[Open rant]

O.K., it's probably just me, but has anyone else noticed that the Pan Am Games hype-mobile is starting to ramp up to full speed, led by the pedal-to-the-"medal" Toronto media? For weeks, we've been hearing how much an event no one really wanted will cost taxpayers, the traffic trauma it's created, the lack of ticket sales (they miraculously found a "new block" of ducats this week, but hurry! They're going fast...) the problems with the confusing signs, the almost unbelievably boneheaded marketing (come to the Games - but stay off the roads or get out of town!) etc. etc. etc. ad inifinitum.

And with apologies to our mayor, no, I won't stop being a "Debbie Downer" about this. It's almost impossible to get excited about handball, volleyball, archery or any of the other non-events people aren't filling the stands to see. Yet as recently as this weekend, the stories about Pan Am have suddenly shifted from the public saying "who cares" to lots of "rah-rah-I'm-so-excited-and-I-just-can't hide it" type coverage.

CityNews ran a very long puff piece this weekend about the torch relay, with people gushing about a flickering ember on the end of a stick being the best thing since sliced pita. And CTV News at noon on Monday did their "Talkback Toronto" segment on how excited people are about the games, with not a single caller saying they weren't interested. In fact, the only criticism is that the tickets are too expensive.

The Toronto Star had a guest article writer on Sunday that went on and on about why, if Toronto really wants to consider itself a world class city, it should stop the Pan Am hate and get onboard. (By the way, he happens to own a restaurant in the core so he stands to benefit greatly from any tourists that might stop into town.)  And the Star? Well, they just happen to be one of the Games's official sponsors.   

Hey, I admit to my share of hypocrisy on this type of thing. I've worked in plenty of newsrooms where the employees constantly bitched and moaned about these kinds of labour intensive events, leading to more work for already overstressed and too few staffers, but when the red light went on, it was all "ain't this great? Why, it's more wonderful than we can ever say!" Yet just two weeks ago, these same newsrooms were doing stories that suggested exactly the opposite.

I know many here will decry my position. Others will agree. Still, I'm betting if you took a poll today and did it honestly, the vast majority of the public not only would say they couldn't care less, but they wish these games were being played somewhere else.

But over the next few weeks, I'm betting you won't see or hear that anywhere in the local cheerleading media. Because no one wants to be accused of being a spoilsport over these already spoiled sports.

{/end rant]