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Originally Posted by Strange Brew
Yeah the Canada Cups were some of the best hockey games ever played. Of course at the time there were no pros in the Olympics so it was the only best on best tournament out there. Maybe that changes things?
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I think it does. If the NHL had been sending players to the Olympics at the time, I think people's tunes would be changing.
The first winter Olympics I was ever able to really watch and pay attention to was Nagano. To me, if the Olympics are going to claim to be the height of athletic competition, they have to have the best athletes in every sport. And conversely, if someone wants to be a "World Champion" at anything, they should have a gold medal around their neck, in a competition where they competed against other people's nations while representing their own.
Do you think the players want Olympic medals vs a trash can trophy and some made up "World Cup*" medals?
* This competition may or may not include the world.
It's like baseball calling their championship the "World Series". Really? Wheres the Cuban team? The Japanese team? The Korean team?