There’s a part of me who feels woefully behind in getting these reflections written and posted from the previous events from the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project.
But there’s also a part who’s enjoying the heck out of this trip down Memory Lane from the year that was.
That’s where I find myself today, nearly nine full months after first arriving in Milan for the second part of Event No. 42 that took me, my wife Carol, friend Tim, and Tim’s wife, Tracey, to the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Distance, it turns out, does make the heart grow fonder. That’s certainly the way I’ve been feeling culling through images and memories of our magical time in northern Italy.
With that, here then is the third – and final:-) – reflection from my time at the Olympics.
Ice Dancing with the Stars
Clockwise from upper left, that’s my friend Leif Bates looking at the camera seated amongst many other members of Evan Bates’ family; the Canadian pair embrace following their skate; Madison Chock and Evan Bates skate toward our seats; the Ice Dancing Medal Ceremony was not without controversy; Leif and I met on the concourse for an ussie; the view from my seat; the Milano Ice Skating Arena upon our arrival.
After I’d successfully entered the queue to purchase tickets for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, the event I wanted to secure first was the Ice Dancing Free Dance.
As I’m a non-skater, you might find this a bit odd. But my long-ago co-worker at The Ann Arbor News, Leif Bates, is an uncle to one of the top American Ice Dancing duo of Chock and Bates.
When I had Uncle Leif on Conversations with Sports Fans a couple years back (S:2, E:15), we talked about the experiences he’d had watching his nephew move through the highest levels of competitive ice skating and how the one honor his nephew Evan Bates and partner (now wife), Madison Chock, were lacking was an Olympic Gold Medal.
By gum, I wanted to be in the building to witness history!
It turns out so did most of the Bates clan. Seated a section over from my quartet was Leif and a host of others who’d made the trek to Milan to see what was expected to be the final competitive performance for Chock and Bates.
Adding to my enfatuation with the night’s competition was my ability to squeeze in a viewing of the Netflix 3-episode docuseries Glitter & Gold that followed the three primary competitors for Olympic medals throughout the previous ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix season.
Teams training in the same rinks with the same coaches, Americans skating for Canada, Canadians skating for France, allegations of domestic abuse, suspensions, sewing their own costumes, commissioning specialty recording of their ice dancing soundtracks, cancer diagnosis … my goodness! I felt like I was reliving my younger years when I’d previously gotten sucked into ABC’s One Life to Live.
Anyhow, we were in our seats in time to see all 23 pairs skate and it was a treat!
Unsurprisingly, the skaters hit the ice in inverse order of their standings following the Rhythm Dance program. The increasing skill was evident, even to the uniformed like us in the stands.
By the time we’d arrived to the final half dozen competitors we were becoming knowledgable about the required elements such as twizzles, dance spins, dance lifts, and 1-foot turn sequences.
Carol and I fell for the British team of Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson thanks to their salute to Scotland track (“500 Miles” and “The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond”) they skated to during their Free Dance. (See it here.) Alas, several technical errors kept them a good distance from the podium.
Everyone in the arena seemed to be fans of the Canadian pair of Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier and their specially-crafted backing track “Vincent” by Govardo (originally performed by Don McLean of “American Pie” fame). (See it here.) Gilles, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2023, and Poirier, both burst into tears – as did some of us in the crowd – when their performance concluded.
All that was left was the American duo of Chock and Bates and the French pair, Guillaume Cizeron and Laurence Fournier Beaudry.
From where we sat, Chock and Bates’ performance was impeccable. Full of beauty, grace, and the theatrics the partnership has become known for on the ice. (See it here.) I took a glance over at the Bates’ section and they too seemed to love what they had witnessed. Their scores placed them in first place ahead of the Canadians with one performance remaining.
But this is Olympic skating and that means … judges. In the end, despite what most in the skating world said was an uneven Twizzle pass by the French duo, the French judge scored them considerably higher (nearly eight full points) than she did the Americans. That difference was enough to secure a Gold Medal for Cizeron and Fournier Beaudry. (See their performance here.)
(You’re able to learn more about the judging controversy at this link.)
I glanced back over at the Bates’ section following the announced French scores and – sacre bleu! – there were looks of incredulity.
So, I guess, in a manner of speaking, we participated in a full Olympic experience during our three hours in the Milano Ice Skating Arena: some memorably magnificent performances and a judging controversy.
Sigh:-(
Look Mom, I’m on TV!
As we prepared to depart to the arena for Ice Dancing, we decided to swing by Arco della Pace to see Milan’s Olympic Cauldron.
We departed our train near the Castello Sforzesco and, as we were walking through its courtyard, I noticed someone to my left and turned to Carol and said, “Hey, it’s Ty Steele.” (Ty Steele is the Detroit NBC affiliate’s 5, 6, and 11 o’clock news anchor.)
Before Carol could acknowledge my comment, I was on my way to introduce myself to Ty and his camerman, Jake. Quicker than you can say, smile you’re on camera, we were invited to be interviewed by Ty as part of a package featuring Michigan fans at the Olympics.
Oh yeah, we never did make it to see the Olympic Cauldron this day.
You can see the entire spot below.
- Cool Post Script: About five stops into our crowded train ride back from Ice Dancing, I was finally able to look around and, as I turned to my left I saw Ty Steele. We exchanged a smile and a knowing nod. I’m pretty sure we’re besties now;-)
Oh Canada
Clockwise from upper left, Canadian goalie, Jordan Binnington, wasn’t too busy, facing just 26 shots; Canadian Captain Sidney Crosby (middle) was his team’s emotional leader; an obligatory photo in front of the Olympic Rings outside Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena; Connor McDavid takes a face-off for Canada; the arena after dark; these Czech fans made the trip and attempted to drink the place dry or so it seemed; our seat view during the pregame.
When I secured Men’s Ice Hockey tickets over a year ago, I had no idea who we might see play. All the tickets indicated was Group A Men’s Hockey.
It wasn’t until the draw to place countries in the various pools that the who began to take shape. The three highest-rated nations were drawn first into three different Groups. Canada, the top-rated men’s hockey nation entering the Games, was placed in Group A.
The IOC shot and we scored! The game we had tickets for wound up being Canada vs. Czechia.
Canada was loaded with talent that included the game’s best player at the moment, Connor McDavid, and one of its best of all-time, Sidney Crosby, and maybe the next in line to become the best player, Macklin Celebrini. Oh, yeah, there were at least another dozen future Hockey Hall of Famers on Canada’s roster as well.
As we settled into our seats in the newly constructed (and not fully completed!) Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, I imagined this is what it must’ve felt like getting ready to watch the 1992 USA Dream Team play basketball in Barcelona.
The joint was jumping and there were plenty of Czech fans in the house. With it being a short hour and half non-stop flight (for under $100 roundtrip) or a longer, yet still manageable, 10-hour drive, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.
Three of those Czechs sat directly in front of us and they put away an impressive amount of beer. Seriously, an impressive amount of beer!
Also impressive, Team Canada and Czech goalie, Lukas Dostal.
Dostal turned away 10 shots in the first period before a goal from the 19-year-old Celebrini with just six seconds remaining.
It turns out, that’s all Canada needed. Goalie Jordan Binnington saved all 26 shots he faced, and received insurance scores from Mark Stone, Bo Horvat, Nathan MacKinnon, and Nick Suzuki. The aforementioned McDavid and Crosby each contributed two assists toward the Canadian’s 5-0 victory.
Zoom! Zoom!
Clockwise from upper left, the Men’s 1500 Meter Final; the Netherlands’ Jans van t’ Wout takes a victory lap after winning the Gold Medal; the men’s 1500 Meter medal ceremony; The Sports Fan Project put me in contact with South Korean journalist, Jee-ho Yoo, and short track speedskating brought us together; one of the heats of the Women’s 3000 meter relay with the Netherlands running in front.
During this quest for 80 events I’ve strived to, whenever possible, combine multiple events into a singular trip.
Even during something like attending the Olympics, I endeavored to do so when I noticed Inter Milan was scheduled to host Juventus in an Italian Serie A soccer matchup at historic San Siro Stadium (sight of the Games’ Opening Ceremony). On the Inter schedule, about a month before the Games, it was listed as a Saturday afternoon match which would work well because we tickets to Short Track Speedskating that evening in the Milano Ice Arena.
I’ll admit to noticing the asterisk next to the start time upon purchasing tickets to the Inter-Juventus match. That asterisk said the time was not finalized.
Well, wouldn’t you know that about 10 days before the match it was finalized for 8 p.m. local time (skating was to start at 7 p.m.).
While Tim and I headed to the start of the soccer match, Carol and Tracey were off to watch the skating. Our goal was to see the stadium and watch the first 10 minutes of action before grabbing an Uber bound for skating. In my mind, this would count as Event No. 43.
Well, Uber wasn’t cooperating, so instead of what was to be a 20-minute ride wound up being a 45-minute train ride to the other side of Milan.
But we made it in time for the Women’s 3000 Meter Semifinals and the Men’s 1500 Meter Final.
And, perhaps most importantly, in time for a meet up with my fellow sports fan Jee-ho Yoo, who was covering the Olympics for South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency. Jee-ho was a guest on Conversations with Sports Fans (S:4, E:7) whom I first met in person during my visit to Seoul for Event No. 16.
It was lovely to have a couple moments together while he took a break from his coverage and I caught my breath after a crosstown commute.
Short track speedskating is absolutely bonkers to see in person, especially the relays, in which 16 skaters are on the ice moving simultaneously (four teams of four), plus officials, camera person (dressed in all white like an Oompa Loompa), and at least four cone replacers (who speed out to replace dislodged cones).
Semi-controlled chaos, anyone?
The marquee event, was the Men’s 1500 meter final. We saw Dutch skater, Jens van ‘t Wout edge 2022 Olympic Gold Medalist, Hwang Dae-heon from South Korea by less-than one-tenth of a second.
Bring on the Canadians!
Clockwise from upper left, snapping a picture of the “Arrivederci” message seemed apt upon our departure from the venue (and the Games); never in my wildest dreams as a youngster did I think I’d spot an Indiana University football jersey anywhere other than in Bloomington, let along Milan, Italy; Team USA carried the play most of the game; the Americans gather at center ice before the game; friends and family of Team USA defensewoman, Megan Keller, gather for a photo before the game; our view for the game; these Swedish fans were into the entire game.
Our final night in Milan was spent with plenty of fellow Americans in the Santagiulia Ice Arena to watch the Women’s Ice Hockey Semifinal between the United States and Sweden.
Again, when I selected this semifinal, I had no idea who we’d get to see. Though, with the American and Canadian dominance of women’s hockey, I felt secure in the knowledge that we’d see one of those two countries.
Though it was a close for 20 minutes, Team USA was too much for the Swedes. The Americans scored the game’s first goal a little over five minutes into the game (Cayla Barnes) and then scored four more in the second en route to a 5-0 victory.
The highlight for me, a proud product of the 1980s, was sitting in an Olympic hockey venue chanting “U-S-A! U-S-A!” several times throughout. Nothing can ever replicate what the feeling must’ve been like in Lake Placid 46 years earlier, but I’ll happily relish this moment.
Doing Time in (Facebook) Jail
Shortly after face off of the Women’s Ice Hockey Semifinal, I did what I’d been doing often following the start of each of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events: I posted a video clip of the beginning of the event as a Reel on Facebook.
Unlike the previous 30-plus times I’ve done this, the Facebook police or – more likely, the International Olympic Commitee’s Interpol agents;-) – reported the post and I wound up being placed in Facebook jail for a week.
Which, when I have videos, images, and experiences that I’d like to share with followers was more than a little irritant.
C’est la vie!
I can now include incarceration as part of the Around the World in 80 Sporting Events project, I suppose.
Here’s the video clip that put me in jail.
- The Last Time: The Cortina Experience
- The Time Before That: Getting There