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Gloves on the Bench. (Slovakia's "Miracle on Ice") |
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It is hard to imagine anything more phenomenal to cover than the Olympics.
Imagine an entire city working for you.
Imagine being able to hop onto any train or bus for free at any time just by waving your press pass.
Imagine people in light blue vests, at every street corner ready to answer any question you have.
Imagine being seated in the best seat at any venue and all you need to do is write about it.
Being so close enables another level of coverage. The game becomes more personal. More real. More "Olympic."
The best example so far came on Thursday night when the Slovaks defeated the Russians, in easily the biggest victory in Slovakian hockey history.
The Slovaks had no right hanging with the Russians. No right whatsoever. And yet I watched it happen. I saw it slowly turning a few feet away.
I have always believed in a theory I call "Gloves on the Wall."
I must admit it is not entirely my own theory, but was born out of two things told to me as a kid by Darryl Sittler. Sittler was driving me and friend home from a game at the Spectrum (long story, but Ryan was friends with my sister).
Darryl said you could tell the momentum swings in a hockey game, if a team was ready to win or lose, by utilizing two methods. (sidenote: This is how the 14-year-old me remembers it...I think I have tweaked it a few times in the last 28 years, but Mr. Sittler holds the copywrite)
#1...by listening to which teams was skating with their sticks on the ice. If you can hear a team's sticks on the ice, that team was in it. They were in the game, focused and grabbing momentum.
#2...by looking at the boards in front of the team's bench. If players on the bench are sitting upright or standing, that team is in it. If a majority of players on a team are leaning on the boards as they sit, if you see their gloves on top of the bench, that team is gassed and has lost the momentum. That team is out of it.
Fast forward from Sittler's car to the Russian and Slovaks the other night...
Overtime done, the shootout underway. Not sure how many of you saw this. It was almost 3 am in the east at the time, but the Slovaks were all standing and the Russians, nervous they were about to suffer a huge upset were nervous, and for what it is worth, their gloves were all resting on the bench as they leaned forward.
There are many talented Russians when it comes to the shootout, and yet the team went with Alex Ovechkin, historically an average shootout performer, as their guy for 3 of the 5 shots. You really must read Eric Duhatschek's book "King of Russia" where he follows Dave King through Russia to understand Russia's coach's thinking on going with Ovechkin. Russian kids are brought up in tiers. Your first liners are forever first liners. Your second liners are forever second liners, and on down the line...
Ovechkin is your first line player. The best player. Even if he is not the best at shootouts, he is your best player. You go with your best player.
The devastation of Russia's loss was all contained in the expression on the face of Ovechkin as the puck bounced on the three-game-weary ice as he skated in...his third attempt to beat Jaroslav Halak.
Had I not been so close I would not have seen his face.
Had I not been so close I would not have been able to see him struggle to keep the disc flat as he moved in.
Had I not been so close I never would have seen the smiles on the Slovak bench as Demitra beat Bryzgalov and won Slovakia's version of the Miracle on Ice.
These Olympics have already provided so much emotion.
But as for tomorrow...as for tomorrow...
What more can be said about tomorrow?
They have nicknamed it Super Sunday in Vancouver.
Russia/Czech open the day.
Finland/Sweden close the day.
and in the middle...Canada meets America.
I feel so blessed to be able to witness these moments and write about them for you. I can't even tell you how much.
Quick note...Nothing new yet on the rumor front, but I am expecting more info as the night goes along...
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