What Boycott? Russians Want to Beat U.S.

S A L T   L A K E   C I T Y, Feb. 22 -- Let the Cold War begin again.

The good old days earlier this week — when Sergei Fedorov playfully sprayed Red Wings teammate Chris Chelios with a water bottle and then referred to Team USA coach Herb Brooks as "Herbie" — are long gone. The Russians are fuming, and the Americans better be ready for some nastiness in Friday's medal-round semifinal at the E Center.

Don't assume that Russia's threat to load up the Aeroflot and pull out of these Games has everything to do with skiing and nothing to do with hockey. Russian coach Slava Fetisov and his once-merry band of snipers were not happy with the officiating in Wednesday's 1-0 quarterfinal victory against the Czechs. The officials handed out 14 minutes in penalties to the Russians and only 6 to the Czechs. Then there was that two-man advantage — a relative rarity in international competition.

Russian Olympic committee president Leonid Tyagachev was at that game, and Thursday he had some fighting words for the IOC and the NHL. Tyagachev suggested that judging in all Olympic sports has been politically motivated.

"A lot of money is riding on these Games," he said. "If our team is losing, the prestige of the other team is going up. Where there is a lot of money, politics is involved."

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Translation: the NHL does a lot better financially if the Canadians or Americans win the gold than if any other team steps to the top of the podium. And guess who the Russians have to beat to win gold? Team USA and, most likely, Team Canada.

What about that 24-hour deadline for IOC President Jacques Rogge to redress the Russians' stated grievances about the disqualification of cross-country skier Larissa Lazutina? Don't expect Team Russia to up and skate off the ice in the middle of Friday's game. Still, if the Russians receive far more penalty minutes than Team USA and end up losing the semifinal, don't be shocked if Team Russia packs its bags and concedes the bronze medal to — gasp — Belarus.