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Post by Big_D on Feb 15, 2002 20:42:29 GMT -5
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Post by habmeister on Feb 15, 2002 21:02:42 GMT -5
no you're wrong. quinn would not favour joseph simply because he's a leaf. do you think he wants to hear people badgering him until eternity because he favoured his maple leaf player?
i had no faith in joseph and that isn't changing much.
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Post by Big_D on Feb 15, 2002 22:25:15 GMT -5
I hope you're right. Hopefully the real Cujo will show up next time he's called upon. Sorry man, but Joseph is the ONE AND ONLY Leaf player I can actually stand, and I have all the confidince in the world that he will wake up. However, I have this deep rooted fear in the pit of my stomach (and it's not from the nasty flu I had earlier this week  )that Joseph has psyched himself out over these Olympics, and will be a basketcase the rest of the tourney  . p.s Why is Joseph wearing his blue Leafs mask? He was wearing a special red Canadian mask in practice a couple of weeks ago. Just another sign that players nowadays make too much money. Oh well, who really cares! |
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Post by Vinna on Feb 15, 2002 22:41:59 GMT -5
Let's give them the benifit of doubt. They are a team that was just thrown together and have had very little time to gel as a team. As much as I love to see the best players in the world competing in the Olympics, I have to wonder if it truly makes sense. At least the old Canadian National program got to play together for months at a time and it proved to be a major launch pad for a great many careers. Brian Savage, Mark Habschied, and Fred Braithwait come to mind. It really makes me wonder if we are truly seeing the best competition. I'm sure by the medal round all these stars will manage to get their respective s#!t together and gel as a team, but they have to get there first.Hopefully these guys can get it together and SOON. If this is the type of hockey we are going to be treated to, I would rather watch the amatures.
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Post by Vichab on Feb 15, 2002 23:08:53 GMT -5
Hate to say it but at times I thought I was watching the Habs 3rd and 4 th line playing as they aimlessly put the puck in front of the net whether a teammate was there or not and they couldn't hit the net. Many more problems as well. they basically looked lost on the big rink with players they were not use to. My view and it's nothing new is that we are at a serious disadvantage on the big rink simply because we are not accustom to it. We've got two games to get use to it. And that's where the coaching is critical and I don't think Quinn is up to the job. What experience does he have on the big rink. The Swedes played us like a violin and Quinn didn't have a clue. Where's Howie Meeker when you need him? I think there is too much talent on this team for them not to figure things out but there won't be much room for error when the medal round starts.
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Post by The New Guy on Feb 15, 2002 23:46:07 GMT -5
When did Team Canada pick up Traverse?
Seriously though, that was painful for me to watch. Doesn't anyone on the blueline know how to PICK UP THEIR MAN. You have to cover the cherry-pickers, but what did they did do? How many times did Sundin get in behind him.
The two on one? Basic rule of defence. You take away the pass and let the goalie handle the shooter. What does out guy do? Let's the puckhandler draw him in, then flips it over to Zetterberg leaving Joseph high and dry.
I actually started to cry during the second period. It was that bad.
And another thing. If the 'Hail Mary' pass up the middle doesn't work the first fifty times you run it, I doubt it's going to work the fifty-first. The only time they were sucessful was when they carried it up to the blue line and dumped it in, or when they drove it up along the boards.
And where the hell was Lindros? The guy is supposed to be a big physical presence and he doesn't do anything. For the love of Maurice, in the first period he was in on a break and the defenceman was trying to muscle him out and he LET HIM. LET HIM.
ARGAHHH
They better smarten up next time our I'll be spending the rest of my life bitching every single one of them out.
BAH
[glow=red,2,300]Later[/glow]
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Post by seventeen on Feb 16, 2002 0:33:35 GMT -5
Wasn't surprised, but not overly disappointed. Two more games to get used to themselves and the larger ice. What would I do? I'd sit Lindros and get Jovanovski into the game. Other than that I'm nervous about our goaltending and our head coaching. Quinn's a solid NHL coach, but he's far too stubborn to make adjustments when needed. Let's keep our figners crossed that the chemistry comes together and that one of the goalies takes charge.
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Post by BadCompany on Feb 16, 2002 10:02:02 GMT -5
First of all, there can be no excuses about just getting together, not having enough time to gel, new rules, or heck, even the big ice. The Swedes were all faced with the same dilemna, and it didn't seem to bother them all that much. When was the last time Mats Sundin regularily played on a big ice surface? 15 years ago?
I think Team Canada spent a little too much time reading their press clippings, and thought they were a little too much like an All Star team. Lord knows they played like one. No hitting, no intensity, always trying for the homerun pass or the pretty tic-tac-toe conversion play. My god, how many passes did the Swedes intercept?? I think the Canadians looked at the big ice, saw all that open space and thought they could just whip it back and forth in some sort of offensive frenzy. I have never seen a team make that many back passes to their defenceman in the neutral zone. On one play, we started off circling at the Swedes blue line, dropped it back to center ice, circled some more there, dropped it back to our own blue line, circled back some more (you're going the wrong way! and finally tried a long, cross ice pass that was intercepted. It was like some sort of misguided shinny game. A Canadian winger may have looked open 60 feet away, but 60 feet is a long ways to make a pass and a guy doesn't stay open for all that long at this level.
What happened to the fundamentals? Short, quick passes. Hammer it deep if you can't break the line. Get shots on net. Hit hard, and hit often.
I think they fell in love with the big ice and forgot that they still had to play hockey. Team Canada was built for a short, power game, and guys like Nolan, Ignila, Shanahan, Fleury, Lindros, Blake, Pronger, Brewer etc. all excel at close quarters. This team wasn't made to play spread wide open, and thats what the Swedes lured us into doing. We played their style of game, and as usually happens when you do that, they beat us badly doing it. It was ugly.
They have to come back with an NHL stlye of game for the rest of the tournament. Forget about the "no red line" and play smart. Support the puck. Keep an outlet pass available and use it. Lug it up the ice yourself if there is a lane, and if there isn't, dump it off the boards or down deep. Canada is fast enough and big enough to win battles for loose pucks. Instead of streaking down the wing, 80 feet away from the puck carrier, looking for the home-run pass (like the Sundin goal) stay close, take the 12 foot pass, work the give and go, swarm the opposing zone as a team, rather than as a collection of individuals 30 feet apart. When a defenceman makes a pass from inside his own zone to a forward standing at the opposing blue line, if that forward doesn't score on a break-away (again, like Sundin did), then he is all alone. At least two, maybe three of his fellow teamates are not in a position to help him or to recieve another pass, because they are still in their own zone playing defence. Result? You have to circle back, and circle back, and circle back...
It was almost like Canada was trying to play the Torpedo as well. Long home run passes, both up the middle and cross ice. It didn't work and we didn't adapt.
Now we see just how good a coach Pat Quinn really is.
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Post by Big_D on Feb 16, 2002 10:23:21 GMT -5
Lest we forget...GET A MAN IN FRONT! I swear, I said that to myself fifteen times in the third period alone. How can the expect to pick up the garbage, if the nearest guy is between the hashmarks, and the other two are in the corners. Sweden, simply put, out-Canadianed us. They beat us at our own game last night, while playing their own game as well. To think, I took a short lunch break from work, so I could leave early.  |
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Post by Ryan on Feb 16, 2002 12:40:54 GMT -5
Believe me, nobody inside that dressing room in panicing right now. They are a great team, capable of playing much better than last night and they know it. They'll blow out Germany, that's a given, and who really cares? I'd rather them win 3-2 and play a sound technical game. The game against the Czechs is crucial. Once again I really won't care who wins, we've just got to play a lot better than last night.
Nothing to worry about Canada, these guys didn't just forget to play hockey overnight.
The only area of concern for me was CuJo. I've said all along this guys rarely wins games himself. He does a decent job of letting in one fewer goal than his opponent on most nights and that's about it. Don't get me wrong, he had NO help last night. But I believe all the goals were at least stoppable. He didn't come up clutch at all when it counted, bring on Brodeur. Shut up Toronto fans, you know it's true.
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Post by The New Guy on Feb 16, 2002 14:22:24 GMT -5
I'm going to do the unthinkable right now - that is, defend Cujo's performance last night. I know, I know... I can hardly believe it myself. But right now I think a lot of fans are pointing the finger at him right now....
Let's look at all the goals last night:
(1) Mats Sundin on a breakway - yeah, sorry guys. You can't fault Cujo here. Giving up a breakaway is bad enough, but to a guy who KNOWS the goalie like a nice glove and who has a shot like a laser is just stupid. This goal was delivered via a well placed bomb of a pace right onto Sundin's stick.
(2) Sundstrom on a two on one - Another bad defensive play. The first thing they teach young defencemn is that when you're in a two on one situation is to make sure you force the puck carrier out as far as you can, and then TAKE AWAY THE PASS. Basic, basic mistake that allowed Nylander to flip it to Sundstrom. Cujo read that play perfectly - he focused on the shooter, and when the defenceman made his mistake he was out of position.
(3) Sundin's second - A weak goal, but not something you can fault a guy for the way Canada was scrambling around in their own end.
(4) Jonsson from Zetterbeg - By this time all I can remember is the anger I was feeling towards our defence. I might not like Cujo, but that's no reason to make him take on the entire Sweedish team himself. I think is was Jonsson stepping in from the the high left side of the slot to release a hard wrister through traffic. Maybe, maybe I can fault Cujo for this one - maybe.
(5)Dahlen - Another that I don't remember clearly... A good powerplay effort that was just outclassing the Canadian defence.
So sum up, it's the defence at fault - a goalie needs protection from guys like that. Cujo didn't get it.
Just my 2 cents
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Post by clear observer on Feb 16, 2002 15:06:16 GMT -5
1st goal...Sundin Breakaway...
it's BECAUSE of their familiarity that the advantage goes to the tender...remember, goalies save 66-67% of ALL penalty shots...this was one of those moments he should have shone, especially since all Sundin did was shoot...no deke, nothing fancy...and it went in, 5 hole
2nd Goal...2 0n 1
another one where he could have played better....if you go back and look at it..Cujo played the puck-carrier desperately wrong...he waaaay over commited and allowed the carrier an open lane for the obvious play...pass across the crease to an open man...the supoosed best goalie in the world HAS to have SOME anticipation skills!
3rd Goal...slapshot
need i say more...far-side-inside-post goals should NEVER go in...we agree here.
He played poorly...looked shaky and nervous...as did the rest of the team ( Blake excepted )...I see him rebounding, though. I hope.
CO
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Post by Bobs_HABit on Feb 16, 2002 15:27:20 GMT -5
Sure, TNG, there is a lot of blame to go around but CuJo was brutal last night. Period. Remember, he's there because he's the so called best goalie in Canada. Surely that means he can make the odd spectacular save. Did he make any saves last night that 7 or 8 other goalies wouldn't have? It's no surprise that the Swedes shot high constantly.
Goal 1...Sure it was a breakaway but why is he collapsing, if that's how he's going to play a potential shootout we're in trouble. And don't bring up his stopping 4 of 5 in the regular season. Naslund made him look silly while 3 of his stops were against lesser players even d-men.
Goal 2...Ya he played the shooter, unfortunately the shooter was behind the net along with half of CuJo. He never should have went down when he did.
Goal 3...Sundin just beat him. Too easy from there although maybe the stick from the d-man fooled him.
Goal 4...Once again CuJo is down, down, down. (Looking for a bone maybe)
Goal 5...I can't remember this one either but I'll bet he was down early. I really don't like the way he goes down, either as he collapses one side and stacks the pads which leaves him very vulnerable as opposed to dropping to both knees.
As I said in another post, we have to like it. Quinn is playing CuJo in the medal round unless we somehow go in at 1-2. Brodeur will beat Germany and Quinn will bring CuJo in for the Czech's. This was set up all along for Marty to never have a chance unless CuJo goes 0-2 and looks bad doing it.
Another thing, why the hell was Ryan Smith not in the lineup? You know damn well he would played with some heart and maybe thrown a bodycheck. Your extra forward that sits has gotta come from (Nieuwendyk, Fleury and Gagne). Too bad Thorton isn't there either maybe we can watch him suit up for the States in a few years.
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Post by habwest on Feb 16, 2002 17:21:39 GMT -5
I'm in agreement with those who think goal tending is the big problem with this team, to use the term losely. Joseph, Brodeur and Belfour have all been having rotten years. Why should that now change just becuase it's the Olympics.
I'm afraid I disagree strongly with those, like TNG, who believe Joseph shouldn't be faulted on any of the goals. Breakaway- statistically those end in the goalies favour. Poor play by the defence granted yet let's face it Joseph did not make one truely major league stop all night, well at least in the first two periods, I didn't bother watching the 3rd.
So yea Joseph should take a significant share of the blame. That's not saying that this mess was his fault alone eveybody out there has to shoulder their part of the blame. But in the majors you count on your goalie to make the big stops, to hold your team in there until they get their act together, to give them a chance to win. Joseph didn't come close to doing this.
To change topics, I seem to recollect reading that the Team Canada plan was for a skating passing type game, ie play like the Europeans. If so it's obviously a miserable failure and here you got to lay some blame on Quinn. How come the Swedes had their act together and not his team. If they weren't up to playing this style of game why did they try. If they weren't listening to the coach how come some of the vaunted leadership on the team like Yzerman and Lemieux didn't step up?
They play a patsy next in Germany I believe so that should give them a chance to recover. But it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see the team out of the medals altogether. Shoulda picked better goalies, the "Great One" and company boxed themselves in right from the start. At least one hot young goalie who has shown that he is performing well under pressure now should have been selected instead of three older guys based on reputation alone.
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Post by The New Guy on Feb 16, 2002 23:35:42 GMT -5
You said performing well now HabWest and I'm going to call you on it. In the five games leading up to the Olympics:
Martin Brodeur: 98 Sh, 8 GA, .918 SV%, 1.60 GAA, 3-1-1
Curtis Joseph: 114 Sh, 9 GA, .921 SV%, 1.80 GAA, 3-1-0
Jose Theodore: 164 Sh, 11 GA, .933 SV%, 2.20 GAA, 2-3-0
Patrick Roy: 134 Sh, 15 GA, 0.880 SV%, 3.00 GAA, 2-3-0
Who exactly would you put in net? I hate to say it, but you're viewing the olympics with bleu, blanc et rouge glasses. Yes, we all would've loved to see Theodore and Roy and (insert favorite goalie here) but you shouldn't kid yourself into thinking that Cujo doesn't belong there. I may not like him, but he has talent. Period.
I'm not saying he was stellar, but I'm saying that any fingers pointed at him are being pointed at the wrong man. Cujo played a strong game last night given the situation - the fact that the rest of the team hadn't been interested in playing, much less in their own end. Yes, breakaways tend to favor the goalies, but when you let a guy stand in front of your net, statistically it's suicide.
Which is exactly what Canada did.
Time to face facts. The whole team sucked last night. Not just Cujo, who yes - coud've had a better game, everyone from Mario on down. It was painfull to watch the game last night because of the Canada's defensive ineptness. Forget about switching Cujo for Brodeur, I think the real problem is with defence, and that's where the hcnages should be made
Later
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Post by Cranky on Feb 17, 2002 0:02:18 GMT -5
Hold your horses New Guy, The Old Guy needs to point out that you can not take 5 games that prove a point statistically. After all, I am virtually an expert in making statistics lie. CIA upbringng and all (coughjoke). The shorter the time period you take, the more skewered those numbers will be. For the sake of argument, here are the SEASON statistics for those four goalies. 1 Jose Theodore, MON 45 20 17 6 2.13 4 Patrick Roy, COL 46 24 16 6 1.96 27 Curtis Joseph, TOR 49 27 17 5 2.26 29 M. Brodeur, NJD 54 24 21 9 2.25 Through the amazing "boys network selection" we have the 27th amd the 29th best goalies in net. We can sit here and argue all week as to what save percentages mean in the big scheme of NHL goalie reality, but, I and many others feel that we DO NOT have the best goaltenders in net. Those two are sitting home cursing and laughing. If my name was Patrick Roy instead of the world famous HabsAddict, I would rub Gretzkys face in it. After all, what really qualified Gretzky to put a team together? His vast knowledge of the game, or could it have been his reputation? Yes, I forgot, he did shake hands with the Bow'master, that should just about make them even. Gretzky may be an "Ambassador" to the game but it is the generals and the foot soldiers who know what it takes to win the "war". Here is the link. sports.espn.go.com/nhl/statistics?stat=nhlgoalies&sort=sv%25The reason we lost the game has many facets, including. 1. Playing the wrong style of game. 2. Wrong players 3. Bad goaltending, subpar, if "bad" is to strong a word. 4. Lack of mental preperation. 5. Lack of intesity. 6. To old a team for the high altitude. 7. Incompetent coaching. Many of the problems tie into each other, but the bottom line is we lost and we are vulnarable. Gold will be almost impossible. I hope we get at least one of the colours in Metals. Sorry for the tone, I am still pissed at what happened. |
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Post by Bobs_HABit on Feb 17, 2002 1:25:25 GMT -5
Couldn't agree more HA although I'm not disappointed to see no Patty Roy there. Heck, just going by the last 5 games Belfour has been playing really well. He's only given up 8 goals and he was the main reason the Stars beat the Rangers the last night before the Olympic break. Don't get me wrong though I think Eddie shouldn't have made the team.
I am glad to see someone else bring up the so called Great one. First off, I've NEVER been a Gretzky fan but he had no business being associated with this team let alone PICKING it. Someone tell me the experience he has at judging talent. Gretz showed his arrogance by insisting that Sean Burke was in the goalie battle and was the emergency backup. I like Burke as a goalie but come on. What happened to giving the 3rd spot to a younger goalie to give him some experience. Maybe at the next Olympics Mario can pick 'em and Gretz can Coach. Kevin Lowe is a nice guy but he's only had 1 season behind the bench and 1 season in the press box while selecting Quinn as Coach is stupidity. He's not much of a coach at the best of times and in this tourney he can't bully the refs like he usually does.
Great point by the way about altitude and the older legs on some of our players, I hadn't thought of that before. We heard again and again how our younger players would be given every opportunity to make this team and shine. Who sits the first game, Ryan Smith and Jovo-cop?
Meanwhile look who is at home...Eric Daze 28g 25a...Glen Murray 27g 26a +28...Joe Thorton 22g 39a...Adam Oates 10g 46a...Ron Francis 18g 35a (ALL of them top 20 in scoring, by the way the only 5 players in the top 20 not at the Olympics)
Bah, like you said HA I'm just upset. I thought the Americans and us would have trouble in the quarters and semis because we're just not used to the one and done type of tourney and now we have a good possibility of facing a good team in the first crossover game.
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Post by habwest on Feb 17, 2002 4:36:31 GMT -5
Five games does not a good season make TNG. Habsaddict has already answered you so I won't go into the stats in detail on this one again. I'm not saying it had to be Theo but at least someone else who has been playing well this year. At the break Theo has the best Save % of ANY regular goalie from ANY country. That's one heck of a drop to 27th or 29th baby. To not put one of Theo or Giguere or Burke or Luongo on the team and give them a try in one of the early round games was simply a dumb move. Frankly start with the hot goalie and keep the underperforming vets in the bull pen for emergency use. I don't know what the brain trust was waiting for- they say next time they'll pick one of the "young" guys but if what we hear is true there may NOT BE a next time as the NHL may pull out of the Olympics.
I'm not looking through any coloured glasses, I'm looking at reality. Sure the whole team stunk. I said so. But having said that doesn't obviate any of the points that I made about Joseph's horrendous performance, nor did your reply.
And while I'm at it, why isn't the League's second leading scorer on the team? You know Thornton. The "management" got so carried away with stacking the team with vets (many of whom are "the Great Ones" buddies I'd be willing to bet) that they couldn't include some of the better younger players, among the best of the League, on the team. By the way Thornton actually won a world gold medal with the juniors so you could argue he has more successful international experience than some of the older players who were picked. Another genius move. Then there's Daze, the seventh leading goal scorer in the League, big, fast, but too young. Can someone tell me, is being young a disease or something? Ol' Gretz and Co seem to be treating it like smallpox.
Then there's Quinn. I don't know if he was available but I sure would have felt a whole lot better with Scotty Bowman running the show. That was probably the problem- he would have wanted to put together a team his way which our brain trust couldn't handle. And why WAS Gretzky picked anyway to head this up. Like he's never even coached for pete's sake and he's putting together a team to reclaim our lost glory. Who's running this zoo anyway- they trying to make it as hard as possible or something?
I said it before and I'll say it again. Finishing out of the medals wouldn't surprise me one bit. And the goaltending is likely to be the leak that finally sinks the ship. Let's hope Brodeur has his act together as Joseph isn't the guy to take us to the promised land.
Oh by the way, the Canadian Women's team just knocked off Sweden 11-0. Maybe they should get some of the girls to show our over the hill superstars how it's done. Or better yet get their coach to fill in for Quinn when she's not busy with her main job.
Pathetic.
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Post by GNick on Feb 17, 2002 7:09:57 GMT -5
Yeah, I agree CuJo sucked against Sweden. Joseph is just not a money goalie. The second Sundin goal was a soft one and he could have at least stopped one of the three breakaways. If Salo would have been in the Canadian net the game would be a 2-2 or a 3-2 win for one team.
I know Quinn is a CuJo guy, but I wonder if there is any chance Canada may recall Belfour and start him in one of the two remaining games?
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Post by The New Guy on Feb 17, 2002 10:27:23 GMT -5
You said, and I'm going to quote you now using that cool quote button:
Key word. Now. I used five games, because that is the immdiate now, but if you want to argue that five games is too skewed to base your assumptions on, I'm going to argue that one season is too skewed to base an assumption on. And if you argue I'll drop a name like Jim Carey and quietly ask where is he now.
For their careers:
Curtis Joseph: 2.78 GAA, .900 SV%, 344-260-81
Martin Brodeur: 2.21 GAA, .910 SV%, 310-163-85
Jose Theodore: 2.54 GAA, .910 SV%, 61-77-15
But you don't want to base the guys on their repuatation alone. And I smile and say fine, and look at their stats last season:
Curtis Joseph: 2.39, .910 SV%, 33-27-8
Martin Brodeur: 2.31 GAA, .900 SV%, 42-17-11
Jose Theodore: 2.56 GAA, .900 SV%, 20-29-5
I can go on and on giving examples why both of those goalies are the most qualified (besides St. Patrick - but you gotta remember it's by his choice he's not there) and believe it or not, more qualified than yes, our beloved St. Theo. You could make an arguement for a couple changes (Belfour out, Burke in) but given the situation, we have what could arguably be called our top three goalies.
I catergorically REFUSE to place any blame on the goalie after watching (and rewatching, thanks to CBC and TSN) the pathetic play of the entire team. If Theodore had a game like that you'd be calling for Therrien's head for playing Traverse - because at least to me it seemed as though we had an entire team of Traverse's out there on Friday. Period.
Now please stop making me defend Cujo - my head might explode.
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Post by clear observer on Feb 17, 2002 11:16:43 GMT -5
TNG...I think that what most of us are saying is very similar to what you are. The blame is shared. Both players and tender were bad.
The only differences in our opionion is that we saw Cujo in a different light than you and felt that he was worse than how you may have seen him. The bottom line here is that he had a very ordinary-to-poor game for someone who is/should be Canada's best - again, similar to the rest.
Our best should be playing like our best. Period.
CO
Canada 4 Germany 0
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Post by The New Guy on Feb 17, 2002 13:16:55 GMT -5
Sorry CO, I just hate to see one guy blamed (and yes - you'll notice no one's blaming Foote (I think it was Foote) for the incredably poor defensive play on the 2 on 1 goal, or Mario Lemieux for not being on the ice period) for the mistakes of entire team. It was Ryan who said (using the cool quote button again):
Five guys have to make a mistake before the goalie even gets a chance to make one. But here, like elsewhere is a guy trying to pin the loss on one guy - one that he, as all good Canadien fans (Pam excluded) have a more than ample reason to dislike. But the fact of the matter is that most NHL starters would've fell apart Friday night and the score would've looked more like the reverse of last nights Women's hockey game.
It's easy to point fingers at certain groups of people. Coaches, goalies, managers. But not one of them did anything wrong Friday night. Breakaways stastically go in favor of the goalie. Breakaways statistically don't pit you against a superstar who knows your weaknesses (yes - goalies have weaknesses). Two on ones are statiscally in favor of goalies two. Most two on ones have a competant defender who doesn't get sucked into a move that a novice defenceman knows not to bite at. Cujo was SUPPOSED to play the puck carrier - not Foote (like I said, I think it was him)
When people start mentioning other individuals who had lousy games I'll lay off the defence of Joseph. I don't have a problem admitting he played an average game. Otherwise, I'll keep trying to protect him from unbased attacks on his abilities. Like the line "He's not a money goalie" (I'm quoting from someone here - I don't know who) - when the ONLY reason the Leafs got past the first round of the playoffs last year is because he bailed them out time and time again..
It just irks me. I'm a defenceman at heart. Protect the goalie. Something like that. The game was so full of defensive miscues that it hurt me to watch it. I cried. I swore.
But it wasn't Cujo's fault.
I hate myself now. I think I'll throw myself off a bridge. Thanks guys for making me defend him.
Later
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Post by MPLABBE on Feb 17, 2002 17:05:51 GMT -5
Man,do we love our hockey here in Canada or what? sheesh,lose a meaningless game and it seems the world just came to a crushing end.
I really didn't think Canada played as baddly as everyone said they did.They were good in the 1st and 3rd.Just terrible in the 2nd.CuJo looked like himself-sprawling everywhere to make acrobatic saves,except the pucks found ways to get in (Sundstrom goal,Jonnson goal).
I feel sorry for Germany,because they are going to feel the consequences of this game.Let's hope our boys can get back to playing Canadian hockey with forechecking,hitting,passion,intensity,fire and obviously great goaltending(go Marty!).
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The Swedes totally outplayed us, Outshone us, and outclassed us. We couldn't complete a pass to save our lives. 3 SHOTS IN THE SECOND!!!!!! 
)that Joseph has psyched himself out over these Olympics, and will be a basketcase the rest of the tourney 
