Hockey

[shadows]

Originally Posted by ila

Actually I think it's more a case of sour grapes.

Speaking of sour grapes...

From Slam Sports on Canoe.ca.

Pravda questions Canada
Accuse Olympic hosts of cheating


When the Olympic flag was passed on to Russian officials at the conclusion of Vancouver?s spectacular Olympic closing ceremonies, maybe someone should have handed over a few crying towels as well.

Given all the whining coming out of Russia, the host country for the 2014 Winter Games, they probably could have used some.

Having watched its Olympic team underachieve the past two weeks, the lead column Monday in the Russian-based publication Pravda ripped the 2010 Games, even pondering the unsubstantiated accusation that the gold-medal Canadian men's hockey team might have been using performance-enhancing substances.

Said Pravda: "Doesn't it feel great to slam the door behind you as you walk out, stick up the middle finger using the palm of the left hand on the upper right forearm for extra leverage and blow a giant raspberry? That is exactly how it feels as Russia leaves Vancouver after disappointing Games with a question: was the Canadian ice hockey team on drugs?"

Where did that come from? Do the Russians know something that the IOC's drug testers don't? Was there tomfoolery going on while potential Team Canada players were peeing in bottles in the months leading up to arguably the greatest hockey tournament we have ever seen? A little switching of the specimen bottles, perhaps?



If that's the case, we have a question for Pravda: Where?s the evidence to back up those allegations?

Continued Pravda: "The middle finger and the giant raspberry go to the Canadian ice hockey team. Were they on drugs the day they beat Russia so overwhelmingly? These days, and since the USSR's 8-1 thrashing of Canada in the early 80s, Canada-Russia ice hockey games are always very closely fought events and there has not been such a monumental difference between the two sides. Very strange, the more so since the same Team Canada (whatever the hell that is supposed to mean) put in an extremely lacklustre performance against lowly Slovakia and was lucky to reach Sunday's final. And for anyone who is about to be shocked by the question, one supposes it is OK to make cheap and gratuitous references to Russians and doping, but when the ball rolls back home it hurts. Right?"

In the end, it sounds like a lot of sour grapes -- or, in Russian, "????? ????????."

Unless proof of Canadian cheating is provided, we'll stick with the premise that Team Canada crushed Russia 7-3 in the quarterfinal because the Russians were outscored, outhit, outskated, outclassed and outworked.

The stage had been set for Alexander Ovechkin to prove to Canada and the rest of the hockey world that he was the best. Didn't happen. In fact, on the day the gold medal hockey game was held, the only sweat produced by The Great Eight came from participating in the closing ceremonies.

And, by the way, how do you think Alexander The Great feels after watching his rival Sidney Crosby a) beat him in the Stanley Cup playoffs; b) win a Stanley Cup; and b) score an Olympic golden goal on home soil, igniting a coast-to-coast celebration?

All in the span of 10 months.

According to the Pravda column, the entire Russian contingent may have been the target of some fiendish scheme aimed at curtailing their medal count.

"We will never know, will we?" asked Pravda about the potential of the Canadians being on drugs. "We will never know, because the officials at Vancouver predictably did not mete out to the Canadians the shockingly humiliating treatment given to the Russian skier Natalya Korosteleva, asked to produce a urine sample during the break between the quarter-and semi-finals of her event. Had she complied, she would not have had time to enter the semis. And such was the hounding of the Russian athletes that there are rumours many refused to eat for fear their food would be laced with steroids."

Lacing their chow with drugs? Quite the conspiracy theory.

By slagging the Games and the Vancouver area, the Russians are walking on thin ice. Criticize if you like. It?s called freedom of speech. But you certainly are setting the bar higher when the world congregates in Sochi, Russia in 2014.

When you rip others, you expose yourself to be equally slagged. And, after evaluating and dissecting each and every wart of the 2010 Vancouver Games -- even when there didn't seem to be any there at times -- you can bet that any hiccups will be that much more magnified in Sochi.

Especially by many of the so-called experts and observers who considered Vancouver 2010 to be one of the most popular and successful Olympics of all time.


So rather than blame the Russian team for deciding to pull a disappearing act, this "newspaper" chooses to slag the Canadian team instead. Classy!

[dauls]

Originally Posted by shadows

From Slam Sports on Canoe.ca.

Pravda questions Canada
Accuse Olympic hosts of cheating

Remember when the Soviet Union and the rest of the old Eastern Block (especially East Germany) were used to winning scores of medals and topping the Medals Table while pumped full of performance-enhancing drugs.

Well their logic follows that the countries who now win the most medals, must be doing today what they were doing in the 60s, 70s, 80s and possibly the 90s. Hence their accusations this week.

[smc]

Originally Posted by dauls

Remember when the Soviet Union and the rest of the old Eastern Block (especially East Germany) were used to winning scores of medals and topping the Medals Table while pumped full of performance-enhancing drugs.

Well their logic follows that the countries who now win the most medals, must be doing today what they were doing in the 60s, 70s, 80s and possibly the 90s. Hence their accusations this week.

I've heard that some of the Canadian players were, in fact, pumped full of poutine. Have you seen what that can do to your testicles?

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

I've heard that some of the Canadian players were, in fact, pumped full of poutine. Have you seen what that can do to your testicles?

*looks down to see if testicles are full of poutine*

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

*looks down to see if testicles are full of poutine*

Hold on a sec. You mean it's not cheese curd and gravy coating those fries?

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

Hold on a sec. You mean it's not cheese curd and gravy coating those fries?

Nope.

[shadows]

Here is the score from the game played on March 1st:

1. Detroit beat Colorado 3-2. A good first game for the Wings, perhaps they are healthy enough to give another run for the playoffs this year(darn). With this win they bumped Calgary out of 8th and took their place.

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

Nope.

I might have to rethink my opinion of poutine.

Bruins and Habs tonight. I think it will be a letdown after Olympic play!

[ila]

Originally Posted by dauls

Remember when the Soviet Union and the rest of the old Eastern Block (especially East Germany) were used to winning scores of medals and topping the Medals Table while pumped full of performance-enhancing drugs.

Well their logic follows that the countries who now win the most medals, must be doing today what they were doing in the 60s, 70s, 80s and possibly the 90s. Hence their accusations this week.

I saw a documentary not too long ago about the doping that used to happen to the East German women. A lot of the women who were given drugs were interviewed. The doping on them started when they were still in their early teens and were injected by their coaches, doctors, etc. They were told not to worry because everything was okay. As it turned out everything was not okay and these women are still paying the price in health problems to this very day.

[dauls]

Originally Posted by ila

I saw a documentary not too long ago about the doping that used to happen to the East German women. A lot of the women who were given drugs were interviewed. The doping on them started when they were still in their early teens and were injected by their coaches, doctors, etc. They were told not to worry because everything was okay. As it turned out everything was not okay and these women are still paying the price in health problems to this very day.

The East Germans were a crafty bunch. Stasi files give details of all the athletes doped and all those that failed the secret doping tests that were performed inside East Germany. Any athlete testing positive was refused permission to travel to overseas competition, and all failed results were hidden from the IAAF and the IOC.

Because of this only one East German athlete failed a doping test in competition, Ilona Slupianek, a shot putter from the Berlin Dynamo Club, was stripped of her gold medal after testing positive for steroids at the European Cup in 1977.


Heidi Krieger:

Heidi was an East German shot putter who was invited to the prestigious Dynamo Sports Club and Boarding School in East Berlin at age thirteen in 1979. Soon after arriving the coaches started giving her bright blue pills that they told her and her parents were vitamins.

Almost immediately, her body began to change, her muscles expanded and her face, nose and hands started to enlarge. Her mood also went haywire (depression, aggression, etc.), hair sprouted across her stomach and face, her voice became deeper and her libido swung violently.

Coaches again said they were a side effects of the extra training and would be short-lived. Anyone who voiced doubts or concerns was told that they would be punished if they persisted with questioning the wisdom of their coaches.

The daily dose of pills was gradually increased and 'glucose' injections were given.

At age 20 in 1986 she won gold at the European Championships, but she was unable to cope with crippling mood swings and chronic pain. She retired in 1990.

In 1997 Heidi underwent Sex Reassignment Surgery and changed her name to Andreas.

Although Andreas Krieger's unease over his sexual identity pre-dated the doping programme, he says that the androgenic abuse left him with little choice but to have a sex-change operation. "I had no sympathy with my body, it had changed beyond all recognition," he says. "It was as though they had killed Heidi. Becoming Andreas was the next logical step."

He then hoped for justice against those who had wreaked havoc with his life. In May 2002, H?ppner and Ewald, the masterminds of the doping programme, were brought before a court in Berlin to face charges of actual bodily harm. More than 140 athletes testified. H?ppner and Ewald were found guilty but only received sentences of 22 months (suspended) and 18 months probation. Krieger was happy with the verdict, but not the lenient sentences.

At the hearing Andreas met Ute Krause (a talented female swimmer) who also testified. They have since married and they help each other cope with the depression, etc. that resulted from their doping during the 1980s.

Other East German athletes whose lives were wrecked by doping

George Sievers: Collapsed and died, aged 16, at poolside in 1973 while training. His parents were not given access to the autopsy report. Documents uncovered after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 revealed that his death was probably caused by a ruptured heart from steroid overloads.

Catherine Menschner: Had to retire early from swimming because of complications from steroid injections. She suffered permanent damage to her spine and reproductive organs.

Birgit Heukrodt: A swimming champion who was diagnosed with a liver tumour in 1993. She became a renowned surgeon.

Christiane Knacke-Sommer: The swimmer, testifying at the trial of sports doctors and coaches in 2000, pointed at the defendants, shouting: ?They destroyed my body and my mind. They even poisoned my medal.? She then threw the bronze medal she had won in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow to the floor.

Rica Reinisch: Won three swimming gold medals at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, quit the sport in 1982 and was diagnosed with ovarian cysts because of high levels of testosterone in her system. She suffered several miscarriages.

* Excerpts pinched from a Times Online article based on an interview by Matthew Syed (journalist, commentator and two-time GB Olympic competitor).

[shadows]

Originally Posted by dauls

The East Germans were a crafty bunch. Stasi files give details of all the athletes doped and all those that failed the secret doping tests that were performed inside East Germany. Any athlete testing positive was refused permission to travel to overseas competition, and all failed results were hidden from the IAAF and the IOC.

Because of this only one East German athlete failed a doping test in competition, Ilona Slupianek, a shot putter from the Berlin Dynamo Club, was stripped of her gold medal after testing positive for steroids at the European Cup in 1977.


Heidi Krieger:

Heidi was an East German shot putter who was invited to the prestigious Dynamo Sports Club and Boarding School in East Berlin at age thirteen in 1979. Soon after arriving the coaches started giving her bright blue pills that they told her and her parents were vitamins.

Almost immediately, her body began to change, her muscles expanded and her face, nose and hands started to enlarge. Her mood also went haywire (depression, aggression, etc.), hair sprouted across her stomach and face, her voice became deeper and her libido swung violently.

Coaches again said they were a side effects of the extra training and would be short-lived. Anyone who voiced doubts or concerns was told that they would be punished if they persisted with questioning the wisdom of their coaches.

The daily dose of pills was gradually increased and 'glucose' injections were given.

At age 20 in 1986 she won gold at the European Championships, but she was unable to cope with crippling mood swings and chronic pain. She retired in 1990.

In 1997 Heidi underwent Sex Reassignment Surgery and changed her name to Andreas.

Although Andreas Krieger's unease over his sexual identity pre-dated the doping programme, he says that the androgenic abuse left him with little choice but to have a sex-change operation. "I had no sympathy with my body, it had changed beyond all recognition," he says. "It was as though they had killed Heidi. Becoming Andreas was the next logical step."

He then hoped for justice against those who had wreaked havoc with his life. In May 2002, H?ppner and Ewald, the masterminds of the doping programme, were brought before a court in Berlin to face charges of actual bodily harm. More than 140 athletes testified. H?ppner and Ewald were found guilty but only received sentences of 22 months (suspended) and 18 months probation. Krieger was happy with the verdict, but not the lenient sentences.

At the hearing Andreas met Ute Krause (a talented female swimmer) who also testified. They have since married and they help each other cope with the depression, etc. that resulted from their doping during the 1980s.

Other East German athletes whose lives were wrecked by doping

George Sievers: Collapsed and died, aged 16, at poolside in 1973 while training. His parents were not given access to the autopsy report. Documents uncovered after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 revealed that his death was probably caused by a ruptured heart from steroid overloads.

Catherine Menschner: Had to retire early from swimming because of complications from steroid injections. She suffered permanent damage to her spine and reproductive organs.

Birgit Heukrodt: A swimming champion who was diagnosed with a liver tumour in 1993. She became a renowned surgeon.

Christiane Knacke-Sommer: The swimmer, testifying at the trial of sports doctors and coaches in 2000, pointed at the defendants, shouting: ?They destroyed my body and my mind. They even poisoned my medal.? She then threw the bronze medal she had won in the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow to the floor.

Rica Reinisch: Won three swimming gold medals at the Moscow Olympics in 1980, quit the sport in 1982 and was diagnosed with ovarian cysts because of high levels of testosterone in her system. She suffered several miscarriages.

* Excerpts pinched from a Times Online article based on an interview by Matthew Syed (journalist, commentator and two-time GB Olympic competitor).

Thanks for the article, dauls. It shows some of the true victims in all of this.

[ila]

Originally Posted by shadows

Thanks for the article, dauls. It shows some of the true victims in all of this.

I echo shadows words on this, dauls. Thankyou very much.

[ila]

Originally Posted by shadows

Speaking of sour grapes...

From Slam Sports on Canoe.ca.

Pravda questions Canada
Accuse Olympic hosts of cheating........

(sorry for deleting so much of your quote, shadows, but I did it in the interest of brevity.)

Pravda should be renamed njet Pravda. It was always the organ of the former soviet government and never did live up to its name.

I'd like to know how steroids could be put in the food that only the Russians would get. When there are a few thousand athletes to feed how those that want to put steroids in the food know what any particular Russian would eat and at what time any particular Russian would show up to eat. How also would anyone be able to slip steroids into the food so that only a targeted athlete would get it? It's all just one big case of "penis envy" with a real nice whine to wash it down.

[shadows]

Originally Posted by ila

(sorry for deleting so much of your quote, shadows, but I did it in the interest of brevity.)

Pravda should be renamed njet Pravda. It was always the organ of the former soviet government and never did live up to its name.

I'd like to know how steroids could be put in the food that only the Russians would get. When there are a few thousand athletes to feed how those that want to put steroids in the food know what any particular Russian would eat and at what time any particular Russian would show up to eat. How also would anyone be able to slip steroids into the food so that only a targeted athlete would get it? It's all just one big case of "penis envy" with a real nice whine to wash it down.

No worries ila.

Did you hear that the President of Russia wants all the people that were in charge of the Russian contingent of athletes to either quit or they will get fired. All of them. That is why I am glad that I live in Canada. Can you imagine if our Prime Minister tried something like that?

And it would take time for the level of steroids they were discovered to have to develop. It wouldn't immediately show up from "contaminated food" like they tried to say. Bullplop!

[ila]

Originally Posted by shadows

Did you hear that the President of Russia wants all the people that were in charge of the Russian contingent of athletes to either quit or they will get fired. All of them. That is why I am glad that I live in Canada. Can you imagine if our Prime Minister tried something like that?

Yes, I heard that. I had a good laugh. If anything it will probably force a review of how they can do better for the next winter Olympics, which Russia is hosting.

[shadows]

Originally Posted by ila

Yes, I heard that. I had a good laugh. If anything it will probably force a review of how they can do better for the next winter Olympics, which Russia is hosting.

I have a feeling the 2014 Olympics are going to be a cluster.

(too many egos involved)

[ila]

Originally Posted by shadows

I have a feeling the 2014 Olympics are going to be a cluster.

(too many egos involved)

It should be interesting. The site is near a war zone. Having said that though I would like to be able to attend those games. The Caucasus is a very interesting area and the scenery I've heard is something else.

[shadows]

Originally Posted by ila

It should be interesting. The site is near a war zone. Having said that though I would like to be able to attend those games. The Caucasus is a very interesting area and the scenery I've heard is something else.

I would also have loved to be able to go, but not just for the Olympics or scenery. I have a friend that lives there, but we have lost touch. I am worried that something may have happened, but it is not like I can check and see since it is so far away(unless I get Sarah Palin to strain her peepers and check it out for me).

[shadows]

Only two games of hockey on last night.

1. Dallas beat Washington 4-3 in the shootout. Washington outshot Dallas 52-27, but could not pull away with the victory. Washington had a 2-0 lead and then Dallas scored 3 goals in a row. The Capitals tied it up late in the game to send it to overtime. Nothing was resolved in OT, and Dallas got 2-5 in the shootout to win.

2. LA beat Columbus 6-0. What a freaking ugly game! LA outshot Columbus 35-11 and it was never in doubt. Alexander Frolov had a goal and 3 assists for the Kings. Mike Blunden of Columbus got a 5 minute major for Checking From Behind and also received a Game Misconduct.