WJC: Anyone else just not care...

[Mr Forever]

If the WC happened at a better time, and more players actually went, it would be a bigger tournament.

This tourney is big for fans in North America because its essentially a stage for prospects from everywhere to show themselves off. It's a old learning experience for fans and it's fun to follow your teams prospects.

 

[hizzoner]

Why do a lot of people prefer to watch the NCAA March Madness than the Nets v. the Bobcats? Or the D league? Why do people prefer the current football Bowl games watching the Bills v. the Browns? If you can figure that out you might have the reasons.......

 

[NiagaraGirl]

You can believe the Olys are equal with the SC, but I'd bet and I'd win that most fans in Canada would disagree with you. I'd also bet that most European fans would put the Olys ahead of the SC by a large margin.

I agree with Craig... All you have to do is look at the videos of nationwide celebrations in Canada after the 2010 Olympic hockey victory to know what matters more to Canadians... Never seen that level of celebration over a Stanley Cup and again, NHL victories are about who you're paid to play for, not about where your heart is...

 

[Gungagalunga]

I think the pressure Canada puts on these kids is ridiculous. And most of the hype is manufactured by the media whether you want to admit it or not. Still fun to watch it, I just wish everybody watching would take it a bit less seriously. We don't need to be picking on 19 y/o for every mistake they make.

Pressure? Wait until they are in a lockout situation and the bank is demanding their 3 months arrears mortgage payments be made in the next 2 weeks. They have no idea what pressure is yet. Furthermore, it's no different than any division 1 US collage. Young superstars are just as accountable as pros.

 

[Henri M]

I tried watching it this year, but the quality of the playing was just so bad that it left me shaking my head in disbelife. Saw four games, that really killed any "buss" I had before the tournament started. The kids are playing with passion, but anyone claiming that the quality of the overall play in this tournament is good is simply factually wrong.

 

[Xokkeu]

Pressure? Wait until they are in a lockout situation and the bank is demanding their 3 months arrears mortgage payments be made in the next 2 weeks. They have no idea what pressure is yet. Furthermore, it's no different than any division 1 US collage. Young superstars are just as accountable as pros.

I don't think the pressure at even the most demanding Universities like Minnesota compares to what Canadian fans put on their U20 team.

 

[Xokkeu]

I agree with Craig... All you have to do is look at the videos of nationwide celebrations in Canada after the 2010 Olympic hockey victory to know what matters more to Canadians... Never seen that level of celebration over a Stanley Cup and again, NHL victories are about who you're paid to play for, not about where your heart is...

Well Vancouver fans were pretty angry a year ago.......


Hard to really judge when the last data point was 1993, although I agree 100% with your last statement.


If some how the Leafs won the Stanley Cup it would be with a half dozen Americans on the roster.

 

[alcanalz]

I tried watching it this year, but the quality of the playing was just so bad that it left me shaking my head in disbelife. Saw four games, that really killed any "buss" I had before the tournament started. The kids are playing with passion, but anyone claiming that the quality of the overall play in this tournament is good is simply factually wrong.

Try watching some of the better teams play.

You're "factually wrong" if you think the quality of play in most Can vs US games is bad.

 

[craigcaulks*]

I agree with Craig... All you have to do is look at the videos of nationwide celebrations in Canada after the 2010 Olympic hockey victory to know what matters more to Canadians... Never seen that level of celebration over a Stanley Cup and again, NHL victories are about who you're paid to play for, not about where your heart is...

I think we disagree, the Stanley Cup is #1 in Canada. (well, it's #1 here in Vancouver, theoretically of course)

 

[craigcaulks*]

Well Vancouver fans were pretty angry a year ago.......


Hard to really judge when the last data point was 1993, although I agree 100% with your last statement.


If some how the Leafs won the Stanley Cup it would be with a half dozen Americans on the roster.

I'd say that fans in every CDN city would overwhelmingly be in favour of their team winning the SC.

 

[craigcaulks*]

Pressure? Wait until they are in a lockout situation and the bank is demanding their 3 months arrears mortgage payments be made in the next 2 weeks. They have no idea what pressure is yet. Furthermore, it's no different than any division 1 US collage. Young superstars are just as accountable as pros.

I think you are trying to hard to disagree with a comment that simply is a fact.

 

[craigcaulks*]

I don't think the pressure at even the most demanding Universities like Minnesota compares to what Canadian fans put on their U20 team.

Exactly. Yu should probably throw in the media and Hockey Canada in your statement but that would be out of character.

 

[Statsy]

I'd say that fans in every CDN city would overwhelmingly be in favour of their team winning the SC.

Yes, but only because it is FAR more difficult to win.

 

[NiagaraGirl]

Well Vancouver fans were pretty angry a year ago.......


Hard to really judge when the last data point was 1993, although I agree 100% with your last statement.


If some how the Leafs won the Stanley Cup it would be with a half dozen Americans on the roster.

Sure, didn't say it was unimportant to fans, just not as important to Canadians overall as a national victory like at the Olympics. As I mentioned in earlier posts, my love is international hockey, I really don't care too much about who wins in the NHL because they are just players on the payroll and not actually representative of the cities/country they play for in almost all cases. To me that just doesn't mean much... all it tells me is that that particular city had the money or good luck to have hired the best players, not that the players actually give a damn to represent them beyond the paycheque they're getting. But when I watch international hockey, I know those boys/men on the ice are giving all to represent their country and their hockey heritage. That's what I want to see, that makes the games genuine and engaging in my opinion. I know that every boy on those teams is out there representing their country and what it means to them and not just playing for dollars like most do in the NHL.

 

[Xokkeu]

Exactly. Yu should probably throw in the media and Hockey Canada in your statement but that would be out of character.

Huh?

 

[FreeBird]

...about the WJCs, or under-20 tournament (as the rest of the world calls it)? I'll try again this year, but I just don't get the love. I never understood how this tournament seems to take precedence over the real WCs.

I don't know, maybe it's the sloppy play, or any of a number of factors, but this time of year I always feel terribly underwhelmed by it. I'm also interested that it seems to be a hockey-only phenomena, the "junior" World Cups that FIFA puts on aren't nearly as hyped and those are only every 4 years.

Only one who feels like this?

Obviously you don't appreciate the way the game is suppossed to be played.

 

[craigcaulks*]

Yes, but only because it is FAR more difficult to win.

Or maybe it's because we have years or decades of commitment to our club teams. Or maybe it's several other reasons. It certainly isn't because of ONE reason.