IIHF UPDATE
Division VIII
Kyrgyzstan 5 Mongolia 2
Turkmenistan 5 Vojvodina 3
Bosnia and Hercegovina 4 Buryatia 1
Division VII
Ireland 6 Luxembourg 1
Turkey 5 Euskadi 4
Ngunia 5 United Arab Emirates 3
Division VI
Wales 4 Castille 0
Utah 3 Aragon 1
Mexico 5 Dagestan 4 (OT)
PAVEL'S PICKS - TOP TEN RIVALRIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF CHAMPIONSHIP PROPER
Hi there! With the Worlds being where they are right now, I thought I'd weigh in on who has the best rivalries in the good ol' hockey game these days. There are a lot to pick from, so I thought I'd do one top ten where at least one team is in the championship proper, and another where both teams are outside.
Top ten rivalries with one or both teams both at the top level in 2020
1. Canada vs. Russia
While not the longest rivalry on this list by any means, this one easily has the most tension involved, going back to the Summit Series in the '70s, the Canada Cups in the 80s, the Punch-Up in Piestany, and numerous others. These are the two most decorated nations in the world when counting Robertian successor states, and it is always good for a classic match.
2. Nordland vs. Finland
Almost rivals Canada-Russia in intensity. Given Finland's history of being ruled over by Sweden, the two nations have a fierce rivalry and their very different styles - Sweden's emphasis on skill and "trap"-like defence versus Finland's flashier, more physical, borderline North American style - bring a good hockey match almost every time.
3. Canada vs. New USA
While their rivalry against Russia is their most emotional, their rivalry against their southeastern neighbours is their - and hockey's - longest. Even if the level of American skill has tapered off a bit due to the country's partition, there is no lack of competition between these two!
4. Czechia vs. Slovakia
Ever since they ceased to be a single country, the Czechs and the Slovaks have had it in for each other. Slovakia has an almost pre-Robertian-Canadian inferiority complex concerning the Czechs when it comes to sport. The Czechs have dominated this matchup post-Dispersion, but that doesn't mean that the matches aren't intense!
5. Uralica vs. Russia
The battle of the russophone powers would be higher on this least but for its relative newness. But it is quite similar to the Nordland-Finland rivalry, with Uralica drawing from a hodgepodge of hockey styles and playing a very physical game, while Russia is very skill-based. (They are generally faster than Sweden though. )
6. Canada vs. Uralica
Another relative newbie, and probably the friendliest rivalry of this top ten, but nonetheless always fun to watch. These Arctic Union giants play very similar styles, and Uralica is surprisingly good on the smaller ice, which is evidenced by the success of several Uralican players in the NHL.
7. Dakota vs. New USA
Most of the good hockey players that didn't go with the New USA went to frigid Dakota. Minnesota is known as "The State of Hockey" and for good reason. Its hockey programs are unrivalled throughout the former USA if one looks at it state by state. "The Battle Of The Yanks" is always a fierce one, though.
8. Canada vs. Dakota
Dakota's hockey culture is seen as being transitional between that of the New USA and that of Canada, if only because Dakota has about half of Canada's population. But given their similar styles and their commitment to growing the game abroad, seeing these two play each other is always good, even if Canada has the upper hand.
9. Germany vs. Switzerland
Long considered the "best of the rest," these two haven't lost their rivalry from those times, even if the skill level is closer between the two.
10. Siberia vs. Ural-Altai
The Battle of Russophone Asia! There is absolutely no doubt that these two neighbours really get into it, since they are well behind Uralica in skill level but about equal to each other.
Honourable mentions: Baltika vs. Belarus, Ural-Altai vs. Kazakhstan, Ural-Altai vs. Uralica, Siberia vs. Uralica.
Top ten rivalries outside the top level
1. Aragon vs. Catalonia vs. Castille - make no mistake about it, regardless of what level they are at, there is a lot of bad blood between these three. Catalonia ended up with Ander Alcaine even though he was born and raised in Aragon, and Castille is... well... Castille, still thinking they are entitled to anything on the Iberia Peninsula not named Portugal. It transfers over to their hockey.
2. England vs. Scotland - this one is fun to watch, as they are so evenly-matched and they have a lot of national history to fuel the grudge - neighbours on the same island for almost a millennium and a half! And they know this one is good, to the end that the organisers tend to set the ticket price a little higher for this one because they know the tickets will sell regardless of which side of the proverbial Hadrian's Wall they're on!
3. Serbia vs. Croatia - do we even need to explain this one?
4. Korea vs. Japan - mercifully, the bad blood that once existed between these two nations has been supplanted by a much friendlier rivalry, but with China well behind them both in terms of skill, this "Asian Old Firm" is arguably Asia's most exciting rivalry even if it doesn't have the same skill as Ural-Altai (mostly Asian) vs. Siberia.
5. New Confederacy vs. Cascadia - this one gets heated because of the radically different nature of these two countries' politics. It has stayed riot-free for now, but these two teams and their fanbases loathe one another. But that makes for some amazing hockey!
6. Germany vs. Austro-Bavaria - given how these germanophone neighbours are much closer in their skill level than they were in the pre-Robertian Era, is this any surprise? They always entertain when they square off against one another, even if Germany has more recently come into the possession of some seriously talented players like Leon Draistatl and Thomas Greiss.
7. Australia vs. New Zealand - another one that doesn't need explaining to those who just know.
8. Mexico vs. Utah - this one is uniquely post-Robertian. The two have leagues in NAMPHA, and whichever league finishes last always gets teased by the other... leading to this rivalry that often gets heated, and in rare instances leads to fisticuffs (remember, those are banned in the international game but perfectly legal in the North American system).
9. Afrikaner Republic vs. Mexico - this one hearkens back to the rivalry between South Africa and Mexico, who saw a lot of each other in the Pre-Robertian Era. And both teams have improved their hockey, making it that much better.
10. Australia vs. Cascadia - this one is quite recent, but has to do with several Australian players calling Cascadian "a bunch of diving sissies." Regardless of how much truth there is to that, it was an incendiary-enough remark that it led to a very chippy game between the two, which the Aussies won in spite of having three players ejected. "The Brisbane Brouhaha" will be forever etched in the memories of Pacific Rim hockey fans!
Honorable mentions: a lot to mention here!
Division VIII
Kyrgyzstan 5 Mongolia 2
Turkmenistan 5 Vojvodina 3
Bosnia and Hercegovina 4 Buryatia 1
Division VII
Ireland 6 Luxembourg 1
Turkey 5 Euskadi 4
Ngunia 5 United Arab Emirates 3
Division VI
Wales 4 Castille 0
Utah 3 Aragon 1
Mexico 5 Dagestan 4 (OT)
PAVEL'S PICKS - TOP TEN RIVALRIES WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF CHAMPIONSHIP PROPER
Hi there! With the Worlds being where they are right now, I thought I'd weigh in on who has the best rivalries in the good ol' hockey game these days. There are a lot to pick from, so I thought I'd do one top ten where at least one team is in the championship proper, and another where both teams are outside.
Top ten rivalries with one or both teams both at the top level in 2020
1. Canada vs. Russia
While not the longest rivalry on this list by any means, this one easily has the most tension involved, going back to the Summit Series in the '70s, the Canada Cups in the 80s, the Punch-Up in Piestany, and numerous others. These are the two most decorated nations in the world when counting Robertian successor states, and it is always good for a classic match.
2. Nordland vs. Finland
Almost rivals Canada-Russia in intensity. Given Finland's history of being ruled over by Sweden, the two nations have a fierce rivalry and their very different styles - Sweden's emphasis on skill and "trap"-like defence versus Finland's flashier, more physical, borderline North American style - bring a good hockey match almost every time.
3. Canada vs. New USA
While their rivalry against Russia is their most emotional, their rivalry against their southeastern neighbours is their - and hockey's - longest. Even if the level of American skill has tapered off a bit due to the country's partition, there is no lack of competition between these two!
4. Czechia vs. Slovakia
Ever since they ceased to be a single country, the Czechs and the Slovaks have had it in for each other. Slovakia has an almost pre-Robertian-Canadian inferiority complex concerning the Czechs when it comes to sport. The Czechs have dominated this matchup post-Dispersion, but that doesn't mean that the matches aren't intense!
5. Uralica vs. Russia
The battle of the russophone powers would be higher on this least but for its relative newness. But it is quite similar to the Nordland-Finland rivalry, with Uralica drawing from a hodgepodge of hockey styles and playing a very physical game, while Russia is very skill-based. (They are generally faster than Sweden though. )
6. Canada vs. Uralica
Another relative newbie, and probably the friendliest rivalry of this top ten, but nonetheless always fun to watch. These Arctic Union giants play very similar styles, and Uralica is surprisingly good on the smaller ice, which is evidenced by the success of several Uralican players in the NHL.
7. Dakota vs. New USA
Most of the good hockey players that didn't go with the New USA went to frigid Dakota. Minnesota is known as "The State of Hockey" and for good reason. Its hockey programs are unrivalled throughout the former USA if one looks at it state by state. "The Battle Of The Yanks" is always a fierce one, though.
8. Canada vs. Dakota
Dakota's hockey culture is seen as being transitional between that of the New USA and that of Canada, if only because Dakota has about half of Canada's population. But given their similar styles and their commitment to growing the game abroad, seeing these two play each other is always good, even if Canada has the upper hand.
9. Germany vs. Switzerland
Long considered the "best of the rest," these two haven't lost their rivalry from those times, even if the skill level is closer between the two.
10. Siberia vs. Ural-Altai
The Battle of Russophone Asia! There is absolutely no doubt that these two neighbours really get into it, since they are well behind Uralica in skill level but about equal to each other.
Honourable mentions: Baltika vs. Belarus, Ural-Altai vs. Kazakhstan, Ural-Altai vs. Uralica, Siberia vs. Uralica.
Top ten rivalries outside the top level
1. Aragon vs. Catalonia vs. Castille - make no mistake about it, regardless of what level they are at, there is a lot of bad blood between these three. Catalonia ended up with Ander Alcaine even though he was born and raised in Aragon, and Castille is... well... Castille, still thinking they are entitled to anything on the Iberia Peninsula not named Portugal. It transfers over to their hockey.
2. England vs. Scotland - this one is fun to watch, as they are so evenly-matched and they have a lot of national history to fuel the grudge - neighbours on the same island for almost a millennium and a half! And they know this one is good, to the end that the organisers tend to set the ticket price a little higher for this one because they know the tickets will sell regardless of which side of the proverbial Hadrian's Wall they're on!
3. Serbia vs. Croatia - do we even need to explain this one?
4. Korea vs. Japan - mercifully, the bad blood that once existed between these two nations has been supplanted by a much friendlier rivalry, but with China well behind them both in terms of skill, this "Asian Old Firm" is arguably Asia's most exciting rivalry even if it doesn't have the same skill as Ural-Altai (mostly Asian) vs. Siberia.
5. New Confederacy vs. Cascadia - this one gets heated because of the radically different nature of these two countries' politics. It has stayed riot-free for now, but these two teams and their fanbases loathe one another. But that makes for some amazing hockey!
6. Germany vs. Austro-Bavaria - given how these germanophone neighbours are much closer in their skill level than they were in the pre-Robertian Era, is this any surprise? They always entertain when they square off against one another, even if Germany has more recently come into the possession of some seriously talented players like Leon Draistatl and Thomas Greiss.
7. Australia vs. New Zealand - another one that doesn't need explaining to those who just know.
8. Mexico vs. Utah - this one is uniquely post-Robertian. The two have leagues in NAMPHA, and whichever league finishes last always gets teased by the other... leading to this rivalry that often gets heated, and in rare instances leads to fisticuffs (remember, those are banned in the international game but perfectly legal in the North American system).
9. Afrikaner Republic vs. Mexico - this one hearkens back to the rivalry between South Africa and Mexico, who saw a lot of each other in the Pre-Robertian Era. And both teams have improved their hockey, making it that much better.
10. Australia vs. Cascadia - this one is quite recent, but has to do with several Australian players calling Cascadian "a bunch of diving sissies." Regardless of how much truth there is to that, it was an incendiary-enough remark that it led to a very chippy game between the two, which the Aussies won in spite of having three players ejected. "The Brisbane Brouhaha" will be forever etched in the memories of Pacific Rim hockey fans!
Honorable mentions: a lot to mention here!
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(06-11-2022, 10:13 PM)Kyng Wrote: I love how [Abacab] has a track with a section named "Lurker", when the album title itself looks like Lurker's attempt to spell "Abacus" or something .
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