I know there are a lot of people with a lot of reason for disliking the Olympics. But I am hugely passionate about sport, and I genuinely love the Olympics. Yes they are overly commercialized, politicized, hyped etc etc, but welcome to our World. Thas the way things are these days. Being Canadian, and being alive to see a second Winter Olympic Games hosted by my country is incredibly exciting for me. I thought the opening ceremonies with the exception of the hydraulics problem and the 10 minute drive for Gretzky through downtown to light the cauldron, were among the best I've ever witnessed.

I tend to get a little bit emotional when it comes to sports. You could place money on the fact that I will generally cry when the Stanley Cup gets hoisted, and Im still having a pretty tough time every time i think about the Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, and the absolutely horrific way he died after spending a good deal of his young life preparing for this one moment. From a Country that has had more than its fair share of difficulties, and to then not even get to the actual competition. Ok now Im all teary again.. see. I just really hope that the remainder of the games go smoothly. A lot of what I have read since the crash is really tearing up Canadian Officials for making the track too fast, and not allowing other countries an opportunity to see the track before the games (which they are allowed to do). Even a quote from a multiple World Cup Champion and Canadian Luger who was "terrified" of going down it, even before this tragedy. I hope they are able to slow it down and make it safer for the athletes.

I also havent said anything on here for a while and I want to note that its been a pretty bad couple weeks with regards to people dying. For those of you that don't know Brendan Burke, he was the youngest son of hockey management icon Brian Burke, and was a young man who had just publicly come out in november. A pretty big deal because hes a student manager for the top ranked US College hockey team, and had very attainable aspirations of working in the front offices of the NHL. Its a bit more personal for me because when I finished high school I went into a Sports Management program in University, this was 12 years ago and things were a little bit different then. I didnt see any way that I could be who I am, and have the life in sports that I wanted. So I left school. After Brendan came out I emailed him and we became friends on facebook. I just wanted him to know how important i thought the inroads he was making were. Brendan died, along with a friend, in a car crash in Indiana. I could really go on for a very long time about this subject cuz its also become a hot topic on Wikipedia. People have flagged the entry about him on Wikipedia for deletion because they don't think he was significant enough to merit having a wikipedia page. It absolutely disgusts me and enrages me that people can take ownership over what is supposedly a user submitted online encyclopedia. Brendan's accomplishments have made huge inroads for gay athletes, and I know that in 5 or 10 years when i predict things will be very very different for gay men in organized team sports at a professional level, they will owe it to Brendan. So fuck you Wikipedia!! [side note:His dad is the GM of the USA Olympic Hockey team, and of the Toronto Maple Leafs] Add to that Alexander McQueen, fashion icon, who took his own life a couple days ago, I guess that its not too surprising I'm feeling a little extra emotional. Oh and I turn 30 in 7 days.

Ok happier things. How awesome was it to see Wayne Gretzky get to light the flame? The greatest hockey player of all time, my favorite player of all time. Now I cant wait for the hockey to start. The women play today and i think the men start on thursday.
We have a program inplace in Canada called "Own the podium". There has been a lot of money and other forms of support put into our athletes and we are expected to bring home a record amount of medals. Go Canada!!!!!! :)