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There we had it! The 2010 Winter Games came and gone in a blink of an eye, but the memories and the goodies will be with us for decades. Before the games started, I wrote up a post saying how the “Winter Olympics suck!”. Although I still stand by a lot of the things I said, I shall make one correction: The Winter Olympics Don’t Suck. As a matter of fact, they are awesome, or at least this one was!
You see, the whole thing about how we spent a lot of money and wouldn’t have enough visitors was all true. Also the fact that winter games are limited to a few nations and few athletes, again true. But what I forgot to look at, was how the games would affect us? The host nation, and her beautiful citizens.
Over the past 17 days, we showcased to the world ( or at least those who followed the games ) our hospitality, energy and enthusiasm. Sure there were not a lot of visitors, and the arenas were mostly packed with Canadian supporters, but boy did we cheer loud and clear. I know too many people around me who didn’t care much for the winter games, but are just as sad and hung-over as I am today, when it all ended. So what was so awesome about the games? Let’s have a look:
People were ecstatic. In a time of such economic difficulties and people feeling down and unhappy, the games came to rescue. With streets of downtown Vancouver packed with thousands and thousands of people every night, there was nothing to be seen but smiles and laughter. People cheered for their favorite athletes, celebrated wins and mocked the malfunctions, all in good fun!
People were unified. I think I got more hugs and high fives during the games that I had in my life before! I mean really, we didn’t care. We were cheering and chanting and high-fiving anyone and everyone. Black or white, Asian or Indian, tall or short, everyone felt the love and helped spread it. After all, that’s what Canada is all about. Only now, you can look back at the Olympics and see the diversity and witness how people of all races and ages bonded with one common thought: the games.
People got to learn about the games and the athletes. We got to know winter athletes up close and learn about them. We got to learn how much effort and dedication these guys put into the sport to win an Olympic medal. Did you know that the Olympic GS Snowboarding champion is a blueberry farmer? Did you know the Freestyle skiers train in summer, jumping into a pool of water? Did you know that these guys spent every day of the past 4 years to get where they are today? I did not.
With all the malfunctions, the not-so-good opening ceremonies and the snow-less Cypress, I was very skeptical about the games; but we proved that we’re capable, and with a crowd like this, everything is possible. Now that these games are done and over with, I’m starting to get excited about the FIFA World Cup, which is only 4 months away!

Cheers,
froozle

It’s February. The 2010 Winter Olympics are only weeks away, and I’m not even excited, not even a tiny bit. Why? well it’s plain and simple. Winter Olympics suck!! for several reasons.

First off, I want to take a few seconds here and announce that I don’t believe winter sports should even be qualified as ‘Olympic-worthy’. I mean really, if African’s can’t do it, then it’s not a sport. OK that was a joke, but it gets the point across. In all seriousness, how many countries in the world have the luxury of competing in winter sports? Not very many. If my memory serves me correctly, Olympic sports should be worldly. Take for example, curling: really? Curling is an Olympic sport? What’s next? poetry? Same goes for pretty much every single one of the winter Olympics events. There are just not enough countries in the world that pay enough attention or budget for these sports. I mean there are athletes from Ghana and Morocco and Iran and Pakistan, but not in a million years will any of them get on the podium. So truthfully, these so called “Olympics” sports have half a dozen of competing countries, in every single category.

Another reason why I don’t like the winter Olympics is they cost too much. I mean we’re talking about billions of dollars here. Money that was never well spent. It’s no secret that the money being brought into the city by visitors will never match the money that was spent on the Olympics. Some argue that it’s a good thing for the city of Vancouver in the long run, because it puts Vancouver front and center and will attract more tourism in the long run. Seriously? Vancouver is already one of the most visited cities in Canada, and certainly doesn’t need a multi-billion dollar tourism campaign. I agree that some things are beneficial to us, like the Sea to Sky construction (which again turns out to be quite useless for the Olympics itself, since individuals are not allowed to drive up to whistler during the Olympics) and some additional jobs that were created, but all of these things could have been done with a much lower budget.

Bottom line is that the Winter Olympics are just not that popular. OK I’m not a huge fan of winter games myself, but I’m not the only one am I? I don’t think the level of excitement for these games will be anywhere near what people experience during summer Olympics. Someone told me that all the visitors that will be here for the events are already here, but I keep failing to spot any of them. When I was in Germany for the World Cup, you could see visiting soccer fans every other inch.

Like one of my friends said: “It’s a 17 day party that will take us 70 years to pay off”.

Cheers,

froozle