al? wrote:Keep screeching, Yanks.....just don't wreck any hotel rooms when you come back from Italy without a hockey medal.
Don't be so hard on old Uncle Sam, there, al... they'll come back with a silver in the women's tournament.
You can have the gold in the women's draw...don't matter to me. For the men's team, it's good to go into the tournament being counted out right away. If they medal, it'll be a pleasant surprise. This just isn't going to be their year. When your best goalie (Ryan Miller) is on the taxi squad, you know you have problems. At least Laviolette has the sense to name John Grahame the starter over Esche and Dipietro...that was a no-brainer.
Sucks for the media...Gretz and Janet aren't going to face charges and they probably won't have to testify either. This story is officially dead as much as the media wanted this to turn into a massive scandal that would bring down a hero. They don't care about the Rick Tocchet angle...they all sported wood when Gretzky's name was brought up since they don't know anything else about the NHL except him. Shame on those members of the press calling for his removal as coach of the Coyotes and GM of Canada hockey. They can now go back to covering T.O. and Ron Artest, I guess...
Another hit against the hockey-hating media...no evidence is found that players bet on NHL games in the Tocchet gambling ring. They blew this story so far out of proportion, that it isn't even funny. Tocchet is the one true criminal in this case...however, the media jumped to conclusions and pretty much convicted the entire sport as being corrupt.
