Winter Olympic's coverage, including a live on the spot report from Vancouver

I'm currently enjoying the Winter Olympics' coverage, in between bouts of wedding photo sorting - I have got the 500 shots down to about 80 and sickness - basically a persistent cold that has more than outstayed its welcome, I've been trying to get it to pack it's bags for the last two weeks but as soon as the taxi arrives to pick it up it gets scared off by a big sneeze and hacking cough.

As a skier I'm ashamed to admit that amongst my favourite events so far have been the boarder cross racing (no that is not trying to break into the US) and the half pipe star the Flying Tomato* (aka Shaun White). The short track speed skating has also been great fun to watch. It was really great to see Bode Miller finally get a gold medal - I love his do or die attitude and as a bonus he has a personality that he can take off the slope with him. My last sporting hero, who showed the same all or nothing spirit, was F1 driver Nigel Mansell who appeared to have traded a personality for a pair of fluffy eyebrows and a circa 1970's porn moustache.

* Who is a dead ringer for England's (since she has won a medal we can now hail her as English**) own Amy Williams, just without the bumps. If he ever develops Moobs it will be almost impossible to tell them apart....

** Works in reverse for Scottish athletes who miraculously become British if there is a hint of a victory but revert to being Scottish as soon as they lose. The same could be said of the Welsh but since they don't win Winter Olympic medals (synchronised sheep shagging has yet to make an appearance at the Olympics', summer or winter) they are hardly worth mentioning.....

It's strange, other than supporting British athletes I generally support the Americans and Canadians but that might just stop (Bode Miller being the exception) after the disgraceful behaviour of the US and Canadian teams over the Womens Skeleton event. (This appears to be nothing more than throwing yourself head first on a tray down a white track but is set to become the most talked about winter sport in the UK for at least the next four years. To be honest, I'm a bit bored of it already). God knows we needed that gold medal (although Amy would be wise not to let Gordon Brown anywhere near it, otherwise it will be winging its way in a pre-paid envelope to cash4Gold before you can say "UK Gold reserve, what gold reserve?" for about 1/16 of it's actual value....) Now I'm sorry America but how bad did you want to win? To lodge a complaint about the design of a helmet, that has already passed the sports governing bodie's rules, when you get to the halfway stage of the competition you are trailing is petty and bordering on gamesmanship. As for you Canada- wow. What have you done to your reputation for friendliness and sportsmanship - Once you had removed Amy from the podium you would still have had to get passed the two German and the American athletes before you could "Own that podium".....what would the next steps have been? Assassination, over- zealous tazering? Remember these are fit athletes not vulnerable pensioners. It would take quite a large hit to bring them down....

Mischief and  MgG do their version of the

 "Own the podium "called "Own the bed"

I can confirm they are both Olympic

Champions at the sport....

Mischief for the short snooze event

while McG won the Freestyle kipping,

just edging out a zzzzz'ing Mrs B

Let's face it, the "Own the podium" campaign was misguided at best. Yes, I applaud that you have built the worlds fastest and most technically challenging toboggan track but find it unacceptable that you should then restrict track time for anyone but Canadians. That smacks of a kid taking his ball back because he's not winning. Contrast this with the behaviour of the two German athletes who not only congratulated Amy on her victory but also hoisted her above their heads in celebration. At least, I hope they were celebrating with her and not attempting to chuck her off the podium. The footage I saw stopped short (a bit like Mrs B's efforts to watch the final run, 20 minutes before the conclusion of the competition Mrs B was out like a light .....). Yes, winning is important and should be worked for and celebrated when it happens but not at the cost of the spirit of competition...... Besides you are giving the organisers of the London 2012 games ideas, only they will probably get it horribly wrong and restrict access to the facilities for any UK competitors.

That's enough from the studio here in England. I have a real treat for you this week and with no expense spared (or even spent) we have a man on the spot in Vancouver. We sent him out about three years ago to report on the build up to the games only to find that he has gone native on us and married a Canadian (Joyce, who I'm sure still retains the spirit of friendliness and sportsmanship). He has recently taken up the Canadian past-time of falling off the roof and yes this is his first and only post in three year....For those of you mad enough to want to know anything further about Mitch he as appeared in a number of BlackLOG adventures...

• Shed Wars 
• Internet Best man
• How to go on Honeymoon without getting married

Please note that these blogs were in the days before The Beast.....

So without further ado; over to Mitch live in Vancouver***

*** Please be patient there may be a little bit of a delay as we are using UK developed and built equipment (yeah like a couple of slits in the back of your helmet are suddenly going to give you super speed and strength). Don't forget this is the country that brought the world the Austin Allegro (the world's only car with a square steering wheel.  There is a rumour that they wanted to use the same technology for the tyres to stop it rolling backwards on hills) and the Austin Princess (Like a wedge of cake on a skateboard, only not quite as aerodynamic. Best used for keeping doors open in the summer).

This is Mitch's first Blog so be kind - I will be passing on any negative comments and steal any nice ones for myself.....

Only Mitch has missed his deadline, so maybe next week


Late breaking news

• As British Airways cabin staff vote to strike, you have to ask, is it less of a case of the rats leaving the ailing airline so much as them chewing through the bottom of the craft?
• I see that Marina and the Diamonds are playing the deaf institute in Manchester - is it just me that finds that concept of a musical combo playing an institute for the deaf  hilarious?
• Watched the coverage of the ski-cross last night, 4 skiers 1 track no prisoners...even better than the snowboard racing.
• To the woman at work who thought the guns in the Biathlon were in case of Bear attacks as competitors race through the forest. Don't be silly,  it's for enforcement purposes in case Canadian athletes are struggling to "own the podium"

Left over from last week, "The Cake Maker" meets The Beast.

Yes I did get a well deserved thwack from that red bag......