I love the Olympics. I love all kinds of people on my Facebook timeline talking about getting up at 7 AM to watch hockey. I can’t get those people to go to free NHL games with me all season, but the Olympics make them crazy.
Today, the USA made it worth their while.
#KesselCelebrationFace
America has always had a little too much fun vilifying the Russians, which didn’t end with the Cold War. Just last month the NY Times did a feature about the legend of the Russian bad guy living on in movies, and how “it doesn’t make for as powerful drama as it once did.” [link]
Au contraire. In Russia, vs. Russia? While we’re dusting off Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone, the US vs. Russian hockey rivalry needs no freshening. Perhaps it exists every day on NHL ice – some of their best players are our best players. Some of those best players leave to go back. I imagined Ilya Kovalchuk cackling like Boris and Natasha as he jumped those boards in Sochi.
If non-hockey fans get out of bed in the wee Saturday morning hours of a holiday weekend, I’d say the US/Russia socio-political, entertainment media-ingrained, guns blazing and ‘spies are cool’ drama is alive and well.
Or maybe it’s really the hockey – let’s see how many of those people are up tomorrow morning to watch Team USA take on Solvenia.
After today’s performance, they just might.
Who designed the stats layout at www.sochi2014.com? These yearbook roster photos are like cards in that old game Guess Who? Shhh, Datsyuk-face will never guess you were really Cam Folwer!
They even footnote every fact in a player’s bio, like a high school book report (which kids probably don’t write anymore.) Check out Cam’s profile. As a dual citizen of the US and Canada, does he get an option who to play for? If so, then America thanks you, Cam.
He can get this painted as a mural on the front of his house:
And this one inside:
Little Joe Pavelski also heeded the call, celebrating American values like freedom, taking the lead and rocking a ginger beard.
Then Datsyuk again, because the Russians never stop, and the game was tied. Shootout ensued. People hate the shootout – I love it. Maybe not in medal rounds, like the NHL playoffs employ endless overtime to decide games that count. But I defy anyone to tell me today’s shootout failed to electrify.
And confuse.
What are these rules? I knew the same shooter could be called on multiple times in an international game. I knew a shootout could go eight or more rounds. I never considered the same person would be called on again and again (and again x 4) to JUST KEEP SHOOTING.
Obviously when lining up a shootout vs. Malkin, Datsyuk and Kovalchuk, anyone in hockey would pick TJ Oshie every time. What, no? Dan Bylsma believes in you, TJ Oshie! AMERICA IS WATCHING!
So, TJ took six shots in eight rounds. He scored goals on four of those shots. Oshie Team USA shirts sold out everywhere and Americans are all, “Where do I send my money?!”
It’s a moment like that when we can proudly look around and say, “I’ve been telling you guys forever – hockey is awesome.”
Then tell them you’ll be over at 7:30 tomorrow morning, and you’re bringing donuts.
Tags: cam fowler, joe pavelski, tj oshie
Awesome post! Love the Olympics and I can’t get enough of women’s or men’s hockey. Bring it! I was up at 4:00 pacific time and was able to watch the whole game before rushing my son off to his second hockey practice in less than 10 hours (yeah, we were 15 minutes late but we had a good excuse!).
Loved the tension of the Russia/USA game. Putin’s in the stands and the pressure was on for the home team. Captain Datysuk delivered despite just coming off an injury (please don’t leave for the KHL!). Loved Coach Danny Bylsma believing in TJ Oshie to win it in front of a passionate Russian crowd rooting for their home team.
What a game! Couldn’t have asked for a better Saturday morning. Proud of the Russian players and proud of our red/white/blue boys. Great hockey. Great Olympics. More to come!!!
I’ve already made plans for tomorrow morning with my friends. We’re all vegetarians, so I said I’ll bring the facon (fake bacon), and saus’ge (fake sausage), if they make the eggs and pancakes. But, I’ll be in pjs and glasses. Ain’t nobody got time to change into regular clothes and contacts. The things hockey fans do for the love of the sport. Losing valuable sleeping to cheer on the mother country! Let’s hope Oshie can bring beast mode when we play against Canada 🙂 (I’m not bitter or anything!)
My love of hockey started when the US and (then) USSR played each other in 1980. I remember to this day that my parents wanted to go grocery shopping, but I would NOT go. It was the first time as a kid that I stayed home by myself. I remember those guys…from Jack O’Callahan to Buzz Schneider. Of course there is the whole Al Michaels “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!!” It was then that I fell for hockey.
Olympic hockey is great. The Olympics are great. Hockey is great. Cheering for your home nation is soul stirring at times. There’s nothing like seeing someone from your country on that top pedestal. I truly hope the US wins this year. We haven’t won since 1980 and really who doesn’t want to see how Patrick Kane would celebrate a gold medal???
Not to mention Jonathan Quick! I’ll never forget his rally speech after the Kings won the Cup. (I think he might’ve been drunk enough to forget, though.)
Little Joe rocked the ginger beard for his country! And Kessel Celebration Face is….well…something.
Seeing Evgeni Malkin’s name spelled “Yevgeni” is weird. Cheering against him and for Jonathan Quick is both weird and gross if you’re a Penguins and Sharks fan.
Figured y’all may like this: My friend is Russian, and watched with his 13-year-old Brooklyn-born daughter. She danced when USA won. “Oh, go dance somewhere else,” my friend told her, with real pain in his voice. “If you didn’t want a kid who cheers for Team USA against Russia, you shouldn’t have come to America and had a kid!” she retorted. He had to respect her logic.
Oh, and in your face, Putin! In your *face*!
It was SUCH a confusing and exciting morning. On one hand, of course I’m cheering for Team USA. But on the other, as a Pens fans with a healthy appreciation for Jonathan Toews, I’m feeling all muddled. Geno! Kuni! Olli! TAZER. Ack.
I have decided that when I’m not watching games, I’ll be watching Miracle on repeat. And maybe the second Mighty Ducks movie. Quack. Quack. Quack.
Oh and you know, SID. How could I forget about Sid?
As a Slovenian-American, I’ll DEFINITELY be up tomorrow morning watching the game! I’ll be cheering on Anze Kopitar to do well, but rooting of the USA to win.