The Biggest Mistake by Team USA...

[Razz]

was not having Ryan Miller on the team. Admittedly, I am a Sabres fan, but this kid is far superior to DiPietro or the other two rag goaltenders on the roster.
I honestly think the US is still alive if Miller had been playing. Just felt like venting somehow - I actually took the US's terrible performance pretty hard.

[bigboydan]

razz, i never thought they had a shot at all.

[Illusion]

I still can't believe they lost that many one goal games.

[Dead Money]

I'm not sure that Miller helps these guys Razz. If he could stand on his head every game it would be great. The USA needed a shut out every game to have a chance. Could he have done it, we will never know.

The USA was simply out classed by the other European teams. Lack of speed and goalkeeping had them doomed even before the first puck dropped.

The likes of Doug Weight, Keith Tkachuk, Mike Modano, Mike Knuble, and Bill Guerin were very slow on the oversized ice. Sure they provide vetran leadership, but have all lost a step or two.

The biggest problem is that we do not have a team. We have a collection of guys from the nhl that are thrown in a plane and flown over to Italy one or two days before the games begin.
They have no time to play together as a unit. No time to practice. No time to bond.
Hopefully this is a wakeup call for America. The system we are using is not working.

Last time we did well we had a bunch of college kids representing our country. I think most Americans long for that 1980 feeling again.

[Razz]

I don't know about that. I thought we sucked from the start, but the last two games the USA completely outplayed Russia, and then outplayed Finland for the last 50 minutes. Esche gave up three soft goals against Russia, and DiPietro gave up at least two soft goals against the Fins.
Russia or Finland is probably going to win the gold medal. With Miller we beat both teams, I think.

As far as DM's point about no practice time or cohesiveness, this is true as well.

[Razz]

Actually the first paragraph of my last post, regarding the USA's last two games that they played well in, speaks to DM's point. If this team was given even two weeks together before coming over here, they have the cohesiveness and unity necessary to have a chance.