By Rob Ficiur

The euphoria of Canada’s 14 Olympic Gold Medals is now fading to the back of our minds as we find other things to watch on TV…. “No Olympics tonight?  I was just starting to like that show.”  Well hang on; there will be a Summer Olympics in two years.  Yes, the ParaOlympics start in Vancouver this week, but the media coverage they receive is usually relegated to the end of the sports cast.
It is hard to go from a Gold Medal hockey game that was watched by two thirds of the people in the country to playing ordinary NHL games.  The elite level of Olympic play stands in stark contrast to the everyday sports we used to enjoy, but now find rather dull.
-I just watched the Edmonton Oilers lose a shoot-out game to Montreal.  No team would do well with their three top players out for the season, but Oilers look like they are building for the future.   First they traded half of their defense core at the trade deadline, unloading millions of dollars in salary.  Second, as they give younger players a chance to show how well they can play, the Oilers sink further and further into last place.  They aren’t trying to finish last and get a high draft pick.  However, since that is how real rebuilding works, we get to listen to Oilers Coach Pat Quinn rant for the few weeks left in the season as his team finds new ways to lose.
-Sidney Crosby’s stick and gloves were found!!!  The equipment that Crosby was wearing when he scored the Gold Medal goal was missing for a week.  Conspiracy theorists suggested that angry US fans had stolen the stick and glove.  Turns out Crosby’s teammate Patrice Bergeron had the gloves.  Since their lockers were side by side, sounds like NHL players can’t keep track of their stuff any better than some kids do.  However, how did someone think that the Crosby stick was supposed to go to Russia?  Maybe they wanted it as a good luck charm for the 2014 Winter Olympics (which are only three years and 11 months away).
-The NHL shows us again this week how ineffective a league can be at enforcing the rules.  In the wake of one more head shot injury the league has come down with hard, rigid, strict rules that will deter goons from hitting their opponents from behind.  The rules are good…but the league will wait until next season to implement them.  Meanwhile Matt Cooke, who ended Boston’s Marc  Savard’s season with a hit to the head, received no penalty or suspension for his second injury causing hit of the season.
-CFL teams are signing and releasing players as their free agent season goes into full swing.  The Argos released former MVP Quarterback Kerry Joseph after a 3-15 season is back page news.  The rumor mill saying that new Argos Coach Jim Barker is after concussion ridden QB Buck Pierce just doesn’t inspire anyone (except Tiger Cat fans who always wish the worst for their neighbors).
-The Toronto Blue Jays have started their pre-season games.  Experienced fans know that great results in the pre-season mean very little.  With the rebuilding Blue Jays, only the most loyal fans are excited about who is going to be the Jays new number one starter.
-The Calgary Flames continue to annoy then inspire their fans.  Just when Flames fans think their team has finally turned the corner and won a few, they stumble and lose an easy one.  On paper this team could win the Stanley Cup.  On the ice, this team may miss the playoffs because they aren’t consistent.
-The Toronto Raptors were surprising their fans with their solid play – solidly in an Eastern Playoff position.  After the Olympic break, I looked at the standings and wondered what happened?  Those Raptors are playing inconsistent ball…just like everyone expected they would.
The Post Olympics Sporting Blahs that fans might feel are to be expected for three reasons.  First, having the games on home soil creates an ownership for the games that doesn’t happen when they play are played elsewhere.  Canadian volunteers and organizers pulled off an impressive world wide gathering and celebration. 
Second, the quality of Olympic sports was the best in the world.  After watching the world’s best for 17 days, it is a natural let down to watch league teams that are interspersed with a few stars.
Finally, Canadians saw their athletes rise to the top of the world in diverse sports.   With so much medals and so many other close calls, it is hard to get over that high and go back to the real world of sports.