When Disneyland dreams, it dreams of being an Olympic Games.
Winter or Summer, the Olympic Games are far from perfect. But the Games are still the best big-scale event that we humans have been able to conjure up. Overwrought cliche as it might be, I'd still rather see the USA and Russia fighting it out on a skating rink than flinging little lead pellets at each other.
The people of Vancouver put on an amazing two week party. The closest Games comparison is probably Sydney in 2000. Same sort of sincere, welcoming, generous spirit from start to finish. (Forget what the newspapers wrote: it's not as though writers are paid to say everyone is having fun, even though pretty much everyone was having fun.)
I didn't see much US television coverage of the Games - they had four Canadian channels showing the Games, AND they often showed a complete event, as opposed to just a 15 second clip; for example, a viewer could watch a two-and-a- half hour cross country ski event. AND there might not even be a Canadian in the medal hunt. Good commentary, too - not the jingoistic oatmeal that Bob Costas and crew insist on dumping on Americans. The Games on TV should give viewers a look at sports we might not otherwise see. I'm not going to subscribe to the Curling Channel, but I can appreciate and enjoy watching it when it's being contested in the Olympic arena. (Found out why curling fans stomp their feet after a good play: 'cause they're holding a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.)
Some amazing performances - the German speed skater Anna Friesinger-Postina falling in the last few meters of the Team Pursuit as her legs gave out, sliding across the line, thinking she'd failed her team, then suddenly realizing her team had qualified for the finals, which they went on to win. Beautiful.
Not quite sure what to make of the Closing Ceremony. Started out well, with mime-guy fixing the broken torch. Clever, fun. But then my heart sank when they trotted out a couple hundred kids dressed like a Gap ad, circa 1995. Canadians have Gordon Lightfoot (yes, he lives), Diana Krall, Cirque du Soliel, and instead they dragged out a couple of giant inflatable beavers.
The mood in Van City and Whistler for the Games was truly wonderful. So many people is such good spirits. Fantastic.
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