For Canada: Good Games or bad Games? More bad than good

Holy smokes.

These Games are over today?

Seemed like it was just 10 months ago that we arrived, how come they have to end so soon?

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Good Olympics or bad Olympics for Canada?

As many medals as Beijing, fewer gold than at any Games since 1976.

Wanted a top-12 finish among countries and, as I type this, it doesn’t look like they’ll get there.

All in all, I’m saying bad.

Now, I don’t know how the Canadian Olympic Committee will spin it when it has its final news conference to wrap up the Games – and nor do I really care all that much.

From the inside, and I’d suspect from the outside, Canada didn’t quite measure up here.

Now, it is some ways unfair that we come to know some of these athletes for a fortnight and rush to judge them based on one performance on the world’s stage because all of them are brilliant enough to have got here, many have won World Cups or world championships and their talent cannot be denied.

But sports is about The Moment and popping a big one when everything is on the line. Greats do it – Usain Bolt, Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, Bradley Wiggins are four who quickly come to mind here – and it provides those memorable moments that make the Olympics special.

Canada?

Canada didn’t have many of those at all.

Yes, Diana Matheson’s goal against France was special but it was cast in the context of the loss to the United States in some ways.

It will unquestionably “the” London Games moment for Canadians, won’t it? And it’s because there are so few others.

These will be Games we remember for Paula Findlay and the men’s sprint relay team, for Dylan Armstrong and Jessica Zelinka, for Mary Spencer, for the boxers who got jobbed, an equestrian scandal, another synchronized swimming debacle, for moments of disappointment and sadness on the big stage.

Too bad.

But that’s why these games, despite the medal total, have to less than anyone hoped or expected.

And that brings us to our lone gold medalist and I’m tying this just after 9 a.m. in London so it could change.

And Rosie MacLennan’s win should be held up as one of those huge performances that should be remembered.

Yes, it was trampoline, one of those odd sports in the minds of many, but the fact not many of us know anything about it can’t diminish the accomplishment.

Quite simply, on the day of the biggest challenge of her sporting career, on the biggest stage, MacLennan put on the best routine she’s ever done.

That, my friends, is an Olympic performance.

Too bad we didn’t have many others.

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They do this song after almost every final here and it’s very, very cool.

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Things I say every four years, Vol. 1.294.603

“How many rounds are there in taekwondo?”

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I think it might be the relaxed nature of the old pubs here that make me like them so much. Just blokes and lasses sitting around having a pint, no loud music, no servers wandering by wondering when you’ll next order.

But this was a bit much.

Looked up from my Tribute at The Ship sometime last night to see a lady walking with a dog on a leash.

Yeah, a dog.

Now, I don’t mind dogs – Super Dog can be a bit of pain but she’s relatively harmless – but I’m not sure they belong in Public Houses.

It was a tiny little thing – looked like a Jack Russell terrier – but, still.

A dog?

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Don’t forget, if you’re around when the gold medal basketball game starts – 3 p.m. here, 10 a.m. in Hazelville, check your local listings wherever you are – we’ll have one of those IGBT we like so much.

Stop by any time.

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I know I can get this back home, but The Swan has Staropramen on tap and it’s quite a tasty concoction. How come no one’s told me about it before.

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No, I am absolutely not going to the closing ceremonies.

They’re a TV show, actually, so I’m going to write a basketball story and find a TV in some little joint with some friends and close these Games the way they should be closed: Pint in hand, a wistful feeling in your heart.

But I will say this, wherever I am, there will be Brits who drop in for quick second to at least see some of what’s on TV.

It’s happened dozens of times over the days, when Mo Farah runs, people get off the street and into pubs; when Laura Trott cycled, people put lives on hold for a few moments, duck in to the nearest place that’s showing it and cheer.

The British media, for the most part, have been over-the-top cheerleaders for the duration of the Games, they hail their medallists unabashedly as heroes and it’s caught the fancy of the regular people.

We saw the same thing in China four years ago but that was to be expected; I have a feeling if you didn’t openly cheer for China you’d be kindly asked to go live in a part of China that no one should live in.

But here?

These people – public and media – are nuts. All this calm, British reserve has been, frankly, rubbish. They cheer and celebrate and it’s been quite something to see.

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Okay, gotta get to the gym and get settled and spend the entire bronze medal game and 90-minute break before the gold figuring out a perfect two-day mini-vacation in this great city that starts whenever my eyes open tomorrow.

I’ve got Cheshire Cheese, Red Lion, Lillywhites at Piccadilly Circus, maybe a shot back at the Cabinet War Rooms and Cittie of Yorke pub on the list. What else have you got?

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Comments

[Marc]

London's hidden gem of a museum is the Sir John Soane Museum on Lincoln's Inn (that park in behind the Ship). He was one of Britain's great architect and used his house (which is now the museum) to demonstrate his ideas to potential clients. He was also one of the first collectors of Greek and Roman antiques and the museum has his collection. http://www.soane.org/

It's worth popping in to the British Museum to see the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles.

Finally, the Mitre is a pub that can only be found by the pure at heart, but if you can find it, it's a gem - one of the only pubs in central London that pre-dates the Great Fire

http://www.timeout.com/london/bars/features/1614.html

Enjoy!

[nasko]

Staropramen is a great beer, the draft is significantly better than the cans we get here. As far as I know, the only place that sells Staropramen here on tap is The Beer Market.

[sportschic]

My rating wouldn't be to call these games 'bad', but they certainly could have been better. It does seem unfair to be disappointed in athletes that we only follow every four years, but that's the nature of a lot of these sports. I wonder what Randy would have made of these Games?

I have really enjoyed the Star coverage; you're absolutely right that there are enough places to find technical information about the Games. For me, it is always the stories that are compelling. Most heartbreaking moment was certainly the excitement of the bronze in the men's relay (and in a case where the bronze was 'best of the rest' ) turning into disbelief and heartbreak. I do think it was badly handled, though. They shouldn't flash the results right away if there are always technical issues to sort through after that relay, and then to leave the athletes not knowing what happened for minutes after seemed cruel.

Don't forget about Shakespeare at the British Museum.

[David in Oakville]

Thoughtful, balanced assessment as always. I have to agree. The fact that our anthem was played once only seems a shame.
+
No plans to "chunnel" over to Paris? and I suppose you didn't get the invite to spend a fort night with Kate and Wills and their grandma?
+
If "dogs can play poker" how can you say they don't belong in a pub?

Blogger's note: Had originally thought of Paris, which is why I'm leaving a day later than usual. This city is just too, too great and I haven't done enough here. Besides, I told Pippa that I'd ring her on Monday and see what was up

[TLI]

Seems I'm not as disappointed as some with Canada's showing at the Olympics. Agreed that there a special sheen to the gold, but I tend to feel that any showing on the podium is a win - the winners are all in a class of their own where, "on any given day" the results could easily be shuffled.

I think Canadians tend to forget our country's actual size relative to many of the nations who compete at the top of the Olympics standings. Canada always punches above its weight and I'm very proud that the athletes from our little country do so well.

[Zow]

thanks Doug,have fun and a safe trip home!

Blogger's note: Most certainly will
Thanks

[D-Mac Ottawa]

I thought Canada done itself right proud. SO close to adding to that 'all-important' medal count, but for a few very tough breaks here and there and that's just how she goes – and I'm still raising a glass to every fourth-place finisher, god bless'em.
But if you look at that 10-1 rule, as in 10 Yanks for every Canuck, on that basis, Canada woulda/coulda/shoulda had 180 medals – so, man for man, woman for woman, Canada done itself right proud, again.
So Doug, how did these Games pan out for you on a workingman's basis? Best of the bunch?
Thanks once again to you and your Star team for all the hours of hard work and great coverage. Cheers and happy travels.

[Ren]

Hope you get this.
Since you have a few extra days...
If you want a taste of some local stuff, try jumping an early bus with a couple of buddies and head up to Edinburg. Beautiful scenery, great atmosphere, and some good pubs along the main drag.
Another cool little place is in Bury St Edmunds, about a 2 hour bus ride from Victoria station. Head up there for a day of walking around a small town and grab a pint at the smallest pub in Britain - the Nutshell.

[doug]

I agree with @tli...to say anyone is disappointed in our athletes performance is just sad...it seems Canadians sense of worth is built on our athletes doing well...well I don't need them to perform well to cement mine...they did us well and proud and for Doug Smith to follow-up a tribute to Randy Starkman (a much appreciated one) seems counter to what he believed...yes professional reporters are a cynical lot, as Doug Smith proved in the column today...medals are irrelevant as even he said in a earlier article about Findlay...and that is what I say why not write the same articles about "professional " athletes as many of these Olympians are...although the blog during these games was excellent, this blog entry today was tripe....it's interesting to hear about all your pub crawls...well these athletes your "disappointed in' don't do pub crawls, or are on paid excursions from mother Star...maybe it's you that doesn't get it and Starkman did...cheers...