The Olympics are supposed to be a time of for national pride combined with a display of sportsmanship and respect for the sport. Apparently the Canadians missed the memo as another gross display of behavior shone itself on the ice following the Women’s Hockey gold medal game.
The Canadian women played their best of hockey of the Olympics, shutting down the American offensive juggernaut with a 2-0 shut out. To celebrate their victory, the ladies broke out cigars, popped champagne bottles and began chugging beer on the ice to enjoy the victory. It was a display that even the Cincinnati Bengals’ Chad Ochocinco might have blushed at.
What were these ladies thinking?
Regardless if this took place 30 minutes after game, it just had no place at the Olympics. This is an amateur sporting event where athletes make sacrifices in their lives, both social and financial, to reach the goal of being best in the world. While celebrations are condoned and encouraged, they need to be done with sensibility.
Where were the Canadian Olympic Team officials on this one…sleeping at the wheel? Did they not see the alcohol brought into the locker room pre-game? Did they not have the courage to go out on the ice and demand the cigars and beer be put back in the locker room or better yet the garbage.
Steve Keough, a spokesman for the Canadian Olympic Committee, confirmed that the COC did not provide the alcohol nor did they plan the party. Keough shared, “I think Canadians understand it’s quite an emotional moment for our team. It was not our intention to go against any IOC protocols.”
Then, to put the icing on the cake that the COC didn’t mind the behavior, Keough stated, “In terms of the actual celebration, it’s not exactly something uncommon in Canada.” Bravo Mr Keough, bravo.
Unfortunately, this is now the third egregiously poor display of sportsmanship and sports etiquette during these Olympics by athletes. Canada’s Jon Montgomery celebrated his gold medal victory in the Skeleton by parading through the streets of Whistler guzzling from a pitcher of beer. American Scotty Lago, celebrating his bronze medal partying it up with locals and having his picture taken while a female fan kissing his medal while strategic placed in his groin area.
The poor behavior even has made its way into the stands of the arenas. During the women’s curling match between the Netherlands and Canada, the Canadian fans whooped it up during the Netherlands release of stones to mess up their concentration. Like tennis and golf, curling has a standard of fan etiquette to provide silence during key parts of the match. The behavior of the fans caused a poor release of the stone by the Netherlands captain and keyed a victory for Canada.
Just three more days of events. Lets hope we can get through them without another gross display that stains the spirit of the Olympics.
Tags: 2010 olympics, 2010 winter games, candadian womens hockey team, jon montgomery, scotty lago
Geez, lighten up! These are enthusiastic young people celebrating the greatest accomplishment of their young lives. Canadians, in general, are some of the most polite and considerate people on earth. This column hints at a bit of “sour grapes.”
Robert, I hate hockey. Could care less about the sport. No sour grapes here. Note I also hit on other sports as well. I think the hockey’s team behavior is the worst, as it occurred in the arena rather than on the street. This is an amateur competition, not professional sports. The IOC sets rule for behavior that are to be followed to maintain the spirit of the Olympics. Smoking cigars on the ice with a bottle of Molson doesn’t follow in that spirit.
Olympic gold medal winners now can’t even have a beer and a smoke without some self righteous blogger passing judgement…
Where do you get off… sitting at home on your arse pontificating about the meaning of the “Olympic spirit”
What sanctimonious drivel..
I’d say.. “an egregiously poor display of sportsmanship”…. is the silver medalists blubbing and whining like babies and then removing and DISGARDING their medals.. as the US team did after the 2006 gold medal hockey game in Turin.
Or the entire US Ryder Cup team and their (stilleto-shod) WAGS disgracefully sprinting on to the putting surface to celebrate ‘winning’ the 1999 cup even though Jose Maria Olazabal still had a putt to halve the hole and keep the competition alive.
Or 2 Russian Ice dancers whining about their marks, because FOR ONCE the judging panel WASN’T skewed in their favour.
Or Marion Jones/Florence Griffith Joyner/Tonya Harding/Ben Johnson/Rosie Ruiz.. now THAT’S.. “an egregiously poor display of sportsmanship”…. hardly the same as a group of grown women enjoying a beer or two.
Quote…” I think the hockey’s team behavior is the worst, as it occurred in the arena rather than on the street…”
Oh really ?? So in your mind its better to behave badly in the street where anyone can witness it than in a TOTALLY DESERTED hockey arena is it… ? why exactly??
If a grown man or woman wants to celebrate with a beer or champagne after winning a gold medal he or she is perfectly entitled to do so…
No one’s ever said a word about Hockey players toasting and then drinking from the Stanley Cup after they’ve just won it… or Formula 1 drivers swigging out of champagne bottles after every race.
Plus the idea that the journalists who witnessed and then reported the celebration have some kind of moral high-ground where behaviour of any kind is concerned is simply laughable…
Frankly… coming from a group of individuals who spent all week competing to see who could get Joannie Rochette to cry on camera… talk of “the Olympic spirit” is sickening…
As is YOU criticising on the COC because they didn’t jump on the hypocrisy bandwagon… I don’t think there’s much an American can teach anyone on the planet let alone the Canadians about manners
With regards to your Curling comments…
I attended 8 sessions of the Curling this past 2 weeks and I think the crowds were fantastic..
There was noise being made by ALL the spectators.. from ALL countries… virtually ALL the time..
and there most certainly was NOT ANY attempt to put the shooters off when they were in the hack as you describe.
Oh and actually it IS professional sport.. Olympic Gold Medalist’s receive $20,000, Silver get $15,000 and Bronze winners get $10,000.. That’s just in Canada.
The US winners receive even more… and there are additional bonuses for world records set at the games.
Yet again.. factually incorrect Dom… do try and do better….
Great reply Covergirl….well said.
Thanks Andy…
Working out at home is great! You don’t have to pay for a gym membership.