Olympic women's hockey

[vicb]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

Leading up to the Olympics the media darlings were Nathan Chen, Lyndsey Vonn & Shaun White. Only White delivered gold. Chen was a bust and you almost felt sorry for Vonn, a once dominant force who stayed at the dance too long. The new media darlings are teenage snowboarders and-surprise!- women’s hockey players! If Chen, Vonn and any women figure skaters had won gold I think they would’ve stolen the spotlight away from hockey. Fortunately the American women delivered in dramatic fashion and provided the best American moment of the Olympics that otherwise lacked drama. Well done, ladies!

Being retired I had a lot of time to watch the Olympic Broadcasts in a lot of the sports and I think the greatest accomplishments for the US is a tie between the US women's hockey gold and the first ever women's gold medal in cross-country skiing won by the US pair of Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall. Any of you who did not see that performance by the two should try to get a replay, if nothing more than to view the last lap that Diggin's skied. To me, that last lap and especially the last oh 100 yards or so of that lap will forever live in my mind as one of the greatest moments I have ever witnessed in the Olympics. And Diggins has been selected to be the Americans' flag-bearer at the closing ceremony on Sunday. An honor that is well deserved.

In this story below is a clip of the final 48 sec of the race. See the second clip.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/jessie-diggins-selected-us-flag-bearer-closing-ceremony

 

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

To paraphrase a statement from someone in the not too distant past, "It depends on what the meaning of the word "bump" is." Still feeling the excitement of the great USA win but having had only 3 hours of sleep I wrote that maybe the "bump" in women's hockey would be similar to that seen in girl's tennis in the 70's when Billie Jean dissected Bobby in 3 sets in the Astrodome. It ain't gonna happen. I played a lot of tennis on the east side of St Paul in the 70's and I did notice more young girls playing on the courts. But it was fairly inexpensive at that time for parents to purchase a cheap tennis racket and a can of balls for their 10-year-old future "Billie Jean" or "Chris Evert." I imagine tennis today and maybe even more so hockey requires a much bigger expense and commitment on the part of both the parents and their children.

I'd be happy with even a slight bump in interest and participation in girl's and women's hockey. Oh, and another team to join the WCHA. Do they play hockey in Iowa? I've about given up on Michigan ever having a women's team.

 

[Leather helmet]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

Oh, and another team to join the WCHA. Do they play hockey in Iowa? I've about given up on Michigan ever having a women's team.

I have always wondered about bringing Lindenwood into the WCHA. Not the Lindenwood that currently exists, but rather the Lindenwood that would benefit from being part of the WCHA. If they made a commitment to become competitive, and also committed to breathable air in their arena, it would benefit both the school and the league.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

I will say that not enough has been made of Kessel's shootout goal. How many times do you see one team score in the shootout only to have the other team stoned on their next attempt? Kessel deserves a ton of credit for the weight of the US was on her shoulders. Immense pressure.

I totally agree with you. And the way Kessel subtly faked the goalie into a momentary freeze and dropping her glove hand ever so slightly to allow Kessel to rip it (with an extremely quick release) over the glove before the goalie could recover. It was a fantastic move (that you can't totally appreciate unless you replay it in slow motion) that gets overshadowed by the more flashy (not to say they weren't fantastic) moves.

 

[DDad16]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

To paraphrase a statement from someone in the not too distant past, "It depends on what the meaning of the word "bump" is." Still feeling the excitement of the great USA win but having had only 3 hours of sleep I wrote that maybe the "bump" in women's hockey would be similar to that seen in girl's tennis in the 70's when Billie Jean dissected Bobby in 3 sets in the Astrodome. It ain't gonna happen. I played a lot of tennis on the east side of St Paul in the 70's and I did notice more young girls playing on the courts. But it was fairly inexpensive at that time for parents to purchase a cheap tennis racket and a can of balls for their 10-year-old future "Billie Jean" or "Chris Evert." I imagine tennis today and maybe even more so hockey requires a much bigger expense and commitment on the part of both the parents and their children.

I'd be happy with even a slight bump in interest and participation in girl's and women's hockey. Oh, and another team to join the WCHA. Do they play hockey in Iowa? I've about given up on Michigan ever having a women's team.

If, for one, would love for any of the universities in Michigan to step up and get into Women's hockey. To have only one "meaningful" women's team in the state, in a state with seven D1 Men's programs, is very disheartening. My daughter has missed this boat, but would be great to keep Michigan grown players in Michigan.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

Being retired I had a lot of time to watch the Olympic Broadcasts in a lot of the sports and I think the greatest accomplishments for the US is a tie between the US women's hockey gold and the first ever women's gold medal in cross-country skiing won by the US pair of Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall. Any of you who did not see that performance by the two should try to get a replay, if nothing more than to view the last lap that Diggin's skied. To me, that last lap and especially the last oh 100 yards or so of that lap will forever live in my mind as one of the greatest moments I have ever witnessed in the Olympics. And Diggins has been selected to be the Americans' flag-bearer at the closing ceremony on Sunday. An honor that is well deserved.

My wife is big time into cross country skiing, and she told me exactly that. She got so excited explaining to me, and said that last lap was epic. She keeps telling me to catch the replay. I definitely plan on doing that.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

I have always wondered about bringing Lindenwood into the WCHA. Not the Lindenwood that currently exists, but rather the Lindenwood that would benefit from being part of the WCHA. If they made a commitment to become competitive, and also committed to breathable air in their arena, it would benefit both the school and the league.

You're so picky...

 

[Arafel]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

If, for one, would love for any of the universities in Michigan to step up and get into Women's hockey. To have only one "meaningful" women's team in the state, in a state with seven D1 Men's programs, is very disheartening. My daughter has missed this boat, but would be great to keep Michigan grown players in Michigan.

I assume your "meaningful" program is Adrian, the sixth-ranked team in the country? There's also Finlandia, FWIW.

But yes, it's terrible that not a single one of the seven D-I teams in Michigan has a women's program. I can almost understand the four WCHA schools, but I thought when Red finally stepped down the Wolverines might step up, as Berenson was always a big road block, and the five other Big Ten schools have a women's program, but nada so far.

 

[drewkal]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

If, for one, would love for any of the universities in Michigan to step up and get into Women's hockey. To have only one "meaningful" women's team in the state, in a state with seven D1 Men's programs, is very disheartening. My daughter has missed this boat, but would be great to keep Michigan grown players in Michigan.

I grew up in Michigan, left there in '74 for Minnesota. I'm 67, and in my youth there was no kids, high school or college hockey that I was aware of. The Red Wings were it, and our family dentist , and good friend of my parents was rhe Red Wing dentist. I got to watch a lot of games in the '60's from right behind the goal, in smoke filled Olympia Stadium. Is there girls high school and earlier hockey in Michigan today? If not, that might explain the lack of interest in a college women's program. If you want to watch some more remarkable women's hockey, besides the NCAA, find a way to stream the MN High School tournament, now through the weekend. I guarantee you'll see a few future NCAA stars and future Olympians playing.

 

[DDad16]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

I grew up in Michigan, left there in '74 for Minnesota. I'm 67, and in my youth there was no kids, high school or college hockey that I was aware of. The Red Wings were it, and our family dentist , and good friend of my parents was rhe Red Wing dentist. I got to watch a lot of games in the '60's from right behind the goal, in smoke filled Olympia Stadium. Is there girls high school and earlier hockey in Michigan today? If not, that might explain the lack of interest in a college women's program. If you want to watch some more remarkable women's hockey, besides the NCAA, find a way to stream the MN High School tournament, now through the weekend. I guarantee you'll see a few future NCAA stars and future Olympians playing.

There are about 10-15 HS Hockey teams in the state of Michigan, all centralized in the Detroit area. That level of hockey is Tier 2 at best (and that's the top HS Teams). Some decent Tier 2 teams in the State, and they limited the number of Tier 1 teams in the state to 4. The level of Tier 1 hockey in the state is decent but can't compete with the prep schools overall. I know Belle Tire won the 16U championship last year, and the 19U team is good this year, but very few of those girls were actually developed in the Belle Tire program. They were recruited there.

 

[ARM]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

Chen was a bust and you almost felt sorry for Vonn, a once dominant force who stayed at the dance too long.

Vonn did win a bronze, and would likely had a brighter medal if she had produced her Alpine combined run during the Downhill. She isn't exactly washed up.

 

[DDad16]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

I assume your "meaningful" program is Adrian, the sixth-ranked team in the country? There's also Finlandia, FWIW.

Yes, Adrian. Go to BFE, and take a left. I know about Finlandia. Which is why said only one "meaningful" team.

 

[shelfit]

Yes, Adrian. Go to BFE, and take a left. I know about Finlandia. Which is why said only one "meaningful" team.

They also have several club teams at some of the D1 schools....who would also probably beat Finlandia.

 

[Birdwatcher]

The American Olympic audience as a whole is involuntarily subjected to what is for many the manufactured excitement of skeleton, curling and short track pushing, etc. These no doubt have their fans, but if the (miraculous) game of women’s hockey were what happened to be readily available for passive consumption the excitement would be real and most welcome, I imagine, bump or no bump. There certainly would be more buzz, given what even this inaccessible game seemed to produce.

The game was on live. You just needed to stay up for it. Other countries can't expect to schedule games in the middle of the night just to appease the western hemisphere.

 

[DDad16]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

They also have several club teams at some of the D1 schools....who would also probably beat Finlandia.

Correct! A LOT of club teams... Some schools have club teams whether they need them or not!

 

[shelfit]

Correct! A LOT of club teams... Some schools have club teams whether they need them or not!

And those club teams allow Michigan based kids to stay in their home state and play hockey in college, potentially competing for the ACHA championship.

 

[joecct]

You're so picky...

Just have the 2022 team centraize there to get used to the Beijing air.

 

[D2D]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

just have the 2022 team centraize there to get used to the beijing air.

 

[drewkal]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

There are about 10-15 HS Hockey teams in the state of Michigan, all centralized in the Detroit area. That level of hockey is Tier 2 at best (and that's the top HS Teams). Some decent Tier 2 teams in the State, and they limited the number of Tier 1 teams in the state to 4. The level of Tier 1 hockey in the state is decent but can't compete with the prep schools overall. I know Belle Tire won the 16U championship last year, and the 19U team is good this year, but very few of those girls were actually developed in the Belle Tire program. They were recruited there.

So why not more High School hockey in Michigan? I just got these numberss from the Editor at "Let's Play Hockey": there are 53 AA and 66 A girls High School teams active in MN. The apex of their seasons is winning the state tournament, going on right now in St Paul. The final games will fill the Excel Center where the Wild play. These girls don't participate in any other tournaments, it doesn't get any better.

I grew up in Michigan (Dearborn) in the 50's and 60's, and back then there was no youth hockey. Our dentist was a close friend of my parents and the Red Wing's dentist. That got me and my brother seats behind the goal in the days of Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull, but no other hockey to watch, much less participate in. Get your schools to start teams, get the little 6 year old girls out on the ice. Why do you think you saw names like Brandt, Cameranesi, Pannek, Stecklein, Marvin, Morin and Rooney, from MN High schools,and the ND Lamoureux twins and Amanda Kessel from MN's Shattuck-St Mary's. They were playing competitive hockey for 10 years before High School, since they were 5 or 6.

 

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: Olympic women's hockey

So why not more High School hockey in Michigan? I just got these numberss from the Editor at "Let's Play Hockey": there are 53 AA and 66 A girls High School teams active in MN. The apex of their seasons is winning the state tournament, going on right now in St Paul. The final games will fill the Excel Center where the Wild play. These girls don't participate in any other tournaments, it doesn't get any better.

I grew up in Michigan (Dearborn) in the 50's and 60's, and back then there was no youth hockey. Our dentist was a close friend of my parents and the Red Wing's dentist. That got me and my brother seats behind the goal in the days of Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull, but no other hockey to watch, much less participate in. Get your schools to start teams, get the little 6 year old girls out on the ice. Why do you think you saw names like Brandt, Cameranesi, Pannek, Stecklein, Marvin, Morin and Rooney, from MN High schools,and the ND Lamoureux twins and Amanda Kessel from MN's Shattuck-St Mary's. They were playing competitive hockey for 10 years before High School, since they were 5 or 6.

The only HS hockey that is worth anything (boys or girls) is in MN. And maybe some left in MA. Otherwise, youth programs, junior teams, and prep schools have essentially replaced HS hockey in all the other states.