Re: 2014 Sochi Olympic Games Women's Ice Hockey Tournament
As for the women, they solidified their position as the Olympic world's biggest losers by delivering a monumental choke job against Canada. Understand that there are only two decent international women's teams and the U.S. always finishes behind Canada on the world's biggest stage. Poor strategy and poor execution in the third period did the trick this time. Many of the Team USA gals cried when they received their silver medals. Sorry, but they got exactly what they deserved.
And if you're sitting there still attempting to muster up some sort of pride in either of those hockey teams, you are nuts. Why should we care if they don't? It's only about the effort if a team actually puts forth the effort. The guys didn't.
Meanwhile, the women's hockey movement in this country got a kick in the teeth in Sochi. Our Olympians have firmly established themselves as Canada's punching bag. It all comes down to the Olympics and Team USA always finds a way to screw it up. They barnstorm the country for months prior to the Games, seeking support, drumming up enthusiasm, only to wilt when we all finally pay attention.
Was there anyone watching on TV who, just a few minutes into the third period, didn't say: Are they really going to sit back like this? And as Canada pressed shift after shift, the U.S. weakened, then panicked and then crumbled. When the Canadians finally scored to cut the deficit to 2-1, there wasn't any doubt which team would win. The outcome was inevitable.
There was no way Team USA could turn it back on late in the game. It's one of the hockey laws of physics: A team in motion tends to stay in motion. A team on its heels tends to stay on its heels. Take nothing away from Canada, but all the Americans had to do was find a way to stay the course. Instead, they played scared and coughed up the ultimate prize. So much for Yankee ingenuity. If you missed it, tune in again in four years and you can see a replay, but with different personnel.
The women's team is what it is -- No. 2 in a two-team top tier. But with any luck we won't have to witness this sort of performance by a men's team again. There is talk that the NHL no longer will halt its season for the Olympics. That would mean the Olympic roster would be filled by, well, anyone but NHLers. And that would be terrific. Thank you Tom Powers Pioneer Press
As for the women, they solidified their position as the Olympic world's biggest losers by delivering a monumental choke job against Canada. Understand that there are only two decent international women's teams and the U.S. always finishes behind Canada on the world's biggest stage. Poor strategy and poor execution in the third period did the trick this time. Many of the Team USA gals cried when they received their silver medals. Sorry, but they got exactly what they deserved.
And if you're sitting there still attempting to muster up some sort of pride in either of those hockey teams, you are nuts. Why should we care if they don't? It's only about the effort if a team actually puts forth the effort. The guys didn't.
Meanwhile, the women's hockey movement in this country got a kick in the teeth in Sochi. Our Olympians have firmly established themselves as Canada's punching bag. It all comes down to the Olympics and Team USA always finds a way to screw it up. They barnstorm the country for months prior to the Games, seeking support, drumming up enthusiasm, only to wilt when we all finally pay attention.
Was there anyone watching on TV who, just a few minutes into the third period, didn't say: Are they really going to sit back like this? And as Canada pressed shift after shift, the U.S. weakened, then panicked and then crumbled. When the Canadians finally scored to cut the deficit to 2-1, there wasn't any doubt which team would win. The outcome was inevitable.
There was no way Team USA could turn it back on late in the game. It's one of the hockey laws of physics: A team in motion tends to stay in motion. A team on its heels tends to stay on its heels. Take nothing away from Canada, but all the Americans had to do was find a way to stay the course. Instead, they played scared and coughed up the ultimate prize. So much for Yankee ingenuity. If you missed it, tune in again in four years and you can see a replay, but with different personnel.
The women's team is what it is -- No. 2 in a two-team top tier. But with any luck we won't have to witness this sort of performance by a men's team again. There is talk that the NHL no longer will halt its season for the Olympics. That would mean the Olympic roster would be filled by, well, anyone but NHLers. And that would be terrific. Thank you Tom Powers Pioneer Press
