Dutch field hockey player Ronald Brouwer is surrounded by German team members during their Champions Trophy field hockey match in Rotterdam in June 2008
Americans may associate the sport with kilted prep-school girls, but field hockey is a serious man’s sport for powerhouses Germany and the Netherlands. One surprise no-show for Beijing: India, which has captured the Olympic gold eight times but shockingly failed to qualify for this year’s Games. That’s sure to please rival Pakistan, which has won three Olympic golds of its own and counts hockey as its only realistic medal hope in Beijing.