XXI Olympic Winter Games

[DEAD!]

Why isn't basketball at the winter olympics?

Uhm, it's a summer sport... it's not played on ice or snow...

Except it kind of is a kind of a winter sport. It's played inside for a reason, it was created as an indoor alternative for the YMCA during the winter months. Also consider tha the NBA season runs parallel to the NHL season.

Basketball will be at the winter olmypics when they start playing on ice or snow. Imagine a drive down the lane and doing a double toe-loop to the hoop. Whoohoo! A gold in the 500m short-track.

[crashcarson15]

Why isn't basketball at the winter olympics?

Uhm, it's a summer sport... it's not played on ice or snow...

Except it kind of is a kind of a winter sport. It's played inside for a reason, it was created as an indoor alternative for the YMCA during the winter months. Also consider tha the NBA season runs parallel to the NHL season.

Oh yeah, as a little kid I always used to wonder that - that said, I like to think of a sport of being summer/winter as to when it's played the most recreationally. I've found that I play basketball more in the summer even though I play High School Basketball.

To me, winter sport = snow, ice. Summer sport = everything else.

I think the IOC has it right.

[IceCap]

Why isn't basketball at the winter olympics?

Uhm, it's a summer sport... it's not played on ice or snow...

Except it kind of is a kind of a winter sport. It's played inside for a reason, it was created as an indoor alternative for the YMCA during the winter months. Also consider tha the NBA season runs parallel to the NHL season.

Oh yeah, as a little kid I always used to wonder that - that said, I like to think of a sport of being summer/winter as to when it's played the most recreationally. I've found that I play basketball more in the summer even though I play High School Basketball.

To me, winter sport = snow, ice. Summer sport = everything else.

I think the IOC has it right.

True, an event that lacked ice or snow in the Winter Olympics would look out of place. I guess I'm saying I wouldn't mind it either way. I'm fine the way it is, but if they moved it to the Winter games I wouldn't mind.

Also, 3-0 Canada

[STL FANATIC]

It makes sense to keep it in the summer since they can justify it. The NHL would no doubt rather have hockey during the summer, but you just can't justify that.

(Although the players may well prefer to have their summer off.)

Canada looking strong through 2. Still not out of reach for Slovokia, but it'd take some kinda turn around.

[burgundy]

Canada kicked some ass tonight in short track.

[BrySmalls]

Canada 3 | Slovakia 2.

[lordsketor]

uh-oh.... now 3-2 Canada

[BrySmalls]

uh-oh.... now 3-2 Canada

And that's the final! Slovakia woke up with 10 minutes to play. Way too little, too late.

Time for the | rematch

[IceCap]

As an American, I'm actually quite scared to see our team possibly face the Canadians. What comes around goes around; I think we'll get killed. But in all honesty, I don't even think the US will get past the Fins... A bronze medal would still be more than was expected though.

I think Canada will lose to Slovakia.

1. I'm expecting Canada to not fully be in this game, at least in the first period. The Canadians had all summer and fall looking forward to playing Russia (though, in the Gold Medal game, not the quarterfinals). Now that they crushed them, just about everyone is expecting Canada to waltz into the Gold Medal game. Emotion only takes you so far. How often do we see a team play a let-down game right after winning a rivalry/big game? Slovakia isn't as much of a rival to Canada as the US and Russia are.

2. Slovakia's a very good team. They beat Russia as well, and held them to 1 goal in the process. Their roster is full of guys that went 5-0 in pool play just four years ago.

Not so much, eh?

I'll tell you where you went wrong. You pegged Canada's success against Germany and Russia squarely on emotion, that they were just riding a wave of emotion following that loss to the US. You neglected the fact that Canada's just a very talented team. A talented team that maybe took a little longer to gel then predicted, but a very talented team none the less.

Anyway I'm looking forward to this US-Canada Gold Medal game. Should be a great game either way. Go Canada!

[Don]

Slovakia sure did come back after the crowd started chanting WE WANT USA! WE WANT USA! Demitra and Hossa missed 2 empty nets just begging them to put the puck in. Sad really. They had a chance to win the biggest game in their country's history. They did themselves proud.

[Breakwood]

Slovakia sure did come back after the crowd started chanting WE WANT USA! WE WANT USA! Demitra and Hossa missed 2 empty nets just begging them to put the puck in. Sad really. They had a chance to win the biggest game in their country's history. They did themselves proud.

Demitra was robbed by Luongo!

[STL FANATIC]

Crazy finish to that game. Slovakia almost stole (well forced OT) that one at the end. I thought that last chance was going in.

Canada appears to be more talented (but do they just have more veterans?) and they have home ice, but if you take into account everything we've witnessed in the past week plus, how could you possibly name a favorite?

It's shaped up to be a great game. Canada's going to want it badly, and the United States are not going to be intimidated one bit. I can't wait!

[Korbyn]

Canada is currently owning the Top of the Podium with 10 Gold medals, with a legitimate shot at grabbing two more Gold medals.

*edit* Is Sunday afternoon here yet?

[NEW.ERA]

I think when we look back this will be the most successful Winter Olympics Canada's competed in. So what if we don't get 30 Medals still a great two weeks I don't want it ever to end.

And props to the Hamelin brothers they got their wish to be on the Top of the Podium. Canada dominated that relay I don't think they ever got passed.

[ElwoodCuse]

MSNBC got duped by a prank caller claiming to be Ryan Miller during an interview earlier that day

What did he say? "STERN RULES!" or something else?

[lordsketor]

MSNBC got duped by a prank caller claiming to be Ryan Miller during an interview earlier that day

What did he say? "STERN RULES!" or something else?

The prankster caller was posing as Ryan Miller and got all overconfident that the US was going to win and knew Slovakia was going to lose all that, then 40 min later they broke in to Hardball to conduct the interview with the real Ryan Miller. The real one had no hard feeling to MSNBC and obviously wasn't cocky at all and was quite humbling and was preparing for Sunday.

[Breakwood]

Canada is currently owning the Top of the Podium with 10 Gold medals, with a legitimate shot at grabbing three more Gold medals.

*edit* Is Sunday afternoon here yet?

Curling, Hockey and Mens team pursuit. 3 guarenteed medals.

[Breakwood]

Canada Looks to Cement Medal Lead

Own the Podium indeed

[Viper]

It makes sense to keep [basketball] in the summer since they can justify it. The NHL would no doubt rather have hockey during the summer, but you just can't justify that.

Considering how bloated the Summer Games have become (and about to get even more bloated with the addition of golf, rugby etc.), I wonder how long it will be before we start hearing talk of adding a third Games each four-year cycle for indoor sports like basketball that aren't, strictly speaking, either summer or winter sports? A huge chunk of the Summer Games sports could be moved to these new Olympics, and if they are put on during the summer months you can bet the NHL would lobby hard to have hockey moved there too.

[BBTV]

Maybe like a "team sports" olympics? Baseball, basketball, hockey, rugby, soccer, etc. could all be held there, while the regular olympics go back to the way they were originally meant to be.