No Canadian Mettle
I'll have to say that I'm not really surprised that Canada doesn't have any shining round rewards yet at these Olympic Games.
Actually, I don't really follow the Olympics anymore (I used to be a sports fanatic), but I do keep an eye on things.
You see, Canada is a nice country. With nice people. So, it would follow that we have nice athletes.
I've already read a comment from one of our athletes who finished fourth and was overwhelmingly pleased at the result.
I don't get that. If you're not there to win, why go?
Did they not see the video of the wrestler throwing down his silver medal in disgust?
Now that, I respect.
In watching sports during my youth, I was always nervous and apprehensive when it came time for a final including a Canadian. Of course, I was always cheering the 'home' team, but I was never truly confident.
I think this is fairly representative of our fair country, and I think we should own up to it a bit more.
We are a young nation with a young identity, built on peace rather than conflict.
By contrast, our American neighbours fought fiercely for their independance, freedoms and the rights that go with it, and to this day, they are still very competitive.
Back an American into a corner and s/he will probably come out fighting.
Back a Canadian into a corner and s/he will probably smile and ask what's wrong.
I don't think there is anything inherently wrong about our national disposition, I just think we should acknowledge it.
Instead of the government and others coming out partway through the Olympics and admitting that we need to pump more money into sports (to save future face?), it would be nice if we just admitted that that is the Canadian way, and if we win some medals, well then that's fine too.
Great athletes are born and are made. Nations with more people simply have more chances.
Nations with a focus on sports have more chances.
Athletes with a competitive spirit alongside natural talent have the best chances.
Canada will always have some chances and I'm fine with that.
If you ever despair about our Olympic plight, just remember . . . we still have hockey and we haven't declared war on anybody in a long, long time (even then, we were really just tagging along).
Oh yeah - and we have Rush! Heavy mettle, indeed.
Actually, I don't really follow the Olympics anymore (I used to be a sports fanatic), but I do keep an eye on things.
You see, Canada is a nice country. With nice people. So, it would follow that we have nice athletes.
I've already read a comment from one of our athletes who finished fourth and was overwhelmingly pleased at the result.
I don't get that. If you're not there to win, why go?
Did they not see the video of the wrestler throwing down his silver medal in disgust?
Now that, I respect.
In watching sports during my youth, I was always nervous and apprehensive when it came time for a final including a Canadian. Of course, I was always cheering the 'home' team, but I was never truly confident.
I think this is fairly representative of our fair country, and I think we should own up to it a bit more.
We are a young nation with a young identity, built on peace rather than conflict.
By contrast, our American neighbours fought fiercely for their independance, freedoms and the rights that go with it, and to this day, they are still very competitive.
Back an American into a corner and s/he will probably come out fighting.
Back a Canadian into a corner and s/he will probably smile and ask what's wrong.
I don't think there is anything inherently wrong about our national disposition, I just think we should acknowledge it.
Instead of the government and others coming out partway through the Olympics and admitting that we need to pump more money into sports (to save future face?), it would be nice if we just admitted that that is the Canadian way, and if we win some medals, well then that's fine too.
Great athletes are born and are made. Nations with more people simply have more chances.
Nations with a focus on sports have more chances.
Athletes with a competitive spirit alongside natural talent have the best chances.
Canada will always have some chances and I'm fine with that.
If you ever despair about our Olympic plight, just remember . . . we still have hockey and we haven't declared war on anybody in a long, long time (even then, we were really just tagging along).
Oh yeah - and we have Rush! Heavy mettle, indeed.
posted by Allat at
1:19 PM
1 Comments:
I've always thought that Canada should put more money into sports... what other countries have athletes working full-time at Home Depot in the months leading up to the Olympics?
But anyway... As a competitive athlete, my own experience has been that winning is nice, but doing the best that I can possibly do is more important. I can't speak for team sports but I see individual sport competitions as personal challenges rather than opportunities to win awards. (Although it IS fun to wear a medal around for a day!) Which is probably why someone who placed fourth is actually happy about it -- it's probably the best they've EVER done.
So what if we don't win medals at the Olympics, we do break a lot of national records anyway and hey -- that's pretty darn nice too.
Really, really nice.
p.s. Now I can't get 'Tom Sawyer' out of my head... thanks a lot.
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