2014 Winter Olympics

The Olympics are a little over a month away. Time to start some discussion. Jamie Benn from Victoria has been named to the hockey team.

 

Full Roster

 

Goalies: Roberto Luongo, Carey Price, Mike Smith.

 

Defencemen: Jay Bouwmeester, Drew Doughty, Dan Hamhuis, Duncan Keith, Alex Pietrangelo, P.K. Subban, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Shea Weber.

 

Forwards: Jamie Benn, Patrice Bergeron, Jeff Carter, Sidney Crosby, Matt Duchene, Ryan Getzlaf, Chris Kunitz, Patrick Marleau, Rick Nash, Corey Perry, Patrick Sharp, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares, Jonathan Toews.

Are people actually going to bother watching this year?

Sure will. Love watching the Olympics.

 

Jamie Benn is a surprise, as is Dan Hamhuis from the Canucks. Should be a great series of hockey, and I'm looking forward to several of the other sports as well.

Are people actually going to bother watching this year?

 

Last year's gold medal final was the most watched TV hockey game in 30 years.  Why would we not watch this year?  I know the time difference will make for some issues of course.

Keep in mind that 7 players from the Canucks will be in the Olympic Hockey tournament.

 

Hamhuis and Luongo for Canada

Edler and the Sedins for Sweden

Kesler for the USA

Weber for Switzerland

 

Also Canucks prospect Ronalds Kenins is playing for Latvia.  The Canucks signed him on July 31 2013 as a free agent

Here we go. Is anybody going to bother to watch.? You bet. This is reality TV at its finest.

I don't know I finding all the issues around this game to be a little too much for me with the bombings and the discrimination issues. I am bowing out this year.

I don't know I finding all the issues around this game to be a little too much for me with the bombings and the discrimination issues. I am bowing out this year.

If Canada manages to make it to the men's hockey gold medal final G-Man I'll wager my paycheck that about 75% of the adult Canadian population will, with respect, disagree with you. I will be watching for sure and not just the hockey. Love the Olympics. And especially when we do well...

I don't usually watch hockey at anytime but I do like other parts of the winter games. Just not this year. I was talking about the Olympics generally and not just hockey anyways. I bet the viewership will be way lower than Vancouver's.

I don't know I finding all the issues around this game to be a little too much for me with the bombings and the discrimination issues. I am bowing out this year.

Issues around hockey? Sure the NHL has some issues, mostly with injury issues and bickering over money. The IIHF, not so much. Ultimately, this is much bigger than hockey though, we are talking about the Winter Olympics.

 

Bombings... eh? Did you not watch the 2002 SLC Olympics because of 9/11? Or are you saying the Russian government is at fault for the bombings?

Discrimination - sure, I'll give you that, however most countries in the world have issues in some form or another. I recall a bit of cryout for boycott of the 2010 Olympics due to the Canadian seal hunting. Russia has been improving for the most part. We aren't talking about Germany in 1936.

 

Just trying to understand your rationale.

I don't know I finding all the issues around this game to be a little too much for me with the bombings and the discrimination issues. I am bowing out this year.

 

Then the terrorists will win!

Issues around hockey? Sure the NHL has some issues, mostly with injury issues and bickering over money. The IIHF, not so much. Ultimately, this is much bigger than hockey though, we are talking about the Winter Olympics.

 

Bombings... eh? Did you not watch the 2002 SLC Olympics because of 9/11? Or are you saying the Russian government is at fault for the bombings?

Discrimination - sure, I'll give you that, however most countries in the world have issues in some form or another. I recall a bit of cryout for boycott of the 2010 Olympics due to the Canadian seal hunting. Russia has been improving for the most part. We aren't talking about Germany in 1936.

 

Just trying to understand your rationale.

Same here although I think I know where is G-Man is coming from just not sure I agree - why will Russia-Sochi for example be (much) different than previous Olympics? Lots of people globally despise our sealing practices as noted above. China continues to run the most extensive system of gulags and prisons in the modern world but that did not seem to play a role in viewership for the Beijing Games as far as I recall. Russia is imperfect however I suspect is no better and certainly no worse than the old Soviet regime. Insofar as discrimination, well if you've ever spent time in the southern US rest assured that even in the late 20th century Atlanta (1996 Summer Olympics) was and is no paragon of virtue......

Issues around hockey? Sure the NHL has some issues, mostly with injury issues and bickering over money. The IIHF, not so much. Ultimately, this is much bigger than hockey though, we are talking about the Winter Olympics.
 
Bombings... eh? Did you not watch the 2002 SLC Olympics because of 9/11? Or are you saying the Russian government is at fault for the bombings?
Discrimination - sure, I'll give you that, however most countries in the world have issues in some form or another. I recall a bit of cryout for boycott of the 2010 Olympics due to the Canadian seal hunting. Russia has been improving for the most part. We aren't talking about Germany in 1936.
 
Just trying to understand your rationale.

Easy to point fingers when the US media has a political axe to grind.

We seem to forget that 10 years ago we were guilty of many of the very same discriminatory acts.

I don't know I finding all the issues around this game to be a little too much for me with the bombings and the discrimination issues. I am bowing out this year.

I will be bowing out because of the discrimination. Its a little personal and clise to home for me. I support the athletes right to go, but. I don't have to watch

I will be bowing out because of the discrimination. Its a little personal and clise to home for me. I support the athletes right to go, but. I don't have to watch

Your right to do that I respect the decision, I was just pointing out the hypocrisy. Two weeks ago we had the controversy over the Duck Dynasty star and his statements about the gay community. Instead of condemning him like the US did the Russians, many of the very same media outlets rallied the troops to force A&E to put the show back on the air.

Major difference between a national ideaology and a red necks comments on TV. One only fans his 40% base with his uneducated comments, one fans a Nation into creating acts of extreme violence against people. The number of people getting beaten and killed because of this political posturing is nothing compared to a church going red neck from the south opening his mouth.

Edited by sdwright.vic, 07 January 2014 - 06:54 PM.

Last year's gold medal final was the most watched TV hockey game in 30 years.  Why would we not watch this year?  I know the time difference will make for some issues of course.

I must have slept right through them, I don't remember anything about last years Olympics.

Major difference between a national ideaology and a red necks comments on TV. One only fans his 40% base with his uneducated comments, one fans a Nation into creating acts of extreme violence against people. The number of people getting beaten and killed because of this political posturing is nothing compared to a church going red neck from the south opening his mouth.

The difference is that one thwarted the US and Canada's attempts to overthrow the Syrian Government and the others controls a nearly billon dollar TV and merchandising empire. Walk downtown holding your partner's hand in Russia or wherever the 'redneck Oprah' is viewed and your odds are about the same. 

 

Six months ago the media was portraying Putin as a bare chested flake who nobody respected or listened to and who had lost any ability to rule. Today his words are immediately acted upon by all Russians and he alone runs the state.

 

The Government wants us to economically punish and embarrass Russia and use the Olympics as leverage. They of course don't want to punish or embarrass any of the sponsors or advertisers and few if any of the bureaucrats with taxpayer funded junkets and suites are protesting by turning over their tickets to the less entitled.

 

So you won't watch the Olympics but I assume that you will still use your Visa, eat at McDonalds and use Bell? My friend, as much as I support your views and agree with your position, you are being played like a pawn by the politicians and media. Their message to you is quite simple - punish the Russians and protest Putin - just don't stand in front of the TV while you are doing it.

I'm looking forward to the opening ceremonies but beyond that have no desire to watch any sporting event. However, since most bars and restaurants will be airing events or highlights I guess I'll be forced into it

@spanky123 I don't have a Visa (MasterCard and Amex), and I don't set foot in McDonald's. The first, because Amex gives Airmiles, and my bank gives MasterCard and it been "everywhere" I want to be when needed.

I also grew up in the the south and, trust me, chances aren't the same there as Russia. There are laws against it that are enforced and followed, and mostly they all are just full of hot and are no real threat (especially when you have a President that supports and pushes forward gay rights). This has NOTHING to do with Syria to me, it has to do with a leader who has set a part of his society lose on it Gay and Lesbian population, and saying its alright.

Edited by sdwright.vic, 08 January 2014 - 07:44 AM.