It's Almost Show Time

A few random thoughts on the eve of what should be the greatest sporting festival Canadians have ever seen:

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So VANOC boss John Furlong fesses up and says Wayne Gretzky won't be the one lighting the cauldron during Friday night's opening ceremony.
So good on 'em, I say.

Much as there was a growing groundswell of support for The Great One — who has always been a fine ambassador for a fair land, no doubt — it says here that the honour should go to a legend from our Olympic past. Preferably from the Winter Games and with a B.C. connection.

Come on down, Senator Nancy Greene Raine, a double medallist (one gold, one silver) in 1968 in Grenoble who calls Rossland, B.C., home (she and her husband, Al, run the Sun Peaks Resort). And, oh yeah, Canada's female athlete of the 20th century.

Impeccable credentials, indeed, don't you think?

But if it's Gaetan Boucher — the Sarajevo 1984 double-gold medallist who inspired a generation of long-track speed skaters who just might clean up at Vancouver 2010 — no complaints here. 

The secret will be no more in about 24 hours.

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Much has been made about Canada's 'gold-medal drought' on home soil (we baked a bagel at Montreal 1976 and Calgary 1988) and how long it might take to end said misery.

It says here it'll be a shock if it takes past the first weekend.

Unlike the Summer Olympics, in which the majority of our medal hopes tend to be in the second week, we've got plenty of shots at snaring gold from start to finish in Vancouver. Might be moguls skier Jenn Heil on Day 1 of competition Saturday. Or short-track speed skater Charles Hamelin. Or downhill skier Manny Osborne-Paradis.

Point is, it's going to happen. And sooner rather than later.

Cue up the national anthem. Get the red maple leaf ready.

We're going to soar like never before at home.