Smug much?

There’s a pretty interesting conversation on the Olympics between Shaun and I on Google Buzz. I know you’re not interested, but there it is.

Personally, I can name at least four olympians and could even before the Olympics started:
Jarome Iginla
Sidney Crosby
Alexander Ovechkin
Marc Andre Fleury

Of course, they shouldn’t even be there. Stupid Olympics, opening up to professionals. That was a mistake.

There’s a pretty interesting conversation on the Olympics between Shaun and I on Google Buzz. I know you’re not interested, but there it is.

Personally, I can name at least four olympians and could even before the Olympics started:
Jarome Iginla
Sidney Crosby
Alexander Ovechkin
Marc Andre Fleury

Of course, they shouldn’t even be there. Stupid Olympics, opening up to professionals. That was a mistake.

I’ve never used Google Buzz…:) HAHA! I will now…I see your little conversation!

Yeah, I agree with that, too. “We’re all about amateur athletics…until it might get us bigger ratings to bring in the pros!” It’s all about the benjamins…period.

I’ve never used Google Buzz…:) HAHA! I will now…I see your little conversation!

Yeah, I agree with that, too. “We’re all about amateur athletics…until it might get us bigger ratings to bring in the pros!” It’s all about the benjamins…period.

I don’t follow amateur sport during the non-olympics the same way I follow hockey or football during the non-Stanley cup or superbowl or grey cup. Just because I don’t care about sports 99% of the year doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate some local-boy or girl done good type of story. I agree that the olympics are way over commercialized and the cost is better off being something another country pays for because realistically the olympics aren’t just going to end or even become less over-hyped.

If there is going to be an international pissing contest and we need to take a leak anyway we may as well compete.

I don’t follow amateur sport during the non-olympics the same way I follow hockey or football during the non-Stanley cup or superbowl or grey cup. Just because I don’t care about sports 99% of the year doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate some local-boy or girl done good type of story. I agree that the olympics are way over commercialized and the cost is better off being something another country pays for because realistically the olympics aren’t just going to end or even become less over-hyped.

If there is going to be an international pissing contest and we need to take a leak anyway we may as well compete.

I don’t like sports. Does that mean I win?

Oh, Cliff, maybe you can explain this bit I heard on the radio this morning. Something about telling our women’s hockey team that they should stop scoring on the other team after they have a 17 point lead. Or something.

I don’t like sports. Does that mean I win?

Oh, Cliff, maybe you can explain this bit I heard on the radio this morning. Something about telling our women’s hockey team that they should stop scoring on the other team after they have a 17 point lead. Or something.

Yeah, I guess they beat someone 18-0 over the weekend. The truth is, women’s hockey should not be an Olympic sport at all…only Canada and the US have any real pedigree in women’s hockey, so they kick the snot out of everyone else and meet for the Gold every single time the games roll around. It’s silly.

Kyle : That last sentence of your comment is awesome.

Yeah, I guess they beat someone 18-0 over the weekend. The truth is, women’s hockey should not be an Olympic sport at all…only Canada and the US have any real pedigree in women’s hockey, so they kick the snot out of everyone else and meet for the Gold every single time the games roll around. It’s silly.

Kyle : That last sentence of your comment is awesome.

I think if they spent less money on the olympics, just awarded it based on and ran it on existing facilities, I would be much more in favour.

Also, if they shut out the professional athletes. Sure, olympic hockey would look like the World Juniors, but what if there was some guy in a beer league who made the team? How awesome would that be? You want to talk about local boy done good…

I think if they spent less money on the olympics, just awarded it based on and ran it on existing facilities, I would be much more in favour.

Also, if they shut out the professional athletes. Sure, olympic hockey would look like the World Juniors, but what if there was some guy in a beer league who made the team? How awesome would that be? You want to talk about local boy done good…

I think if they let the Jamaicans bobsled they should let women play Olympic hockey! If there is the interest other countries will step it up and grow or buy some good players. It’s not that much different than us sucking at some of the summer events getting owned : )

I don’t think though that professionals should go to the olympics. They get almost an entire year of coverage, let the “amateurs” get their glory. I also agree that no one cares about them until the games hype begins.

I think if they let the Jamaicans bobsled they should let women play Olympic hockey! If there is the interest other countries will step it up and grow or buy some good players. It’s not that much different than us sucking at some of the summer events getting owned : )

I don’t think though that professionals should go to the olympics. They get almost an entire year of coverage, let the “amateurs” get their glory. I also agree that no one cares about them until the games hype begins.

I don’t think it’s disingenuous to enjoy the olympics and ignore amateur athletics the rest of the time. That said, if people are getting up on their soap boxes and crying to the heavens that these poor athletes are under-funded when the olympics are on and we’re “losing” in the medal race, but mysteriously silent the rest of the time, that does smack of hipocrisy. (To be fair, I haven’t seen this. However, I’ve seen the counter-argument enough for hearsay) I also think it’s fair for people to get worked up and excited to have Canadian athletes to well. I don’t understand the national pride that people have. “I’m proud to be Canadian.” Why? Did you do anything to be proud of to get there? Probably not. It’s like being proud of being tall or having thick hair into your forties. (lucky bastards) I’ll grant that the flag-waving gets a little thick at times, and that as much as the proliferation of professional athletes is why I’m staying away from watching the Olympics. (That and Kim is trying to catch up on Lost)

I don’t think it’s disingenuous to enjoy the olympics and ignore amateur athletics the rest of the time. That said, if people are getting up on their soap boxes and crying to the heavens that these poor athletes are under-funded when the olympics are on and we’re “losing” in the medal race, but mysteriously silent the rest of the time, that does smack of hipocrisy. (To be fair, I haven’t seen this. However, I’ve seen the counter-argument enough for hearsay) I also think it’s fair for people to get worked up and excited to have Canadian athletes to well. I don’t understand the national pride that people have. “I’m proud to be Canadian.” Why? Did you do anything to be proud of to get there? Probably not. It’s like being proud of being tall or having thick hair into your forties. (lucky bastards) I’ll grant that the flag-waving gets a little thick at times, and that as much as the proliferation of professional athletes is why I’m staying away from watching the Olympics. (That and Kim is trying to catch up on Lost)

Agreed…and agreed. Damn you and your sense, Johnstone! And I’d like to announce that I’m proud to be…basically average! YEAH! Go societal norms!

Tammy : The thing is, this is the 4th Olympic Games that has featured women’s hockey as an event. After 12 years, it’s still basically a two nation event. I might feel differently if the scores were even close, but it’s one ass kicking after another being doled out by the Canadians and Americans. So after over a decade, your country’s team is still losing 13-1…is that really going to inspire any other nation to pour a bunch of resources in to women’s hockey? Or is it more likely to coax them to just throw in the towel?

Agreed…and agreed. Damn you and your sense, Johnstone! And I’d like to announce that I’m proud to be…basically average! YEAH! Go societal norms!

Tammy : The thing is, this is the 4th Olympic Games that has featured women’s hockey as an event. After 12 years, it’s still basically a two nation event. I might feel differently if the scores were even close, but it’s one ass kicking after another being doled out by the Canadians and Americans. So after over a decade, your country’s team is still losing 13-1…is that really going to inspire any other nation to pour a bunch of resources in to women’s hockey? Or is it more likely to coax them to just throw in the towel?

That is a good point Cliffmeister, but obviously hockey is not one of those sports that no one cares about around the world. Men’s hockey is certainly strong, so I wonder why the slow pick up by other countries. Actually I don’t really wonder, the whole prospect of women playing hockey has even taken a while to really be accepted even here, so I am sure it’s not overly funded or developed in other places.

But you are right, how long is long enough? Obviously to be in the Olympic games you need competition… and if its not there, women’s hockey will not be viable for very long.

That is a good point Cliffmeister, but obviously hockey is not one of those sports that no one cares about around the world. Men’s hockey is certainly strong, so I wonder why the slow pick up by other countries. Actually I don’t really wonder, the whole prospect of women playing hockey has even taken a while to really be accepted even here, so I am sure it’s not overly funded or developed in other places.

But you are right, how long is long enough? Obviously to be in the Olympic games you need competition… and if its not there, women’s hockey will not be viable for very long.

The interesting thing is that, while Women’s Hockey is allowed to remain in while being wholly uncompetitive, a ‘lack of competitive interest’ was one of the stated reasons that Baseball was dropped from the Summer Olympics. Considering that North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Asian, and to a certain extent Australia are all huge in to baseball, clearly this meant that Europe was getting its panties in a knot about not doing well…yet they aren’t doing well in Women’s Hockey, either.

There certainly were other considerations…European nations don’t tend to be rife with baseball facilities, for instance…but I find it to be a rather bizarre juxtaposition.

The interesting thing is that, while Women’s Hockey is allowed to remain in while being wholly uncompetitive, a ‘lack of competitive interest’ was one of the stated reasons that Baseball was dropped from the Summer Olympics. Considering that North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Asian, and to a certain extent Australia are all huge in to baseball, clearly this meant that Europe was getting its panties in a knot about not doing well…yet they aren’t doing well in Women’s Hockey, either.

There certainly were other considerations…European nations don’t tend to be rife with baseball facilities, for instance…but I find it to be a rather bizarre juxtaposition.