Did you watch that hockey game last night?
by BirdGT on Feb 22, 2010 10:00 AM EST
15 comments
After watching the game and listening to the commentators talk about the scale of the upset, I wanted to look deeper into it. I looked at the American roster and the Canadian roster. The first thing I confirmed was that there was a Boston College alum playing for America (so an ACC school is representing America). The next thing that I looked at was NHL salaries for the two squads. I wanted to line them up side by side... Here's the list of NHL salaries lined up by rank on their respective teams:
So looking at the salaries head to head gives you a little perspective but when you take the sum of the whole and the average of each team's NHL payroll, you kinda see where the term "upset" came from. Was it an epic America-Soviet Union-Greatest Upset-Of-All-Time? No. But it was definitely an upset. We had 62% of the Canadian payroll playing for us. It also didn't hurt that Ryan Miller was AMAZING.
Now, for all the other Southerners who hate hockey and other frozen things like ice cream, snowmen, and polar bears, here's another analogy. Essentially, the Boston Red Sox (123 million dollar payroll) just got knocked off by the Colorado Rockies (77 million dollar payroll). That's the level of upset we're talking about. Not huge but still something worth talking about the day after the game.
Wait, you don't like baseball. Alright let's compare these teams to the NBA. 2009-2010 scoring-wise, the Canadians have the NBA equivalents of Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony versus the American team having the NBA equivalents of Joe Johnson, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Carlos Boozer. Imagine any team led by Carmelo and Lebron getting knocked off by anything short of the Shaq-Kobe Lakers or Jordan-Pippen Bulls and you can kinda grasp the shock that's going through the Great White North.
What are your thoughts on this Pro America Monday? I figured we've got a week to break down the BC game and there are a few baseball games to talk about. Just wanted to take a break and feel a little patriotic.
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Nice work!
Do you believe in mildly surprising upsets? YES!
BC Interruption, a Boston College sports blog
Admittedly
I know next to nothing about hockey (I had to call my buddy in MN and get him to explain offsides to me), but this game was amazing to watch.
Great call-out on Miller, the guy was a maniac the last 5 minutes of the game when Canada was attacking the crap outta the net. Also a good call out on the amazing empty netter by the US with just under 2 minutes left.
I’m hooked on Olympic hockey, I gotta say.
Maker's Mark--nectar of the gods...
yeah
It reminded of when we played Brazil in soccer a few months ago. We went into the half 2-0 and lost 3-2. Brazil was toying with us in the second half. I was worried that was gonna happen but thankfully it didn’t. The talent disparity wasn’t nearly as great between Canada-US as the Brazil-US game so that didn’t hurt.
I spun around... and there I was, face-to-face with a six-year old kid. Well, I just threw my guns down and walked away. Little bastard shot me in the ass.
The game was really exciting
when Canada was attacking and finally got back to 4-3 I was squirming in my chair. What a great ending (which I needed after the Maryland game)
I love international competition.
No matter the sport. Was at Hand-in-Hand watching the game. Every TV had the game on and lots of “USA! USA! USA!”
The college football season is so fragile. It's like a glass ball being pushed around from stadium to stadium by a rhinoceros.
by Winfield Featherston on Feb 22, 2010 10:59 AM EST reply actions
Stats in Miller's corner
1. NHL average Shots on Goal – 30.26/game. Last night Canada had 42.
2. NHL average Goals/Shots on Goal – 9.09%. Last night Miller only allowed 7.14%.
I thought American defense played well last night disrupting Canadian shots but that’s still a lot of shots on goal…
I spun around... and there I was, face-to-face with a six-year old kid. Well, I just threw my guns down and walked away. Little bastard shot me in the ass.
An Amazing Win!!!!
What a great game. Your salary breakdown is interesting & underscores a point I made to some friends before the game last night: Brian Burke (USA GM) has done a terrific job with the roster. Canada, as your salary breakdown shows, is essentially an ALL-Star team filled with highly skilled players used to being the center of attention. The USA, on the other hand, built a roster much more in line with how you win a Stanley Cup: a few stars but a quality TEAM where each & every player has a defined role. Just look at how we played; tough, gritty, willing to muck about in the corners, physical, challenging for every loose puck. Guys like Callahan, Ryan, Kesler, & Backes are great players but they’re also “effort” guys who are willing to do the little things & grind out a win. It was awesome game & triumph of substance over style. Young Mr. Crosby can pirouette around & ice dance all he wants; I’ll take Gleason or Johnson standing someone up at the blue line anyday over that. Is there anything more awesome than a gathering of people chanting “USA,USA”? Great win & Canada can continue to be our bitch….
you are totally right
Why else would a defensemen be scoring two goals for the U.S.? He’s only had 4 goals all season in 57 games played this year.
It was interesting that they kept mentioning all of the NHL trainers hovering around the rink anxiously waiting for the Olympics to be over.
I spun around... and there I was, face-to-face with a six-year old kid. Well, I just threw my guns down and walked away. Little bastard shot me in the ass.
BTW, 30 years ago today
was the Miracle on Ice. AMMMERRIICUUUHH!
http://www.alligatorarmy.com/2010/2/22/1321035/classic-moments-in-championship
The college football season is so fragile. It's like a glass ball being pushed around from stadium to stadium by a rhinoceros.
by Winfield Featherston on Feb 22, 2010 11:10 AM EST reply actions
FUCK YEAH
Football is my anti-drug. CollegeGameBalls.com
by collegegameballs on Feb 22, 2010 6:56 PM EST up reply actions
What's this hockey you speak of?
Didn’t that sport die like six or so years ago? And, you mean people actually like to play in the snow?
Seriously though, I’m not sure I have watched a Winter Olympics since I was a teenager. There’s not one sport that remotely peaks my interest in the whole thing. I will however read headlines and enough articles to make fun of players, teams, sports, etc.
"Big Ten can have this challenge. Duke loses, we all win..."
-Marcus Ginyard, G - UNC
Just wanted to take a break and feel a little patriotic.
And for that I tip my hat to you sir.
Football is my anti-drug. CollegeGameBalls.com
by collegegameballs on Feb 22, 2010 6:56 PM EST reply actions
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