2010 Winter Olympic Mascots
Okay, so maybe I don't pay attention to homegrown events enough, or maybe I was busy with Christmas/Norway planning, but I have only just now become aware of the 2010 Winter Olympics mascots.
I think they blow. You may not agree with me on this you may think they've done a fine job of capturing the spirit and essence of Canada and winter sports. If so, good for you. I'm glad you enjoy them. I invite to skip the bit behind the cut while I rant about 'em.
The keystone mascot is Quatchi. *facepalm* I mean... Quatchi? Really? Quatchi? How did that come about? "We need something uniquely Canadian... shit, we already used the Inukshuk... how about Maple Syrup? We could call it 'Syrupy'... or 'Maply'. ...no, that's not goig to work, is it? Hmm... what's uniquely Canad-- wait! I've got it! THE SASQUATCH! When people around the world hear 'Canada' they automatically think 'Sasquatch'! It's PERFECT!"
Apparently, Quatchi "comes from the mountains of B.C. and has a love for hockey. Quatchi reminds us of the mystery and wonder associated with the great Canadian wilderness." Ahh, yes. He has a love for hockey BECAUSE HE IS SO VERY VERY CANADIAN, OKAY? And he's wearing earmuffs because Canada is a frozen tundra of ice and snow.
Sadly, it gets worse. There are three official mascots. Next up is Miga, the Sea Bear. Sea Bear? What the hell is a Sea Bear?? I had to Google it (both web and image search) to find out what one is and I'm still not sure. As the back story goes, Miga is inspired by the legends of the Pacific Northwest First Nations - tales of orca whales that transform into bears when they arrive on land. Part Spirit Bear, a rare white bear unique to BC, Miga’s outgoing spirit and high energy draw her to action and adventure (which explains why her dream is "to land a corked 720 in the half-pipe one day" on the snowboarding circuit).
"Hey, what else do people think of when they hear 'Canada'? Ooh, I know! How about something we just made up right now?"
Last up is Sumi, the... God, what the hell is that thing?
Apparently, "Sumi is an animal spirit who lives in the mountains of British Columbia. Like many Canadians, Sumi's background is drawn from many places. He wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear." With a name that is derived from the Salish word "sumesh", meaning "guardian spirit", Sumi is passionate about the environment and is a fan of all Paralympic sports.
It... I just... dude, what? Who came up with this stuff? I mean, I guess I can kind of get that the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) wanted to incorporate elements of B.C. and Native legends, and I guess if you spend several thousand dollars in development you'd be pissed off if they came back with a Moose or a Beaver or a plush maple syrup-guzzling hockey puck, but does any of this stuff say "Canada" to you? Hell, does it say "recognizable" to you? When each animal has to come with a kind of a cheat sheet to explain what the hell you're looking at, I think you've done something a bit wrong.
I think they blow. You may not agree with me on this you may think they've done a fine job of capturing the spirit and essence of Canada and winter sports. If so, good for you. I'm glad you enjoy them. I invite to skip the bit behind the cut while I rant about 'em.
The keystone mascot is Quatchi. *facepalm* I mean... Quatchi? Really? Quatchi? How did that come about? "We need something uniquely Canadian... shit, we already used the Inukshuk... how about Maple Syrup? We could call it 'Syrupy'... or 'Maply'. ...no, that's not goig to work, is it? Hmm... what's uniquely Canad-- wait! I've got it! THE SASQUATCH! When people around the world hear 'Canada' they automatically think 'Sasquatch'! It's PERFECT!"
Apparently, Quatchi "comes from the mountains of B.C. and has a love for hockey. Quatchi reminds us of the mystery and wonder associated with the great Canadian wilderness." Ahh, yes. He has a love for hockey BECAUSE HE IS SO VERY VERY CANADIAN, OKAY? And he's wearing earmuffs because Canada is a frozen tundra of ice and snow.
Sadly, it gets worse. There are three official mascots. Next up is Miga, the Sea Bear. Sea Bear? What the hell is a Sea Bear?? I had to Google it (both web and image search) to find out what one is and I'm still not sure. As the back story goes, Miga is inspired by the legends of the Pacific Northwest First Nations - tales of orca whales that transform into bears when they arrive on land. Part Spirit Bear, a rare white bear unique to BC, Miga’s outgoing spirit and high energy draw her to action and adventure (which explains why her dream is "to land a corked 720 in the half-pipe one day" on the snowboarding circuit).
"Hey, what else do people think of when they hear 'Canada'? Ooh, I know! How about something we just made up right now?"
Last up is Sumi, the... God, what the hell is that thing?
Apparently, "Sumi is an animal spirit who lives in the mountains of British Columbia. Like many Canadians, Sumi's background is drawn from many places. He wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty thunderbird and runs on the strong furry legs of the black bear." With a name that is derived from the Salish word "sumesh", meaning "guardian spirit", Sumi is passionate about the environment and is a fan of all Paralympic sports.
It... I just... dude, what? Who came up with this stuff? I mean, I guess I can kind of get that the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) wanted to incorporate elements of B.C. and Native legends, and I guess if you spend several thousand dollars in development you'd be pissed off if they came back with a Moose or a Beaver or a plush maple syrup-guzzling hockey puck, but does any of this stuff say "Canada" to you? Hell, does it say "recognizable" to you? When each animal has to come with a kind of a cheat sheet to explain what the hell you're looking at, I think you've done something a bit wrong.