The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang

Yeah. And well, of course one is a little more dangerous organization than the other of course.
But they both have rather polarizing self interest serving policies, rather than using common (and more global) sense and understandment of the impact of their decisions. And they still have their own way of course. The power of money.
 
Foro, I can’t agree the “can’t sacrifice for the common good” argument applies to the NHL any more than it does to the IOC.

NHL not being in the Olympics is a pure business decision on both sides.
Shutting down during the season creates a cost for NHL owners. The exposure the games bring is beneficial.
Bringing in NHLers creates a cost for the IOC. The interest they generate is beneficial.

This year - I think largely because of the time differential between PyeongChang and North America - they couldn’t find a middle ground where the costs outweighed the benefits for both sides.

Too bad, because, since the 80s the Olympic tourney is truly the only best-on-best international hockey fans get to see.
 
Black Wizard said:
This sounds like cutting your nose off to spite your face. The Winter Olympics probably gives ice hockey its biggest global audience so stopping NHL players participating prevents the NHL from raising its own profile. Does ice hockey in Europe operate in the same fashion as NHL? As in with franchises where players sign contracts with the league.
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To my knowledge, European club hockey is organized more like football. The players are employed by the clubs, subject to rules set by each country's league and with some international (i.e. IIHF) regulations on top. Whether there is any coordination between IIHF and NHL on that level, I do not know (but I doubt it, since they are organized so differently).

I think the deal with NHL getting their way is that it was established as a big entity long before international ice hockey was a thing. For football, it was the other way round. The World Cup was first held in 1934, long before professional football had the financial muscles to have a say. It's all about who can say "fuck off, no deal" and hurt the other more. To elaborate.

Hockey: The NHL can say to the players, "You go play for your country in the IIHF World Championship or the Olympics if you like, but we terminate your contract."

Football: The clubs can't say to the players "OK, go play at the World Cup/continental tournament (e.g. Copa America) if you like, but then we terminate your contract". Why can't they? Because FIFA would say "You do that and your country are not going to be allowed into the World Cup".

It's about the relative standing of the league vs. international tournaments.

That being said, I think it is sad that the IOC and the NHL haven't been able to find a common understanding, because I want to see a tournament where each country fields the best team possible.
 
Germany has equalized vs OAR. 1-1!!! :dancinggeek:Who's going to win this?

The Germans have also taken the lead from Norway in the medal table! Can they keep that lead? And will they be the first nation with 15 gold?
 
WOW!!!! 2-2 Ausgleich!!!!!

The OAR scored 2-1 and within seconds the Germans equalized again!!!!!

6 minutes to go and this dude is watching the fucking ZDF. Come on Deutschland!!!
 
Meanwhile, the last cross-country skiing event has started, the women's 30km. To no surprise, the three first after 10km come from Norway, Sweden and Finland :) Also, Jessica Diggins (USA) seems to be wearing short sleeves ... so it's obviously not as cold as last week!

Anyway, back to hockey.
 
Aaand Russ... OAR wins 4-3 in overtime. That last 2min proved costly. Anyway, kudos to Germany for making this final a thriller and congrats on a very surprising silver! And of course to the Olympic Athletes from the Country that Should Not Be Named for winning.
 
O no.... OAR wins.... The Germans were so close. They should have won that battle preceding the 3-3, with one minute to go.... Still Germany has written history.

Well, congrats @Dr. Eddies Wingman
Norway is going to win the medal table again. With Bjoergen.
 
Aargh. Stadlober did a "Sven Kramer"!!
She took the wrong track. In such super form and on silver medal course, that was a huge error!
 
Why wasn't that other track closed though? It's her own fault, I agree, but the organizers should have closed the track, preventing mistakes like that.
 
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