Everyone should cheer for Team Europe @ the World Cup

[spacemanatee]

i cheer for team europe cuz i feel so bad for them. they don't give a flying **** about all this and no one gives a flying **** about them either.
they look embarrassed on the ice cuz somehow they're the 'bad guys' of the tourny. as i said, i just feel bad for them. go team europe!

 

[Phil McKraken]

I guess I'm just not a nationalist so I really don't care that Team Europe isn't a country or whatever. "My country's team won the Hockey World Cup - it's the proudest day of my life," said no one ever.

That's easy to say when you're from a big country like USA, Russia or Germany, because you always have a thousand other things to shift to if one thing fails. Imagine if USA had 5 million citizens and no one talked about it ever - you would feel incredibly proud to win the World Cup.

 

[Choralone]

I don't know who would want to team up with Russia though. For most of the European countries there's no real connection. And for nations like Belarus and Latvia who has a history within the Soviet Union, I don't think they like Russia very much. At least not Latvia.

Yeah, forcing Team Ukraine to play with Team Russia would be politically awkward as well....

Sorry Russia - maybe Kazakhstan will team up with you.

People also have to know how their hockey stands. Combining teams does not tell you anything about level of hockey in Norway.

Yeah, I can see the argument for this. The Olympics only happens once every 4 years, so I can see why interspersing it with the World Cup - nation-to-nation - helps a country benchmark it's hockey program. I imagine youth tournaments are where a lot of this kind of evaluation is done, too.

That's easy to say when you're from a big country like USA, Russia or Germany, because you always have a thousand other things to shift to if one thing fails. Imagine if USA had 5 million citizens and no one talked about it ever - you would feel incredibly proud to win the World Cup.

If that's the case, I wouldn't want to take that feeling away. It's the balancing act I suppose - how do we give meaningful representation to countries without including an unwieldy number of teams, yet (ideally) get representation from star players whose home countries don't make the cut?

 

[Choralone]

double post - oops

 

[Ilovemymum]

i cheer for team europe cuz i feel so bad for them. they don't give a flying **** about all this and no one gives a flying **** about them either.
they look embarrassed on the ice cuz somehow they're the 'bad guys' of the tourny. as i said, i just feel bad for them. go team europe!

I am ill in bed and was actually planning see Sweden vs Europe, just to find out that it is aired 7 pm, which means when people sleep in Europe. North America on the other hand is playing a comfortable (in Europe) 7:30, but an uncomfortable (North American-time) 3:30.

I get the impression that the NHL is trying to keep this sport a North American secret. And it is working.

 

[Jon Riley]

how do we give meaningful representation to countries without including an unwieldy number of teams, yet (ideally) get representation from star players whose home countries don't make the cut?

I don't think you can. Either you give a meaningful representation to countries without including an unwieldy number of teams and lose some star players OR you give a meaningful representation to countries, you get representation from all the star players, but then you have an unwieldy number of teams.
The only way around is to just forget about all this "countries" thing and just go for some real best-on-best ice hockey tournament, that includes all the best players divided accordingly to another criterion than their provenance.
Fortunately that tournament already exist and is going to start soon, mid october circa. It's goin to be lovely.

 

[Ilovemymum]

I don't think you can. Either you give a meaningful representation to countries without including an unwieldy number of teams and lose some star players OR you give a meaningful representation to countries, you get representation from all the star players, but then you have an unwieldy number of teams.
The only way around is to just forget about all this "countries" thing and just go for some real best-on-best ice hockey tournament, that includes all the best players divided accordingly to another criterion than their provenance.
Fortunately that tournament already exist and is going to start soon, mid october circa. It's goin to be lovely.

I think Europeans would be happy with two short pre-qualification groups amongst the best of the rest, according to IIHF ranking. Two winning teams could replace NA & Europe. Switerland, Slovakia might as well beat Europe. But that would maybe not be a 100 % NHLers though.

Would get more attention in Europe (I think).

 

[Scotty B]

I think Europeans would be happy with two short pre-qualification groups amongst the best of the rest, according to IIHF ranking. Two winning teams could replace NA & Europe. Switerland, Slovakia might as well beat Europe. But that would maybe not be a 100 % NHLers though.

Would get more attention in Europe (I think).

There's nothing to say it needs to be all NHLers.

P.S.:YG team has been a joy to watch. Team Europe not so much...

 

[Jon Riley]

I think Europeans would be happy with two short pre-qualification groups amongst the best of the rest, according to IIHF ranking. Two winning teams could replace NA & Europe. Switerland, Slovakia might as well beat Europe. But that would maybe not be a 100 % NHLers though.

Would get more attention in Europe (I think).

Cannot speak for all the europeans, but for sure I would.
I have never claimed that Switzerland should have an automatic spot to the world cup but I would like to have the possibility of seing some qualification process, specially if this is supposed to replace the olympics.
Actually I think that no country should have a guaranteed spot, of course Canada or Sweden would easily qualify for it even sending their D team, but still they should make that effort.
And for sure the tournament would get more attention (specially because less attention is something that is frankly impossible to reach).

 

[Xokkeu]

A lot of people there doesnt (maybe because they dont want to, like the far right Finns...), though its still no problem to get around lets say Helsinki with Swedish only, enough people can speak Swedish still. But it maybe is dying out a bit? The Swedish culture and language in Finland that is.

I'm sure the deep parts of Karelia don't, but just about everyone on the coast or with a decent education seemed to. Only in the most deep backwaters did I find Finns who only spoke Finnish.

Either way, was mostly a joke.

 

[Xokkeu]

Yeah, forcing Team Ukraine to play with Team Russia would be politically awkward as well....

Sorry Russia - maybe Kazakhstan will team up with you.




Yeah, I can see the argument for this. The Olympics only happens once every 4 years, so I can see why interspersing it with the World Cup - nation-to-nation - helps a country benchmark it's hockey program. I imagine youth tournaments are where a lot of this kind of evaluation is done, too.




If that's the case, I wouldn't want to take that feeling away. It's the balancing act I suppose - how do we give meaningful representation to countries without including an unwieldy number of teams, yet (ideally) get representation from star players whose home countries don't make the cut?

Sometimes good players just are unlucky in that matter. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is never going to win the World Cup with Sweden, I'm not sure he's even been there. Even Cristiano Ronaldo looked a bit cursed to be Portugese until recently. I have always liked Anze Kopitar since he saw him play for Slovenia at 16, but I don't think you need to revamp international competitive norms just for him.

 

[Xokkeu]

I don't know. I work for an American company and my colleagues (both genders) are pretty competitive whenever my home country happens to play theirs in whatever sport.

But then again that's probably a different crowd than the ones watching NFL on TV.

Americans abroad tend to get more into the international sports scene. Tends to go hand in hand with a different outlook in seeing the world beyond our borders.

 

[Hot Water Bottle]

I'd choose to play for the Congo because, according to the fossil record, we all came out of there a couple of million years ago anyway.

 

[Scrub*]

Want Europe to win so we have to hear 10+ anthems after the win.

 

[Ben Matlock]

Hoping the European players are so pissed off their respective country didn't get a chance to take part that it turns them into the most motivated team in the tournament. Even a semi-final appearance would be glorious.

 

[Jablkon]

Yeah, I can see the argument for this. The Olympics only happens once every 4 years, so I can see why interspersing it with the World Cup - nation-to-nation - helps a country benchmark it's hockey program. I imagine youth tournaments are where a lot of this kind of evaluation is done, too.


It is even more crucial for our players considering that situation in CZ hockey. OUr young guys mostly develope later either because of bad delopment system or because they are simply not good enough when they are 18. Then they get a chance in national team, make the step up in their 22 and possibly get NHL/AHL contract through this way. But they have to get the possibility to play on that level. WHC is great possibility for it, not the WC as the best of best though. Still there is Faksa, Hertl, Pastrnak, Mrazek in Cz team who wouldnt probably make the regional or continental team. 91 Czechoslovak team on CC was full of youngsters. They just got experiences to be better later. Why not....

 

[Caps8112]

Maybe I missed it but I dont get all the hate. Its extra hockey and can actually watch it at a reasonable time.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Really happy to see Team Europe get it together, impressive win last night! I've read a number of posts saying how they will have no motivation because they're team is not a National team and therefore they won't be giving their full effort etc. I wonder if some of those sceptics are having second thoughts now? I figured all along that if you're a pro, you play hard and if you weren't going to give it full effort, you'd stay home instead. So far it looks like I'm right. I still don't like their chances too much in this thing but you never know.

 

[Stubu]

As a Swede, I'd feel more at home in Canada than I would in Finland. I know that without ever having been in Canada. That's nothing against Finland, it's just a situation of being fluent in English and only knowing how to say "hi", "one", "two", "****" and "****" in Finnish.

Why wouldn't you speak English then? Everyone does. And lots of people live here who know about that much Finnish, doing just fine. Just saying language is not a problem. We're all a little international nowadays.

 

[TheBigThree]

I'm definitely cheering for Europe.

 

[Elvs]

Really happy to see Team Europe get it together, impressive win last night! I've read a number of posts saying how they will have no motivation because they're team is not a National team and therefore they won't be giving their full effort etc. I wonder if some of those sceptics are having second thoughts now? I figured all along that if you're a pro, you play hard and if you weren't going to give it full effort, you'd stay home instead. So far it looks like I'm right. I still don't like their chances too much in this thing but you never know.

Sweden went into that game on one skate. I don't know where Team Europe's motivation will come from, but it's not from the crest they are wearing or because they are "representing" Europe. No matter how many North Americans keeps thinking it should mean something.

I'm not expecting them to leave Halak completely out to dry, and guys like Ehrhoff and Seidenberg at least have contracts to play for. But the desperation shown by Canada and USA in their exhibition games against eachother, it's gonna take that and more to go anywhere in this tournament. Will Team Europe go those lenghts? I don't think so but we'll find out.

No matter how Team Europe or Team North America plays in this tournament, I'm still against mixing fantasy teams with national teams. I'm still against Canada and USA not being able to pick whichever players they want. I'm still against north americans being given a 2nd "national team" to root for. And I'm still against the NHL crapping over Europe.

There's already three players (to my knowledge) on Team Europe on record saying this isn't the same thing as representing their country. The top motivational factor of playing in an international tournament should be to represent your country and try to help it win something.

Why wouldn't you speak English then? Everyone does. And lots of people live here who know about that much Finnish, doing just fine. Just saying language is not a problem. We're all a little international nowadays.

You're missing the point I know it's no problem to get by with English in Finland. But in Canada one would be surrounded by English everywhere (except parts of Quebec I suppose), making me feel more "at home".

 

[Kranix]

They should have also included an "all-goalies team", made up of 20 NHL goalies playing out, with the goalie pulled for a 6th man at all times.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Sweden went into that game on one skate. I don't know where Team Europe's motivation will come from, but it's not from the crest they are wearing or because they are "representing" Europe. No matter how many North Americans keeps thinking it should mean something.

I'm not expecting them to leave Halak completely out to dry, and guys like Ehrhoff and Seidenberg at least have contracts to play for. But the desperation shown by Canada and USA in their exhibition games against eachother, it's gonna take that and more to go anywhere in this tournament. Will Team Europe go those lenghts? I don't think so but we'll find out.

No matter how Team Europe or Team North America plays in this tournament, I'm still against mixing fantasy teams with national teams. I'm still against Canada and USA not being able to pick whichever players they want. I'm still against north americans being given a 2nd "national team" to root for. And I'm still against the NHL crapping over Europe.

There's already three players (to my knowledge) on Team Europe on record saying this isn't the same thing as representing their country. The top motivational factor of playing in an international tournament should be to represent your country and try to help it win something.

You're missing the point I know it's no problem to get by with English in Finland. But in Canada one would be surrounded by English everywhere (except parts of Quebec I suppose), making me feel more "at home".

There's your problem right there - just because you don't understand what their motivation is, doesn't mean they're not motivated.

So many people were saying that Team Europe and Team NA had no motivation, haven't heard much about NA lately, seems like their sceptics were silenced since the first game they played. Team Europe took a huge step towards silencing their sceptics last night as they showed they deserve to be taken seriously. Make all the excuses you want for Team Sweden but they got crushed.

 

[FuriousSenator]

For me it's not even a matter of why would I, the simple fact is that I never could and I can't understand people who would (assuming they're Canadian of course). They can rationalize their thinking until they're blue in the face, to me they're nothing but traitors.

I see it this way - you want to cheer for the opposing team? Good for you. Cross over to the other side then and don't ever come back.

I bet my life you're the type of Canadian who slams the CFL and calls it garbage while adoring some NFL team from Tennessee or elsewhere.

Patriotism and "Canada or death" only seems to apply in hockey for you people. Once that's over it's back to cheering for American athletes/teams/leagues. Heh even the Raptors. It's a joke to call that team 'Canadian'.

 

[Elvs]

There's your problem right there - just because you don't understand what their motivation is, doesn't mean they're not motivated.

So many people were saying that Team Europe and Team NA had no motivation, haven't heard much about NA lately, seems like their sceptics were silenced since the first game they played. Team Europe took a huge step towards silencing their sceptics last night as they showed they deserve to be taken seriously. Make all the excuses you want for Team Sweden but they got crushed.

Haha, unlike most people here I always thought Europe had a decent team on paper. No matter what their motivation is, it should be playing for your NATIONAL team in an INTERNATIONAL event. I don't see why you think it's so odd when I think so, when all sports in all history agrees with me. You don't mix fantasy teams with national teams...

My main problem with the gimmick teams was never motivation to begin with. They are gimmick teams no matter how they play. Just as Team Sweden would be a gimmick team if you put them in the NHL.

This question has been asked by multiple people, but I don't think anyone answered it yet. Anyone in favour of Team Europe and the U23 team, just for the sake of having as many big names in a tournament as possible, would you also be in favour of The Western Conference Leftover and The Eastern Conference Leftovers?

In the NHL, 7 teams from each conference makes the postseason. Then there's this extra team of leftofers, both in the West and in the East, that gets to "draft loan" players from the team missing the playoffs, as long as they just stay within the salary cap?

It would be better cus we'd get to see players who otherwise wouldn't make it. It's not like the 8th seed teams would have a chance of winning a best of seven in the SC finals anyways.