I actually feel bad for Canada. (never thought I would say this)

[artilector]

For any proud nation, its a tough loss to take. Tough for fans, tough for players. Every fan thats ever been on the losing end knows what that feels like... Canada will rebound, without a doubt, I for one hope for a Russia-Canada final in the next Olympics. Ovechkin/Malkin vs. Crosby and the gang - there is something to look forward to!

 

[PecaFan]

I don't feel bad for Canada and I'm Canadian. They got what they deserved and the better team won.

Agree totally.

The good thing is that maybe this will take the overzealous fanboys down a peg. There's been far too much "Guaranteed Medal" and "Who'll finish 2nd" stuff going on.

 

[RandV]

This is what makes me feel bad:

Olympics Medal Count (Feb 22)
# Country T
1 Germany 9 8 5 22
2 Austria 8 6 5 19
3 United States 7 7 4 18
4 Canada 5 8 5 18
5 Norway 2 8 8 18
6 Russia 7 3 6 16

Our athletes are having an oustanding Olympics from our amateur athletes, currently tied for 3rd in the medal count. The "Pro's" from the NHL should be a lock for a medal, which would boost us to be tied for 2nd place... but they choke, just like back in Nagano in the Bronze medal game.

 

[Gert B Frobe]

I don't

 

[Taranis_24]

I don't feel bad for Canada and I'm Canadian. They got what they deserved and the better team won. We can't win everything unfortunately but we damn well better win a medal in Vancouver 2010.

Being an American was hoping Canada would have gotten the gold. As far as the Vancouver I just hope the fans there show the world athletes the respect they deserve. That those that acted badly during the most recent WJC will actually put their feelings aside a treat these athletes with grace. I always respected Canadians growing up in Niagara Falls felt canadians are nicest people in the world. I was trully dissappointed in the treatment(by some/maybe most but not all) they showed the american teenagers. I hope they come through and show the whole world the class people that I know they are.

 

[therealdeal]

Its kinda good for hockey though, last time all north american final, this year will be all Europe, maybe even Sweden-Finland final, kinda cool.

I found myself doing something today that I never thought I would, cheering for the US, not against the Fins, but after the US got the 4-minute high stick that wasn't really a penalty, I really wanted them to rebound. I don't like injustice in hockey.

 

[Kain]

I was watching Canada throughout this tournament and it just never gelled for them. They had great players but somehow they just couldn't play as 1 unit, or a team. But I'm sure they'll be back with a vengence in their own home turf in Vancover!

 

[thebodyczech]

I sympathize more with the Americans than with the Canadians. The Yanks put up a fight from game one to game six. That they weren't able to finish is the effect of poor roster selection--not the players on the ice. Canada, however, played defense first for about, what, at least eighty percent of today's game. There was little urgency; very little heart. You're not beating Russia anytime soon by defending against a constant offensive onslaught. They also have a tough defense (in terms of physical play) and exceptional goaltending. Defense won't get you through that.

 

[Snap Wilson]

Hell, even I'll cop to a little schadenfreude. Some Canadian fans can be downright obnoxious in victory, and the whole "this is OUR game" rhetoric is a bit ridiculous.

But in the end, it's just a freakin' game. How the Canadian team fares in the Olympics doesn't define Canada as a hockey nation, and it's hardly cause for so much gnashing of teeth and pulling of hair. Get over it, already. Tomorrow's another day.

 

[Form and Substance]

I sympathize more with the Americans than with the Canadians. The Yanks put up a fight from game one to game six. That they weren't able to finish is the effect of poor roster selection--not the players on the ice. Canada, however, played defense first for about, what, at least eighty percent of today's game. There was little urgency; very little heart. You're not beating Russia anytime soon by defending against a constant offensive onslaught. They also have a tough defense (in terms of physical play) and exceptional goaltending. Defense won't get you through that.

I don't know who's tough defense you're referring to because all the Canadian d-men did throughout the tournament was to take stupid penalties at innoportune moments. Though I gotta give it to the other teams though, they played with heart, pride and grit, something us Canadians supposedly have plenty of.

 

[thebodyczech]

I don't know who's tough defense you're referring to because all the Canadian d-men did throughout the tournament was to take stupid penalties at innoportune moments. Though I gotta give it to the other teams though, they played with heart, pride and grit, something us Canadians supposedly have plenty of.

I didn't mean that they played tough defensively. I meant to say that the Canadian team placed too much emphasis on defense. So, even if the players did play tough defensively, it wouldn't have been enough to overpower the Russians.

 

[I Hate You All*]

I was about to post this in the Gretzky thread that was just deleted:

I don't see how anyone can blame Gretzky or single out any players from Canada. The entire team was out of sync for the entire tournament.
Almost every game was like watching - and I hate to bring this up and sound like a pompous a-hole by ripping on my own team - the Vancouver Canucks play when they don't play up to their level; very little puck possession, very few legitimate scoring chances; again, very little puck possesion and trouble making passes to each other; individual players with weak attempts at making stuff happen on their own. All along, they didn't play as a team and were disappointing to watch.

 

[octopi]

I don't feel bad for Canada....they won gold 4 years ago.
Can't win every time out, or people would be whining and moaning about the games not being competitive(see hockey, womens)
Canada played a very good team. They lost. These things happen. Players/fans feel badly about it, but someone was bound to no matter what.

The one thing I do feel bad that some fans will try to use this as another reason to proclaim Joe Sakic isn't a good leader.

 

[octopi]

For any proud nation, its a tough loss to take. Tough for fans, tough for players. Every fan thats ever been on the losing end knows what that feels like... Canada will rebound, without a doubt, I for one hope for a Russia-Canada final in the next Olympics. Ovechkin/Malkin vs. Crosby and the gang - there is something to look forward to!

Russia about to take it up from really good to scary good in 2010.

 

[SammyTheBull]

I don't feel bad i'm glad that Russia the better team this tourny gets to move onto the semis.

 

[Maken*]

You can't really feel bad for us. We have won our fair share of tournaments, and then some. While I still believe that we would beat them in a seven game series nine times out of ten, the Russians did deserve to win this game.

 

[HfxMoose]

No one should feel bad for Canada, they showed no desire at all and deserve to be out of the tourney. pathetic

 

[Jaysfanatic*]

feel bad? for what?

after all the arrogance and insults that we've faced for years from a lot of Canadian fans, the over confidence, especially against Russia, the outcome of this game is JUSTICE

Today I believe in God and in Justice!

You really are Shawn Kemp aren't you? If not, you must share the same dope man.

 

[thebodyczech]

You really are Shawn Kemp aren't you? If not, you must share the same dope man.

DF, weren't you active on the Cyber-NHL forums?

 

[Jaysfanatic*]

DF, weren't you active on the Cyber-NHL forums?

The one in the same who might you be?

 

[Cawz]

This is what makes me feel bad:

Olympics Medal Count (Feb 22)
# Country T
1 Germany 9 8 5 22
2 Austria 8 6 5 19
3 United States 7 7 4 18
4 Canada 5 8 5 18
5 Norway 2 8 8 18
6 Russia 7 3 6 16

Our athletes are having an oustanding Olympics from our amateur athletes, currently tied for 3rd in the medal count. The "Pro's" from the NHL should be a lock for a medal, which would boost us to be tied for 2nd place... but they choke, just like back in Nagano in the Bronze medal game.

That makes me feel good. This is Canadas best winter olympics ever, even without the sport we are supposedly worlds best in.

 

[Jaysfanatic*]

The one thing I do feel bad that some fans will try to use this as another reason to proclaim Joe Sakic isn't a good leader.

Its not that I think he isn't a good leader, he's just too quiet for me

 

[Jaysfanatic*]

That makes me feel good. This is Canadas best winter olympics ever, even without the sport we are supposedly worlds best in.

We're guaranteed 19, because Gushue is going for gold in curling.

 

[Raimo Sillanpää]

Canada in '98 was an arrogant team. But it was also an awesome team that could only be stopped by a brick wall named Hasek. It was, to a European an enjoyment that Canada didn't win simply because they were so arrogant before the games. Canada learnt and were a team that in Salt Lake could step up when needed, and had they faced Sweden/Russia in the final, they still would have won. They were at that point a notch above.

Canada in 06 was a team lacking something. I can't quite put my finger to it. But one thing I do think and thats that leaving Paul Kariya out of a big ice competition was a big mistake. Kariya to me a is a guy who seems incontainable on the big ice, he benefits so much from the extra space.

Defence was slow, lacked that 5th gear. For example the US were in trouble when Finland played at full pace, when they let up they negated that speed difference as they didn't utilise it. Canada imho lacked that option, the option of speeding it up and trying to simply outskate the other guy.

Crosby is a guy in hindsight I'dve taken. Earlier I thought no. Now, I think Canada lacked that unpredictability that a player like Crosby can bring to the table. Turn around and create magic. There was nobody doing that for Canada now. There was no Gretzky (98) Lemiuex (02) who had to be watched at all times because all of a sudden they could do something you coudn't think of..

 

[Canuck21t]

I hope that in the future, no Canadian will ever tell me that the Russians have not heart/play without heart/are selfish/never play as a team.

You have to admit that Russia does often play with less determination than Canada. That doesn't mean that it's always the case.