That Was Fun . . .

So the Vancouver 2010 Olympics came to a close yesterday. Paul and I joined millions of other Canadians as Canada battled the US in the final medal event of the games - men's hockey. What a freaking game! I don't know when I've seen such excitement. Paul couldn't bear to be in the room, hiding in the hallway, he'd poke his head in every few seconds to see what had happened. I couldn't sit and bounced about like someone in line to use the port-a-potties after consuming 30 beers at a day-long-music festival.

Riveting.

I was reminded of the famous Henderson goal that I sat on a gym floor and watched back in 1972. People still talk about it. I suspect we'll be talking about Crosby's overtime goal for decades too.

One couldn't have asked fo a better finish to these games.

Canada went from being the only host country in history to not win a gold medal (twice, because we do things well in Canada) to being the country to win the most gold medals ever at a Winter Olympics.

Mid-way through the games the national media was wringing its hands in despair over the performance of our athletes - we had been told that we would own the podium and that wasn't happening. Something was wrong. The so-called 'sure-bets' weren't winning golds, hell, some of them weren't even finishing their races. This whining should be a Canadian Olympic sport because it happens EVERY Olympics.

We'd win a gold in that.

That aside, the games seem to have gone off without too many glitches. You wouldn't know this by listening to the Russian media. That pinhead Timothy Bancroft-Hinchley was at it again in Pravda:

Doesn’t it feel great to slam the door behind you as you walk out, stick up the middle finger using the palm of the left hand on the upper right forearm for extra leverage and blow a giant raspberry? That is exactly how it feels as Russia leaves Vancouver after disappointing Games with a question, was the Canadian ice hockey team on drugs?

The middle finger goes to the shockingly dangerous organization of the Games which cost the life of a Georgian luger right at the outset on day 1 (Nodar Kumaritashvili lost his life because the track was unfit, and indeed the corner where he crashed was elevated the following day) and the giant raspberry goes to the appalling, abominable and biased judging of events which cost Russia medal after medal.

The middle finger and the giant raspberry go to the Canadian ice hockey team. Were they on drugs the day they beat Russia so overwhelmingly?

Yes, Bancroft-Hinchley is a complete tool.

So what do the Olympics mean? The media was blathering away about how it changed the way Canadians see themselves.

Not me.

I think the Olympics provided a respite. The last few years have been brutal for much of the world. Factories shuttered, unemployment swelled, human misery was everywhere.

For 17 days we breathed a sigh of relief, shut the bad away, and marveled at the poise of a young lady who found the strength to skate her way to a bronze medal days after losing her mother. We were inspired at the speed and skill of the world's athletes. We marveled at the way skiers jumped, flipped, and raced at speeds that most of us wouldn't contemplate from the comfort of our cars (with seat belts) yet alone careening down a mountain on a pair of thin skis.

History will decide the long-term impact of the Olympics on us as a nation. In Canada we still have a crap government, run by cynical leaders who lead by polls rather than by good public policy. We are still trying to teeter further out of the mire of the recession. Kids still go to school hungry and would rather have breakfast than play a game.

It was nice to shut the bad out for a few weeks.

I think I'll hold out a bit more and read stories such as this: Weed killer can turn male frogs into females, study finds.

Oh. Message to Timothy Bancroft-Hinchley - don't let the door hit you as you skulk your way back home. I know it isn't very host-like of me to say that but, frankly, you weren't much of a guest.

Comments

[Kathy (Trekcapri)]

Hi Jerry, I think Canada did an excellent job with the Olympics this year and I have to agree with your comments about Joanne Rochette. Her courage and grace under such heartache exemplifies the best in Olympians and also the best in Canadians from some of the other stories that were featured by NBC like the piece they did on the community of Gander in NF. I'm afraid I don't know much about Canadian politics. I hope things improve for you all.

I think the 17 days of not thinking about the problems of the world has definitely been a pleasant break for us all. Thanks so much for writing this great post. And thanks so much to Canada for hosting such a fabulous Olympics.

[sheri]

Great post,Jerry. Have to agree with Kathy, Canada did a great job with the Olympics.A great reprieve for the misery that still surrounds most of us.

[Anne]

Ahhh, where do I sign up for Fireside Hot Chocolate??? Now there is a sport I can get into!

[JDeQ]

It was a rush of 17 days. Ther eis so much drama from an event like this - athletes who compete far below expectations and the athelete who has the event of a lifetime too. It's hard to be away from the TV!

That sounds like a sport for me as well Anne. LOL

Now back to reality. SIGH