@Steve: Unfortunately we ruined the ending of this game for you, but it was a really great one to watch. I thought that the officiating was fair, with one really weak penalty called on each team throughout the game. The problem with the third Russian goal is a problem with the rules. The Russians earned that goal, and it’s unfortunate that it got called off, but they followed the rule book correctly (it seems to me). That aside, it was a real quality hockey game that’s worth watching in its entirety. Its just a shame you won’t have the same suspense watching it!
The Russian team showed great individual talent, but didn’t play together as well as I think they need to in order to win gold (in my humble opinion. I played competitive hockey growing up but was never great, so I’m no expert). I also don’t like the shootout rules that allow the same player to shoot multiple times in the sudden death rounds, but it made for an exciting duel.
@Nebulae I fully understand being an emotional fan and being upset when your team loses such a close contest. But Russia didn’t lose that game because of a biased referee. Your team was on the power play for the majority of the third period and didn’t take advantage of it (one penalty you received was on a dive that was worthy of an Italian footballer,great acting). The Olympic rule states that if the net is off the mooring the goal is disallowed. Your complaining is what we call sour grapes.The americans played better as a team and should be complemented for overcoming adversity in the form of a gigantic and rabid hometown crowd. And no opponent should be called the B word. Stay classy and be happy that your country is showing its best side and hosting a great games!
"You won’t provoke me into a discussion about Americans so you can be their noble defender. "
You don’t like us? OK, well, there must be something keeping you here in the US… I hope you’re only referring to the team, and not the other 300 million of us.
“Steve, you know, those Americans that hold the same very odd view as you about luge: “fantastic spectator sport, so varied, so expressive, so artistic”, “dignified”, “much better than figure skating”.”
Your written English seems to be very good, so I’m quite surprised that you were unable to read into the obvious sarcasm present in our, or at least in my, joking about luge.
I will call the opponents what I want to call them. I have no desire to stay “classy”. I am a Russian and I get to feel what I want, remember that for the rest of your life.
GO RUSSIA.
I like the emotions, but don’t sweat the one loss, Russia can come back from this and get gold still. It should be stiff competition and they’re going to have to really fight for it. And yes, Americans don’t care about Luge :).
David, of course I meant everyone involved in today’s match. But American team is one of my least favorite. A lot of emotion is attached to this - only some have to do with the team being our opponent. Just like in language learning: there are all sorts of things that dictate our preference for a specific language, like our experiences with the native speakers, for example.
I don’t know about luge. I let it slide precisely because you have got to give the benefit of a doubt to the author when you’re reading their text on screen. But then he had to say something about me possibly dissing the entire nation - not giving me the benefit of a doubt.
This is not a Russian forum. This is a forum in English with people from a variety of countries. You will have to try harder to understand what is written and the intent of the writer. Most people will understand that my comments about luge were sarcasm, since luge, and especially pairs luge, is, for most people, an expensive and ridiculous non-sport.
My suggestion that they should have four man luge, with four bodies piled on top of each other hurtling down the track, should have made this obvious.
You may be anti-American and anti-Latvian or whatever. You are welcome to express your views on whatever you like, without swearing, of course. You should be aware that most people are not so impressed by bombastic expressions of “ура патриотизм”. We prefer reasoned arguments.
Complaining about the referee is normal in hockey. It happens in the NHL and it happens in international hockey. Canadians always feel the European referees are unfair in international competition. Parents complain about the referees in my grandson’s hockey. There is not much to be done about referees. I agree, however, that they should only have neutral referees in these matches.
Now I have to see if I can find somewhere the game is shown again on TV. It was the middle of the night here.
I should add that I would have been cheering for Russia since I enjoy watching their skill. There are players on the US team that I don’t like, especially Ryan Kessler who plays for my team Vancouver, and Dustin Brown of LA, low intelligence low skill players who bang and crash and yet rarely fight. Patrick Kane and Phil Kessel, on the other hand, are a delight to watch.
Wow Steve. Ура-патриотизм?! I see you’re learning well from the russophobic Echo Moskvi. I suspected long ago from some of your videos and posts that you were an a**. You will have to try harder to be less of an a**, you russophobe. Don’t you dare to call me anti anything, when you yourself are a russophobe.
Disappointed by the game. Don’t want to express any bad feelings here and become personal. The game is the game. Everything can happen. Just one thought about the American referee. It is unfair and ridiculous and, I think, against any rules and even common sense to have a referee representing the same country as a playing team. Yes, a referee is supposed to be neutral, but come on… He is just a human no matter how hard he tries to be neutral. Very unfair and “anti-hockey” decision… But life goes on. Hope justice will prevail finally
PS: I mean the “Men are inherently evil, they are the problem”, hysterical feminism. The 1st and 2nd wave “Women should be allowed to vote, to work etc.” in particular were awesome though. I AM a feminist by their standards.
I felt like I needed to clarify that, since you seem to be in “I´m going to tell everyone how much they suck”-mode right now.
Ah. So you don’t like women. Just like I have said before, and you of course didn’t deny it. Warning: a misogynist on board.
By the way, I like your voice too much. That is why it pains me that your face is so ugly.
Galina, I agree that we should have neutral referees. I am not convinced that a referee from one of the participating countries will always favour that team. They are supposed to be professional, but it just looks bad.
However, in this case, from seeing the highlights on TV, it seems to me that all four on ice officials discussed the disallowed goal, and then it went to video replay. The rule is perhaps unfair, but it is the rule. The officials have no choice but to apply the rule. We can complain about the rule, but I don’t see how we can complain about the decision based on that rule.
How about we keep to online civility, drop the extra nonsense topics, and stick to hockey, with ad-hominems only involved if they’re about players, coaches, or referees/judges that you dislike :).
My pet peeve with lingQ forums is that they tend to go tangential too easily, which is when an interesting topic like hockey in the Olympics can drift to other random topics and trivialities and become “безумно скучно.”
I personally am just looking forward to the continuation of this tournament.
