02-25-2006, 02:17 AM
One thing I haven't yet seen discussed was the last showing of Team Canada in the '02 Salt Lake games. It was composed of an even older team, and managed and coached by the exact same group. They won the gold medal in a pretty good game versus USA. What's changed since then?
I never got the feeling that Canada was really pushing themselves to win. In '02, they had something to prove. They failed to medal in Nagano in '98 (the first time NHL playesr were allowed to compete), and there was all kinds of talk in Canada about how we weren't the real hockey power in the world anymore. The Russians, Czechs, Swedes, and pretty much everyone else was producing a lot of talent and was out-playing Canada in international games. Canada had to step up and win in Salt Lake, and did so. National pride was at stake.
There really wasn't any of that emotion this time. Canada had won every international tournament that mattered, and it was very clear that Canada was once again the most skilled hockey country. They had nothing to prove going into it this time, and played lazily.
Although I'm disappointed in this Olympic outcome, I and every other Canadian is going to be that much more pumped for the next one. Our team will be playing in Vancouver in 2010. I can only imagine how much hype there will be four years from now.
I never got the feeling that Canada was really pushing themselves to win. In '02, they had something to prove. They failed to medal in Nagano in '98 (the first time NHL playesr were allowed to compete), and there was all kinds of talk in Canada about how we weren't the real hockey power in the world anymore. The Russians, Czechs, Swedes, and pretty much everyone else was producing a lot of talent and was out-playing Canada in international games. Canada had to step up and win in Salt Lake, and did so. National pride was at stake.
There really wasn't any of that emotion this time. Canada had won every international tournament that mattered, and it was very clear that Canada was once again the most skilled hockey country. They had nothing to prove going into it this time, and played lazily.
Although I'm disappointed in this Olympic outcome, I and every other Canadian is going to be that much more pumped for the next one. Our team will be playing in Vancouver in 2010. I can only imagine how much hype there will be four years from now.