Thursday, February 11, 2010

Bring on the Games!


I watch the Olympics, in fits and starts, but I'm not a "believer" -- I don't go for the Olympic spirit, Olympic glory, we-are-the-world uber-planetary patriotism schtick that goes along with the games.

Raymond J. de Souza has a good summary of the quirkiness of the winter games, here.

He concludes, "There is only one medal that matters -- the hockey gold -- which means that the rest of time, the Olympics can simply be enjoyed as a great winter carnival."

A great insight. With all its odd-ball events, it really does suit a winter carnival characterization, doesn't it?!

He makes a really good, breathtakingly obvious suggestion. With all the odd-ball sports already on the agenda, "... why not plain old tobogganing, which surely is the most universal of winter sports?"

Why not, indeed? There could be a family event, where the toboggan must be manned by a parent and his/her kids -- that would be fun to watch.

Let's begin a pro-tobogganing lobby to get tobogganing where it belongs -- inside the winter Olympics.

And that's the way the to-to-tobogganing Ball b-b-bbounces down the slope.

7 comments:

Joe said...

I have two reasons I won't be watching the Olympics. One I don't like the religion of the Olympics. Two I boycott the networks that carry the Olympics. But it is a beautiful day for Xcountry skiing so after I wax them up I am gonzo!

http://www.ehow.com/members/stevemar2-articles.html said...

I can’t wait for the Winter Olympics, especially men’s hockey! I am a huge NHL fan, so it will be neat to see players represent their countries. In some cases, there are going to be players on the same NHL team competing against each other during the Olympics. It will definitely be a lot of fun to watch, even though the NHL will shut down during the time.

BallBounces said...

Steve, would you agree with me then that the 1972 defeat of the Russians should be a national holiday in Canada?

Joe said...

Oh come on Richard the best hockey game ever played was a two - two draw between the Russians and the Montreal Canadiens. After watching that game the standard NHL fare looks like goons playing pond hockey.

BallBounces said...

I am familiar with that game -- but the 1972 Series was Canada's Moment -- and an 8-game come-from-behind, way behind, slog has a weight to it that one game can't match.

Joe said...

'72 was always tainted in my mind because the Canadians started out playing goon hockey. Once they realized they actually had to play hockey hockey they won the game which was wonderful just too bad they didn't start out that way.

BallBounces said...

You are so right -- there was definitely a goon element which tainted the whole affair.

"... nothing intellectually compelling or challenging.. bald assertions coupled to superstition... woefully pathetic"