I’m not much of a sports fan. And, given that I live on the silent continent of soccer, I’m way out of the loop on the beautiful game. However, I’ve just started following the World Cup on the Internet. (I don’t have a cable or satellite subscription so I can’t watch on TV. Like I said, I’m not much of a sports fan.)
Recently, I was surprised and happy to see that the Australians have qualified for the round of 16 or whatever the proper term is. Oddly enough they did it by drawing against Croatia while having seven players of Croatian descent on the roster. Of course, there were also three players on the Croatian roster who were raised in Oz. Isn’t international sport fun?
Anyway, I’ve decided I’m going to root for the Socceroos. Solidarity with the other large but empty ex-British colony is probably not a good way to choose a team to support, but I’m going to do it anyway. Not that my support matters much in the end.
I exhibited Curious George at the Community Theatre this evening. Overall it’s a very sweet flick, and the music lives up to its advance billing quite well. The animators definitely captured the spirit of George; it’s very difficult to not smile whenever the little guy is acting up on screen.
Silly me. I’m clearly not paying enough attention because it turns out that Cindy Klassen was already named Athlete of the Year in 2005. I don’t know if one person can be chosen two years running, but if it is possible Klassen will certainly be on the nominee list. (I could look this up, but I’m not going to because it’s not actually very important to me right now.)
It is difficult to dispute that Cindy Klassen is the most dominant Canadian individual athlete currently competing. To win so strongly at every distance in a sport with such a range of distances is truly remarkable. My knowledge of sports history is very thin so I can’t really compare her performance this year to anyone else in the past. But without doubt Klassen has been one of the most exciting athletes I’ve had the joy to see perform in quite some time. I’m looking forward with great anticipation to the next few years leading up to Vancouver 2010.
It would appear that the fastest women on the long blades must now be the favourite to be chosen Canada’s female athlete of the year. And, that in a year that is still mostly ahead of us. Truly remarkable.