Canada wins Gold in 2010 Winter Olympics
by Mr. Plank on Feb 28, 2010 4:16 PM PST
in Winter Olympics
66 comments
Winning isn't everything. It's the only thing.
That much was evident today as the IOC handed out silver medals to Team USA. Joe Pavelski looked as if someone had just told his mother to buzz off; Zach Parise's eyes indicated a desire to use his medal for skeet shooting on Monday morning. The pain was palpable. It was everything.
And yet, as a hockey fan, it is hard to imagine the 23 players composing Team USA's roster will feel the same way in two months time. What they did these past two weeks was extraordinary-- undefeated up until the Gold Medal game, a team that wasn't ever supposed to be here to begin with. Heart. Youth. Physicality. Speed. Goaltending.
The kids will be alright.
Despite the loss, United States Hockey is on the up and up. A victory over Canada in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey set the sphere in motion, the WJC's two months ago kept it rolling, and today's gritty comeback against the Canadians solidified it's trajectory. The youngest team in this year's Olympic Games has a lot to be proud of, and for a country that has always played second fiddle to it's northern brother on the ice, it is refreshing to see. All the country needs now is continued support of youth programs across the United States and a decent television deal to garner further support. Grow the game at the grassroots level. Hockey will never reach the level of love it receives in Canada, but there will be a day when it enters into the same ballpark. Today has done a lot in that regard. This was important.
Congratulations to Team Canada, all of the fans who flooded Vancouver for the game, and most importantly, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle, Joe Thornton, and Dany Heatley. Your pleasure may be my pain today, but there will be a moment when that dissipates and I look back on this fondly.
And thank you, Team USA. From Ryan Miller to Joe Pavelski, you showed heart and courage in the face of unrelenting odds. I am proud to be an American today, proud to be an American hockey fan, and proud that my country has a bright future ahead of it in the international arena.
Winning is everything. But maybe, just maybe, it's not the only thing.
Go USA.
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Nice write up.
But if this doesn’t translate to a Sharks cup I’m done defending The HTML.
by skilletboy on Feb 28, 2010 4:23 PM PST via mobile reply actions
All Truth.
Your words are beautiful Plank. Thanks.
"Boys only voluntarily hug when someone scores."
"Hockey players wear numbers because you can’t always identify the body with dental records."—Anonymous
Good points, Plank.
Hopefully this translates to hockey in the US getting more attention. I also believe that this team, if kept mainly intact and Burkie is still the GM, has to be one of the favorites going into Sochi in 2014.
Proud member of the "Don't Trade Marleau" club.
Fear the Fin: Where Sharks Fans Aren't Like Other Sharks Fans.
by SharksFanEst.1994 on Feb 28, 2010 4:26 PM PST reply actions
No NHL players in Sochi....
I’m done with this allegiance mixing. NHL contracts come first.
My opinion.
by skilletboy on Feb 28, 2010 4:31 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I don’t care about the contracts because that’s not putting a single extra dollar in my pocket.
I think the game of hockey is more important. What we’ve seen here in the last two weeks is what hockey needs more of – pure hockey.
I’m already dreading how boring the rest of the regular season will look like compared to the quality of Olympic hockey.
Ultimately, I’m a fan of hockey over any specific team allegiances. It is the greatest game in the world, and to rob myself of enjoying a beautiful play just because my team may have been the victim has never clicked with me.
I understand where you are coming from, and have heard many others make the case for not going to Sochi. They are all strong points.
However, I will never sit in my seat and criticize the decision to let someone play for their country. The sporting industry is obsessed enough with the neverending quest for profits.
The Olympics are pure. They are beautiful. And ultimately, they are what this game is all about.
"San Jose is where I want to be at the end of the day, and there's an opportunity now to make it there. It is where my heart is." - Jamie McGinn, 2/22/10
Fear The Fin: Where Selling Your Soul Is The Likely Solution
If we wanted a pure game then sending professionals would be the wrong direction. It would be more pure to send college players or other amateurs.
I agree partly with you. I love The game of hockey. But I love San Jose and the bay area more. I think playing for the Sharks should get priority.
by skilletboy on Feb 28, 2010 4:47 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
It’s not like the Sharks players left the Sharks playing without them for two weeks. If you hadn’t noticed, the Sharks haven’t been playing. This hadn’t affected the Sharks at all. If anything, winning medals for some of our key players will help them down the stretch.
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Feb 28, 2010 4:50 PM PST up reply actions
It better help them. Cause I’m getting really tired of defending them and taking tons of heat for them.
by skilletboy on Feb 28, 2010 6:42 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I disagree. The Olympic hockey tournaments have been phenomenal since they abandoned the bogus amateur’s-only rule. Such great hockey, though and through.
It would be a gigantic step backward to send Canadian and American junior/college players to Sochi.
I agree. The Olympics should be the best players in the world. Period.
I don’t want to watch a every-four-years version of the World Juniors on top of the World Juniors.
"Shave it, and you will score." - Randy Hahn
Proud member of the "Don't Trade Marleau" Club
I completely disagree. They just happen to play hockey for a living because they’re the best in the game, but the fact that they are professionals doesn’t make them any less worthy of playing for their countries. They’re the best players in the world, plain and simple. So long as they’re able to separate the two (i.e. the Sharks Olympians resuming play with no hard feelings), what’s the downside? I see none.
Team USA played tremendously and should be proud of themselves. Silver is still something to be proud of.
And again, Congrats to Canada.
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin
by ang6666 on Feb 28, 2010 4:28 PM PST reply actions
All the country needs now is continued support of youth programs across the United States and a decent television deal to garner further support. Grow the game at the grassroots level.
I’ll tell you what USA needs to make all this happen – another Winter Olympics on American soil.
The only gold US won was that on its home soil. And it’s no wonder that after each winter Olympics in the US there has been a major resurgence of following of hockey. What we’re seeing here is a new generation of players who grew up watching US compete against Canada in SLC. I hope Bettman realizes that it’s the success at the Olympics that brings all the new fans to hockey, and not moving the teams to Phoenix, Atlanta and Columbus.
One simple reason for the sucess – money. When any country hosts Olympic games, huge major cash flow into sports precedes and follows it. Look at China. Look at how well US did at these Olympics with so many medalists training in world class facilities in Utah that did not exist before.
For these reasons, I’m glad the next games are held where they’re held. It’s even better that Russian athletes failed how they failed in just about all sports. Putin will meet with Fetisov soon and I can guarantee the budget for Olympic sports will double and we’ll see the results of that for decades.
Money helps, but Canada spent about 3 times what the US spent for their training programs, and the US will likely “win” the medal count. (Medal counts are lame, IMO, but there you go.) You can’t just throw money at it.
As far as growing the sport of hockey, I think we may have hit the ceiling here in the US in terms of popularity. There are more rinks now than ever, and more youth hockey programs. The NHL has done an OK job of moving into alternative broadcasting markets at a time when a few broadcast channels have given way to specialty niche channels.
But numbers don’t lie. Americans will tune into a single, occasional, big-ticket game, like this gold medal game and the game vs. Canada last week. But they won’t watch 82 a year plus the playoffs. Being on ESPN/ESPN2 didn’t result in big ratings, and as frustrating as it was, the World Strongest Northern Europeans Named Magnus carrying a sack of ball bearings 20 meters on a beach somewhere got more eyeballs.
We’re the biggest niche sport in the US. Or we’re the smallest big-time professional sport. That’s what we’re likely be for as long as I am alive.
swiss is interestingt, they where far behind germany in the early 90 tees, and then they developed the sport, created a really good league and it took 13 years to show that surprising performances in vancouver.
hockey is now one of the biggest sports there now.
by Christoph Wollmann on Feb 28, 2010 5:44 PM PST up reply actions
I know nothing really about Switzerland, apart from visiting the Berner Oberland once (and goddamn, what a beautiful place…), but I imagine a country with such a deep love of winter sports would find hockey an easy sell. Plus you Swiss love physical exercise. I’m in reasonable shape, but hiking in the Alps meant being consistently passed by cheerful, ruddy 75 year olds hiking parties. Meanwhile, here in the US we have developed technology to put cheese in the crusts of their pizzas. USA! USA!
It was 70 degrees and the sun was shining here in San Francisco. Playing hockey here in the Bay Area means joining a league, driving a ways to the rink, and playing at 10 PM on a Tuesday night. Not to mention the expense of equipment, renting ice time, all that.
I’m going to have my first kid, a son, in May. If I want to go shoot pucks with him, I’ll have to really, really plan. But if I want to go play catch, or pass the soccer ball back and forth, or shoot hoops with him, we can do that practically anywhere.
oh, i’m not swiss, i’m from germany, that is a hockey desert. a league full of third class north americans. although there are more then 10 000 people in the stadiums, this year in the world cup opener against usa, more then 60 000 in a soccer stadium(world record for hockey games).but no one knows uwe krupp hereand i had to watch the final alone tonight. maybe the coach of switzerland comes to germany and changes everything.
by Christoph Wollmann on Feb 28, 2010 6:07 PM PST up reply actions
I’m pretty heartbroken right now. Seeing the US tie it up with 24 seconds left really got me buzzing…hoping they could pull it out! And then, for Canada to score like they did, and with who it was who scored it (we’ll never, EVER hear the end of this)…well, its almost too much.
That being said, I’m really happy for Patrick Marleau. Dude was a force all tournament. Just a steady force. When no one else showed up for Canada, Marleau did. In my eyes, he was their MVP.
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
I'm heartbroken for what it could have done for U.S. hockey
Like Miller said in his post game. Now it’s “just another hockey game.”
by ToddMclellan'shair on Feb 28, 2010 4:47 PM PST up reply actions
Same…I thought that mentally, we had an enormous, even insurmountable, advantage going into the OT period. The Canadian players had definitely started celebrating, if not visibly, and I think had pretty much assumed that the game was over when we tied it up.
I was talking to a friend in Calgary while they were cleaning the ice up for OT, and he had resigned himself to Canada losing in OT. In fact, he was sure of it.
he’s part of the Team Canada … you’ll have to accept that … :)
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin
by ang6666 on Feb 28, 2010 5:11 PM PST up reply actions
Still a douche, he is.
Proud member of the "Don't Trade Marleau" club.
Fear the Fin: Where Sharks Fans Aren't Like Other Sharks Fans.
by SharksFanEst.1994 on Feb 28, 2010 6:24 PM PST up reply actions
Earlier I was talking to myself...
(What? is that weird?)
and I was trying to figure out a way Corey Perry could lose his “douche” title. Is curing cancer enough?
"I think people were ready to watch some hockey. We took up enough of everyone’s time."
-Jody Shelley after 87 seconds of hockey fighting against Cam Janssen
Nope, that's not weird.
I think curing cancer would be enough to break the douche title. I do not see that happening anytime soon though….
Proud member of the "Don't Trade Marleau" club.
Fear the Fin: Where Sharks Fans Aren't Like Other Sharks Fans.
by SharksFanEst.1994 on Feb 28, 2010 6:35 PM PST up reply actions
First, he’d have to become a Shark. Then, immediately upon getting to San Jose, he would have to make a public apology to Nabby for being a huge douche to him, and then make a heartfelt appeal to Sharks fans everywhere for us to accept him. At that point he will be on douchebag probation. Once that happens, he can play for us, but we still get to boo him mercilessly. While playing for us, he would have to score a minimum of 3 goals a game, every game, through the playoffs, and win the Conn Smythe in helping San Jose get a stanley cup…while at the same time not participating in any douchy behavior.
At that point, he may work his way to neutral. At best.
Or he could cure cancer, I guess. At least he wouldn’t be playing hockey anymore.
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Feb 28, 2010 7:00 PM PST up reply actions
Checking in from Vancouver
I texted Swisher at one point during the game saying “Know a good cardiologist?” I am a bit sad, I’ll be honest. The US was in this game the whole way through. They had a lack of execution in their own end for the 3 goals against, and the PP was not particularly good, but they never had a lack of heart.
Ryan Kessler is one of my new favorite players. Guy stepped up his game the whole way through. Played with nothing but heart. Ryan Miller proved he is the best goaltender in the world at this moment. Team USA MVP. Bar None. Chris Drury has not had a good stint in New York, but for the US, he’s been solid gold. He did exactly what he was brought here to do: fill a role and make the best of his ice time. Zach Parise, clutch. Joe Pavelski. Stud.
I’m so darned proud of this team. They never ever ever gave up. The Sharks have driven me to madness this season because they go through stretches where I can’t figure out if they care. I never had that problem with this team. Outstanding representatives of our country.
Sidney Crosby, what can you say. For all we rag on him, deservedly so at times, guy scored the biggest goal for his country in perhaps the past 20 years. Heatley didn’t do it, Marleau didn’t do it, Thornton didn’t do it. Sidney Crosby DID. That, in the end, is what separates winning from losing: doing. Joe Pavelski now knows this. I’ll look to him to push his teammates in that regard.
This is going to sound sacriligious, but the Perry-Getzlaf-Morrow line, was the best line in the world tonight. They DOMINATED, and Mike Babcock finally rewarded them with top line minutes. It served Canada well.
Scott Niedermayer was a gorram force of nature tonight. Guy won ever puck battle along the boards. He’s not a champion at all levels and a future hall of famer for nothing.
I walked through Yaletown sporting my flag, giving the Canadians someone to laugh and point at. A few did. But mostly, they were friendly and in good spirits. It helped that I could actually talk hockey and wasn’t a drunk, belligerent, stereotypical American. I was proud to wear that flag, because the men in blue represented it with such fire and class out on the ice.
I’m hurting, but proud right now. USA.
They're not getting this kind of coverage at "Hockey Night In Canada" folks! - Randy Hahn
YES!
I’m glad they’re being good to you and you had an amazing time. We here obviously did too and it still hurts but you’re safe and its all gravy….come home with pictures!! :D Make Canadian friends!!
"Boys only voluntarily hug when someone scores."
"Hockey players wear numbers because you can’t always identify the body with dental records."—Anonymous
by mssjsclowie29 on Feb 28, 2010 5:41 PM PST up reply actions
2 weeks of hockey with no fighting
I’ve always been a fan of a good hockey fight. But watching this amazing tournament has made me wonder if, maybe, just maybe, hockey would be a little bit better off without the goons.
I’ll probably feel differently the next time I see somebody take a cheapshot at one of our Sharks, but still…
"It's not so much me as it's Roenick."
A few points:
First, these are the best players in the world. For the most part, skill players aren’t going to fight.
Second, getting rid of fighting would have to be coupled with a zero tolerance policy for head shots and intent to injure, just like the international game has. If you make it completely disadvantageous for players to take cheap shots at players, fighting will go away on its own. Until then, there needs to be some sort of protection.
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Feb 28, 2010 5:03 PM PST up reply actions
To add:
We already saw the US involved in a few little scrums from playing an opponent once. If they’ve been playing multiple games against the same teams they would HATE each other and have to take out the anger somehow. Better in a fight than a cheap shot.
"I think people were ready to watch some hockey. We took up enough of everyone’s time."
-Jody Shelley after 87 seconds of hockey fighting against Cam Janssen
first, nice words plank.
the final was great, congratulations to canada, and of course crosby is a great player(not more, but not less), the hype is just because of the young russian superstars who came to the nhl, canada just needs one too.
russia was the biggest disapointment of the games, and as a fan of european hockey it was not really a highlight.
they have to start junior programs as fast as possible, there is not the quality the teams had in the 90tees and first half of the last decade.
in the juniors, north american teams, first canada and now as the us program pays off, usa dominate hopelessly. i’m sad about it, no team, exept slovakia could convince, but it seems their time is over.
usa has a great future if they continue, they deserved it allready tonight, i wanted them to win too. a heartbreaking result.
nhl schould definately send the players to sotchi, it’s only good for hockey to be in the spotlight.
by Christoph Wollmann on Feb 28, 2010 5:18 PM PST reply actions
Nicely said Plank.
resident cartoonist @CouchTarts Lightning is seven times as hot as the surface of the sun.
That’s still not as hot as Douglas Murray. -mymclife
Curse you
for putting things in perspective…
Go, Sharks
by Section223 on Feb 28, 2010 5:30 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Great game
Tough to be happy with losing, but I imagine we all would have taken silver for USA at the start of the Olympics.
Juan Carlos Perez, please start hitting.
Good point. Going in, we would have been happy with Bronze. We had zero expectations. But it was tough to lose to the Canadians for gold…especially after clawing our way back to a tie. With time, we’ll gain the proper perspective.
Winning gold and the Cup in the same year will be quite the thrill for 4 of our Sharks.
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Feb 28, 2010 9:36 PM PST up reply actions
part of my heart broke for the boys before/during/after medal ceremony… but a part of me was so proud of them for being that upset, and for wanting more than what others told them was possible.
Me too, and well said!
Very nice read Plank!
"What an idiot" - Craig Rivet
"Al Stalock, his reflexes are so good he can smell a fart before someone even lays one"
by sharkiesgirl on Mar 1, 2010 10:26 AM PST up reply actions
Great Run
I’m very happy with the effort of Team USA, too bad it fell short. The goal to tie the game was great, but in the end Canada was a little too much to overcome. Against all odds though, our guys showed up and played big all tourney long and needed an extra period before they were beaten.
Way to go Team USA!!!
No more raining on Bruins Nation's rainy parade, they took their ball and went home.
USA USA USA. Great run! Congrats Pavs!
Happy to see 4 Sharks win gold, but I think I’m going to be mumbling in my sleep tonight:
whhhydidithavetobecrosbyyyywhycrosbywhhyyyzzzzz fuuuu
"Sorry guys, I’m not going to try and hit (Douglas) Murray anymore. It doesn’t work." - Steve Ott, Dallas Stars.
by SwisherThresher on Feb 28, 2010 9:35 PM PST reply actions
Luckily, being Sharks fans watching CSN California, we’ll get to hear about how well the Sharks played. Shouldn’t have to hear too much about Cindy…
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Feb 28, 2010 9:37 PM PST up reply actions
Have you seen this?
Knob Hockey: Battle of Pennsylvania
It was brought to my attention after the game today
(Wheeew!)
"Sorry guys, I’m not going to try and hit (Douglas) Murray anymore. It doesn’t work." - Steve Ott, Dallas Stars.
by SwisherThresher on Feb 28, 2010 9:46 PM PST up reply actions
Hahahahaha!
Thank you for that!
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Feb 28, 2010 10:19 PM PST up reply actions
Not trying to be a party pooper here, but Knob Hockey really went downhill two playoffs ago. Here’s one of my all-time favorites from the early days.
I can’t seem to find the “Ey Pisani!” one, which is all sorts of awesome, but I’m trying.
"San Jose is where I want to be at the end of the day, and there's an opportunity now to make it there. It is where my heart is." - Jamie McGinn, 2/22/10
Fear The Fin: Where Selling Your Soul Is The Likely Solution
Here’s a load of them from Heavy, but I still can’t find Pisani.
Behind The Mask With Bryzgalov is funny as shit hahaha.
"San Jose is where I want to be at the end of the day, and there's an opportunity now to make it there. It is where my heart is." - Jamie McGinn, 2/22/10
Fear The Fin: Where Selling Your Soul Is The Likely Solution
I really enjoyed the Chris Pronger 2007 Stanley Cup Finals one…Here
“Because if we don’t do this, if we don’t dig deep, that cup, Lord Stanley’s Cup, the most coveted trophy in all of sports, will go to Canada!”
“Hey, isn’t Pronger from Canada?”
“Shut up dickweed, he’s on a roll!”
The whole thing just had me laughing.
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Feb 28, 2010 11:09 PM PST up reply actions
Three Words
Giant Inflatable Beavers.
resident cartoonist @CouchTarts Lightning is seven times as hot as the surface of the sun.
That’s still not as hot as Douglas Murray. -mymclife
The finale of the closing ceremony was pretty funny, actually.
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Feb 28, 2010 10:55 PM PST up reply actions
you saw all of it?
The tape delayed the end (again!) for Marriage Ref and probably news. It’s about to come back in a few minutes. I don’t think they can top Shatner and Giant Inflatable Beavers though. No way.
resident cartoonist @CouchTarts Lightning is seven times as hot as the surface of the sun.
That’s still not as hot as Douglas Murray. -mymclife
Oh, no, I meant the finale of the telecast. The beavers and Shatner and giant hockey goons. It was hilareously epic.
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Feb 28, 2010 11:32 PM PST up reply actions
don’t forget the flying moose!
Major props to Canada for deciding to not take the normally abysmally boring closing ceremonies seriously.
resident cartoonist @CouchTarts Lightning is seven times as hot as the surface of the sun.
That’s still not as hot as Douglas Murray. -mymclife
I could have done without the mime. Then again, I could always do without mimes. And Catherine O’Hara kinda bombed. Plus the crappy Comcast DVR showed some taste by stopping the recording before it got to Nickelback et al.
As usual, all these Spectacles make me feel like I’ve consumed way too many hallucinogens and got stuck on It’s A Small World in the Canada section.
So, on a happier note
I was watching the “20 questions” they posted for the olympics and Greiss’ answer to what he’s going to do when he’s on the ice against Murray was absolutely priceless.
"Douglas Murray is a humongous human being." – Drew Remenda
for those of us who didn’t watch, what was the answer?
Ever get the feeling we are on a collision course with reality?
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security" -- Benjamin Franklin
by ang6666 on Mar 1, 2010 7:28 AM PST up reply actions
Looks like you can watch/listen here. I’m at work, so I can’t listen to it now, but if someone else can, please share what he said.
Juan Carlos Perez, please start hitting.
Whoops, sorry. It’s on the Sharks home page in their video sections.
Basically something like “I hope he gets a break away so I can just laugh at him the whole way”
"Douglas Murray is a humongous human being." – Drew Remenda
Hahaha, rather brave when Murray can’t hit you!
"I want people to be afraid of how much they love me." ~Michael Scott
by ZeroIndulgence on Mar 1, 2010 1:53 PM PST up reply actions
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