Olympic Memories

As the Winter Olympics near its end (not too soon for some) and with all the comparisons of Sunday's US/Canada game to the 1980 Miracle, I thought this might be a good time to share some of my Olympic memories of years past. For the record, I am a little sad the games will be over this weekend - it seems like a nice two week break where everyone is tuned into sports in some way or another. I also think the Miracle on Ice comparisons are way overblown - it was an upset, yes, but no more so than any other game this tournament. Now if Germany beats Canada tonight, that would be an appropriate comparison.

Without further ado, here are my memories of every Winter Olympics in my lifetime:

1976 - Innsbruck

Technically I was born two weeks after the games were over so I guess this doesn't count. I have been to Austria though (Vienna). Did you know that these games were originally awarded to Denver, but they withdrew after voters turned down a bond issue referendum? Voters after my own heart. The good old CCCP (that's the Soviet Union) won the hockey gold after Canada refused to send a team for the second Olympics in a row.

1980 - Lake Placid

Ah yes, the aforementioned Miracle on Ice. Did anything else happen during these games? You'd think not. I was still too little to have any real memories of these games, though I'll have to ask my folks if we watched the hockey games. Interesting Fact: they turned the Olympic Village into a prison after the games. Ouch.

1984 - Sarajevo

Probably the clearest memory I have is of Scott Hamilton winning the gold. He still had some hair then and was wearing the most god-awful one piece jumpsuit. But hey, it was the 80's - we all wore some crazy shit then (jelly shoes and stirrup pants anyone?). This Olympics makes me a little sad due to what happened to the city in the early 90s. Take a look at these photos of "Saravejo Roses" (they filled in the scars from mortar shells with red resin) and tell me that doesn't leave you a little misty eyed.

1988 - Calgary

Who could forget "Eddie the Eagle" - he made me laugh. This was the Olympics of the "Battle of the Brians" although I will forever associate Brian Boitano with South Park now. The Canucks wore those horrible fringed red outfits with the cowboy hats. Dan Jansen fell down and made me cry (that damn Visa commercial still makes me tear up a bit). The USSR won Hockey gold again with Canada coming in fourth. The US stunk in 7th place. But hey, curling got its start as a demonstration event!

1992 - Albertville

Midori Ito did a triple axel but Kristi Yamaguchi won the gold. Bonnie Blair won two goals forever earning her a huge banner of her skating hanging in the ice arena at U of I (her hometown is Champaign). The was the first of two Olympics featuring the Unified Team consisting of former Soviet Republics. Those poor folks had generic uniforms and had to carry the Olympic flag in the ceremonies, but at least they raised the flag and played the anthem of their country if they won something. Said folks without a flag won the gold in hockey and Canada came in second. The US came in 4th (boooo).

1994 - Lillehammer

They voted to alternate Summer & Winter Olympics in '86, thus the quick turnaround. Did anything happen at these games besides Nancy/Tonya? I don't think so but Harding breaking her shoelace and her whining about it made me giggle. I never liked Kerrigan, which was only solidified when she was caught on mic belittling Oksana Baiul (she of the pink feathery costume....thing) who won. Sweden won the hockey gold (Forsberg was on this team - how old is he?) and the US finished 8th. Whee.

1998 - Nagano

Ah yes, the first year of women's hockey. The year of Cammi Granato, Katie King and Sarah Tueting. Somewhere I still have the Wheaties box immortalizing their gold medal win over Canada. On the men's side, the US trashed their rooms (would love to see JR talk about that on NBC) the Canadians named Lindros captain and neither of them won shit. I didn't pay attention to much else.

2002 - Salt Lake City

I was in Salt Lake City once. Do you know you can't get caffeinated pop in movie theatres? That sucked. In any case, the women's hockey team lost to Canada, upsetting me greatly. The 1980 men's team lit the Olympic flame. Due to the stupid looney buried at centre ice (yes I'm blaming a coin), the US men lost gold to Canada. I hope someone buried a Sacagawea dollar on a faceoff dot this year.

2006 - Torino

Honestly, for whatever reason I don't think I watched much of these games. IIRC, we didn't have cable in the apartment we were living in at the time which probably was part of it. I'm too tired now to try to remember anything at this point anyway.

Well, the Crosby fellate-a-thon is almost over. Too bad I'll miss the US/Switzerland rematch tomorrow due to work, but I should get home in time to see the CANADA VS. RUSSIA GAME OF WORLD DOMINATION. Too bad at least one of the media darlings won't be coming home with a medal. I shed mock tears for them.