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-venom-
08-19-2003, 09:56 AM
Anyone read that article on the front page of IHC?? Is it me or is this pretty lame?

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"I read the comments on the IHC Message Board by people who think they understand the game, but they really don't. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it is always hard to read comments that are without substance.

"The event was regulated by FIRS as the International recognized body. Comments like how could they let the game be played under those conditions are good, but what is forgotten is that we are not an Olympic event yet. We have to jump through all the hoops to get to that place. The venue was not the original location meant to host the event; the first two places were turned down. It wasn't perfect, but it worked once the games were underway, and we got on with it.

"So what's next for inline hockey? Next year, the FIRS World Championships will be held in London, Ontario, in June. Men's and women's finals will be held at the same location and time. This is going to be a first-class event hosted by the Canadian Inline Hockey Association, from playing conditions to accommodations. The city of London has a great Sport and Tourism Department that has hosted many international events.

"And in 2005, we will have our sport included in the World Games in August in Germany. The qualification for the World Games is made through the FIRS World Championships; only the top six will get to play."

Pan American Games History
In 1932, the South American delegation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) proposed the formation of an organization to promote amateur sports in the Americas. This idea led to the first Pan American Sports Congress in 1940 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 16 countries represented at the meeting formed the Pan American Sports Committee and selected Buenos Aires to host the first Pan American Games in 1942. However, World War II forced postponement and, at the 1948 Olympic Games in London, a second congress was held which renewed the commitment to organize the Pan American Games. On February 25, 1951, as originally envisioned, the first Pan American Games were hosted by Buenos Aires with 2,513 athletes from 21 countries. The organization was renamed the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO) in 1955 and is currently made up of 42 nations of Central America, North America, South America and the Caribbean. The PASO headquarters are in Mexico City, Mexico.

Tournament Tidbits
There was no score clock. A stopwatch was used to keep time, along with numbered flip charts to keep the score.

The rink was bordered with plywood boards.

The first Pan American Games were held in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with 18 sports, 21 nations competing, and 2,513 athletes. In 2003, the event in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, hosted 39 sports, 40 nations, and an estimated 6,000 athletes.

The Pan American Games are held every four years just like the Olympic Games and precede the Games by a year. The Pan American Games consists of all Summer Olympic sports, plus some non-Olympic sports, and serves as an Olympic-qualifying event for many of the participating sports.

In terms of the number of sports and athletes, the Pan American Games are second in size only to the Olympics.
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Ok, they're NOT the olympics, but pretty damn close eh? People who don't uderstand the game? Get a grip man, I can't believe they are gonna try and defend the fact that the venue was acceptable for a prety major tournament.

Squared plywood boards? Half sized rink? 100+ temps? Are you kidding me?

I'm glad he reads IHC, and I hope he reads this too.....

/rant

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by RichardGraham on 08/20/03 08:05 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

sideliner
08-19-2003, 10:15 AM
We don't understand the game??? Or is it we don't understand the politics?

-venom-
08-19-2003, 12:13 PM
Same thing I was wondering....... what a load of BS

MDE3
08-19-2003, 03:30 PM
Maybe this was a test to see how "Speed Hockey" will be accepted???

MDE3
08-19-2003, 03:58 PM
I am curious about where Mr. Gord Young - the apparent author of these comments - is from.

As referee in chief for this competition I am surprised that he feels that the readership of this board does not understand the game.....given that the game(inline hockey) was developed in this country and has had more different venues attempted here(in the USA) than Carter has liver pills.

While I do understand that constructing a new stadium just for these games may not have been financially practical, and that there may not have been a more suitable arena available - given that this sport is still in it's infancy (I assume)- in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

It does not make sense to justify the venue to a public used to seeing their 5 year olds playing "in - house" hockey in regulation Sport Court type facilities by demeaning the knowledge/awareness of these fans on this Board/or in this country. Fans who are used to watching pro and semi pro leagues play in what are considered substandard facilities for a Pro level sport(in this country), but which facilities are miles beyond the ones described in the article, are flabbergasted to see a world recognised event hosted in such lowly facilities - and justifiably feel that both the Pan Am Games and the sport of Inline Hockey have been done a disservice.

An article recognising that the facilities were substandard for most any tournament format, but which supports the great efforts of the teams in spite of the limitations of these facilities, would be all that is necessary. Most people would understand if in a developing country (at least for Inline Hockey)- the availability of more contemporary facilities was limited and for the moment the competition had to "make do" - assuming this was properly explained at the outset of the arcticle.

What do you think might have happened(by way of fan response)if the soccer competitions had been held in a parking lot with dimensions equalling half to two thirds those of the regulation pitch? And to answer some curious fan commentary about such an anomally.....the chief official simply stated that the objecting fans did not understand the game........

NLane
08-19-2003, 06:04 PM
Sounds like he really doesn't understand! If I had travelled to see the inline hockey someone would have had to bail me out of jail for swinging blindly at anyone who looked like an official. Can you imagine the liability? Glad nothing happened so that there were no questions raised between the estimated conditions and the actuals!

sideliner
08-20-2003, 12:01 PM
Mike - Thank you for a calm and well-worded response to the original write-up. My first post was simply a gut reaction. I felt that we were all being further insulted.

MDE3
08-20-2003, 02:13 PM
Understood - so was my first reaction - but I type to slow to capture the moment.....

Alexander
08-28-2003, 08:44 PM
According to the Canadian Inline Hockey Association web site (http://www.canadianinlinehockey.com/contact.asp) Mr Gord Young is from Canada.

MDE3
08-28-2003, 10:06 PM
Sounds a bit like the "not invented here" syndrome. IE if you are not Canadian you do not understand the game of hockey - in any format........well some of us are - and we learned this game down here........

Alexander
08-28-2003, 11:41 PM
As they say "don't shoot the messenger" -- I was just answering your quiry as to where Mr. Young hails from.

MDE3
08-29-2003, 12:02 PM
Hi. Sorry if it appeared that the comment was directed at you in any way.

It was a knee jerk reaction directed at the general body of people who grew up playing the game of ice hockey - and naturally Canadians fall heavily into that category - and they/we sometimes feel nobody else understands the game of hockey better - in any form.

My assumption was that Gord Young - as Referee in Chief and a Canadian - comes originally from an ice hockey background. As such, a comment like he made could be percieved as a bit elitist - like &quot;if you are not from this (read my) background - you do not understand the game so be quiet&quot; whether it was intended that way or not.

My original response and my latest one to your post was intended to indicate that there are a significant number of readers and posters on IHC who have enough background in the sport - even if they are not from the same background as Mr. Young - to make valid comments on the venue.

Obviously the ambition for the sport of Inline Hockey to be recognized as an internationally successfull sport was blunted somewhat by the weakness of the venue at the Pan Am Games. This no doubt aggrevated a lot of readers in this forum - who want desparately to see the sport grow on the National and World stage.

Being a Canadian myself - I have some background for my comments.

Actually except for that comment about IHC readers it was very good and informative article. And with Mr. Young having been there in person and obliged to work hard to make the games a success under less than ideal conditions I can understand if he felt a little defensive about the comments. Also if we were to substitute the words "state of the sport around the world" for "game", his comments might make more sense.

NLane
08-29-2003, 06:35 PM
Gord, huh. He was the Ranger on Red Green, right?

Alexander
08-29-2003, 09:29 PM
Thanks and appreciated. Very well worded response.

Marty in Alberta, Canada

Alexander
08-30-2003, 07:37 PM
If you want to have a peek at what the venue actually looked like (my guess anyway as there is no caption), see:

http://www.canadianinlinehockey.com/download/DSC02608.JPG