An Olympic Job Well Done
The 2002 Winter Olympic
Games, held in Salt Lake City, during
16 days of glorious weather, drew the
attention of a world overdosed on tales
of terrorism, tragedy, and war since
September 11, 2001.
They provided a much needed respite
to the public psyche suffering under
an avalanche of bad news about man's
inhumanity to man. And for those sixteen
days the idealism underlying the spirit
of sport was symbolized in the Olympic
flame atop the stadium where the opening
and closing ceremonies were held.
All hail and all glory to the athletes
who participated. They were their countries
chosen, the best of the best, in skiing,
skating, curling, sledding, snow boarding,
and in the biathlon, shooting.
Men, women, veterans of former Games
and youth of both sexes participating
in their first Olympics, competed with
each other. Some won, some lost, and
an unfortunate few failed to cross a
finishing line. An unforeseen accident,
a tumble, a collision, crushed their
hopes but not their determination. Individually
they merit gratitude for the years of
hard work they put into preparing for
their events. None but they themselves
know what each went through to gain
a chance to participate. In adversity
they deserve praise, not sympathy.
Unfortunately, the 2002 Olympics were
dogged with criticism, initially of
the first organizing committee, charged
with hornswoggling of Olympian proportions,
and then, most regrettably, of the judging
and refereeing in two major events,
pairs figure skating and women's ice
hockey.
A world outcry greeted the result of
the judging in the final of the pairs
figure skating. The brouhaha lasted
almost a week following the announcement
of the result, a gold medal for the
Russian pair, a silver medal for the
Canadian pair. It dominated television
in North America and Europe, and generated
such outrage that one of the judges
was suspended and a second gold medal
awarded to the Canadians.
Their names, Jamie Salé and
David Pelletier, will enter the record
books, but what will remain in the memories
of all who watched them during the media
blitz to which they were subjected,
was their composure, Jamie's grace under
pressure, David's good natured humour,
in the most trying of circumstances.
Wholesome young Canadians, the attractive
couple won the respect and affection
of television audiences worldwide.
They went to Salt Lake City as athletes,
they returned as decorated ambassadors
for their sport and for their country,
mature beyond their years, and role
models for legions of younger athletes
who will succeed them in future Olympics.
Canadian Women's Ice Hockey Triumph
The icing on the cake for Canadians
"coast to coast to coast",
recalling the favourite phrase of one-time
oratorical spellbinder, Réal
Caouette, came in the last week of the
Games.
The final of the women's ice hockey
competition was in itself spellbinding.
It pitted a Canadian team against an
American team, and had been eagerly
anticipated for months leading up to
the Olympics. The Americans had won
eight of successive past encounters.
Now they had home advantage, and their
fans expected them to win in Salt Lake
City.
Against such a handicap, the Canadian
women would have to play their hearts
out if they were to gain the coveted
gold medal.
The game began, and within minutes
the Canadians found they faced a further
handicap. The referee, an American selected
by the governing Olympic hockey authority,
gave eight successive penalties against
the Canadians. Eight successive penalties
in the opening minutes!
And it continued. Right to the end.
The Canadians could easily have been
thrown off their game, but thanks to
their coach, Daniele Sauvageau, and
their own internal fortitude, they refused
to buckle.
As the game advanced, and the refereeing
continued unabated, "atrocious"
as it was described by one member of
the Canadian team, booing from many
in attendance became audible.
The final score, three goals to two,
in favour of Canada, could well have
read: Canada 3, USA 1, Referee 1.
To preserve their names in cyber space,
the members of the Canadian women's
gold medallist team were:
Dana Antal, Kelly Bechard, Jennifer
Botterill, Therese Brisson, Cassie Campbell,
Isabelle Chartrand, Lori Dupuis, Danielle
Goyette, Geraldine Heaney, Jayna Hefford,
Becky Kellar, Caroline Ouellete, Cherie
Piper, Cheryl Pounder, Tammy Lee Shewchuk,
Sami Jo Small, Kim St. Pierre, Colleen
Sostorics, Vicky Sunohara, and Hayley
Wickenheiser
Assistant coaches were Melody Davidson,
Karen Hughes, and Wally Kozak.
Support staff included Gaetan Robitaille
(Team Leader), Kimberley Amirault (Medical),
Ryan Jankowski, and Robin McDonald (Technical).
A bronze plaque listing their names
should be a first priority for the Canadian
Sports Hall of Fame.
Canadian Men's Ice Hockey Triumph
It came down to the closing day of
the Winter Olympic Games held at Salt
Lake City for the demons, afflicting
Canadian men's teams since the country
last won a gold medal in Olympic ice
hockey, to be exorcised.
Fifty years ago the Edmonton Mercurys,
an amateur hockey team sponsored by
a local car dealership, brought home
gold to Canada from the 1952 Winter
Olympics held in Oslo.
Four surviving members of that team
made their way to Salt Lake City to
wish the modern day Canadian team success
in the 2002 final against the USA. They
were interviewed on television. They
were a remarkable quartet, seniors well
into their seventies if not more, all
in good physical health, mental faculties
sharp as skate blades, splendid examplars
for the young and the not so young,
as they sat chatting in a television
studio.
In sport hockey is Canada. Those who
play hockey are Canada. Hockey fans
are Canada. From the first tottering
steps on ice to the last lacing of boots
before finally hanging up their skates,
hockey is the one sport that proclaims
to the world: "I am Canadian!"
The 1952 Mercury survivors were Canada,
a Canada whose pride had been humbled
for all too long.
Fifty years without a Canadian men's
ice hockey gold medal in the Olympics
seemed like an eternity spent in purgatory.
Tantalizing, a shimmering circle, the
medal escaped capture one Olympics after
another. Like the snitch pursued by
Harry Potter in a game of Quidditch,
it remained out of reach until that
unforgettable Sunday in Salt Lake City
when the USA and Canada were locked
in battle, a battle won by the Canadian
team at the end of three periods of
heart-throbbing contest.
Unlike the women's hockey final, the
refereeing played no part or partisanship
in favour of either team. It was a game
played fairly according to the rules,
between two talented teams. There were
skills aplenty displayed by both teams,
and the outcome was in doubt until near
the last whistle.
All Canada rejoiced, from the last
outpost in Newfoundland to the furthermost
settlement on Vancouver Island, from
Windsor in the south to Old Crow in
the Arctic.
Canadian troops stationed in far off
Khandahar, and at overseas peacekeeping
missions elsewhere throughout the world,
joined with their families and compatriots
at home in waving the Canadian flag
in celebration.
In all provinces and territories Canadians,
of whatever origin, were united in a
national outpouring of joy.
If there was one distinguishing mark
between the Canadian heroes of 1952
and those of 2002, it was the division
between amateur and professional. All
players on both teams in 2002 were richly
paid professionals. The purists lament,
but that is the way of the world in
2002.
As with their female colleagues, this
web site proudly records the names of
the Canadian men's hockey gold medallists
as follows:
Goalies: Martin Brodeur, Curtis Joseph,
Ed Belfour; Defence: Rob Blake, Eric
Brewer, Adam Foote, Ed Jovanovski, Al
MacInnis, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger;
Forwards: Theoren Fleury, Simon Gagne,
Jarome Iginla, Paul Kariya, Mario Lemieux,
Eric Lindros, Joe Nieuwendyk, Owen Nolan,
Mike Peca, Joe Sakic, Brendan Shanahan,
Ryan Smyth, Steve Yzerman.
Their coach, Pat Quinn, deserves no
less credit than that already extended
to Daniele Sauvageau, the Canadian women's
team coach. Under pressure he remained
calm, and the players responded in kind.
Wayne Gretzky, otherwise known as "The
Great One", was the team's manager,
and assistant coaches were Jacques Martin,
Ken Hitchcock, and Wayne Fleming.
And a Canadian Broadcasting Triumph
To anyone who has followed the successes,
trials, and tribulations of the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation over the years,
its televised coverage of the 2002 Winter
Olympics held in Salt Lake City, Utah,
is cause for extending the most heartfelt
congratulations.
The CBC team of technicians, reporters,
commentators, researchers, was outstanding.
Co-operation with US television networks
allowed for simultaneous coverage of
conflicting events, allowing the Canadian
broadcasters to focus on Canadian athletes
and their accomplishments.
For some athletes, to compete in the
Games was, in itself, an accomplishment.
The CBC's profiling of their home towns,
families, and friends, was inspirational
to those who aspire to follow on skates,
skis, and sleds in future Olympic Games.
To single out any of the CBC personnel,
all of whom performed their jobs well,
may seem invidious, but anchors Ron
MacLean and Brian Williams were so superb
that they deserve the highest accolades
their audiences and peers can confer.
Canada itself grew stronger as Canadians
watched the CBC.
Thank you, one and all.
Footnote: The CBC also had a very well-designed
and highly informative Olympic Games
web
site.
Irish Links
Again, as on earlier occasions, this
web site is happy to record links between
Canada and Ireland. Geraldine Heaney
and Owen Nolan, both Irish-born, were
proud members of the Canadian women's
and men's hockey teams.
Hockey helps Belfast overcome troubles
Hockey fans worldwide should pull up
http://www.readersdigest.ca/mag/2002/03/giants.html
where they will learn how ice hockey
in Belfast is fast bridging the giant
divide between Prods and Taigs. This
article in Reader's Digest Canada gives
hope to everyone.
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