TEAM Canada 4, Some American guys 1 (REDWING77)

Yeah, I said it.

The American team came out and played like crap. It really looked a lot like UND playing Holy Cross a few years back. USA looked, not totally outclassed, UNBELIEVABLY outclassed.

Jack Campbell... wow. Thanks, guy. Thank you for showing up. Too bad everyone else was too busy planning what they were going to do when the game was over to worry about playing the game.

The US played heartless. They played like they were scared of the Canadians. They had opportunities to shoot the puck and they decided to try to get closer to the net. This made the outstanding Canadian D say to themselves "Happy Boxing Day! This is too easy!"

Canadian Goaltender Visentin wasn't tested. I don't know how good he is. Team USA didn't make him do much. He probably could have shored up his CIS degree while awaiting the American team do ANYTHING worth his attention.

The First Period ended with the Americans being outshot 10-4. The second period wasn't much better.

The third? Meh. Too little too late.

The officiating was decent. A missed call on Team Canada when a Team Canada player left his feet to make sure Brock Nelson went into the Team Canada bench. The officials got a quick make up call soon thereafter and the Americans were meh.

We were the experienced team here. We were actually FAVORITES!!!! We had an opportunity to prove that we belonged in front of some of our own fans in our own country. We blew it.

After the game, Chris Kreider talked about how the upcoming bronze medal game vs. Sweden was a game about pride. REALLY? Where was the PRIDE in this game?

This was THE game! THE BLEEPING GAME!

I am not too impressed with Allain. I don't know if I'd ask him back again as a head coach. I would have tried again to get Blais to come back. Heck, he won it all. Let him do it again.

Or perhaps bring in an American coach that has won it all lately... like Jerry York or Mike Eaves or Enrico Blaisi, or perhaps there's an American coach somewhere in the WHL.

The other think I think of is the schedules. Everyone talks about how the Canadians had the path of death or whatever. Well, they built their team to win by playing in it and, although they didn't play well at times, they did enough to not only stay competitive, but to win when it mattered.

It would not be surprising to me if Sweden won. Heck, if the US came out as well prepared (sarcastically speaking) on Wednesday as they did tonight, I suspect Sweden runs all over the Americans.

Optimistically speaking, I'm hoping for a Bronze Medal for Forbort and Nelson. Realistically speaking, I don't know who will win.

As for Gold, we're stuck with the Arrogance to the North vs. the Divers from Asia/Eastern Europe.

Well... I despise Canadian hockey fans for their arrogance and condescending attitude, but they play clean. So, despite their fanbase, I'm going to root for Canada vs. the Diving team from Russia.

I hope Forbort and Nelson do what's best and bring all of their luggage to the arena or check what they can ahead of time. Then have their Airport Shuttle waiting outside so they can get out of Buffalo AHEAD of the exiting fans! I'd want to put this entire embarrassment behind me as fast as possible.

Gods Absent: Olympic Selection Committee cited for Atheism

Ok, another cynical post but actually...

The Olympics named their "All Star Team" and MVPs. And guess what! Both Gods are absent just like they were all tourney long!

Sidney "Jesus" Crosby and Alexander Ovech-Christ didn't make the the All-Olympic Team.

Who did? Why, 1 foreigner, 1 Major Junior alum, and FOUR former collegians.

TWO of them former Sioux and THREE of them former WCHA players.

SUCK IT DON CHERRY!

Ryan Miller got the MVP and Top Goaltender awards. Well, gee, thank you Team Canada for starting out with Brodeur or I think Luongo would have gotten this award.

Brian Rafalski got top D. Former UW player. Former Devil. Current Red Wing. Booyah.

Parise and Toews on the Forwards listing with Toews getting top forward. Suck it Crosby. That's not fair! Sid will always be tops in McGuire, Milbury, and Cherry's books. I'm sure there was some conspiracy as to why Crosby didn't get named to the list.

Shea Weber and Pavol Demitra got the other honors. HEH! Former Wild Demitra. HEH!

To be honest, Shea Weber was amazing defensively but I can't believe he got the award because usually these things favor the offensive dmen. Weber might've done ok in the offensive zone, but I thought his best work came playing defense.

Demitra... nice to see. The Slovaks should've won Bronze. Finland seemed ripe to choke after not showing up to the USA game.

Anyways, here's the list (from CTV Olympics):

Goaltender: Ryan MILLER (USA)

Defenceman: Brian RAFALSKI (USA)

Defenceman: Shea WEBER (CAN)

Forward: Pavol DEMITRA (SVK)

Forward: Jonathan TOEWS (CAN)

Forward: Zach PARISE (USA)

Most valuable player: Ryan MILLER (USA)

Tournament Directorate Best Player Awards

Goaltender: Ryan MILLER (USA)

Defenceman: Brian RAFALSKI (USA)

Forward: Jonathan TOEWS (CAN)

Roenick 'baffled' that Drury named to Team USA

Tip of the hat to my friend Mike Swainey of Jackets required. I have to say that I agree with Jeremy Roenick, how the hell does Drury make team USA? No disrespect to Drury but he doesn't deserve to be on the team. There are other American players that are having better seasons than Drury.

Jeremy Roenick says there isn't too much to quibble about when it comes to Brian Burke's picks for Team USA, but that didn't stop the outspoken American from picking apart some of the roster decisions.

Roenick said Tuesday he was surprised at the addition of Chris Drury to the team ahead of someone like Scott Gomez and T.J. Oshie.

"Not to take anything away from the guy because he's had such a great career, but for Chris Drury to be on the team, it baffles me," Roenick told Toronto radio station AM640.

"I know he's a great leader and if he's captain of the team, he'll be a great captain, but I just don't see him being as good for the team as a guy like Gomez would be or T.J. Oshie. Oshie would bring so much energy to this team and this type of format in an international event, that I don't understand how those two guys aren't on the team."

Roenick, who won a silver medal in 2002 with Team USA, believes Burke is likely counting on Drury to provide leadership on a very young team. But the two-time Olympian can think of at least one other player who could have filled the same role.