Quote:
Originally Posted by nine_inch_fang
SLake I totally agree with your analysis of the team. Milburry(sp?) was right there with McGuire the whole time and to be honest i wouldn't mind the criticism if it was rightly placed. As you pointed out the third forward in(F3) is responsible for reading play and reacting accordingly. Unfortunately they were hammering on the defense which wasn't the problem. Part two to that is.....is Canada really that good this year or are they just a collection of selfish allstars? Do they plan on playing an all-star type game? Oddly enough it was USA's performance against Switzerland that was "proof" to what they were saying yet we know what happened a few hours later with canada.
And really to the bigger point....Why aren't we listening to American announcers instead of people like Milburry and McGuire in the first place. To me this is like put the blue jackets announcers on FSN-TN for a Preds game.....only a little worse.
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I agree that the problem was mainly the forwards not supporting the defensemen, however situations like Gleason's shorthanded pinch at the offensive blueline with two forecheckers right on him was the only one I remember Olczyk agreeing with Pierre and rightfully so.
Olczyk couldn't put it into words, but he defended Suter when on a regroup with all the forwards stuck standing still at the blue line, Suter dumped the puck deep into the corner and raced in to retrieve it successfully...that's because being the Hawks color guy, he sees Suter, Hamhuis, Klein, and even Sulzer do it all the time...it's a Predator thing and the smart decision there as well. McGuire was way off base on that criticism and I thought looked dumber when Suter cleanly got to and controlled the puck...
As for the commentating crew, it's simply based on NBC's existing contracts with their NHL Game of the Week personalities. Nothing more than that, but still...it stinks...my only hope is that with McGuire's pre-existing gig on CBC hockey coverage that he will not be a part of the MSNBC telecast Sunday for USA-Canada. I couldn't stand to have the premier Canadian homer on the US telecast...that would be like listening to Rimer call a Preds game on FS-TN!!!
One last thing, your mention of all-star teams...it's my one gut feeling about the US...they haven't all bought into the team system yet like the European teams do. I've seen it with both Canada, the US, and even Russia last night...the "star" players aren't always bearing down to make a play...a lot of extra passes and extra stickhandling trying to make plays 1 on 1. It really reminds me of Herb Brooks team selection and training philosophy leading up to the 1980 games. For years, the NHL put all-star teams up against the Soviets with no success due to the lack of chemistry, conditioning, and overall lack of a "team" concept. I look at the Canadian and US rosters and think about them only having four practices and two games under their belts when the puck drops Sunday and wonder seriously are these teams the best they can be? The answer is clearly no, but at least they are on the same footing...
It will honestly shine through when the elimination rounds come into play...whichever teams medal will be the ones that get the most players to buy into their team philosophy. Certainly talent will carry you so far, but it won't get you on the medal stand alone...
