I have witnessed one of the worst choke-jobs in sports history. The Canadian team at the 2011 World Junior Championships blew a 3-0 lead after two periods and lost 5-3 in the gold medal game to Russia.
Now, obviously receiving a medal at an event like this is an extraordinary accomplishment. And Canada does it year after year.
But this team LOST the gold medal. I refuse to celebrate a second-place finish in a team sport. Silver in team sports means you lost the final. End of story.
This team dominated 40 minutes of play, then got cocky, sat back, and the Russians made them pay dearly. The winning team took nothing for granted.
What makes that even more astounding is the fact Canada was considered an underdog entering this tournament. The USA was the pre-tournament favourite to defend their title. Canada beat them in the semifinals, but they blew it when it really mattered.
I'd rather play for a bronze, at least then you've won something. Team Canada gets a silver because they blew it. It's like awarding abject failure.
Maybe I've been too harsh because the loss is so fresh in my mind (I'm watching the medals being handed out as I write this), but this is still our game. And now it's two years running we've lost the gold.
I think another problem, at least from my perspective, is the memory of Sidney Crosby's golden goal in Vancouver is still very fresh in my mind. That was one of the greatest moments in Canadian sports history and it still brings a smile to face when I watch a replay. That team brought a country together.
This team just pissed off 30 million people because they choked.
This team became arrogant. And because of that, they missed an opportunity to bring home a gold medal.
Showing posts with label rants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rants. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Monday, July 20, 2009
Out of that rut
Ever feel like you're in a rut? I mean, the kind of rut that takes forever to get out of, and often requires a boost.
I'm in that kind of rut right now. Stuck in a job I hate, stuck in a town I desperately want out of, and seemingly no way out.
It's weird how people get into these positions in life. Quite often, you don't see it coming. You're just cruising along, when all of a sudden...BANG!...There's that rut I mentioned.
Although, sometimes, you don't notice you're in the rut. Sometimes there isn't an obvious sign of the rut. You only notice when you try and change direction.
I went along like that for awhile. The signs were there. I started to hate getting up and go to work. That's the worst part. This was my career choice, and I haven't been at it for a year yet, but I hate it and want out.
There have been several times over the past few months that have led me to this point. Just things at work, little things, that have gradually piled up and become a monster. I've reached the point where I've circled a date on the calendar, and written "new job by today."
My job has sucked the will to write out of me. It's a chore for me to write anything, whether for work or for myself. I had to force myself to write this post, as I've had to do with many of the posts on this blog.
But today, something gave me a boost out of the rut. I don't what it was, but I came home from work in a foul mood, which has got me thinking, and got me planning, which is more than I've done in awhile.
I took this job because I was desperate and this was the first place that offered to hire me. The next one won't be that way.
-BT
I'm in that kind of rut right now. Stuck in a job I hate, stuck in a town I desperately want out of, and seemingly no way out.
It's weird how people get into these positions in life. Quite often, you don't see it coming. You're just cruising along, when all of a sudden...BANG!...There's that rut I mentioned.
Although, sometimes, you don't notice you're in the rut. Sometimes there isn't an obvious sign of the rut. You only notice when you try and change direction.
I went along like that for awhile. The signs were there. I started to hate getting up and go to work. That's the worst part. This was my career choice, and I haven't been at it for a year yet, but I hate it and want out.
There have been several times over the past few months that have led me to this point. Just things at work, little things, that have gradually piled up and become a monster. I've reached the point where I've circled a date on the calendar, and written "new job by today."
My job has sucked the will to write out of me. It's a chore for me to write anything, whether for work or for myself. I had to force myself to write this post, as I've had to do with many of the posts on this blog.
But today, something gave me a boost out of the rut. I don't what it was, but I came home from work in a foul mood, which has got me thinking, and got me planning, which is more than I've done in awhile.
I took this job because I was desperate and this was the first place that offered to hire me. The next one won't be that way.
-BT
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Employed in a dying industry
It's a terrifying thing, wondering if or when you might lose your job.
The Halifax Chronicle-Herald recently laid off two dozen reporters and editors. Two dozen. I'm not sure how big the staff at the paper is, but two dozen sounds like a lot to me. I work at a paper where there aren't even two dozen employees between all the departments. There are six people in our newsroom, half of them editors.
I compare the paper I work for to the Chronicle-Herald simply because of similar situations. The Chronicle-Herald lost its competition, the Daily News, last year. My paper lost its competition, the Carleton Free Press, in the past few months.
On a story from The Coast the stories of a few laid-off reporters from the grand ole Halifax daily are told. And it was heartbreaking. Some of these people are like me. Relatively new to the journalism industry. Just brushed aside by the corporate honchos. It's shocking.
Now the word comes down that CBC is planning on dumping some 800 employees. So when even the national broadcaster is cutting people loose, what chance does someone at a community-based, twice-weekly paper have?
People want to save the media, particularly newspapers. The print media is struggling to stay afloat. The Rocky Mountain News closed, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer shut down the print operations, San Francisco almost became the first city in North America without a major daily newspaper.
Newspapers have failed to evolve with the rest of the media. Some have figured out bits and pieces, putting together multimedia packages for websites. In fact, the Rocky Mountain News produced a fantastic video detailing the death of that historic publication. But many papers have yet to learn their lessons. This is the 21st century. When the internet provides 24-hour, up to the minute news, why would you read a paper, particularly a weekly? Why not get your news online?
I'm all for the salvation of newspapers. I enjoy having the physical product in my hands, but why should I pay for information I can get online for free? It makes no sense.
The other problem is a newspaper that essentially ignores the internet. Like the one I work for. The website for this paper, and every paper owned by this company, is utter garbage. It's simply the print edition stories posted online, in a difficult to navigate, ugly interface. We just got an award for having the second best website in Canada for a paper this size. Which suggests to me at least we're not alone in not having a clue about the website.
Like I said, a terrifying thing.
-BT
The Halifax Chronicle-Herald recently laid off two dozen reporters and editors. Two dozen. I'm not sure how big the staff at the paper is, but two dozen sounds like a lot to me. I work at a paper where there aren't even two dozen employees between all the departments. There are six people in our newsroom, half of them editors.
I compare the paper I work for to the Chronicle-Herald simply because of similar situations. The Chronicle-Herald lost its competition, the Daily News, last year. My paper lost its competition, the Carleton Free Press, in the past few months.
On a story from The Coast the stories of a few laid-off reporters from the grand ole Halifax daily are told. And it was heartbreaking. Some of these people are like me. Relatively new to the journalism industry. Just brushed aside by the corporate honchos. It's shocking.
Now the word comes down that CBC is planning on dumping some 800 employees. So when even the national broadcaster is cutting people loose, what chance does someone at a community-based, twice-weekly paper have?
People want to save the media, particularly newspapers. The print media is struggling to stay afloat. The Rocky Mountain News closed, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer shut down the print operations, San Francisco almost became the first city in North America without a major daily newspaper.
Newspapers have failed to evolve with the rest of the media. Some have figured out bits and pieces, putting together multimedia packages for websites. In fact, the Rocky Mountain News produced a fantastic video detailing the death of that historic publication. But many papers have yet to learn their lessons. This is the 21st century. When the internet provides 24-hour, up to the minute news, why would you read a paper, particularly a weekly? Why not get your news online?
I'm all for the salvation of newspapers. I enjoy having the physical product in my hands, but why should I pay for information I can get online for free? It makes no sense.
The other problem is a newspaper that essentially ignores the internet. Like the one I work for. The website for this paper, and every paper owned by this company, is utter garbage. It's simply the print edition stories posted online, in a difficult to navigate, ugly interface. We just got an award for having the second best website in Canada for a paper this size. Which suggests to me at least we're not alone in not having a clue about the website.
Like I said, a terrifying thing.
-BT
Monday, February 9, 2009
Crazy Motherf***ers
Just a short post on the stupidity of a certain demographic.
Transport truck drivers.
Sunday evening, I was making the drive from Woodstock to Quispamsis, in what would charitably be described as a blizzard. Poor visibility, slick roads, not really a good night to be driving.
So imagine how I felt, seeing this giant truck coming up in my mirror, doing normal highway speed, or above.
I realize these trucks are a little more secure than a small vehicle, but they also don't exactly stop on a dime, and they certainly don't handle like a small vehicle. So if I can only manage 70-80 km/h on a four-lane highway, these idiots shouldn't be going any faster than me, never mind 40 or 50 more.
So how about our law enforcement officials maybe take a stand against this kind of dangerous behaviour? I know it's a bad idea to drive in bad weather like that, but sometimes it's necessary. So for those of us forced to share the road with these maniacs, do a little to protect us.
-BT
Transport truck drivers.
Sunday evening, I was making the drive from Woodstock to Quispamsis, in what would charitably be described as a blizzard. Poor visibility, slick roads, not really a good night to be driving.
So imagine how I felt, seeing this giant truck coming up in my mirror, doing normal highway speed, or above.
I realize these trucks are a little more secure than a small vehicle, but they also don't exactly stop on a dime, and they certainly don't handle like a small vehicle. So if I can only manage 70-80 km/h on a four-lane highway, these idiots shouldn't be going any faster than me, never mind 40 or 50 more.
So how about our law enforcement officials maybe take a stand against this kind of dangerous behaviour? I know it's a bad idea to drive in bad weather like that, but sometimes it's necessary. So for those of us forced to share the road with these maniacs, do a little to protect us.
-BT
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