If you're jacked about this, please provide documentation of the rule being interpreted differently.

Thanks, Ron Wilson.  Joke.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Belt is in the building.

A huge thanks to the good people at  TROPHY WORKS and our own Stephen S.

When you approach someone about making a championship belt and they don't stare at you for 10 minutes, you're pretty lucky.

When we envisioned Rinkotology, we had dreams of the Fantasy contest coming down to this final weekend.

And it will.

So many variables to take into account here. It could be a small thing one way or another that wins it.

Taking Heatley as a Captain resulted in 8 more points than if Crosby was selected captain.  This was a brash move that has been rewarded, but SMITTY2 can easily be bumped into the triple digits in standings if Crosby shows up and Heatley doesn't. 




Already, there's insane anticipation.  Will Crosby show up?
All things equal, a solid game by Mikko Koivu with Selanne not getting on the board brings everything tighter between 1st and 2nd place.

A common thread amongst the top teams is they still have a goaltender in play.  But MAC5155 should not be discouraged.  Brian Rafalski is the great equalizer in this equation.  A goal and assist and a shot or two from Raffy outweighs a 20-save winning effort by a goalie on another team.  MAC5155 has to hope for some high-scoring games and some goalie-pulling.

The excitement doesn't stop there.  Good God Almighty.  A common thread amongst many of the top teams in Rinko is having Marian Hossa representing Slovakia.  But RAPENN carries some swagger into the final 4 games, as he has the Alternate multiplier to factor in for Hossa.

Oh man.   Out of the top 5, there are four different choices for Team Finland.  Olli Jokinen hasn't produced much as of yet, but an unassisted goal and an assist here or there and possibly a game-winner in overtime turns the standings on its head.

We'd be here all day if we tried to relay all the different scenarios that could play out going into the Medal Round.

One thing we'd love to do would be to take points away from people that picked A.O.

Nothing like shoving people, Malkin would never do that..just saying.

First things first, thanks to goes out to ANTEEPA for all their work in creating this beast.

We had no idea that 868 people would play.
Having only five winners out of this is really anticlimactic for 95% of the participants.

Much of the feedback we've received in regard to improving the operation of the game are things we've internally recognized as the game has unfolded, so that's sick.

We've already taken steps to ensure the Playoff version will include a compartmentalized system of divisions where you're playing against a smaller group of people, and more money will be awarded in prizes to more people.

In starting this game, we did our research and due diligence to make sure we didn't end up on Judge Judy.  Laws of Fantasy games state that we MUST make users aware before the contest of the exact prize amounts.  The prize amounts cannot be cumulative and reflective of the number of users.  That results in the money being a "pot" and the game being considered as gambling.  Before this Olympics version, we pooled some of our own money together to make up the $1,500 in prize money.  If only 5 people played, we were still obliged to hand out $1,500.  So you can understand the initial risk we had to make in this first game.  There will be much less risk in future visions, and the prize amounts awarded will reflect as much.

Over three years, we're glad we've gained your trust enough for you to play this game.  In reciprocation, we feel we owe you this kind of disclosure in how certain elements are run.

.

But F this shit.
There's Gold Medal games to watch...........


And there's a trading deadline on the horizon. We know we keep saying it, but look for a rinko blog to be popping up soon.

Go Country.

Great pics from CBKWit

Outside of the Scando games later in the day,

this has the potential to be a massive upset.

Switzerland's playing with nothing to lose, really.  No pressure.

The USA has people comparing them to the 1980 team for some bizarre reason.

The Ryan Miller we all know and love has yet to appear in the Olympics.

Way back when, the Swiss played the Americans hard in a 3-1 loss.

Then the Swiss turned around and took Canada to a shootout.

Since then, the Swiss have proven themselves capable to win close games,

beating Norway 5-4 and Belarus 3-2.

The Swiss Miss Roman Wick is lurking in the shadows.

This game needs no superfluous adjectives.

We're still puzzled by this decision to ride Luongo.

Marty Brodeur has won Cups while Luongo has to leave playoff games because he has diarrhea.

Not making that up.  CANADA.COM

Coach Babcock is coaching with his heart,

thinking that starting Vancouverite Luongo is good juju.

You have one of the top 3 goaltenders in the history of life wearing a hat on your bench

because he gave up 4 goals on 23 shots to what is essentially an all-star team in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Luongo shuts out Norway, which is pretty much

requires the same amount of skill as taking a crap without getting any feces on your face.

And then LUUUUUUU goes up against Germany.

He gives up 2 goals on 21 shots.

Germany had scored 3 goals in 3 games prior to facing Luongo.

Start Brodeur every day of the week.

Funny take from DownGoesBrown on Twitter before Canada game:

We get through all of this without mentioning that they have to face Russia.

Crosby vs A.O is great and all.

But this is Malkin vs Crosby. This may even be our worst nightmare. We talk about wrestling probably way to much, but this is as close to old school WWF as it gets.

Two human beings that will do anything to win. We've watched them grow their game together.

Now we must watch them try to destroy each other.

Man.

Is that Marc Andre Fleury's music?

Don't count out Double J.

That's all we got to say.

You can read about it in the papers in the morning.

Sweden's expected to take this one to the bank.

Norway took Slovakia to the brink on Tuesday night.

Some shit after the jump. A quick note about Rinko, and we'll show you why this is picture is no longer the funniest pic of Hillary Duff.

[A canaan joint]