USA Hockey improving nicely

[Reilly311]

I suppose you mean Gold, because we have won the silver the past two years.

as yes, how could I forget. Canada takes such pride in bringing home bronze and silver. I'm sure they have big parades and have many TV specials and DVD sets about their strong 2nd place finish.

 

[hockeyfan125]

as yes, how could I forget. Canada takes such pride in bringing home bronze and silver. I'm sure they have big parades and have many TV specials and DVD sets about their strong 2nd place finish.

I'm not bragging man, I'm just pointing out your obvious typo. Nice save.

 

[Devonator]

Interesting thread........as an Albertan that loves and admires both American and Russian Hockey, I have too agree right now that America is Canada's greatest rival in terms of Hockey greatness and into the future........however, one can never count out the great Russians and as there economy improves, you can be sure more and more great Russian players will come too the fore....

Anyway's, we all win because we are seeing more great players from America come to the fore with the usual great assortment from Russia!!

 

[X0ssbar]

The next single greatest event that could happen to American hockey would be for the states to produce an African American superstar (see Tiger Woods) in the Lemieux/Gretzky mold.

If/when that happens, it will take this game to unchartered territory in the states IMHO. You may not see Nike hockey commercials now in the states but that would quickly change if a minority superstar emerged.

 

[VOB]

The next single greatest event that could happen to American hockey would be for the states to produce an African American superstar (see Tiger Woods) in the Lemieux/Gretzky mold.

If/when that happens, it will take this game to unchartered territory in the states IMHO. You may not see Nike hockey commercials now in the states but that would quickly change if a minority superstar emerged.

I agree but the sad fact is that hockey is a rich white boy's sport in the U.S. The fastest growing segment of the U.S. population is hispanic in origin and hockey is not on the radar for the vast majority of them.

In terms of numbers, I remember a radio program on Fan 590 saying that youth hockey in Canada is in decline and the growth in the U.S. has not been at the youth/male level but rather in the adult and women's category.

 

[Sotnos]

Hey sotnos we've had our problems

I truly have no idea what you're talking about here, and I probably don't want to know.

but just don't try to ******** me with smoke and mirrors stuff about what is fact because i've watched the international game too long to be bull****ted on stuff like that

Huh? I don't know what I said that merited this rant, but anyway. The point stands that a few players, no matter how good they may be, does not a program make, and that is certainly not the determining factor in how much the US development program is improving. You said they help a "great deal", and that is just flat out false. You can take whoever you think is "yours" off the team, and things would not come to a screeching halt, sorry. No, I'm not being possessive about these guys, and this is not a "pride thing" (that idea is laughable, trust me) with me. Unlike most people here I don't base how much I like a player on where he's from, so I really couldn't care less about such things. I also don't get nationalistic about sporting events.

From your posts, you seem to be suggesting that there is some sort of "Canadian hockey gene of greatness" that we're trying to smuggle over the border any way we can, and if that's true, I want to know where mine is, because my grandparents on both sides are from Canada and I sure didn't get any. :lol

 

[X0ssbar]

I agree but the sad fact is that hockey is a rich white boy's sport in the U.S. The fastest growing segment of the U.S. population is hispanic in origin and hockey is not on the radar for the vast majority of them.

In terms of numbers, I remember a radio program on Fan 590 saying that youth hockey in Canada is in decline and the growth in the U.S. has not been at the youth/male level but rather in the adult and women's category.

Yep - good point with the cost - but then again the same could be said about golf and they produced a Tiger. The same could also be said about Tennis and look at the Williams sisters. It only takes one family with an interest in the game and anything can happen.

Being from Columbus and attending games and playing just about anytime I get the chance the one thing I have noticed is the participation of minorities in youth hockey. Chances are that when you watch some of the youth teams that they throw out on the ice inbetween intermissions in a game you'll see 2 or 3 African American kids out there playing.

Obviously this is a direct result of the Blue Jackets and the visibility they have given hockey in the city but Columbus has a decent minority population and when you take into account the Florida teams, LA, Atlanta, Chicago, NY teams there is no reason why hockey in the US can't produce a minortiy superstar and something like that will get the attention of an reasonably untapped market in the US.

 

[Vlad The Impaler]

as yes, how could I forget. Canada takes such pride in bringing home bronze and silver. I'm sure they have big parades and have many TV specials and DVD sets about their strong 2nd place finish.

You don't think winning silver is a good thing?

And actually, you got it backward, IMO. When Canada doesn't win gold, there is usually an overreaction in the country but it's more along the line of "Oh my God! This is the end of the world! We're not worth ****! We should copy the Czech/other country to get back to the top!" than it is about celebrating.

 

[MePutPuckInNet]

"A few ex-players' kids playing in the US system does not help out "a great deal". As someone else stated, a much more important reason that things are improving is that more attention is being given to player development now." ---

Mr. Moderator, I believe that kind of comment is far too logical for the likes of us. Please, I beg you,,,,next time - refrain from any attempt at being reasonable. I'm afraid those kinds of arguments just don't fit in here - it really throws a curve ball into a thread like this - can't you see you've disrupted the rationale?? Shame on you, sir/ma'am. Shame on YOU! [sarcasm ].
----------------------------------

The title of this thread..and I quote, since it seems most of you have forgotten....

"USA Hockey improving nicely"

They ARE improving. They have improved. Why does it have to turn into an argument over who's THE best?

I thought the point, and an accurate one at that, is that the USA has shown marked signs of improvement in the past 5-6 years or so. It's true. Since USA Hockey's USNTDP really took on an identity of it's own, the skill level in USA born players & prospects has increased dramatically...

What the hell is everyone arguing about??

 

[VOB]

Yep - good point with the cost - but then again the same could be said about golf and they produced a Tiger. The same could also be said about Tennis and look at the Williams sisters. It only takes one family with an interest in the game and anything can happen.
.

Has either Tiger or the Williams sisters really increased minority participation in their respective sports? I don't think so.

 

[markov`]

"A few ex-players' kids playing in the US system does not help out "a great deal". As someone else stated, a much more important reason that things are improving is that more attention is being given to player development now." ---

Mr. Moderator, I believe that kind of comment is far too logical for the likes of us. Please, I beg you,,,,next time - refrain from any attempt at being reasonable. I'm afraid those kinds of arguments just don't fit in here - it really throws a curve ball into a thread like this - can't you see you've disrupted the rationale?? Shame on you, sir/ma'am. Shame on YOU! [sarcasm ].
----------------------------------

The title of this thread..and I quote, since it seems most of you have forgotten....

"USA Hockey improving nicely"

They ARE improving. They have improved. Why does it have to turn into an argument over who's THE best?

I thought the point, and an accurate one at that, is that the USA has shown marked signs of improvement in the past 5-6 years or so. It's true. Since USA Hockey's USNTDP really took on an identity of it's own, the skill level in USA born players & prospects has increased dramatically...

What the hell is everyone arguing about??

 

[Reilly311]

I'm not bragging man, I'm just pointing out your obvious typo. Nice save.

It wasn't really a typo. I just assumed that everyone knew that "a medal" ment the only meaningful medal.

 

[tomerez]

Yep - good point with the cost - but then again the same could be said about golf and they produced a Tiger. The same could also be said about Tennis and look at the Williams sisters. It only takes one family with an interest in the game and anything can happen.

Playing hockey is a fair bit more expensive than playing golf or tennis. All the equipment can total several hundred and even into the thousands. And considering as kids develop they also grow, that sum can be a annual thing to pay.

 

[jfont]

Playing hockey is a fair bit more expensive than playing golf or tennis. All the equipment can total several hundred and even into the thousands. And considering as kids develop they also grow, that sum can be a annual thing to pay.

sorry but you might be wrong with golf...you could say that the equipment could total up to the hundreds and with the kids growing, that could run even more...

 

[X0ssbar]

Has either Tiger or the Williams sisters really increased minority participation in their respective sports? I don't think so.

I'd love to see some hard stats on this subject as I would lean towards minority participation increasing - especially in golf.

If you look at TV ratings, especially in golf, you can see what Tiger has done. Logically if TV rating increase, interest increases thus producing an increase in participation.

But getting BOT, a firmly believe a minority American superstar would give USA hockey a shot in the arm, similar to what the 1980 Olypmic team did.

 

[SChan*]

Talentwise Russia is much better, but the americans win because they have teamspirit, something the russians hasn't had since the 80s.

 

[triggrman]

Tiger Woods has increased the number of blacks playing the sport period, not just young kids.

 

[tomerez]

sorry but you might be wrong with golf...you could say that the equipment could total up to the hundreds and with the kids growing, that could run even more...

I thought about that too, with golf it makes it closer but I still think hockey would take the lead in that category.

I mean I think you'd have to renew your hockey equipment more often than your golf clubs. And with the price of sticks, the increase in kids using higher priced sticks and their frequency of breaking, it becomes even more expensive to play.

 

[bonefizzle]

Maybe once Canada's "A Team" wins a Wold Junior medal.

Has nothing to do with the arguement about depth. Making this arguement because usa medals for the first time in forever is like saying that Italy and Argentina are greater then the US at producing basketball players because US won bronze in the olympics

 

[chicpea*]

Maybe once Canada's "A Team" wins a Wold Junior medal

I love stuff like this. How many golds have the US won? How many medals in the last 5 or 10 years? You win once, that's awesome. Congrats. Don't think it gives you the right to knock anyone else until you've won three times in a row, at the very least.

 

[Le Golie]

Getting back on topic, let me speak on behalf of everyone when I say: 'BACK TO SQUARE ONE'.

 

[The Gabe Blade]

People who judge one game as a tetermination over whether a program is good or not are the biggest idiots. Name one team that has never been defeated by an underdog. If Russia and Sweden are such superpowers, why did they lose to the US? The US lost a game, but they are still the defending champs and they are still at the top of there division.

Had Corey Schneider shown up to play, this wouldnt even be a discussion.

 

[Mountain Dude]

After last night, its hard to say that they are improving.

 

[NWT Habs Fan]

After last night, its hard to say that they are improving.

I disagree. These are still young kids out there, and sometimes they have mental lapses. That definitely happened last night.

However, that being said, the overall quality and quantity of young skilled players coming out of the US is quite remarkable. Kudos to a good program and some good, young players. One bad game does not change all that.

 

[RorschachWJK]

It wasn't really a typo. I just assumed that everyone knew that "a medal" ment the only meaningful medal.

all medals are meaningful. period.