Winning Gold - Canadian Women

Watching your country win a gold medal, in a sport as decorated as hockey, in the Olympics, is an unforgettable feeling. It creates that “Where were you?” moment. What were you doing when Sidney Crosby scored The Golden Goal in 2010 on home ice? Where were you today when Marie-Philip Poulin scored her own Golden Goal? Where will you be tomorrow when Canada advances to the Gold Medal Game in Sochi against The United States? (My biased, Canadian, guess of course).

            Today, watching our Canadian women fight back to defend their gold medal, was something that I know I’ll never forget. With the help from a very lucky goal post, and a talented group of women, we were able to feel that indescribable feeling. You know what I mean, the goose bumps, that warm feeling inside of your heart, the feeling of knowing that Canada as a nation is one that makes every single one of it’s residents proud in everything that it achieves. 

            A team with a crazy amount of passion or just true love for the game of hockey would never give up as the final minutes of the game approach. That of course, just does not run in our Canadian blood. With a goal from Brianne Jenner with about 4 minutes left to play in the 3rd period, was just the momentum that they needed. Luck was on our side today as the Americans shot the puck up the ice, almost into an open net, but the goal post saved us. That gave the women a huge sense of hope.

 Just a couple seconds after that, Marie-Philip Poulin shot the puck into the net, eventually sending the game, which the Americans were just in reach of, to overtime.  

            In overtime, the new household name among all Canadians – Marie-Philip Poulin, scored that Golden Goal. Hockey. What a turn of events. What a game.

           

            Tomorrow afternoon, Canada and The States will face off in the men’s semi-finals, and we all just hope that somehow and someway, Canada can find it in them to win, and send us to another Gold Medal Game. Tomorrow, when the puck drops all eyes will be on our Canadian men pushing and fighting to get to the place where the women were today, where they were themselves, four years ago in Vancouver, showing off that shiny Gold Medal. That Gold Medal is ours, fellow Canadians. It's our legacy. 

           

The 2014 Winter Olympics

In 776 BC, almost 3000 years ago, the first Olympic Game was recorded in Olympia, Greece. At the time, the games were held to honor the Greek God’s.

 Now, think for a second, how much time has gone by, and how much we as a human race have grown and evolved since then. When we think of the Olympics, we rarely think of how it came to be, but how it has become a tradition in our homes that we look forward to watching every 4 years. Talent among each and every country on this earth comes together to compete in a spectacle of games. The Olympics and the hype of the Olympics is something that is incomparable.

One of, (if not the biggest) events at the Winter Olympics is hockey. Men and Women hockey. It’s the event that grabs everyone and pulls them in to watch the best in the world compete on the big ice. I mean really, what’s better?

Nothing compares to watching your favorite hockey players in the world face off against each other in the most prestigious of tournaments. Olympic hockey is not only to showcase the world’s talent, but also to showcase where the home of hockey lies. That of course being our beautiful home of Canada…. (Maybe I’m a tad biased, but that’s ok).

When the news broke on Wednesday February 5^th 2014, that Steven Stamkos had been ruled out, and not able to participate in Sochi, Canadian hockey fans shed a couple of tears, as the rest of the world praised. Unfortunate for the Canadians, not so unfortunate for the rest of the world. Back in November of 2013, when Steven Stamkos broke his leg against the Boston Bruins, Canadian hockey fans prepared for the worst but hoped for the best. As time went on, and media reports came out that Stamkos’ leg was healing quicker than expected, we all let out a sigh of relief thinking that he would be back on time to suit up for Sochi.  Evidently he was not. Stamkos was not cleared by the doctors in Tampa (Also known as the people that broke every Canadians heart).

At this moment, the thought pondering every Canadian hockey fans mind is whom will Steve Yzerman choose to replace Stamkos? Will it be Martin St.Louis? Will Marty finally get his chance to shine? Will the relationship between the two be repaired if he does get chosen? Or will it be Claude Giroux? Or somehow, in Yzerman’s mind, does he have a better fit for team Canada. We will just have to wait and see.

With the Olympic Opening Ceremonies only 2 days away, the excitement rises, and the hype grows. Who will win gold for our country? Only time will tell. But us Canadians can hope and pray that somehow we can make our mark at this year’s Olympics. It’ll be hard to compare to the Olympics in 2010 on our own soil, but no matter what we’ll be cheering for our Canadian athletes as loud as we can. Look out Sochi, Canada is coming.

GO CANADA GO!

Super Sunday - 2014

A time that enables you to eat like a pig without being judged, and to scream at the top of your lungs without everyone in the room wanting to kill you. A time that brings you and your friends closer together (or maybe apart). A time that quite possibly could make or break you. A time that even the non-sports fans are allowed to pretend they know everything about sports. A time when bandwagon-ing is very much acceptable. A time that is commonly referred to as the biggest day in all of sports. None other than The Super Bowl. Every sports fans day to sit back and watch the magic of sports take place right in front of their eyes. A true excitement all around.

Just think, you’re favorite chips are already put into individual bowls, the beer is in the fridge keeping cool, and the nachos are in the oven, all waiting for game time. You can hardly wait to watch the two best teams in football face off to determine the true cream of the crop. Your bets are in place, and your buddy beside you is teasing you about your team losing in the championship game. But none of that stuff matters when the game starts. The world is quiet as everyone waits for kick-off. You think to yourself “the time has finally come”.

It’s the pinnacle of the sports world, and today, Super Sunday – 2014, either The Denver Broncos, with the best offence in the league, or The Seattle Seahawks, with the best defense in the league will be able to grasp that beautiful (not to mention shiny) Vince Lombardi Trophy. We’re in for a great one ladies and gents.