Olympic whining should be an exhibition sport at the next Olympics because some people are seriously training for the event.The Vancouver Olympics had not even started and people were jumping on the whine wagon. It all started when Georgian luge competitor Nodar Kumaritashvili was unfortunately killed in a training run on a track that folks were quick to call way too dangerous. The opening ceremonies offered a wide range of targets for more complaining. People were late, that whole prairie scene was lame, the arms of the Olympic cauldron malfunctioned, and then (for shame) Wayne Gretzky travelled in the back of a truck to light the cauldron by the harbour. The weather has even come under criticism. How could the Winter Olympics be held in a place that can not promise snow? Bashing these Olympics has become it's own event and I can think of a few folks who should be standing at the top of the podium to get their medals.
Here is a little news flash: people have died at the Olympics before! A cyclist died during a race at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. A British luger died in a trial run at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. I clearly remember the nasty death of Swiss skier Nicholas Bochatay at the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France. This poor guy was just getting in some practice before the end of the games and hit a snow-grooming machine on the way down. I think running into a snow-grooming machine ranks right up there with worst ways to die. Then there was the bombing at Centennial Park during the 1996 Atlanta Games that killed two people and wounded countless others. Of course we can not forget the 1972 Munich Summer Games. Terroists killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches while the world looked on in horror. These events are barely mentioned when talking about Nodar Kumaritashvili, only complaints about how poorly designed the sliding track in Whistler is and how a death was inevitable. Really? A death in luge was inevitable? What a shock! Sliding down an ice-coated chute at over 100 km an hour with no padding might result in a death? Comes as news to me. Frankly, I'm surprised when sombody does not die during a luge event.
The complaining over the opening ceremonies really gets my goat. It was fantastic and shame on Canadians for finding fault. Sure some stuff was a little cheesy but I can not recall seeing one pretty little Chinese girl lip-synching for a girl deemed too ugly to appear on television like we saw at the Beijing Olympics of 2008. Our opening ceremonies featured the chunky slam poet Shane Koyczan, with full neck beard, on a raised pedestal. No need to hide this guy because he did not fit some coookie cutter idea of perfection. His talent was what brought him there and that is why we should applaud him.
Here is a little news flash: people have died at the Olympics before! A cyclist died during a race at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. A British luger died in a trial run at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. I clearly remember the nasty death of Swiss skier Nicholas Bochatay at the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France. This poor guy was just getting in some practice before the end of the games and hit a snow-grooming machine on the way down. I think running into a snow-grooming machine ranks right up there with worst ways to die. Then there was the bombing at Centennial Park during the 1996 Atlanta Games that killed two people and wounded countless others. Of course we can not forget the 1972 Munich Summer Games. Terroists killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches while the world looked on in horror. These events are barely mentioned when talking about Nodar Kumaritashvili, only complaints about how poorly designed the sliding track in Whistler is and how a death was inevitable. Really? A death in luge was inevitable? What a shock! Sliding down an ice-coated chute at over 100 km an hour with no padding might result in a death? Comes as news to me. Frankly, I'm surprised when sombody does not die during a luge event.
The complaining over the opening ceremonies really gets my goat. It was fantastic and shame on Canadians for finding fault. Sure some stuff was a little cheesy but I can not recall seeing one pretty little Chinese girl lip-synching for a girl deemed too ugly to appear on television like we saw at the Beijing Olympics of 2008. Our opening ceremonies featured the chunky slam poet Shane Koyczan, with full neck beard, on a raised pedestal. No need to hide this guy because he did not fit some coookie cutter idea of perfection. His talent was what brought him there and that is why we should applaud him.
Now I'm reading articles that the ceremonies just were not ethnic enough. The opening ceremonies gave us a glimpse of every part of Canada. It would have been impossible to feature every ethnic group that lives in our country and it is ridiculous even to suggest it. We had a lesbian singer, Aboriginal Peoples dancing and singing, and our gorgeous Hiatian born Governor General Michaelle Jean officially opening the Games. What more do you want? Should they have thrown perogies at the audience? And really, so what if the cauldron did not rise up in the manner intended. In typical Canadian fashion the problem was overcome and we made due. The only person who is allowed to complain about the malfunction is Catriona Le May Doan. She was the only one ripped off.
Finally, the weather. Canada can not control the weather. It just so happens that a warm spell picked this time to appear. The folks involved in the Olympics have knocked themselves out transporting snow to ensure that the games could continue and they have done a great job. All the events at higher elevations are just fine but when you run an event at a low elevation like Cypress you are bound to have problems. Anybody who has ever skied knows that, at this time of the year, spots like Cypress are a crap shoot. Maybe we should be giving ourselves a pat on the back for hosting an Olympics that has worked hard to be as green as possible. At least Olympic organizers did not have to schedule events around air pollution like the Beijing Olympics!
Finally, the weather. Canada can not control the weather. It just so happens that a warm spell picked this time to appear. The folks involved in the Olympics have knocked themselves out transporting snow to ensure that the games could continue and they have done a great job. All the events at higher elevations are just fine but when you run an event at a low elevation like Cypress you are bound to have problems. Anybody who has ever skied knows that, at this time of the year, spots like Cypress are a crap shoot. Maybe we should be giving ourselves a pat on the back for hosting an Olympics that has worked hard to be as green as possible. At least Olympic organizers did not have to schedule events around air pollution like the Beijing Olympics!
If Canadians can claim one unifying trait it is our eagerness to believe and accept every nasty thing other countries say about us. Stop it right now! I say pull up a chair, grab a fine Canadian beer and enjoy watching our incredible athletes do one hell of a job.
