2010 Olympics Mens Hockey

[Luke]

I would have loved to be at you party Luke, good beer and BLTs, yum. I actually like the Korean beers, but I miss the variety of the US and most of all I miss real bacon. I get by on Miller Genuine Draft, but I would kill for a Rolling Rock.

You would have been more than welcome to have stopped by.

BLT's may be my favorite sandwich, it's definitely up there with a nice Corned Beef Reuben. I live near a pork processing and packing plant (how's that for alliteration?) so I am able to get some excellent thick cut bacon. I've made BLT's with pancetta, but you just can't beat that smokey flavor of bacon.

When you do get a hold of some bacon, you've got to try dipping a thick slab of cooked bacon in Apple Butter. Talk about the food of Gods. The bacon totally soaks up the apple flavor, and just the thought of it make my mouth water. When I was trying to bulk up during hockey season, after each game I'd watch a MST3K movie, while eating a lb. of bacon with a jar of apple butter on the side. Not the healthiest of ways to gain weight, but probably the most delicious.

And for the guys here in the States, you've got to try it. Apple Butter is usually sold near the jars of jams and jellies (bonus alliteration!) but sometimes is stocked near the apple sauces. It pairs excellent with any kind of real bacon (turkey bacon, go take a hike) but I prefer it with heavily peppered thick cut bacon.

Bon Appetit!

Oh, and go Blackhawks!

[molotovwars]

Yum sounds delicious. I've started to compile a list of the things I miss from the States or foods I should keep an eye out for as I may be able to get some of it at Costco. I'm pretty sure I can get bacon, its just not convenient, however I would not have thought of Apple Butter. Not sure if I can get it at Costco here, but if I can I'll pick some up.

So you dip it in the apple butter after its cooked? Have you tried doing it before cooking kind of as a marinade? I never thought about marinading bacon, but it seems to have potential.

As to your comment about maybe people watching more NHL games. Its something I've been considering, just necessarily just for hockey but for more sports games in general, just as something social to do here. A lot of the various sports games are played with a time delay in some of the bars here and it seems like it would be a fun think to do on a week night.

For local sports though they are very affordable to watch. Soccer games and baseball games here are around $6 each and even in the stadiums everything remains reasonably priced. Beers are $3 and the KFC and other food chains in the stadiums are priced the same as those outside of the stadiums. You can also bring in food and drinks. It all works together well to easily do games with a big group and you see a lot of families and other people all coming out to watch.

[Luke]

So you dip it in the apple butter after its cooked? Have you tried doing it before cooking kind of as a marinade? I never thought about marinading bacon, but it seems to have potential.

As to your comment about maybe people watching more NHL games. Its something I've been considering, just necessarily just for hockey but for more sports games in general, just as something social to do here. A lot of the various sports games are played with a time delay in some of the bars here and it seems like it would be a fun think to do on a week night.

Yeah, dip the bacon in the apple butter after it is cooked. I wouldn't marinade the bacon in the apple butter, as it wouldn't cook properly. I've turned on a lot of friends on to this, and to be honest, I'm not sure how I learned how I found the combination myself. But, it is a match made in heaven.

Some people are lost on hockey, I think it is mostly due to the fact that a lot of people just simply don't understand the rules. As someone who use to play a lot of hockey, I'm just amazed at some of the foot work and stick handling some players have. Sometimes I could care less about the score, I'm just in awe of the talent on the ice. The more you watch, the more the tiny things jump out at you.

[molotovwars]

Yeah it is definitely a bit confusing as I've only really watched the two USA vs Canada Olympic games, but I was definitely able to see when the momentum of the game shifted. Also the games were either pre-recorded or streaming from a website (as the games wouldn't have been played live in Korea) so the quality wasn't as good which made it harder to follow the puck.

I can definitely follow the game, but don't always know what results in face-offs. I'm not sure about interference as well. I know they are generally allowed to be rough, but I guess interference is when someone is being intentionally boxed out of a play rather than going for the puck. One of my good friends here is pretty into it so I'm sure we'll watch more games later (next year?) and when its not the finals of the olympics I'm sure he'll be able to explain more about the game to me.

[tahoe2]

Yeah it is definitely a bit confusing as I've only really watched the two USA vs Canada Olympic games, but I was definitely able to see when the momentum of the game shifted. Also the games were either pre-recorded or streaming from a website (as the games wouldn't have been played live in Korea) so the quality wasn't as good which made it harder to follow the puck.

I can definitely follow the game, but don't always know what results in face-offs. I'm not sure about interference as well. I know they are generally allowed to be rough, but I guess interference is when someone is being intentionally boxed out of a play rather than going for the puck. One of my good friends here is pretty into it so I'm sure we'll watch more games later (next year?) and when its not the finals of the olympics I'm sure he'll be able to explain more about the game to me.

Basically, the penalty box is used when a play hurts or potentialy hurts another player (boarding, fighting, tripping, cross-checking)

A face off is used when a player sort of "messes" with the fluidity of the game, or causes an unfair advantage (offsides, icing, high sticking) Then a face off is used after a penalty box call is made to restart play. Pileups also result in faceoffs because you have no clue whats going on under there.

[Josh]

Basically a Face-off is used anytime the whistle is blown, and is used to restart the play.

And just to let you know, NHL play and international play have some differences. IE: International play (or at least Olympic play) doesn't tolerate fighting, whereas NHL tolerates it to a certain extent.

[Luke]

Basically, the penalty box is used when a play hurts or potentialy hurts another player (boarding, fighting, tripping, cross-checking)

A face off is used when a player sort of "messes" with the fluidity of the game, or causes an unfair advantage (offsides, icing, high sticking) Then a face off is used after a penalty box call is made to restart play. Pileups also result in faceoffs because you have no clue whats going on under there.

Most of this is correct. Penalties are usually called on how obvious/flagrant the foul is. You got minors, double-minors, majors, and game misconducts.

Face offs occur from either penalties being called, offsides, icing, and three line passing (2 line passing made more sense to me). The goalie on defense can waive off an icing faceoff if wanted.

[the King]

YEAH!!!! THAT'S RIGHT, AMERICA, HOCKEY IS OUR GAME!!!!!!!

You know, living so close to Canada I have been hearing a lot of boasting like this today, a lot of it over the top. I think Canada should celebrate, but you are right hockey is your game and I think a lot of what the NHL has done with moving Canadian teams to southern markets in the US where no one really cares about hockey has hurt the game and the NHL, but as far as the Canadians winning the gold, what did you really accomplish? You were suppose to. Hockey is your game, every kid growing up in Canada plays hockey, unlike in the US where most of our best athletes go into football or basketball, etc. The Canadian team had the most talented players and were the overall favorites to win the gold and what happened? You went 1-1 against the Americans on your home ice and the victory you did get you had to go into overtime. Canadians deserve to celebrate, but this whole surperiority thing I keep hearing from that side of the border today needs to be reeled in a little bit, eh.

[MrHealthy]

but this whole surperiority thing I keep hearing from that side of the border today needs to be reeled in a little bit, eh.

This whole superiority thing is not at all a lot compared to how much crap we take from Americans in everything else. Sure, maybe you wouldn't act superior but I've had Americans laugh in my face when they found out I was Canadian. So really, a few weeks of us saying we are better then you at something isn't all that bad when Americans have been telling me my entire life that they are better.

Not trying to start something, just trying to make you see where many of us are coming from.

[Ack]

but this whole surperiority thing I keep hearing from that side of the border today needs to be reeled in a little bit, eh.

This whole superiority thing is not at all a lot compared to how much crap we take from Americans in everything else. Sure, maybe you wouldn't act superior but I've had Americans laugh in my face when they found out I was Canadian. So really, a few weeks of us saying we are better then you at something isn't all that bad when Americans have been telling me my entire life that they are better.

Not trying to start something, just trying to make you see where many of us are coming from.

The funny thing is, most of the folks I hear the Canadian jokes from are Canadians, not Americans...but then again, I live far away from Canada, so I couldn't say how the folks up north act. If anything, it's always felt more like the relationship between our countries was composed of some sibling rivalry and playful teasing, but I've no idea how its seen in Canada.

Either way, it was an excellent game in an excellent tournament, and it's definitely one that will be remembered. Canada did well, and speaking as an American, of all the nations to beat us, I'm glad it was Canada. I'm proud of you Canada. You've got a gorgeous nation, and you played damn well. Go North America!

Now lets go make fun of Greenland.