[thefoss1957]

I usually don't pay much attention to the NHL exhibition season, too many marginal NHLers on PTO contracts to really get a "feel" on the actual quality of the teams...I also have little interest in the exhibition that is the All-Star game, even in the newer formats...I have always HATED most sports at the Olympics as an exhibition, except as the venue for the most meaningful track and field meet, which don't really have another significant showcase.

Similarly, and I believe, typically, with most Americans, this "World Cup" tournament really didn't fire my passion for hockey. For me, it combined the worst of all worlds, a contrived assemblage of "All-star" players in an Exhibition tournament, with national or continental groupings.

That said, I DID watch yesterday's US/Canada game, with the same expectation of fascination as for watching a train wreck...and a train wreck is what was witnessed.

I have little respect for Tortorella as a coach, especially, his fascination for pre-lockout "grit" and "sandpaper" hockey. And for those that want to say that Torts had little to do with the roster composition, I point to the inclusion of Dubinsky and J. Johnson to this roster as evidence that he DID have significant input. The laughably weak efforts of the "offensive" defensemen, to play DEFENSE, pointed out the deficiencies in team building with this squad...I was amused to see Housley behind the US bench, he didn't play that much defense either, in his stint, on the ice, with my Blackhawks. Kane overtried the dangle stuff, but, really, never clicked with anyone else on the ice, and the ESPN announcers tried to put too much blame on him, personally.

It was silly to think that a team built this way, (I mean, they actually trotted out Abdelkader!), and playing with a grinding mentality coach, would meet with any success.

Where the Burkes and Lombardis and Tortorellas TRULY failed, however, was in the false focus of using a 1996 model to beat ONE TEAM...Canada...and the indictment of their incompetence was proven, in the total failure at accomplishing even that.

Although, I admit, that I watched NO OTHER game in this tournament, I must comment that the pre-tourney jokes among media, dealt with the hodge-podge nature of Team Europe...perhaps the flexibility of play that came with just throwing the most talented roster out there, without overthinking, or focus on ONE opponent, is a lesson to be learned by the idiots that run USA Hockey.

Of course, when it comes to non-direct NHL season/playoffs, I can't even guarantee that THIS fan's interest would be piqued enough to invest much in following...

My main hope going INTO and wrapping up this WC Exhibition, is that the Blackhawk participants escape, injury free, to prepare for the stuff that REALLY COUNTS, the NHL run to the Stanley Cup.