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thought-showers

I have to admit I only saw the gold medal game, but what a game! I was sad that USA didn't win, but am happy for Canada. Loved seeing all the NHLers on the ice. Must be a little odd in the cases where players met their own teammates on the ice!

prescott · Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 7:30 pm Post subject:

I only watched the gold meal game as well, but what a game that was. One of the best hockey games I've seen in a while.

It goes without saying I was rooting for the Americans, but I admit I would have felt a bit sorry for the Canadians if they'd have lost. Also the Hurricanes Eric Staal was playing for the Canadians. It was a game worthy of the gold medal, though, and the Americans played well. Very entertaining game.

I heard that the NHL Commish was complaining about closing down the NHL for two weeks for the Olympics. The Olympics probably generated more interest in hockey in those two weeks than his league did in the first half of the season. If he tries to keep NHL players out of the Olympics, he's an idiot.

thought-showers · Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2010 7:48 pm Post subject:

You are right about that, prescott!

truthseeker · Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:56 am Post subject:

I came out of my hockey funk, my post Stanley Cup defeat hockey depression, on the Sunday night when the U.S. beat Canada. I hadn't watched a single hockey game since game 7 of the Cup finals, until that Sunday night. But that night I watched both the U.S. beat Canada, and Sweden (probably my favorite team in the tournament because they had 5 Red Wings) beat Finland. So as of that following Monday, I thought maybe, just maybe my hockey depression was over. (But the following Wednesday, when the Canadians with the hated Sid Crosby went up 3-0 in the first period, over my boy Ovechkin and the Russians, I found myself back in full blown hockey depression. lol)

I couldn't decide who I was rooting for in the USA-Canada games. Stevie Y, Babcock etc.. on the Canadian side, going up against my native country. If it weren't for Crosby on the Canadian team, as unpatriotic as it sounds, I think I would have been going for the Canadians. I like the country of Canada a lot. I think in terms of humility they are a superior nation to ours btw. So I have a definite soft spot in my heart for Canada. I like Canada’s style, and people, in a variety of ways.

But now Crosby has won the Stanley Cup and a Gold Medal in less than a year's time. And I can barely take it. Grrrrr.

I think the only thing that can bring me out of my hockey funk now, is if the Capitals go to the Finals this year. Other than that, looks like I'm going to have to find something else to fill my sports void this spring. Because I can't stomach watching a lot of NHL, and hearing Crosby being talked about as a God. (frown)

p.s. I was unable to see most of the Gold Medal game Sunday. But hearing how it ended, I am now thankful for that. If I had seen Crosby score that winning goal, I'm pretty sure I would be shopping for a new television this week. (wink)

thought-showers · Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 7:40 pm Post subject:

I know what you mean about rooting for the Canadians...my husband and I were saying with so many NHLers on the ice there's someone you like in every game.

Sigh...I"m afraid our Stanley Cup discussions are going to be limited this spring. Such is the fate of a Red Wing fan.

truthseeker · Posted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:08 pm Post subject:

The current situation with the Red Wings doesn't surprise me at all. I mean how long could the Wings go year in and year out being that competitive? That dominant. I haven't been watching so I don't know to what degree injuries have been an issue, but this is precisely why I wanted the Cup so bad last year. Our run had to end some time. Looks like that time is this now.

Who knows, maybe the Wings make the playoffs this season and do one of those miraculous 8th seed run to the Cup Finals. But my gut tells me that ain't going to happen. They let it slip through their hands last year....

See how bad my funk is? (smile)

prescott · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:21 am Post subject:

Hey truth,

I join you in your admiration of Canadians. They seem to be more like Americans used to be: thoughtful, humble, and intelligent. Sometimes I wonder if we're any of those things any more.

Also, though I rooted for the American side in the gold medal game, I was not at all disappointed that Canada won. In many ways, it was the right ending. It's their game, and it was their Olympics, and they had the better team. And the American team certainly played well, both throughout the tournament, and in the final game. They had nothing at all to be ashamed of. Some people were comparing the American run to 1980 and the 'miracle on ice'. It was nothing like that. After all, in 1980 we were playing our arch enemy the Soviets, with a rag-tag team of college players and amateurs. The Soviets were by far the best team in the universe. In 2010 we were playing our friends the Canadians, and we had a bunch of NHL guys like they did. The comparisons to 1980 were all hype.

Hey, man. You need to get some help with your Sydney Crosby problem lol I know a good shrink.

Lastly: Red Wings and Hurricanes fans can suffer together this year. The Hurricanes have stunk it up all year, though they have now won six in a row! No hope for the playoffs though, barring a miracle.

truthseeker · Posted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:15 pm Post subject:

Yeager · Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 6:57 am Post subject:

Funny, I watched the first game the Canadians and Americans played, in which the Americans won, and I hate to admit I was rooting a bit for Canada. I know, America-hater but the truth is, as I've said, I'm no hockey guy but I'm a Pittsburgh guy, which means I'm a Sydney Crosby guy and I was hoping he'd play well. And he did nothing that first game so I was happy to see him be the hero of the gold medal game.

And being the true hockey fan I am not, I forgot about the gold medal game!! Duh, I was actually looking forward to the first meeting and I made a point to watch, watched the whole game too, but somehow I forgot about the gold medal game.

But hockey seems so much more important to Canadians than it does to Americans, that is the real reason I was happy to see Canada win.

truthseeker · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:40 pm Post subject:

truthseeker · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:22 pm Post subject:

Ovechkin vs. Crosby part II tonight. (Or 3 or 4 or however many times they have faced each other this year incl. in the Olympics.)

Last time they played a NHL game, 'vech scored a hat trick and led the Caps to a great comeback win over the Pens.

I'm hoping for the same tonight, whether it breaks Yeager's heart or not. (wink) j/k.

truthseeker · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:25 pm Post subject:

Crosby, Ovechkin go for 3rd NHL round
Last Updated: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 | 12:36 PM ET

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby hasn't scored in five games, but he has just the thing to kick his offensive game back into gear — a meeting Wednesday night with Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.

Crosby has scored three goals in two games against Washington this season, but has been upstaged by Ovechkin. The Russian scored five goals and assisted on two others as the Capitals took both exciting games.

"If I was sitting on the couch and watching this game, I would be anticipating it greatly because every time Ovechkin plays against Crosby it seems like something special comes out of it," Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau said.

The Penguins led the Capitals 4-2 early in the third period in the last NHL meeting between the superstars on Feb. 7, but squandered a 5-on-3 power play opportunity that would have put the game out of reach.

Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin — who has five assists in the season series — seemed desperate to get a goal on the power play, overlooking open teammates for bad-angle chances.

Ovechkin would go on to score two goals later in the third and set up the overtime winner for teammate Mike Knuble.

Crosby and Ovechkin have actually met one time since that thrilling game, but Canada's 7-3 thumping of Russia on Feb. 24 at the Vancouver Olympics was a game in which the supporting cast for each country's team had a larger role in determining the outcome than the two biggest players in hockey.

The Penguins and Capitals meet in Washington on Wednesday, with one more regular-season encounter on April 6 in Pittsburgh.

"We think we'll meet them eventually [in the playoffs], so we want to make a statement against them," Brendan Morrison of the Capitals told NHL.com...

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2010/03/24/sp-pit-was.html

p.s. I hope I don't need prescott's shrink friend, when this game is over tonight. lol

prescott · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:18 pm Post subject:

truth: I've got my shrink friend on speed dial just for you. PM me if you need him tonight. lol

prescott · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:19 pm Post subject:

btw, thanks for reminding me of this game. I hope it's on here tonight so I can watch it. Should be a good one.

truthseeker · Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:08 am Post subject:

It's was an okay game p. (I say okay because it seemed to my the Caps sleep walked thru the first 2 periods.) The Caps won so I can't complain. That's three straight over the Pens, with one more game against them on April 6 I think. I just hope this regular season success over the Pens, transfers over to the playoffs.

Btw if you didn't get to see it (I know NHL Net broadcasted it, but I don't if you get that channel) Washington won it in a shootout. Marc Andre Fluery slammed his stick into the post after giving up the final goal in the shootout. I absolutely LOVED seeing that.

I hate the Pens man. Green with envy I guess.

prescott · Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 5:46 pm Post subject:

truth: Unfortunately I didn't get to see the Caps-Pens game. I don't have the channel it was on. Congrats on the Caps win. But ...

I'm sure you're well aware that my Canes took the Caps down (again) the following night. It's really weird because the Canes simply suck this year, basically the worst team in the conference, but somehow they have managed to compile a 3-1-2 record against the Caps, the best team in the conference. I think last night they took advantage of the Caps being a bit down after a tough win over the Pens, but it's strange anyway.

I'll be rooting for the Caps in the playoffs this year. You're not the only friend I have who is a Caps fan ... and my Canes are basically out of it (barring a Hail Mary miracle).

truthseeker · Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 11:31 am Post subject:

Yeah I noticed that score the next night, on the sports tickers. (I think the game with the Canes ended in a shootout too.) Thought about you too when I saw it. lol

I will be nice to have you on board this playoff season as a Caps/Ovechkin fan. If my Wings don't make it to the Finals this year, and the Caps somehow do, we both will be "sniff, sniff...Eastern Conference" this year. (smile)

Yeager · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 5:35 am Post subject:

Man you guys really are hockey fans!!! Wink

Don't like the Penguins truthseeker, how about Lemieux, and geez I hope I spelled his name right!! But to me he saved the Penguins, in so many ways, and the real debate to me, not being a fan, is was he more important as a player or as an owner. God I'm pathetic, Mario still owns or partly owns the Pens, doesn't he?

But before he came I don't think the Pittsburgh Penguins even existed.

truthseeker · Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 3:26 pm Post subject:

Yeag, I had no problems with the Pens in the early 90s. I really liked Lemeiux. I liked him as a player, and I liked what I saw of his personality.

It's these current Pens and Crosby that I don't like. Crosby's "Golden Boy" image doesn't sit well with me. And as a big Ovechkin fan, I think the league and the sports media, has a pro North American bias in favor of Crosby. And a la Kobe Bryant, since Crosby is more media friendly, and phony imo, than Ovechkin is, the media likes Crosby more between the two. Despite the fact, that imo, Ovechkin is both the better and more exciting player.

I have longstanding issues with the American sports media, and the culturally biased bases upon which they oftentimes choose who they are going to attempt to make into an icon. As a Roberto Clemente fan, I am sure you can understand my point of view on this to some extent. Our sports media has a penchant of demanding a type of cultural assimilation of someone, before they place him/her? up on a pedestal. And I think this is a part of my dislike of Crosby. I think in terms of media treatment, he enjoys an unearned advantage over Ovechkin. (Like I believe Larry Bird had an unearned advantage over Magic. Because imo Magic was the better player, [not better shooter, better player] but to this day the media portrays them as equals. But something tells me you and I Yeag could go on for a month or more, arguing this Magic vs. Bird point. lol)

Like I said man, longstanding issues. (smile)

p.s. To clarify my Kobe point. Before his rape charges, the sports media made a "Golden boy" if you will out of Kobe. Not just based on his play on the court, but in terms of what he was supposed to represent in terms of his persona. Numerous articles I read on Kobe, would point to the difference in his personality compared to your "typical NBA, urban thug type." "Urban thug now being my term, not saying any sports writer ever came out and put it that bluntly. But the code language was there.

The fact that Kobe grew upper middle class, in Europe to some extent, does not speak typical urban black English, clearly endeared him to members of the sports media establishment. (And not just the white writers either I am saying.) Made him in the eyes of the sports media a refreshing change to all the more urban type black athletes the league is full of.

Instinctively, and based on my politics and social ideas, I rebel against the media imposing these kind of culturally biased standards, when I believe I perceive them. Their Golden Boys tend to become my Public Enemies. FBI "Most Wanted" type Public Enemy. Not Chuck D/Flavor Flav Public Enemy. (smile)

Yeager · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 5:40 am Post subject:

I agree with almost everything you wrote, except maybe that part about Bird having an unearned advantage, which I totally disagree with. The fact is, Bird was considered the better player, by the media, right up until about 1987-88, and I can even tell you the minute, the second that changed: Two words, HOOK SHOT. God, it still hurts me to write about this but that running hook that Magic hit in game 5 I think it was in 87 to win that playoff game really changed the world. After that, you didn't see any more SI covers of Larry Bird being the 'greatest of all time.'

Magic won 5 championships, Bird 3, Magic lasted longer and is considered today by most people who matter the greater player. And even a Bird fan like myself would have a hard time arguing with that. When Bird hurt his back it really ended his career early.

Sorry, sore spot, LOL, but boy do I agree with everything else you wrote, PARTICULARLY that part about my hero, the great Clemente. But I do think it is just more than the media, I remember as a kid the first time I heard Clemente speak and I was confused. I always thought of him as just a black man but the Latino part threw me, and I'm embarrassed to say I remember being disappointed when I heard him speak. He was hard to understand and it just confused me. I was young!!

About Crosby, fair enough, I don't think Crosby even compares with guys like Gretzky and Mario, I remember Gretzky used to almost score at will, and Lemeiux wasn't far behind. I don't see that with Crosby. But what do I know?

truthseeker · Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 12:55 pm Post subject:

Yeager · Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 5:45 am Post subject:

truthseeker, my comments about Bobby Jindhal got me called a 'racist' by one total asshole, JWD. That's like being called 'stupid' by Sarah Palin!

My 'first impressions' about my hero Roberto Clemente occurred when I was about 10 years old, I know you would forgive a 10 year old kid's first impressions, as bad as they might have been!! Laughing

But check it out, in 1986, when the Celtics were kickin' ass and taking names, LOL, but I remember an SI cover in which he was called the greatest player ever. Remember, Bird won Rookie of the year, over Magic, and Bird was considered the greater player during the early part of their careers. Red used to keep saying that, 'greatest player ever,' and you remember the NBA, when Red spoke, it was like words from God.

Hey, we need to keep this one up, I love this stuff!!

truthseeker · Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 1:37 pm Post subject:

Yeager · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:42 am Post subject:

LOL, I like that 'Oriental' thing, I'm embarrassed to say I still hear that to this day. Of course, I also hear 'colored,' although not as often as I used to but I still hear it. But you know what I hear more than anything? I'm sure you are totally familiar with this, anytime a black person is involved and someone is describing an event involving this black person, they always have to be identified as a black person. I used to do it myself, 'you know, the black dude,' you do it unconsciously.

Hey, you are way too smart for me on this stuff, let's get back to Bird and Magic, LOL, and I'm kidding, I enjoy talking about this with you because you are way smarter than I am on this subject, (notice the qualifier, LOL), but I still don't think Bill Clinton is a racist, darn it. I'm kidding, I know you don't either.

Finally, I do think I am right about the media treating Bird as the greater player during the early part of their careers. I've told you about David Halberstam's book, 'The Breaks Of The Game,' bet I remember there was a line in there about, during their rookie years, he wrote 'the league had made up it's mind about Bird being a great player, the jury was still out on Magic.' Now again, rookie year, even before the Philly series so it didn't take much longer for 'the league' to render their decision on Magic but Bird was pretty hyped that rookie year.

More later......

truthseeker · Posted: Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:48 pm Post subject: