You are no BEZINA fan obviously, but IMO draw too quick conclusions about everybody backing Simpson on that one.
Well, compared to what we can see in other roster threads around here, or the ****storm we had every time Krüger picked Paterlini or Della Rossa over Nüssli or another "flavour of the month" scorer, I'd say Simpson gets off pretty easily. Not that he hasn't earned it.
While I agree language arguments are stupid you can not avoid them in CH.
It has never been discussed so far (at least for as long as I can remember), and certainly doesn't need to start now.
Your appreciation of Winter Classic coverage is subjective. I enjoyed it and fans(in the French part) would not have understood TV not bringing the Bezina question, as it was in the press and internet and not only in Le Matin.
I admit I didn't watch the live coverage (I was at the game), but just quickly had a look at it when I returned home and I found the whole "we can do it too" spirit pathetic. Hockey in outdoor stadiums has been done regularly for years in many places like Sweden, the US, Germany, Bern or Zagreb in that Roman arena, and I never felt that anyone hinted that Geneva was somehow dumber than all those places and not capable to pull it off.
Regarding the Simpson interview, with Switzerland about to play in the Olympics fresh off its best performance ever, there are so many interesting questions that could have been asked that nitpicking on specific player choices feels completely out of place (and even if you want to go that route, the inclusion of Weber or the non inclusion or Gerber were bigger surprises than anything regarding Bezina). Maybe that's what the average fan wants to know, but the fact that more people care about the British royal family's whereabouts than about the situation in Syria doesn't make the Daily Mail quality journalism.
I mentionned RTS and Le Matin because they are the only medias that identify as "romand". The Bezina situation was of course covered by Tribune de Genève, as GSHC is their local team, but I assume La Liberté was more worried about Monnet or Sprunger (just a guess I admit, I haven't read that newspaper for ages).
I am not specially fan of his or of GS but he is, right now, the most complementary option on the side list.
Although he has his defensive flows(like all our defense), his physical presence is necessary in front of own goal and in corners and to get respect when it needs to.
OUR DEFENSE IS TOO SMALL: Streit,Blindenbacher,Seger,Diaz,Weber all small guys for hockey defenses. Only Vauclair 1.84,Josi 1,87 are relatively big.
The oponents are not the WC oponents, bigger and better forwards.
Unlike many posters over here, I simply don't believe that size is a hockey skill. Some players know how to use their size at their advantage (Gardner is one), but in the end being big doesn't bring much by itself and you can be an efficient defenseman even if smaller. Have a look at Du Bois' goal against Canada in 2011 (3:40 of that video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNVWnIrWQ9U ) and see how Reimer can't see the puck coming because Phaneuf can't get Rüthemann out of the crease.
If you equate size with physical play, don't forget that Switzerland has performed a lot better recently against Canada's "in your face" style of hockey than against Sweden's cerebral and mistake free system. It's no longer the team that was outmuscled out of every puck back in 2002.
Not clear to me how you can see two reconvalescents (SBISA,FURRER), and two small defenses(BLUM,GROSSMANN) before him. You could put bigger DU BOIS, I would anderstand.
Sbisa? so far 9 games. Comes from a bad Lockout season and non existant actual one. Not in shape for an Olympic tournement and moreover on big ice, not his best surface. He starts ice practice these days how can he be ready?
To go on with FURRER is a big RISK, specially that we know now of his recurrent head and neck symptoms.
I read he went to States for treatment.
Furrer (of whom by the way I'm not a big fan, I just mentioned he's not out yet) was a risk two weeks ago and that didn't stop Simpson from picking him, so I guess he won't be in a hurry to replace him. Sbisa is a special case. I agree his NHLer status made him a bit overrated and his current injury is a huge concern, but on the other hand he's still a top 8 defenseman when healthy (not to mention he's a good fit with Streit). At some point you have to ask yourself if an 80% Sbisa is worth less than a 100% Bezina.
I didn't consider Du Bois because although I like him as an NLA defenseman, after seeing him many times at the World Championship I think he reaches his limit when playing against good WC teams and would be out of place at the Olympic. He may be bigger than Grossmann, but Grossmann is a much more physical player so I don't get that argument. Blum is the one having the best season out of the three defensemen from last year's team that didn't make it, he has to be in the discussion, even though his style doesn't make him the obvious replacement for Furrer (a point I already made in my last post).
I like BLUM GROSSMANN GEERING but we need size and experience. Geneva's captain has it.
I already commented on size, and this defense has experience with Streit, Seger, Blindebacher and Vauclair. Guys like Diaz, Josi and Weber aren't exactly newcommers either.
Not sure I follow you on BEZINA'S résumé that everybody can see? The stats? the experience? He got more International games that the three above mentionned together.
I'm talking about the missed coverages, about how he is easily outskated on any lose puck, about the power play opportunitines wasted because the defense gets back into position during the time it takes him to control a pass, about the terrible passes that destroy a scoring chance or worse, creates one for the opponent.
Experience (something, again, we don't lack) alone doesn't make you a good player. His shot may be an interesting weapon on the power play, but we already have Weber as defenseman with a good shot but suspect in other aspects of the game, and others like Streit, Josi, Seger and Diaz are also good PP players without as many shortcoming.
Any idea what Hiller's mask will look like?
