[Moogle]

It's true for any World Calibre tourney though, there's always the easy games against countries like Belarus, Germany, Italy, etc. And the tough games like the Czechs, the Ruskies, the US (sometimes) and the Swedes or the Finns.

[QBC]

Canada is just that good, they have been that way since they started in those really funny pink uniforms they had in the first years. The rules make them go for blood and don't fault any team for playing their best. It would be far more humiliating for the other teams for Canada to slack off and piss around.

[bootlegga]

Wullu Wullu:

They call what the Canadian women's hockey team is doing sport? I realise that it is a total goals tournament, but 12-0 against Russia and humuliating the home team 16-0 was an absolute disgrace. Does this team realy think they need to run the score board to make it to the finals? Every player and coach on this so caled "team" ought to be totally and completely ashamed of themselve. I know I am disgusted with them. Never thought I would say this but I hope they get their butts kicked.

Were you outraged when the US team won by 11-0 over Germany and 12-1 over China in Salt Lake City? Are you disgusted when Italy blows the Canadian soccer team out of the water? It's not our fault we're ranked #1 and they're ranked in the double digits. It's the Olympic format that stinks. By basing the home ice on GF, it means teams will run up scores to try and get it.

It's the reason I don't care for women's hockey is the lopsided scores. There is the USA and Canada, then several notches down the ladder is everyone else. Hopefully, the teams will balance out in a decade or so, and the sport will be far more enjoyable to watch.

[Wullu]

I feel absolutely ZERO shame for typing what I did. This is and has always been a two team tourney and as far as I am concerned has no business being in the games at all. Any team winning 16-0 and 12-0 to ensure home ice in the finals is not playing a sport, they just humiliating the opposistion. In no way sport in what used to be a great showcase of amateur sport.

[bootlegga]

Wullu Wullu:

Any team winning 16-0 and 12-0 to ensure home ice in the finals is not playing a sport, they just humiliating the opposistion. In no way sport in what used to be a great showcase of amateur sport.

So I'm guessing you must also be outraged at the Swedish team, they beat Italy 11-0.

I'm not defending what the Canadians did, but rather pointing out that Italy has a REALLY bad team...

[Wullu]

bootlegga bootlegga:

Wullu Wullu:

Any team winning 16-0 and 12-0 to ensure home ice in the finals is not playing a sport, they just humiliating the opposistion. In no way sport in what used to be a great showcase of amateur sport.

So I'm guessing you must also be outraged at the Swedish team, they beat Italy 11-0.

I'm not defending what the Canadians did, but rather pointing out that Italy has a REALLY bad team...

Yup..any team that humiliates the opposistion to have the last line change is not playing a sport. I guess good sportsmanship has gone the way of the dodo.

[Blue_Nose]

I know what you mean, Wullu, but the alternative is to slack off and just play around with the other team until the clock runs out... if I were on the losing team, I would find that more insulting than anything.

Best thing to do would be to put the weakest line out as much as possible, but it's hard to ask them to not play their best in the olympics.

It's tough - something needs to be rectified such that that situation doesn't occur. Matchups shouldn't be so one sided to begin with, I think.

[2Cdo]

Wullu have you ever played hockey? I ask this because I played for over 30 years, various levels and have been on the wrong side of a lop-sided game a few times. I would find it much more humiliating to lose 4 or 5 nothing to a team that coasted for 2 periods than a team that played their "A" game for the full 60 minutes!

As far as good sportsmanship goes, womens hockey is probably the most sportsmanlike game at these Olympics! To say that you are ashamed is honestly, a gross over-reaction! Don't hate the players, hate the rules. This kind of brow-beating, thinking of anything to bring down our players is a distinctly Canadian fault. Do I wish the games were a little closer, of course, but to wish defeat for the Canadian team is ridiculous!

I fully expect after the women win gold, you will not revel in their accomplishment, but to take the opportunity to call them down again!

[Wullu]

Only if they run up the score yet again. There is absolutely ZERO excuse to humiliate an opponent.

[2Cdo]

Are we having comprehension problems today, it is FAR more humiliating to lose to a team that coasts then to lose to a team that keeps playing! I can't make it any clearer, have you ever played and lost badly? Yes it sucks, but it sucks a LOT more when the other team starts coasting and hot-dogging!

[bossdog]

$1:

TURIN (Reuters) - The coach of Canada's women's ice hockey team said on Sunday she had received angry e-mails following their record 16-0 win over Italy in the Olympic tournament opener.

The thrashing in front of a large crowd at the Palasport Olimpico on Saturday went into the record books as the worst beating in women's Olympic ice hockey history, leading some to accuse Canada of running up the score against the hopelessly mis-matched Italians.

Canadian coach Melody Davidson, however, defended her team explaining that in Olympic competition goal differential could figure into any tie-breaking procedure.

"I received a few of those (e-mails) myself last night," said Davidson. "Regardless of the score, this is the Olympics.

"These girls have worked hard to be here and we would take things away from our team and our opponents and everybody involved if we didn't compete as hard as we could and if we didn't do everything we could to put us where we want to be."

After the game members of the Italian team accepted defeat graciously and had nothing but praise for Canada.

The e-mails had little impact on Canada, as the defending gold medallists continued their scoring rampage on Sunday routing Russia 12-0.

Source

[canucker]

Hockey is a competitive sport. There would be no benefit to Canada or Italy if Canada slacked off just for the sake of not making Italy look bad. They would look bad regardless because it's not a sport that takes priority in Italy like it does here in Canada.

[2Cdo]

[dgthe3]

Canada has the biggest talent pool to pull from from womens hockey. Most countries have less than 1000 female players, we have around 60 000. Italy was not in our league, literaly. There's the the top league, then another one, then there's where the Italians play. I don't think that team Canada would do well in . . . international cricket because nobody over here plays that sport.

And I know from experience that it is humiliating playing against a team that keeps the score to within 4 or 5. Even worse if they let you score a goal and then they get one 1 min later and then playing keep away for 10 min.

It isn't the athletes fault that they are the best and the rest of the world just needs to play catch up. And the rules need to be changed too. Perhaps Canada and the US shouldn't be allowed to have goalies in the pre-lim games for womens hockey? That would make it a bit closer, 20-10 maybe?

[Blue_Nose]

Wullu's just being the polite Canadian that he is