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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!ihnp4!alberta!dick
From: dick@alberta.UUCP (Dick Foster)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey
Subject: Bye Bye Team USA!!!!
Message-ID: <81@alberta.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-Feb-84 17:58:29 EST
Article-I.D.: alberta.81
Posted: Fri Feb 10 17:58:29 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 11-Feb-84 10:03:34 EST
Organization: U. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB
Lines: 31


	So the "magnificent" Team USA hockey team got blown away by
the "lowly" Canadian team in the first round. I love it.
	We've been hearing and seeing so much of the USA team in the
last few months (mostly from American sports reporters who have not
clue one about the game of hockey). It appears that the Yankee team
officials don't know the game too well either as witnessed by some of
their statements and actions in the last few days:
	- The ridiculous attempt to assure themselves a Game 1 victory
over Canada by creating the disqualification scene. All they really
managed to do was give the Canadians the extra emotional push they
needed.
	- The tournament against the Soviet junior team that apparently
convinced so many that the US team was capable of beating the
Russian national team.
	It's not just the team USA officials that are to blame, of course.
The NHL is trying desperately to sell hockey more aggressively in the
US market.  What better way to increase the public's awareness in hockey
than to create excitement over the chances of the American Olympic team?
	The USA has never been a hockey power, and they likely won't be
for many years to come.  The gold medal won four years ago was more luck
than anything else - the Soviets were preparing more for the finals and
found themselves unprepared for a highly emotional US team.  This year
everyone is gunning for the Americans, and the results thus far would
indicate it.
	Also, I also heard ABC would send about 300 technicians home
if the Americans fail to qualify for the medal round.  It shows how
much *real* interest there is in the game of hockey versus interest
in mere flag waving.
					alberta!dick