The "Good Enough" Olympics

You know what, I don’t really care for the Olympics. I mean, I don’t actively hate them or anything, but I am definitely not crazy for them either. Sure, my parents have a Swiss flag flying on the veranda now (though, from the looks of the medal count, they should have flown an Italian one…), but I think that’s just because my mum found an extra Swiss flag (that wasn’t able to go up during the Euro).

Anyway, the one thing I do hate about the Olympics is the Canadian attitude towards The Games; this “we’re just happy to be here” attitude that I don’t quite understand. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “but you just wrote about Italian and Swiss flags! Where’s your Canadian pride?” This post is my Canadian pride; that I have so much Canadian pride that it makes me angry that everyone else seems so apathetic towards it. This Canadian idea of being “polite and humble” is, quite frankly, bullshit. Let me break this down to you in a simpler way: Canadians seem to be an awful lot like Udinese fans.

You see, a lot of Udinese fans (not all, but a lot) are happy to “just make third place,” they’re happy to “just do as well as we can,” and worse, they’re pleased to “just do as well as we can… all things considering.”

I’m sorry, but no.

It’s not good enough. It’s not “good enough” just to be there; what is “good enough” is wanting to win, and more so, feel like you deserve to win. Of course, I am also not unreasonable. A part of the pride is not throwing a Countrymen under the bus over a loss, but, mein Gott man! At least go in thinking that they’ll win! Or, at the very least, that they deserve to win!

And that’s not just with fans, either. Athletes: be confident, be cocky, and overall, be proud. Being happy just to be there does not cut it. You’re Olympians for Chrissake! You’re there to win and nothing else. And let me stress, you deserve it.

This is what I find frustrating about Canadian attitudes. In fact, people seem to be placing more faith in Great Britain than Canada (for the record, I have absolutely no connection to GB at all, whether I am “Canadian,” or not. The only connection I have to the Queen is that she happens to be on the pieces of paper I use to buy things, and, if I have my way—or if Jim had his—she would not be on that either. You all should know how I feel about white haired ladies in power… Anyway, this is a whole separate issue) So, here's what I want to know: why doesn’t Canada get people as excited? Why aren't we more hopeful? Why doesn't it occur to us to just win, and nothing else? And, most important, why is it"good enough" just to be there? 

These are not rhetorical questions, by the way.

Look at it this way: as discussed recently with @jaybler, would anyone have the same attitude towards our hockey teams (both men and women’s)? Why is it we have this patriotic pride for them, but not for anyone else? Why do we expect them to win and not give the same superiority, faith, and courtesy to our other athletes?

Canada: You can do it. You will do it. And if you don’t, I’ll still think you should have. Showing up is not good enough; there is absolutely no reason why you can’t get gold. You’re there to win, so go on, and do it.

Same goes for you, Udinese. Fuck not having Samir, or Isla, or Asamoah, or Torje, or Floro Flores, or fuck, I’m going to cry, you can make Champions League. You will make Champions League. And I will see you in Udin in the Fall.

Play hard, you deserve it.

Hopp,

scm.