Tuesday Morning Coffee- Made with tears brought on by the savage UK press

Oh noes.  Now the UK press, those torchbearers of journalistic excellence, are all over Canada and Vancouver as they attack anything even remotely involved with the Games.  Too bad we won't really care, as the roar of deafening crowds like the one at BC Place for Alexandre Bilodeau's gold medal ceremony and the ones that start today at Canada Hockey Place will keep us from even noticing the ridiculous crap spewing from the mouths of these 'journalists'.  A look ahead at the beginning of a new chapter in Canada's rich hockey history after the jump...

While there will be no doubt more medal opportunities for Canada today, the sporting world turns it attention on the most highly anticipated hockey tournament yet, with the men getting underway.  Our own Roberto Luongo gets the call for Canada in net against Norway, and while Canada would do good and take a page from the Women's team and not underestimate any opponent, it is not a surprise Luongo is getting the start in the opener.  I am stunned to see the number of hockey journalists reporting this as a 'surprise' and a 'shock'.  A quick look at Canada's first two games, teamed with the knowledge that Martin Brodeur is the #1 goalie going in, and this becomes a no-brainer.  Of course you want to have Brodeur starting against a much tougher Swiss team.  We knew Luongo was going to get 1 game minimum.  So why not give the locals a thrill and get him in the opener against Canada's least fearsome opponent in the opening round?

Canada's first line will feature Sidney Crosby, with Columbus' Rick Nash and Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins.  Some are skeptical about this first line, but with the chemistry Crosby and Bergeron showed in the 2005 World Juniors, and Nash's still underrated skills, this is a line with size, skill and speed.  Line 2 will feature Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry of the Ducks with Carolina's Eric Staal.  Again, the speed, size and skill, plus a little bit of grit that will look good with them as either line 2 or 3.  The all San Jose Sharks line of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley is in the 3rd slot while a 4th line of Jonathon Toews, Jarome Iginla and Dallas' Brendan Morrow, with the Flyers' Mike Richards as the 13th forward round out the lines up front.  How deep is your team when your 4th line has a one time 50 goal scorer?

On defense, Canada will likely run Captain Scott Niedermeyer with Nashville's Shae Weber, the Chicago Blackhawks pairing of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, and Chris Pronger with San Jose's Dan Boyle.  LA's Drew Doughty is the 7th defenseman.  This is a solid team put together by GM Steve Yzerman, and now he hands the reins over to Mike Babcock and his coaching staff, and we see what this team can do.  Nucks Misconduct will have our regular daily open thread for all Olympic related talk as well as a Team Canada game thread.  And don't forget to get your picks in for the Olympic playoff pool before it's too late.

I would like to show you where you can stuff your crumpets...

Here's a thought: Since when did anything this professional piss & moaners print matter to ANYONE.  This nation doesn't need to justify itself to the UK.  They're doing everything they can at the moment to portray this Olympics in a bad light, partially because that kind of thing will help them sell papers, and they've never let their 'lust for gold' get sidetracked by things like 'truth'.  It could also be that they keep the focus off British athletes as well as try and keep people thinking that London's 2012 Summer Olympics will be the best thing ever.

Don't like Canada is taking a hockey mindset to it's approach in winning the games?  Too F'n bad, eh?  As a nation that gets mocked for it's politeness, it's hysterical to see people up in arms that we would dare to prove the stereotype wrong.  God forbid we should ever approach the Olympics like other countries and try and do what we can to help them succeed.  I would suggest we take the lot of these Brit tabloid whores, along with Rick Reilly and what the hell, throw Steve Symmons in there too, and duct tape them to the end boards for Team Canada's next practice.  But I won't.  I am a gracious host.  And like all our Canadian athletes, I will smile, and congratulate you on your Silver (or your 16th place finish as it pertains to the UK) after receiving our Gold.  That's how we own the podium.  And with a tip of the hat to Down Goes Brown and Bloge Salming... a little musical how's it goin' eh? to the rest of the world...