USA, Canada to meet for Gold medal on Sunday
Posted by Anthony Stalter (02/27/2010 @ 11:10 am)
The hockey teams for USA and Canada both won in the semi-finals round last night in Vancouver and will now play for the Winter Olympic Gold medal on Sunday.
From the Washington Times:
The United States is the only unbeaten team in this year’s tournament, having outscored their opponents 22-6 in five straight wins — the longest an American team has gone without a loss or tie in an Olympic tournament since the 1960 squad.
Few people expected this kind of success out of this particular squad, as unlike some of the other teams in the tournament, the U.S. has only three players with previous Olympic experience, and had to rely on its young talent like Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane.
But standing in the way of perfection and the gold medal is the host Canadians, who were heavy favorites coming into the tournament and feature three Hart Trophy winners on their talent-laden roster.
The theme of this year’s gold-medal game is also one of revenge, as the two neighbors have supplanted Russia as each other’s top rival in the past decade. The U.S. and Canada now have met in two of the last three Olympic finals — not to mention splitting the last seven World Junior Championship titles.
Personally, the hockey tournament has been the most exciting part of this year’s Olympics and I love USA’s story. While it wouldn’t quite be another miracle on ice, watching Team USA spoil Canada’s run at a gold medal would highly entertaining.
U.S. Men’s Hockey will play for gold
Posted by John Paulsen (02/26/2010 @ 7:31 pm)
The Americans scored six first-period goals and cruised to a 6-1 victory over Finland.
They’ll face the winner of the Canada-Slovakia on Sunday.
Read the full recap here.
Emergency airlift of condoms on its way to Olympic Village
Posted by Anthony Stalter (02/26/2010 @ 1:16 pm)
That title wasn’t written to be humorous – it’s for realsies.
From Marketwatch.com:
Forget that old bromide about “no sex before a game.”
Vancouver all-news radio station CKWX is reporting today that an “emergency airlift” of 8500 condoms is on the way to the Olympic Villages in Vancouver and Whistler for the libidinous athletes.
The first shipment of 100,000 – that’s not a misprint — rubbers provided by the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research apparently wasn’t enough. CKNW’s report says the original shipment worked out to an average of 14 condoms for each visiting athlete.
It’s well known by now that sex and the Olympics go hand in hand. If a gold medallist in cross-country skiing isn’t getting it on with a bronze luger from another country, then damn it, they’re just not trying.
At least the Olympic Committee understands that its event is the breeding ground for orgies and is trying to keep thing safe. Along with the five-ringed logo, the Olympics should carry the motto: Don’t be a fool, wrap your tool.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
Canada’s women’s hockey team knows how to party! Buuuuuut they’re also in trouble.
Posted by Anthony Stalter (02/26/2010 @ 9:54 am)
The International Olympic Committee will investigate the Canadian women’s hockey team after a number of players celebrated their gold medal victory on Thursday night by tossing back a few cold ones and smoking cigars on the ice in Vancouver.
From Yahoo! Sports:
A number of players, including 18-year-old superstar Marie-Philip Poulin, were drinking alcohol on the ice following the team’s 2-0 defeat of the United States. (The legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19.) Players lingered for more than 70 minutes after the awards ceremony reveling in the arena, which was empty except for media and arena staff.
Gilbert Felli, the IOC’s executive director of the Olympic Games, said that drinking in public was “not what we want to see” from athletes at an Olympic venue. The organization will investigate the actions and will speak with the international hockey federation and Canadian Olympic Committee and ask them to “act accordingly.”
The Olympic Committee is wound a little tight and I find it amusing that an event that essentially introduced steroids to athletic competition is so image conscious now. I don’t condone underage drinking, but if the Committee decides to send these girls home or ban them from the Closing Ceremony after this, then it would be ridiculous and a gross overreaction.
Considering other things that go on at the Olympics, chugging some brews and lighting up a few stogies to celebrate a win is mild.
Photo from fOTOGLIF
Canada overtakes U.S. to capture gold in women’s hockey
Posted by Christopher Glotfelty (02/25/2010 @ 9:17 pm)
Canada defeated the United States 2-0 to win their third-straight women’s hockey gold medal at the Olympics.
From ESPN.com:
Marie-Philip Poulin scored two goals and Shannon Szabados made 28 saves Thursday before a raucous crowd ringing cowbells and waving thousands of maple leaf flags.
After Poulin’s two first-period scores, the Canadians dominated every aspect of the biggest game in this young sport, earning their 15th straight Olympic victory.
Playing with a consistency and passion its men’s team would do well to emulate this weekend, Canada remained unbeaten at the Olympics since 1998, when the Americans won the first women’s gold.
The Canadians kept nearly the entire game in the Americans’ end — outpassing, outshooting and simply outworking the only team in women’s hockey with a chance of standing up to them.
I didn’t even know the U.S. team made it to the gold-medal game. I guess the win would have been nice since chances are dwindling.
