This won’t shock you, but Canadians LOVE hockey.  We love it so much that we didn’t exactly celebrate the win yesterday, we let go of our pent up nerves and worries much [...] No related posts.]]> Yesterday’s epic gold medal clash between Canada and the USA in men’s hockey had a bigger impact on Canada than most casual fans realize.

This won’t shock you, but Canadians LOVE hockey.  We love it so much that we didn’t exactly celebrate the win yesterday, we let go of our pent up nerves and worries much the same as a father celebrates his first born child, just happy that everyone is healthy. 

When you’re widely considered the favorite, there is everything to lose and very little to gain.  Canadians couldn’t stand the thought of losing.

We want to win at hockey so badly, that we take pride in our “win at all costs” mentality.  What other country would revere someone like Bobby Clarke for his role in purposely breaking Valeri Kharlamov’s ankle in the ’72 Summit Series.

We love that once again Sidney Crosby is the victor over other world talents like Alexander Ovechkin, despite the fact that Ovechkin has more pure talent.  He’s Canadian, so he’s a winner.

More than winning though, we want other countries to realize that hockey is a great game.  We’re proud of the sport, we’re proud of it’s traditions, and of course, we love winning at the game we love.

For the gold medal to be decided in overtime with the whole world watching and against the USA was perfect, but not in the way most of you think. 

Yes, we love beating our neighbor to the south, but we also like showing them what they’re missing. 

In Canada, it hits a collective national nerve that we send our best players to NHL clubs in the United States, lose our franchises to southern cities, and yet hockey appears to be only the 5^th most popular sport behind football, basketball, baseball and NASCAR.

Yesterday’s game was the perfect display to kick-start our beloved sport back into North American consciousness. 

The game featured the same two countries that host the NHL.  Gary Bettman couldn’t have asked for a better target audience.

Two-thirds of all Canadian households and one-third of US households watched the game.  Those are astronomical numbers for hockey.  It was the most viewed hockey game in 30 years, since the Miracle on Ice in Lake Placid.

The viewership for the game was better than every World Series game since 2004 and every NBA Finals since 1998, proving that hockey DOES have the ability to appeal to the masses. 

The NFL and NBA are both heading towards labor disputes which could thrust the NHL back into the North American sports spotlight.  That’s terrible news for football and basketball, but hockey needs it badly.

Today we have a certain swagger, knowing that our cherished sport is back on the map.  And just in case you missed it, we’re still the champs.

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Oh yeah, and the IOC once again confirmed that they’re slightly sexist, [...] No related posts.]]> Friday was a big day for Hockey Canada in more ways than one.  The men held off a late-game push by the Slovaks and the women were criticized for an “inappropriate” celebration after their 2-0 win over the USA to secure the gold medal.

Oh yeah, and the IOC once again confirmed that they’re slightly sexist, hypocritical and definitely out of touch.

To begin with, the IOC’s executive director of the Olympics, Gilbert Felli, stated  “I don’t think it’s a good promotion of sports values.”  That’s funny, did he make this statement from Heineken House or Molson Canadian Hockey House?  Both are official Olympic venues.

Did I mention that Molson-Coors is an official sponsor of the Vancouver Olympics.  Does having a beer sponsor promote sports values?

Felli continued his statement with “If they celebrate in the changing room, that’s one thing, but not in public.”

The women drew all this attention, yet Canada’s John Montgomery was fine to drink straight from a jug of beer as he walked down the streets in Whistler, directly after he won the gold in Men’s Skeleton. 

The video was all over national TV in Canada, where the women’s hockey team was only captured by a few photographers that had hung around after the game.  If the public element of the celebration was the concern, then Montgomery should have received some sort of scolding from the IOC as well.  He didn’t. 

 Why should it be different for the women when it was OK for a man?  Maybe the IOC has a different set of standards for how women should behave than men.  We know some members asked for sexual favors from Melbourne brothels, so maybe that’s how they think women should behave. 

Regardless, we have an organization that accepted bribery to award the games to Nagano and Salt Lake City criticizing a group of athletes for celebrating after becoming world champions.

 I don’t think anyone should have made a big deal out of either celebration.  Olympic athletes slave for 4 years for the shot at a moment like this.  If they want to celebrate with beer pong, body-shots, cigars, tattoos or at the frickin Catalina Wine Mixer, I still support them. 

 If they’re not doing something illegal, leave them alone.  The women weren’t being obscene or destructive, they were enjoying the moment.

 ”In terms of the actual celebration, it’s not exactly something uncommon in Canada,” COC spokesman Steve Keough told the AP. “I think Canadians understand it’s quite an emotional moment for our team. It was not our intention to go against any IOC protocols.”

 Most of us Canadians enjoy a beer after the game, so let’s support the women’s hockey team when they clearly deserved a few cold ones of their own.

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Obviously my insight proved to [...] No related posts.]]> Having seen both teams play live on Sunday, I was telling everyone who would listen what my scouting report was.  The Russian defense looks terrible.  This statement came partly from what I saw in the game against the Czech Republic, and partly just because I wanted to believe it was true.

Obviously my insight proved to be part of the 7-3 beat down that Team Canada unleashed on Russia tonight.  That said, it wasn’t the only reason the Russians lost.  Here are the main reasons the game ended the way it did.

 You can watch the game highlights here.

The Russian Defense is not Physical

The Czech forwards proved that the Russian defense couldn’t win the puck behind the icing line in their own zone.  Canada has been the best cycling team in the tournament. 

This was a match made for the Canadian forwards and they took full advantage of it. 

Nabokov Over-Committed to the Shooter

I’ve never noticed this before, but he clearly wasn’t ready to move laterally when Canada had the puck on the break. 

The Russian defense was pressuring the shooter and their “offensive” forwards clearly weren’t back-checking.  This constantly left a Canadian shooter open on the far post.

I understand that this puts Nabokov in a tough spot, but the Canadians frequently had a gaping net to shoot at.  The goaltender needs to at least force the shooter to pick a corner.

Rarely do you see a goalie pulled that early in the 2^nd period, but Nabokov had already given up 6 goals in 23 shots.

Canada Re-discovered Physical Play

Following previous Canadian gameplans versus Ovechkin and company, Canada came out hitting.  The goal was to impose a physical presence and they did it. 

Forwards were finishing hits on the Russian defencemen and causing them to cough up the puck.  Drew Doughty and Shea Weber both battered the Russian forwards with some big hits on Ovechkin and Datsyuk early.

I love when we batter and bruise European teams who clearly aren’t very comfortable playing the physical style of play.

Canada Caused Neutral Zone Turnovers

Other opponents have tried to coral the free-wheeling Russian forwards by crowding them once they gained the zone.  The Russians have countered with some creative close-quarter passing and have stick-handled through traffic.

Canada decided to deny the Russians the opportunity to gain steam through the neutral zone.  They forced the Russians to move laterally before they gained the blueline and often got fast-break chances and odd-man rushes as a result.

A perfect example of this was the Rick Nash goal in the first period.  Jonathan Toews knocked the puck off Malkin’s stick, Mike Richards picked the puck up and fed it to Toews on the break.  Toews got the puck to a streaking Nash and he put it past Nabokov.

Toews, Richards and Nash played this system extremely well and frequently turned turnovers into scoring chances.

Karma is a Cold Bitch

In the first period, Alexei Morozov drew a penalty with a dive that would have made his summer Olympic counterparts proud. 

In order to right the wrongs of the universe, the black karmic energy that he drew from caused him to fan on a beautiful scoring chance on the very same power play. 

Do not anger the hockey gods.

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The talent present on the Czech, Russian, American and Canadian national teams was startling.

Most people don’t [...] No related posts.]]> With two great games on back-to-back this past Sunday, it felt like a blessing to have tickets.  Given that watching Canada play in the Olympics was on my list of sports fan must see’s, I was already pumped beyond belief.

The talent present on the Czech, Russian, American and Canadian national teams was startling.

Most people don’t get the chance to see Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk, Datsyuk, Nabokov, Jagr, Vokoun, Miller, Crosby, Nash, Thornton, Heatley, Iginla, Kane, Toews and (unfortunately) Brodeur in a full season, let alone in one afternoon.

Of course world-class talent will make the caliber of play world class, but what I was really hoping for was atmosphere, and the crowds were epic.

I’ve finally returned home from Vancouver and can share my scattered thoughts on both games.

 Russia vs Czech Replublic

For starters, the turnout by both the Czech and Russian fans was fantastic.  They came out in numbers, were dressed in team colors from head to toe and were vocal enough during the game that they drowned each other out.

My favorite foreign chant was undoubtedly something that sounded like “Shy Boo” (spelled phonetically here) from the Russian fans.  I have no idea what it meant, but it always got the Russians fired up.

If I was to describe the styles of play by either team, the Russians would be fluid on the attack yet somewhat sloppy in their own end.  The Czechs were a much more disciplined and tactical squad.

Evgeni Malkin was clearly the best player on the ice.  While he had a few bad turnovers high in the offensive zone, he was a demon with the puck on his stick and clearly wanted it more than anyone else. 

If Malkin was the clear #1, then Ovechkin was 1a.  He managed to get his stick on every puck near the net, took plenty of dangerous shots and absolutely brought a physical element to the game that no one else could match.  His physical presence was manifested in the play of the game, and possibly the greatest hit I’ve ever seen live.  

Note:  I’d like to show it to you, but NBC, CTV and the IOC have all banned it’s viewing on Youtube and other sites.  Great marketing job guys.

The open ice explosion that Ovie dished on Jagr was both a highlight reel clip for years to come and a game changing play.  The hit gave the puck to the Russians who promptly pushed it up ice for a goal by Malkin.

Despite thinking the Czechs were done after the 2^nd Malkin goal, they steadied their nerves and continued to pour on the pressure.  This team has a lot of life left.

Canada vs USA

If you’re wondering whether the crowd was ready for this game, here’s all you need to know.  They stood and cheered at the top of their lungs for the entire … warm-up.  I’ve never seen it before and may never again.  The warm-up was louder than the Czech-Russia game at any point.

Despite being “tasered” early by the USA goal 41 seconds into the game, the Canadian crowd still responded to every attempted U-S-A chant with a flood of CAN-A-DA that drowned out the American fans before they could get going.

Rick Nash was the only forward on Team Canada bringing any kind of physical play to the USA defencemen.

Jonathan Toews didn’t get anywhere near enough credit for his work along the boards in the offensive zone.  He controlled the play and frequently found teammates in great scoring positions.

Drew Doughty was Canada’s best defenceman.  He was calm with the puck, had great recovery in his own end and helped create offense consistently.

Chris Pronger looked terrible.  Scott Niedermeyer wasn’t bad, but hardly played like he’s capable of.  Canada looked best with a combination of Doughty, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith manning the blueline.

It’s not a surprise to anyone who watched the game, but Martin Brodeur looked incredibly shaky.  He wandered from his crease at inopportune times, played the puck poorly and frequently took himself out of position.  With the news today that Luongo will replace him in net, Canadian fans can finally exhale.

Speaking of Luongo, I’m surprised that no one in the media has mentioned that he would essentially be playing “at home”.  He plays for the Vancouver Canucks and should know every bounce in that arena.  On top of that, he is the only goalie on Canada’s roster who could legitimately steal a game.

Ryan Miller absolutely stole THIS game.  Any time a team faces more than 40 shots and wins, they should be giving their goalie the royalty treatment.  The Buffalo Sabres gatekeeper was stellar on Sunday and deserves every ounce of praise he’s received so far.

Am I the only person who wonders why Crosby wasn’t getting more icetime?  He was legitimately dangerous every time he touched the puck.  I know that he and Nash were both -3 at one point, but that was more a function of Brodeur and the defense on those particular plays.  The Russians were smart enough to ride Ovechkin and Malkin, shouldn’t Babcock do the same with his own superstar?

Finally, the minute the Crosby-Nash-Iginla line was reunited in the 3^rd period, they produced results.  Crosby scored a powerplay goal and that same line was responsible for the flurry of chances in the final minutes of the game.  Babcock needs to realize that he messed with a good thing and put that line back together.

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When I was growing up, road hockey was the arena for acting out your sports fantasies.  After we picked teams, there was always a point where we had to decide which NHL team we were and [...] No related posts.]]> Given that this is Sports-Opinionated’s 100^th post, I thought I’d share a more personalized view of being a sports fan.

When I was growing up, road hockey was the arena for acting out your sports fantasies.  After we picked teams, there was always a point where we had to decide which NHL team we were and which players we were pretending to be.  I loved being the Flames, and pretending I was players like Joe Nieuwendyk, John Tonelli or Joel Otto.  In my 8 year old mind,  I could pretend as if the Flames had won the Stanley Cup.

Now that my body is older, I still dream about sports like an 8 year old, but my wishes revert to experiences as a sports fan.

I’m not talking about sports that you’d like to participate in or things you’d like to achieve.  I’d love to shoot par, try that downhill skating race thing in Quebec, participate in an amateur MMA fight or score on a free kick over the wall.  That’s probably another list for another time. 

I’m only focusing on live events.  In this day and age, it’s feasible to watch just about anything on live TV or streaming over the internet, but it never quite captures the feeling of being at the event in person. 

Atmosphere can only be captured with the emotions of the crowd around you, reacting to every moment in the competition.  When a crafty winger cuts inside his defender and the crowd holds their breath.  When a goalie robs a shot at a wide open net and there is a brief moment of stunned silence before the crowd erupts.  When a quarterback unleashes a bomb and the crowds jumps up to see if the receiver has a step.  Your TV or your laptop can’t recreate this energy, it’s impossible

I have been to at least a few games in every major North American sport.  I’ve watched hockey games in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Red Deer & Grand Forks (WJHC).  I’ve seen football in Minnesota and San Francisco.  I’ve watched basketball in San Antonio and Chicago.  I’ve seen baseball games in LA, Cleveland and Chicago.  I’ve had one chance to watch a soccer match in Europe (Berlin) and have been to Australian rules football and rugby as well.

I’m obviously a fortunate sports fan, but by no means am I one of those people who’s seen every major competition in every city. 

The two greatest fan experiences I’ve had the luck to be a part of were in the WJHC at both Red Deer and Grand Forks, watching Canada win gold medals and in Berlin watching Hertha Berlin versus Werder Bremen.  I will remember all three for the rest of my life, just because the crowds were so dedicated, emotionally attached and vocal.

If I had the time and money to do everything below, I’d sit down and craft the greatest sports road trip on the planet.  Instead, I hope to slowly check them off one at a time and capture them in the “fan experience” part of my brain forever.  I’ve narrowly missed several of the items below.  I’ve been in the right cities at the wrong time or just haven’t been able to get tickets.  Sometimes luck and timing are just as important as intention and willpower, which is what makes every fan’s list so special.

I’m sure that somehow I’ve forgotten a few important ones here and I’m sure everyone’s list looks different.  Please share any events you would put on your list and I’ll add them to the post.

1.  The Stanley Cup Finals

As a guy who grew up playing hockey his whole life.  This is obviously number one on the list.  The Stanley Cup playoffs are the most grueling run to a trophy in any sport and the winners typically look like they’ve been through an eco-challenge followed by a boxing match.  But that’s what makes it so special.

2.  Canada Olympic Hockey Game

I’m Canadian.  I love hockey.  Nothing else matters when Team Canada is playing.

3.  Any game with Peyton Manning

I’ve been a Colts fan as long as I’ve followed football ever since they drafted #18, our fortunes have turned.  I need to see him play in person.

4.  FIFA World Cup

There is no sport in the world that means so much to so many nations.  The crowds are huge and insane, the fans are more dedicated than those at any other sporting event since they’ve traveled across continents to come watch and the talent is the best in the world.  Forza Azzurri!

5.  UEFA Champions League

Pitting the best clubs in Europe against each other was one of the best ideas in professional sports.  I hope the NHL finds a way to do this with the European leagues.  That said, being in house for a clash of the titan clubs like AC Milan, Juventus, Chelsea, Arsenal and others would be out of this world.

6.  Serie A match

I follow Serie A quite closely and would love to see a match live.  My preference would be to see AC Milan play but I love the cities of Firenze and Sienna so would love to see any of their clubs play.

7.  English Premier League Match

Much like Serie A, but I would actually be able to understand the fans.  The EPL is much faster and more physical than Serie A as well and the English fans have a bigger distaste for diving.  This scores big in my books.

8.  Wimbledon or the US Open

This might seem like a strange fit among all the team sports listed above, but tennis is a fantastic sport to watch.  Players like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal make it all the more spectacular.  I’d choose Wimbledon over the rest of the majors with the US Open being a close 2^nd.

9.  Golf at St. Andrews or anywhere in Scotland

I love playing golf, but I’m not much of a fan of it on TV.  I’ll watch the final round of the majors but that’s about it.  That said, seeing players do it live is a different story and this would be in the place where it all began.

10.  The Masters

A consolation prize to the British Open, but special nonetheless.

11.  The Superbowl

Despite being a football nut, the Superbowl doesn’t interest me as much as some of the others.  The main reason it’s ranked so much lower is that the Superbowl crowd is often full of corporate seats, VIPs and the like, taking a lot away from the atmosphere I crave.

12.  Michigan football at the Big House

Some places are just special venues.  The Big House and it’s 106,000 seat capacity could make it the loudest and most exhilarating place to watch college football.  I’m a Wolverines supporter, so that definitely helps.

13.  Lambeau Field

I never have or will be a Green Bay Packers fan, but I’d kill to see a game here.  Lambeau field has a mystique about it like the old Montreal Forum did.  I consider it a football fan’s pilgrimage.

14.  Barcelona at the Camp Nou

The last of my venue-related wish list, and another spectacle of sport.  The Catalans know how to build teams that play beautiful football.  With almost 99,000 seats, it is the biggest stadium in Europe.

15.  UFC

Since UFC 1 I have had an interest in MMA.  George St. Pierre elicits support from me that are only rivaled by the Flames, Colts and AC Milan.  If I could combine the two, I’d even buy a Tapout shirt.  OK, maybe not.

16.  Final Four

I don’t watch college basketball until March Madness rolls around.  In March, I’m hooked.  I know this isn’t right, but I have sports-ADD and this is just how I do things.  That said, there is more drama in the tournament than in any other championship run in sports.  One and done will do that for you. 

17.  Sumo Match

Another odd insertion, but I just want to see two behemoths collide the way they do.  I’ve seen it on TV and the speed and power is amazing for men who don’t look like they’re in great shape.  Just imagine seeing them up close.

 Tomorrow, I’m going to cross one of these great experiences off my list.  My dad and I are flying to Vancouver to see Olympic hockey.  Russia taking on the Czech Republic and most importantly, Canada versus the USA.  Seeing players like Crosby and Ovechkin live will be unbelievable, and so will cheering on Team Canada!

Not only have I always wanted to see Canada play in the Olympics, but I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather see the game with.  Go Canada!

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