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Davey Domenichelli · 06-28-2008, 11:26 PM

I say that the NHL should forget about the Olympics. It's meant to determine the world's best amateur athletes. If I were Bettman, I'd concentrate on the World Cup. I'd also be way less cool, but that's beside the point.

I'd have the World Cup every year so that it didn't interfere with the Olympics. Give the local senior players a chance.

**Rids** · 08-14-2008, 03:00 AM

I have long felt that the Olympics need to return to the amateurs. I mean without that Olympic experience there are a few players that might not have made it to the NHL like Joe Juneau, Ken Morrow or Sean Burke.

Dgill · 08-14-2008, 11:44 AM

Hockey isn't the only sport that uses professional athletes...

Davey Domenichelli · 08-14-2008, 01:48 PM

Okay, then make those sports use amateurs too.

**jtkratzer** · 08-14-2008, 07:49 PM

The only thing I can say is this: please explain to me how a guy like Michael Phelps is an "amateur."

Adsfan · 08-31-2008, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rids

I have long felt that the Olympics need to return to the amateurs. I mean without that Olympic experience there are a few players that might not have made it to the NHL like Joe Juneau, Ken Morrow or Sean Burke.

Rids, the problem was countries like the USSR, who had the "Red Army Team", guys who were paid to be in the Soviet Army but played or trained for hockey year round and probably didn't know how to fire a rifle. The powers that be in the Olympic movement realized how it was unfair for amateurs like college students and career minor leaguers fron the US, Canada etc to play those guys.

Basketball was another example. The US sent college players like Doug Collins or Michael Jordan to play against pro players from other countries. You were only a pro if you signed an NBA contract. Mike Sylvester, a University of Dayton basketball player and graduate, had a grandfather who never gave up his Italian citizenship. Mike played in the Italian pro basketball league for $80K or $100K per year (this was about 30 years ago, so multiply by 4 or 5 for todays dollars). He was given dual citizenship and played for Italy in the Olympics a few times, against people who weren't allowed to take a dime for playing. So how was that fair? At least now, the four NBA players playing for Spain in the Beijing Olympics are known pros, rather than pros pretending to be amateurs like Mike Sylvester and probably dozens of other basketball or hockey players from the past.

My point is that many of the "amateurs" from 1980 or so weren't really amateurs either, you just think they were because you didn't know that they were getting paid.

charmedgirl · 11-17-2008, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adsfan

Rids, the problem was countries like the USSR, who had the "Red Army Team", guys who were paid to be in the Soviet Army but played or trained for hockey year round and probably didn't know how to fire a rifle. The powers that be in the Olympic movement realized how it was unfair for amateurs like college students and career minor leaguers fron the US, Canada etc to play those guys.

Basketball was another example. The US sent college players like Doug Collins or Michael Jordan to play against pro players from other countries. You were only a pro if you signed an NBA contract. Mike Sylvester, a University of Dayton basketball player and graduate, had a grandfather who never gave up his Italian citizenship. Mike played in the Italian pro basketball league for $80K or $100K per year (this was about 30 years ago, so multiply by 4 or 5 for todays dollars). He was given dual citizenship and played for Italy in the Olympics a few times, against people who weren't allowed to take a dime for playing. So how was that fair? At least now, the four NBA players playing for Spain in the Beijing Olympics are known pros, rather than pros pretending to be amateurs like Mike Sylvester and probably dozens of other basketball or hockey players from the past.

My point is that many of the "amateurs" from 1980 or so weren't really amateurs either, you just think they were because you didn't know that they were getting paid.

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