| I am not a die-hard sports enthusiast,
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| | direction of a heavy stone, while you
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| but confess I enjoyed watching the winter
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| | opponent is attempting to block you or
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| Olympics held in Turino Italy. It was
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| | knock you on every throw. Lots of yelling
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| nice to watch something positive and
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| | and physics accompany this sport! Imagine
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| motivational for a change and to delight
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| | four Newfoundlanders winning the gold -
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| in some truly amazing and generous acts.
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| | talk about a party when they get home!
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| I find the wide variety of sports
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| | There is the luge where, depending on the
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| showcased fascinating, proving there is a
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| | event, one or two people lie on their
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| lot one can do in cold climates of
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| | backs on a sled going down a tight twisty
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| winter!
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| | run ... feet first. You might think that
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| Consider the spectrum of sports. There
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| | is scary enough until you see those in
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| are the many varieties of skiing. The
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| | the skeleton event, maybe appropriately
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| downhill event has skiers reaching speeds
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| | named. These athletes go down a steep ice
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| of 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph), you
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| | track, on a sled, that has no brakes,
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| get speeding tickets for going that fast
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| | headfirst. Hmmm ... where do they find
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| in a car! Imagine what it takes to be a
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| | people to do this?
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| ski jumper as you attempt to imitate
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| | Then there is ice hockey. Grown men and
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| flight and defy gravity the longest once
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| | women strap on boots with blades on the
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| you are airborne. Picture the freestyle
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| | bottom, use curved sticks to shoot a hard
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| skiers who twist and turn in the air so
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| | rubber disk in the opponents net. This
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| fast I don't know how the commentators
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| | happens as they skate at up to 50 km per
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| can describe their incredible aerial
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| | hour (30 mph) and shoot the puck at over
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| feats. The cross-country skiers have
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| | 150 kph (95 mph) while maneuvering around
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| tremendous endurance, and some stop to
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| | on ice. A shame both the NHL laden U.S.A
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| shoot rifles while trying to manage their
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| | and Canadian teams didn't even make it to
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| beating hearts and gasping lungs.
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| | the semi-finals. Perhaps too much talent,
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| We were witness to a newer Olympic event
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| | not enough "team".
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| that debuted in Nagano in 1998,
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| | Over the 17-day period, 2,500 athletes
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| snowboarding. I think the snowboarders
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| | from 85 nations competed for 84 medals in
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| had the most fun creating their lexicon
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| | seven sports. We shared the pride of
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| when they speak of a McTwist, Fakie,
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| | those on the podium as they smiled or
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| Duckfoot, an Ollie or a Nollie! Didn't it
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| | cried as their national anthem played
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| just used to be Narly ... or was that
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| | before the world. Two single acts at this
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| suffer speak and I've just dated myself?
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| | twentieth Olympic Games stand out in my
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| There are those flashy speed skaters in
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| | mind and will for many years.
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| their skin-tight outfits who fly around
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| | I applaud gold medalist Joey Cheek, the
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| an oval ice surface at up to 60 kph (37
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| | USA speed skater for donating his $25,000
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| mph) battling G forces in the turns. The
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| | bonus to Right to Play, an organization
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| figure skaters entertained us with their
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| | of former Olympic, Paralympic and
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| dance routines and inspiring jumps. They
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| | professional athletes worldwide who
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| also showed tremendous grit when Zhang
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| | support using sport for development,
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| Dan a Chinese pairs figure skater had a
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| | health and peace. Good for you Joey, you
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| spectacular fall which made anyone
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| | are an inspiration to many.
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| watching cringe. To our disbelief, this
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| | Perhaps the defining moment of the Games
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| 20 year old got up, completed the
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| | was when Sara Renner, a Canadian broke
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| routine, and won the silver medal.
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| | her ski pole in a cross-country team
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| Awesome.
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| | sprint event. A Norwegian coach gave her
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| We can't forget the curlers. A sport
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| | a pole to finish the race. She and
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| many find strange, but appreciate the
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| | teammate Beckie Scott went on to win the
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| accuracy involved in curling your rock
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| | silver medal. To me this unselfish act
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| down a 44 meter (49 yard) ice surface and
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| | defines sportsmanship and is hard
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| trying to hit a bulls eye with two
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| | evidence the true Olympic spirit lives
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| sweepers helping control speed and
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| | on. See you in Vancouver in 2010.
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