That's right, folks: the 2010 Winter Olympics will soon kick off in sunny Vancouver, British Columbia. The vastly inferior little brother of the Summer Olympics may be forecast as a ratings bust for NBC, but whether we like it or not, people are going to be talking about it.
America has an odd relationship with the Winter Olympics. It's that time of the decade where touchdown celebrations give way to ice dancers and national attention shifts to shaggy haired stoners as a source of national pride. The rest of February will be about people sort of caring about obscure sports they haven't watched since they were broadcast from Turin, and rousing hatred for countries they couldn't point out on a map. And we'll still win gold. Just ask any Canadian and they'll tell you that it drives the rest of the world crazy: a nation of bandwagon winter sport viewers has athletes that still dominate over countries who truly live for Nordic sports.
This is the first assignment I've been given here at FWG. I think it may be tough covering sports that Americans care even less about than soccer, but the high potential for the Games to be hilarious (and the off chance for some real drama) gives me hope. So perfect that "U-S-A!" chant; re-watch Miracle; and hug a Canadian, because the Vancouver Games are coming at you with the speed of a recalled Prius, and it just might be entertaining enough to get you through until March Madness.
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