The Olympic Experience
Two great letters about the Olympics, one from my dad and the other from NBC anchorman Brian Williams.
My mom and dad, bro-in law Steve, and nephew Jacob at Olympics
My mom and dad live in the Vancouver area, here’s what my dad had to say:
We had a great Olympic experience, We took the Westcoast express in 3 times, we milled around with people of Good Will from around the World, it was a fun party, we didn’t want it to end.
The security measures were there but mostly out of sight, the police were appreciated by all, the blue jacketed volunteers were a treasure, they came from every where, Stratford on Avon, Missouri, New York, Oklahoma City, and on and on. Vancouver was at it’s loveliest, The World’s media had a hard time finding fault so they made stuff up, it was the greatest Winter games ever and to top it off The final Hockey game, USA v CANADA, had to go to overtime. There were no losers at these games.
Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor
After tonight’s broadcast and after looting our hotel mini-bars, we’re going to try to brave the blizzard and fly east to home and hearth, and to do laundry well into next week. Before we leave this thoroughly polite country, the polite thing to do is leave behind a thank-you note.
Thank you, Canada:
For being such good hosts.
For your unfailing courtesy.
For your (mostly) beautiful weather.
For scheduling no more than 60 percent of your float plane departures at the exact moment when I was trying to say something on television.
For not seeming to mind the occasional (or constant) good-natured mimicry of your accents.
For your unique TV commercials — for companies like Tim Hortons — which made us laugh and cry.
For securing this massive event without choking security, and without publicly displaying a single automatic weapon.
For having the best garment design and logo-wear of the games — you’ve made wearing your name a cool thing to do.
For the sportsmanship we saw most of your athletes display.
For not honking your horns. I didn’t hear one car horn in 15 days — which also means none of my fellow New Yorkers rented cars while visiting.
For making us aware of how many of you have been watching NBC all these years.
For having the good taste to have an anchorman named Brian Williams on your CTV network, who turns out to be such a nice guy.
For the body scans at the airport which make pat-downs and cavity searches unnecessary.
For designing those really cool LED Olympic rings in the harbor, which turned to gold when your athletes won one.
For always saying nice things about the United States…when you know we’re listening.
For sharing Joannie Rochette with us.
For reminding some of us we used to be a more civil society.
End of quote.
Makes me proud to be a Canuck. And yes, when Canada beat the US in hockey, I was rooting for Canada. I know, been here 18 years (in the US) but the Maple Leaf runs deep!
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