Some nice pictures of the athletes and opening ceremonies.

[polly7]

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/photos/galleries/id=36167/gallery.html

[ClusterFreak]

1. Nice!

:hi:

[polly7]

2. Thanks, I'm sure they'll keep adding to them. Good to see all the happy faces. nt.

[shockedcanadian]

3. Good to see some nice posts...

Athletes are just there to enjoy the experience and hopefully represent the spirit of the games, they have no control over what the organizers do or don't do.

Good to see the smiles, make sure you post the most important one when team Canada's Hockey team (both) are on the podium receiving the gold.

Oh, and Go Canada!

[polly7]

5. I will definitely do that!

Lots of good video there too. Glad you enjoy the smiles also.

[Spazito]

4. Great pics!

Thanks for posting the link, it is much appreciated.

[polly7]

6. YVW - did you notice all the Olympic facts on the side?

Very interesting, lots of things I had no idea about.

[Spazito]

7. Actually, no I didn't, thanks for pointing them out!

"by the numbers", fascinating way to bring out some very interesting facts about the Olympics and the various athletes, including Canadians.

Thanks for the heads-up on that, much appreciated again!

[murphyj87]

8. VP Joe Biden

A mentally ill man with a homemade security pass was able to get within metres of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden during a security breach at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, CTV News has learned.

As dozens of police held back thousands of protestors outside of BC Place in Vancouver, a 48-year-old British Columbia man slipped past several layers of security inside the venue, said RCMP Assistant Commissioner Bud Mercer, the head of the 2010 Integrated Security Unit (ISU).

Mercer said the man's target was clear."He had an infatuation with the US Vice President."

Biden was seated in a section reserved for dignitaries. Twelve steps away from the VP and out of view of the cameras, the man started making his way down the stairs after the national anthem ended.

That's when two female plainclothes Mounties charged with protecting Biden acted, Mercer said. "They described him to me as simply not fitting in," he said."They approached him, determined that the accreditation he was carrying was forged or fake, confronted him and escorted him out one or two steps at which point he attempted to run and was taken into custody."

Mercer, who heads up the unit tasked with securing the Games, says members of his team were also providing security for the Vice President while he was in Vancouver taking in Olympic events. Mercer says the man was not carrying a weapon and did not intend to harm Biden.

He had managed to get close to him with a homemade all-access pass. A picture of the pass obtained by CTV News makes clear it had nothing to do with the Opening Ceremony and appears to be text printed off the internet and laminated.

Mercer says checking passes is the responsibility of the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee and event services on the outside of the venue. In order to get into the stadium, the public first had to pass through a checkpoint manned by Vanoc staff. Those people do not fall under the umbrella of the official billion dollar security team which involves thousands of police and military personal.
The man did encounter officers at the next checkpoint -- where he was scanned for potential weapons. But Mercer says police would have assumed his credentials were in order because he got past the first entry point.

He insists the security system did work -- eventually – and that the vice president was never in danger. Mercer said Biden's secret service staff complimented the two Mounties involved. "I think the exact words were ‘job well done. Remind me not to mess with you,'" he said. The RCMP says it has not made any changes to it security protocols because of the breech.

Police say the man will not face charges. He has been committed to a psychiatric facility for treatment.

[Spazito]

9. It seems the system did work and that is good news...

"Mercer said Biden's secret service staff complimented the two Mounties involved. "I think the exact words were ‘job well done. Remind me not to mess with you,'" he said. The RCMP says it has not made any changes to it security protocols because of the breech."

[polly7]

10. Yes, that was good news.

No bombs went off, no-one hurt, no weapons, the man taken into custody. Worked out well, thank goodness.

Here's another great site to see the athletes and read more about them.
http://espn.go.com/olympics/

[Spazito]

11. Thanks for the link!

Will definitely check it out!

[polly7]

12. Now I told you I'd bring some more ......

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/photos/galleries/id=42276/gallery.html#/50112

:hi:

[Spazito]

13. Thanks, polly7!

Much appreciated!

[polly7]

14. You're very welcome.

I'm glad they show pics of all the athletes, not just the Canadian ones. CTV has had great coverage so far.

[Spazito]

15. CTV has done a great job and, to be honest, I am pleasantly surprised...

their coverage has been very balanced overall.

[polly7]

16. As someone who's played hockey for 20 years, I just have to post this:

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/hockey/news/newsid=52231.html#canadas+women+third+straight+hockey+gold+medal

You rocked it ladies!!!

[polly7]

17. And ............... a few more: - )

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/photos/index.html

[polly7]

18. Super Saturday!

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/photos/index.html#/54188

[polly7]

19. Wow. I didn't know this.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/blogs/blog=christieblatchford/postid=54268.html#blatchford+a+medal+unlike+other

"Her first words after crossing the finish line on Feb. 17 to win the bronze medal in the 1.4-kilometre sprint - with, as was later discovered, five broken ribs and a bit of a punctured lung, the latter injury probably incurred during the race itself - were, "If I can do it, whole Slovenia can do it." - Petra Majdic

Amazing.

[polly7]

20. Rochette and Majdic share Terry Fox Award

http://www.vancouversun.com/Rochette+Majdic+share+Terry+Award/2624650/story.html



"Few people have touched the soul of this great nation like Terry Fox did on his Marathon of Hope in 1980," said Furlong. "This award will be presented to an athlete who embodies the same values that Terry Fox did.

"This athlete will be someone who is the epitome of determination in motion, who pushed on no matter what the pain or obstacles in their path and touched Canada and the world by displaying humility and selflessness in their treatment of others both on and off the field of play — a veritable hero," said Furlong in a statement released on Friday.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/12/11/bc-terry-fox-vancouver-olympic-award.html

[polly7]

21. Ok, and now I'll shut up .... while I go through withdrawal.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/video/index.html?assetid=16afced6-f953-42f8-88ce-46c9493947e9

[Spazito]

22. Thanks for all the pic links and updates!

It is much appreciated!

[polly7]

23. You're welcome, it was fun seeing them every day for me too, I'm glad

you enjoyed them.