Home Court Advantage?

Aksel Lund Svindal has spent plenty of time training with the Canadian alpine ski team over the years.

But late last month, the reigning overall World Cup champion from Norway could only stand on the outside of the fence and watch the Canadian team practise on the downhill course that will be used for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

At least Svindal had company. Austria's Christian Walchhofer, the World Cup downhill champion, also was barred from training on the Whistler course.

Max Gartner, Alpine Canada's chief athletics officer, makes no apologies for hanging out the Canadians only sign.

"There are a lot of resources getting spent on making this training possible," said Gartner. "We told all the other teams . . . we cannot have anybody train with us.

"This is a Canadian advantage we are not going to give away."

Erik Guay, one of the Canadian skiers looking to win Olympic gold next February, has no problem with limiting access.

"I think a lot of the time Canadians can be too nice," the Mont-Tremblant, Que., native said in a recent interview. "If you look at any other nation, they would be doing the same thing.

"We're not letting anyone come and train on the hill. I think that's important. It will give us the advantage for once. We never really have the advantage. I think we will at home."

Athletes and sports officials talk about the home-field advantage that goes along with hosting the Olympics. Canada's goal at the 2010 Games is to win more medals than any other country.

The Vancouver organizing committee, known as VANOC, spent $580 million building or upgrading venues for the Feb. 12-28 Games. All were open at least one year in advance to give Canadian athletes time to practise in the facilities.

This has raised the question of how much access should be given to athletes from other countries. Is Canada cheating by slamming the door in their faces? Would Canada lose its edge by giving foreign teams too much time to train in the Olympic venues?

Chris Rudge, chief executive officer for the Canadian Olympic Committee, said Canada is following the rules when it comes to foreigners using venues.

"It's not inappropriate for us to have more time on these facilities than some of the other countries may have, as long as we are not prohibiting them from their fair share," said Rudge. "We are investing considerably to bring these Games to Canada. A return on that investment is expected by Canadians.

"I don't think we are doing anything at these Games that is inconsistent with what has gone on at other Games in the past."

Cathy Priestner Allinger, a VANOC executive vice-president, bristled at the suggestion the Canadian beaver is turning into a weasel.

"We've absolutely been fair," said the former speedskater who is in charge of sport and Games operations for VANOC. "In fact, we have exceeded what is required of us."

Each sports federation sets rules for international competition and practice time in Olympic venues prior to the Games, said Priestner Allinger. Usually a World Cup event or world championship competition is staged at a facility. Not only does this give the athletes a chance to familiarize themselves with the venue, it's an opportunity for organizers to work out any bugs.

"We are obliged to run the sports events for every discipline so that anyone who is eligible to compete at those events can get onto our venues," she said. "The training varies depending on who owns the venue and what the requirements of that sport might be."

Between January and the end of March, seven World Cup events were staged at Olympic venues in Vancouver and Whistler. In addition, the Four Continents figure skating meet was held at the Pacific Coliseum and the world single distance speedskating championships at the Olympic Oval in Richmond.

Both the world junior and world wheelchair curling championships were used to test the Vancouver Olympic Centre, site of the curling competition during the Games.

A controversy erupted in March when it was reported long-track speedskaters from outside Canada were being denied training time at the Richmond Oval.

Brian Rahill, high performance program director for Speed Skating Canada, denied anyone was being treated unfairly.

Some of the teams had not followed proper protocol in booking time, he said. Others were denied access because there was work being done in the building.

"No one has been turned away," said Rahill.

In some instances, VANOC and the sports federations have increased access.

The new track at the Whistler Sliding Centre - home to bobsled, luge and skeleton - is so fast and technical, extra training weeks have been added, said Priestner Allinger.

That didn't happen prior to the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy, said Jeff Christie, a luge athlete from Vancouver.

"At the Olympics in Italy we had zero extra," said Christie. "They actually gave us less than exactly what we were supposed to get. They didn't have any qualms about it because they gave their home team the advantage.

"In a sport like luge, that's the way it goes. I go onto other tracks in the world, a lot of the German tracks, where I get six runs before a World Cup event and they train on it their whole lives."

Priestner Allinger said management at the Pacific Coliseum, home to figure skating and short-track speedskating, has offered ice to other countries on a pay-as-you-go basis. So far, most countries have not taken the arena up on its offer, she said.

Other host nations have also played it close to the vest on the issue of Olympic venue access.

Peter Judge, chief executive officer for the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, remembers the World Cup events hosted by the U.S. team prior to the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

"Their mogul course builder built the course differently for all the World Cups that led up to the Games, but for their home-field advantage training camp, built it the way it was going to be for the Olympic Games," said Judge.

Priestner Allinger said the Turin organizing committee also played some tricks.

"I can tell you the Canadian short-track team and the figure skating teams did not get on the ice once in Turin prior to the Olympic Games," she said. "They chose to hold a sport event that was the European championships, so it excluded America."

Gartner thought he had an agreement in place for Canadians skiers to train with the Italian team on the Olympic course prior to Turin.

"They played all sorts of games," he said. "We ended up getting no training."

Judge recently had an argument with a friend of his from the Australian Olympic team. The Australian was angry his skiers were prevented from practising on the Olympic moguls course at Cypress Mountain.

The freestyle association used $15,000 from the Own the Podium program to build the course for a training camp, said Judge.

"How could I justify going to my funding partner and saying 'You are going to give us X amount of dollars to build this course so we can have training, and then we are going to let one of our prime competitors come on and train?"' he said.

While some sports closely guard their venues, cross-country skiing has an open-door policy.

Any athlete can go to Whistler Olympic Park, purchase a ticket, and ski the course.

"Our sport culture around the world has never been to restrict asses to a venue," said Al Maddox, executive director of Cross Country Canada. "For us to take that approach would be quite odd within the sport.

"We've always enjoyed having the ability to go the Olympic venues to whatever degree we wanted to. Why would we impose that suddenly on our competitors just because it's in Canada? It would have been bordering on unsportsmanlike behaviour."

Judge said Canada is doing nothing wrong.

"I honestly believe that's business," he said. "If you look at any other business model, you wouldn't be inviting your competitors into your research and design labs.

"You keep those things to yourself."

There's no doubt the more training Canadian athletes enjoy on the Olympic venues, the better chance they have at winning medals.

Still, there is no guarantee.

During the Salt Lake City Games, American freestyle skiers won three silver medals but no gold. Italy won 11 medals in Turin. The country's alpine skiers and bobsledders were kept off the podium.

Christie said in luge, and any other sport, the best athletes will always finds a way to win.

"The top 10 athletes in the world aren't the top 10 for no reason," he said. "It's because they are really good at what they do and they adapt quickly."

 

SOURCE: http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Olympics/2010Vancouver/News/2009/04/07/9042476-cp.html

 

Taking Out the Olympic Trash

Amazingly, this is not a post where I extol the awesomeness of Team Canada and proclaim how we are going to beat everyone else senseless. While we Canadians are a lot of things, conceited is hardly one of them. While of course we hope and trust our Olympians will do our country proud – we are also hopeful that Vancouver 2010 will prove to also be the most environmentally friendly games to date.

Olympic organizers talk a lot about leaving behind positive legacies from the 2010 Winter Olympics, but when it comes to garbage, they want to leave nothing behind at all.

The organizing committee, governments and sponsors are all committed to making sure the history of Vancouver's Olympics won't be a new layer in area landfills.

Organizers estimate the operation of the Games will generate about 4,530 tonnes of waste between September of 2009 and May 2010.

By comparison, the entire Metro Vancouver area generates about 9,000 tonnes of waste per day.

Organizers are aiming to divert at least 85 per cent of Games waste away from landfills through an aggressive recycling and reuse strategy.

Sponsors and local governments are exploring diversion options of their own.

Major Games sponsor Coca-Cola has announced it doesn't want to see a single one of its bottles in the garbage during the Games and it plans to divert 95 per cent of the garbage generated by its operations out of landfills.

They'll be setting up their own recycling kiosks at all venues and promoting a give-it-back campaign.

"We're trying to demonstrate the value of the package and after they've used the package, there is still value in it,'' said Dave Moran, communications director for Coca-Cola.

"It can be turned into packages in the future, it can be turned into clothing.''

It's not just product that generates waste during an Olympics, but the materials used to sell them.

Thousands of advertising billboards, kiosks and Olympic-branded items will sprout up in Vancouver and Whistler, B.C., much of it useful only for the period of the Olympics.

Millions are also being spent on what's known as the "look of the Games'' -- banners and other signage with Olympic logos and slogans that will decorate the host cities and venues.

After the Games, some of it may be sold through the organizing committee's asset disposal program, and some will go to museums and archives.

But there will also be piles of promotional material crated by organizers, sponsors and governments with nowhere to go.

The risk is the creation of what Amelia Ufford calls "brandfill'' -- a layer of garbage in a landfill than can directly be attributed to a local event because of specific branding.

"The thing is, marketing is one of the most wasteful industries in North America. The reason is quite simple -- marketing is about new, and innovation and creativity,'' she said.

"There are a lot of things we've already produced that could be reused and repurposed.''

Her company, de.brand, works with other companies to strip their logos and other brand marks off promotional materials and then finding new uses for the remaining parts.

Ufford is currently working with some-Games related companies to try and convince them to sign on to their concept and says she's getting good feedback.

In addition to Games operations and sponsor activities, there will be the trash created by the thousands of spectators, athletes and media.

City officials say they expect the kind of garbage to be similar to what they see during every tourist season in Vancouver or during large events like the annual fireworks festival -- a lot of fast food waste.

"(These events) are not on the same scale of what will happen during the Games but similar in terms of the type of work that will have to be provided and services that will have to be provided,'' said Chris Underwood, a solid waste engineer with the city of Vancouver.

Underwood said he hopes the aggressive promotion of recycling by organizers will help ease the crunch but since the city's garbage collection is mostly for residents, the workers who will be the busiest during the Games are street-cleaning crews.

A plan for how they'll tackle Olympic trash will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Private garbage collection companies like BFI Canada say they're also working on their own Games-times strategies.

Restaurants and hotels will likely need garbage pick-up far more often while at the same time, trucks will have to contend with a network of road closures and parking restrictions.

"My sense is we'll just kind of reorganize our routes, send more trucks down early and then everybody will go to other areas later in the day,'' said Joe Rajotte, vice-president of the B.C. region for BFI Canada.

The trucking industry is also lobbying for a relaxation of Vancouver's noise bylaws that would allow them to run services late at night.

Up in Whistler, B.C., garbage collection isn't going to be much different than a busy winter season, said Owen Carney, whose company picks up waste from both residences and companies in the village.

"There's going to be more, but not an enormous amount,'' said Carney.

"We can handle it.''

Defending the Gold!

Imagine a Canadian Olympic hockey team without Rob Blake, Scott Niedermayer, Ed Jovanovski or Wade Redden.

All four were named to Canada's team in 2006, although Niedermayer and Jovanovski were injured and couldn't play. There's a chance that none of them will be on the ice for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

That is because, along with centre, defence has become Canada's deepest position for talent in recent years and it is where general manager Steve Yzerman and his staff will likely face their toughest decisions when they name the 23-man squad.

Last month, The Canadian Press had Jay Bouwmeester, Mike Green, Dan Boyle, Shea Weber, Chris Pronger, Duncan Keith and Dion Phaneuf on its 2010 Olympic team, with Robyn Regehr and rookie Drew Doughty on the bubble.

That leaves out talented rearguards like Brian Campbell, Brent Burns and Dennis Wideman, not to mention the older Olympic stalwarts.

In fact, putting Niedermayer, a B.C. product, back on the team at the expense of Calgary's Phaneuf is the only change we've made from our March predictions.

The 35-year-old Niedermayer matches with his Anaheim teammate Pronger. He had 14 goals and 59 points in 82 games for the Ducks and, although he was minus-8, his 26:55 of ice time was only one second less per game than Pronger.

Phaneuf plays as much for Calgary, and had 11 goals and 36 assists and was minus-11. The 24-year-old is a big hitter with a blazing shot, but Canada has plenty of point men for the power play.

Blake, who played at the last three Olympics, had 45 points and was plus-11 for San Jose and can't entirely be counted out even though he is 39.

Redden, now with the New York Rangers, and Jovanovski, a member of the Phoenix Coyotes, seem to have taken a step back from their best years.

Campbell may suffer from being too much like other puck-carrying defencemen who play the point, like Boyle and Green, while Burns' season was marred by an injury.

Wideman was a revelation this season. The Kitchener, Ont., native had 50 points, played 24:38 per game and was plus-32 on a very good Boston Bruins team.

The team is also stacked at centre, with Sidney Crosby, Vincent Lecavalier, Joe Thornton, Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Richards, Jeff Carter and Eric Staal. Strong candidate Patrick Marleau is also a centre, so a few guys will have to play on the wing.

Goaltenders

Martin Brodeur (New Jersey): He went into a little slide after breaking Patrick Roy's career wins record, but remains the game's best money goalie.

Roberto Luongo (Vancouver): His strong finish has made the Canucks a dark horse Cup contender.

Steve Mason (Columbus): 10 shutouts as a rookie. Yikes.

Defencemen

Chris Pronger (Anaheim): A veteran workhorse and a presence in his own zone.

Scott Niedermayer (Anaheim): Still a smooth skater and smart playmaker.

Mike Green (Washington): He sometimes plays more like a rover than a defenceman, but his 31 goals and 73 points speak for themselves.

Dan Boyle (San Jose): Led the NHL's top team in ice time and had 57 points.

Shea Weber (Nashville): Established himself as a premier two-way rearguard this season.

Duncan Keith (Chicago): Another two-way player who has become a key man on a talented team.

Jay Bouwmeester (Florida): Size, fine skating and much international experience are his assets.

Forwards

Jarome Iginla (Calgary): A rock of consistency on the wing.

Vincent Lecavalier (Tampa Bay): Played through injury for a struggling team, but still a top talent.

Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh): Missed five games or might have edged teammate Evgeni Malkin for the Art Ross Trophy.

Rick Nash (Columbus): A natural left-winger with size and scoring touch.

Dany Heatley (Ottawa): Another natural winger who knows where to find the net.

Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim): A big, physical centre with 91 points this season.

Jeff Carter (Philadelphia): A 46-goal scorer.

Joe Thornton (San Jose): Big faceoff man and playmaker.

Martin St. Louis (Tampa Bay): A small winger with speed, but his best attributes may be consistency and a burning desire to compete.

Mike Richards (Philadelphia): An exceptional defensive centre who also had 30 goals and 80 points.

Shane Doan (Phoenix): A leader who can score but also adapt to a checking role if needed.

Simon Gagne (Philadelphia): Experienced two-way winger bounced back from injuries with a 34-goal season.

Jonathan Toews (Chicago): The young Blackhawks captain has skill and can fit into any role.

Bubble players

G Cam Ward, D Robyn Regehr, D Drew Doughty, F Patrick Marleau, F Marc Savard, F Corey Perry.

No matter who is chosen … I suspect we’ll be fine …

$100 million for 2010 Security

Fresh from the department of pulling numbers out of the air …

Private security during the 2010 Olympics will cost almost $100 million.

A consortium made up of one American and two Canadian firms will provide the service during the Games, the RCMP-led Olympic security unit announced on Thursday. The U.S. firm, Contemporary International, worked at the Beijing and other previous Olympics and is already doing some work with the 2010 organizing committee.

The other two companies are Alberta-based United Protection Security Group and Ontario-based Aeroguard.

"At least 80 per cent of the value of the contract has to be provided by individuals based in Canada," said Cpl. Jen Allan of the Olympics' Integrated Security Unit.

"This company is in compliance with that."

The full amount the three companies will be paid won't be worked out until after the Games, but won't exceed $97.42 million.

Stephen Mirabile, Contemporary International's president, said the consortium is proud to bring its extensive experience in security to this important assignment.

He said the project will provide economic opportunities for about 5,000 British Columbians.

"Our goal is to work together with our partners and with the community in Vancouver and Whistler and hire locals. Over the coming days, we will certainly make some announcements on how people can be part of the team," Mirabile said.

He stressed the three companies will work in partnership, though he conceded, "We will certainly take the lead in setting up the project plans and the administration of the project."

Mirabile said the consortium has no plans to poach workers from local security firms.

"We believe there's enough work for everybody who wants to be involved," he said.

Contemporary Services Corporation, a sister company of Contemporary International, won the contract earlier this year to provide security for the Vancouver convention centre.

The overall security budget for the Games is $900 million, about half of which is being spent by the RCMP in their role as the co-ordinating agency.

In addition to private security, around 7,000 police officers and 4,000 soldiers are also involved in Games security efforts.

Local security agencies weren't surprised Thursday when told the contract was awarded to companies centrally located outside of B.C.

"The issue with the Olympics is such that none of the local companies wanted to do it," said Leo Knight of Paladin Security, a Vancouver-based firm.

"The number of people they were looking for is slightly less than the number of security guards in the province today. We didn't think it would be reasonable for us to look at doing something like that for essentially 90 days worth of work."

A new licensing program in place for security guards allows them on the job with little prior training, and while that increases the potential pool of staff, it isn't necessarily a good thing for a high-profile event like the Games, said Camil Dubuc, president of Vancouver's Genesis Security.

Mirabile said the consortium will run an extensive training program and is committed to providing quality customer service to Olympic visitors.

"Our staff will have specialized training to operate any necessary services or equipment," he said.

Also announced Thursday was the awarding of a $30 million contract to Honeywell Canada to provide electronic security equipment for the outside of venues during the Games.

ISU spokesman Cst. Bert Paquet didn't specify exactly what kind of equipment that means, but the ISU had said earlier it would involve motion-detectors and cameras.

"Honeywell owns it, the ISU does not own it," he said.

"This is a service contract only for installation, maintenance and removal."

The use of security cameras during the Games has raised a lot of concerns both among privacy activists and residents who fear it will create a legacy of eyes in the sky watching every move.

Security staff and politicians have stressed that any cameras put up for the Games will be temporary.

Big Brother? Is that you?

2010 Olympic Torch Relay

Beginning in October 2009 with the official lighting ceremony in Olympia, Greece, the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay will be followed by a handover ceremony in Athens. The Olympic Flame will then make its way across Canada, connecting Canadians in every province and territory, throughout a 45,000 kilometre journey, over approximately 100 days, and involving 12,000 torchbearers. The journey of the flame will culminate at BC Place on February 12, 2010 with the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, signaling the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

The 2010 Olympic Torch

The 2010 Olympic Torch is a symbol of the 2010 Winter Games, and will carry the Olympic Flame across Canada on its 45,000 kilometre journey.

Designer/Manufacturer: Bombardier/VANOC

Inspiration: Canada’s open land, vast potential and smooth, fluid lines left in the snow and ice from winter sports

Height: 37.125 inches / 94.5 centimetres

Weight: 2.8 pounds / 1.6 kilograms

Materials: Stainless steel, aluminum and sheet moulding compound

Burn time: At least 12 to 15 minutes

Fuel used: Blend of Propane, Isobutane and Hydrocarbons

Olympic Torch Relay - Quick Facts

In 1936, the first modern day Olympic Torch Relay took place when the torch travelled from Olympia, Greece to Berlin, Germany.

At the London 1948 Olympic Summer Games - the first Olympic Games after World War II - the lead torchbearer was a corporal in the Greek army who changed out of his military uniform and laid down his arms to signify the sacred truce before carrying the Olympic Flame.

The first Olympic Winter Games Torch Relay occurred in 1952 in Oslo, Norway.

At the Montreal 1976 Olympic Summer Games, the Flame was transformed to an electronic pulse. The pulse was then carried by satellite from Athens to Montreal, where a laser beam was used to light the cauldron.

A highlight of the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Summer Games was a special appearance by Muhammad Ali, a former Olympian recognized for his boxing success and battle with Parkinson's disease. He was selected as the final torchbearer to enter the stadium and light the cauldron in what was a most inspiring moment of the Opening Ceremony.

The first global relay took place before the Athens 2004 Olympic Summer Games. The journey lasted 78 days, covered a distance of 78,000 kilometres and involved 11,300 torchbearers.

History

The Torch Relay is an Olympic symbol of peace, brotherhood and enlightenment and represents a summons to the Olympic Games. The modern-day Torch Relay is derived from ceremonies once a part of the ancient Games of Olympia, Greece. Torch and relay races were important elements of the cultural festivals surrounding the Games, and heralds travelled throughout Greece to announce the Games of Olympia, declaring a sacred truce for the duration of the Games. These events carried a deep ritual significance - a significance that is still respected in the modern-day Olympic Torch Relay.

Carl Diem, an Olympic historian and philosopher, initiated the first modern-day Olympic Torch Relay for the Berlin 1936 Olympic Summer Games. Since that time, the Torch Relay has been a significant part of the Games, with each relay reflecting the culture of its host country.

 

Source: www.vancouver2010.com

 

 

The Kids Are Alright

It was only 16 months ago that Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty and Luke Schenn were helping Canada's world junior team to a gold medal. Ten months back, they were each selected in the top five picks of the NHL draft.

Now the three teenagers have all been chosen to represent Canada at the upcoming IIHF World Hockey Championship in Switzerland.

"It's obviously a special year for three 19-year-olds,'' Stamkos told The Canadian Press on Monday.”It just goes to show the young guys can come into the NHL and make an impact right away.

"It's pretty cool to be part of something like this, especially with guys that I'm very close with.''

Stamkos was a little surprised to receive an invite from GM Doug Armstrong. The No. 1 overall pick in last year's draft had a tough first month or two with the Tampa Bay Lightning before coming on later in the season.

He ended up finishing with 23 goals and 46 points - pretty solid numbers for a rookie.

"I didn't really hear my name being thrown around, especially the way things went at the beginning of this season,'' said Stamkos.”It was obviously a tough situation.

"Things went smooth down the second half and I had some success, but I wasn't really thinking about world championships. This obviously turned out all right in the end.''

The three teenagers will be joined in Switzerland by 21-year-old James Neal, who had 24 goals in his rookie season with the Dallas Stars.

Armstrong isn't concerned about having so many young players because he's also got veterans like Shane Doan, Martin St. Louis, Dany Heatley and Dwayne Roloson.

Plus, he feels the youngsters can hold their own.

"When you take away the birth certificate, these players have earned the right to be there on their play,'' said Armstrong.”It's going to be a well-blended group of veteran players and younger guys.

"The job we have now is to get to Switzerland and bring it all together quickly.''

The most excited guys in the dressing room might be the teens.

Tampa Bay selected Stamkos at the top of last year's draft class while Doughty went to Los Angeles at No. 2 and Schenn ended up with the Toronto Maple Leafs at No. 5.

Now with their rookie seasons in the NHL behind them, they'll try to help Canada reclaim the world championship gold it last won in 2007. Coach Lindy Ruff is looking forward to working with the young guns.

"I think there's always a couple players that are seeds for the Canadian program,'' he said.”Tremendous young players. Not having been involved at the NHL level with these players, we'll give a little different perspective (to them).

"I'm looking forward to it. It'll be a real good experience.''

The three Canadian teams that missed the NHL playoffs are well-represented. Heatley, Jason Spezza, Mike Fisher and Chris Phillips have all come from Ottawa; Maple Leafs teammates Schenn and Ian White will suit up; and Shawn Horcoff of the Edmonton Oilers will join Roloson on the squad.

The forward unit features plenty of world championship experience. Derek Roy, St. Louis, Heatley, Doan and Spezza were all part of the team that won silver last spring in Quebec City. Colby Armstrong and Matthew Lombardi have also appeared in the event.

On defence, Nashville Predators teammates Shea Weber and Dan Hamhuis are back. Josh Harding is the team's other goalie.

Stamkos can't wait to fly to Europe and get to know some of his new teammates.

"It's going to be a great experience for me,'' he said.”I'm looking forward to it. It's nice to get to know the guys on a personal level; you're battling against them every night.

"It's a big honour for me and I'm excited.''

The best part of all is that he'll have two buddies along for the ride.

Stamkos, Schenn and Doughty have kept in close contact since becoming friends.

"We're texting each other all the time, a phone call here and there,'' said Stamkos.”We got to spend a couple days at the Young Guns game in Montreal together and had a good time there. When we play each other, we'll try to get out for dinner the night before games.

"We definitely keep in touch. It's pretty cool when you have someone around your same age to share some experiences with that you're going through.''

Canucklehead Jr. on Olympic Countdown

Well, it is a BIG day in the Canucklehead household - only 310 days left until the Vancouver Olympics. What a special day, no? SPEAKING OF SPECIAL - IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE NEXT STOP IN THE CANUCKLEHEAD SCAVENGER HUNT - GO NEED TO GO HERE! Well, it was here and that is because the Vancouver 2010 Olympics has a widget that count down the days remaining until the games. Each day they show a picture submitted by a Canadian the shows an outdoor sporting scene. In fact, you can see the widget in the top right corner there. Here is how it appeared on the Vancouver 2010 site earlier today, April 8, 2009: Oh, I've marked it up a bit - I'm both a proud father and Canadian today. That's right - its my son in all his pensive, frostbitten glory. Anyway, I had to share - stop by the official Vancouver 2010 site to submit your picture today!