John Barlow, Editor

I am an Olympics junkie. Seriously, whether it is ski jumping or ski-cross, freestyle aerials or figure skating I am watching it all.

In fact, as I write this I am watching/listening to the ice dance freeskate on my computer. Yeah, I know ice dance.

I am as patriotic as anyone, perhaps moreso, but once the Olympics begin my patriotism goes into hyperdrive. I was wearing red all weekend in anticipation for some medals and a big win in men’s hockey.

To say the results of the weekend were disappointing would be an understatement — excuse me, I need to wipe away some tears with my red mittens.

I realize the pressure placed upon the Canadian

athletes must be suffocating at times, but there is

pressure on athletes from every country. Sure, we are performing in front of our home fans and the Own the Podium mantra seems to be weighing heavy on our athletes.

But you want to talk pressure? Any South Korean athlete who wins a gold medal earns a salary for life — how is that for pressure?

It is not just frustrating to see the Canadians fall short of their goals, but the fashion in which they have done so is almost painful. Running out of gas on the backstretch in speed skating, slamming into the wall in skeleton or flailing into the snow just 200m from the medal podium. Canadians are not just missing the medals they are doing so in spectacular fashion.

Although I am disappointed our athletes have not done better, I am pleased to see Canadians upset and the athletes as frustrated as we are. We are no longer satisfied with fourth place or personal bests which

always seemed to be the Canadian way. No, we want to win and what is wrong with that?

My disappointment with Canada’s medal misses was short-lived after seeing the people cheering in the streets of Vancouver and watching skeleton gold

medalist Jon Montgomery chugging a jug of beer on national television — now that is Canadian.

Never have I seen such Canadian fervor and it is

absolutely invigorating. To see the thousands decked out in their red and white packing the streets and bars in cities and towns across Canada just shows win or lose, we want to savour our time on the world stage.

Besides, it seems with every stumble another hero steps up to brace Team Canada. For example, in the dressing room after hockey last weekend the talk was not about Luongo or Brodeur it was about Virtue and Moir. Yes, a dressing room full guys was not dissecting Canada’s powerplay, but rather we were raving about the Canadian’s dazzling performance in ice dance en route to a gold. Times have changed and it is refreshing to see Canadians pounding their patriotic chests.

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