The good news about being on mat leave during the Olympics is that I've been able to watch a great deal of the coverage live, including both Canada's gold medals (thus far). CTV is doing a bang-up job and there seems to be a great deal of fun interjected into their broadcasts; particularly with their morning show team. Quite a lot of mirth, actually.
So here are a few of my thoughts about the games. My New Hero...
She wipes out in her run so hard that one of skis comes off and instead of taking off the other ski and hurtling it down the mountain (which is probably what I would have done) she puts the ski back on (clock ticking the whole time) nails her second jump and finishes with a chagrined shrug. Kristi Richards, you are one classy, confidant woman in ski pants.
Darn You Maelle Ricker...
Now I can't hate snowboarding anymore. Worse yet, I found the snowboard cross really exciting to watch. Worse still, I think I might rent a board and take a lesson or two because it looked like a whole lot of fun. I feel so dirty.
Johnny Weir...
Thank goodness, for a while there in the Stojko years I was afraid that men's figure skating was getting entirely too butch.
The Norwegian Curling Team...
They have funny looking pants but if there was a medal for hottest curlers ever, they would get it.
Teams Without Funding...
It takes a lot of guts to come out and compete when you have to ask for tips and help from other coaches and countries. Congratulations to you all for keeping your dreams alive and not seeing limitations, only challenges. You are the athletes who truly capture the spirit of the Olympic Games.
Home Town Athletes...
Good-luck and have fun to those from my home town of Red Deer, AB:
Zina Kocher – Biathlon
Regan Lauscher – Luge
Jeremy Wotherspoon – Speedskating
Canada's First Gold at Home...
I'm not going to lie, I'm really glad that this was won in a ski event. I'm biased, I admit it.