The Official GMHockey 2010 Winter Olympics Thread - All Talk Here!

wprager wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Dash wrote:I think there's only two gold medals Canadian fans care for - Men's and women's hockey. Sad but true. Would be nice to see Canada take home the most medals but it just doesn't happen.

What an ignorant comment. Speak for yourself. Maybe YOU don't care but many of us care very much.

Canada is a real threat to win the total medal standings. We were only 3 medals off the lead in Turin, and that's before the government decided to finally support these athletes. And yet, it's still not the same support that other nations receive.

I'd rather watch amateur sport like this then watch the millionaires in the NHL. I'm going for Canada to win hockey gold, but I'd be just as excited if they were "amateurs" rather than the pros.

Well, the women are amateurs. And I believe when the men's team dons the re/white maple leaf they are playing for their country, not their paycheck.

hemlock wrote:

wprager wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Dash wrote:I think there's only two gold medals Canadian fans care for - Men's and women's hockey. Sad but true. Would be nice to see Canada take home the most medals but it just doesn't happen.

What an ignorant comment. Speak for yourself. Maybe YOU don't care but many of us care very much.

Canada is a real threat to win the total medal standings. We were only 3 medals off the lead in Turin, and that's before the government decided to finally support these athletes. And yet, it's still not the same support that other nations receive.

I'd rather watch amateur sport like this then watch the millionaires in the NHL. I'm going for Canada to win hockey gold, but I'd be just as excited if they were "amateurs" rather than the pros.

Well, the women are amateurs. And I believe when the men's team dons the re/white maple leaf they are playing for their country, not their paycheck.

What does that have to do with the points I made? I clearly said I'm cheering for Team Canada, but would be just as excited if it were still "amateurs".

hemlock wrote:

wprager wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Dash wrote:I think there's only two gold medals Canadian fans care for - Men's and women's hockey. Sad but true. Would be nice to see Canada take home the most medals but it just doesn't happen.

What an ignorant comment. Speak for yourself. Maybe YOU don't care but many of us care very much.

Canada is a real threat to win the total medal standings. We were only 3 medals off the lead in Turin, and that's before the government decided to finally support these athletes. And yet, it's still not the same support that other nations receive.

I'd rather watch amateur sport like this then watch the millionaires in the NHL. I'm going for Canada to win hockey gold, but I'd be just as excited if they were "amateurs" rather than the pros.

Take it easy. Maybe we are just vehemently agreeing.

Well, the women are amateurs. And I believe when the men's team dons the re/white maple leaf they are playing for their country, not their paycheck.

What does that have to do with the points I made? I clearly said I'm cheering for Team Canada, but would be just as excited if it were still "amateurs".

sens4win wrote:

hemlock wrote:

wprager wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Dash wrote:I think there's only two gold medals Canadian fans care for - Men's and women's hockey. Sad but true. Would be nice to see Canada take home the most medals but it just doesn't happen.

What an ignorant comment. Speak for yourself. Maybe YOU don't care but many of us care very much.

Canada is a real threat to win the total medal standings. We were only 3 medals off the lead in Turin, and that's before the government decided to finally support these athletes. And yet, it's still not the same support that other nations receive.

I'd rather watch amateur sport like this then watch the millionaires in the NHL. I'm going for Canada to win hockey gold, but I'd be just as excited if they were "amateurs" rather than the pros.

Well, the women are amateurs. And I believe when the men's team dons the re/white maple leaf they are playing for their country, not their paycheck.

What does that have to do with the points I made? I clearly said I'm cheering for Team Canada, but would be just as excited if it were still "amateurs".

im with Hemlock i watch every event cheering the red and white on i even watched some of the figure skating today.

wprager wrote:

sens4win wrote:

hemlock wrote:

wprager wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Dash wrote:I think there's only two gold medals Canadian fans care for - Men's and women's hockey. Sad but true. Would be nice to see Canada take home the most medals but it just doesn't happen.

What an ignorant comment. Speak for yourself. Maybe YOU don't care but many of us care very much.

Canada is a real threat to win the total medal standings. We were only 3 medals off the lead in Turin, and that's before the government decided to finally support these athletes. And yet, it's still not the same support that other nations receive.

I'd rather watch amateur sport like this then watch the millionaires in the NHL. I'm going for Canada to win hockey gold, but I'd be just as excited if they were "amateurs" rather than the pros.

Well, the women are amateurs. And I believe when the men's team dons the re/white maple leaf they are playing for their country, not their paycheck.

What does that have to do with the points I made? I clearly said I'm cheering for Team Canada, but would be just as excited if it were still "amateurs".

im with Hemlock i watch every event cheering the red and white on i even watched some of the figure skating today.

Figure Skating or Ice Dancing? If they don;t throw, I don't show.

wprager wrote:

sens4win wrote:

hemlock wrote:

wprager wrote:

hemlock wrote:

Dash wrote:I think there's only two gold medals Canadian fans care for - Men's and women's hockey. Sad but true. Would be nice to see Canada take home the most medals but it just doesn't happen.

What an ignorant comment. Speak for yourself. Maybe YOU don't care but many of us care very much.

Canada is a real threat to win the total medal standings. We were only 3 medals off the lead in Turin, and that's before the government decided to finally support these athletes. And yet, it's still not the same support that other nations receive.

I'd rather watch amateur sport like this then watch the millionaires in the NHL. I'm going for Canada to win hockey gold, but I'd be just as excited if they were "amateurs" rather than the pros.

Well, the women are amateurs. And I believe when the men's team dons the re/white maple leaf they are playing for their country, not their paycheck.

What does that have to do with the points I made? I clearly said I'm cheering for Team Canada, but would be just as excited if it were still "amateurs".

im with Hemlock i watch every event cheering the red and white on i even watched some of the figure skating today.

Figure Skating or Ice Dancing? If they don;t throw, I don't show.

Dash wrote:I think there's only two gold medals Canadian fans care for - Men's and women's hockey. Sad but true. Would be nice to see Canada take home the most medals but it just doesn't happen.

Dash wrote:How was it an ignorant comment? It was a generalization and probably true. Is it safe to assume that Hockey is deemed as Canada's sport? And would it be safe to assume that the sport that gains the most attention and media reporting is hockey?

And I believe I said it would be nice to see Canada win the most medals which means I want Canada as a whole to win, not just hockey. But you know that if Canada's Men's Hockey team doesn't win gold, it will be talked about more than the medal totals, right?

PKC wrote:

Dash wrote:How was it an ignorant comment? It was a generalization and probably true. Is it safe to assume that Hockey is deemed as Canada's sport? And would it be safe to assume that the sport that gains the most attention and media reporting is hockey?

And I believe I said it would be nice to see Canada win the most medals which means I want Canada as a whole to win, not just hockey. But you know that if Canada's Men's Hockey team doesn't win gold, it will be talked about more than the medal totals, right?

Not quite. Hockey has already been surpassed by soccer as the most played sport in the country. Approximately 3x more kids sign up for soccer teams in their youth than hockey, and that number is rising astronomically.

So, while yes, there is a certain pride associated with hockey in this country and people (including the most casual of citizens) rooting for Canada to win Olympic gold in both mens' and womens' the fact is that there are other sports that are getting massively popular and have already surpassed the popularity of "Canada's game."

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

PKC wrote:

Dash wrote:How was it an ignorant comment? It was a generalization and probably true. Is it safe to assume that Hockey is deemed as Canada's sport? And would it be safe to assume that the sport that gains the most attention and media reporting is hockey?

And I believe I said it would be nice to see Canada win the most medals which means I want Canada as a whole to win, not just hockey. But you know that if Canada's Men's Hockey team doesn't win gold, it will be talked about more than the medal totals, right?

Not quite. Hockey has already been surpassed by soccer as the most played sport in the country. Approximately 3x more kids sign up for soccer teams in their youth than hockey, and that number is rising astronomically.

So, while yes, there is a certain pride associated with hockey in this country and people (including the most casual of citizens) rooting for Canada to win Olympic gold in both mens' and womens' the fact is that there are other sports that are getting massively popular and have already surpassed the popularity of "Canada's game."

When Soccer coverage over takes Hockey coverage in Canada then I'll be on board with your assertion that "Canada's game" has been surpassed in popularity.

There's a reason Hockey still gets top billing in terms of TV coverage in Canada and there's more to it than just numbers of people playing the game.

PKC wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

PKC wrote:

Dash wrote:How was it an ignorant comment? It was a generalization and probably true. Is it safe to assume that Hockey is deemed as Canada's sport? And would it be safe to assume that the sport that gains the most attention and media reporting is hockey?

And I believe I said it would be nice to see Canada win the most medals which means I want Canada as a whole to win, not just hockey. But you know that if Canada's Men's Hockey team doesn't win gold, it will be talked about more than the medal totals, right?

Not quite. Hockey has already been surpassed by soccer as the most played sport in the country. Approximately 3x more kids sign up for soccer teams in their youth than hockey, and that number is rising astronomically.

So, while yes, there is a certain pride associated with hockey in this country and people (including the most casual of citizens) rooting for Canada to win Olympic gold in both mens' and womens' the fact is that there are other sports that are getting massively popular and have already surpassed the popularity of "Canada's game."

When Soccer coverage over takes Hockey coverage in Canada then I'll be on board with your assertion that "Canada's game" has been surpassed in popularity.

There's a reason Hockey still gets top billing in terms of TV coverage in Canada and there's more to it than just numbers of people playing the game.

You're missing the point I'm making somehow. I said more people are playing soccer, today, in Canada than there are people playing hockey. That's a fact. How does that relate at all to TV coverage?

I guess I should make my argument more valid using your logic by saying Toronto FC have played to sell out crowds since their first home game making them easily more popular than the Leafs, Blue Jays and Raptors who don't always sell out their games.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

PKC wrote:

Cap'n Clutch wrote:

PKC wrote:

Dash wrote:How was it an ignorant comment? It was a generalization and probably true. Is it safe to assume that Hockey is deemed as Canada's sport? And would it be safe to assume that the sport that gains the most attention and media reporting is hockey?

And I believe I said it would be nice to see Canada win the most medals which means I want Canada as a whole to win, not just hockey. But you know that if Canada's Men's Hockey team doesn't win gold, it will be talked about more than the medal totals, right?

Not quite. Hockey has already been surpassed by soccer as the most played sport in the country. Approximately 3x more kids sign up for soccer teams in their youth than hockey, and that number is rising astronomically.

So, while yes, there is a certain pride associated with hockey in this country and people (including the most casual of citizens) rooting for Canada to win Olympic gold in both mens' and womens' the fact is that there are other sports that are getting massively popular and have already surpassed the popularity of "Canada's game."

When Soccer coverage over takes Hockey coverage in Canada then I'll be on board with your assertion that "Canada's game" has been surpassed in popularity.

There's a reason Hockey still gets top billing in terms of TV coverage in Canada and there's more to it than just numbers of people playing the game.

You're missing the point I'm making somehow. I said more people are playing soccer, today, in Canada than there are people playing hockey. That's a fact. How does that relate at all to TV coverage?

I guess I should make my argument more valid using your logic by saying Toronto FC have played to sell out crowds since their first home game making them easily more popular than the Leafs, Blue Jays and Raptors who don't always sell out their games.

Maybe I am missing the point. You used the number of people playing Soccer vs. Hockey as your indicator that it's now exceeded Hockey in terms of popularity.

You're words - ...surpassed the popularity of "Canada's game."

I simply challenged your premise. I personally do not believe that numbers of people playing the game definitively proves that it's more popular than Hockey. There are thousand and thousands of Canadian fans that don't play Hockey but prefer it over Soccer.

I am basically saying that TV coverage is a better indicator of popularity of a sport than what you're using as an indicator.

Clearly there's something being lost in translation here.