A difference of perspective: How Europeans value Olympic medals

[psycho_dad*]

They don't all want it just as bad. Are you saying you know about how Canadian players feel than I do?

Neither of us know how they think, apart from what they are willing to share in interviews.

To think otherwise would be extremely arrogant. You read minds? I sure as hell don't.

Everyone hurts after losing a semi, everyone also says they still want to win the bronze because it's better than nothing.

To suggest that you have some sort of comparable knowledge about the mindset of each countries players is just ridiculous. They are all professional athletes and there to represent their countries. Feeling down after losing a semi is not a valid excuse to anyone, and if someone did feel like they did not care, then they deserve to lose. It is nothing but an excuse.

 

[psycho_dad*]

I understand that Finns are very proud of these victories but anyone who thinks that the USA and Canada's letdown from not meeting their own and their fans expectations in the SF and Finland's stronger desire to win the bronze weren't major factors in those victories is just not being honest with themselves.

Who is proud of the victories? No, we're not any more proud about winning the bronze than the US would be. It's better than 4th, worse than 2nd....that's all it is. It's a chance to end on a win and get a medal, it does not bring any celebrations to the streets.

All you have is this crazy idea that you know how people think, and you base your opinions on this false assumption.

You can call it whatever, desire to win or mental strength. If an athlete is mentally stronger than the opponent, they often take it yeah. Is that supposed to excuse the weaker opponent? Because they did not have what it takes to compete, they lost? Well boohoo, that's what happens in sports. So you're saying Finns are mentally stronger, have more pride and deal better with disappointments. Sounds like a winner to me.

 

[psycho_dad*]

Two reasons. The Finns don't care nearly as much about the WC as the OG and the US squad has so many players decline to participate that those players left aren't expected to win gold and thus don't see playing for bronze as a defeat in the same way that their Olympic teams do.

More excuses.

"But...but....THAT TIME they cared, when they lose they didn't care"

So every time americans win, they cared enough. When they lose, they didn't care. There's never a situation where they just lose because they were worse than their opponent.

I'll try your logic for a size:

I know how USA players think, they could have beaten Canada to a pulp in the semis, but they did not care because they know they are superior anyway. It's not about winning the medal, it's about knowing who the real champions are. They did not care in the gold medal game in Vancouver, and they did not care in the semis in Sochi. USA is the REAL gold medalist of both games, but they knew it, we know it....so why care to show off and actually take them when you're already from the greatest country in the world, the only place where people have any sort of freedom.

 

[An Argument For]

It's funny that the USA doesn't care about Bronze.

They're the only country in the world who counts medal totals and doesn't rank Gold at the Olympics. In the US, if you win 2 gold and 5 bronze NBC is going to put you on top of the medal table, ahead of a country that wins 6 Gold. This gold or nothing argument has been applied specifically to hockey apparently.

 

[Jussi]

Two reasons. The Finns don't care nearly as much about the WC as the OG and the US squad has so many players decline to participate that those players left aren't expected to win gold and thus don't see playing for bronze as a defeat in the same way that their Olympic teams do.

Yes we do. The teams just wasn't good enough in the medal rounds. Don't forget that we only had two NHL player in Korpikoski and Granlund (without whom that game wouldn't have gone into Ot in the first place). Our KHL players were useless in the medal rounds and against the US.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

http://espn.go.com/oly/winter/2014/...-kane-says-sochi-olympics-step-back-us-hockey

Kane thought the disappointment of the close loss to Canada may have led to the struggles against Finland.

"We had a tough game against Canada," Kane said. "It's tough to come back after a loss like that, to come back and play the next night. Obviously we knew it was for a bronze medal. I think our thoughts going into [the tournament] was kind of gold or nothing. When you get that ripped away from you, and you still have a chance to play for a medal, it's still tough.
"We were playing against a team like Finland, who probably appreciate those bronze medals a little bit more than we could. It would have been nice to bring it home, but it obviously didn't work out that way. But I still thought we had a good tournament and proved ourselves that we're a good hockey country."




USA fans suggested that's where the player's minds were....and were killed for it. Truth hurts sometimes.

 

[cbcwpg]

There is a reason why teams like Finland care more about getting a bronze ( when having to play in that game ) than teams like Canada. The problem is no one wants to state the obvious reason.

 

[powerstuck]

I think all this comes from the base.

In Europe, every sport has some kind of link between the leagues thru relegation.

In North America, there is the BIG league and then there is the little unimportant lolfail **** leagues that come after.

In Europe, one league you can play in the first tier and the next year go to 2nd division...so you work your ass more than ever to be even 10th if the 11th spot is relegated.

In North America, once your chances are off the playoffs, you tank so hard so you get a better draft choice.

 

[psycho_dad*]

http://espn.go.com/oly/winter/2014/...-kane-says-sochi-olympics-step-back-us-hockey

Kane thought the disappointment of the close loss to Canada may have led to the struggles against Finland.

"We had a tough game against Canada," Kane said. "It's tough to come back after a loss like that, to come back and play the next night. Obviously we knew it was for a bronze medal. I think our thoughts going into [the tournament] was kind of gold or nothing. When you get that ripped away from you, and you still have a chance to play for a medal, it's still tough.
"We were playing against a team like Finland, who probably appreciate those bronze medals a little bit more than we could. It would have been nice to bring it home, but it obviously didn't work out that way. But I still thought we had a good tournament and proved ourselves that we're a good hockey country."

USA fans suggested that's where the player's minds were....and were killed for it. Truth hurts sometimes.

It's the same thing for Finland, they went there to get gold and lost in the semis. Finland has a much better reason to expect to get the gold, they are the easily more successful team in the best on best olympics than USA. So why would USA be more disappointed than a team that has been knocking on the door of that success more often? It's like Switzerland saying "well maybe Finland wanted it more, we just coasted around because it's gold or nothing for us".

Losers always have excuses, it doesn't matter if they were mentally weaker going into the game, that just means they were not as good as Finland. Mental strength and ability to leave it all out there is what separates the winners from losers.

Anyone can say after the game "we just didn't try", that does NOT take anything away from the winning team, it just degrades your own team because they did not have what it takes. It's nothing but an excuse, and that particular excuse makes them look especially bad because it's an admission of loser mentality. "We didn't get our way, so we folded under pressure".


Here are the SAD long faces of disappointed USA players who won the bronze medal game against Finland in the wprld championships:

You can sense the devastation, and the not caring.

"In the bronze-medal game, Montreal's Alex Galchenyuk scored consecutive goals in the shootout for the Americans.

"After I scored the first one, I was pretty confident and I wanted to go at it one more time," Galchenyuk said. "We (coach Joe Sacco and Galchenyuk) kind of looked at each other, and I was like: 'I want to go,' and I'm happy that he let me. When you win a game for your country ... it's unbelievable. It's probably the happiest I've been in my life so far."

Nashville's Craig Smith and Colorado's Paul Stastny had first-period goals.

"It feels great," St. Louis forward T.J. Oshie said. "This is my fourth time playing for Team USA, and I hadn't gotten a medal. Obviously, we wanted it to be gold, but that's not going to take any excitement away from winning this."

John Gibson, a 19-year-old goalie for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, made 36 saves.

"At the end there, Gibson was outstanding," Sacco said. "We had only two days of preparation for this tournament and I thought our young group did a really good job. I told them after the game that the most impressive thing was ... how we came together as a group."

Gibson, from Pittsburgh, was drafted 39th overall by Anaheim in 2011.

"I don't know," Gibson said when asked about his future. "We're just going to enjoy this for a bit and see what happens."

 

[cryssarn]

http://espn.go.com/oly/winter/2014/...-kane-says-sochi-olympics-step-back-us-hockey

Kane thought the disappointment of the close loss to Canada may have led to the struggles against Finland.

"We had a tough game against Canada," Kane said. "It's tough to come back after a loss like that, to come back and play the next night. Obviously we knew it was for a bronze medal. I think our thoughts going into [the tournament] was kind of gold or nothing. When you get that ripped away from you, and you still have a chance to play for a medal, it's still tough.
"We were playing against a team like Finland, who probably appreciate those bronze medals a little bit more than we could. It would have been nice to bring it home, but it obviously didn't work out that way. But I still thought we had a good tournament and proved ourselves that we're a good hockey country."




USA fans suggested that's where the player's minds were....and were killed for it. Truth hurts sometimes.

It's funny how much you know about the mentality of the Finnish players and people.....

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It's the same thing for Finland, they went there to get gold and lost in the semis. Finland has a much better reason to expect to get the gold, they are the easily more successful team in the best on best olympics than USA. So why would USA be more disappointed than a team that has been knocking on the door of that success more often? It's like Switzerland saying "well maybe Finland wanted it more, we just coasted around because it's gold or nothing for us".

Losers always have excuses, it doesn't matter if they were mentally weaker going into the game, that just means they were not as good as Finland. Mental strength and ability to leave it all out there is what separates the winners from losers.

Anyone can say after the game "we just didn't try", that does NOT take anything away from the winning team, it just degrades your own team because they did not have what it takes. It's nothing but an excuse, and that particular excuse makes them look especially bad because it's an admission of loser mentality. "We didn't get our way, so we folded under pressure".

It's human nature. Too many Finnish posters upset as if this taints their 3rd place award. They tried until they got behind, then they tanked...pretty apparent.

I bet most of them would have rather been on a plane home rather than playing at that point. Anyway, just wanted to throw out a key player's response on the subject since so many suggested the fans were wrong in saying the players had a "gold or nothing" mentality and weren't "up" for the bronze game.

As I've said all along, Finland was better for a day. Enjoy the medal. You earned it.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It's funny how much you know about the mentality of the Finnish players and people.....

It's NOT funny (in fact kind of sad) that you can't see that those words weren't mine.


I made no comments on Finnish players or people in that post.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It's the same thing for Finland, they went there to get gold and lost in the semis. Finland has a much better reason to expect to get the gold, they are the easily more successful team in the best on best olympics than USA. So why would USA be more disappointed than a team that has been knocking on the door of that success more often? It's like Switzerland saying "well maybe Finland wanted it more, we just coasted around because it's gold or nothing for us".

Losers always have excuses, it doesn't matter if they were mentally weaker going into the game, that just means they were not as good as Finland. Mental strength and ability to leave it all out there is what separates the winners from losers.

Anyone can say after the game "we just didn't try", that does NOT take anything away from the winning team, it just degrades your own team because they did not have what it takes. It's nothing but an excuse, and that particular excuse makes them look especially bad because it's an admission of loser mentality. "We didn't get our way, so we folded under pressure".


Here are the SAD long faces of disappointed USA players who won the bronze medal game against Finland in the wprld championships:

You can sense the devastation, and the not caring.

"In the bronze-medal game, Montreal's Alex Galchenyuk scored consecutive goals in the shootout for the Americans.

"After I scored the first one, I was pretty confident and I wanted to go at it one more time," Galchenyuk said. "We (coach Joe Sacco and Galchenyuk) kind of looked at each other, and I was like: 'I want to go,' and I'm happy that he let me. When you win a game for your country ... it's unbelievable. It's probably the happiest I've been in my life so far."

Nashville's Craig Smith and Colorado's Paul Stastny had first-period goals.

"It feels great," St. Louis forward T.J. Oshie said. "This is my fourth time playing for Team USA, and I hadn't gotten a medal. Obviously, we wanted it to be gold, but that's not going to take any excitement away from winning this."

John Gibson, a 19-year-old goalie for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, made 36 saves.

"At the end there, Gibson was outstanding," Sacco said. "We had only two days of preparation for this tournament and I thought our young group did a really good job. I told them after the game that the most impressive thing was ... how we came together as a group."

Gibson, from Pittsburgh, was drafted 39th overall by Anaheim in 2011.

"I don't know," Gibson said when asked about his future. "We're just going to enjoy this for a bit and see what happens."

NOBODY in the US cares about the World Championships. You could post similar pics from any NHL team golf outing and see the same celebration after a nice shot. Seriously, it means zero with regards to the Olympics.

Like 370 people total in the US even knows when the World Championships are even played.

 

[cryssarn]

It's NOT funny (in fact kind of sad) that you can't see that those words weren't mine.


I made no comments on Finnish players or people in that post.

Well, Kane implied that Finland don't want the gold as much as they do....and that's total rubbish. Now I understood that you used that quote of his to prove your point that USA don't care at all about bronze, but it means the world to Finland. If that was a missunderstanding on my part, then I'm sorry

 

[cryssarn]

NOBODY in the US cares about the World Championships. You could post similar pics from any NHL team golf outing and see the same celebration after a nice shot. Seriously, it means zero with regards to the Olympics.

Like 370 people total in the US even knows when the World Championships are even played.

But when Finland show equal emotions in the Olympics, it means the world to them?

 

[WarriorofTime]

It's funny that the USA doesn't care about Bronze.

They're the only country in the world who counts medal totals and doesn't rank Gold at the Olympics. In the US, if you win 2 gold and 5 bronze NBC is going to put you on top of the medal table, ahead of a country that wins 6 Gold. This gold or nothing argument has been applied specifically to hockey apparently.

Make up your mind. Do bronze medals matter or not?

 

[Lempo]

But when Finland show equal emotions in the Olympics, it means the world to them?

Weeell this time around we have to admit there was certain added importance to it.

 

[An Argument For]

Make up your mind. Do bronze medals matter or not?

To me? Not really.

To the US of A. Yes. The IOC and every country in the world ranks the olympic standings based on a gold first.

It's the US however, 2 Gold and 2 Bronze is better than 3 Gold. They're only country in the world that ranks medal count. But apparently they don't care about Bronze in hockey? Why is that this sport, which they have had mediocre internation success, is the only sport they think a medal = medal = medal?

http://www.sochi2014.com/en/medal-standings

 

[WarriorofTime]

To me? Not really.

To the US of A. Yes. The IOC and every country in the world ranks the olympic standings based on a gold first.

It's the US however, 2 Gold and 2 Bronze is better than 3 Gold. They're only country in the world that ranks medal count. But apparently they don't care about Bronze in hockey? Why is that this sport, which they have had mediocre internation success, is the only sport they think a medal = medal = medal?

http://www.sochi2014.com/en/medal-standings

Maybe USA isn't a monolithic block of 300 million people. It could be that a bronze medal is meaningful to bobsledders but much less so to NHL Hockey Players.

 

[Cawz]

http://espn.go.com/oly/winter/2014/...-kane-says-sochi-olympics-step-back-us-hockey

Kane thought the disappointment of the close loss to Canada may have led to the struggles against Finland.

"We had a tough game against Canada," Kane said. "It's tough to come back after a loss like that, to come back and play the next night. Obviously we knew it was for a bronze medal. I think our thoughts going into [the tournament] was kind of gold or nothing. When you get that ripped away from you, and you still have a chance to play for a medal, it's still tough.
"We were playing against a team like Finland, who probably appreciate those bronze medals a little bit more than we could. It would have been nice to bring it home, but it obviously didn't work out that way. But I still thought we had a good tournament and proved ourselves that we're a good hockey country."




USA fans suggested that's where the player's minds were....and were killed for it. Truth hurts sometimes.

Good quote. Basically says what we are trying to explain.

This gold or nothing argument has been applied specifically to hockey apparently.

To hockey and to basketball as well in the summer Olympics. To a bobsledder who doesnt have a multi-million dollar career, its a different mindset. This shouldnt be that difficult to understand.

 

[cryssarn]

Good quote. Basically says what we are trying to explain.
To hockey and to basketball as well in the summer Olympics. To a bobsledder who doesnt have a multi-million dollar career, its a different mindset. This shouldnt be that difficult to understand.

So the picture from 2013 is fake? Oshie & Co seemed pretty happy for a bronze in a tournament that is not very important.
And you STILL have NO idea how the mentality of Swedish/Finnish players are. As I have said before....no celebrations over here.

 

[An Argument For]

Good quote. Basically says what we are trying to explain.

How is it possible that if one player says he can't get up for a game it becomes a fact that you are willing to extrapolate across the entire team.. but another guy on the same team says he was happy to win a bronze at a lesser championship that is not taken into consideration?

The confirmation bias in this thread is mind-blowing.

 

[psycho_dad*]

NOBODY in the US cares about the World Championships. You could post similar pics from any NHL team golf outing and see the same celebration after a nice shot. Seriously, it means zero with regards to the Olympics.

Like 370 people total in the US even knows when the World Championships are even played.

It seems that the players do, and even in a second rate tournament they were extremely happy to win the bronze and some called it the happiest they have been. By the way, some of these happy bronze medalists were part of the team that lost the bronze medal game last week....

But hey, THIS TIME they did not care about it, even though this bronze is much bigger than the world championships bronze. Makes PERFECT SENSE!



At the end of this video you can see their non caring reactions and utter depression over having to take this burden of a medal.

 

[psycho_dad*]

The confirmation bias in this thread is mind-blowing.

Oh yes, it's actually so strong, it's playing out like a comedy

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

But when Finland show equal emotions in the Olympics, it means the world to them?

I mean I suspect the USA players would have been celebrating if they won the bronze too.

I don't really care to argue the value of a bronze. Clearly it means something, it's a great accomplishment. I'm simply posting player comments to support the notion that US posters got crapped on for suggesting, that it was a "gold or nothing" mentality and they weren't up for the bronze game at all. Now it comes straight from a USA player's mouth. Bash away.