Vancouver Olympics 2010

[sianspherica]

I feel 100% that after the public had left the rink, there is nothing wrong with them celebrating on the ice.

Which is exactly what they did.

Is it their fault that a few prudish, jealous, sensationalist press people were still in the building and happened to see them celebrating and decided to try and turn it into some scandal? No.

The media is really making pushing this non-story to ridiculous lengths. if the IOC guy had not been pressed by AP for a comment, nobody would have cared and the idea that the IOC says they will form an "investigation" on it is laughable.

The girls won a Gold medal. Partied in their dressing room, waited till the public left the building, then went and drank beer on the ice.

Big fucking whoop?

Oh wait, one girl was underage in that particular province, by a whole month! Yet she was of valid drinking age in her home province and the province in which the team trained in! oh my scandalous.

The press need to make ink for these games and they are blowing this compleeeeeeetely out of proportions.

The rink was closed, their other teams were gone, the fans were gone, if they want to drink Canadian beer, on their home ice, in their home country, after winning a Gold medal for Canada, what the fuck is the problem with that?

 

[acheron]

So according to the medal table for 2010 - we're in third currently

 

[Wiseman]

3rd but only 1 gold medal would put us into first. Pretty sure we have at least 2 good opportunites for that today.

 

[SJN]

Actually if you look how countries are ranked, it is not in total medals 2006 Winter Olympics medal table - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
we had more total than 3rd and 4th ranked yet came 5th in 2006.

This isn't just a 2010 home country advantage. No rules being redefined.

Oh, i know its how the IOC officially ranks countries in its tables, but the public and press has never really viewed it that way. It just smacks of 'we didn't win this way, but we won this other way'. Given that Canada is already getting lampooned internationally for its jingoistic behaviour at this Olympics, it looks bad.

 

[SJN]

3rd but only 1 gold medal would put us into first. Pretty sure we have at least 2 good opportunites for that today.

Today we (hate the 'we' use) have a guaranteed medal in the Women's curling gold-medal game plus 3 good medal opportunites in short-track

 

[Dialog]

my vote too, talk about courage and tenacity!

Talk about prevailing in the face of adversity! Seriously, what greater tragedy could befall an athlete--that would allow them to still compete--than death of a family member? Bilodeau was a great moment, but she embodies the spirit IMHO.

 

[SJN]

Agreed about Rochette; it should be an easy choice for the COC.

 

[Wiseman]

Disagree. Bilodeau won canada's first gold on home soil and for feel good story there is his brother.

 

[SJN]

Not taking anything from Bilodeau , but we've won 8 golds in Vancouver -- his happened to be the first, and it was accordingly a nice national moment, but I can't see it beating out an athlete's mother dying mid-Olympics and still winning a medal. It was also our first women's skating medal since 88. I'm not usually much for emotional athlete stories, but this one goes beyond that.

 

[Vincent Vega]

....it doesn't look so good on-ice.

Why not?

When are we going to fucking grow up. These people just won a gold medal in the Olympic Games. And instead of basking in the glow of success, what are they doing 24 hours later? They're having to apologize to "officials" and other losers in this provincial backwater we live in for doing what all winning athletes the world over do.

Imagine a Formula 1 driver apologizing for drinking and spraying champagne on the podium after winning a Grand Prix. Imagine a pro soccer player apologizing for running across the field with a drink in hand after winning a league championship.

We finally win a thing or two on the world stage and we're concerned because some players drank beer on the ice and, oh my god one of them is 18 so it was against the law!!

It looked just fine on-ice. They owe no apology to anyone.



P.S. Anyone who thinks Bilodeau (or anyone else) is more appropriate than Rochette as flag bearer must have been drinking too much of the on-ice brew.

 

[KickIT]

Is Rochette going to be in Van for the closing ceremonies? I thought they were going to go back to Quebec to be with family and take care of the funeral?

 

[Spinsah]

Chris Pronger is the obvious choice for COC flag bearing.

 

[Wiseman]

Currently in first place in qualifications for Womens Parallel Snowboard Slalom!

 

[SJN]

Chris Pronger is the obvious choice for COC flag bearing.

He's got the right speed for it, that's for sure

 

[agentRC4]

Currently in first place in qualifications for Womens Parallel Snowboard Slalom!

Kimmie is now 12th place as top canadian.

 

[SJN]

Is Rochette going to be in Van for the closing ceremonies? I thought they were going to go back to Quebec to be with family and take care of the funeral?

If Rochette isn't available, then it will be Bilodeau

 

[Wiseman]

Kimmie is now 12th place as top canadian.

Yeah I looked up and saw a leaderboard so I assumed they were almost done because CTV never puts up a leaderboard.

 

[tripleup]

saw that this morning, mixed feelings on it over here, they could have waited, or at least keep it in the dressing room?

Fuck that noise, home ice advantage bitches.

It was by the players, for the players, they earned it IMO.

 

[tripleup]

Oh, i know its how the IOC officially ranks countries in its tables, but the public and press has never really viewed it that way. It just smacks of 'we didn't win this way, but we won this other way'. Given that Canada is already getting lampooned internationally for its jingoistic behaviour at this Olympics, it looks bad.

Meh, it looks bad because people are reaching to twist things in a positive light more than the patriotic aspect of doing so.

Like much of the sentiment being traded here, most of it is media generated and amongst themselves anyway..look what the London press said about the games, oh noes now Russia is dogpiling...and invariably our own media is acting just as classless.

Frankly though, the rest of the world can fuck off. There is nothing wrong with the host country displaying some patriotism. Naturally it's going to offend some, as some people and media are guilty of jingoism. We give the Yanks shit for it all the time, and most of us here no doubt roll our eyes whenever CTV is on.

Nature of the beast.

 

[Eclectic]

Imagine a Formula 1 driver apologizing for drinking and spraying champagne on the podium after winning a Grand Prix. Imagine a pro soccer player apologizing for running across the field with a drink in hand after winning a league championship.

They don't use champagne anymore because of this.

They now get awarded a bottle of milk.

I'm not even joking.

 

[Chris]

Why not?

When are we going to fucking grow up. These people just won a gold medal in the Olympic Games. And instead of basking in the glow of success, what are they doing 24 hours later? They're having to apologize to "officials" and other losers in this provincial backwater we live in for doing what all winning athletes the world over do.

Imagine a Formula 1 driver apologizing for drinking and spraying champagne on the podium after winning a Grand Prix. Imagine a pro soccer player apologizing for running across the field with a drink in hand after winning a league championship.

We finally win a thing or two on the world stage and we're concerned because some players drank beer on the ice and, oh my god one of them is 18 so it was against the law!!

It looked just fine on-ice. They owe no apology to anyone.

All great points, but my thing this is supposed to be amatuer sports right? Lets say this was the Americans, would we have our knickers in a knot?

Still on the fence on this one.

 

[el presidente Highsteppa]

Re: Women's Hockey team after party

I can see where the IOC is coming from to some degree - they're not just another private league, and these people are atheletes that are representing their country. The IOC is still a pretty formal affair, and I think with the scandals that happened not that long ago, they're trying to preserve their image.

Is this being blown out of proportion by the media?

Absolutely.

No more so than when the U.S. relay sprinters were grandstanding on the podium when they had won their gold medals and started posing and behaving in a way over the top manner after being presented with their medals.

As for the underage drinking aspect, again, it ties into the IOC's image preservation that they're trying to maintain and improve on. I might not have a problem with it, but I can understand from an image standpoint where the IOC is coming from.

 

[Hi i'm God]

Like the US skier who won bronze then pulled out her previous gold while on the podium, or the Russian who 'jokingly' step onto the gold podium and says his Silver is really Platinum.

Fuck class.

 

[H2Whoa]

All great points, but my thing this is supposed to be amatuer sports right?

No. Professional athletes are participating throughout these games so not sure how that is relevant.

 

[el presidente Highsteppa]

Like the US skier who won bronze then pulled out her previous gold while on the podium, or the Russian who 'jokingly' step onto the gold podium and says his Silver is really Platinum.

Fuck class.

When you think about it, though, the only people they're hurting is themselves and their image. But the IOC are pretty tightwads when it comes to their image lately.

The Russian skater who claimed his medal of platinum was pretty funny (and all pathetic).