I don't think that Canadian players regard it as unimportant at all. Whenever Canada loses a semi the players invariably say that they have to regroup and get up for the bronze game. Nor do I think the players give less than their best effort to do so. The problem is that the inbred expectation, both amongst them and amongst the fans, is to win gold or at least play for the gold. On any occasion when they are "knocked out" in the semi (and they do tend to regard it has having been knocked out of the tournament at that point), they are simply unable to mentally get up for the bronze game, try as they might, and their performance lacks the intensity required to win at this level. I think that is a huge failing of the Canadian mindset and programme, and one that ought to be addressed in a formal way as part of the programme. I am disappointed when a Canadian team fails to compete in any game and have the necessary mental fire to do what it takes to win, and our dismal record in bronze medal games makes us look arrogant and spoiled. All one has to do is to look at the dismal performance of the US team in the bronze medal match against Finland; I am embarrassed for the Americans and I am sure they are ashamed of their performance, and should be. All I have to do is to look at the jubilation of individual Canadian athletes at winning bronze in these Olympics, from Denny Morrison to Charle Cournoyer to Mark McMorris, and the agony of defeat for those who finished fourth, to know how important winning a medal is to Canadian athletes in general and how much out of sync the hockey players are.
Spot on
