PDA

View Full Version : Gretzky and the United States

Mr. Penguin
02-26-2002, 02:24 PM
I've heard that Gretzky had a lot of nasty things to say previous to Sunday's games about the USA, but haven't been able to find any direct quotes. Can anybody help me out on this?
Pseudolus
02-26-2002, 02:27 PM
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nypost/20020219/sp_nypost/the_great_rampage

This is probably what you're looking for.

To me, sounded less nasty than whiney.
Dr T Non-Fan
02-26-2002, 02:52 PM
Oh, it's only about the media. That's not the rest of us.
He didn't talk to me about it. And it was kind of obvious that he was doing it to distract the world from the team, so they could concentrate on winning. And it worked. He's The Great One, after all.
That said, a team with that firepower, from line 1 to line 4, should not have had ANY problems in this tournament. If they did, then it would have been more the coaches and GM fault for not getting them ready for the new rules in time.
Maine-iac
02-26-2002, 03:20 PM
It wasn't even that bad of a rant. It's just that Gretzky has such a reputation of being a "nice guy", that all he has to say is "crock of crap" and it's international news.
Mr. Penguin
02-26-2002, 03:45 PM
I guess that's why I haven't heard any direct quotes. To hear some sports talk radio folk talk about it, he practically trampled the USA flag. And you're right Maine-iac, this would not have been news if it had come out of anybody else's mouth.
UWO
02-26-2002, 03:53 PM
Most of the rant was directed at the Europeans (specifically, the Czechs without mentioning them by name, from what I hear) and the glee they take when Canada loses.

The rest was directed at guys like Jim Lampley and some of the mocking on NBC re. the early games against Sweden and Germany.
Dr T Non-Fan
02-26-2002, 04:00 PM
So, the best way to beat the Canadians is to say, "It's ok, you'll beat those Swedes the next time!" Or, "That's all right, you're the better team in my book."
Give them all that esteem crap, and they'll be happy when they bow out early.

I think a little "Thank you" to the NBC folks from all of Canada would be appropriate. To which they could reply, "Well, you deserved all of it for stinking up the first two games. You can use our comments either to better yourselves or to self-destruct. Makes no difference to us. And thank YOU for the nice ratings on Sunday."
UWO
02-26-2002, 04:09 PM
I think he was following the rule that it's o.k. for us to say we're playing badly and have to pick it up, but others would be wise to keep quiet (and certainly be wise enough NOT to mock them)

Lampley made the mistake of not realizing it was more important to win the last three games than the first three.
Dr T Non-Fan
02-26-2002, 05:43 PM
And that's why Lampley isn't in the big chair with the fake fireplace.
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-26-2002, 07:55 PM
Gretzky = another Canadian whiner.
Kairn
02-27-2002, 10:36 AM
Bitterness over your loss, DP?

Gretzky has been a gentlemen for as many years as we can count and the first time he gets upset publicly, it's the end of the world? Give me a break.

He's one of the greatest, always has been, always will be.
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-27-2002, 01:10 PM
My loss? I don't play hockey ...

I've noticed that Canadians like to throw the word "bitter" out there as a smoke screen to avoid admitting they're a bunch of whiners.

"Give us the gold medal or we'll sue, eh?"
Kairn
02-27-2002, 02:09 PM
It's your right to think so, but seems you are part of a minority. Surveys all over internet were showing that 80-90% of the voters agreed to award a second gold.

The Gold medal awarded to Sale and Pelletier was well deserved and there was controversy over the French judge's decision. You can call it whining, I call it making things right. Most Americans agreed that it was right as well, so the Canadians were probably rightfully "whining".
Mr. Grim
02-27-2002, 02:24 PM
I think the French judge had a problem awarding a gold to a French pretender (sorry French Canadian)

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Grim on 2002-02-27 14:25 ]</font>
Kairn
02-27-2002, 02:53 PM
Grim:

That has to be totally irrelevant....
Mr. Grim
02-27-2002, 02:56 PM
The extra gold was the biggest piece of bs ever. The Olympic Committee should be renamed the pu**y committee.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: grim on 2002-02-27 15:03 ]</font>
Dr T Non-Fan
02-27-2002, 03:02 PM
Formerly known as the corruption committee, formerly known as the "We're scared of the Soviets" committee.

It was a little bit of bs: they should have switched their medals instead.
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-27-2002, 03:19 PM
Kairn,

>>"It's your right to think so, but seems you are part of a minority. Surveys all over internet were showing that 80-90% of the voters agreed to award a second gold."

Well there's an impartial and unbiased source of information. Hey, 95% of the people that voted in Rush Limbaugh's online poll wanted to impeach Clinton, but so what. Unless these are polls of skating judges, they're completely worthless.

>>"The Gold medal awarded to Sale and Pelletier was well deserved and there was controversy over the French judge's decision. You can call it whining, I call it making things right. Most Americans agreed that it was right as well, so the Canadians were probably rightfully "whining"."

There was controversy over the women's figure skating results too. Should we award more gold medals? Why was the Canadian complaint valid, while the Russian complaint was not. Keep in mind the French judge is now saying she was pressured by the Canadians to say there was vote trading going on ...
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-27-2002, 03:21 PM
Grim,
>>"The extra gold was the biggest piece of bs ever. The Olympic Committee should be renamed the pu**y committee."

Exactly. At least someone sees this for what it is.
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-27-2002, 03:22 PM
>>"It was a little bit of bs: they should have switched their medals instead."

Really? How much experience do you have in judging skating events?
UWO
02-27-2002, 03:25 PM
On 2002-02-27 15:19, DonkeyPunch wrote:
Keep in mind the French judge is now saying she was pressured by the Canadians to say there was vote trading going on ...



It's called "no credibility" ... she's changed her story 3 times since her little public outburst to try to escape the heat, or were you not paying attention ?
Guerilla poster
02-27-2002, 03:25 PM
Maybe they should give the Oakland Raiders a Superbowl trophy, also.
Abducens
02-27-2002, 03:29 PM
I am just as likely to root for the Raiders as I am against them. Except not.
Dr T Non-Fan
02-27-2002, 03:45 PM
UWO, there are better things to do.
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-27-2002, 03:52 PM
UWO, so if the French judge is no longer credible, why do you believe her first story that she was pressured by the Russians to vote aganst the Canadians?
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-27-2002, 03:53 PM
>>"UWO, there are better things to do."

Why are you so concerned with who UWO talks to? Are you some kind of Canadian lawyer?
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-27-2002, 03:59 PM
I'm eagerly awating the arrival of the Canadian argument version of heavy artillery:

"Michael J Fox is Canadian!"
UWO
02-27-2002, 04:13 PM
On 2002-02-27 15:52, DonkeyPunch wrote:
UWO, so if the French judge is no longer credible, why do you believe her first story that she was pressured by the Russians to vote aganst the Canadians?


because it was said that same night, in the hotel lobby within earshot of several parties ... not after days of consulting with the french skating federation interested in damage control

... not that i need to believe her one way or another to have an opinion
Ammie
02-28-2002, 12:38 AM
On 2002-02-27 15:52, DonkeyPunch wrote:
UWO, so if the French judge is no longer credible, why do you believe her first story that she was pressured by the Russians to vote aganst the Canadians?


I say don't believe her at all. She has lost all credibility. And that means, doh! Double gold. Figure that. :razz:
Loner
02-28-2002, 06:47 AM
Why is anyone surprised that a French person surrendered at the first opportunity and then backpedaled?
Cheese-eating surrender monkeys...:wink:
Another day in Paradise
02-28-2002, 08:29 AM
On 2002-02-28 06:47, Loner wrote:
Cheese-eating surrender monkeys...:wink:


And here I always thought the French stank because of lack of personal hygiene...turns out it's from constipation. :razz:
Pseudolus
02-28-2002, 08:29 AM
The whole thing smelled a little vichy to me from the very beginning...
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-28-2002, 02:34 PM
>>"not that i need to believe her one way or another to have an opinion"

But you do to have the "proof of cheating" you claim led to the double gold.
UWO
02-28-2002, 02:57 PM
On 2002-02-28 14:34, DonkeyPunch wrote:
>>"not that i need to believe her one way or another to have an opinion"

But you do to have the "proof of cheating" you claim led to the double gold.


Actually, I don't ... the ISU does, and did, apparently without consulting you.
Maine-iac
02-28-2002, 04:33 PM
The whole thing smelled a little vichy to me from the very beginning...

GET THE HOOK!!!!!!
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
02-28-2002, 05:50 PM
>>"Actually, I don't ... the ISU does, and did, apparently without consulting you."

Errr, not exactly, chief. They're still allegations at this point, based on a conversation a guy claims to have overheard in a hotel lobby.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter02/figure/news?id=1338946

Nice try, though.
UWO
02-28-2002, 11:20 PM
read it any way you like ... where was the part of the story about the canadians whining their way into a gold ?
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-01-2002, 02:32 PM
The point of the story was you said the ISU had "proof", when in fact they don't. The only thing we know for sure is the Canadians were whining, and they were given the gold medal as a reward.
Mr. Grim
03-01-2002, 02:35 PM
Let's see it for what it is, a major cop out by the IOC and it sets a very bad precedent. More golds for whining in the future, let us hope not.
UWO
03-01-2002, 02:35 PM
your editorializing aside, right ? thanks for enlightening us on "facts"
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-02-2002, 09:53 PM
UWo, you seem to be having trouble following the argument here. You said the ISU had proof the Russians cheated, I showed you they didn't. How exactly is that "editioralizing"?


Grim is right. The gold was awarded solely due to Canadian whining, and it set a terrible precedent.
UWO
03-02-2002, 10:31 PM
On 2002-03-02 21:53, DonkeyPunch wrote:
UWo, you seem to be having trouble following the argument here. You said the ISU had proof the Russians cheated, I showed you they didn't. How exactly is that "editioralizing"?


Actually, you didn't "show" me anything but a dated story on the investigation. I said that I didn't need to prove anything to you, the ISU needs only be convinced of impropriety. Re-read my posts if you can't tell mine apart from anyone else's.

If you want facts though, don't read your interpretation into stories that you come across. It wasn't "one guy who claimed to overhear a conversation", it was several, and these were people within the ISU ranks.



Grim is right. The gold was awarded solely due to Canadian whining, and it set a terrible precedent.


Check the history, this wasn't precedent-setting, it's just the only time you happened to be paying attention.

Getting back to the title of the thread, how 'bout that Gretzky and Team Canada !
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-05-2002, 12:40 PM
That "dated" story is the only "proof" you and the ISU have. The French judge has retracted the story supposedly overheard publicly, so a less "dated" story would just demonstrate how stupid this really is.

And it *is* precedent setting, since this is the first time a double gold has been awarded just because someone didn't like the outcome. I did find another example of a double gold, however:

"In 1993, the IOC awarded a second gold medal in synchronized swimming from the Barcelona Games to Canada's Sylvie Frechette. The IOC's executive board agreed that Frechette was placed second because of a judging error and should be awarded a gold. The decision came after the Canadian swimming federation protested because a Brazilian judge was not allowed to correct the 8.7 score she mistyped into her computer. The intended 9.7 would have given Frechette the gold. The IOC's decision did not affect Kristen Babb-Sprague of the United States, who was originally awarded the gold and kept her medal."

Another Canadian protest ... how suprising. But at least there was a verified mistake in this case.

And you forgot to tell me Michael J Fox is Canadian.
UWO
03-05-2002, 03:31 PM
so you'd recommend the U.S. and Babb-Sprague give back that gold, presumably

there are still 2 others, if you're still delving into this with the hopes of righting this wrong

you have a Michael J Fox complex, do you ? you seem to be the only one in a hurry to throw his name into a thread about Gretzky, but then why am I not surprised ?
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-05-2002, 05:12 PM
>>"so you'd recommend the U.S. and Babb-Sprague give back that gold, presumably"

No, I just wouldn't let the whiny Canadians get one.

>>"there are still 2 others, if you're still delving into this with the hopes of righting this wrong"

Probably, but I've done enough research. Instead of having me provide evidence that Canadians are big whiners, why don't you show me that another country has received a gold medal because they didn't like the judging?

>>"you have a Michael J Fox complex, do you ? you seem to be the only one in a hurry to throw his name into a thread about Gretzky, but then why am I not surprised ?"

You're *not* surprised? I would be if someone just started talking about Michael J Fox out of the blue ... unless of course you were planning to talk about him.

Admit it. You're just pissed that I pre-empted the standard Canadian comeback.
Ammie
03-05-2002, 06:17 PM
Sounds like somebody needs a tough love hug. Here DonkeyPunch :hug:
Nature Boy
03-05-2002, 06:23 PM
canada sucks.

can i get a hug too, ddc ?
UWO
03-06-2002, 09:32 AM
On 2002-03-05 17:12, DonkeyPunch wrote:
You're *not* surprised? I would be if someone just started talking about Michael J Fox out of the blue ... unless of course you were planning to talk about him.


see the top of this page, you're a little too predictable for anything to be considered a surprise



Admit it. You're just pissed that I pre-empted the standard Canadian comeback.


yes, you're onto us, they teach us that in school
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-06-2002, 01:40 PM
So you *predicted* I would say something about Michael J Fox?!? Remarkable.

And this is a nice attempt to distract from the whiny Canadians and their double gold. Well done.
UWO
03-06-2002, 01:48 PM
maybe you can start a thread on it, or Michael J Fox, whichever you prefer
Regina Phelangi
03-06-2002, 03:59 PM
UWO, please stop feeding the troll, he is going to burst, and that's not a pretty sight.

And now, the gold medal award for the biathlon of trolling and whining goes to ...
(drumroll please) ... Donkey Punch! Congratulations, you big A$$. :toast:
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-06-2002, 07:39 PM
UWO, I think the world hears enough about Michael J Fox from the Canadians without me adding to it.

Regina, I'm merely remining the Canadians they whined their way into a gold medal. Your personal attacks are far closer to trolling than that. Now see if you can find a little emoticon for your next post that says "I'm a hypocrite".
UWO
03-06-2002, 08:35 PM
On 2002-03-06 19:39, DonkeyPunch wrote:
UWO, I think the world hears enough about Michael J Fox from the Canadians without me adding to it.



DP, you'll be happy to know that I took the liberty of doing a search on the RF, curious about your theory. As it turns out, YOU were the first one to mention Michael J. Fox in THIS thread ... and YOU managed to be the first to bring him up in a thread titled: "Yet another opinion piece about the war"

i.e. you find a way to introduce his name in Sports, Politics, and presumably your work life as well.

I'm sure this is easily explained.
Anonymous
03-07-2002, 09:11 AM
On 2002-03-06 19:39, DonkeyPunch wrote:
"I'm a hypocrite".


Tell us something we don't know
Abducens
03-07-2002, 09:36 AM
That's the pot calling the kettle black.
Mr. Penguin
03-07-2002, 11:05 AM
How about Lorne Greene? Or Bill Shatner? Or maybe since this is a Sports forum, Larry Walker?
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-07-2002, 12:10 PM
>>"I'm sure this is easily explained."

Preemptive strike against Canadian whiners.
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-07-2002, 12:12 PM
tonythetiger, did you notice the quotation marks? Go back and read that post again.

I didn't know Duke had fans in Canada...
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-07-2002, 12:13 PM
>>"How about Lorne Greene? Or Bill Shatner? Or maybe since this is a Sports forum, Larry Walker?"

I can't explain it, but whenever you ask an argumentative Canadian why Canada is great, Michael J Fox makes it onto the top 10 list.
UWO
03-07-2002, 12:21 PM
I can't explain it, but whenever you ask an argumentative Canadian why Canada is great, Michael J Fox makes it onto the top 10 list.



stop visiting the Family Ties websites, it's not hard

your "pre-emptive" isn't very, is it ? maybe you invite it, another possibility
Ammie
03-07-2002, 01:29 PM
stop visiting the Family Ties websites, it's not hard


:lol: :lol: :lol:
MJF is not something that would pop into my head as a Canadian Top 25! :wink:
UWO
03-07-2002, 01:41 PM
Ammie's watching my back ... :smile:

MJF falls in behind the guy who created fishnet stockings on the 'historical Canadian' rankings, you are correct.
Another day in Paradise
03-07-2002, 02:27 PM
It's interesting how all Canadian traditions fit together so nicely. Why just the other day, Ammie and I were disucssing how in Canada they wear hockey jerseys and fishnet stockings to the office on Fridays instead of having jeans day. :wink:
Nature Boy
03-07-2002, 03:16 PM
is that a special edition phoenix coyotes jersey or are we commando friday?

whoooooooooo
Maine-iac
03-07-2002, 03:28 PM
Gee, ADIP, I've actually worn that outfit. But not to the office. :wink:

It's been known to distract a hockey fan from his TV set.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Maine-iac on 2002-03-07 15:29 ]</font>
Ammie
03-07-2002, 03:51 PM
:lol: That caught me off guard.
UWO
03-07-2002, 03:53 PM
Ammie almost swallowed her whistle when she caught ADIP in uniform. :eek:
Another day in Paradise
03-07-2002, 04:10 PM
"swallowed her whistle"...are you sure that's all? :wink:
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-07-2002, 06:00 PM
>>"stop visiting the Family Ties websites, it's not hard"

Actually, I get my information from the Canadian Board of Tourism.

They also have a "We Whined our Way to the Gold, eh?" display worth checking out.
Ammie
03-07-2002, 06:02 PM
They also have a "We Whined our Way to the Gold, eh?" display worth checking out.


Cool. I must check that out! :razz:
Regina Phelangi
03-07-2002, 06:07 PM
On 2002-03-07 12:12, DonkeyPunch wrote:tonythetiger, did you notice the quotation marks? Go back and read that post again. Listen, folks. That's the sound of yet another one going over DP's head. :lol:
Loner
03-07-2002, 06:41 PM
"We've already apolgized for Bryan Adams" :wink:
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-07-2002, 09:11 PM
>>"Listen, folks. That's the sound of yet another one going over DP's head."

I knew Canadians had an inferiority complex, but the depth of the bitterness has frankly shocked me.

Regina, nice attempt to rally the troops. "Come on everyone, let's laugh at this guy I don't like! I'm not brave enough to argue alone, and he's taken away the 'Michael J Fox' defense! Please help!"
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-07-2002, 09:13 PM
>>""We've already apolgized for Bryan Adams""

At least there are a few good Canadians out there ...
Nature Boy
03-07-2002, 09:26 PM
donkey - please don't mention this celine dion-sexual fetish of yours on this board again. the moderators have deleted that post last time. you're a sicko. :wink:

whooooooooooooooooo
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-08-2002, 03:28 PM
>>"Cool. I must check that out!"

Ammie, it's really worth a visit. Although I didn't like the section "How Americans Try to Win Gold" that has the wax statue of Tonya Harding.
DonkeyPunch (Banned)
03-08-2002, 03:29 PM
>>"donkey - please don't mention this celine dion-sexual fetish of yours on this board again. the moderators have deleted that post last time. you're a sicko."

If that makes me sick, I don't want to be well.