With a Wink and Bow, Sochi Shuts Off Lights

With a sweep of the men's bobsled for the home team and Sochi's final gold medal given out, Russia gave a wink at the little Olympic ring that couldn't in the opening ceremony and closed out its uber-expensive Olympiad today. Kicking off at 20:14 local time, in honor of the year Vladimir Putin tried to reboot his country's image with the $51 billion athletic bonanza, mother Russia flashed highlights of its 17 days of sports glory amid fireworks and chants of "Ro-ssi-ya!" reports the AP. Putin himself politely clapped throughout the event, and well he should—Russian athletes finished first in gold medals with 13, and first overall, with 33, notes the AP.