Money talks at the Vancouver Olympics

Flipping through the newspapers this morning, I couldn't believe how many articles I found about money and the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. It seems that people have lost their motivation to succeed for themselves, and that spending, making, and winning money, is central in the Olympics.

Case in point, an Alberta company called Fast Track Group is offering $1 million to any Canadian who wins gold in luge. Luge? Not hockey, not skiing, not figure skating...luge. The company will award the Canadian Luge Association $500,000 and give the other half to the winning luger.

And then there was an article about Own The Podium, Canada's funding program to support athletes in hopes of winning more medals for the nation at the Olympic Games. The program costs tax payers $66 million over 5-years, and this program, which is losing a portion of its money following the Games in Canada, is asking for another $22 million from the government.

I'll go on. We also have the budget for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. In a recent poll, most Canadians said they thought the games would lose money. They're probably right considering the Vancouver officials are paying $1000 per truck load of snow to stock all of Cypress Mountain, and who knows how much for the helicopter loads of snow being flown in.

And then we have the fact that this is the first Olympic Games that the Canadian Olympic Committee is rewarding medal winners with cash. $20,000 for a gold, $15,000 for a silver, and $10,000 for a bronze. I'll take one of each please.

Finally, it comes down to sponsorship. I'm not talking about Coke, or Nike. I'm talking about the fact that an amazing organization, Right to Play, was told they were not welcome at the Olympic Games because their sponsors conflicted with current Olympic Games sponsors. In case you don't know about Right to Play, they bring sport to children in areas struck by poverty, war, and disease. Just the kind of dirty organization that we should keep away from a sporting event right VANOC?

Money really does talk these days. It's unfortunate that the Olympic Games, an event that was once the world's greatest display of amateur sport, is becoming such a professional and commercial venture.

Let the games begin.

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No snow for the Winter Olympics

I guess no one thought this was possible. The idea that a Winter Olympics venue would be chosen that wouldn't have snow. I guess no one on the IOC has ever been to Vancouver.

Vancouver has been looking a little too green for Olympic planners lately. In fact, there is a drastic lack of snow across the major Olympic venues and snow is franticly being made and trucked into the Vancouver area as we approach the opening ceremonies this Friday.

How this seems strange to anyone is beyond me. The average low temperature in February is above freezing in Vancouver. No snow? Really? Vancouver is known for having a temperate climate and a small amount of snow each year.

Thankfully many of the large snow events are being held at Whistler where they have enough snow...barely.

The main venue hurt by the climate is Cypress Mountain, the site of Olympic snowboarding and freestyle skiing.

I have to wonder how much trucking in tons upon tons of snow will cost. The VANOC budget is likely to go out the window with this added expense.

And please keep your Global Warming arguements to yourself, this is what the climate in Vancouver is always like. Just because it's Canada doesn't mean it is covered by 10 feet of snow. In fact, I live on the opposite side of Canada and I can see green grass growing outside my window while I hear my neighbors to the south in Washington and Philadelphia have not been so lucky lately.

No snow for the Winter Olympics? No problem. The Vancouver Olympic games are still going to be outstanding and the VANOC will assure that Cypress Mountain has snow, regardless of the cost.

Let the games begin.

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