Silver not quite so precious as gold, but what a game

That gold medal hockey game between the U.S. and Canada was a thing of beauty. I've never been a very big hockey fan (except for Miami RedHawks hockey), but I sat transfixed on the TV watching that game yesterday. The Americans came this close to scoring a goal in the first period, but the puck stopped just short of the line, and the Canadians were able to take a 2-0 lead.

But there was no quit in the Red, White and Blue. Playing against the nation that invented ice hockey, on its own soil, the Americans got within a goal in the second period on Ryan Kesler's rebound shot, then pulled off the nearly unbelievable when Zach Parise scored with 24.4 seconds left in regulation, with goalie Ryan Miller pulled in favor of an extra skater, to send it into overtime.

The star-laden Canadians controlled the puck for most of that overtime period, and it came as no surprise when 22-year-old phenom Sidney Crosby finally broke through for the gold medal-winning goal 7:40 into the extra session. But it was a fantastic performance by the young Americans, who should hold their heads high after coming away with the silver.

Incidentally, that silver medal was the 37th for the USA in the Vancouver games, setting a new record for total medals by any nation in any Winter Olympics. But Canada's was the 14th gold medal for that nation, which was also a record. It was a very enjoyable Olympics, and I'm just a little bit sad that it's over.

Today in sports history

In the early-morning hours of this date 10 years ago, the U.S. Olympic hockey team embarrassed its nation and its sport by destroying their rooms at the Olympic Village in Nagano, Japan.

The Brett Hull-led team had been one of the favorites to win the gold medal, but didn't come close, and took out their frustrations on their hotel rooms.

Today in sports history

Twenty years ago today, the 15th Winter Olympic Games opened in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Among the highlights were Italy's Alberto Tomba winning two gold medals in alpine skiing, Matti Nykanen from Finland winning three golds in ski jumping, and Dutch speed skater Yvonne van Gennip getting three golds and setting two world records.

And two cult heroes were created: Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards, a British ski jumper; and the Jamaican bobsled team. Neither had much experience or any real chance of finishing higher than last place, but both earned widespread acclaim just for getting to Calgary and doing their thing. God bless you, Eddie the Eagle and Jamaican bobsledders.

The United States won exactly six medals: two golds, one silver and three bronzes.

On this day in sports history

On January 26, 1913, Jim Thorpe relinquished his 1912 Olympic medals for being a professional athlete. He'd won gold medals in the pentathlon and decathlon. Unfortunately, prior to that, he'd received something on the order of $35 a week to play baseball in the Eastern Carolina League in 1909 and 1910. He did all right for himself after that, becoming one of football's first superstars, even after playing some major-league baseball. He was the Bo Jackson of his day, I suppose. Regardless, there wasn't nearly as much money in baseball OR football in those days as there is today, and he died broke in 1953.

For the record, Thorpe played one season (1921) with the Cleveland Tigers of the American Professional Football Association, which now goes by the name National Football League. He also played for the Canton Bulldogs, in the days when football was pretty much confined to western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.

In any case, it's amazing how much things have changed in less than a century. Anyone remember how the "Dream Team" breezed through the Barcelona Olympics in 1992? That team actually had one player (Christian Laettner) who hadn't played professionally. I haven't taken the time to check this, but I'm pretty sure no U.S. Olympic basketball team has had a single amateur since then.

Thorpe's medals were reinstated in 1982, nearly three decades after he was alive enough to enjoy it. Why anybody ever gave a crap if an Olympic athlete had received a few bucks to play sports beforehand is beyond me.