All that's not to say I was an unhealthy child. I wasn't. Far from it. I did go out and play with my friends from time to time, but I think it has always come down to the fact that if push comes to shove, I'd rather spend time on my own. I don't know if that's an only child thing or what, but there you go.
So what happens when parts of the TV and internet are taken over by sports? Normally, I try my utmost to avoid them. Occasionally, I'll go to a pub, with my friends and watch a football game and sometimes I'll even find myself getting caught up in all the excitement, the almost goals, etc. but really? I couldn't care less about which team wins. I don't have any loyalty to a particular team, strip, country and the same can be said for any sport. A Scottish person is doing well in Tennis? Good for them, but am I getting excited for their win? Not at all. I don't get the 'We' mentality in sports. Where the fans seem to think they had a hand in winning the game. You didn't.
However, the Winter Olympics started on Friday, with the opening ceremony taking place from around 1am-5am UK time. I happened to be awake and so stuck it on. The opening ceremonies are usually good entertainment, rarely having much to do with actual sport. Vancouver's offering was no different and yet, it had an effect on me. Something I wasn't expecting and something I don't really understand.
Me, the kid who's always hated sport and has never had any real shown support for any individual or country who partakes in a sporting event, found himself actually caring about an outcome.
During the ceremony, the story and patriotism Canada showed made me want to be one of them. Imparticular, Shane Koyczan performed the Slam Poetry piece "We Are More", in front of the crowd at the BC Place Stadium. One thing that struck me about it was the fact that he came off as incredibly patriotic, proud of his country and the possibilities his country gives, without coming across as arrogant and annoying -- which, more often than not, the American's do...
"We Are More" -- [You might have to click twice to play].
...and for whatever reason, the piece invoked some national pride in me, for a country I've barely stepped foot in (I say barely, I visited some people in the far north-east of the country when I was 11). I wanted to see Canada do well, I was told that Canada had never won Gold on home soil at a Winter Olympics. I wanted that to change.
Earlier today, I watched the highlights of the days events, coupled with some light feeds. The Luge, Short Track, & Freestyle Skiing Ladies' Moguls. I watched it from start to finish and through most of it, although I was invested in the viewing of it, I wasn't really paying a lot of attention to who was competing. That was, until the moguls, in which a Canadian woman got into the lead position, with only one more competitor to go, she could take the first Gold for Canada. I watched the final woman, an American, go down the track... She got the Gold, pushing the Canadian into Silver, Canada's only medal so far - I was actually a little bit gutted.
I can only imagine though, that I will keep watching for the duration of the games, hoping against hope that Canadian gets their gold and maybe afterwards, I can go back to being as anti-sports as I used to be... As I know I am, deep down. I'm not sure my new-found love for Canada will deminish quite as quickly though.
