Weekend’s here, so I can do my counterpoint to Mark’s post. I feel much differently.
I don’t have any trouble at all admitting that other countries fared better than we did. Russia.. Czech.. Sweden.. Russia.. Finland.. they were all better teams than we were. But, as Clive noted in comments to Mark, Canada is still the home of the best hockey players in the world on large. Russia sends out a lot of fast playmakers, Sweden is home to scorers and leaders, but on a wider scale, the best players in the world come from Canada. So why, then, did we fare so poorly? And why, then, did I predict a non-medal finish?
It really is as simple as the players selected. Four years ago Gretzky committed himself to bringing the best players in the game at that time, and he did. The top players in the game of hockey played for Canada, had a rough start, but won. Four years later he assembled almost the same team – four years older. By and large these players are no longer on top in the NHL. In fact, the #2 (Staal), #3 (Savard), #5 (Tanguay), and #6 (Crosby) top Canadian NHL point scorers this season watched the games the same way I did – on TV. One of the top five defensemen in the NHL this year – Dion Phaneuf – also didn’t make the trip. Ottawa Senators’ #3 scorer Jason Spezza wasn’t invited. These are players at the top of their game, all making Canada proud for their respective NHL teams, but not given that chance at the Olympic level. And why?
The reason we weren’t in the medal hunt was solely passion. There was none. Players were selected based on friendship and blind loyalty, and largely consisted of players who’ve won before. The second time is never as exciting as the first. No passion, no hunger, no desire.
Building a winning team in 2010 is easy enough – you build a winning team. A team of people who’ve proven in the weeks and months leading up to Vancouver that they’re the best we have to offer. The best goal scorers. The best puck stoppers. The best defenders. It’s not hard, but it does require one thing.
Brent Sutter. Someone who could both assemble and get the most out of a team, something that neither Wayne Gretzky or Pat Quinn were able to do in 2006. Let’s hope it happens.
Today’s Random Links
Teen buys one billionth iTunes song; showered with prizes
Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Mark and Paul…