Hope on the Horizon

Canada beat Germany 8-2. Luongo shone once again and will be behind the pipes against the dynamo Russian powerhouse tonight. I've been dreaming of this showdown for 4 long years. The top 2 elite teams in the world duking it out for Olympic supremacy. Alexander the Great vs. Sid the Kid...wow, just wow. Afro Samurai will have to wait. The women face off against the U.S. tomorrow night for Gold. Things are also looking promising for women's bobsledding, as Canada is expected to win 2 medals. Ashley McIvor nabbed the Gold in ski-cross as well. We just need another Gold medal to tie the Germans and the U.S. for the most Gold medals in the Olympics. 7th heaven is just a goal away...

Something to Smile About

I was looking for something...anything, to cheer about over the dismal last couple of days. Well, that moment of glory has finally come as Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir have made Olympic history in ice dancing. They are the 1st North American duo to win Gold at the Olympics. They are also the youngest ice dancing champions in Olympic history! Considering all the adversity they have had to overcome to make it this far, their Olympic Gold tastes ever sweeter.

In other news, Team Canada destroyed the Fins 5-0 to clinch a berth in the finals against their arch rivals; Team U.S.A. At this point, I'm looking at Canada's medal standing in terms of the number of Gold medals won. I mean, consider every other sports league. There are no runner-up medals or accolades. The Stanley Cup, Lombardi Trophy, Larry O' Brien Trophy, Commissioner's Trophy, PGA Championship Trophy, Venus Rosewater Dish...the list runs the gamut. Thus, its all about the Gold. Besides, second place is essentially the first loser, right?

From that perspective, Canada is only 2 Golds behind the U.S. (5 vs. 7). We can nab two Golds in hockey and two more in curling. If everything works out as planned we'll end up hosting more Olympic Champions than any other nation at the 2010 games. And wouldn't that be something to smile about?

One Word

It's gotten to the point where I can't help but laugh. Last night was the most disappointing night in Canadian Olympic history. 4 medal hopefuls, totally tanked and choked. Canada ends up empty handed in what could've been a clean sweep. The U.S continues to massacre the rest. 24 medals already?! Their previous best was in 2002 at Salt Lake with 34 medals. They had 25 in Torino and will probably end up with 40 medals in Vancouver...of all places! Canada beat the U.S. in Nagano, with 15 medals to the U.S.' 13. We performed poorly in Salt Lake but nabbed a nation-high 24 medals in Torino, only one shy of the States. As a result, hopes were high that this would be our Olympics. We pretty much end up in the top 5 in the world every Winter Olympics, but we wanted to be numero uno this time. On home turf. Not to mention the 100 million invested in our athletes this time around.

We currently sit in 5th with a dismal 9 medals. No one expected this. No one. Did our superstars in Torino crack under the pressure in Vancouver? Some of them surely tried too hard and lost on their gambles. And don't get me started on last night's loss against Team U.S.A. Perhaps another miracle on ice is underway? It's gotten to the point where I actually feel depressed. March 1st can't come soon enough...

America The Unstoppable

18 medals. We're only at the checkpoint. The U.S. had 25 medals in Torino. Canada had 24. We only have 7 at Vancouver. It seems playing at home is a serious disadvantage. Especially when you consider the 100 million they invested in Canadian athletes. Heck, Team Canada almost lost against Switzerland. Mind you, the only reason it went to a shootout was because of Miller's amazing acrobatics. Still, we lost a valuable point.

In figure skating Evan Lysacek of the U.S. gave the U.S. their first Olympic men's figure skating title in 22 years. He beat the heavy favorite Plushenko, who settled for silver. Medal favorite Chan of B.C. ended up in 5th. At this pace, Canada will probably end up with 12 medals, half of the total they racked up in Torino.

In other news, Slovakia stunned the world with a 2-1 win over the gold medal favorite Russians. Halak, the uber underrated goaltender of the Montreal Canadians, made 36 saves to lead the Slovak's to victory. It just goes to show how tight games can be in the Men's league. In the Women's league you basically only have two teams that have any skill: Team Canada and Team U.S.A. Women's hockey in the Olympics will probably be cancelled at the next Olympics; kinda like what they did with women's softball.

Corporate Saturation

Let's cut the BS. I'm sick of all the sponsorship bombardment. Tim Hortons, Rona, Buick, Visa...none of you corporate suits give a damn about the Olympics. Its all about money. I keep seeing your asinine commercials and I want them to surcease. It seems like the Olympics are mainly about money. Not about sport.

Canada also has not met expectations thus far. Having won 24 medals in Torino they have only won 6 thus far; placing them in 4th overall. What happened to the "own the podium" initiative? Right now, the U.S. is just dominating with 14 medals. Even our friend Colbert paid a visit to rub it in Canada's face! Shaun White kicked ass and took names on the board and Davis tore it up on the Oval. Let's just hope Team Canada (hockey) brings home the Gold. I think their outcome at these games will make or break the "Canadian experience" this year. Canada faces off against their U.S. rivals this Sunday!

The Power of 7

What a start to the Canadian Men's hockey team's debut! Team Canada routed Norway 8-0 on their Olympic opener. It took Team Canada 7 periods to finally get a shutout buster. In the 2006 Olympics in Torino Canada stunned the world with a 7th place finish. Sid-the-kid was born on August 7th, 1987 (08/7/87) and his jersey number is also 87. Patrick Chan disappointed Canada with a dismal 7th place finish in figure skating. Team Canada also beat Norway 7-6 in Curling. Notice a trend? Anyway, the Canadians got off to a rough start, with the game sitting at 0-0 after the first. Igilna fired things up with the shutout buster in the 2nd and Canada essentially blazed to victory....grilling the Norwegians to a delicate wafer crisp. The onslaught was furious and unending. I now have hope that we can restore our former reputation as a hockey dynamo and bring home the Gold. The only thing that stands in the way is Kove and Alexander the Great. Just remember that all natural-born leaders and empires will eventually come to an end. Your days are numbered Ove...

Thing's heat up

Its day 4, and the U.S. still leads with 8 medals. Germany has 5, followed by France with 4. Team Canada continues to deliver below expectations. Jeremy Witherspoon, who won Gold in the past, ended up in 9th in speed skating. Cindy Klassen, who won 5 medals in 2006 in Torino ended up in 10th. Mike Robertson. who was leading by a large margin heading into the final turn was demoted by a surge of adrenaline by U.S. snowboarder Seth Wescott. Robertson ended up with silver. Team Canada set a goal to end up 1st this Olympics but currently sit at a dismal 4th. Maybe they set the bar too high? Like, way too high. France captured two golds on day 4. Men's hockey officially starts today. Can't wait!

The End Begins...

The Olympics kicked off with a festive bang. The opening ceremonies were watched by an estimated 3 billion people worldwide. The show had a few glitches, like the lighting of the torches near the end, but overall it was quite an awesome spectacle. Unfortunately, it wasn't all fun and games.

Nodar Kumariashvili, a 21 year old luger, was killed during a "routine" practice. His death was the first since 1975 in the sport. To alleviate luger athlete fears, the men participated on the shorter women's track.

Currently, the top 3 countries in the world in terms of the medal count are the U.S. with 6, Germany has 4, and France has 3. The host nation sits at a disappointing 4th place currently, well below the nations expectations...

On that note, the Canadian women's hockey team was harassed after destroying their opposition 18-0 at their opening game, The win is the most lopsided in Olympic history. I believe that if you suck you shouldn't participate. The fact that there is such a dichotomy in women's hockey between teams may explain why interest is so low. You probably wouldn't have seen something like this in the men's league.

The Biggest Scandal's of the Winter Olympics (Part Two)

Let's keep going. In 1994, figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by a baton-wielding maniac, who injured her thigh. It was later revealed that the assault was orchestrated by none other than U.S. teammate Tonya Harding. A fierce rivalry ensued and Kerrigan would have the last laugh by winning a silver medal in Lillehammer. Harding ended up in 8th place and was subsequently banned from international competition after the fiasco.

In 2002, it was revealed that Olympic bid winners, Salt Lake City, were involved in a scandal. After having lost 5 bids for the Winter Games, Salt Lake City's Olympic committee got a little too desperate. In 1998, it was discovered that IOC constituents received millions in illicit handouts from U.S. organizers, including V.I.P. Super Bowl trips, college schlorships and even cosmetic surgery handouts for their families! 10 members ended up being expelled from the IOC. To make matters worse, it was later revealed that $4.4 million dollars was given to IOC members by organizers of the Nagano games of 98!

In 2006, the U.S. Skeleton's team coach, Tim Nardiello was accused of sexually assaulting two of his female sliders. Nardiello would be suspended but was later acquited of all charges due to inadequate evidence. However, the U.S. Olympic Committee refused to let him near the team for the Torino games. Nardiello apparently didn't take their demands to heart for he trained the team anyway. As a result Nardiello was fired for good less than two weeks before the Olympics. Whether he was responsible or not, the fact remains that no U.S qualifier would medal at Torino and only one woman (Katie Uhlaender) would even finish in the top 15 with a 6th place finish.

That's all folks. Stay tuned as the games begin today. TGITO!

The Biggest Scandals of the Winter Olympics (Part One)

Before the Olympics officially begin I thought I would discuss some of the biggest scandals in Winter Olympic history:

At the 1948 games in St. Moritz Switzerland saboteurs loosened the nuts on the steering mechanisms of the U.S. men's teams bobsleds in an attempt to DQ and injury them. The deviants were never caught.

At the 1968 games in Grenoble, France, Gold and Silver medalists, Ortin Enderlein and Anna-Maria Muller were stripped of their medals in the women's luge. They were caught heating the runners of their sleds. This technique basically reduces friction on the sleds, thereby improving velocity. Its wholly illegal, in case you were wondering.

At the 1988 games in Calgary James McGregor, a ticket manager at the games, was charged with theft and fraud. He scammed American customers out of money by selling them tickets at face value (Canadian prices) in American dollars and then pocketed the difference in terms of the exchange rate. So if a ticket cost $100 CND he would collect $100 USD, exchange the USD at a Canadian bank, and pocket about $40 for himself.

Colbert vs. Sharp Blades

This is just bizarre. That neurotic weirdo Colbert (from the aptly named Colbert Report) signed a sponsorship deal with U.S. speed skating. Its a match made in hell. I guess they'll try to do anything to try to oust the Canadian speed skating powerhouses in 2010. The U.S. teams financial woes worsened after Dutch bank DSB came up short on $300,000 of sponsorship money a month ago. The U.S. team worried that they wouldn't be able to fly to World Cups and what not. Colbert raised 40 gs in 24 hours for the team. Colbert has also generated controversy by bashing Canadian organizers for supposedly providing Canadian skaters with preferential access to the Richmond Oval and other Olympic venues while turning other skaters away. He has also bashed all Canadians as "Syrup Suckers." The fact is Colbert is a bona fide crack head and he should stick to his crappy shtick and brain dead audience of nimrods. Stay the hell away from the Olympics, buddy.

Sex Sells?

Ok, this is getting out of hand. You would think that at least in athletics women would be judged based on their athletic prowess and dedication instead of their appearance. Well, apparently that is only partially the case. I keep seeing magazine spreads and TV shows flaunting female athletes as sex objects. It scares me to think that my 5 year old daughter is being bamboozled with all of this smutty and sexist crap even on syndicated networks that are supposed to promote egalitarianism! The latest celluloid trash I saw was on Access Hollywood. Instead of focusing on the accomplishments of the female athletes they dedicated an entire segment to the "Babes of the Olympics."

In it, female athletes are shown in bikinis and in provocative poses. Its the winter Olympics, for crying out loud, not Maui! One example was Julia Mancuso. Mancuso won gold in the Giant Slalom in Turin. Instead of focusing on her incredible athleticism and the fact that she made her World Cup debut at the tender age of 15, it showcases her "goods" for the whole world to see. I'm also somewhat disappointed in the athletes who actually chose to participate in the photo shoots. At the same time, considering the vast majority of them are amateur athletes, meaning they get very little funding for their training endeavors...it almost seems like they have no choice but to denigrate themselves to continue persuing their bona fide passion. Corporate sponsors take note. Women are not sex objects. Stop thinking with your other head and get the blood flowing upstairs, perverts!

Be Prepared!

If you are planning on being a spectator/tourist at the Vancouver games you may want to implement the following tips to make your experience as safe and exciting as possible.

First, make sure you arrive early to any event you will be attending. One of the reasons why you should arrive early is so that you won't miss any part of the event. Security screening proceedings can take a while, so its best to be there asap. Gates for events will open between 2-4 hours before the actual competition, so you can't have any excuses for being tardy!

Second, make sure to check your tickets before you go. Each ticket has a unique session code. Also, lost or stolen tickets cannot be replaced of refunded...

Next, if you need to bring a bag with you make sure it is as petite as possible. If you have a really tiny bag (or no bag at all) you can use the express lane to enter the venue.

Forth, make sure you know what you can and cannot bring to the event beforehand. All spectators will have to go through a metal detector. Not bringing any metal or foreign items to the event will speeden up the screening process exponentially.

Finally, follow instructions. Public information marshals will be scattered throughout the venue and will provide you with instructions on where to go and what to do once there. Avoid any hassles by being a keen listener.

If you are one of the lucky few who has been bestowed the honor of attending the 21st Olympiad then make sure to be safe and relish every moment on behalf of the majority who sadly won't be attending.

The Age Old Debate

I'm referring to the "controversy" surrounding female skiing powerhouse Lindsey Vonn. Vonn is the 1st woman skier from the United States to have won two consecutive World Cup Championships. She was also featured as the cover athlete for the February issue of Sports Illustrated. The title "America's Best Woman Skier Ever" was emblazoned on the glossy cover. Surprisingly, this inflammatory statement is not what elicited the controversy. It had to do with the way Vonn was "positioned" on the cover. Vonn is seen skiing downhill with her smiling face positioned towards the reader. Her rear is almost magnified in the cover.

While I can see some people accusing this cover of being sexist I beg to differ. Sports Illustrated actually created a cover very similar to this one, except it involved a male skier in spandex instead. The male cover elicited no controversy whatsoever. The fact of the matter is Sports Illustrated covers try to capture dynamic energy. To have the cover athlete actually engage in the sport they're good at. As a result, I don't see any problems with the cover.

Skirts for Sticks

Saturday, Saturday! Yup, I love my hockey. Any hockey die-hard hockey fan gets that warm fuzzy feeling in their hearts when the puck drops on Saturday night. This time around, we'll be rooting for our fav's as they go for Gold with the whole world watching. At the same time, I think that women's hockey doesn't get the accolades and ratings it deserves. I recently saw this really stupid (and arguably sexist) commercial about eggs. Yeah, you read that right. In the commercial two dumb-a*ss Joe Blow's happen to be skating in the same rink where Olympic and World Champion hockey players Haley Wickenheiser and Kim St-Pierre are practicing. They have no clue as ti who these amazing athletes are and challenge them to a match. The losers would have to buy breakfast for the winners. Obviously, the women dominate and crush the idiots. Anyway, it just pisses me off that women's hockey doesn't get the exposure and sponsors it deserves. They are every bit as incredible as the men...with far less financing and athletic programs. The only thing I would like to see added to women's hockey is fighting and body-checking. This whole misogynist notion that women are made of "sugar and spice and everything nice" needs to change. Women can be total bad-asses if they wanna be and I encourage it.

Supremacy Incarnate...

The Canadians want to dominate. They want to crush the competition and revel in the misery of their fallen foes. They believe their time to strike will be in 2010. And I am in concurrence with their timing. At the 2009 World Championships Canada nabbed the #1 spot with the most medals. I guess they're expecting more of the same....especially with an entire nation to support them as they strive for excellence.

To me, Canada has always been the "friendly neighbor" type. Most people don't think of "dominance" when they think Canada. More like "subservience" and "pacifism." So it did come to me as a surprise when they openly proclaimed that they weren't in it to "do their best" but to "beat out the rest." I'm actually impressed, honestly. With their awesome "Own the Podium" program; which had over 100 million dollars invested into it, they've got the bark to back up their bite. Good stuff.

Luciano Barra, a renowned Olympic expert, analyst, and former direct general of the Italian Olympic Committee expects Canada to win 29 medals: 1 more than the German and American powerhouses. Obviously, only time will tell if the Canucks can back up the hype, but it'd be a nice "global" makeover for the nation if they can pull off the upset. The pursuit of perfection begins in IX days...

Prognosis Positive?

One of the things we need to realize about the Olympics is that its more than just a cavalcade of sports events and phenomenal athletes showcasing the peak of humanity's capabilities. Its a business. From shareholders, to new stadium expenditures, tourist dollars, and so on, even the grand event must succumb to one even greater. The Almighty Dollar. Vancouver is encouraging people to carpool and use public transit during the games to cut down on "human pollution."

So, how much will the city of Vancouver profit from the games? Analysts forecast a lot. Vancouver is notorious for its sky high accommodation and lodging costs to begin with. When you factor in all the tourist influx for the games...Vancouver is expected to reap the fruits of its labor and then some for the 2010 games.

As for ticket pricing, expect them to range from $175-1,100 CAD, depending on the seating arrangement! When you realize that BC Place (the opening and closing ceremonies venue) has a seating capacity of 60,000...that's 10 million dollars generated just for the opening ceremonies! Analysts predict that over 2.5 million people will attend the games. And that doesn't even count the 5,500+ athletes and staff, 10,000 media members, and 25,000 volunteers!

Still, some predict that the 21st winter games will not turn a profit. The operating costs for the games are nearly 1.8 billion dollars. Of that money, nearly 600 million came from taxpayer's. When you think about the recession that is still plaguing the nation that seems kinda rough and unfair. At least the Canadian dollar is worth close to 94 cents U.S... but will that suffice? Only time will tell, but my prediction it that it will turn a profit, albeit a very small one.

Turning Tragedy into Triumph

I have the utmost respect for disabled athletes. Not only are they phenomenal athletes in their own right, but the fact that they have had to overcome great adversity to get to where they are commends respect. I think that the vast majority of people would simply sulk and give-in to their handicap and use it as a crutch for the rest of their lives. These men and women, on the other hand, used their tragedy as an opportunity for excellence, representing their countries with the utmost dignity and pride. And for that, I salute them.

The top 5 countries in Torino were the Russian Federation (33 medals), Ukraine (25), Germany (18), France (15), and Austria (14) respectively.