A Final Word

Forgive me reader for I have sinned. It's been almost three weeks since my last confession. Alright, I admit it. I have gotten lazy once again. I fully intended to write this blog a day or two after the closing ceremonies and it just didn't happen. Dont blame me. Blame Cheetos. And Laz-Boy.

Twenty days later and I think I'm still feeling withdrawal. I thought that the Olympics would inspire me to get some exercise. I envisioned myself running marathons and competing in Iron Man competitions. Of course before you can do that you have to get up off your ass and move. I decided I didn't like that idea. Although I'm proud to say that today I made myself a protein shake. It contained skim milk, frozen strawberries, blueberries, bananas, cherries, strawberry yogurt and vanilla protein powder. It tasted great and complimented my bacon and eggs and hashbrowns quite nicely. So as you can see, I'm still a work in progress. Now if they had a Seniors Olympic Games, then that is something I could get motivated for. I think it's a pretty good idea. They could have Scooter Races, Cane Gymnastics and I bet the Bingo would be pretty intense.

I've had a little bit of time now to reflect on things. I've also recently heard of a few things that happened behind the scenes and now realize that I was probably too hard on the Closing Ceremonies. I listened to Bruce Allen on Larry & Willy's Show on Jack FM (Bruce is the outspoken manager of Michael Buble, Bryan Adams, Martina McBride, Jann Arden and Anne Murray). He is always very informative and never afraid to speak his mind. In my last blog I wondered why they didn't ask Shania Twain and Rush and Tragically Hip etc. It never occurred to me that some artists would actually turn them down. Was I ever wrong.

Okay so here's the dirt. Before the brilliant producer of the opening and closing ceremonies David Atkins even agreed to the job, he supplied Vanoc with a list of four Global entertainers that he felt were essential to get to sing at either ceremony. They were Bryan Adams, Michael Buble, Celine Dion and Shania Twain. They asked Celine very early on and right off the bat she said no. Her husband Rene told Vanoc that they were trying to have another baby and she was given the year off. Then she announced that she was pregnant and later announced that she was not pregnant. At that point, once again they approached her. Rene once again said she was taking the year off. Then on January 21 she performed on the We Are The World song and on January 31 she appeared on The Grammys. Shortly after that she appeared on Oprah. Bruce Allen called her actions an insult to Vanoc and a slap in the face to Canadians. Yep, he tends to tell it like it is.

As for Shania Twain, apparently the rumors of her being in Whistler mere days before the Opening Ceremonies were untrue. She originally said yes to performing, but very late in the game backed out. At the same time she fired her manager. Vanoc tried to get a hold of her to confirm that she wasn't going to do it and they couldn't find her. They hired a PR Firm to find her just so they would know for sure. A reason was never given.

The biggest disappointment for me was from one of my favorite bands. Blue Rodeo said no because they were worried about over-exposure. Bruce Allen- "Over-exposure? They just do their crappy little show in the park every Summer that nobody goes to and they are worried about over-exposure? They aren't doing a whole concert. It's just one crappy song!" I don't understand it. It could have been a great moment.

One of Canada's best bands, Rush, originally said yes, but backed out because they didn't feel they were prepared. Now that's a reason that I can respect. If rehearsals weren't going well then I can understand backing out. (They could have always asked me to take over on drums if that was the problem.)

The Tragically Hip (who Bruce Allen refers to as 'Ten Provinces Tragically Hip'. When asked what that means, he said that nobody knows them outside of ten Provinces) wanted too many demands and they were given the boot.

One of Canada's legends Leonard Cohen wouldn't return phone calls. Bruce Allen-"It's always a big circus with him. You don't speak to Leonard Cohen. You can't speak to Leonard Cohen. You have to talk to his people." They eventually gave up on him and then when it was too late, he did return their calls and said 'kd's already singing my song, why do I have to be there?' More from Bruce Allen-"He recently said in the papers how proud he is to be Canadian and if it weren't for Canada he wouldn't be where he was today, and then he does this crap. It just makes me sick to my stomach." Or words to that effect, but you get the idea.

I think it is shameful for an artist to not want to perform for their Country. It should be a great honor. As Bruce Allen pointed out, if these Olympics were in the US, all the big American stars would be clawing each other's eyes out to get a chance to perform. The rest of Canada, all of us average Joes, can be proud of our patriotism. Those artists I just named should go to the penalty box for two minutes and feel shame. (I've heard rumors that Leonard Cohen has mob ties, I wonder if I should go into hiding? Nah, I think I'm pretty safe here. In Halifax.)

One of the many things I neglected to mention in my last blog was what a brilliant job I thought that John Furlong did in putting on these Games. Nobody on this project has worked harder than him or been under more pressure than him over the past six years. He insisted on having his cell phone with him at all times just in case there was a problem even though text messages would almost always wake him every night. Over the course of those six years, he's had six lesions removed from his face, his second marriage ended and his relationships with his own kids and nine grandkids have been tested. Was it a perfect Olympic Games? No. But when you look at all the potential problems, not a lot went wrong. The only big issue was the passing of the Georgian luger. That's impossible to ignore. But that clearly wasn't Vanoc's fault. I think Mr Furlong will be immortalized in this city and a statue of him should be put up in Robson Square.

Just yesterday I saw a picture in The Province of Stephen Harper accepting Beer from an Obama aide after winning a bet that they had on the Men's Gold Medal Hockey game. While I have no problem with the photo, I really hope that all of those people that were offended by the Canadian Women's Hockey Team for smoking cigars and drinking beer and champagne on the ice in celebration are even more pissed about this. Not only is our Prime Minister accepting Alcohol, but he's also telling all of those kids out there that gambling is good. Just throw a bong into the mix and you would have a trifecta.

I was really excited about watching the Opening Ceremonies for the Paralympic Games. I'd originally heard that it was going to be on Friday night, and then I heard that it was going to be on Saturday afternoon. I couldn't quite figure it out. Then on Friday evening I read on The Province website that they were airing it live at that moment. So we quickly put it on even though it wasn't mentioned on any of the guides. We'd missed about an hour and a half unfortunately. What I saw I was really impressed with and found it much more emotional than any moment in either Olympic ceremonies. Since it was supposed to air again at 2 pm on Saturday, I figured we would watch the first hour and a half then. At that time we turned it on and it had already started. They decided to air them at 1:30. I still have not seen the first 30 minutes. CTV has done a really poor job promoting the Paralympic Games. Very disappointing. I think if it was shown live and they gave it some decent coverage, the ratings would be pretty solid, after all, as I said in previous blogs, these athletes are our true heroes. If I were to lose a limb, I think I would just sit at home and feel sorry for myself which, come to think of it is what I do now anyways.

Since I began this blog I have been bombarded by questions and comments. I'm sure you realize that I'm much too busy to respond to all of my fans. I thought now would be a good time to respond to a few of you. Consider this my gift to you, the reader. (What were you expecting? A Quatchi doll?)

Anne Sutherby of Red Deer Alberta asks: 'Clearly you are one of the most brilliant minds of our generation. What made you choose to write blogs as opposed to curing Cancer, solving the Climate Crisis or running for Prime Minister?'

Corey answers: 'I'm glad you picked up on my intelligence. How very astute of you. But please remember that this blog only takes 7 or 8 hours a day. I've had plenty of time to do my Cancer research on Lab rats and Guinea Pigs, talk the Chinese into using Electric Cars and become the leader of the Liberal Party. I've even become the new poster boy for Cheetos Baked Cheezies. Thanks for the question.'

Rebecca Sinclair of Houston Texas asks: 'With your supermodel looks, why aren't you in front of the camera instead of behind a keyboard?'

Corey answers: 'Thank you Rebecca for the question. That's something I get asked all the time. In restaurants, I'm often mistaken for Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt or Ed Asner. When you look like a supermodel and write like a literary genius it's a tough choice to make. But I made it, and I'm not looking back. Besides, I'll have you know that I was once a model for The Hair Club For Men.

Darren McLeod of Whalley BC writes: 'Your blog has truly given me a reason to live. Before your Easy Chair Olympic Blog I used to spend hours revving up my car in the garage, (Damn those electric cars anyways!!) and several times I overdosed on pills (but then I found out taking a whole bottle of Flintstones Vitamins just gives me gas) but now I feel that you have given me a new lease on life. So thank you for that. My question is, I would compare you to Mark Twain or John Steinbeck. Who were your literary influences growing up?

Corey responds: 'Thank you Mr. McLeod for the kind remarks. I'm sure if I lived in Whalley, I probably would have slit my wrists by now. Hmm, maybe you should have tried that. To answer your question, my influences were definitely Danielle Steel and Dr Seuss.

Camille Fournier of Montreal Quebec asks: 'As a Guinea Pig lover I have to ask, were you serious about doing testing on them for Cancer research?'

Corey answers: 'No Camille. I would never do such a thing. They are way too cute for that. They do however taste great in stew.'

Randy Smith of Peterborough Ontario asks: 'Will there be an Easy Chair Olympic Blog for the Summer Olympics in London in two years?'

Corey answers: 'Another question I get asked a lot. I don't really know. Two years is a long way off. At my age it all depends on whether or not they have the Internet at my nursing home.'

Day 17

It's seems like only yesterday that that snowboarder flew from the video screen and landed smack dab in the middle of BC Place. I guess time flies when you are winning Gold Medals left, right and centre. It's hard to believe this madness that is Vancouver 2010 is coming to an end, but this is it, the final day. Day 17.

Sleep has never been a friend to me, and over these past two and a half weeks it's been as elusive as the Ogopogo. Looking at the pictures of every day of this blog, I'm reminded of Jared Leto in Requiem For A Dream. He looked fine in the beginning of the movie, but by the end he looked like a zombie and had to have his arm chopped off. Well the good news is I still have all my limbs. Last night was no different. I tossed and turned, stressed about the hockey game, worried about Luongo. I bet he probably got a lot more sleep than I did.

I had my Canuck jersey on and Ryan got out his Luongo, Iginla and Crosby figurines and I had my Baked Cheezies, and we were ready for face-off. (Incidentally, Ryan told me when the tournament started that Luongo had to play and then he would put his 3 figurines on the table and they would win Gold.) I said all along that if Luongo just played decent that the US would lose, but I guess I totally underestimated the Americans. They actually played a great game. Ryan Kesler did an amazing job shutting down Sidney Crosby for most of the game, and while Canada was trying to own the podium, Kesler was owning the face-off circle. While I am a big Kesler fan as a Canuck, he is horrible to play against. I don't think I could pay him a bigger compliment. It was a tighter game than I expected. I was kind of missing that wide open Hockey the Russians played, but this was probably the fastest game I've ever witnessed. Regardless of the outcome I was proud of the game of Hockey, and glad the World got to witness just how great it can be. Having said that I wanted Canada to win Gold as much as anyone and through the entire game I had to keep reminding myself to breathe. In The Province they said that Crosby 'saved Canada from a nervous breakdown'. I couldn't disagree more. I had at least three nervous breakdowns before Sid the Kid finally ended the torture and caused me to leap to my feet and circle the room at least two or three times. I will never forget it. It was like I was moving in slow motion, but I swear I did a triple axel, triple lutz combination and I didn't even two-foot the landing. There have been many historic Hockey moments in Canada's history, but I think this one tops them all (Canada winning the Hockey game not my triple-triple combination). And I will be able to tell my Grandkids that I was there in my easy chair watching the whole thing. Eating my Baked Cheezies.

Apparently I wasn't the only one celebrating. They showed aerial views of Yaletown in Vancouver, Yonge Street in Toronto and various other locations across Canada at the exact moment Crosby put the puck in the net and it was so exciting to see thousands upon thousands of Canadians going nuts at the exact same moment. I had tears in my eyes as the celebration continued. Canada beating the US in overtime in the Gold Medal game, the last event of Vancouver 2010? And breaking the record for most Gold Medals by any Country at an Olympic Winter Games? The best screenwriter in the World couldn't have written a better story. (Well he probably would've had a car chase in there somewhere and the guy getting the girl in the end.) I was so happy for Roberto Luongo. It was great to see all of Canada cheering for him for a change. I think he proved himself and in doing so came out from Martin Brodeur's shadow. US coach Ron Wilson after the game said that 'sometimes the best team doesn't win.' I don't know what it is about (most) Americans. Why can't they lose gracefully? While this game could've gone either way, the last time we played them we dominated most of the game and they were lucky to win. The US played very well, but they weren't the best team. I think we proved ourselves.

After all was said and done, Ryan ended up being exactly right in his predictions. Remember I mentioned he had the Luongo, Crosby and Iginla figurines on our table near the tv. Well not only did Luongo play really well but Crosby scored the game winner and Iginla was the one who passed him the puck. That's a little eerie. (I really wonder if he might be psychic. When we watched the Women's Curling Gold Medal game, on Canada's last shot Ryan said that they were going to screw it up and lose the Gold, and he was right. That's kind of creepy.)

It occurred to me today that in all the Men's Hockey coverage of the Olympics, something was missing. And then I realized that there was one key reason why it was so great that CTV was broadcasting the Games and not CBC. No Don Cherry. I didn't miss his ridiculous suits or ridiculous arrogance in the least.

After my heartbeat had slowed and my blood pressure returned to normal I went into town to get some snacks for the Closing Ceremonies. I wore my Canada jersey proudly, and I wasn't the only one. There were also a lot of cars with Canadian flags flowing in the breeze. What has happened to this Nation? Whatever it is, I'm liking it. Anyways, back to the snacks. (See how that always happens?) I bought some sourdough bread, some spinach and artichoke dip, some chip dip, Coke Zero and my infamous Baked Cheezies and a bottle of Chenin Blanc and rushed back home to watch the big finish.

I had such mixed emotions. I was very exited to watch the Closing Ceremonies, but so sad to see it come to an end. I'm sure I wasn't alone in feeling that way. I was pretty emotional all day and knew I needed to have some Kleenex standing by. (I think if I was a celebrity I would be a perfect spokesman for Kleenex and Baked Cheezies. Oh, and Immodium.)

At 5:30 the Closing Ceremonies began. I imagine most of you watched it but I have to tell you I thought the way it began was brilliant. I thought for sure they would've had the torch in place the way it was supposed to be, but they didn't. I love the fact that they made fun of it and had a clown come out to try and fix the problem. Way to turn a negative into something funny and positive. Now how Canadian is that? I would love to write in here how amazing the Closing Ceremonies were and what a fitting way to end an awesome two and a half weeks. But a lot of the Closing Ceremonies just wasn't working for me. Maybe I expected too much. The Opening Ceremonies were so spectacular and so perfect, (well almost perfect) and I guess maybe my expectations were too high. Also, after that amazing and historic Hockey game, how could this not pale in comparison? It took a long time to get going, there were many many songs that were not in English, and some long speeches. A group of people with snowboards came out next while a band I've never heard of sang a song that consisted of "Woah oh oh oh, Vancou-ouver" over and over and over again. Seriously, they went to a commercial, came back and they were still singing it. I've spent months trying to come up with an Olympic song, about the spirit, and about winning, and about uniting as a Nation and as a Planet. I still haven't come up with anything I would consider decent. But these people write "Woah oh oh oh, Vancou-ouver" and it makes it into the Closing Ceremonies? Wow. After all the Olympians took their seats and they brought down the Olympic flag, Neil Young appeared out of nowhere to sing Long May You Run. Right from the opening notes on his harmonica I knew which song it was, and then came the tears. The photo I have added was taken while Neil Young performed. It even sounded like he may have been in key. That was a pretty cool moment. I also really liked the segment involving William Shatner, Catherine O'Hara and Michael J Fox and then the flying Moose and large Beavers. (It's tempting, but I'm not going there, it's too easy.) I appreciated the humour as Canada made fun of itself. Many of the funniest comedians in the World have come from Canada and it's great that they showcased that. Michael Buble did a great job as always. He has so much charisma. I'm glad they got him to perform and this was one of the highlights on the night. However, having one of those Beavers hump Wayne Gretzky's leg would've made that moment even better but for some reason they didn't go that direction. I didn't particularly care for the Eva Avila, Nicky what's-her-face duet. We have an infinite number of talented singers with Worldwide appeal, and they get Eva Avila? I bet none of you can name two songs of hers. (And don't be Googling. Now there's a switch.) I was okay with Nickelback performing. It was a decent enough song, something about OD'ing on drugs and passing out on a floor. Pretty appropriate.

Another highlight I thought was the Sochi, Russia portion of the show. It was pretty impressive. Much better than Canada's moment in the Closing Ceremonies in Turin. At the end of it, a choir came out and sang the Russian anthem. I'm thinking it was about 10 minutes long. I would've had enough time to go into town and get some more Baked Cheezies. Not only was it long, but was it me or did it sound an awful lot like Frosty The Snowman? I was almost expecting Santa and his Reindeer to fly through the rings and land in the middle of BC Place.

After that the party began. Montreal's Simple Plan sang ('How does it feel when you kiss, when you know that I trust you, and do you think about me when he f*$ks you'). Now are those lyrics conducive to the spirit of the Games? And the IOC was upset that our Canadian Women were drinking booze and smoking cigars? Alanis Morissette also sang, and a few songs were sung in French. Personally I think we needed more BC performers and less performers from Ontario and Quebec. (Great, now Camille is going to be pissed at me.) The kicker for me was Avril Lavigne. I'm not a fan but she has Worldwide appeal so I'm okay with her performing. But not only was she the only artist to sing two songs but they were "My Happy Ending" ('don't leave me hanging in a city so dead, held up so high on such a breakable thread) and "Girlfriend" ('so come over here and tell me what I wanna hear, better yet make your girlfriend disappear). Now do you think those are appropriate songs for a Closing Ceremonies? Here I am with Kleenex in hand, expecting to mourn for the end of a great moment in Vancouver history, and Avril is singing something about not liking some guys girlfriend. Sorry. Not working for me.

I remember back in 1984 when the Summer Olympics were in Los Angeles. (Yeah I'm old.) I can distinctly remember sitting in front of our crappy old 26 inch Electrolux watching the Closing Ceremonies. All these years later, there is only one moment that still sticks with me from that day. Among all the stars that performed, all I remember was one unknown Woman who sang "Reach out and touch, somebodies hand, make this World a better place, if you can." No glitz or glamour. No laser beams. No fireworks. Just a Woman singing the song in front of thousands of athletes from around the World all holding hands and swaying to the music. That's what I expected in our Closing Ceremonies. Instead, we got Avril and Simple Plan singing about bad relationships.

I was glad to see Abbotsford's Hedley perform. The lyrics probably weren't appropriate either but at least the title, Cha Ching is pretty fitting. They ended with some unique instrumental band and dancers. I didn't mind it, but at the end they actually had to announce that it was over. I wanted a huge Grand Finale where you know it's over and you don't have to be told. Where was that big Celine Dion chest-beating moment? She was nowhere to be seen. (Probably busy trying to convince Rene Charles to cut his hair.)

If I was running the show, first of all everyone in the stadium would have snacks waiting for them at their seats, how can you sit there that long without snacking? It's unthinkable. Secondly, you gotta liven things up at some point with a streaker. How about Anne Murray? Okay, now I'm going to have nightmares. Seriously though, I would want some good mix of Canadian talent. I'd want Tom Cochrane to sing Life Is A Highway (it even mentions Vancouver's lights), Guess Who to sing Share The Land (I'm not asking, they're the name of a band, sheesh), maybe Rush could sing Closer To The Heart. And for a little Country music, how about Paul Brandt singing Canadian Man, or perhaps even better, Johnny Reid singing Thank You. Now THAT would've been a very memorable tear-jerker.

I hate to bitch about the lip-synching. I know it's almost impossible to have a show of this magnitude and have people singing and playing instruments live, but we as Canadians suck at lip synching. I guess it's to our credit. Our performers always sing live. But I must admit, the lip synching was not only bad, it was distracting, although I'm pretty sure a few of them did sing live.

And then after a Roman Candle or two and maybe a Screecher, the whole thing was over. Monday will be the busiest day at the Vancouver Airport in it's history. All those amazing athletes will head home to various places around the globe. The closed streets will reopen. Even the Liquor Stores downtown will get to stay open past 2 pm (don't even get me started on that one). This city will return to normal, but it will be forever changed, and I'm sure at least a half a million people, years from now, will claim to have been at that Gold Medal Men's Hockey game.

I really hope that Vancouver and Whistler have some sort of celebration every February. I would like to see it be a week long event but I think that is probably unlikely. They could have live music in Yaletown and recreate Robson Square and show the Gold Medal Hockey game and other highlights on big screens. I really hope that they make it happen.

I'm so glad to see these Olympic Games win over a lot of people. I think the people have spoken and they have said that these Games were a good thing. It's just unfortunate the unhappy people also tend to be the most vocal. I truly believe that the legacy Vancouver 2010 leaves behind will be a positive one and this city will prosper for generations to come. Time will tell.

As for me, I will probably write another wrap up blog in the next day or two, and then whenever there is something I feel worthy of discussing. (Although admittedly I could write five or six paragraphs on which tastes better, salt & vinegar or sour cream & onion chips). These Games have inspired me to put down the remote control and get out of my easy chair and do something. I'm going to get some exercise and start eating healthier. Hmm, maybe I could sprinkle some Baked Cheezies on my Caesar Salad.

Day 16

These Olympic Games just keep getting better and better and then soon enough, in the blink of an eye, they will be gone. Gone like the Titanic, with a soft gurgle and then silence. Day 16 was another big day for Canada. A record day in fact. But let's start today's blog by talking about what's most important. Me.

Vancouver 2010 has truly been an inspiration to me. I realize just how important health and fitness is. So from this day forward, I am switching to Baked Cheezies, and Coke Zero. I know what you're thinking, and yes, it will be very difficult. But with a lot of self-discipline and determination, I can stick to this promise. I also got back on the excercise bike for the first time in...uh, okay for the first time. Here is the photo to prove it.

Canada won a record three Gold Medals on Day 16, and not only lead the US and Germany with 13 Gold to their 9 and 10 respectively, but also now have the most Gold Medals by any host Country in Winter Olympic history. We should be very proud. I think the Canadian athletes are finally starting to understand the concept of owning the podium.

Canada won yet another Gold up on Cypress Mountain in the Men's Snowboarding Parallel Giant Slalom. Jasey Jay Anderson was the fastest down the hill. In the Long Track Speed Skating Men's Team Pursuit, the Canadian team struck Gold, while in the Women's event, the Canadians finished fifth.

Our third Gold Medal of the day came in Men's Curling at the Vancouver Olympic Centre. Canada's Kevin Martin beat a solid, pajama-wearing Norweigian team 6-3. Not only did I watch the game (match?) but I stayed awake the whole time. (Of course it's nearly impossible to fall asleep while eating Pizza) It was pretty exciting. This may cause another uproar among the women out there, but the men seem to be a lot better curlers. I watched the Women's final and it was not good. I'm just wondering why that would be. All I can think of is that the men would be stronger sweepers. Anyways, overall, for Canada to finish with a Gold and a Silver in Curling, I think that is pretty damn good.

At the Pacific Coliseum they wrapped up the Figure Skating with the Exhibitions, which are always my favorite part of the whole event. Not only are the skaters relaxed, but there are no rules and they are generally there to entertain the crowd. It's also cool that they are in the spotlight. Again Joannie Rochette stole that spotlight. She skated an old exhibition skate of hers to a Celine Dion song called Vole (Fly in English) because her Mother loved Celine. It's a beautiful, heartbreaking song that perfectly suited the moment. More tears shed, more Kleenex used by yours truly. I also really enjoyed the Chinese Gold Medalists for Pairs, Shen and Zhao. There was also an eleven year old male skater from Vancouver that did a brilliant program. (I didn't catch his name but feel free to Google.) If he continues to improve, he seems to almost be a can't miss Olympic Contender in 2018. I think it's so great that they do things like this. He will remember that moment forever and will likely be a better skater because of it.

Following the Figure Skating was the Bronze Medal Men's Ice Hockey Game between the Slovaks and the Finns. I barely had time to go into the kitchen and grab another bag of Baked Cheezies. This was a great game by two solid teams. Finnish Goalie Kipprussoff bounced back from a bad game against the US and the Finns came from behind and beat the Slovaks 5-3. The Slovaks were a little unlucky not to tie it up late in the game. Pavol Demitra played awesome once again and was definitely one of the best forwards of the tournament. There is a good chance he will win the scoring race for the entire event. I just hope that he puts that much effort and intensity in when he returns to the Canucks. If he can play like that, the Canucks will be a lot more dangerous. Hell, we may even make the Playoffs. I know. That's crazy talk.

I have bought a lot of Olympic Merchandise over the last few months. One might even suggest that I've become obsessed. I bought a large plastic bin that I will store it all in once the Games are over. I'll be putting my Olympic Coin Collection, 3 Olympic Pins, a Quatchi stuffed animal, Olympic Program, Olympic Hockey Program, Olympic Torch Run Book, Red Olympic Mittens and every edition of The Province (and The Vancouver Sun on Saturdays) into my bin. I will continue to wear all my Olympic clothing and then when they are worn out or are too small for me, I will forge Wayne Gretzky's name on them and sell them on E-bay. My point in all this useless drivel is that I was intending to order the Official Blu-Ray box set of Vancouver 2010. I went to CTVOlympics.ca and checked it out. It was $80 which isn't too bad for 5 discs. The problem is that since Visa is a Sponsor of the Games, I can't use my Mastercard. And to make matters worse, it doesn't look like it will be available in stores. I have a real problem with excluding a large group of Olympic supporters (people with Mastercard and American Express) because of sponsorship money. I compare it to an artist who sells their album exclusively at Walmart. (I spit on any artist that sells out to Walmart just to make a few extra million and screws their fans that don't live anywhere near one. Except for the Eagles. I like them.) After checking the frequently asked questions on the CTV website, I discovered that there is a toll-free number you can call and then set up a way to write them a cheque for the order. So now I feel better. I have no problem bouncing a cheque to get my Commemorative Olympic DVD.

Day 17, and sadly, the final day, is the day all Canadians have been waiting for. Yep, it's the big Men's 50 km Cross Country Skiing. Should be exciting. Besides that, the Gold Medal Ice Hockey game features Canada taking on the US. It will be fast paced, exciting, with some heavy hits and some great goaltending. And my blood pressure will probably go through the roof. I saw on Twitter that someone put "Canada, closed on Sunday between noon and 3pm". That pretty much sums it up. Not to mention that this is the hottest ticket in Canadian Sports history. Even hotter than a Raptors ticket. There are suites available in Canada Hockey Place for $138,000 dollars. That's not a joke. I'm serious. I'm thinking for that much I expect my own lifetime parking spot and half the shares in the Canucks. $138,000? All I can think about is that would buy me a whole lot of Pizza and Baked Cheezies. Anyways, back to the game (notice how anything I talk about always leads to food) I think the key will be Goaltending. The only way the US wins is if Ryan Miller badly outplays Luongo. I don't think that will happen but this is the equivalent to a game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final and anything can happen. I have a strong feeling that I'll be sitting on the very edge of my comfy easy chair, probably watching the game through my fingers.

A few hours after the big Gold Medal Hockey game, the Closing Ceremonies are set for right across the street at BC Place. I'm very excited about it but I will also be very sad when it's over. I guess I will have to go back to my normal life of watching Wheel Of Fortune and reruns of The Golden Girls. Maybe I should start a blog about that. Either way, as I've said many times before, the legacy will live on and most importantly, the lives of Millions of children, in Canada and around the World will be forever altered by Vancouver 2010. And tomorrow, that legacy begins.

Day 15

Before I begin discussing some of the amazing events that happened in the Vancouver Olympics on Day 15, there are much more pressing matters that I feel I need to deal with.

It has come to my attention that there are certain women who are offended by some of my comments. I first learned of it this afternoon while watching Oprah. Were Jane Fonda and Billy Jean King ever pissed at me. I think there has been an overreaction. They claim that I said something offensive, when all I really said was that women shouldn't be allowed to vote, drive or go out in public with their faces covered. Well, actually that last one was just a thought. I don't think that's so bad. I'm perfectly okay with them using regular drinking fountains and sitting at the front of the bus. Anyways, as a precaution I have beefed up security around my house (bought pepper spray) and acquired a vicious guard dog (Poodle). So, to diffuse the situation I offer this apology: I am very sorry if I've offended anyone. It was my goal to offend everyone, and clearly I have failed. So from Day 15 forward, I will try to treat women in my blogs with the utmost respect. But since I now know that women are actually reading my blogs, I'm going to dumb things down just a little.

Day 15 was another great day for Canada. I think I can take a little credit on the Canadian team's good fortunes the last five days. I went to Vancouver on Monday and that's when this Gold Medal streak began. I've always said it's not a party until I show up. In Men's Short Track Speed Skating 500 metres, Canadian's Charles Hamelin and Francois-Louis Tremblay took the Gold and Bronze Medals. They later teamed up with three other team-mates to win Gold in the Men's 5000 metre relay. In the Women's Curling Gold Medal game, Canada took on Sweden. The Canadians appeared to be in control for the last two ends but miscues kept Sweden in the game and then one final miscue by Canada gave Sweden the victory and the Gold Medal. It was a very exciting game and a big disappointment for the Canadian team but they should still be proud of their Silver Medal. Watching Women's Curling is so exciting. Women are great.

Today was the big day for the Men's Hockey semi-finals. The early game saw the US play Finland. Shockingly the US scored six goals on their first eleven shots. And no, Dan Cloutier wasn't in net. It was Kiprussoff. If you remember, he's the one who said he wouldn't play for his home country unless they guaranteed him the starting position. Not exactly a team player. As I said in one of my early Olympic Blogs, the Finns only chance at a Medal is if Anti Niittymaki plays in goal. He didn't even get a start in fact and, well looky here, no medal, well okay, they may win a Bronze. If I'm a coach, no player would be on my team if they wanted a guarantee to be a starting goalie or first line player. You play well and you will be on the ice. Everyone has to put the team first. The US came out flying in this game but even they were surprised at how easy it was. The bad news for them is that they haven't really had a true test yet, besides the Canadians who dominated them for a large part of that game. This easy game may hurt the US in the finals.

In the second semi-final Canada played the Slovaks. I thought Canada looked a little tentative at first but did get out to a 3-0 lead. In the third period Roberto Luongo let in an uncharacteristically bad goal as he failed to cover his post and a puck rolled up his stick and went in just above his pad. That gave the Slovak's life and they kept coming as Canada began breaking down in their own zone. The Slovak's made it 3-2 with about 5 minutes left in the game which felt like an eternity. At that point I was thinking that if anyone is going to tie this game up it's going to be Canuck forward Pavol Demitra. In the dying seconds of the game he got his chance and with a seemingly open net Luongo got a piece of his arm on the puck and it stayed out. They got a scare, and so did I, I'm too old for all this suspense. Canada plays the US at noon on Sunday for the Gold Medal. It should be a great game. The US is already starting a war of words lead by chief mouthpiece Patrick Kane. I still think the only way the US can win this game is if their goalie Ryan Miller badly outplays Luongo. I can't wait for the puck to drop, I'm sure our whole country will be watching.

I guess it's just not possible for a day to go by during these Olympics without some major controversy. The latest is that the Canadian Women's Hockey Team, after celebrating their Gold Medal win on Day 14 against the US, went back out on the ice with beer, champagne and cigars and posed for pictures. I know, I was shocked too. I'm sure the youth of our country will now become alcoholics and cigar chain smokers. There goes our chances at future Gold Medals, we're doomed. I don't know, maybe it wasn't the best idea, but is this really a story? (Incidentally, any women who are alcoholics or chain smokers were only brought to that point by men.) My only concern would be spilling booze on the ice. I don't imagine that would be very good for it. I think it's more than a little hypocritical for the IOC to have a problem with this but they are okay with McDonald's and Coke being core sponsors. I'd say a little champagne on occasion is better than clogging your arteries with a triple cheeseburger and super-sized fries.

I also heard on the news that all liquor stores in the Downtown Vancouver area will have to close at 7pm on Friday and Saturday nights. I just don't get it. We spent over a Billion dollars on security. Why not let them do their jobs? And of course the big question is, what are the panhandling alcoholics going to do after 7? Oh I know, head to the safe injection site.

Well we are less than 48 hours from the Closing Ceremonies and I've been giving it a little bit of thought as to who will perform. I've read that Shania Twain is at Whistler, Neil Young is in town and Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger have also been spotted. I would be willing to bet that they will all be singing. I'll predict that Nickelback will sing Photograph while they show photos of the Games (I hope they don't, that would be cheezy), whatever Neil Young sings he will be sharp, Shania will sing Who's Bed Have Your Boots Been Under while they show photos of Tiger Woods and lastly, I predict that if Avril Lavigne sings Sk8er Boi, I will be changing the channel. At least that won't be difficult, since it is always right by my side, like a true friend. Along with my nacho chips. I'm pretty sure that Michael Buble will perform and I really hope he does Feelin' Good. That would be a great moment. Vanoc President John Furlong called me the other day to beg me to come down and perform, but I told him I had this blog to write and that is more important. He was devastated but he did eventually find a replacement. And I wish William Hung good luck.

Day 16 will have the Men's Curling Gold Medal game featuring Canada versus Norway (and those crazy pants, I think that team should be sponsored by Ibuprofen), the Men's Ice Hockey Bronze Medal game with Finland taking on Slovakia (should be a great game, do the Finns start Kipprusoff?), and one of my personal favorites, the Figure Skating Exhibiton Gala. It's always bothered me that in amateur skating you can't have vocals in the music and you can't do back flips. In the Exhibitions, there are no rules. Plus everyone is relaxed and having fun.

Canada is now in third in the Medal count with 21 medals, but more importantly we lead in Gold Medals with 10, ahead of Germany (9) and the US (8). It's a pretty good bet that we will increase those medal totals, and it's a sure bet that I'll be here in my easy chair to witness all the action.

Day 14

The Headline in the Sports section of The Province read 'Bravo Joannie', but I kinda like 'Joannie Loves Quatchi' myself. Day 14 at the Vancouver Olympics was yet another amazing day to be a sports fan. There was drama. There was suspense. And there were tears. Many, many tears. And I'm only speaking for myself. The Joannie I was referring to is Canada's Joannie Rochette, who was competing in the Ladies Figure Skating. As most of you know, her Mother flew in from Quebec last Saturday, and died suddenly in Vancouver General Hospital on Sunday. She skated the Short Program flawlessly on Tuesday and then broke down and cried on her coach's shoulder. Thursday night at the Pacific Coliseum was the Free Skate. I have previously made fun of women falling all over the ice in the Pairs competition but it was a magical night for most of the women on Day 14. There were some amazing performances. None more emotional than Rochette's. Hers wasn't flawless, but on this night, under these circumstances, it was spectacular. The crowd were on their feet when it was over and, unlike during the Short Program, she was able to keep herself under control. I wish I could say the same for myself. She ended up winning the Bronze Medal, and I'm sure her Mother was watching over her from somewhere beaming with pride. Yu-Na Kim from South Korea skated flawlessly while Canadian coach Brian Orser looked on. She took the Gold Medal by a wide margin. Mao Asada of Japan took the Silver.

Both the men and women played their semi-finals on Day 14. In the Women's, Canada got past Switzerland 6-5 and Sweden beat China 9-4. In the Men's event, Canada beat Sweden 6-3 and Norway beat Switzerland 7-5. The Women's final is today and the Men's final is Saturday. When asked if he was excited to be in the Gold Medal game, Canadian skip Kevin Martin said "Yep, yep, YEP, HURRY!!"

Probably the most anticipated event on this day was the Women's Ice Hockey Final, featuring the two dominant teams, the US and Canada. There has been some trash talking going on in recent days. Women can be bitches. That's all I have to say. Let's just move on. It was a very exciting and intense game. Canada ended up winning 2-0 with Marie-Philip Poulin scoring both goals and goaltender Shannon Szabados doing everything except a double back-flip with a triple twist to earn her shutout. The Canadian women celebrated while the American women cried. It doesn't get any better than that.

The Gold Medal our Women's Ice Hockey Team won brought us to a total of 8 Gold Medals tying us for first with the US and Germany. That's pretty impressive company. We have a really good chance of at least three more, but I don't want to jinx it so I'm not going to get any more specific than that. Although we haven't necessarily 'owned the Podium' this Olympics, I think we've done very well. I still don't know who came up with that stupid phrase. Having said that, when I have diarrhea, I tend to 'own the Immodium'. Okay, now that was just unnecessary. Forget I even said that. Or had diarrhea.

The reason I created The Easy Chair Olympic Blog was because I wanted it to be like my own journal, a souvenir from the Games that I could look back on. (Incidentally, for weeks I had planned to call it "The Armchair Olympic Blog" and I was mortified when I saw that exact heading in The Province two days before the Opening Ceremonies.) I had no idea if anyone would actually read it, I just thought it would be fun. It's not like I was trying to become the second coming of Edgar Allan Poe or anything, but the fact that I have is just a bonus.

Well we are only 3 days away from the end of this amazing ride. It's a ride that I'm very reluctant to get off of. On the bright side, this Legacy will last forever and many people around the World will look very favorably upon Vancouver for years to come. And perhaps even more importantly, we will be even more proud of this fine city in this spectacularly beautiful Province. While they may extinguish the torch, they will never extinguish the torch in our Hearts. Hmm, maybe I should be writing Hallmark Cards.

Day 15 has two significant events. It's the Women's Curling Gold Medal game featuring Canada and Sweden, and the Men's Hockey Semi-Finals with the US playing Finland in the first Semi, and Canada playing Slovakia in the second. I'm going with the Finns in the first game. I have not been impressed with the Americans at all, besides Goalie Ryan Miller, and unless they can shore up their defense, this will be the end of the road for them. In the other game, don't look for a blowout. This could be closer than people expect. The Slovaks have some great players and a great Goalie. They will clog up the middle and this game will not be as wide open as the Russia game. I think that Canada will pull through and I'll say 4-2. Either way both should be great games and I may even go through two bags of chips and a 2 litre of Coke Zero. I can't help it, I eat when I get nervous. Of course I also eat when I'm relaxed though. Hmm, maybe that's why I'm wearing maternity clothes.

Day 13

Typical. The moment Ryan and I leave Vancouver and head home to the sticks all Hell breaks loose. While there was yelling and cheering and spontaneously pitchy versions of Oh Canada during our seemingly endless walk through the streets, I'm sure it paled in comparison to what was happening on Day 13.

While I've always said as long as the athletes do their best they should be proud of themselves and we should be proud of them, today our Canadian athletes truly 'owned the podium' and that calls for a celebration. In fact, I'm going out to get a cake right now. What's a celebrations without a cake? Oh and booze too.

We got home just in time to watch the start of the Canada-Russia Men's Hockey Quarterfinals. It was a very emotional reunion for me and my easy chair. I also missed my Cheetos and Nacho Chips and of course the remote. Earlier in the day the Americans beat the Swiss 2-0 in a surprisingly close game. While I didn't get to see it I hear that it was very dramatic with a couple disallowed goals by the US. The Canada - Russia game was everything I'd hoped it would be and it must have been amazing to have been in the crowd to watch it live. I was surprised that the Canadians were faster than the Russians. I think the Russians were surprised too. I was even more nervous because Luongo was playing and it's not very often that Leafs fans, Canadiens fans, Senators fans, Oilers fans and Flames fans are all cheering for him. But I felt pretty confident that we would win because I had my lucky Canada Jersey on overtop of my Canada shirt along with my lucky Canada toque and scarf. How could they lose? The final score was Canada 7 Russia 3. I wasn't very impressed with Russia during the last few minutes of the game. There were a couple of cheap shots, particularly one where Eric Staal got injured but he later returned. They also took a couple of head hunting shots at Luongo in the dying minutes. Pretty classless. Oh well, I hope they enjoy playing the 7th place game. Have fun with that. (Jeez, now I'm starting to sound like a cocky American.)

I drifted in and out of consciousness for the Finland - Czech Republic game that followed. It was a close game, which I predicted in yesterday's blog (I so hate to gloat) but Finland prevailed after one of the Czech players lost their helmet and had to retrieve it behind the Czech net leaving their check (this is getting confusing) open for the tip in for the winning goal. The rule in international hockey is that if you lose your helmet, you have to either get it and put it back on or skate immediately to the bench. Dumb rule. And it cost the Czechs the game. At least I was awake to see the winnning goal. There's nothing worse than waking up to "HE SCORES!!" It happens pretty often to me. The US now plays Finland in one Semi-Final.

In the late game, it was the highly favored Swedes taking on Slovakia. From a Canuck fans perspective it was the Sedin Twins taking on Pavol Demitra. Team Canada was set to play the winner. Halat, the Slovak goalie, was brilliant in this one as Sweden had a pretty wide edge in the play. But as I predicted in yesterday's blog (did I mention that I hate to gloat?) Slovakia pulled the big upset, winning 4-3. Demitra played great scoring the Slovak's third goal and got a nice assist on the winning goal. I only hope he can play like that when the Canucks' season resumes. Maybe he won't be traded for two sticks, a water bottle and a bag of pucks after all. While it may appear that Canada now has an easier path to the Gold Medal Game, I don't think they will overlook the Slovaks. There are a lot of great NHL players on this team and they have a very hot goalie right now. But I think if Luongo plays solid, they should advance to the big game. We will find out on Friday. But all in all, it was an amazing day for Hockey fans.

It was a big day in the Women's Bobsleigh. While I've been quite vocal about not being a fan of this sport, if I was watching Pictionary on tv and Canada had a chance for a Medal, I would be on my feet. Well, at least on the edge of my chair. Canada had a legitimate shot at 2 medals in this event today, and they ended up winning Gold and Silver. I was jumping around the house celebrating, but then I lost my breath and had to sit down. Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse took the Gold Medal and Helen Upperton and Shelley-Ann Brown took the Silver. Although it was a great moment and I'm very proud of them, I still can't watch it without thinking that it looks like a Waterslide Park in Nunavut.

In the Ladies Short Track Speed Skating 3000 metre Relay, the Canadian team won a Silver. I didn't get to see the race but I'm guessing it involved a lot of chaos on the ice and our Canadian team went around the ice surface the second fastest. Just a hunch. I actually find the Short Track quite exciting, but the relays give me a headache. There seems to be so much confusion. Speaking of giving me headaches, I'm still not a Brian Williams fan. How is this little weasel still on tv. I saw him sing at Karaoke in Vancouver once a while back and he can't do that either. Maybe he should try selling Shamwows at the PNE.

The other Medal Canada won was in the Long Track Speed Skating where Clara Hughes won the Bronze Medal in the Ladies 5000 metres. So that makes it four medals today won by a total of seven women. It's time for our Canadian guys to step up or we will NEVER hear the end of it.

Day 14 looks to be another big day. I think they just get bigger and bigger from here on. The big events are the Cross Country Skiing and Nordic Combined. Okay, I'm kidding. (I really don't get that cross country skiing though. I mean, maybe if you lived in Saskatchewan, but we have mountains here. People, for the love of God, use gravity to your advantage.) No, the big events are the Curling Men's and Women's Semi-Finals (you mean it's actually going to end at some point?), the Woman's Ice Hockey Bronze Medal Game (yawn) and the Gold Medal Game (US-Canada, now we're talkin'), and Canada's Joannie Rochette looks to make the podium in honor of her late Mother in the Ladies Figure Skating Long Program. She sits in third right now. It should be a great day.

It's hard to believe that in a couple of days time all this will be but a memory. I'm glad that there will be a lot left behind to keep that memory alive. Like the amazing building that is the Richmond Oval, and the Bobsled Run and Ski Jumping facilities in Whistler, and the cauldron in Coal Harbour. I've heard that they are considering keeping the flame lit after the Games, and that there are people that will protest if they do. Should be interesting. I think that if it's not too bad for the environment, then they should keep it lit. It would be a tourist attraction for years to come, and tourists generally bring lots of money to spend. Well, except most of my relatives. They usually show up on my doorstep wanting dinner, shelter and money for booze. But enough about my Mother. (She'd kill me if she had a computer.) Anyways, watching that Flame go out during the Closing Ceremonies is going to be a very sad yet special moment for me. I'm sincerely proud of how this city, this Province and this Country have come together over the past few weeks. We may have our differences, but we are all Canadian and we are all proud to be Canadians. Hey, that could be a commercial.

Day 12

After waking up feeling like I'd consumed several bottles of Tequila, some cooking wine and a little Aqua Velva, we headed back to the West Coast Express, (I once again parked about 2 blocks away, can you believe there's no parking at the Port Haney Station?) and got on the 2:17 train. This time there was hardly anyone there, I'm guessing because it was raining. It was also quite a bit colder than Day 11. We took Ryan's sister Brianna who hadn't been downtown during the Olympics yet.

It's interesting that along the way we passed the McBarge which was actually a floating McDonalds used during Expo. It is now an old floating pile of McRust. I don't know why they didn't fix it up and use it for the Olympics since McDonalds is a sponsor. They could've put it in the water by the cauldron or in False Creek near the BC Pavilion. Maybe the best spot would be the Olympic Village since as the commercials show, eating at McDonalds can make you an Olympic champion. We also passed two cruise ships. One from Holland-America and the other from Carnival. I'd heard that the entire Security force was staying on a cruise ship, but I'm not sure what the other one was for. Maybe Brian Williams' ego.

Walking outside the Waterfront Station, it was nice to see that the crowd was much smaller than the day before. We met our good friend Camille (who I would call my best friend since she has bookmarked this blog and can access it on her phone. For those of you who don't keep up on your technology, a bookmark is a small paper thingy that you put in between pages in a book so you know where you left off) and continued to the cauldron. (Incidentally, in the photo, Camille and I pose with Rita McNeil. Great to see her out and about in the Olympic City.) We waited only a few minutes to go up to the roof and took more photos. Too bad it wasn't sunny. It just wasn't as nice in the rain. And we couldn't even see Grouse Mountain. Or any mountains. We may as well have been in Regina. Except there were no cows. Or wheat fields. Or really slow drivers in the fast lane.

Since we were late getting into Vancouver it was already almost time for the big men's hockey game. It was Canada playing Germany and Luongo was going to be back in net. At this point our goal was to find a place to watch the game. We headed down Robson Street and every place was packed. Camille told us that the Vogue Theatre on Granville Street was showing the game so we headed there. We got seats on the balcony for $17.50 and were able to warm up and dry up somewhat. Plus, I was able to rest my aching feet. It turned out to be a pretty entertaining game. I was pretty sure Canada would win but I wanted Luongo to play well enough to earn a start in the next game. Canada ended up winning 8-2 and Luongo will apparently start the Quarterfinal game. I also felt like a winner because they had Ketchup Chips and Coke and I was sitting in a comfy seat. It was almost like being at home. Almost. Plus, Camille brought me some Mini Oreo Cookies. (Reaffirming her best friend status.)

After the game we went into Pacific Centre Mall and ate Chinese Food at the Food Court. Nothing says gourmet meal like Food Court Chinese Food. Afterwards, Camille decided to head home, since she had a pretty bad headache. Actually I think it was because I kept bitching about my sore feet. After she left we headed to The Bay because Ryan wanted to buy some Olympic stuff. As if we didn't already have enough. We lined up down the side of the building marking the first time in my life I've lined up outside a building to go shopping. The place was totally swamped but they had everything you could imagine, from Olympic house coats to Olympic dish towels. I didn't see Olympic toilet paper though now there was a missed opportunity. I bought a book that documents the Torch Run across Canada. It's a great book with some spectacular pictures and in the back it not only mentions every single place the torch was run but also every single torch bearer. Very cool. I bought it for $30 but I found out later that it was only $25 at HMV. Anyways, it is well worth it, even though I'm still bitter because they wouldn't let me drive in my car with it. I also bought a couple of pins but the Luongo pin was sold out. That one may be worth money some day. Especially if he wins us a Gold Medal. While we were in line to buy our merchandise, we got to watch Canadian Figure Skater Joannie Rochette skate her short program. Her mother passed away suddenly in Vancouver only a couple days ago. She was determined to skate for her mother and she skated brilliantly. When the music stopped and the program was over she broke down. She skated off the ice and cried on her coaches shoulder and the hundreds of shoppers in The Bay broke out in applause. It was one of those magical moments and she ended up in third place after the short program with the long program coming up on Thursday. After 2 hours in The Bay (Ryan couldn't decide which jacket to buy) we headed back to Robson Street.

Robson Square looked great all lit up. There were tons of lights in the trees and some of them were blossoming. Next to the sheet of ice a band was playing. Silverlode, with Geoff Gibbons. They sang a song that I just love and did a great job. And no, I don't remember the name of the song but it's a Canadian classic. There were a lot of people watching and there were big screens throughout the square showing the concert. The footage was even projected onto the side of the Sears building. Very cool.

We walked for another 10 or 20 miles. (Have I mentioned my aching feet?) We saw the Olympic Clock and took more pictures. We saw some lit up Polar Bears near Pacific Centre that looked very similar to the giant Polar Bear that was in the Opening Ceremonies. We also went to the Canada Pavilion at Georgia and Beatty Street. I thought it was pretty cool. We got some pictures of us on a bobsled (if I'd known they had a bobsled I would've worn my tights) and Ryan and Brianna got their picture taken with a torch. The Stanley Cup was supposed to be there but apparently only from noon to 3 pm. I don't know what that's all about and nobody could give me an answer, but at least I know I'll be seeing it in June when Luongo parades it through the streets of Vancouver. Hey, a little optimism never hurt. While the Pavilion was pretty cool, I don't think it was 10 million dollars cool. And it's kind of disappointing that they got a US Company to construct it. I don't really understand that. They should have known the media would be all over that story. Way to go Harper.

Once again, besides watching the Canadian hockey game and seeing one figure skater perform, we were completely out of touch with what was going on. But this is an Olympic blog and so maybe it's time to talk some sports.

Before we even headed downtown, they had the Women's Ski Cross. Since I slept in I didn't get to see it but my cousin Julia Murray competed. She injured herself a few weeks ago and wasn't sure if she'd be able to ski but she did and finished a fairly respectable 12th. The big story however was that Canadian Ashleigh McIvor (no not the fiddler, that's McIsaac) won the Gold. It's pretty cool that both days we spent in Vancouver we got to see the Gold Rings on the water. I guess we were good luck. Canada now has 6 Gold, 4 Silver and a Bronze and has 18 (count 'em 18) 4th and 5th place finishes. We could have 29 medals by now. (I'm sure I could've won a medal if cake eating was an Olympic event.)

In Women's Curling, Canada beat Great Britain 6-5 (prompting the Queen to mutter 'Pity'), and then beat Russia 7-3 (prompting President Poutin to yell 'Nyet') and in Men's Curling, Canada beat China 10-3 (prompting Britney Spears to ask 'China? Like dinner plates?') Both Canadian teams look strong and both are favored for Gold.

In other Men's hockey the Czechs and Slovaks won their games over Norway and Belarus. The Quarterfinals which are on Day 13 will feature the mighty Canadians against the mighty Russians, the Finns against the Czechs, Sweden vs Slovakia and the US, with the easiest matchup play the Swiss. The Canada-Russia game is pretty much a toss up with probably a slight edge to Canada. It will likely come down to goaltending however. Luongo has a great record against Ovechkin though so that plays in his favor. Don't expect the Swedes and Finns to pull through easily. The Czechs and Slovaks are good teams and they will probably be close games. I will pick the Slovaks to upset the Swedes. In the US-Swiss game, the US should take that pretty handily. That's the crappy thing about Canada losing to the US, not only did we have to play on Day 12 while the US got a bye, we also face a much tougher Russian team in the Quarters. The good news is that Canada has to gel as a team now and if we beat the Russians there is a very good chance we will take the Gold.

Day 13 will see Women's Bobsleigh, Curling tiebreakers (I don't know what that means either), Women's Aerials skiing up at Cypress, both Short and Long Track Speed Skating, and of course the Men's Hockey Quarter Finals. Sounds like a nachos and seven layer dip with a nice Chardonnay and my new Olympic blanket kind of night. And I am only hours away from a tear-stained reunion with my easy chair. Should be another one of those magical moments.