As Canucks...we are never so keenly interested...as when we are the underdogs....this tourney didn't have the profile it should have in this country....media....fans pretty much put it on the back burner....I understand the SC is going on ....but....defending Gold medal champs....the 1986 "curse"...on Canadian soil for the 1st time....100th anniversary....this should have been a compelling news/sports story and it just wasn't....why?....I hypothesize at least part of it is in the nature of my Countrymen....we are never, ever comfortable as the favourites in anything....its a national phobia....we beat up and critize our own....whilst tipping our hat to others around the world...who in many cases couldn't carry that hat of our countrymen we are so quick to critize...and that's in many endeavours not just sports....we lose interest when we are ahead....maybe its just a comfort zone thing...I dunno....but when we were winning everything in International Hockey way back in the day no one here gave a sweet farthing fark...winning was expected not appreciated....but lose one game or Tourney!!!...now uve got our attention.....(fanatics like ourselves aside of course)....as late as the 80's when we were killing everyone in the U20's the interest in the Tourney here was dwindling...it was the Piestany (sp?) brawl that rekindled it again imo....pitting us against those "dirty cheating Russian bastards" for future revenge (no offense intended here just stating a fact about national sentiment after that event) brought the passion back...now that we are dominating the U20's again...I am beginning to see that complacancy creeping in again....generally this extends beyond just fans and media to the players themselves (u20's aside....they're always going to go if invited....don't have much choice really)...Alysha Cuthburt notwithstanding are u telling me that Pronger, Weber, Neidemeyer, Phaneuf , Iginla et al would have taken a pass on the 87 CC? or any other international event on our soil during that period...a few of these guys are barely in their 20's for cripes sakes...and they're "passing" on Intnl hockey already?....my rather lengthy point?...we were too damn successful for our own good going into this....and that old fashion Canuck complacency is back...."if we win it all the time how good can it be?" sort of attitude....todays result was a good wake up call...especially given the adversary....thank you mother Russia....I believe u may have done us an extraordinary favour going forward....just a thought from a disappointed fan....

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose....thats hockey.

Don't get too wounded up on a lost game. You are definetly not the only ones who have lost tournaments. I was so sad when finland lost the olympic gold in the last game although we won every game before that.

Yes - and take this from someone who KNOWS - silver is silver. It is what it is. And it makes you appreciate the gold more.

(I'm still not over Torino though. Seriously.)

Nah...Russia deserved to win the game I'm OK with that....the attitude of the general public here....outside of my fellow fanatics like here....is sometimes disturbing...

It's strange that the World Juniors has always been more popular in Canada than the Worlds, but I think there are a number of reasons for this...

1. WC is alway during SC playoffs

2. WC games are always played while most of the country is at work!!

3. WC is only on TSN, a pay-channel, not CBC, so not everyone can even watch it.

4. Historical perception that the 'World' championship was really 'European' Championship...I mean, it took them 100 years to finally bring it to Canada? WTF??

Most die-hard hockey fans in Canada follow this tournament, but the general public is barely aware of it...I remember the early-80's when it wasn't even televised, and I had to listen to TC's games on the radio...I think the WC's popularity is growing here though, and bringing it to Canada will only increase the general populations awareness..

^ well ... you can bring those games to Toronto ..... there it get more visibility and modern icehall (Leafs never get to playoff´s ) ...... leave the application to IIHF

^Makes sense, with that 20,000 seat rink in Toronto that is always empty in May!

But if I remember, IIHF insisted that WC's could only be in cities without NHL teams...

But in the end this year's WC had third highest ever attendance, so it will be back in Canada someday....hmmm, maybe Winnipeg and Victoria in 2018!

Well Candon I think it was a miscalculation on Hockey Canada's part!
They chose to play afternoon games thinking going against the SC in prime time wouldn't work.
Also, to me, our Sports Media sucks!
Far to NA centric IMO.....
TSN not showing other games disturbing
Had the games been in Winnipeg Regina & Calgary attendance records would have fallen
I was disappointed with the empty seats in Halifax...again afternoon games WTF!

anyway it was an OT loss & a coaching gaff ....hardly time for another Hockey Crisis Summit!

I thought we had good response from players and having guys with guaranteed spots on TC 2010 declining also good...perfect stage for others to show if they belong on TC....

Yeah, it's certainly not time for a summit at all though Nicholson's and the brain trusts decisions on some matters (like Hitch coaching over Murray).......have to be questioned.

Hey................Russia had to win someday,any of the big seven can from time to time.

Canada has easily been more successful then Russia over the past two decades and we have been beating them handily most of the time for quite some time now.Don't forget this is their first win at this thing in ages,it's not like they have been consistently successful like Canada has.

and they will most likely take some wrong lessons from this thing too as they will use it as a blueprint to win in Vancouver that will (much to their surprise).......no longer be valid come 2010.

Law of averages that they were going to win something sooner or later.

we'll take it back from them..............................we're stronger all across the board then they are.

Let's start preparing for 2010...........when we beat them there this tournament will be but a distant memory.

Can't argue with u Ray or Dryden....not suggesting HC is in a crisis or anything like that....ur correct of course it's just 1 loss....I was more referring to the developing apathy I see amongst the media and fans in Canada in relation to events like this and surmizing it has a lot to do with how we view ourselves in the world and in particular when we percieve ourselves as being "on top"...rightly or wrongly...all other countries can point to players that should have been there....u win or lose with who ua "brung" no doubt...our list is a tad longer of course...the TV sched was set for Europe Ray...not much anyone could do about that it's primarily a Euro event...

Well, i'll tell you what candon............if canuck fans think they can rely solely on past victories they are going to be highly dissapointed.

It's a new world out there......if they get better, you have to get better.

No one, anyone................can rest on their laurels.


And if this tournament didn't give us a wake up call then i'm not sure what will.

Wake up call!!!

of course you could open your wallet and pay major part of tv money ,then you could schedule it as you whis ......

btw .....here was 1mil people watch/game here in finland ....semis there was 1.3mil

Damn good numbers!!

what's the pop there?.............5 mill?

The worst thing about so many watching over there is that they probably saw some way to beat us.

And you guys know hockey.

Something else to think about for us.

Wake up call!!

LOL...that's like 30 rating or something I bet....a 5 or 6 for a sports event here is considered huge....critical mass a little different I know but still....impressive....and you weren't even in it...lol

That's pretty funny!!!

Canada better than Russia? Give me a break! Russia dominates Canada and will dominate! Watch out boys, you won't win any more medals in the decade or so to come!!!

And FYI, Russia and Canada are tied with 24 golds each. Yeah, Canada had some over the past 15 years but Russia had many before. If you didn't notice, hockey dynasties come in such periods. Time to bid Team Canada good bye, and welcome the all powerful Russia!!!