Over but not out…

So…the games are over. Spectacular performances. Beautiful city and venues. New records. All to be expected and all to be celebrated. Less obviously but perhaps more important is the Olympic spirit, which continues on in every city that hosts a games. A spirit that transcends cultures and distances and our daily lives. A spirit that teaches us all, elevates us all, and reminds us of the better angels inside all of us.

Who can forget the brave skater who with her beloved mothers death not a day old, rose to the occasion to perform a personal best and ultimately win a medal?  What lessons could all of us have learned from that athlete at that moment?  To bear witness to the moment of a sea of humanity acknowledging not just the spirit of the athlete but sharing if for only a moment, a transcendent emotional bond felt round the world, is a moment we should all learn from.

Yes we have our problems as individuals, as countries and as humanity. Somehow if our leaders could summon up the emotion of that moment our world would be a better place.  The Olympic games may be over, the spirit will live on.

Joannie Rochette has demonstrated what it means to be taken by the spirit of the games. And uniquely the audience on that night, both in the stadium but far away showed us all our common humanity.

Lindsey Vonn Wins

When thinking of pretty girls most do not think of heroes. When thinking of pretty girls most do not associate words such as ‘grit’ or ‘tested’ or ‘heroic’.  Lindsey Vonn certainly changed most thinking today. Injured with an injury that would have caused many to quit Vonn stiffened her resolve. Lacking training time due to weather Vonn found other ways to prepare. In pain, Vonn managed her mind to focus on the task at hand.

And so, when Lindsey Vonn stepped into the competitors moment today, she left everything behind except the hero. And won.

It’s an Olympic moment that will be long remembered. An inspiration to all who will come later. Congratulations Lindsey. You deserve the day.

Maëlle Ricker wins

Its hard to imagine a nicer person, when you see and hear Maëlle Ricker. Add to that great personality, a great work ethic, a great team spirit, and huge support from family and friends, and you have the story of a hero. Of course Maëlle Ricker would be hero had she lost. But she didn’t.

In a decisive demonstration of pose, aggressiveness and experience, Ricker won the day against some of the toughest competitors on the planet. And…she had fun!

So Maëlle let’s just say congratulations for winning. You deserved every bit of it. But also let us say congratulations for winning the right way. You were a hero before you stepped on the slope today.

Johnny Weir-fun, fun, fun…’till…

I was thinking about that t-bird daddy might take away the other day when Johnny Weir came to mind.  Johnny Weir is about much fun as there’s been in figure skating in many a year. This all came to mind as I watched the oh so serious pairs long skate. Where did the fun and the passion go? It didn’t seem that long ago that the Scott Hamilton’s, and the Nancy Kerrigan’s were bedazzling us not just with their technical skills, but with their passionate, fun, articulate expression of their sport.

Yes of course the pairs winners were great. Or amazing. Or any of a dozen other words that came to mind. But the one thing they were not, was passionate. If there was fun anywhere to be had in Vancouver that night, it was definitely not in the pairs arena. Such serious music. I was waiting for  ‘Voyage of the Damned’ as the next music.

So Johnny Weir is a ray of sunshine in this otherwise grim sporting tale, as dark and as gray as a Vancouver sky.  And ‘yes’, that quad will make or break him. But my bet is that his will be the most fun, and his will be the most memorable that evening. No one is taking Johnny’s t-bird away.

So tonight  Johnny be good.  Go Johnny go!

Team USA to play Russia

The tradition started during the cold war. The best of the west’s hockey teams playing the best of the Soviet block. Classic games from the 70′s, Team USA versus the Soviet Union, or Team Canada versus the Soviet Union. Things have calmed down somewhat after the fall of the empire. but any Team USA game against the Russians is still the classic hockey game.

So tonight Team USA women goes up against the best of ‘the Bear’.  National pride is on the line for both countries. Canada is a great neutral arena, not that the Canadians are disinterested. Hockey as any Canadian worth their salt will tell you, is ‘our game’. And Canada is doubly motivated in this games. Its home territory for the Canadians and a gold at home would be the first for Team Canada. But its also ‘those guys’ (or girls in this case), the one game that has a 40 year at least tradition. Home many games can you name that have that kind of tradition. Not many is the answer.

So both Team USA and their rivals are going to playing their best. And it may well be some of the best hockey to be seen this decade. The puck drops tonight! Your thoughts welcome!

Vancouver 2010 Games Open

Of the two thousand or so songs in my library KD Lang appears nowhere. After watching the opening ceremony that will change.  Before this evening I had never heard of Shane Koyczan. Nor slam poetry. Until the opening ceremony I could never put into words what makes me a Canadian. Before the Vancouver opening ceremony I feared that the event would be like so many other Canadian events. Dull, poorly produced, or  irrelevant. Had I not just days ago argued while Canada does many things well, media, and events were not our strong suite? Have I not likened Canadian media and events to iron era Soviet television?

No longer.

The opening of the 2010 games was not just an event nor spectacle both of which it was.  This ceremony signaled Canada’s coming of age. No longer an aspirant to American showmanship. No longer a weak understudy.  This event was not world class, it was beyond world class.

All the usual and more unusual effects from the stadium floor turning into a whale pod swimming in the ocean  to music to cry to, poetry to reflect on and speeches spoken just right. Meaning, celebration and joy all wrapped into an evening of warmth and shared humanity. How an event of this scale could do those things I could not say. That the event did is testimony to everyone involved and the raw resources of the Canadian spirit.

Well done Vancouver. Well done Canada. And thank you Shane Koyczan for putting into words what some of us could not for some 50 years.

Welcome to Canada.

When Injury Happens

It was announced yesterday that one of Team USA’s most hopeful of Olympic hopefuls had injured herself. Lindsey Vonn has sustained a lower leg injury which may take her out of the games. First of all we would like to express our support for Lindsey. It is hard to imagine the frustration of getting injured days before the biggest event in her life.

While we are crossing our fingers that Lindsey will recover in time to compete we hope she will not risk her health to get in the game. She is a tough competitor and will be chomping at the bit to take to the course. hang in there and Best of luck Lindsey!

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The Olympic Hockey War

Its always a war, when it comes to hockey. The big battle this time will be in Vancouver. Team USA and Team Canada will be in the middle of it. But don’t forget the Swedes, the Russians and the Checks. Fans can post their thoughts to the community using the form below.

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Sasha Cohen

So many Olympic sports are about speed, or strength or team work. Figure skating has always for me been the ballet on the ice. Not that figure skaters are not superb athletes, they are all that an more. But it is the artistry and the creativity of figure skating that draws us to the event.

This games, America has one of its youngest rosters. Rachel Flatt replaces Sasha Cohen the silver medalist after Cohen fell. Elegant, technically perfect and demonstrating some of the most creative passionate competitors in decades, Flatt will be the one to watch. But somehow you just get the feeling that the experience of Cohen will be missed. Fans can post their experiences here.

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Vancouver non Olympic things to do Part 1

Ok, we all know why most of the world is in Vancouver over the next few weeks. But other than the Olympics there are a few  things visitors should experience.

Tops on my list of unique things to do, is to go for a walk. Yep, a walk. Vancouver has one of the worlds most interesting and enjoyable walks of any place you will likely visit. The seawall is a walk around Vancouver’s famous Stanley park. The park, which is an multi climate eco system is right in the heart of the city. The path which is wide, paved, and very popular circumvents the park. And the whole affair is shaped like a finger pointing out into the ocean.

The experience will have you walk by the ocean, walk under the bridge, and walk through a lovely forest. The views are breathtaking. If you are lucky, you may find yourself walking next to an ocean liner slipping into harbor, or watching wildlife play near the shore.

Afterwords find a great coffee shop near either entrance or exit and people watch as long as you like.

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