Canadian Gold

Over this past five day stretch, Sochi 2014 and Team Canada captivated the country.

From the come-from-behind Womens' bobsled win, to another come-from-behind win in Womens' hockey, to a complete puck control semi-final win in Mens' hockey over the USA, to the gold medal hockey game on Sunday morning, its been quite a five day stretch for Canadian athletes.  Toss in the two curling gold medal wins for Canada, a gold-silver juggernaut in Womens' ski-cross and you have a tough to replicate "best" five days ever.

With yesterday's closing ceremonies being the only thing that has been able to stop the Canada medal run, its hard to find excitement in the office today.

BTW - did any work get done last Thursday and Friday in Canada???

To keep the smile on your face and the patriotism in your heart, here is a video, that shows the jubilation in Canada of the Womens' hockey last minute game tying goal, plus the overtime gold medal winning goal, that will keep your Sochi good memories alive.

Finally, here is a video compilation of the reaction across Canada after the Canadian Mens' hockey team beat the Swedes to win the gold medal...

You can tell that I really enjoy these compilation videos...

Thank you to our hosts in Russia for presenting a wonderful, and safe Winter Olympic Games.

For comparison, here are two compilation videos from Vancouver 2010:
- Part 1 - when the USA tied the Mens gold medal hockey game and it went into overtime.
- Part 2 - when Sidney scored and Canada celebrated.

What a Game!

It wasn't quite Vancouver 2010 like, but it was still great.

Today's game between Canada and the USA was everything expected.  Yesterday's women's game between Canada and the USA was more than expected.

Work stopped.  Phones went quiet.  Everyone was clustered around televisions and computer screens.  It has been two great days of the country coming together.

It wasn't Vancouver....but I suspect not too many things in this world will ever be like that...but it was great.

I Heard the Best Line...

The Globe and Mail's Roy McGregor wrote one of the funniest lines today. He interviewed and quoted Sochi Organizing Committee Head Dmitry Chernyshenko, who said, "As a child there were three horror films we knew from the west."  "One was Nightmare on Elm Street, the second one was Friday the 13th - and the third one was Miracle on Ice."

I guess Saturday evening's match up between the US and Russia was the sequel.

TJ Oshie from the St. Louis Blues must be Russia's "Jason Myers" as he scored on 4 of his 6 shoot out attempts.

Russian goalie Sergei Bobrovsky probably has nightmares and wakes up in a sweat with visions of Oshie stalking him with a stick and a puck.

It's shaping up to be a great Olympic hockey playoff.

Silver is the Olympic Golden Spirit

When Denny Morrison won silver in the 1,000m speed skating event the other day, the real winner was Gilbert Junio.

Junio exemplified the Olympic spirit more than any other athlete that I've seen since Norwejian Cross-Country Ski Coach, Bjornar Haakensmoen, gave Canadian Sara Renner, a new pole, after she broke hers at the 2006 Torino Winter Games.  Renner teamed with Beckie Scott to win the silver medal in the sprint relay final.  His gesture of goodwill allowed the Canadians, who were in first place, but who fell to fourth, after the broken pole, to get back in the race.  Ironically, the Norwegian team finished fourth, which meant that his goodwill may have cost his country a medal. 

Back to Junio.  At the Canadian Olympic trials, Morrison caught an edge and fell as he approached the finish of the 1,000m race.  This caused the veteran to not qualify for the 1,000m...and allowed Junio to qualify, in addition to the 500m, which was his specialty.

The day before the 1,000m race in Sochi, Junio offered up his spot to Morrison - a selfless act that I'm not sure that I or many others would have done.  In fact, making it that much more complicated, Junio's parents traveled to Sochi to see him race and had tickets to the 1,000m race.

When Morrison won the silver medal, it made Junio appear brilliant and someone with great premonition.  It also made Morrison want to share his medal with Junio.

In fact, Morrison has now started a campaign to get Junio selected to serve as the flag bearer for the closing ceremonies - an idea whose time may have come.  Is there anyone else who has demonstrated the Olympic ideals more?

Bilodeau Does It Again

One of the best stories of the Vancouver Olympic Games was when Alex Bilodeau became the first Canadian ever, to win gold on home soil.  Making the story even better was his close relationship with his brother, Frederic, which was so evident as Bilodeau celebrated his win.

Well, Bilodeau has done it again.  Despite the fact that Mikhael Kingsbury of Canada was the favourite (reigning world champion) going into Sochi, Bilodeau rose to the occasion and when Kingsbury made just one small mistake, Bilodeau was there with a perfect run to secure his 2nd consecutive gold medal.

Great things happen to great people.  Congratulations Alex and Mikhael.

Back Blogging About the Olympics

During the last Winter Olympics in Vancouver, I had the great opportunity to work for VANOC (Organizing Committee), with the medical team, right in the Olympic Village.  As I wanted my sons to live the experience with me, I started writing this blog.

Well, it is now four years later and the Sochi Olympics are in full swing, so I thought, why not write a few more pieces for this blog?  Will anyone read it?  Who knows.  Who cares.

I love the Olympic Games and what they stand for.  

So, I'll write some pieces during the Games, so keep this link bookmarked.  Plus, I'll probably write a few pieces for the other blog I author...so watch that one too.

Glenn