Alex Ovechkin Compares (but mostly contrasts) Vancouver and Turin Olympics
by tuvanhillbilly on Jan 24, 2010 1:11 AM EST
in Translations
33 comments
A few days ago, Pavel Lysenkov from Sovetsky Sport had an enormous three-page interview with Alex Ovechkin. As usual, Pavel gets Alex to open up and share personal insights that you will never read in English language interviews, and our good buddy TJ over at Alex Ovetjkin jumped in and performed the yeoman's work of translating the majority of the article, so be sure and check that out. Once you've read that, here for your viewing pleasure is my translation of the remainder of the article, which continues where TJ's ends. Here Alex shares his views on the upcoming Olympic team and compares and contrasts it with his experiences as a member of the 2006 Russian Olympic team.
BYKOV'S TEAM IS FROM ANOTHER PLANET
We could talk for a long time about nightclubs and summer. But the Olympics are just one month away. And I can't believe that doesn't cause butterflies in your stomach.
"If you start beating on me now, imagine what shape I'll be in when I get to Vancouver-- on the edge of a nervous breakdown? Reporters and fans keep asking me about the Olympics, but I'm not thinking about it yet."
"The butterflies will come when I board the plane for Canada and realize that in just a few days I'll be going out on the ice and fighting for Olympic gold."
Have you talked with your mom about the Games? After all, she's a two-time Olympic champion.
"We try not to talk about sports at home. Even when I was a kid, I never asked my mom about the Olympics. I just played with her gold medals."
Think back to your first and only Olympics so far. Why did the Russian team, with such a strong roster, end up in fourth place in 2006?
"Turin left me with a strong sense of disappointment. I don't want to blame anybody, but there were some extra people on our team at that Olympics. There weren't enough strong hockey players who absolutely should have been brought to the Games."
So who was to blame for that? GM Pavel Bure or head coach Vladimir Krikunov?
"I'm not saying I'm trying to blame anyone. I'm just stating the facts. You bring your strongest players to a tournament such as this. You don't address personal issues. Yes, there were some undercurrents. Our team in Turin didn't have any soul. There wasn't any unified mission of winning gold. Rather they just wanted to have certain players play in the Olympics. That left a bad taste in my mouth."
Korоlyuk was injured, Malkin was disqualified, and in the semifinals against the Finns you had to skate on two lines, wearing yourself out.
"That's bull. I was strong enough, but there wasn't a normal atmosphere on the team. They said that we were all together in the same boat, but then we broke up into cliques."
"It's a totally different situation now. We are a team. Everyone knows why we are going to Vancouver. If you were to compare the team of Bykov and Zakharin with the Turin model, it's like this team is from another planet. Nobody is given any special treatment. Nobody made the team out of friendship or past achievements. If you play well, you are going to the Olympics. If not, well sorry about that. And how do you think those players themselves felt, who were just given a spot on the team? I'm sure they were ashamed. But now these guys have a different mindset, a different behavior. It is important for them that a battle-worthy team goes to Vancouver rather than a bunch of tourists. Together, like a clenched fist."
Do you get along okay now with Krikunov?
"Everything is good between us, no problems."
After Turin there was a war of words. Players blamed the head coach, Krikunov criticized the players, but you didn't have any part in this...
"I can't stand it when they are looking for a scapegoat. That's why I say that we didn't have a team at that Olympics. The mudslinging in the press just confirmed that. Everybody was guilty in the loss, and when they start blaming each other it just looks bad."
JAGR CAN STILL CUT THE MUSTARD
Let's imagine how Russia's games will go round-by-round. Our first opponent is Latvia.
"The majority of their players are from the KHL. I don't think the Latvians will outplay us. Against the Russian team that doesn't make much sense. We'll score a goal or two, nonetheless. Unless they catch us in a counterattack, but that's doubtful."
Slovakia.
"They have good defense. Zdeno Chara is one of the best defensemen in the NHL. That team has wheels and they can bring the attack. Marian Gaborik is notable on offense for them."
Nikita Filatov said that he can't imagine how you can play against Chara. He's a giant at 206 cm, and has a two meter stick!
"Yeah, it's hard to play against Chara. You've taken two steps and he just has to move his stick. But you don't have to go around him. You just have to use a few different tricks, look for shot opportunities."
Czech Republic.
"Jaromir Jagr wants to show that he can still cut the mustard. It's important for him to play good hockey, no matter his age. I think the best Czech player in the NHL is Tomas Kaberle. He's a classy defenseman, a veteran and one of the leaders of their national team."
"But arguing now about our opponents and their strengths is about as futile as nailing jello to a tree.(the folksy adage Ovechkin used literally translates as "writing on water with a pitchfork", but this is the closest in English I could think of that reflects the same amount meaning in a folksy/funny manner- TH). Let's go to the Olympics and everything will fall into place."
OVECHKIN'S SYMBOLIC TEAM
Sovetsky Sport has already reported that fans voting on the official NHL site selected a symbolic team of the best players of the decade. It included goaltender Martin Brodeur, defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Scott Neidermayer, and forwards Joe Sakic, Alexander Ovechkin and Jaromir Jagr.
...Your correspondent asked Ovechkin to pick his team of the decade.
"I'd put Evgeni Nabokov in net," said Ovechkin after thinking for a moment. "On the back end I'd have Sergei Gonchar and Andrei Markov. And on the attack I'd have Zhenya Malkin and Ilya Kovalchuk playing with me."
Wait a minute, these are all Russians! Where's Crosby and Iginla?
"This is what I've decided. This is my team," laughed Ovechkin.
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Fantastic, TH! Good work. Thanks for bringing this to us.
Russian Machine Never Breaks - A Hockey Blog Focusing on The Washington Capitals and Their Awesome Russian Superstars: Alex Ovechkin, Alex Semin & Semyon Varlamov.
But now these guys have a different mindset, a different behavior. It is important for them that a battle-worthy team goes to Vancouver rather than a bunch of tourists. Together, like a clenched fist."
Kovalchuk was also displaying Team Russia’s velvet glove steel fist at training camp this summer.
IS KEPTIN NOW
Here’s hoping Varly’s helmet will incorporate a big fist on it somewhere.
"I tried to capture the spirit of the thing"
by tuvanhillbilly on Jan 24, 2010 1:35 AM EST up reply actions
Another late night gem, thanks tuvan!
I liked the literal translation on the russian folk saying. I googled it and this article is the only result =D http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=%22writing+on+water+with+a+pitchfork%22&aq=f&oq=&aqi=
I used to work in a fire hydrant factory. You couldn't park anywhere near the place.
Btw, what is the folk saying he used?
I imagine it’s not: писание на воде с вилы
I used to work in a fire hydrant factory. You couldn't park anywhere near the place.
Close! it’s вилами по воде писать. I did find one direct translation and had to look up the English word— it is very old English— “limn the water”. ie: "Prov. to limn the water, limn (something) on water: said of something transient or futile.
1620 BACON Poems (Grosart) 49 Who then to fraile Mortality shall trust, But limmes the Water, or but writes in dust. 1692 Vindiciæ Carolinæ ix. 73 All he had done was but a kind of Limming the Water, to them. " I prefer jello.
"I tried to capture the spirit of the thing"
by tuvanhillbilly on Jan 24, 2010 1:58 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
A little more ‘research’ in the sense of ‘clicking on the first link in google search’ and we find a real melee going on in the comments. Gloves, sticks, helmets all on the ice. History and literature ain’t for the faint of heart.
And thank you Alex O for leading me to Samuel Pepys’ diary on an otherwise unremarkable Sunday morning.
IS KEPTIN NOW
I prefer jello.
Haha, great stuff. Thanks for the additional info.
I used to work in a fire hydrant factory. You couldn't park anywhere near the place.
definitely! you learn something new every day.
And for the record, I still liked the english substitution you chose, although the literal one works very well also!
I liked the english substitution, followed by the explanation. I absolutely loved getting the real metaphor, but I wouldn’t have “gotten” it without the one you chose.
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Jan 25, 2010 9:05 AM EST up reply actions
Tuvan...
That is all.
"I'm gettin' heartburn. Tony, do something terrible."
by Steck It Out on Jan 24, 2010 2:47 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Coming to theaters near you…
… June 1st…
Alex Ovechkin IS…
JULIUS CAESAR
If you've read this far...seek help.
I hate to play reporter here, but it seems (although he didnt want to say it) that he was placing the blame squarely on Pavel Bures shoulders, saying he selected the guys he wanted to for the reasons he wanted to. I say that cause in Vancouver and Turin, Bykov was the coach, the only change was at GM and he seemed to be totally behind this years team.
Tuvan, this is outstanding and entertaining work, as per your usual standard. Four Stars.
Love the part about playing against Chara – Ovie is so strong he can go through Chara instead of tyring to go around him.
Only YOU can prevent idiots from commenting!
by Knee high to a duck on Jan 24, 2010 3:25 PM EST reply actions
We try not to talk about sports at home. Even when I was a kid, I never asked my mom about the Olympics. I just played with her gold medals.
that’s very cute.
Kung-fu Rink Rabbit
Notice how when the Caps have a shootout, it is the healthy type.
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