11/05/24
February 15, 2010
Moguls Win Gives Canada Long-Coveted Gold: Men's mogul skier Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada's first-ever Olympic gold medal at home, a huge priority of the host country going into the Winter Games. Bilodeau edged defending Olympic champion Dale Begg-Smith, who was born in Vancouver and emigrated to Australia in his teens to work on a controversial software business.
I'm sure this has been reported a lot (presumably in the Canadian press in particular), but I was not aware that no Canadian won gold at Calgary. Did anyone come close?
I wasn't aware either until I heard it 12 million times since Friday. Good for Canada, but I can only hope that I don't have to hear about it anymore.
posted by bender at 12:32 PM on February 15, 2010
The women's mogul was epic. Hannah Kearney of the U.S. needed an almost perfect run to beat Jennifer Heil of Canada, and she did it. Both of them skiied in conditions that were causing a lot of other competitors to wipe out.
If you'd like something to remember men's bronze winner Bryon Wilson of the U.S., he sells award-winning wood carvings of fish online, though he's currently sold out.
posted by rcade at 12:33 PM on February 15, 2010
I'm sure this has been reported a lot (presumably in the Canadian press in particular), but I was not aware that no Canadian won gold at Calgary. Did anyone come close?
Not only did Canada not win Gold in Calgary, we (Canada) were shut out in Montreal.
Calgary: 2 Silver, 3 Bronze.
Montreal 5 Silver, 6 Bronze.
Canada is the only host country in the history of the Olympics to not win Gold, and we did it twice !
Commercial reminding us of that fact There was a whole series of these spots.
posted by tommybiden at 01:34 PM on February 15, 2010
Bilodeau's a great story in himself, as NBC reported rather heavily yesterday. His older brother has cerebral palsy, and the winning run was "for Frederic (the older brother)".
posted by boredom_08 at 02:24 PM on February 15, 2010
Damn that Brian Boitano and his triple-triple combinations!!!
For some reason I have a hard time being miffed with Katarina Witt though. I'm not sure why.
Here, I am referring to the silver medals won in '88 by Brian Orser and Elizabeth Manley respectively.
posted by Spitztengle at 02:24 PM on February 15, 2010
Bilodeau edged defending Olympic champion Dale Begg-Smith, who was born in Vancouver and emigrated to Australia in his teens to work on a controversial software business....
...and had to witness his puppy being shot in front of him. This can be the only explanation for the dour expression on his face during the flower ceremony (on-site recognition of the medalists, before the medals are handed out in another location).
posted by grum@work at 02:48 PM on February 15, 2010
Not being miffed at Witt is a safer and more sensible approach to daily life, given her association with two nefarious, all-seeing undercover organizations:
The Stasi
Playboy magazine
posted by beaverboard at 03:02 PM on February 15, 2010
This can be the only explanation for the dour expression on his face during the flower ceremony
To be fair to Begg-Smith, I think he avoided over enthusiasm so that he didn't piss off his Canadian hosts, i.e. his former country, with any display of faux Aussie nationalism. Note that he was the only one at the flower ceremony not draped in a flag.
Difficult situation for him to be in, even if he is personally responsible for 90 per cent of the spam in my inbox.
posted by owlhouse at 03:32 PM on February 15, 2010
To be fair to Begg-Smith, I think he avoided over enthusiasm so that he didn't piss off his Canadian hosts, i.e. his former country, with any display of faux Aussie nationalism.
It's one thing to not wear the flag. It's another to stand there like a Queen's Guard and not show ANY emotion. Not even a smile.
I just assumed that he was pissed off that Bilodeau beat him.
posted by grum@work at 03:55 PM on February 15, 2010
Hannah Kearney of the U.S. needed an almost perfect run to beat Jennifer Heil of Canada, and she did it.
While I was cheering for Heil, when I saw Kearney's run, I knew Hannah had won. Thankfully, the announcers on the Canadian network swallowed their homerism long enough to state that Kearney's run was almost flawless, and that she was probably going to win the gold (before they officially announced it).
posted by grum@work at 03:58 PM on February 15, 2010
Though, CTV's announcers did say, just as Kearney was about to start her run: "she does have a reputation for choking."
posted by tommybiden at 04:01 PM on February 15, 2010
I take it back. Apparently he's like that all the time. Even when he wins gold.
posted by owlhouse at 06:46 PM on February 15, 2010
Canadian women won gold at Calgary in curling, which was then a demonstration sport but is now a full medal sport. If I were them I'd be pissed a little at the endless fucking iteration in the Canadian media about what a bunch of losers the 76 and 88 teams were.
Now can we please just show some actual Olympic sports, can the "storylines" and profiles and just for the motherf&^%$ing love of god just show some sports?
posted by rumple at 07:11 PM on February 15, 2010
If it makes you feel any better, Canada: Montreal 1976 remains the only Summer Games where Australia didn't win a gold medal.
posted by owlhouse at 07:54 PM on February 15, 2010
Silver is close. Brian Orser came up short in the "Battle of the Brians" and unheralded Elizabeth Manley won the womens' long program, ahead of Katarina Witt, but Witt held on to the gold.
Australian officials are saying that they thought Begg-Smith won.
posted by Steve-o at 04:46 PM on February 16, 2010
"Dale had the highest turn points and the highest air points. Dale skied unbelievable and I don't think you can fault anything he did. I thought Dale won, but that's just a gut feel."
Bilodeau:
Turns: 14.1
Air: 5.44
Time: 7.21
Total: 26.75
Begg-Smith:
Turns: 14.2
Air: 5.43
Time: 6.95
Total: 26.58
Even if Begg-Smith had an equal turns score to Bilodeau, he would have still lost. Plain and simply, Bilodeau's speed was the difference.
posted by grum@work at 05:11 PM on February 16, 2010
Australia can have that sour-pussed spam purveyor. I'm likely biased, but what a colossal asshole.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 05:16 PM on February 16, 2010
Can we send him back?
The media down here acknowledge him as a 'difficult' personality, and those quotes from the coach are ridiculous, but I'm told he puts a lot in with the younger freestyle skiers.
Mind you, don't believe everything that's in The Australian. It's a Rupert Murdoch version of Fox News For Those Without Cable.
posted by owlhouse at 06:54 PM on February 16, 2010
I'm sure this has been reported a lot (presumably in the Canadian press in particular), but I was not aware that no Canadian won gold at Calgary. Did anyone come close?