The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver/Whistler

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Johnny93g

Who are you to judge mine or anyone's lack of character?

You provided the evidence, I didn't draw any conclusion without it. However in light of your own words it becomes difficult at best, bordering on downright impossible to reach any other conclusion.

Why are your set of morals and value's superior to me or anyone else.

Never read my sig quote obviously.

You have an opinion. I disagree with it, but you then attack my character. Fuck you

No, fuck you. Your lack of character is not so much evidenced by your disagreement but rather by your overwhelming desire to defend the indefensible. And that's worthy of being called out for what it is.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Samdari

... high and mighty/inflexible/judgemental.

I generally prefer "discerning" but that'd be quibbling

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Samdari

Have you ever been in a thread with John before?

Originally Posted by Johnny93g

never

Simple rule: Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by Samdari

You've heard the prayer about "grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change"

FYI, Jon is one of those things. You would be approximately the 1 billionth person on this forum to scold him for being high and mighty/inflexible/judgemental. He won't change because of it, he won't even feel bad about it - he will consider all of those compliments.

He's going to continue to be that way - don't lose any sleep.

I really had no idea. You are correct, not worth my time. I'll use the ignore button for the 1st time!!

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Johnny93g

I'll use the ignore button for the 1st time!!

Golly, you were my 67th. Not counting those who may no longer have a user ID and weren't on the list for me to tally.

[Lathum]

How on earth has someone been on this board for 6 years and never interacted with JIMG before.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Lathum

How on earth has someone been on this board for 6 years and never interacted with JIMG before.

Actually he has, based on the simple fact that I recognized his nickname. Not much that I recall but that's a sure sign we've been in the same threads.

Apparently I need to work on the whole being memorable thing. Who woulda thunk it?

[TroyF]

This whole competitiveness angle really pisses me off.

So Canada and the US were dominant. I remember the US getting the bronze at the last Olympics. I also seem to remember many other countries dominating specific sports for a long length of time.

Germany has won 60% of all medals in the luge. Norway and Finland had won over 50% of the total medals in Nordic combined before these Olympics. Ski Jumping? It's all about Austria, Norway and Finland.

Canada won 6 of the first 7 hockey golds in mens hockey. Then Russian won gold in 7 of the next 9 Olympics. Leave the damned thing along. . . it'll get competitive if you give it time. In the meantime, you have one hell of a good rivalry to lean on until others catch up.

[Logan]

I've been off all week, it's still snowing like hell here, I have a 3/4 full keg in the kegerator, have a couple buddies coming over who took the day off...so despite being a little under the weather, I can't fuckin wait for this game to start.

I think Slovakia has a shot tonight but the CAN firepower will be a bit too much.

[Fidatelo]

This is just Jon being Jon.

Anyways, I thought those pictures were fine, I don't get the big hubbub. But whatever, good on the girls for beating a very strong US team, and I look forward to any matchups between those two teams going forward, be they at Olympics or World Championships.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by TroyF

This whole competitiveness angle really pisses me off.

So Canada and the US were dominant. I remember the US getting the bronze at the last Olympics. I also seem to remember many other countries dominating specific sports for a long length of time.

Germany has won 60% of all medals in the luge. Norway and Finland had won over 50% of the total medals in Nordic combined before these Olympics. Ski Jumping? It's all about Austria, Norway and Finland.

Canada won 6 of the first 7 hockey golds in mens hockey. Then Russian won gold in 7 of the next 9 Olympics. Leave the damned thing along. . . it'll get competitive if you give it time. In the meantime, you have one hell of a good rivalry to lean on until others catch up.

To me, its the caliber of play that indicates women's ice hockey does not have enough world class competitors to hold a world class tournament, and thus does not belong in the olympics.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I generally prefer "discerning" but that'd be quibbling

Hope you don't think I was being critical, mind you, just providing background and context for the lad.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I don't see how it's off. The U.S. has more pure athletic talent than any other country. This is in part to its population size and demographics. If the NFL did not exist and this country worshipped Soccer on every Sunday afternoon, we'd have a massive pool of athletic talent out there. Guys like Chris Johnson, Adrian Peterson, and Randy Moss with a soccer ball in front of them at age 5? I just think the U.S. would absolutely dominate.

The thing is that two of the U.S.'s primary sports are not ones that are popular on a global scale.

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're saying that the U.S. would dominate because it's the U.S.

And if that's what you mean, even though world-class sides like Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Italy, and the Netherlands - countries that have long-standing soccer histories - fail to absolutely dominate almost every international competition, the U.S. would be able to do it because it's the U.S.

Again, please correct me if I'm wrong, but you're not just saying we'd be as good as Brazil or Spain, etc.... you're saying that we'd be far better than them.

That sounds reasonable?

[Airhog]

Originally Posted by Samdari

To me, its the caliber of play that indicates women's ice hockey does not have enough world class competitors to hold a world class tournament, and thus does not belong in the olympics.

I think you could say the same thing about men's hockey.

There is only 6 teams that have won more than 2 medals since the event was included. And only 4 teams have won more than one gold

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by Airhog

I think you could say the same thing about men's hockey.

There is only 6 teams that have won more than 2 medals since the event was included. And only 4 teams have won more than one gold

But the worst team at these Olympics belongs on the ice with the best - there is a chance for a competitive game.

Not so with the women.

All of the individual event participants must meet some standard of 'world class' for that sport in order to be invited to the olympics. Thus, the competitions are world class. The guy coming in 40th is still world class. There are only two teams that are world class in women's hockey, thus the US and Canada rolling up 10+ goals on most of their competitors.

The US and China dominated women's soccer for a long time. Still, the world competitions (world cup, olympics) were world class - it was not embarassing to see the other teams on the field with the US and China. It was embarassing to watch these women's hockey games.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're saying that the U.S. would dominate because it's the U.S.

And if that's what you mean, even though world-class sides like Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Italy, and the Netherlands - countries that have long-standing soccer histories - fail to absolutely dominate almost every international competition, the U.S. would be able to do it because it's the U.S.

Again, please correct me if I'm wrong, but you're not just saying we'd be as good as Brazil or Spain, etc.... you're saying that we'd be far better than them.

That sounds reasonable?

Actually, his reasoning is sound. The USA has far more resources, a much larger population and an athletic tradition. Remove all of the other sports from primary consideration and what do you have left? That fan passion goes to soccer. That money and resources goes to soccer. Those players go to soccer.

It's not out of the question to consider the possibility Rainmaker would be right. At the very least, the US would be one of the top powers in the sport in the world with that sort of domestic support.

That, of course, is not the case. Most of the country's athletes go to at least three other sports, and I'll bet hockey draws more professionals than soccer here, too.

Imagine the passion for football in this country (which is comparable to that for soccer in Brazil or England or Spain) and then translate it to soccer, 300 hundred million soccer mad Americans?

[TroyF]

Originally Posted by Samdari

But the worst team at these Olympics belongs on the ice with the best - there is a chance for a competitive game.

Not so with the women.

All of the individual event participants must meet some standard of 'world class' for that sport in order to be invited to the olympics. Thus, the competitions are world class. The guy coming in 40th is still world class. There are only two teams that are world class in women's hockey, thus the US and Canada rolling up 10+ goals on most of their competitors.

The US and China dominated women's soccer for a long time. Still, the world competitions (world cup, olympics) were world class - it was not embarrassing to see the other teams on the field with the US and China. It was embarrassing to watch these women's hockey games.

It hasn't always been the case in mens hockey either. The Soviets used to destroy teams. From 1964 through the 1980 miracle on ice, Russia went 27-1-1 and outscored the competition by a staggering 226-55. That's an average game score of 7.7 to 1.8. At the time, Russia really only had the US and sometimes Canada (who decided not to play in a couple of those Olympics) You had one world class team, one good team who could win if the Soviets were off and a bunch of below average to embarrassing teams.

Just because of that domination, the sport wasn't talked about being removed. Nor should women's hockey. Give the sport time to grow. Canada and the US may be dominating now. Give it 8-12 years and things will likely change quite a bit.

[Big Fo]

Big mistake by Kiprusoff (know I spelled that wrong), USA takes an early 1-0 lead on Finland.

[Samdari]

Originally Posted by TroyF

That's an average game score of 7.7 to 1.8.

Give it 8-12 years and things will likely change quite a bit.

Considering the Canadian women won by an average of 13.67 to 0 in the round robin (9.6-0 overall), that's more dominant than the soviets. In fact, their average winning margin is 60% higher than the soviets. Besides, the quality of "not world class" is like that of pornography, not easily defined. Watching these lower echelon teams is a joke. They are not skilled enough to be in a world class tournament. The teams the soviets were beating did not quite look that bad. This was like watching 3 year olds trip around the ice trying to catch up with the puck, but playing against 5 Gretzkys.

I agree 8-12 years should give the sport time to grow. That's when it should be included in the Olympics. Its just not ready now.

[Dr. Sak]

The Fins don't have that much offense so if we can get up 2-0 it could be tough for them to come back.

[Lathum]

USA looks like a team on a mission.

[Johnny93g]

WOW, it's over already

3-0

[SirFozzie]

3-0!

[Lathum]

Kiprossof looks lost.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Actually, his reasoning is sound. The USA has far more resources, a much larger population and an athletic tradition. Remove all of the other sports from primary consideration and what do you have left? That fan passion goes to soccer. That money and resources goes to soccer. Those players go to soccer.

It's not out of the question to consider the possibility Rainmaker would be right. At the very least, the US would be one of the top powers in the sport in the world with that sort of domestic support.

That, of course, is not the case. Most of the country's athletes go to at least three other sports, and I'll bet hockey draws more professionals than soccer here, too.

Imagine the passion for football in this country (which is comparable to that for soccer in Brazil or England or Spain) and then translate it to soccer, 300 hundred million soccer mad Americans?

I don't question that the US would be competitive, and I don't question that the US would be one of the top powers. I question that the US would "win almost every major international competition" (to paraphrase what RainMaker said). I don't claim to be an expert, but I don't see any single country dominating a major sport to that degree, so I find it hard to envision a world where the US can do it just because it's the US.

[Galaxy]

4-0!

[Dr. Sak]

4-0

[SirFozzie]

4-0.. and the goalie is running off the ice!

[Lathum]

wOOt!!

[Johnny93g]

Mercy Rule!!!!

I got to say, I'm disappointed, I was hoping for a close exciting game. The US is all over them!

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I don't question that the US would be competitive, and I don't question that the US would be one of the top powers. I question that the US would "win almost every major international competition" (to paraphrase what RainMaker said). I don't claim to be an expert, but I don't see any single country dominating a major sport to that degree, so I find it hard to envision a world where the US can do it just because it's the US.

Indeed. The first thing that came to mind when Pumpy originally questioned the statement was... "like baseball"? You'd think that the US would do far better at those World Baseball Classics, even though American football has surplanted the sport as #1 simply because of the "resource advantages".

[SirFozzie]

FIVE NOTHING???

[Dr. Sak]

It's like the USA saw what Canada did to Russia and said "Okay now take this!"

[Dr. Sak]

5-0

[Galaxy]

5-0!

[Galaxy]

6-0!

[SirFozzie]

SIX NOTHING!!!!!!

The Finland player just threw his controller and punched the USA player

[Lathum]

This is like watching USA playing a bunch of infants

[Johnny93g]

Um, were the fins drugged this morning?

[Dr. Sak]

6-0

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Lathum

This is like watching USA playing a bunch of infants

This is like the USA playing Finland in women's hockey.

[Lathum]

I am actually a little disappointed. I was hoping for a good game but I guess I'll take it.

[Dr. Sak]

Did the fins send their special olympic team by accident?

[Johnny93g]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

This is like the USA playing Finland in women's hockey.

In all serious, it wouldn't be much different

[whomario]

WTF, did they accidentily suit up the women again ?

I just switched channels from Biathlon and didn´t even look at the score, then US scores and the commentator says 6-0

how hard must it be to continue playing now ? (actually i know... smaller stage but been there ...)

[GoldenEagle]

When is the final?

[Big Fo]

Originally Posted by GoldenEagle

When is the final?

Sunday 3pm Eastern

[EagleFan]

Bad period by the US, only 13 shots...

[MikeVic]

Wow crazy! I hope to see the U.S. in the Gold Medal game!

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

Bad period by the US, only 13 shots...