Serious Canada are world hockey champs - again!!!

[eatshitndie]

For once i agree 100% with you Sam. I must be losing my mind.

you can appreciate the preakness without being a tiny 4-foot 6-inch jockey.

 

[Alamakinky]

I love archery too....I get milfs to arch backwards while i shoot my 8 inch sharp headed arrow into them.

my passion is archery on horseback with stirrups.

 

[eatshitndie]

I love archery too....I get milfs to arch backwards while i shoot my 8 inch sharp headed arrow into them.

that's considered a bull's eye at point blank range. when i first took up archery my first shot was a bull's eye at 50 yards. all other shots fell within the inner circle around bull's eye. no formal instruction or training. all innate ability. range master who ensured safety at the range was stunned.

 

[nayr69sg]

As a Canadian living and working in Canada, I'd say that the hockey world championships isn't on the radar for most Canadians. This year there were ZERO Canadian NHL teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs. A terrible disappointment for us Canadians. So the win at the world's is just a consolation. But we'll take it.

Ice Hockey is Canada's national sport. It was invented and developed in Canada. The Stanley Cup which is Hockey's top prize is named after Lord Stanley of Preston, Governor General of Canada in 1893. So naturally hockey is the Canadian game.

It is like football to the Brits. Basketball was actually invented by a Canadian. But he was working as a teacher in the USA at that time.

When we talk about "popularity" of sports it doesn't really mean much. Do you go by how many people on the planet play the game? Watch the games? How much money the sport brings in? Or the marketing of the sport?

Soccer is the easiest game to get into. 22 players share 1 ball. Cheap. Very TV friendly sport so it is telecast around the world. So it is the most popular. Played by the most people naturally. Canada is not really the place to develop soccer teams. Cos of the weather for one. But interestingly, most hockey is played indoors in ice rinks at arenas. Not outdoors. So I guess if Canadians wanted to they could build indoor soccer arenas to play as well. But Hockey is just so popular.

Asian migrants to Canada tend to play Badminton and Table Tennis. It is the "Asian" Canadian's sport LOL! Are these sports "popular"?

Who cares really? If you can be the best at one particular sport that's an achievement. Ice Hockey isn't played much in the rest of the world because they have no ice! So historically it is only the Nordic countries, Russia and USA who play it.

Similarly with skiing. Is skiing popular? Why are so many Singaporeans going on ski trips to Hokkaido such that during Xmas time, all you hear is Singlish spoken left right centre there? Again you need the weather. More so for skiing for obvious reasons.

Back to Hockey, because the World Championships are held during the Stanley Cup playoffs we know that not all the best players in the world are at the World's. So to win it, is no biggie. The only international hockey competition Canadians watch out for is really the Olympics. Because it doesn't clash with the NHL season (for now). So the winner is truly the best in the world. And yes Canada won the gold at the 2010 and the 2014 Winter Olympics.

 

[Agoraphobic]

Just happens that ice hockey is the national sport. Soccer is only big among girls. During summer, if you see soccer teams on a field, take a closer look, chances are its a little girls' team playing. Canada (or rather, Canadians) don't really bother about the rest of the world. 80% of foreign trade is with the USA. The rest of the world does not exist, except probably for Cuba, where some of them take winter vacations at. North America is large enough to occupy one's entire life if one wishes to travel so much. Home news plus what goes on in USA is more than sufficient to occupy one's time!

Cheers!

It still does not explain why an entire nation would be nuts over a game that is probably not even ranked in the top 20 worldwide popularity. Perhaps canadians should get with the times and be nuts about a sports like football which the rest of the world is.

 

[Agoraphobic]

It helps of one has had the opportunity to get involved in the game/sport at any one time in one's life. But to watch it - no. It is more a social thing, people at work talk about it, you hear it on the radio/TV news and read it in the printed news, it just become part of the daily routine. BTW, many people watch and some even support F1 racing, among these, how many have driven F1 cars? Everytime it comes around, its a big event! And even little boys (primary school age) know the drivers and which teams they race for!

Cheers!

I don't understand what you are saying. I am going to guess that you don't play ice hockey. Maybe you don't even skate. And u probably don't own the equipment. In that case, how can you view and support a sport that you have never been an active participant of? Its different if you played football at a young age or even at school level. when you watch a football match, you appreciate and understand the nuances of the game and what skills are required to make that shot, or pass that ball, because you have played it before. I would postulate that its impossible for you to know the skill level and appreciate the intricacies of a hockey game if you have not been active in it. hence supporting a game that you know nothing about is nonsensical.

 

[nayr69sg]

Just happens that ice hockey is the national sport. Soccer is only big among girls. During summer, if you see soccer teams on a field, take a closer look, chances are its a little girls' team playing. Canada (or rather, Canadians) don't really bother about the rest of the world. 80% of foreign trade is with the USA. The rest of the world does not exist, except probably for Cuba, where some of them take winter vacations at. North America is large enough to occupy one's entire life if one wishes to travel so much. Home news plus what goes on in USA is more than sufficient to occupy one's time!

Cheers!

Actually soccer is played quite a bit at the junior levels. I signed my 9 year old son up for soccer this summer. The team is made up of both boys and girls. But summer months are short and it rains quite a bit. 2 evenings a week for 10 weeks. Already had 3 evenings cancelled due to weather. Come winter, no more field soccer.

I have a friend whose daughter plays for a club in a league in Edmonton. They play indoors. Guess the best athletes kind of play hockey because it also pays the most. There are more Canadians getting into the NBA also. Heard that in Toronto area it is easier to join competitions as driving down south is merely an hour or so for the major big ones. Toronto Raptors are now playing again the Cleveland Cavs in the Eastern Playoff finals.

The Jays had a good run last season too. There's been more interest in baseball among the kids as a result.

 

[Papsmearer]

Supporting a team which you have absolutely no association with whatsoever is even dumber still.

EG there a shitloads of sinkie Man U team supporters. They were not born in Manchester, they have never been to Manchester, they don't have relatives that live in Manchester, they don't speak like they do in Manchester and they sure as hell don't have anyone in Manchester who gives a shit about them.

So why are they diehard "supporters" of Man U? Because they're retarded that's why.

At least if you have played football before, you can appreciate Manure Utd players on the field and the style they play. Even though I agree there is no point in supporting a team or a city that you have never been to. But to never have played the sport (eg ice hockey) and to support it, is really senseless.

 

[Agoraphobic]

The folks are hang around with in Toronto, are laid-back goof-offs, not active into sports (unless you call fishing a sport!). They like to barbecue, drink beer, smoke pot, and just sit around and bullshit. When my daughter started kindergarten, there were already classmates who play soccer regularly - in a little girls' league. My daughter was asked to sign up too, but she wasn't interested. Too nerdy! Loves books, and animals! No complains from me as a dad.

Actually soccer is played quite a bit at the junior levels. I signed my 9 year old son up for soccer this summer. The team is made up of both boys and girls. But summer months are short and it rains quite a bit. 2 evenings a week for 10 weeks. Already had 3 evenings cancelled due to weather. Come winter, no more field soccer. Now, in Singapore, gambling and betting is the number one sport! All my beer drinking friends bet heavily on soccer - in English Premier League games, nobody gives a shit about the local Lion XII team. Don't even know who the players are!!!

Cheers!

I have a friend whose daughter plays for a club in a league in Edmonton. They play indoors. Guess the best athletes kind of play hockey because it also pays the most. There are more Canadians getting into the NBA also. Heard that in Toronto area it is easier to join competitions as driving down south is merely an hour or so for the major big ones. Toronto Raptors are now playing again the Cleveland Cavs in the Eastern Playoff finals.

The Jays had a good run last season too. There's been more interest in baseball among the kids as a result.

 

[Papsmearer]

that's considered a bull's eye at point blank range. when i first took up archery my first shot was a bull's eye at 50 yards. all other shots fell within the inner circle around bull's eye. no formal instruction or training. all innate ability. range master who ensured safety at the range was stunned.

.........And then you woke up from your dream?

 

[yahoo55]

Having grown up in Singapore, soccer was the game I played (in primary and lower secondary) and watched. I was surprised in Canada, nobody gave a shit about soccer. Even my Italian neighbour watched and followed ice-hockey. The only soccer kaki I had was an elderly Croatian man! And he was too old to drink beer! So I watched hockey instead, like everybody else. The biggest joke was the home team - The Toronto Maple Leafs. The last time they won a major trophy must have been prewar period, nobody remembers them winning anything!!! But they had the largest fan base and supporters in all Canada.

Cheers!

Yeah I was surprise too.

I grew up in Singapore playing football, basketball and tennis in school, watched English football on TV and cycle a lot in the kampong area near my home. But when I was in Canada, no one plays football(soccer) in school, instead we played basketball, floor hockey and softball.

In Saskatchewan, sometimes I would cycle 70km with my Asian schoolmates to a nearby city to makan in a good Asian restaurant and cycle back, instead of taking the Greyhound bus. Canada is such a huge place where 70km is considered nearby, the length of Singapore from East to West is 50km.

Canada has another sport that is uniquely theirs, Canadian football. I watched the home team Saskatchewan Roughriders play a few times. My schoolmates support the nearest NHL teams like the Winnipeg Jets or Edmonton Oilers or Calgary Flames.

 

[Agoraphobic]

Big country is right. I moved house because of commuting drive to office was too long. In Singapore, one does not ever have to move residence when changing jobs, but in Canada, it is very often that one has too!

I never had the chance to watch a live hockey game, but once I got tickets to watch Lacrosse! Weird game. But just too the opportunity to visit the arena and look see. Mostly, I prefer to watch game on TV. At home, go to take a pee anytime I like, or to the kitchen to fix some snack. My wife and me sometimes talked about WTF we are doing in Canada, don't skate, don't ski. And we never got attached to hockey the way like we do with soccer (favorite team - Argentina!) I never found the answer to that too!

Cheers!

Yeah I was surprise too.

I grew up in Singapore playing football, basketball and tennis in school, watched English football on TV and cycle a lot in the kampong area near my home. But when I was in Canada, no one plays football(soccer) in school, instead we played basketball, floor hockey and softball.

In Saskatchewan, sometimes I would cycle 70km with my Asian schoolmates to a nearby city to makan in a good Asian restaurant and cycle back, instead of taking the Greyhound bus. Canada is such a huge place where 70km is considered nearby, the length of Singapore from East to West is 50km.

Canada has another sport that is uniquely theirs, Canadian football. I watched the home team Saskatchewan Roughriders play a few times. My schoolmates support the nearest NHL teams like the Winnipeg Jets or Edmonton Oilers or Calgary Flames.

 

[eatshitndie]

.........And then you woke up from your dream?

i woke up and realized the modern bow in my hand was so light and light years ahead of the compound bow during my conquest of the russian steppe.

 

[eatshitndie]

Back to Hockey, because the World Championships are held during the Stanley Cup playoffs we know that not all the best players in the world are at the World's. So to win it, is no biggie. The only international hockey competition Canadians watch out for is really the Olympics. Because it doesn't clash with the NHL season (for now). So the winner is truly the best in the world. And yes Canada won the gold at the 2010 and the 2014 Winter Olympics.

i'm rooting for the sharks. for once at least they need to fight their playoff blues (no pun intended) and win the cup. btw, someone mentioned "world cup" in baseball. there's no such thing. it's the world series.