Toggle sidebar

The "Gimmick" Teams Are The Best Part of WCOH

  • Xenforo Cloud will be upgrading us to version 2.3.5 on March 3rd at 12 AM GMT. This version has increased stability and fixes several bugs. We expect downtime for the duration of the update. The admin team will continue to work on existing issues, templates and upgrade all necessary available addons to minimize impact of this new version. Click Here for Updates

MNRube

Registered User
Oct 20, 2013
7,367
4,527
I think they add an element of fun we have never seen before in a best on best tournament. All due respect to Switzerland, Slovakia but they have to employ purely defensive systems to beat the best teams and it makes for poor entertainment. Every game now is must-watch TV. You have the storyline of Team Europe - the underdogs who supposedly lacked both the talent and motive to compete. Then you have everyone's favorite in Team NA, which is just like porn for hockey fans. Easily the most fun team ever assembled IMO. Big props to the NHL for taking a risk and giving us this terrific tournament.
Click to read more...
 
Glorified allstar weekend at this point.

Do they give medals in the end? The amount of cringe would be unreal.
 
Iceman said:
Still meh.
Click to expand...

I guess for me the chance to see all these young guys on one team is just a delight. I can see why Europeans, especially those outside the big 4 Euro hockey nations, would be frustrated but I think it is an awesome format. Basically the committee added two more USA/RUS caliber teams to the mix in place of teams who would be cannon fodder. That both teams have intriguing storylines and are showing camaraderie and pluckiness is evidence that it is working.
 
Cursed Lemon said:
So we're essentially showing that when teams are truly stressed about winning, it translates into boring hockey.
Click to expand...

I think all the teams still truly are stressed about winning. Perhaps not Europe and NA, but even then I have to think that they are itching to silence the doubters and slay the dragons that are Canada and Sweden. All of these teams have something to play for. For the 6 true national teams it is for national pride and for Europe it is show that their countries are worthy of more respect and for NA it is to prove that the new generation is better than the old guard. Perhaps others are taking it more serious from a fan perspective than I am -- I just think it is tremendously fun.
 
Anyone who thinks Team NA and Team Europe aren't playing their hearts out or don't care about this tournament is not watching the games.
 
MNRube said:
I think they add an element of fun we have never seen before in a best on best tournament. All due respect to Switzerland, Slovakia but they have to employ purely defensive systems to beat the best teams and it makes for poor entertainment. Every game now is must-watch TV. You have the storyline of Team Europe - the underdogs who supposedly lacked both the talent and motive to compete. Then you have everyone's favorite in Team NA, which is just like porn for hockey fans. Easily the most fun team ever assembled IMO. Big props to the NHL for taking a risk and giving us this terrific tournament.
Click to expand...

Maybe for people that hasnt grasp what international play is all about. It is not about what type of format create most entertainment. Why even have any real teams if entertainment is all that you care about? Why not have 8 mixed all star teams?

It is symbol of what is wrong with hockey, the more sucessfull they are the bigger the travisty becomes.
 
This tournament so far has been extremely fun to watch. The gimmick teams have added to the excitement. The pace of play has been simply incredible.

That being said, at the same time because of the gimmick teams, I could care less who wins this thing at the end of the day. It's not a true "World Cup". And it won't ever be with the gimmick teams, that's just the way it is.

But that won't prevent me from being entertained along the way.
 
^ I agree. At the core of it, sports are about entertainment and as a fan, that Team NA vs. Russia game was one of the more entertaining games I've seen. It's NOTHING at all like an all-star game.

It's different than the Stanley cup playoffs and the Olympics, which are entertaining for different reasons and the emotional attachment to teams isn't the same as it is in those tournaments. IMO, it is still very entertaining and enjoyable to watch and seeing these elite, young guys playing together is absolutely fantastic.
 
ulvvf said:
Maybe for people that hasnt grasp what international play is all about. It is not about what type of format create most entertainment. Why even have any real teams if entertainment is all that you care about? Why not have 8 mixed all star teams?

It is symbol of what is wrong with hockey, the more sucessfull they are the bigger the travisty becomes.
Click to expand...

Just curious. What do you see that is "wrong with hockey" and why this is a symbol of it?
 
ulvvf said:
Maybe for people that hasnt grasp what international play is all about. It is not about what type of format create most entertainment. Why even have any real teams if entertainment is all that you care about? Why not have 8 mixed all star teams?
Click to expand...

First time I've ever quote ulvvf to agree. It's true though. If nationality isn't important for the tournament, and the format indicates that it isn't, then might as well just go with eight random all star teams. Then some can enjoy their all star exhibition and better players like Hall and Letang can participate too.
 
ulvvf said:
Maybe for people that hasnt grasp what international play is all about. It is not about what type of format create most entertainment. Why even have any real teams if entertainment is all that you care about? Why not have 8 mixed all star teams?
Click to expand...

This is the main point.

Clearly Team Europe and Team NA care about winning in this tournament. Clearly they have increased the level of play as opposed to having two national teams taking their spots. But all of this doesn't matter. If it mattered, we could just have 8 all-star teams.

I'd rather have this tournament than nothing at all, but more than this I'd want to have a truly international tournament.

Could you imagine Soccer World cup with the best u-24 of Europe, best u-24 of Africa, best u-24 of Americas and best u-24 of Asia replacing four of the weakest teams? Would the increased level of play make the tournament better?
 
Cynics about the World Cup haven't watched much World Cup.

The pre-tourney USA vs Canada is literally some of the best hockey I've ever watched. Tonight is going to be amazing.

Team NA was a great idea. I didn't understand it at first. But what it's really doing is showing everyone how to put the best hockey show on ice.
 
BruinDust said:
This tournament so far has been extremely fun to watch. The gimmick teams have added to the excitement. The pace of play has been simply incredible.

That being said, at the same time because of the gimmick teams, I could care less who wins this thing at the end of the day. It's not a true "World Cup". And it won't ever be with the gimmick teams, that's just the way it is.

But that won't prevent me from being entertained along the way.
Click to expand...

This.

Some incredibly skilled hockey is on display here. But, as mentioned, this is a cash grab event and I just don't feel the passion that I would normally feel cheering for the Olympics or even the Spengler. I'm entertained but also don't care? Its a strange feeling.

It just doesn't sit well for me that these kids faced each other, best on best, all within a few years - then expect to band together and face their older selves? what? why?

But yes, I suppose i'm entertained.
 
Last edited:
The NA team has hampered the US team.

That in itself will be the undoing of team NA next time. The NHL will not want no US presence. You can bet they didn't think about that.

I am hoping they are both out in short order.
 
WaveRaven said:
The NA team has hampered the US team.

That in itself will be the undoing of team NA next time. The NHL will not want no US presence. You can bet they didn't think about that.

I am hoping they are both out in short order.
Click to expand...

Torts and not bringing the best players they had availible will be their undoing.
 
Is the goal of the NHL to create a tournament that "matters" to the minority of hardcore hockey loyalists or is the goal to create a wildly entertaining product which will draw a large group of casual fans (from ESPN viewership no less) as the NHL season gets ready to start? The answer should be obvious. Any casual or non-fan who watched the Russia vs. NA game last night would definitely check out another game. It was fantastic.

They have marketed and cloaked the tournament in tradition, but make no mistake that this is a market-share grab. The NHL wants to provide entertainment to a larger group of people. They want to tap into what the NBA has been able to do. This tournament was constructed to maximize watchability, not honor tradition.
 
I think it's a blast and am cheering hard for Team NA. I feel sorry for all the stick in the mud people who can't just have some fun. It's really sad.

So happy the is happening, great hockey in September is the best thing we could have asked for.
 
Gary Nylund said:
Hey dude, how's it going? You watch any games yet or do you still think your time is better spent complaining non-stop?
Click to expand...

I actually saw 10 mins of Russia vs TNA last night and the spectacle was as bizarre as I thought it would be.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom