Monday, February 12, 2018
The Winter Olympics: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
Yuna Kim lit
the torch to open the Winter Olympic Games in South Korea last
weekend. They are taking place in the area around Pyeong Chang, and
the weather had been frigidly unpredictable, so they say. Like the
rest of you, I will be watching the games from the comfort of my
home, looking for good results from our Canadian athletes. Since I am
holed up here in Fort Myers, Florida, I will be watching the American
coverage of the Games. American announcers have a tendency to slant
their comments in favour of American athletes, whenever possible.
Occasionally, ad nauseam.
Those of you
who have had occasion to read this column, know that I am a little
weary of all the drama that has been added to the Games. I believe
that the Games are a really good thing, and that the concept has been
tampered with too often. The authorities continue to add events to
the Games, when they should be trying to reduce the number of events.
For these
Games, they have added Mixed Doubles curling. I watched a bit of that
last week. I would not recommend this event for a husband and wife
team. On one occasion, the male member of the team sent his rock down
the sheet of ice. He watched it carefully, then decided that he
wanted it to travel a little faster, or to curl a little more. He
must have screamed “Sweep” fifty times, at the top of his lungs.
At one point, it almost appeared that his partner was going to turn
around and give it right back to him. I know that I would never get
away with that in my household. You may recall that I believe curling
is a wonderful game, but that it does not fit my personal Olympic
mode.
They have
also added the Alpine Team Event. There will be 16 mixed gender
teams, with 6 members on each team. They race head to head down a
slalom course in different pairs. Also on the slate of events is Big
Air Snowboarding. Two players on each team, one male and one female.
It is a ski jump for snowboarders, with a jump 160 feet high. A
Canadian was almost killed getting ready for this event. It sounds
like a fine “X Games” activity.
Then you
have a speed skating event that should be quite chaotic. It takes
place on a 400metre oval venue, and is 116 laps long. 24 skaters will
take their marks, and they will all start at the same time. I think
that Gordie Howe might have been a favourite in this event, because
he was very good with his elbows. Even the short track events can be
a little silly, considering the amount of contact that is made.
Let the
Games begin, as they say. If you were planning to watch the best
hockey players in the world in South Korea, I am sorry to disappoint
you. All players in the National Hockey League have been told that
they cannot go to the Olympics. So all the teams participating,
including Canada, have put together players of lessor talent. Those
games may be exciting, just not the same.
There will
be exciting skiing, and there will be heartbreak. These are, after
all, the Olympic Games.
James Hurst
February 9,
2018.
# posted by James Hurst @ 7:05 PM 
