I'm back. It's been a rough week since I blew out my back. Yesterday I was able to put on socks for the first time this week, was able to sit for more than a minute, and today I'm walking without a pronounced limp for the first time thsi week.

Thanks to everyone who sent along kind words and home remedies. My keys to recovery were chiropractic appointments, lots of ice, and spending Friday off my feet. If you have anyone in your life with lower back problems, be kind to them. I had trouble this week getting out of bed without screaming.

Today will be a good test for my back - I'm covering hockey with Russo and planning to sit and watch three great games. The Russians and Czechs just started, and Alex Ovechkin just buried a Czech defenseman with a check. The Americans will feel the full wrath of Canada and its fans in a few hours. Then the Swedes and Finns play later tonight in a remach of the 2006 gold medal game.

For some strange reason, the media has tremendous seats in Canada Hockey Place. Russo and I are sitting close to center ice, not far behind the penalty boxes. This is a treat. Just got to see consecutive breakaways from Ovechkin and Jagr. Both failed to score.

-Had Brian Duensing, David Kahn and Russo on the radio show this morning. As I told Kahn, I think the right approach to last year's draft, in retrospect, would have been to take Rubio (I still like the pick) and Steph Curry, and then I would have kept Ty Lawson. That would have given the Wolves a good young point guard (Lawson), a good shooting guard (Curry) and, in Rubio, either a tradeable asset or a guy who would have played well with Curry.

Jonny Flynn has talent, but I'm not sure he's a true point guard. He's more like a shooting guard who's too small to play the 2.

-I'll be doing Olympic updates at 8:05 a.m. Monday through Friday on am-1500. I'll also be on WJON in St. Cloud at 7:45ish each morning.

-I'll be updating the blog more often now that I'm up to speed. Be back later this afternoon. Enjoy the hockey.

I would not want to be sitting behind the Czech fans. The flags they are waving are huge.