A Toast to Our Hardworking Olympians, to The Exclusion of Some, Alas

Well, a toast is in order for all those who scrimped, saved, sacrificed and dug deep for the Olympics this year. My heart goes out to speed skaters Cindy 'Klassy' Klassen for her determination and spirit, garnering five medals whilst maintaining her ‘aw, shucks’ demeanor throughout, and Clara Hughes, for cruising in the 5000 for gold. The men were no slouch either, netting silver in the relay. Kudos to the golden men’s curling team, who rallied after an unsettling loss and made the folks back home proud.

24 medals in total, hard earned and worth every nick and scrape. A toast held heartily high to all those who know what determination and hard work are all about. This is not to disparage those who did not medal, for they gave their all as well, their defeat is no less noble.

All save for a group of men, whose wretchedness and disinterest nearly spoiled the party for the rest of the hard toiling athletes. These pampered of which I speak deserve no credit, no praise because their defeat was not hard fought and earned. I speak, of course, of the men’s hockey team. While their female counterparts were dazzling the field with their drive and sparkling play, these millionaire loafers did their utmost to embarrass their homeland, the ‘birthplace of hockey’. If Canada is the birthplace, then stillborn are these sons. They played with a dispassion best held for clerk positions in a field that towers above all, above even their ridiculous paychecks for their mercenary play back home in the NHL. The fact that they showed no drive for all those back home should result in them stripped of the maple leaf, for it is not for the leaf they play, but the billfold it seems.

But the blame does not solely lie with the players. The management that saw fit to include bums, yes, bums… known for antisocial violence (Todd Bertuzzi) as well as a man who is responsible for the death of a team-mate (Danny Heatley), among others. Also, they excluded a hot young talent, the hungry and passionate Sydney Crosbie, for reasons known only to them. Top that off with the inclusion of a coach from a bottom-feeding team (Pat Quinn) whose obvious inclusion is to please CBC brass who have been pushing the Toronto Maple Laughs as ‘Canada’s team’, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Hang your heads low, boys. Shouldn’t be hard, you’ve never looked past your doorstep since you were drafted. If you did, you’d see the thousands you’ve disappointed. Perhaps your 'Olympic Spirit' is merely a ghost of what it could be.

Talk about letting the country down.

Everyone else, take a bow, we’re proud of you. Ladies, in particular, I salute your noble efforts. Ater all, they account for a good two-thirds of our medal haul.