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[FightyF]

Prince Vince is the fucking man.

My brother got a Vinnie Lac Team Canada jersey the day he was announced to replace Steve.

It's funny, I remember players like Vince, Smitty, and Brewer being crucified for being on the team by Calgary fans on their official website forums. Idiots. (yeah, that was well established long ago) Regher (I don't feel like spelling it right) and Iggy have done nothing and haven't added anything thus far. I'm not discounting Iggy yet...the only game that matters now is against Finland and if he shows up for that one I'm not going to complain.

 

[Alucard]

That game was too crazy. I'm happy that Mario finally scored, but felt a little embarassed for Luongo on the first and third Czech goals. He should have had those.

Go Canada Go.

 

[Kiriku]

I hope Finland wins. That means Sweden would've won too! Somehow!

And even though Finland are our bitter rivals, they're still neighbours when all is said and done...and actually pretty nice people. NO I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT

 

[Project Midway]

And even though Finland are our bitter rivals, they're still neighbours when all is said and done...and actually pretty nice people. NO I'M NOT JUST SAYING THAT

Yeah, we love you too!* Swedish people are nice and polite.













*sport competitions not included

 

[Socreges]

What about those dirty Norwegians?

 

[Gregory]

What about those dirty Norwegians?

They don`t like to talk about us considering we are much better than them in sports. Especially winter sports. But summer too. Sure we are pretty bad in hockey, but that`s because hockey isn`t all that big here unfortunately. It`s all about football here, ugh. And during winter it`s all about different ski sports.

Still, we beat Canada in the 2000 world championships.

 

[Socreges]

They don`t like to talk about us considering we are much better than them in sports. Especially winter sports. But summer too. Sure we are pretty bad in hockey, but that`s because hockey isn`t all that big here unfortunately. It`s all about football here, ugh. And during winter it`s all about different ski sports.

Though the Swedes are a fair bit better in football. The Danish, too. The Fins, I know, aren't very good.

 

[Project Midway]

Though the Swedes are a fair bit better in football. The Danish, too. The Fins, I know, aren't very good.

We are improving, slowly but steadily. We already have great players in many top european leagues, it is just matter of time before our national team also succeeds. Maybe in next 5-10 years?

Hockey is just sooooo much more popular here than football... I think Canada is the only country where hockey is loved as much.

 

[Gregory]

Though the Swedes are a fair bit better in football. The Danish, too. The Fins, I know, aren't very good.

Well, we`re pretty close I think, Sweden Denmark and Norway are all between the 25-15 best countries in Fifa`s world rankings I believe. Finland is a little more behind I think.

But if you look at the olympics, especially winter olympics, we`re much better. In Salt Lake we took 11 golds, Finland 4, Sweden 0...heh. We even took more golds than USA I think.

We also beat all the other nordic countries in Athens.

 

[Project Midway]

Well, we`re pretty close I think, Sweden Denmark and Norway are all between the 25-15 best countries in Fifa`s world rankings I believe. Finland is a little more behind I think.

But if you look at the olympics, especially winter olympics, we`re much better. In Salt Lake we took 11 golds, Finland 4, Sweden 0...heh. We even took more golds than USA I think.

We also beat all the other nordic countries in Athens.

Well this is off topic but Norway winter athletes are (in)famous for their doping usage. Finland also won shitloads of medals...but we got busted using steroids,lol. But I'm not blaming Norway...they are just better and wiser when it comes to blood doping and other steroid usage.

 

[Socreges]

Well, we`re pretty close I think, Sweden Denmark and Norway are all between the 25-15 best countries in Fifa`s world rankings I believe. Finland is a little more behind I think.

Denmark is 15th, Sweden is 22nd, and Norway is 38th. I wouldn't call that close.

Finland is 53rd.

Hockey is just sooooo much more popular here than football... I think Canada is the only country where hockey is loved as much.

Do you guys follow the NHL much? Mostly European leagues?

 

[Project Midway]

Do you guys follow the NHL much? Mostly European leagues?

I, and many of my friends follow NHL regularly. And NHL playoffs are shown in our national TV...and also some matches during the season. Of course you can see lot more games from satellite/digi channels. Every World Cup game is also shown in our national TV. I think we follow more NHL than any European league (Finnish league not included...). In sport news there's always results from NHL games, but only now and then from Swedish and Swiss leagues. Usually only if some finnish player has done hat-trick or something similar. =)

 

[Socreges]

Heh, interesting. Do you cheer for particular teams? Like, say, Montreal for Saku? Or Vancouver for Salo and Ruutu?

English is like a second language in Finland, right? I've considered visiting Scandinavia. I was wondering what Finland might be like. So just now I Google'd "Finland" in the Image search and got this. I hope that isn't commonplace?

 

[Project Midway]

Heh, interesting. Do you cheer for particular teams? Like, say, Montreal for Saku? Or Vancouver for Salo and Ruutu?

I was a Winnipeg Jets fans because Numminen and Selanne played there, but for last few years I have been cheering for Montreal. So yeah, the team has to have finnish player(s).

English is like a second language in Finland, right? I've considered visiting Scandinavia. I was wondering what Finland might be like. So just now I Google'd "Finland" in the Image search and got this. I hope that isn't commonplace?

The official second language here is swedish, but I think most of the people understand/speak english alot better.

I've considered visiting Scandinavia. I was wondering what Finland might be like. So just now I Google'd "Finland" in the Image search and got this. I hope that isn't commonplace?

lol, I think that picture is more typical for Sweden... I kid I kid!

 

[Gregory]

Denmark is 15th, Sweden is 22nd, and Norway is 38th. I wouldn't call that close.

Finland is 53rd.

Hehe, ok. Then it has changed since last time I saw it. Norway was 25th then. I hate football though so the lower the better.

 

[Kiriku]

Hockey is really big in Sweden too, but not as big as football obviously. But they are active during different times of the year, so the interest goes up and down depending on the season. But also, as with other countries, some sports grow bigger and smaller depending on the amount of international success. Or perhaps this is relative to the size of the country. I have a feeling smaller countries have a bigger need to make themselves heard in the outside world, and when there's success it becomes a big event in the same country.

 

[calder]

I was just watching my tape of the Can/Cze game and it reminded me of something I've wanted to point out all tourney long - Bob Cole is done as a play-by-play commentator. Sure I've had issues with him in the past but no one would ever argue that he calls a great game when it comes to emotion and setting the feel for the action. But this year he sounds oldoldOLD and can barely keep up with the play. I'm even giving him a bit of a free pass on the fact that he STILL can't figure out which player is which on *Team Canada* half the time, or the way he's called players by the wrong name in every single game on TV.

But now to me he's not even doing what he used to be so good at - just building/describing the emotion and bringing you into the game with his passion. He sounds like he's labouring for gods sake, if the play lasts more than 45 seconds and two important things happen he'll be out of breath for the second and just throws out what sounds like every 4th or 5th word of the sentences he's trying to say. I hope he retires this season, but he's been so prickly and stubborn about his age and declining on-air skills I think they'll probably be carting him out on a stretcher one day instead.

Harry Neal is still Harry Neal; sure he has the occasional great insight but he's soooo dependant on his hokey jokes and shoehorning his canned (and usually lame) folksy analogies into the broadcast he almost never says anything you haven't heard a thousand times before. At least unlike Bob he bascially doesn't say much anymore - unlike the really annoying younger colour commentators (don't make me mention Millen) he doesn't keep yammering on at every oppurtunity. Half the time I forget he's there... which is still a huge improvement on Millen and a few others to be sure.

 

[Mike Works]

Cuthbert: "And Kiprusoff, in a disgusting display of agression and cowardice, has sliced the inside of Mario Lemieux's leg open with an illegal stick!"

Millen: "And did you see how he kept his eye on the puck the entire time! That's incredible! Pure skill folks! I mean, wow."

 

[Socreges]

I was thinking pretty much the same thing calder. Even goals seem to catch him off guard and his calls suffer.

"HEEEE.... SCORES..."

Sounds so awkward.

Cuthbert: "And Kiprusoff, in a disgusting display of agression and cowardice, has sliced the inside of Mario Lemieux's leg open with an illegal stick!"

Millen: "And did you see how he kept his eye on the puck the entire time! That's incredible! Pure skill folks! I mean, wow."

:lol

 

[Mainline]

The CBC guys have been annoying me for a long time, but I get used to it. Anyways there is gonna be like 10 people at my friends tommorow for the finals, gonna be fun. COME ON OVER CALDER /last second invite @ 2:30 am

 

[Project Midway]

canada playing dirty?

"I don't know if the Canadians start already the mental game, but the fire alarm went on twice last night in our hotel," Summanen said with a grin. "We have little bad sleep, two o'clock and six-thirty. And somebody said there was some Canadian stuff going on there. We hope that next night we get a good sleep."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/worldcup04/columns/story?id=1880840

lol!

 

[IgeL]

Haha.

12 hours to go... and I don't know what to feel about Finland using Hagman instead of Nieminen. Tough choice. :8

 

[Crazymoogle]

canada playing dirty?

Nah, Gretzky keeps his team in line.

But Ontario hockey fans? I wouldn't put it past them for a second.

 

[Forsete]

Bah.. Plague or cholera.

But.. go Finland.

 

[Project Midway]

damn, its a long day ahead for me...its now 01:50am, the game should end at around 05:00am and I'm going to work at 06:00am. :\

But....Go Finland Go!

 

[IgeL]

Indeed. Going to be a tough game, though... Canada seems mighty. :8

 

[Kiriku]

Go Finland! *highfives Project Midway*

Will be an interesting game to see...time for Canada to be ScandinaviOWNED!! Canada are favorites though, so I'm not expecting Finland to win. But there is hope!

 

[DopeyFish]

CBC needs to hire Joe Bowen fulltime. no questions asked.

 

[calder]

I'm a bit nervous. I remember joking with System Shark back in December or January about having to play against Kipper in the World Cup. Damn!

I just wish we were playing the US, because to be 100% honest I was sure Canada would just tune the US up like nobody's business in a Final game.

 

[calder]

CBC needs to hire Joe Bowen fulltime. no questions asked.

Ugh, his maniacal laughter is enough to have me against the idea. And doing Leafs TV for so long it's only natural that he's somewhat biased toward the Leafs so... oh wait that's not a problem for CBC. Hah Bowen is actually no more pro-Leafs than most CBC/Sportsnet hockey commentators, which is pretty sad really.


Oh oh, scariest anthem singer EVER. How this guy doesn't have a hundred websites paying him homage is beyond me.

Oh man, Sass Jordan. I'd be ok with scary dude doing O Canada too.

 

[Project Midway]

terrible singers for national anthems...

 

[Malakhov]

ROYAL fuckup for the national anthems, where was the french part?

You're so gonna hear about this.

 

[Project Midway]

holy shit....

Nice goal.

 

[calder]

MARIO BEAR MY CHILDREN PLZ K THNX.

 

[DopeyFish]

!!!

 

[Malakhov]

Mario is still a god.

 

[nultse]

Damn. that didn´t take long. Not looking good

 

[calder]

Mario should get 2 assists for that, one for the play at the blueline and one for that fucking INSANE pass.

Nice shot by Joe to score, but damn that play was all about Mario.

EDIT: I have to bust out my favourite Salt Lake Oly pic for that goal.

 

[Memles]

I turn on the TV, the game comes on, they score. It's like...wow.

 

[Project Midway]

Mario is on fire.

 

[Malakhov]

1-1 :O

 

[calder]

Haha, brutal i started to panic when i saw guys out there way too long, and they just fell apart in their end when 3 guys failed to get it out and instead tried to figure out what position they were playing.

 

[IgeL]

Ha! At least we Finns broke Brodeur's magic early on, that's good.

 

[Mike Works]

ROYAL fuckup for the national anthems, where was the french part?

You're so gonna hear about this.

I thought they only did this in Montreal? I know they never do it in Vancouver, not even when we're playing the Habs.

 

[Malakhov]

I thought they only did this in Montreal? I know they never do it in Vancouver, not even when we're playing the Habs.

They sang the song in english and french in toronto up to tonight's game. Kinda sucks a bit with so many players from Quebec on the team

 

[Malakhov]

I don't know why but I have a feeling Kipper is gonna steal this thing tonight.

 

[Boogie]

I don't know why but I have a feeling Kipper is gonna steal this thing tonight.

What's this? Koopa pessimistic about an important hockey game? SHOCK AND AWE

 

[Malakhov]

Very good proposition by Burke on CBC about the CBA.

What's this? Koopa pessimistic about an important hockey game? SHOCK AND AWE

Shh, it's part of my curse.

 

[The Bookerman]

Can somebody say goal?

 

[IgeL]

That was beautiful. Go Ruutu!

Edit: This is a rather boring game otherwise... but I guess that's a testament to the defensive play style both teams seem to use.