Click here to view a story by John Oliver of The Daily Show that is very funny, but also makes some valid points about the non-benefits of events like the Olympics and the World Cup to local businesses.

Despite everything else that's going on in Vancouver/Whistler, it's men's ice hockey that is attracting the most attention here. If you saw any of the Canada/Slovakia game Friday night, you shouldn't have any trouble understanding why.

Here's an interesting article by Jeff Paterson in Thursday's Georgia Straight: Olympics make a case for NHL contraction. I would add that reducing the NHL's regular season by ten games or so would be a good idea.

A couple of other topics:

Sweden's loss to Slovakia in the quarterfinals shouldn't have come as a surprise. Talented younger Swedish players such as Mikael Samuelsson of the Vancouver Canucks were passed over in favour of several players in their late 30's by Swedish coach Bengt-Aake Gustafsson. Can you say "old boys network?" Story from Brad Ziemer in the Vancouver Sun: Mikael Samuelsson seething over Swedish Olympic snub.

While Canada's quarterfinal win wasn't a suprise, the lop-sided 7-3 score and the way Canada dominated the game was. The big loser in this was actually Russia's Kontinental Hockey League, which supplied nine of the 23 players on Russia's roster. These nine players collected two points during the Olympics, and were -9 when they were on the ice. OK, the KHL also supplied the Czechs with Jaromir Jagr, and much of Belarus' team. The KHL is spending serious money hiring players, but the league isn't at the level of the NHL yet.

"We're here in Canada. Or, as I call it, Europe with normal toilets."

Click here.

First, a brickbat to the managers of www.vancouver2010.com for a job badly done. Want to find out what the matchups are for the men's quarterfinal ice hockey round on February 24? Especially if you hold an expensive ticket to one of these games? Well, you won't find it on their site; all they have is a bunch of "TBD"'s. Instead, I found the information on NESN.com: Olympic Hockey Bracket Could Set Up Canada-Russia Quarterfinal Matchup .

To save you the trouble of clicking the link, it's

• United States vs. Switzerland/Belarus winner at noon (I've converted the times to PST)
• Finland vs. Czech Republic/Latvia winner at 4:30 PM
• Sweden vs. Slovakia/Norway winner at 7 PM (this game is at Thunderbird Arena, another piece of information that's difficult to find on the official site)
• Russia vs. Canada/Germany winner at 9 PM

Now, to the main event. One of the most quoted people here among the hard-core ice hockey fans is Alex Ovechkin, the Russian/Washington Capitals superstar. He said he would play in the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, even if the NHL refuses permission: "I'll go play in the Olympic Games for my country. If somebody says to me you can't play, see ya."

Good for him, and let's hope more players follow his example. The NHL has long had their priorities backwards; they shouldn't be so concerned about keeping a franchise in Phoenix when Winnipeg, Hamilton, ON and Quebec City don't currently have teams.

Olympic ice hockey should return to the way it was before the NHL was involved. Ask players who want to be Olympians to commit to a year. Have training camps and pre-Olympic warmup games. We'll have a better hockey tournament. This is what Real Ice Hockey Fans want; having NHL players matters only to the TV people.

Good article on the same subject by Joe Lapointe at the Huffington Post: Olympic Hockey Heaven

I started Sunday afternoon at the Richmond Olympic Oval, in an attempt to get one ticket for the women's 3,000 m. speed skating race.

This was not a success. The asking prices for tickets ranged from $250 to $400. After giving up and walking back to the Lansdowne Skytrain station, there was a guy there trying to sell a ticket for $300, despite the fact that the event was already underway, and whoever ended up buying this ticket would have had a good 15 minute walk to the venue.

I also, unfortunately, have to report that the same professional scalpers that I saw at the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer have shown up here.

I then went to Thunderbird Arena on the U. of British Columbia campus, where a women's ice hockey game between Finland and Russia was taking place. I had to hang around for about an hour, but my patience was rewarded; I bought a ticket with a face value of $50 (that's $45 plus a $5 "fee") for $40.

After the game started, there were at least 500 empty seats at a supposedly sold out event.

So, the lessons you can learn from this are:

• It's possible to get tickets here, if you're willing to pay about 20% over face value, and have some patience. Problem is, some of the events have very high face values.
• Don't even waste your time talking to professional scalpers, especially ones with thick English accents. Their sole objective is to cheat you.
• The empty seats prove what I've suspected all along, that there are significant numbers of corporate tickets out there, held by people who, at the very least, care nothing about women's ice hockey. If there's somebody you know at the Royal Bank, The Bay, or Bombardier that owes you a favour, make the phone call.

Article by Scott Feschuk in MacLean's: The Opening Ceremonies: A Whistler Perspective.

Sample: "On the other hand: The anthem was not in any way performed by Celine Dion. Let’s call it a sawoff."

Scott also mentions Ben Mulroney in the early going. I once heard a comedian, playing the role of Ben Mulroney, say, "And if you think I'm a disappointment to my parents, wait until you meet David Frum."

Yet more free entertainment at David Lam Park, in the edge of downtown. The schedule is at http://www.livecityvancouver.ca/schedule/.

Some of the acts there are also at the Surrey 2010 Celebration Site, such as Blue Rodeo, Jim Byrnes, and Corb Lund. However, the lineup at Live City Yaletown also includes:

• Canadian singer-guitarist Colin James Feb. 22
• Wilco Feb. 13
• The Dal Richards Orchestra Feb. 21. Richards is a Vancouver institution. He's 92 years old, and has been a bandleader since the 1940's. He sings some songs, plays a sax, and gives the audience a history lesson on the development of music during the 1940's and 50's. He carried the Olympic torch on Feb. 12.
• Damian "Junior Gong" Marley Feb. 24. He's the youngest son of Bob Marley.

Want to know which athletes have shown up in Vancouver, and who is competing in what? Yahoo has provided the best resource available so far: click here.

However, this only identifies athletes by sport: speed skating, biathlon, etc. It doesn't tell you which specific events they are entered in, such as 5,000 metres.

Another venue with lots of good-quality free entertainment, at Holland Park in Surrey, by the King George Skytrain station. Complete details at http://surrey2010.com/.

Some of the noteworthy acts are:

• Singer-guitarist and CBC Radio host Randy Bachman (The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive) Feb. 28
• Vancouver blues fixture Jim Byrnes Feb. 14
• Canadian country-rock band Blue Rodeo Feb. 12
• Alberta country-roots singer Corb Lund Feb. 18
• Canadian eclectic folk band The Paperboys Feb. 24

Please don't take this as anywhere near an exhaustive list; there's lots more. Glass bottles and alcoholic beverages not permitted.

Mariachi Los Dorados, an excellent Vancouver-based mariachi band, performs at Robson Square on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 2 and 4:30 PM. They also perform at Robson Square on Feb. 25 at 4 PM, but this will be a seven-piece band instead of the full ten-piece band.

List of free Olympic venues here.