I continue to hear from people who are ignoring the winter Olympics. I don't understand how you can't get involved in a competition that only happens every 4 years and that the athletes years of preperation can end in a split second...or....something transcendent can happen. Isn't that why we watch sports? To possibly see something you've never seen before? Case in point...yesterdays Nordic Combined. Cross country skiing isnt a great spectator sport...but add ski-jumping, an easy storyline to follow...and an Olympic medal at the end and it becomes a compelling story. The Nordic Combined has been an Olympic sport since the beginning in 1924. It has been dominated by ther Norwegians, Germans & French. The United States had never medalled in the event which combines Ski-Jumping and a 10 meter cross country ski sprint. The better you do in the morning ski-jump...the longer head start you have in the afternoon race. American Todd Lodwick started the race with a 24 second advantage over his nearest rival. Another American, Johnny Spillane was over a minute behind at the start. Lodwick led the beginning of the race but Spillane kept coming....Lodwick finally tired near the end and a Japanese skiier went off on his kick....but started too early and Spillane was able to run him down with one lap to go...he looked like a gold medal winner..but here came Jason Lamy Chappus of France who ran down Spillane at the tape for the gold. You would think Spillane would be disappointed and he probably was...but considering that America had never won any kind of medal before in this event...the silver looked pretty good. And you can make the argument that an American did win the gold...Lamy-Chappus is the son of french Mother and an american father and lives in Missoula Montana. It was compelling televison which will be repeated throughout the next two weeks. Lodwick finished 4th and another American Billy Demong fished 6th. Just a great performace by the Americans...and a great way to spend some time on a snowy Sunday afternoon.

Closer to home...congats to Matt Nichols of West who took first place in the State Nordic ski championships at Nine Mile. Nichols will be joined by Adam MArtin of Wausau East and Aslee Marshall of West at the Junior Olympics in Maine in March.

The Wausau West Boys Curling team won the State Title over the weekend. The Warrior athletic teams continue their amazing winter season.

Songs of The Day

The Dream-Michael Franks (1993) from a solid cd called "Dragonfly Summer" comes the jazzy vocal stylings of Franks who always surrounds himself with top notch musicians (this time The Yellowjackets).

A Dream Goes On Forever-Todd Rundgren (1973) one of the great pop music minds and sorely underated. This comes from his 2-lp effort "Todd".