Thursday, May 27, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
What Ovechkin's dog name means
Ovechkin puts his dog Hera into the car and says, "Papa, drive home then..."
You can see that it's a puppy, not a 2 years old German Shepherd (Deutscher Schäferhund) like Life.ru reported. We are asking our readers to guess how old the puppy is. I am pretty sure there are experts between you on German Shepherds.
"This is a pedigree German shepherd," rejoiced Dad. "We called her Ghera."
Somebody asked if there's a meaning to the name of Ovi's dog.
And here's the answer:
In Russian the name is spelled "Гера" and is pronounced as Ghera. But if you look at Russian Wikipedia, you can find that this is the name of the goddess from Greek Mythology.
Hera (pronounced /ˈhɪərə/; Greek Ήρα, Hēra, equivalently Ήρη, Hērē, in Ionic and Homer) was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology.
According to Russian Wikipedia Hera guards mothers during the labor, English version doesn't say anything about it. We need a Greek Mythology expert here. :-)
Anyway Hera is now guarding Ovi and his family at their dacha. A bit more about their oveja called Byasha (or Baa-sha in English) and other pets who live there.
Tatiana Ovechkina:
She [Baasha] ate all gooseberries. And she doesn't pick the berries that crumble to the ground. She neatly lifts a twig and selects the most ripe gooseberries. She also gobbled up all redcurrants too...
Besides Baasha the dacha outside Moscow is home to half a dozen cats and a couple of lost mutt dogs. Alex picked up the last tomcat at a gas station where he was filling up his luxury sports beemer.
Source: eg.ru/daily/sports/18896/
Update:
Thanks to our reader 'BeeN' who pointed to the article in the Russian magazine 'Ogonyuk'. Turned out Ovi already had a German shepherd called Ghera.
Ovechkin with his Mom and dog Ghera at the dacha, year 2004, before his first season with Capitals.
Dog:
Sasha shakes the neck of his beloved German Shepherd Ghera. He grew up with this dog. When the dog was sick he gave her a medicine and shots prescribed by a veterinarian. Ghera is a member of their family.
Alexander, don't you want to take Ghera with you to America?
Alexander laughs, raises Ghera's head to his face and plays with her.
"Of course, I want to take her with me, but she is old, she is 10 years old, for her it would be hard to take a flight. And too much paperwork, I'll let her stay at home. I'm not going forever, I'll come back."
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Tretiak: Ovechkin lost 3 teeth in the WC final
In the video posted at sport.rian.ru (sport.rian.ru/sport_videos/20100524/238143601.html) Tretiak says that Ovechkin has lost three teeth in addition to the one he lost a few years ago on the upper jaw.
It happened at the end of the final game vs Czech Republic when 3 teeth were knocked out of his lower jaw.
Lost game and lost teeth... (photo courtesy our field reporter Emily)
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Monday, May 24, 2010
Ovechkin returns to Moscow with a new friend
From RT.com:
The Head of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, Vladislav Tretyak, said Dmitry Medvedev called the team’s coach after the match and found some words to cheer him up.
“The boys fought desperately. Aleksandr Ovechkin is now getting stitches; a few others are also being treated. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called Vyacheslav Bykov. He congratulated the team on their silver. He said that two golds and one silver medal in the last three years is a good result. The most important thing is not to ruin the team, as happpened in the 90's,” he said.
LifeSports, May 24, 2010:
Alexander Ovechkin was the last to appear at the airport after returning from the World Cup, which ended yesterday in Germany. It turned out Ovechkin had to go through the airport's animal inspection for his new acquisition, a two-year old German shepherd. Ovechkin's father Michael Victorovich, who came to meet his son together with his granddaughter, picked the dog from his son and took it out to the street.
"This is a pedigree German shepherd," rejoiced Dad. "We called her Ghera."
Without even leaving the terminal Ovechkin's dog barked at the police dog, it's got to be a good guard for the family. Ovie's behaviour wasn't the best. He silently proceeded to the car of his father, threw the bags in the trunk and muttered, "I'll go with Sema," referring to his friend and teammate Alexander Semin. The hockey player refused to give any comments.
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Sunday, May 23, 2010
Russia - Czech Republic final, 2:30pm ET
The news.sportbox.ru reports that Ovechkin and Fedorov were the only ones who skipped the morning skate because of the injuries, but both worked on the stationary bikes. They are expected to be on the ice for the final Russia vs. Czech Republic. Varly will be in the net.
Check myp2pforum.eu, atdhe.net and ngetv.net for live feeds. Also TSN.CA is planning to do a live broadcast of the game. The game will start at 2:30 pm ET. Here are the live stats from IIHF site.
More from news.sportbox.ru:
Pavel Datsyuk and Alexander Semin were the last the leave the ice at the morning skate. They were trying take away the puck from each other. Semin could not beat Datsyuk, even when he stepped with his skate on Pavel's stick, and then fell on the ice. It seems physically impossible to take the puck away from Datsyuk.
And here's what the doctor ordered:
Update:
Russia 1, Czech Republic 2.
Fedorov didn't play in the 3rd after a collision with Ovechkin (because of it Czechs scored a breakaway goal).
Congratulations to Czech team, they deserved it. What a brutal year for Ovi. You win some, you lose some. At least they beat team Canada.
Now time to rest and come back with the hopes for a better season.
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Saturday, May 22, 2010
Varlamov: Even our teammate Brooks Laich was trying to injure Ovechkin
Well, it showed that your country is first, and your club is second.
Apparently Brooks Laich was trying to hurt Ovechkin according to Varlamov? Who could've thought, he just changed a tire being a good Samaritan... :-) Another headache for Caps management. I can see a trade coming.
Ovechkin is down after being speared by Corey Perry. Russia 5, Canada 2, IIHF World Cup, May 20, 2010. Photo by our field reporter Emily.
Andrei Kuznetsov from Sport-Express took this intereview from Varlamov...
"Most of all during the game I was infuriated with the constant attempts to injure Ovechkin by Canadians," said Varlamov. "Even our Capitals teammate Brooks Laich was constantly trying to slash and cross-check him as painful as possible. After the game he certainly wished me luck and victory at the world championship, but the unpleasant impression still remains, especially after the dirty slash [spear? -tj] by Corey Perry. When the score was 3:0 in our favor he attacked Ovechkin with such fury, as if he wanted to Sasha to finish the World Cup before Canada's exit."
The only Canadian Olympian was hardly ever coming off from penalty box.
Yes, he behaved just ugly. Steve Downie was playing just as dirty as Perry. He showed the reason why his name brings in Russian language association with the mentally retarded person.
A lot of Canadian escapades remained out of sight of the referees.
And they are very good and competent at doing it surreptitiously. They usually skate up and start chirping. They could say some nice words about your relatives, though in English serious prophanities have slightly different emphasis than in Russian.
But on the other hand to ignore the provocations was one of the goals for the game. We understood that we shouldn't drop gloves and be suspended for the next game. Our players could respond, but it makes no sense when you are winning? The guys were thinking only about hockey and remain calm.
In the first minutes of the game you have stopped Canada and they had some great chances.
I was rather lucky. They missed a pair of shots to the open side of the net from the killer's position.
Source: news.sport-express.ru/2010-05-22/363390/
The referee stops the fight between Alexander Ovechkin (L) of Russia and Brooks Laich (R) of Canada during their quarter final match at Lanxess Arena on May 20, 2010 in Cologne, Germany.
Photograph by: Martin Rose, Getty Images via vancouversun.com
To me the WC tournament is over. I don't care who will win it. The main game was Russia vs. Canada, and Russia vs. Canada is always a story since 1972 series.
Sat, May 22 12:00 ET Cologne Russia vs. Germany
If you want to watch it, you know the drill. Check myp2pforum.eu, atdhe.net and ngetv.net for live feeds.
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Thursday, May 20, 2010
See, Crosby, you could've been back in Canada tomorrow!
And don't worry, nobody would take the dryer that you left in Mario's basement.
Canada gets crashed by Russia, 2:5.
They [Ovechkin, Semin, Varlamov] could be on a golf course or at the beach, but they are playing their hearts out for their country. I am happy for them.~ Ted Leonsis
Damien Cox:
Steve Downie should never, ever play for Canada. Slewfoots Semin, then tries to fight Fedorov. Don't know what Messier was thinking.
TarikElBashir: Ovechkin stung by a C. Perry slash. Seemed to miss a shift, but returned to the game ...angry.
TarikElBashir
Whatever part of his lower body, ahem, Ovechkin was slashed ...2-time MVP seems fine.
JapersRink
So Corey Perry speared Ovechkin in the yambag (a.k.a. "pulled a Ryan Whitney")? Unsurprising move from that guy.
nateewell
@JapersRink Is that a Whitney or a Briere?
JapersRink
Whitney's (1/25/06) pre-dates Briere's (12/26/06).
nateewell
@JapersRink Thank you for the clarification. Correct, sir, as usual.
JapersRink
@nateewell 2006: a rough year for AO's man-area, apparently (though I'm sure it did fine off the ice).
The referee stops the fight between Alexander Ovechkin (L) of Russia and Brooks Laich (R) of Canada during their quarter final match at Lanxess Arena on May 20, 2010 in Cologne, Germany.
Photograph by: Martin Rose, Getty
nateewell: Alex Ovechkin is about to face off against Brooks Laich. This makes me uneasy unless it's for the Duchesne Cup.
You know, I love Brooks Laich, but I'd go with Alex Ovechkin. Easy choice at least for me. Hopefully it won't get ugly. I don't want Laich to be traded because he is the great guy, no question about it. He is a patriot just like Ovechkin and not like Crosby who refused to defend the honors of his country in Germany.
Watch the game at TSN.CA.
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Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Russia vs. Canada, Thursday, May 20th, 14:15 ET
If Canada will lose, who cares? They are supposed to lose. If team Russia will lose, that's when the gloating will begin. Ovi's haters will be all over. So it's due or die for team Russia and Ovechkin.
Kovalchuk said it's a matter of principle to beat Canada. He was asked what he could say to the fans:
"Come and watch us at the arena or on TV. And get some validol. Root for us to the end!"
So you know the drill. Check myp2pforum.eu, atdhe.net and ngetv.net for live feeds. For those who won't be able to watch, here are live stats that are immediately updated.
Russia's superstar Alexander Ovechkin shots the puck during their Qualifying Round Group E match between Russia and Finland at the World Ice Hockey Championships in Cologne, Germany, on Tuesday, May 18, 2010.
Go, Ovechkin!
The officials for the game are: Referees: Christer Lärking (SWE) / Vladimir Sindler (CZE), linesmen: Roger Arm (SUI) / Tobias Wehrli (SUI).
Update:
TSN.CA will stream a live feed starting at 2:00 ET
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Send Crosby to Afghanistan
Szymon Szemberg, IIHF, May 19, 2010 "Saying no to your country":
When eligible, Alexander Ovechkin always suits up for his country. Photo: Jukka Rautio / HHOF-IIHF Images
When Canada re-entered international competition in 1977, not many observers where impressed by the general skill level of Canadian players. But it was during that period that Hockey Canada invested serious resources into the Program of Excellence which today has paid off in two Olympic gold medals, five men’s IIHF World Championship gold medals, and 15 World Junior gold medals.
How can a player who is 22 or 25 or 27, and who was just eliminated from the playoffs be tired? Tired is a miner who works in a damp pit in Miktivka, in the Donetz Plateau in Ukraine, who never sees daylight and who provides living for a family of five in a modest two-room apartment. That is tired.
Tired is a divorced mother with two young kids who double shifts as a nurse assistant and cleaning lady to make ends meet.
Why is a 22-year-old Sidney Crosby tired when a 34-year-old Ryan Smyth is answering the bell for his country despite having represented Canada at the Worlds already on eight occasions?
Update:
I've got this comment:
nobody cares about the world cup. Only Russians pay so much attention to it.
Apparently Canadians pay a lot of attention when there's a chance to take a cheap shot at Ovechkin. Just yesterday Canadian National Post blamed team Russia's boycott of Russian media on Ovechkin. And that boycott happened at the tournament nobody cares about. ...hmmmm Here it is, I let you read an interesting exchange between Nate Ewell, Michael Traikos and Jon Press:
nateewell: The NHL needs Ovi to talk to Russian reporters at a tournament NHL fans don't care about? I miss the connection, @Michael_Traikos
nateewell: @Michael_Traikos He's doing it for his country. The same country that apparently told the team not to talk.
nateewell: @Michael_Traikos I'd also prefer if teams didn't direct players not to cooperate. But this is unwarranted.
nateewell: @Michael_Traikos If this tourney's important, write about the healthy players who turned down their teams
JapersRink: "[Ovechkin] has gone from being the face of the NHL to being a complete farce." What an absolutely terrible article. RT @Michael_Traikos
JapersRink: Starts with cheapshots about appearance, climaxes calling Ovechkin a farce.. Measured. Classy. RT @Michael_Traikos
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Russia vs. Finland @2:15pm ET
Tue, May 18 20:15 E Cologne Russia vs. Finland. The game starts at 14:15 ET or 2:15pm ET.
Check myp2pforum.eu, atdhe.net and ngetv.net for live feeds.
Varly is in the net.
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Monday, May 17, 2010
Ovechkin: "Backstrom's one of my best friends"
Nate talked to Ovechkin about signing Backstrom:
“I’m very happy to hear the news, because he’s one of the top centers in the world, one of my best friends and we want to play together for a long time. He’s a guy who wants to stay in one place and be comfortable and win, just like me. We talk all the time about playing together, and we talked after the playoffs about how we can win in Washington.”
Video of announcement
TarikElBashir: Nicklas Backstrom's contract escalates from $6 million to $8 million. It breaks down like this:
$6 mil., $6 mil.,$6 mil.,$6 mil., $6.5 mil, $6.5 mil, $7 mil, $7.5 mil, $7.5 mil and $8 mil.
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Sunday, May 16, 2010
Team Russia boycotted Russian media
As reported by SovSport reporter Ponomarenko the whole team passed the journalists and left to the locker room. A bit later they realized that they could be penalized by IIHF and sent two rookies to talk to media: Anisimov and Kulikov.
Now you can see why Ovi didn't talk to media in Vancouver, there was a decision made by the team and he just followed it. Too many Russians is not good for Ovi. :-)
The reason for boycott is the story about some players getting caught smoking by paparazzi on video. Apparently Russian TV channel (Russia-2) showed it again:
The players took offense to a talk show on channel "Russia-2", where the subject of several cigarettes smoked in the restaurant was relished once again.
Update:
Turned out team Germany does the same, they are boycotting media as well.
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Saturday, May 15, 2010
Russia - Denmark (video update)
Sun, May 16, 2010 16:15 E Cologne Denmark vs. Russia
How to calculate time: 16:15 E is 10:15 ET -6
If someone has a link to live feed like today vs. Germany, please post it for everyone in comments. I've got the link to myp2pforum.eu. This is where I've found today's feed.
ngetv.net list of all live feeds.
Fedorov
Ovechkin
Watch live feed here (dailyfunsports.com)... or here (justin.tv)
Ovechkin's goal starts after 1:30. His one timer hit the camera inside the net and went out.
Ovechkin scores! His wrist shot was so quick and the puck went in and out so fast that there was no red light and it required a review.
No wonder:
"Alex Ovechkin is so quick that he gets two attempts on one-timers.":-)
Ovechkin points to the net showing the ref that he scored. The ref doesn't buy it, but calls for review after the whistle.
After the first period it's 2:0. First goal was scored by Datsyuk, Kovalchuk and Malkin had assists. Ovechkin got assists from Fedorov and Atyushov.
Semin got 2 minutes for cross-checking, he pushed d-man into the boards. Very similar to Ovechkin's push on Campbell.
The game stats are here.
2nd period:
Denmark scores on PP. Mads Christensen (Peter Regin, Kim Staal)
Ovi was on breakaway and hit the crossbar.
Malkin scores (Kovalchuk, Datsyuk) on PP. 3:1
3rd period:
Datsyuk scores again. Malkin, Kovalchuk assisted. 4:1.
Datsyuk gets a hat-trick. 5:1
BY JIM MATHESON, EDMONTONJOURNAL.COM MAY 15, 2010:
Is there a more patriotic country than Russia? I don’t think so. You don’t see any of their players turning down chances to play in the world championship, no matter how tired or disappointed they were after their NHL seasons ended. If they don’t win a third straight world title, it’ll be a shock....hmmmm Imagine if Russians lose with the roster they have? Feel the pressure? It'll be a shock for sure. And this can happen, their d is their Achilles' heel.
Kulemin scores (Afinogenov, Anisimov) 6:1
Next game:
Tue, May 18 20:15 E Cologne Russia vs. Finland. The game starts at 14:15 ET or 2:15pm ET.
From IIHF stats: The best players of the game.
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Russia vs Germany (update)
Seems like live feed of Russia vs Germany, May 15, 2010, Cologne, Germany
In other news Malkin and Gonchar landed in Germany, but won't play vs Germany.
Alexander Ovechkin did what he's in Cologne to do: he scored the game winning goal in the game against Germany. (Photo by Jukka Rautio/HHOF-IIHF Images)
Another game winning goal for Ovechkin. I think all his goals so far were GWGs. Am I right or am I wrong?
Here are the stats: stats.iihf.com
Russia's Alexander Ovechkin celebrates a first goal scored by team mate Ilya Kovalchuk as Germany's goaltender Dimitrij Kotschnew sits on ice during their Ice Hockey World Championships match in Cologne May 15, 2010. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor
Warning: Bad quality
Extra! Extra!
German hockey fan before the game USA - Germany
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Friday, May 14, 2010
Ovechkin's chat with Russian fans (update!!!):
Alex Ovechkin's online chat with the readers of Sovetsky Sport. May 14, 2010.
What do you think about the video, which appeared on the Internet? On that video our hockey players are smoking! What is your attitude towards the paparazzi?
I don't like when we they film you from the bushes or behind the light poles. And then they post it on the Internet and poke the finger, "These are the bad guys." Yes, the Russian national team players are public people. But each of us is also a person like anybody else, just like you. Everyone has his own head on his shoulders. And he knows what to do and how to spend free time. If you want, you can smoke and drink. This is a personal matter. When you start making bad plays in hockey, it is becoming your problem. You are a professional, and you are responsible for your body.
Alex Semin was seen smoking in Washington, DC, nothing new. [tj]
But the Russian national team wins, and you score in every game.
Guys, I don't look at these photos and posts on the Internet the way that if someone is sitting in a restaurant and would drink a couple glasses of beer, and then somebody would take pictures of him and that's all, he is Judas, he should be kicked out of the team. We have done nothing criminal. We are all human. And it must be understood.
Many fans ask why we lost the Olympics? It's been three months already. Ilja Bryzgalov aptly said that the Canadians jumped us like gorillas from the cage. And what are we, plush toys?
I do not want to talk about it. Why rake up the past? What was there is gone now. I am trying to remember which gorillas at that time ran out at us... Hockey players must be able to switch from such thing. If we now think about the Olympics we'll play bad at the World Championships.
I understand that the fans will long remember how we failed in Vancouver. But we tried. We didn't just go there to get the Olympic uniforms for free and then go back to our clubs and play hockey. We have not succeeded. What can we do about it now?
You said after the quarterfinal with Canada, "We are well aware that now a lot of mud will be poured at us. So in fact that happened. What can you say to the fans?
People who have poured mud and said bad things are not real fans. This is the crowd who behave like the weathervane. If everything is good with us today, they are with us, if tomorrow it's bad, they turn away. I think this is stupid. I do not understand these people. The real fans will never cast a stone at you when you're struggling on the ice and trying to defend the honor of your country. You can't win all the games in a row. At this time there were these circumstances. Yes, we lost... But, guys, don't turn away from your team. This is our team, there's no other one.
Why are you playing in the NHL in a tinted visor, and for the national team it is a visor with no tint?
Because these are the rules. The International Federation insists that visors must be fully transparent. They want to see my eyes.
Who would you have as a center, except Backstrom and Fedorov, playing for the Washington Capitals? How about Crosby?
He's in Pittsburgh, don't you know? I'm totally satisfied playing with Backstrom. He is one of the best center forwards in the world.
Are you surprised that Crosby refused to play for Team Canada at the World Championships?
And what's surprising? He had a long season. Maybe he is nursing an injury. How many games he played? 101? See... Too much of overload.
Were you surprised when Montreal knocked out Pittsburgh?
Oh yeah! Canadiens play awesome in the playoffs! I think that San Jose will win the Stanley Cup. But Montreal is doing something unbelievable.
You remind me a young Gordie Howe the way you're playing. The same excitement, the gleam in the eyes, the desire to fight which jump starts the crowd. But after you were suspended for two games you started to play more cautiously. Why?
Because I understood that if this situation would happen again I would receive even bigger suspension. For example, for 5 or 10 games. I didn't want it. So I tried not to look for trouble. But I am still trying to play as before.
Do you have to change yourself?
I felt a little uncomfortable from this feeling. But hopefully next season all old sins will be annulled.
Why the players, in contrast to the goalkeepers, can't do the drawings on the helmets? If you were allowed, what would you draw? Maybe another vicious lamb like you had on your skates in Vancouver?
It would be interesting if it would be allowed. But then it would have been a circus. Imagine watching these colorful tops from the upper seats of the arena? If allowed, I could really depict something like the evil sheep.
Don't you think that the sheep-devil picture jinxed you?
I'm not so superstitious. But the mysticism or not, those blades in one of the Olympic games were destroyed. And they are currently under reconstruction to take place at the home museum. I am not going to use them again. I am finished...
...With other creations? Here at this World Cup you did not come up with anything.
I am finished with these blades. As of creativity it will continue. I simply didn't have any time. My team unexpectedly got knocked out of the Stanley Cup, and I flew to Moscow.
What would you be doing if I you did not become a hockey player?
I would work as a journalist. Would be sitting now on the spot Sovietsky Sport reporter. And pestering Alexander Semin. Speaking of which, here he is. Would you reply to me, Sema? "No comments!" said Semin [In English! - tj] and waved his hand. "No interviews today. Who makes up all these questions?"
Here we have a typical athlete! (Ovechkin laughs).
What is your favorite food? And drink? Do you want to spend this summer in St. Petersburg? [a question from a girl - tj]
I will come to St. Petersburg, this summer exactly. We can go together to a restaurant and order something. We'll choose from the menu. (Ovechkin smiles).
[a question from another girl - tj]:
My Mom and I have a couple of questions and an offer. How's Byasha? Does he has a girlfriend? You have a lamb, we have the business offer called "The lambs from Ovechkin." [Playing with words, the lambs from Lamb or something like that -tj] We will help you become a champions sheep breeder!
I have to upset you, Byasha is a girl. She needs a friend, not a girlfriend. Byasha was given to me by red-haired Andrey Grigoriev-Apollonov from Ivanushki. The business offer, of course, is interesting. But I'm going to do the animal breeding after a hockey career. We'll breed the sheep, the donkeys. We'll open our own farm.
How long did you work on your wrist shot? What exercises did you do?
You have to start working on it from childhood. You need to develop a technique and go with it, don't break it, because when you grow up, the strength will come, the wrist shot becomes more powerful. As a child I shoot the puck at the fences and sheds. My father and I would paint the nets and shoot. We worked on accuracy, the power will come with age.
Where are the trophies that are given to you in your career? Do you receive a bonus for extra points?
The trophies are stored in my parent's Moscow apartment. There we have a museum. As of goals and assists, they are important for me from a moral point of view. This season I scored 50 goals. It is worth a lot. Doing it every year, as once Pavel Bure did, is a feat.
And what about the incentive to score 51st goal? Then you would have received the Maurice Richard Trophy for the best sniper of the league.
The incentive was there, of course. But I missed a lot of games due to injury and suspensions. It crippled my stats.
Are you are registered in social networks, "V kontakte (In Touch)" or "Odnoklassniki (Classmates)?"
I won't give you my user id, but I have one at "Odnoklassniki (Classmates)". I like to relax there after the games, chat with friends. Some people know how to find me. A more amusing that there are a lot of my fakes. The fans register as Alexander Ovechkin and write something on my behalf. I have seen probably 20 fake Ovechkins.
How do you react to it?
I don't react at all. I just ignore it.
Your dad said you want to have six children. Is this true?
Dad said so? Six? Wow! I'll have to discuss this with my wife. Future wife. But in general I want a lot of children, like Ilya Kovalchuk. The more the better. It would be hard for my wife, but let's not make a conjecture. I'm still not married.
You are 25. And you have some gray hair...
Come on! I haven't had enough yet to tie the knot.
What do you think about now OHK Dynamo? Do you still consider it your alumni club?
The hockey school that I went through is still there. Why not then? The hockey club Dynamo is still here. They just combined the two teams, it won't hurt either. I think it's only for the better. If Dynamo fell apart due to the lack of financing, it needed a support it received.
Will you, as before, train in the summer in Novogorsk?
I don't even know the new club's president, Mikhail Tyurkin. And I haven't planned yet how I will do the summer training. Let's just finish this season first.
What nickname do you prefer: Alex, Ovi or Alexander the Great?
Everybody calls me Ovi. I've already got used to it.
Would you come to the team if you were, like Kovalchuk, without a contract? [Same for Gonchar - tj]
My contract is valid for the next 11 years, so I don't think about. But I respect the guys like Kovalchuk or Afinogenov even more. They risk for the sake of the national team. They are the men!
Would you like to become a coach in the future, like Vyacheslav Bykov? And why did you choose to be a forward?
I started playing hockey at the position of center forward, and then moved to the left wing. I can become a Coach in the future. I even have a diploma from RGUFK [The Russian college for physical education, coaching, etc.]. It is possible that after this career I can do it. But so far I am only 25 years old. Everything is just beginning.
"And I'm sure that after his career Ovechkin will become a poet," added Semin with a straight face. "Like Alexander Pushkin. And then he will have four official wives."
Would you like to get U.S. citizenship?
So far no plans. Yes, it's easier to freely travel around the world with an American passport. But the situation with Pavel Datsyuk, when he had to go for Schengen Visa to Moscow is an isolated case. It's convenient to have an American passport for some, and not for others. Personally I am happy with my Russian citizenship. And with the Russian passport I can fly anywhere.
How do you to explain the failure of the U.S. team? After all, all their players are from the NHL.
Nobody is watching the World Cup in America. It's only in Canada where TSN shows something. But everyone can see that the Americans did not bring any of those hockey players that played at the Olympics. They put together young rookies, to get experience for those guys. This failure has not become a tragedy to anyone in US.
Will you follow the World Cup soccer tournament? For what team will you root in the absence of Russia?
Absolutely! I will support team Brazil, and team England. There will be no Beckham, but Ronaldinho is in reserve and can still get to the World Cup.
When will you insert the tooth?
I have one. I just do not wear it.
If you know that tomorrow is the end of the world, how will you spend the rest of the day?
I would try those things that I have not yet tried. I'll take off from here to Holland and carouse... But seriously I would get a ticket from Cologne to Moscow and spent time with my parents and close friends.
One of the Canadians said that a good NHL player has one superfeint the defenseman can't cope with. The star player has two of those feints, a megastar such as Bobby Hull had three and Valeri Kharlamov had at least four. How many do you have, Alexander?
I don't know. I love to move the puck under myself, for example. In general I am improvising on the ice. It depends on whatever happens on the ice and then I'll do it. And sometimes I use just one feint. The most reliable one.
I look at you and you look like a Russian bear. Good bear! Hence the question, do you like honey?
Not really. It has cloying sweetness.
Were you offered to star in the movies?
Yes, but I don't want to spend time on it.
What was the role? Like Valuev in a "Stone head"?
No, the shepherd who walks in the mountains with the sheeps from Ovechkin. [playing with words: the sheeps from Sheep, or something like that :-) - tj]
You are driving a sports coupe in the city. And you see at the bus stop your best friend, a dream girl and grandmother. Who would you take in the car?
Why do I need take someone?
It's raining with the hail.
But they are at the bus stop. They can hide.
There's no roof.
I'll put grandmother next to me. And a dream girl with the friend in the trunk. They will have something to talk about. (laughs)
Sovietsky sport asked Alexander Ovechkin fill out our questionnaire to name all that he loves.
What hit is now playing in your head?
"I'll get in the car, drive on a serpentine. To the sea that beautiful, we'll meet at Portofine..." Ovechkin sings almost as Zhanna Friske.
Who is your favorite DJ?
DJ Smash.
You favorite vehicle?
I like Mercedes and BMW. In Moscow I have all my cars at my dacha. I wake up and take one for a spin depending on the mood. I'd grab the keys and fly to Moscow on business.
Your favorite food?
All that mom cooks. Let it be pelmeni.
Your favorite resort?
I don't change, it's Turkey.
What radio station is playing in your car?
I usually connect the iPod and listen to my favorite songs. "I'll get in the car, drive on a serpentine," sings Ovechkin again almost like Zhanna Friske.
Your favorite TV show?
"Wait for me." (laughs). But seriously I like to watch the news on Channel One. Even in America I want to know what is happening in Russia.
Source: www.sovsport.ru/gazeta/article-item/386220
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