And Plushenko criticized Lysacek for his gold medal victory.

What is with these guys?

I mean, I know we’re all human and we all say and do dumb things, but good lord.

The Woods thing?  I’m still not sure what my take is on that (although, you can read some of my views on yesterday’s post).  He did some dumb things and it is in the media and he felt the need to apologize, likely for business reasons.

Whatever.

But Plushenko.  He criticized Lysacek for not doing a quad jump in his program.  I think his logic is that the quad jump is the future of the sport and if one does not have this in the repertoire, then surely he cannot be a champion.  Apparently, perfection with triples is not enough.

What  a load.

What is this?  Sour grapes.  An unhappy guy is criticizing the guy who did the better program.  It sounds like jealousy.  It sounds like (unfounded) shame and embarrassment projected outward.  It sounds like he can do a quad, so naturally he thinks a quad jump should win the competition.  Never mind if the rest of the program is so-so.  Never mind that it is a “program” and not a “jumpfest”.

But what do I know?  I’m just a guy who is still nursing a blister from a skating outing in fourth grade.

The point is, get over it Plushenko.  You didn’t lose to someone who fell and tripped and stumbled.  You came in second to a man who landed his jumps, showed dazzling footwork, and skated a near-perfect program.

If you want sour grapes, Plushenko, have a glass of wine.

If you want to be an Olympic champion, start acting like one.

Geez…at least Tiger apologized.

-josh

There was snowboarding on the Olympics tonight.

Ok.

Shaun White won.

Ok.

Then his coach started talking.

Ohhhhh…Kay….

If you heard what he was saying live, then…well…you have a little insight into the joys of live TV…

And maybe a little insight into Shaun’s coach.

The announcer, of course, apologizes for the language and says something looney about all the emotion the coach is feeling.  That’s interesting.  I have a lot of emotion about things, but I don’t spew a line of obscenities.

Well, at least if I’m on TV!

I’m no prude.  Things like this generally don’t bother me.  I don’t spend a lot of time getting offended and worrying about things like that.  Whatever.  There are more important things in the world than looking for reasons to get offended.

It’s just, here we are on the world stage.  We took the gold.  It’s a moment that parents and children are sharing.  White is a hero to so many.  He is pushing his sport to new heights…literally.

Now, if only he would rub off on his coach, who seems hell-bent on taking it to a new low.

-josh

I watched the opening ceremonies from Vancouver last night.  On and off, actually.

I didn’t actually see every minute, but I did have some prolonged periods where I was able to give them my attention.  Fortunately, I have them on my DVR system thingy so I’ll be able to catch up later on.

But I saw some of the march of nations and the speeches from the bigwigs…long speeches.  Speeches that had substance and seemed to truly have a serious theme.

A theme of peace.  A theme of togetherness of nations.  Themes of respect for the fallen (Nodar Kumaritashvili, a 21-year-old luger from the Republic of Georgia).  A theme of moving forward.

A theme of Unity.

Why is it so easy in sport?  We talk about it and talk about it.  We want it as individuals, but when it comes to nations…

How can it be that Iran and Israel can march together on this night, but…

The lack of the greater world’s ability to pull together is so frustrating…KD Lang is singing Leonard Cohen’s lyric, “It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah”.  Mournful sounds at the opening to echo the poignant stirrings within us that suggest that peace is just out of our grasp…

But is it?

Maybe my lament is just business as usual…in other words, it’s a few who ruin it for the rest of us.  A few angry leaders…a few angry nations…a few angry speeches.

I don’t know.  I don’t know what the answer, or the problem, is.

But I will faithfully watch these Olympics and be involved in the drama…and through it all I will keep hoping and praying that someday the world looks like the Olympic games: Not always perfect, not always peaceful, and not always happy…but filled with good intent and, most of all, respect.

-josh