You’d have to be living under a rock not to know that the 20th Winter Olympic Games have been… You’d have to be living under a rock not to know that the 20th Winter Olympic Games have been on your TV for the past week and a half.

Or maybe not.

According to The New York Times, viewers would much rather watch American Idol wannabes compete with each other than watch an hour of the Olympics.

“American Idol” averages 26.3 million viewers, and has 10 million more viewers than the Olympics. Needless to say, NBC’s Winter Olympics ratings are rapidly skiing downhill without a pole or tree to stop their momentum.

But while the Olympics isn’t “must see” TV, could it be “must see” fashion?

Roots, a long-time Canadian Olympic uniform designer, was recently beat out by Hudson’s Bay Co., Canada’s oldest corporation and largest department store. And if you ask me, it’s about time.

Roots has been the official Olympic outfitter for not only the United States and Canada, but also British teams, since the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. And in 2001, Roots was tagged official when P.Diddy, Celine Dion, Pamela Anderson and Prince Charles were caught styling the popular red beret.

But this year, Roots will no longer outfit Canada, and the Canadian athletes will finally put the red beret to bed.

Last November, Hudson’s Bay Co. beat out the Toronto-based outfitter, revealing a new line of bright red pullovers, T-shirts, yoga pants and even sherling hats. HBC will continue to represent Canada until 2012, giving its athletes soft and comfortable fabrics in high-tech and versatile fashion.

At one time the classic red Roots apparel was fresh, hip and defined as the haute couture of the Olympics, but after years of seeing the same merchandise over and over again, it’s more than time for a change.

Not only do the Roots hoodies look like polar fleeces – they’re not exciting and are similar to something you’d throw on right before you paint the house – but the bright red T-shirts no longer grab viewers’ attention amidst the sea of other daring colors.

However, in support of the outdated manufacturer, athletes are fond of Roots because they have been accustomed to working closely with them to ensure that the products meet their athletic needs.

I can’t speak for the masses, and I’m clearly no athlete, but wouldn’t you rather be labeled as a fashion-forward Olympian than a typical, untrendy team player?

All this fashion controversy over who will be the official Olympics outfitter continues to confuse me.

I remember watching the 2002 Winter Olympics and feeling bewildered. Sports designers were competing for my attention and left me feeling like I was being auctioned off for my money that I’ll never even spend on athletic apparel.

Similar to a bizarre fashion show coupled with sports, the 2002 Winter Olympics were too perplexing for my liking. United States athletes sported Roots apparel during the opening and closing ceremonies and during off-hours, but then switched over to Nike and Adidas at the podium. Therefore, I never knew what to expect.

And let’s not even mention the no-name brands that caught my eye – who were they and why were they on my TV screen?

All of this fashion rivalry brings a new element to the Olympics competition. It’s sort of like shouting, “Who cares that more than 2,500 athletes from 85 nations are competing in 15 sports, Olympics outfitters are competing for 1st place in the fashion world and we must decide upon a winner!”

But is there really a competition now that HBC has taken over?

If HBC is seemingly more fashion forward while Roots is merely sticking the U.S. logo on basic T-shirts and sweat pants, there’s no more competition, right? Let’s examine the facts:

HBC has racy stripes and a variety of color; Roots does not. HBC offers bold zippers and unusual emblem placements; Roots is simple and uninspired. HBC adds flare and hope for a fashionable Olympics future, while the Roots is still stuck on the red beret. Need I say more?

As for the United States’ official outfitter, we are still going strong with Roots and will probably don the Canadian apparel until the end of time – unless, of course, they get rid of the beret, which is highly unlikely.

You can show your support for the U.S. team’s athletic fashion by purchasing items from the Roots 2006 U.S. Olympic Team Collection, which is available at Target stores nationwide.

Deena’s favorite Winter Olympics events are bobsledding and freestyle skiing, and she wouldn’t dare watch “American Idol” or “Desperate Housewives” over those events. But if they are aired Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. when “Lost” is on, rest assured there won’t be any Olympics watching that night. Contact Deena at [email protected].