Winter Olympics 2010 Vancouver

[Chuck Nessa]

I like curling.

[Teasing the Korean]

The homoerotic aspects are admittedly hard to resist.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Nice hip check that the Swiss player laid on the Ryan in the 2nd period. Don't see many good ones like that anymore.

[ryecl]

As a norwegian I will have to hope Norway beats Canada in the curling final and gets the gold medal as they did in the 2002 olympics. Though no one in Norway knows anything about curling or about the team which is involved. I have to say I love our jeans though

Edited February 25, 2010 by Hannibal

[Dave James]

Nice hip check that the Swiss player laid on the Ryan in the 2nd period. Don't see many good ones like that anymore.

Reminded me of old time hockey. The lost art of the well-timed hip check, preferably of the open ice variety. Takes me back to halcyon days of Doug Harvey, Leo Boivin and Tim Horton. What those guys did was almost a science. Not the kind of find 'em with their heads down and tee off thuggery of a Scott Stevens.

[papsrus]

Canada absolutely destroyed Russia in hockey tonight. Knowing the history of that rivalry -- not just in Olympic Games, but going all the way back to the Summit Series and subsequent Canada Cup series -- and the fact that this was an elimination game, you can take the pressure that was on the Canadians when they played the USA and multiply it by about 10 for that Russia game. ... They rose to the occasion and look like they are gelling as a team.

[Dave James]

Canada absolutely destroyed Russia in hockey tonight. Knowing the history of that rivalry -- not just in Olympic Games, but going all the way back to the Summit Series and subsequent Canada Cup series -- and the fact that this was an elimination game, you can take the pressure that was on the Canadians when they played the USA and multiply it by about 10 for that Russia game. ... They rose to the occasion and look like they are gelling as a team.

With all due respect to the Canadian men's hockey team, I don't think you can discuss what happened tonight in the context of the history that exists between these two teams. The Russian club used to be made up the very best players from all over the Soviet Union whereas now, it's divided into four different teams; one from Belarus, Slovakia, Latvia and what's known as the Russian Federation, the Alexander Ovechkin led team that Canada beat tonight. This would be like Canada having one team from Quebec, one from Ottawa, one from Manitoba etc. etc. Now if you could wave a magic wand and create an all-star team from the remnants of the old Soviet Union and Canada beat them like they did tonight, then it might rise to the level of some of the near mythical confrontations involving these two hockey teams.

[papsrus]

Canada absolutely destroyed Russia in hockey tonight. Knowing the history of that rivalry -- not just in Olympic Games, but going all the way back to the Summit Series and subsequent Canada Cup series -- and the fact that this was an elimination game, you can take the pressure that was on the Canadians when they played the USA and multiply it by about 10 for that Russia game. ... They rose to the occasion and look like they are gelling as a team.

With all due respect to the Canadian men's hockey team, I don't think you can discuss what happened tonight in the context of the history that exists between these two teams. The Russian club used to be made up the very best players from all over the Soviet Union whereas now, it's divided into four different teams; one from Belarus, Slovakia, Latvia and what's known as the Russian Federation, the Alexander Ovechkin led team that Canada beat tonight. This would be like Canada having one team from Quebec, one from Ottawa, one from Manitoba etc. etc. Now if you could wave a magic wand and create an all-star team from the remnants of the old Soviet Union and Canada beat them like they did tonight, then it might rise to the level of some of the near mythical confrontations involving these two hockey teams.

True, the Russian teams since the breakup of the Soviet Union have not been anywhere near as good as the old Red Machine. I think that has as much to do with changes in the way they assemble and prepare the team as it does with their talent pool. They've got talented players. But no longer do they stay together as a team, practicing and playing together for years on end. Now they're put together as an all-star team just as North American teams have been for decades.

But that Russian team, on paper, looked like a damn good squad. Some figured them to be the favorites in this tournament. And Canada was a little bit shaky up until last night. ... Complete butt whipping. You could see Canada just break the will of the Russians, who had no answer.

The defending gold-medalist Swedes were also eliminated last night. Maybe not as much of a surprise as Russia getting bounced the way they were, but now it's really looking like it could be a U.S.-Canada rematch for the gold.

[Dave James]

A U.S. Canada gold medal final would be as good as it gets. My fingers are crossed. I'm not sure I'd have a dog in that fight, as I'm a fan of both squads, but the intensity level, the media build-up, and the fact that Canadian national pride is on the line, would make this an awesome match-up.

[GregK]

Canada absolutely destroyed Russia in hockey tonight. Knowing the history of that rivalry -- not just in Olympic Games, but going all the way back to the Summit Series and subsequent Canada Cup series -- and the fact that this was an elimination game, you can take the pressure that was on the Canadians when they played the USA and multiply it by about 10 for that Russia game. ... They rose to the occasion and look like they are gelling as a team.

With all due respect to the Canadian men's hockey team, I don't think you can discuss what happened tonight in the context of the history that exists between these two teams. The Russian club used to be made up the very best players from all over the Soviet Union whereas now, it's divided into four different teams; one from Belarus, Slovakia, Latvia and what's known as the Russian Federation, the Alexander Ovechkin led team that Canada beat tonight. This would be like Canada having one team from Quebec, one from Ottawa, one from Manitoba etc. etc. Now if you could wave a magic wand and create an all-star team from the remnants of the old Soviet Union and Canada beat them like they did tonight, then it might rise to the level of some of the near mythical confrontations involving these two hockey teams.

Not exactly. Not all of the Russian players are Russian. Some are Ukranian, Kazakh, and others. They are "incentivized" to play for Russia rather than their own country, according to someone who used to live in the Soviet Union and now follows former Soviet athletes from America.

[Van Basten II]

Care usually little about figure skating but the performance by the Korean girl was impressive even to someone who does not follow the sport, let's hope Joannie skates an error free program.

[Van Basten II]

Was not error free but she did it, a bronze that is worth gold considering what happened to her.

Edited February 26, 2010 by Van Basten II

[JSngry]

Care usually little about figure skating but the performance by the Korean girl was impressive even to someone who does not follow the sport...

Kim Yu-Na, yeah...same hear, I care next to nothing about the sport, but still....that was one of the most continuously graceful, musical things I've ever seen in my life.

[Dave James]

You guys are money. The Korean gal took the gold.

[Van Basten II]

Short track speed skating is the kind of sport that makes the Olympics look idiotic. It is basically roller-derby on ice.

[Van Basten II]

Slovakian team was that close to send the game into overtime.

[Dave James]

The last minute or so of Canada Slovakia was nuts. So many good chances. How Demitra missed that shot I'll never know. I'd already chalked it up. He's been so rock solid throughout the tournament, you just figured there's no way he could miss. That's hockey.

The gold medal game is going to come down to goaltending. If I was Canada, that would concern me. Luongo hasn't been the kind of shut down goalie they hoped they might be getting when he replaced Brodeur, but for the U.S., Ryan Miller has been lights out. My prediction? U.S.A., 4-2.

One other thought. Is there a better national anthem than O, Canada?

[Van Basten II]

Well for starters the French and the old USSR one, , it is a question of taste but I also always get a kick listening to the Italian anthem which has little of the pump that these musical pieces usually have.

The Canadian team has been on the schizophrenic side, so it's been pretty tough to know which team that will show up even in the same game, the dominant and motivated team of the first period or the "fat cat" one of the third. Agreed about the goaltender evaluation but no so sure it will make the difference. Collective play will do, the team that beat the Russia looked invicible, will this team show up ?

[Dave James]

Four hours to Wampner. I'm wound up tighter than a 10 day clock.

[Van Basten II]

Went out to see a movie this afternoon, managed to remain spoiler free about the result of the hockey game, planning to watch it tonight. A guy from an environmental group at the door while giving his sale speech actually asks me if the overtime is over thus ruining the game or at least the regular time

Think, I'll go buy a fuckin' Hummer tomorrow.

Edited March 1, 2010 by Van Basten II

[Brad]

Yeah, that's happened to me. The best laid plans.....

[Free For All]

The closing ceremonies were a little strange, but I did enjoy hearing Bob Costas get to say "the always enjoyable giant inflatable beaver".

[thelbc]

the guy who scored the winner for the canucks looks like the kid in the Mystery, Alsaka movie....LMAO

[Van Basten II]

I pity the hockey fans who will now have to go back to the crappy product offered by the NHL.

[papsrus]

I miss curling.