When I read this, I envisioned several players smacking towels at each other in the shower saying "I can't believe Claude is missing this!?!?!"
- PhillySportsGuy

"Besides, it's not really international hockey until you start wrecking dorm rooms in the Olympic village."

/Chris Chelios

for me that's the issue.
- hammarby31

That's the biggest issue, for sure.

I read Bill's blogs. Rarely is there better insight or information than I'd get from any of the local beat writers, even if I hear it 20 minutes later.

I'm a fan of the team, I want coverage of the team. But I don't want the WIP coverage, or the salacious nonsense. Far too often the MSM is just as interested in the off ice stuff as they are the on ice stuff.

And that's not necessarily the beat guys themselves. There are directives from above that they do have to follow, and quite a lot of the TMZ-ization of the sports page comes from that.

Didn't they play ball hockey or something? I saw a picture on TSN with all of the players wearing gloves and holding sticks. Giroux likely can't do either of those 2 things right now.
- jmatchett383

Apparently due to insurance issues, the team isn't allowed to skate, so the ice was covered and Babcock ran thru some stuff re: the big ice in Europe using ball hockey.

Understood. But if it's just playing grabass and ball hockey, how big a deal is his not being there?

Seems like an attempt to make a molehill into Mt Everest.
- Jsaquella

Grab ass seems like a potential hand injury risk to me.

Canada can suck it. Boo whoo, Giroux missed a freakin' ball hockey game. You know none of those players are going to remember tactics from a ball hockey game come February.

USA! USA! USA!
- KGBflyers10

yeah I hope you enjoyed that silver medal from 2010 Olympics.....who was it the USA lost the Gold medal game to again....

That's the biggest issue, for sure.

I read Bill's blogs. Rarely is there better insight or information than I'd get from any of the local beat writers, even if I hear it 20 minutes later.

I'm a fan of the team, I want coverage of the team. But I don't want the WIP coverage, or the salacious nonsense. Far too often the MSM is just as interested in the off ice stuff as they are the on ice stuff.

And that's not necessarily the beat guys themselves. There are directives from above that they do have to follow, and quite a lot of the TMZ-ization of the sports page comes from that.
- Jsaquella

That's basically what sports is now. It's a talk show with small segments of highlights mixed in. I miss ESPN when it was just a series of highlights. Very little discussion.

yeah I hope you enjoyed that silver medal from 2010 Olympics.....who was it the USA lost the Gold medal game to again....
- RobFlyers#1

Who (always) had the most overall medals?

Edit

yeah I hope you enjoyed that silver medal from 2010 Olympics.....who was it the USA lost the Gold medal game to again....
- RobFlyers#1

Canada. Who'd Canada's star-laden team get pummeled by at the 2013 WJC?

Understood. But if it's just playing grabass and ball hockey, how big a deal is his not being there?

Seems like an attempt to make a molehill into Mt Everest.
- Jsaquella

yet again its Canada... its Hockey. Duh

That's basically what sports is now. It's a talk show with small segments of highlights mixed in. I miss ESPN when it was just a series of highlights. Very little discussion.
- PhillySportsGuy

YAHTZEE!!!

That's basically what sports is now. It's a talk show with small segments of highlights mixed in. I miss ESPN when it was just a series of highlights. Very little discussion.
- PhillySportsGuy

The hockey related drama annoys the poop out of me. I'm a fan of the game, and could care less what the players do off the ice.

Hence, I support my local small town Junior B team. When they play the team from the town 20 minutes up the road, I don't care what you say, that's hockey.

The hockey related drama annoys the poop out of me. I'm a fan of the game, and could care less what the players do off the ice.

Hence, I support my local small town Junior B team. When they play the team from the town 20 minutes up the road, I don't care what you say, that's hockey.
- MunsterMike

I really wish there was a junior team around me.

yeah I hope you enjoyed that silver medal from 2010 Olympics.....who was it the USA lost the Gold medal game to again....
- RobFlyers#1

Oh, John Carlson says Hi!

The hockey related drama annoys the poop out of me. I'm a fan of the game, and could care less what the players do off the ice.

Hence, I support my local small town Junior B team. When they play the team from the town 20 minutes up the road, I don't care what you say, that's hockey.
- MunsterMike

Who is everybody's top 3 least liked tv or radio personality?

Oh, John Carlson says Hi!
- johndewar

American hero

Canada. Who'd Canada's star-laden team get pummeled by at the 2013 WJC?
- jmatchett383

yeah congrats on your 3rd gold medal ever at the world juniors, talk to me when you win 12 more or win 5 straight gold medals twice at this tournament.

yeah congrats on your 3rd gold medal ever at the world juniors, talk to me when you win 12 more or win 5 straight gold medals twice at this tournament.
- RobFlyers#1

Ok, we get it. You have better hockey players, less violent crime problems and free healthcare.

We have everything else.

Who is everybody's top 3 least liked tv or radio personality?
- PhillySportsGuy

Oh, John Carlson says Hi!
- johndewar

yeah...Crosby says hi as well....but hey maybe some year the U.S will win a gold medal in mens ice hockey at the Olympics 2002, 2010 always a bridesmaid never a bride..

I really wish there was a junior team around me.
- jmatchett383

I didn't even know about the League until I was doing some research when house hunting. Shortly after I moved I read in the local newspaper about a game between Arnprior(my town) and Almonte(if I recall).

The OPP, our version of your State Police, had to be called to restore order.

I went to an Arnprior/Renfrew game, Renfrew being the big rival from up te road, and both teams were down to 4 guys on the bench halfway through the 3rd.

Not a dirty game, just scrappy and phyiscal.

yeah...Crosby says hi as well....but hey maybe some year the U.S will win a gold medal in mens ice hockey at the Olympics 2002, 2010 always a bridesmaid never a bride..
- RobFlyers#1

At least our players show up to grabass and ball hockey camp

- jmatchett383

1. Stephen A. Smith
2. John Smallwood
3. Reuben Frank

yeah congrats on your 3rd gold medal ever at the world juniors, talk to me when you win 12 more or win 5 straight gold medals twice at this tournament.
- RobFlyers#1

Why do you let the actions of 18-21 year olds define who you are?

Get a grip.

yeah congrats on your 3rd gold medal ever at the world juniors, talk to me when you win 12 more or win 5 straight gold medals twice at this tournament.
- RobFlyers#1

Are you trying to say that Canada has a deeper and more-storied hockey history than the USA? I don't think you're going to get an argument there.

But today, USA is right there with them. Some people get very turned off by the way that Canada talks about its superiority. Last Olympics, it was, "Well, yeah, the other teams are okay I guess...but Canada is CLEARLY much better, it should be a cakewalk." They were 1 OT goal away from losing.

Same with this past WJC. They had all of these stars, including RNH, all of the other countries were crap. What medal did that group win (coaching aside)?

Look, Canada will always be the easy choice because they basically put together the NHL All Stars. But the USA, Russia, and Sweden can all beat them any given day.

yeah...Crosby says hi as well....but hey maybe some year the U.S will win a gold medal in mens ice hockey at the Olympics 2002, 2010 always a bridesmaid never a bride..
- RobFlyers#1

They did. There was this game several years ago where a bunch of USA college kids beat some team that the professional Canadian All Stars weren't able to handle. It even had some name, like the something on ice.