re: I'm proud of the U.S.A. Men's Hockey team, but..

I think the games are more fun with the Russians, but the rivalry with Canada has supplanted our rivalry with Russia. The Russians would no longer be considered the favorites, either.

That said, the Russian team in the late 80's with Fetisov, Larionov, Konstantinov, Fetisov and Fedorov was the best team of all-time. I never saw a team play with such beauty and precision. But the system that produced them and kept them in Russia (before finally leaving for the NHL and the Red Wings) no longer exists. There's a great documentary about these guys and that system titled, Red Army. Fascinating stuff.