Kritik und Lob » win the Stanley Cup, Chara said of Crosb

For the 30th time in the companys history, WWE takes over Thanksgiving week with its annual Survivor Series pay-per-view -- and this years edition offers no shortage of star power.Former WCW champion Goldberg makes his first appearance in a WWE ring since 2004, as he faces off with a familiar foe in?Brock Lesnar?in the main event at Torontos Air Canada Centre.In a nod to its original format, the WWE will also roll out three traditional Survivor Series elimination tag team matches, and this time all three will pit members of the Raw and SmackDown Live brands against each other. The most important matches of the six-bout card, however, at least in the long term, just might come in a pair of inter-promotional title bouts. Both the intercontinental and cruiserweight championships are on the line, and the result in either match could alter the landscape of the current brand extension.Lets take a closer look at whats at stake in each matchup heading into Sunday.Brock Lesnar vs. GoldbergThere have been plenty of highs and lows in the buildup to this grudge match, from Goldbergs emotional return on the Oct. 17 episode of Raw in Denver to the botched (and abandoned) promo from Lesnar and Paul Heyman one week later in Minneapolis.But through it all, WWE has stuck to its guns in building this feud without having the two combatants make physical contact with each other -- and thats gone a long way towards retaining the element of must-see curiosity as to exactly what this match will look like.Goldberg is not only 12 years removed from his last match, hes one month shy of turning 50. Fans caught a glimpse of the kind of shape hes is in during Mondays go-home episode of Raw, when he tore off his shirt to manhandle a group of security guards. Two weeks earlier, he stumbled while brawling with Rusev before lifting up the Bulgarian Brute and delivering his patented jackhammer move.Its difficult to know, however, exactly what to expect outside of the assumption that it will be physical. Goldberg said as much during multiple interviews on ESPN platforms, going as far as admitting he fully expects to be in the hospital after the match.Goldberg feasted on squash matches during his initial rise in WCW and was never considered a great worker. In fact, he was booed out of the building during his last WWE match -- a WrestleMania XX victory over Lesnar -- due to the crowds knowledge that both were set to leave the company. But hes consistently trained in various disciplines of martial arts since his 2004 departure, and hell likely implement those stiff and realistic strikes into his move set come Sunday.As far as what happens in the match, it likely depends upon Goldbergs true intentions moving forward. He told ESPN.com in October that this is a one-time appearance, and yet he showed interest in the idea of Sundays match evolving into future opportunities.Its logical to expect that Lesnar, still a top draw for WWE in his part-time role at 39, would go over. The recent history of ex-WCW stars making nostalgic returns only to job out (see Sting at WrestleMania 31) supports this theory. But if Goldberg has plans to extend his comeback to WrestleMania 33 next April, an upset victory isnt entirely out of the question.It all depends, of course, on how well Goldberg looks and feels on Sunday. For a performer so reliant upon intimidation and physicality, its fair to question whether he can channel enough of the Goldberg of old without looking too much like an old Goldberg.No one ever said playing fantasy booker with a 49-year-old this far removed from his most recent match was an exact science.Mens 5-on-5 elimination match: Raw vs. SmackDown Live(Kevin Owens,?Chris Jericho,?Roman Reigns,?Braun Strowman?and?Seth Rollins?for Raw;?AJ Styles,?Dean Ambrose,?Randy Orton,?Bray Wyatt?and?Shane McMahon?for SmackDown)WWE has done a decent job of building anticipation for this classic Survivor Series style match, despite the fact that nothing tangible is at stake outside of promotional bragging rights (and stern warnings not to fail from Raw commissioner?Stephanie McMahon?and SmackDown legend The Undertaker).The timing of The Undertakers return on Tuesday was an interesting wrinkle in this one. Not only did he cryptically announce his return to active duty beyond just an annual WrestleMania appearance, one has to assume the seeds for his next feud will be planted during this match.Chris Jericho certainly teased as much with a tweet he sent out in the early morning hours after SmackDown Live. But outside of?The Undertakers?presence, there are plenty of storylines to keep a?close eye on within this match.Is SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahons involvement in this match more about drawing eyeballs, or is it a strategic opportunity to escalate his sibling rivalry with sister Stephanie (and by proxy, his brother-in-law?Triple H)? How might SmackDown mascot?James Ellsworths?presence affect the ongoing feud between AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose? And?what happens?with the brewing Shield reunion between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, especially in a match against Ambrose?Whichever brand ends up winning the match is likely inconsequential. The real intrigue surrounds which superstar will get the biggest push as the sole survivor. Considering the time put into his recent push as a solo act, Braun Strowman, who will likely face off at some point against former teammate Bray Wyatt, could prove to be a wild card in this regard.Womens 5-on-5 elimination match: Raw vs. SmackDown Live(Charlotte Flair,?Bayley,?Nia Jax,?Alicia Fox?and?Sasha Banks?for Raw;?Nikki Bella,?Becky Lynch,?Alexa Bliss,?Carmella?and?Naomi?for SmackDown)This match offers an interesting contrast between the depth of SmackDowns team and the top-heavy star power on Raw. Outside of that dynamic, there hasnt been much of a storyline in the buildup (not to mention much at stake in the match).Tuesdays go-home episode of SmackDown featured a run-in from the Raw team, as all five members emerged from the crowd to take down Nikki Bella before the cavalry arrived to even things out. But the sequence demanded a sizable suspension of disbelief, as we saw uber-babyface Bayley take part in a 5-on-1 stomping, which took something away from the overall moment.One thing was certain from the melee: Even though Becky Lynch is the SmackDown champion, Bella remains the brands biggest draw, and seeing the rekindling of her rivalry with Raw champion Charlotte was a fun wrinkle. Bella, who has been stuck playing the role of helpless babyface in an underwhelming feud with Carmella of late, may not need a belt to justify her star status, but the rub that comes with being the sole survivor surely wouldnt hurt her cause in this case.10-on-10 tag team elimination match: Raw vs. SmackDown Live(The New Day,?Sheamus?&?Cesaro,?Luke Gallows?&?Karl Anderson,?Enzo Amore?&?Big Cass?and?The Shining Stars?for Raw;?Heath Slater?&?Rhyno,?The Hype Bros,?American Alpha,?The Usos?and?Breezango?for SmackDown)The ring apron will be as crowded as ever for this one, which should provide a nostalgic visual to the early days of Survivor Series. From there, it will be interesting to see how bitter enemies coexist on the same team, with plenty of potential for spinoffs into new feuds.The ongoing feud between Gallows & Anderson and Enzo & Big Cass has been hot, and its conceivable that their hatred for each other could lead to Raws demise. The New Days loss on the go-home Raw proved some more vulnerability as well, but if were looking at it with a traditional booking approach, theyll persevere at Survivor Series.Its hard to say exactly what kind of positives can come from this match, but the team that could undoubtedly benefit most from the push of being sole survivors would be American Alpha, which saw what should have been a hot feud with The Usos curiously put on the back burner of late.WWE Intercontinental Championship: The Miz (c) vs. Sami ZaynIn terms of WWEs immediate future within its current brand extension, this is the most important match on Sundays card. The stipulation in place is that if?Sami Zayn?wins, the title comes with?him back to the Raw brand.The Mizs?surprise victory over?Dolph Ziggler?on Tuesday, earning him his sixth career intercontinental title reign, added a late wrinkle to this one and shouldnt rob too much from its potential to?steal the show on Sunday inside the ring. Whats most intriguing in this case, however, is what happens after the match.Theres been enough teasing in recent weeks from SmackDown general manager?Daniel Bryan?that a trade of Miz to the Raw brand was possible. Considering Raws inconsistent run of late in the?court of public opinion from fans, the addition of a great talker like The Miz could certainly help matters.Should he lose the belt to the very deserving Zayn, whos floundered since a seemingly career-altering victory over Owens in July, it would put the intercontinental title back on Raw. Without the lingering value of holding the title, it wouldnt be inconceivable at that point to see The Miz follow him to Monday nights. Just the same, there has been equal chatter of late from Bryan on Talking Smack about how unhappy both Zayn and Cesaro are on Raw, and that he would welcome seeing at least one of them head to the land of opportunity that is SmackDown; even in a loss, and maybe especially so, Zayn could use a fresh start.However it ends up playing out, a minor shakeup of the rosters just four months into the brand split could go a long way in keeping things fresh as things closer to the Royal Rumble and the start of WrestleMania season.WWE cruiserweight championship: The Brian Kendrick (c) vs. KalistoThis match also features a potentially landscape-changing stipulation, wherein if Kalisto wins, both the title and the entire cruiserweight division would follow him back to the SmackDown brand.In a way, WWE may have already tipped its hand as to the result of this match, thanks to the recent announcement that 205 Live, a new cruiserweight-exclusive show debuting Nov. 29, will be filmed in the same arena each week as SmackDown Live on Tuesday nights.Despite the top-shelf heel work in recent months from?Brian Kendrick, who captured the title from inaugural champion?TJ Perkins?last month at Hell in a Cell,?Kalisto?appears made?for?the?cruiserweight division and could do well as its face. 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The Swede became the first golfer to win the PGA Tours FedEx Cup and European Tours Race to Dubai in the same season. "It is still taking a little time to sink in what Ive achieved this week as was the case when I won the FedEx Cup but then it just kept getting better and better as the days went on and I am sure this will be the same," he said. TORONTO -- The disdain Zdeno Chara receives from hockey fans is completely unwarranted.The?Boston Bruins?defenseman is one of the most disliked players in the NHL, and he doesnt deserve to be. In fact, fans should appreciate the impact Chara has made both on and off the ice. And even though Charas playing career is nearing its end, you can bet that the 39-year-old will stay involved in the game and make it better.Hes one of the main reasons Team Europe even exists in the World Cup of Hockey. Chara, a native of Slovakia who speaks eight languages, was a key part of the group that constructed the teams roster, which includes players from eight countries. And now this group of underdogs, which was considered a gimmick by many before the World Cup began, is playing in the finals of this best-on-best tournament. Team Canada won the first game 3-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three final, which continues with Game 2 on Thursday night at the Air Canada Centre.Chara was booed during pregame player introductions before Game 1 on Tuesday. Every time he touched the puck during the game he was booed. Hes been booed in every arena around the NHL.Quite honestly, I dont know why they do it, Chara said with a smile on Wednesday. If its because of Boston, we do have a few other guys from Boston [playing in this tournament]. But I have no idea. Im trying to focus on the game, trying to do what I can do and do my best. Obviously I cant control the fans, but sometimes I just dont understand. I feel like they just boo because they feel like maybe they need to boo someone, but I honestly dont care. It doesnt bother me.Still, theres a sense among his teammates that the fans dont fully appreciate Charas contributions.He must be doing something right if theyre reacting when he touches the puck, said Team Europe defenseman and former Bruins teammate Dennis Seidenberg. If he was somebody who didnt do anything, people wouldnt recognize him or wouldnt boo him, so hes doing something right.Its been pretty loud everywhere weve been on this trip so far -- Toronto, Montreal, everywhere we were.Perhaps this anti-Chara angst was born from his hit on Montreals?Max Pacioretty?back in March 2011. Or when the Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs in historic fashion during the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. Either way, Chara deserves a better appreciation from the fans, even those in Boston.Hes not the player he once was and he knows it. Plays he could make with ease only a few seasons ago now have become head-scratchers. His work ethic hasnt changed; if anything, Chara is working harder now than he has in the past in an attempt to counteract the decline in his play.Im proud of where Im at, Chara said. It doesnt matter what age you are -- you have to appreciate the game. If youre not going to appreciate the game, the games not going to appreciate you. You have to take it with a great appreciation and be humble. Everybody, no matter who you ask, is happy to be playing at this level.Chara is guarded in his comment but remains a quiet ambassador for his sport. He cares about the game and is a historian of hockey. He has two years remaining on his contract with the Bruins before the next step in his career begins.You have an individual who is an extraordinary player, who haappens to be an extraordinary individual who radiates confidence, who radiates success, who radiates class, and hes the kind of individual who is held in high esteem by management people, by the coaches and certainly by the players, and of course, by the fans, NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr told ESPN last season.dddddddddddd There arent a whole lot of these people about whom you can say that.Team Europe coach Ralph Krueger has worked closely with Chara over the past 13 months on the concept of this team, and the veteran coach has nothing but great things to say about the veteran blueliner.Hes been absolutely fabulous to work with as a human being, Krueger said. I feel a friendship almost more than coach-player relationship after one year of working with Zdeno Chara, and I look forward to helping him whenever he decides to move into another role in life.I know hes got a couple of good years of player in him still, but hes definitely been a tower in more ways than his physical presence. Its the man inside of that tower whos really quite amazing to work with. Its been such a pleasure, and I wish him a victory today as much as all the other players, of course -- but for him especially this would be a wonderful day to move on.During the World Cup, Chara has been more insightful than he ever has been during his career in Boston. This is a big moment in his career, and he appreciates the opportunity to play on the international stage.Its been great. To be honest, it really exceeded my expectations, as far as how it has all played out. Im really enjoying myself, Chara said. I have a great passion for this game. I love hockey. I love competing. I love playing against the best. This tournament has been the most competitive tournament of all time. The whole experience has been overwhelming.Team Europe is one loss away from possibly never existing again. It proved on Tuesday that it can at least keep the game close. For the Europeans to pull off an upset in Game 2, Chara needs to be better. Hell need to shut down Canadas top line of Brad Marchand, Sidney Crosby and Patrice Bergeron.Hes been playing really well since last December. He really embraces the game and played really well throughout the whole playoffs and deserved to win the Stanley Cup, Chara said of Crosby. Right now it seems like the two [linemates] he has, and I know them really well, they have great chemistry together. They seem to find each other really well and its working for them. Theyre pretty much carrying most of the offensive part of the whole team. Im sure for all three of them its been great to play together.This matchup is nothing new to either Crosby or Chara. Its been physical. Theyve chirped at each other. But theres also mutual respect.Everybody knows, either playing against him or playing with him, how good [Chara] is -- and obviously his size is a big part, Crosby said. Hes able to get his stick on a lot of pucks and use his body and hes strong to knock you off the puck. The biggest thing when youre playing against him is just be ready to compete.So, if the best player in the world wouldnt boo Chara, maybe fans should finally cut this guy some slack. ' ' '