US Women's Hockey Team

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warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
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They couldn't win the game. But, they took gold in a skills competition. Good on them!
I hate "shootouts!" A TV gimmick or All-stad weekend exhibition is hardly hockey. Of course I'm an old, beat up goalie.

 

swb118

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 20, 2016
128
47
Lamoureux's goal was epic though. The USA/Canada women's teams have put on some of the best hockey games I've ever watched. The speed skill and physicality on display rivals any Stanley Cup playoff game.

 

jpmcwjr

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Staff member
May 12, 2015
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It's admirable, but not exactly NHL level skills.
What to do after 80 minutes of intense play? Agree that a shoot out is partly out of sorts, but man was that shoot out outrageously good!

 

ssjones

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May 11, 2011
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It least it was more entertaining than the Men's. This was the worst Olympic hockey I've ever seen. A bunch of rookies and old men, not much chemistry or talent.

The officials for the Mens and Ladies didn't seem to have a clue either.

I watched the first two periods of the Ladies match last night, I had to get up to early for OT and a shoot-out.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
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Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
The US was out skated. But, they are a scrappy bunch, there was no "quit" in them. Then there are the spectators who think the Canadians dissed the "silver." You don't win a silver or bronze, you have to lose to be presented with a second or third consolation medal. This is not to demean the losing teams by a long shot. Too much skill on either side of the puck to demean the players.
For what it is worth, I'm not a fan of a four on four "shinny game" in OT either. They are either playing hockey or they are not. I understand there are other competitions going on, ads must be sold and audiences held. But, allowing TV to dictate the pace of play and how medals are decided, is just ... wrong. At least to purists. I fully realize the majority of the TV audience are not purists and simply wish to be entertained. I'm braying to no avail. I feel better though.

 

joeman

Can't Leave
Mar 6, 2016
310
36
South Carolina
When considering the immense skill required just to compete at the olympic level...any medal is a win for your country, it's an amazing badge of recognition. Certainly, everyone wants gold. But to receive silver or bronze is not the consolation for "first and second position losers". The game played out the way it played out, and her decided action was straight up disrespectful. My .02.

 

3rdguy

Lifer
Aug 29, 2017
3,472
7,293
Iowa
Not much expectation when the NHL won't the players go. NHL in person is crazy intensity, tv doesn't do it justice.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,206
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Sorry, only first place counts in my book. Some people compete just to compete. Most world class athletes compete to be the best. There are a lot of less than "world class" athletes in the Olympics, in various sports, they are there for the fun, free condoms, travel and a bit of notoriety.
You can get a bronze in some competitions by winning your last game, that's true. But, you are playing in the "losers bracket", at least in hockey.

 
Jan 28, 2018
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The US was out skated. B
You must have been watching a different game than me. The USA team skated rings around the Canadian team. Only the larger Canadian defensemen and goalie kept it from being a blowout. Regardless, it was a great game to watch and both teams played their hearts out. Hated to see either team lose.
 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,206
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
I'm watching the game for a second time as I type this. The US is passing when it should be throwing the puck at the net. The Canadians are back checking aggressively, the US not so much. I still see the Canadians playing better hockey, as a team, the US is scrambling more and too much passing. Hard to score when you're always looking for one more pass and the perfect shot.
That's how I see it. And, yes, a great game to watch and enjoy. I don't root for a team, too myopic for that, I root for the goalies to perform well and almost always blame the forwards for a failure to back check when there's a goal. It's my goalie mentality.

 

seacaptain

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,829
7
I really want to like hockey now that the NFL has been hijacked by social justice thugs. I just can't bring myself to enjoy it though. It's almost as boring as soccer or basketball.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
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Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Football, as a spectator, is way too slow for me, between the huddles, ads, warnings, half-time and penalties. It takes a couple of hours to play, what, maybe forty/thirty minutes of actual on field competition. I'll take hockey, even with the time between periods, rugby, and Irish football (Up Mayo!) over the NFL. And, that is a blaspheme coming from a lifelong Packers fan.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
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Football, as a spectator, is way too slow for me, between the huddles, ads, warnings, half-time and penalties. It takes a couple of hours to play, what, maybe forty/thirty minutes of actual on field competition.
That's why we have DVRs! American football has less than 15 minutes of actual action. English/Europena FB (aka soccer) has about 40 minutes of actual action.
I'll take hockey, even with the time between periods, rugby, and Irish football (Up Mayo!) over the NFL. And, that is a blaspheme coming from a lifelong Packers fan.
EPL! More action than any of the above. But I do watch American football, both pro and good college ball. (Always recorded.) But, go Pack!

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
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Sarasota, FL
I will agree the US team over passed instead of putting more shots on the net. I think the Canadian goalie had them a bit intimidated and they started looking for the perfect shot. I also agree in a number of fundamental playing aspects, the Canadian team outperformed the US Team. I know "outskated" can also mean outplayed. But what I saw was a US team that outskated the Canadian team substantially. Their skating often made up for some of their fundamental flaws. The US team consistently was beating the Canadians to the puck which led to a dominant possession time for the US team.
I wanted to see the US Ladies win but I just wanted to see a good hockey game more. I thought the US Goalie looked very shaky a number of times but to her credit, she came through when she had to. She made some very nice stops during the over time, especially near the end when the Canadians had a power play going. She played very good in the shootout, I liked how she came out of the net and was aggressive.
To top it all off, immediately after the hockey game they showed the women's team cross country skiing. The anchor for the US team made one of the guttiest finishes I've ever seen in sport. I gave her zero chance when they finished the last uphill portion. First medal ever for the US Women's Cross Country team and they made it a gold in dramatic, heroic style.

 

seacaptain

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,829
7
Yeah, I can't disagree. They slowed down the NFL considerably in the last 15 years with all the "instant replays", "reviews", and other garbage.
The only sport left that I can tolerate is Baseball. It's pretty slow and boring at times, but not as boring as hockey, soccer, or basketball, and hasn't been infected with all the "social justice" crap yet either. Not to mention, there's some strategy to Baseball, unlike the other sports that try to score points with different variations of brute force.

 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,607
66
Sarasota, FL
Go see a hockey game in person, if you haven't already. I enjoy watching it on TV but it really comes alive in person. The TV pans with the skaters so they don't look as fast. It is amazing how fast they are watching in person.
To each their own. To me, watching baseball is about as exacting (and as much action) as watching grass grow. All the steroids and strikes soured me on it as well.

 

seacaptain

Lifer
Apr 24, 2015
1,829
7
To each their own. To me, watching baseball is about as exacting (and as much action) as watching grass grow. All the steroids and strikes soured me on it as well.
You have a point there. Baseball has gone through it's cheating phases. It's slow at times but like you're saying about hockey, it's also better in person. The best baseball games I've watched were not on TV.
I may try a hockey game in person sometime. Thanks.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,206
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Hockey at the rink is a very different experience. Baseball on TV is boring. Baseball sitting behind the ivy, basking in the sunshine, Pepsi or beer in hand, the thought of a hot dog or three later in the game, the entire field in front of you, is indeed time well wasted. Any outdoor sport under a roof is, well ... just plain wrong.

 
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