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Stargazing and Celebrity Sightings Were Abundant in the XXI Olympics

Mar 9, 2010
James Ellsworth

The world put the spotlight on Vancouver’s Olympic star power and, for many participating in the Winter Olympics in various ways, being with celebrities was seldom more than 2 degrees of separation. It started with the Olympic Torch Relay and the Opening Ceremony of course and after that many people felt they were witnessing history and catching celebrities up close and personal.

The Olympic Torch and Olympic Flag

The Olympic Torch Relay galvanized Canada with its 12,000 torchbearers weaving through 1,000 communities. It gave Canadians a chance to see such national stars among them like Olympians Catriona Le May Doan and Simon Whitfield, but also media figures like Peter Mansbridge and Brian Williams or entertainers like Michael Bublé and Jann Arden. Even international figures carried the torch, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Akshay Kumar.

The final relay was a virtual who’s who of Canadian sports heroes- Le May Doan, double gold in speed skating; Nancy Greene, Olympic and World Cup ski champion; Steve Nash, two time MVP in the NBA; Rick Hansen, the Man in Motion; and Wayne Gretzky, the Great One.

Those who carried the IOC Olympic flag into BC Place for the Opening Ceremony were a feel-good cross-section of Canadian society, three were sports figures, two were entertainers, and three represented more heroic aspects:

• Bobby Orr, Jacques Villeneuve, and Barbara Ann Scott
• Donald Sutherland and Anne Murray
• Romeo D’Allaire, UN peacekeeper and senator; Julie Paquette, astronaut; and Betty Fox, Terry’s mother

The commoner connection began on Day 1 with over 60,000 seeing the Opening Ceremonies while many ran alongside & cheered Gretzky on his way to light the cauldron near the Media Centre.

Elite Athletes Who Received Star Treatment

Arguably, Alex Bilodeau became the premier athlete for Canada when he won a gold medal in moguls, the first for the country on home soil. Canadians went on to win 14 gold, a record, but Bilodeau was the first to be fêted for star quality. He was pictured with Michael Phelps receiving an OMEGA watch and honoured for his achievement, as well as doing a flurry of interviews.

Jon Montgomery won gold in skeleton and became an instant folk hero, swigging beer and high-fiving the adoring fans in Whistler. He also did a stint on Oprah and taught ex-Formula 1 racer Jacques Villeneuve the skill of skeleton in a cameo piece for CTV.

Joannie Rochette won a bronze in figure skating enduring the tragic duress of her mother’s death. Not only did she receive the Terry Fox Award for performing under pain with dignity, she also carried the Canadian flag at the Closing Ceremony and became an admired darling of NBC coverage.

One Olympic volunteer, Barbara Ellsworth, scanned both Bilodeau and Rochette in and out of the Athletes’ Village. Her Olympic Reports made these medalled athletes seem more human to many interested fans, her poignant observations pointing out that they were thrust into stardom because of their performances. “Joannie Rochette came through my scanner just after learning that her mom had passed away…very sad! ” Ellsworth saw that “Alex Bilodeau waited later for a taxi…very modest, alone, always talking on a cell phone.”

Celebrities Among the Fans

Not only were many of the celebrities seen by thousands up close but many of the fans had their few seconds of fame too. Politicians, entertainers and athletes galore found photo ops amongst the throngs:

• U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden was at the ski jump; Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper attended several venues and events; BC Premier Gordon Campbell stumped at Starbuck’s
• Cindy Crawford was promoting OMEGA, the official timer, as was Nicole Kidman, seen at ice dancing
• Martin Brodeur was asked to sign a shirt while shopping with his wife at Ronsons on Granville
• Clara Hughes, Wayne Gretzky, Stephen Harper and Alex Bilodeau posed with the fans for photos at the women’s hockey final
• hundreds backfilled the live weather broadcast with CTV’s Tamara Taggart on Robson St. hoping to be seen on television

It was a wonderful time to be in Vancouver; to be able to be where history was made; and be near the history-makers. One lady on the Canada Line told anyone who would listen, “I was in the store and this guy wearing sunglasses was waiting in line in front of me. I said, ‘Wayne? Is that you?’ ” Gretzky took off his glasses and replied that it was him indeed, making the subway passengers only two degrees away from meeting the Great One.

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The Comeback Kids Save Luongo… Again

The comeback kids have done it again. The Canucks now lead the league with their 10th 3rd period come from behind win after Samuelsson’s 2nd period hat trick helped them stage a 6-4 win in a big NW division tilt. It’s reached a stage where the Canucks level of confidence is so high that they can give up the first goal in nearly every game, they can give up a multi goal lead, and still fight back.

The first time around you could argue that maybe it’s a fluke, and while I’m not suggesting that this is some sort of strategy, it’s certainly something that doesn’t phase them. After overcoming two 3-goal deficits in the game to win 6-4 and stun the Avalanche at the Pepsi Center, a lot of people get completely caught up in the win and neglect to look at the most important part of the game which isn’t the comeback so much as it is the start.

The Sedins are coming alive at the right time (if their play in the last few games is any indication of comeback) but Luongo’s play has to be addressed. It’s alright to let in one soft goal here or there, the best goalies do it at the worst of times. Luongo however seems to be making it a habit though. The worst part is although he’s coughing up early leads, because the Canucks are coming back his shoddy first period play is going unnoticed. While I agree with Vigneault when he says “You never critique a win” you can’t give Luongo a free pass.

Luongo allowed more than one soft goal today and you can’t blame the defense as much as we’ve started to do. He’s paid the big dollars to put up the big saves. Of course many people will point to his stellar saves in the second and third period, but the bottom line is those don’t mean a thing if the Canucks aren’t still in the game, and his weak goaltending in the first detracts from just how well he played in that second and third period.

At this point in the season the Canucks need their highest paid players to be their best players. That goes without saying regardless of the roster station, but becomes even more important based on the current blue line injuries. The Sedins have definitely turned their game back on with their play in the last few games and Luongo really needs to shut down. This stretch drive is the tune up for the playoffs. Teams don’t blow three goal leads in the playoffs and the Canucks can’t expect to play the comeback game when the second season starts.

With one more game on the Canucks road trip, heading home is going to be a nice change. Raycroft’s been fantastic for the Canucks on this road trip so going into tomorrow night the Canucks should be able to ride the momentum from this game to start well against a Coyotes team that is as tough as any team in the West. Luongo better use the night off to get his head together because he’s been shaky in first periods since coming back from the Olympics and if he’s not giving the Canucks a chance to win every night the Canucks have bigger fish to fry.

The Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS) has helped many people minimize their seizure activity. Blake’s Story is a true tale of how the VNS has helped this little boy.

Blake Zika was born September 13, 1991, a healthy 8lb. 8oz. boy. I had no complications during pregnancy. Thanksgiving Day, about a month after Blake turned 4 he had a grand-mal seizure. Blake was rushed to the hospital, and after having many tests, (spinal tap, CT scan, blood work, MRI), he was diagnosed with having viral Encephalitis.

Blake stayed for about 4 weeks at CHOC, (Children’s Hospital of Orange County). Blake was put on Phenobarbital, Tegretol, and Dilantin. Blake still had seizures the time he was in the hospital even on a lot of medications. Blake had a few EEG’s in the hospital, they all showed seizure activity through out the whole brain, more seizure activity while he was asleep.

After leaving the hospital, Blake was not having many seizures. Blake would mostly have a s seizure with a high fever. His life was pretty normal compared to his 3 brothers, he was a little more active then his brothers, I always use to blame it on the medications. He swims, boogie boards at the beach, plays roller hockey, most boy activities.

One night about 2 years after he was diagnosed with seizures (Blake has always been diagnosed with a seizure disorder, not a certain name), I went into his room about 1 hr. after he went to sleep and I found him having a partial seizure. Over the next week I kept him in my room and found that he had 1 or 2 every night. Sometimes I wondered why he was so hard to wake up in the morning to go to school.

Over the next 2 years, Blake’s Neurologist tried a number of medications to try and get his seizures under control. We tried Phenobarbital, Neurontin, Tegretol, Dilantin, Topamax, Lamictal, Clonazepam, Valproic Acid, and Tranxene. What I saw over the 2 years was only an increase of seizures, and Blake being drugged out all of the time, and of course, school was a big problem with learning. Blake has always attended a public school, he just got a little extra help, because of his seizure disorder and being on so many medications.

I took Blake to Loma Linda University and met with a pediatric Neurologist, he wanted to try something else besides medications, brain surgery was not an option due to Blake having seizures on both sides of his brain. The Neurologist decided that Blake would be a good candidate for the Vagus Nerve Stimulator. On August 16, 2000 the implant was done. Surgery was done at the outpatient hospital and lasted about 1 hour. Blake was home in about 4 hours and was up playing the next morning. The VNS was activated 2 weeks later. It is activated through a lap top computer with a device that looks like a wand. They just hold it on his chest over the stimulator, and press a few things on the lap top, and that turned it on. The only side effect was a slight cough Blake made for a few seconds.

Over the next few months, Blake had to go monthly to have the VNS increased. The VNS has many different settings, like people respond to medications at different doses. It sometimes takes a while to find a setting that is best for the patient. At one point, Blake’s stimulation was set to high, meaning the stimulation was to strong for his brain, and it caused him to have a seizure. That is completely reversible. We just went in the next day and the stimulator was turned down. I saw an improvement about 3 months later. The doctor decided to start reducing Blake’s medications. Blake was up to 19 pills at the time and was having about 2 seizures a night. I still saw a slight improvement. I seem to think the VNS helped him through the withdrawal months. Blake had a bad time coming off of Tranxene, its a Benzodiazepine. He had a lot of seizures coming off of it, I was discouraged, but the doctor was certain the seizures were just withdrawal symptoms. We, of course, slowed down the process of tapering Tranxene. The seizures seemed to stop fast. When I used the magnet, I hold it and place it over the stimulator and it activated it 10 times stronger then his regular stimulation.

Blake’s VNS is now set to go off every minute and a half for 30 seconds. His voice will sometimes be hoarse when it goes off, but I don’t notice it anymore really. He is now down to 3 pills of Phenobarbital and 1/2 pill of Tranxene. The only time he has a seizure seems to be about 2 or 3 days after we reduced the Tranxene. That is much better than him having 2 seizures a day. So over all, Blake seizures are down by about 80%. The VNS sometimes takes up to two years for the best results. Blake has only had it for 11 months and all I can hope for is him improving more. In the next few months Blake’s Neurologist wants to wean him off of Phenobarbital, maybe another med will take its place but we will have to take it one day at a time. Many people have told me that Blake is a lot happier now, I feel he is not as hyper. School is getting a little better. He was been coming off so many meds over the year. I am very confident he will be doing well in school next year. We had a repeat EEG this past month. and the results were amazing. Over the month with the VNS, his EEG has improved a great deal, now he has a focal point in the front temporal lobe. He use to have seizure activity throughout this whole brain. The Neurologist is certain the VNS is the reason his EEG has improved so much. I look at it as the VNS is healing Blake’s brain.

Meet the Caputis

by James Mirtle @ 12:25 AM  

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The overnight guy Andrew is hard to take serious so I never listen to him anyways, but while I was waiting for the score updates he said he couldn’t respect a sport where the players wear ice skates. Is this kind of ignorance a badge of honor?

Rest of lineup don’t even try to learn about the sport. They fall back on old tired cliches of the sport.

Never mind the fact in markets that where always big Hockey has gotten greater ratings and attendance then the basketball team. Not to mention there are Hockey markets where people wouldn’t watch an NBA game if it was in their drive way.

Colin Cowherd on ESPN is another rabid Hockey Hater who thinks ESPN dropped the sport, because it is a dead sport. So that begs the question is Bowling taking the nation by storm or that ESPN made Arena Football so popular it had to shut down for the year or go into bankruptcy.

Lastly Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt have decided to just ignore the sport. Scott Van Pelt seems to think he’s too cool for school to be talking hockey. I bet if the New York Rangers where in the Stanley CUP he would be trying to jump on the band wagon. Because that’s all those ESPN guys seem to talk about 1994 and when Wayne Gretzky.
was playing.
Hey how about this when was the last time you heard of a Hockey player shooting people in a night club or a strip joint?

Just the other day in a college basketball game a guy got his face stomped on that just shows you how cowardly basketball players are. On top of that NBA is famous for fights spilling into the stands and yet somehow Hockey is a thug or violent sport love the double standard.
I’m no fan of Bettman either, but I would remind you that FOX was the network of the glowing red puck. ABC really didn’t show that much more Hockey then NBC.

Look I said this many times people need to be patient with Versus as there still only in their early years. I remember back in the day when ESPN had to show frisbee sports , AFL, and IVY league Football.

At least VS gives you more games come playoff time, even from Canada with CBC or TSN, something that ESPN-ESPN2 would never do. Remember they are to busy showing snow mobiles flying off of roof tops, spelling bee, hot dog eating contests and bass fishing.

The Flyers rallied back from a two-goal deficit with consecutive goals from Jeff Carter, Claude Giroux and Simon Gagne to register a hard-fought win, their 15th straight against the Isles.
“You start wondering if it’s going to be one of those nights,” Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. “It’s tough to come from behind, but we stuck with it.”
The win kept the Flyers two points ahead of the seventh-place Montreal Canadiens, four points ahead of the eighth-place Bruins and seven points ahead of the ninth-place New York Rangers.
The Flyers can pad those point cushions when they face the Bruins Thursday night at home.
“We found a way to win a hockey game, but we’ve got to get better,” said Flyers captain Mike Richards, who picked up an assist on Giroux’s tying goal.
NOTES, QUOTES
–The Flyers have won 15 straight games over the Islanders. That’s the NHL’s longest active win streak against one team. It’s also a franchise record for the Flyers, who owned 14-game win streaks over the Atlanta Thrashers (2005-09) and Los Angeles Kings (1978-82). During the Flyers’ 15-0 run against the Isles, they hold a 51-25 scoring advantage.
–Flyers senior vice president Bob Clarke was recognized for his years of service as an NHL general manager Tuesday at the league’s GM meetings in Boca Raton, Fla.
Clarke spent 22 years as general manager of the Flyers, Minnesota North Stars and Florida Panthers. His teams went a combined 806-558-205 with 31 overtime losses.
Clarke’s teams have been to the Stanley Cup playoffs 18 times, won seven division titles, went to eight conference finals and four Stanley Cup finals, but never won a Cup.
–The Flyers improved to 33-12-2 with Darroll Powe in the lineup and 2-14-2 without him.
–The Flyers are 7-1-1 in their last nine games, outscoring opponents 34-23 in that span. They have also won five straight home games and 11 of their last 13 in Philly.
QUOTE TO NOTE:
“I’m pretty sure everybody in this room, if there is any chance they can come back in a game, they will. We saw it earlier this year when Lappy (Ian Laperriere) got hit in the face. It’s part of the game.” – RW Claude Giroux on teammates Lukas Krajicek, Dan Carcillo and James van Riemsdyk returning from injuries in the same game.
ROSTER REPORT
GOALTENDERS: Michael Leighton, Brian Boucher
DEFENSEMEN: Chris Pronger, Matt Carle, Kimmo Timonen, Lukas Krajicek, Braydon Coburn, Ryan Parent
FIRST LINE: Simon Gagne, Mike Richards, Dan Carcillo
SECOND LINE: Danny Briere, Jeff Carter, Scott Hartnell
THIRD LINE: James van Riemsdyk, Claude Giroux, Arron Asham
FOURTH LINE: Darroll Powe, Blair Betts, Ian Laperriere
PLAYER NOTES:
–C Jeff Carter has 9 goals in his last 9 games. Since being left off the Canadian Olympic team, Carter has 27 points in 27 games (17 goals, 10 assists) and is on pace for 39 goals and 72 points. And while that may be shy of the career highs he posted last season (46 goals, 84 points), it’s quite a turnaround from where he was just before Christmas with 12 goals and 15 assists. “I just go out and play,” Carter said, trying to downplay his exclusion from the Olympic team. “I can’t really prove them wrong, they won the gold medal. They made some good decisions. I don’t worry about that stuff. I just go out and play, man.”
–G Michael Leighton improved to 7-0-1 in his last eight starts.
–D Chris Pronger has recorded at least an assist in five of his last six games and seven of his last nine games.
–LW Simon Gagne has at least a point five of his last six games and has 13 points in his last 13 games.
MEDICAL WATCH:
–G Ray Emery (bone graft surgery, out for the season).

A nine year old player’s perception of minor hockey in Canada.

Legendary Quarterback Coach Steve Clarkson and the Steve Clarkson Dreammaker Foundation today announced An Evening with Joe Montana & Wayne Gretzky, a charity reception and auction to be held at the Palms Casino & Resort in Las Vegas, NV on April 15, 2010 from 6:00 – 9:30 p.m.

This special evening will feature Pro Football Hall of Fame Quarterback Joe Montana and Hockey Hall of Fame Center Wayne Gretzky, as well as other local and national celebrities. The event will include entertainment, food, drinks, a live and silent auction, and stories by both Legends. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Greater Las Vegas, the Greater Las Vegas After-School All Stars and the Steve Clarkson Dreammaker Foundation. Sponsorship and ticket information are available online at www.steveclarksondreammaker.com/foundation.

“This event will provide a unique opportunity for the Las Vegas community to come together and help raise money for these great charities,” said Joe Montana. “Wayne and I are excited to help these organizations and look forward to visiting with sponsors and guests on April 15.”

“We are fortunate to have two of the greatest legends in professional sport – Joe Montana and Wayne Gretzky – as our hosts for this amazing evening of tribute and charity,” said Steve Clarkson, chairman of the Steve Clarkson Dreammaker Foundation. “It has always been important to me to help children who have been challenged with limited opportunities. I am thrilled to be able to provide this assistance through my Foundation.”

The Steve Clarkson Dreammaker Foundation has established several programs and initiatives to help empower youth to achieve their dreams. The Dreammaker Foundation Scholarship Program will award grants and scholarships to academically successful graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated financial need and a proven commitment to achieve their dreams. The Foundation has also established a free youth Leadership and Football Academy which will be hosted for under-privileged children. The Leadership and Football Academy will focus on teaching the fundamentals of athletics, teamwork, character building, leadership and the importance of education.

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