Former Soviet amateur system.

[VG_Addict]

Discipline and Motivation. You find the right raw material and the finished product is closer to your vision. Lets not forget that much of their national teams and athletic programs were tied to their military system.

Between hardship and the welfare and *ahem*protection of your family, those were great motivators. Same goes for many of the international Chinese gymnasts, etc. ... of course, I could be wrong....

I heard Emanuel Steward once said that the place the Klitschkos grew up in make Detroit look like Club Med.

[El Kabong]

Ionas Chepulis was 29 when he fought the 19 year old George Foreman in the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics

The Cubans did the same thing hence the Tefelo Stevenson and Felix Savon aura's of invincibility...they were professional aged fighters that fought as amateurs

[IamInuit]

Ionas Chepulis was 29 when he fought the 19 year old George Foreman in the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics

The Cubans did the same thing hence the Tefelo Stevenson and Felix Savon aura's of invincibility...they were professional aged fighters that fought as amateurs

Used to really piss me off when they would send their Red Army team to all the Amateur hockey scrums.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

I've watched a documentary on Cuban boxing called Victory is Your Duty. It shows you just how much dedication the kids put into boxing and how much of their lives is just consumed by boxing.

I'm sure it must be a similar situation in Russia, being a former communist nation.

[El Kabong]

Used to really piss me off when they would send their Red Army team to all the Amateur hockey scrums.

Yeah, but they really had to get used to the NHL style. They did copy Eddie Shore's style just relentlessly aggressive 100% effort per shift. But they never did get the bruising style down...or at least they haven't yet. They have no version of a Mario Lemieux or Eric Lindros, they don't have power forwards. Ovi COULD be a power forward, but he's so damned talented and has such a great skill set he doesn't have to be....it might help Washington in the playoffs if he did act like a power forward more though (not that I want to see that happen).

I've watched a documentary on Cuban boxing called Victory is Your Duty. It shows you just how much dedication the kids put into boxing and how much of their lives is just consumed by boxing.

I'm sure it must be a similar situation in Russia, being a former communist nation.

Yeah, the pros really weed out those who are boxing just for love of country and the prizes that might get them. A lot of very talented boxers in Cuba and Russia just wanted some freedom so they wouldn't HAVE to fight anymore. Look at Odlanier Solis for example....dude didn't want to fight you can tell by looking at his weight when in Cuba and now.

[IamInuit]

Used to really piss me off when they would send their Red Army team to all the Amateur hockey scrums.

Yeah, but they really had to get used to the NHL style. They did copy Eddie Shore's style just relentlessly aggressive 100% effort per shift. But they never did get the bruising style down...or at least they haven't yet. They have no version of a Mario Lemieux or Eric Lindros, they don't have power forwards. Ovi COULD be a power forward, but he's so damned talented and has such a great skill set he doesn't have to be....it might help Washington in the playoffs if he did act like a power forward more though (not that I want to see that happen).

Yeah but it took them about a day against our juniors. They were all 25 and 30 year olds. It was not until the Canada cup was invented that our pros were allowed to play really. They brought the "trap" with them also and essentially shut it down. Its a great system but boring hockey.I can tell you where I was, what I was wearing and what I had for breakfast for the 72 final.

Sadly, for many years up until just recently many NHL teams adopted the trap. The Devils made a franchise out of it and most teams had it to some extent in the tool box save the dynasty Oilers. Even the Islanders used it. I for one was glad when they removed the red line. My dad who still plays goalie in the old timers had mixed feelings but acknowledges the size and speed of the players.

At any rate, the Russians and Cubans had been sending their pros under the guise of amateur for years as did others under the former Soviet Union. I've often wondered what Laszlo Papp could have accomplished if he was not jobbed by his own country.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

I've watched a documentary on Cuban boxing called Victory is Your Duty. It shows you just how much dedication the kids put into boxing and how much of their lives is just consumed by boxing.

I'm sure it must be a similar situation in Russia, being a former communist nation.

Yeah, the pros really weed out those who are boxing just for love of country and the prizes that might get them. A lot of very talented boxers in Cuba and Russia just wanted some freedom so they wouldn't HAVE to fight anymore. Look at Odlanier Solis for example....dude didn't want to fight you can tell by looking at his weight when in Cuba and now.

I thought of Solis while watching that documentary. Apparently, these kids are in a perpetual state of hunger, while they train (6 days a week). Kids ffs!

There was a moment, where they were being handed a single boiled egg to eat. This, on top of whatever economic issues they have over there, could easily give cause to some sort of metabolic syndrome!

(If their circumstance drastically change, I mean)

[Ron Swanson]

Discipline and Motivation. You find the right raw material and the finished product is closer to your vision. Lets not forget that much of their national teams and athletic programs were tied to their military system.

Between hardship and the welfare and *ahem*protection of your family, those were great motivators. Same goes for many of the international Chinese gymnasts, etc. ... of course, I could be wrong....

I heard Emanuel Steward once said that the place the Klitschkos grew up in make Detroit look like Club Med.

Having lived in Detroit and in the Ukraine I can say that I never once felt an ounce of fear in the Ukraine even with a war 120 KM away. Detroit however, is a scary place. I'll be headed back to the Ukraine in October, poor place but great place.

Kiev is like one big ghetto, but it isn't scary.