The Trap Thrives in 2006 Olympic Games

[McJadeddog]

More naive please? This isn't the Stanley Cup. This is the Olympics! This MATTERS

BAHAHAHAHAHAH....... BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...... *breathe*..... BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

the olympics matter more than the stanley cup does? WOW.... just..... WOW

this is unequivecally the stupidest thing ive ever heard on these boards, bar none .... i dont doubt that this may be true in some european countries, but in north america its not even the 2nd most important hockey tournament, its 3rd..... the world cup of hockey is the 2nd most important followed by the olympics, but even the world cup of hockey is a DISTANT 2nd

basically any hockey tournament that decides the winner via a 1 game elimination round is a complete joke.... it doesnt determine which team is the better team, but rather which team was better on that particular day .... we'll never know if canada was really the best team in 2002 because belarus lucked out over sweden and beat them.... belarus would not have beaten sweden in a 5 or 7 game series..... we don't know if canada would have beat the states in a legit series either.... these tournaments are FUN and thats about it, i cant see how people take them so seriously

 

[willie]

More naive please? This isn't the Stanley Cup. This is the Olympics! This MATTERS, this is a opportunity that many of these players will never have again. Media exposure is big even in countries where hockey doesn't get a line in any newspaper during the year.

This is a tournament and it is about winning and results, not about spectacular play and show. These guys neutralize themselves to some degree, and quite frankly i think there a still lots of stunning moves and scenes to see, Gerber's save on Nash on top of it!

Also give the story a climax and let the Gold Medal game be the best!

The Olympics matter and the Stanley Cup doesn't? The Olympics is about "winning and results" and the Stanley Cup is merely about "spectacular play and show"?

 

[Kimota]

More naive please? This isn't the Stanley Cup. This is the Olympics! This MATTERS, this is a opportunity that many of these players will never have again. Media exposure is big even in countries where hockey doesn't get a line in any newspaper during the year.

This is a tournament and it is about winning and results, not about spectacular play and show. These guys neutralize themselves to some degree, and quite frankly i think there a still lots of stunning moves and scenes to see, Gerber's save on Nash on top of it!

Also give the story a climax and let the Gold Medal game be the best!

I`ve always seen the Olympics as the perfect place to play great hockey, things that we will remember for ages. While the NHL Stanley Cups as always been the "winning at all cost" matchs where teams would use anything in the books to win. It`s no wonder once the playoffs starts that the rule book get thrown out the window. So to me it was never about winning, just great competition.

Not only that but european hockey used to be an example of sportsmanship and skilled hockey. But in the last ten years hockey leagues outside of Noth America have started to use the NHL model and most of them have adopted the trap system too. So now most of the hockey tournaments on a World stage are not as exciting as it used to be. It`s a freakin shame.

 

[Oilerfan120582]

I didn't see the original poster mention Canada, he simply stated that many teams are playing the trap in this tournament, which I think is true. As far as Canada is concerned it shouldn't matter with all that talent, so it is no excuse. However, regarding the entertainment value of the games, it seems lower than the 2002 Olympics or the 2004 World Cup. Of course, maybe that's just nostalgia

 

[AndersEriksson*]

Haha wow this North American notion that they know best and their LEAGUE is more important than the OLYMPICS is the stupidest thing I've ever read on these boards, bar none.

And I also agree that if Canada loses a game the rules must be changed to allow for Canada to win cause only when Canada wins is the hockey exciting.

I really hate how these small Euro nations come in and play smarter than Canada. Who do they think they are? They should obviously challenge Canada in a wide open physical style of play. Paul DiPietro should drop the gloves with Bertuzzi or Pronger nearly every shift and if possible the NHL refs should give the Canadians 3 or 4 powerplays per period to make sure we get exciting hockey.

Cause God knows seeing the underdog defeat the powerhouse isn't very exciting. A 49 save shutout isn't very exciting. Defensive awareness and playing a perfect system cannot be considered a skill ever. Impossible. Cannot. Be. Done.

Representing a club in a league every year is WAY more important than representing your country every four years. That goes without saying.

If Switzerland can't match the offensive skills of Canada that's no excuse to start playing defensively to win. We don't mind steroids too much, heaven forbid you be bald underneath your goalie mask, but playing defensively is just plain cheating.

ANY hockey tournament not won by Team Canada is unimportant and needs to change its rules to better suit Canada. If Pronger is as slow as he is there should be a speed-limit in the Canadian zone.

And of course it's the format of the tourney. The one game elimination thing. That makes any competition a complete joke. I mean look at the World Cup of soccer. Or the Super Bowl. What a joke. There should be as many games as possible to determine the winner. Preferably seven. Like the Stanley Cup playoffs. Cause they are more important than the Olympics anyway. If you can't format the Olympics to guarantee Canadian victories against teams like Switzerland, you should scrap the Olympics all together. Sure it's history goes back to the ancient Greeks but the Stanley Cup playoffs were invented by Canadians. To argue that the Olympics matter more is retarted. Scrap it and let's all enjoy the Stanley Cup playoffs. EVERY other sporting event is just an exhibition event where winning doesn't matter anyway.

Athletes train their entire life to win Olympic gold when they could play the Stanley Cup playoffs instead?? BAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAH

Of course Calgary and Tampa going to the Stanley Cup finals is a complete joke. They play defensive hockey. Most boring final ever. Toronto should have been there. They don't play the trap but rather use a skill-system that other teams can't compete with. So they use that devious sneaky unbeatable trap.

NO TEAM HAS EVER BEATEN THE TRAP!! IT CAN'T BE DONE. AS LONG AS SWITZERLAND USES THE TRAP THEY CAN'T LOSE. THE OLYMPICS IS A JOKE CAUSE ONLY ONE TEAM CAN WIN. THE ONE USING THE TRAP.

And who could argue the goals Gaborik scored against Russia came from use of world class offensive skills?

Give your head a big shake dude

 

[twelve]

^ I couldn't say it better. The best I could do is repeat this post word for word.

 

[Corto]

BAHAHAHAHAHAH....... BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...... *breathe*..... BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

the olympics matter more than the stanley cup does? WOW.... just..... WOW

this is unequivecally the stupidest thing ive ever heard on these boards, bar none ....

Why's that?

In Europe, it certainly does.

And I gurantee, if somehow the USA wins the gold, it's gonna suddenly matter a whole lot more to them as well.

As for the Olympics vs World Cup comment... Even Canadian guys say the Olympics are more important to them (Iginla comment a few days ago for example).

 

[Wisent]

Man, you guys need to cool down. It is still hockey and a nice tournament.

 

[McJadeddog]

gigantic snake - holy crap man, your a little defensive here arent ya, lol

go ask any canadian or american hockey player and they will tell you the most important championship for them to win is the stanley cup..... like i said, i dont doubt that lots of europeans view the olympics the same, but its simply not that way in north america, why cant you understand that? sure i want canada to win at the olympics, but id take one single oiler stanley cup victory over 15 canada gold medals any day of the week ..... most NHL fans will tell you the same thing, winning in international tournaments just doesnt really matter that much compared to the stanley cup.... sure they are *fun* tournaments and the hockey is generally very skilled, so therefore fun to watch, but they just dont hold the same importance to most canadians (at least the ones i know anyhow)

and yes, 1 game elimination hockey tournaments *are* a joke.... i never mentioned soccer or football, so im not sure why your bringing up the world cup or the super bowl (although similar arguments could prolly be made for both of them as well)..... in hockey the only way to determine the best team is to play a series, it doesnt have to be 7 games, even 3 would be better than 1.... so no, it doesnt have to be like the NHL, but it does have to allow for teams to have an "off night" (again i point to the belarus-sweden game in 2002; there can be no question that the lesser team won and the tournament was worst off for it)..... i'll say it again, 1 game hockey tournaments are a joke and dont prove anything

i dont know why you keep bringing up canada, ive said a couple times now (and more often on the oilers board) that canada hasnt proved anything in these tournaments over the years either, no team has proven anything (except maybe the USSR teams of the past when they dominated ALL the time).... this has nothing to do with canada or any other individual country, your only trying to make it about canada so it looks like im some canadian whining about the tournament style because canada isnt dominating..... well, heres a newsflash for you, i dont really care how canada does, id rather see pronger at home healing for the oilers playoff push and smyth not taking any chances on being injured..... sure i want them to win, but its just not that important, so quit trying to paint me as some complaining "canadian fanatic", cause im quite obviously not

edited to add: i also want to add that im not complaining about the rules.... while i find the NHL game to be much more exciting and hard hitting, i think that when you enter a tournament fully knowing what the rules are, you therefore relinquish any right to complain about them.... so you'll never hear me compalin about the smaller offensive zones, more strict refereeing on hitting, automatic icing and other rules..... in fact, the only thing that bothers me is the format of these international tournaments, i want them to use 3 or 5 game eliminations.... THATS why i dont think the olympics are important at all, they only waste time and dont actually *prove* anything.... if they went to a *real* playoff format then i, and many of my friends, would find them more legitimate and would therefore take the tourney more seriously

 

[Pica]

If Pronger is as slow as he is there should be a speed-limit in the Canadian zone.

Great post GiganticSnake!

That part I quoted really made me laugh.

 

[Ironchef Chris Wok*]

The trap is a strategy that negates skill advantages and rewards the team that works harder and wins battles along the boards. If I were playign Canada, I'd line four guys up in the neutral zone too. Especially if those morons insist on carrying it without any puck support.

 

[Pica]

holy crap man, your a little defensive here arent ya, lol

Check first message on this page. Laffing at other people (continent?) might get reaction of them, imo you got answer you desrved from GianticSnake. Europeans usually think very highly about olympics (hockey and otherwise) as you Canadians do about stanley cup. No need to put either down.

 

[edd1e]

the olympics matter more than the stanley cup does? WOW.... just..... WOW

Olympics matter more, EASILY!
Couldnt care less of who wins Stanley Cup, but it would be nice if Dallas does win it.

 

[edd1e]

Haha wow this North American notion that they know best and their LEAGUE is more important than the OLYMPICS is the stupidest thing I've ever read on these boards, bar none.

Agreed. Not that winning stanley cup isnt great, but we're talking about Olympics. I think NHL has lost part of its magic and the owners getting more greedy every year aint helping eihter.

 

[Freudian]

The trap is a strategy that negates skill advantages and rewards the team that works harder and wins battles along the boards. If I were playign Canada, I'd line four guys up in the neutral zone too. Especially if those morons insist on carrying it without any puck support.

The trap has taken on a mythlike proportion in the mind of Canadians. Every defensive system is good if your players work harder and win battles.

 

[nik jr]

Haha wow this North American notion that they know best and their LEAGUE is more important than the OLYMPICS is the stupidest thing I've ever read on these boards, bar none.

And I also agree that if Canada loses a game the rules must be changed to allow for Canada to win cause only when Canada wins is the hockey exciting.

I really hate how these small Euro nations come in and play smarter than Canada. Who do they think they are? They should obviously challenge Canada in a wide open physical style of play. Paul DiPietro should drop the gloves with Bertuzzi or Pronger nearly every shift and if possible the NHL refs should give the Canadians 3 or 4 powerplays per period to make sure we get exciting hockey.

Cause God knows seeing the underdog defeat the powerhouse isn't very exciting. A 49 save shutout isn't very exciting. Defensive awareness and playing a perfect system cannot be considered a skill ever. Impossible. Cannot. Be. Done.

Representing a club in a league every year is WAY more important than representing your country every four years. That goes without saying.

If Switzerland can't match the offensive skills of Canada that's no excuse to start playing defensively to win. We don't mind steroids too much, heaven forbid you be bald underneath your goalie mask, but playing defensively is just plain cheating.

ANY hockey tournament not won by Team Canada is unimportant and needs to change its rules to better suit Canada. If Pronger is as slow as he is there should be a speed-limit in the Canadian zone.

And of course it's the format of the tourney. The one game elimination thing. That makes any competition a complete joke. I mean look at the World Cup of soccer. Or the Super Bowl. What a joke. There should be as many games as possible to determine the winner. Preferably seven. Like the Stanley Cup playoffs. Cause they are more important than the Olympics anyway. If you can't format the Olympics to guarantee Canadian victories against teams like Switzerland, you should scrap the Olympics all together. Sure it's history goes back to the ancient Greeks but the Stanley Cup playoffs were invented by Canadians. To argue that the Olympics matter more is retarted. Scrap it and let's all enjoy the Stanley Cup playoffs. EVERY other sporting event is just an exhibition event where winning doesn't matter anyway.

Athletes train their entire life to win Olympic gold when they could play the Stanley Cup playoffs instead?? BAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAH

Of course Calgary and Tampa going to the Stanley Cup finals is a complete joke. They play defensive hockey. Most boring final ever. Toronto should have been there. They don't play the trap but rather use a skill-system that other teams can't compete with. So they use that devious sneaky unbeatable trap.

NO TEAM HAS EVER BEATEN THE TRAP!! IT CAN'T BE DONE. AS LONG AS SWITZERLAND USES THE TRAP THEY CAN'T LOSE. THE OLYMPICS IS A JOKE CAUSE ONLY ONE TEAM CAN WIN. THE ONE USING THE TRAP.

And who could argue the goals Gaborik scored against Russia came from use of world class offensive skills?

Give your head a big shake dude

Die horse, die!

 

[MartinFr]

Haha, excellent post GiganticSnake

 

[mytor4*]

the olympics have hockey. wow but than it's not the stanley cup finals is it now.

the silver cup >>>> than the gold to us canadians. simple as that. single game playoffs have always sucked. go to a best of three playoff format and you would have the canadians into it a lot more. you would still have some whining but the most would accept the out-come off a 3 game format without complaints. i myself like the best playing the best i we lose we lose but please make it a 3 game playoffs[SIDE NOTE no way in hell do you win a playoff by a shootout.even worst than a 1 game playoff]

 

[hpheikki]

I haven`t seen that with any teams so far in this tournament.

the forwards of team russia are not using their skills? you just have to accept that team canada lacks skill and speed.

 

[Pepper]

My bet is that 90% of the people whining about the trap don't even know what it is, I can tell that several posters in this thread fall to that group.

To those people every defensive system is the trap and the trap is blamed when their team is not winning.

Grow up and learn the game.

 

[GuloGulo]

My bet is that 90% of the people whining about the trap don't even know what it is, I can tell that several posters in this thread fall to that group.

To those people every defensive system is the trap and the trap is blamed when their team is not winning.

Grow up and learn the game.

Quoted for truth!

 

[SChan*]

My bet is that 90% of the people whining about the trap don't even know what it is, I can tell that several posters in this thread fall to that group.

To those people every defensive system is the trap and the trap is blamed when their team is not winning.

Grow up and learn the game.

agreed. And it's not like NHL teams hasn't used the trap either. Devils, sabres and minnesota comes to mind

excuses

 

[Ola]

go ask any canadian or american hockey player and they will tell you the most important championship for them to win is the stanley cup.....

If USA won this Olympics, it would be the greates hockey memory many of the US players ever will experience. Without a doubt. Not many players win a Stanley Cup.

For a North American winning the Cup will always be the biggest bar none. But that doesn't mean the Olympics wouldn't be big for them. In every thread like this it sounds like fans belives the players don't care, thats BS.

If US wins the gold in this tournament, tell me would it be big?

How you can look at the WC to be ahead of the Olympics is beyond me.

 

[Ola]

My bet is that 90% of the people whining about the trap don't even know what it is, I can tell that several posters in this thread fall to that group.

To those people every defensive system is the trap and the trap is blamed when their team is not winning.

Grow up and learn the game.

Very good post pepper! ( )

Playing defense is not trapping. The Swiss are playing a perfect trap. (And who can blame them for that??? What do people expect, them to move the puck like the Red Wings or dribble like Russia?)

But Slovakia, Russia, Sweden or Finland are defenitly not playing the trap. What they are playing is quit meaningless games. The tournament starts tomorrow.

 

[shawn_kemp*]

I'm sure that if one of the NAmerican teams ends up in the final, that entire country will be united in celebration and the other NAmerican country would cheer for them as if it were their own.