Olympic roundup

Ski jumping team loses bet
Maybe Stephen Colbert is right -- maybe we are all just a bunch of syrup suckers after all. Members of Canada's ski-jumping team made a bet with their American counterparts based on whoever finished lower in the standings during yesterday's competition. The wager is called the "Syrup Slam" because the losers have to chug a significant amount of mapley goodness.  The U.S. ended up placing 11th out of 12 teams and Canada came in dead last. In other words... start sucking!

Liquor sales to be restricted, again
We can expect more hockey-related liquor store closures in Downtown Vancouver if Team Canada stays alive in the men's hockey tournament.  B.C.'s liquor licensing branch says due to an unprecedented number of intoxicated people, it must do what it can to keep the games safe for everyone.  Over the weekend, Vancouver Police ordered 15 stores in the downtown core and the West End to close early.

Loud and proud, but maybe too much
We certainly have been cheering loudly during the Olympics but perhaps a bit too loudly. The Canadian Olympic Committee admits some athletes may have been thrown off by the unprecedented fan energy seen at games venues.  Olympic team boss Nathalie Lambert attended both the Montreal and Calgary games and says the level of frenzy in those cities doesn't even begin to compare to the vibe in Vancouver and Whistler.

No 24 hour shopping extravaganza
There won't be any marathon shopping at The Bay's Olympic Superstore in Downtown Vancouver after all.  The retailer was set to be open 24 hours a day for the final weekend of the Olympics, but those plans were scrapped because of security concerns.  The Bay was open around the clock on Saturday but many customers complained about being hassled by rowdy partygoers while waiting in line.

Olympic failures to be evaluated
The controversial "Own the Podium" program will get an autopsy once the Olympics are over.  Canadian Olympic Committee boss Chris Rudge says he will investigate why our athletes have only been able to win 10 medals so far. Rudge admits we would be living a "fool's paradise" if we thought we could catch up to the Americans who now lead with 25 medals. The "Own the Podium" program has cost $110 million dollars -- more than half of which has come from taxpayers.