2018 Winter Olympics - PyeongChang

[Cornuck]

And to honour our neutral stance we delivered ball bearings that were essential for the production of tanks and aircraft to both sides.
Slightly more to Germany, but the British got a better discount.
https://es.handels.gu.se/digitalAssets/ ... golson.pdf

So, not really neutral, just war profiteers.

[Topper]

...and iron ore and other raw materials to Germany....also sold intelligence to Britain until it was depleted.

[Per]

And to honour our neutral stance we delivered ball bearings that were essential for the production of tanks and aircraft to both sides.
Slightly more to Germany, but the British got a better discount.
https://es.handels.gu.se/digitalAssets/ ... golson.pdf

So, not really neutral, just war profiteers.

Neutral, which means we treated both sides the same. The Brits needed our ball bearings for their Spitfires, without which the Battle of Britain would probably have been lost. After Denmark and Norway had been occupied by Germany it became hard to ship them to the UK, so the English tried to replace them with American ball bearings, but since the Americans still used medieval measurements rather than the modern metric system, they could not deliver parts that fit. Meanwhile the Germans also used our ball bearings for their tanks... SKF already had subsidiaries in both Germany and the UK before the war, so some of the bearings could be produced locally, but the factories were still dependent on the high grade Swedish steel necessary to make the bearings. And seriously, as a neutral country, why shouldn't we be exporting our products to both sides?

To some extent we did sort of taint the neutral stance though; "When the Soviet Union attacked Finland in November 1939, many Swedes favored some sort of involvement in the conflict, both on a humanitarian and on a military basis. Sweden's interest in Finland lay in the fact that Finland had been an integrated part of Sweden for more than six hundred years, with Sweden losing control of its eastern provinces in 1809. Despite several pleas from the Finnish government, the Swedish government declined to engage militarily with the Red Army as it advanced during the Winter War. However, Sweden declared itself "non-belligerent" rather than neutral during the conflict and as many as 8,000 Swedes voluntarily went to Finland to fight. The Swedish government and public also sent food, clothing, medicine, weapons and ammunition to aid the Finns during this conflict. This military aid included:[15]

135,402 rifles, 347 machine guns, 450 light machine guns with 50,013,300 rounds of small arms ammunition;
144 field guns, 100 anti-aircraft guns and 92 anti-tank guns with 301,846 shells;
300 naval mines and 500 depth charges;
17 fighter aircraft, 5 light bombers, 1 DC-2 transport aircraft turned into a bomber, and 3 reconnaissance aircraft.
Twelve of Sweden's most modern fighter aircraft, British Gloster Gladiators, were flown by volunteer Swedish pilots under Finnish insignia.[16] These aircraft constituted one third of Sweden's fighter force at the time. In addition, Sweden received some 70,000 Finnish children who were sent to Sweden to find safety during the 1940s.[17]"
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden_ ... rld_War_II

Now, keep in mind that in 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union were basically allies, under the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, so our help to Finland was originally against German interests. Later during the war Germany and the Soviet Union became enemies, and then our help to the Finns was in Germany's interest, but our support to Finland had nothing to do with Germany, it was simply support to a neighbouring country with which we shared a common history. For the same reason we also trained Norwegian and Danish refugees in "police work", including how to handle guns...

[Per]

...and iron ore and other raw materials to Germany....also sold intelligence to Britain until it was depleted.

Yup. We cracked the German encrypting before the Brits did, and shared the information we received with the Norwegian government in exile in London, who then shared it with the Brits, thus improving the Norwegian influence with the British.

And we took in virtually all Danish Jews. Thanks to our neutrality, 99% of Danish Jews survived the Holocaust.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_ ... anish_Jews

We could provide a safe haven for our neighbours who were under attack from both Germany and the Soviet Union. I mean, we were lucky to be able to stay out, but this was also to the benefit of the other Scandinavians.

But more importantly, I'm pretty confident we will win gold in curling.

[Per]

My only interest now will be to see if Erhoff can end his hockey career with an Olympic medal.
The Germans have two more games to play. If they win at least one, they get medals.

Mission accomplished. Germany beat Canada 4-3 in the semi final. In regulation. At least we took them to overtime.....
The only question now is what colour Erhoff's medal will be.

Now if this does not convince the North American public of the need to let NHL players compete at the Olympics, I don't know what will.

I will focus on the curling event instead. Hurry hard!

The Swedish men will face the USA in the final.
The Swedish women will face South Korea in the final.

We own this event!

[Puck]

Now if this does not convince the North American public of the need to let NHL players compete at the Olympics, I don't know what will.

The public didn't have anything to do with the decision, did they? Wasn't it all Bettman?

I usually only say this during World Cup (FIFA version), but Go Germany!
...still looks weird.

[Island Nucklehead]

Classic

After losing to Germany in the semifinals, the Canadian men’s hockey team showed everyone how to handle defeat in their usual polite way. Unable to live with the disgrace they had brought upon their families, friends, and countrymen, the whole team lay down at centre ice and had a Zamboni crush their bodies into mush.

Canadian fans applauded as the death cries began, and did not let up until the final member, head coach Willie Desjardins, was relieved of his shame by the 4 tonne machine.

Way to go Germany, you're now 1-15 in the last 16.

Now if this does not convince the North American public of the need to let NHL players compete at the Olympics, I don't know what will.

Nothing to do with what the public wants. The NHL (correctly) knows that nobody cares about these games, and don't want to shut their league down so a couple thousand people can watch a 4am hockey game.

[ukcanuck]

Germany ??

We lost to Germany??

Wow how far reaching is the Canuck curse?

[ukcanuck]

Nothing to do with what the public wants. The NHL (correctly) knows that nobody cares about these games, and don't want to shut their league down so a couple thousand people can watch a 4am hockey game.

Nobody seems to care in this part of the world either. There has been zero coverage of any sport whatsoever. If it weren’t for TSN.ca mobile phone app I wouldn’t have clue what the hell is going on.

Last olys was the same except with the European coverage of the NHL/OLY partnership the hockey games were on the the channel that shows all the FA football games. One had to endure British football play by play guys who were openly pro American for some reason. Perhaps they don’t like to see little brother Canada better than them at anything ?

Anyway

Perhaps
The Olympic committee should stop trying to put PC games in “Shithole” countries and start sticking around northern nations that do give a fuck about snow sports?

And while we are at it, Let’s fucking stop trying to pretend sport is about some higher ideal and admit it’s anout money. Pure and simple.

[Island Nucklehead]

Nothing to do with what the public wants. The NHL (correctly) knows that nobody cares about these games, and don't want to shut their league down so a couple thousand people can watch a 4am hockey game.

Nobody seems to care in this part of the world either.

Why would they? Aren't you teaching English to Arabs?

[ukcanuck]

Nothing to do with what the public wants. The NHL (correctly) knows that nobody cares about these games, and don't want to shut their league down so a couple thousand people can watch a 4am hockey game.

Nobody seems to care in this part of the world either.

Why would they? Aren't you teaching English to Arabs?

Believe it or not the UAE is a sophisticated place and they are impressed with the best of the best.

If you brought two nhl teams to play here it would sell out because it’s the best ice hockey in the world...

I imagine it’s the same in most places

[Island Nucklehead]

If you brought two nhl teams to play here it would sell out because it’s the best ice hockey in the world...

Novelty is one thing. A two-week festival of spots nobody plays being broadcast from Asia? Colour me shocked nobody is watching B-level hockey in the middle east (they aren't watching it in Asia, either).

[ukcanuck]

If you brought two nhl teams to play here it would sell out because it’s the best ice hockey in the world...

Novelty is one thing. A two-week festival of spots nobody plays being broadcast from Asia? Colour me shocked nobody is watching B-level hockey in the middle east (they aren't watching it in Asia, either).

I think that’s exactly what I’m saying ...

Although I’ll go one step further they aren’t watching the olympics here at all because it’s not available on regular cable.




The Winter Olympics should be kept to countries that have winter and that have existing winter sport cultures.

[SKYO]

Russia vs Germany gold medal game to OT....

like ww2 rematch?

[Puck]

Well done you two. I think that fun little exchange wins you a joint award for moron of the year.

Sports that nobody plays?

The games are of no interest because they were in a shithole country?

Wtf? I hope you’re both drunk.