I have never felt so proud to be Canadian.
Never, ever, ever, EVER.
Those of you that know me, know that I LOVE the Olympics. And when I say "love", I really do mean LOVE. I live for them! I used to want to be an Olympian SO BAD (well hey, I still do, but now I realize that it's probably too far out of reach unless I stop my life and dedicate it to a particular sport...). I always stay up late to watch events live, and although its admittedly easier to do in the summer when there's not so much work to do, I do it when the winter games are on, too! This year it was particularly bad because the events were 8 hours behind me...so I would spend all day thinking and waiting for events, and then around suppertime, the first events would come on, going until around 3 or 4am every day. Then I'd get up at 7:30 or 8 for breakfast and do it all over again. Needless to say, I took a beating from it. The only good thing about the Games being over is that I can sleep again!! :)
Adios, Vancouver 2010 Olympics...I'll miss you...
Anyway, so you can imagine my excitement all day yesterday as the men's finals for ice hockey was approaching...I had been nervous all day (I can't imagine how the athletes were feeling!!) and when it was on, it was business time. I turned off my facbeook and skype to avoid interruptions, and Catie and I watched the game in my room.
After the first period, Canada was leading 1-0, so although it was a lead, it wasn't much of one. Shortly into the 2nd period, we got our second goal, and I felt a LITTLE bit easier...until the US scored and made it a 2-1 game. That lasted almost the ENTIRE 3rd period until, with only 24 SECONDS LEFT, with a pulled goalie, USA scored to tie it up!!! UNBELIEVABLE! That's the risk you take when you pull your goalie, though...and it worked for them! I was freaking out. 24.4 seconds more and we would have had the gold!! Then it went into sudden death overtime and I just about crapped my pants and had a heart attack every time they came near the Canadian net. In my opinion, the goals that Canada scored were better than the US ones, because they were clean. I mean, I know that a goal is a goal and all that, but both the ones that they scored on us in the 2nd period had been semi-stopped by Luongo and then just squeezed in. One went between his arm and body and caught on his shirt before flying into the net. The other one I think he almost caught it but it just dribbled into the net as he dove again after it. Both of the goals we got were clean compared to that.
But that could all be my patriotism speaking. What a game! I was screaming and laughing and trying so hard not to blink so as not to miss any of it...and then in overtime, when Crosby finally scored the game-winning goal for Canada, I went WILD! Catie was here, and excited, but not nearly as much as me! I was yelling and screaming and pointing at the screen, and I had to apologize to Alex afterwards. I wish I had been able to watch the game with some Canadians...it was so sad that no one here seemed to care. We went to see if it was on in the TV room (like a Halls common room) but there were like 5 people in there watching A FREAKIN' SOAP OPERA!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?
But anyway, it worked out nicely that we got to watch it in my room--more comfy!!
BUT SERIOUSLY. WHAT A GAME!!!! The USA gave us a good run for our money, but I think the better team won. Yes, USA beat us earlier in the competition, but that was clearly thanks to outstanding goaltending by Miller. There's an "I" in "Miller", but none in "Team". And thankfully, the US men were still able to give a smile for the silver medal. The girls were bawling their eyes out. Give me a break. There's no crying in hockey. There's NO. CRYING. IN HOCKEY. I mean yes, it must sting to lose to the same team AGAIN and to have to settle for silver AGAIN, but honestly...2nd in the world is pretty damn amazing. The men were definitely more grateful, although clearly still disappointed (and rightfully so). But they really did give us a good game-- the 24.4 second-remaining goal made things very interesting, and the millions of people watching were not wasting their time! Thanks, USA, for a good game; and CONGRATS TO CANADA ON THE BIG WIN! What a way to end the Games for the host nation :) I wish I could have been there!
It was loads of fun watching it with Catie and all, but I still was so sad that I wasn't able to watch it with any Canadians. Luckily, that empty spot in my heart was filled right up to the brim today in my Renaissance Counterpoint class (a 1-on-1 class with a Canadian prof). It started off like this :
"So how are you today, Becky?"
"Oh pretty good, I stayed up late watching the game last night"
"ME TOO! HOW EXCITING WAS THAT!? GO CANADA!! WOOOOOOO!" (and then she preceded to give me a high five.
Thank you, Frauke, you just made my day!
I was/still am SO SO SO SO SO PROUD of the Canadian team, not just the hockey players but the entire Olympic team! A new world record for most golds ever won at an Olympics!! What an achievement! There were some major setbacks this year, like the death of Joannie Rochette's mother just 2 days before her figure skating competition, and some unexpected falls in other events, but Joannie got a medal and the entire team really pulled through! For such a small-populated country in comparison to many others, with not much funding going towards Olympic-training facilities, I am very, very, VERY proud of all of them! I wish I could have been there!!!
"So how are you today, Becky?"
"Oh pretty good, I stayed up late watching the game last night"
"ME TOO! HOW EXCITING WAS THAT!? GO CANADA!! WOOOOOOO!" (and then she preceded to give me a high five.
Thank you, Frauke, you just made my day!
I was/still am SO SO SO SO SO PROUD of the Canadian team, not just the hockey players but the entire Olympic team! A new world record for most golds ever won at an Olympics!! What an achievement! There were some major setbacks this year, like the death of Joannie Rochette's mother just 2 days before her figure skating competition, and some unexpected falls in other events, but Joannie got a medal and the entire team really pulled through! For such a small-populated country in comparison to many others, with not much funding going towards Olympic-training facilities, I am very, very, VERY proud of all of them! I wish I could have been there!!!
Let me also just say that the men's 5,000m relay team is stunningly good-looking. I mean, I'd say that generally speaking, the entire Canadian group of athletes, males and females alike, are very attractive this year, but I really didn't seem to notice until I noticed them.
Francois-Louis Tremblay Charles Hamelin
Francois Hamelin Olivier Jean
Not to mention our other male short-track speed skater, Guillaume Bastille....
Pretty good, eh? I know some of them are a bit blurry, but I couldn't get them to stay "normal" size....so....erm.....deal with it!
I am actually quite tired today, even though I went to bed at a decent hour last night...probably still catching up. Hopefully I'll be able to get coverage of the closing ceremonies online sometime before the end of the week.
*sigh*
*sigh*
I can't believe it's over so fast.
Oh, to be an Olympian...
On the very disappointing side, I've never felt so cautious about being patriotic, though, either. I mean, I never stopped being patriotic during the Olympics (I even stood for the national anthem during the hockey medal ceremony! haha) but because people here don't understand the connection between our nation and hockey (or rather, between me and the Olympic games in general!), they got really annoyed when I talked about it non-stop. I would sit at breakfast and give them updates of the night before as they all rolled their eyes at me and told me they didn't care...but I told them anyways. I wanted to watch the men's speedskating pursuit live before we went out on Friday and I guess my friends just really don't understand how much the Olympics mean to me, because they sighed heavily and I could feel them boring angry holes into the back of my head with their eyes as I waited for the A Finals to come on. Finally, I ended up having to miss it, for fear of not being left behind. Dang! But I was thinking about it the whole time, so my heart was at least in it!
But basically what I was trying to get at, is that I really don't want to be seen as that "obnoxious Canadian". I don't feel like I'm being overly patriotic or sticking my country in their face or saying that we're the best and everyone else sucks...I'm not doing any of that stuff, but yet I feel like people think I'm overly proud. Well, you know what I say? BOO ON THEM. Everyone should have a sense of national pride, and the Olympics is a rare event that should be the time to express it! :) Even for those countries who aren't involved in the Olympics...it's such an amazing event to see the countries and cultures and languages and religions come together and compete in a friendly, welcoming exhibit of amateur athletes.
I can't wait until London 2012, and ESPECIALLY for the next winter Olympics in 2014 in Sochi.
A couple last video links to leave you all with...oldies but goodies!!
Until Next Time!
Beckers :)
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