SOCHI Winter Olympics 2014 Russia

[jacee]

Russia topped the medal-table at their home-games but I guess they are still disappointed because they failed to win hockey.

CBC was saying that Russian fans leaving the losing game were saying 'Send them to the Siberian mines' and cashing in their tickets for remaining games.

I think I like the Canadian way of not getting mad at our athletes.

'Send them to the Alberta tar sands' just wouldn't have the same ring to it!

[Boges]

Winning 3 of 4 Men's hockey Golds, It's sort of expected now.

Crosby and Kunitz got the last laugh.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Boges

[Rue]

Man I am glad. Sweden I thought could match them despite the injuries.. I could have easily seen it the same score the other way.On the wider rink I thought they had a handicap but they played the entire series defense first which is why you never saw Subban. Everything was positional coverage. Eveything I feared did not happen. Good on them.

For a team quickly put together they all played team first ego second. Boring but well disciplined hockey for the most part-nothing flash in the pants no one dazzling sta., Price was steady, no big bonehead mistakes even Crosby checking like a third line centre.No one too good for their roles. Zero primma donnas.

Well done.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Rue

[-TSS-]

Congats to Canada! Now this bulltish about Canada not being able to win in a big rink can be consigned to the dustbin.

However, it must be said that as much as I loved the Finns defeating the Russians the lack of an enthusiastic crowd at the last games totally killed off the atmosphere.

[bush_cheney2004]

Congrats to Russia for hosting a wonderful Winter Olympics...winning all those medals was impressive too.

[jacee]

And the good humour to poke fun at the uncooperative 5th ring.

All round well done.

[Bryan]

Then why hasn't a non European team won gold on the big ice since 1952, long before pros were allowed to play.

Besides Vancouver, what Olympics have been played on the "small" ice? Calgary, Salt Lake, and lake Placid were definitely all full Olympic sized. I'm pretty sure Squaw Valley was too.

Besides that, until 1996, Canada always sent its "D" team to the Olympics. It was basically the same group that would play in the Spengler Cup now -- people who were not able to land a spot on any of the top tier leagues. Many of the european teams sent their very best, playing fast and loose with the definition of "professional".

[Black Dog]

Interesting stats about Canada's hockey dominance:

Scoring chances for the tournament: 139-47.

Shots on goal for the tournament: 241 for, 129 against.

Goal differential for the tournament: 16 for, 3 against.

Number of seconds spent trailing: 0.

[Black Dog]

I guess the big ice wasn't much of a problem. Funny though, I didn't see Sweden celebrating their silver medal victory.

The Finns seemed to enjoy their bronze.

[Boges]

The Finns seemed to enjoy their bronze.

They always win the Bronze.

BTW where were they during the medal ceremony. Did the players have to go back to North America the minute the game Saturday was done?

[Rue]

Yes TSS.Everyone kept saying Team Canada on a larger rink could not win. I for one bought into that.

However they clearly dominated and got better with every game on the big ice and that is a testament to how good these guys are at the all round game.

I suppose that Mike Babbock defence first strategy should not have surprised me but I must say I never thought they win all 6 with such low scoring. That's a head scratcher for me. I mean what Crosby and Toews were held off the score board so long.

They clearly dominated Sweden but let's face it , it was a checking game-not very exciting. It wins games for sure, but its boring. I appreciate every big star checked like a third line centre-no one too big to do the boring back checking and coverage-that's testament to putting their individuality second to the team which is a great thing-but it makes for more boring hockey and the kind of hockey my beloved Habs try to embrace and I find boring.

That said they are winners and Canada had some great moments. Heather Moyse is one hell of an athlete. Everything she touches is gold.

I think the ice dancing was fixed.I also think there just is something weird about spending 52 billion for this.That's a lot of money to showcase yourself on world stage for 3 weeks. That's a lot of money and it just keeps going up and up. Its just too much now. Too much corruption in the IOC.

But hey those athletes are due all the credit they can get for busting their humps and doing us all proud. Man when Crosby stuck that one in it was a good feeling. You could see Sweden just deflate after that one.

Edited February 24, 2014 by Rue

[Wilber]

Some days it is nice to be wrong.

Relentless is the word that best describes the play of this Canadian team and when it came to depth, they had no equal.

You have to wonder though, what kind of game it might have been with a healthy Zetterberg and Hendrik Sedin. Probably more interesting..

[Boges]

Some days it is nice to be wrong.

Relentless is the word that best describes the play of this Canadian team and when it came to depth, they had no equal.

You have to wonder though, what kind of game it might have been with a healthy Zetterberg and Hendrik Sedin. Probably more interesting..

Some dude named Backstrum was also left off because he failed a drug test.

Canada was down John Taverez and Steven Stamkos.

Finland was also down several top players.

[Wilber]

Canada was down John Taverez and Steven Stamkos.

That's what I meant about depth. It didn't really matter.

It did to those other teams.

[Big Guy]

“Russia gave all of its gold medalists in the Sochi Games $120,000, plus a brand-new Mercedes GL SUV. This led to a bit of logistical leapfrogging with athletes like Julia Lipnitskaya, who is only 15 and not yet of legal driving age in Russia. (She got a personal driver to go along with the car.) Silver medalists got $76,000 and a Mercedes ML, and bronze medalists got $52,000 and a Mercedes GLK.”

Would you rather “Own The Podium” or own a Mercedes SUV.

[guyser]

Id rather have a Gold Medal in Mens Hockey.

So would they....alas, nope, its ours for another four years.

[Big Guy]

If the Russian hockey team had won it would have cost Putin for 25 of $120,000, plus 25 brand-new Mercedes GL SUV. Maybe the coach was ordered to throw the game.

[Boges]

I'm sure pro hockey players can afford their own Mercedes.

[jbg]

I see Russia baded its time before invading Ukraine (link). Wouldn't want to show the world that the Olympics was run in a disgusting country.

Wlell if it weren't for its disgusting nature I woudln't be here. My maternal side came from modern Poland and Ukraine, then both under the thumb of the Czars.

[Boges]

Interesting to see what this does to the Paralympics though.

[WestCoastRunner]

Interesting to see what this does to the Paralympics though.

The athletes are still going but so far no government officials are attending from Canada, U.S. and Britain.

[Big Guy]

Hot off the press – The urine samples of athletes from the winter Olympics have been re-tested and some startling results; Hockey players from Sweden, Slovakia, Finland, Canada, Latvia, USA and Czechoslovakia were found to have used illegal drugs and the teams have been disqualified. Accordingly, Russia has been awarded the gold medal.

Surprisingly, Russian troops have just withdrawn from the Crimea.

[Boges]

Hot off the press The urine samples of athletes from the winter Olympics have been re-tested and some startling results; Hockey players from Sweden, Slovakia, Finland, Canada, Latvia, USA and Czechoslovakia were found to have used illegal drugs and the teams have been disqualified. Accordingly, Russia has been awarded the gold medal.

Surprisingly, Russian troops have just withdrawn from the Crimea.

Thanks Justin.