Then we move on to the Olympic and the reason for this post. The last couple of days have been a bit of emotional roller coaster. The medal hopes I had, (3+3+4) as posted on Cath's page, are not out of the loop yet, but there was cross country skiing and then biathlon... and the Swedes did good the first day, and the second (2 golds!). I woke up after the second one and read a newspaper that said "God is Swedish" (as written in a Norwegian paper since they had appalling bad two days. Don't worry, they got their act together and pummeled for medals and are up to a total for ever of 102 at the moment. No use crying for "little brother" anymore).
And then the third day came, and it all went bad. The Gold hope in downhill crashed in a HUGE crash tumbling 60 meters in 104 km/h. Thank goodness she was non-broken bones after that. The cross country and biathlon people forgot how to shoot and ski (lots of tears and despair) and as a kicker; the women's hockey team didn't seem to know how to shoot at goal. The male hockey team did win against Germany, but it was a bit unsettling to see no goals in any power play situation.
I know, I shouldn't be that upset considering two major points:
Sweden vs Canada in women hockey has ended 60 times with a Canadian win, 1 with a Swedish
Canada has a great league and in Sweden hockey is very much still a man's sport.
Still though, it hurt to see it end with 13-1. I mean, 7 shots at goal.... for the WHOLE game? Compared to Canada's 41 or what ever it was. Pummeled. Or, as it said in the paper the morning after "We got slaughtered". (yes, we do live and breathe winter olympics back home. It's not necessarily by choice, the largest TV channel is throwing out other programs and showing sports for 2 weeks. It might not sound a big deal, but on average there are 10 channels in Sweden... although for many people (me included) TV1 and TV2 (State TV channels), TV4 and TV3 would be the only ones you get as a "base coverage". No food network, no CNN, no BBC, well I think you get it?!
So, one day is "GOLD", "God is SWEDISH" and the next day we have "FIASCO", "SLAUGHTER" or (and I sort of like this one) "7 out of 10 doesn't believe Sweden's going to get gold in Hockey" - this was after the opening game against Germany.And yesterday "Sweden is the worst of the big teams in hockey" Nothing like a little home support, isn't it?!* :) It's also after knowing that the goals scored (2) was probably not going to lead to a comfortable win compared to Finland (the foes in hockey).
Let's put this in perspective. I have never experienced an Olympic "out of my country". I therefore forgot one crucial thing. There would be no focus on the Swedish athletes in a competition. The sports may be on NBC, but they are not going to focus on the Swede trailing in on a 14th place (or a 45th place).
Not to mention that the American commentators are not loving the Swedes. What I mean? Well, listening to the down hill combination commentators yesterday (Anja, who fell the day before, was up and going down the same slope she crashed in... shins and calfs and thigh bruising non withstanding) would have had you believe that Vonn was the best skier after Jesus (not that he skied, but you get the picture). It was OK to me, until the voice said "oh... Parson is making small mistakes all through the hill" (really?) but felt better when she conceded "she is a tough one though, the Swede, no one would've thought she'd be up and competing today". No, that's correct. She might be a tad bit insane - but I can argue that for anyone who wants to do Super-G - but golly, she's going for it.
The second thing that's hard is that the people I work with, and some of my friends, don't really understand why I am so obsessed with this. Frankly, I didn't think I would be quite as crazy but then I remembered that I am interested in winter sports. Although, the key thing is probably that this is the one time my little Nordic country can show that we can excel in some sports. And of course, there is the country competition between Sweden and Norway in skis, and Sweden and Finland in hockey. I don't know what anyone competes against Denmark in but I am starting to remember that their curling team isn't too bad (and they did beat the US last night!).
So, for the next week or so I can look forward to Canada women beating the US women in hockey, ( a slim chance for a bronze since apart form the two first teams, the rest of them are fairly equal in bad-/goodness), hopefully the Swedish male hockey team can pull it together (the defense was good, the offense; not to impressive) and beat Belarus** and Finland.... and then the curling women get undefeated in the round robin (China tonight), and Anja in her remaining down hill if/when she decides to go...
I guess I have bored everyone except Cath with this post, and maybe her too :)
Now, time to read the papers and marvel about that Bronze from yesterday!
UPDATE> The Globe and mail has a splendid article about the Swede.... :)
*See, we started this Olypic by being high and mighty (some of us) "we're going to do great"... and then after the first huge loss and bad competition we crept back into "we aren't too good, Sweden is a small country" and that's where we are now. Since we don't get too disappointed if we loose now...but very happy if there would be a win. "Look, even if they/we are bad we can win!". It might sound a bit backwards, but that's the Swedish approach. Don't think you're something better than the rest (unless you are Anja, she can bring it - always!).
**there are some nerves about this. See, Sweden lost against Belarus in 2002... VERY embarrassing and it really really really got out into our shoes. We were SAD (and bad). So, there might be something of a feeling that anything apart from a loss might be OK... althoguh, everyone who thinks we should go for gold knows that we need to dominate and beat them. lots. We always have a problem with the Finns you see... brother people and all... long history there...
14 comments:
I read your whole post without being bored!
I know, it's frustrating when the news tells you "Germany won silver in ice skating! There is a 5 km traffic jam south of ..." and you're like "So who won gold?! Bronze? A Dutch person? Canadian? Hello??"
Delurking to say that I sooo get what you mean by this:
The second thing that's hard is that the people I work with, and some of my friends, don't really understand why I am so obsessed with this.
I am a Slovenian academic living in Ireland now and I also lived in Sweden for a while, so I support Anja&co too, and wasn't that crash just horrific? We had our own athlete crashing horribly couple of days ago: Petra Majdic slipped into a ditch in the cross country warm up, broke 4 ribs, yet still managed to compete on the same day and got a "bronze medal with a golden shine" (same as DN.se said about Anja). Anyway, I digress.
So, why do I identify with what you said? I'm also from a small unrecognisable country that is obsessed with winter sports, now living in country that has no interest in this: noone here gets what this is all about. Can you imagine, there is NO Olympic coverage whatsoever on any Irish TV channel and almost zero reporting in the media (I think the only news was a tiny notice when Lindsey Vonn won the downhill, but they didn't mention any of the drama & falls and the rest that happened!). This includes 24h sports channels (similar to Eurosport). There is just very very small coverage with "highlights" on BBC (and of course, their "highlights" are all about disciplines where British athletes are good, which are not the same disciplines where Slovenian/Swedish athletes are good). So I can't watch anything properly, except on internet, and my local colleagues and friends just don't get why I would want to spend half the night staring at a tiny display on the screen watching the skiers in downhill - a comment I got from my Irish colleague yesterday about downhill: "That's the most boring thing to watch, they all look and do the same." Totally a wrong thing to say.
OK, end rant now and sorry for hijacking the comments, but just to let you know that you have other readers than Cath who get it. :-)
woho, not bored! :)
it's all about that nationalistic pride, isn't? (not always, almost never, a good thing... all that "we and them" thinking)
The last comment was to Nina, didn't know there was another comment lurking...
Anon> oh, thanks! I'm flattered you read this. you guys are good at (the down hill and cross country) skiing! And yes, I would totally spend the night staring at the computer, looking for those possible moments of glory.
There was a lot about Majdic in the papers since it seems like she broke the ribs and might stop her career after this? Too bad. I was happy that she was able to shoot.
Did you see the Russian biathlon guy who broke the weapon when he fell?! He looked SO miserable until they gave him a new one.
I would guess that GB athletes are good at curling and... speed skating?
Let's just be happy that we know what it's all about! :) Hope you get some more medals there! SuperG tomorrow!!!!
Same anon as above...
Yes, Majdic broke 4 ribs and has pneumothorax, so she was helicoptered to a hospital in Vancouver straight after the medal ceremony (she couldn't walk to the ceremony, so two paramedics helped her to the podium) for an emergency surgery. She is now not allowed to travel for a month, has to stay in Canada and won't compete for the rest of the season, but it is not sure if she will compete next year. Such a story, it's incredible how some people have the perseverance and determination to compete with such injuries and pain (Parsson did that too).
I missed the Russian guy breaking the weapon, what bad luck.
Yes, GB is about curling, sleighing (luge and the one where they go down face first, I don't remember what it's called now), and from the rest they show snippets or disciplines with US successes (Shaun White in snowboarding, there was like 1hr about that yesterday in a 1.5 hr show). Funny, there was one GB skier in women's downhill who had number 1 or 2 and came down the fastest at that point in the race (and in the end was 25th or so) - so the commentator on BBC was shouting "UK skier in the gold medal position, what a success!". Was kind of bizarre to hear and know that the best and fastest skiers were still to go.
Oh and btw, we also have a neighbour thing with Croatians, like you with Norwegians/Finns. :-)
Hope you also get more medals and win the men ice-hockey tournament!
aww... broken ribs and not travelling. Away from family and friends. yack. I hope she has some kind of insurance so it's not money issues too (way too practical here, but after a few years in the US you end up like that).
yeah, the Shaun White thing is here too. Absolutely crazy. I don't know, since I'm not that much of a fan... but the interview I saw with him I didn't connect. (read> I thought he was arrogant, no big surprise there)
I would've thought there was somthing with Croatia or maybe Italy?! (but I can totally see why Croatia and the skiers are competitors).
And the downhill skier story sounds lovely! :) MAybe a new commentator :)
I don't think insurance should be a problem for Majdic, I assume they all must have some sort of travel insurance and anyway, this is Canada, not US, so I suppose it should be ok.
I don't get Shaun White either, he's very self-centred. He does fly 3 times as high in the jumps as the others though, so I guess he didn't really have any competition?
I guess there is some rivalry in Slovenia against Italy and Austria (and not just in skiing and ski jumping, but also ice-hockey, for example, except our team is not in Olympics, although they are usually in either group A or B in the world championships), but with Croatia it is stronger.
What is on today for Swedish athletes, your hockey against Belarus, anything else?
Today Friday> Hockey against Belarus, Women's curling against China, women sking pursiut 2*7.5km (mix btw skating and classic) ... the last will be interesting since that has the winner and number 4 from Monday ;)
I don't think we have any skaters or skeleton competitors...
The Swedish fans are doing you proud in Vancouver - we've met a few of them and they are cheering like mad for their team and generally having fun and being good ambassadors!
The women's hockey is a bit ridiculous - it's not good for a sport when two teams are so dominant. Men's hockey... well, at least you didn't need a shoot-out to beat Switzerland like Canada did last night! (We need to beat the US on Sunday now to get a bye into the quarter finals; if we lose we have to play an additional knockout round). Also, Russia lost to Slovakia last night so Sweden are looking pretty good! And remember, you have the Sedins in your team! They're something like 2nd and 4th in the NHL right now.
GB is all about the curling and the skeleton. When I lived there the BBC would show all the skiing, skating etc too, but it's really not that big a deal compared to the summer games and our other sports (football, rugby, cricket, tennis).
I love living in Canada during the winter games! You should come up here next time (even though it's going to be in Russia) for the constant TV coverage and the people talking knowledgeably about it in bars and on buses! It must be so frustrating; I remember being in Germany during the summer games once and being desperate to watch the sprinting, where GB was doing really well (and in fact won some gold medals that year), but all they were showing was the fencing, because the Germans were winning it all!
Hopefully the interest levels in the US will pick up as the hockey finals approach. And you can always chat to your online friends, any time you like!
I made a video for you at the hockey the other day. I'll try to edit and post it over the weekend, but really I'm having a bit too much fun enjoying the Olympic atmosphere and will probably end up posting a massive backlog of blog posts after the games are over and I finally spend more than an hour at a time at home!
aww.... Cath that's so sweet. I'm happy the Swedes are being good cheerers and happy folks. (see, we're not morose and depressed all the time ;) )
"Hopefully the interest levels in the US will pick up as the hockey finals approach." yes, this will probably be true apart from me being in the SOUTH. If it ain't football or basketball (or sometimes Baseball) it doesn't exist.... ^^
I heard last night "curling would be more popular in the US if we had decent teams" so there is something about that thing with popularity and being good at it.
Can't imagine that the Germans would show the runners when they have good fencers ;) Granted though, I had reports about German TV interviewing Anja and being happyhappy about her even before their gold medalist!
Looking forward to the video! (and some more posts... backlog indeed.)
And the hockey, it does look interesting indeed. Let's hope for Sweden beating Belarus so I don't get an ulcer before summer ;)
I hope so too!
Mr E Man and I both have Sweden as our second favourite hockey team. I think this is probably fairly common in Vancouver, given how many Swedish players are (or were) Canucks!
And that Canada doesn't get that game last night again... I guess your Belarus is Switzerland?!
I would think so too... Näslund and Öhlund had a pretty good fanbase before the Sedins.
I'm nervous about Gustavsson (toronto goalie) is standing tonight/in a few hours.... Crossing fingers
Hey, Daniel Sedin just scored! w00t for the twins!
Also, the CBC had an article about Anja Paerson today!
Ping!
I'm the anon from above - have decided that after all this time lurking, the discussion about Winter Olympics is a perfect opportunity to start my own blog. :-)
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