Six points about the winter games

First, the closing ceremony went off on Sunday 22 without a hitch. Indeed, it was inspiring. The ceremony was designed as a tribute to Italian culture, and well as a hand-off to the not-so-far-away site of the next winter games, (2030), the French Alps

Second, this was so far as I can remember the first Olympics in which there was a public controversy that involved the rules of curling. Curling is the odd sport in which some of the athletes seem to busy themselves sweeping dust out of the way of a sliding rock. Even at Olympics time, that best of all times for recognizing odd sports, the outside world usually manages to ignore these guys. A controversy over curling?

Third, the location was not so much spread out (as they always are), it was split. Two distinct hubs. The Milan area got the ice events, the Cortina area got the snow events. There are about 410 kilometers, or 250 miles, between the two cities.

Fourth, indulge my old-man moment. Why do the winter games no longer take place in a leap year? When I was growing up both sets of games took place in the leap year. Ah, back in the day. I guess that was too much excitement for one year, or the Olympics bigwigs decided there was more profit to be made by spreading thing out. Or something.

Fifth, this Olympics will be forever remembered as the one that featured the rise and fall of the Quad God, Ilia Malinin. Pictured above.

Sixth and finally, there is philosophical reflection to be had in contemplating the frustrated comeback and not-at-all-storybook- collapse of Lindsay Vonn, the great woman's skier. Sometimes, the pursuit of the storybook miracle is a trap.

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