WARNING: reading this will only add salt to the wound.
B) Make sure that hockey game is never Canada vs the US. Because if Canada wins, the US fans will just say "whatever we beat you in every other sport" for which there is no comeback, or if the US wins, then you are humiliated because Hockey is Canada's sport (as was the case last night).
I will admit right off the bat, I cheer and have always cheered for Canada in the Winter Olympics, but I am kind of lukewarm to them during the Summer Olympics (mind you there is not much to cheer about for Canada during the summer olympics).
So I was pretty excited about the hockey game and wanted Canada to win. I was a little scared because Canada needed an overtime to beat Switzerland, which is a disgrace, while the US beat Switzerland in regulation. I was reading articles that built up the game. One of the quotes I liked went along the lines of how Canada has always had to play little brother to the US except when it comes to one thing: hockey. When it comes to hockey, the US plays little brother to Canada. All the analysts on ESPN and on MSNBC (this game wasn't even shown on NBC, which tells you how much Americans even care about hockey) picked Canada to win. I believed Canada would win. Seconds before the game was to start, I thought to myself, "the US has a really good goalie, I think the only way the US could even win this game is if they jump out to an early lead." My worst fear came true when the US scored within the first minute. I was watching the game with two of my roommates (who don't know anything about hockey) and they were just like "whoa we scored." "How did that happen?" I was thinking to myself "this can't be happening." Anyway, we know the rest of the story.
These are questions the US fans asked me during the game.
"Wait so you can you use your puck I mean your stick to swipe away at the puck?"
"So you are allowed to dive on the ice to try and move the puck away?"
"Are there even penalties in this sport?"
"Wait what's icing?"
"Can you use your hands?"
"Why was that a penalty?"
And then the comments.
"whoa that was such a cool hit" (when it was just into the boards)
"Wait...I always thought Sidney Crosby was American"
And then to make matters even worse. None of my roommates even watched the whole game. I was the only person watching the last 4 minutes of the game. Then I thought to myself right after the game was over that the US sports channels are going to compare this to the miracle on ice from 1980, which it is not! because this game was not even for the medal. Sure enough, they interview some guy on the 1980 US hockey team after the win. And then when they show the highlights, they start it saying "30 years after the miracle on ice....."
Well who knows what is going to happen to Canada now. They have to play Russia in the quarterfinals if they even get there. Now of the two countries that care about hockey the most, one of them won't even win a medal. And now the country that cares the least about hockey of the countries in the tournament, have a good chance of winning one. If Canada does not win gold, the only thing that will be somewhat of an elixir to the pain is if the US does not win a medal. Hopefully my worst fears won't happen again.
8 comments:
Interesting analysis of the game. I'm not sure how both the US and Canada ending up losers would be the only "elixir to the pain". I realize that I'm only a Canadian by marriage, but I'd be happier seeing both teams medal rather than neither.
It ain't over yet! If they turf Germany tomorrow (and who even knew that Deutschland had a team?!) they they can still play in the finals. But I agree, that game with the US was absolutly humiliating. Her'es hoping they can teach them some humility ,and soon!
I was in Vancouver on Sunday and the whole city was a sea of red and white -Everyone was pumped for THE game. But watching it (on TV with Andy - the hockey expert) was another story. Not good. That fluke first goal (Off a Canadian's skate!) had to have freaked Brodeur right out. AND give the Americans a FALSE sense of ownership. (Your roommates' comments show us that!)
But like Katey said- IT's not over yet! After all - it IS our game!
Go Canada!
One of the interesting things about hockey is that a hot goalie can singlehandedly win a game, and that is what happened in the Canada-US game. Poor play by the Canadian goalie and a few lucky bounces put Canada in a big hole, and they couldn't beat Ryan Miller, the US goalie. Canada totally ouplayed the US, and if the goalies were switched the score would have been about 7-0.
Now we get to see Canada play Germany and Russia - bonus hockey. Hopefully, they will meet the US down the road. It's not over yet.
The other thing about Americans being ignorant about the game (and if you were to ever watch it with them as you had to) is that I'm sure they have all conveniently forgot by now about how Canada pulverized the US on home turf in the gold medal game in Salt Lake City ... i think Canada should make a movie about that game to help them remember. But still an embarassing game yesterday, hopefully they can redeem themselves.
C: Never watch with Charla who will continue to interrupt the hockey game with questions about Edmonton property. (Sorry O.J. and Jord - I had no idea)
Like Rico, despite having grown up in the US, I like to cheer for Canada in the Olympics. A lot of my friends here think that is strange, and ask why I would even cheer for the underdog when the US is so much better. So I was quite upset to hear that they lost at their own game, and it only made it worse to have all my insensitive so-called friends to rub it in my face. So I feel your pain Rico and I think everyone else understands too.
I have confidence in the Canucks. Go, Canada, go!!!!
Grannie
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