Olympics: Datsyuk says this medal means more than the Stanley Cup

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Rob

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Feb 27, 2002
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It is one country, and one country only, that cares whether the NHL participated in Olympic hockey - Canada! The United States is totally indifferent to hockey.

This is absolutely not true. I read plenty of upset fans from other hockey nations. You really think Swedes were happy with the team the sent to the Olympics?
 
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vivalavili

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Jan 8, 2016
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This thread is weird. Who are you people to say that Datsyuk couldn't appreciate olympic gold medal more than the Stanley Cup ring? Just because this wasn't "a real tournament" because NHL players didn't play, huh? I guarantee you guys, it felt great for the team and the fans, I even bet '94 gold medal felt just as good for Swedes as '06 even though NHL players didn't participate. You could even ask Peter Forsberg how he feels about that '94 gold and if it compares to his '06 gold. Most likely Datsyuk isn't the only one who feels this way, after al its way rarer to win the Olympic gold than the Stanley Cup
 

Jablkon

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This thread is weird. Who are you people to say that Datsyuk couldn't appreciate olympic gold medal more than the Stanley Cup ring? Just because this wasn't "a real tournament" because NHL players didn't play, huh? I guarantee you guys, it felt great for the team and the fans, I even bet '94 gold medal felt just as good for Swedes as '06 even though NHL players didn't participate. You could even ask Peter Forsberg how he feels about that '94 gold and if it compares to his '06 gold. Most likely Datsyuk isn't the only one who feels this way, after al its way rarer to win the Olympic gold than the Stanley Cup

This is clash of approaches. Karyia said the same about 94 OGs. Sure russians got their fair chance since 98. On the other hand people who constantly pointing that this OGs were not best on best and thus dont count, partly support strictly capitalistic view on sport.

I am not judging this approach but also in regards to last Bettman suggestion to move hockey to summer olympics, there is one more thing that need to be add.

If I am clear, this is not only about any other hockey league outside NHL taking a break, its about every respective OG sport and its world cup taking olympic break.

Not sure whether Bettman realized it, but NHLs approach towards it is simply against basis of winter sports and against OGs principles. So for me, using this approach as an excuse for team which lost or team which won is simply unfair and those people should think what they really want from winter sports and from olympics or whether they even want Winter OGs to exist at all.

This is simply dangerous precedent. He is saying I dont want it, I have my own bussiness and my own interests. I am sure downhill guys, with notorious lack of snow everywhere, would rather keep their World Cup going in February so as other OG sports. But they respect some basic sport rules and principles. And one of them is that there are OGs in February.

This is fair dictate and people should rather think about it. Whoever use this argument partly legitimize this view. Its not Datsuyk’s fault that one league does not agree with Winter Olympics at all. If you want OGs you should never support or use NHL approach as an argument, thats all.

Or we can say, thats OK, we dont need Winter Olympics, world is going other direction. No nationalities, no uniqueness. But guess who is going to dictate it. The basis is similar to soccer where big clubs wanted to create their own Champions league outside of system. You had your World cup of hockey and if preassure is not there next one will be similar because in his logic slovaks, czechs, russian already have money to spend one week in Toronto, so there is no need to change anything at all.
 

Yakushev72

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Dec 27, 2010
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Too stupid. It was a meaningless tournement this year.

Its fantastically meaningful when you are dancing in the streets with your Gold Medal around your neck! That is the feeling that has Datsyuk soaring! Let the also-rans sob about the absence of the NHL. It is just a fact of life that the NHL won't be back to the Olympics at all, unless they are held in North America and they can work out arrangements with the IOC for "dropping in" on the tournament.
 

Mantis

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Mar 7, 2011
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Its fantastically meaningful when you are dancing in the streets with your Gold Medal around your neck! That is the feeling that has Datsyuk soaring! Let the also-rans sob about the absence of the NHL. It is just a fact of life that the NHL won't be back to the Olympics at all, unless they are held in North America and they can work out arrangements with the IOC for "dropping in" on the tournament.
If the NHL will never be back in the Olympics then Olympic mens hockey will never matter again.
 

DudeWhereIsMakar

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Now that I think about it, it's much harder to win an Olympic Gold than it is to win a Stanley Cup. It comes every four years and only one can win. Thought it was the Stanley Cup, but what makes it look easier to me is the fact it comes once a year.
 

holyprime

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Oct 5, 2010
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Now that I think about it, it's much harder to win an Olympic Gold than it is to win a Stanley Cup. It comes every four years and only one can win. Thought it was the Stanley Cup, but what makes it look easier to me is the fact it comes once a year.
It becomes even harder with the fact taken into account, that quite a large amount of players (that happen to be most of the best players on the planet) are held back by a bunch of billionaires, because these billionaires want a bargaining chip in their upcoming labor dispute and apparently need more money.

Right now, some canadian scrub playing in europe (no disrespect to them, its used in comparison) has a better chance to win Olympic gold than Crosby or McDavid. Which is kinda sad but also hilarious, as supporters of such a shortsighted and selfish (not for them, for the billionaires) decision are now complaining that the world keeps turning without them ;)
 
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Vladnyc

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It becomes even harder with the fact taken into account, that quite a large amount of players (that happen to be most of the best players on the planet) are held back by a bunch of billionaires, because these billionaires want a bargaining chip in their upcoming labor dispute and apparently need more money.

Right now, some canadian scrub playing in europe (no disrespect to them, its used in comparison) has a better chance to win Olympic gold than Crosby or McDavid. Which is kinda sad but also hilarious, as supporters of such a shortsighted and selfish (not for them, for the billionaires) decision are now complaining that the world keeps turning without them ;)

The NHL is disgusting on so many levels.
 

CBJx614

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It got Gavrikov his gold medal so I'm happy, he can come over and turn the Jackets D into a powerhouse
 

Yakushev72

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It becomes even harder with the fact taken into account, that quite a large amount of players (that happen to be most of the best players on the planet) are held back by a bunch of billionaires, because these billionaires want a bargaining chip in their upcoming labor dispute and apparently need more money.

Right now, some canadian scrub playing in europe (no disrespect to them, its used in comparison) has a better chance to win Olympic gold than Crosby or McDavid. Which is kinda sad but also hilarious, as supporters of such a shortsighted and selfish (not for them, for the billionaires) decision are now complaining that the world keeps turning without them ;)

This presupposes that Crosby or McDavid give a damn about an Olympic Gold Medal. I doubt that they care at all. One of the reasons why it was so easy and seamless to disengage the NHL from the Olympics was that the players, with the exception of few Europeans, were indifferent about it. It is hard for players to cross 10 time zones in the middle of their season - much easier to just stay home and play a regular schedule. Not that they read HF Board posts, but if they did, it would just reinforce their opinion that they are indifferent or even opposed to participating in the Olympic games when they note that their fans only consider the Olympics relevant if they are in it. If their bosses decide that they have to play, then they will mouth someone like "it is an honor to play for my country," but if it is not mandatory, then they would much rather just skip international hockey and stay home and play their regular grind.
 

lilidk

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Mar 4, 2008
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don't forget that he is 39 and it is only Olympic gold medal he got , he also won 2 Stanley Cup
 

SirKillalot

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Feb 27, 2008
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The whole idea of Olympics is to face the toughest competition and make your dream come true beating the best. This was something else.

The whole idea of the Olympics is:

Coubertin's Olympic ideals are expressed in the Olympic creed:
The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.​
 

SirKillalot

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Feb 27, 2008
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Besides the 4 Olympics where there were NHL players competing, at least back 75 years, there was one team, the Soviet team, that was the same kind of quality as the NHL. They sure did dominate the other teams but they really were professionals playing against amateurs which is why the US victory in 1980 is so amazing.

By the most NA-comments in this thread. This 1980-win then shouldn't mean anything. Because the Sovjet team could lose a 100 times to the US team because it's not a "best on best", which in reality the Olympics in many cases in different sports aren't. It's always "best available". You don't see skiers or snowboarder complain because they didn't manage to either perfect their top form or their best runs. If Shaun White fell on all his runs, should it be an asterix to the competition because he didn't land a run? Or if he for whatever reason stayed home. Injury. Family problem. Any other reason. Is it no longer a "best on best"? I don't think that argument holds. It's always "best available".
 

WJCJ

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Sep 27, 2017
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By the most NA-comments in this thread. This 1980-win then shouldn't mean anything. Because the Sovjet team could lose a 100 times to the US team because it's not a "best on best", which in reality the Olympics in many cases in different sports aren't. It's always "best available". You don't see skiers or snowboarder complain because they didn't manage to either perfect their top form or their best runs. If Shaun White fell on all his runs, should it be an asterix to the competition because he didn't land a run? Or if he for whatever reason stayed home. Injury. Family problem. Any other reason. Is it no longer a "best on best"? I don't think that argument holds. It's always "best available".

That was an amateur team beating a professional team, that could mean more to a lot of people. As for the rest of what you said, I just don't see any relevance to what I said. A professional team beating a bunch of amateur teams doesn't mean that much but if an amateur team beats the professional team it means much more to me anyway. Either way, this doesn't have any relevance to what I said.
 

Atas2000

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Jan 18, 2011
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Thread keeps going on. Shows how "meaningless" the tournament was for North Americans. Case closed.
 

jj cale

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Jan 5, 2016
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People voicing their opinion that it was a c-d level tournament doesn't mean it was meaningful to them but nice try.
 

jbobell98

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Dec 14, 2017
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Its like if youre back in minor hockey and youre a AAA team. You go to a AA tournament where you're team is the only AAA one there and you clearly outmatch all your opponents. Do you honestly think its the same as if you won a AAA tournament?
 
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