The hockey world is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved icons, Murray Costello.
A forward-thinking and innovative mind, Murray shaped what we today know as Hockey Canada. He was respected and revered for his tireless work in making the game better.
The line of Les, Moose, and Murray will now be another potent part of Heaven's team.
It has been a long time since I have seen as dominant a performance as Summer McIntosh's gold medal swim Monday. In a sport where microseconds are usually the margin of victory, Summer had enough time to have a sandwich while waiting for the field to finish.
What a spectacular athlete with jaw-dropping talent. An absolute joy to watch.
What I and many others now hope will be a games highlight is the Women's Soccer team overcoming all odds to prevail as champions at these games.
The athletes didn't cheat but they are bearing the brunt of organizers heavy-handedness.
Those who did the cheating need to be punished to maintain the integrity of sport. And, for the most part, that appears to have been done with even more additional sanctions against them on the horizon. But to penalize the athletes themselves seems excessive. I wonder if the U.S or France had been in Canada's shoes if they would have received the same punishment.
I very, very much doubt it.
I am certainly not endorsing cheating. What I can't endorse is the inconsistent and sometimes non-existent punishment Olympic games athletes face. How many times have top-level athletes failed a drug test yet were allowed to compete in and many times win their events, with denials and accusations of tampering? Way more than you think.
There is talk of stripping some of the team's prior achievements from them because this was not their first use of drones. I will agree to accept that when the IOC applies the same process for previous cheats.
When athletes who have medalled in previous Olympics were proven to have failed subsequent testing or buried positive test results before their event have their medals or achievements nullified, then you can talk about voiding Canada's soccer achievements.
If you are going to delve into the past then you better dig deep into the past. The record book will likely look very different in the future.
You had better get a thicker brush than the very thin one being used right now.
And for the umpteenth time, all cheating is wrong. Apply discipline appropriately, fairly, and consistently. That is all that is being asked.
So like I said, I hope our girls can escape the turmoil (which they did not create) and make a run for a medal once more.
I am an absolute freak when it comes to the Olympics. I enjoy all the sports and can't watch enough. Not only the events but the myriad of back stories that come with the
Games. Where else can you cheer as loudly for a Canadian swimmer who places fourth as you do for a medallist? Our girl is considered a stretch to qualify for the final, but not only qualifies but makes an epic run to just miss a bronze. Makes me proud to be a Canadian.
So for the next few days, I will continue to be in awe of the world's greatest athletes and the stories they weave as they go.
Next week will include another update on the upcoming U/17 Golf championships being held in Timmins
Later Skater
