2007/08 IIHF WJHC in Czech Republic

[johnnybluenose]

A little late, but the tourney really started today now the weak sisters are gone to the relegation round.

Canada 4 - Finland 2

Looks like Canada had better peak at the right time as they have struggled to score goals.

Another weak weird bounce today for a goal against, but they are showing they can overcome these things a bit by playing so well defensively overall, Sweden loss not withstanding.

Onto the Yanks I guess...

probably at this point I would say the Tourney rests in Canada, Sweden, or the States this year.

[the-impersonator]

I wonder if Canada will go back to Bernier after Mason let in those stinkers.

[Bifficus]

Mason is supposed to play the rest of the way.

[johnnybluenose]

Pierre MaGuire said today on the TEAM that Mason is still the guy.

[Regs]

Are you sure he didn't call him a monster?

[johnnybluenose]

Well Done Boys, Bernier-who?

[italian_stallion21]

Fantastic job, and well worth getting in trouble for taking a long lunch to see our boys 4-peat.

[Skip]

Extremely proud of the team's effort, and of course the result...... but now that I'm back at work, and have time to post again (), I wanted to comment on this years' WJCs:

Did anyone else find the celebrations and antics of SOME of our Canadian players to be a little much this year??? I found myself wanting a few players to tone it down a tad in the post game celebrations and interviews. I mean, how many flags does one player really need to receive from the stands? In particular, Marchand and his cigar smoking friend (the pie in the face prankster who's name escapes me) rubbed me the wrong way.

Don't get me wrong! I love to see these kids excited, and full of patriotic pride.....but enough already with the pies in the face, and the blatant attempts to perform for the cameras whenever a chance presented itself! Maybe it was just a few that stole the limelight, but in the end, I found myself wishing more of those kids had the poise our Captain did (once again, the name escapes me).

Maybe I'm just typically Canadian, and proud of it, but I like the reputation we have with regards to being humble in victory. Some of these kids seemed to celebrate like they were wearing an extra color on their jersey (blue).

"When you lose, say little. When you win, say less"

Just my opinion. Thoughts?

~S

[johnnybluenose]

I hear what you are saying Skip, but you have to remember what the kids were going through over there...

Patrick Berglund (I think) the swedish captain told all the papers that he was relishing the chance to beat the canucks twice.
The Yanks were supposedly very very cocky and let the kids know about it when they crossed paths following a Canada Practice and the Yanks moving their stuff into a locker room the day prior to the Finland game.

Stefan Legein was the prankster, and supposedly he is always this way.

Karl Alzner, the captain from Burnaby was all class...

I hear what you are saying, it looked a little Americanish a celebration for my taste too, but they were in foreign territory for the Semi and Final as supposed underdogs and played well enough to win, which probably has more to do with the celebration as for once in the last 5 years they were not the slam dunk team to win it all.

I actually thought the Swedes were the better team, but played with no soul for the first and second periods...
Figren, Moller, and Berglund are awesome offensive players...much better than any of the Canadian kids.

Had the few Canadians playing in the NHL been there (Lucic, Sheppard, Gagner, Toews, etc) been there it would have been a slam dunk...but that wouldn't have been much fun.

[Dude]

Also, let's consider how they won it. Overtime after giving up a lead w/ less than a minute to go? Apparently, collectively, their legs were dead. Momentum was shifted to the Swedes, and the Canadians had to some how recover from an emotional heartbreak, as well as find another gear.

I hear you though, Skip. I think this is an exception, not the norm. More than anything, I think this had to do with the celebration being what it was. Doubt it would have been as exuberant had the score been 4-0, or 5-1. In a case like that, the coaches would have had a chance to give a quick tap on the players shoulder to be sure and keep it respectful.

[Regs]

I could have done without all the Rick Flair impersonations during the championship Oh Canada anthem.

Woooo!

Woooo!

Give me strength.

[Guinness]

Yeah I agree with most of what Skip is saying, but as Dud said it had more to do with how they won the game. The emotion went from exciting nervous (last couple in the third), to complete shock and disappointment (Swedes tie it up in last minute), to jamming home the game winner!
Keep in mind, this was a VERY young team that wasn't given much chance after losing to Sweden in the round robin. It must have felt like they were playing against all odds with the pressure put on them from coaching, management, hockey Canada and the media! After Sweden ties it up it's "here we go again", but the kids dug deep and won it.
The cigar on TV, the pie and Rick Flair's signature "whoo" was a bit much, but at no time was I thinking Americana. It is great as a Canadian to see us be sucessful at something and not be afraid to show it. Personally, I'm tired of watching other nations (ie) USA, be dominant and throw it in our face.
Thinking back to Atlanta '96 when the 4x4 relay team beat the yanks on home soil and Salt lake '02 when both women and men's team beat the yanks! That was something special. The say little, say less preech is before our time. The youth of today are blessed with opportunity and along with it comes many more distractions. Unfortunately, if you don't speak up and get hear you slowly manage to end up at the back of the class room.
I love seeing the Sidney Crosby's and Ovechkin's of the world score goals. They celebrate like it's never happened before! Being a show boat or premaddonna is one thing, but there is a difference between confident and cocky, proud and loud, emotional and annoying. I think most of the time we Canadians get it right. If a few kids went over the top for the first time, then so be it.

GO CANADA GO!

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Guinness

Personally, I'm tired of watching other nations (ie) USA, be dominant and throw it in our face.

This kind of emphasizes my point Guiney. Other nations throw stuff in our face, so what do we do?.... We wind up REALLY disliking them, and using words like 'arrogant' to describe them. I don't like the idea of Canadians being seen in this light.

Originally Posted by Guinness

Thinking back to Atlanta '96 when the 4x4 relay team beat the yanks on home soil and Salt lake '02 when both women and men's team beat the yanks! That was something special.

Agreed. I don't recall any Rick Flair 'whooing', or pies in the face after those amazing moments for Canada. The statement was made on the track.

Originally Posted by Guinness

The say little, say less preech is before our time. The youth of today are blessed with opportunity and along with it comes many more distractions. Unfortunately, if you don't speak up and get hear you slowly manage to end up at the back of the class room.

I guess we agree to disagree here. I don't think Canadians have EVER been "in the back of the classroom" when it comes to international hockey, and despite the odd rant by Esposito and/or Clarke in the '72 Summit Series, I'd say we kept our 'front row' status through our actions and results on the ice. The Gold Medals, Canada Cups etc speak for themselves. IMO, the youth need to be mindfull, and respectful of the past. I don't buy the notion that they are faced with some new form of adversity that requires them to be pompous a$$e$.

I agree completely with your comments on Crosby and his energy in celebrations. That to me, is a great example of expressing emotion in a proud and acceptable way. I doubt very much you'd catch Sid the kid with a cigar in his mouth on national tv, seeking the spotlight, and trying to be a comedian.

Go Canada Go!

~S

[trece verde]

Skip:

Something to keep in mind - when the "other guys" are celebrating and whooping it up they're obnoxious and arrogant. When your team is doing it, you're just kids celebrating.

That's just the way most of us are. Maybe moreso now, since that's how our role models have been observed celebrating after wins. Anytime you see a final game, unless it's Merkin Football and the players are having a prayer circle, the winners aren't exactly quiet.

I'm pretty sure Coach Sutter would have had a word or two to say to those of his players who were over the top. I don't mind loud celebrating either, but my players would be doing wind sprints if they did that during the National Anthem, and they know it...

Standing on guard,

Trece

[johnnybluenose]

Coach Sutter is actually Coach Hartsburg.

back on topic

[trece verde]

I knew that...

To paraphrase Sir M: "I'm too vain to wear glasses and I've been cooking with aluminum pots for a long time..."

Sorry about that Coach...

Trece