anders t

1-6.

Can this Swedish NHL Super Generation be the Greatest Chokers Of All Times
In All Sports?

1998, 2002, 2004. Absolute Mega Failures (tm)

OK 1996 was decent. We could just as well have won that semifinal and who
knows what could have happened in the final.

Sweden will not for at least 10 years again be a reasonable contender to
win an OG/WCH. Of course(?) we will have teams that are better than
Germany, and perhaps Slovakia but that's about it.

--
Another hope, another dream, another truth
installed by the machine

cam penner

In article <kt2sj0t0b9f115d6br8plih6cabru38uoe@4ax.com>,
anthu_001@No€SPaM€_hotmail.com says...

I'm amazed at the (recent) ability to choke under all
conditions. It's almost as if the players are afraid to
succeed. Now the Swedish goaltending hasn't been
particularly notable either, but you can't pin only scoring
one goal on having a sieve in net.

I was just remarking yesterday that the Finnish team seems
to have a similar psychological problem with success. They
don't seem to feel confident in having and carrying a lead.
They'll always seem to give up goals and chances to put
their ability to win in jeopardy. The difference (this
year anyhow) is that they seem to run out of game time
before they can completely choke. If games were 70
minutes, they might well be in Germany's place.

I don't know what the problem for either country is. They
both seam to have talent, and have demonstrated the ability
to play dominantly during the game. Too many Europeans on
the team perchance?

<gd&r>

--
Cam
#4

anders t

Quoting Cam Penner in rec.sport.hockey:


Actually there's discussion in Sweden if we trust our (old-ish) NHL stars
too much. They just don't care enough for the NT after having spent so much
time outside Sweden. I don't know though if that's the (single) reason.

Also, I think it is time to fire Hardy Nilsson. He was clearly outsmarted
by the Czechs, who didn't care at all about the 3 first games. Again, he
might not be the (single) reason for the debacle though.

I wonder if it's time to find some good and hungry Canadian or American
coach that would like to work with Swedish players. The scary thing is that
all we seem to have for the coming future is Henrik Zetterberg and _maybe_
the Sedins.

The last time Sweden All Stars played with skills _and_ heart in a game
that really mattered was the semi in 1996. That game was possibly the best
competitive game a Swedish team has ever played. Those were the days...

Clearly we need match winning goalie.

Peter Forsberg is the only won that I think is excused. He just isn't fit
yet. Everyone can see that. He tried, but his body just won't perform yet
after the injuries.

Markus Näslund has NEVER done ANYTHING (that I remember) in a Swedish NT
since the juniors. He is the World's Biggest (NT) Choker. Hands down.

Oh well. At least we have the WCQ in soccer tomorrow to look forward to,
still...

Final note: The Czechs of course played very smart tonight and when they
are almost 100% efficient on the counter attack, they are very difficult to
beat.

--
Another hope, another dream, another truth
installed by the machine

maxx taxx

I think the biggest problem is really bad coaching from Hardy Nilson.

The Czechs have a really good team but no way should this swedish team with
players like Sundin, Forsberg, Lidstrom, Näslund, Alfredsson, Zetterberg etc
lose this game with 5 goals (or lose to Belarus in last Olympics).

The swedes always put to much effort in the group play which doesn't matter
at all (especially in the last period and overtime against the finns) - and
in this first must-win game against the czechs they chased themselves even
more tired in a stupid way in all kinds of situations - whereas the czechs
played so intelligent and put in the energy when they got openings in
blazing attacks .

In the end it was a very tired swedish team against a still very sharp czech
team and they tore the swedish team apart in blazing counter attacks.

When it was 0-3 and the czechs got a penalty he should have pulled the
goalie to play 6 against 4, I mean they still had to make 2 more goals so
why not ?

In the match against Belarus the problem was the opposite. The swedish team
stood almost still.
Of course they should have skated much and made Belarus tired and win on
better stamina if nothing else - I mean the Belarus players play in much
lower leagues and can't match the swedish team in that department.
(That was exactly what Canada did when they met Belarus and if I remeber
right it was 0-0 in that game too until the middle of the match when the
Belarus players got tired and the goals came.)
A coach on this level must know such simple things but Hardy don't.


"Cam Penner"
<Cam.Penner.news1ATpleasedontspamgoldmedalsystems. com@hotmail.com> skrev i
meddelandet news:MPG.1ba7af6e868d50fd989b90@News.individual.ne t...
In article <kt2sj0t0b9f115d6br8plih6cabru38uoe@4ax.com>,
anthu_001@No€SPaM€_hotmail.com says...

I'm amazed at the (recent) ability to choke under all
conditions. It's almost as if the players are afraid to
succeed. Now the Swedish goaltending hasn't been
particularly notable either, but you can't pin only scoring
one goal on having a sieve in net.

I was just remarking yesterday that the Finnish team seems
to have a similar psychological problem with success. They
don't seem to feel confident in having and carrying a lead.
They'll always seem to give up goals and chances to put
their ability to win in jeopardy. The difference (this
year anyhow) is that they seem to run out of game time
before they can completely choke. If games were 70
minutes, they might well be in Germany's place.

I don't know what the problem for either country is. They
both seam to have talent, and have demonstrated the ability
to play dominantly during the game. Too many Europeans on
the team perchance?

<gd&r>

--
Cam
#4

anton vaaranmaa

<snip>


<snip>

Both teams seem to play especially bad at home and especially the
elimination games. Then you have to keep in mind that the Russians and the
Czechs too have repeatedly underachieved in recent years. During the 90s
both teams (SWE, FIN) seemed to be able to handle tough elimination games
well, but have often failed to do so in recent years.

I don't buy your comment on this having anything to do with having "too many
Europeans on the team". I fail to see any linkage between being north
american and the ability to handle pressure. Especially when we know how
the US, which had won the 1996 World Cup two years before, handled pressure
in Nagano 1998.

--
Anton

cam penner

In article <o34sj0h39lpf3va3fhqrim5psn807m12a7@4ax.com>,
anthu_001@No€SPaM€_hotmail.com says...


I don't really think there was a lot of outsmarting going
on. The Czech team, IMO, was lucky to pull something
together after wandering around aimlessly through the round
robin. To expect a team to float for 3 games, and then
turn it on 100% is a recipe for disaster. I think they
were just slow getting going, and fortunately (for them)
got it together just in time.

I won't argue there.

--
Cam
#4

pat mclean

(snip)

Listening to this morning's SportsCentre wrap up, Pierre Maguire and Glen
Healy I believe talked about Sweden's problems. Not only are they looking
at the main team, but also how they have not medaled in the last 8 world
junior tournaments.

Their theory is that the Swedes are being taught too many systems, too much
robotic play growing up, and not enough fundamentals, and so the players
come out with no ability to think or creativity. Now you still have guys
like Forsberg and Sundin, but they also played in WJHC in the late 80s,
early 90s....8 straight tournaments without a medal means the team now is
heavily laced with those players, epsecially the early tournaments. It's
bound to carry over.

Now, Maguire's justification was that he was scouting europe back in the 80s
and could see it then...I don't know. There are those who consider him a
loudmouth....but it is interesting, and seems to be a problem certain areas
of Canada can relate to as well..

anders t

Quoting Pat McLean in rec.sport.hockey:

Well, he might very well be right. Those discussions are held here too.

Now, there's also another view: that we no longer play our own game
("system"). This WCH we tried to play North American style dump n chase. No
good - apparently. The Czechs played like they always have: defense + fast
counter attack - and killed us.

But generally the poor results in WJHC is a big problem. It will haunt us -
as I said earlier - for at least 10 years! On the positive side we can
notice that people are indeed trying to change the situation now. But
again, it will take a long time to get back.

In Sweden, hockey has seen decreased interest over all. Soccer and
floorball has taken a lot of market share (soccer) and potential talent
(soccer, floorball) the last 10 years, especially in Stockholm. This just
got to have major impact.

--
Another hope, another dream, another truth
installed by the machine