Friday, February 22, 2002
Coaches' corner
By ERIC FRANCIS -- Calgary Sun
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah -- Twenty-two years ago today, Slava Fetisov played in one of the only hockey games to ever capture the attention of the U.S.
Today, as Russia's coach, he'll be part of a rematch he figures will once again put his sport in the U.S. spotlight.
And he's worried such attention will prompt an officiating bias that could hurt his team's chances.
"This will be the most watched game in the history of hockey," said Fetisov of the Olympic semifinal between his Russians and the host Americans (4:15 p.m.).
"It's a great stage to sell the game. Two great teams. I know all of America is going to watch. My concern is that there is too much politics for this game and I don't want the referees (to be biased). They're professional people but they live in the United States. To sell this game right, it's going to put a lot of pressure on the referees."
As Fetisov sent his public message to the on-ice officials, American coach Herb Brooks aired his beefs with off-ice officials whom he figured were going to pair his first-place club against the fourth-ranked Belarussians.
"I thought they just reseeded after the first round and they didn't. That, to me, is strange," said Brooks, a tad envious Canada will face Belarus in the other semifinal.
"I don't want it to sound like sour grapes but I ask you, is this typical?"
Truth is, the road to the gold-medal game was drawn up at the conclusion of the round-robin.
Despite stellar round-robin play from his club, Brooks knows his team will be in tough against a powerful Russian club that tied them 2-2 last week. That game was the highest-rated hockey game on network TV since 1980's Miracle on Ice.
"Hockey's not a made-for-TV sport," said Brooks, who agrees today's TV audience will be unusually large.
"Most Americans don't watch because they don't understand the sport and it's too fast. But the Olympics transcend sports and it makes people more interested."
The Russians enter the game with the hottest goalie in the tourney -- Nikolai Khabibulin -- and an array of offensive weapons.
Meanwhile, the undefeated U.S. squad has a few key injuries, including Doug Weight, who is battling the flu and had to leave the Germany quarter-final game early, and Keith Tkachuk, whose charley horse-type injury may prevent him from playing.
"This is probably one of the biggest games you can ever play in," said Weight.
When asked if there were any other messages he'd like to send before the game, Fetisov grinned.
"I hate the Belarussians -- put that in the paper," he said jokingly.
"Hopefully we'll play them in the final but I don't like their chances."
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2002 Games Men's Hockey Coverage
