"Finally, tonight, the Winter Games. Count me among those who don’t like them and won’t watch them ... Because they’re so trying, maybe over the next three weeks we should all try too. Like, try not to be incredulous when someone attempts to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world’s greatest athletes, despite a paucity of blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. Try not to point out that something’s not really a sport if a pseudo-athlete waits in what’s called a kiss-and-cry area, while some panel of subjective judges decides who won ... So if only to hasten the arrival of the day they’re done, when we can move on to March Madness — for God’s sake, let the games begin."

That was the ever 'too' outspoken  American sportscaster Bryant Gumbel prior to the opening of the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy. This is unfair, but the emergence of African-American speed skating sensation,  Shani Davis, reminded me of Gumbel's foolish words.  Don't blame me, blame Gumbel.  By all accounts, Davis seems like a nice guy trying to stay focused on his quest to become the first African-American to win a Gold medal in the Winter Olympics. I'm just wondering whether Gumbel will tune into this year's edition of the Winter Games in Vancouver...?  I know I will tune in to see Davis, and I will also be watching the Canadian squads, and other athletes from other countries, from various ethnicities.