2010 Winter Olympic Games

[Mr. Broken]

I have a beef with the Olympics.

Not really the Olympics, but with fans of the Olympics.

I was listening to the news the other day, and they were talking about Canada's medal count; they said something like, "We now have three gold medals."

I'm sorry, "We"????

I don't have any Gold Medals. The Newscaster Didn't have any gold medals.

There is one thing to be proud of your countrymen/women...but bragging about the Olympic team, like you are a part of it...?
Seems a little pretentious to me.

Believe me I see your point, but I also disagree ( to a certain extent ). Olympians are intended to inspire national pride, the very essence of we. They where a flag on their gear, and thats one giant permission slip for the use of WE.

[drew]

Olympians are intended to inspire national pride, the very essence of we.

I disagree with that. Olympics are a venue for amateur athletes to test and push themselves. Which I think is a great thing, don't get me wrong. I DO watch the games, I love watching them actually.

But to inspire national pride?

What does the Canadian Men's Hockey team have to do with me? Or the female Canadian Downhill ski team?

There are lots of Canadians, who are good Canadians...Proud Canadians, who have never worn a pair of skates, or skis in their lives.

While I can sit back and enjoy watching athletes perform at their best, and can be very happy for the winner, it doesn't make me any more proud to be Canadian when I see a Canadian win a gold medal, or even beat their personal best. I am proud of that person I guess, but it doesn't instill any more pride in me as a citizen.

[Mr. Broken]

... and you wouldnt feel the slightest sting if the U.S. upset Canada in the hockey game? Man Im excited about the game, and I dont even watch hockey. ( its so much better watching live, but I cant stand it televised, except for the fights those are always better but I drift) The point I was trying to make is that the Canadians are considered the best in the world, and I would be very proud of our team even if they just made a game of it.

[drew]

I love hockey.

but I would enjoy a good game between Sweden and Russia, as much as between USA and Canada.

Although, I realize that I am unique in my feeling.
I'm like that with Professional hockey.

I don't have a team. I could care less if Toronto won, or Montreal, or Pittsburgh. (And I live in Crosby's home town)

So no, I don't feel any more Canadian, when a Canadian wins a medal. Or any less of a Canadian when one losses a medal.

But I do consider myself a very proud Canadian.

Hmmmff.
Like I said, I think I'm unique in this anyways.

[StevieG]

Like ninjaboy, I don't see a lot of these sports.

SKELETON!!!

And that downhill ski jump where they jump about 3 storeys in the air, twist, flip somersault, spin, and then just land on their feet with a crunch that looks like it will kill them. Before almost every competitor the commentators said something about this one having a knee reconstruction, 2 recent knee reconstructions, broken neck, sternum. THEY ARE ALL MAD!!!

.... but fun to watch!

[matrixman]

Congratulations on the hockey win, Team USA!
(This may sound shocking, but I haven't watched any hockey at these Olympics at all.)

I think the sport on skis where they do flips is called moguls (?). I haven't watched any of it. It's too new to me. I've been following the more established Olympic sports, because I'm just old-fashioned that way.

That said, skeleton has apparently been around for a long time, but it made a comeback to the Olympics only recently.

[StevieG]

I think it's called Freestyle Skiing - they ski down a slope and jump off a ramp... there are some photos on the link below:

www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-freestyle ... ScrollHref

Oh hang on, I just think I found it. You're right MM, but the one I was looking at was the "Aerials" I think.

Video

I haven't seen any ice hockey either... probably check some highlights out tonight.

[matrixman]

Ah, yes, freestyle ski...what the hip kids are doing now, eh?

I forgot to mention, I do like ski jumping - the "real" kind.
That Simon Ammann guy is amazing - he's won four gold now (2 in Salt Lake City 2002, 2 here).

[Usivius]

Arrrgghhhh! US over Canada in hockey.
Geez...
well congrats ....
however the grumbly man in me MUST point out that there are only two reasons the US won:
1) very good goaltending by Miller, and
2) incredibly BAD goaltending by Brodeur! Blame the defence if you wish, but MB made two REALLY BAD plays that resulted in goals ...

oh, BTW, I was really impressed by the US defence.

[matrixman]

Yeah, from what I saw in the highlight reel, Brodeur made some pretty reckless moves.

At least Canada is still tops in Curling! Oh, wait, our gals got outplayed (and outscreamed) by the Chinese team.

Is it time for the Canadian Olympic Committee to hit the panic button yet?

Don't get me wrong, all the Canadian athletes have my support. I'm just having my own bit of fun poking at the COC's "Own the Podium" hoopla.

[stonemaybe]

Watching the Canada vs US mens ice hockey final. it's my first ever ice hockey game, and I'm LOVING it!

[matrixman]

It was quite the drama, Stone! A late goal by the US to tie the game, and then Canada winning it in sudden death.
It was only fitting that it ended that way. I did not want the winner determined by shootout.

So ends the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Hope all here who watched the Games have come away with some good memories. I'm still dazzled by that opening ceremony. I think I'll have to get the commemorative DVD to make up for the crappy online feeds I had to sit through.

Next stop: London in 2012!
(I'm counting on you, Stone, to mug the cameras there at some point. Don't let me down!)

[Usivius]

Whew! What I finale!! I think my 7 year old now knows a cou0ple more words she really should not know (at least not yet, and not form her dad). that US goal in the last 20 seconds sent me through the roof in a tirade of profanities the house had not heard before. Thankfully it ended the way it should have (speaking totally from a Canuk standpoint).
And contrary to what drew says, the athletes apparently feel pride, and I feel a great sense of pride for my country ...

And the closing show.. LOL hilarious... How typically Canadian to take the hoopla of a closing show and make it about how silly we really are ... Cliche Canadiana done Vegas style ... had us in stiches...

[drew]

Hey, I didn't say it wasn't a good game!

I'm a little disappointed that Crosby get credit with th win though, he didn't really play that well most of that game, just got a lucky goal at the end.

[Usivius]

yah, kinda, but they were guarding him pretty well, and he did make an effort to draw away a lot of traffic from other players and open them up, like Iginla (who was great..)

[Damelon]

Congratulations. It was a good, tense, game. Kane did a great job on that Crosby breakaway late to keep him from putting it away. Edge of the seat in that last minute before the tying goal. I figured the US would have trouble in the 4 on 4 overtime though. Canada has too much talent when the ice is opened up like that.

I was enjoying watching the closing ceremonies. Liked the bits with Shatner and Michael J. Fox. One of the tunes from the Sochi performance was driving me nuts trying to remember what it was (turned out to be the Polovetsian Dances). NBC ruined it by being NBC, cutting away to a new show of theirs, without a word of goodbye, when the inflated beavers were brought out.

[Usivius]

OMG! You missed the floating moose and skating beavers witht he lumberjacks?!! LOL! Hilarious... and it just kept getting more silly ... showgirls dressed as maple leafs, dancing voyageurs in canoes, Michael Buble coming back singing and being raised up high on a huge mountie hat while more showgirls are doing high kicks around the brim ... geez, ... it was definately Vegas-Canada show .. like Fosse thinking of all the Canada cliches and then laughing so hard they spill forth from him to the jazzed up tune of "Maple Leaf Forever" (at one time concidered our national anthem)

[High Lord Tolkien]

Olympians are intended to inspire national pride, the very essence of we.

I disagree with that. Olympics are a venue for amateur athletes to test and push themselves. Which I think is a great thing, don't get me wrong. I DO watch the games, I love watching them actually.

But to inspire national pride?

I think you're missing the point of the Olympics.
It's literally a competition between countries not individuals.

It's funny though, I'd agree with you if it was any other type of sport.
If the Red Sox win the World Series I don't feel "pride", I had nothing to do with their win even though they represent "me".

But I think with the Olympics being a contest between Nations it's more of a cultural thing.
Like the Holland ice skaters, it's part of their culture for a large part of the country.
I think, that if the culture of the country is geared towards the sport then there can be a legitimate feeling of pride in success.
It's tough to explain.....

I think back to the old days when the Soviet Union and China (China still) had professional athletes against amateurs.
Then it was also a competition against ideologies.

Even the judges were biased!
It was great.

I find it boring now.

[Cybrweez]

Saw that overtime, w/Crosby's goal. I agree, was a bit lucky. Deflected puck right to him, turns, scores. Took advantage of the opp tho, that's the important thing. But now on cover of SI, that's the over the top part. Vicious comeback from the 1st loss to US tho.