Posted in On the DL Podcast
6 comments
02/22 2010

DL 333: USA Hockey, Media Chauvinism & Double Standards, Curling!

Posted by Dan Levy.

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Nick and I discuss the victory by Team USA over the Canadians in what had to be the most intense first-round matchup I can remember. That was the greatest All-Star game I’ve ever seen (and yes, I understand that the likes of Ovechckin, Malkin, et al were not involved). Can a game like that restore my interest in the NHL? It sure can’t hurt.

There’s a lot more we discuss about the game, including all the references by NBC people to the Miracle on Ice this week — including last night — but the lasting image I have is Martin Brodeur failing. And that makes me smile. Nick points out that the combination of the United States beating Crosby and Brodeur in the same game is maybe the best scenario ever.

We also take a look at the Olympic bracket to realize just how tough Canada has it now. By my view of it, they’ll have to beat Germany and then face Russia AND Sweden just to get to the Gold Medal Game. Yeesh.

Hosers.

Inside the Press Box:

On Sunday, I put up this Tweet:

Watching highlights on ESPN and is it just me, or has Cindy Brunson started wearing a wee bit too much makeup on TV? http://is.gd/8QTZP

I was sent a DM on Twitter by a trusted media insider who cautioned me to watch what I write about female sports personalities on TV. Now, was that a reference to Kornheiser’s situation with Hannah Storm and nothing more? Perhaps. But it does bring up an interesting point about media double standards. I rip on Bob Costas for having terribly died hair and it’s fine. I rip on Jason La Canfora’s shirt and tie that makes him look like a poor man’s Regis Philbin and I’m funny. But Cindy Brunson looks like Lady Elaine from Mr. Rogers and I’m an asshole? Is that fair?

Which act is sexist? Me ripping the way a woman looks on TV, or someone pointing out that she’s a woman, not just a media personality?

And back to the Kornheiser situation with Storm, it was really no different than he’s said about her 30 times. I’m sure he felt bad if she was insulted, but that had to be a “sorry if you’re offended” situation. More on that in today’s Press Coverage.

Housekeeping:

Again, Stephen A. Smith’s online brilliance distracts us from doing a solid show. Sorry for that. Plus, a lot about curling, including my plug that curling commentator Andrew Catalon comes out of the Winter Olympics with a national gig.

And speaking of curling, SIGN UP FOR OUR CURLING TOURNAMENT NOW. We’re running out of spots. You have to be able to play tomorrow night and Thursday night to sign up. Tomorrow is pool play and Thursday is the bracket-style tournament. It’ll be awesome, so get in now.

Thanks for listening.

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Posted on February 22, 2010 at 8:56AM

 

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  1. Olympic Hockey Bracket 2010 | AXI
    02/22 2010

    [...] On The DL With Dan Levy » Blog Archive » DL 333: USA Hockey, Media DL 333: USA Hockey, Media Chauvinism & Double Standards, Curling! Posted by Dan Levy | February 22nd, 2010 Filed in Uncategorized out that the combination of the United States beating Crosby and Brodeur in the same game is maybe the best scenario ev… [...]

  2. Marc
    02/22 2010

    Stop the show! Dan likes hockey again! Almost as unbelievable is that I actually agree with most of what you’ve said today on the show and at TSB. Give the NHL credit though for trying to get fans back with the Winter Classic. That’s turned out to be a terrific event.
    A word of caution – and I love hockey, but don’t expect every regular season NHL game to be as exciting as USA/Canada. As you said, these are all-star teams.

    And if Canada does come back from this and somehow beats Germany, Russia, Sweeden, and the US (or whoever is in the gold medal game), they’d certainly earn their own “Miracle on Ice”.

  3. ThunderingBlurb
    02/22 2010

    Wish I could join the curling tomorrow night – hope you all have a great time.

    I also wish people would stop referring to the win last night as Miracle on Ice 2. The stakes weren’t nearly so high as in 80, the team was not as a group of unknown amatuers against what was arguably a team of professionals among the best in the world.

    I know we weren’t favored, but the margin between our pros and Canada’s pros aren’t the same gap we had in 80.

    At least I don’t think so.

  4. TheVermonster
    02/22 2010

    Some quick thoughts:
    1) I’ve heard multiple people use similar lines that involve Canada having better health care and maple syrup than us. I’d have to disagree and say that Canada has DIFFERENT healthcare than us- more comprehensive, but not as high quality. Don’t want to get all political, but things such as the circumstances of Liam Neeson’s wife’s passing and the innovative procedures we undertake(chinese twins conjoined at the brain stem aren’t going to Toronto for surgery, they are going to the research hospitals of America) gives me great pride in the American healthcare system and as such I bristle when it is constantly portrayed as second class to our northern neighbors. We’ve got our problems, but so do they.

    2. As far as maple syrup, give me a PO Box, and I’ll give you a pint of freshly made Vermont maple syrup that will have you questioning your assumption of Canadian maple syrup dominance.

    Great work as always, and my apologies for extrapolating a health care debate from a joke made by you.

  5. Adriane Svennungsen
    02/22 2010

    excellent article. Thiking to translating your copy into chinese for our readers. Will let you know after I talk to our writers. many thanks.

  6. jeremyjehovah
    02/22 2010

    Yo, love the new site, but could we get Tarnowski’s twitter feed on here as well?