Olympic connection comes from a couple of key factors

Well, that was a heckuva trip.

First time I’ve ever been sent somewhere just so I could come back but the train ride with the Olympians and Paralympians was pretty cool.

Now I’m wondering what kind of support they’ll get in Toronto on Friday at the grand parade they’re planning.

I don’t know precisely what it is, and I tried to explore it with a few of the athletes I spoke to on the ride (the fruits of that labour are here), but there always seems to be a “connection” between fans and Olympic sports athletes that doesn’t exist with professionals in the traditional North American team sports.

I think it might have a lot to do with the fact we only see these folks every couple of years and they immediately become interesting stories that endure for the duration of whatever Games are on.

They are truly representing us, Canada, and we’re drawn to them far more easily than we are to pros who, all too often, are representing their own best interests and the company that pays their salaries.

I’m not painting all pros with those broad strokes, there are many who do great work in their hometowns or their in-season cities and they should be applauded.

But it’s different, simply different.

You throw a Maple Leaf on a rower or a sprinter or whatever and they become something special, even cynical old codgers feel a bit of patriotism when Canada is out there competing and it creates a bond you simply don’t get too often with teams that you cheer for.

That’s got to be the chief reason, I’d think, but there’s one other one:

These folks are, frankly, normal.

Not normal in the sense that their athletic ability and dedication to their craft is astounding but normal in the sense that they tend to compete to challenge themselves and make others proud as much as they do for any financial gain or desired level of fame and, almost to a woman or a man, they enjoy interaction with fans, sponsors and regular people.

They don’t tend to shy away from the people, they seem to honestly like chatting and saying hello and welcome the interest others show.

One of the folks on the train, my guy Josh Binstock the beach volleyball player I wrote about a lot over in London, probably hit the nail on the head when we were chatting before the train took off.

He said it’s enjoyable to meet people, it’s not hard, it’s something that doesn’t take much work and it does bring a measure of excitement to the fans who are getting to meet world class athletes.

And why wouldn’t it be? The folks I’ve had cursory contact with at the various Olympics know they hold a special place in the minds of Canadians and relish the chance to show that they are, at the basic, normal people with an abnormal amount of athletic ability.

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And, of course, since I’m thinking about trains, why wouldn’t this come quickly to mind?

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Man, the baseball pennant races have sure petered out, haven’t they?

What have we got?

I’d say the only real one we’ve got left is Yankees-Baltimore in the AL East – I’ve thought all season that the Orioles would fade, not sure I’m going to change my mind on that one, unfortunately because I have little regard for The Evil Empire – and the National League division races are all over.

The one that does command some attention, though, is the National League wild card where the Dodgers, who took that huge financial gamble with mega-trade with Boston mid-season, haven’t quite captured the magic they thought they had and might serve a cautionary tale to other teams who make major moves because it might put them over the top.

L.A. has ceded the West to the Giants and the Dodgers are still two back of the final wild card spot, hardly the position they expected to be in when they made that deal.

If they fail, will it make other teams reticent to pull the pin on mid-season deals that basically remake half the team? I’d think so.

I know there were all kinds of questions about the wisdom of that deal when it was finalized, people worried about chemistry, whether there was enough time for the newly-acquired players to get used to a new league and those concerns now seem well-founded.

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Let’s take one more shot at the mail, okay?

Click. Write. Send.

Can’t wait.

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I’ll tell you one other thing that was cool about the train ride.

They had the media stashed in the back two cars where we could do interviews and write and they put us in what’s known as The Glenfraser car, a lounge car that really create thoughts of the old train days.

Wide open, with little tables for two along one side, a couple of long banquettes on the other with a service area in the middle, I could just imagine tuxedo-clad swells standing with their cigarettes in one hand and martinis in the other swapping tales.

Ah, the good old days.

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Oh yeah, likely the last golf outing of the season today, a nice tournament for the company owned by one of the Mighty Red Tiger dads so there’s little chance I get to comments until this evening.

Sorry.

Have a good day.

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Comments

[LeeZ]

You can't truly have an article about trains without the granddaddy of all train songs, the City of New Orleans. It was made famous by Arlo Guthrie, but here it is performed by its author, the incomparable, the late, great, Steve Goodman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ0JgqoF2W4

[Jc]

The team from LA..."who took that huge financial gamble with mega-trade with Boston mid-season, haven’t quite captured the magic they thought they had and might serve a cautionary tale to other teams who make major moves because it might put them over the top."

.....wait, which LA team are we talking about here? Still baseball, not basketball, right? Must be something in the saltwater.

[Scott]

You know what is tough? Trying to read the 2nd half of your post while following along with Johnny Cash. I had to wait for the song to end before I could keep going. Not very nice Mr. Smith.

[Stavros]

Love Johnny Cash (wish I still had that original 45 of Ring of Fire). However, when I think about trains these days this is what has been etched into my brain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw522GIskVc

[David in Oakville]

Good Morning Doug,

So were there whistle stops along the way so the athletes could meet the folks in small town Canada?

I am surprised you and your colleagues did not dress for the occasion. Tell me you were sporting a Fedora with a press tag in it atleast?

You could easily do a month of train songs and not find a bad choice in the bunch...
People Get Ready, Louis Prima Whistle Stop, Mystery Train, Orange Blossom Special and of course The Canadian Railroad Trilogy (which always gives me the shivers) quickly come to mind.

[Dave B.]

"I could just imagine tuxedo-clad swells standing with their cigarettes in one hand and martinis in the other swapping tales. "

Doug. Doug, Doug, how politically incorrect of you. Didn't you hear that someone re-wrote The Night Before Christmas to remove "The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath." Apparently it was corrupting our children and turning them into chain smokers.

Even with all the problems in the world today we have a tendency to get very hung up on silly and/or stupid things. Personally I am more concerned that the middle east situation and the spat between China and Japan could lead to the next world war. The people starving in many parts of the world should concern us also. But in Canada, we are concerned that in a children's story Santa smokes.

[james]

"These folks are, frankly, normal." Delightful!

[Geoff]

WAY TO GO, Leez. Steve Goodman has been forgotton by way too many. One of the greatest songwriters ever. Thanks for the link.

[Zafir]

Doug, what's going on with the Raptors? Are they practicing these days? I hear stories around the NBA of teams like the Knicks and Hornets having large practices organized by players. I haven't heard anything like that here other than that DeMar and some guys playing pick-up in LA. Any secret team meetings we haven't heard about?

Blogger's note: Bunch of 'em have been here for a week or so, as I've mentioned

[doug]

good article by your man Perks today on the Jays he nailed it, good to see Toronto media starting to hold other teams besides the Leafs accountable...AA has a mess on his hands, this off-season will define him, me I would move Farrell and hand the reins to...hold on a minute, he's not a candidate that has been mentioned before, but have Butterfield behind him and give him a shot , it's worked with Ventura and Gibson and that hire for me would be Omar Vizquel....time to make a gutsy move, we'll see what AA has in mind but maintaining the status quo would be a disaster...train songs this has to be there, she sounds great in this vid as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8fUOPdD09E&feature=related

[sportschic]

When I watched the Olympics, it really struck me just how nice most of the athletes seemed. They don't come across as having attitude like some pro athletes, but then again, they aren't pampered millionaires for the most part.

I guess a question for you would be whether the athletes who are both 'pro' and Olympians wearing their countries colours come across differently in the different circumstances. I expect that the pros still behave however they normally do.

Blogger's note: Most do, it's been my experience

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Steve Goodman was indeed incomparable. Great clip.
Here's a new guy on the scene, from Down Under. He doesn't write classics (yet, that I know of), but he sure does play them. Might be the finest young guitar playing talent on the planet right now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1gTzWJPG0g&feature=related
And here's Smokin' Joe again, teamed up with his mentor, Tommy Emmanuel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r018ZvdN4ew
Cheers. Go Raps!

[Peter]

http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/mlb/article/1260157--yunel-escobar-eyeblack-photographer-speaks-out

I'm sure that you've read this. Maybe it's worth a mention. Seems like a guy who could use the support of the irregulars.

[gurjeet]

Wide open, with little tables for two along one side, a couple of long banquettes on the other with a service area in the middle, I could just imagine tuxedo-clad swells standing with their cigarettes in one hand and martinis in the other swapping tales.

[Sussan Willon]

The blogs on the olympic connection come from the couple of key factors were great and informative .....