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NEWFIEHABSFAN · Senior Member

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Jedah · Guru

Clearly the current philisophy on picking the team hasn't been working, so any change is a good one as far as I'm concerned.

Nil d · Guru

NEWFIEHABSFAN wrote:

I think it is time to take the pro's out of the games and let the young kids play! at least the kids will play with heart and give all for their country, not worrying about getting injuried or whether they will look bad!!! AGREE or DISAGREE???

Disagree.

All other sports in the Olympics have the best in the world at their sport participating; hockey should be no exception (I'm assuming for luge, skeleton, etc.; I don't think there are pro circuits for those).

barry33 · Guru

Nil d wrote:

NEWFIEHABSFAN wrote: I think it is time to take the pro's out of the games and let the young kids play! at least the kids will play with heart and give all for their country, not worrying about getting injuried or whether they will look bad!!! AGREE or DISAGREE??? Disagree. All other sports in the Olympics have the best in the world at their sport participating; hockey should be no exception (I'm assuming for luge, skeleton, etc.; I don't think there are pro circuits for those).

Agree- I have not seen many skeleton participants signing 3 year 5.2 million dollar contracts. That my friend is the key difference.

Power · Veteran Member

Agree, because many players are real tired when they come to the Olympics but they don´t have heart to say no because it´s great honour to be one of the few who represent your country.

By the way what is luge?

Key Lime · Guru

barry33 wrote:

Nil d wrote: NEWFIEHABSFAN wrote: I think it is time to take the pro's out of the games and let the young kids play! at least the kids will play with heart and give all for their country, not worrying about getting injuried or whether they will look bad!!! AGREE or DISAGREE??? Disagree. All other sports in the Olympics have the best in the world at their sport participating; hockey should be no exception (I'm assuming for luge, skeleton, etc.; I don't think there are pro circuits for those). Agree- I have not seen many skeleton participants signing 3 year 5.2 million dollar contracts. That my friend is the key difference.

But the Olympics are for Olympians. These athletes have been struggling to just be ablt to train and get sponsored all their lives. When they win an Olympic Medal it really means years of sweat, determination, and hard work. Do the pro Hockey players view winning a medal the same way? not! They'll put it beside their Norris, Vezina, etc trophy. It's just not the same.

No pros at the Olympics. If they want to showcase the best hockey players in the world at an international level, develop World Championships during the off-season every 4 years like soccer!

Nil d · Guru

Power wrote:

Agree, because many players are real tired when they come to the Olympics but they don´t have heart to say no because it´s great honour to be one of the few who represent your country. By the way what is luge?

It's like skeleton, except feet-first!

Nil d · Guru

barry33 wrote:

Nil d wrote: NEWFIEHABSFAN wrote: I think it is time to take the pro's out of the games and let the young kids play! at least the kids will play with heart and give all for their country, not worrying about getting injuried or whether they will look bad!!! AGREE or DISAGREE??? Disagree. All other sports in the Olympics have the best in the world at their sport participating; hockey should be no exception (I'm assuming for luge, skeleton, etc.; I don't think there are pro circuits for those). Agree- I have not seen many skeleton participants signing 3 year 5.2 million dollar contracts. That my friend is the key difference.

Barry: Are you agreeing with Newf, or agreeing with my disagreement?

heet_150 · Guru

I disagree. The Olympics are supposed to be the best atheletes at their sport. NHLers are the best. In Europe, downhill skiers are legends. Look at Hermann Maier(sp?). There is a statue of him in his home town. He hasn't even finished his competetive days yet. These folks are treated like Gods. They have sponsors, and sponsorship deals. A lot of these competitors are essentially professional atheletes. There was a great cartoon from the Olympics that shows three people on the podium. I'll see if I can find it, as I can't do it justice, but, it basically shows that, when we talk about underfunded, unerappreciated amateur atheletes, we are talking about Canadians.

Found it:

Sorry it's so small. The Norwegian athelete is saying "For this I'm getting a cash bonus." The French athelete is saying "I'm getting a new car." The Canadian is saying "I'm getting behind in my rent."

-- Edited by heet_150 at 10:56, 2006-02-23

Power · Veteran Member

Nil d wrote:

Power wrote: Agree, because many players are real tired when they come to the Olympics but they don´t have heart to say no because it´s great honour to be one of the few who represent your country. By the way what is luge? It's like skeleton, except feet-first!

Ahaa, that one thx

24 Rings · Guru

I like watching the NHLers play, but I think maybe it is time to let young kids play for the gold? It would be cool to see another WJC-type team play in that tourney along with any other players in the American League or Europe who might also make the cut. The games would have a lot more intensity and physical play.

Apparently the NHL hates the inturuption to the season and wants to remove NHLers from playing in the Olympics.

Hockey100 · Veteran Member

I don't think NHL players should be there. They have already reached pro status and are payed millions to boot. I say give the chance to those who never made it in the NHL. They will give us a better performance than what we just witnessed.

With that said, I have a question; is it not true that in figure skating once you become pro, you can no longer compete in the Olympics or am I mistaken about that.

MrsHab · Veteran Member

Hockey100 wrote:

I don't think NHL players should be there. They have already reached pro status and are payed millions to boot. I say give the chance to those who never made it in the NHL. They will give us a better performance than what we just witnessed. With that said, I have a question; is it not true that in figure skating once you become pro, you can no longer compete in the Olympics or am I mistaken about that.

Re. your question about figure skating......true...pros can no longer compete in Olympics. What I am not sure about is if they can become "unpro" (grammarman, a new word) and requalify....anyone know?

Chris68 · Veteran Member

Key Lime wrote:

If they want to showcase the best hockey players in the world at an international level, develop World Championships during the off-season every 4 years like soccer!

Absolutely agree! Imagine the Rangers, Stars and Red Wings are making the playoffs (they all will this season), they'll all play with their 2nd teams at the World Championship. Can it then be called world championship? But it's all about $$$$$, that's why there won't be any change in the current system.

Chris68 · Veteran Member

MrsHab wrote:

your question about figure skating......true...pros can no longer compete in Olympics. What I am not sure about is if they can become "unpro" (grammarman, a new word) and requalify....anyone know?

Correct! But ... that's the decision of the figure skating federation not to allow pros at the Olympics. For hockey ... who would play if no pros allowed? Also in Europe, most of the top league players are pros, or at least semi-pros.

Nil d · Guru

Chris68 wrote:

MrsHab wrote: your question about figure skating......true...pros can no longer compete in Olympics. What I am not sure about is if they can become "unpro" (grammarman, a new word) and requalify....anyone know? Correct! But ... that's the decision of the figure skating federation not to allow pros at the Olympics. For hockey ... who would play if no pros allowed? Also in Europe, most of the top league players are pros, or at least semi-pros.

You'd end up with senior club players, like it used to be years ago (the Edmonton Mercuries, Trail Smoke Eaters, etc.). I'm not sure who the Europeans would send. The Soviets used to call all their players amateurs, but I don't think anyone would buy that any more.

Nil d · Guru

MrsHab wrote:

. Re. your question about figure skating......true...pros can no longer compete in Olympics. What I am not sure about is if they can become "unpro" (grammarman, a new word) and requalify....anyone know?

I think that's possible. Seems to me I remember a figure skater doing that a few years ago, but I can't remember who.

And the word is "deprofessionalize".................

MrsHab · Veteran Member

Nil d wrote:

MrsHab wrote: . Re. your question about figure skating......true...pros can no longer compete in Olympics. What I am not sure about is if they can become "unpro" (grammarman, a new word) and requalify....anyone know? I think that's possible. Seems to me I remember a figure skater doing that a few years ago, but I can't remember who. And the word is "deprofessionalize".................

I knew that.....just testing you LOL

plouf · Guru

The all-around best plan would be for a world cup every four years, making the olympics an under-20 tournament or something (what they do in soccer, more or less). It's just such a BAD time for a hockey tournament, right in the middle of the season, and with no time to prepare, get the teams together, etc.... What would be best would be a september tournament, once every four years (kind of like the old Canada Cup, which was often GREAT HOCKEY if you remember).