Everything Else

I’m Miss World Cup, Watch Me Break And Watch Me Burn – C.I.’s World Cup Preview: Czech Republic

By 1028

Pavel Nedved is certainly more worth talking about than any of the players on this squad. Come at me.

We finish out Group A with the team almost certainly destined to be the wooden spooners of the group, the Czech Republic. It’s hard to believe now that when the Olympics first allowed the professionals to be involved, and just two years after the US had won the first World Cup, the Czechs were the ones taking home the gold medal. That’s what happens when you have the two best players at the time, one in goal in Dominik Hasek and one at forward in Jaromir Jagr (was this the last goal Jagr scored that actually mattered for anything? Discuss amongst yourselves). Sad to say, that was probably the last time the Czechs mattered on the international stage.

I’m not sure this preview has to go much further than to point out that Roman Polak is on this squad. That’s how you know it sucks deep pond scum. One day, people will figure out that Roman Polak simply can’t play. I await that day excitedly, a bottle of champagne constantly chilling in my fridge.

Everything Else

Olympics Day 1 Wrap And Day 2 Preview

By Sam Fels 901 0

We’re off and running. Just a few thoughts about the two games today and then we’ll set up what’s to come tomorrow. Well, actually in just about a few hours but you get the idea.

-I think the reason Sweden is a lot of people’s favorites is because pretty much everyone on their roster would be called one of the smarter players on their NHL team. They’re all intelligent in both ends. Except for the little blip that let the Czechs back in it for a hot minute, the Swedes puck support was really outstanding. Even though they don’t all play together during the year, they seem to just pick up immediately. And this Erik Karlsson-OEL pairing is just too much fun to watch. I thought having to play centerfield for Karlsson would kind of limit Ekman-Larsson’s game, but there was no sign of that today. What a player. And of course, Karlsson is pretty much a video game.

-Oh sure the Czechs don’t need Ales Hemsky to play much when they have… a big handful of themselves, really. They’re a bigger mess than I thought.