Michael Pachla: On the Winter Olympics and Team USA hockey. Amerks/Crunch in Buffalo tonite

(frank)

Michael Pachla: On the Winter Olympics and Team USA hockey. Amerks/Crunch in Buffalo tonite
- Michael Pachla

Pachs, nice write up as usual. Did Leggio, get any ice time in the Olympics?

Pachs, nice write up as usual. Did Leggio, get any ice time in the Olympics?
- missthenords

I don't think he even dressed

Sure, I might be a homer, but after watching a plodding U.S. team gut buried when it mattered most, with all due respect to Garret Roe, Chad Kolarik, Slater and Brian Gionta, how much worse could it have been with Mittelstadt in one of their places. Although he's not great in the shootout, in addition to his strong two-way 5v5 play, Mittelstadt is a beast on the powerplay. Of note, Team USA went 0-for-5 against the Czechs last night.
- Michael Pachla

With all due respect, Pachyderm, it never, ever mattered at all.

Miracle on Ice (and maybe you can throw in the 1996 World Cup) was a pivotal moment for the development of US hockey - millions of kids heard about it (didn't watch it live!) and were inspired to take up the game.

You don't need that anymore. US kids have American heroes playing hockey on the NHL teams.

This Olympic tournament means nothing. It's less important than the World Championships - which I think we can all agree we don't care about.

US Hockey has never been in better shape.

My advice would be to simply move on - this was the equivalent of a beer league tournament. Your guys got knocked out: time to go to Hooters, have a few beers, and drive home the next day.

With all due respect, Pachyderm, it never, ever mattered at all.

Miracle on Ice (and maybe you can throw in the 1996 World Cup) was a pivotal moment for the development of US hockey - millions of kids heard about it (didn't watch it live!) and were inspired to take up the game.

You don't need that anymore. US kids have American heroes playing hockey on the NHL teams.

This Olympic tournament means nothing. It's less important than the World Championships - which I think we can all agree we don't care about.

US Hockey has never been in better shape.

My advice would be to simply move on - this was the equivalent of a beer league tournament. Your guys got knocked out: time to go to Hooters, have a few beers, and drive home the next day.
- Atomic Wedgie

first off, thx for pointing out my error...

secondly, the Olympics is the most watched international competition in the U.S...

I get that USA hockey is in great shape, much much better than even a decade ago, but I think it does matter as challenging for any medal is always worth it

I usually get really excited about Olympic hockey but the NHL screwed that up

Women's hockey thousand times better

Nice write up. Thanks for sharing your perspective on it. Mine is slightly different as a '90s kid. My sister and I would play roller hockey in the basement and we had a wall full of photos either ripped from hockey magazines or printed from a dial-up connection. It was so exciting to see players you recognized and liked from other teams playing for your country in the '98 olympics:

Amonte
Chelios
LeClair
Schneider
And Cammie Granato for the women

I was younger, so she would always pick America and I would be Canada. Whoever won would skate around with the flag of that country. I've loved NHLers in the olympics ever since

I usually get really excited about Olympic hockey but the NHL screwed that up

Women's hockey thousand times better
- GERBE!!!75PTS

why?

And it's mind blowing that Borgen got zero playing time
What a waste

Nice write up. Thanks for sharing your perspective on it. Mine is slightly different as a '90s kid. My sister and I would play roller hockey in the basement and we had a wall full of photos either ripped from hockey magazines or printed from a dial-up connection. It was so exciting to see players you recognized and liked from other teams playing for your country in the '98 olympics:

Amonte
Chelios
LeClair
Schneider
And Cammie Granato for the women

I was younger, so she would always pick America and I would be Canada. Whoever won would skate around with the flag of that country. I've loved NHLers in the olympics ever since
- jcragcrumple

the only thing I remember from usa hockey in '98 was the boorish group of players destroying the Olympic village at nagano...

hasek, however...DOMINATED!!!!

Leggio was naked?

why?
- Michael Pachla

I wanted NHL players or hell all jr players

This just felt like a summer tournament i would usually be so excited to watch men's Olympic hockey

the only thing I remember from usa hockey in '98 was the boorish group of players destroying the Olympic village at nagano...

hasek, however...DOMINATED!!!!
- Michael Pachla

Haha never meet your heroes I guess

I wanted NHL players or hell all jr players

This just felt like a summer tournament i would usually be so excited to watch men's Olympic hockey
- GERBE!!!75PTS

I can live without nhl'ers...have done it before...but, they should have added more youth...talk about me being a pachyderm, my god team usa was old

I can live without nhl'ers...have done it before...but, they should have added more youth...talk about me being a pachyderm, my god team usa was old
- Michael Pachla

It should of been all jr players And maybe 3 old vets
It was just unwatchable

That was my backup plan for the sabres sucking
Whoopsie Daisy

I can live without nhl'ers...have done it before...but, they should have added more youth...talk about me being a pachyderm, my god team usa was old
- Michael Pachla

wut?


pach·y·derm.
.

[ˈpakəˌdərm]

NOUN
.
a very large mammal with thick skin, especially an elephant, rhinoceros, or hippopotamus.

It should of been all jr players And maybe 3 old vets
It was just unwatchable

That was my backup plan for the sabres sucking
Whoopsie Daisy
- GERBE!!!75PTS

all junior players would have had a similar fate...might have even been worse...it's a huge jump to international competition

wut?


pach·y·derm.
.


- Khmylev[ˈpakəˌdərm]

NOUN
.
a very large mammal with thick skin, especially an elephant, rhinoceros, or hippopotamus.

I looked at pachyderm in terms of dinosaurs

I looked at pachyderm in terms of dinosaurs
- Michael Pachla

Pachladerm

Pachladerm
- Khmylev

*thinks, "I really do need thick skin"*

all junior players would have had a similar fate...might have even been worse...it's a huge jump to international competition
- Michael Pachla

But yet Troy Terry , Greenway did not look out of place

But yet Troy Terry , Greenway did not look out of place
- GERBE!!!75PTS

agreed...I think Mittelstadt would have looked good too...you still need some vets, just not an overabundance of mid-upper 30-yr. olds

all junior players would have had a similar fate...might have even been worse...it's a huge jump to international competition
- Michael Pachla

In the end, it's just another bush-league move by the NHL. The NBA understands the value of the exposure. A kid from Arkansas might not watch the NHL, but he'd be aware of the olympics. Short-sighted and old: NHL decision makers

how do you like Tim Murray now?