Once Upon A Winter's Night...

This section comments on the opening of the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Actress Sophia Loren carried the Olympic flag and Luciano Pavarotti sang. A Ferrari drove onstage while speakers blared the theme from "Rocky." The Olympics are about the national pride of the host country. They also bring in anxieties. Danish athletes received extra protection because of threats surrounding the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. There are also internal controversies. Yet the refuge of sport keeps fans and athletes coming back for the Olympics, year after year.