USA USA USA (hockey)

[coastal-boy]

Canadians probably want to pretend the 5-1 ass whooping didn't happen. But the reality is every year we keep getting better and better and they are just the same old consistent good. Gotta hand it to the kids....they played a smart game. But wtf is up with the boys from the north? Two years in a row having to settle for Bronze (assuming they beat Russia) after competing for Gold for 11 straight years.

 

[Squibbs]

It's Obama's fault.

 

[islandman]

I'm still trying to figure out how Bettman can look himself in the mirror every morning after three lockouts (so far) under his stewardship.

 

[Voodoo5150]

I'm still trying to figure out how Bettman can look himself in the mirror every morning after three lockouts (so far) under his stewardship.

It's the shitload of money the owners give him to do it that sits right behind him.

 

[islandman]

It's the shitload of money the owners give him to do it that sits right behind him.

Must be.

It certainly isn't because of the endless cycle of expansion and contraction and pissed off fans.

 

[Saint Peter]

Hockey is life!

 

[Voodoo5150]

Must be.

It certainly isn't because of the endless cycle of expansion and contraction and pissed off fans.

If they lose this season they can kiss a few sunbelt teams goodbye. Not many can survive a full on cancellation. And if this goes one year it's likely to go two years, which kills the rest of the sunbelt teams.

 

[jeninflorida]

another example of asshat union thugs

 

[thør]

Hockey is life!

5-1 at that level is a spanking.

 

[Saint Peter]

5-1 at that level is a spanking.

Gibson in the USA goal played great.

Canada? wtf?

 

[islandman]

If they lose this season they can kiss a few sunbelt teams goodbye. Not many can survive a full on cancellation. And if this goes one year it's likely to go two years, which kills the rest of the sunbelt teams.

Needless dilution of talent. If you don't have a decently cold winter, there's nothing to warrant having hockey in your town.

 

[LiFeNdEaTh]

fuck HOCKEY... never liked it.

 

[renard_ruse]

It's Obama's fault.

I thought Bush cut the funding for hockey development programs, when he wasn't planning how to kill blacks in New Orleans by manipulating weather events.

 

[renard_ruse]

Needless dilution of talent. If you don't have a decently cold winter, there's nothing to warrant having hockey in your town.

Um, refrigerated skating rinks perhaps? Have you been in a cave the last 120 years?

 

[Voodoo5150]

Needless dilution of talent. If you don't have a decently cold winter, there's nothing to warrant having hockey in your town.

Well, the league and the owners wanted it. Causing it's death is counter to what they want.

Also, while talent is diluted for a time, in the long term you're hopefully getting thousands of American youths interested in hockey. I believe Texas now has quite a lot of indoor ice rinks.

 

[catinthehat123]

Our boys take Gold Sat morning.

Hopefully, a deal is in place by then as well. Though I guess "technically" they have till Wednesday or some shit.

 

[Voodoo5150]

Our boys take Gold Sat morning.

Hopefully, a deal is in place by then as well. Though I guess "technically" they have till Wednesday or some shit.

Whenever the fuck the 11th or 12th was. I think that was their cutoff date... or was that the 8th? Fuck, I don't remember.

 

[thør]

I believe Texas now has quite a lot of indoor ice rinks.

Only skating on indoor ice builds skaters who are pussies.

At least, that's my opinion. Of course, that's fine for figure skating.

 

[shoulderblade]

Whenever the fuck the 11th or 12th was. I think that was their cutoff date... or was that the 8th? Fuck, I don't remember.

It kind of wears out your attention span, doesn't it?

In any case congratulations to the US junior team. It is very competitive at the top and they came up with the big game.

As a Canadaian I have been trained to believe that only Gold is good enough but I am trying to cure myself.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

People still play hockey?

 

[Lancecastor]

I'm still trying to figure out how Bettman can look himself in the mirror every morning after three lockouts (so far) under his stewardship.

When that weaselly motherfucker new york lawyer who has never laced up a pair of skates Bettman became Commissioner of the NHL, the league was worth $400 Million a year in Revenue.

Now it's worth 4 Billion a year.

So, regardless of the fact that everyone who loves hockey hates Gary Bettman, the numbers don't lie...he's made the owners (and the players) a LOT of money.

 

[unregistered]

 

[Lancecastor]

Canadians probably want to pretend the 5-1 ass whooping didn't happen. But the reality is every year we keep getting better and better and they are just the same old consistent good. Gotta hand it to the kids....they played a smart game. But wtf is up with the boys from the north? Two years in a row having to settle for Bronze (assuming they beat Russia) after competing for Gold for 11 straight years.

Yes, I'm pretending it didn't happen.

Team Canada is loaded with 2013 First Round Draft Picks, including #1 and #2...and #1 is a kid I've been watching play since he was 5.

However, with the LOckout, all the teams are loaded up with under 20 year old NHL players you normally wouldn't see playing in a World Junior Championship, so the teams and results are skewed this year.

Nathan MacKinnon (just turned 17) wouldn't be a 4th line 5 minute a game player if not for the Lockout.

All that being said, Hockey USA is doing a great job and with a huge number of kids to pick from SHOULD be a hockey powerhouse.

So...good for them!

 

[islandman]

When that weaselly motherfucker new york lawyer who has never laced up a pair of skates Bettman became Commissioner of the NHL, the league was worth $400 Million a year in Revenue.

Now it's worth 4 Billion a year.

So, regardless of the fact that everyone who loves hockey hates Gary Bettman, the numbers don't lie...he's made the owners (and the players) a LOT of money.

I don't have the requisite skills to be a player and am too poor to own a team, so I'm just going to hang onto my over-priced beer and bitch about it.

 

[Lancecastor]

I don't have the requisite skills to be a player and too poor to own a team, so I'm just going to hang onto my over-priced beer and bitch about it.

I worked at the PA during the height of the Free Agency salary run-up years; one day I suggested in a meeting that the PA and the League chip in together to create a fund to provide for the older players living in poverty.

(At that time, it was known that there was one member of the 67 cup winning leafs living on the streets, for example.)

The room went dead quiet and the then Executive Director of the PA looked at me from the head of the table and unleashed a string of words at me that I wouldn't even repeat here on the GB.

The sad truth about NHL hockey is that it has always been a Carnival, a Side Show, A Circus...it was started by shady hucksters as a way to make lots of money, the more the better, by owning a herd of trained monkeys and bears.

And that's what it still is. It's all about the money. The hockey is incidental.

From the time you enroll your boy in Minor Hockey, his "playing rights" are Owned by that Association...you can't even move your kid to another association without permission and payments.

Hockey players are chattel.