Day 9

The Americans continued their dominance on Day 9 and now have six Gold, seven Silver and ten Bronze. Germany is second with fourteen and Norway is in third with eleven. Due to a big day in Short Track Speed Skating, South Korea has passed us and now sit with nine Medals. Canada, who failed to win a Medal today, are still stuck at eight. Frustrations seem to be mounting among athletes and fans, but nothing will subdue the biggest party in the World right now which is happening on Robson Street.

Every day in the Province Newspaper they are giving samples of what other Newspaper Columnists from around the World are saying about Vancouver. Here is an excerpt from The New York Times, one of the largest and most respected Newspapers in the World:

"Why the lack of self-esteem Canada - snap out of it! You're gorgeous, baby, you're sophisticated, you live well. No need for an apology... There may be no more heart-stopping view in all the World than the glimpse to the West, toward the distant Strait of Georgia, from the span of the Lion's Gate Bridge, which links Vancouver to its northern suburbs. The pan-Asian cuisine of British Columbia, built around a bounty from the seas, forest and prairie, puts London and Hong Kong to shame...Vancouver is Manhatten with mountains. It's a liquid city, a tomorrow city, equal parts India, China, England, France and the Pacific Northwest. It's the cool North American sibling. If only, and this holds true for the rest of Canada, it didn't feel the need to blush."

You can't buy that kind of publicity. Although the fact that we 'feel the need to blush' makes us Canadian, and if we were arrogant about it then we would be a little too American for my liking.

While there were a lot of events going on today, nothing overly significant as far as I was concerned. I did watch some Curling. In the final game of the Men's round robin Canada played Great Britain. I actually watched the whole thing. Well almost. I started watching in the 7th inning, err end when Canada looked to be in a bit of trouble. It was actually quite entertaining and Canada prevailed in the end after Great Britain seemed to fall apart. Canada is the only team to go undefeated in the round robin and are a lock to make the podium. I guess when they called it 'Own The Podium', they were talking about Curling, or Ice Shuffleboards as I call it.

I enjoyed watching some Short Track Speed Skating. In the Ladies 1500 Metres, my idol in these games Meng Wang, and no not because of the name although it is fun to say, was disqualified after a South Korean woman took her and another skater out of the race. The judges reviewed it and gave the South Korean a spot in the final and not Wang. This was very unfair and I'm sure China is loading up the Nukes right now. I just hope the Okanagan is far enough away from Vancouver that we don't have to deal with years of radiation. Oh well, my hair is already falling out anyways. Hmm, did I get off-topic? How shocking. Back to Meng Wang. I watched her race the other day and I don't remember seeing anyone so dominant. Of course she won Gold, but there was never any question. I was just hoping a Canadian would win a Silver or Bronze. That South Korean woman just barged in and tripped her. (By the way I watched the footage back in slo-mo, and the Korean woman didn't even have the decency to say 'excuse me'!) In the Men's 100 metres, South Koreans picked up a Gold and Silver, giving them four Medals in these two events.

One trend I've been noticing throughout these Olympic Games are athletes competing for other Countries. Like the Moguls Skier from West Vancouver who won the Silver Medal skiing for Australia. There are Canadian hockey players playing for Germany and Switzerland among others. Where is the loyalty? Where is the patriotism? Actually, I'm just pissed that I didn't think about it sooner. I could've competed in the Men's Hockey for Ethiopia. I'm sure I could have secured a spot as a third line shutdown centre.

While we're on the topic of questioning people's patriotism, now is probably as good a time as any to bring up a recent incident involving protesters. Apparently somebody carved into the huge Canadian Flag on the Hotel Vancouver 'FU 2010'. Well, either they are having a very bad year, or they do not like the Olympics. First of all that flag apparently cost $150,000. That's a lot of money, especially to people who are so concerned about how much money our Government are spending on these Games. Second, and most importantly, as I've said before, I respect those people who are opposed to the Games as long as they are civil, don't ruin anyone's fun and don't make Vancouver or BC look bad. But I absolutely do not respect anyone that damages and disrespects our flag. I hope these people are caught and their pictures put in the paper for all of us patriotic Canadians to see.

In Men's Hockey, Switzeland beat Norway 5-4, Slovakia crushed Latvia 6-0 (sorry Darren), and Belarus beat a surprisingly inept German team 5-3. In Women's Hockey Switzerland ousted China 6-0, and Russia beat Slovakia 4-2. But the real Hockey starts tomorrow with Russia playing the Czechs, Canada against the US and the Swedes versus the Finns in a rematch of the Gold Medal Game from Turino. Should be a great triple-header. I'm going to buy extra bags of chips for the occasion. It will be very interesting to see how all six of these teams are gelling together. It's almost impossible to predict. While I definitely think that the Canadians are favorites on paper, the team that plays most like a team will have the best shot at winning. Well that and the team with the best Goalie.

I mentioned in an earlier blog that we were thinking of coming down to take in some of the atmosphere. Watching it all on CTV makes me want to be there and judging by the crazy amounts of people, I guess I'm not the only one. And here I thought everyone was going to Mexico to get out of the city for the Month. Due to security reasons, I'm not allowed to mention the date or time of our arrival, or which Limo we will be riding in, but we will make an appearance on Robson, and at the infamous imprisoned cauldron. As long as my Security team allows it, I will even be signing autographs for the common-folk. And in honor of the imprisoned cauldron, in todays picture I am in front of a chain link fence. I just thought it was somehow appropriate.

Looking at that mass of people on Robson, I had a brain-storm. (Or maybe it was a minor stroke, I'm never completely sure which.) I think you could make a lot of money selling 'Vancouver 2018' merchandise. While the Olympics and 2010 have been trademarked, I bet you could get away with 'Vancouver 2018'. It is such a party downtown that I think people would be all over the thought of getting the Games back in a few years. While I know that's not going to happen, well not for at least a few decades, I think the City of Vancouver needs to close down Robson St every February for at least a day to celebrate our Olympics. Personally I think it should be a week long celebration every year, similar to a Mardi Gras or Carnivale. Let's bring the people back every year, because with the people comes the money. (And you thought I was just a pretty face.)

Looking ahead to Day 10 (wow, it's all going by so quickly), there's your usual biathlon, bobsleigh and curling. Men's Giant Slalom up at Whistler, Original Dance Figure Skating at the Pacific Coliseum, Men's Ski Cross up at Cypress, and more Long Track Speed Skating at the Richmond Oval. However the focus will definitely be on the Men's Hockey particularly the big Canada-US game. While it is still only the round robin, our city desperately wants a reason to celebrate. In the meantime, I'll be here in my easy chair analyzing every celebration, every defeat, every moronic public display by stupid protesters (or is it every stupid public display by moronic protesters?), every tear of joy and every tear of sorrow. Well, that is if I don't fall asleep again.