Dozerdog
07-19-2003, 11:38 AM
OUCH!
Humiliated on ice but Kuwait loves hockey
Josh Brown, Toronto Star Sports Reporter
February 3, 1999
The good news was the Zamboni in working order
Kuwaiti officials told Canadian Bruce Smith that their national hockey team was "fairly skilled'' when he accepted a job as the country's first coach.
After being outscored 79-1 in the team's first two matches at the Asian Winter Games in South Korea, Smith has found that to be an overstatement.
First they lost 44-1 to Japan last Sunday. Then China clobbered them 35-0 a day later.
"It was humiliating and embarrassing,'' said Smith, 39.
But the team won't give up. Despite the drubbing, they are still anxious to try again against Mongolia on Saturday.
"I've never seen a hockey team never quit like this team,'' said Smith, who's coached junior teams in the Maritimes.
"They have found the same passion and desire for hockey that's in Canada.''
"There is no off switch for these guys. It's quite something to see them play.''
The team's love for the game is something Smith never thought he would find when he took the coaching job earlier this year in the desert city-state with a population of 1.8 million.
The New Brunswick resident arrived in Kuwait City on Jan. 6 after hearing about the job from a friend who is a co-pilot for Kuwaiti Airways.
He met the team at the country's only hockey rink and found it in pretty rough shape. Bumps had formed all along the surface from water leaks in the roof and small ditches had built up by the boards.
"You couldn't work along the boards,'' said Smith. "I was afraid guys were going to blow out a knee or sprain their ankles.''
While the Zamboni was in perfect condition, the team was a different story. Smith was expecting a group of transplanted Canadians, Americans and Swedes who were working in Kuwait.
Instead he got local Kuwaiti students, soldiers and firefighters aged 14 to 33 some of whom drove BMWs, Mercedes and Porsches to practice and had tigers for pets at home.
And the "team'' was formed with whoever showed up at the arena to play. Half the guys didn't have helmets and you couldn't get a roll of hockey tape in the country.
But the players were enthusiastic. After all, they were under the impression that they had beaten Canada 9-1 in an exhibition game and had a tape of the game all ready for Smith.
Turns out "Team Canada'' was just a bunch of guys from the Canadian Embassy.
"My first thought was 'are these guys for real?' '' said Smith.
"They thought they could destroy teams like Germany and Sweden and were going to go and win a medal for Kuwait.'' ....more...
http://www.phoenixinferno.net/features5.cfm
Humiliated on ice but Kuwait loves hockey
Josh Brown, Toronto Star Sports Reporter
February 3, 1999
The good news was the Zamboni in working order
Kuwaiti officials told Canadian Bruce Smith that their national hockey team was "fairly skilled'' when he accepted a job as the country's first coach.
After being outscored 79-1 in the team's first two matches at the Asian Winter Games in South Korea, Smith has found that to be an overstatement.
First they lost 44-1 to Japan last Sunday. Then China clobbered them 35-0 a day later.
"It was humiliating and embarrassing,'' said Smith, 39.
But the team won't give up. Despite the drubbing, they are still anxious to try again against Mongolia on Saturday.
"I've never seen a hockey team never quit like this team,'' said Smith, who's coached junior teams in the Maritimes.
"They have found the same passion and desire for hockey that's in Canada.''
"There is no off switch for these guys. It's quite something to see them play.''
The team's love for the game is something Smith never thought he would find when he took the coaching job earlier this year in the desert city-state with a population of 1.8 million.
The New Brunswick resident arrived in Kuwait City on Jan. 6 after hearing about the job from a friend who is a co-pilot for Kuwaiti Airways.
He met the team at the country's only hockey rink and found it in pretty rough shape. Bumps had formed all along the surface from water leaks in the roof and small ditches had built up by the boards.
"You couldn't work along the boards,'' said Smith. "I was afraid guys were going to blow out a knee or sprain their ankles.''
While the Zamboni was in perfect condition, the team was a different story. Smith was expecting a group of transplanted Canadians, Americans and Swedes who were working in Kuwait.
Instead he got local Kuwaiti students, soldiers and firefighters aged 14 to 33 some of whom drove BMWs, Mercedes and Porsches to practice and had tigers for pets at home.
And the "team'' was formed with whoever showed up at the arena to play. Half the guys didn't have helmets and you couldn't get a roll of hockey tape in the country.
But the players were enthusiastic. After all, they were under the impression that they had beaten Canada 9-1 in an exhibition game and had a tape of the game all ready for Smith.
Turns out "Team Canada'' was just a bunch of guys from the Canadian Embassy.
"My first thought was 'are these guys for real?' '' said Smith.
"They thought they could destroy teams like Germany and Sweden and were going to go and win a medal for Kuwait.'' ....more...
http://www.phoenixinferno.net/features5.cfm