For a while there, it looked like the Vancouver Olympic Games were shaping up as disastrous.
Hours before the opening ceremonies, the death of a young Georgian luger cast a dispiriting pall over what was supposed to be a joyous celebration. Then a technical glitch involving the Olympic flame became the source of jokes and doubts that the city had its act together.
Events had to be postponed in the first week due to unusually warm weather creating havoc on the slopes. And press reports out of Canada detailed anguish that the country's $118 million "Own the Podium" program was fizzling. The capper was the U.S. men's hockey team upset victory over Canada in an early round-robin matchup — setting the scene for Sunday's gold-medal game.
But somehow, they turned it around — even coming back and winning that hockey gold, arguably the only one Canada absolutely had to have. Now those who know about such things are calling the Vancouver Olympics one of the most enjoyable Winter Games ever.
For those of us watching the games from a few hours south, that's welcome news. We wanted very much for our neighbors to put on a good show and give everyone a positive look at the part of the world and its natural beauty. NBC may be getting some deserved criticism for some of its decisions during the games, but it did a good job of spotlighting the region's spectacular natural attractions.
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