The Swedish mentality

[Petey21]

Bah, what's up with this lame Swedish "we're gonna lose against the Czechs" mentality?? I sure hope the players on the ice aren't like this but I've seen many fans on this and other boards that say stuff like that. This is the difference between North Americans and many Swedes, Canadians and Americans don't give up beforehand while many (hopefully not all) Swedes go like "Oh, we're gonna lose, we suck, the other team is better"... I'm pretty sure the American Olympic team from 1980 didn't have that mentality when they won their gold. Heart is at least as important as pure skill in many games.

And it's not just this tournament but many Swedes seem to just never believe in themselves if they struggle somewhat. What's up with that?? And if they do manage to win it's not because of "skill and heart" but then it's more like "Oh, we were lucky I guess". Man, us Swedes need to get some heart and believe in ourselves, in good times and in bad!

Never be willing to be second best! It's all about commitment!

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[H/H]

Belarus robbed us from that.

 

[Arne]

I dont know about you swedes but we finns are always expecting to win the tournament even if we know that it propably won't happen...

even this guy eventually gets through the wall....

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

Imo Canadians are the most stubborn when it comes to hockey, they never think about losing, only win win win, wich is fine by me since Canada is the powerhouse of world hockey.

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

Belarus robbed us from that.

What do you mean?

 

[H/H]

Every time Sweden goes into a game and you think "Hah, this one is a given win" they manage to screw it up.

It's just a Swedish thing. When we're expected to lose we somehow get the fuel we need.

 

[Leo Naphta]

Every time Sweden goes into a game and you think "Hah, this one is a given win" they manage to screw it up.

It's just a Swedish thing. When we're expected to lose we somehow get the fuel we need.

Spot on! Even though I can see no rational reason why the Czechs should be favourites (Vokoun hasn't exactly set the world on fire either, Sweden is at home, and so on), I have a very bad feeling about this game. I'm emotionally - though not rationally, if you see the distinction - convinced that they will lose. In fact, the only bright thing is that Swedish teams are at their best when everyone expect them to lose.

 

[Arne]

yeah but if Sweden loses this, I am the father of Peter Forsberg.

 

[guinness]

Maybe the players don't believe in the coach and/or system.

 

[H/H]

yeah but if Sweden loses this, I am the father of Peter Forsberg.

Dad!

 

[thrill_me_mogilny]

I'm guessing it's part of the traditional Swedish reserve. No reason why Sweden can't win big.

 

[Riddarn]

Every time Sweden goes into a game and you think "Hah, this one is a given win" they manage to screw it up.

It's just a Swedish thing. When we're expected to lose we somehow get the fuel we need.

You're 100% right, sir!

 

[Ola]

Sweden has 1.75 in odds at Unibet, if anyone has a ton of money and is interested in a 75% rent atleast I would explore the possibilty....

The Chechz Rep. probably has the worst D corp in the tournament. Tellqvist has had allot of bad luck but has never been "shaky". He will have a strong game. Sundin is going to have a great game. Forsberg and Näslund is going to give it all. In a way I am glad that we didn´t face the germans in the quaters, first and foremost we will have one day more to practise. Second, its going to take allot to beat the Chechz and we are going to be ready and have allot of confidence when we play the canadians.

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

It would be strange if we would fall in a quaterfinal again, but this time it feels different. First, we meet a better team than the last tournaments and we know they're good. Last two times, vs Finland and Belarus, we were the favourites and didn't manage to play as good as we could. We may be favourites vs the Czechs as well, but not so much, they're two skilled teams and it could go either way. It's time for Sweden to play another semi-final when the best players are playing.

Hopefully Forsberg will show what he is capable of as well, he has not been bad, but not great either. I think he'll step up now, and be the man who takes us past the Czechs. Tellqvist haven't shone yet, and all goalies have their ups and downs, and it's time for him to show he's a great player. The key, IMO, is though the defense. It's time to split up Johnsson/Lidström and Ragnarsson/Norström and put Lidström/Norström and Ragnarsson/Johnsson together, leave Tärnström on the bench.

Anyway, it'll be a great game. If our goaltendending and defense gets going our power play will bury a lot of goals.

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

It would be strange if we would fall in a quaterfinal again, but this time it feels different. First, we meet a better team than the last tournaments and we know they're good. Last two times, vs Finland and Belarus, we were the favourites and didn't manage to play as good as we could. We may be favourites vs the Czechs as well, but not so much, they're two skilled teams and it could go either way. It's time for Sweden to play another semi-final when the best players are playing.

Hopefully Forsberg will show what he is capable of as well, he has not been bad, but not great either. I think he'll step up now, and be the man who takes us past the Czechs. Tellqvist haven't shone yet, and all goalies have their ups and downs, and it's time for him to show he's a great player. The key, IMO, is though the defense. It's time to split up Johnsson/Lidström and Ragnarsson/Norström and put Lidström/Norström and Ragnarsson/Johnsson together, leave Tärnström on the bench.

"If our goaltendending and defense gets going" Thats a huge if.
Anyway, it'll be a great game. If our goaltendending and defense gets going our power play will bury a lot of goals.

 

[High flyin' Habs*]

Anyway, it'll be a great game. If our goaltendending and defense gets going our power play will bury a lot of goals. [/QUOTE]

Thats a huge if!

 

[Robertsson 4-ever]

Thats a huge if!

Maybe, but not impossible.

 

[SChan*]

I have betted on the czechs on nordicbet. If they win atleast I win money. If sweden win I am happy anyway.

 

[monkey_00*]

"How Swede it is?"........I think not.............

The Swedish mentality sucks......they have all the skill in the world but give up often times before a very big game.......they lose the game before they even hit the ice......and the Toronto Maple Leafs have quite a few of these guys on their roster and never seems to go anywhere in the playoffs.........Coincidence?.........I think not!

Cheers!~

monkey_00

 

[Knucklez]

What do you mean?

2002 Olympics? Slapshot from the redline?

 

[SChan*]

"How Swede it is?"........I think not.............

The Swedish mentality sucks......they have all the skill in the world but give up often times before a very big game.......they lose the game before they even hit the ice......and the Toronto Maple Leafs have quite a few of these guys on their roster and never seems to go anywhere in the playoffs.........Coincidence?.........I think not!

Cheers!~

monkey_00

well in leafs case they didn't win in 25 years before sundin.

 

[monkey_00*]

>>>well in leafs case they didn't win in 25 years before sundin<<<

Ummm..........didn't they have some guy by the name of BORJE SALMING playing for them before Mats Sundin?........heh heh heh

Cheers!~

monkey_00

 

[Dolemite]

Bah, what's up with this lame Swedish "we're gonna lose against the Czechs" mentality?? I sure hope the players on the ice aren't like this but I've seen many fans on this and other boards that say stuff like that. This is the difference between North Americans and many Swedes, Canadians and Americans don't give up beforehand while many (hopefully not all) Swedes go like "Oh, we're gonna lose, we suck, the other team is better"... I'm pretty sure the American Olympic team from 1980 didn't have that mentality when they won their gold. Heart is at least as important as pure skill in many games.

And it's not just this tournament but many Swedes seem to just never believe in themselves if they struggle somewhat. What's up with that?? And if they do manage to win it's not because of "skill and heart" but then it's more like "Oh, we were lucky I guess". Man, us Swedes need to get some heart and believe in ourselves, in good times and in bad!

Never be willing to be second best! It's all about commitment!

Perhaps they understand the reality of their Goaltending situation coupled with the fact that the Czechs are finally playing up to their potential. With the horrid goaltending of Salo and Telquvist, I would be questioning the chances of my team in the tournament.

 

[Augustus]

Scandinavian culture doesn't always place as high a value on winning as on the quality of the game, or the quality of life. While I am most familiar with Denmark, which does not have professional sports and who follows women's team handball most fervently, they are quite different from North Americans in their belief that the individual must be subsumed to the needs of society, that social darwinism is an evil philosophy, that taxes must be high to support benefits for all. I would trade my low american taxes for 5/6 weeks' vacation, decent national health, and a rational discourse with much less violence.

What that has to do with Swedish losses in games they should win may or may not be tangential.

Another, simpler explanation, is that they don't produce very good goaltending.

 

[mcphee]

Scandinavian culture doesn't always place as high a value on winning as on the quality of the game, or the quality of life. While I am most familiar with Denmark, which does not have professional sports and who follows women's team handball most fervently, they are quite different from North Americans in their belief that the individual must be subsumed to the needs of society, that social darwinism is an evil philosophy, that taxes must be high to support benefits for all. I would trade my low american taxes for 5/6 weeks' vacation, decent national health, and a rational discourse with much less violence.

What that has to do with Swedish losses in games they should win may or may not be tangential.

Another, simpler explanation, is that they don't produce very good goaltending.

You got it, if I had a nickel for every time,I've said, When you combine benevolent socialism with bad goaltending, nothing good can happen.'