Here in Canada, for a lot of American sport events, the American commercials are replaced with terrible Canadian ones. This is true even on cable on the American channel itself, not just the simultaneous broadcast on the local network. In Nova Scotia, where I am located, the commercials are even sub Canadian standards. They’re so awful I will often skip watching a show or an event, or go out to a place where I can watch it without those commercials. Or I’ll get what I’m looking for from another source, like news from CBC NewsWorld or MSNBC instead of CNN that’s now proliferated with ghetto budget local business ads when I’m there to be thinking globally.
Do these Canadian ad buyers think they’re getting their money’s worth for those prime spots?
I know there are some rules about rights across the borders, and Canadian content rules and such, but that’s for the channels to worry about. The ad buyers don’t have to buy in to this, and without them, the channels don’t have commercials to run. The channels probably offer ad time with events like the Super Bowl as a bonus to a package rather than selling ad time during the event like it’s done in the US. Still, I would decline it if I were a Canadian ad buyer cause I don’t think people think of those spots fondly.
This comes to a point with the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is as well known for its ads as the game itself. Just observe the chatter the day after the Super Bowl. To watch the Super Bowl with local commercials is like to watch the Super Bowl with one real team and one team of local substitute players. I resent having to watch the Super Bowl with crappy Canadian commercials so much I watch the event on broadcasts with American commercials now, I have blocked the Canadian channels overriding American signals. That means CTV for this Super Bowl, and Global and ASN from previous other offences.
Now, those channels don’t even have a chance that I might surf by and catch something I like when channel surfing. I get local news from the CBC solely now, and you know what? I’m doing just fine without those other channels. I’m not even losing Canadian content, cause it’s not like they show much Canadian content anyway. Why bother with Canadian commercials on prime events, or even just for the Super Bowl, if resentment like this, with some people turning it into action, is what you get?
For events less prime than the Super Bowl, where I might put up with Canadian ads on overridden American shows, I take note of some of the advertising companies and occasionally put them on my “no buy” list. It’s not that I end up watching the commercials to do this. Usually, they annoy me enough from what I’m doing to distract me, and then it’s an easy choice. Eastlink was the first on my list.
I wonder if some of these companies ever imagined their advertising strategies to lead to this?
Oh, and here’s a great example why I go the extra distance for the Super Bowl with the real ads.
I don’t need to blog about Canada’s 3-2 overtime win over the United States for Gold in Men’s Ice Hockey at the 2010 Olympics. Everybody is pretty much writing about it.
What I want to know is if you think this were the best hockey game ever for this country?
It had excitement with all the exciting plays, including two posts by Canada in regulation time.
It had anxiety with the Americans scoring in the final minute to tie it and send it into overtime.
It was back and forth with the rushes and scoring.
It was great to watch with the quality play, hits and saves.
It was epic with everything on the line, and avenged a loss a week ago that just deflated our country. The rally was also phenomenal. The pressure unbelievable.
It was decided spectacularly in sudden death overtime, with my fellow 22 year old Nova Scotian sensation Sidney Crosby coming through like you knew he would. Eight periods of no scoring but he came through when it most counted with the literal Golden Goal in sudden death overtime. There was nobody more suited or symbolic to score that goal! (See CTV video of Sidney’s winning goal)
YEAH!!!
That’s what legends are made of!!!
Step aside, Paul Henderson!!!
Finally, it was on home soil, and best of all, there was arguably the ultimate prize at stake in the Olympic Gold Medal against an arch enemy.
I never saw the 1972 Summit Series, but there was no medal at stake, although a cultural moment. However, in today’s media frenzy environment, losing this game would have never gone away with YouTube and blogs leaving so much content we Canadians would never be able to avoid.
The 1987 Canada Cup with Gretzky and Lemieux was definitely spectacular, being the only tournament at the time which really featured professional players against professional players. However, as representative as those events were at the time, they weren’t the Olympics. It kept the focus all on hockey, sure, but there’s something special about the Olympics and the whole nation going for every sport. Don’t forget, Canada has the most gold medals in any single Olympics game now with that 14th gold medal from men’s ice hockey.
We did beat the US in 2002 for Olympic Gold on their ice to win our first hockey gold in 50 years, of course, but that was their home ice. It was also not nearly as close in a 5-2 victory, and no sudden death. As sweet as that was, though, given the wait and location, I think it’s different on our home ice, in front of our fans. We get to celebrate our own on home ice and we get to sing our national anthem afterward as a nation united.
All in all, every past historic victory lacked something this one did. It wasn’t a big thing in each case, but I never said this was the best win ever by a long shot. Just the biggest win in the legendary history of ice hockey in this nation.
But do you agree? I’d love it if you took a moment to cast a vote below or leave a comment. Thank you.
Congrats to the US for having a great tournament, especially goalie Ryan Miller. Thanks to Jarome Iginla for the hard work on the boards to get the feed to Sidney.
The crowd roared when Joannie came on to warm-up with the final flight, and did the same as she took to the ice fifth of six skaters by order of random draw. Just as on Tuesday, she took the full minute allotted to get ready. See official broadcast video of Joannie Rochette’s free skate (CTV Sports).
Dressed in a sparkling deep sky blue outfit, Joannie opened with a triple Lutz, double-toe, double loop and nailed it! However, she leaned and had to step out on her triple flip next, an element that has historically given her trouble, but brought it back with a triple loop next, one of her best elements. She also had to step out of the second double Axel in a two double Axel combination. However, the rest was perfect, jumps, very smooth poses and spins in between. The crowd was with her on every move. It was just beautiful, and, of course, there was an unbelievable roar and ovation after it all.
Appropriately, Joannie earned 131.28 points for the long skate and a total of 202.64 overall. It kept her in third place, as she was after the short program, with one skater to go. But it was well good enough as Mirai Nagasu of the United States, skating last, could not make up the gap after the short program, falling short with a 190.15 total.
Still dealing with the sudden loss of her Mother just four days ago Sunday, Joannie held her emotions in check better tonight after her skate than Tuesday night in the short program, when she performed in public for the first time since the death of her Mother. It was very nice to see her smile again, without tears sharing the same face. However, now will come the hard part, which will be dealing with the full impact with that loss without anything else on her mind. Joannie never got to see her Mother at these Olympics, her Mother passing away before she saw Joannie.
“I still don’t know how I could do this and not start crying before the music starts. But that was my goal and I’m just really proud that I could skate.”
“It was my goal coming here to be on the podium and even with what happened it was still my goal. It was more my goal than ever. But to be honest, when I stepped on the ice for the short program, I didn’t think about results. I didn’t think about anything because I didn’t know if I could do it. I stepped on the ice, my legs were shaking and I don’t know how I went through this whole program. I’m sure my mom was with me with every step and I’m really glad I could do it.”
“My mom always taught me to be very competitive with myself, with the others also, and I always was,” Rochette explained, ”And it was almost like a relief going on the ice and seeing Yu-Na and Mao landing triple-triples, triple Axel, and I got so fired up and it kind of brought me back outside of reality for forty minutes.”
“I really want to thank all of Canada and everyone, the whole world – I got messages from everyone in the world – to support me and it really helped me, it will really help me get through this tough time and I’m really thankful that the fans and all the kind messages that I received in the past couple days.”
(Joannie talks about her Mother with Brian Williams in another interview, very touching)
.
Congratulations, Joannie! We’re all so proud of you, almost as much as your Mother. We will still be thinking of you in your difficult days ahead, but we look forward to seeing you again on the world stage soon.
Thank you so much for inspiring us all!
(please click on thumbnails below to see larger versions of photographs)
Close-up
Glide
Glide
Glide
Spin
Spin
Pose
A little moment with Mom
After receiving scores
Introduced for medal presentation
Flower ceremony tears
Mao Asado, Yu-Na Kim, Joannie Rochette on podium
Mao Asado, Yu-Na Kim, Joannie Rochette in celebration lap
Joannie Rochette with the bronze medal
.
.
———————————————————————–
Free Skate Recap
American Rachel Flatt opened the final flight with a good technically sound program filled with jumps, including a bunch in the second half of the program for the 10% bonus points. However, she had downgraded some triple jumps to double and lost points there. Consistent all year long, she did not waiver despite pressure of studying for a calculus exam a few days after the Olympics. Stanford would not give her an extension, which is nice to see the “no special treatment”, but how’s about the same for the football players? She should also sell some of those jumps to fellow American Evan Lysacek to make his program more challenging.
Miki Ando of Japan came out next with a clean program filled with a bunch of altered jumps from her plan. However, the altered jumps gave the program more difficulty as it paid off to leave her in first place at the time. The program was a little quiet otherwise, but very pleasant to watch.
Then came the Queen. In a land of short track speed skating and baseball players, Yu-Na Kim of South Korea is a rock star queen. She skated third and showed why. She put everything beyond reach with her dazzling array of triple-triple, triple and other combination jumps. This was in addition to her usual artistry and full ice coverage. She was simply spectacular in being flawless and in a league of her own. Definitely the best free skate I have ever seen, Olympics or otherwise. I’m glad the Canadian commentators didn’t say much during the free skate because it was just breath-taking. They were breathless for most of it, as well. Not surprisingly, she broke the world record score with a 150.06 and a 228.56 total! Finally, as a Canadian, I have to note she was coached by former Canadian men’s champion and Olympic silver medalist, Brian Orser. He finally got his gold. As for Yu-Na, goddess status awaits, I predict! See video of Yu-Na Kim’s free skate (CTV Sports).
Unfortunately for Mao Asada of Japan, she had to skate after that stunning performance. She was Queen of the Triple Axel, but she was following the Queen, period. However, Mao had two triple-triple combinations planned and executed them. All went well until a couple of uncharacteristic edge slips and one big downgraded jump after a fluke misstep leading up to it. When going up against perfection, unfortunately, you can’t afford those. Mao scored a season’s best 205.50, which was far behind Yu-Na Kim but easily good enough for second place in a very game competition with Yu-Na Kim. See video of Mao Asada’s free skate (CTV Sports).
Joannie Rochette skated fifth.
Mirai Nagasu of the United States was the final skater. She needed the skate of her life if she were going to medal from where she stood after the short program. That she gave with a near flawless program and a bunch of super jumps and among the best spirals in the group. However, it was not good enough as that 7.5 point gap to Joannie Rochette was just too much to make up. Mirai scored 126.39 for the long skate and a 190.15 total, after a long time taken by the judges. It left her in fourth, and gave Joannie Rochette the bronze!
