Defining Moment Day 14

Golden girls galore.

Let it be said again and again. Canadian women rock.

Especially in hockey where they rocked and rolled to another Olympic gold medal.

Despite the fact that the United States had started to get in Team Canada’s kitchen the last couple of years – the Canadian women did exactly what the Canadian men may need to do on Sunday – if they get there.

Impenetrable goaltending from Shannon Szabados -  shot-blocking from nearly everyone – and a couple of goals from teenage sensation Marie-Philip Poulin -  and there would be no denying this determined group of young women who said before the game that there was absolutely no way that they would let the American anthem play in their own building. They were right.

As you would expect – the building was crazy. The Canadian mens team looked on from above. The Prime Minister was in the house. Michael J. Fox was there and of course the guy who ignited these Winter Olympics – Wayne Gretzky smiled from start to finish.

When the buzzer sounded and the celebration began – it was a sight that no Canadian gets tired of. Doesn’t matter if it’s Timbit hockey or Olympic hockey – there’s nothing quite like piling on top of your goalie and getting the party started.  I’ve been in one of those scrumfests before and I can tell you it’s pretty much like reverse bowling with all the pins trying to knock down the ball. The whole idea is to skate like hell to be first to the pile and then jump as high as you can to topple the guy or gal with the most equipment on,  knock them to the ice and then hope like hell that everybody gets up okay. Could actually be an unofficial Olympic sport. Whatever happened to high fives?

Still seeing the Canadian women do their communal knockdown made me think about two of my favorite Canadian hockey players – Hayley Wickenheiser and Jayna Hefford who are now  the grand dames of the team,  basking in the glory of another Olympic conquest and teaching the young pups how to win.  Both “Wick” and “Heff” are terrific people but mostly unbelievable role models who also happen to be Canadian legends.

That’s why it’s disconcerting to hear some of the negative press surrounding the way the women celebrated after their gold medal winning game. Apparently, there was drinking going on and it got a little out of hand. What? They can’t party? Have you ever seen guys whoop it up when they win? What? The ladies can’t either.

I’ll just reiterate the same reaction that Hayley had when hearing the criticism. “Get real”.

Nicest moment I thought came when the seriously pro-Canadian crowd started chanting “USA, USA” when the American players lined up to receive the silver medals. 

Best performance under duress at the Olympics naturally goes to Joannie Rochette. Fill in your own adjective to describe her performance but her story will be told and retold for years to come. Who, of any of us, could have pulled off what she pulled off over two absolutely spine-tingling nights? You couldn’t write the script for this made for TV movie.  Champion skaters mother passing away suddenly just before the biggest competition of her life. Athlete overcomes the devestation of losing the rock of her life and has to somehow find the strength to perform while a country holds it’s collective breath. I mean this stuff just doesn’t happen. A director or producer would say – nah, too unbelievable.

Yet…

I’m not the most religous guy in the world but you can’t tell me that the spirit of her mom was not in the building  during both her short program and free skate.

By the time she skated to her spot for her long program – gold out of the question after Yu Na Kim’s brilliant performance – you could hear a pin drop because there was a real chance that with a solid strong skate – she could still get to the podium.

You know what happened next. Joannie did exactly as prescribed. Wasn’t perfect but it was still amazing considering she’s had to cope with such a terrible loss in her life. How did she do it? Maybe it was the fact that nothing in her life makes sense right now except skating.  Her therapy – albeit temporary – is to be able to skate.

The defining moment of the Games for me – Joannie Rochette receiving her bronze medal – looking at it with tears in her eyes and giving her head a shake that told me reality was setting in.

When she skated around with the other two medallists for a victory lap, she posed for pictures for all the cameramen, smiled bravely, and waved to an adoring audience. Then as she stepped off the ice with the Canadian flag on her shoulders and her bronze medal around her neck – Joannie walked right into the arms of the most important person in her life right now – her dad Normand.

The tears wouldn’t stop – nor should they.  A nation shed a tear too and Joannie Rochette had won a medal for her country, for herself, but mostly for her mom.

A bronze for skating – a gold for courage beyond belief.

Joannie – you made us all believe.

Your mom is so proud of you right now.

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