Thank goodness it's over. He was awful. So was the US women's skip.

At least with the women, I was distracted when they were getting beat by Russia or Sweden (both were easy on the eyes). With the guys, I had little to distract me.

Don't forget Denmark in the skirts and tights. Their skip is really hot, she was one of the ones who did the nude female curlers calender as a fundraiser.

I do feel bad for Shuster, several of those losses (and the shots that lost the matches) were close and some of the other USA guys messed up this week too but he took most of the blame. He did get a bronze medal in Torino, he just had a bad week.

And like sterlingice said I do think it's more harsh to rip on our curlers than the millionaire coaches and players on my favorite pro teams.

Ah, yes. Not sure how I managed to leave them out. I'll have to track down a link for that calendar.

:D

Didn't say Canadians couldn't say teams were good. They just can never bring themselves to say teams are better than them. Sorry if you don't agree, but that's what "You beat us, but we're still better than you." ALWAYS sounds like.

Do I even need to ask for picsplxkthx?

Um, actually, that's pretty much exactly what you said.

haha

If there's any of good pics her floating about I'll be sure to pm you.


Pretty sure I'd get boxed for that. I suggest a google search using some combo of "madeleine dupont" and "kalender."

Gotta laugh at Plushenko awarding himself a platinum medal on his website. Stay classy dude.

Given the goalie swtich for Canada, I think this extra game against Germany isn't a bad thing. It will give Luongo a chance to get comfortable again with the team in front of him and may give a chance for some of these lines to finally start to mesh. Russia will be a huge test. I think they are vulenerable, however. They haven't been quite the dominating force either. Losing to Slovakia wasn't impressive and they didn't really dominate the Czechs. Other than Ovechkin, no one is playing particularly well on that team. Nabokov is suspect as well. A win against Russia could give Canada some real confidence. They will need it against a very good and disciplined Swedish team, but if they can battle through that as well... It creates a perfect scenario. Canada would have beaten the other best two teams in the tournament for a chance at the gold medal. If the US happens to make it to the gold medal, certainly not a given, that would be sweet, sweet redemption for sure.

Oh my... she cleans up well.

You might be able to find a Facebook group by the name of the calendar... Fire on Ice Curling Calendar, if you really wanted to see women of curling... maybe.

... unreal ending to the 10,000 metres speed skating ...

yeah, that was rough

Shea Weber just burned the puck through the net. Literally.

Dola...he is going to kill someone with his slap shot some day. It's a rocket.

For people who are both NBA and NHL fans, how common are back-to-back games in the NHL compared to the NBA? All the winning teams today are playing tomorrow and I want an idea on how much it will take out of them.

just saw the ending, man that's pretty unbelievable.

I know what would help ski cross: the blue shell

SI

Hello little mole!

Not particularly unusual.

NHL teams, on most weekends, play back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday this year.

This Japanese skater probably isn't 18. Asada.

Ah, so it's not that big a deal. I was hoping the Swiss might be a little tired going into tomorrow afternoon's game.

Our women bobsledders kick some arse

SI

Oh hell yeah!!!!

Loved watching that team play, just didn't see them enough. She is captivating.

She's the one with the constant pouty face (and one of two sisters on that team), isn't she? And always has some goth black around her eyes?

SI

I dunno- I'm kindof starting to really like Svindal. He's kindof a big scary guy but he seems like the grizzled veteran among a bunch of kids.

SI

US women get off to a 3-0 start in curling and lose 10-3, including an end where the Swiss scored three despite not having the hammer. Both men and women finish in dead last.

Fuck the medal count, I think I would trade Lindsay Vonn, Shani Davis, Apolo Ohno, and Bode Miller for good curling teams.

Latvia just scored, they're only down 2-1 to the Czechs in the third, that would be a surprise if they could win this.

:banana: I didn't know what kind of icon to put with this but I thought it funny.

So what you're saying is that you'd trade Vonn, Davis, Ohno, and Miller for Kevin Martin and a woman skip to be named later? ;)

SI

Latvia ties it up!

Czech Republic 2-2 Latvia with around four minutes left.

Speaking of all of the above, earlier on the page, I do *not* want a Men of Curling calendar where you can see Kevin Martin, John Schuster and Norwegian men without wacky pants. This would be an ideal spot for a "Do not want" JPG

SI

Canada-China women in extra ends, tied at 5 in the 11th on MSNBC

SI

Czechs won in overtime, Slovakia are beating Norway 3-1. Looks like all the higher seeded teams will make the quarterfinals.

edit: Norway has come back, they made it 3-3, scoring with .1 seconds left in the second period.

Slovakia hangs on to win 4-3. Norway had one go an inch or two wide in the last ten seconds. Two exciting games tonight, can't wait to watch some more hockey tomorrow.

The Swiss/ Belarus ot and shootout was quite fun to watch yesterday.

4 great games today. I got a hockey game at 8:30 tonight, the worst time possible, just late enough that i will miss the whole 2nd, and most of the 3rd period of Canada/Russia. I may be faking an injury and heading to the bar tonight.

USA beats the Swiss, some think it will be a close game. I'm thinking something like 5-1, with the USA pulling away in the 3rd.

Finland and the Czech's. I don't know. I'm leaning towards the Fin's, as i just think they work harder then the Czech's.

Slovakia and Sweden. Slovakia got woken up last night, and this is not automatic for Sweden. I'm gonna take the favourite's, but it won't be easy.

No prediction for Canada/Russia. I am a bit biased.

Only 7 more olympic hockey games, enjoy them now, we have to wait 4 more years....maybe

If they go to Russia in 4 years.

Don't underestimate the Fins in this tourny,They have the most experieced team at the olympic games.

Old Gary is just trying to use his leverage to get the KHL to sign a transfer agreement.

Overall, I like the new line combinations for Team Canada. Granted, any of those lines should look good against the Germans, who Mike Milbury referred to as "standing around like fire hydrants and getting peed on". His exact words.

I think Staal with Crosby and Iginla works. Keeping the San Jose line together makes sense. Nash should be able to function like higher-end Bobby Ryan with Getzlaf and Perry, but, I agree, they haven't been quite as good as they can be. The 4th line, as it were, is a very good energy, checking line. It's good for them to have an identity/role.

It will be interesting to see what Babcock does against Ovechkin. Does he try to check him? What d-pair does he play against that line? The Russians haven't shown too much in the way of offense beyond that top line, even though the second line with Kovalchuk and Datsyuk should be more deadly than it has been. If Canada can get it together defensively, they should be able to win that battle.

It should be a great game.

No score after one in USA-SUI.

Perfect example of what some of these guys were talking about in the CAN-USA game. I know it's only one period, but the US has something like a 17-4 scoring chance advantage over the Swiss, and in no way would anyone say we "dominated" that period.

Seems like it would require an extra week or so off from the schedule. Of course, the NHL and the game of hockey is getting a very nice boost from this. What time would the games start?

Seems like the NHLers in Russia is just as important as they are in Canada.

two things:

One) US had a real good first period, forcing 18 saves from the Swiss goalie.. need to keep up the forechecking.. and oh, btw, in HD without commercials is the ONLY way to watch hockey.

Two) Plushenko is a jackass. He's awarded himself the platinum medal, saying that he was screwed by the judges:

In Plushenko's mind (and website), he's the platinum medal winner - Fourth-Place Medal - 2010 Olympics Blog - Yahoo! Sports

Are all the games today played at Canada Hockey Place? Seems kind of tight for the 3 night games.

Also, the higher seeds are the home seed, correct? That means they get the advantage in line change matchups?

I would be surprised if that were the case. Personally, I think it's great for the game and the NHL to have NHL players in the olympics. I love the tournament. I am not sure if the Olympic tournament really does anything for the non-NHL fan once the Olympics are done.


There is an 8 hour time difference between Moscow and EST. So, the latest a game would like start would be noon or 1 PM EST? So, certainly no live games would be in prime time.

Or any sport, really.

They did it when the Olympics were in Japan and Torino. I'm sure schedule is part of the reason as is what I mentioned. But either way I would bet that most of the Russians will be heading there even if the rest of the NHLers aren't, I know Ovechkin for one said he'd go. And the Caps GM said he is letting AO go.

3 of the 4 are played there, one is played somewhere else. And yes you are correct about the home seeds are the higher seeds.

This is going to be close

No goal

That hurts, but agreed that it shouldn't be a goal.

Damn, a few hundredths of a second from taking a lead into the third. Good call though.

Just me, or is the Swiss team perhaps better than they've been given credit for?

It's all Hiller. The only sustained pressure they had was on a long US shift. All their chances are off awful giveaways by the Americans, which is the same issue they had vs them before.

The Swiss team D is very solid, they aren't giving up many shots, but they are playing like a team totally outgunned, hoping for breaks. You can win vs one great team like that, but it won't get more then a Bronze.

I was thinking about that after the first...if the US loses this game, I'd have a hard time blaming anyone or saying we "choked."

Although I would agree with this. My ears almost started bleeding when Emrick commented on the great, long shift Jack Johnson had on that power play...after he made two, almost three, horrible turnovers on it.

They aren't giving up many shots? Huh?

Meant good shots. They are all from the top of the circle and out.

Honestly the Swiss right now remind me of the 2003 Anaheim Ducks, but a very lite version.

Not speaking for him, but he may have missed a qualifying "good-". We're doing a lot of throwing the puck at the net.


GOAL!!! (throwing it at the net!)

Already googled it...can't believe "persistency" is actually an accepted word according to dictionary.com.

You always know what I am thinking.

Doc needs to change his pants after a Parise goal.

Shit...that puck was in.

Oh boy, here we go.

Just watched it 4 times in slow mo and I agree.

Ha...behind the net seems like no goal.

Wow that Swiss shot didn't go in? That view fucked with everyones mind apparently.

That may have been the craziest sequence I've seen.

Agreed with that as well. I think we really need a perfect overview camera to be sure either way.

That penalty was marginal at best.

Thankfully the puck was on its side.

there's the overhead view, wow!

And I'm still not sure ;) Very close call.

Great hit by Rafalski.

swiss not dead yet, that team has a pretty stunning track record against the big teams and has a ton of fight left in them.

They aren´t really beating up on the weaker ones and aren´t all that much better than say Belarus, germany or norway head-to-head, but they are by far the best of the non-power teams (everyone but US, Can, Fin, Swe, Rus, Slo, Cze) at playing against the big guns.

has anyone seen the cross country relay ? Not my sport, but what a finish by Petter Northug, guy almost killed himself there.

Ryan can do some great things with the puck...just wish one of those would be "shoot it."

You do realize that, like, half the U.S. team is named Ryan.

Seriously?

We Americans use detail in our posts when expressing curiosity. Please provide.

Yeah Americans love giving detail, like the guy that posted Canada Sucks. Very detailed post there.

What part of that game did'nt the USA dominate?

Strange...taking shots is not usually a problem for him in Anaheim. Maybe he feels bad for teammate Hiller.

The scoreboard.

It was about an inch from being tied at 1 with little time left.

New idea - how about we take the Canada-USA rhetorical anger and bashing down a couple notches here hmm? It's mean. And I like flowers and everybody getting along and all sorts of other hippie, feel-good things.

You quoted my post, but I'm not sure you read it. The US didn't dominate that first period.

His only post in the thread, plus a reaction to the anger that included a happy face. Get over it.

What are you neutral...like the Swiss? :)

Anyway, the best game of today is coming up next. I'll be cheering for Canada. I hold no ill will towards the fun loving Canadians like their fans were hating on the USA today.

I would bet that the Swiss had more shots blocked than shots on goal. That first period was a bit scary for the US cause the Swiss did have some sustained pressure. But as the game went on the ice became more and more tilted in the American's favor.

Gotta love the Canadian fans at the game rooting for the Swiss. Bitter much :)

Same here, but rooting for a good game more than anything.

And i am saying "Seriously they did'nt?"

I thought the US dominated from start to finish.

Except on the scoreboard as pointed out.

I don't think I've bashed the U.S. in this thread, closest thing is quoting Logan there with his reply that annoyed me (sounded condescending, "we Americans" like no one else uses detail in the world). I actually agreed that regardless of who people thought was the "dominating" team in the Canada-U.S. game, the U.S. deserved to win, etc. Some of the arguments by U.S. posters were pissing me off, so I left the thread for hockey stuff. I come back here, and that's what I see again, "we Americans."

Only thing Canada has going for them in the game VS Russia is that Miller is American :)

Given that it seemed like a lot of the pundits were predicting Canada vs Russia for the gold, I can't help but wonder if we're going to get an even better game between the two given that elimination is on the line tonight.

Don't get me wrong, I know winning the gold is a huge motivator, but whichever one of these teams loses this game is going to be seen as a huge disappointment. Should make for some good desperation hockey on both sides.

You're god damn right I was being condescending, and it's well-deserved. GoldenEagle used twice as many words as bbor in his post, hence he used significantly more detail. God Bless America.




;)

I think Canada has deeper forward lines. Russia might have the fire power up front but you guys have better 3rd and 4th lines if Babcock decides to roll 4.

I do not condone this edit.

This is nothing new. I remember back in the 1996 World Cup, the U.S. played Russia in Montreal and the fans there booed the U.S. and cheered for the Russians.

Don Cherry went off on that, saying it was one of the very few times he was ever embarassed to be a Canadian and then went on some rant about how America always defended Canada in wars or would defend Canada in a war and Russia wouldn't or something Don Cherry-esque like that. It was enjoyable.