My 2 cents on the Russians' taunting.

[Mxpunk]

What is wrong? Responding to dirty play with taunting?

2 wrongs don't make a right?

 

[Vast Ant Dioi]

Why not show some class and not knock yourself down to their level?

Man, you guys have to remember that these are kids in a high pressure, adrenalized (tm) atmosphere. You seem to want these kids to show the composure of a Joe Sakic whose had years and years of experience winning and playing in high pressure situations. For a lot of these kids, this game was the biggest of their career and you better believe they'd be excited to score a goal or win it. If they felt the Americans were being even a little chippy, given the politics of our day I'm surprised you can't understand why the Russians would showboat a bit...you're embarassing the US Empire's team right in the middle of their country.

I know it's probably hard to understand but there are people outside the US that genuinely really do not like your country and blame all the world's ills on it. Whether or not that's a legitimate belief is not a debate to be had here but it's true nonetheless; it doesn't help that Russia is your old enemy. You get into an adrenaline packed situation in front of tens of thousands of people and you score a goal, you're not going to think carefully through the situation with a "what's the most sportsmanlike action here?" kind of mentality.

Their coaches in the NHL will condition them against this kind of behavior. In time. They're 17-18-19 year's old for Christ's sake. There are grown men in the NHL that do this kind of thing from time to time (Satan's phone call against Toronto anyone?)

Mountain out of a molehill. Sheesh.

 

[Vladiator]

Could never understand some North Americans' view on hockey... The game is played by humans who have emotions, not some robots. This kind of celebration is regular in other sports. Just take football (soccer) as an example. In hockey, however, you must not try to hurt anyones feeling... Try to hurt him physically if you like (US vs Belarus), but mentally - no no. Because the opponent won't be able to sleep at night because of that...

Anyways, the final is tomorrow. I dread to think what will happen if we, Russians, win. I am sure the media and Canadians will find many excuses for Canadians to lose and many faults with the way Russians played, behaved, looked, picked their noses...

 

[Panopticon]

What are you *****ing about here? Did someone's feelings get hurt by the taunting, maybe? Do they need a feeling surgery? Does this explain the humiliating defeat?

Even if they were not given a reason to taunt in this game, you must remember this was their second match against each other, who knows what the Americans said to the Russian players after winning the first game or anywhere anytime for that matter.

And who needs a reason anyway. Taunting is just as much a part of the game as slashing and hitting players who don't have the puck and hitting goalies behind the net and all that stuff. It's not forbidden and I don't see what the big deal is. It's not like they were spitting on the Americans or anything like that or doing anything that could actually hurt them.

 

[Panopticon]

2 wrongs don't make a right?

No, but it creates a balance. Balance is important.

 

[mcphee]

I don't like taunting. I believe that in a perfect world, you respect your opponent. Larry Robinson would have never cupped his hand in front of Terry O'Reilly and it wasn't out of fear. While this was going on, I swithched over to watch my beloved NY football Giants. Some 3rd string safety got up and pounded his chest and pointed to himself when he made a tackle, a good play, but one he is paid to make. Paul McGuire observed that he wasn't pointing to himself the 3 times he was beaten earlier in the game. I hesitate to get too vocal about taunting because #1 it's generational, but #2, in North America, it gets racial. I'll admit that I don't like the culture of self promotion, but I'm not sure more than that. I like it when it's based on humor, don't like it when it's meant to show someone up. It seemed to me last night that there were no good guys. If the attitude shown by Malikn and Ovechkin is considered the norm, well I'm starting to not like the norm. If the constant diving and play acting is considered a tactic, I don't like the idea behind accepting this as acceptable. OTOH, if anyone thinks the US reaction to losing, and that's what I believe it was, was OK because of some punk going NYahh,Nyahh,Ne, Nyahh,Na, grow up. Cross checks of of faceoffs,high sticks etc., you all saw it, they lost their cool.

I would commend both teams for one thing though, they both attacked, moved the puck and played good offensive hockey. I haven't seen that in watching mainly the Canadian games because the opposition played a 1967 post expansion 4 man on the blueline trap, making any play off the rush impossible.

 

[oilers_guy_eddie]

I think that 90% of the people who are "disgusted" with it just didn't like the outcome of the game. The ESPN commentators were particularly blunt - that's because they were rooting for the convenient USA-Canada final all the way.. Remember Kovalchuk in 2001 celebrating before finishing the game off into the empty net? Then every self-respectful Canadian fan was appalled - but why? His celebration wasn't directed at anybody, it wasn't taunting, it wasn't anything that falls under your definition. The kid was just happy to win. And Canadians weren't that happy to lose.

Attrocious sportsmanship is something that doesn't seem like a big deal until it's directed at you. Like when the American golfers and their wives stampeded across the green at the Ryder Cup while the European golfer was trying to line up his shot, it wasn't inexcusable or appalling, it was just "exuberance". When swimmer Dana Torres horked a loogie into Inge De Bruijn's lane before a race at the 2000 olympics, it wasn't disgusting, it was "ooooh, she's thrown down a gauntlet!" and "showing her competitive side." Or something. According to NBC, anyway. When it's the other guy, you complain about sportsmanship and class; when it's your guy you rationalize it with talk about exuberance and competitive fire. It's low class, but it's not like it's never been seen before. The stuff the Russians did would pass for normal in an NBA game, wouldn't it?

And yes, before somebody asks, of course I'll be pissed if the Russians win the gold and taunt the Canadians afterward. I was also pissed at the end of the 2002 Grey Cup when the Alouettes players taunted the crowd after beating the home team. Go ahead and be pissed, I would be too. Just don't have a public temper-tantrum over it. Some of the members here are making themselves look as immature as the Russian players.

 

[oilers_guy_eddie]

Extra thought:

Remember when Miroslav Satan did the cell-phone thing after scoring a goal on HNIC last season?

You know who looked a little immature? Miroslav Satan.
You know who looked a whole lot immature? Craig Millen, for *****ing and crying about it in the broadcast booth.

 

[eddy]

After the American's cheapshots during the game, they almost deserved it. On the other hand, this isn't the first time Russians have done this lame taunting they did against Canada 3 years ago after winning, believe it was kovalchuck, not sure if they did it again in Halifax but there was some taunting in the Remax challenge when they beat the Q, so it's not like a 1 time thing for them theres a history of it and I think it's completly classless. Alot of the argument here form the Russian fans is that this stuff happens in all pro sports and that is true but i've followed Canada through alot of internatioal hockey tournaments and I can't recall them ever taunting the other team after a victory to rub it in there face, so it's not like it's a common thing in Hockey and every team does it like in football, it's rare in hockey and kind of disrespectful i think, but thats just me.

 

[I Hate You All*]

I wonder what he thought of their disgraceful acts tonight. He's not too found of Europeans right?

He probably shouted something at the tv about back in Boston this and Terry O'Reily that.

 

[leafaholix*]

I loved it.

 

[I Hate You All*]

If he's going to do that, he might as well go all the way, and start shaking his head frantically whenever someone tries to hit him.

That would make him...




quite possibly the greatest player ever!

 

[Rabid Ranger]

I loved it.

You would...... Seriously though, I'd probably be laughing my head off if this was Moscow and the U.S. team (Robbie Schremp perhaps?) showboated after an empty netter and played air guitar on his stick by the Russian bench.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

The US Announcers of course is going to be bias considering the Color man played for the US in the WJC and most likely they are paid on a game to game basis and if the USA Made the final they would have been on ESPN and probably made more money. So they just lost a paycheck as of right now I don't see ESPN2 covering Tuesdays Bronze Medal Game.

The Russians are also known for taking the net off as it was done 3 years ago as I remember Don Cherry complaining about it on Coachs. The Refs were bad. And the Russians are known for doing that. The Russian U20's do show no respect by their taunting.

O'Sullivan's play was careless no doubt about it. What was he doing with he stick like that he shoulda been controling his stick. He was not intenting to injure the Russian player. And like stated before the European game has a lot of diving so it's hard to say sometimes was is legitimate or not.

I wouldn't call Andy Brickley's objectivity into question here. He called a spade a spade the whole tournament.

 

[leafaholix*]

You would...... Seriously though, I'd probaly be laughing my head off if this was Moscow and the U.S. team (Robbie Schremp perhaps?) showboated after an empty netter and played air guitar on his stick by the Russian bench.

I always love it when I see hockey players gloat.

If you can't beat them in the 60 minutes, keep your mouth shut if they choose to celebrate.

 

[ceber]

Game's over. Time to be tough, IMO. Tough like this article describes:

http://overspeed.info/article.php?story=20041207232055263

 

[Chimaera]

I watched the whole game.


And I'll say this, the Americans (I'm American, and was rooting for them) did earn some of what they got. They were taking bonehead penalties, and going after the big two (AO/Malkin) more than needed. While playing physical with Malkin and Ovechkin might be a strategy, and it seemed to work somewhat (for a period or so) some of the stuff was borderline... I also know some of the other hits and penalties were a bit over the edge as well. Schremp's slash is a prime example of what the Russians could have percieved as slights and even dirty play.


I don't want to say the Americans did anything wrong with that, because, hey, roughing up on the other team's stars is just hockey, but a team is going to strike back when they feel something like that is occuring.


I thought a little bit of the Russian stuff took it too far, especially the Malkin showboat, but I don't think it got beyond anything worth talking about. I mean, teams aren't supposed to like one another, and rivalries are a good thing.

Though, Shirokov's mess is going to get old fast.

 

[Tretiak]

This argument can go on forever, but realistically, we don't know what was happening on the ice or what was being said. I watched the game on ESPN and listened to it on the FAN590 (can't stand Andy Brickley) and the commentators on the FAN590 kept saying during the last 2 minutes "that the Americans have sent on their "blue missilies" and they're all over the ice so the Russian's definately will have to keep their heads up." The Americans sent on their big hitters already down 5-2 and the game out of reach. In the last 10 minutes in the game, the US had 4 penalties - one of which was a 5 minute major, and a game misconduct. The Russians had no penalties in the 3rd.

So instead of retaliating by "Phaneufing" the USA players as some of you say, the Russians got under their skin in a smarter way - "mentally." If someone is going to slash, hack, highstick you to try to hurt you/stop you with the game already out of reach and you end up scoring, then you'll definately want to rub it into them. The US were frustrated by being the defending Champions, playing at home and having a poor tournament so you can imagine all the talk that was going on.

If you're a US fan, you hate to see it. If you're a Russian fan, you can understand why this is happening. In anycase, for those people who can't wait for Phanuef to "break heads" in the Gold medal game, be honest with yourself that he doesn't care what happened last night and that he could care less about defending the US's pride. It's a Gold Medal game and that's the most important thing right now. If he goes headhunting, Canada will be in penalty trouble and won't be a smart move for a player who's looking to win a Gold Medal.

Good luck to both teams in the final. Should be a good one.

 

[Panopticon]

You would...... Seriously though, I'd probably be laughing my head off if this was Moscow and the U.S. team (Robbie Schremp perhaps?) showboated after an empty netter and played air guitar on his stick by the Russian bench.

Nice of you to admit it.

 

[topshelf331]

How can you not root for canada now.

If the Russians want to act like arrogant jerkoffs and kick people while they are down, let them. Its within the rules, maybe not proper eticate, but it is allowed.


This is one fan who never thought he would be hoping for Canada to roll their opponent for gold this year. Light the lamp boys.

 

[LoweDown]

They had a right to act like "arrogant jerkoffs".. These guys played their heart out and were the better team... The Americans were the ones who were roughing it and playing recklessly after the game was down the gutter for them...

 

[GKJ]

And maybe it seemed like it was the coach's orders for the US players to start running the Russians early on in the game?

Were you watching the same game the rest of us were watching?


Was it the coach's orders to keep diving and flailing all over the ice when the game was 5-2 and 6-2? To taunt fans and USA Team members after scoring empty net goals? I have no respect for some of these guys, including Ovechkin and Malkin. You have to be a good winner as well as a good loser and Russia was not a good winner, they showed no class in victory, and they showed that they are just a bunch of children.

 

[Panopticon]

How can you not root for canada now.

It's easy. Just do it.

 

[Panopticon]

they showed that they are just a bunch of children.

Children who humiliated adults or children who humiliated other children?

 

[TBJF]

This argument can go on forever, but realistically, we don't know what was happening on the ice or what was being said.

Absolutely true, and an important point.

So instead of retaliating by "Phaneufing" the USA players as some of you say, the Russians got under their skin in a smarter way - "mentally." ..

Nothing personal, but this is a really lame rationalization. There's nothing smart about it. If you believe the Canadian team won't be thinking about not being mocked, you're wrong. They may not admit it, but it will be there. Not that they need any additional motivation.

Class is class and sportsmanship is sportsmanship, regardless of circumstance. I've pretty-much stopped watching the NFL because of all the showboating and crap, I despise it in the NHL (and have little use for Kovalev), and it horrifies me to see it happening in an Under-20 tournament. As a U.S. fan, I would have been deeply embarassed had Kessel or Fritsche done any such thing.

The double minor against Callahan looked like a good call. I agree things got ugly at the end, and the U.S. bears responsibility for that. (Note: I resist the temptation to turn your argument around and say "Callahan was just responding to being taunted?" Because class is class ....)