 16th and Switzerland on the 18th. They close out the opening round against the Americans on the 21st but, by then, the game may not be for much more than pride. And even then, that is all the Americans will be playing for given their roster but that is for a future post. I would go so far as to say that the gold is Canada's to lose. Booooo.

Just Make It Stop!

Ok, so on this very blog earlier in the month I wrote that this Canada/Russia Super Series was a good thing:

Somehow none of our (the Rangers) Canadian kids made the team but that is alright, less of a chance for injury. For Cherry and Double-A its good as they will finally get some exposure that they weren't able to get playing in the Motherland.

Wow, I was right about part of that. Less of a chance for the Rangers' Canadian prospects to get hurt ... but the exposure that the Russian kids Cherry and Double-A have gotten has been absolutely horrid. Artem Ansimov and the rest of the Russians were outclassed from the drop of the puck. Not only have the Canadians showed more talent, but they have been hammering the Reds physically. Most notably, the newest Sutter almost killed Cherry with this hit:

As awesome of a check that was, the kid that got levelled was one of the Rangers prospects so I'm pissed! I don't know if its the needlessness of it all (this series is proving to be pointless) or the fact that Sutter lined him up from the blue line so he clearly intended to injure.

The move is being compared to when Bobby Clarke slashed Valeri Kharlamov back in the '70s version of this match-up. But Clarke's dirty play was an attempt to reignite his team and get them back in the series after the team (and all of Canada) was being embarrassed. When Sutter did it, Canada was already up a game and winning Game 2. Also, back then there was the Cold War and the 'danger' of the Soviet bloc; now it is just a exhibition tournament between high school kids.

While I don't think it deserved more than the two minute minor from the refs, the Canadians know that the proper retribution won't be coming as the Russians are soft. They will continue to pummel them, win all eight games and then what? There is no pride in being a bully and throwing the little kid into his locker. When Paul Henderson scored his goal and Canada won back in 72, at least it reassured the Canadians that hockey was 'their sport.' They beat the scary Commies who threatened their game and made them look stupid while doing it.

Thirty-five years later the globalization of the game has been accepted so there is nothing to gain for pulling out all the stops to win. Draft values won't raise and the upcoming season is now in jeopardy for at least Cherry and who knows how many other Russians by the end of the eight games. Is Canada's need for reassurance that they are still good at hockey worth the careers of top NHL prospects?

I don't think so. Congrats Canucks, you won four games, now its time to call it a day. They won't, of course, as the last four games will be in Canada and there is a ton of revenue to be had, but they need to either play a more responsible game or the Russians need to wrestle up some ice skating bears to beat the shit out of them.

It's Friday and Still Summer

How depressing, but not as terrible as the new jerseys unveiled in Nashville for the Predators. This 'sleek' new design with piping better not ruin the classic look at the red, white and blue of the Rangers as well as the other Original Six designs. Not to mention how dopey the Pred players look in the picture ... then again, no one will see them as they play hockey in Nashville. Goddammit.

On another note, Alexei Yashin will spend this upcoming season in Russia. As a fan of the Rangers, I will miss him - he was yet another great target on the wide ass of the Islanders. An interesting note from NHL.com, "His departure means Ottawa's first two first-round picks in franchise history are no longer in the NHL, Yashin going second overall in the 1992 NHL entry draft and Alexandre Daigle - now playing in Davos, Switzerland - chosen first overall in 1993 by the Senators." Daigle had 61 points in 44 games with the Swiss squad last year ... why couldn't he do that for us? The soft skillster had 26 points in 58 games back in 99-00 and his light on the defense but high on the dipsy-doo might work in the NHL finally. Who knows? And you know, who cares? Ottawa went on to draft Marian Hossa, Jason Spezza, etc. so I think they recovered from their losses. Now if one of the Rangers prospects could only turn into a superstar ...

And turning away from Yashin to some more communists, the Russia/Canada superseries coming up this summer is an awesome idea but could prove to be terrible. What happens if Ansimov or Cherry gets hurt?? I know Russian coach Sergei Nemchinov, our classic No. 13, will look out for them as a favour to his old organization but still - it isn't worth the risk ... and just fyi, there are no Ranger draft picks currently on the Canadian roster.

Ok, I think that covers the good news of the day, I have to get back to the bad news of the real world ... damn job. Someone please pay me to do this!