(no subject)
This is somewhat interesting.
Have I mentioned that I love curling? I think I have, but I mean to state it again. Watch me.
I love curling.
The rocks, the brooms, the ice, people named Markku Uusipaavalniemi and Diana Gaspari...you might be able to beat this, but I'm not sure how. Pete Fenson is my new hero.
The U.S. Women suffered a heartrending loss Thursday evening and sit at the bottom of the standings, though they did pull out their first win on Wednesday. If they don't make the medal round, I will be sad. They're too good to let this tournament slip away, having garnered the silver medal at the 2005 World Championships.
That said, one of my enduring memories from these games will be Italy's Gunther Hell making 26 saves in the first period against Finland. (It's pronounced "ell," so I'm allowed to say it aloud.) The Italians are making a genuine case that they belong in the tournament, having played favorite Canada and now the Fins very strong in both first periods. It's just tough for an outmatched roster to play the sixty minutes of hockey necessary to threaten the big guys.
Meanwhile, David Aebischer and the Swiss rebound from getting blanked by the Fins 18 hours earlier to put a royal beatdown on the Czech Republic. The article doesn't do it justice, though it does observe in a roundabout fashion that the Swiss have already matched their '02 win total. They're a bunch of no-names, except for Aebischer, but if they keep forechecking and hitting like that, they could make some noise and break into the medal round. Once there, anybody has a shot. However, they've got a game left against those huge Canadians, with their similar styles and superior talent, so I don't see them putting up much resistance in that match. No Swiss round robin games will be broadcast on the NBC Mothership, but if you get a chance to watch them on one of the satellite networks, take a close look at they way they fly around - Martin Pluss, Paul DiPietro and Thomas Ziegler in particular. I've not seen anyone that aggressive and smart applying puck pressure in the NHL this season to date. The Czechs are a great skill team, but Switzerland just outworked them. Playing together year-round does wonders for that kind of teamwork and chemistry, an element that even the mighty Canadians, for all their talent, cannot replicate.
Have I mentioned that I love curling? I think I have, but I mean to state it again. Watch me.
I love curling.
The rocks, the brooms, the ice, people named Markku Uusipaavalniemi and Diana Gaspari...you might be able to beat this, but I'm not sure how. Pete Fenson is my new hero.
The U.S. Women suffered a heartrending loss Thursday evening and sit at the bottom of the standings, though they did pull out their first win on Wednesday. If they don't make the medal round, I will be sad. They're too good to let this tournament slip away, having garnered the silver medal at the 2005 World Championships.
That said, one of my enduring memories from these games will be Italy's Gunther Hell making 26 saves in the first period against Finland. (It's pronounced "ell," so I'm allowed to say it aloud.) The Italians are making a genuine case that they belong in the tournament, having played favorite Canada and now the Fins very strong in both first periods. It's just tough for an outmatched roster to play the sixty minutes of hockey necessary to threaten the big guys.
Meanwhile, David Aebischer and the Swiss rebound from getting blanked by the Fins 18 hours earlier to put a royal beatdown on the Czech Republic. The article doesn't do it justice, though it does observe in a roundabout fashion that the Swiss have already matched their '02 win total. They're a bunch of no-names, except for Aebischer, but if they keep forechecking and hitting like that, they could make some noise and break into the medal round. Once there, anybody has a shot. However, they've got a game left against those huge Canadians, with their similar styles and superior talent, so I don't see them putting up much resistance in that match. No Swiss round robin games will be broadcast on the NBC Mothership, but if you get a chance to watch them on one of the satellite networks, take a close look at they way they fly around - Martin Pluss, Paul DiPietro and Thomas Ziegler in particular. I've not seen anyone that aggressive and smart applying puck pressure in the NHL this season to date. The Czechs are a great skill team, but Switzerland just outworked them. Playing together year-round does wonders for that kind of teamwork and chemistry, an element that even the mighty Canadians, for all their talent, cannot replicate.