Time Counting Down. Expecations Rising Up

So today marks the official 1-year-out date until the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver/Whistler and while there's a lot to be excited about, there's still plenty of worry to go around.

First and foremost is this; Coming off the most lavish, expensive, grandiose Olympics in it's history, the issue is not how will Vancouver respond - because in these economic times they clearly can't or won't - but how that recent memory may stain or tarnish the image of this upcoming event.

The comparisons will undoubtedly be there. 'Oh that opening ceremonies was ok, but where were the thousand dancers doing acrobatics in synchronicity?'. Or, 'yah, so the new skating oval is pretty cool, but remember that water cube?'.

Vancouver would do very well by distancing itself as far from the image of Beijing as possible. After all, the two games, venues and world climate could not be any different.

Another issue is that of the Olympic village. For the most part, building projects for 2010 are ahead of schedule. All but one olympic venue is completed. That does not include the Olympic Village.

Due to the worsening of the world's economy and falling housing prices, the deal that the city made to help finance the building of the village and later sell the high-rise condominiums to the public is not looking so good after hundreds of millions of dollars more were needed to be poured into the project. The tax-paying public has become very worried about what that means for them.

Yet another issue on the long vs. short term economic benefits checklist for hosting an Olympics. The fact that this will be the first major worldwide event held under this 'new economic reality' makes it even more disconcerting. Nobody knows what to expect.

On top of all this, Canada has never won a gold medal in its own country. Not in Montreal in '76, not in Calgary in '88. While that is highly expected to change, the pressure on Canadian athletes will be unprecedented.

For some reason, Canada enjoys playing the underdog role. We don't like being the star of the stage and we prefer mostly to sit in the shadows and get our work done effectively. I don't think it's an insult to say that Canada is a pretty middle-of-the-pack country. Not only in sports, but in politics and world affairs as well. We just don't really seek or enjoy the limelight. Some might say we even have a bit of an inferiority complex. And even when we do accomplish something great, we aren't really ones for huge celebrations or pomp and circumstance, with the lone major exception of hockey on the international stage.

With that one exception of hockey, if you would tell an average Canadian citizen that their country won a medal in the biathlon, or short-track speed skating, or the moguls, I think most people would be pretty proud about it no matter the colour. (Yes that's right, coloUr. When you're in our house, we decide how it's spelled.)

The expectations for next winter's games though will be through the roof and though the "Own The Podium" campaign has been drawing rave reviews so far and results are already beginning to be seen in non traditionally Canadian dominated sports such as World Cup downhill, the pressure come February 2010 will be absolutely unprecedented.

No one will be surprised when Cindy Klassen, or Jeremy Witherspoon, or Jennifer Heil or Kristina Groves wins that first gold medal. But will the majority or even some large part of Canada's representation be able to step up their games and perform under pressure in front of the home crowd when it matters most?

Maybe. Just don't throw us too big of a party if we pull it off, it's a little embarrassing.