The 2010 Winter Olympics are well underway and one thing is for absolute certain, there is NO shortage of opinions or perspectives on everything that's gone on to date. That of course is always going to happen, when one country puts itself out there for the rest to judge. Fortunately or unfortunately, that's just human nature. Typically that's what gives us all some shit to talk about around the water cooler the next day. So I think I'll start at the beginning, and then I'll try to pick a few highlights as I go along my way through to today.
The opening ceremonies -
Someone else said it better than I could have ever dreamed of doing!
I will add this one thought though. Watching 60,000 people rise as one to salute the team from Georgia for continuing on in the Olympic spirit despite the loss of a friend and fellow competitor, was pretty damn tough. It hit a spot deep in my heart that until that exact moment, I'd been unaware of it's presence within me.
Death at The Luge -
I guess this was what the World will remember as the real beginning of the 2010 games isn't it. In a way that's a little sad as it reflects on the glory of the games themselves but honestly, it should be that way. Let it serve as a stark reminder to each of us, just how short our time on this planet truly could be. I know some will have an issue with my perspective on his passing but if you want to really know what I think, here it is....
Nodar Kumaritashvili was living his ultimate dream, right up until his death. I think his passing was tragic because of his FAR too young age of 21 but in reality, how many times have you told someone you know, "When I go, I hope it's doing something I truly love."
I'd also like to remind those that want to pick on the Canadian track officials for making it unsafe, or those that think the International Luge Federation did something wrong, ATHLETES DIE IN SPORTS! Give your heads a shake right now and please, remember that one simple fact. For those of you with tunnel vision or incredibly shortened memories due to the tragedy of this event, I offer you a little study material as a quick reminder that ALL sports are dangerous.
Here's the current list of Athletes that have died in their careers. Now of course there are dozens of "car crash" and "drug overdose" deaths in there but as you review it, I think you'll be surprised to remember how many of those deaths were related to the sport itself.
Nodar became the sixth athlete killed during an Olympic event, all of them while performing in the sport they truly loved. I hate it for each of them, I really do. BUT.... I feel way worse for the innocent Austrian Team Doctor killed in a freak Ski accident back in 1988 during the games. I would also ask you to honestly reflect on this. How can we compare the death of an athlete choosing to fly down a hill of ice at 144 KPH on what amount to two razor blades, to those killed in the Munich Massacre in 1972?
A death in the Olympics is a terrible accident but precluded very clearly, by the last line in The Olympic Athletes Oath. "For the glory of sport and the honor of our teams."
R.I.P. Nodar
Our first Gold medal on home soil -
I can't begin to imagine what it would have felt like, to be sitting there live while it happened. I nearly offed myself with a celebration here in the basement of the cave. Then the real story started to evolve. No grandstanding, 'look at me, I'm the greatest' or 'wow, I'm going to be filthy rich now that I've done it' attitude. There wasn't even a smug look that told the world, 'I knew I was going to win this thing.' No, not this time. This time you see, a Canadian won the Gold.
Young Alexandre Bilodeau added to the definition of what it truly is to be Canadian. It's said that you can always tell the Canadian in any crowd. They'll be the one standing perfectly still in a busy spot, as they get bumped into buy a stranger in a rush to get somewhere else at the time. The Canadian will be the one apologizing for the contact!
When asked about what it meant for him to be the first ever Canadian to win on home soil, Master Bilodeau spoke with National pride about his teams chances to open the floodgate for the rest of the games. He told the world how proud he was of the strength of his team and how his teammates, had made the experience complete for him during these games.
"It's just the beginning, I think," Bilodeau said. "There are so many Canadians coming up in the other sports. … I'll be in the stands cheering for them."
When it came time for the second Gold medal, it was done right once again. Maelle Ricker became the first woman to win Gold on home soil and just as young Alexandre did, Maelle did our nation proud. When given the opportunity by a reporter to take a shot at fellow competitor Lindsey Jacobellis for her poor result in the Olympics again, her quote of
"It was really, really hard today to get a clean run all the way down the course, but I just held on and did my best."
made my heart swell with pride.
Well done to each of them, for getting the ball on the roll.
Despite getting those two Gold medals into this review, I am not ALL about the medals when it comes to events like the Olympics. Yes they are great and I for one will not be afraid to celebrate them with our athletes. But in all honesty I cheer just as loud for a Canadian that finishes 36 in the Biathlon, with a new personal best time or score. To me, that is what these games represent. Doing the best you can when the moment comes to do so. But you don't have to be Canadian for this household to get behind you. To me that is the Olympic spirit and if I get the opportunity to scream at the top of my lungs for Dachhiri Sherpa from Nepal during his Cross Country event, be damned sure I'll be doing it. The athletes, the Olympics and more importantly, the true meaning behind the Olympic spirit, fully deserve at least that much respect to me.
Speaking of respect, there is one last thing I'd like to mention.
This in my opinion,
was a great way to have fun with the whole team spirit image, that every nation tries to exemplify during the games.
This on the other hand,
looks like a kid at the local bunny hill, thinking about doing his first air to fakie.
Thousands upon thousands of dollars go into each Olympic Teams every single move and the best the Americans could come with is, "Let's make them look like jeans?"
So there you have it for now kids, that's my $0.02 worth.
Have at it!
My sincerest thanks for dropping by....
11 comments:
Well said, and congratulations to Canada for putting on a great show!
There's a lot of US bashing in this post!
The Olympics for me have been kind of meh...
The networks down here have done a horrible job of broadcasting. nothing is live, even with 17 different cable networks to offer them on, and the capitalism of everything is starting to irk me.
Professional athletes were excluded for a reason. The fact that the networks and sponsors have done everything possible to complain to the olympic committee, and the olympic committee's lack of back bone to stand up to those big dollar network contracts has tarnished the sanctity of amateur sports. IMO that is...
But sport is sport and I will continue to watch to witness the greatness achieved by so many who have dedicated their lives in any one discipline only to prove to the themselves that they are the best.
I also agree with your take on the luger who passed. Lucky guy if you ask me. That statement in no way is meant to diminish the loss of his friends and family. But it is made more to recognize the fact that he lived his life on his terms. And in a way, was rewarded for it.
Good post Bam...my thoughts exactly. Well said about Nodar.
And Riggs, not sure where you get the US bashing from. Pro-Canadian isn't necessarily and immediately anti-American.
It's killing me that I'm in the same time zone as the Olympics and I have to watch everything on tape delay if I'm watching on network TV. (Which also means hiding from Twitter and Facebook and anything else that might have results.)
That's not Canada's fault though :-)
*sigh
Two statements:
"No grandstanding, 'look at me, I'm the greatest' or 'wow, I'm going to be filthy rich now that I've done it' attitude. There wasn't even a smug look that told the world, 'I knew I was going to win this thing.' No, not this time. This time you see, a Canadian won the Gold."
"Thousands upon thousands of dollars go into each Olympic Teams every single move and the best the Americans could come with is, "Let's make them look like jeans?"
1) obviously for the first statement to be made, there has to have been an incident or something of the sort to compare to. Obviously a shot at the US, because only "Americans" act like that. No?
2) Seth Wescott and Shaun White both won Gold Medals wearing those hideous pants. I doubt any one particular fan of either sport cared much about what their pants looked like. Conrats to those two fellows for winning gold and proving they are the best at their sport. Whether or not they are in their underwear or not.
I'm all for Pro Canadian. It makes me happy when I see people take pride and show loyalty to their country, their family, their heritage. It just doesn't have to be a goddamn competition every single time. *see last sentence of first statement.
I know Bam didn't mean as much, and I was being a slight bit humorous. I also never took it as Anti-American, but you can't deny that either of those statements aren't in the least just a little needling towards the US.
Riggs....
It's said that sensitivity grows to its largest form, the closer it strikes to the truth. That being said, no one specific country was being focused on. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
It's my pride in the fact that our athletes so far, have excluded any and all details about their own individual success. Rather choosing to focus on the hopeful success of others and the difficulties there are, rising to the occasion when it counts. Both factors behind the true spirit of the games IMHO.
As for Shaun and Seth, both are incredible and amazingly talented athletes and Shaun, may just be the epitome of the point I was trying to make. Did you see how friggin' happy he was to have won the Gold? He's a gajillionarre for cripes sake! His interviews were humble, eloquent and full of the team spirit one would hope to see during the games.
I said NOTHING about the athletes wearing the outfits. What I said was, the Olympics deserve far more respect than jeans. Again, IMO. Can you picture the Ryder Cup team showing up at Royal Troon wearing jeans?
'Nuff said; now back to Figure Skating Judges!
:)
From Yahoo Sports:
"Nate Holland is a man of conviction and dedication to his cause. He is seeking to rid the world of what he considers the most heinous offense in the history of snowboarding. We're talking, of course, about tight pants."
"it's that trim pants betray the anti-establishment culture that birthed snowboard cross. Holland is concerned for "the integrity of the sport," saying, "I'm a snowboarder through and through, and boardercross is a freestyle snowboarder's race. I think it should stay that way." Right, because it wouldn't be snowboarding if people wore tight pants."
The jeans and flannel look is a homage to the anti-establishment beginnings of snowboarding.
It's the Canadians trying to bastardize the sport with their tight pants that is the problem saying "look at me (and my package)"
Hey Bam, I did a little research. Burton designed the snowboard uniforms to "look" like denim in keeping with culture of snowboarders. The pants are actually 2 layers of gore-tex, made to be softer and warmer than denim.
I learn something new every day.
And I can LOL at Riggs...and you call *me* sensitive?? *grins and ducks
Bayne......
Not my fault Canadians have nicer "packages"
Canadian Women, Beef & Beer, all seem to create that effect.
Kat......
I did know that, but thanks. IMO if it "looks" like denim, it might as well be jeans at the Olympics.
All I'm trying to say here is, it's the friggin' Olympics! Showing a little flair AND class while showing National pride is my personal idea, of brilliance in style. Showing the world that the jeans look is acceptable for an event as big as this, is paramount to wearing jeans at Augusta National for The Masters.
But again, it's just my opinion.
"keeping with culture of snowboarders" are the keys words from Kat's research.
Jeans are not a traditional part of the culture of golf but those pants that Payne Stewart used to wear were.
I would not dress like Payne but can appreciate the ties to the history of golf
OK.... This is getting silly.
I quote, "the anti-establishment culture that birthed snowboard cross."
I'm totally cool with that concept except.... isn't it a touch ironic that in order to get into the games in the first place, they sold out on that belief and promised to be (and I quote once again) "mainstream citizens, befitting an event the stature of the Olympic games."
Cake..... Eat it.
Listen Bayne, I'm a proud supporter and avid fan of the X-Games. I need more than a couple of friends with all 10 fingers present, to help me count the number of tramp stamps and ass-cracks that I've seen in the half pipe live. I own 4 boards for crying out loud, and I ride twice a week minimum. I'm 20 minutes from 5 hills and I get the culture. All I'm saying is that they could have shown the respect they did to get into the games, at the games themselves. Unfortunately and I guess IMO only, the American team slapped the Olympics in the face with a Denim "look."
Screw the research, the culture and don't include any other team.
Good conversation though.
Thanks.
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