It was truly heartbreaking.

(Rochette’s long program was similarly moving and masterful: She took the bronze medal.)

So White had already clinched gold by the time he dropped in for his second go-round.

Winter Olympics 2010 | JOANNIE ROCHETTE’S SHORT PROGRAM The Canadian figure skater took to the ice two days after the sudden death of her mother — and delivered a

Xinhua/Landov

It could have been a throw-away.

But what does he do?

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THE U.S.

Winter Olympics 2010 | STEPHEN COLBERT CRAWLING INTO NBC’S FAUX FIRE Oh Stephen Colbert, thank you for bringing your unique brand of truthiness to NBC’s winter lodge set. By

NBC

BEATING CANADA IN HOCKEY EVEN ONCEEven if the gold-medal upset wasn’t meant to be damn it!

watching the underdog men’s team pull out a preliminary-round victory against the host team Feb. 1 was thrilling.

In fact, it was downright golden.

Winter Olympics 2010 | SHAUN WHITE’S VICTORY RUN He played it safe in his first half-pipe run — and it was still better than any of the other snowboarders'.

Kyodo/Landov

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THE ‘‘PERFECT DAY’’ ADSBest ad of the Games?

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EVAN LYSACEK’S FIST PUMPHe’d just given the performance of a lifetime.

So who can blame the figure skater for celebrating atadearly?

Winter Olympics 2010 | JULIA MANCUSO’S TIARA If Lindsay Vonn is the darling of the American women’s ski team, then Mancuso — who took home silver medals for the

Dpa/Landov

(He was punching the air before he’d even finished his long program.)

A frontrunner before her tumble, she continued on somehow managing to win the bronze medal.

It later turned out that she had been skiing with four broken ribs and a collapsed lung.

Winter Olympics 2010 | THE U.S. BEATING CANADA IN HOCKEY — EVEN ONCE Even if the gold-medal upset wasn’t meant to be — damn it! — watching the underdog

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

(Somewhere, Julia Mancuso was kicking herself.)

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THOSE COMMERICALS FOR BRITISH COLUMBIAOkay, so they’re a little cheesy.

But you gotta admit it was fun discovering a few stars who were secretly Canadian.

Winter Olympics 2010 | THE ‘‘PERFECT DAY’’ ADS Best ad of the Games? To our own Annie Barrett, it had to be Gretchen Bleiler’s AT&T commercial featuring Lou Reed’s

Besides, those shots of Ryan Reynolds in his lumberjack gear were positively swoon-worthy.

Winter Olympics 2010 | EVAN LYSACEK’S FIST PUMP He’d just given the performance of a lifetime. So who can blame the figure skater for celebrating a tad early? (He

Kyodo/Landov

Winter Olympics 2010 | SKIING THROUGH PAIN On Feb. 17, Slovenian cross-country skier Petra Majdic took a spill (that’s an understatement: she basically fell down an icy ravine) in

Reuters/Mike Segar/Landov

Winter Olympics 2010 | JOHNNY WEIR’S CROWN OF ROSES From hot-pink corsetry to a feather glove named ‘‘Camille,’’ the American figure skater is never afraid to make a fashion

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Winter Olympics 2010 | THOSE COMMERICALS FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA Okay, so they’re a little cheesy. But you gotta admit it was fun discovering a few stars who were secretly

Winter Olympics 2010 | THE WHALES IN THE OPENING CEREMONY Killer whales have gotten a bad rap in the past few weeks. But there’s no denying their beauty —

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Winter Olympics 2010 | AL MICHAELS' SELF-CONGRATULATION Watching Olympic hockey was made all the more exciting by the presence of commentator Al Michaels. Watching him pat himself on the

Paul Drinkwater/NBC