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Vyacheslav
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Not at all. I admire players who do it but I don't think they should if they don't have the love for it.
It all depends. If someone had a bad experience with the coaches, players, staff, ect of their country I could see why. However, if they choose to play for another country because they either don;t love their country or because they were not good enough to play for theirs and they were bitter about it *cough*Hull*cough*, than I would loose all respect for him.
When it comes to european players...
The national team, and especially the World Championships, serves as a big shopping window. If you perform well in the national team it´s a lot easier getting a NHL-contract, a player like Mathias Johansson would never have been given the oppurtunity if he hadn´t played at the Olympics in Salt Lake City.
A lot of (wise) people here think that the players should be more grateful to the national team, in most cases it´s the national team that have taken them to the NHL with all their money.
The national team, and especially the World Championships, serves as a big shopping window. If you perform well in the national team it´s a lot easier getting a NHL-contract, a player like Mathias Johansson would never have been given the oppurtunity if he hadn´t played at the Olympics in Salt Lake City.
A lot of (wise) people here think that the players should be more grateful to the national team, in most cases it´s the national team that have taken them to the NHL with all their money.
Yes, unless they are just back from injury or have personal reasons for not playing, I lose a bit of respect for a player.
If you came up through a certain country's hockey association, I think that there is an obligation to play if chosen.
I don't really have any respect for Brett Hull in the first place so his US/Canada thing doesn't have any effect on me.
Khabibulin should play at the WC. I dunno, but someone told me Kovalchuk was going to skip it but I hope not. It is unfair for a country if a great player from there skips a tourney while another country puts together a superteam ala Team Canada.
If you came up through a certain country's hockey association, I think that there is an obligation to play if chosen.
I don't really have any respect for Brett Hull in the first place so his US/Canada thing doesn't have any effect on me.
Khabibulin should play at the WC. I dunno, but someone told me Kovalchuk was going to skip it but I hope not. It is unfair for a country if a great player from there skips a tourney while another country puts together a superteam ala Team Canada.
Prince Mercury
Registered User
Yeah, I believe patriotism comes before sport. It's their duty to respresent their country as best they can.
Stuff like Brett Hull is even worse.
Stuff like Brett Hull is even worse.
Roughneck
Registered User
I usually don't because most players have varied reasons.
There are cases where they want to spend time with their families (many had children in the season that they couldn't spend as much time with and those sorts of things). I think that the family should come first.
In the case with Russia, I understand the players reasoning, even if I don't really agree with them. But some of these players have been treated like dirt by their national teams so they have every right to just snub them as well.
I'd only really have a problem with it is the player just didn't want to. They want to rest, or they were talking about a contract. Those are stupid excuses IMO. Recovering from an injury is one thing, but just because you had a long playoff run isn't an excuse.
But overall, no i don't lose respect for the players.
There are cases where they want to spend time with their families (many had children in the season that they couldn't spend as much time with and those sorts of things). I think that the family should come first.
In the case with Russia, I understand the players reasoning, even if I don't really agree with them. But some of these players have been treated like dirt by their national teams so they have every right to just snub them as well.
I'd only really have a problem with it is the player just didn't want to. They want to rest, or they were talking about a contract. Those are stupid excuses IMO. Recovering from an injury is one thing, but just because you had a long playoff run isn't an excuse.
But overall, no i don't lose respect for the players.
That is the players choice (the beauty of democracy) but if I played I would like nothing more than to represent my country. These athletes aren't soldiers or anything so it is a different way to show support and respect (no, I am not saying they are equal, obviously a soldier is a much larger committment).
adam
adam
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Yes, i lose respect for some bum who gets umpteen million dollars to play in the league but doesn't have the decency to put it all on the line for his country that taught him how to play the sport to begin with.
Remember Gretzky crying on the bench in Nagano?? That is what national pride is all about.
Remember Gretzky crying on the bench in Nagano?? That is what national pride is all about.
JVR
HeadHitsAreNotIllega
PanthersRule said:
Problem there is, if you don't agree with how the team is being run, and if you weren't treated with respect, they why play for the people who are running the team? True, your country doesn't benefit from your services, but if you're treated like crap then it doesn't really give you incentive to play your best. It's not just Khabibulin either. A lot of Russian NHLers aren't playing for Russia because of the people who are running the team.
ehc73 said:
thats what i was thinking too. russian could've put together a more talented team if every russian players are willing to play (ex: mogilny, khabibulin, etc). i feel bad for how they were treated in the past, but i think the country and patriotism comes before personal difference.
when i started this thread, the 3 names i was thinking about are patrick roy, alex mogilny, and nick khabibulin. i didnt lose respect to any one of them because im sure they have their reasons (reasons that are important to them that i cant understand), but i was disappointed in them for sure. anybody feel this way too?
I think it depends on the situation. If it is a superstar then I think that he should play for his country if at all possible. Imagine if Gretzky refused to play for Canada. If there is a decent replacement available then I would be more flexible.
What would be greater than playing for your country though?
What would be greater than playing for your country though?
Petey21
Registered User
This is why I think it's so hard to understand why most North American, especially American stars almost never seem to be willing to play for their country in the World Championships held every year in April-May. The ones that are out of the playoffs SHOULD play for their country unless they're injured, and it seems like it's mostly the European teams that get to have their best available players on their teams for these tournaments. Canada has improved alot lately but Team USA almost never get any of their stars to play for them. Even if the tournament is an IIHF endorsed one and has nothing to do with the NHL, I don't understand why they're not willing to play for their country, since most (but not all) European stars do play for their country if they're eliminated from the Stanley Cup. It's like their country means less to them in these tournaments than the World Cup or Olympics, why is that?
Toonces
They should have kept Shjon Podein...
Big Phil
Registered User
- Nov 2, 2003
- 31,703
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Put it this way if Canada didnt have some guys refuse to play in '96 then we wouldnt be talking about the USA being World Cup Champs back then. Lemieux its true was injured for a lot fo the time, but Bourque had no excuse whatsoever back then.
Also Roenick didnt play back then because he didnt have a contract! Now that's turning your back on your country.
I dont mind what happenend in 1972 when Perreault, Hadfield and Martin took off and went home because if you hear it from their side they were told they wouldnt play again and were getting pressure form their NHL coaches at home to report to training camp. But refusing to play in Roenicks case or even worse Hull's and then going on Team USA is even more cut-throat. I think Kariya is good enough to be on Team Canada but that doesnt mean him and guys like Tanguay, Nash and Primeau should obtain dual citizenship either.
Also Roenick didnt play back then because he didnt have a contract! Now that's turning your back on your country.
I dont mind what happenend in 1972 when Perreault, Hadfield and Martin took off and went home because if you hear it from their side they were told they wouldnt play again and were getting pressure form their NHL coaches at home to report to training camp. But refusing to play in Roenicks case or even worse Hull's and then going on Team USA is even more cut-throat. I think Kariya is good enough to be on Team Canada but that doesnt mean him and guys like Tanguay, Nash and Primeau should obtain dual citizenship either.
Sotnos
Registered User
No. It's their personal choice, and for some people, their national pride isn't wrapped up in sports. It's none of our business.SuperKarateMonkey said:
I don't know much about Roy's story, but just from the publicized problems that Mogilny and Khabibulin had, it's understandable to me if they don't want to play. The stuff that came out is bad enough, makes you wonder if even worse stuff was happening behind the scenes. I have more respect for Khabi that he's sticking to his guns and hasn't backed off his position like some Russian papers were suggesting he might do.
The people complaining the most about Khabibulin and calling him a traitor and whatnot are Panthers fans, if that sheds any light on the subject.
It's obvious that some people are using this thread as an excuse for Euro and American bashing. How very typical.
Prince Mercury
Registered User
Prince Mercury
Registered User
Oh, and if I'm not mistaken, Patrick Roy doesn't want to play for Canada because he now lives in the U.S. with his American wife and very American children. Just another Brett Hull, I suppose.
roy said he wanted to rest up so he can be healthy for the playoff run. seems to me like he put his nhl team ahead of his country. not that theres anything wrong with that, since he is paid millions and millions of dollars by the Avs to win them a championship (and with their team and a healthy roy they were among the favorite). i guess his loyalty should be with the Avs first and country second and i can understand that.
forturnately canada have so much talented goalie though, imagine if hasek pulled out of the '98 olympics to rest up for the playoff he might have cost them the gold medal.
forturnately canada have so much talented goalie though, imagine if hasek pulled out of the '98 olympics to rest up for the playoff he might have cost them the gold medal.
bling
Registered User
- Jun 23, 2004
- 2,934
- 0
Prince Mercury said:
I do hope you are attemptng to crack wise here.....LOL
Just in case you are not, let me tell you that Patrick Roy lives in Canada with his very Canadian wife and and Canadian children.
I also do not understand why you are all so pissed at Brett Hull....dudes, ya did not want him on team Canada, you said he was not good enough. He then exercised his right of dual citizenship and was deemed good enough to play for the USA. I do not get why every Canadian disses him unmercifully for that.
Look at it from your own perspective...if you wanted to play for a team and they rejected you, would you go home, hang up the skates, and never play again? No, you would find a team that would take you, just like Hullie did.
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