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Thread: Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

  1. #1
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    Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

    Well Matra and I were discussing hockey in the soccer thread so I figure that we may as well spill it over here.

    This will be the third time Canada has hosted the Olympics - 1976 in Montreal (in Quebec, Summer) and 1988 in Calgary (in Alberta, Winter) being the other two times. Canada is one of two nations, the other being Yugoslavia, that has hosted the Olympic games and never won a gold while hosting. We are looking to rectify that this time around.

    For those that don't know, Vancouver is located on the west coast in the province of British Columbia - there are lots of mountains nearby (the Rockies) and BC is supposedly very scenic. Vancouver is supposed to be a nice city and it's located east of Vancouver Island, right near the Pacific Ocean. It's the third largest city by population in Canada behind Toronto (represent) and Montreal. There's apparently some rough areas where there are lots of crack heads or something - I think this is South Vancouver so watch yourself if you are going there. Mind you, this is Canada, so our idea of a rough area is a bit different than say, the US or even the UK I'd say. I've never been to Vancouver so I don't know what more to say about the city. For you Yankees, Vancouver is about 2.5 hours north of Seattle.

    The ads for the Olympics have started early here and many media outlets are talking about the Olympics a lot - especially the main TV stations that will be covering the Olympics - TSN, CTV, and RSN. CBC has done the last bunch of Olympics but CTV won the rights this time around and will be using the expertise of their sports network subsidiary TSN (The Sports Network) to aid them in coverage.

    Now I shall go into a hockey tangent - specifically, men's hockey. Matra and I were talking about hockey (ice hockey clearly, non of that grassy garbage - I kid) earlier on and for good reason. The world has soccer, the US has baseball and football, and Canada has hockey. This nation is obsessed with the sport. There are 6 Canadian National Hockey League teams including two Canadian "Original Six" teams - the Montreal Canadiens (who props to them, are celebrating their 100th anniversary to this day in a game with the Boston Bruins) and my home team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have failed to win the Stanley Cup (the championship award) for 42 years since 1967. Over half of the NHL's players (the NHL being regarded as the premier hockey league in the world) are Canadian. Other notable leagues include the newly formed KHL (Continental Hockey League) formed mostly from the former Russian Super League and including a team each in Belarus, Latvia, and Kazakhstan, the Elitserien in Sweden, the Czech Extraliga, and Finnish SM-liiga. The International Ice Hockey Federation (same deal as FIFA is to soccer) ranks Russia as the best team in the world, followed by Canada (my opinion on this differs unsurprisingly).

    The big teams in international hockey are typically Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United States.

    In my estimation, the best teams this year will be Russia and Canada followed closely by Sweden. Russia features the best goal scorer in the league, Alexander Ovechkin, and last year's top point scorer, Evgeni Malkin, as long with Ovechkin's teammate Alexander Semin. Canada features Sidney Crosby, regarded as one of the most talented players and best play makers of the generation, stellar goaltending in Brodeur and Luongo, and solid defence. I am hoping to see Canada and Russia in the gold medal finals as I believe these are the two best teams.

    Anyways, feel free to discuss the Olympics here, and Matra, I'd like to hear your thoughts on hockey (I didn't know you were a fan!).

  2. #2
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    hockey is a sport that i am madly in love with haha, it might overtake football here soon b/c the BCS will most likely piss me off. But any way yes Canada is the best all around team imo. Rock solid goaltending (i'd start luongo personally), plenty of scoring, Crosby (even tho he's the biggest bitch i ever saw), Carter, Iginla, and Defense w/ Mike Richards, Chris Pronger, and Scott Niedermayer. But i like Sweden, they won the gold last time and they always play well in the Olympics, great team chemisry plus Forsberg is gonna play which is huge. It will be interesting to see how the young American team does too, they might be a dark horse.

  3. #3
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    Spent many weekends/evenings in sports bars in Canada - Missisuagua, Edmonton, Toronto,Ottawa and even ...... QUEBEC

    Love ice hockey. Local Edinburgh team Murrayfield Racers used to be strong in the British league and winning it 4 years running in the 70s. Spent many a weekend on the ice .. just never good enough to co-ordinate skating, staying upright, watching the puck, guiding the stick and HITTING PEOPLE HARD UNDER THE CHIN AGAINST THE WALL

    Not the same watching on telly, but will be catching the highlights
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

  4. #4
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    I personally can't wait for the olympics, mainly the hockey part, this February. I have been playing with friends more and more lately and have gotten involved with fantasy hockey as well, and I just can't get enough of the sport. I'm just really looking forward to good competition as the preliminary rosters seem to indicate an all-star tournament as opposed to just an all-star game. Viva hockey!!

  5. #5
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    ive gotta say... im a fan of the curling. i watch it every 4 years and still have only a vague idea of the rules. but you have to love a sport where beer and brooms are in equal supply.
    Honor. Courage. Commitment. Etcetera.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmcpokey View Post
    ive gotta say... im a fan of the curling. i watch it every 4 years and still have only a vague idea of the rules. but you have to love a sport where beer and brooms are in equal supply.
    Does this mean that you also have a secret affinity for NASCAR?

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by LTSmash View Post
    Does this mean that you also have a secret affinity for NASCAR?
    Great, haven't seen a full course yellow at curling though.
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  8. #8
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    We will watch it mostly for the speed skating. As the Vancouver oval will be at almost sea level, the chances for world or olympic records are rather slim.
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  9. #9
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    Speed Skating is particularly an Australian Tradition actually, following Salt Lake City, anyway.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRnztSjUB2U"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRnztSjUB2U[/ame]
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by IBrake4Rainbows View Post
    Speed Skating is particularly an Australian Tradition actually, following Salt Lake City, anyway.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRnztSjUB2U
    that's shorttrack, speed skating is done on a 400 meter oval......(and not in somebody's backroom)
    The Australian contribution to speed skating is Colin Coates....
    "I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams

  11. #11
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    People mock Bradbury, but he beat nearly every other country to get to the final 6, so he definately deserved to be there.

    And good on Coates. 6 Olympics is something to be very proud of.
    <cough> www.charginmahlazer.tumblr.com </cough>

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by LTSmash View Post
    Does this mean that you also have a secret affinity for NASCAR?
    i resent that remark... no i actually like it because there is really no athletic prowess in the part of the competitors, more of a skill game. and sine i am not very athletic, i like games that require intelligence, strategy and planning.
    Honor. Courage. Commitment. Etcetera.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmcpokey View Post
    i resent that remark... no i actually like it because there is really no athletic prowess in the part of the competitors, more of a skill game. and sine i am not very athletic, i like games that require intelligence, strategy and planning.
    Oh, come on now... Don't be so sensitive. It was a meant to be taken lightly, which is why I put a goddamn smiley after the comment.

  14. #14
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    sorry, i forgot to hit the sarcasm button when i typed that. no offense taken,
    Honor. Courage. Commitment. Etcetera.

  15. #15
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    Norway will win a lot.
    Not hockey, but the rest that is interesting.

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