# Canadians, How Much is Riding On Tonight's Hockey Game Versus Russia? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 24, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278 "2010-02-24T18:02:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/21 "2010-02-25T03:21:54Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > But this is in Canada and Canada has made a great amount of stink about achievement inithis Olympics. You don’t understand. Sure we’ve got the COC going on about “Own the Podium” and so on but this is _ **hockey** _. Every and any lose is teased apart and reviewed. Goals against are dissected and blame is assigned. Lack of gold is criminal and no podium presence is enough to plunge the national psyche into despondent self recrimination until the next world tournament. At which point we crank the self flagellation back up. Aparently, we like it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/22 "2010-02-25T03:43:32Z")
Very cool, Canada. Russia was weak, surprisingly. Good luck in the semis! ---
**Author:** ![BMada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@BMada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMada)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/23 "2010-02-25T03:46:21Z")
russia was smothered by the Canadian checking. It seemed as if the Getzlaf line was on the ice just to scare the russians with bad giveaways. Ovechkin did nothing, Malkin was invisible, Semin too. Surprising how that game turned out, I bet most of us would’ve laughed if someone said Canada would win with a 7-3 score. I woulda thought more shootout drama and one team being very disappointed with the shootout loss. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/24 "2010-02-25T06:11:25Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > And frankly, I don’t blame them. Good for them for being proud and hopeful that they can win the gold in their sport in their country. China made a big deal when it came to them, as well. Canada has it only once every 20 years or so. I think it means a lot. You fucking kidding me? Only once every 20 years? There’s plenty of countries around with more than 33 million people who’ve never had the Olympic games, let alone three times in 34 years. In terms of getting the Olympics, the Canadians are the among the most overrepresented people in the world. Not that I blame them, but to say that ‘they only get it every 20 year or so’ doesn’t make too much sense when no country in Africa has ever had the Olympics. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/25 "2010-02-25T06:18:24Z")
If they don’t win, I’ll be joining Valteron in the pit. Interestingly, in hockey, bronze is better than silver. If you win bronze it means you won your game, if you win silver, it means you lost your game. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/26 "2010-02-25T06:30:32Z")
If you won bronze you lost your game against number one or two, then won against number four. How’s that better than winning against three or four, losing against number one? ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/27 "2010-02-25T06:41:22Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > If you won bronze you lost your game against number one or two, then won against number four. How’s that better than winning against three or four, losing against number one? Shhh… it’s the ritual of the Sports Fan, souring the grapes before they arrive just in case if they have to settle for Bronze… ---
**Author:** ![BMada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@BMada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMada)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/28 "2010-02-25T06:43:03Z")
if canada loses in the next game, i don’t think they’ll care about bronze, just like what they did in Nagano. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/29 "2010-02-25T06:49:03Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > And frankly, I don’t blame them. Good for them for being proud and hopeful that they can win the gold in their sport in their country. China made a big deal when it came to them, as well. Canada has it only once every 20 years or so. I think it means a lot. > > I think we in the US have it so often, it means less. I’m glad we haven’t had it since 2002 and don’t have it in the current plans. I wonder if we’ll get it for 2016? > > I’m a bit nervous for them, and I’m cheering for the US all the way. > > Will the US and Canada meet in the final if we both make it? The 2016 Summer games have already been awarded to Rio de Janeiro. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/30 "2010-02-25T12:37:50Z")
> [@Svejk\_1](#): > > If you won bronze you lost your game against number one or two, then won against number four. How’s that better than winning against three or four, losing against number one? Because you lost a game. Hockey is winning and losing; it’s not about coming second, like in a ski race. Silver means you finish the tournament on a loss, in one of the biggest tournaments of your career. To get bronze, you have to win a game. What happened before, and the rankings of the teams you played to get there, is irrelevant by the time you’re in the medal round. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/31 "2010-02-25T13:36:32Z")
Great game, Team Canada! I will always root for the Canadians over other countries save when they play the USA. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/32 "2010-02-25T17:16:36Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Because you lost a game. Hockey is winning and losing; it’s not about coming second, like in a ski race. > > Silver means you finish the tournament on a loss, in one of the biggest tournaments of your career. > > To get bronze, you have to win a game. > > What happened before, and the rankings of the teams you played to get there, is irrelevant by the time you’re in the medal round. I guess I see the logic, but it seems odd to me. I’d much rather lose to the number one and be the second best team than beat the number four and be the third best. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/33 "2010-02-26T03:35:47Z")
It’s not a matter of logic, but emotion. They hold the medal ceremony right after the gold medal game, when the winners are on a high, the losers are at the depths, and the winners of the bronze get to come on having won a game earlier in the day. Watching the medal ceremony tonight for the women’s hockey, the Canadian team was ecstatic, the Finns, for bronze, had big smiles on their faces. The Americans - holding back tears, the occasional brave smile. I saw one looking at her silver medal, almost with a grimace. The colour commentator on CTV had been on the Canadian women’s team in Nagano in 1998. She made some comment about how she had won silver in 1998, and stopped for a minute, and then said, “It took me several years to learn to say that I “won” silver.” That sums it up. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/34 "2010-02-26T04:10:24Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Watching the medal ceremony tonight for the women’s hockey, the Canadian team was ecstatic, the Finns, for bronze, had big smiles on their faces. The Americans - holding back tears, the occasional brave smile. I saw one looking at her silver medal, almost with a grimace. Again, I’ll state that a silver in hockey is the prize for losing. A bronze is the prize for winning. Odd, perhaps, but there you go. I will say that I was pleased to see Canadian fans in the stands during the medal and flower ceremony, either waving the Stars and Stripes, or at least applauding the American players. We may be rivals in sports, but we are good friends, and friendly rivals. I am glad to see that of all the teams in the tournament, we played the Americans, and both teams played well–a score of 2 - 0 is not a bad loss at all and indicates good play on both sides. Congratulations to the Canadians, the Americans, and the Finns. Well done, folks! ---
**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/35 "2010-02-26T04:56:34Z")
> [@Kid\_A](#): > > It’s a big game and there’s no doubt about that…but I’d trade a victory tonight for a Joannie Rochette bronze medal tomorrow night. > > That’s what the Olympics are about. What do you know? Sometimes you get to have your cake and eat it too. ---
**Author:** ![Foldup\_Rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Foldup\_Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foldup_Rabbit)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/36 "2010-02-26T05:00:54Z")
There’s only one medal in Olympic hockey for Canadians. I sure hope we didn’t trade men’s gold for Rochette’s bronze, but I am pleased as punch she got it. **Northern Piper** : Gold is winning. Your team just won a game. Silver is losing. Your team just lost a game. Bronze is happiness about reaching the podium. Your team just won a game. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/37 "2010-02-26T05:05:46Z")
Yes, I agree. That’s what I said in posts 30 & 33. ---
**Author:** ![Foldup\_Rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Foldup\_Rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foldup_Rabbit)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/38 "2010-02-26T05:07:36Z")
Yeah, I meant to aim that post somewhere else. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![BMada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@BMada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMada)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278/39 "2010-02-26T05:18:02Z")
Canada winning medals is good, but Canada winning men’s hockey is a million times better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/canadians-how-much-is-riding-on-tonights-hockey-game-versus-russia/530278.md?page=1)