Secretly I'm hoping for 20

Yesterday, they put in a big screen TV in the kitchen at work. I figured it was just a one-day-only thing for the Super Bowl, but it turns out that it's gonna be there for the duration of the Olympics. It's as if they read my mind! I was wondering how I could maximize my viewing time, whether at home or work, and this definitely makes it a lot easier.

And it's time to do some medal predicting for said Games. In Salt Lake, Canada kicked its best-ever result by picking up 17 medals, including a whopping 7 gold. Absolutely unheard of for a country that religiously chalks up 80% of its Olympic medals in the bronze column.

This time, I'd love to say we'll match or beat that total, but anything can happen. Jeremy Wotherspoon could fall two steps into the 500m again, we could have some heartbreaking 4th places again from the Jennifer Heils and Bourne & Kraatzes, or we could again have underperformers like....well, I won't name names. Then again, we could have the surprises like in Salt Lake: Cindy Klassan, Clara Hughes, Beckie Scott, and on and on and on.

Look at the number of medals we've won in the international sporting arena so far this season alone: in luge, skeleton, bobsled, figure skating, hockey, short track speed skating, long track speed skating, freestyle skiing, alpine skiing, cross country skiing, curling, snowboarding. To say that Canadian athletes have been tearing up the ski hills and ice tracks and skating rinks and cross country courses of the world is a remarkable understatement. And it absolutely blows me away that we have very legitimate medal contenders (legitimate GOLD medal contenders, no less) in every sport except biathlon, nordic combined and ski jumping. Hell, we really could blow open the medal vault and take home a new record haul!

But I'll be cautious and try to keep my schoolgirl enthusiasm optimism under control. I'll give it a go and make a prediction think Canada will take home 15 medals. Fewer than when we had the near-home-court advantage in Salt Lake, but still a respectable total that will see us finish 5th in the medal standings.

Of course, secretly I'm hoping for 20 and a repeat of our 4th place (dare I even hope beyond hope for a 3rd place result in the Race of Nations?!). And I think we can realllly do 20 and 4th place (or maybe 3rd)! Really, I'd just like all of our athletes to perform to their potential. Heck, if that happens, we could come home with even more than 20! But I'll just stifle that little schoolgirl inside of me, sit patiently, and wait for the Opening Ceremonies to kick it all off. God, I'm all giddy with anticipation!

Some people live for Awards Season. I live for the Olympics. My name is Jeff and I'm a self-admitted Olympic freak.