Quote:
Originally Posted by Jah Gekko
Ovie is usually chilled and relaxed but I read on a few sites that Ovie came into Vancouver with a attitude and wasn't his usually self. Word is that the Russians wanted him to act more "Russian".
|
I really think its the pressure for ovie more than anything. You know they want
OUR gold very bad. I think if Ovie was just being himself, yet still shy away from the cameras, he coulda had a better tournament.
Its like saying Crosby played like crap, when in reality, when the other lines start rolling, theres not as much pressure for him to make the big play or score the big goal. Even still, he was a threat every time he got into the offensive zone with the puck.
Remember, Crosby finished the tournament with 7points
with depth like this, your young gun doesnt need to lead in scoring, you just need to be the difference maker when it really counts, and thats exactly what he did.
Heres another question i want to ask you guys, now that its all said and done, was USA really the underdogs they were said to be?
Brian Burke spun the media like wildfire with all the "us against the world crap" like Gretzky did in 2002. The US media picked it up and the said remarks of the underdogs were written by journalists. A good example would be the American medium would keep on writing about how Ryan Miller was the best kept secret in the NHL in terms of goaltending. Which to anyone up north that follows hockey knows what he has accomplished up till the beginning of the tournament.
My initial thoughts of the US team were no different than what it is now after tonight. They represented a lot of the youth in this hockey tournament. They were going to be relentless when possible forechecking due to the players selected. Players like Bobby Ryan, Zach Parise and Patrick Kane would be enough to chip goals, and as I have said, I wouldnt doubt the fact that Ryan Miller or even Jaroslav Hakak or Jonas Hiller could in fact stir upsets as we saw the past two weeks.
In terms of what this tournament meant for me compared to olympics? Well, this tournament was the showcasing of the next generation of superstars in the world. Canada and USA really did represent this well and we were treated to a HUGE hockey game.
I really hope for some sort of World Cup ala 2004 to happen before Sochi. I understand that the World Cup of Hockey was more of an NHL showcase, but it brings the Hockey powers together as one and everyone gets treated to very good hockey games
Everything aside, the hockey tournament here capped off an amazing 17days of sport. As I have said before, sport brings people and nations together, no matter how much turmoil is going on outside of the world. It is sport where the world really find peace.