Canada and USA Final

[JR#9*]

That's a pretty offensive comment to make about a nation.

No offense intended but I can understand where you're coming from but let's be honest here, what is the biggest thing associated with Canada outside of their borders????

Of Course it's hockey....and if you feel differently please feel free to let me know what else Canada is BEST associated with other than that.

 

[triggrman]

Wasn't it forbidden in England to play hockey in the 1500's because of the violence of the sport?

 

[cagney]

Success by an individual nation in any sport is really quantified by three factors... population, interest, and wealth. The more people you have, the larger the talent base you have. The more interest there is, the more likely it is that you'll be to attract the most talented athletes. The more wealth you have, the more resources you have to develop that talent. For the most part it's really that simple. Obviously knowledge of the game is important but simple trial and error can lead to a proper formula for success if given enough time. While innate ability is often inferred onto different ethnic groups (Canadians are so tough... Russians are so skilled... etc.) I really don't have much belief in such an idea (the only time I have questioned this is when it comes to black athletes but that's a totally different discussion which is really not relevent to hockey).

This may take some of the shine off of international competition but I still enjoy it regardless.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

It does getting annoying with all the Canada chest thumping, especially with all the "we should have won the WJC last year" nonsense where they try and taint the American win but when you sit back and realize that Canada's whole identity is caught up in Hockey and that is what they are most recognized with throughout the world you can understand where all the Canadian chest thumping comes from because if they lost that they also have an identity crisis up north.

... almost as annoying as the mind-numbing 'USA, USA' chants which rein from the stands in almost any international competition from Olympics to chess tournaments. It was funny to watch the world stop spinning when the classless American Olympic basketball team learned that other countries could play the game. Their group of 'me' personalities finally learned a lesson from true teams.

There is something to be said for gracious winners and losers. I'll take a so called Canadian identity crisis over some of the negative global perceptions about USA sports ... among other things.

I apologize for falling into an emotional discussion about nationalism but for me, this post crossed the line. Edit: I should add it has been great to see US hockey emerge as a competitive force. It makes for great games and a good, competitive rivalry.

 

[JR#9*]

... almost as annoying as the mind-numbing 'USA, USA' chants which rein from the stands in almost any international competition from Olympics to chess tournaments. It was funny to watch the world stop spinning when the classless American Olympic basketball team learned that other countries could play the game. Their group of 'me' personalities finally learned a lesson from true teams.

There is something to be said for gracious winners and losers. I'll take a so called Canadian identity crisis over some of the negative global perceptions about USA sports ... among other things.

I apologize for falling into an emotional discussion about nationalism but for me, this post crossed the line. Edit: I should add it has been great to see US hockey emerge as a competitive force. It makes for great games and a good, competitive rivalry.

Again, not trying to stir emotions or take shots at Canada but if you want to accept reality this is it....Canada is best associated with the sport of hockey!!!

And if it's not PLEASE correct me with a list of what it's better associated with outside it's own borders.

As for the shots at the US, there are a ton of other things, both GOOD and BAD that people associate us with, rightly or wrongly.

And yes, the USA basketball team was a disgrace and the majority of americans felt that same way.

Doesn't change the fact that Canada's identity is heavily wrapped up with the game of hockey.

 

[Riggs]

Canadians love hockey, right?

Then why is Lacrosse the national sport?

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Canadians love hockey, right?

Then why is Lacrosse the national sport?

Americans love football, but why is baseball considered its national pasttime?

Irrelevant.

 

[JR#9*]

Canadians love hockey, right?

Then why is Lacrosse the national sport?

Yeah plenty of people automatically think of Lacrosse when Canada is mentioned.

People need some thicker skin.

Why are you so offended by the FACT that the number one thing people outside of Canada associate the country with is the sport of hockey??

And if you disagree please feel free to let me know what you think Canada is most to something other then hockey.

 

[MOGiLNY]

Canadians love hockey, right?

Then why is Lacrosse the national sport?

Just because lacrosse is the national sport, doesn't mean it's the most popular one.

In Russia, a game called "gorodki" is the official sport, I believe.. but it's definitely not what the kids play after school.

 

[Riggs]

Americans love football, but why is baseball considered its national pasttime?

Irrelevant.

We could have had Football, baseball, or basketball. But we had to pick one.

You only have hockey, and you didn't even pick it!

 

[Riggs]

Just because lacrosse is the national sport, doesn't mean it's the most popular one.

In Russia, a game called "gorodki" is the official sport, I believe.. but it's definitely not what the kids play after school.

What is the object of that game?

Do you have to through that stick at whatever was on the ground and out of an area to score?

It looks pretty cool.

 

[Boilers*]

The USA? Where is that? Is that the Country to the east of Canada or the west?

 

[The True Blue Crew]

pretty much

there are certain forms shaped from sticks and you throw a bigger stick at them to break them.

What is the object of that game?

Do you have to through that stick at whatever was on the ground and out of an area to score?

It looks pretty cool.

 

[MOGiLNY]

What is the object of that game?

Do you have to through that stick at whatever was on the ground and out of an area to score?

It looks pretty cool.

They give you a bunch of little bars that are like cylinders, and you make some kind of shape out of them, then throw the bat at whatever you just built.

I have no idea how they keep score in the game though..

 

[The True Blue Crew]

since when England had Indians (pardon me, Native Americans, First Nations) ?

Hockey originated in England

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

We could have had Football, baseball, or basketball. But we had to pick one.

You only have hockey, and you didn't even pick it!

You do know basketball was a gift from we Canadians ...

Proudly created and shared by a Canadian.

 

[Boilers*]

You do know basketball was a gift from we Canadians ...

Proudly created and shared by a Canadian.

....And baseball,and football,gee these guys keep ruining our games it's time to invent another.

 

[JR#9*]

The USA? Where is that? Is that the Country to the east of Canada or the west?

That's pretty funny.

 

[Riggs]

You do know basketball was a gift from we Canadians ...

Proudly created and shared by a Canadian.

I didn't know that.

I thought that Basketball was started in Mexico. It was some kind of war game that they would cut the head off the loser and try to through it into a basket. I could be way off, but I tend to remember stuff like that.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I didn't know that.

I thought that Basketball was started in Mexico. It was some kind of war game that they would cut the head off the loser and try to through it into a basket. I could be way off, but I tend to remember stuff like that.

Sorry, peach basket and Dr. Naismith. But I will say in your game it sounds like 'heads, you lose.'

 

[Wetcoaster]

You don't have to like it, but here is no way you can make a decent arguement against it.

Absolutely right since Canada has won the Gold Medal at the WJ Tournament the last how many years???...... HMMMMMMMMM. Maybe not so up and coming.

 

[CarlRacki]

Wilka, you're fudging your figures. There are more American kids playing hockey than Canadian.

Talk about fudging numbers. While this may very well be true, for most U.S. kids playing hockey it is not their first sport. When push comes to shove, most of the really good athletes will gravitate to football, basketball or baseball because those are the glamour sports in the U.S., and the ones a kid is more likely to go to college/make money playing.
Not so in Canada, where hockey is the glamour sport, the game most kids grow up wanting to play in the "big leagues." As a result, the nation's better athletes are more likely to gravtitate to hockey when they get older than they are other sports.

 

[The True Blue Crew]

I second that.

Talk about fudging numbers. While this may very well be true, for most U.S. kids playing hockey it is not their first sport. When push comes to shove, most of the really good athletes will gravitate to football, basketball or baseball because those are the glamour sports in the U.S., and the ones a kid is more likely to go to college/make money playing.
Not so in Canada, where hockey is the glamour sport, the game most kids grow up wanting to play in the "big leagues." As a result, the nation's better athletes are more likely to gravtitate to hockey when they get older than they are other sports.

 

[stockbroker]

It's just a matter of time before some American starts with the "Vick is a better athlete than any hockey player".

Good luck.

 

[Papa Smurf]

I hope you are talking about juniors, cause at seniorlevel us Swedes still rocks the boat. We have the best center and winger in the world, and aside from those we have Lidstrom, the best defender in the world the past 5-6 years. Granted theyre getting old, but theyre still going strong.

You hope that I'm talking about the juniors!? Hope that The Hockey News is talking about them, not me.