Slovensko Do Toho

Forget the royal wedding; Slovakia's got other things on its mind today, the beginning of the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships. This would be a big deal in any hockey-crazy country, but it's an even bigger deal here because this year Slovakia's the host. From now until May 15, games will be played in Bratislava and Košice, with 16 teams competing. Fan gear is all over the place here, and lots of businesses are using hockey in their advertising. 

I personally am concerned about the fact that the Stanley Cup finals started in the middle of April and could go on until June. This means that some players may have to decide between playing for their job and playing for their country, and that's an unfortunate choice to have to make. It also means that I'm pretty sure the US isn't going to win very many games here.