The tournament really starts for Canada next Sunday agaisnt the USA. That game should be EPIC.

Getzlaf is staying on the team! Opener tomorrow! GO CANADA GO!!!!

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/hockey/new...l?cid =rsstsn

I like how we're totally ignoring the women's hockey team lol. They're doing awesome, but they haven't been challenged yet...

Tomorrow is a big day! I can't wait. GO CANADA GO!!!

Its not just us, even CTV is ignoring the women. All the commercials aired about having Olympic pride and all the interviews about Hockey I've watched are talking about the Men's Hockey win in 2002, and how it would be great if the Men won the Gold again here at home.

All this despite the fact that our Women's team is amazing and are the Gold medalists from not only 2002 but the 2006 Turin games where the Men's team placed a paltry 7th.

Its going to take time for Women's hockey to become more competitive (just like it took Men's hockey to all those years ago) since its still a relatively new entry into the Olympic games but Canada has a stellar team, and they do face competition in this tournament. Not from teams like Slovakia who are a new entry this year but their games against Sweden and of course the US should be awesome. These ladies are on track for their 3rd Gold medal win in a row and they're terribly ignored in favour of the NHL men who get attention all the time, even when the Olympics are not on. Why not give players and sports who don't always see the spotlight some attention while these games are on?

No one is going to forget the Men and we'll all still watch their games and cheer them on and go nuts if they win the Gold this year, but give the women some much deserved recognition, even if you do find their tournament less competitive or interesting.

problem is 70 000 woman play hockey in canada, 50 000 in the usa. and then only a few hundred in places like slovakia. hopefully in 10 years or something this is different

Cassie Campbell discussed that when she was commentating the Women's hockey game against Slovakia.

They were discussing possibly limiting the Women's hockey field to 6 teams at the Olympics instead of 8 and she said that would be bad for the spot.

These teams need the opportunity to came to the Olympics and compete even when they are in the bottom of the pack so they can retain their funding and get more funding to expand and get better. If they were left out of the games just b/c they are weaker teams in the field they'd lose their funding at home and lose the opportunity to become better.

If we don't support Women's hockey its not going to have the opportunity to grow and become better.

Bad first period...

8-0!!! Hell Yeah!!! Iggy Was Awesome!!!

Nash-Crosby-Iginla-> Best line EVER

Go Canada Go!!!

EDIT: We're not allowed to type in caps anymore?! Fail.

I definitely agree that women's hockey is being ignored and it shouldn't be.

But I think it's simply because it's usually guys that watch hockey therefore the media will focus on the men's team rather than the women's.
I'm pretty sure if more females watched hockey, it would be different.

Originally Posted by sew12

Its not just us, even CTV is ignoring the women. All the commercials aired about having Olympic pride and all the interviews about Hockey I've watched are talking about the Men's Hockey win in 2002, and how it would be great if the Men won the Gold again here at home.

All this despite the fact that our Women's team is amazing and are the Gold medalists from not only 2002 but the 2006 Turin games where the Men's team placed a paltry 7th.

Its going to take time for Women's hockey to become more competitive (just like it took Men's hockey to all those years ago) since its still a relatively new entry into the Olympic games but Canada has a stellar team, and they do face competition in this tournament. Not from teams like Slovakia who are a new entry this year but their games against Sweden and of course the US should be awesome. These ladies are on track for their 3rd Gold medal win in a row and they're terribly ignored in favour of the NHL men who get attention all the time, even when the Olympics are not on. Why not give players and sports who don't always see the spotlight some attention while these games are on?

No one is going to forget the Men and we'll all still watch their games and cheer them on and go nuts if they win the Gold this year, but give the women some much deserved recognition, even if you do find their tournament less competitive or interesting.

Originally Posted by syan9184

I definitely agree that women's hockey is being ignored and it shouldn't be.

But I think it's simply because it's usually guys that watch hockey therefore the media will focus on the men's team rather than the women's.
I'm pretty sure if more females watched hockey, it would be different.

There's a problem inherent in that.

Why should men only watch men's hockey or women women's hockey?

Also lots of females watch hockey, the just watch men's hockey. Haven't you heard? Sidney Crosby is playing *swoon* (seriously we need an eye rolling smiley).

The issue is that men's hockey is faster, with harder hits and better playmaking; overall a higher quality entertainment experience. This seems to be the case when comparing most men and women's versions of a sport. Men are bigger, faster, and stronger, and this is more entertaining to watch.

It's nothing against the women, I watch the women and get equally as excited for them when they compete as I do the men, but the men are simply more entertaining.

This became painfully obvious for me when I was watching the freestyle skiing moguls events. I was amazed by the women, and really enjoyed the event; when I watched the men's moguls however, I was blown away by the difference in quality - the men were finishing the course around 6 seconds faster, and had a much wider variety of more extreme tricks. I was on the edge of my seat watching the men, amazed at what they could do.

Yes, the women need to be supported equally - without question they need to be provided with equal opportunity, and Canadians generally support their athletes equally, as far as I can tell. The difference is that money talks, and when men's hockey is more entertaining, it's going to draw more viewers, more advertising and more attention in general.

What a joke!

Hats off to the Swiss! Heart and drive for 60 minutes...

Wake-up Team Canada!

I think its time we stop considering Switzerland as a low-level team. They've really upped their level of play and deserve to be respected as such. Hockey is getting better now that its no longer a contest between a handful of countries.

Originally Posted by John H

...Wake-up Team Canada!...

Agreed. That same kind of performance will not get them anywhere versus the States on Sunday.

Originally Posted by Taunton

The issue is that men's hockey is faster, with harder hits and better playmaking; overall a higher quality entertainment experience. This seems to be the case when comparing most men and women's versions of a sport. Men are bigger, faster, and stronger, and this is more entertaining to watch.

It's nothing against the women, I watch the women and get equally as excited for them when they compete as I do the men, but the men are simply more entertaining.

This became painfully obvious for me when I was watching the freestyle skiing moguls events. I was amazed by the women, and really enjoyed the event; when I watched the men's moguls however, I was blown away by the difference in quality - the men were finishing the course around 6 seconds faster, and had a much wider variety of more extreme tricks. I was on the edge of my seat watching the men, amazed at what they could do.

Yes, the women need to be supported equally - without question they need to be provided with equal opportunity, and Canadians generally support their athletes equally, as far as I can tell. The difference is that money talks, and when men's hockey is more entertaining, it's going to draw more viewers, more advertising and more attention in general.

It sounds harsh, but I completely agree. There is such a difference in skill level and speed between men's and women's hockey. When I watch women's hockey, the puck is all over the place, everyone is kind of messy and it's soooo slow. Men's hockey is like BAM BAM BAM and they never miss a beat.

I watch both but men's hockey is more entertaining, for sure. Men are also a lot more agressive than women in hockey, which I think is a big draw for viewers as well. There were trips, a bloody nose and shoving in men's hockey tonight. There's practically none of that in women's hockey. (Not saying that's why I watch it, but I think that gets a lot of people interested)