Vancouver, thank you for hosting what amounted to a great Winter Olympics. Pulling off a successful two-week extravaganza wasn't easy, that's for sure. Things got off to a sad start when Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili died during pre-Olympics practice runs after flying off the course and fatally striking a steel post. But even though technical malfunctions caused delays during the opening ceremonies, and even though the weather at Whistler made some mountain events more difficult for the athletes and caused some postponements, the games eventually got off without major problems. It is impossible to overlook the tragedy that occurred, but putting that aside for a moment, the 2010 Olympics were filled with excitement and triumph.
I need to take a moment, however, to express my displeasure with NBC and its affiliates for tape-delaying events that should have been shown live and for not showing some very important games in high definition. Call me spoiled or selfish, but I expected to be able to see all hockey games - the only Winter Olympic sport that is actually popular in this country in between Olympics - on NBC HD and not in standard definition on CNBC or MSNBC.
Despite my unhappiness with the televising of the games, one thing I can't be disappointed about is the performance of Team USA across the board. The United States led all countries with 37 total medals, including nine gold medals and 15 silvers. The total was the most ever by one country in a single Winter Olympics. While 26 countries reached the medal podium, the USA laid claim to about 14 percent of the 258 total medals.
During the past two weeks, some viewers were swept away by curling - get it? - as others watched humans push their physical limits in attempts to achieve the unthinkable. For instance, Shaun White, known by some as the "Flying Tomato," crushed the competition in the men's half pipe snowboarding by flying to unimaginable heights and landing incredible tricks to bring home a gold medal for the USA. And although some events are not made for television - think cross-country skiing - it was amazing to watch as a race that took more than two hours to complete - the men's 50-kilometer - was decided by 0.3 seconds after a thrilling sprint to the finish.
As for myself, I was thrilled by the excitement of the men's hockey tournament, in spite of the way it ended. If you didn't watch the final game, I'm sorry for you because it was the definition of a thriller. Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime after U.S. captain Zach Parise tied the game at 2-2 with 25 seconds left in regulation. The game ended a brilliant run by the Americans and gave the tournament favorites the gold they so desperately wanted, but it was U.S. goalie Ryan Miller who took home tournament MVP honors after "standing on his head" - my favorite hockey phrase, essentially meaning "playing absurdly well" - and giving his team a shot at gold.
After the game, the most common line I heard from disappointed Team USA fans was, "Of all people, it had to be Sidney Crosby" who scored the gold medal winning overtime goal. I feel the same way - Crosby has earned his reputation as a whiner during his NHL career - but I have to admit I am suffering from a bit of jealousy. I mean, Crosby is only 22 years old but he has both a Stanley Cup trophy and a gold medal. What else can someone achieve in the hockey world, apart from an All-University floor hockey title? Not much.
After all the excitement the 12-team tournament provided, I'm concerned about the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia. Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the National Hockey League, is not sure if the league will shut down for two weeks as it did this year to allow NHL players to play for their countries. To his defense, it's a difficult position to be in, as his decision will affect millions of hockey fans on top of dozens of the world's best hockey players. But realistically, the decision is a no-brainer: the Olympics must come before the NHL regular season.
The world wants to see its superstars play for national pride, and the players should be able to do so. If the NHL does not shut down for the international competition, then players would be walking out on their jobs and paychecks if they left to play for their countries. But in that situation, what would happen to the players who skip town? The answer is nothing. Ultimately, there's no way to stop a player like Crosby or Russian star Alexander Ovechkin from leaving because it's not as though a team would refuse to let them play once they return to the NHL. Maybe they would incur some hostility from non-Olympian teammates, but that would be unfair. And honestly, the NHL would lose all credibility if it banned players from coming back to the league if they leave to play in the Olympics.
So, Gary, I hope you can see things from a realistic perspective and make the decision easy on yourself. As this year's tournament proved, the Olympics can be something special. You wouldn't want your reputation to be smeared by a bad decision, now, would you?
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