Olympic Stats
So, here we are again, at the end of another winter Olympiad. I prefer the Winter Olympics (hence my absence from the blogosphere this past little while) mainly because it seems more Canadian, and hence we always do better at them. And considering I live in Calgary, the home of the 1988 Winter Olympics (and don't you dare forget it!), it borders on civic pride.
I did notice something rather interesting. Most of our medals were won by female athletes. In fact, 16 of our 24 medals came courtesy of female athletes. That's two-thirds. And five of our seven gold medals came from the female athletes too. I think I heard one commentator mention this. I may be jaded (and a bitter, twisted, old conspiracy-theorist feminist) but I bet there would have been more comment had it been the other way round. Queries of why we are funding these women who aren't achieving. Rumours of cutting said funding. Sigh. And why aren't women allowed to ski jump at the Olympics? Will it interfere with our childbearing responsibilities? I still remember that one as an excuse as to why we couldn't triple jump in junior high. I personally would like to see women flying through the air with the greatest of ease.
But I digress. Actually, no I don't, I'm on a rant here. So why aren't we celebrating the overwhelming victory of the women's Olympic hockey team? We are the Queens of the Ice! Oh, maybe that's the reason...
And now we're up next. It's 2010 in Vancouver/Whistler! And wasn't it a proud moment when the recently-elected Mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan, wheeled his way up to take the Olympic flag from the Mayor of Turin? Torino? Never mind.
Maybe if I start saving now, I can afford tickets to see the first-ever Olympic women's ski jump event. It's gonna happen. It's gotta happen. After all, we'll need all the medals we can win, as we're the only host country never to win a gold medal. Twice. Ouch.
So, here we are again, at the end of another winter Olympiad. I prefer the Winter Olympics (hence my absence from the blogosphere this past little while) mainly because it seems more Canadian, and hence we always do better at them. And considering I live in Calgary, the home of the 1988 Winter Olympics (and don't you dare forget it!), it borders on civic pride.
I did notice something rather interesting. Most of our medals were won by female athletes. In fact, 16 of our 24 medals came courtesy of female athletes. That's two-thirds. And five of our seven gold medals came from the female athletes too. I think I heard one commentator mention this. I may be jaded (and a bitter, twisted, old conspiracy-theorist feminist) but I bet there would have been more comment had it been the other way round. Queries of why we are funding these women who aren't achieving. Rumours of cutting said funding. Sigh. And why aren't women allowed to ski jump at the Olympics? Will it interfere with our childbearing responsibilities? I still remember that one as an excuse as to why we couldn't triple jump in junior high. I personally would like to see women flying through the air with the greatest of ease.
But I digress. Actually, no I don't, I'm on a rant here. So why aren't we celebrating the overwhelming victory of the women's Olympic hockey team? We are the Queens of the Ice! Oh, maybe that's the reason...
And now we're up next. It's 2010 in Vancouver/Whistler! And wasn't it a proud moment when the recently-elected Mayor of Vancouver, Sam Sullivan, wheeled his way up to take the Olympic flag from the Mayor of Turin? Torino? Never mind.
Maybe if I start saving now, I can afford tickets to see the first-ever Olympic women's ski jump event. It's gonna happen. It's gotta happen. After all, we'll need all the medals we can win, as we're the only host country never to win a gold medal. Twice. Ouch.
Comments
As for the Olympics, I'm a sap. I really am one of those who thinks that anyone who makes it that far deserves a medal... It's no wonder I didn't do so well in gym class.
I missed the Vancouver mayor on tele ... I was teaching a class but I give him credit.
I am with Sarah, we thought we lost you there for awhile. Welcome back.