Paul Oberjuerge: The Russians Come in from the Cold

I can't think of anyone here who hates the Russians. Much of the time, we don't even root against them, as Americans did instinctively for nearly five decades.

The first Olympics that I went to, Sarajevo in 1984, is an example. That was when anti-Soviet fans often would chant:

"Dah, dah Ooh-Ess-Ah!
"Nyet, nyet Soviet!"

Which, translated means, "Yes, Yes, USA; No, No, Soviets." It was a snappy chant, rhyming, the way it did, in Russian. (And yeah "da" is spelled like that, but I wanted you to be able to see the rhyme.)

Now, it seems exotic.

The Russians we see, mostly other journalists, seem regular enough. They've come a long way from the stiff, gimlet-eyed, badly dressed aparatchiks who used to work for Tass and Pravda. Party hacks, spewing the socialist line, looking grim and way unfriendly.

The Russians now are just other writers and cameramen, doing what you do. They remain nationalistic, often wearing jackets with "Russia" on them, but nobody faults them for that. Canadians don't leave the media village without a maple leaf prominently displayed.

Perhaps the biggest change is how I find myself looking at Russian athletes. Instead of hoping they fail, I just examine their performance, like anyone else.

They no longer represent a dangerous, belligerent, repressive regime ... mere automaton-like puppets for a vile dictatorship. They seem like people who just want to have new jeans and a decent car and a chance for a better future, just like us.

They even have gotten religion. Literally. Have you noticed how many Russian athletes cross themselves, after they perform?

So, when Irina Slutskata skates tonight, for example, I'm not hoping she takes a face plant on a triple-triple. Whatever happens, happens. If she's deemed to be better, so be it. She's not Nikita Khrhuschev pounding the U.N. lectern with his shoe and shouting "We will bury you!" She's just an athlete trying to do her best.

Hard to imagine it could come to this, after living through most of the 45 years of the Cold War.

I've even come around on their anthem. I used to hate it. Now I concede it's a snappy piece of music. And this is the old Soviet anthem, the one they went back to after a few years of something lame.

May be hearing it tonight, if Slutskaya does what she does best. And I won't cringe watching the Russian tri-colors go up the pole -- instead of that old hammer and sickle.