Olympic Update

I'm reporting live from Canada Hockey Place where team Germany and team Israel are warming up. For obvious reasons, tensions are high and appropriately, many security patrols are on hand in case things take a turn for the worst. I wonder if we'll see any members of the Red Army drop the gloves with each other now that they wear different sweaters. Other action today includes team USA versus team Slovakia and team Georgia versus team Czech Republic.

I'll update after the games.

The big news from yesterday was of course Ireland's shocking upset over Sweden. Trailing 5-1 entering the 3rd, the Irish stormed back with goals by Mark Hendricks, Shea O'Sullivan, and two by Pat King. The game remained tied after regulation, and even though Sweden was awarded a power play in overtime, the over passing bunch was unable to capitalize despite several in tight chances by Brian "Beege" Hendricks. In the shootout the Irish capped off the stunning victory when the Irish Hendricks scored in the fifth round immediately after the Swedish Hendricks had rung a slap shot off the crossbar.

Japan fell to Finland 14-3, though Jamie Simek did manage to assist on two goals and finish a +1.

The Alps tied Switzerland 0-0 in a game played mostly between the blue lines.

Russia defeated Canada 4-3 in front of several ice hockey players, including Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby.

OTHER NOTES:
-Peter Hendricks was recalled by team Georgia after forward Giorgi Giorgison was injured making wine. If his plane makes it to Vancouver on time, we'll be seeing #59 lace them up today against the Czechs.

-Tony Horton tested positive for wienerschnitzel and is now ineligible to play for his country. The German returned home this morning and will be playing for his Bronze team the Wingers this evening.

-Neal Hendricks, the only non Olympian of the Hendricks brother contingency, was unable to lace them up for any team because he currently does not have citizenship to any country. The winger, though born in the US, moved to Finland in the winter of 1999. Abandoning his US citizenship for a Finnish one in 2008, the youngest of the Hendricks quartet then defected to Russia for inexplicable reasons, voiding his Finnish citizenship papers (which were being processed at the time). With Russia not wanting to be hurt by the countryizing twin, the Republic is playing hard to get and not allowing him to easy access. According to a press release from the Kremlin, "We don't want [Neal Hendricks] thinking he can weave and leave like he did with those Nordics."

-Finally, in the strangest news of the day, I saw Steve Hand and Andy Schram roaming the streets in the Olympic Village this morning. At first I wasn't sure if it was them, but I thought I recognized the pair from a distance. I checked Hand's twitter account (@Redlife17) and found this, "Emergency call from Team USA last night, going 2 Vancouver!!!!!!!!!"

As for Schram, his twitter account is less telling (@Shakethatthing). "What time does team China play?"

That's it from here. Hope to have an update after today's action.