Oh, Canada

[Jack Scribe]

Terrific Olympics, terrific hosts! Here's an excerpt from the LA Times leading sports columnist:

 

There was a lot to like about these Olympics, but nothing more than the Canadian people.

By Bill Plaschke

 

It was after midnight, a week ago, the U.S. had earlier defeated Canada in a preliminary-round Olympic hockey game, the emptying streets wet, the mood soggy.

 

I was returning from our nightly visit to the giant four-pronged Olympic flame with my 15-year-old daughter, Mary Clare, who was wearing an American flag like a cape, and a smile like a necklace.

 

It was one of the first times she wore something that didn't represent her high school or favorite sports team. It was one of the first moments she may have realized the pride in being an American.

 

And here came the Canadian.

 

He appeared to be in his late 20s. He was wearing a scruffy beard, a pale bandanna, and wild stare. He jumped in front of Mary Clare on a darkened patch of sidewalk and started shouting.

 

"Eh, eh, eh!" he said.

 

She froze. Her brave and resourceful father also, um, froze.

 

At which point the man stuck out his hand.

 

"High-five, eh?" he said. "Great game, America. You won fair and square. We'll see you in the finals."

 

Before disappearing into the shadows, the man looked back at me with what appeared to be a wink.

 

"I know what you were thinking, but that's not how we do it here," he said. "We're Canadian."

 

I thought of this incident later when, spying on Mary Clare's Facebook page as all brave and resourceful fathers should do, I came across a line about her Olympic experience that stunned me in its simple honesty.

 

"I love Canada," she wrote.

 

Come to think of it, so do I. Forget the medal counts and podium ceremonies, there was only one true winner here, the beauty and breadth of its land equaled only by the daily kindness of its people.

 

Canada, you were gold. For two weeks, you lived your anthem, your hearts glowing like that moon that hung nightly over the Burrard Inlet, a light on the front porch of a house that felt like a home.

 

Here's the complete column:

 

http://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/la-sp-olympics-plaschke28-2010feb28,0,4599199.column

[Fishwings]

These past few weeks have been nothing short of amazing, and these Olympics have sparked some sort of patriotic pride within me that was almost nonexistent before. Although I have to say.... the night when we lost, not everyone was so friendly towards the Americans : D.

 

See you guys on the podium tonight >: D

 

Btw, the link doesn't seem to work for me.

[Trebs]

Thank you so much for posting that Jack

[Mark Arbour]

Great story. Canadians are awesome! Naked or not.

[Trebs]

Naked is better - especially those from Calgary...

[Jack Scribe]

Btw, the link doesn't seem to work for me.

 

Yeah, I'm not sure why. I suggest going to http://www.latimes.com/ and finding the Bill Plascke column. He's an excellent writer - I only posted the beginning. Oh, Canada...BTW, the Canooks just won their gold in Hockey. What a helluva North American finish. Congrats to Canada!

[Drewbie]

Congratulations Canada both sides did well fishwings

 

Greg trebs

Edited February 28, 2010 by Drewbie

[Myk]

Trebs

 

and there were never any doubts about who would take gold. The US did well, and made it a great game. Congrats to TEAM CANADA!

 

Greg <--who is very dressed at the moment

[Fishwings]

That was one dramatic nail biting game : ). Congraattts!!!

[Benji]

That was one dramatic nail biting game : ). Congraattts!!!

 

............ I agree great game, when the USA tied it with 24.5 seconds left I thought the momentum swung in their favor. But s mistake can cost you, the clear out by our goalie seemed to signify that. Never had I seem a more subdued silver medalist team, shame too, they played very well. Congrats! to Canada, maybe next time!

[Trebs]

Trebs

 

 

Greg <--who is very dressed at the moment

 

 

You're not in the images I'm visualizing...

[Conner]

<does the Snoopy happy dance>

 

Congrates Canada on winning the hochey gold! The USA team was incredible...tying the game with 24 seconds left. What an ending! I love you, Sydney Crosby!

 

Thanks, Jack, for the acknowledgement. These games were not without its blunders. As they say, all's well that ends well.

 

I'm very proud to be Canadian at this moment.

[Former Member]

Go Canada!

 

When the Olympics started i watched the opening ceremonies with a bunch of the members from GA, i bitched and complained that it was going to take over my tv station for the next 17 days. Lugh said "get used to it".

 

In the chatroom we were losing in the Speedskating and that Hammlin guy fell down. Krista said "Canada = Fail". Then It was appolo ono's turn and i was sooo cheering for him and that Celski guy total hotties those 2 are. Korea whiped each other out. I said "Korea = Fail" Later that night whenever a woman fell in the women's skiing that was american i'd say to Krista "America = Fail" Steve(Wildone) said to me and krista that i shouldn't get my hopes up. I called him a bad canadian and said "You have to believe" because Canada never got gold on home soil ever. Steve said back "Donald Sutherland has to believe" all jokingly of course. Alex Bilodeau said on Saturday there would be a gold. Alex didn't know he'd be the won to win it. I was jumping up and down in my Gramma's living room cheering so loud.

 

Eric made jokes to me that because Canada was hosting the Olympics that USA stole our snow. I cheered like Crazy when Shaun White won the snowboarding, and when Evan beat Plushenko in the ice skating. Johnni Rochette lost her mother and was still able to bring in a bronze and carry the flag in tonight for us. That's like the most amazing story i think.

 

Alot of the stations here are saying that this Olympics is bringing all of Canada together just like Terry Fox did. 14 Golds! Way to go Canada. Steve do you believe now?

 

Tonight during the closing ceremonies. Neil Young sang "Long may you run". My town is mentioned in that song so GO ME! Plus today my grandma was telling me that a man in my town is the one who created the Canadian Flag. So that's pretty friggin cool .

[Jack Frost]

I can't believe I was so unaware that this was going on.

 

 

That's what I get for free of Internet in Spain.

 

 

For my bday... Thankssss!!!

[Benji]

Go Canada!

 

When the Olympics started i watched the opening ceremonies with a bunch of the members from GA, i bitched and complained that it was going to take over my tv station for the next 17 days. Lugh said "get used to it".

 

In the chatroom we were losing in the Speedskating and that Hammlin guy fell down. Krista said "Canada = Fail". Then It was appolo ono's turn and i was sooo cheering for him and that Celski guy total hotties those 2 are. Korea whiped each other out. I said "Korea = Fail" Later that night whenever a woman fell in the women's skiing that was american i'd say to Krista "America = Fail" Steve(Wildone) said to me and krista that i shouldn't get my hopes up. I called him a bad canadian and said "You have to believe" because Canada never got gold on home soil ever. Steve said back "Donald Sutherland has to believe" all jokingly of course. Alex Bilodeau said on Saturday there would be a gold. Alex didn't know he'd be the won to win it. I was jumping up and down in my Gramma's living room cheering so loud.

 

Eric made jokes to me that because Canada was hosting the Olympics that USA stole our snow. I cheered like Crazy when Shaun White won the snowboarding, and when Evan beat Plushenko in the ice skating. Johnni Rochette lost her mother and was still able to bring in a bronze and carry the flag in tonight for us. That's like the most amazing story i think.

 

Alot of the stations here are saying that this Olympics is bringing all of Canada together just like Terry Fox did. 14 Golds! Way to go Canada. Steve do you believe now?

 

Tonight during the closing ceremonies. Neil Young sang "Long may you run". My town is mentioned in that song so GO ME! Plus today my grandma was telling me that a man in my town is the one who created the Canadian Flag. So that's pretty friggin cool .

 

.............Congrats for Canada for hosting a most excellent games!!! I feel that the only thing that really mattered to our northern friends was the Hockey victory though!!! Haha! Congrats on that too!!

[wildone]

Naked is better - especially those from Calgary...

 

 

You're not in the images I'm visualizing...

 

If your not referring to Myk, who else is in Calgary???

 

 

I can't believe I was so unaware that this was going on.

 

 

That's what I get for free of Internet in Spain.

 

 

For my bday... Thankssss!!!

 

Well happy Birthday

 

.............Congrats for Canada for hosting a most excellent games!!! I feel that the only thing that really mattered to our northern friends was the Hockey victory though!!! Haha! Congrats on that too!!

 

 

I just want to say that yes, indeed the hockey game was the highlight of the Olympics. I want to really thank the US for giving us such a very entertaining game. Not only was the US seeded sixth in the Olympics for hockey, but since they beat out our Juniors at the World Juniors in Saskatoon in January, a lot was riding on this game for national pride here in Canada. It was a script written in heaven. For the US to score with the 24 seconds and tie it up made a nation gasp in disbelief (over 25.6 million Canadians watched the game, or over 80% of the population). Then to have Sydney Crosby score in overtime restored a faith that could have been eliminate quite easily. I don't think the US has anything to be ashamed of, they played to the final goal and gave us a run for our money that I don't think any other nation could have done this year.

 

I was part of the 88 Olympics in Calgary and I have to bow to Vancouver and all the workers and volunteers who helped put on an amazing show. The fact that Canada finally broke the no gold for a host country jinx, made it even better. So yes Mattie, I do believe . The fact that we won more golds than any host country at the winter Olympics made it even sweeter.

 

Steve

[MikeL]

I just want to say that yes, indeed the hockey game was the highlight of the Olympics. I want to really thank the US for giving us such a very entertaining game.

My response is to suggest you check my avatar and the line under it. Appropriate, eh? Cheers!

[Mark Arbour]

My response is to suggest you check my avatar and the line under it. Appropriate, eh? Cheers!

 

Sid the Kid is a demi-God. That makes your byline heretical. I'm afraid we'll have to tie you to a stake and do nasty things to you.

[Toast]

This Olympics was the greatest and this USA guy is proud as heck of Canada.

[wildone]

In case you were wondering how we won, we had some help on our side:

 

our father who art in gm place,

hockey be thy name.

thy will be done,

gold to be won

on ice as well as in the stands.

give us this day,

our hockey sticks

and forgive us our penalties

as we forgive those who crosscheck against us.

lead us not into elimination

but deliver us to victory.

in the name of the fans, canada, and the holy puck amen

 

 

 

 

[Fishwings]

In case you were wondering how we won, we had some help on our side:

 

our father who art in gm place,

hockey be thy name.

thy will be done,

gold to be won

on ice as well as in the stands.

give us this day,

our hockey sticks

and forgive us our penalties

as we forgive those who crosscheck against us.

lead us not into elimination

but deliver us to victory.

in the name of the fans, canada, and the holy puck amen

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAHAHA, HOLY PUCK.

 

Ahem.

[Former Member]

ha ha i should so get a sticker or a tshirt saying that Awesome