The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

[goldy_331]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

probably has to do with the bigger rink size in finland. I've seen the pioneers do this on the big ice.

fyp

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

Anyone see any confirmation on Nelson? I'm 90 percent sure his shoulder was atleast separated after that hit after watching him react to the hit and then skate off the ice and immediately go to the locker room.

Yeah, it definitely looked that way. Seemed to be a pretty benign hit, too, but just at the right angle, I guess.

Someone asked Allain at the press conference if he had an update on Nelson's condition, and his long winded answer was, "No."

[uaafanblog]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

Having you give a lecture on posting etiquette is like hiring Lindsey Lohan to run a pharmacy.

Leave it to a marketer to invoke some harried bimbo to make a grossly exaggerated point.

[Federal League]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

You're joking, right Preze? The place was 1/3 full if they were lucky. And HSBC holds what like 18,000 capacity for hockey? No way they even had 10,000.

The sides were pretty full, but still a lot of empty seats. The corners were sparse. And behind the nets were essentially empty.

That's what it looked like on TV, too. Half full at best.

Technically, Slovakia is seeded 3rd, Finland 5th. It's based on last year's results.

Isn't it US 1, Switzerland 4, Finland 5 and Slovakia 8? That's how they finished last year.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

Why is it we can get every game of the Juniors on the NHL Network, but when the IIHF Worlds roll around, the best we can do is a low-quality webcast with insulting Russian announcers?

I know the Worlds are during the NHL playoffs, but would it be that hard to throw a few games on a network somewhere? If Olympic hockey can pull massive ratings, surely a few games with some NHL'ers in the same sweaters could draw a viewer or two.
Meine zwei pfennigs.
Go USA!

To tell you the truth, if the Worlds aren't using the best players possible for each country (like the Olympics or the World Cup or the Canada Cup) I have absolutely no interest in the tournament.

And if a diehard hockey fan like myself doesn't care about it, how in the world are you going to get casual sports fans to watch the games while the NHL playoffs, which would be much more intriguing and exciting to American sports fans, are going on at the same time?

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

Probably because the networks are too busy with the squeakball playoffs, and NHL playoffs must be relegated to NHL Network. Not to mention, it is called the NHL Network, not the IIHF Network. It might be cool if there were a channel with a lot of international games, like KHL, a few European leagues, etc. Don't know what the ratings would be like, though. My guess is that a 24-hour poker channel would do better.

You can watch the KHL on ESPN3.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

Isn't it US 1, Switzerland 4, Finland 5 and Slovakia 8? That's how they finished last year.

Good point.

What I thought I knew is all the odd number seeds are in one group and the even number seeds in the other group. I always thought they were based on last year's results, but obviously I never looked up those results when saying that...

The press notes I'm reading right now say that Finland is the number 5 seed overall and the No. 3 seed in Group A. As for the rest of the teams, I'm going to go off and hide somewhere.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

BTW, if anybody buys the official program at the rink, check out the ad on page 59 for Fallsview Casino. Wow, she's hot!

Oh, maybe this belongs on one of those off topic threads...

[Federal League]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

Good point.

What I thought I knew is all the odd number seeds are in one group and the even number seeds in the other group. I always thought they were based on last year's results, but obviously I never looked up those results when saying that...

The press notes I'm reading right now say that Finland is the number 5 seed overall and the No. 3 seed in Group A. As for the rest of the teams, I'm going to go off and hide somewhere.

It's seeded like an NCAA bracket: 1-8 and 4-5 on one side, 2-7 and 3-6 on the other. And then the 2 who move up from the D-I tourney (Germany and Norway this year).

[PrezdeJohnson09]

You're joking, right Preze? The place was 1/3 full if they were lucky. And HSBC holds what like 18,000 capacity for hockey? No way they even had 10,000.

The sides were pretty full, but still a lot of empty seats. The corners were sparse. And behind the nets were essentially empty.

I don't know I thought it was more than that. Maybe not. Is there a official attendance number and did you see the first lady and I were on the kiss cam?

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

I don't know I thought it was more than that. Maybe not. Is there a official attendance number and did you see the first lady and I were on the kiss cam?

Yes, but I never believe attendance figures at events like this. The Frozen Four is a prime example of totally wrong figures.

They usually count tickets sold, and not butts in the seats. I don't know the breakdown, but they say the first day attendance for all four games (including the measly ~1,800 at Dwyer) at just above 47,000. (I think they said 47,300-something.)

Well, if all four games were sold out, that would mean they had 55,800 fans show up. Take away 1,800 from Dwyer, and that leaves 54,000 for HSBC for three games. So, only 6,700 empty seats (using the 47,300 number) existed for BOTH the German-Switzerland and USA-Finland games (I'm giving them the Canada-Russia sellout, even though there were some empty seats)? No way were there nearly 14,650 fans for both of those games. No way.

I've seen Frozen Four semifinal games with half the arena empty, and they proudly proclaim a sellout with the attendance numbers because the tickets were actually sold.

Sure, from their perspective, they got the money (except for the concession sales). Good for them. But, it is not a way to convey how many people were there and the type of atmosphere which was created.

From high above in the press box, it was very easy to see the multitudes of empty seats in that last game. Good crowd, but it was dwarfed by the Canada game, and was never near the number they claim. I still maintain 1/3 full ... at best.

I did not see you during the kiss cam, which I actually saw (most of anyway) during the USA game.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

I don't know I thought it was more than that. Maybe not. Is there a official attendance number and did you see the first lady and I were on the kiss cam?

Did they put two of the refs up there for the kiss cam?

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

Did they put two of the refs up there for the kiss cam?

Speaking of refs, I was shocked to see one of the linesmen for the USA-Finland game was from Finland.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

Speaking of refs, I was shocked to see one of the linesmen for the USA-Finland game was from Finland.

Another was from Hamilton.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: The WJC Thread. USA! USA! USA!

Another was from Hamilton.

But that's okay. He was from a different country than any of the teams involved. The two refs were from Germany.