Only 2 More Days

Robert wrote:
> "George O'Reilly" wrote in message
>
>> Two more days (3 sleeps) until the World Juniors! To tell you the
>> truth, I have no problem with phasing the NHL out during this
>> tournament. I've learned to put this tournament on high where it
>> still resides as a high point of my hockey season. Perhaps it was
>> years of sucky Habs teams that led me to stray to a team I could watch
>> with pride and to root whole hog for but, bottom line is that this
>> tournament is the highlight of my Christmas season year after year.
>> Once the Habs are true Cup contenders for a couple of years then
>> perhaps I'll relegate the Juniors to lesser status but...until
>> then...bring on the liquor!
>>
>
> I've enjoyed this tourney for years, it's high-intensity hockey in the
> middle of the season, the talent level is on par with any NHL game on
> any given night, and the level of competition is often higher.
>
> I have the Canada-Slovakia exhibition game on, and Canada is wearing the
> 2010 Olympic jerseys, the ones modeled after the '72 Summit Series
> jerseys. I have to say, I'm not liking them very much at all. I hope
> they don't wear them during the tourney, and I hope that Hockey Canada
> finds another design for the games.

They have to change their jerseys for the Olympics. The current one has
been deemed non-compliant by the IOC.

To quote the Globe "According to International Olympic Committee rules,
Hockey Canada's 13-year-old logo is a violation, a breach of the Olympic
charter that forbids sports federations from having their logos on
Olympic jerseys"

It will be enforced in 2010 thus the change.

Read more at:
http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081103.whockey03/GSSt.../GlobeS

Merry Christmas

The Mad Ape
www.tatumba.com
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On Dec 23, 7:15 pm, "George O'Reilly" wrote:
> Two more days (3 sleeps) until the World Juniors!  To tell you the truth, I
> have no problem with phasing the NHL out during this tournament.  I've
> learned to put this tournament on high where it still resides as a high
> point of my hockey season.  Perhaps it was years of sucky Habs teams that
> led me to stray to a team I could watch with pride and to root whole hog for
> but, bottom line is that this tournament is the highlight of my Christmas
> season year after year.  Once  the Habs are true Cup contenders for a couple
> of years then perhaps I'll relegate the Juniors to lesser status but...until
> then...bring on the liquor!

I'm with you there. WJC is the best hockey of the year for me. Or it
has been since 1993, anyway. :)

l8r,
Gerry
 >> Stay informed about: Only 2 More Days 

"Mad Ape" wrote in message

> Robert wrote:
>> "George O'Reilly" wrote in message
>>
>>> Two more days (3 sleeps) until the World Juniors! To tell you the
>>> truth, I have no problem with phasing the NHL out during this
>>> tournament. I've learned to put this tournament on high where it still
>>> resides as a high point of my hockey season. Perhaps it was years of
>>> sucky Habs teams that led me to stray to a team I could watch with pride
>>> and to root whole hog for but, bottom line is that this tournament is
>>> the highlight of my Christmas season year after year. Once the Habs
>>> are true Cup contenders for a couple of years then perhaps I'll relegate
>>> the Juniors to lesser status but...until then...bring on the liquor!
>>>
>>
>> I've enjoyed this tourney for years, it's high-intensity hockey in the
>> middle of the season, the talent level is on par with any NHL game on any
>> given night, and the level of competition is often higher.
>>
>> I have the Canada-Slovakia exhibition game on, and Canada is wearing the
>> 2010 Olympic jerseys, the ones modeled after the '72 Summit Series
>> jerseys. I have to say, I'm not liking them very much at all. I hope
>> they don't wear them during the tourney, and I hope that Hockey Canada
>> finds another design for the games.
>
> They have to change their jerseys for the Olympics. The current one has
> been deemed non-compliant by the IOC.
>
> To quote the Globe "According to International Olympic Committee rules,
> Hockey Canada's 13-year-old logo is a violation, a breach of the Olympic
> charter that forbids sports federations from having their logos on Olympic
> jerseys"
>
> It will be enforced in 2010 thus the change.
>
> Read more at:
> http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081103.whockey03/GSSt.../GlobeS
>
> Merry Christmas
>
> The Mad Ape
> www.tatumba.com

Only because the boneheads in Vancouver didn't apply for an exemption, which
had been granted for every Games previously.
 >> Stay informed about: Only 2 More Days 

Peate wrote:
> Bring on the Gold as usual

This year they will need lady luck big time. The USA is by far and away
the best team in the tournament. Bigger, faster, older = more experience.

I say USA gold and Canada silver

The Mad Ape
www.tatumba.com
 >> Stay informed about: Only 2 More Days 

In Gerry writes:

>I'm with you there. WJC is the best hockey of the year for me. Or it
>has been since 1993, anyway. :)

>l8r,
>Gerry

Just curious. There are usully only about 5 competitive teams, in many
years only 3, sometimes only 2. It is quite common that Canada and
Russia beat teams like Germany, Kazakstan or Latvia with double digits
if they just put their minds to it. 5 to 1 or 6 to 2 are the norm.
Smaller countries like Finland and Sweden, even if they have competitive
teams in the Olympics, have a contender about once in five or seven
years.

Is it that your national spirit is high and you enjoy the Canadians
beating the helpless neophytes of hockey or do you really think this is
the best hockey of the year?

- Lauri Tarkkonen
 >> Stay informed about: Only 2 More Days 

> Is it that your national spirit is high and you enjoy the Canadians
> beating the helpless neophytes of hockey or do you really think this is
> the best hockey of the year?
>
The IIHF World U20 is more than just the blow out
mis-matches (and there have been some great upsets
along the way). There are many close games and some
great rivalries. It is also a great opportunity to see many
of the worlds best prospects play. While it is fun to
see your own country do well, I find tournament great
to watch regardless of who wins. A tremendous level
of skill and effort is displayed by the kids, the intensity
builds and the medal games typically produce some of
the most exciting hockey I see all year. It may not be
perfect (and you may not enjoy it much) but it is still
extremely popular in Canada. To each their own.
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In "bloke" writes:

>> Is it that your national spirit is high and you enjoy the Canadians
>> beating the helpless neophytes of hockey or do you really think this is
>> the best hockey of the year?
>>
>The IIHF World U20 is more than just the blow out
>mis-matches (and there have been some great upsets
>along the way). There are many close games and some
>great rivalries. It is also a great opportunity to see many
>of the worlds best prospects play. While it is fun to
>see your own country do well, I find tournament great
>to watch regardless of who wins. A tremendous level
>of skill and effort is displayed by the kids, the intensity
>builds and the medal games typically produce some of
>the most exciting hockey I see all year. It may not be
>perfect (and you may not enjoy it much) but it is still
>extremely popular in Canada. To each their own.

There are great uppsets because the big fluctuation of the skill level
of the teams of the smaller countries. From the ten participating
countries about four are every year competitive. Russia and Canada have
almost every year a decent team. Finland, Sweden, are competitive about
every fifth year. Of course you will see display of some real skill when
Canada or Russia play teams like Latvia (goal differential at the moment
5 to 26) or Kazakstan (goal differential 0 to 36). To me it is a bit
boring. To say that there is the highest skill level is a bit odd, if
you compare it to say the game between the Habs and the Bolts, with
other team displaying Kovalev, Plekanec and Markov and the other side
Lecavallier, St.Louis, Prospal etc.

You may perefer it by all means, but I see it a bit differently.

- Lauri Tarkkonen
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"Lauri Tarkkonen" wrote in message

> In "bloke" writes:
>
>>> Is it that your national spirit is high and you enjoy the Canadians
>>> beating the helpless neophytes of hockey or do you really think this is
>>> the best hockey of the year?
>>>
>>The IIHF World U20 is more than just the blow out
>>mis-matches (and there have been some great upsets
>>along the way). There are many close games and some
>>great rivalries. It is also a great opportunity to see many
>>of the worlds best prospects play. While it is fun to
>>see your own country do well, I find tournament great
>>to watch regardless of who wins. A tremendous level
>>of skill and effort is displayed by the kids, the intensity
>>builds and the medal games typically produce some of
>>the most exciting hockey I see all year. It may not be
>>perfect (and you may not enjoy it much) but it is still
>>extremely popular in Canada. To each their own.
>
> There are great uppsets because the big fluctuation of the skill level
> of the teams of the smaller countries. From the ten participating
> countries about four are every year competitive. Russia and Canada have
> almost every year a decent team. Finland, Sweden, are competitive about
> every fifth year. Of course you will see display of some real skill when
> Canada or Russia play teams like Latvia (goal differential at the moment
> 5 to 26) or Kazakstan (goal differential 0 to 36). To me it is a bit
> boring. To say that there is the highest skill level is a bit odd, if
> you compare it to say the game between the Habs and the Bolts, with
> other team displaying Kovalev, Plekanec and Markov and the other side
> Lecavallier, St.Louis, Prospal etc.
>
> You may perefer it by all means, but I see it a bit differently.
>
> - Lauri Tarkkonen
>

Judging by the performance of the Finnish team, who lost yesterday in the
shootout to the Slovaks and are now playing for relegation, I can see why.
It is strange for a perennial top 5 team like the Finns to perform so poorly
during this tourney.

Despite the blowouts against the teams like Kazakhstan, it's the game
yesterday vs the US and games against the Russians and Swedes that make this
tournament. For the most part you've got a lot of undrafted players playing
in front of every scout from every pro team in every pro league in
existence, all motivated by the fact that they are playing for what could be
the highest accolade they will every play for, but for their futures, and
national pride, and in some cases personal pride. Especially for the 9th
and 10th teams every year, we know many of them are never gonna be stars,
but for a couple of weeks they get to experience that on the world stage,
and they get to taste what NHLers and other pros get every day of their
careers.
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> Despite the blowouts against the teams like Kazakhstan, it's the game
> yesterday vs the US and games against the Russians and Swedes that make
> this tournament.
>
Even though some here have been giving all sorts of
hype about how boring the junior games are, last night's
Canada / USA game was certainly worth watching. :)
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