04/24/24
February 24, 2010
Canada thumps Russia to advance to semifinals : OK, nobody saw that coming. United States survives a scare It had been a slow start to the Olympic tournament for Zach Parise, the most accomplished American goal-scorer and the closest player they have at the moment to a Sidney Crosby.
posted by tommytrump to olympics at 10:47 PM - 18 comments
Okay, I apologize for that previous post.
I know we shouldn't have "My team rulez! Your team droolz!" posts, and that's what this ends up being.
That was about 12 hours of seething anger (at co-workers) and angst (for the game itself) being released in one (profane) moment.
If the moderators want to delete it (and this one), I won't object.
posted by grum@work at 12:10 AM on February 25, 2010
the closest player they have at the moment to a Sidney Crosby
By that, do they mean a primadonna?
*Points to the scoreboard of Sundays game, realizing that I most likely only have a few more days to enjoy the victory*
A team that slaps around the Russian team like that, regardless of Nabby having an off night, ain't gonna lose any more. Especially not to a team that played as sloppy in their end as the American boys did tonight.
posted by tahoemoj at 12:21 AM on February 25, 2010
At the very least, it was fun to watch. Whereas the Finland-Czech Republic game I just made the mistake of sitting through was a bit dull until the Finns turned it on in the 3rd period.
posted by boredom_08 at 12:29 AM on February 25, 2010
There is nothing wrong with celebrating your team's victory grum And besides, that USA/Canada game was fantastic.
I was definitely surprised with the result of the Canada/Russia game. For someone who was expecting a good game it was rather disappointing. Also, watching Slovakia play Sweden right now has convinced me that they could be a team to be reckoned with.
Edit: Two quick Sweden goals later and I might want to rethink my previous statement.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 01:10 AM on February 25, 2010
the closest player they have at the moment to a Sidney Crosby
Let me know when Crosby starts killing penalties.
But yeah, very disappointing games by the Russians and Slovaks.
posted by MrFrisby at 03:13 AM on February 25, 2010
I suppose we should know something more about your co-workers. All we know about them at this point is that they jacked you up to a heavy level of anger, which you then brought here. It's all somewhat disconnected.
Professionals in the behavioral health field might have thought that watching the game itself would have served as a sufficiently cathartic release.
Nevertheless, it's helpful that SpoFi is occasionally able to serve as a steam pressure safety valve in the name of civil stability and workplace safety.
Still, should we be following the Canadian press today for tales of mass office mayhem? Please let us know if you are a mail sorter. ASAP.
Meanwhile, we will let Ovechkin know that he's been reassigned for his own well being and security. He's being sent to a circus tent in Florida to look for Moose and Squirrel.
posted by beaverboard at 08:30 AM on February 25, 2010
A team that slaps around the Russian team like that, regardless of Nabby having an off night, ain't gonna lose any more.
I dunno. It didn't help that the Russians played like crap. Yes, Canada's great play only highlighted, but all Russia tried was to make passes the length of the rink and try to single-handily score instead if playing as a team. At one point, Russia was like 4/18 on PPs. For all their talent, Russia was never able to come together and play as a team. And for as dominant as Canada was, they still allowed 3 goals. I'd still consider their goaltending suspect.
posted by jmd82 at 08:55 AM on February 25, 2010
12 hours of seething anger? Grum, where the hell do you work? It's OK, I loved the post, especially the Gene Wilder bit from Willy Wonka. Also, I do understand about workplace anger. I once broke a bone in my hand from punching through a wall while considering how I would not have a job if I punched the object of my anger.
posted by Howard_T at 11:30 AM on February 25, 2010
There are a bunch of co-workers with limited knowledge of sports. They are the kind of people who always take the negative (Canada sucks, Toronto will lose, London is terrible) and say JUST enough to give the idea that they understand what they are talking about. (But if you were to ask them questions requiring real information (name a player on the team that ISN'T a star), they'd fail.)
They never cheer/support a specific team, only deride other teams. So when a team does lose (like Canada did to USA, or Toronto to everyone), they always wander by and make comments like "Told you they sucked!".
All of yesterday was about how Canada wouldn't be able to handle the skill of Russia ("Look what Switzerland did to Canada!"), how Canadian players would choke under the pressure, how Russia always beats Canada in Olympic hockey.
I informed them that Russia was beatable (Slovakia did it), that Canada was getting better every game, and that the first 10 minutes would be a good indicator of how the game would go (Canada's initial fan-fueled onslaught).
"Pfft. They'll choke. It's what Canadians do in the Olympics!"
As I sit here in my cubicle today, I don't see any of them wandering around.
Interesting, eh?
posted by grum@work at 12:28 PM on February 25, 2010
They never cheer/support a specific team, only deride other teams. So when a team does lose (like Canada did to USA, or Toronto to everyone), they always wander by and make comments like "Told you they sucked!".
I refuse to talk sports with people like that. I have run into a fair number of "fans" who carry on about a win, but just don't really care if their team loses. People who love a team (and have a little empathy) don't come by to mock the next day. They understand that we need distance after a tough loss.
posted by bperk at 12:58 PM on February 25, 2010
I refuse to talk sports with people like that.
Thirded. It's why I often consider giving up my citizenship in that ridiculous construct "Red Sox Nation": it's populated with sour bastards who only live there to complain about the weather.
posted by yerfatma at 01:51 PM on February 25, 2010
The even-stupider "Leaf Nation" is filled with these kinds of people, and a lot of them write stupid books. Sadly, I get those books as "gifts".
posted by grum@work at 02:02 PM on February 25, 2010
Mike Milbury on Team Russia's play last night: I'm really disappointed that these guys came with their Eurotrash game
posted by tommybiden at 02:16 PM on February 25, 2010
Mike Milbury on anything is poor man's game of Don Cherry MadLibs. I say that as a Bruins fan who thoroughly enjoys replays of Milbury thumping people with his shoe.
posted by yerfatma at 04:02 PM on February 25, 2010
Ah, Mike Milbury.
He failed as a shoe salesman ("Take this shoe! Take it!"), he failed as a GM ("Take our good players! Take them!") and now he fails as an announcer ("Take my idiotic opinion! Take it!").
posted by grum@work at 04:45 PM on February 25, 2010
We shouldn't really gloat. We should win. It's just that a tournament like this is just such a crapshoot, that I can't help but be a panicky asshole. Sorry about that universe.
I couldn't tell if a good Russian team even had a chance to show up last night. Canada was on them right out of the gate and never let off the gas. Sure they let in three goals - but at scores of 3-0, 6-1 and 7-2. And Canada played hard the whole game. Really hard. Committed like the score was perpetually 0-0.
It was as dominating a performance over a good Russian team that was saying all the right things before the puck dropped. They cared just as much it seemed. I read the articles, I certainly thought so. They didn't have the controversies of times past - all their best players showed up. But they were beaten from the opening bell. It was a bit surreal. I'm used to us sending our best and going to war with the Russians. They were a stunningly powerful team back when I first started watching in 1987, and today boast two of the absolute best players in the league and an actual all-star caliber goalie. You won't find me arguing who the superior talent is between Ovechkin and Crosby. It's Ovechkin by a pretty big margin right now. But he was silent last night after getting hammered three times in two shifts. I was surprised is all. It was marvelous.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:02 PM on February 25, 2010
I refuse to talk sports with people like that.
The cure I had for such people was to begin a long lecture on the very detailed finer points of a sport, usually baseball or hockey, but it could also be football, basketball, golf, or anything. Once these people realized that I could probably go on for an hour or two, they would find an excuse to leave. I noticed that they would not mention sports in my presence after one or two lectures.
posted by Howard_T at 10:12 PM on February 25, 2010
I'd been hearing it all day from some negative-nelly co-workers about how Canada was going to be crushed by the superior Russians. Even when I pointed out that Russia had already lost (to Slovakia), they still insisted it was going to be a thumping.
They were right.
Remembering how Ovechkin made a point of saying that there is nothing better than beating Canada in Canada, I just have a couple of quick messages that can be passed along to him: