Olympics Report 1

As The League of Ordinary Gentlemen’s 2010 Winter Olympics Special Correspondent, some early observations:

1. It’s pretty surreal to live in a city that is hosting the “Winter” Olympics when I was outside for a run yesterday in shorts and T-shirt.  Yesterday’s high was 11 (51 Fahrenheit).

2. I need to get me a pair of the Norwegian Men’s Curling Team pants.  They’re supa dupa fly.  (Photo after the break)

2.5 I have a potentially unhealthy fascination (addiction?) for the sport of curling.

3. The traffic getting to and from downtown Vancouver (where I work) has not been what I originally feared.  I was skeptical that this city could pull it off and worried we were about to enter the Traffic-pocalypse, but so far, all signs suggest that people understand they shouldn’t  be driving downtown.  Crowds have been large-ish but not overwhelming, which is also nice.

4. I think a bronze medal would be solid for the US Men’s Hockey Team and a silver would be a real accomplishment, but man the Canadians are stacked.  If they win the gold here, this place is going to explode.  [Though it might explode anyway if the Canucks don’t win].

5. An interesting, counter-intuitive take on the tale of Lindsey Jacobellis.

6. The women’s moguls was possibly the best event so far.  [And I don’t say that just because as a future “Camerican,” the gold went to the US and the silver to Canada].

7. Americans getting their NBC feed on opening night missed out on the half ludicrous/100% awesome ride of The Great One in the back of a sport utility vehicle getting mildly drenched by the Vancouver rain as he rode down to ignite the alternate torch by the water.  As he was riding, it was quite amazing to see people just running alongside the car.  It was somewhat nerve wracking actually, reminiscent of Ali’s torch-lighting.

8. Video after the break of the “violent” protests that “rocked” our fair city on Saturday morning.  I was at work (a church in the middle of downtown) but was downstairs at the time – apparently, a couple of the black-clad protesters entered the church and changed and then ran back outside.  I later found some black clothes in the garden the next morning.  To steal a line from Br. Dave:  “F@#!’in Nihilists!!!”  Although watching the video I have to say these are some really p—y nihilists, if I’ve ever seen any.  Those newspaper boxes you see them throwing in the street are mostly from free daily papers.  You know, the same elitist “free” papers oppressing the masses.  WTF???  They did do some window damage at The Bay and one moron shoved a cop from behind who was arresting his “comrade” and was immediately smacked with a baton for his troubles.  They freaked some civilians, but beyond that there wasn’t too much physical excitement.