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Unbelievable Even For Al Strachan


PMAC

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strachan is wrong and we know it. to berate him and belittle him and to use derogatory descriptives don't really help much.

there is no such team as a 'canadian' team - as mentioned earlier, the closest definition to a canadian team is the teams that represent the country, the juniors, the men & the women's teams.

:king: :hockey: :king:

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He was refering to the team that has widespread support in a country, that many people identify with, and that symbolizes the country. The All-Blacks are THE team in NZ. Every NZ boy dreams of playing for the All-Blacks, not one of their professional sides and people outside of NZ (even non-rugby fans) can identify the All-Blacks as NZ's team. And, they have an unbroken tradition of excellence that even the Habs and Yankees might envy. So, I maintain, as Devil's Advocate, that yes, Al did get this one tiny detail of the article right. :)

Note: International rubgy has a different structure than international sports as we understand it in NA. The top international sides of countries like France, England, Austrailia, SA, NZ etcetera play each other every year, sometimes more than once a year usually in one-off games known as tests and in tournaments that happen every year.

But, as I said before, the All-Blacks are a NATIONAL team by definition and by make-up. There are no Australians, South Africans, English, Irish, French, Welsh, etc, unless they have New Zealand citizenship, of course. They are chosen by the New Zealand Rugby Union to represent that country in test matches and friendlies. Neither the Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Yankees, nor any other NHL team or MLB team is remotely the same as the All-Blacks in that way. That's why I believe that Strachan's mention of the All-Blacks is wrong. The Leafs team won't be skating in Torino, and the Yankees team won't be playing in the World Baseball Classic this spring.

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But, as I said before, the All-Blacks are a NATIONAL team by definition and by make-up. There are no Australians, South Africans, English, Irish, French, Welsh, etc, unless they have New Zealand citizenship, of course. They are chosen by the New Zealand Rugby Union to represent that country in test matches and friendlies. Neither the Toronto Maple Leafs, the New York Yankees, nor any other NHL team or MLB team is remotely the same as the All-Blacks in that way. That's why I believe that Strachan's mention of the All-Blacks is wrong. The Leafs team won't be skating in Torino, and the Yankees team won't be playing in the World Baseball Classic this spring.

You're right, but so am I Lets agree to disagree! :)

The All-Blacks have a unique place in sports AND Al is an idiot that we can agree on. :)

BTW, I'm surprised that no one suggested that as all of his examples have one common denominator, a history and tradition of excellence that the HABS are Canada's team. After all, Les Canadians have as much and probably much more support outside their home province than the laughs. After all, is there a Leafs World of the same quality as this site? Of course not!

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BTW, I'm surprised that no one suggested that as all of his examples have one common denominator, a history and tradition of excellence that the HABS are Canada's team.

I would dispute that as ardently as I would dispute the Leafs being Canada's team. Being that there's six NHL teams in Canada now, and there's always been at least two, to state without real merit that any one of them is "Canada's team" only serves to [a] over-inflate that team's importance amongst its own fanbase and underestimate the supporters in their appreciation and love of their particular favorite players and teams. Just as there are Habs fans and Leafs fans from BC to Newfoundland, there are Canucks fans, Oilers fans, Flames fans and Sens fans, and Bruins fans, etc. When you have the privilege of wearing a red-and-black maple leaf on your chest, you're on Canada's team, not a blue or white one, nor a CH nor any other logo or symbol. The history and tradition of the Canadiens is something to be celebrated and cherished, but there's also a history and tradition being created in Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. And there's a history and tradition in our national teams at all levels that deserves its own place of honour and respect among those of the NHL teams, as well as some junior teams in this country.

Edited by RobRock
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I would dispute that as ardently as I would dispute the Leafs being Canada's team. Being that there's six NHL teams in Canada now, and there's always been at least two, to state without real merit that any one of them is "Canada's team" only serves to [a] over-inflate that team's importance amongst its own fanbase and underestimate the supporters in their appreciation and love of their particular favorite players and teams. Just as there are Habs fans and Leafs fans from BC to Newfoundland, there are Canucks fans, Oilers fans, Flames fans and Sens fans, and Bruins fans, etc. When you have the privilege of wearing a red-and-black maple leaf on your chest, you're on Canada's team, not a blue or white one, nor a CH nor any other logo or symbol. The history and tradition of the Canadiens is something to be celebrated and cherished, but there's also a history and tradition being created in Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. And there's a history and tradition in our national teams at all levels that deserves its own place of honour and respect among those of the NHL teams, as well as some junior teams in this country.

I didn't say they were, I said I was surprised that no one else had suggested it :)

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http://images.google.ca/images?q=tbn:_OQKB...00201/407.f.jpg

There is a picture of him he is a Canadian sports columnist and up to I believe this year was a regular on the Satellite Hot Stove during the second intermission of the first game on HNIC. The Hot Stove is the program John Davidson often appears on.

I'm mistaken. He does look like a lemur more than a muskrat. It's the 70's porno moustache that does it.

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