"They should have never allowed pros to compete in the Olympics. It's been ugly ever since. What ever happened to amateurs only? That's when the Olympics were good"
It wasn't good for Canadians/Americans/Fins/Swedes/Czechs or anyone else when USSR sent their * amateurs *. They changed when there was still a Soviet Block didn't they?
The rest of the world couldn't compete when they were sending their best amateurs and they'd meet the USSR and see a super oiled machine, members of the armed forces...i guess, men.
While the rest of the world were sending boys.
marketing, all marketing and vanity.
Yeah it changed over when the iron curtain was still standing, if I remember correctly. I doubt they'd be such a powerhouse in today's games.