Russian media complains too

There's a big discussion over at

Japer's Rink about another journalist getting angry at Ovechkin not responding to the media:

"[T]he fact that the trappings of celebrity appear to be wearing [Alex Ovechkin] down and making him a bigger jerk with every passing day should not mitigate his breathtaking abilities and his explosiveness.

- The Hockey News' Ken Campbell

Personally I have a feeling the team Russia's coaching staff or the majority of players dictated to others not to talk to the media. I can remind you about the

first day of team Russia training:

On the way to the locker room reserve goalkeeper Vasily Koshechkin even muttered through his mask about the media, "Everybody's wating for one guy!" It took Ovechkin about an hour to make his way to the locker room while he was talking to the media...

And maybe after that Ovechkin was advised not to talk to the media.

From the view of North American journalists the Russians

only respond to Russian media:

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin has never been as colorful or as comfortable as Ovechkin but he’s slowly grown into his relationship with the NHL media. He certainly speaks and understands English.

Just not here. Ask him a question in Russian, you might get a brief answer. Anything else and he walks by with a 1,000-yard stare.

Imagine that, Russian journalists complain as well. Here's an excerpt from SovSport correspondent who says that Fedorov's preference is English-speaking media...

B. Slavin, Feb, 22, 2010, SovSport.ru:

I don't want to stir the pot, but the atmosphere in and around of our national team after their defeat by Slovakia became fundamentally different. The coaches became very serious, abruptly changed their mood the players, no jokes, no kidding at the morning skates. For example, the always sociable Evgeni Nabokov didn't respond to all our requests for an interview. And Sergei Fedorov preferred to talk only with English-speaking correspondents.

Some players became really nervous. For example, Maxim Afinogenov became so angry after answering the questions to one of the Russian reporters, that he sharply cut him off and retreated to the locker room, swearing very loud on the way.

Incidentally it should be noted that all the wishes of the national team are in fact taken into account. For example, only hockey players receive regular meals outside the Olympic village. An Italian restaurant in downtown Vancouver has been rented for team's lunches. And for the dinner, if there is no late game, the team players are going to dine at the "Russian House".

Igor Zakharkin (tj - Bykov's coaching partner) totally surprised with some replies. When on Friday he was asked how it happened that shootouts with the Slovaks were given to Ovechkin, Kovalchuk and Malkin, who were not the best performers in that category, Igor, who usually is always happy to answer any questions, asked to refer it to Bykov. But then he honestly admitted, the situation with shootouts caught the Coaches by complete surprise, Vyacheslav Bykov appointed the shooters on a whim.

And how do you like the story about Russian coaches being totally unprepared for shootouts?

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