| I am not a die-hard sports enthusiast, but confess I | | | | block you or knock you on every throw. Lots of |
| enjoyed watching the winter Olympics held in Turino | | | | yelling and physics accompany this sport! Imagine |
| Italy. It was nice to watch something positive and | | | | four Newfoundlanders winning the gold - talk about a |
| motivational for a change and to delight in some truly | | | | party when they get home! |
| amazing and generous acts. I find the wide variety of | | | | There is the luge where, depending on the event, |
| sports showcased fascinating, proving there is a lot | | | | one or two people lie on their backs on a sled going |
| one can do in cold climates of winter! | | | | down a tight twisty run ... feet first. You might think |
| Consider the spectrum of sports. There are the | | | | that is scary enough until you see those in the |
| many varieties of skiing. The downhill event has | | | | skeleton event, maybe appropriately named. These |
| skiers reaching speeds of 140 kilometers per hour (87 | | | | athletes go down a steep ice track, on a sled, that |
| mph), you get speeding tickets for going that fast in | | | | has no brakes, headfirst. Hmmm ... where do they |
| a car! Imagine what it takes to be a ski jumper as | | | | find people to do this? |
| you attempt to imitate flight and defy gravity the | | | | Then there is ice hockey. Grown men and women |
| longest once you are airborne. Picture the freestyle | | | | strap on boots with blades on the bottom, use |
| skiers who twist and turn in the air so fast I don't | | | | curved sticks to shoot a hard rubber disk in the |
| know how the commentators can describe their | | | | opponents net. This happens as they skate at up to |
| incredible aerial feats. The cross-country skiers have | | | | 50 km per hour (30 mph) and shoot the puck at |
| tremendous endurance, and some stop to shoot | | | | over 150 km per hour (95 mph) while maneuvering |
| rifles while trying to manage their beating hearts and | | | | around on ice. A shame both the NHL laden U.S.A. and |
| gasping lungs. | | | | Canadian teams didn't even make it to the semi-finals. |
| We were witness to a newer Olympic event that | | | | Perhaps too much talent, not enough "team". |
| debuted in Nagano in 1998, snowboarding. I think the | | | | Over the 17-day period, 2,500 athletes from 85 |
| snowboarders had the most fun creating their lexicon | | | | nations competed for 84 medals in seven sports. We |
| when they speak of a McTwist, Fakie, Duckfoot, an | | | | shared the pride of those on the podium as they |
| Ollie or a Nollie! Didn't it just used to be Narly ... or | | | | smiled or cried as their national anthem played before |
| was that suffer speak and I've just dated myself? | | | | the world. Two single acts at this twentieth Olympic |
| There are those flashy speed skaters in their | | | | Games stand out in my mind and will for many years. |
| skin-tight outfits who fly around an oval ice surface | | | | I applaud gold medalist Joey Cheek, the USA speed |
| at up to 60 km per hour (37 mph) battling G forces | | | | skater for donating his $25,000 bonus to Right to |
| in the turns. The figure skaters entertained us with | | | | Play, an organization of former Olympic, Paralympic |
| their dance routines and inspiring jumps. They also | | | | and professional athletes worldwide who support |
| showed tremendous grit when Zhang Dan a Chinese | | | | using sport for development, health and peace. Good |
| pairs figure skater had a spectacular fall which made | | | | for you Joey, you are an inspiration to many. |
| anyone watching cringe. To our disbelief, this 20 year | | | | Perhaps the defining moment of the Games was |
| old got up, completed the routine, and won the silver | | | | when Sara Renner, a Canadian broke her ski pole in a |
| medal. Awesome. | | | | cross-country team sprint event. A Norwegian coach |
| We can't forget the curlers. A sport many find | | | | gave her a pole to finish the race. She and teammate |
| strange, but appreciate the accuracy involved in | | | | Beckie Scott went on to win the silver medal. To me |
| curling your rock down a 44 meter (49 yard) ice | | | | this unselfish act defines sportsmanship and is hard |
| surface and trying to hit a bulls eye with two | | | | evidence the true Olympic spirit lives on. See you in |
| sweepers helping control speed and direction of a | | | | Vancouver in 2010. |
| heavy stone, while you opponent is attempting to | | | | |