Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, its bobsled time! Bobsledders are essentially football players crammed into a little wagon traveling on ice. What’s not to like? The United States’ Four Man Bobsledding team was especially fun to watch and their gold medal ceremony was an awesome moment (seeing a macho man like Steve Holcomb overcome with emotion gave me tingles). Every four years I tune into bobsledding for one reason; Cool Runnings. My love for bobsledding began after seeing the remarkable story of the Jamaican bobsledders. Now, I sit and watch the Olympic Bobsled event for hours. The speed, anxious moments and breathtaking crashes make for intense viewing. NBC commentator John Morgan is fantastic also. He calls each run as if his life depends on whether or not the sled finishes within a certain time. My favorite call of the competition came during the United States’ third run – Seems like a slow track tonight! Oh Man! Look at that time! It’s a slow track!!! I think we’ve got a slower track!! He joins Gus Johnson and Kevin Harlan in my favorite announcers club.

My wife’s thoughts on the 2010 Olympics. After two weeks of competition, this was her favorite moment. She replayed the clip on our DVR several times before it hurt to laugh any more.

U.S Hockey. Ryan Miller won tournament MVP and rightfully so. The United States goaltender carried his team to the gold medal game. He was unbelievable. Unfortunately, as we’ve seen so many times in the NHL playoffs, it was a soft goal that ended his run and gave Canada the gold. Regardless, Miller was the United States’ hero. His performance gave the underdog Americans a shot at the gold medal. My favorite Miller moment came as the United States and Canada shook hands. Every Canadian player stopped to address Miller: Several players offered praises like, “You were amazing” or “Awesome job.” Some didn’t say anything. They simply shook their head and smiled (ultimate respect from an opponent). Despite the admiration, Miller never smiled. Not once. He wasn’t there to earn respect, prove his talent, get showered with accolades, or hear his contemporaries sing his praises. Miller was there for gold. Too many times we see athletes content with how much they accomplished individually even when their team failed. A gold medal was the goal. To Miller, no award or kind word could fill that void. That is the essence of a true champion.

As for the game; what an event. When played at its highest level, hockey is one of the most exciting sports on earth. The skill, speed, and blend of finesse and physicality cannot be matched.

The first ten minutes of the contest was an encouraging start. The United States outworked the more talented Canadians and sustained pressure that led to multiple scoring chances. Playing a gritty style of hockey gave the U.S. their best chance to win. The first twelve minutes proved as much. Unfortunately, a U.S. turnover deep in their own end handed the game’s first goal to Canada and all the momentum as well. Thanks to lazy U.S. back-checking and a fortuitous bounce, the Canadians extended their lead to 2-0 in the second period.

At this point, I’m getting frustrated. We are the United States of America for goodness sake. We invented the upset. The technique isn’t exactly the same as the one G. Dubb (George Washington) employed 235 years ago, but it’s similar, and we own the patent. The key, as always, is to out-grit the opponent. In hockey terms; crash the net, chase loose pucks, outwork, outhustle. Ultimately; want it more. For most of the first period, the United States did this. While they failed to score, they controlled the game and generated more legitimate scoring chances in those 12 minutes then they did in the next 45 minutes combined. The upset formula was working perfectly. Any sports fan knew it would because we’ve seen its effectiveness so many times before. The Giants knocked off the Patriots by hanging around and delivering consistent rib shots to the Patriots’ core (their offense). The 2004 Detroit Pistons defeated the heavily favored Lakers by literally pushing them around. If you’re the underdog and want to win, commit to your style of play and outwork the opponent.

Why did the U.S. change their approach? No idea, probably a combination of frustration and panic. Trailing by two goals to the best hockey team on earth is an understandable reason to press, but changing to finesse passing and trying to create perfect scoring opportunities did not favor the United States. After cutting Canada’s lead in half by throwing the puck at the net and letting their scrappiness create havoc, the United States inexplicably stayed with their finesse game. I was distraught. FINALLY, in the games closing minutes, the United States began firing the puck on goal and attacking. With 24 seconds remaining, Zach Parise tied the game and forced every Canadian to consider alcohol or narcotics.

Like any hockey overtime, the teams traded scoring opportunities until what appeared to be the most harmless threat ended this gold medal thriller. The U.S. took home another silver medal, reminding them once again they’re Canada’s little brother. What’s worse, of the players that were most impressive throughout this game and the entire tournament, none play for my Philadelphia Flyers. What’s “worser”, Sidney Crosby scored the tournament clinching goal. Worst. Case. Scenario. … By far.

(By the way, I had to explain to my wife that every single member of the Canadian team plays for an NHL franchise. She looked more betrayed than the U.S. junior hockey team when they learned Coach Bombay was dating the Iceland assistant. Sad moment.)

As a result of the Olympics, hockey has a great deal of momentum going forward. Hockey discussions can be overheard at sports bars, family events, and the sport has been incessantly referenced on social medal outlets like twitter and facebook. As the past two weeks have demonstrated, the talent and marketability is there for hockey to return to national prominence. The question is, will it? When Gary Bettman decided his league would do better on the Outdoor Life Network than the “Worldwide Leader in Sports,” he crippled hockey’s growth for years. I loved the Olympic tournament. Sadly, it may be the only taste of hockey I get until the 2014 Olympics or until Comcast opens up. Thanks, Gary.

Until 2014…

Apolo Anton Ohno is a class act (and a victim). He’s always smiling, always embracing the moment, and always the coolest guy on the ice. Ohno even managed to gracefully bash the head judge of the Men’s 500m Final on Friday night. I’m not one for griping athletes, but Ohno was completely right. The call to disqualify him was totally bogus. Was there contact? Absolutely. Was there a push? Clearly not. I love speedskating. It’s one of the main reasons I look forward to the winter games. However, there needs to be less subjectivity in how they rule contact during a race. Lucky for them, football has already done the ground work. Speedskating simply needs to embrace the same rule and tweak it to fit their sport. The rule: If a cornerback’s hand makes contact with a receiver, the cornerback is rarely called for pass interference. However, if the cornerback extends his arm in any fashion while his hand remains on the receiver, pass interference is called. Ohno didn’t extend his arm to push off or force a crash. As he said following the race, his hand was there as a “cushion” so that he wouldn’t make contact and be disqualified. Ohno’s arm never extended, there should have been no disqualification.

Also, with the crash coming as Ohno was making his move to medal, the conspiracy theorist in me wonders if the Canadian bailed on purpose. (There’s a .0000429 percent chance this was the case. As a United States citizen, that’s enough for me.) It’s a win-win for the Canadian. If he knew Ohno would pass him, the Canadian would, worst case scenario, be a martyr. At best, he would get his medal and DQ Ohno. Let’s not forget that Ohno was also nudged/grabbed by one of the Koreans in the 1000m final. The slight grab cost Ohno the gold medal as he was in the process of making his move to the front of the pack. No disqualifications were made. Ohno was relegated to bronze. I’m just saying.

That’s beside the point though. I’m more interested in figuring out who thought it would be a good idea for a CANADIAN to be the head judge for Friday night’s events. Let’s see, were Canadians in contention for medals? Yes, two of them nonetheless. Was the event held on Canadian soil, where disappointment over the lack of medals has been well known? Umm, yes, yes it was. So why was the head judge Canadian? Please, someone tell me. Was Brett Favre the referee for the Super Bowl? Did Curt Shilling umpire the 2009 World Series? Will Jennifer Aniston be a bridesmaid when Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt get married? No, no, and nothing in Hollywood would surprise me. If disqualifying Ohno was really the right call, then I can accept that. However, I can’t accept a Canadian judge as the final authority in a race with Canadian skaters in a Canadian arena.

John Shuster is off the hook, well sort of. After a miserable Olympic performance, Shuster was the goat of the Curling tournament. Shuster will remain the goat, but Canada’s Skip, Cheryl Bernard also let victory slip away on a final shot. Bernard whiffed in the tenth end with a gold medal in her grasp. It was a simple shot, especially for Bernard, who had come through in the clutch many times throughout these Olympics. Up 6-4 in the tenth end, Canada was poised for victory. Sweden had just one rock “in the house” and only one rock remaining. Bernard simply needed to knock Sweden’s rock out, and gold would be hers. Bernard missed wide right. Sweden responded by tying the match on their final shot and went on to win in the eleventh end. First Peyton Manning, now Cheryl Bernard. Is no one clutch anymore? (Editor’s Note: Switzerland’s Skip fell apart in the last end of the women’s bronze medal match and Sweden’s Skip also whiffed on his final shot in the tenth of the men’s bronze medal match.)

I love Canadians. Really, I do. One of the reasons I’ve enjoyed these Olympics so much is the passion in the crowds, especially the curling fans. My favorite moment was when the Canadian crowd spontaneously belted out their national anthem in unison as the Canadian Men’s curling team headed into the final end of a close match with Great Britain. The Canadian curlers even waited to resume their match until the anthem ended, then responded by scoring two points to defeat the Brits 7-6. It’s fun to see fans have a real impact on a sporting event. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen in professional sports anymore because teams have priced out the truly passionate fans.

Narcissism is an international disease. When I first learned of the unfortunate coaching mistake that cost Netherlands’ speedskater, Sven Kramer a gold medal, I felt sorry for him. For all the time these athletes devote to their sport, a lost medal due to a coaching mistake is devastating. Kramer had every right to be sad, disappointed and even angry. Little did I know that Kramer was a self-absorbed superstar (at least in the Netherlands). After winning gold earlier in the week, an American TV reporter asked Kramer to identify himself and the medal he won. Kramer responded, “Are you stupid?” What a sweetheart. On Friday night, after the Netherlands team pursuit fell to the young and surprising American team led by Chad Hedrick, Kramer went after his coach and teammates. Apparently, Kramer is a distant cousin of Terrell Owens. If he’s not winning, he’s whining, and always looking for someone else to blame. Find a mirror pal.

UPDATE 3:43 PM ET: Germany just defeated the United States in the women’s team pursuit semifinals. Germany led the entire race. After the final turn of the final lap, one of the German women either became injured or completely exhausted and fell. She slid the final 20 meters and finished just ahead of the Americans. Very funny moment. NBC’s commentator: “Sliding the last 15-20 meters is not the way it is planned.”

Lindsey Vonn winning gold on a bum leg. Yes, her injury had been all over the news, but she validated the attention with an inspiring performance. She battled and won. Her performance wasn’t even the best part. After her first place finish was confirmed, NBC interviewed Vonn as she barely held herself together. At the conclusion of the interview, NBC directed Vonn to her husband, Thomas Vonn, whom she couldn’t find. NBC’s camera stayed with her as she found and embraced Thomas. If ever you wondered how much the Olympics mean to these athletes, this was a perfect demonstration. Vonn fell into her husband’s arms and cried, just cried. For a good 25 seconds no words were spoken. None were needed. She finally had her medal, gold nonetheless, and her husband was there as years and years of trials, injuries, and hard work poured out on his shoulder. Her tears said it all.

Shaun White’s halfpipe performance. I’m not a fantastic snowboarder, and I’ve certainly never entered a halfpipe, but watching White perform is must see TV. Since the Olympics began, we’ve consistently heard about White training privately on his own halfpipe to protect the secrecy of his tricks. (In the middle of the mountains, accessible only by helicopter nonetheless. How crazy/awesome is that?) He’s a cult hero and arguably the United State’s most beloved Olympian. Despite all the media attention, I was worried that White may succumb to the hype. Athletes often buckle under pressure, especially when favored.

On Wednesday night my dad and I intently watched as the riders completed their respective first runs. White was the last to go. Throughout the evening, NBC’s commentators compared nearly every run to White; “Not good enough to beat Shaun. Need more air to contend with White.” Etc, etc… My dad was skeptical. I was nervous. White dropped in and finished his run flawlessly while clearly outperforming his competitors. My dad and I looked at each other. “Oh,” my dad said. I nodded. We didn’t speak. Instead, we just kept shaking our heads in amazement. The announcers weren’t over exaggerating, White’s just that good. It got better…

Because he officially won gold prior to his final run, White contemplated whether to attempt his run. His coaches encouraged him to do so and include his new trick. The crowd was silent with anticipation. The commentators we’re obviously thrilled. Even the other competitors looked on with excitement. White didn’t disappoint. He nailed his “McTwist,” or whatever you want to call it, and his encore performance scored two points higher than his original run. White proved his dominance in the half pipe. Not to be forgotten was the elation and celebration of White’s coaches prior to his final run. In preparing White for his final run, one coach encouraged Shaun to “Stomp the sh** out of it,” on National TV nonetheless. Classic.

White was far and away the top competitor. He was the outright favorite and was the most relaxed rider out there. His genuine excitement at winning gold was just as fun to watch. When my dad stares at the TV with an uninterrupted smile for several minutes, you know it’s a special moment. Shaun White is special, and he delivered.

Men’s Curling. Unfortunately, the United States men’s curling team has yet to win. Regardless, their defeats have been extremely entertaining and some of the most captivating events thus far. Each match contains strategy, amazing execution, and most importantly, suspense. The yelling and ridiculous “shooting” (?) form of the curlers adds an additional unintentional comedy aspect to the sport, so there’s plenty of enjoyment to be had. As exciting as their matches have been, the U.S. team, most specifically, caption John Shuster has struggled. Shuster missed a game clinching toss/curl/shot (whatever you call them) that would have defeated Norway. Shuster went on to miss two game-winning tosses/curls/shots against Switzerland after he and his team clawed their way out of a 0-4 deficit to take a 6-4 lead. What’s worse, all three misses came right after the commentators raved about how much Shuster enjoys the pressure of the last shot, especially with victory on the line. Now, I like Shuster. He seems like a nice guy. However, because I grew so passionate about the U.S. men’s curling team, I reacted poorly when he missed the final shot to lose to the Swiss. Following the shot, I tweeted this: “John Shuster’s Olympics are on par w/ Donovan McNabb’s performances in big games. All Shuster has yet to do is puke mid-competition.” I’m sorry John Shuster.

Men’s figure skating. Did I really watch it? Intermittently. Ok, ok, I watched it all, but in my own twisted way. Here’s how. I recorded the event as I watched Celtics-Lakers because I only wanted to see the final handful of skaters (those who were in contention for medals). Recording the event also allowed me to fast forward through the entire event at just the right speed; fast enough to cut my viewing time in half, yet slow enough to notice when a guy fell. Did I always stop and rewind to watch a spill in real time? You betcha.

Anyway, I watched the final skaters perform and thought the Japanese guy was the best despite an early tumble, but what do I know. I spent most of my energy asking why any man would allow himself to be seen in just about all of those outfits (feathers, seriously?). Male gymnasts still look masculine in their competition attire, so don’t tell me it can’t be done. Anyway, this is all beside my main point.

This morning, Elvis Stojko, of YAHOO! sports, declared that Evan Lysacek should not have won gold and Russian skater, Evgeni Plushenko was robbed. Based on their performances last night, I thought Lysacek’s routine was smoother. Again, I don’t know figure skating. According to Stojko, Lysacek’s routine was simpler and slower than Plushenko’s. Additionally, Plushenko successfully completed a “quad.” (By my count, he was one of few that attempted it, and the only one to land it. Do I know what a quad is? No, absolutely not. I just listened to the announcers.) While Plushenko landed his “quad,” Lysacek failed to even attempt one. (This is why I liked the Japanese guy the best. He tried and failed the “quad,” but still managed to put on the best routine, and according to the announcers, was flawless after his fall. I digress.)

Am I here to argue the judges’ decision? No. I simply agree with Stojko; that skating is headed down a dangerous path. A path where a routine without risk wins gold and a routine with the most technical, challenging moves in the sport is scored lower due to minor flaws. Champions should be crowned for being the best. Being the best requires successfully conquering the toughest challenges the sport has to offer. Plushenko did so, Lysacek did not. Thank you, Elvis Stojko, for making me aware of this travesty.

Courageous cross-country skiing performance. Slovenia’s Petra Majdic managed to win a bronze medal in the women’s individual sprint after falling three meters from the course in training. No big deal, right? Think again. After overcoming her pain to qualify for the race, Majdic gritted her way through the actual event and finished third. Upon crossing the finish line, Majdic collapsed and had to be carried off the course. Medical tests later revealed that Majdic competed with a collapsed lung and four broken ribs. Absolutely incredible.

There’s no point in previewing or predicting what the Vancouver games will bring. I don’t know enough to offer a preview, and unpredictability is what makes the Olympics great. Therefore, I’ll simply encourage you to enjoy and appreciate these simple things. After all, the Olympics don’t come around every year.

1. Purity. Most Olympic athletes aren’t spoiled prima donnas. They aren’t paid millions of dollars to compete. Every four years these athletes gather to prove to themselves, their family, their country, and the world that they are the best. They bring a passion that is lost in professional sports. Peyton Manning didn’t walk off the field crying after his decisive pick-six. Dwight Howard wasn’t inconsolable after falling to the Lakers. Olympic athletes are devastated when they fail. Their entire lives have been devoted to winning Olympic gold, and for many, they have only one shot. There’s no tomorrow, next season, or next year for these athletes. There’s today, and today only. Other than high school sports, there’s no purer athletic competition.
2. Unity. We find a lot to argue about. Is global warming a real issue? Should a universal healthcare system be implemented? Will Jack, Kate, and Sawyer die on the island? The Olympics provide common ground. You won’t find yourself at a local bar talking to the fellow next to you about how he’s a Swiss fan because he likes their young nucleus. No way. We root for the Americans because they’re Americans, and because they aren’t multi-millionaires pretending to care for three hours. Olympic athletes are neighbors, co-workers, moms, dads, spouses, and classmates. We cheer because we can relate to them on an entirely different level than we can a superstar athlete. They’re one of us, and we’re one of them. For two weeks, entire countries worldwide can unanimously support the same cause. That is special.
3. Family. My favorite aspect of the Olympics is the families. The athletes are great. With all the time they’ve devoted to their trade they certainly deserve their success. However, Olympic telecasts have always allowed viewers to share the joy (and at times agony) experienced by the athletes’ family. On Saturday night I watched a skier’s mom excitedly punch the gentlemen in front of her over and over again as her daughter moved into first place. She may or may not have known him, but I know my mom would do the same thing. Shots of families/friends in the crowd are wonderful moments. Families are a huge part of an athlete’s success. So many times the families sacrifice as much as the athlete in order to reach this stage. I’m passionate about the Olympics because I identify with the families. I want them to celebrate.
4. Class.  When did you last see an Olympian pound his or her chest after an amazing performance? It rarely happens. Instead, they flock to their families or teammates or vice versa. The euphoria is communal; between athlete and family/teammate/crowd/country. To me, winning at the Olympics is the pinnacle of sports accomplishments. There’s a certain honor and humility that comes when you hear your country’s national anthem play because YOU out-performed the competition. That’s humbling, overwhelming, and rewarding all at the same time.
5. Memories. I love sports. I grew up watching sports of all kinds and still do. I never miss the Olympics, ever. I treasure Olympic memories. I vividly remember when Kerri Strug nailed her landing on a bum leg – my mom screamed and danced like it was her own daughter. I can still picture Dan Jensen finally winning gold in 1994. More than memories themselves, I treasure the people I’ve shared them with. I watched every moment of the 2006 Winter Olympics at my girlfriend’s house because I didn’t have a TV. While she probably can’t remember a single thing, I recall celebrating Shaun White and Apolo Ohno. In 2008, while at a shore house with almost 20 people, my brother and I volunteered to call the couch home for the week. In the early morning hours we watched as Jason Lezak, down almost an entire body length after the final turn, chased down France’s Alain Bernard to win the 400 freestyle relay, keeping Michael Phelps’ push for eight gold medals alive. Never, in the history of mankind, have more jump kicks, muted screams, and man hugs occurred in one room. Although I can’t confirm this, the eye sprinklers may have even popped on too. If you’ve forgotten how fantastic that moment was, allow me to retrace the event with actual quotes from Dan Hicks, who called the race, and his color commentator, Rowdy Gaines.

Prior to the race…
Gaines: “How many times have I broken this down, Dan, over the last two weeks? Every time I do it, it comes out France … they each (U.S. relay members) have to have the perfect race to be able to beat the French.”

Heading into the final leg of the relay…
Hicks: “Jason Lezak is gonna have to make up some ground on Alain Bernard.”
Gaines: “I just don’t think they can do it, Dan.”

Over halfway through final leg…
Hicks: “the United State,s trying to hang on to second, they should get the silver medal … Australia is in bronze territory right nowww, BUT LEZAK IS CLOSING A LITTLE BIT ON BERNARD! CAN THE VETERAN CHASE HIM DOWN AND PULL OF A SHOCKER HERE?”

Three seconds later…
Hicks: “BERNARD IS LOSING SOME GROUND! (screaming now in a Gus Johnson pitch…) HERE COMES LEZAK, UNBELIEVABLE AT THE END! HE’S DONE IT! THE U.S. HAS DONE IT!”
Gaines (Yelling in the background): “HE DID IT! THEY DID IT! THEY DID IT!”

This is why I watch. This is why I care.