Thursday, June 20, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013

Canadians drink beer, world stunned

39 comments

Canadians drink beer, world stunned

POSTED: Friday, February 26, 2010, 5:02 PM

When I snapped these pics of Canadian women's hockey players celebrating their gold medal, I had no idea I was documenting an international controversy.

I thought it was kind of cool, actually. A bunch of the players returned to the ice in an arena that had emptied out of fans. They drank champagne and beer and lit a couple cigars. OK, so scoring heroine Marie-Philip Poulin isn't of legal drinking age -- it's not like they were chugging tequila out there.

But the IOC is stuffy enough to give an official tsk-tsk and the Canadian Hockey Federation apologized.

No one complained when skeleton gold medalist Jon Montgomery walked through Whistler Village chugging beer from a pitcher. Funny, eh?

Phil Sheridan @ 5:02 PM  Permalink | 39 comments
39 comments
Comments  (39)
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:32 PM, 02/26/2010
    That's a great headline. I'm wondering if there would be as much controversy if the Canadian men's team did the same thing. And, what's the legal drinking age in Canada? Is it 21 or 18, like many non-US countries.
    unreal
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:01 PM, 02/26/2010
    In BC the age is 19. The team trains in Alberta, where the age is 18.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:01 PM, 02/26/2010
    In BC the age is 19. The team trains in Alberta, where the age is 18.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:07 PM, 02/26/2010
    They weren't just drinking and smoking cigars, but scoring heroine, too?
    jcallisonfan
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:10 PM, 02/26/2010
    Holy Molson Golden! Looks like they are having some fun, eh? The Us and Canadian women's teams are fun to watch. A shmae the USA didn't win, they were terrific in the first period, but couldn't get the puck past the Canadian goalie. The commentators said they should ahve a best of seven series and maybe they should. These two teams are the best,trading the title every year it seems. Now it's up to the men's team to bring home the gold. Go USA!
    mike l
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:15 PM, 02/26/2010
    Fabulous headline. Nicely played!
    Gruff
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:17 PM, 02/26/2010
    Canada////Molson/// chack it out
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:59 PM, 02/26/2010
    Drink more! Pour all over your heads and get wasted you won gold
    fman727
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:53 PM, 02/26/2010
    Jeebus, get over it! Good for them! They have to go back to working at McDonald's after the olympics end, let them enjoy the moment!
    Genghis
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:57 PM, 02/26/2010
    I sure hope they were Cuban cigars, as well...
    Genghis
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:07 PM, 02/26/2010
    Cuban cigars are not illegal in Canada.
    JSaq
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:02 PM, 02/26/2010
    Double standard. Let them have the fun their men's team won't be enjoying come Sunday.
    bpkrier
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:01 AM, 02/27/2010
    Someone please explain to me why beer is bad...I can't really think of a reason that is not refutable
    Bone
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:20 AM, 02/27/2010
    2% of the world is stunned. 98% of the world either says "good for them, let them celebrate" or "what are you talking about?". Of course, the lazy media caters to the 2%'ers with a ridiculous "WORLD IS STUNNED" headline. Message to the media: Do better!
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:23 AM, 02/27/2010
    sexism sexism sexism
    scullin


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About this blog
Reporter Frank Fitzpatrick is covering his seventh Olympic Games and has yet to win a medal in anything except caffeine consumption. He has also been the beat writer for the Phillies, Eagles and Penn State football.

Columnist Phil Sheridan has been writing about Philadelphia sports since graduating from Temple University in 1985. The Vancouver Games are Phil's sixth consecutive Olympics. He is determined to do exhaustive research on the fresh seafood and locally made beers and wines in Vancouver and Whistler.

Photographer Clem Murray covered the Lake Placid Winter Olympics 30 years ago. He has covered the Eagles in their two Super Bowl runs; the Phillies in a couple of World Series (back in the 80s); the Sixers' 1983 championship; a couple of Stanley Cup runs by the Flyers; and the Nittany Lions.

For more Olympics coverage, visit the Philly.com Olympics page.

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