What did Ovechkin and Malkin do?

[Epsilon]

Hockey's popularity in the states has nothing to do with a player over celebrating an empty net goal. That's not exciting. That's not worth paying $150.00 to go see.

Just like basketball's popularity has nothing to do with adding a 360 tomahawk to a wide-open dunk in the waning moments of a blowout game?

 

[Reilly311]

Think harder.

Dig deeper.

You will get it.

Oh I got it. You think this "taunting" that went on in last nights game actually made sports headlines. It didn't. The only time hockey is in the news is when something bad happens. (Bertuzzi cheapshotting people, people dying in stands, naked guy jumping over glass)

 

[Legolas]

Exactly. People ***** about hockey not getting any popularity in the US, then people ***** when things like this "taunting" happens and it draws attention to the sport in a neutral(some will say its negative, but to the casual fan, its not) way.

The taunting is actually what a lot of people DON'T like about other sports and other leagues. Taunting/showboating/whatever led to the Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons brawl, the repeated fines in the NFL for endzone celebration and sometimes bench clearing brawls in baseball. It's a slippery slope. Fans love characters...and hockey needs more of them...but take it too far and it just ends up turning people off...

As for what happened...I don't particularly have a huge problem with it. But if you're going to taunt, back it up (which they did)...but also don't be surprised and act like you're super shocked when the other team gets upset about it. Malkin and co. acted like they never did anything wrong when the US bench got upset at the end of the game....

Bottom line, a win is a win, but a classy team that wins gets more respect from me.

 

[Paxon]

Hockey's popularity in the states has nothing to do with a player over celebrating an empty net goal. That's not exciting. That's not worth paying $150.00 to go see.

People also won't pay $150 to see an empty-net goal. That is hardly the point.

 

[Reilly311]

Just like basketball's popularity has nothing to do with adding a 360 tomahawk to a wide-open dunk in the waning moments of a blowout game?

That's your comparison?? :lol


What you said is more comparable to Datsyuk making Turco look like an idiot when the game is already 5-2.

 

[Lionel Hutz]

I am no fan of taunting, but it seems to me this was kind of minor and has been blown out of proportion.

Read today that Ovechkin likes to skate down the ice and fake a shot at the opposing goalie before the game. He'll only do that in the NHL once. I don't care how smart a player he is, he won't get away with that.

 

[Berkut]

I am no fan of taunting, but it seems to me this was kind of minor and has been blown out of proportion.

Read today that Ovechkin likes to skate down the ice and fake a shot at the opposing goalie before the game. He'll only do that in the NHL once. I don't care how smart a player he is, he won't get away with that.

That's funny as hell :lol

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

Shouldn't you be watching a bunch of showboating disrespectful turds jumping into the bench and acting like morons after every goal they score?

I DARE Ovechkin or Malkin to do this against the Leafs, Blues or Flames. They will never make that mistake again.

I remember Dan Cloutier challenging the Islanders bench after beating up Tommy Salo (I think it was Salo) so don't act like it doesn't happen. Look at what all of the "pests" in the NHL do. Look at what Tie Domi used to do after he won fights, of what P.J. Stock does, and these are grown men, not teenagers.

 

[Paxon]

The taunting is actually what a lot of people DON'T like about other sports and other leagues. Taunting/showboating/whatever led to the Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons brawl, the repeated fines in the NFL for endzone celebration and sometimes bench clearing brawls in baseball. It's a slippery slope. Fans love characters...and hockey needs more of them...but take it too far and it just ends up turning people off...

As for what happened...I don't particularly have a huge problem with it. But if you're going to taunt, back it up (which they did)...but also don't be surprised and act like you're super shocked when the other team gets upset about it. Malkin and co. acted like they never did anything wrong when the US bench got upset at the end of the game....

Bottom line, a win is a win, but a classy team that wins gets more respect from me.

I don't see how you can parallel a guy throwing a cup at a player which results in a fight to celebrating a goal. Also, NFL fines are for what they consider to be overboard; they allow a whole lot. Who is to say that fan reaction causes them to make these fines, anyhow?

Sure, you put a limit on things, but hockey purists tend to get far too out-of-whack over some celebrations.

I'm not saying everyone likes celebrations, but the average sport fan is engaged by them. It can multiply their love for their favorite star or deepen their hatred for the opposing team's aggitator. Either way, the result is an involved feeling. You know, like the adage, "there is no such thing as bad publicity".

 

[Paxon]

Oh I got it. You think this "taunting" that went on in last nights game actually made sports headlines. It didn't. The only time hockey is in the news is when something bad happens. (Bertuzzi cheapshotting people, people dying in stands, naked guy jumping over glass)

Making headlines also isn't the point I intended.

 

[QuickDynamite]

I remember Dan Cloutier challenging the Islanders bench after beating up Tommy Salo (I think it was Salo) so don't act like it doesn't happen. Look at what all of the "pests" in the NHL do. Look at what Tie Domi used to do after he won fights, of what P.J. Stock does, and these are grown men, not teenagers.

Those guys will answer the bell. They won't cower and hide on the bench afterwards.

If the US were cheap shotting the Russians. The best way to get revenge is to beat them. Showboating, taunting the fans and acting like an idiot is just gonna end up with some people getting hurt.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Those guys will answer the bell. They won't cower and hide on the bench afterwards.

If the US were cheap shotting the Russians. The best way to get revenge is to beat them. Showboating, taunting the fans and acting like an idiot is just gonna end up with some people getting hurt.

You seem to be far more interested in the fights than in hockey itself. Become a boxing fan instead and you won't be missed by many here.

 

[usmhuskies]

So....something happens games ago and you feel the need to ruin a single elimination game to "get them back" by taking stupid penalties.....I can tell you this for sure....if you did do what you say...and I was your coach you wouldnt see ice again...and if I was your teammate you would hear it as well

Glad you were not my coach ...To be serious now, I just don't like what some of the players on Russia did, (espically the ear thing) and no I wouldn't run somebody if it was a close game but when the score got to be 5-2, I would be looking...oh well and yes I wore the "C" for my junior and senior year in high school and for my prep team...

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

I finally had a chance to watch most of the game tonite after hearing what happened last night and I must agree that many of the Russian players were absolutely class-less. I'd LOVE to see Malkin taunt a bench in the NHL after he scores an empty net goal.

Being Canadian, I am obviously going for the home side tomorrow, but win or lose, I hope we hurt a few of the Russian players now. I can't believe I just said that, it is just as bad of sportsmanship as the Russians displayed, but it's true.

Phaneuf, Webber.......... hit to hurt boys, hit to hurt.

"hit to hurt"

Talk about classless, wishing harm on 18-19 year old kids

 

[Slick Nick]

Lot's of you complaining about tauting the fans... as long as I know americans fans are capable of being very arrogant; let's imagine some redneck yelling at Ovechkin: «go back to your dirty poor country you f@ckin stupid communist», I don't say it happend, I say it's a probable situation.. Is Ovechkin's reaction such a shame.. sort of just told him to shut up pointing the back of his jersey?

Now don't throw rocks at me, I'm not intending that american fans are all like that or anything. Among fans, from anywhere in the world, you have a lot of drunk rednecks trying to do their own show.. and my guess is that it could have very well happend yesterday.

 

[Mxpunk]

Lot's of you complaining about tauting the fans... as long as I know americans fans are capable of being very arrogant; let's imagine some redneck yelling at Ovechkin: «go back to your dirty poor country you f@ckin stupid communist», I don't say it happend, I say it's a probable situation.. Is Ovechkin's reaction such a shame.. sort of just told him to shut up pointing the back of his jersey?

Now don't throw rocks at me, I'm not intending that american fans are all like that or anything. Among fans, from anywhere in the world, you have a lot of drunk rednecks trying to do their own show.. and my guess is that it could have very well happend yesterday.

I have to say, this is a pretty arrogant post right here..Talk about generalizations, despite your disclaimer that "not intending that american fans are all like that." That's like saying you are all jerks, not all of you, but among fans from anywhere in the world, you are all jerks. It's a circular argument you have, and it's pretty ignorant.

If there are any moderators here, I suggest this thread be closed. It's getting out of hand with the anti-Americanism, even though some posters try to say they're not anti-American yet resort to generalizations and stereotypes.

EDIT: Also, there are tons of threads dealing with this topic, and the arguments are getting redundant. No one will agree with anything, and there are just going to be a lot of insulting statements made.

 

[Gumby]

How many were dirty hits? How many Russians were taken off the ice from dirty hits? Id love to hear your take on what a dirty hit is.

I saw at least 3-4 times when Russians were hit into the glass from behind, nevermind the unbeleivable whack in the face with the highstick.....there is no reason that happens other than intentionally or the kid should be permantly wearing a helmet and riding a short-bus....and almost forgot, the cross-check to AO's grill. And just because a guy isn't injured doesn't mean a hit wasn't dirty.

Remember, I wanted the US to win.

 

[Jet]

WOW you guys are taking this far too seriously! All the cheap shots and bad blood.. you'd think the game was still on! The Russians are an incredibly talented and fun to watch hockey nation. I have no hard feelings as a Canadian towards the Russians but I think they should've cooled it with the taunts and been more professional. That of course has something to do with the coaching. As for the Americans... they've come a long way as a hockey nation and with a little Canadian lineage (Bourque, Parise etc...) they've become a very exciting nation to watch and play a real entertaining aggressive style. Having said that I think they took their frustrations of being embarrassed on home ice out in a very immature way on the Russians. I've been embarrassed by another hockey team and can only imagine how magnified that would feel in this circumstance. If they would have stuck to playing hockey, it could have been a much closer contest.

Angry exchanges on this subject however seem pointless and immature, this board should be a place to discuss Hockey subjects intelligently and without malice, and not to discuss politics or personal bias towards other peoples.

Besides.. the bottom line is... everyone is an also ran in this years tourney! They should have just given the gold to Canada to begin with!

 

[Slick Nick]

I have to say, this is a pretty arrogant post right here..Talk about generalizations, despite your disclaimer that "not intending that american fans are all like that." That's like saying you are all jerks, not all of you, but among fans from anywhere in the world, you are all jerks. It's a circular argument you have, and it's pretty ignorant.

It's really easy to turn my post around to your advantage I knew it before I posted.. but hey, I think it's realistic. I don't think Ovechkin would be making fun of people being nice to him, so I guess they were not that nice to him...

The thing is that the crowd was american, so you guys will be all on my case, but I would have said the same about any crowd around the world...

 

[Mxpunk]

It's really easy to turn my post around to your advantage I knew it before I posted.. but hey, I think it's realistic. I don't think Ovechkin would be making fun of people being nice to him, so I guess they were not that nice to him...

The thing is that the crowd was american, so you guys will be all on my case, but I would have said the same about any crowd around the world...

Yes, and since they're American, they HAVE to be rednecks.

 

[Slick Nick]

Yes, and since they're American, they HAVE to be rednecks.

Sorry, my english is limited...

Rednec/idiot

To me it's just a word like another

 

[Mxpunk]

Sorry, my english is limited...

Rednec/idiot

To me it's just a word like another

You do realize that by assuming these "rednecks" were calling Ovechkin a "communist," you are making the same generalizations about the fans that you are condescending upon. In other words, it is very hypocritical.

i.e. American= Redneck ; Russian = Communist

P.S. I'm a fan of both Malkin and Ovechkin but NOT taunting.

 

[Jet]

wow... a mod should just come in and close this thread cause some people seem incapable of having a mature intelligent discussion about HOCKEY! Maybe there's a world politics board that some would be more interested in...

 

[King'sPawn]

It's not the taunting that bothers me. Taunting happens every game. However, there IS such a thing as going too far. It's just like a body check; a clean hit is good and makes the game fun to watch, but an elbow or a suckerpunch will get fans (rightfully) riled up.

Now because I didn't see what Ovechkin and Malkin did, I can't say if I feel it went too far. It sounds like they did, though.

 

[Slick Nick]

You do realize that by assuming these "rednecks" were calling Ovechkin a "communist," you are making the same generalizations about the fans that you are condescending upon. In other words, it is very hypocritical.

i.e. American= Redneck ; Russian = Communist

P.S. I'm a fan of both Malkin and Ovechkin but NOT taunting.

ok ok ok.. I resing, check mate.. don,t want to go further in that direction.

Anyone can tell me what happend at the U18 between those two teams? I heard they had trouble out there too?