Norway in the Olympics

[lph]

We are NOT one giant snowpack! But otherwise I (obviously) liked this article from the Wall Street Journal ;)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704188104575084093472505542.html?mod=WSJ_olympics_LeftTopHeadlineHighlights

They are right about the fact that even for those of us who are relatively uninterested in watching sports and could care less about, say, football, the winter Olympics are BIG. The medal winners are household names and guaranteed front pages. I think mostly because most Norwegians have at the very least tried both downhill and xc skiing, and identify with the athletes.

*toot-toot* Go Marit Bjørgen! :-)

[shootingstar]

Whereas still probably many Canadians still have not tried downhill skiing, x-country skiing or ice skating. It wouldn't be surprising that the Inuit up in Arctic, not all of them, know how to skate or ski. It is one of Canada's poorest areas if you remove the southern, non-Inuit Canadians who migrate there for comfy govn't jobs that pay isolation pay, relocation costs on top of salary.

The cost of equipment or even access to rent would be real. Just to ship food up there is costly. It's an achievement to have a library with computers, some books (not all new books are on computer).

I have never downhill skied --and no one in my family could have tried it. Just not enough money to even rent. Not all schools provide this opportunity at all for schools to try. But then, a huge part of Canada does not live near decent ski hills.

[shootingstar]

Maybe our strong interest with hockey is not just because it's an easy game to follow along as a spectator, but one can sorta try it even when there's not enough snow..ball hockey, etc. without wearing expensive equipment.

[sfa]

Hmmm. And the article didn't even mention the groovy curling pants.

One reason I love the winter olympics is because they DO bring out so many countries that you don't hear much from the rest of the time. Watching sports isn't nearly so interesting when it's all the same powerhouses over and over. Where's the fun in that?

And not to be a total suck up, but biathlon has to be the coolest sport ever.

Sarah

[malkin]

I like how the curling teams yell at each other.

[Tri Girl]

Well Norwegians should be proud! Your country has won more Winter Olympic medals than any other country! I learned that this week when my class was doing some Olympic research. WoW!:D:D

[Bron]

Did anyone else see the men's xc relay last night? Wow Petter Northug so deserved that medal.

I also like the trousers that the curling team are wearing!

[Norse]

Being a Minnesotan of Norwegian descent, I always like to see Norway do well in the winter Olympics, particularly if they are beating up on the Swedes. :D My grandmother, who is 100% of Norwegian stock, follows Norway in the Olympics almost as much as she does the U.S. It's fine with her if the US gets beat if it was a Norwegian who did it!