It's Gold Jerry !

Monday morning came way too quickly. I had stayed out far too late with the CTV national Crew after the loss to Finland. Now the phone was ringing and I could not move. I barely was able to overcome my own inertia to answer it.
I forced myself down to the Stalag eatry and met up with Brent. He of course was well rested and ready to get at it. We were going to do a piece on outdoor markets. We had already cut our piece for today, during the weekend. So today would be just some shooting. We also wanted to get a head start on Wednesday’s item as well. It seemed to be a good plan. We would get back before 3 and cut our piece for tomorrow or at least shot list and go from there.
I had to feed a pile of stuff, Vicki’s, E-Talk, National and CTV British Columbia. Brent had booked an early feed time, so I thought I could maybe catch the Gold Medal Womens game.
When I went to the Crack House, everything seemed in order. There was a bit of a problem with the booking however, our fault really. I won’t get into the details. The long and the short of it was Terry B, back in Vancouver was able to make it happen in fairly short order. And to him I say thanks.
The TSN gang comes into feed after me. I run into Sean Cable, a cameraman from Vancouver and his producer. I ask them if they are going to the game and they tell me they are. So I hitch a ride with them to the game. Brent was back at the Village. He’s not a hockey fan and felt that he would shot list and write tomorrows story. Too bad, I think he would have enjoyed himself.
When we get to the venue, James Duthie of TSN fame, although many readers of this blog know James from his days with VTV and before that with CJOH. Anyway, James is negotiating for tickets. He is able to get us all tickets for much less than face value and in we go. This would be good. Well get inside and we will all meet up and try to sit together. Well we end up in the rafters for the first period. James and his crew end up on the opposite side of the arena. Now this would not normally be a problem in any North American arena, but like most things with this Olympic games, it is poorly designed for spectator traffic.
From our perch high above the center line, Sean and I observe many open seats in the lower bowl. We make our move during the first intermission. (Photo: Sean Cable of TSN, Denis Brodeur, former Olympian and Marty Brodeur's Dad, and Murman at the women's Gold Medal Game)As we attempt to get to the opposite side lower bowl, we incounter many dead ends. There are attendants preventing people from going into a large common area that would connect us to where we wanted to go. Now I have an all access pass, Sean however is not accredited. So I just blow by this attendant, he glances at my accreditation and I am in. Sean is right behind me. He gets stopped. As I look back, this guys askes if he is with me. I tell him he’s my camera man. Sean gets waved through.
We end up in the lower bowl sitting in two vacant seats sitting with Marty Brodeur’s family, his dad Denis, his 3 boys and his girlfriend, Jenn. (For those of you who do not follow hockey, Martan Brodeur is Team Canada’s goaltender)
Anyway we have a delightful time with the Brodeurs. The boys kept me laughing the whole night. I let them borrow my Canadian flag and they waved the hell out of it. The boys had Canadian flag tattoos on their cheeks. I asked them how long had they had them on their faces. One of the lads spoke up and told me “since Dad played on Saturday!” I laughed and said, don’t you wash your face?
Yes but I didn’t want to loose my flag!
We all cheered loudly when Canada would score. (Photo: The boys having a ball with the flag)The boys remember Salt Lake City. They are certainly hoping Dad will deliver them another Gold medal.
It was a delightful night. The women won their gold. I was there, in Salt Lake City, and now here I was watching and singing Oh Canada in Italy. It was a good night. One I will remember as I listened to 3 young lads as they gave me the play by play, through 10 year old eyes.

Danielle Goyette celebrates in what will likely be her last Olympic Games.

This was written before the men went out and got killed by the Russians last night. I can barely write I am so upset.
This will also likely be the last installment of World Wide Murman until I get back home. Internet access has been less than reliable. The logistics are screwed.
The rest of the CTV team have arrived , and I have a feeling my Olympic experience will get alot worse, before I can get some time to reflect on this. I have a ton of photos that I will post with this story, but it too will have to wait.

Thank you all for reading, There will be more, but when I get back to Vancouver.

Murman