Cool Endings in Vancouver

The Olympics are coming to a close tonight. Right now we are watching the closing ceremonies. We are all so tired that it's going to take another week to catch up on sleep. These games started out with sadness and maybe because of that they seem to be ending in triumph. From making fun of themselves while relighting the indoor cauldron to their wonderful celebration of a terrific men's hockey finals, and I don't even like hockey. Canada wins their first gold at a home game, then goes on to win a bunch more. Since snowboarding, moguls and other x-game type sports have joined the Olympics camaraderie between the athletes have reached new levels. Instead of the rivalry and political games from the past (remember the US vs USSR men's hockey finals in 1980?) we have hugs and high fives between the medal winners.

After my disappointment in the Beijing games two summers ago I found these games to be quite refreshing.

I didn't mention it earlier but I love to compare cauldrons and Vancouver's will go down as one of my favorites.

When it malfunctioned during the opening ceremonies it bothered me, first the death of an athlete, then the malfunction. I was left with a feeling that these Olympics would have a black cloud over them. Then the death of an athlete's mother seem to seal it. But Canada should be proud of themselves. Their optimism and grace made these games one of the best in a long time.

Neil Young: Sugar Mountain... Good Bye!

Edited to add 3/1/2010: I thought that was the end but it wasn't, proving once again what a loser I can be. To Be or Not To Be a Loser, that is the question. Sorry about that. Anyway, turns out NBC is the loser. Did you get a look at how they cut the end off just to go to some stupid reality show premiere? Oh and if I wanted to see the rest I had to come back at 11:30. Are you kidding me? After 14 days of sleep deprivation I'm not going to sit through some stupid reality show, you lost me and what little respect I had left for NBC. Jerks.