These games should have been in Calgary!

[Jimmy Stang]

I don't know why everything has to be so black and white here. You can still hate the Canucks while enjoying Vancouver as a city. You can reminisce about the 1988 games and still be happy for Vancouver in 2010.

[BandWagoner]

There shouldn't be so much hate for the city of Vancouver. From what I've heard, Calgary had some problems of its own to deal with in 88. Think about it now. If we held the Olympics, I think this chinook we've had would cause the same problems they're experiencing. We would just have to pump out more artificial snow.

Vancouver is quite a scenic city. Ocean on one side, Mountains on the other.

I'm glad another Canadian city got the Olympic games.

This increases the accessibility to Olympic quality facilities which should increase the chances of doing much better in future Olympics.

We can leave Hidy and Howdy in retirement for a little longer.

[JD]

So much of what is happening in Vancouver is happening BECAUSE of the '88 games.

Organizers have used the Calgary games as a model, just as all the other games in between have. Calgary's legacy was likely a big reason Vancouver even won the games in the first place... the IOC had confidence that Canadians can pull these events off.

Look at the progression of the athletes themselves. Canadian athletes have been more and more successful on the Olympic stage ever since 1988. Much of that is due to the legacy of those games.

And one of the things we can be most proud of, I think, is that nearly every demonstration sport rolled out in Calgary has become a full-fledged event of their own. Curling, short track speed skating, freestyle skiing, all events that have their origins in Calgary. It has made the Winter Olympics a bigger undertaking, allowing more athletes and requiring more venues.

The Vancouver games are bigger in almost every way than our games were. But we shouldn't look at it as them stealing our glory. It's the glory of the Calgary games spilling over and creating the foundation that the 2010 Games are built on.

As Canadians and especially Calgarians, we should be very proud of what is happening over there right now.

And most importantly, enjoy it.

[LockedOut]

Originally Posted by JD

So much of what is happening in Vancouver is happening BECAUSE of the '88 games.

Organizers have used the Calgary games as a model, just as all the other games in between have. Calgary's legacy was likely a big reason Vancouver even won the games in the first place... the IOC had confidence that Canadians can pull these events off.

Look at the progression of the athletes themselves. Canadian athletes have been more and more successful on the Olympic stage ever since 1988. Much of that is due to the legacy of those games.

And one of the things we can be most proud of, I think, is that nearly every demonstration sport rolled out in Calgary has become a full-fledged event of their own. Curling, short track speed skating, freestyle skiing, all events that have their origins in Calgary. It has made the Winter Olympics a bigger undertaking, allowing more athletes and requiring more venues.

The Vancouver games are bigger in almost every way than our games were. But we shouldn't look at it as them stealing our glory. It's the glory of the Calgary games spilling over and creating the foundation that the 2010 Games are built on.

As Canadians and especially Calgarians, we should be very proud of what is happening over there right now.

And most importantly, enjoy it.

Calgary was also the first winter Olympics to go to 16 days.

[BurningYears]

Originally Posted by BandWagoner

There shouldn't be so much hate for the city of Vancouver. From what I've heard, Calgary had some problems of its own to deal with in 88. Think about it now. If we held the Olympics, I think this chinook we've had would cause the same problems they're experiencing. We would just have to pump out more artificial snow.

there was a chinook back in 88 and blustery winds, but if the olympics were here this year there would be no delays so far due to weather or if there were any it would be minimal and nothing compared to vancouver.

the conditions up at Nakiska have been excellent and the olympic teams have been training for a couple of weeks when not in whistler. even in the city here we still have natural snow on lawns so i dont think we would of had to worry about the 80cm base at COP melting. Im not too sure about canmore for cross country but judging by the ski hills surronding it would be in good condition as well.

Vancouver the city is good for olympics. Vancouver weather at outdoor venues not so much. It doesn't stop me from enjoying these olympics by any means and its a good thing our biggest sport is played indoors, well as long as they keep their green olympia away from the ice.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Stang

I don't know why everything has to be so black and white here. You can still hate the Canucks while enjoying Vancouver as a city. You can reminisce about the 1988 games and still be happy for Vancouver in 2010.

Exactly. I don't like the Oilers but I enjoy living in Edmonton.

[The Yen Man]

Originally Posted by Yeah_Baby

Exactly. I don't like the Oilers but I enjoy living in Edmonton.

Now that's just going a bit too far...

[Pastiche]

There were delays in the Calgary Olympics too. Delays are par for the course in the winter Olympics.

[Bunk]

it was extremely warm in Calgary over most of the 88 games. This wasn't too bad of a problem for snow events since snow making could still happen at night when it was cold. The problem, if you remember was wind affecting the ski jumping and dust from the dry warm conditions blowing onto the luge/bobled track. I think the Jamaican bob-sled team felt more at home with 18 degree temperatures than they probably thought they would being in Canada.

Calgary 1988:

Daily high temperatures
Feb 13th 11
Feb 14th 5
Feb 15th 5
Feb 16th 5.5
Feb 17th 6
Feb 18th 7
Feb 19th 11
Feb 20th 16
Feb 21st 17.3
Feb 22nd 9.5
Feb 23rd -0.5
Feb 24th 15
Feb 25th 18
Feb 26th 18
Feb 27th 18.1
Feb 28th 13.6

[Hemi-Cuda]

i'm just confused as to why Vancouver was awarded the games in the first place. it is the warmest city to EVER host the winter Olympic games, and heavy rain/fog is not some unheard of thing for Vancouver/Whistler in February

people move there to get away from the cold and snow that the rest of Canada gets, just seems counter-intuitive for that region to host the games (i doubt you'll ever see Seattle host them)

[Pastiche]

Don't let the facts get in the way of a good argument there Bunk.

[Dan02]

These Olympics certainly should not have been held in Calgary, that being said as a Canadian I've been pretty embarassed by all the technical problems and issues with the quality of the ski venues. But this I blame on the IOC, they need to quit giving the Winter Olympics to cities which don't get winter.

[LockedOut]

Just read that the men's super combined is postponed cause of heavy snowfall.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Dan02

These Olympics certainly should not have been held in Calgary, that being said as a Canadian I've been pretty embarassed by all the technical problems and issues with the quality of the ski venues. But this I blame on the IOC, they need to quit giving the Winter Olympics to cities which don't get winter.

Maybe the answer is to hold the games in mid-January, when average temperatures are a bit colder?

What do they call the Winter Olympics in the Southern Hemsiphere?

[rockstar]

"ɹǝʇuıʍ sɔıdɯʎ1o" ?

[beachy]

Apparently it is not just "irrational Flames fans" that think the Olympics in Van are failing miserably:
http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/c...entid=23469257

suggestions from British media that the Vancouver Games are among the worst in history.

Britain's Guardian newspaper carried a story on its website earlier this week, for example, with the headline: "Vancouver Games continue downhill slide from disaster to calamity."

The opening ceremonies problems, death of an athlete, high # cancellations/event re-scheduling, cauldron access problems, zamboni issues, transportation issues, spring weather (surprise, surprise), etc, etc. I don't know how anyone can deny the games 'so far' have been a failure.

I don't think they should have been in Calgary but I have always questioned the decision to have Vancouver as the site of the 'winter' Olympics.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by beachy

Apparently it is not just "irrational Flames fans" that think the Olympics in Van are failing miserably:
http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/c...entid=23469257






The opening ceremonies problems, death of an athlete, high # cancellations/event re-scheduling, cauldron access problems, zamboni issues, transportation issues, spring weather (surprise, surprise), etc, etc. I don't know how anyone can deny the games 'so far' have been a failure.

I don't think they should have been in Calgary but I have always questioned the decision to have Vancouver as the site of the 'winter' Olympics.

Sensationalistic over the top British media, what a shock!

Every Olympics encounters problems. Seriously, every single one.

People are complaining non stop about the weather, Beijing's air quality was atrocious during the entire Summer Olympics.

In Atlanta players were constantly getting lost by the athlete transports. Not to mention the bomb that exploded.

In Sydney they have a massive 80,000 person stadium that barely gets use.

Salt Lake City bribing IOC officials.

Munich.

The loss of Nodar was tragic, yes, beyond that it's a broken down Zamboni, some lost ticket revenue, and some warm weather.

[Igottago]

^^The British media? They bitch and moan about everything because they can't win.

I grew up in Calgary and I live in Vancouver. There are things I don't like about Vancouver (the Canucks being top of the list). But those people grasping at anything to demonstrate these Olympics as a "failure" are quite pathetic.

From what I've experienced, the city has had a great atmosphere, people are having a lot of fun, there is loads of fun activities and shows happening, traffic congestion has not been a massive issue, and the events are happening.

Tonight I will be going to watch the Canada game at a pub with co-workers and after that I'll be walking over to GM Place to catch the Russia game live. I might actually have some fun in these "failing" Olympic games.

Bottom line, if you think these Olympics suck so bad, maybe you should do something better with your time than watch the hockey tonight. No need to participate in such a crap event. Enjoy "Lost" or whatever else is on tonight.

[The Yen Man]

I find British people love to make a stink whenever they can in order to feel better about themselves. Knowing the British media, I bet they take glee in trashing Canada as much as possible so they look better when they host the 2012 games. That's just how the Brits roll.

[Dwight_K_Schrute]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Calgary will remain the sporting excellence centre for Canada. Vancouver's Richmond Oval is nowhere near the facility we have in Calgary. The Ski Jumps are being torn down, and their Nordic centre is nothing compared to Canmore. COP is upgrading their facilities to remain the top complex in the country.

Calgary will host the games again. Unfortunately, these failed games in Vancouver have pushed back our second turn by at least 30 years. Enjoy the rain, world.

Calling these games ''failed'' this early is beyond stupid.