Vancouver 2010: A Fuster Cluck of Olympic Proportions
Posted By jersey2bronx on February 18, 2010
Make no mistake. I love the Olympics, especially the Winter Games, and I have been thoroughly entertained by this year’s competition. From Apolo Anton Ohno’s amazing speed and Shaun White’s incredible acrobatics, to mogul skier Alexandre Bilodeau’s winning gold for his native Canada (the first on home soil) and for his brother with Cerebral Palsy, there has been much to cheer for and take in. However, this doesn’t change the fact that the Vancouver games have been one of the most problem-plagued ongoing events in modern history.
First, there was the tragic death of Georgian Luger Nodar Kumaritashvili on a track that had previously drawn criticism from individuals within the sport for being “too fast” and unsafe. Now, most reasonable-minded folks think luge is a sport that is too fast and unsafe on ANY track, so when people who are actually part of the sport make comments like that, how does nobody listen? This is a tragedy that clearly could have been avoided, and a shame that will no doubt weigh over Vancouver and the IOC for years to come.
Next, there was the Opening Ceremonies, and the failed lighting of the Olympic Cauldron – a moment that will likely come to symbolize these games in more ways than one. Who will ever forget the pained look on “the Great One” Wayne Gretzky’s face, as he, and the rest of us, waited endlessly for “something” to happen that never did? What an odd, and somewhat anticlimactic moment it was seeing the partial torch go up, even though we were later treated to a “save” by Gretzky as he rode across town in the back of a pickup truck, getting pelted by rain all the way, to light the “real” Olympic Cauldron in an outdoor park for all to see. Of course, it wasn’t until about a week later that it actually could be seen by all, once the city finally bowed to public pressure to remove fences that were obstructing views.
Finally, there’s the seemingly endless string of postponements due to track conditions (not to mention countless stumbles, falls, and other challenges the competitors do not normally have to contend with). It is unfair to put all of this on Vancouver, as the region has been experiencing its mildest winter in years, with record lows and excessive rainfall at the most inopportune of times. However, it’s not only the outdoor tracks that have been experiencing problems. Due to malfunctions by the new-fangled “green” electric ice resurfacers, which rendered the speed tracks useless by carving deep grooves into the ice and belching out hot water and ice shavings, several indoor events were delayed (and in a victory for “old school” ice cleaning, a tried and true 10 year old Zamboni was brought in from Calgary to fix the mess, and get the games back off the ground).
Again, this is not to say that the games have not been worth watching – there have certainly been enough moments to cling to, and there will likely be more before the flame is extinguished. It also goes without saying that this is not the first, nor is it the only city to have issues. The Olympics are perhaps one of the most challenging undertakings any city can accept. It just seems that in this case, in the wake of so many problems plaguing the games, Vancouver may have bitten off more than it could chew. London (2012 Summer), Sochi (2014 Winter), and Rio (2016 Summer) should be taking note, as should any and all cities putting in bids to host the Olympics in the future.
Oh, and just a song before I go…
Who the hell is running NBC these days? Showing events to the West Coast on tape delay, even in prime time, when those events are happening LIVE ON THE WEST COAST?! Really?! That kind of stupidity speaks volumes. But hey… at least they haven’t booted Bob Costas in favor of Jay Leno. That’s something.
