17 Days of Olympics, 7 Days Too Many

I’ve enjoyed watching the Vancouver Winter Olympic games but they’ve gone on for long enough, about a week too long in my opinion.  So how could the games be shortened?

I was watching some of the 4-Man Bobsled runs last night and was thinking, haven’t they already done this?  In fact, the night before they had.  They do four runs over the course of two days.  That’s two runs too many.   I propose that all Bobsled events occur on one day – two runs per event.  As is, the 2-Man and the Women’s 2 and 4 take 7 days to complete.

I’d eliminate the week-long Biathlon events.  Those guns creep me out.  Someone is going to shot their eye out; it’s a miracle no one was hurt.

Curling is silly, even absurd.  12 days worth of shuffleboard.  I’d rather see a snowball throwing event, or an ice-sculpture competition.  How about ice fishing?

Ski-Cross.  Boring.  Snowboard-Cross is infinitely more exciting to watch.

Luge and Skeleton, one or the other but not both. I’d actually like to propose a new sliding event called Sliding.  It’s a sprint to a line to see who can slide on their feet the longest distance.  No skates, just smooth-soled shoes.

Ice-Dancing.  Better for an exhibition, not an Olympic competition. Something I’d rather see during the intermission of a hockey game.

I love Short Track, but the Relay, like Curling and Doubles Luge is silly.  Cut that event out.

Too many skiing events.  Downhill, Super-Combined Downhill, Super-Combined Slalom,  Super G, Giant Slalom and Slalom.  6 events here.  Pick two, maybe three.

With the reductions proposed, a Winter Olympics need only last 10 days.

The Bobsled Log Ride

After the Vancouver Winter Olympics, they ought to convert the luge track at Whistler into a log ride or a water slide.   It’d be a good way to attract new talent to the field.  They could even fashion those logs as bobsleds.   Pick your country and hop in for a thrilling ride.  Fun for the whole family.

The Canadian Connection

If it hadn’t been for the Vancouver games, I’d never have known that Steve Nash was a Canadian, or Donald Sutherland.  And I remember seeing Brian Williams, who I know is not Canadian and thinking he was CNN’s Brian Roberts who is – I always get them mixed up.  And did you know that gold medalist Hannah Kearney’s grandparents are Canadian?  They are.  And her aunt.  Dale Begg-Smith the silver medalist free style skier representing Australia was born in Vancouver.  Apolo Ohno learned to skate in Vancouver, though not Canadian, Vancouver is like his second home.  Local Boston NBC news reporter Amanda Grace is a native of Vancouver.  And Greg Duncan, the guitar player in the house band, the Jason Palmer Experience at Wally’s Cafe is Canadian.

I may be Canadian.  You may be too.  Who knows?