What if Mario had missed?

[Karamahti*]

I can understand that some posts make you wanna dismiss the Soviets, but C´mon! Didn´t they prove at least something in the late seventies and early eighties?

Soviets were pretty good 30 years ago.

 

[Marcus-74]

Soviets were pretty good 30 years ago.

Please, don´t get too excited now!

 

[Karamahti*]

Please, don´t get too excited now!

I´ll try to avoid it as much as I can. It´s not easy though. I´m easily excited.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Soviets were pretty good 30 years ago.

I'm guessing you're not too old are you? They were damn dominant in the 1970ies and 1980ies, right up there with Canada and with everybody else a couple steps behind. But don't take my word for it, go buy a few DVD's.

 

[Karamahti*]

They were damn dominant in the 1970ies and 1980ies...

I just admitted they were dominant. In second tier tournaments.

 

[RorschachWJK]

I just admitted they were dominant. In second tier tournaments.

Sigh. Whatever makes you sleep your nights better I guess.

 

[Karamahti*]

Sigh. Whatever makes you sleep your nights better I guess.

Whiskey, wine and hot sex. Not particulary in that order.

 

[YMB29]

Karamahti just hates the Soviet Union.

When there are two countries well ahead of the rest and one of them was barred from sending their best, it is not a first tier tournament.

It's the same as saying Russians are inferior because Canadian players on Canadian teams won so many cups.

What cups? The Stanley Cups? The NHL is not an international tournament.
The USSR and Canada were not well ahead of everyone else.
Who was barred from playing? When NHLers were allowed to play Canada still did not win and don't say that they only sent bad teams.

Even though the Challenge Cup is often dismissed here as a merely exhibition series or something, I don´t think there has ever been more talent on the ice at the same time. And even though they were just "NHL All stars", it was Team Canada in all but name, and I believe that´s how the players felt too (prove me wrong!).

Yes, even the commentators were having difficulty trying not to say Canadians and Team Canada. If the NHL won, it would have been considered a great series in North America; it would still be called the "Series of the Century".

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

What cups? The Stanley Cups? The NHL is not an international tournament.
The USSR and Canada were not well ahead of everyone else.
Who was barred from playing? When NHLers were allowed to play Canada still did not win and don't say that they only sent bad teams.

The best NHLers were not aloowed to play. And obviously the Stanley Cup is not an international tournament. That's the point. The World Championships were a joke until all countries were on an equal footing.

 

[Oilslick941611]

The best NHLers were not aloowed to play. And obviously the Stanley Cup is not an international tournament. That's the point. The World Championships were a joke until all countries were on an equal footing.

Canada was sending Amateur teams to the WCs while the Russians were sending Pro's. fair? no. but it was what it was.

 

[The Legend]

cyclops has never looked at any Canada - Russia/USSR thread without bias. It's not gonna happen ever, so just ignore him. Don't even mention Canada Cup 81 to him, he will start writing long, angry, racist fueled, essays on how the USSR team is crap and how russia these days couldn't beat a team of zambonis. He likes to pretend that the Canada cup is the only time the USSR played the west. When you see the name cyclops in a history or international play thread, just skip over it.

Its funny because every single post defending the USSR or Russia doesn't even recognize the fact that Canada won any games fairly...it was either the ref, the rules, or a fluke. Grow up.

 

[The Legend]

You reak of western thinking, themes and ideas

Ya, what person would value working for yourself and your family. And eating every day? Worthless

 

[YMB29]

And this is part of only western thinking?

The best NHLers were not aloowed to play. And obviously the Stanley Cup is not an international tournament. That's the point. The World Championships were a joke until all countries were on an equal footing.

There is no limit on how many NHLers could play since 1977.

Canada was sending Amateur teams to the WCs while the Russians were sending Pro's. fair? no. but it was what it was.

Refer to the second part of my previous post in this thread (here).

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

There is no limit on how many NHLers could play since 1977.

But there are limits on which NHLers can play. Ie, anyone good enough to be in the playoffs with any success isn't on the team.

 

[YMB29]

But there are limits on which NHLers can play. Ie, anyone good enough to be in the playoffs with any success isn't on the team.

That is a self imposed limit.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

That conversation is dead. I shouldn't need to explain why.

That is a self imposed limit.

Why? Because they wouldn't change the date of the stanley cup playoffs? I'll accept that the WC can't be blamed for that, but it is not a self imposed limit either.

 

[YMB29]

Then whom is it imposed by?

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Then whom is it imposed by?

Happenstance. Sometimes, no one is to blame.

 

[Karamahti*]

SC playoffs have been around longer than world championships so it´s IIHFs fault for making such idiotic schedule.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

SC playoffs have been around longer than world championships so it´s IIHFs fault for making such idiotic schedule.

World Championships started as European championships though.

 

[Karamahti*]

World Championships started as European championships though.

They were preceded by European Championships. First World Championships were decided at the 1920 summer olympics.

 

[YMB29]

Happenstance. Sometimes, no one is to blame.

But earlier you seemed to be blaming the IIHF.

SC playoffs have been around longer than world championships so it´s IIHFs fault for making such idiotic schedule.

I am sure you would know what is idiotic or not.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

But earlier you seemed to be blaming the IIHF.

Blaming no, just saying that without the NHL's best as well as the European league's best, then it isn't really a top tier tournament. No fault, simple fact.

And Karamahti, you are aware that the Stanley Cup finals used to be much earlier in the year, right?

 

[Karamahti*]

I am sure you would know what is idiotic or not.

When reading your and your soulmates posts here, there´s little doubt left what´s idiotic and what´s not.

And Karamahti, you are aware that the Stanley Cup finals used to be much earlier in the year, right?

I´m aware of that. But the point still remains that world championships are b-tournament where b-teams compete in front of drunken hockey tourists. Just last year over 10 swedish players declined to play even though it´s usually considered to be an honour to wear the tre kronor jersey. Plenty of Finns declined as well. If it was something every player allways dreamed of, I´m sure no one would decline.

Olympic games/Stanley Cup
World Cup
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World Championships
Euro Hockey Tour

 

[RorschachWJK]

When reading your and your soulmates posts here, there´s little doubt left what´s idiotic and what´s not.



I´m aware of that. But the point still remains that world championships are b-tournament where b-teams compete in front of drunken hockey tourists. Just last year over 10 swedish players declined to play even though it´s usually considered to be an honour to wear the tre kronor jersey. Plenty of Finns declined as well. If it was something every player allways dreamed of, I´m sure no one would decline.

Olympic games/Stanley Cup
World Cup
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World Championships
Euro Hockey Tour

You've got World Cup way too high. It's not a fair tournament with pretty much everything geared towards helping the home team.

The name World Cup is a joke. To be worthy of such a name, the competition should be arranged in a rotating fashion, each time in a different country. I dont' see that happening though and, therefore, the thing should be named Canada Cup as it used to be.