LeEast of the Probelms

I was going to use the Eastern Conference's (or should I saw Leastern Conference's) blowing of an early 17-point lead to lose by 17 as a chance to beat my favorite dead horse of how the Western Conference is so much better than the Eastern Conference, but, you know what? When you're taking the best players and coaches from east conference, there really isn't that big of a difference (despite the final result).

Here was my problem with today's All-Star Game – it was split into two 20 minute halves. This isn't a college game and it really isn't an exhibition in the truest sense of the word. This was a chance for the NBA Development League's best to show off in front of every team in the NBA. So why change the conditions on them? Why not play four quarters? Why not play the full 48 minutes?

Does it make a huge difference on how the game plays out? Unlikely. Basketball is basketball. Still, I don't get it. What will all of the fans who got tickets because they're going to watch the NBA Slam Dunk, Three-Point, Shooting Stars and HORSE competitions think, who have never before seen an NBA Development League game think?

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On the plus side, Mike Harris scored 14 points. He had one dunk during the first half that was pretty cool. He took off from the foul line...

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Anyone else see the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics in Vancouver last night? I thought it was an incredible ceremony. I was really caught off guard by Steve Nash being there, but I thought that was awesome.

Still, while he and Wayne Gretzky being there symbolized something great, it also symbolized something, well, arguably not so great.

Isn't the Olympics supposed to be chock full of amateur athletes? Well, I guess that theory set sail long ago. Everyone seems to have coaches and a lot of these people train year-round, competing in international competitions and stuff.

It's easy to sit here and see NBA and NHL players shouldn't be out there since they're not amateurs and point our how much better the men's ice hockey team was when they used recently graduated college kids who weren't playing pro (read: Miracle on Ice, 1980). It easy to say none of the sports are like that. But that's not so true.

LeBron James and Yao Ming might get more press over here, but Sven Kramer, who easily won the Gold Medal with an Olympic record in the 5,000 meters speed skating competition today, is of their equivalent in the Netherlands.

I watch all of that and I still get into it, but the sport I have enjoyed the most so far? Men's short track speed skating and women's mogul.

In the men's short track I'll admit I'm rooting for Apolo Anton Ohno, but I'm really excited for 19-year old JR Celski from Federal Way, Washington. He finished with the bronze in the 1,500 (Ohno got silver). He had a scary crash at the US trials, hadn't raced since, and now look at him. He seems like more of an amateur and a great story to root for.

Then there's 18-year old Chloe DuFour-LaPointe from Montreal, Quebec. She just had an incredible run in the women's mogul and ended up finishing fifth. Again, a true amateur.

I think the other thing I enjoyed was watching Simon Ammann of Switzerland's celebration after winning the Gold Medal in the normal hill ski jumping event. The celebration of Hannah Kearney (Gold) and Shannon Bahrke (Bronze) at the end of the women's mogul was really pure and spirited as well.

These Olympians aren't after the all-mighty dollar or sponsorships (I know, Ohno got them, but he wasn't after them, I don't think). They're doing because, well... because they can.

It's that Olympic Spirit everyone always talks about. There are those competing who know they have no chance at winning a medal, yet there they are, competing anyway.

Did you know there is no US men's ski jumping team? Those athletes are in Vancouver on their own dime. They're not likely to win any medals. Yet there they are.

For all the talk about having superstars from the major sports in the Olympics, I seem to remember Olympic basketball being on at odd times in the morning during the summer of 2008. I barely saw any of that star power the Olympics claims to crave. Those sports aren't the most watched for a reason. If I want to watch Kobe Bryant I'll watch a nationally televised NBA game. If I want to watch a basketball game period, it's not during the Olympics.

I want to watch these other people I've never heard of. They're out their representing their countries. I respect that and I admire that. It's the same reason I rooted for and followed every team at Boston University. In fact, I once sent a message to a tracker runner I didn't know, who almost won a National Championship (came up short because of a hamstring injury... was winning at the time), congratulating her on a great run and thanking her for representing my school, and therefore me since I was a student at the time, so well.

I think that's why I watch as many Olympic sports as I can. It's my thank you for representing the USA (except in those instances when something like the US Hockey Team trashing a room at Olympic Village happens... ).

One of my pipe dreams is to call part of the Olympics one day. I think I'd like to call curling. Really, anything, winter or summer. Just to do it. Even if just once.

What can I say, I guess I have a little bit of the Olympics Spirit in me too.