Serious question -
Is there any positive/ good news coming out of Russia? Cause, it kinda seems like Russia hosting the Olympics has be an absolute failure.
Printable View
Serious question -
Is there any positive/ good news coming out of Russia? Cause, it kinda seems like Russia hosting the Olympics has be an absolute failure.
Austrian Men won a gold in the downhill so the abject failure that was the Austrian Men's ski team in Vancouver will not be repeated.Quote:
Originally Posted by -Dustin
Poland won the Men's Normal Hill in the ski jump. I think it is largely a remnant of the cold war with the American News Media still hoping for an enemy called the Soviet Union.
The women's ski jump should be totally cool with Japan's Sara Takanashi against a strong American team. The athletes are just as good if not better than ever.
Also, men's hockey hasn't even started yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by -Dustin
Good thoughts, perhaps you are correct. Despite a president that likes to be photographed while doing shirtless feats of strength, I do think Russians have a different view/appreciation of artistic athletic stuff. Ask 10 dudes here in the US if they would prefer their son to play football or study ballet and I think you know what nine of the ten dudes would say.Quote:
Originally Posted by j44ke
Well, there's that too. My pilates instructor who is a retired ballet dancer said he was shocked (his word) by how many male Russian ballet dancers were straight and as macho as any football player. Though I guess given the latest news from the football program at Mizzou, society's expectations of "gay" as a definition of type or behavior are being challenged more and more openly. Hopefully all fathers will eventually just want their son (or daughter) to kick ass & have fun at whatever they do.Quote:
Originally Posted by shoney
Woohoo!
http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/A...0_16x9_992.jpg
Nice picture of Dominique Gisin and Tina Maze sharing gold hand in hand in the downhill today.
I learned yesterday that you'll tucker yourself right out if you watch cross country while riding the trainer.
Worse for them though. The snow conditions had to be brutal, mashed potatoes in the sun and hard ice in the shade. I was at the JO's in Truckee when it was like 65 degrees and kids were passing out after their races. I can't believe anybody was still standing at the end of theirs in Sochi.
And the obligatory BPL tangent: was flipping over to that game, Chelsea again and David Luiz' backheel in the box to Ivanovic off a corner was ridiculous. The ability of those guys just pisses me off because I can't even run in a straight line any more.
Karma bit Shawn White in the ass, finishing 4th in the half pipe.
He pulled out of the slope style in order to focus solely on the HP, trying to win a 3rd gold. Good for his multi-millionaire self, but bad for team USA who didn’t have time to replace him in that event.
Think of the guy (and the list of guys who’d give anything to go to the olympics) who finished 4th in the Slope style trials and didn’t make the team…
For the record, been a fan of SW since he was a little grom on a skateboard, but not a fan of the call he made.
Because they draw a crowd. People love some ice dancing. I'm not a fan of the subjective nature of the scoring system, but I cant think of a better way for these atheletes to compete. The competitions that are judged aren't going anywhere anytime soon, so it is what it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by TMB
Watching the opening ceremony was freakin brutal. I felt awkward listening to the commentary of Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera. Condescending and off color remarks abundant, references that made no sense, etc. It was the same situation for Bejing. Just shut the eff up.
The games themselves, I love watching these competitions. Alpine events, speed skating, xc skiing, biathlon... the list goes on. I watched a bit of the women's curling last night, and even that was enthralling. The level of play, overall, is just awesome. My favorite thing to see is the athelets that are able to elevate their game to new heights at what is the pinnacle of their careers. Talk about performing under pressure. Wow.
In Russia, toilet shits on you.
Women's has, and it has been very entertaining.Quote:
Originally Posted by robin3mj
Last gripe about NBC (I hope): they prioritize broadcasters above the event they're broadcasting. Speak as much as possible. Tell people how they should feel. Never let an event speak for itself when you can manufacture some cheese. I hope they're falling behind the tastes of an audience that will actively seek better options but I wonder.Quote:
Originally Posted by BShow
During the Vancouver games I was happy to discover unedited pool camera feeds.
I agree on the horrible announcers, luckily if you watch the full length live/replays of non-US centric events the announcers are much better.
I've been watching the nordic events on crosscountryski.us, albeit one day delayed, and the coverage has been fantastic. End-to-end race coverage from clipping into their skis before the start to falling down in a heap at the end. And the racing has been awesome. It reminds me why I don't really care for cycling any more!Quote:
Originally Posted by sailor
I keep coming back and reading this. I can't decide if you are serious or not.Quote:
Originally Posted by -Dustin
I guess the answer depends entirely on where you get your news from. There have been no shortage of tremendous performances and stories.
Last night's near win by Japan was a classic underdog Olympic game...lots of fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by TMB
Evgeny Plushenko is the next thing to a god in Russia. And he likes the women (too many women, but ..)Quote:
Originally Posted by Craven Moorehead
Guy can't even put a helmet on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott G.
http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_as...7_L_medium.gif
That’s because when Putin was a kid, they didn’t wear no ‘stinkn’ lid, the goals were made from rusting Panzer parts, pucks were made of solid steel, and they used their skates skinning elk.Quote:
Originally Posted by whale_spout
I watched USA v. Canada and that was some of the best skating and goal-keeping I've seen anywhere. It was on a television on the Cross Sound Ferry from New London CT to Orient Point, NY, and the room was full of guys in work boots and Carhart hoodies and everyone was watching.Quote:
Originally Posted by TMB
Glad to hear that. Women's hockey is the forgotten child a lot of the time, but frankly is often far more entertaining than the Men's game. I went to a bunch of the womens' games in Vancouver. Good hockey.
I'm not talking about performances. It's the Olympics. Those are a given. I'm talking about the non-sporting press.Quote:
Originally Posted by TMB
When does Men's hockey start? Sorry ladies but I've got no love for you, and neither does my wife.
Figure skating is a waste of ice time. There I said it. So with that in mind, why don't they score the team skating event like they do track and field. Everybody does their event and points are awarded based on finishing position. Highest cumulative score wins. Now I only glanced at this waste of ice time and didn't get a full grasp of it's rules, but it appears that they are essentially doing all of the figure skating TWICE. When does hockey start again?
Please give me a link to save me from the NBC misery.Quote:
Originally Posted by sailor
Thanks much,
Byron
Talk about getting a crappy draw, Slovenia opens the hockey tournament with a game against Russia.
Poor bastards are going in circles. Their goalie is keeping them in it to this point, but he can only do that for so long.
somebody help me.
the event where they roll the rock down the ice.
what the hell is it with the brooms?
plz make it one sentence. thats how much time in my life i have allocated to this question.
Thank God they have super slo-mo replay in that sport, I'd never be able to follow it without that.
(US) Mens started this morning, some started yesterday. I watched half pf the US vs Slovakia game on dvr so far. US looking pretty solid. Chara is going to come back really tired this year if they Slovenians expect him to carry all the weight.Quote:
Originally Posted by abbeyQ
I enjoy watching the womens because you can really break down the strategies easily on the big ice. Mens more so than in the NHL too, but its so fast these days. That said, a lot of the ladies teams are so far behind the big guns it can get rather boring. The US team is incredible, Canada also played great yesterday. I think the women took a big jump from vancouver, and a big jump before then too, there doing things I've never seen women attempt.
One more thing about womens hockey, the penalty calls are insane, this is still hockey.
And one more thing about NBC, I still hate Pierre McGuire. I thought I would get a break from him watching the Olympics, I was wrong.
The brooms makes a thin, slippery water layer that helps the stone go straight when it's natural tendency is to "curl" slightly to one side due to the spin the thrower imparts upon release.Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveP
Gah! When does figure skating end? I have absolutely no interest in any of the disciplines of that sport, yet it seems to dominte the coverage. Bring on biathlon, the skeleton, XC, speed skating...anything but figure skating.
Probably needed to be in the grump thread.
tksQuote:
Originally Posted by Nathanrtaylor
..
It's been a long time since I've played hockey, but I remember playing against a couple of girls in my pee wee days. Always drove me nuts when they wanted to half play with the boys. It's all or nothing little lady. Of course I was ~ 5' 9" in the fifth grade without skates on so I imagine I could seem a bit intimidating.Quote:
Originally Posted by s_curran
Per request here is the link to the full replays
2014 Winter Olympics Live Extra Schedule | NBC Olympics
Announcer quality varies by sport, the alpine announcers are slightly annoying, the speed skating and nordic ones are much better. You need to log in with a cable subscription, I borrowed one from a family member. I tried streaming the CBC but the VPN made the video too choppy to watch, and NBC has solid speeds. I also have noticed I can fastforward most events but not the alpine skiing.
norway can suck it.
we took all 3 medals in the thing where you ski along a fence and then ski backward for awhile and then turn around and go forward.
haha
america #1.
That was a great game.
Southerner with no knowledge of hockey. But, SNAP! What o game. The pressure on Oshie must have been great, kid is a baller.. Outsider looking in and all. Rowdy
That was a great game and end....hard to believe that wasnt even for a medal!
Small point but they don't use brooms any more. Brushes now. Only brushes. Usually foam so no hairs can be left on the ice and cause a rock to either die or go off line.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nathanrtaylor
Brooms were made of corn fiber and they left corn all over the ice. But man, the sound of two powerful brushes working the corn brooms in a closed space ... Holy smoke.
I was at a major-junior game last night. One of the blue liners on the visiting team was 17 yrs old. 6'7" and 245 pounds. He was the only thing you saw on the ice when they came out for the warm up.Quote:
Originally Posted by abbeyQ
Charlotte Kalla. Goosebumps! What a performance.
was fantastic.Quote:
Originally Posted by christian
she chased for a long time, caught and smoked the finish.
great work.