2014 Winter Olympics

[GreenSox04]

If nothing else happens at these Olympics, I want someone other than Russia (or Canada to a lesser extent) to win the Gold in Men's Hockey... I would LOVE for our boys to win it in their house... if we play Russia... MUST. WIN. Like impeach the President, bomb somebody (or everybody) or just start the whole country over from scratch if we lose to those bastards... it’s dat real.

I'm just about here as well, I hate Canada for obvious reasons, (they're good basically..) but I absolutely LOATHE Russia and the way they play hockey today. I don't know if anyone followed this years world juniors closely, but the way Russia acted on the ice, specifically in the game they beat us drove me insane, bunch of morons would be the way id describe them on the ice that day.


Cannot WAIT for Saturday specifically.

 

[Rack Em]

In honor of the Winter Olympics:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_5ngHJqJTfw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[#1rish]

If nothing else happens at these Olympics, I want someone other than Russia (or Canada to a lesser extent) to win the Gold in Men's Hockey... I would LOVE for our boys to win it in their house... if we play Russia... MUST. WIN. Like impeach the President, bomb somebody (or everybody) or just start the whole country over from scratch if we lose to those bastards... it’s dat real.

I'm just about here as well, I hate Canada for obvious reasons, (they're good basically..) but I absolutely LOATHE Russia and the way they play hockey today. I don't know if anyone followed this years world juniors closely, but the way Russia acted on the ice, specifically in the game they beat us drove me insane, bunch of morons would be the way id describe them on the ice that day.


Cannot WAIT for Saturday specifically.

Yeah. F*** Russia and f*** this guy especially:

I hate to admit it, but oh man how offensively inept my Devils are without him.

 

[ACamp1900]

If Russia wins, I say we start a "Nuke Russia" petition and get enough signatures to force the pres. to address it...

 

[Emcee77]

If nothing else happens at these Olympics, I want someone other than Russia (or Canada to a lesser extent) to win the Gold in Men's Hockey... I would LOVE for our boys to win it in their house... if we play Russia... MUST. WIN. Like impeach the President, bomb somebody (or everybody) or just start the whole country over from scratch if we lose to those bastards... it’s dat real.

I'm just about here as well, I hate Canada for obvious reasons, (they're good basically..) but I absolutely LOATHE Russia and the way they play hockey today. I don't know if anyone followed this years world juniors closely, but the way Russia acted on the ice, specifically in the game they beat us drove me insane, bunch of morons would be the way id describe them on the ice that day.


Cannot WAIT for Saturday specifically.

As a Hawks fan I can't root against Canada except when they are playing the U.S. Toews, Sharp and Keith are my three favorite Hawks, with the exception of Kaner.

But Canada does have an embarrassment of talent. It's almost like the U.S. in basketball ... if they don't win the gold you feel like something went seriously awry.

 

[ACamp1900]

Thing is they went forever without winning it... and they always had talent...

anyway, I am a Pens fan, love Malkin and Sidney... both can go to hell over the next two weeks. lol

 

[gkIrish]

For those watching on NBCSN right now...how unbelievably cute are the two Brits? The blond and the brunette.

 

[tko]

Silje Norendal, that is all.

 

[GreenSox04]

As a Hawks fan I can't root against Canada except when they are playing the U.S. Toews, Sharp and Keith are my three favorite Hawks, with the exception of Kaner.

But Canada does have an embarrassment of talent. It's almost like the U.S. in basketball ... if they don't win the gold you feel like something went seriously awry.

Toews is my favorite player on the planet going all the way back to his days at north Dakota, that being said I still find it easy to root against Canada in just about every case with the exception of Russia now.

Sweeden\finland, are way easier teams to root for from my perspective.

 

[ACamp1900]

I'd be cool with the Swedes or Czechs taking Gold if it means Canada and Russia have to sit and watch,... hopefully the US would be on the podium with the Swedes or whoever.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Winter Olympics are boring as hell. Someone call me when Team USA plays Iceland in hockey so I can watch Dean Portman and Fulton Reed open up a can of whoop ass.

 

[ACamp1900]

SO much better than the summer... 'let's hype up an 8 second race for two weeks and make it out as though the winner of every single one of these races wasn't known a whole year ago... '

Other than the pool events the summer games do nothing for me... the Winter games have SOME stuff that really intrigues me.

 

[wizards8507]

I love getting caught up in the events that I normally wouldn't care about whatsoever. I was fist-pumping like a madman for a dude named Ole Einar Bjoerndalen just because I picked him out at the beginning of the event as the dude with the most epic name.

 

[Emcee77]

I'd be cool with the Swedes or Czechs taking Gold if it means Canada and Russia have to sit and watch,... hopefully the US would be on the podium with the Swedes or whoever.

Good call on the Swedes. Boy are they a likable bunch ... and as many Blackhawks as on Team Canada (Oduya, Hjalmarsson and Kruger, who is one of my favorite players).

 

[NDisme]

SO much better than the summer... 'let's hype up an 8 second race for two weeks and make it out as though the winner of every single one of these races wasn't known a whole year ago... '

Other than the pool events the summer games do nothing for me... the Winter games have SOME stuff that really intrigues me.

I agree 1000%, summer games the only thing id watch is swimming. Winter I love hockey, love short track speed skating (Pissed Apollo is done) snowboarding slope and half pipe, downgill skiing super G, i even like curling.... A lot to watch in winter as opposed to summer

 

[irishog77]

Anybody have any doubts that Russia's hockey team will be helped out by officiating? Like the '72 b-ball game type of cheating? No way Putin can have this team lose in hockey.

 

[calvegas04]

More USA coverage and Medals will be fine with me.

 

[KPENN]

Anybody have any doubts that Russia's hockey team will be helped out by officiating? Like the '72 b-ball game type of cheating? No way Putin can have this team lose in hockey.

Nope, it won't happen.

 

[STLDomer]

Has anyone else found NBC's coverage to be borderline unbearable? It's really turning me off for a few reason.

1. Blatant homerism for USA athletes.

Same for networks across the world and their respective countries. It's the Olympics. NBC is actually not "homer" at all IMO if you compare it to some of the stuff I've seen from BBC for Great Britian.

 

[KPENN]

early US lines are uhhhhh, interesting..

jvr-pavekski-Kessel;
Parise-Backes-oshie;
brown-Kesler-Kane;
Callahan-stastny-pacioretty


put down the vodka bylsma..

Meanwhile our hat.

Kunitz-Crosby-Carter
Sharp-Toews-Nash
Marleau-Getzlaf-Perry
Bergeron-Tavares-Benn
St. Louis and Duchene subs

Keith-Weber
Vlasic-Doughty
Pieterangelo-Bouwmeester
Hamhuis and Subban subs

 

[aubeirish]

I'd be cool with the Swedes or Czechs taking Gold if it means Canada and Russia have to sit and watch,... hopefully the US would be on the podium with the Swedes or whoever.

Yea, that won't happen. I could see the Swedes win it all. I don't like Russia's defense personally, but home ice is a real factor. I could see the Americans be a real contender. It's a pretty gritty team. Canada should win it all based on talent alone, but it's never that easy. Should be an entertaining tournament.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Same for networks across the world and their respective countries. It's the Olympics. NBC is actually not "homer" at all IMO if you compare it to some of the stuff I've seen from BBC for Great Britian.

Maybe so but it does seem worse than in other olympic games; probably due to location.

The announcers in the opening ceremonies really went out of their way to bash Russia which seems contrary to the spirit of the event.

 

[wizards8507]

The announcers in the opening ceremonies really went out of their way to bash Russia which seems contrary to the spirit of the event.

You think the announcers were bashing Russia? I noted several occassions where they completely glossed over totalitarianism, communism, and human rights violations.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Well, I don't usually look to sportscasters for my understanding of history and geopolitics. YMMV.

 

[wizards8507]

Well, I don't usually look to sportscasters for my understanding of history and geopolitics. YMMV.

I get it, but if they're going to mention topics like that in the first place, they shouldn't do so in such a casual manner. It's the attitude of the thing that bugged me. "Communism killed 20 million people in the USSR but that's okay because OH LOOK matryoshka dolls." The "history and geopolitics" are the areas where I think a bit of homerism is actually most appropriate. I'm surprised there's not more of a consensus on that because I feel like homophobic communists might very well be the one group to piss off the entire American political spectrum.

 

[GreenSox04]

Anybody have any doubts that Russia's hockey team will be helped out by officiating? Like the '72 b-ball game type of cheating? No way Putin can have this team lose in hockey.

i was thinking this the other day, I don't think/hope it'll play much of a factor, but I can't help but believe that in the back of the officiating crews minds assigned to russian games is their own safety… they still got to get out of that country at the end of the day...

In reality it probably won't be a factor. But you better believe ill be keeping a close eye on the officiating saturday morning...

 

[#1rish]

Fudge, I'm leaving for Boston Saturday morning (first time ever visiting). Maybe I can catch the end of the game streaming on my phone somehow.

On a side note, it seems there's a bunch of posters from Boston here, any of you have any recommendations for things to do there? My GF and I will be there through the long weekend. Some of the things were going to do: Sweet Caroline's, duck tour (although it might be freezing for that), skywalk, Sam Adam's brewery.

Thanks in advance.

 

[GreenSox04]

Meanwhile our hat.

Kunitz-Crosby-Carter
Sharp-Toews-Nash
Marleau-Getzlaf-Perry
Bergeron-Tavares-Benn
St. Louis and Duchene subs

Keith-Weber
Vlasic-Doughty
Pieterangelo-Bouwmeester
Hamhuis and Subban subs

smfh at carter, barf. those lines make my head hurt. marleau getzlaf perry, paul bunyan line… yeesh. big ice surface though so will see… i mean its not like they don't have ridiculous skaters as well oy..

Weber/Keith Dpairing is absurd as well… the norris winner is an alternate Dman, christ.

I DO SEE A 6X4 hole in our hat though…

Yea, that won't happen. I could see the Swedes win it all. I don't like Russia's defense personally, but home ice is a real factor. I could see the Americans be a real contender. It's a pretty gritty team. Canada should win it all based on talent alone, but it's never that easy. Should be an entertaining tournament.

I don't see the czechs contending for a medal, and i could see the sweeds silver at best with all the injuries they've unfortunately had recently. but if king henrik goes ryan miller on all of us this go around I could see them reach the gold medal game.

I think it comes down to Russia, US, Canada, Sweden, finland without koivu/filppula just won't be enough to contend IMO regardless of what Rask does.

 

[NDBoiler]

Fudge, I'm leaving for Boston Saturday morning (first time ever visiting). Maybe I can catch the end of the game streaming on my phone somehow.

On a side note, it seems there's a bunch of posters from Boston here, any of you have any recommendations for things to do there? My GF and I will be there through the long weekend. Some of the things were going to do: Sweet Caroline's, duck tour (although it might be freezing for that), skywalk, Sam Adam's brewery.

Thanks in advance.

I have family in Boston that I have visited a few times, here's my recommendations:

Visit Cheers (the original on Beacon), have a Sam Adams Boston Brick Red, and sit in Norm's seat.

Take one of the trolley tours that goes around downtown. You'll see all the sites like Boston Commons, Quincy Market, Paul Revere's house, the Old North Church, USS Constitution

Go on the Minuteman Trail. I suggest starting at the visitor center with the video presentation and then following it through Lexington and Concord. Make sure you go to the Old North Bridge and explore that area (hopefully the weather will be good).

I'm a fan of history, so that's the kinda stuff I enjoy.

 

[aubeirish]

Yea. The Fins, the Czechs a and the Slovaks are on the outside looking in. Slovakia might be the best out of the 3. Still, they are really good teams.

The Swedes do have some injuries, but they still have world class defense and goaltending. They will move the puck well on that big ice.

Russia is interesting. If they show up and play hard, they will be tough to beat.

I do like Canada's roster. Too bad Stamkos won't be there(for hockey fans in general). It has a lot of speed, especially on the defensive end. That was the big mistake they made in Torino. I mean, Foote, McCabe, Pronger, Regehr, and Blake. What were they thinking(smh). There was no speed on that defense. This one is very much the opposite.

I also like team USA as a unit. Also, any team in the tournament should fear Quick in the clutch.

Can't wait.