Ovechkin tames Czechs, with extreme prejudice

By Charlie Gillis - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 7:43 PM - 0 Comments

Canadians are fond of hits that alter the outcome of a game, and it’s a measure of how far hockey has evolved that today’s crushing blow was administered by a Russian—not some strapping farm boy from Saskatchewan.

“Turning point” seems an inadequate phrase for the impact of Alexander Ovechkin’s mid-ice bone-cruncher on Jaromir Jagr early in the third period, though you’d never know it from the man who administered it.

“It was just one moment [in the game],” said Ovechkin who also collected a pair of assists. “If I have a chance to hit someone, it doesn’t matter who it is.”

Really? Because everyone else who watched it instantly understood that this wasn’t just some late-game bump. With the score 2-1 for Russia, the Czechs had every chance of tying the game, which would have forced Russia to play a qualifier just to get into the playoff round. Instead, they’ll now advance directly the quarterfinal.

What’s more, Jagr is the Czechs’ most recognizable star—a big guy once known for shaking off the worst an opponent could throw at him. This, it seems, was worse than the worst.

It happened at 1:49 of the third: having gained some momentum through the neutral zone Jagr found himself in the trolley tracks, taking Ovechkin’s shoulder on the side of the head and landing on his backside. Russian defenceman Fedor Tyutin gathered up the loose puck, pushing it ahead to Alexander Semin, who in turn set Evgeni Malkin for the one-timer.

The goal gave the Russians a 3-1 lead and more importantly some edge in a game they looked entirely capable of losing. They’d been outshot in the second and had begun taking silly penalties, while the Czech’s took a disciplined if overly patient approach to their long-time rivals.

Instead, they finished with the W, and a 31-25 edge in shots.

“Oh, this was a big hit,” smiled Russian defenceman Anton Volchenkov to reporters afterward. “We have to play physical and after a big hit you have to score goals. We did, and it was very good.”

Even the Czech players had to admit the ice tilted at that point, noting that the goal turned out to be the winner. Milan Michalek, who drew his team within a goal by scoring with a little over five minutes left. “It put us down 3-1 and it’s pretty hard to play against Russia when you’re down two goals,” he said. “We came close to tying it, but in the end we got beat.”

Jagr, for his part, said he cared about the check less than the turnover that resulted in the goal: “It was my mistake. I made a bad decision.”

The Czechs had stayed within a goal for much the game, having spotted Russia one—also by Malkin—at 15:13 of the first. Tomas Plekanec drew them even with 54 seconds left in the period, but a goal by Viktor Kozlov restored the Russians’ lead.

The Ovechkin hit stood out in a match that was otherwise physically tame, considering the depth of the rivalry between the two sides. But like Ovechkin, Russian coach Vyacheslav Bykov downplayed its importance.

“If I have to comment on every move by Ovechkin,” he said dryly. “It’s going to take until the next game. [Hitting] is part of his style.”

LIVE BLOG: Men's hockey: USA 5 Canada 3 (F)

By Charlie Gillis - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 7:40 PM - 13 Comments

What’s the adage? Good goaltending and timely goals? The Americans were outshot by a two-to-one margin, 45-22. They won a serious battle here. Give ‘em credit. 

3rd Period

19:15 — RYAN KESLER. Of all people. Jumps around Corey Perry with a brilliant effort to score the empty netter. There’s some bad blood here.

16:51 — Ryan Miller, who barring injury is a Vezina candidate, stonewalls Nash and scrambles back to stop Perry—only to have Sidney Crosby score a one-toucher on a pass beautiful play. 4-3, hold onto your hats (and consider the PP fixed, until the next brutal one).

14:56 — The Americans are doing a nice job covering their lead, and unless Canada fixes its power play they need not worry about this penalty to Erik Johnson.

10:99 — Kesler, a Vancouver Canuck who was quoted yesterday saying he “hated” the Canadians, just took a silly run at Crosby; this is a chance they should not be giving the Canadian power play. Ron Wilson looks mad.

7:09 — The insurance marker is a deflection by Jamie Langenbrunner, on a point shot by Rafalski. What a game for the mobile fireplug. The crowd is doing its best here, but I see a lot of people with their hands on their laps. And I’m hearing boos.

6:05 — Corey Perry for slashing. The Americans came out with some fire in their bellies in this period, and Canada is letting them initiate the play.

2:50 — Drew Doughty may have just saved goal; then he blocked a shot and cleared the puck. 

Crosby takes an o-zone penalty two minutes in. Frustration setting in?

Toews had 11:26 of ice time in the first two periods, tops among Canadian forwards; Crosby was next with 10:59.

A little inspiration for the home boys: gold medallists Alex Bilodeau (freestyle moguls) and Jon Montgomery (skeleton) appear on the big screen during the first and second intermissions, respectively.

Montgomery leads the crowd in a rousing chant of “Go Canada Go!”

2nd Period

16:25 — A HUGE goal for the Americans by Joe Pavelski, amid a farcical goalmouth scramble. It’s a game way too ragged and wide-open  for Mike Babcock’s preference (or for that matter Ron Wilson’s), with teams trading breakaways late in period (Joe Thornton isn’t slow, fyi, he was just at the end of his shift)

Canada has dominated zone play, but as about 12 coaches have pointed out, good netminding and timely goals win hockey tournaments. The part they leave out is that timely goals are the result of mistakes defensive mistakes and Canada has made plenty of them.

Astonishing, considering the calibre of players on its blue line.

Crosby, incidentally, has been non-evident. The Getzlaf-Perry-Staal line has provided Canada with its best  offensive cycles and some scoring chances.

The Staal infraction took place right in front of me, and it was indeed dubious. But you conspiracy theorists can forget it: we have one American and one Canadian on duty today. I think it’ll even out.

13:25 — what was Nash doing backing over the blue line, and how was it not off side?

12:00 — Two more in short order by Brodeur; Miller isn’t the only goalie in this game.

9:20 — Brodeur is forced to make a nice stop on Kesler, and puts down the left pad.

3:32 — When this tournament began Jonathan Toews didn’t have an designated position on the team’s four top lines. But he’s a character guy. The kind who can carry the puck out from with Joe Pavelski draped on his back, and feed Dany Heatley for the equalizer.

Toews now has two assists and is shaping up to be a key player for Canada.

1st Period

20:00 — Shots are 19-6, so make no mistake, as long as the Americans are ahead, this game is all about Ryan Miller. How much longer can he hold on?

A long time, if his performance in Buffalo this year is any indicator. He’s square to the puck on every shot and the U.S. forwards are coming back to make sure Canada can’t get to the rebounds. Miller thrives in games like this.

The Callahan line is aggressive up front, creating turnovers that give their team occasional chances. As long as they’re good chances, that’s all the Americans need. 

Puckhandling is Martin Brodeur’s strength, but he has to realize that he’s not playing Atlanta Thrashers here.

14:08 — Fantastic save by Miller on Marleau, who’d broken in with one man back. And the game’s getting rough. Canada’s forwards are on the whole a rugged bunch, but Brooks Orpik and Jack Johnson brought their hard-hats tonight, too. Same goes for Ryan Suter, who just laid another cruncher on Brenden Morrow.

8:53 — Eric Staal with a sweet tip on a shot by Brent Seabrook, but Rafalski replies 23 seconds later. Between Brodeur and the defencemen, they’re being altogether too cavalier in their own end. And the crowd is getting manic-depressive.

Right now it’s depressed, trying hard to get that manic feeling going.

3:41 — Is Miller a daisy petal? That wasn’t very much contact. Getzlaf gets two for interference nonetheless

0:41 — A brutal first shift by the Crosby line, topped by Crosby tipping Brian Rafalski’s point shot. 1-0 Americans. Talk about downer. The crowd feels fragile. 

Miller follows up with a nice save. No gimmes in this game.

—————–

What can we say about this game to hype it any further?

Nothing, except that it’s the biggest Canada has played since they lost out to the Russians in Turin four years ago. And spare me any talk of the IIHF world championship.

Lineups for both teams look largely the same as the last game except that Brent Seabrook appears to have lost his spot as one of the team’s top-six defenceman. Drew Doughty is pencilled in next to Seabrook’s usual partner, Duncan Keith, as Seabrook seems be a little less poised amid the speed and hurly-burly of Olypmic competition.

Martin Brodeur starts in net for Canada; Ryan Miller for the Americans.

Drop the puck!

Olympics hit halfway mark

By macleans.ca - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 7:04 PM - 0 Comments

A shadow over 'Super Sunday'

By macleans.ca - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 6:43 PM - 0 Comments

LIVE BLOG: Ice dancing original dance

By Rachel Mendleson - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 6:34 PM - 8 Comments

6:30 p.m.
Live blogging the original dance begins in 42 minutes. It’s going to be, like, so much better than hockey. Trust me.

7:30 p.m.
Turns out this event actually starts at 7:45 p.m. But speed skating (which is on now) is pretty cool. Wonder how they’d feel if we made them wear sequins, too?

7:36 p.m.
Okay, so I know I’m supposed to be focusing on ice dancing, and all those lovely pairs, but I just came across this from resident sore loser Evegeni Plushenko (the Russian figure skater who emerged from retirement to compete in the Olympics, but failed to clinch top spot). Apparently he’s not done quite yet. As he told media: “I want to continue to compete, I want to skate in Sochi in Russia in 2014.” Won’t he be, like, 40 years old by then?

7:43 p.m.
I take it back. The Internet tells me that Plushenko will only be 31 by then. But still…

7:57 p.m.
Oh no! Apparently this event is already underway. CTV says “don’t worry, we’ll get it all to you later,” but I’m worried. They say they’re going live to the Pacific Coliseum now. Sorry for the delay!

8:00 p.m.
Hungary’s Nora Hoffmann and and Maxim Zavozin are on the ice. They’re dressed like Hansel and Gretel. But unlike many of the other competitors, they’re not actually brother and sister.

8:01 p.m.
Apparently this year’s theme is folk and country. Which explains the costumes.

8:03 p.m.
The announcers just said that those gathered at the stadium tonight are a “dance crowd.” As opposed to the people who normally watch figure skating?

8:05 p.m.
The Hungarians are behind the Italians (Anna Cappellinni and Lanotte Luca) who skated before CTV started coverage on this channel.

8:07 p.m.
Americans Emily Bates and Evan Samuelson are skating to the Dixie Chicks. He’s dressed like a cowboy, and she’s dressed like…are cowboy groupie?

8:09 p.m.
Wait-a keep that cowboy hat on for the whole routine.

8:11 p.m.
Emily and Evan are all smiles. Their cowboy number was good enough for first.

8:13 p.m.
Russians Ekaterina Obrova and Dmitri Soloviev are cute, little twizzling sailors. The identical costumes help with that whole unison thing. Or at least the illusion of it.

8:15 p.m.
Ooooh. Exciting lift! And she finishes by whipping off her sailor cap to reveal her long, blond mane. Hot!

8:17 p.m.
Okay, commercial break. I’ll take this opportunity to admit that I know very little about ice dancing. To be honest, I have a few burning questions. For one, are they jealous of the figure skaters? Or are the figure skaters jealous of them?

8:18 p.m.
The Russians take fourth. (For now.)

8:22 p.m.
Bad things are happening with Olympic coverage. Seems ice dancing is not popular enough to be shown live. I now seem to be watching something from “earlier today,” which I imagine means during the speed skating medal presentation. Please bear with me.

8:28 p.m.
It was Canadians Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier. They were cute. He’s so young sounding! (Now being interviewed by CTV.) Apparently that happened earlier. But now the network is doing some kind of Olympic roundup. I’m confused.

8:32 p.m.
I fear we may have to take what we can get in terms of coverage…checking to see if it’s streaming online.

8:35 p.m.
They’re about to start another “flight,” which means I think we’ve gone live again. So sorry for the pairs we missed. It was nothing personal.

8:40 p.m.
I’m annoyed that this whole thing wasn’t shown live. I feel marginalized.

8:43 p.m.
Germans Christine Beier and William Beier (yes, sister and brother) are skating to a Hawaiian dance. This should come as a shock: they’re dressed the part.

8:44 p.m.
The announcer just said “It might be a little difficult to see this at home, but they’re not perfectly parallel.” To me, they look like they’re so parallel that it’s almost as if they have the same DNA. Ooooh, snap!

8:46 p.m.
And they’re in sixth spot. Not great Hawaiian wannabes. Not great.

8:48 p.m.
Next up, Americans-turned-Japanese, Cathy and Chris Reed. Yes, another incestuous pair. Seriously, what’s the deal?

8:49 p.m.
Apparently, it’s tough to twizzle with a Japanese fan.

8:50 p.m.
Family dinners must be really awkward when the screw up.

8:53 p.m.
That’s some crazy make up on lady Reed. They look happy, despite their fifth place ranking.

8:55 p.m.
Chinese pair Xintong Huang and Zheng Xun are, in the words of the announcers “a Chinese couple skating a Greek folk dance.” Need I say more? I can’t stop giggling. And their bright turquoise, white and sequin costumes aren’t helping.

8:57 p.m.
They say dancing to another country’s music shows “great acting.”

8:59 p.m.
Eighth place. They look crestfallen.

9:01 p.m.
Ukraine’s Anna Zadorozhniuk and Sergei Verbillo are skating to a Ukrainian folk dance. That seems to make a bit more sense.  

9:02 p.m.
I like her red bootie things. They’re fabulous.

9:03 p.m.
My personal peanut gallery is marveling at the fact that “they don’t kick each other in the shins by accident.”

9:05 p.m.
They’re from Odessa. I want to go there.

9:06 p.m.
They’re not looking so happy with their third place ranking.

9:07 p.m.
British skater Emily Coomes and Nicholas Buckland wave funny. Maybe it’s because of the Queen. She waves REALLY funny. They’re doing an Irish folk dance.

9:09 p.m.
Oooh, I like their Riverdance stuff. I’m such a sucker for Michael Flatley, and all things Flatley-like.

9:10 p.m.
They look happy with their performance.

9:11 p.m.
Okay…hold the phones…they just showed the Russians getting ready for their “aboriginal” dance. She’s attaching a crown of leaves to his head. This promises to be even more offensive to First Nations than Avatar.

9:13 p.m.
Oh, the British only rack up enough points for 10th. Too bad.

9:15 p.m.
Whoa! Those aboriginal costumes (to be worn by Russians Oksana Dominina and Maxim Shabalin) are CRAZY. Apparently the outfits and dance are meant as a tribute to Australian aboriginals, but they’re totally cringe-worthy.  The announcers are not impressed.

9:19 p.m.
But first we have another pair of Russians, Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski, doing far less offensive things.

9:20 p.m.
She’s got amazing bright orange/red hair, and is wearing a cute green dress. He has on traditional pants that billow at the thighs. Their antics are getting some laughs and cheers from the crowd.

9:24 p.m.
I like it when they talk to the camera in the “kiss and cry” area. It’s endearing. And the Russians edge into first.

9:26 p.m.
French pair Isabelle Delobel and Oliver Schoenfelder are skating to a French can-can. 

9:27 p.m.
They’re former world champions who, if I heard the announcers right, are making a comeback after having a baby. That’s amazing.

9:28 p.m.
That was pretty awesome. The insane amount of pink fabric under her black skirt made it way more fun to watch.

9:30 p.m.
He just mimed that he was hanging himself with his scarf when he saw the marks. Eek.

9:32 p.m.
British pair (and siblings) Sinead and John Kerr are doing American country. Dancing to Johnny Cash, who is currently rolling over in his grave.

9:34 p.m.
My peanut gallery observes that Sinead, who has tied up her plaid shirt to expose her midriff, has a “tramp stamp.” We’re wondering if it’s part of the costume?

9:35 p.m.
That was a lot of touching for brother and sister.

9:36 p.m.
The country siblings are in currently in second. Next up: Italians Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali.  

9:38 p.m.
Apparently they’re one of the only pairs that are doing a “level four” in difficulty (whatever that means). I appreciate that their dance and costumes have a lower degree of cultural appropriation.

9:40 p.m.
Their coach has the most orange hair I have ever seen. It’s incredible. They’re now sitting in first, and smiling ever so slightly.

9:45 p.m.
Russians Oksana Dominina and Maxim Shabalin are on the ice, doing their aboriginal thing, and it’s just as offensive as promised. She’s even coloured in her eyebrows, and just mimed a stereotypical yell, by repeatedly bringing her hand to her mouth.

9:47 p.m.
What’s worse: the announcer says they haven’t met with Australian aboriginals to talk about their “interpretation.” The audience is SO not impressed. You could hear a pin drop.  The announcers are taking issue with the fact that they appear to be “semi-nude.”

9:49 p.m.
It was good enough for first, despite their tasteless appearance. Well, in their defense, the original dance is supposed to be original, right?

10:02 p.m.
Virtue and Moir are coming up in the next flight. During the break, we’re watching Canadian skeleton racer Melissa Hollingsworth bawl her eyes out while apologizing to us for coming in fifth. Relax! It’s not like you pulled a Tiger Woods. We forgive you!

10:10 p.m.
Here’s another thing I’ve always wondered about ice dancing: at which point do skaters get siphoned off into the jumpers and the dancers? Is it like hockey and ringette? Or skeleton and luge?

10:13 p.m.
Here come Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White. Looks like they’re going to attempt something East Indian.

10:15 p.m.
Totally Bollywood.

10:15 p.m.
To the untrained eye, their steps seem really clean and in unison.

10:16 p.m.
Wicked spin! (Yes, that’s a technical term.)

10:17 p.m.
I wonder what Moir and Virtue (their training mates) are thinking. Probably mean thoughts.

10:18 p.m.
First place! Big smiles.

10:20 p.m.
French skaters Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat are a lot country. She’s turned her skates into cowboy(girl?) boots. 

10:22 p.m.
Not sure why she didn’t opt to have her ruffly orange skirt cover her entire bottom.

10:23 p.m.
The thought of how many times they’ve had to listen to that horrendous song makes me feel crazy.

10:24 p.m.
Fifth place for the French cowboys.

10:26 p.m.
Israelis Alexandra and Roman Zaretsky (sis and bro) and skating to a Jewish folk song. 

10:27 p.m.
And it’s not just any old folk song, it’s Hava Neglia. For those who’ve never been to a Jewish wedding or bar mitzvah, this is the one where the couple (or bar mitzvah boy) gets lifted up in chairs, and everybody else dances around in a circle.

10:29 p.m.
Canadians Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue are waiting in the wings…

10:30 p.m.
The Israelis are in eighth.

10:32 p.m.
And the crowd loses its collective mind as Moir and Virtue take to the ice.

10:33 p.m.
The announcers are not saying a word, which is really unhelpful. They…um…look pretty?

10:34 p.m.
They’re both making the same super-dramatic open-mouth face. But they seem to be doing quite well.

10:35 p.m.
The announcers just offered a rhetoric, “How good was this?” I guess that was great. Perfect, even.

10:36 p.m.
But will it be enough for first?

10:37 p.m.
YES! Three cheers for a Canadian team that’s almost actually done what the pre-Olympics commercials promised!

10:39 p.m.
I’m not sure who’s dancing now. In the meantime, I’ve looked up the definition of “twizzle.” I know this is coming a little late in the game, but according to Wikipedia (source of semi-reliable information) it’s “a multirotational one-foot turn.”

10:41 p.m.
If the announcers would…um…announce, I could tell you who this is. I think they might be American, but they’re dressed in crazy outfits, so I’m not sure.

10:41 p.m.
Okay, that was an American pair, Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto. 

10:43 p.m.
Now the announcers are jinxing the crap out of Moir and Virtue. Honestly, has what happened to Patrick Chan taught you nothing?

10:44 p.m.
The American pair takes fourth.

10:45 p.m.
And that’s a wrap. Tessa and Scott are gushing to CTV about their performance. It really was a good one. Tune in tomorrow night to see if they can bring it home, at home. And don’t forget to check out our live blog.

Figure skater Joannie Rochette's mother dies

By macleans.ca - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 5:01 PM - 0 Comments

Just two days before Joannie Rochette takes the ice for the first time in Vancouver, she has learned that her mother died of a heart attack. 55-year-old Therese Rochette died at Vancouver General hospital early Sunday morning after having suffered a fatal heart attack. The six-time Canadian national champion and defending world silver medalist is now with her father, and has confirmed that she will stay in the competition Tuesday and Thursday. However, she will not speak to the media until after she has competed.

CBC News

Olympic heartbreak

By Ken MacQueen - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 3:44 PM - 1 Comment

Canada’s Olympic team has been dealt a tragic blow with the death in Vancouver early Sunday morning of Thérèse Rochette, the 55-year-old mother of figure skater Joannie Rochette. Mrs. Brochette had arrived in Vancouver with her husband Normand from their home in Ile Dupas, Que., only the day before to watch her daughter skate her first program on Tuesday night. It’s her first Olympic performance in Vancouver, the short program. She is the first skater in the last grouping that night. Rochette has told Skate Canada officials she intends to carry on with her skate.

A somber Benoit Lavoie, president of Skate Canada and William Thompson, its CEO, announced the news Sunday morning. He said Thérèse died early Sunday morning at Vancouver General hospital. “We have no knowledge of her having any illness, or the cause of death,” Thompson said. Vancouver radio station CKNW reported, “It is believed she had a heart attack,” which has since been confirmed. Normand Rochette traveled to the Olympic Village shortly afterwards to give his daughter the tragic news. He remains with her and several other family members as well as the team’s sport psychologist surround her.

Nathalie Lambert, Chef de Mission for the Canadian Olympic team was fighting tears Sunday morning. She said her role is usually a celebratory one but it’s now tinged with sadness. “It’s very emotional for me today.” She urged the media to avoid questioning Rochette about her loss if, indeed, she does skate Tuesday. She also urged them not to raise the issue with her teammates who also were informed of the loss Sunday.

Both she and Skate Canada officials said they won’t pressure Rochette to continue, and they would support her decision to drop out of the Games if she changes her mind.

Lambert also added that former Olympic swimmer Sylvie Fréchette, a friend of Joannie’s, is also at the Games and is sadly capable of offering consolation and advice about performing after tragedy.

Fréchette’s boyfriend committed suicide shortly before she was to compete in the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona. Fréchette went on to perform flawlessly, only to be robbed of a gold medal by a computer error.

Rochette’s loss cast a cloud on a news conference Canadian team officials had scheduled to give a mid-Games assessment of their chances.

Michael Chambers, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee, said winning the medal standings is still possible despite the strong performance by the U.S. team. The team began Sunday in fifth place, one place behind their predictions for the mid-Games.

They are projecting they could still reap as many as 11 to 14 medals in the final four days of the Games, though he conceded, “the U.S. is making it very tough for us to achieve our goal.”

Men's hockey: Russia 4 Czechs 2 (F)

By Charlie Gillis - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 2:43 PM - 0 Comments

3rd Period

19:48— Elias with a rare giveaway at the blue line, and Pavel Datsyuk scores into the empty net. Final shots 31-25 Russia. Final score 4-2 Russia. A great game.

Goalie out, and Krejci makes one move too many on an amazing rush. Timeout Russia.

14:51 — Redemption for Michalek! And for Jagr, who helps dig out the puck along the boards and screens Nabakov. 3-2 Russia. We’re in for nailbiter.

13:40 — Milan Michalek turned Gonchar inside out but couldn’t close the deal. From here, it looked like Gonchar might have grabbed him with the free hand. Czechs clearly feeling the heat now.

1:49 — A Russian goal that, for now at least, looks like a turning point. Ovechkin lines up Jaromir Jagr and flattens him in the neutral zone; loose puck to Semin, pass to Malkin, one-timer into the net.

It has lit a fire under both teams after a slower second period. Jagr has something prove, and not a whole lot of time to prove it.

The Ovie-Semin-Malkin line is becoming too big a handful for any of the Czech lines.

2nd Period

The Czechs may have a beef following a goal-mouth scramble in the Russian end. Not only did the puck appear to be loose along the goal line, a Russian player, Ilya Nikulin, grabbed it with his glove. Under IIHF rules, as in the NHL, that should be a penalty shot.

Not long afterward, some beaking broke out between Radulov—who fled the Nashville Predators for the Kontinental League—and his old teammate Martin Erat. I’m not sure what Erat said, but Radulov, frustrated by a failed 2-on-1, charged David Kreicji piling him into his own linemate, inflicting what looks like a terrible injury on Sergei Zinoviev’s knee.

What’s the Russian word for idiotic?

Russia looks perpetually on the cusp of breaking out, and it’s hard to overstate the level of talent on this team. But they’re not yet gelling, and they’re undisciplined. They’re vulnerable to a tenacious checking team.

14:33 — tough goal for Vokoun. Viktor Kozlov pivots to tap it in, but Alexander Radulov did the heavy lifting, banging away to get it to him. 2-1 Russia.

10:53 — another offensive-zone penalty for the Russians—Semin this time. But they kill it off

Havlat, Plekanec and Elias: interesting line, nimble yet defensively responsible

Petr Cajanek off for high-sticking. The two Canadian refs, Dan O’Halloran and Guy Pellerin, are calling this one close.

The Czechs seem content to let the Russians carry the play, using only one forechecker most of the time. And Vladimir Ruzicka doesn’t seem preoccupied with matching lines, using a couple of different combinations against Malkin, Crosby and Semin.

There’s probably not much point: even if you shut those three down, you have to contend with Datsyuk, Kovalchuk and Afinogenov. Everyone has to play some defence today.

1st Period

19:07 — PP goal by Tomas Plekanec, who spins nicely off Nikulin and finds the inside post. Fedorov will answer for a silly trip that put the Czechs up by two men. What a time to give up a goal, and what a period. Shots were 13-5 for Russia. But the only score that matters says they’re dead even.

Fleischmann misses another! What’s with that guy? He’s got some of the softest hands in the NHL.

14:38 — Another Russian PP, this time Malkin sneaks it in. Gotta bird’s eye view and Vokoun nearly had it. 1-zip for Russian.

10:46 — Russian PP: let’s see what they got

Answer: not much. Vokoun was forced make good save on a shot by Ilya Nikulin that hit something and changed speeds

Tomas Fleischmann isn’t going to get many opportunities like the one Evgeni Nabokov just took from him. Right on the goalmouth. Big fat rebound.

Then again, who thought Vokoun could stop Ovie on a partial break at the 6:30 mark? Got a great view of it from where I’m seated and Vokoun made himself nice and big, followed him right across the crease.

The pace varies from shift to shift, but at times it’s breathtaking. Those times seem to coincide with Alex Ovechkin’s presence on the ice.

Russians threw the body on their first shift—Kovalchuk and Malkin.

It’s hard to distinguish between the Russian and Czech fans here; their flags feature exactly the same colours.

—————-

Where to start with these two teams? Both are big, and both are talented. Like games between Canada and the U.S., those between the Russians and the Czechs are never just about hockey.

I wrote yesterday of their off-ice history. The on-ice intrigue is almost as compelling. After decades of Olympic dominance, the Russians have not won gold since 1992, the last time they drew players from the former U.S.S.R., and have twice finished out of the medals. The post-Soviet era hasn’t bee a whole lot kinder to the Czechs. But they did beat the Russians in a battle royale to win the gold in 1998.

That game—a 1-0 shutout that featured a stunning performance by goalie Dominik Hasek—is arguably the Czech’s greatest Olympic triumph. Not only did they vanquish their former oppressor, they won the first Winter Games in which the pros were allowed to compete, beating a Canadian team anchored by Wayne Gretzky along the way.

The Czechs also won the last Olympic match between the two teams, beating Russia 3-0 to win the bronze medal in Turin.

In this game, most  of the pressure is on the Russians. They need a regulation win to get a bye to the quarterfinals; otherwise, they have to play a qualifying game. For the Czechs, a loss in overtime or shootout would do the job.

Stephen Harper's dulcet tones, explained

By Aaron Wherry - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 2:24 PM - 6 Comments

Conservative guru Patrick Muttart sends British Tory leader David Cameron unsolicited, and perhaps ultimately dismissed, advice.

In the documents, Mr Muttart says Mr Cameron should ‘practise staring down Brown while the camera is focused on the moderators, other leaders. Makes your opponent feel uncomfortable’. But he adds that when Mr Cameron is ‘attacking/rebutting’ he should ‘look at his opponent’s shoulder and not his face. Facial reactions can be distracting/destabilising’.

Personal attacks, meanwhile, should be ‘well-timed and well-constructed’ but used infrequently ‘for the biggest impact’. Most of Mr Muttart’s advice is listed under a section entitled ‘key presentation points’. It states: ‘Ensure Cameron has room-temperature water. Cold water (with ice) tightens the throat. You should control his water – not the TV studio.’

Au revoir, Jim Abbott

By Aaron Wherry - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 2:12 PM - 5 Comments

The Conservative MP steps way so he can spend more time with his family.

A grueling commute

By Michael Friscolanti - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 2:09 PM - 1 Comment

Fans who fork over hundreds of dollars to watch Olympic alpine skiers can reach their seats in one of two ways. They can ride a shuttle bus to the bleachers, located right behind the finish line. Or they can hop on a gigantic ski lift, which offers some of the most stunning views of the Whistler mountains.

Needless to say, those shuttle buses are pretty empty.

Minus the scenery, the chair-lift commute to the Creekside course isn’t all that different from a typical morning subway ride. Passengers carry their Starbucks and their knapsacks, and if they miss a stop, it’s a long way back. (And if they lose their balance, a long way down.)

The best part? You get to leave the same way you came.

The Cheryl Bernard show

By Aaron Wherry - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 11:56 AM - 18 Comments

Welcome to the debut of live curling coverage here at Macleans.ca. I spent about 15 minutes last night asking a friend about the finer points of this great Canadian tradition and I think I’ve decided that it’s one of two things: chess on ice, or glorified shuffleboard. Over the next three hours we’ll endeavour to settle this age-old debate.

12:01pm CTV is hyping this as Super Sunday. Warning: higher-than-usual likelihood of disappointment ahead.

12:05pm You are looking live at Sheet C where the Canadians and Americans are about to settle once and for all which is the better country in North America. The stones are off and sliding.

12:12pm We’re apparently all here to see Cheryl Bernard, who my friend Michael Grange has likened to Courtney Cox’s character on Cougar Town. And apparently that was a compliment. The complicated nature of femininity at the Olympics is officially the most intriguing storyline of these Games.

12:15pm Ms. Bernard was on just now yelling “Hard!” quite forcefully. I take no position on the sexiness of this. In other news, we’re scoreless at the end of one.

12:24pm The crowd so far seems fairly well-behaved. Apparently we made a Danish curler cry last night. I’m generally of the opinion that if you can’t handle crowd noise, you shouldn’t be competing in any sport that takes place before an audience (which, I believe, is almost all of them) and that any sport that requires silence from its viewers is somehow less worthy of being called “sport.” But I’m open to being convinced otherwise.

12:30pm The U.S. slides the last one untouched through the House, but still gets a point. Americans leads 1-0 at the end of two.

12:33pm The U.S. skip is said to struggle with her draw weight. So that’s apparently what happened with that last shot.

12:42pm Ms. Bernard hits a perfect shot to take out an American stone and Canada has three in scoring position. I’m impressed. Even if I’m not entirely sure what’s going on.

12:44pm The American skip slides another one through, Bernard draws one perfectly and Canada leads 4-1.

12:50pm CTV is now showing us Skicross qualifications. Getting back to our discussion about femininity and the Olympics, that Danish curler apparently once posed topless.

12:58pm Back to curling. A scoreless fourth end, Canada holds its 4-1 advantage.

1:07pm Organizers are apparently urging fans to keep quiet. Russ Howard, doing colour commentary, seems noise-positive. Or at least noise-tolerant. Everybody seems to agree it’s better to have more fans with noise than less fans without noise. Strange to hear sensible sports commentary.

1:14pm Another nice shot by Bernard, another mistake by the Americans and it’s 6-1.

1:22pm Two other contributions to the femininity discussion: the Olympic stars portion of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit edition and Hanna Rosin’s essay on figure skating.

1:27pm And then there’s this: a male snowboarder has departed Vancouver, of his own accord or at official behest, after vaguely sexual pictures of him frolicking with his bronze medal were published by TMZ. Feel free to try to square that with all of the above.

1:33pm Bernard has apparently done “extreme hiking” in Brazil and kayaked in the Arctic. So basically, curling is the least athletic thing she does in her spare time.

1:36pm Bernard removes an American stone and Canada lies three, but the American skip curls one in to make it 6-2.

1:47pm Two American stones and two Canadian stones piled up above the button. Terribly complicated discussion ensues within Canadian team as to what they should do. This is fascinating. Even if, as noted, I don’t entirely understand what they’re saying.

1:51pm Canadians take out an American stone to the left of the pile. Americans try to break up the pile with marginal success. There’s not a lot of crude language in curling. This is why they can be hooked up to live microphones and athletes in other sports can’t.

1:54pm Bernard hits a nice shot and lies three. The process is outrageously complicated, even if the ultimate goal is very obvious and understandable. The appropriate analogy is possibly love or marriage or foreign aid.

1:58pm Canada takes three and apparently that’s it, 9-2. Canada is redeemed as the dominant force in North American curling and I have watched my first full curling match. That seemed spectacularly easy. Cheryl Bernard is like Courtney Cox crossed with Michael Jordan. Or something.

Ohno! Charles and François Hamelin miss the podium

By Ken MacQueen and Nancy Macdonald - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 1:12 AM - 11 Comments

It was a parents’ dream: two sons, short track skaters Charles Hamelin and his younger brother François in the Olympic 1,000-metre medal final.

It was a parents’ nightmare: only one could possibility win Saturday night at Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum.

It was a parents’ heartbreak: Charles, 25, took the lead, with François, 23, drafting behind him. They held that position for several laps; with François dueling with American superstar Apolo Anton Ohno for second place— the partisan home country crowd screaming support.

In the stands their father Yves Hamelin, national team program director, clutched a stopwatch and urged them on. How many times have these two brothers chased each other around the rink, for fun, for family, for personal pride? On Saturday there was so much more at stake.

Then, in a flash of blue, and in Olympic record time, it was over. Two Koreans, Jung-Su Lee and Ho-Suk Lee swept into the lead, followed by Ohno who had slipped to last place and then charged back to take bronze. Charles fell back to fourth just ahead of his brother.

For a crestfallen Charles, a medal favorite and the world record holder in this distance, it was his second disappointment. A week earlier he’d failed to advance to the finals in the 1,500 metres. “It’s one of the toughest races I’ve ever skated,” Charles said later. He said the raucous crowd gave him and his brother energy, but it also hampered their race strategy. “Since we’re not accustomed to that we had trouble hearing the people behind us.”

Charles said he and his brother had no plans to work together to block their opponents. “We don’t talk together about strategy,” he said. “But we talked to our coach and he makes sure our strategies will work together.” The plan, said François, was to break into the lead early. They knew five of the six best skaters in the world were in the final. “Maybe we went too fast at the beginning,” he said, “and it hurt us in the end.”

For Ohno, 27, the third place finish was a triumph. With that bronze he earned his seventh Olympic medal in three Olympic Games, breaking his tie with long-track speed skater Bonnie Blair, who was in the stands Saturday. “It feels amazing,” Ohno said later. “As an athlete you never really look back at past medals that I’ve won. I just remember the struggles and the sacrifices that I’ve made to get to this point.”

Ohno said he made some mistakes during the race but he is satisfied with a bronze. My goal was to come out here and pour my heart and soul into these Olympic Games and I have no regrets, I’m just happy to be here.” Ohno said in earlier interviews he is also pumped by what he predicts will be “one of the best American Games ever.” He gave a nod to Charles Hamelin, the world record holder in the 1,000m. “These Canadian guys prepare so hard and so well—Operation Gold or whatever they’re calling it . . . Own the Podium or something,” he said to a group of largely American journalists. Then, in what is becoming a well-worn American joke, he added: “They can own the podium, we just want to borrow it. Just for the month of February, and we’ll give it back.”

In an earlier race, Tania Vicent, 34, and a 16-year veteran of the Canadian team, was the only Canadian to advance to the finals in the women’s 1,500-metres. She came out charging in a packed field of eight skaters but faded badly at the end, finishing last. Kalyna Roberge, considered the strongest skater on the women’s team fell in a crash-fest of a quarterfinal. Meng Wang, the prohibitive favourite to win, triggered a three-woman crash, and failed to qualify for the finals.

Canuck Lyndon Rush knew this track better than anyone

By Nicholas Köhler - Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 12:22 AM - 4 Comments

Nobody knows the Whistler sliding track like bobsledder Lyndon Rush—and Rush is the first to admit it.

How well does he know it? He was only the second bobsled pilot, after the German Andre Lange, to attempt it during homologation, that mysterious process, matched in strangeness only by the cult of transubstantiation, by which a venue is certified Olympic-ready.

But since then Rush, a 29-year-old former university football player from Humboldt, Sask., has had plenty of time to acquaint himself with the twists and turns of the Whistler Sliding Centre—so much so that even for the Europeans to whom bobsled is a routine part of sports-watching, Rush was a medal favourite.

So what, tonight, in the second heat of the two-man event—with the great Jamaican bobsled veteran-turned-Canadian-juggernaut Lascelles “King” Brown picking up the rear as brakeman—would prompt this pilot to crash the car?

“I made a mistake,” said Rush, a modest guy at the best of times. “The first thing I said was, ‘Sorry King,’ and that’s sort of kind of how I still feel. He pushed like a champion and he deserves better than that and I really let him down. I feel really bad for that.”

The sled found trouble in Turn 11, what Rush describes as a “double-apex corner” with a natural wave. “I kind of let that first one float a little too much and I pushed that second wave further into the exit,” he said. Then, “it snowballed” and Rush lost control, bumping into Turn 13, known among sledders here as 50-50 for the chances you have of getting through it. Though the rollover was dramatic, with the car scraping across the ice an agonizing distance, both men came out relatively unscathed, Rush with cuts to his hands, Brown with an ice burn to the shoulder.

“I’ve had my 50-50 moments but I always seem to pull it off,” Rush said. “But not this time.”

He wasn’t alone—the Brits crashed in the first heat, as did Liechtenstein and Australia. But those teams weren’t favourites to hit the podium. Rush was. Now the Germans occupy first and second place, leaving the U.S. to fight it out with Russia for bronze in the two remaining  heats tomorrow—although, on this track, anything can happen.

Rush’s mishap also permitted fellow Canadian Pierre Lueders and his brakeman, Edmonton Eskimos running back Jesse Lumsden, to move up the ranks.

Lueders, 39, a heavily decorated pilot who won gold in Nagano but who was not seriously expected to medal in Vancouver, saw Rush’s spill while speaking to Canadian reporters and was struck dumb. Mouthing the words “Oh my God,” Lueders turned his back on the press box and dramatically put his head in his hands. It was quite a show. He and Lumsden now occupy seventh place, though Lueders said it was not his preferred way to advance.

There is back story here. Lueders secured the two-man silver in Turino with Brown behind him. Now the pair don’t speak after a cataclysmic falling out, and Brown has said he would only compete with Lueders again “if Jesus Christ stood at the bottom of the course and told me to do it.”

Rush and Brown will continue in the race tomorrow, though Rush admits “we’re not going to win.” Still, he added he would approach tomorrow’s competition the “same as I approach it every day—do my very best.” And they still have a shot with the four man.

So how does it feel to tumble a bobsleigh car at corner 13? “It’s like someone punching you all the way until the sled stops,” Brown explained.

So is watching Canada arrive so well-equipped and then put it in the ditch.

PHOTO GALLERY: Cheryl Bernard's Olympic curling rink

By macleans.ca - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 11:34 PM - 8 Comments

Denny Morrison and the Oval of Broken Dreams

By Jonathon Gatehouse - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 11:13 PM - 6 Comments

Four years ago in Turin, it was Canada’s female speed skaters—and mostly just Cindy Klassen— that carried the team to historic heights. The men, came home with just one medal, a silver in the team pursuit.

And if Canada is to come anywhere close to its lofty goal of owning the podium at the Vancouver 2010 Games, it’s now clear that it will be up to the women again.

In the men’s 1500m race at the Richmond Oval this evening, Denny Morrison again failed to meet his own, and the country’s high expectations, finishing 9th, .80 seconds off the podium, with a time of 1:46.93. Mark Tuitert of the Netherlands—ranked fourth in the world at the distance—was the surprise victor, turning in a scorching 1:45.57, and beating world record holder Shani Davis of the United States by more than half a second. The bronze was taken by Havard Bokko of Norway in 1:46.13.

Morrison was Canada’s best hope for a men’s individual speed skating medal at these Games. In the 2007-08 season he won 11 medals in the 1000m and 1500m races on the World Cup circuit. In 2008, he won the world championship in the 1500m, and 2009 took the bronze. By this season has had far more downs than ups for the 24-year-old from Fort St. Jean, British Columbia. And his dream home Olympics have descended into a nightmare of frustration.

Tonight, sitting in second place with just 400 metres to go, Morrison wasn’t able to keep a medal in his grasp, fading badly down the final stretch and visibly labouring to the finish.

“In the last lap, I just lost all my speed and basically exploded,” he told reporters afterwards.  “It wasn’t that I gave up, or wasn’t trying. I just wasn’t putting it technically into the ice the way I should have been.”

His poor Olympic performances, including a 13th in the 1000m, have left him searching for answers, and lashing out in all directions, including his coaches and Speed Skating Canada.

“I don’t know if it’s something with the program or what,” he said. “It’s been kind of frustrating to know that I was getting closer and closer to the Olympics and skating poorer and poorer when I get tired.”

Morrison also took aim at a decision that saw his close friend and former training buddy Davis banned from Calgary’s Olympic Oval after the Turin Games. His greatest improvements, and best seasons, came during and immediately after that partnership.

“I just think it would be nice to train with Shani to have him push me or pull me,” said Morrison. “I feel like that was something I miss…Now I basically have to do these programs by myself.”

It was a slap that visibly angered his coach Marcel Lacroix.

“The program was giving him what he needed for the last three years,” he retorted. “He got a world record with the program. He was a silver medalist at the World Championships in the 1000m, and bronze medalist in the 1500m. So, what? It was working, and now it’s not? I can’t support that.”

Lacroix also took umbrage at the implicit criticism of Morrison’s teammates.

“Denny has a team,” he said.  “They may not be as good as Shani, but he doesn’t train on his own. To me as a coach, that’s not an excuse.”

The question now is whether Morrison will be able to put the disappointment behind him and prepare for next weekend’s team pursuit—an event where Canada retains a legitimate medal shot.

Tonight, the signs were hardly encouraging.

“I can give you the answer my sports psychologist would like me to tell you, or I can give you the answer I really feel,” Morrison said when asked about his readiness. “It may take me a while to get over it. But I will still be able to skate it with a good attitude.”

Lacroix, who described his charge as being “lost in a fog” at the moment, said Morrison has a choice.

“Denny is disappointed that he didn’t get an individual medal, but right now his only shot is the team pursuit,” he said.

“You can sit and cry, or you get out there again. A medal is a medal.”

Love on the bobsleigh track

By Nicholas Köhler - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 10:33 PM - 2 Comments

A nasty rollover in the first heat of the men’s two-man bobsleigh—one of three this evening—saw British pilot John Jackson leave the sled and bounce along the ice at high speed on his back, producing a painful-looking set of bloody burns.

Then brakeman Dan Money, looking in his Union Jack-emblazoned uniform like the English answer to Captain America, was seen to run to the audience, hop a series of metal fences and lose himself in the crowd.

Money, soon spotted in full-bodied embrace with an obviously relieved woman, was comforting his wife Stephanie, causing the melting of the crowd’s weather-cooled collective heart.

Ahhhhhhhhh.

The team won’t compete in the two-man, but both men say the track is fine. Still, Stephanie is likely happy to see the end of this event. The pair will return for the four-man races.

Is France’s sale of warships to Russia really a good idea?

By Michael Petrou - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 9:42 PM - 25 Comments

The 2008 war between Russia and Georgia was brought to a supposed end with a peace deal brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the agreement, which called for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgian territory, and promptly ignored it. Russian soldiers remained in Georgia for two months, and are still stationed in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which most of the world recognizes as part of Georgia but which Russia declared to be independent states—another violation of the agreement.

Russia’s actions were a clear slap in the face to France. As Sarkozy himself pointed out, his signature was also on the document. And yet today, less than two years later, France has agreed to sell Russia as many as four Mistral amphibious assault ships—massive and technologically sophisticated vessels that can each transport and deploy 16 helicopters, four landing barges, 70 vehicles including 13 tanks, and more than 400 soldiers. They also include a hospital and can be used as amphibious command platforms. “A ship like that would have allowed the Black Sea fleet to accomplish its mission in 40 minutes, not 26 hours, which is how long it took us,” Russian naval commander Vladimir Vysotsky boasted, referring to the 2008 conflict.

The money that each $750-million boat will bring to France’s underused shipyards likely helped Sarkozy get over the Georgian war snub. But France is also a member of the NATO military alliance, which in April 2008 predicted Georgia and Ukraine would one day join it. The impending sale also coincides with the release of Russia’s latest military doctrine, which identified NATO’s eastward expansion as the main external military danger facing Russia.

Continue…

Remembering Alexander Haig

By macleans.ca - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 8:36 PM - 3 Comments

Alexander Haig died on Saturday at 85. He was U.S. secretary of state to Ronald Reagan, chief of staff to Richard Nixon and was NATO commander under Gerald Ford. Remembered for helping Nixon prepare a defense during the Watergate scandal in 1973 and for his well-meaning reaction to the shooting of Ronald Reagan in 1981. “As of now, I am in control here in the White House, pending the return of the vice-president.” He wasn’t. Haig, a general, served in the army for 20 years before he came to the White House in 1968. He had been ill—and died of complications from an infection in Baltimore.

CBC

Does drinking six beers make the skeleton interesting to watch in person?

By Scott Feschuk - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 8:33 PM - 18 Comments

Let’s be honest: a lot of the Olympic sports being contested up at Whistler are not exactly spectator friendly. People in Vancouver get big-time hockey and a close-up view of skiers performing approximately 28 body rotations off the freestyle ramp. We get to watch various international specks fly off distant ski jumps, and glimpse cross-country skiers for whole seconds at a time before they disappear into the woods.

And then there are the sliding sports, which are all high-speed flash on TV but in person are like buying a ticket to watch a sneeze.

Which got the scientist in me to wondering: Would drinking six beers make the skeleton more interesting to watch in person? (FYI, the scientist in me is an alcoholic.)

In the name of advancing human knowledge, I conducted my selfless experiment.

Purpose: To see if drinking six beers would make the skeleton interesting.

Method: Drink six beers. Watch the Olympic men’s skeleton live at the Whistler Sliding Centre.

Materials: Media pass to enter Sliding Centre. Six 355 ml beers purchased over 109 minutes at the official Olympic concession stand (Brand: Molson Canadian. Total cost: $39). One Continue…

What not to do with your Olympic medal

By macleans.ca - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 8:03 PM - 6 Comments

Snowboard halfpipe bronze medallist Scott Lago, of the U.S., joined the revellers in the Vancouver streets on Thursday. But when photos showed up on TMZ—of him holding his medal around his waist as a woman knelt down to kiss it and another photo of the same woman biting the medal—an embarrassed Lago apologized and went home early. All U.S. athletes attended a special ambassador program to promote proper conduct during the Games.

People

TMZ

Another disappointing day for Canada’s alpine skiers

By Michael Friscolanti - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 7:34 PM - 6 Comments

Emily Brydon didn’t win a medal at today’s Super-G slalom. She didn’t even complete the race, wiping out long before the finish line came into view. But a few minutes later, when the soon-to-be retired skier finally did reach the bottom of the hill, the hometown crowd at Whistler Creekside erupted into a gold-medal frenzy.

Brydon’s Olympic career was officially over—her podium dreams dashed for good—and the fans wanted to acknowledge her efforts. “I’ve never been more honoured to be Canadian,” said Brydon, 29, her watery eyes hidden by a pair of large sunglasses. “The Olympic Games are a very emotional thing. It is so powerful and so full of passion and spirit, and I laid my heart and soul onto that track. And because it didn’t work out, I think it’s even more emotional.”

Sadly, “Didn’t Work Out” has become the unofficial catchphrase of Canada’s alpine ski team, which has failed to snag even a single medal on home snow. What was supposed to be a downhill showcase in our own backyard has been downgraded to a daily discussion about why everything is going so horribly wrong. Yesterday, it was the men who missed the podium at the Super-G. Today, it was the ladies. “It’s frustrating because we know the potential,” said Brydon, 29. “But potential isn’t results, and unfortunately in the world of sports, results matter.”

Today’s results went like this: Andrea Fischbacher of Austria won the gold, with a flawless run of 1:20.63. The silver went to Tina Maze of Slovenia, while American superstar Lindsey Vonn took the bronze, her second medal of the 2010 Games. The top Canadian was Vancouver native Britt Janyk, who finished a distant 17th. Georgia Simmerling, also of Vancouver, placed 27th, while Canmore’s Shona Rubens missed a turn and did not finish. “Obviously, I’m frustrated and disappointed that I didn’t walk away with a medal because I know I could be there,” said Janyk, who placed a respectable sixth in Wednesday’s downhill event. “But I also know it’s not easy. It’s very, very, very difficult in Alpine skiing to win a gold.”

Janyk acknowledged that the Canadian team had ample opportunity to train on the Whistler slopes, and she didn’t try to pin the no-medal blame on unrealistic hype or hometown pressure. “We came in with high expectations, and that’s how we should have come in because we knew that we could be in the medals,” she said. “I don’t think it’s a failure, because we raced hard. We can just ask ourselves to go out and ski our best, and some days it’s tenth and some days it’s first.”

Or, as in Brydon’s case, it’s a nasty spill that left her scraped, bruised, and barely able to crouch for the mandatory post-race urine test. “I won’t forget that one,” she joked afterwards. “It’s definitely not what I’d hoped or envisioned or planned. You know, there are so many possibilities out there for greatness and there are so many opportunities, and it just wasn’t my time. I wasn’t able to capitalize.”

When asked if those Canadian fans cheering in the stands should be disappointed by her team’s performance, Brydon pointed out, quite rightly, that not every race has been a total disaster. Along with Janyk’s top-six finish in the women’s downhill, Erik Guay missed a bronze in the men’s Super G by a mere three one-hundredths of a second. “For sure you want to be the best in your home. That is without a doubt and it goes without saying. But you know what? The best skiers are winning,” she said. “I can’t speak for anyone else but myself, but I gave it my best and I know my best on good days is enough to win. But it just wasn’t here.”

It was for Fischbacher, who—unlike her Canadian competitors—managed to swipe a very large monkey off her entire team’s back. Until today, ski-mad Austria had managed only one alpine medal (a bronze) but Fischbacher’s dominating run ended the golden drought. “It is just crazy,” she said. “A dream is coming true.”

Canada’s alpine skiers have five chances left to snag that same dream, beginning with the men’s Super Combined tomorrow (a two-heat race of downhill and slalom). Brydon will be in street clothes, rooting for her teammates. “You can’t stop believing,” she said. “You can’t. As soon as you stop believing, the results will stop coming.”

But first they have to start coming.

From Russia with snit

By macleans.ca - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 7:16 PM - 28 Comments

Russian newspaper Pravda has issues with the Olympics, Vancouver, figure skating judges, cowardly Canadians—and mutton. (The article is titled ‘Vancouver: Mutton Dressed as Lamb.’) “The abject cruelty shown by Canadian soldiers in international conflicts is scantily referred to, as indeed is the utter incapacity of this county to host a major international event, due to its inferiority complex, born of a trauma being the skinny and weakling bro to a beefy United States and a colonial outpost to the United Kingdom, whose Queen smiles happily from Canadian postage stamps. Maybe it is this which makes the Canadians so . . . retentive, or cowardly.”

Pravda

Freestyle skiier Veronika Bauer's comeback, miracle—and disappointment

By Jason Kirby - Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 6:55 PM - 5 Comments

Once athletes finish their events, they make their way through the cattle chutes… er, sorry, the media mixed zone, to face reporters. And so begins a whole new contest: the scrum.

For those athletes who come into the games with high hopes, only to see them dashed, there is always the prerequisite “How do you feel?” question. It’s one that infuriates viewers watching their TVs at home—“How do you think she/he feels, you bloody morons?” But the intent, if not the execution, is honest. Many athletes devote years of their lives and make untold sacrifices to get this far. This moment, with the microphones shoved up in their faces, is often the final inglorious closing page of their Olympic stories.

For Veronika Bauer, a Toronto native and Canada’s sole entry in the freestyle ladies’ aerials competition, the story arc involved a remarkable comeback from multiple concussions over the last two years. During the last 13 months, Bauer has managed just four weeks of training leading up to the games. Yet despite having so much stacked against her Saturday afternoon on Cypress mountain, the 31-year-old skier finished the first of two preliminary jumps sitting comfortably in third place with a score of 94.47. People had used the word “miracle” to describe her comeback. The miracle looked like it was coming true. But when Bauer attempted her second jump, she failed to muster enough speed. As she landed, she fell backwards against the snow. The flub cost her dearly. Her total score of 160.46 put her fifteenth, and out of the running for Wednesday’s finals.

Eventually Bauer wound her way through the blue plastic barriers to the small contingent of Canadian reporters waiting for her. Often, it seems, it’s not the direct questions that evoke the raw emotion athletes are feeling at that moment. Sometimes it’s the innocuous ones. So it was with Bauer. After calmly fielding queries about her performance—she was “disappointed” but has enjoyed her time here at the Olympics—a local radio reporter simply asked Bauer what she planned to do during the rest of the games. She paused.

“I don’t know. I feel like I can’t even think straight. I can’t believe this has happened. If I would have done anything on that second jump, it would have been finals. I can’t believe it yet. I don’t know how I’m going to deal with it when it sinks in.”

And basically, with that, the press attaché for the Canadian freestyle team put her hand on Bauer’s shoulder—the international signal to reporters that face time is over. And then Bauer turned and walked away.