From Cork to Toronto

There were three standout moments in the somewhat tepid closing ceremony to the Torino Olympic Games (compared to say, Sydney) - the costumes on the former Olympians carrying out the Olympic flag - only in Italy, the guys being blown into the air by the giant fan - looked even crazier than skeleton racing and finally the acceptance of the Olympic flag by Mayor of Vancouver Sam Sullivan . Sullivan became quadruplegic at 19 after a skiing accident. He had a socket built into his wheelchair so he could wave the (huge) Olympic flag as is traditional - apparently he practiced in deserted parking lots at night. (I still think a Canadarm would have been cool though). Boy did he ever wave it and the crowd went nuts. The Politic has some media reaction . The Governor-General ( hot, as always ) seemed to be enjoying herself immensely - was sceptical at first but she certainly beats her predecessor for public appeal (and looks and dress sense). I wonder if VANOC will be worried about Bryant ...

Don't believe me? Ask the press: Four medals; one big loss No, Canada! The day started off well for Canada at the Torino Games - Chandra Crawford wins the cross-country sprint, the least favoured of the three Canadian entrants. Hiccups later on the morning - "Jasey Jay" Anderson disappoints again (should get himself a good Irish name, J.J.) and the womens curling team is beaten the semi-final but retains a shot at bronze. Then the mens curlers win their semi, guaranteeing silver. Cindy Klassen gets 2006 medal no. 4 (first time for a Canadian) in speed skating (gold), Kristina Groves following her for silver and the womens short track relay take silver too. Canada has surpassed their Salt Lake City 2002 medal total and the games aren't over yet. Pretty good for a day's work? Not when disaster was around the corner. CBC and NBC tv executives are probably jumping off bridges - the US and Canadian hockey teams were eliminated in the quarters, by Finland and Rus...

Much angst has been expended in the Canadian media that Dale Begg-Smith, 21 year old Canadian born gold medalist at the Winter Olympics, declared for Australia in his late teens as their regime facilitated his dot-com business. He also claimed funding favouritism by the sports authorities towards French-Canadians. The Toronto Star reports: "The French-Canadian guys get so much funding," Begg-Smith told the Vancouver Province last year. "You're better and they're getting the funding and I'm like, 'Why?' In business, I deal with all that crap. In sports, you shouldn't have to deal with that." His internet ventures have made him a millionaire and driver of a $300,000 Lamborghini but was after his win he was evasive as to the nature of his business . Now we know what that business actually is . He's a spammer . His companies are accused of facilitating spyware . Here he is discussing his software on a computing bulletin board. There have b...

Leaving the sordid Bertuzzi-Moore-Danson triangle behind for something far more positive. During the Winter Olympic women's cross country team pursuit, Canadian Sara Renner's ski pole snapped. Nearby Norwegian official Bjornar Hakensmoen gave Renner one of his poles . The Canadians stormed back for a second place finish 0.6 seconds behind, while the Norwegians finished fourth. Despite the Norwegian claiming that he had only done what all the officials had agreed to do beforehand, and the Norwegian Ambassador to Canada (having received goodies at the embassy from various thankful Canadians) passing it off as only the natural reaction, the fact is that many would have not acted quite as quickly. Indeed some Norwegians muttered about how much help a Swede would have been to a similarly afflicted Norwegian . All the same, in an all too cynical world, I raise my imaginary hat to Mr Bjornar Hakensmoen. Well done, sir.

Saw the Irish Winter Olympic team carry in the flag in Torino for the Olympic Opening Ceremony. If you looked at the RTE Sport main page you'd never know it, just a headline about suspended skiers. Naturally they were dwarfed by the Canadian contingent, who looked like they were going into space. Cue even more complaints about their "budget" Hudson's Bay outfits .