GDT: Russia - USA 8:38PM ET

[RangerBoy]

So in how many years will Ovechkin and Malkin be applying for their American citizenship joining the other Russians playing in the NHL

 

[Dominus]

Hockey is one of the last sports where sportsmanship and respect are still in "the code".

That's a nice thought, but do you really believe it? Ask a fan of any sport, be it soccer, boxing, chess or scuba diving, and they'll say the same thing about their sport. Actually, I just don't see hockey as an especially gentlemanly sport. Very often agitators and taunters are one the most popular and respected players of their teams. Opposition fans obviously hate them. If there ever was some sportmanship and respect "in the code", why would we even allow this kind of player type to exist? Because it's entertaining.

Hockey is physical, sometimes even brutal game and there are lot of emotions involved. So what if some star player occasionally gets so pissed off he steps over the line. Somebody compared Ovechkin and Malkin to Gretzky and Sakic. Why? Why compare them to Lady Byng Trophy winners? Of course Gretzky and Sakic are gentlemen. Why not compare them to someone like Nolan, Bertuzzi or Tkaczuk? Or is it so that Russian players aren't allowed to be a-holes? Is it too much to handle? Should all of them just be nice and quiet?

 

[Zine]

Give it a rest everybody. These are still just immature kids.
If the Russians and Americans are doing this at 27 then you have a point.

BTW, anybody see how classless Gretzky was in that clip ESPN showed of him.
He was playing in a WJC and had just scored. He then proceeded to sucker punch the unsuspecting D-man he had just undressed right in the face - a totally gutless and disrepectful act. The puck was in the net and the guy had given up on the play, and Gretz just belts him to add insult to injury.

Even the most sportsman like players can be young and stupid.

 

[Mothra]

I'm not too sure if using a Domi reference is a good defense of the Russians' actions.

I wasnt defending anyone....just pointing out this guy doesnt watch much hockey if he has "never seen" stuff like that

 

[ZombieMatt]

I'm sorry, but it shouldn't be condoned. I no longer watch the NFL because of the ridiculous showboating, the trash talking, the spiking of balls and dancing when somebody makes a five-yard first down. It's ridiculous and sends a terrible message to children.

It sends a terrible message to children?

I'm sorry, I just don't understand this mentality.

 

[Mothra]

ESPN is no big fan of hockey so us U.S. fans are lucky we got this many games. Why is that a problem though? And I HIGHLY doubt the guys doing the game said what you said they did. Give me a break.

Well you can "HIGHLY doubt" it all you want...it is what was said......at the time they were showing the all time medal standings and how Russia was on top...they then said they hoped Russia didnt win gold this year.....

and I among the US fans for the record.....born and raised

 

[GKJ]

Well you can "HIGHLY doubt" it all you want...it is what was said......at the time they were showing the all time medal standings and how Russia was on top...they then said they hoped Russia didnt win gold this year.....

and I among the US fans for the record.....born and raised

Does it matter? They were piss poor commentators anyways.

 

[Mothra]

Sweet, they won a hockey game. Great. Terrific. I accept that, but I don't accept disrespect to my country, which is exactly what happened at the end of that game. Yea, they can mock and taunt all they want but they should have had a beating delivered to them before leaving the arena.

So Ovechkin and Malkin are sick at hockey, whats your point? They still aren't cool. Let's see them try and take an accounting exam or play me in Beirut. It's a skill, just like juggling. It doesn't give them a free pass to insult a home crowd and get away with it.

How is it disrespecting your country (and mine BTW)? I just dont get that....its a hockey game. You have no idea what was said between those players during the game....the last game...and in other tournys. I have seen this stuff in hockey games before (Barnaby skating by the Caps bench comes to mind)....is it right? Well...I know I wouldnt do it....but I also know that when my team loses I keep my mouth shut....just like winning with class...there is losing with class.....neither team did that last night IMO....but it wasnt a big deal to me

 

[Mothra]

Does it matter? They were piss poor commentators anyways.

It does matter when someone says something like "even the commentators said so" and I point out they were very biased....then someone comes back saying they (the commentators) didnt say what they indeed said

 

[triggrman]

I wasnt defending anyone....just pointing out this guy doesnt watch much hockey if he has "never seen" stuff like that

I'm sorry maybe you didn't read the part about the players and the coaches taunting the fans. I've seen individual players do it, I've even seen small groups do it.

I've never seen a team including the coaches do it.

And yes I remember Bowman and Crawford jaw jacking but they were trash talking each other not the fans.

 

[Panopticon]

And yes I remember Bowman and Crawford jaw jacking but they were trash talking each other not the fans.

Knowing American fans, or pretty much any sports fanatics, they deserved it.

 

[triggrman]

I actually expect this from you

 

[Macman]

It sends a terrible message to children?

I'm sorry, I just don't understand this mentality.

Kids imitate their idols. You see them taunting each other now in minor sports to an extent that never used to happen. Where do you think they learned it?

 

[Geki]

It sends a terrible message to children?

I'm sorry, I just don't understand this mentality.

You don't understand how unsportsman-like conduct during a sporting event is a bad message to send to kids? I weep for the future.

 

[Macman]

You don't understand how unsportsman-like conduct during a sporting event is a bad message to send to kids? I weep for the future.

Thank you.

 

[Panopticon]

You don't understand how unsportsman-like conduct during a sporting event is a bad message to send to kids? I weep for the future.

Kids imitate their idols. You see them taunting each other now in minor sports to an extent that never used to happen. Where do you think they learned it?

And yet, no one complains about the ugly cross checks, high sticks, slashings etc. Even though that is a much worse thing for the kids to imitate. :lol


Americans...

 

[Geki]

And yet, no one complains about the ugly cross checks, high sticks, slashings etc. Even though that is a much worse thing for the kids to imitate. :lol


Americans...

Euro's I find the conduct of both teams to be prime examples of unsportsman-like conduct, kid-o.

 

[tom_servo]

Here's the only thing I don't get. When the Russians were doing this during the ADT CHallenge or whatever it was called, there were at least half a dozen, maybe more, who had the "SHHHH" picture as their avatar. It seemed to me that general consensus was this was hysterical and that's what Canada deserved. Now, I don't know how those who had it as their avatar feel, but this complete 180 turnaround on the subject now that it happened to the US, IN THE US, is interesting.

Personally, I still think it's pretty entertaining. It's happened to "Canada" (albeit a poorly selected QMJHL team) and now to the US. The Russian kids have some flavour to go with their game, so what? All you have to do to do something about it is beat them.

Agreed. This has been blown out of proportion.

 

[Panopticon]

Euro's I find the conduct of both teams to be prime examples of unsportsman-like conduct, kid-o.

Yes, on the other hand, people get neck injuries, eye injuries, cuts, bruises and broken bones and on the other hand people get what? Eye infections from seeing something that disgusting? Ear infections from hearing those words of poison?

I wouldn't give a **** if the Canadians taunted the Finns after beating them 8-1, but I would get quite mad if my brother got hit like the Russians got hit last night.

 

[Geki]

Yes, on the other hand, people get neck injuries, eye injuries, cuts, bruises and broken bones and on the other hand people get what? Eye infections from seeing something that disgusting? Ear infections from hearing those words of poison?

I wouldn't give a **** if the Canadians taunted the Finns after beating them 8-1, but I would get quite mad if my brother got hit like the Russians got hit last night.

Dude just quit. BOTH things are a huge black eye on the game. Whether people get hurt or not. Stop trying to act like the conduct of the Russians was excusable because the US team is "rough"... those hits slashes and whacks went both ways in that game and both teams were disgraceful in that regard. There's no explaining it away, it was an ugly game made even uglier by immature taunting, lack of self control and self respect.

Taunting, showboating, diving, feigning injuries and the like are just as bad for the game as the lack of discipline on the ice. Both make the game look like a joke. There's no two ways about it, taunting is no better than a two-hander across the back of the knee, they're both unacceptable. Anyone that plays like that (taunts OR lacks physical self control) is NOT playing the team sport of hockey, they're individuals. Hockey is not an never was an individual sport. It takes class to avoid doing either. We saw last night that neither team played with much class.

 

[Panopticon]

Dude just quit.

Fine, I'll quit. But only because this is getting nowhere. I honestly just don't see how gloating or showboating is bad for the sport, not to mention AS bad as those other things mentioned.

With kids it's more of a problem because they can give and take it personally, I agree, but at this level it's just entertaining and kids won't be kids forever. You can't honestly blame anyone but the parents if the kids turn psycho because someone gloated at their soccer game.

 

[Dominus]

Anyone that plays like that (taunts OR lacks physical self control) is NOT playing the team sport of hockey, they're individuals. Hockey is not an never was an individual sport. It takes class to avoid doing either. We saw last night that neither team played with much class.

Since you ignored (or didn't see) my last posting, I'll bring this up again because I'm really interested to hear your opinions on this matter.

Very often agitators are one the most popular and respected players of their teams. They are trying to take opponents star players off of their game. And not just by checking and hitting, but by taunting. What is your take on this issue? (If you think this trash talking should be removed all together, then I understand everything you say.)

 

[Geki]

Since you ignored (or didn't see) my last posting, I'll bring this up again because I'm really interested to hear your opinions on this matter.

Very often agitators are one the most popular and respected players of their teams. They are trying to take opponents star players off of their game. And not just by checking and hitting, but by taunting. What is your take on this issue? (If you think this trash talking should be removed all together, then I understand everything you say.)

Sorry I missed it. I would disagree that agitators are some of the most popular and respected players on their teams, most are only accepted because the team feels obligated to support team members ("yeah, I don't like how he plays but at least he's doing it for us"). Guys like Domi, Nash (Tyson), Barnaby in my opinion are worthless to the game. I am of the school that taunting and the like should be penalized as unsportsman-like conduct because it's exactly what it is.

In all honesty I think the league is afraid to to officially put a penalty on the issue because of the success of the NBA and NFL. I'd hate to see the league move in that direction... it's the reason I stopped watching them (NFL, NBA).

I guess (obviously on this board as well) there are some that find those kind of attitudes entertaining. I just think it detracts from the sport, especially in a team sense.

 

[David]

I honestly just don't see how gloating or showboating is bad for the sport,

I think that this is the problem right here.

 

[Panopticon]

I think that this is the problem right here.

Why? I just don't understand how something that does not hurt anyone and has some entertainment value could be a bad thing. Feel free to enlighten me, but please don't say that it's bad because the kids are influenced, because then I would just be asking why it's a bad thing that the kids do it.