The joy of sport
Formal introductions will come soon enough, but let's get right to the business of today.
Why? Well, when the hockey team you have followed through thick and (mostly) thin and the soccer team you've rooted for for years finally both hit the big stage at the same time, it's worth talking about.
Those teams? THE CAROLINA HURRICANES of hockey and the NHL and USA SOCCER of the World Cup.
Interestingly, this is not the first time these two teams have played in their highest competitions at the same time. In fact, two of the highest moments in the history of both organizations occurred within a 12 hour time period in 2002...as on the evening of June 4 the Hurricanes beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in overtime to take a 1-0 series lead in their only previous trip to the Stanley Cup Finals (it would prove to be their only win), and in the early morning hours of June 5 (yeah crazy Japan/Korea times) the US MNT beat Portugal by the same score.
Both results were colossal upsets. Today, the same would not be said were the Hurricanes to defeat the EDMONTON OILERS or the USA to knock off the CZECH REPUBLIC, even though the Czechs entered the game ranked #2 in the world.
Here was the good, the bad and the ugly from these 2 teams performances:
'CANES 2, OILERS 1
After struggling through the better half of the first 3 games of these Finals, Eric Staal finally made himself heard tonight. Staal set up Mark Recchi for the game-winner late in the 2nd to provide the 'Canes with the winning margin.
Edmonton really missed their chance to put the 'Canes away in the first period. The Hurricanes were whistled for four consecutive penalties over a 6 minute, 19 second stretch, yet the Oilers failed to add to the 1-1 score. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, needed just 12 seconds of power play action in the 1st to get a marker, coming off the stick of red-hot Cory Stillman. The Oilers have now scored just one power play goal all series in 25+ chances.
Edmonton's offense continues to fail to impress. Though they did send some menacing scoring opportunities towards Ward, shots from the point (are there any other kind with this team?) missed the net and passes failed to connect. As a result, in the last three games they have beaten Ward (who is no Vesa Toskala, nor no Manny Legace, for the record) just thrice. Going back further, the Oilers have only scored more than 2 non-empty net goals in 7 of their last 10 games. That, my friends, is not a good offense.
The 'Canes, meanwhile, did an excellent job of making good scoring chances out of their opportunities...another thing they have done all playoffs that has been overlooked. You can't be a bad offensive team, or even an average offensive team, and take out the likes of Montreal, Martin Brodeur and Ryan Miller. Truth be told, this could have been a 3-1 or 4-1 game if not for some strong goaltending from Oiler back-up Jussi Markinen.
All in all it was a pretty blah game, with only 20 shots per side and few, if any, moments that would classify as memorable. Yet, when you are one win away from the Stanley Cup, as the Hurricanes now are, it's hard to get too picky about how the wins come.
I refuse to write the Oilers off, or mention the names of some of their offensive stars that have disappeared, because invariably right when I do that the Oilers will catch fire (there is a long history of jinx here) . Nonetheless, with the 'Canes returning home, I like our chances.
CZECH REPUBLIC 3, USA 0
Eh boy. Time to take a turn toward negative town.
I will say this, it has been a lot of fun watching the World Cup. Games have been highly competitive. Even when you thought a blowout would occur, like Angola/Portugal or the complete shock that was the T&T/Sweden draw, it didn't. Teams have largely been playing at high levels too, perhaps best represented by Argentina/Cote d'Ivoire, which was played at a level befitting at least a World Cup quarterfinal, if not better.
All these positive elements were not true of today's US game. A blowout did come, and it was the hands of the US of A.
I won't bother with tactical errors or the line-up ( although Eddie Johnson and/or Clint Dempsey better start against Italy) . What I find amazing at this team looked so unprepared. Bruce Arena & staff have known they would be playing the Czech Republic in the World Cup for just over half a year...yet the Czechs looked like they were putting on a clinic out there.
I have always had a problem with the fact that the US lacks realisitc competition against the powers of the world outside of the World Cup. Yeah, Tony Kornheiser rants about how the US' #5 ranking is largely the byproduct of whipping up on the Hondurases of the world, but he's partially right. The US just does not see World Cup quality competition on a regular basis.
The best way to offset this would be to schedule difficult friendlies in the build-up, but the US did not, choosing instead to play minnows Morrocco (who we lost to, btw), Venezuela and Latvia, all at home. Mexico on the other hand, a team the US is level with and that it beat in the '02 World Cup, chose to go to Europe and play France and the Netherlands. They won neither game, but they sure as heck looked a lot more ready to play in their opener than the US did.
Thankfully all is not lost. I did not think it was possible that the US could beat the Czechs, so in reality only one point was lost from the afternoon. Italy is a much more ideal match-up...for reasons that will be spelled out later this week. I think a win is possible Saturday...especially if a fire is lit after this disaster.
Hey, it's still even possible the US could win the group and avoid Brazil if they win out and CZE/GHA and CZE/ITA end in draws...two results I also feel are not entirely out of the realm of possibility. The team just needs to realize and put their best foot(ball) forward on Saturday.
That's way too much for now. But welcome to the blog
Why? Well, when the hockey team you have followed through thick and (mostly) thin and the soccer team you've rooted for for years finally both hit the big stage at the same time, it's worth talking about.
Those teams? THE CAROLINA HURRICANES of hockey and the NHL and USA SOCCER of the World Cup.
Interestingly, this is not the first time these two teams have played in their highest competitions at the same time. In fact, two of the highest moments in the history of both organizations occurred within a 12 hour time period in 2002...as on the evening of June 4 the Hurricanes beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in overtime to take a 1-0 series lead in their only previous trip to the Stanley Cup Finals (it would prove to be their only win), and in the early morning hours of June 5 (yeah crazy Japan/Korea times) the US MNT beat Portugal by the same score.
Both results were colossal upsets. Today, the same would not be said were the Hurricanes to defeat the EDMONTON OILERS or the USA to knock off the CZECH REPUBLIC, even though the Czechs entered the game ranked #2 in the world.
Here was the good, the bad and the ugly from these 2 teams performances:
'CANES 2, OILERS 1
After struggling through the better half of the first 3 games of these Finals, Eric Staal finally made himself heard tonight. Staal set up Mark Recchi for the game-winner late in the 2nd to provide the 'Canes with the winning margin.
Edmonton really missed their chance to put the 'Canes away in the first period. The Hurricanes were whistled for four consecutive penalties over a 6 minute, 19 second stretch, yet the Oilers failed to add to the 1-1 score. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, needed just 12 seconds of power play action in the 1st to get a marker, coming off the stick of red-hot Cory Stillman. The Oilers have now scored just one power play goal all series in 25+ chances.
Edmonton's offense continues to fail to impress. Though they did send some menacing scoring opportunities towards Ward, shots from the point (are there any other kind with this team?) missed the net and passes failed to connect. As a result, in the last three games they have beaten Ward (who is no Vesa Toskala, nor no Manny Legace, for the record) just thrice. Going back further, the Oilers have only scored more than 2 non-empty net goals in 7 of their last 10 games. That, my friends, is not a good offense.
The 'Canes, meanwhile, did an excellent job of making good scoring chances out of their opportunities...another thing they have done all playoffs that has been overlooked. You can't be a bad offensive team, or even an average offensive team, and take out the likes of Montreal, Martin Brodeur and Ryan Miller. Truth be told, this could have been a 3-1 or 4-1 game if not for some strong goaltending from Oiler back-up Jussi Markinen.
All in all it was a pretty blah game, with only 20 shots per side and few, if any, moments that would classify as memorable. Yet, when you are one win away from the Stanley Cup, as the Hurricanes now are, it's hard to get too picky about how the wins come.
I refuse to write the Oilers off, or mention the names of some of their offensive stars that have disappeared, because invariably right when I do that the Oilers will catch fire (there is a long history of jinx here) . Nonetheless, with the 'Canes returning home, I like our chances.
CZECH REPUBLIC 3, USA 0
Eh boy. Time to take a turn toward negative town.
I will say this, it has been a lot of fun watching the World Cup. Games have been highly competitive. Even when you thought a blowout would occur, like Angola/Portugal or the complete shock that was the T&T/Sweden draw, it didn't. Teams have largely been playing at high levels too, perhaps best represented by Argentina/Cote d'Ivoire, which was played at a level befitting at least a World Cup quarterfinal, if not better.
All these positive elements were not true of today's US game. A blowout did come, and it was the hands of the US of A.
I won't bother with tactical errors or the line-up ( although Eddie Johnson and/or Clint Dempsey better start against Italy) . What I find amazing at this team looked so unprepared. Bruce Arena & staff have known they would be playing the Czech Republic in the World Cup for just over half a year...yet the Czechs looked like they were putting on a clinic out there.
I have always had a problem with the fact that the US lacks realisitc competition against the powers of the world outside of the World Cup. Yeah, Tony Kornheiser rants about how the US' #5 ranking is largely the byproduct of whipping up on the Hondurases of the world, but he's partially right. The US just does not see World Cup quality competition on a regular basis.
The best way to offset this would be to schedule difficult friendlies in the build-up, but the US did not, choosing instead to play minnows Morrocco (who we lost to, btw), Venezuela and Latvia, all at home. Mexico on the other hand, a team the US is level with and that it beat in the '02 World Cup, chose to go to Europe and play France and the Netherlands. They won neither game, but they sure as heck looked a lot more ready to play in their opener than the US did.
Thankfully all is not lost. I did not think it was possible that the US could beat the Czechs, so in reality only one point was lost from the afternoon. Italy is a much more ideal match-up...for reasons that will be spelled out later this week. I think a win is possible Saturday...especially if a fire is lit after this disaster.
Hey, it's still even possible the US could win the group and avoid Brazil if they win out and CZE/GHA and CZE/ITA end in draws...two results I also feel are not entirely out of the realm of possibility. The team just needs to realize and put their best foot(ball) forward on Saturday.
That's way too much for now. But welcome to the blog
posted by Coop at 10:44 PM
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