WOW... Lias Andersson throws medal into crowd!!

[Ingolo]

During the NSH/LAK feed just now they said he's getting his medal back from the fan who caught it. Not sure how much validity there is to it, but that's a really weird turn of events.

[StuntMan12]

During the NSH/LAK feed just now they said he's getting his medal back from the fan who caught it. Not sure how much validity there is to it, but that's a really weird turn of events.

I thought the medal was retrieved shortly afterwards no? That's what some people were posting on Facebook, not sure the validity of it though.

[MZac]

I thought it was pretty classless but he's just a kid.

[LuigiC173]

I love it, you don't get participation medals when you lose the Stanley Cup.

[Wonko]

Sounds like quite a few folks here think that we should do away with all medals other than the gold medal. Winning is everything. Save the Olympic committee some money on their crappy consolation prizes for second and third. Only the winner should garner any acclaim. Got it.

Just to be clear, when Andersson threw his medal into the crowd it barely made a blip on my radar. A young kid doing young kid things in the heat of the moment. No big whoop.

The issue I have is with the adults with no skin in the game who approve of and or encourage this type of petulant and immature behavior. Some here seem to act as though Lias graciously accepted the medal and then lovingly handed it to a small crippled child in a wheel chair. Not the case. He grudgingly accepted the medal with disdain, trying to take it in his hand rather than around his neck, and took it off immediately in obvious disgust. He then threw it over the glass and into the crowd in an act of childish defiance with no thought to the fact that it may have actually hurt somebody. Nothing about this behavior showed any class. Kids will be kids in the heat of the moment. Adult arm chair quarterbacks should know better, however.

[Daydream Nation]

Sounds like quite a few folks here think that we should do away with all medals other than the gold medal. Winning is everything. Save the Olympic committee some money on their crappy consolation prizes for second and third. Only the winner should garner any acclaim. Got it.

Just to be clear, when Andersson threw his medal into the crowd it barely made a blip on my radar. A young kid doing young kid things in the heat of the moment. No big whoop.

The issue I have is with the adults with no skin in the game who approve of and or encourage this type of petulant and immature behavior. Some here seem to act as though Lias graciously accepted the medal and then lovingly handed it to a small crippled child in a wheel chair. Not the case. He grudgingly accepted the medal with disdain, trying to take it in his hand rather than around his neck, and took it off immediately in obvious disgust. He then threw it over the glass and into the crowd in an act of childish defiance with no thought to the fact that it may have actually hurt somebody. Nothing about this behavior showed any class. Kids will be kids in the heat of the moment. Adult arm chair quarterbacks should know better, however.

I don't think what he did was classy but hockey isn't a classy sport. It is a sport that has cheap shots and people trying to hurt each other EVERY game. His actions showed his hunger for winning which is what I applaud. I LOVE that he was disgusted that he finished second and wanted no part of the medal. Someone above wrote about his future employer. If I am building a team, this is what I want. This isn't Little League baseball were everyone gets a participation trophy and each kid is guaranteed 3 innings. And I agree with Fast Tony Dinero above- 2nd place is the first loser. Who ever says "we won 2nd place"? No, you lost the championship. Sure, you might value a 2nd place trophy down the line but in the moment, you lost.

[Wonko]

I don't think what he did was classy but hockey isn't a classy sport. It is a sport that has cheap shots and people trying to hurt each other EVERY game.

Call me a romantic but I believe hockey can be a classy sport and there are a number of professional players who are quite classy on and off the ice. There is no need for cheap shots and players purposely trying to injure one another. All the classy folks can do is attempt to educate these antiquated voices of dissent and endeavor to lead by example.

[rtstr]

I don't think what he did was classy but hockey isn't a classy sport. It is a sport that has cheap shots and people trying to hurt each other EVERY game.

This makes no sense whatsoever. A specific sport isn't inherently classy... ATHLETES are. And I think hockey players are generally perceived as among the classiest professional athletes, for what it's worth. I would also imagine that there are tons of rugby players who are fantastic and sophisticated gentlemen compared to the likes of us yet that sport can descend into animalistic warfare. So you're missing the entire point and definition of "class". Which helps me come full circle and understand some of your prior posts to be honest.

[Axeman33]

When you play something head to head, like hockey, for a gold medal you dont win a silver medal. Your team just lost the game but hey, you won silver! Congrats. It doesnt work that way, at least not to the ones playing the games. The organizers of the event may want you to see it that way but the losers of the game dont feel they have won anything. They lost a gold and were awarded a silver. Big difference.

Ask anyone whos "won" a silver medal in a H2H type event and see how happy they are to win that silver. Im betting the percentage will be low.

[Daydream Nation]

Call me a romantic but I believe hockey can be a classy sport and there are a number of professional players who are quite classy on and off the ice. All the classy folks can do is try to educate these antiquated voices of dissent.

Antiquated voices of dissent? What are you talking about? Has hockey ever been classy? It is not classy now.

[StuntMan12]

Sounds like quite a few folks here think that we should do away with all medals other than the gold medal. Winning is everything. Save the Olympic committee some money on their crappy consolation prizes for second and third. Only the winner should garner any acclaim. Got it.

Just to be clear, when Andersson threw his medal into the crowd it barely made a blip on my radar. A young kid doing young kid things in the heat of the moment. No big whoop.

The issue I have is with the adults with no skin in the game who approve of and or encourage this type of petulant and immature behavior. Some here seem to act as though Lias graciously accepted the medal and then lovingly handed it to a small crippled child in a wheel chair. Not the case. He grudgingly accepted the medal with disdain, trying to take it in his hand rather than around his neck, and took it off immediately in obvious disgust. He then threw it over the glass and into the crowd in an act of childish defiance with no thought to the fact that it may have actually hurt somebody. Nothing about this behavior showed any class. Kids will be kids in the heat of the moment. Adult arm chair quarterbacks should know better, however.

Not sure I have seen that in this thread. Just to be clear, I know some people read what I wrote and think that I support his behavior but that is not the case. I clearly stated that I don't think what he did was the right thing to do. Now, understanding where the kid is coming from is not accepting his actions as 'OK', it's merely looking where the kid is coming from and not judging his character based on one action in his life. I'm sure we're not all perfect and have made mistakes in the past which we don't want to be forever labeled for. The kid made a mistake but he was unlucky this was in the spotlight of the media.

[Wonko]

I absolutely LOVE what this kid did and I want him on my team.

It didn't lack class.

Thats the type of guy I want on my team. You cant teach someone how to hate losing like that. That kid wants to win and nothing else. Nothing wrong with that.
https://twitter.com/tubes33/status/949488642929524736

Not sure I have seen that in this thread.

Just a few examples.

[Axeman33]

Just a few examples.

My opinion has not changed.

[Godin]

After thinking about this some more, i'm not sure I would want this guy on my team. I know he is young but, people don't change that much. A suck is a suck and that can really rub off in a bad way on any team, especially if he happens to be on one of the NHL teams that doesn't win the cup. Thats a lot of teams. I can see this guy as being a dressing room cancer.

[Daydream Nation]

After thinking about this some more, i'm not sure I would want this guy on my team. I know he is young but, people don't change that much. A suck is a suck and that can really rub off in a bad way on any team, especially if he happens to be on one of the NHL teams that doesn't win the cup. Thats a lot of teams. I can see this guy as being a dressing room cancer.

It is easier to tone it down than to build it up.