LittleHockeyFan
Moderator
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
yep, it's a virtual yawnfest until the Canada/USA game?..
Women's Hockey
- Thread starter hockeyfan1
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yep, it's a virtual yawnfest until the Canada/USA game?..
dappleganger
Active member
Welcome to the Erin Blair show.
GhostofPotvin29
New member
drummond said:
A better comparison to me is the World Juniors. Used to be a couple teams and no one else was close. Canada dominated. Now there's not really any dominance by one team.
In women's hockey the opposing teams are getting much better, but at the same time Canada-US are getting much better. They'll plateau and other teams will catch up some more.
Kin
New member
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
Well, exactly. I mean, relatively few team events aside, there's at least competition between the Lowlanders in the various speed skating events.
I can't help but feel as though the answer to the hockey problem, if the argument is going to be made that Women's Hockey is vital to the Olympics, is to do what we've always said would be great and open these hockey tournaments up to multiple entrants from individual countries. If your Sweden's and your whoevers can't catch up to Canada's B or C teams, then you have a real problem.
GhostofPotvin29
New member
Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate said:
Luge was added at the 1964 Olympics and Germany has won 75 of the 129 medals awarded for it, and 31 of the 44 gold medals. In men's and women's singles luge, a German has won 20 out of the 30 combined Olympic golds. This Olympics, Germany won gold in all 4 luge events, the 8th time they have swept it. I also read that at one point German's womens lugers had won 100 straight World Cup events.
Other sports have dominant countries, and women's hockey hasn't been an Olympic sport all that long. It's come pretty far in that time, and even this Olympics the games haven't been nearly as lopsided (in general). Much more competitive from what I've seen.
GhostofPotvin29
New member
2badknees said:
Swiss have been pretty good in this game, I'm impressed. Their goalie has been great.
ZBBM
Active member
Potvin29 said:
What can I say? No other sport, not even luge, has been so dominated by 2 countries, and with such a big gap between them and everyone else.
It does sound like the rest of them are more competitive with each other, but put it this way: what would people say if the pools were determined by chance, so that USA and Canada could end up in the same pool and couldn't play against each other in the final? Until that question doesn't matter, then women's Olympic hockey has a big problem.
That was Botterill's argument the other day. All I can say is that the gap hasn't closed in the last 4 years, so the day of catch-up sure seems a long way off.
GhostofPotvin29
New member
Pretty unrealistic for 'the gap' to close in 4 years. Takes years and years of a developmental program in the countries start to pump out players. Look how long it took the U.S. to start having a great deal of high-end talent end up in the NHL despite a massive population. It took southern expansion to really get people playing in other areas and you're starting to see more and more NHLers out of the southern US and it's making the US into a hockey factory.
And despite that, Canada won their preliminary games 5-0, 3-0 and 3-2. That's not altogether different than, say, the U.S. in the men's preliminary round here. It's getting there, and I don't know why it becomes the focus of a country or two dominating. Like I said, luge IS an example of a country dominating a sport, even if you choose not to accept the fact. If women's hockey had been an Olympic sport since the 60s I guarantee you'd have had different results by now.
And despite that, Canada won their preliminary games 5-0, 3-0 and 3-2. That's not altogether different than, say, the U.S. in the men's preliminary round here. It's getting there, and I don't know why it becomes the focus of a country or two dominating. Like I said, luge IS an example of a country dominating a sport, even if you choose not to accept the fact. If women's hockey had been an Olympic sport since the 60s I guarantee you'd have had different results by now.
Stickytape
New member
All I know is that it's going to be REALLY rough going back to getting out-shot 2:1 every night. 
hockeyfan1
New member
Potvin29 said:
Schelling plays in the Candia Women's Hockey League, for the
Brampton Thunder, whose teammates are Team Canada's
Gillian Apps & Jayna Helford.
Obviously, playing in a league of that caliber (for women), she's faced her fair share of tough shots, which in turn has prabably also helped her become a better goaltender.
With Swiss hockey on the rise especially on the men's part,
the Swiss women can't be far behind. They've already
progressed somewhat as they will play Team Sweden in the bronze medal game.
hockeyfan1
New member
The USA beat Sweden 6-1 to advanr to the Gold medal matchup against Canada.
Bronze medal game is between Switzerland & Sweden.
Both games are on Thursday.
Source: CBC Sports
Bronze medal game is between Switzerland & Sweden.
Both games are on Thursday.
Source: CBC Sports
hockeyfan1
New member
This article suggests a few ways in which the Women's game could be improved, least of all the inclusion of more foreign-born players, both at the NCAA level (US) and the CWHL (Canada).
Also, it's agreed that the women's game could use much more funding.
But, what I always suspected, as mentioned, is the culture of where these hockey women come from -- Eastern/Western European women obviously aren't from the same ilk that North American women are from -- i happen to know that for a fact that many females frown on their gender playing a man's game,.and also the fact that due to attitudes towards the progress of women in many different areas of life (business, sports, etc)., it isn't quite yet at the level we see here in North America.
Well, anyway, judge for yourselves, but regardless, Women's hockey is here to stay.
http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/thn-in-sochi-womens-hockey-still-has-a-long-way-to-go/
Also, it's agreed that the women's game could use much more funding.
But, what I always suspected, as mentioned, is the culture of where these hockey women come from -- Eastern/Western European women obviously aren't from the same ilk that North American women are from -- i happen to know that for a fact that many females frown on their gender playing a man's game,.and also the fact that due to attitudes towards the progress of women in many different areas of life (business, sports, etc)., it isn't quite yet at the level we see here in North America.
Well, anyway, judge for yourselves, but regardless, Women's hockey is here to stay.
http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/thn-in-sochi-womens-hockey-still-has-a-long-way-to-go/
OldTimeHockey
Active member
hockeyfan1 said:
All the more reason to keep the sport involved in the Olympics.
Stickytape
New member
OldTimeHockey said:
Hear hear.