Olmypics 2006 Torino Winter Games

[tml12]

Congratulations to Canada's Women's Hockey Team. They played an excellent game against Sweden for a 4-1 victory and the Gold Medal.

We did it, we did it and when the Flag went up I actually heard real Canadians singing our anthem. How wonderful after being told by Americans that the reason we didn't sing it was because it was too hard to sing.

I second the congratulations to our team but was that last comment really necessary?

How many times I bite my tongue when I meet Americans on vacation and they say "tell us really do Canadians hate us" and I have to say that the odious minority doesn't speak for the moderate majority?

Well.. how many?!! cmon dont hold out on us.

Most Americans I meet when I vacation here say they like Canada and we don't talk much about anything else. When I meet liberal Americans and they find out I am a Conservative Canadian they get confused cause they don't think Canada has conservatives in it...

When I meet conservative Americans they say that they agree Canada is important but they hated the anti-Americanism prevalent in some parts of Canada. I told them I couldn't agree more and that was that.

Unlike the far left in Canada and the far right in the states most Americans and Canadians want a strong North America and everyone reasonably close to the centre should be damn thankful for that.

[RB]

Congratulations to Canada's Women's Hockey Team. They played an excellent game against Sweden for a 4-1 victory and the Gold Medal.

I hope I am able to see a bit of the game before I retire the night

[uOttawaMan]

Congratulations to Canada's Women's Hockey Team. They played an excellent game against Sweden for a 4-1 victory and the Gold Medal.

From what I understand, this has only been a sport since 1998 and there are only two countries with competitive teams: Canada and the US. What other countries field teams? Sweden, Finland, Germany, Russia, Italy and Switzerland?

Everything I dislike about the Olympics is contained in these facts. I see no reason that any of our tax money should be used in any way to support these kinds of sports. It is fraudulent if these players appeal to "national pride" to justify a government subsidy.

Did you not notice they played Sweden.. not the US in the finals.. and the game was 4-1, not a blowout..

Maybe you should check your stats before you start whining about government funding. Or better yet, try to compete against those women. They would ruin you six ways from Sunday.

[Biblio Bibuli]

Did you not notice they played Sweden.. not the US in the finals.. and the game was 4-1, not a blowout..

After being given shit by everyone including Don Cherry for NOT slowing down, I bet you they finally did.

I feel sorry for those who paid big bucks to see the best team play for the gold ..... I'd ask for my money back if I found out they were slacking off. And what about the TV viewing audience. Would YOU watch if you knew they weren't putting their hearts into it?

Yet our #1 public intellectual, Don Cherry, thinks nothing of it.

He's not too bright, is he?

[Biblio Bibuli]

We just won a bronze in Figure Skating. Congrats to Geoffrey Buttle!

Correction: ......... that's "Jeffrey" Buttle.

Sorry 'bout that!

[Biblio Bibuli]

He's not too bright, is he?

Neither is Father Raymond J. de Souza, in this instance. He's going absolutely nuts about it.

LOOK:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/is...3b-68a9efb498d9

Here's an excerpt from de Souza's article titled "Not the Canadian way":

"""In the real world, the Olympic Games are more about national pride than athletics. Strip away the patriotic medal count, and you would be hard-pressed to find an audience for most of the sports.

Therefore, on the grounds that the Olympics are primarily an occasion of national pride, Canada should lead the drive to drop women's hockey from the 2010 Olympics. And if it must be held, Hockey Canada should decline to enter a team. It's bad enough to feel awkward about our national team when it's across the ocean; it would be intolerable on home ice.

"To run up a score like that, that is wrong," said my fellow Kingstonian, Don Cherry, of Canada's 16-0 defeat of Italy, and 12-0 defeat of Russia, before they went on to beat Sweden 8-1, Finland 6-0, and Sweden again by a count of 4-1 in the gold medal game. "First of all, it is not the Canadian way."

No, it's not the Canadian way, and it should not happen in 2010 on Canadian ice.

Women's hockey simply does not (yet) belong in the Olympics. Outscoring the opponents by a combined total of 46-2 is not a competition. There is nothing sporting about it."""

[geoffrey]

He's not too bright, is he?

Neither is Father Raymond J. de Souza, in this instance. He's going absolutely nuts about it.

LOOK:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/is...3b-68a9efb498d9

Here's an excerpt from de Souza's article titled "Not the Canadian way":

"""In the real world, the Olympic Games are more about national pride than athletics. Strip away the patriotic medal count, and you would be hard-pressed to find an audience for most of the sports.

Therefore, on the grounds that the Olympics are primarily an occasion of national pride, Canada should lead the drive to drop women's hockey from the 2010 Olympics. And if it must be held, Hockey Canada should decline to enter a team. It's bad enough to feel awkward about our national team when it's across the ocean; it would be intolerable on home ice.

"To run up a score like that, that is wrong," said my fellow Kingstonian, Don Cherry, of Canada's 16-0 defeat of Italy, and 12-0 defeat of Russia, before they went on to beat Sweden 8-1, Finland 6-0, and Sweden again by a count of 4-1 in the gold medal game. "First of all, it is not the Canadian way."

No, it's not the Canadian way, and it should not happen in 2010 on Canadian ice.

Women's hockey simply does not (yet) belong in the Olympics. Outscoring the opponents by a combined total of 46-2 is not a competition. There is nothing sporting about it."""

Oh that de Souza. Tells it like it is.

[Spike22]

Did you not notice they played Sweden.. not the US in the finals.. and the game was 4-1, not a blowout..

After being given shit by everyone including Don Cherry for NOT slowing down, I bet you they finally did.

I feel sorry for those who paid big bucks to see the best team play for the gold ..... I'd ask for my money back if I found out they were slacking off. And what about the TV viewing audience. Would YOU watch if you knew they weren't putting their hearts into it?

Yet our #1 public intellectual, Don Cherry, thinks nothing of it.

He's not too bright, is he?

He's not too bright, is he?

Neither is Father Raymond J. de Souza, in this instance. He's going absolutely nuts about it.

LOOK:

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/is...3b-68a9efb498d9

Here's an excerpt from de Souza's article titled "Not the Canadian way":

"""In the real world, the Olympic Games are more about national pride than athletics. Strip away the patriotic medal count, and you would be hard-pressed to find an audience for most of the sports.

Therefore, on the grounds that the Olympics are primarily an occasion of national pride, Canada should lead the drive to drop women's hockey from the 2010 Olympics. And if it must be held, Hockey Canada should decline to enter a team. It's bad enough to feel awkward about our national team when it's across the ocean; it would be intolerable on home ice.

"To run up a score like that, that is wrong," said my fellow Kingstonian, Don Cherry, of Canada's 16-0 defeat of Italy, and 12-0 defeat of Russia, before they went on to beat Sweden 8-1, Finland 6-0, and Sweden again by a count of 4-1 in the gold medal game. "First of all, it is not the Canadian way."

No, it's not the Canadian way, and it should not happen in 2010 on Canadian ice.

Women's hockey simply does not (yet) belong in the Olympics. Outscoring the opponents by a combined total of 46-2 is not a competition. There is nothing sporting about it."""

Souza's just another moron writer let loose on a pass from the nut house. Hopefully they will not cancel women's hockey, they have worked very hard to bring the womens game to millions of fans. It is nice to see hockey once in a while without the hacking, slashing and fighting. Way to go girls - ya hammered them...now is we could get those millionaires off their arses to win the gold.

[Biblio Bibuli]

Hopefully they will not cancel women's hockey, Way to go girls - ya hammered them....

The American woman's softball team was allowed to hammer their oponents mercilessly in three Olympics before softball was dumped from the summer games.

http://www.sportsposterwarehouse.com/wareh...ynasty05uss.htm

[Biblio Bibuli]

...now is we could get those millionaires off their arses to win the gold.

My old school buddy, Jarda, e-mailed me a few hours ago. He is a big time bookmaker in the Czech Republic, or so he says, ... and he told me that he got some inside information about the Canada/Czech Republic game. He said that both, Canada and Czecho, were planning to throw the game in order to not face the Russians in the quarterfinals. But when both teams started threatening each other that they are prepared to shoot on their own net, cooler heads prevailed and a coin toss decided as to who MUST win!

I don't trust Jarda's bullshit much of the time. But this time, this time I DO! And that is because I have no other explanation as to why Canada would want to win that game.

PS - Jaromir Jagr's explanation why the Slovaks lost to the Czechs?

"To beat us is probably more important to them than to win the gold. I don't think it's helping them. You have to have a clear head and not be TOO motivated."

[geoffrey]

...now is we could get those millionaires off their arses to win the gold.

My old school buddy, Jarda, e-mailed me a few hours ago. He is a big time bookmaker in the Czech Republic, or so he says, ... and he told me that he got some inside information about the Canada/Czech Republic game. He said that both, Canada and Czecho, were planning to throw the game in order to not face the Russians in the quarterfinals. But when both teams started threatening each other that they are prepared to shoot on their own net, cooler heads prevailed and a coin toss decided as to who MUST win!

I don't trust Jarda's bullshit much of the time. But this time, this time I DO! And that is because I have no other explanation as to why Canada would want to win that game.

PS - Jaromir Jagr's explanation why the Slovaks lost to the Czechs?

"To beat us is probably more important to them than to win the gold. I don't think it's helping them. You have to have a clear head and not be TOO motivated."

Well we already know the Swedes threw their game not to face Canada, I wouldn't be suprised. Olympic hockey has too much drama, its turning into that damned 'sport' called figure skating.

[Biblio Bibuli]

Olympic hockey has too much drama, its turning into that damned 'sport' called figure skating.

Figure skating has always been the top draw of the winter games and it really puzzles me as to why you have such an aversion to it. It's like ballet on ice, except much more impressive because these guys can slide. Can you imagine if Rudolf Nureyev took up figure skating instead? Or don't you like ballet either?!

That would 'splain things.

BTW - Jagr's insight ... "You have to have a clear head and not be too motivated" .... made me think about how the majority of athletes in Turin talk about their "sports psychologists". That is a GREAT insight by Jagr and I have to remember it the next time I compete. But I wonder .... is it his own insight or does he have a sports psychologist too?

[na85]

Hopefully they will not cancel women's hockey, Way to go girls - ya hammered them....

The American woman's softball team was allowed to hammer their oponents mercilessly in three Olympics before softball was dumped from the summer games.

http://www.sportsposterwarehouse.com/wareh...ynasty05uss.htm

They cancelled softball because softball/baseball stink, they're boring sports that are on their way out.

[Spike22]

Hopefully they will not cancel women's hockey, Way to go girls - ya hammered them....

The American woman's softball team was allowed to hammer their oponents mercilessly in three Olympics before softball was dumped from the summer games.

http://www.sportsposterwarehouse.com/wareh...ynasty05uss.htm

They cancelled softball because softball/baseball stink, they're boring sports that are on their way out.

A group of women International Olympic Committee members are voting if womens hockey will be retained - apparently they are split in the middle as what to do.

[Biblio Bibuli]

The reason there is not more teams in other countries are the women are still subserviant to men ...

To date, 14 out of 19 medals Canada won were won by women. What does it tell you about Canadian males?

[Spike22]

The reason there is not more teams in other countries are the women are still subserviant to men ...

To date, 14 out of 19 medals Canada won were won by women. What does it tell you about Canadian males?

I was speaking about womens hockey teams. And yes in most places on the planet women are still subserviant to men.

[Fortunata]

What is it with the grinches in this thread? You can't be happy for women athletes, you can't be happy for winning athletes, you can't be happy for happy Canadian fans, you can't just be happy? Sheesh.

[geoffrey]

What is it with the grinches in this thread? You can't be happy for women athletes, you can't be happy for winning athletes, you can't be happy for happy Canadian fans, you can't just be happy? Sheesh.

I'm happy for the women, but that doesn't mean they should get a spot in the olympics. The olympics are deciding on men's hockey too, or the status of pro's in it anyways. It's good that the Canadians and the yanks lost, otherwise we'd be losing hockey after 2010.

It's going to get cut because Canada embarassed the host nation for no reason and there was no real competition throughout the tournament.

Same reason softball got cut.

I don't enjoy watching one sided sports. I know Canada is going to win every women's hockey game for at least the next 15 years. Kind of ridiculous if you ask me.

[shoop]

These Olympics will probably end up in the good, not great category.

Definitely won't be a disaster. But we will probably fall just short of the 25 medals, third place goal.

My bet is 22 medals and fourth or fifth place overall.

Losing men's hockey sucks arse though.

[Spike22]

What is it with the grinches in this thread? You can't be happy for women athletes, you can't be happy for winning athletes, you can't be happy for happy Canadian fans, you can't just be happy? Sheesh.

I'm thrilled

[Biblio Bibuli]

Hey! Only 22 more medals to get to the 25 previously predicted!

We'll get there, I'm sure of it.

Close but no cigar!

AND NO! .... 11 fourth place, and 7 fifth place finishes do NOT make up for that one missing medal.

So you lose!

[geoffrey]

Hey! Only 22 more medals to get to the 25 previously predicted!

We'll get there, I'm sure of it.

Close but no cigar!

AND NO! .... 11 fourth place, and 7 fifth place finishes do NOT make up for that one missing medal.

So you lose!

I was closer on this one 24 to a predicted 25 (4% error), compared to my 159 seat CPC majority prediction (28% error). I am getting better.

And its not over yet. Even though we have next to no chance of winning the 50k mass start XC race tomorrow, there is a chance that everyone but the Canadians will be disqualified for just not kicking as much ass as we did this year.

Congrats to our teams/induviduals, we did well this year. 2010 is looking good!

[Biblio Bibuli]

And its not over yet. Even though we have next to no chance of winning the 50k mass start XC race tomorrow, there is a chance that everyone but the Canadians will be disqualified for just not kicking as much ass as we did this year.

Why the CBC would decide not to show this Cross Country 50k race BEFORE the Closing Ceremonies is beyond me.

Giorgio di Centa of Italy won it, Eugeni Dementiev of Russia came in second, and Austria's Mikhail Botwinov got the bronze.

[RB]

And its not over yet. Even though we have next to no chance of winning the 50k mass start XC race tomorrow, there is a chance that everyone but the Canadians will be disqualified for just not kicking as much ass as we did this year.

Why the CBC would decide not to show this Cross Country 50k race BEFORE the Closing Ceremonies is beyond me.

Giorgio di Centa of Italy won it, Eugeni Dementiev of Russia came in second, and Austria's Mikhail Botwinov got the bronze.

Aye, but they recevied ovation from the entire world at closing

[RB]

"The 2006 Winter Games aren't the box office smash they were supposed to be. Through Wednesday, 890,000 tickets were sold. TOROC officials originally forecast 1.5 million spectators, then downgraded the goal to 1 million a year ago and had only sold 500,000 by last fall. TOROC hopes 10 Euro tickets to Sunday's cross-country finale will offer a big boost to the bottom line"

You think the Vancouver theme

"come play with us" plus our first nation flare gonna give us international visitors