Here's to the USA!

[Gophers]

Almost wanted to start my own thread with this take, but why bother. I'm really glad you Canadians knocked the Ruskies on their butts, and I'm glad you got the GOLD. I wanted Canada to win. I always root hard for Canada when they are not playing the USA. Still: @#$^ off Canada. You've got a bunch of classless louts for fans. You treated our guys like dirt. I hope the next time the tourney is hosted in the USA, our fans cheer like hell for your team, treat your team with respect, and generally overwhelm you as good hosts. That is as it should be. I really love Canada, but this anti-USA thing is getting old. As a US hockey fan I will remember, how our team was treated in Canada.

I was at a couple games last year in Grand Forks and I was a little bit shocked at the attitude of some of the Canadian fans in the arena. It was at the Canada/Finland game and the entire place was filled with Canadian fans(obviously). A group behind me wasnt showing much class as Canada routed the Finns. Maybe the fans were just worked up because the highways were shut down due to bad weather, but they really got on my nerves. Anyway, it left me with a bad impression.

 

[Evil Homer]

.....well not you, and that's fine by me. I guess when you get a response like this to a comment about class and respect then my point is all the more clearly made. Hey, it's an international hockey tournament in your country and you guys won. Hell, you dominated. You should be proud. You pretty much invented the game, and it's pretty much the most important thing in your country, right? I say that is all the more reason to show a little bit o class.....man.

As I said before when Canada comes here, I trust that they will be treated better than our boys were treated up there.

Pizza - I agree with just about everything you've said in this thread.

I'm a proud Canadian, but I'm embarrassed how we treated your team in this tournament.

I happened to be in the U.S. on business during the last few days of the tournament. I was treated with friendliness by just about everyone I met.

Good for you for taking the high road.

 

[MN_Gopher]

My few tid bits. First of all i think there is no need to apologize. I am glad we got booed. I am a gopher partial season ticket holder. This week end we played Niagra. I did not boo or really get into it. Next week vs NoDak i will be the most annoying person if you are a Sioux fan. To me being booed that heavily and treated like that means we are international competitors. I like that, i do not want to be the friendly neighbors that play hard and are fun to root for. I want to be the enemy. Off the ice yeah its all friends. But in the arena, do your worst.


The way Kessel was used was no good. In Minnesota he is any where from the first to the third line center. And on Friday he was listed as the fourth line center. Team USA should be able to have 4 deep lines or at least 3. Then when Kessel does get on the ice, like at the U, his speed and moves can happen. When he is always out there its easy to play against it. You almost have to keep your speed guys hidden untill they blow away from the pack. I don't know if he got tired or what but when i did see him he did not look the same. On friday his first shift he assisted on a Wheeler goal. Would have been nice to see those two skate together.

Gerbe, Skille, Wheeler and even Oshie a little bit. Guys that play in corners and forecheck and just throw checks. IMO should have been used more. Hurt the D a bit. Ware the other team down and softed them up. Would have made life a lot easier for Schremp and Kessel.

One thing that hurt. Hagemo being hurt. Would have given them a very reliable guy on the blue line.

I dont know about the coaching. If Kessel and Skille-Johnson cannot get along and Schremp and everyone esle then do not select them if you cannot make it work. If they did all get along then the coaching staff did a poor job letting each player play to his strengths.

 

[espo*]

.....well not you, and that's fine by me. I guess when you get a response like this to a comment about class and respect then my point is all the more clearly made. Hey, it's an international hockey tournament in your country and you guys won. Hell, you dominated. You should be proud. You pretty much invented the game, and it's pretty much the most important thing in your country, right? I say that is all the more reason to show a little bit o class.....man.

As I said before when Canada comes here, I trust that they will be treated better than our boys were treated up there.

Why does this response bother you? Are your players and fans that thin skinned? Are you trying to tell me Canadian teams have never been booed before? and are you trying to tell me we should care? I'm here to tell you we have plenty of times and we DON'T care,neither should you.There is no law saying Athletic teams from the United States are to be cheered,jeered or anything in between,it's up the fans..........they paid the 1500 bucks,not you..The fact that we boo you shows we know you were the favourite going in and there is no way we are gonna like you if you think you are just going to sashay in here and take that trophy, you don't like it..........too bad pal.At least we were THERE.Like so many American posters have said on these boards before...........when it comes to Canada,Americans simply could'nt care less,does that bother me? No,why the hell would this booing crap bother you?.As usual,when the U.S got knocked out in North Dakota last year the Americans just punted their tickets away to the Canada games,as expected of course,after all,it';s the Canadians,who f'in cares right?

And you guys are on here crying about booing and going on about MY and OUR CLASS? Cmon man!!why should we listen to this sooking from you about that?I know i'm not going to. oh,as for PRETTY much inventing the game,correction.We did invent it.Just had to get that in.

 

[espo*]

I'm from the US, and if I see one more post about how these are "17 and 18 year olds you're booing" I might throw up in my mouth. For Christ's sake, every player on Team USA has been booed in Juniors and College. The majority of these guys haven't eaten mom's cooking during their season since they were 16. I wasn't a big fan of the "USA sucks" chant, but I don't think our guys are going to be seeking councelling.

Funny story. When I coached a bantam team in '96 we went to Burnaby I believe for a Xmas tourney - terrible snow storm that I'm sure those of you in BC remember. Anyways, my top centerman comes back to the bench pissed because the linesman kept messing him up on the draw. Can't remember if he was dropping it early, kicking him out, simply can't remember. Anyways, since he was my Captain, I sent him back out to talk to the head ref. My Captain came back to the bench cracking up. I asked what happened and he said the head ref replied, "deal with it, this isn't the World Cup kid".

If 14 and 15 year olds can get a laugh out of partisan things like that I would hope our U 20's did also.

Finally someone who gets it.

 

[Oilers Chick]

While the booing may have made more than a few people queasy, this isn't anything new to most of these guys (I'm referring to the NCAA guys here.) I've seen/heard FAR worse at rinks like Yost and Lynah. Two NCAA rinks where the fans are not only passionate but would make Team USA's "reception" at the WJC look like a tea party.