Hi mom, look how much fun I'm having

There are those who contest them, those who take to the streets and demonstrate against them.

Many have condemned Laura Pausini to death for performing the Italian anthem, everyone has crucified Rai Sport director Paolo Petrecca for a commentary that seemed like a joke (never underestimate commentators, ever).

But there's a detail, of these wonderful, unforgettable Olympics under the snow, that creeps in, you notice it, you sense it between the lines of words and faces. And yet you never hear the same sentence at the end of a football match, of our national football.

"We had fun," "I had fun, it was great," all the medalists, not just Italians, keep repeating it, in perfect Olympic style. Many don't do it for the money; for many athletes, even those on the podium, "winter" sports aren't a job, while soccer is, indeed. But you never hear them say, "We beat Napoli, it was fun," or "I enjoyed it." There's a stony seriousness behind the young, sculpted faces of our players.

Untie yourselves a bit, kids, life is beautiful even in the middle of a meadow. After all, it's a game, in Cortina or San Siro.