Hockeybird.com: Training Camp Opens!

Training Camp Opens!

Friday - August 20, 2004

Really, it does! It's the World Cup training camp rather than the NHL, and that's just fine by me. The previous World Cup in '96 was outstanding hockey, as were the '02 Olympics. I'd be looking forward to this tournament anyway, but considering it may be the only hockey we see the rest of this calendar year (if not longer), the World Cup seems like a Christmas present in late August.

Here's the primary site you should know about, the official World Cup 2004 website. From there you can check out the rosters, the schedule and read various articles, like this one about USA coach Ron Wilson promising that the US team will be a hard hitting, heavy forechecking group.

ESPN's Scott Burnside (him again! is he the only hockey writer left there?) has a great WC preview you should read. It goes through every team in the tournament and talks about their various issues.

Thanks to "OldTymeHockey" on the boards for alerting us to this article by Kara Yorio on Mike Richter as the face of USA goaltending and how one of the three current goaltending kids on the roster will have to fill some big shoes.

Away from the Cup for a second, the Rodent keeps score of the NHL and NHLPA's spin in something he calls the Rhetoric Score Board. I haven't read it completely yet but I'm going to do that now.

The Post's Phil Mushnick has an interesting article on the the "non-story" of Jeremy Roenick spending $100,000 on sports betting tips. He really puts JR through the ringer.