XXI Olympic Winter Olympics Games Thread

[Claudia1]

OK, for a hockey rookie, please tell me how the games will play out now. Who will play who and how many games to the gold medal game.

 

[Geoff_M]

Actually Ryan Miller rocked and Marty Brodeur didn't. But a win is a win.

While Ryan rocked, don't just pin it on Marty. Cindy was a non-factor... He was either -2 or -3 for the game. But it ain't over till it's over! Both teams fight on.

 

[EMom]

I agree, I thought it was really great. I have to say that the Russian pair's "aboriginal" number didn't do anything for me. I thought it was boring and not even close to being an authentic representation of any sort of aboriginal dance I've ever seen. At least with the US ice dancers, you could see the influence of the Indian music and hand positions and things. The Russians reminded me of a bad cartoon with the caveman dragging his bride around by her hair!

The only thing that could have made those "Aboriginal" costumes even more godawful than they already were would have been for her to have strategically placed an oversized bone on top of her head in that ponytail. Between those tacky costumes and the two of them grinning like simpletons throughout the entire routine, every Aboriginal in Australia was cringing. As a Texan, the yee-haw "tributes" were getting on my one last nerve, but compared to what those Russians did, I have nothing to complain about.

 

[DenMig]

OK, for a hockey rookie, please tell me how the games will play out now. Who will play who and how many games to the gold medal game.

Here is a crudely written bracket.


8 Switzerland
9 Belarus __________________winner vs 1 USA


5 Czech
12 Latvia __________________winner vs 4 Finland

* winner of USA game vs winner of Finland game in final 4


* SO 1 of these 6 teams will advance to the gold medal game



6 Canada
11 Germany _________________winner vs 3 Russia


7 Slovakia
10 Norway _________________winner vs 2 Sweden

Winner of Russia game vs winner of Sweden game in final 4

* SO 1 of these 6 teams will advance to the gold medal game

Bronze medal game would occur between the losers of the final 4 games.


For a fancier bracket with game times :

http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-hockey/schedule-and-results/men_ihm400000vm_playoff-dE.html

 

[declansdad]

While Ryan rocked, don't just pin it on Marty. Cindy was a non-factor... He was either -2 or -3 for the game. But it ain't over till it's over! Both teams fight on.

His play directly resulted in 2 of the goals. The rest of the team maintained continued pressure in the US end. Yes, it was mostly Marty that should take the blame on this one. as I said earlier, he hasn't been playing well lately and other than the shoot-out, he hasn't inspired confidence.

 

[KiminChicago]

Belbin and Agosto were a little...how do I put it..."less than".

Given the costumes they were wearing, they could have easily done a couple of rousing polkas. I think that would have involved the audience more than the music they did choose. I couldn't figure out what folk influence that was, Swiss maybe?

 

[PeterPan09]

The loser of this game is NBC for airing this great game on MSNBC.

Keep the retro jerseys for the rest of the tourney.

Canada will start Luongo in the next game.

I'm SOOO happy my cable system had MSNBC in HD!!! WOW!!

Full Disclosure-I'm a NJ Devils fan and Marty Brodeur has been a GOALIE GOD to us for a long time. However, everyone has his off nights,even one of the best goalies in hockey. He clearly let a couple of soft ones go by.

Kudos to Ryan Miller, the guy stood on his HEAD and withstood amazing pressure from the Canadian attack. A hot goalie can take you a long way, and Ryan is that hot goalie for the US right now.

 

[suejai]

His play directly resulted in 2 of the goals. The rest of the team maintained continued pressure in the US end. Yes, it was mostly Marty that should take the blame on this one. as I said earlier, he hasn't been playing well lately and other than the shoot-out, he hasn't inspired confidence.

I know I also asked what happened to Brodeur in a previous post, but I don't think that we should lay the blame on just one person. It's just really easy to see the errors a goalie makes, while the errors the rest of the team makes remain largely masked. I do, however, agree that confidence in him is seriously shaken right now .

Also, as a general note, I don't see why we would take seriously, for one minute, the idea that Canada should be able to walk away with the gold, as the propaganda would have us 'believe'. Given the fact that a large percentage of the players are in the NHL, to me, the games feel like NHL All-Star games, especially when playing the US. There isn't any mystical force that automatically makes Canadians better at hockey - we just love it more.

 

[amid chaos]

I think blaming a goalie for the loss is unfair...that puck at to go through 5 other players before it ever got to him. the whole team wins and the whole team loses.

 

[Geoff_M]

I think blaming a goalie for the loss is unfair...that puck at to go through 5 other players before it ever got to him. the whole team wins and the whole team loses.

Being the parent of a kid that's a travel hockey goalie, I can second that. Let's look that what happened:

USA Goal 1: Deflection
USA Goal 2: Screen
USA Goal 3: Marty out of position during scramble.
USA Goal 4: Deflection
USA Goal 5: Empty netter

I think the only goal for sure you can pin on Marty is #3. Blaming #2 on him is a stretch. While the screen wasn't 100%, it surely hindered his look at the path the fired puck was taking. I'd be hard pressed to call that one "soft".

And on the other side of the equation, I think that Miller would have liked to have another stab at Crosby's redirection for goal #3.

 

[akhenaten]

Being the parent of a kid that's a travel hockey goalie, I can second that. Let's look that what happened:

USA Goal 1: Deflection
USA Goal 2: Screen
USA Goal 3: Marty out of position during scramble.
USA Goal 4: Deflection
USA Goal 5: Empty netter

I think the only goal for sure you can pin on Marty is #3. Blaming #2 on him is a stretch. While the screen wasn't 100%, it surely hindered his look at the path the fired puck was taking. I'd be hard pressed to call that one "soft".

And on the other side of the equation, I think that Miller would have liked to have another stab at Crosby's redirection for goal #3.

As the mother of a Travel /HS hockey goalie... I say amen and thank you very much!

 

[declansdad]

Two of the goals were a direct result of mistakes son his part. I don't think that you can blame the entire loss on him. A large part of that can be accredited to Miller. He stood on his head at many times throughout the game.

Brodeur hasn't been playing well lately and only was considered the #1 goalie because of his past performance and reputation. This works fine over the course of a long season but not in a tournament such as this.

It is right to say that you win as a team and lose as a team; if you are a member of the team. I'm not.

 

[robinb]

As the mother of a Travel /HS hockey goalie... I say amen and thank you very much!

As someone who does not follow hockey, I didn't understand a single word he wrote . Except maybe "goalie".

 

[akhenaten]

As someone who does not follow hockey, I didn't understand a single word he wrote . Except maybe "goalie".

I understand... I had to learn as my son played...and now I love hockey!!

 

[Deb in IA]

USA played Russia in the semi-finals, not the finals.

This is true.

Team USA, after defeating the Soviets in 1980 at Lake Placid, had to go on and beat Finland for the gold medal.

But hey, with all this hockey talk, how about some kudos for BODE MILLER, and his first Olympic gold, in the men's super combined? Way to go, BODE! It looks like maturity, fatherhood, and a changed attitude has really done him good this time.

3 events, and 3 medals. Way better than Torino.

 

[drag n' fly]

Here's to a new start and a better day for us canuckies

 

[PeterPan09]

Two of the goals were a direct result of mistakes son his part. I don't think that you can blame the entire loss on him. A large part of that can be accredited to Miller. He stood on his head at many times throughout the game.

Brodeur hasn't been playing well lately and only was considered the #1 goalie because of his past performance and reputation. This works fine over the course of a long season but not in a tournament such as this.

It is right to say that you win as a team and lose as a team; if you are a member of the team. I'm not.

I agree-and I've been watching Marty for years. I was a season ticket holder for the NJ Devils until last season ,I've met him at fan events and admire him a lot. He is, without question, a Hall of Fame goaltender.

I will admit that because Marty has amazed me on such a regular basis that I do hold him to a higher standard than the average goalie. Perhaps the 2 goals that I considered "soft" would not have been for another goalie.

Canada has more problems than Marty, and going to Luongo is not going to solve all of them.

 

[declansdad]

I agree-and I've been watching Marty for years. I was a season ticket holder for the NJ Devils until last season ,I've met him at fan events and admire him a lot. He is, without question, a Hall of Fame goaltender.

I will admit that because Marty has amazed me on such a regular basis that I do hold him to a higher standard than the average goalie. Perhaps the 2 goals that I considered "soft" would not have been for another goalie.

Canada has more problems than Marty, and going to Luongo is not going to solve all of them.

I don't know if Luongo would be a better option but I think it is one that needs to be explored.

Overall, I think Canada played a good game last night. I don't think people need to be all doom and gloom because of one game against a hot goaltender. When you are average 45 shots per game and give up less than 20, you are doing something right.

 

[Bay Hill]

According to Yahoo Sports...Luongo to start for Canada...
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Source-Roberto-Luongo-to-start-for-Canada-again?urn=oly,221350

 

[robinb]

Have we talked about snowboarder Scott Lago being sent home yet? I guess he tied his bronze medal around his waist so it hung around his crotch and encouraged women to kiss it.