Rigged

I guess this qualifies as a sports story since it was on ESPN.com.

Russian President Vladimir Putin scored five goals in an exhibition hockey game with former NHL stars on Thursday.

In what has become an annual tradition given ample airtime on state TV, Putin played on a "Legends of Hockey" team alongside big names of the past such as Pavel Bure and Slava Fetisov.

Sure, five goals is impressive. But I have to ask: how much resistance was put up against Putin in this game? I mean, critics of his administration have a tendency to...uh...."disappear" from time to time. What do you believe would've happened to members of an opposing hockey team had they made ol' Vladdy look bad on state TV? Can you say "Siberian polar bear feces??"

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