Which would you rather win, a Stanley Cup or a Gold Medal.

A Gold Medal, but only to have copious amounts of groupie sex at the brothel that is the Olympic Village.

its possible to win many Stanley Cups, you only get a chance at the gold every 4 years.

The Cup. It's so legendary, so much lore. I love the traditions that go along w/ it, such as each player getting to spend their day w/ it and the things they do. Some of my favorites: two guys took it back to their home and climed to the highest peak there w/ The Cup. Mark Messier took it to a small pub in his home-town w/ some close friends, they locked the doors and took turns drinking beer out of it. Another, took it to a stable and let the kentucky Derby winner eat oats out of it. One old timer recalled bathing his infant son in the Cup and the kid pissed in it, so whenever he sees players drinking out of the Cup now he always thinks of that.

Jacques Plante's name has been misspelled five times on The Cup. I read an interview w/ him once and they asked him if he was upset that his name had been misspelled so many times, he said he wasn't and that so many players would kill to have their names misspelled five times on the Cup......

Greatest Trophy in sports. I'd rather win the Stanley Cup, easily.

Gold Medal and it's not even close even if it's Super Bowl title and MVP or NBA finals. I'd take the Gold Medal from the Olympics any day. The fame and fortune might not be as much, but I have a feeling I could live with that.

Gold Medal.

If Im good enough to win a Gold I probably will eventually win a Stanley Cup!

Now, if the question read as a fan I would go with the Stanley Cup. Simply because I have a rooting interest for so long (as opposed to 2 weeks) and also would have bragging rights.

As a player - Stanley Cup. Probably means a little bit more to win with the guys you've endured an entire season with. Of course, reppin' your country in the Olympics would be amazing as well..

As a fan - Gold medal. I casually follow hockey and I love watching the olympics much more than the regular season. Nothing like rooting for YOUR COUNTRY to win it all.. It's the same in Soccer.

Though, I must admit that as of right now, I'd rather see a major sports championship in Cleveland than anything else

Glory Days wrote: its possible to win many Stanley Cups, you only get a chance at the gold every 4 years.

This.

Laley23 wrote: Gold Medal.

If Im good enough to win a Gold I probably will eventually win a Stanley Cup!

And this.

If you win a gold in hockey, you are playing a collection of the best players in the world. I'm pretty sure the Canadian hockey team could beat whoever wins the Stanley Cup. You're beating the best of the best.

No doubt that the big time Olympic Hockey teams have stronger rosters top to bottom. But the road to Stanley Cup is such a grind. Hell, the post-season itself is two months if you get to the end. To make it all the way through and win that with guys you've been bleeding with for 9+ months would make it way more special than a two week tourney IMO.

When you watch guys skate the Cup they're missing teeth, stitches, black eyes. It's just grueling and it shows on their faces.

^^^^^This

Iginla has won 2 gold medals but no Stanley Cups hmmmm..........


This is what the Stanley Cup playoffs are all about:

The stanley cup is the greatest trophy in all of sports, I'd rather win the cup in a heart beat.

The Stanley Cup is the greatest trophy in sports and as great as it would be to hoist it over my head and skate with it, having a gold medal put around my neck and hearing the national anthem played would top that for me.

Stanley Cup.

pkebker wrote: The stanley cup is the greatest trophy in all of sports, I'd rather win the cup in a heart beat.

Greatest trophy in all of sports according too who??? Since im much of a hockey fan im gonna have to say gold medal.

I think both have two different type of conotations.

The Stanley Cup and all its glory is something every young hockey player aspires to win. As kids we always aspire to win a championship. Ya dream of making the big shot, the winning TD, game winning RBI, in a championship game.

Us athletes A L W A Y S dream of that. As a kid ya are shooting outside and you do a countdown to yourself to shoot to win it all. Did that more times than I could ever imagine.

Winning a Stanley CUp, or any sport championship, is a dream for all. Winning a gold medal is another type of championship. You are playing for your COUNTRY, and not just your city.

Of course none of us know what it means to win a championship at the professional level and also a gold in that sport. Im thinking they invoke many of the similiar feelings and also many diff ones as well.

If I had to pick.......that is tough. A stanley cup championship....you are with your team, your city, your teammates for years. You win one and you are teh defending champs. YOu see the banner at every home game. teams are gunning for you. there is that constant reminder of what you did. A Gold medal..you win it....and ya then are whisked away to other things.

Lets not discount this at all.........when you win a championship I think the happiness also is kinda attributed to how much you played a part in that title. A bench player doesnt feel the same connection as a role player. A role player doesnt feel the same connection as a starter and full time contributor.

In the olypmics pretty much all those guys are major contributors to their own teams. For the most part. In the olympics you are surrounded by stars and ya dont shoulder the load as much....except goalie. PLus..you are only with your team for a couple of weeks.

There really is no wrong answer here.

On alot, and I mean alot lesser scale.......growing up was I more excited winning the championship for my little league team that was in our league, or the tourny champs when ther was just one team and we were representing our whole league? Was more excited winnin for my regular team than the team we took to other towns.

geesh..im a loser.

Rotinaj wrote:

pkebker wrote: The stanley cup is the greatest trophy in all of sports, I'd rather win the cup in a heart beat.

Greatest trophy in all of sports according too who??? Since im much of a hockey fan im gonna have to say gold medal.

Ask someone what the greatest sports trophy is, they'll end up saying the Stanley Cup.

Stanley Cup = Best in North America
Gold Medal = Best in the World

I remember a story they told of the 1980 gold medal team. They experienced the ultimate high w/ that win and then the next week they were no longer teammates, they each went back to their separate towns and never played together again. Just like that it was all over......kinda sad.

At least with the Cup many of the guys are together again....

The_Crosby_Show wrote:

Rotinaj wrote:

pkebker wrote: The stanley cup is the greatest trophy in all of sports, I'd rather win the cup in a heart beat.

Greatest trophy in all of sports according too who??? Since im much of a hockey fan im gonna have to say gold medal.

Ask someone what the greatest sports trophy is, they'll end up saying the Stanley Cup.

Define "someone?" Maybe a hockey fan but if you'd ask most it would probably be the Lombardi Trophy and a MUCH more popular sport, football.

And if you asked most in any country other than the U.S. it would be the World Cup by a landslide.

All depends on perspective.

Mulva wrote: And if you asked most in any country other than the U.S. it would be the World Cup by a landslide.

All depends on perspective.

True

There's more history to the Stanley Cup to the Lombardi Trophy, and what it takes to win a Cup.

Plus, I'm pretty sure you don't get your name engraved on the Lombardi Trophy.

Cup is the best in sports. No doubt.

I had printed out the history of it a few times...given it to friends who didnt understand. They grew to realize how great the Cup is.

Yeah the Stanley Cup is easily better than the Lombardi (And I'm a HUGE NFL fan), w/ the name of every winner engraved on it and the idea that it travels all over the world w/ the guys who win it......