SPORTS

 

 

Olympic Games, How

Steph Smith, OP Contributor

 

 

 

 

 

I love the Olympics. I just absolutely adore them. Be they Winter Games or Summer

Games, nothing thrills me more than sitting down to watch my country go for the gold.

The spirit of sportsmanship and the quest for glory excites me in ways that not much
else does. With the games quickly drawing close, I decided to sit down and figure out
why I love them so.

First and foremost, I think that I just plain love sports. I think nothing is greater
than hockey night in Canada’s double (or triple) header hockey nights. Watching six or

even nine hours of hockey is brilliant. There is also football, NFL and CFL. There is
tennis, and soccer (or football, if you will). If I see a sport on TV, I will inevitably leave
it there and consider myself set for the day.

That being said, I adore’the Winter Games. They include my favourites such as
hockey, skiing, snowboarding, and speed skating. I know my love of hockey is second
to none, and being able to watch my Canadian boys kick so much international ass
brings me much joy. Knowing that I live in a county where my team is the best of the
best is a great feeling. Remember 2002 when Canada beat the US for Gold in both the
men’s and women’s? I was sitting in a pub in downtown Vancouver dressed in the red
and white with a beer raised high in my hand, a tear in my eye, belting out Oh Canada
loud enough for those in Salt Lake to actually hear it. Pride? I got it in spades.

I also love my snowboarding and skiing, not quite to the same extent that I love my
hockey, but watching those skiers glide down the hills with so much speed grace always
makes me smile. I can barely manage to remain on my feet while walking, let alone be
successful at something like moguls. I hurt just looking at them. But the joy on the
faces of the athletes after a good run, what a rush! And the joy on my face when they
nail it, it’s a beautiful thing.

And it’s not just the Winter Games that get me all teary eyed and singing. Oh no,
the Summer Games do the same. Swimming, diving, and rowing all get me misty. With
these summer sports, I think it’s the association with the water that gets me. I grew up
on the water and was always a swimmer. To me, nothing is more relaxing than a nice
day-long swim. Just throw me in any body of water and I’m in heaven. Lakes, rivers,
oceans, ponds, pools, and puddles; it’s all bliss to me. So watching those athletes dive in
and swim their butts off makes me feel at home. The speed they get, and the satisfac-
tion gained, is one of a kind.

So with the Olympics in Turin coming up so quickly, I am looking forward to them
with joyous anticipation. Sure, Canada may not win as many medals as Russia or the
US, but it’s not really about that for me. It is not about quantity, it is about quality. Just
being able to watch the games—and knowing that my country has a shot—is enough.
Just being able to hear them say, “Next, competing for Canada...” is enough to get me
on the edge of my seat and ready to cheer.

This year the men’s Olympic Gold Medal hockey game is at 8pm EST or 5pm PST.
I'll be back at the bar yet again, beer raised high in hand, dressed in the red and white,
ready to sing my national anthem as they hoist that beautiful flag high above the arena
and clad our men in gold. It’s so close and so beautiful that I can almost taste it. Go
Canada.

 

 

Upcoming Games
Feb. 1—7, 2006

Friday, February 3
Women:6pm, Men:8pm
Saturday, February 4

(Coquitlam, BC)
All Day

 

(New West, BC)
All Day

 

 

UPCOMING GAMES

Basketball vs. Okanagan (Kelowna, BC)

Wheelchair Basketball Tournament

 

Women’s Rugby vs. Meralomas (Vancouver,
BC)

Game Time: Ipm

Wrestling @ Northwest Classic
(Forrest Grove, Or)

Badminton Tournament @ Pinetree CC.

Volleyball vs. Okanagan (New West)
Women: 6pm, Men:7:30pm

Sunday, February 5

Wrestling @ SFU (Burnaby, BC)
All Day