Olympic Games

[05dukie]

I'm pumped for the Vancouver games to start tonight!! Is anyone else?

What are you going to watch? I love downhill skiing, xc skiing, curling, hockey and speedskating. And I'm looking forward to Mr. Colbert's broadcasts from BC.

GO CANADA!!!

----------------------

"all that baby blue in the building, I don't really like that color" - Nolan Smith, on winning in the Dean Dome

[blazindw]

I'm pumped for the Vancouver games to start tonight!! Is anyone else?

What are you going to watch? I love downhill skiing, xc skiing, curling, hockey and speedskating. And I'm looking forward to Mr. Colbert's broadcasts from BC.

GO USA!!!

Fixed your post. Much better. ;)

I'm, of course, looking forward to hockey. Also, curling...LOVE me some curling, and there's probably no sport in the Winter Olympics I anticipate more.

Also looking forward to snowboarding, downhill skiing, bobsled, speedskating and ski jump.

[A-Tex Devil]

Speaking of the Winter Games, why is the press giving Lindsay Vonn such a hard time? It's not her fault she (likely) broke her shin. But all I'm seeing are stories about how she is making bank without having to do anything. Yeah. I be that was her plan. Geez..

[kmspeaks]

I get into the Summer Olympics way more than Winter but I'll probably watch hockey and speedskating.

I found a pretty cool feature on NBC's Olympic website if you're forgetful like me and don't have some sort of DVR. http://www.nbcolympics.com/event-results-schedules/index.html Click on the sport and then it shows every event for that sport with a notify me feature. You can enter an e-mail address or phone number and get an e-mail/text when that event is getting ready to start.

[Acymetric]

Speaking of the Winter Games, why is the press giving Lindsay Vonn such a hard time? It's not her fault she (likely) broke her shin. But all I'm seeing are stories about how she is making bank without having to do anything. Yeah. I be that was her plan. Geez..

I totally agree. I heard her give the announcement and she sounded really, really down about not being able to compete.

[allenmurray]

Fixed your post. Much better. ;)


Actually, it is the over-the-top nationalism (particulalry in network coverage) that makes the olympics less enjoyable for me. Instead of focusing on the fact that there are tremendous atheltes all over the world, and making htis a time for less tribalism and a time for the world to come together n something positive, network television makes it one long the-USA-must-be-better-than-everybody-else-at-everything show.

[05dukie]

I think national pride is a good thing to have. If Canada is involved, I want them to win. but I still get really really excited when other awesome stuff happens at the Olympics. I live in Baltimore and was screaming at my TV during Phelps' races in Beijing and when that guy from Togo won his country's first medal in whitewater kayaking and when Bolt was making history on the track. Just because you want glory for your country doesn't mean that you don't want anyone else to win.

That said, watching the Olympics in the USA is oftentimes very frustrating. I remember being forced to watch Tara Lipinski's practice session (in Nagano?) because there were no Americans in contention in any other event happening at that time. And there are always those wretched Costas human interest stories that go on forever. Canadian coverage is usually more well-rounded but not so much of late. Our Own the Podium commitment will probably make for much more Canadian-centric news up there. In Italy I was forced to watch fencing almost exclusively during the Athens games. Every country showcases the events that they are favoured in but I hope that over the next 17 days NBC remembers that there are other countries in the world besides those in North America.

PS Check out Colbert's Olympic poster:
http://www.comedycentral.com/images/shows/colbert_report/downloads/colbertOlympicFairey.pdf

[Mal]

Speaking of the Winter Games, why is the press giving Lindsay Vonn such a hard time? It's not her fault she (likely) broke her shin. But all I'm seeing are stories about how she is making bank without having to do anything. Yeah. I be that was her plan. Geez..

Memories are short, aren't they? It's like no one's aware anymore that Vonn was hospitalized after a horrendous crash in a training run for the '06 Olympics, then portrayed as a genuine hero for actually racing a week later.

Mostly this is because the sports press feels cheated out of the opportunity to recycle all their Michael Phelps stories and just change the names. Also, they have no idea how to explain to people that she's the best American female skier ever if they can't point to Olympic gold medals. I love how the U.S. press thinks Olympic skiing results are more important than the World Cup season. The success ratio in terms of wins/podiums from the top skiers is much lower than almost any other sport - looking at one race in the middle of the season is a horrible way to determine who's best. Nonetheless, I still get the impression Americans think Bill Johnson was one of the all-time great downhillers based on his winning one race in Calgary.

Also, she's paying for the sins of Bode Miller, whom they'll never forgive for not winning 4 gold medals in 2006, and not crying about it afterward.

[kexman]

When I lived in michigan I loved watching CBC cover the olympics. Not as much production value, but they actually cover the GAMES!!! Plus, it is a little more neutral in their pro US coverage...since they are the Canadian broadcast channel. NBC is for all of the non-sports fans to watch the olympics:(

[hurleyfor3]

When I lived in michigan I loved watching CBC cover the olympics. Not as much production value, but they actually cover the GAMES!!! Plus, it is a little more neutral in their pro US coverage...since they are the Canadian broadcast channel. NBC is for all of the non-sports fans to watch the olympics:(

The cable teevee on the Duke campus when I was there got CBC! So we got its olympic feed as well as Hockey Night in Canada (with Don Cherry even). I agree, much less focuced on any single nation and MUCH more live coverage, with fewer commercials.

I've watched some European coverage over several Games and it's much better too. This is even the case in Germany, which would have plenty of excuses to trump up its own athletes (they are certainly proud of German athletes, but not to the exclusion of others as in the US). Almost no commercials either but their teevee is subsidized.

[05dukie]

I always liked the CBC WAY more than any American network until the Beijing Olympics. You may recall that it took Canada quite a while to get their first medal at those games and the CBC seemed to turn on their own team...calling them out and talking about their failures. It was weird and it bothered me. Still much much much more balanced than American networks though. I wish I was going home for the games...le sigh

[Duke4Ever32]

Well, this will dampen the spirit of tonight's Opening Ceremonies. :(

http://sports.espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2010/news/story?id=4909034

[blazindw]

When I lived in michigan I loved watching CBC cover the olympics. Not as much production value, but they actually cover the GAMES!!! Plus, it is a little more neutral in their pro US coverage...since they are the Canadian broadcast channel. NBC is for all of the non-sports fans to watch the olympics:(

I definitely loved watching CBC for Olympic coverage when I was growing up in MI. I even watched CBC during the Stanley Cup playoff. And I agree with the other poster who said that just because I want the U.S. to win everything doesn't mean I won't root for other athletes from other countries. As a Wings fan, I want all of the Wings players, regardless of country to do well. Stevie Y is the GM of Team Canada, so while I want him and the other Wings players to do well, I'm pulling for my country to win.

[blazindw]

Well, this will dampen the spirit of tonight's Opening Ceremonies. :(

http://sports.espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2010/news/story?id=4909034

Really, really, REALLY sad news. I pray for that man's family and teammates. They've been talking about the Whistler track for years...it's unlike any track in the history of luge, skeleton or bobsled. It's nearly straight down for 150 meters and people are routinely exceeding 90mph in speed. To put it plainly, it's far and away the most dangerous track ever. It's extremely sad that this has happened just hours before the Opening Ceremonies, where walking into the stadium should be one of the greatest moments in these athletes' careers.

P.S. Deadspin has a video clip showing the accident (I won't post it here out of respect). Not for the faint of heart.

[A-Tex Devil]

Really, really, REALLY sad news. I pray for that man's family and teammates. They've been talking about the Whistler track for years...it's unlike any track in the history of luge, skeleton or bobsled. It's nearly straight down for 150 meters and people are routinely exceeding 90mph in speed. To put it plainly, it's far and away the most dangerous track ever. It's extremely sad that this has happened just hours before the Opening Ceremonies, where walking into the stadium should be one of the greatest moments in these athletes' careers.

P.S. Deadspin has a video clip showing the accident (I won't post it here out of respect). Not for the faint of heart.

Wow. You'd think they'd pad those steel columns. That's awful. What is scarier is I think there would be spectators there too during the actual races such that he would have been a missile flying at people.

[hurleyfor3]

Wow. You'd think they'd pad those steel columns. That's awful. What is scarier is I think there would be spectators there too during the actual races such that he would have been a missile flying at people.

I found a video on youtube, but I think anything that gets put up there is removed quickly.

Why the hell are those colums there in the first place? What are they holding up? Not part of the track wall. Not spectator stands. Not a teevee camera. Those columns are on the direct trajectory of someone losing control out of that curve. Doing 90 mph. He didn't have to die.

[SoCalDukeFan]

Right now I give them an F.

I live in Los Angeles. They are tape delaying the big stuff.
So last night at 7:30 pm the coverage starts. We get 90 minutes of nothing, then the athlete entrance for an hour and its 10 o'clock. The real ceremony part then starts. We could have seen it live from 4:30 on.

Now Apollo Ono has already skated so we either need to avoid the hearing about results or knowing how he did as we watch it.

Ridiculous.

SoCal

[weezie]

Stinks so far.

[northernduke]

Al Michaels has been awful. It's as if he's watching cues from someone standing behind the camera...not fluid

[terrih]

Agreed. I am completely disappointed that they are tape delaying. Seems on the weekends at the very least, they should be showing the action live instead of holding out until 11pm to show us the good stuff. Very annoying and really takes all the fun out of the event.

[DevilAlumna]

Agreed. I am completely disappointed that they are tape delaying. Seems on the weekends at the very least, they should be showing the action live instead of holding out until 11pm to show us the good stuff. Very annoying and really takes all the fun out of the event.

Sucks even harder when you're on the West Coast, and delayed another 3 hours beyond the East Coast broadcast.

NBC coverage just blows anyways - I watch only on Tivo delay, so I can ff through all the schmaltz and individual hype.

I'm also mad at the CBC for not being the Canadian broadcasters for the Olympics this year - I watched the 2006 and 2008 games nearly exclusively with them.

[Tom B.]

Nonetheless, I still get the impression Americans think Bill Johnson was one of the all-time great downhillers based on his winning one race in Calgary.




Johnson won in Sarajevo, not Calgary.

[dcarp23]

What about the proliferation of people not competing for their actual countries? Watching today alone, we saw a French gold medal winner who was born in Missoula, MT, an Australian silver medalist who was Canadian but apparently so ticked off at the ski federation that he defected at age 15, and then a Russian pairs figure skater who gave up her Japanese citizenship in 2009 in order to get a better partner to be able to compete in the Olympics.

Is this a new phenomenon? Do most people think it is legit? Is there something inherently un-Olympian about it?

[throatybeard]

Pairs figure skating is OK, but it's kind of always the same but for the selection of the music, and it always makes me antsy that I have to wait till week two for Ice Dance. (The order always goes Pairs, Men, Dance, Women).

Fortunately there's Youtube.

Outside of Torvill/Dean and Klimova/Ponomarenko, and Tanith Belbin's otherwordly hawtness aside, I think my favorite routine in recent Olympics was Grishuk and Platov's Olympic Gold- and World Championship-winning routine in 1998:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M01NrtgB9Fc

Klimova/Ponomarenko 1992 long program (JSB - Air from the Suite in d Minor)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnvBMefCngc

And of course there's always T/D Bolero in 1984. It no longer looks as revolutionary as it was then, but it's still amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAXTBiKwmgc...feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAXTBiKwmgc&feature=related)

It amazes my Winter Olympics working memory goes back that far.

[FireOgilvie]

What about the proliferation of people not competing for their actual countries? Watching today alone, we saw a French gold medal winner who was born in Missoula, MT, an Australian silver medalist who was Canadian but apparently so ticked off at the ski federation that he defected at age 15, and then a Russian pairs figure skater who gave up her Japanese citizenship in 2009 in order to get a better partner to be able to compete in the Olympics.

Is this a new phenomenon? Do most people think it is legit? Is there something inherently un-Olympian about it?

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1963484_1963490_1963932,00.html?hpt=T2

This is the story of the man that at age 51 skis for Mexico despite being a German prince.

[hurleyfor3]

Outside of Torvill/Dean and Klimova/Ponomarenko, and Tanith Belbin's otherwordly hawtness aside,

The bible on figure skater hawtess was written by Kati Witt. What on earth were you watching in 1984/88 instead? Debi Thomas falling?

The "free agent" phenomenon in the Winter games has been prevalent at least since Lillehammer ('94) in alpine and Nordic sports. That was the first Olympics when pretty much everyone was professional and nobody was Communist.

[sue71, esq]

Musically speaking, Firebird & Carmen should be permanently banned from figure skating.

[throatybeard]

Sue's right.

Witt always looked mannish to me, like Brooke Shields or Kelly McGillis. No offense to you or her. Even in Playboy...well that look was in back then.

I'll telly you who was my first skater crush. When I was 7 Rossalyn Sumners won silver in Sarajevo and got the only 6. (Italian judge IIRC). Witt won gold, but no 6s.

[sue71, esq]

I'm going to throw Swan Lake in there as another that should be banned.

My favorite Olympic skating moment was the Battle of the Brians. Brian Boitano could never do any skating wrong in my eyes after that. The Food Network show he had was another story. :rolleyes:

[davekay1971]

Don't know if it's just me, but the moguls seemed a heck of alot more fun to watch this year than I remember from previous olympics.

On a completely different olympic subject...how hard must it be to go straight from busting your butt on a cross country ski race to dropping and shooting a target? Your heart and lungs are chugging and you have to steady your aim...and the penalty for a missed shot is brutal. Kudos to the biatholon guys...that's a challenge!

[DukeUsul]

Send in the Clowns should also be banned.

I can just imagine little 8-year old throatybeard (throatypeachfuzz?) running around his living room grooving to Toville and Dean.

[sue71, esq]

i can just imagine little 8-year old throatybeard (throatypeachfuzz?) running around his living room grooving to toville and dean.

ROFLMAO! Too funny. :D

[Duke4Ever32]

I'm going to have to start avoiding the Internet during the day at work. One of the events I was looking forward to the coverage of tonight was apparently actually held during the day today, and when I signed on to check email about 5pm today, there was the result I didn't want to see (and didn't even know had already occurred) in big and bold and practically unavoidable print all over the front page at msn.com.

Sigh. So much for surprises! :rolleyes:

[northernduke]

The premiere alpine skiing event and NBC only shows 30 minutes of coverage (and it was a medal round!). How is this possible? They showed 8 or 9 skiiers (and only 2 Americans).

[Duvall]

The premiere alpine skiing event and NBC only shows 30 minutes of coverage (and it was a medal round!). How is this possible? They showed 8 or 9 skiiers (and only 2 Americans).

Well, they had to make time for the story about the polar bear capital of the world.

[Duke4Ever32]

Well, they had to make time for the story about the polar bear capital of the world.

I had to laugh because at the beginning of that segment the reporter mentioned how 90% of the people who live in Canada live between their border and ours. Say what?! :D

[northernduke]

Well, they had to make time for the story about the polar bear capital of the world.

And then we come to find out 20 minutes later it was the closest race every in the Olympics from first to third. I know it's tape delayed and the announcers in the booth can't know that off the top of their head, but at least end the alpine event with that fact/story. It's not like Colinsworth discovered that during the polar bear and snowboard segments.

[RainingThrees]

In my opinion there are too many of these segments and not enough sports coverage. No wonder ratings are expected to be down, we tune in to watch sports, I can see videos of polar bears anytime I want.

[sue71, esq]

Sheherezad (sp?) should also be banned. We should give awards for the most overused music for figure skating.

[sue71, esq]

And yes, I'd agree that last night's moguls were insane. I can't say I'm a connoisseur of moguls skiing, but wow. My knees hurt just watching.

[rthomas]

Watch a few minutes sports, get 6 commercials; Watch a few minutes sports, get 6 commercials; Watch washed up announcer talk to football commentator; Watch football commentator present a heart warming story about athlete or athlete's family, get six commercials; Watch a few minutes sports, get 6 commercials.

Repeat ad infinitum.
Repeat ad nauseam.

[hurleyfor3]

Hey, when nbc screws up, at least it slips in a Duke reference. Did anyone else catch Costas referring to his partner as Chris Collins?

[BlueDevilBaby]

I had to laugh because at the beginning of that segment the reporter mentioned how 90% of the people who live in Canada live between their border and ours. Say what?! :D

Mary forgot the "miles" part.

[Mal]

Johnson won in Sarajevo, not Calgary.

Noted, thanks. Was that the Olympics where the U.S. won like a third of the skiing medals (including a Mahre brothers gold-silver)?

My broader point I think remains.

[Tom B.]

Noted, thanks. Was that the Olympics where the U.S. won like a third of the skiing medals (including a Mahre brothers gold-silver)?




The U.S. won 5 of the (I think) 18 available Alpine skiing medals at Sarajevo:

Bill Johnson -- gold, men's downhill

Phil Mahre -- gold, men's slalom

Steve Mahre -- silver, men's slalom

Debbie Armstrong -- gold, women's giant slalom

Cristin Cooper -- silver, women's giant slalom

[JasonEvans]

Snowboard Cross is one of the great sports added to the Olympics in the past 30 years, right? That stuff is awesome!! I sorta wish they would have 5 or 6 guys racing at one time... more wrecks!!

I agree that Moguls rocks. I also enjoy the Snowboard half-pipe. Love me some Flying Tomato!

--Jason "compare these sports to speed skating... puh-lease!" Evans

[sue71, esq]

All kidding aside, how many Winter Olympic sports were there before the addition of the "X Games" type events?

1. Figure Skating (x4- M/W singles, pairs, ice dance)
2. Speed Skating (long track, x?- multiple distances/relays)
3. Hockey (Men's)
4. Skiing (x?- downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super g, and I think there's more I can't remember)
5. Cross Country Skiing (x?- multiple distances/relays)
6. Biathalon
7. Ski Jumping

What am I missing?

[hurleyfor3]

Also bobsled/luge, although women's luge was added only a few Games ago, and skeleton is definitely an X sport.

Don't knock the X sports too much; they were added so that Americans would have more things to win medals in. The ioc knows damn well who bankrolls it.

For skiing you may be forgetting "alpine combined" which is downhill + slalom. Ski jumping is lumped in with "Nordic sports" which includes biathlon and nordic combined (ski jumping + xc). There are events on two different "hills" in ski jumping, plus a team event.

[sue71, esq]

Thanks for the clarification. I definitely forgot bobsled & luge, as well as some of the combined events.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the X events at all. They're great to watch and those athletes are on the edge of crazy! (BTW, the uproar over the pants width is too funny! Not wide enough?!?) It just seemed that the number of events almost doubled with the addition of the X events, even if they appear to be geared toward North America.

[Mal]

Don't knock the X sports too much; they were added so that Americans would have more things to win medals in. The ioc knows damn well who bankrolls it.


I tend to knock them every chance I get, for precisely that reason. ;) Call me an old fuddy duddy. I don't have a huge issue with the halfpipe, although I think having it judged (which encourages conservatism) sort of goes against the spirit of strapping on a snowboard to take on a halfpipe in the first place. I do have an issue with boardercross. Personally, I think more than a couple thousand people in the world should regularly participate in an activity before it rises to the level of Olympic medal sport. This was made up as an exhibition thing less than 20 years ago, wasn't competitive in the least before the X Games and was inserted into the Olympics 5 years later. That's kind of silly. Not that the history of the Olympics isn't filled with other examples of the organizers hoping something would catch on through their endorsement of it, and promoting it prematurely.

Was JE being sarcastic upthread? I couldn't tell.

[DevilAlumna]

All kidding aside, how many Winter Olympic sports were there before the addition of the "X Games" type events?

1. Figure Skating (x4- M/W singles, pairs, ice dance)
2. Speed Skating (long track, x?- multiple distances/relays)
3. Hockey (Men's)
4. Skiing (x?- downhill, slalom, giant slalom, super g, and I think there's more I can't remember)
5. Cross Country Skiing (x?- multiple distances/relays)
6. Biathalon
7. Ski Jumping

What am I missing?

How could you forget CURLING!?!?

[sue71, esq]

How could you forget CURLING!?!?

D'oh! :eek:

[sue71, esq]

I just posted this as my status on FB:

Wow, Stephane Lambiel. Great short program. A few bobbles, but the best choreography so far.

[JasonEvans]

I do have an issue with boardercross. Personally, I think more than a couple thousand people in the world should regularly participate in an activity before it rises to the level of Olympic medal sport. This was made up as an exhibition thing less than 20 years ago, wasn't competitive in the least before the X Games and was inserted into the Olympics 5 years later. That's kind of silly. Not that the history of the Olympics isn't filled with other examples of the organizers hoping something would catch on through their endorsement of it, and promoting it prematurely.

Was JE being sarcastic upthread? I couldn't tell.

Nope, I think it looks like a fun sport. So it is not old and does not have a lot of tradition, big deal? I like watching it and that is the bottom line for me.

I agree that the X-games sports seem somewhat geared toward competitors from the US and Canada, but why is there something wrong with that? Is there something wrong with the Olympics including sports that are clearly geared toward Asian competitors like pink pong, badminton, and the martial arts?

Now, if the Olympics starts including football, that may be going too far. Who would win the silver? Canada, right? What about the bronze?

--Jason "how much must it suck to be Jeremy Abbott and have the most important moment of your life be a total flop?" Evans

[allenmurray]

I've alwasy felt that most folks consider the summer olympics the "real" olympics and the winter an "add-on". A shame, really but it does seem to be the perception.

The summer games have almost too many events in too short a period of time.

I've found myself wondering if some of the summer events couldn't be moved to the winter olympics. There are a lot of summer events that are not bound by having good outdoor weather. Boxing, swimming and diving (which despite their summertime connotations are exclusively indoor events), weightlifting, wrestling, and others could all be done in either the winter or summer. Would moving some of them add variety to the winter olympics? "Uncrowd" the summer games? Would it help viewership?

I'm just curious as to others' thoughts on this.

[hurleyfor3]

I like the winter games more. They always seem more intimate and less politically charged. The summer games almost have to be in big cities due to their scale, with each one trying to outdo the last. Also, at least with Americans, there are always athletes going into the summer games with huge expectations that you don't quite see in the winter games.

I don't think any events need to be moved. The winter games have the advantage from an American teevee perspective of occuring during February sweeps, and having a sport (figure skating) that holds wide appeal to women. When the the summer games take place most of us would rather be outside. There's already wall-to-wall winter olympics on teevee, and it's got plenty of marquee events; I don't think putting weightlifting on instead of curling would matter.

Also, a winter olympic sport "needs" to employ snow or ice. Or at least a "we can't play that sport right now because it's too warm" vein.

I've heard talk of moving basketball to the winter games over the years, but now that pros are in the olympics and everyone good plays in the nba this is a dead issue.

[Mal]

Nope, I think it looks like a fun sport. So it is not old and does not have a lot of tradition, big deal? I like watching it and that is the bottom line for me.

I agree that the X-games sports seem somewhat geared toward competitors from the US and Canada, but why is there something wrong with that? Is there something wrong with the Olympics including sports that are clearly geared toward Asian competitors like pink pong, badminton, and the martial arts?

Now, if the Olympics starts including football, that may be going too far. Who would win the silver? Canada, right? What about the bronze?

--Jason "how much must it suck to be Jeremy Abbott and have the most important moment of your life be a total flop?" Evans

I liked watching the obstacle course on the old Superstars shows growing up, but that doesn't mean it should be an Olympic medal event. :)

I don't have any issue at all with various Olympic pursuits being more popular in some countries than in others. In fact, I like it. It gives the games a lot more flavor. Not all nations can devote the resources to building medal contending teams in every sport imaginable. So I'm cool with sports that probably appeal to Americans and Canadians more than others, just as I'm fine with badminton and handball and water polo and other things the U.S. comparatively doesn't care about. Millions and millions of people around the world are competitive in those sports, even if they're ignored here.

It's the invention of sports out of the blue for TV purposes, then elevating them to the Olympic pedestal before there's any actual grassroots popularity built up that bothers me (a bit - I don't mean to sound all high horse here, none of this is a huge deal to me). I'd rather the boardercross grew to the point it was a legitimate sport with a legitimate following, independent of the world of television production, before the winners of its races got the same gold medals as those who have been cross-country skiing since the age of 5. It kind of demeans the winners in the other sports, I guess.

It would certainly be interesting to see football in the Olympics! I'd put my money on Australia being able to cobble together a decent team out of rugby/Aussie rules players, if they could just find a quarterback.

allenmurray, interesting idea. Swimming would be a big boost. You could throw basketball in there, as well - I mean, it is primarily played October-March. That would certainly draw in countries like Spain and Argentina that probably couldn't care less about the current Winter Olympics.

The only problem is that a critical component to everything in the Winter Olympics isn't the indoors factor or not being dependent on warm weather, but that they all involve either ice or snow. None of the suggested inclusions do, so you would potentially dilute the current product somewhat.

Personally, I like the Winter Olympics far more than the Summer, due to the smallish nature, and the predominance of sports that generally no one outside of snow country cares about. That's just personal preference, though.

[allenmurray]

Also, a winter olympic sport "needs" to employ snow or ice.


The only problem is that a critical component to everything in the Winter Olympics isn't the indoors factor or not being dependent on warm weather, but that they all involve either ice or snow.

I'm not a big fan of boxing, but if they did it on ice I'd watch! :D

More seriously, it is not that I think the winter olympics need anything else as much as I think the summer olympics are overloaded. A shift of some sports might allow summer to get rid of some of the overload without having to eliminate sports. My favorite part of the olympics is being able to watch sports that you never see at any other time. Thus, it is the minor sports that I find most enjoyable about the olympics, and they seem to get crowded out in the summer.

[cato]

It's the invention of sports out of the blue for TV purposes, then elevating them to the Olympic pedestal before there's any actual grassroots popularity built up that bothers me (a bit - I don't mean to sound all high horse here, none of this is a huge deal to me).

I see your point, to an extent, but the only reason that boardercross interests anyone in the first place is because of the grassroots explosion in the popularity of snowboarding. It's not like they just invented a sport out of thin air. The elements are taken from the exact thing that thousands of people are doing every day during winter -- bombing down the mountain, trying to go faster than their buddy.

How do you feel about the mogul competition? Once again, that is a new event drawn more from real experiences on the mountain, instead of the vast popularity of the competitive mogul circuit. When I was a kid, I spent a couple winters on a ski team at a local resort. Everyone on the team spent more time on the slopes fooling around in the bumps than practicing slalom.

[hc5duke]

i hate how difficult it is to figure out what time different events are on, with the dvr just showing "winter olympics"... i didn't have time to watch the games yesterday and couldn't record curling because my puny dvr can't handle an entire day's worth of games. :(

though i guess i could have looked up the time and recorded that segment.

[Mal]

I see your point, to an extent, but the only reason that boardercross interests anyone in the first place is because of the grassroots explosion in the popularity of snowboarding. It's not like they just invented a sport out of thin air. The elements are taken from the exact thing that thousands of people are doing every day during winter -- bombing down the mountain, trying to go faster than their buddy.

How do you feel about the mogul competition? Once again, that is a new event drawn more from real experiences on the mountain, instead of the vast popularity of the competitive mogul circuit. When I was a kid, I spent a couple winters on a ski team at a local resort. Everyone on the team spent more time on the slopes fooling around in the bumps than practicing slalom.

Fair enough - it's not exactly Calvinball, and the slopes are 50% boarders these days. I would just prefer that after someone overlays structure, rules, and organized competition on an increasingly popular activity, thereby converting it to a sport, that the new sport grew up on the sidelines before being elevated to the Olympics, rather than the other way around. In the "Olympics are a big thing" purist sense, I fee like if a sport can't grow enough to sustain a somewhat significant competitive circuit on its own, then I don't think it's as worthy of inclusion as others that have. Again, though, in the spirit of "the Olympics are just another sporting event and should be inclusive, let it go" I can't get all that worked up about this. And as I alluded to before, maybe it should be a priority of the Olympics to promote fledgling sports in the spirit of All Sport Is Good, Get People Active. I guess I just prefer the other model.

Interesting point on moguls. I'm not a huge fan for some of the same reasons and others (the fact that there are judges involved). Yes, a lot of people would rather spend time in the bumps than working on their gs turns, myself included, but few people want to spend so much time on it that it's become a popular sport in its own right. If you had a moguls team practice for high schoolers, there's a pretty fair chance a lot of the team would spend half their time racing on the flat slopes. :) That said, I do find it fun to watch in a "how on earth do they go that fast" sort of way. Also, I've never seen a big ramped jump in the middle of a mogul field with a nice flat landing area beneath it, so that cuts against the natural outgrowth of what everyone's doing anyway argument, at least a little bit.

[Mal]

SPOILER ALERT





Update - looks like we're about to finish gold-silver in the women's downhill! Awesome.

[cato]

If you had a moguls team practice for high schoolers, there's a pretty fair chance a lot of the team would spend half their time racing on the flat slopes. :)

Ha!


That said, I do find it fun to watch in a "how on earth do they go that fast" sort of way. Also, I've never seen a big ramped jump in the middle of a mogul field with a nice flat landing area beneath it, so that cuts against the natural outgrowth of what everyone's doing anyway argument, at least a little bit.

Good point. As an aside, when I was skiing at Kilington some time in the early '90s, a bunch of hot shots wearing US Ski team gear were practicing (or just having fun) on one of the bump runs I was skiing with my buddies. I have never seen anything like it. To see the speed, technical ability and jumps up close, on the same very run that I was on, was astounding. And there were some jumps on the run, not quite like in the competition, but enough so that they could do the serious tricks.

[SoCalDukeFan]

In my opinion there are too many of these segments and not enough sports coverage. No wonder ratings are expected to be down, we tune in to watch sports, I can see videos of polar bears anytime I want.

I heard Al Michaels on the radio trying to defend NBC's awful coverage. He said what is wrong with learning about the world or something like that. If you don't like it, turn the channel.

Arrogant Al, what is wrong with it is you are supposed to be showing the Olympics. I can't turn the channel and get the Olympics. I can learn about the world on many other channels whenever I want but when I want to watch the Olympics I am stuck with NBC.

SoCal

[A-Tex Devil]

NBC's general incompetence aside, they have done the Olympics before, and I think they know EXACTLY what they are doing and what moves the meter to get the most viewers, even if it turns off the hard core sports fans.

Casual American viewers want to see:

1. Figure Skating :rolleyes:
2. Controversy (the luge track is deadly!!)
3. Americans do well (Vonn)
3. Human interest stories (Polar bears.... well, they are like humans the way they use their cute little paws like hands)
4. Ice hockey (team sport, memories of 1980)
5. Amazing/surprising achievements by Americans (did we get a silver in the Nordic Combined? Whoa! -- actually NBC is not commenting on how really remarkable that is for us Americans. I mean, why the hell ski uphill if you have a ski lift?)
6. Amazing/surprising achievements by people in those other places that are competing against us.

I also believe that if NBC didn't think they'd get better ratings tape delaying, they wouldn't do it. Does it turn me off? Well, yeah. But I also think figure skating is ballet on ice that, after they removed compulsories from the competition, has as much place in the winter olympics as ballet or ballroom dancing does in the summer olympics. Athletes? Yes. Sports? No.

Back to the topic though. The ratings were going to be a debacle regardless. NBC is simply trying to optimize them.

[hurleyfor3]

Back to the topic though. The ratings were going to be a debacle regardless. NBC is simply trying to optimize them.

Apparently NBC will be losing so much money on these olympics that it will not bid on games in the future. (They have 2012, but 2014 is up for grabs.) Normally I'd want ABC to get them back, but everyone who made the games great on abc is either on another network or dead (Jim McKay). And as painfully self-effacing as Bob Costas is, he beats Stuart Scott.

[A-Tex Devil]

Apparently NBC will be losing so much money on these olympics that it will not bid on games in the future. (They have 2012, but 2014 is up for grabs.) Normally I'd want ABC to get them back, but everyone who made the games great on abc is either on another network or dead (Jim McKay). And I'm not sure I want Stuart Scott on my olympic coverage.

Hmmm.... I am curious what will happen. If I remember correctly, the summer games are done pretty well. You can catch team handball or modern pentathalon on CNBC or USA or MSNBC. I haven't been paying attention, but are they airing ANYTHING on the sister channels this time around?

The winter olympics may just be a lost cause as a television spectacle in an era with so many options. This is the second one in a row I've had just a passing interest in when I used to be an olympic addict. I think the summer games still has a foothold, though.

[Mal]

As an aside, when I was skiing at Kilington some time in the early '90s, a bunch of hot shots wearing US Ski team gear were practicing (or just having fun) on one of the bump runs I was skiing with my buddies. I have never seen anything like it. To see the speed, technical ability and jumps up close, on the same very run that I was on, was astounding. And there were some jumps on the run, not quite like in the competition, but enough so that they could do the serious tricks.

No doubt! Those guys are amazing. I was skiing about five years ago with my brother, who's the best skier I know (skied Junior Olympics, now telemarks exclusively; a couple years ago at Vail we watched a bunch of 'rado boyz shred some bumps in front of us, then turn around to watch my brother tear them a new one on his telemarks, whereupon one of them skied over to us to say "Dude, you're a god!"). Anyway, at one point Tamara McKinney was on the chair right behind us so we followed her group for a run. Even my little bro said "Wow, that's awesome. It's amazing how much better she is than anyone else out here" after watching her ski.

Also, +1 on A-Tex Devil's first post above. I'd say he's nailed it on all accounts.

[InSpades]

Hmmm.... I am curious what will happen. If I remember correctly, the summer games are done pretty well. You can catch team handball or modern pentathalon on CNBC or USA or MSNBC. I haven't been paying attention, but are they airing ANYTHING on the sister channels this time around?


They definitely are using other channels. I think it was MSNBC that had the 1st US hockey game (against the Swiss) live.

[blazindw]

They definitely are using other channels. I think it was MSNBC that had the 1st US hockey game (against the Swiss) live.

USA and CNBC are also doing hockey and curling live.

[dukepsy1963]

I will refrain from voicing some of my feelings about X-game sports being in olympics......but..

Something really bothers me about that red-headed kid (can't remember his name..you know him) owning his own half pipe for practice. I know, I know....but still...........

I guess I'm too "old school".....still....

[blazindw]

I will refrain from voicing some of my feelings about X-game sports being in olympics......but..

Something really bothers me about that red-headed kid (can't remember his name..you know him) owning his own half pipe for practice. I know, I know....but still...........

I guess I'm too "old school".....still....

What's wrong with Shaun White owning his own halfpipe (that can only be accessed by helicopter no less...awesome)? It's just like Shaq and many other basketball players having their own basketball courts or a tennis player having his own tennis court or Tiger having a golf course on his property. In my mind, all of these are the same. Tony Hawk has his own skateboarding halfpipe in his backyard and his own training facility. It's how the best get better.

[Deslok]

Just because you know you want to....

Online curling (http://www.playcurling.com/)

[davekay1971]

Last night was fun to watch!

Never thought I would care at all about the half pipe, but White was absolutely amazing. The kid was just so much better than anyone else. Props to him for throwing down an amazing run after he'd locked up the gold.

Kudos also to the American girls dominating the downhill skiing. Nothing bad at all about watching two hot American babes kicking butt.

[allenmurray]

What's wrong with Shaun White owning his own halfpipe (that can only be accessed by helicopter no less...awesome)? It's just like Shaq and many other basketball players having their own basketball courts or a tennis player having his own tennis court or Tiger having a golf course on his property. In my mind, all of these are the same. Tony Hawk has his own skateboarding halfpipe in his backyard and his own training facility. It's how the best get better.

I think it is part of longing for the days when the Olympics were amateur events (and I know the arguments both pro and con). That is what makes it different from your examples of Shaq and Tiger - we know they are professional athletes, we like to pretend that he Olympics are still full of amateur purity - sport for sports sake. There was a time when the Olympics seemed different from other sporting events, and the playing field more level.

I know those days are gone, but some of us old guys still miss them.

[hurleyfor3]

Hate on the X sports all you want, but Shaun White is awesome.

She looks like a dude, though.

[cato]

I think it is part of longing for the days when the Olympics were amateur events (and I know the arguments both pro and con). That is what makes it different from your examples of Shaq and Tiger - we know they are professional athletes, we like to pretend that he Olympics are still full of amateur purity - sport for sports sake. There was a time when the Olympics seemed different from other sporting events, and the playing field more level.

I know those days are gone, but some of us old guys still miss them.

Snowboarders are probably closer in spirit to amateurs than most of the other competitors. Take away the Olympics and the XGames, and every half-pipe in the country would still be packed with kids inventing new tricks.

[cato]

I will refrain from voicing some of my feelings about X-game sports being in olympics......but..

Something really bothers me about that red-headed kid (can't remember his name..you know him) owning his own half pipe for practice. I know, I know....but still...........

I guess I'm too "old school".....still....

What is "old school" about not having the respect to look up the name of one of the best American athletes in this generation?

[blazindw]

I think it is part of longing for the days when the Olympics were amateur events (and I know the arguments both pro and con). That is what makes it different from your examples of Shaq and Tiger - we know they are professional athletes, we like to pretend that he Olympics are still full of amateur purity - sport for sports sake. There was a time when the Olympics seemed different from other sporting events, and the playing field more level.

I know those days are gone, but some of us old guys still miss them.

I mean, it's not in his backyard. He owns a halfpipe. Just like a figure skater's family could put a ice rink in their backyard so they can practice there, or a tennis player has a tennis court. They don't have to be professional for these things to happen, they just have to have the money to get one.

[Duvall]

I think it is part of longing for the days when the Olympics were amateur events (and I know the arguments both pro and con). That is what makes it different from your examples of Shaq and Tiger - we know they are professional athletes, we like to pretend that he Olympics are still full of amateur purity - sport for sports sake. There was a time when the Olympics seemed different from other sporting events, and the playing field more level.

I know those days are gone, but some of us old guys still miss them.

See, I look at the other way. Allowing professionals to compete increases the chances that any advantages will flow the most talented, those with the greatest capacity to excel. In my view that's more pure than allowing these sports to be dominated by who are fortunate enough to have the leisure to pursue them without compensation.

[SoCalDukeFan]

I enjoyed last nights coverage on NBC.

I had go to be bed at 10:30 as I had an early appointment. What I saw was good. I understand the commercials. I understand tape delaying big afternoon events until the prime time. What I don't understand is delaying big nighttime events on the West Coast and the segments when NBC is trying to teach us about the world.

SoCal

[DukieInKansas]

I don't get MSNBC putting the results at the top of their page. If you have that set as your home page, you see results before they air them that night. Couldn't they reference the results being at the bottom of their page for those that might want to be surprised? It isn't as much fun to watch if you know the outcome.

[hurleyfor3]

I don't get MSNBC putting the results at the top of their page. If you have that set as your home page, you see results before they air them that night. Couldn't they reference the results being at the bottom of their page for those that might want to be surprised? It isn't as much fun to watch if you know the outcome.

Dude, here's your spoiler alert: endless commercials, punctuated by Chris Collinsworth pretending to be an expert on some winter sport.

[YourLandlord]

Usa! Usa!

Take that putin.

[blazindw]

Usa! Usa!

Take that putin.

An American (Evan Lysacek) won men's figure skating for the 1st time since Brian Boitano in '84! I don't like figure skating, but...U-S-A! U-S-A!

[YourLandlord]

An American (Evan Lysacek) won men's figure skating for the 1st time since Brian Boitano in '84! I don't like figure skating, but...U-S-A! U-S-A!

'88 ;)

[Duke4Ever32]

An American (Evan Lysacek) won men's figure skating for the 1st time since Brian Boitano in '84! I don't like figure skating, but...U-S-A! U-S-A!

Yeah, part of me wants to like the Russian guy (Plushenko), but I'm really glad he got his come-uppance last night. After running his mouth before last night's free skate, his post-event interview was ungracious at best. He repeatedly pointed out that he had been away from skating for 3 1/2 years (whose choice was that, Plushenko?), kept rambling about how the scoring was "different" now, and said he didn't think Lysacek should have been able to win without doing a quad jump.

Sheesh. So much for being mature and acknowledging that someone skated better than you. Good riddance, dude. Don't let the door hit you in the popa.

[blazindw]

'88 ;)

Yes, thanks. Shows how much I watch figure skating. The NBC announcer actually said '84 last night, which is where I got that from.


Yeah, part of me wants to like the Russian guy (Plushenko), but I'm really glad he got his come-uppance last night. After running his mouth before last night's free skate, his post-event interview was ungracious at best. He repeatedly pointed out that he had been away from skating for 3 1/2 years (whose choice was that, Plushenko?), kept rambling about how the scoring was "different" now, and said he didn't think Lysacek should have been able to win without doing a quad jump.

Sheesh. So much for being mature and acknowledging that someone skated better than you. Good riddance, dude. Don't let the door hit you in the popa.

Yea, he was rambling about how Lysacek shouldn't have won without doing a quad jump. This is the same sport where in '06, a pair had a ridiculous fall on a throw jump, stopped the music when the girl was hurt by the fall (apparently, it's an automatic deduction for stopping the music), she was down on the ice for about 5 minutes (you're only supposed to get 3 before you get disqualified), and they restarted the music, did their routine and got SILVER. Meanwhile, the Americans had one slight bobble in an otherwise flawless routine and weren't on the medal stand. That's why people like me cannot stand figure skating.

[blazindw]

Also, for those of you who burned the midnight, 1am and 2am oil here on the East Coast, did you see the Russia-Slovakia hockey game? Excellent game! Russia lost in the shootout on the 8th shot, but a big upset by Slovakia. Russia will need to beat the Czechs to ensure that they get a bye into the quarterfinals, otherwise they will have to play an extra game to make the quarters.

[DukieInKansas]

Yes, thanks. Shows how much I watch figure skating. The NBC announcer actually said '84 last night, which is where I got that from.



Yea, he was rambling about how Lysacek shouldn't have won without doing a quad jump. This is the same sport where in '06, a pair had a ridiculous fall on a throw jump, stopped the music when the girl was hurt by the fall (apparently, it's an automatic deduction for stopping the music), she was down on the ice for about 5 minutes (you're only supposed to get 3 before you get disqualified), and they restarted the music, did their routine and got SILVER. Meanwhile, the Americans had one slight bobble in an otherwise flawless routine and weren't on the medal stand. That's why people like me cannot stand figure skating.

I think it was Lysacek's mother who said - You shouldn't win the gold just because you did the quad.

[Bluedog]

Yes, thanks. Shows how much I watch figure skating. The NBC announcer actually said '84 last night, which is where I got that from.

Not to be overly nitpicky, but they said that he was the first American male to win Olympic gold the year after winning the world championships
since 1984. Boitano came in second in the world championships in '87 previous to his Olympic gold in '88 (although won the world championships later that year). Not sure why they added that extra criteria, but they did...I guess to make it sound like it's been longer. Not having a male figure skater win since '88 doesn't sound like that long to me. It's only been five competitions that another country besides the US got gold. We've won gold in the 3 out of the last 8 olympics - certainly, not that long of a drought.

By the way, I do think that the person who lands that quad well and has a good overall performance should win Gold. Unfortunately for Plushenko, while he landed his quad, the rest of his performance was riddled with mistakes on landings (although no major falls). Despite all these mishaps he still almost won. On the other hand, Lysacek's performance was nearly flawless. Yeah, he didn't attempt a quad, but only one guy did, and the rest of his performance was sub-par. The right person won, IMO.

[cato]

Not sure why they added that extra criteria, but they did

IIRC, they discussed it because (a) every American man who has entered the Olympics as world champion has gone on to win the gold, and (b) no man who has entered the Olympics as world champion has won the gold since Scott Hamilton did it back in 1984.

Of course, it probably didn't hurt that Scott Hamilton was calling the broadcast, not Brian Boitano. They mentioned Bointano too, just not as often.

[blazindw]

In other news...curling got off the snide!!!!!! Both the men and women won today...hopefully the tide has turned for them!

[YourLandlord]

Bode!!!

[YourLandlord]

Usa! Usa!

[JasonEvans]

Holy !#^!^&!&! we beat Canada in Hockey.

Imagine if the US National Team played Canada in a basketball game in Los Angeles and we lost. This isn't quite like that, but it is darn close.

Of course, I am not sure that this game mattered all that much. Sure, it gives the US a bye into the quarters while Canada will have to play a pretty mediocre Germany to get there. Odds are pretty good we will have to face them again at some point in order to win Gold. I fear we may have woken a sleeping giant.

Still, Canda is feeling pretty frustrated and angry right about now.

--Jason "anyone catch the Canadian skier Del Bosco who was on his way to a bronze in Ski Cross before an epic wipe on the last hill?" Evans

[Duvall]

Holy !#^!^&!&! we beat Canada in Hockey.

Imagine if the US National Team played Canada in a basketball game in Los Angeles and we lost. This isn't quite like that, but it is darn close.

Of course, I am not sure that this game mattered all that much. Sure, it gives the US a bye into the quarters while Canada will have to play a pretty mediocre Germany to get there.

Yeah, but when Canada gets there they'll have to face Russia in a quarterfinal match. Having both of those teams on the other side of the bracket strikes me as a fairly significant development.

[brevity]

Holy !#^!^&!&! we beat Canada in Hockey.

Imagine if the US National Team played Canada in a basketball game in Los Angeles and we lost. This isn't quite like that, but it is darn close.

It isn't like that at all. Basketball was invented by a Canadian.

And yes, I get your meaning. Baseball or football would make a better analogy, but each is still imperfect. I'm looking for something more exact.

[InSpades]

It isn't like that at all. Basketball was invented by a Canadian.

And yes, I get your meaning. Baseball or football would make a better analogy, but each is still imperfect. I'm looking for something more exact.

I'm pretty sure no analogy will fit based simply on the fact that the US as a whole doesn't care about any sport as much as Canada cares about hockey. Did people really care when the US started losing at basketball? I'm sure some of us did but... this gold medal means a ton to Canada and losing to the US is a big ol' slap in the face.

And that game was *huge* for the US medal hopes. If you look at the bracket setup now you basically couldn't have picked a better setup for the US. The 3 best non-US teams are all in the other end. The US could win silver without beating any of them and gold while just beating 1 of them. Canada could have to go through Russia, Sweden and then the US to win gold. Not that the US doesn't have competition but... it's a much more favorable draw.

[blazindw]

And that game was *huge* for the US medal hopes. If you look at the bracket setup now you basically couldn't have picked a better setup for the US. The 3 best non-US teams are all in the other end. The US could win silver without beating any of them and gold while just beating 1 of them. Canada could have to go through Russia, Sweden and then the US to win gold. Not that the US doesn't have competition but... it's a much more favorable draw.

That's the biggest part. We only have to face one of the Big 3, and we won't have to see them until the gold medal game. We have some tough competition on our side in either the Czechs or the Finns, but it certainly is the best bracket we could have!

Oh, and I'm wearing my Eruzione Miracle on Ice jersey in honor as I make the snowy trek to E. Lansing! :)

[Mal]

I'm pretty sure no analogy will fit based simply on the fact that the US as a whole doesn't care about any sport as much as Canada cares about hockey.

Agreed. There's also no example of a sport born and nurtured in the U.S. that now is played professionally mostly north of the border, and mostly by Americans, in front of mostly disinterested Canadians. That would hork us off something fierce. If the CFL ever eclipses the NFL, maybe we'll have a workable analogy.

U.S. Basketball's woes did weigh fairly heavily on our national register. It was a pretty humiliating comeuppance for us, and there was much hand-wringing over it, at least in my memory. The nation as a whole is not nearly as mad for the sport as Canadians for hockey, but even casual fans have always felt we own the game, and saw our self-image as deflated when the likes of Greece and Argentina or whoever were embarassing us.

Memo to Mike Babcock: Time to bench Brodeur.

[hc5duke]

What's everyone's thought on the Scott Lago situation?

Lago heads home early after risque pictures on Web (http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/snowboard/news?slug=ap-sbd-lago-picture&prov=ap&type=lgns)

He was sent home by the USSA after a few pictures surfaced on TMZ, described as "racy" but in my opinion PG-13 at worst. If you want to see the pictures it's here (http://www.tmz.com/2010/02/21/scotty-lago-olympics-apology-bronze-snowboard-photo/) -- depending on where you work it might be NSFW for sexual innuendo.

I think the USSA's decision is wrong, and was probably made because of the Michael Phelps bong incident, and with the Tiger Woods scandal fresh in mind.

[BlueDevilBaby]

Definitely not as bad as I was imagining. Not a big deal to me, but I can see where USSA might hold someone to a higher standard of behavior on such a big stage.

[JasonEvans]

Hardly a big deal. It is a funny photo and, while somewhat sexually suggestive, it is clear that nothing is actually going on.

These are young men and women (for the most part) participating in the games. Many of them are not married. What is so wrong with them legally going out to a nightclub and laughing it up with members of the opposite sex (or the same sex if that is what they are into)?

I guess if Lago had sent the photo to NBC and insisted they put it on the air or something like that I could see a little more of the outrage. But, from what I have heard about this incident, it is the USOC that looks bad.

--Jason "this actually gives Lago more 'cred' with the snowboarding crowd, I bet" Evans

[JulesInLA]

--Jason "anyone catch the Canadian skier Del Bosco who was on his way to a bronze in Ski Cross before an epic wipe on the last hill?" Evans

I'm friends with Chris Del Bosco's sister, Heather, who used to live in Los Angeles. He really gave it everything in that last race, and we're so glad he wasn't hurt.

Heather wrote this article about arriving in Vancouver:
http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/blogs/heathercenturioni/2010/02/weve-arrived-my-feet-are.html
Note: On the right side, there are links to a few other articles she wrote as the games approached.

The Washington Post had a good write-up afterwards:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/21/AR2010022103879.html

I've never rooted so hard for an Olympic athlete before!

[JasonEvans]

Maybe it is just me, but I am not sure I understood the judging at all in the Ice Dancing competition. I have a better grasp of skating when they do jumps and we can see how they land them. What I saw tonight was a bunch of really good footwork and dancing on ice but I could not even begin to tell why one was better than another.

--Jason "the Canadians won the gold by training in America with Russian coaches -- pretty cool" Evans

[BlueDevilBaby]

Maybe it is just me, but I am not sure I understood the judging at all in the Ice Dancing competition. I have a better grasp of skating when they do jumps and we can see how they land them. What I saw tonight was a bunch of really good footwork and dancing on ice but I could not even begin to tell why one was better than another.

--Jason "the Canadians won the gold by training in America with Russian coaches -- pretty cool" Evans

It's all in the deep edges, their lines, synchronicity and seamlessness between moves, not to mention the lifts. While I enjoyed the Americans' routine, the Canadians' blew me away with its elegance -- Torville and Dean esque.

[A-Tex Devil]

It's all in the deep edges, their lines, synchronicity and seamlessness between moves, not to mention the lifts. While I enjoyed the Americans' routine, the Canadians' blew me away with its elegance -- Torville and Dean esque.

So the question becomes --- why is this a sport and not ballroom dancing. Beautiful? Yes. Athletic? Sure. But at the end of the day, without compulsories, it's performance art. Not sport.

[BlueDevilBaby]

So the question becomes --- why is this a sport and not ballroom dancing. Beautiful? Yes. Athletic? Sure. But at the end of the day, without compulsories, it's performance art. Not sport.

How is it not sport if it is athletically challenging and includes competition? I skated for several years as a youngster and, even being an athletic tomboy who hated everying girly, found it enough of a sport to keep my interest. I also happen to love the "performance art" and wish there was more of it in the singles and pairs events. Chaque a son gout.

[DukieInKansas]

So the question becomes --- why is this a sport and not ballroom dancing. Beautiful? Yes. Athletic? Sure. But at the end of the day, without compulsories, it's performance art. Not sport.

Ice dancing actually has something closer to compulsories than men's, pairs, and women's. All the competitors perform the compulsory dance - same music, same steps, with the start and end of the dance being the only variable. It is still being judged but they are all being judged on the same thing in the same order and timing.

[A-Tex Devil]

How is it not sport if it is athletically challenging and includes competition? I skated for several years as a youngster and, even being an athletic tomboy who hated everying girly, found it enough of a sport to keep my interest. I also happen to love the "performance art" and wish there was more of it in the singles and pairs events. Chaque a son gout.

I don't disagree that figure skating and ice dancing are hard and take lots of strength and skill, both athletically and mentally. But so does ballet, and no one is calling ballet a "sport" (although rhythmic gymnastics is close, I guess). These are performances, artistic displays of athletic ability, similar to acrobatics, cirque de soleil performers, and any form of dance.

I think I'd prefer these "performances" as being part of the Olympics if everyone had to do the same routines, and at different points in the routines, an athlete could do something more difficult (a quad rather than a triple, this lift/throw instead of that lift throw). Otherwise, the choreographers should get medals too.

Anyway -- I think ice skating, etc. events can truly be "competitions," so maybe it's fine in the Olympics based on that. I have an old rule, though. If the winner isn't determined by objective points scored, a finish line, a time or a measurement, then it's a performance and not a sport. In other words -- can I go out there with my friends and determine who's best, if we have the equipment, no judges needed. Ski jumping and moguls may be the 2 exceptions, but there is a timed/length element to each of those.

[SoCalDukeFan]

While I have enjoyed some nights, last night was horrible.

The games are getting great ratings in my opinion in spite of NBC.

Last night started with a pointless segment of Bob Costas in a seaplane that ended with a Costas/Michaels hugfest. If you want to say it only took 5 or 10 minutes fine, but thats not 5 or 10 out of 4 hours since at least half of the 4 hours seems to be commercials.

I know that we need commercials. But do we need so many?

Aerials were fun to watch but too many ads.
I got tired of ice dancing and went to bed. Ice dancing tape delay anyway.

The right way to watch the games on the West Coast would have been to record the first night and go out to dinner and a movie. Then each night watch the previous night, skipping all the ads and polar bear stories, while recording that nights coverage. We don't get it live anyway.

SoCal

[A-Tex Devil]

While I have enjoyed some nights, last night was horrible.

The games are getting great ratings in my opinion in spite of NBC.

Last night started with a pointless segment of Bob Costas in a seaplane that ended with a Costas/Michaels hugfest. If you want to say it only took 5 or 10 minutes fine, but thats not 5 or 10 out of 4 hours since at least half of the 4 hours seems to be commercials.

I know that we need commercials. But do we need so many?

Aerials were fun to watch but too many ads.
I got tired of ice dancing and went to bed. Ice dancing tape delay anyway.

The right way to watch the games on the West Coast would have been to record the first night and go out to dinner and a movie. Then each night watch the previous night, skipping all the ads and polar bear stories, while recording that nights coverage. We don't get it live anyway.

SoCal


When an expert was asked about the "Polar Bear" human interest piece, he responded:

[Acymetric]

I know that we need commercials. But do we need so many?

Yeah, we do. The coverage sucks, but there's only so much you can do about ads, especially when they're losing gobs of money. Nobody would pay big(enough) bucks for ad space so they had to sell more ads to try to compensate.

Of course, I wish they would replace all the stupid interest bits and studio talk with giant blocks of ads, it would probably be more enjoyable to watch. Seriously, I was pretty sure NBC sucked before the games started, but now...

[pfrduke]

The right way to watch the games on the West Coast would have been to record the first night and go out to dinner and a movie. Then each night watch the previous night, skipping all the ads and polar bear stories, while recording that nights coverage. We don't get it live anyway.

SoCal

The fiancee and I have been following this exact model. So far I haven't had to watch a single Mary Carillo segment! I consider that worthy of my own (very small) gold medal. :D

[DevilAlumna]

The fiancee and I have been following this exact model. So far I haven't had to watch a single Mary Carillo segment! I consider that worthy of my own (very small) gold medal. :D

Same here. God bless Tivo.

[hurleyfor3]

A dark day for US curling. The male and female crews both finish dead last. :( I need curling icons to properly express my angst.

The Swiss women made the playoffs, however, and there's one curler on that team I'm quite smitten with. So more curling on the teevee for me.

[hc5duke]

A dark day for US curling. The male and female crews both finish dead last. :( I need curling icons to properly express my angst.
Sad... we lost to China, which had apparently sent a curling team to the Olympics for the first time ever.


The Swiss women made the playoffs, however, and there's one curler on that team I'm quite smitten with. So more curling on the teevee for me.
I thought it was all about Cheryl Bernard in women's curling?!

[hurleyfor3]

I thought it was all about Cheryl Bernard in women's curling?!

Yeah, she's hot too.

[weezie]

Yes, well, good for you boys.

In other news, USA USA USA USA, another good victory for men's hockey over one heck of a banging, penalty gathering Swiss team.
Swizz Goalie Hiller broke my Red Wing heart last year so it was pleasant to see him get dinged.
Holy smokes, that Can-Russia game might be incendiary!

[David]

Yes, well, good for you boys.

In other news, USA USA USA USA, another good victory for men's hockey over one heck of a banging, penalty gathering Swiss team.
Swizz Goalie Hiller broke my Red Wing heart last year so it was pleasant to see him get dinged.
Holy smokes, that Can-Russia game might be incendiary!

Great victory today for the US hockey team. Canada looks they may have righted the ship with back-to-back blowouts. In particular, the 7-3 win over the Russians tonight was really impressive. A US-Canada rematch in the final would be really fun.

[Mal]

I want that rematch, too. And maybe it's counterintuitive, but I think this is shaping up perfectly for the U.S., assuming they want to play Canada again for all the marbles. I'd rather the Canucks come in off a couple blowouts than grinding their way along. Let their confidence get back up to complacency levels before a rematch in the gold medal game. No offense to Slovakia, but Canada should blitz them, too. They looked excellent tonight, but Russia's defense was also demonstrably pitiful. There was no rotating when defensemen stepped in on offense, and no forecheck to speak of. The Russians also, for being so vaunted a skills team, made it look remarkably hard to get the puck over Canada's blue line without turning it over. The U.S., should it beat Finland (who didn't impress me much tonight but will probably keep it a low-scoring affair, so they certainly could beat us), will not just roll over like that. And we've got Miller. I can envision a game where the Canadians come in sky high in confidence, but halfway through the first period they find that banging in the corners isn't as productive as it's been the last couple games, the turnovers and odd man rushes aren't coming in waves anymore, and they're facing a top notch goalie again. Perhaps they get frustrated and make a mistake, or take their foot off the pedal and get conservative long enough for us to make it a tight game. The longer it's close, the better it is for the U.S.

Didn't see Sweden-Slovakia. Anyone have a report? I'm certainly surprised by the outcome. Slovakia's got Gaborik and a couple others, but really not much depth.

[A-Tex Devil]

Get over yourselves. I swear to god if I see another non-story about a young adult acting like a young adult after reaching the pinnacle of his/her sport as if it were a crime (other than maybe a harmless minor in consumption, Marie-Philip Poulin), I'm going to scream.

None of the Lago, Jon Montgomery, Canada Women's hockey stories are news. Unfortunately, TMZ realizes people are generally stupid and hyperbolic (i.e. website hits), and the IOC has a stick up its backside when not otherwise taking bribes and prostitutes from various national olympic committees who are trying to bring the games to their country.

[SoCalDukeFan]

In my opinion the decision makers behind NBC's Olympic coverage should be banned from anything to do with television for life.

They have great ratings because they have a great event. NBC has done its best to ruin it for me.

Why would anyone tape delay a major live West Coast event for the West Coast? I can appreciate something like aerials anytime, thats fine. However I would have enjoyed the top women's figure skaters live at from 9 to 9:30 or so rather than taping it at midnight so I can watch it the next day knowing who won.

The Mary Cirillo pieces are a complete waste of precious time. Since they have so many commercials (which I understand) they don't have that much time left and to take it up with these pieces is just beyond stupid. I heard Arrogant Al Michaels (on a radio show) defend these pieces by saying whats wrong with learning about another part of the world and if you don't like it, turn the dial. What arrogance!!!! If I want to learn about Canada from TV I can find plenty of shows on National Geographic, Discovery, and other channels. I want to watch the Olympics, not loggers.

If the US makes the hockey finals, I certainly hope the "braintrust" at NBC will show the finals live on the West Coast.

I know this repeats some of my previous thoughts but I am just livid today.

SoCal

[Acymetric]

If the US makes the hockey finals, I certainly hope the "braintrust" at NBC will show the finals live on the West Coast.

I know this repeats some of my previous thoughts but I am just livid today.

SoCal

You better start the letter writing campaign now, I'm not sure I would trust NBC to make that decision on their own. Seriously, send them an email and tell friends to do the same. Maybe some of us east coasters on DBR could write in on your behalf even.

[hurleyfor3]

The Mary Cirillo pieces are a complete waste of precious time. Since they have so many commercials (which I understand) they don't have that much time left and to take it up with these pieces is just beyond stupid. I heard Arrogant Al Michaels (on a radio show) defend these pieces by saying whats wrong with learning about another part of the world and if you don't like it, turn the dial. What arrogance!!!!

What's worse is that they trump up Vancouver as if it's some far-flung locale with customs we would find bewildering. Geez, it's pretty much Seattle.

[Mal]

I wouldn't worry about the hockey final - the IOC/NBC braintrust is at least intelligent enough to schedule it on the final day when there's literally no other events remaining. I'm sure it will be on live in California, as there's nothing else to show.

[allenmurray]

Get over yourselves. I swear to god if I see another non-story about a young adult acting like a young adult after reaching the pinnacle of his/her sport as if it were a crime (other than maybe a harmless minor in consumption, Marie-Philip Poulin), I'm going to scream.

None of the Lago, Jon Montgomery, Canada Women's hockey stories are news. Unfortunately, TMZ realizes people are generally stupid and hyperbolic (i.e. website hits), and the IOC has a stick up its backside when not otherwise taking bribes and prostitutes from various national olympic committees who are trying to bring the games to their country.

A tempest in a teapot - OTOH in most sports that celebration takes place in the locker room, not back on the field of play (though the cameras go into the locker room to film it).

[David]

The men's hockey gold medal game is 3:15pm ET on Sunday. All signs point towards a US vs Canada rematch. How could they not show that live all over the US??? :confused:

[blazindw]

I wouldn't worry about the hockey final - the IOC/NBC braintrust is at least intelligent enough to schedule it on the final day when there's literally no other events remaining. I'm sure it will be on live in California, as there's nothing else to show.

The hockey final will be on live on all coasts (3pm Eastern, Noon Pacific). And, it looks like the U.S. will be in it, thanks to 6 goals (SIX!) in the first 10 minutes of this semifinal against Finland. We bounced Finland's starting goalie, Mikka Kiprusoff, with scoring 4 goals in our first 7 shots, only to have their backup, Nick Backstrom, come in and get scored on twice in 15 seconds. Killin' it!!

[YourLandlord]

What's worse is that they trump up Vancouver as if it's some far-flung locale with customs we would find bewildering. Geez, it's pretty much Seattle.
Seattle is a far-flung locale with customs I find bewildering. It's pretty much Vancouver.

[SoCalDukeFan]

The hockey final will be on live on all coasts (3pm Eastern, Noon Pacific). And, it looks like the U.S. will be in it, thanks to 6 goals (SIX!) in the first 10 minutes of this semifinal against Finland. We bounced Finland's starting goalie, Mikka Kiprusoff, with scoring 4 goals in our first 7 shots, only to have their backup, Nick Backstrom, come in and get scored on twice in 15 seconds. Killin' it!!

Here is what NBC's website has for noon Sunday Pacific Time.
ALERT ME
NBC Los Angeles
12:00p - 3:00p
Men's Cross Country
On Day 17 of the Vancouver Olympics, the final gold medals are awarded. Watch live coverage of men's Cross Country.
Medal Event

And for 3 pm

NBC Los Angeles
3:00p - 6:00p
Men's Hockey
The final puck of the Winter Olympics drops in Vancouver as gold medal Hockey takes center ice.
Medal Event

Which would be delayed.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/tv-listings/zone=PT/day=17/index.html

SoCal

[weezie]

This USA team is going to make it hard for me to pull against any of them when the NHL starts up again. I'm falling in love with Miller and Thomas and even with Patrick Kane (Blackhawks?!) That's quite an admission from a Red Wings fan :)

[blazindw]

Here is what NBC's website has for noon Sunday Pacific Time.
ALERT ME
NBC Los Angeles
12:00p - 3:00p
Men's Cross Country
On Day 17 of the Vancouver Olympics, the final gold medals are awarded. Watch live coverage of men's Cross Country.
Medal Event

And for 3 pm

NBC Los Angeles
3:00p - 6:00p
Men's Hockey
The final puck of the Winter Olympics drops in Vancouver as gold medal Hockey takes center ice.
Medal Event

Which would be delayed.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/tv-listings/zone=PT/day=17/index.html

SoCal

That's weird. During the semifinal today, they repeated multiple times that the final would be broadcast live on all coasts as part of 6 hours of coverage that day. However, it's not the first time that NBC has said something on the air but on the website it's been something different. They've had times of events all mixed up the entire two weeks.

[SoCalDukeFan]

NBC Los Angeles just said that the hockey game will be shown live on Sunday.

If its US/Canada its expected to be the toughest ticket in Canadian history.

SoCal

[Acymetric]

Any thoughts on Apolo Ono's DQ? He apparently came out and said that he thought the fact that the ref was Canadian was a factor in the call. Can't say I disagree, and good for him for saying it.

On the positive side, I was real glad to see Canada win today, I can't wait to take them on on Sunday! *Starts USA chant*

[blazindw]

Any thoughts on Apolo Ono's DQ? He apparently came out and said that he thought the fact that the ref was Canadian was a factor in the call. Can't say I disagree, and good for him for saying it.

On the positive side, I was real glad to see Canada win today, I can't wait to take them on on Sunday! *Starts USA chant*

I didn't think that Ohno pushed the Canadian...although he did have his hand on him, his hand came off about a second before the Canadian fell. Even the announcers thought that he fell on his own. Good for him for saying what he said, definitely deserved the medal in that one.

I think I dislike Canada Hockey only because of Sidney Crosby. The Red Wing fan in me (also living in DC) hates Crosby so much that it trumps any like I have for the rest of the team. And Canada is coached by a Wing (Babcock) and run by a Wing (Stevie Y)...love both these guys, but I cannot have Crosby winning anything. :) I still think back to SLC '02 when the Canadians beat us on home ice, and I'd LOVE for us to do the same on Sunday. If you planned on doing anything in Canada Sunday afternoon, too bad...the entire nation will be shut down.

[Acymetric]

I didn't think that Ohno pushed the Canadian...although he did have his hand on him, his hand came off about a second before the Canadian fell. Even the announcers thought that he fell on his own. Good for him for saying what he said, definitely deserved the medal in that one.

I think I dislike Canada Hockey only because of Sidney Crosby. The Red Wing fan in me (also living in DC) hates Crosby so much that it trumps any like I have for the rest of the team. And Canada is coached by a Wing (Babcock) and run by a Wing (Stevie Y)...love both these guys, but I cannot have Crosby winning anything. :) I still think back to SLC '02 when the Canadians beat us on home ice, and I'd LOVE for us to do the same on Sunday. If you planned on doing anything in Canada Sunday afternoon, too bad...the entire nation will be shut down.

I find it highly amusing that a lot of people in the US are mostly excited about this matchup not because they love hockey, but because they know Canada loves hockey and would love to see them lose because of how crushed they would be.

[blazindw]

I find it highly amusing that a lot of people in the US are mostly excited about this matchup not because they love hockey, but because they know Canada loves hockey and would love to see them lose because of how crushed they would be.

You got me twisted...I LOVE hockey and love Olympic hockey. Growing up in Michigan, I went to Canada more times than I can remember (I was just there last weekend) and truly adore the place. That said, this is country vs. country and I'm an American! I'm excited about this matchup because it's the best matchup the Olympics could possibly hope for: the two biggest rivals in the sport. Sure, other factors enter the equation, like Crosby being something I can't mention with the profanity filter, the fact that hockey=religion for Canada, the fact that we have the youngest team in the Olympics and us even being in the gold medal game was considered out of the equation from the start, etc. But first and foremost, it's the two premier nations in the sport playing for national pride and it's the best hockey rivalry in the world. You gotta love that.

[weezie]

I find it highly amusing

Glad to see you are enjoying yourself.

I've got blazin's back; he rocks the Red Wing hard and I strongly second his Crosby loathing.

Today's WaPo highlighted the irritation on the part of the sapsuckers at yesterday's Finland match when they didn't get the chance to boo the USA.
Yes, they're quite the model of pious good sportsmanship, aren't they?

And blazin'? How'd you like Hossa's ongoing imitation of a potted plant?

[blazindw]

Glad to see you are enjoying yourself.

I've got blazin's back; he rocks the Red Wing hard and I strongly second his Crosby loathing.

Today's WaPo highlighted the irritation on the part of the sapsuckers at yesterday's Finland match when they didn't get the chance to boo the USA.
Yes, they're quite the model of pious good sportsmanship, aren't they?

And blazin'? How'd you like Hossa's ongoing imitation of a potted plant?

Hossa's imitation of a potted plant continues in Academy Award form...performance of the year, haha.

Canada:hockey is like USA:basketball x 10. When we lost at basketball, you saw how we reacted...for most of us basketball fans, it was like the world was coming to an end. If Canada loses at hockey, the world does end for them. Here's an example of how gonzo they are: On New Years Eve, over 12 million watched a junior hockey game on TV...that's over 1/3 of the country watching a junior hockey game on New Years Eve!

[Deslok]

Well, I teach with a bunch of Canuckistanis here, and we're going to be gathering at 5am on Monday morning(which, thankfully, is a day off) to watch the game on a big screen, so we darn well better win. For anyone who watched, how did the Canadians look in the 2nd and 3rd periods vs Slovakia. The US-Finland and Canada-Russia matchups I thought were determine more by how badly the losing side played than how well the winning side did. I saw the first 10-15 minutes of the Canadian semi and was rather impressed as they really seemed to impose their will on the Slovakians. But when I came back after being out, it turns out it was a close game at the end. Any thoughts on how things will bear out? My main thought is that if we can survive the first 10 minutes, when the crowd and the Canadian team will be pumped with emotion, if Miller can stonewall them for that long, it could get into their heads a bit. But I do worry about a quick start.

[InSpades]

I find it highly amusing that a lot of people in the US are mostly excited about this matchup not because they love hockey, but because they know Canada loves hockey and would love to see them lose because of how crushed they would be.

That's definitely me :). I was also rooting pretty hard against the Canadian women's curling team yesterday. For those who missed it... the Canadian's totally choked away a gold medal. In the 10th end all they had to do was keep Sweden from scoring 2 (and Sweden had no rocks in the house going into their last 2 throws) and failed. Then Canada had the hammer in the extra end needing to just score 1 obviously but the Swedes outplayed them and left Canada with a reasonably tough shot to win and they missed.

So ya... definitely not a big hockey fan but would love to see the meltdown that Canada has if they lose twice to the US and come away with the silver medal.

[Acymetric]

You got me twisted...I LOVE hockey and love Olympic hockey. Growing up in Michigan, I went to Canada more times than I can remember (I was just there last weekend) and truly adore the place. That said, this is country vs. country and I'm an American! I'm excited about this matchup because it's the best matchup the Olympics could possibly hope for: the two biggest rivals in the sport. Sure, other factors enter the equation, like Crosby being something I can't mention with the profanity filter, the fact that hockey=religion for Canada, the fact that we have the youngest team in the Olympics and us even being in the gold medal game was considered out of the equation from the start, etc. But first and foremost, it's the two premier nations in the sport playing for national pride and it's the best hockey rivalry in the world. You gotta love that.

Sorry, quoting you probably wasn't the best choice. I wasn't saying that you were, I was just sort of providing a follow up of to your excitement with a comment on the general public (or at least the general public I've been around). Absolutely no intention on my part to question your love for hockey!

[NSDukeFan]

You got me twisted...I LOVE hockey and love Olympic hockey. Growing up in Michigan, I went to Canada more times than I can remember (I was just there last weekend) and truly adore the place. That said, this is country vs. country and I'm an American! I'm excited about this matchup because it's the best matchup the Olympics could possibly hope for: the two biggest rivals in the sport. Sure, other factors enter the equation, like Crosby being something I can't mention with the profanity filter, the fact that hockey=religion for Canada, the fact that we have the youngest team in the Olympics and us even being in the gold medal game was considered out of the equation from the start, etc. But first and foremost, it's the two premier nations in the sport playing for national pride and it's the best hockey rivalry in the world. You gotta love that.

I haven't read through this thread, but have to agree that this is the best matchup for the Olympics, with two huge rivals. I remember very fondly where I was in 2002 after Canada won the gold and the whole country celebrated. Streets were jammed for hours afterwards with people just driving up and down the streets honking their horns, yelling and cheering. Keep in mind that these Olympics have been even more watched and more followed here, with more patriotism, US beat Canada in the preliminaries, both teams have had dominant games in the lead-up (Canada vs. Russia and USA vs. Finland) and there is definitely huge excitement for the game.

[phaedrus]

Here's an example of how gonzo they are: On New Years Eve, over 12 million watched a junior hockey game on TV...that's over 1/3 of the country watching a junior hockey game on New Years Eve!

So what? More people watch March Madness than watch the NBA Finals, too.

And it's wrong to equate Canadian hockey losses with recent USA basketball embarrassments. There have always been other good hockey nations. The USA has had NHL teams since the very beginning, and today 24 out of 30 teams are in the States. Canadians have consistently made up about 60% of NHL players for a long, long time. We've had some big international victories, namely '72, '87, and '02, but Canadians understand that hockey is an unpredictable game - I mean, the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in '06 - that a hot goalie can outweigh any talent discrepancy, and that international tournaments are as much about the ability to find team chemistry in a couple of practices as anything else. I expect Canada to win in a good game today (further extending our overall victory in the gold medal count) but if we lose, I won't question whether Canada is better at hockey.

[phaedrus]

Glad to see you are enjoying yourself.


Today's WaPo highlighted the irritation on the part of the sapsuckers at yesterday's Finland match when they didn't get the chance to boo the USA.
Yes, they're quite the model of pious good sportsmanship, aren't they?



What in the world is unsportsmanlike about booing a team you despise?

[weezie]

Read the comments leading up to mine. Apparently, we (USA) are supposed to only feel free to cheer for our country if we are personally active in the sport full time, either as a player or fan.
It's all in the above.

[A-Tex Devil]

Good game you dirty syrup sucking dudley doright lumberjacks. Good game. :)

[phaedrus]

Good game you dirty syrup sucking dudley doright lumberjacks. Good game. :)

Whew, now I can refocus on the second-most talented, classy, handsome, and likeable team in sports, Duke basketball.

[InSpades]

I like how all the canadians now point to winning the most *gold* medals when their original goal was to win the most medals :). It was "Own the Podium" not "Own the very top of the Podium". The US managed to win the most medals ever by any country which is quite an accomplishment (not that winning the most *gold* medals ever isn't also quite an accomplishment). I'm assuming there are now more medals available to win which is why these records are being broken?

[phaedrus]

I like how all the canadians now point to winning the most *gold* medals when their original goal was to win the most medals :). It was "Own the Podium" not "Own the very top of the Podium". The US managed to win the most medals ever by any country which is quite an accomplishment (not that winning the most *gold* medals ever isn't also quite an accomplishment). I'm assuming there are now more medals available to win which is why these records are being broken?

Indeed, congrats on having the most second- and third-place finishers (for the second Olympics in a row, no less). But it does leave me wondering who had the most fourth-, fifth- and sixth-places.

[blazindw]

I like how all the canadians now point to winning the most *gold* medals when their original goal was to win the most medals :). It was "Own the Podium" not "Own the very top of the Podium". The US managed to win the most medals ever by any country which is quite an accomplishment (not that winning the most *gold* medals ever isn't also quite an accomplishment). I'm assuming there are now more medals available to win which is why these records are being broken?

Not necessarily. The record was set back in '02 by the Germans (36) which was also when the U.S. won their most medals before this year with 34. I don't think there are more events, but we had some spectacular performances in events that we weren't even considered to be in the hunt for a medal (nordic combined, hockey) and in events where we haven't won in a long time (bobsled).

[Duvall]

Indeed, congrats on having the most second- and third-place finishers (for the second Olympics in a row, no less). But it does leave me wondering who had the most fourth-, fifth- and sixth-places.

It would probably be easier to tell if they gave flowers and large hunks of metal to the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishers.

But they don't.

[blazindw]

So what? More people watch March Madness than watch the NBA Finals, too.

And it's wrong to equate Canadian hockey losses with recent USA basketball embarrassments. There have always been other good hockey nations. The USA has had NHL teams since the very beginning, and today 24 out of 30 teams are in the States. Canadians have consistently made up about 60% of NHL players for a long, long time. We've had some big international victories, namely '72, '87, and '02, but Canadians understand that hockey is an unpredictable game - I mean, the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in '06 - that a hot goalie can outweigh any talent discrepancy, and that international tournaments are as much about the ability to find team chemistry in a couple of practices as anything else. I expect Canada to win in a good game today (further extending our overall victory in the gold medal count) but if we lose, I won't question whether Canada is better at hockey.

That wasn't the point. The point was 1/3 of the entire country, on the biggest party night of the year, was watching a junior hockey (high school-age kids, for all those not hip to hockey lingo) game. And also, I wasn't trying to equate USA Basketball losses to Canadian losses. I was trying to describe how nuts Canadians are about hockey and used that as an example to try to illustrate it.

P.S. Did it really have to be Crosby that won it? My hate for that kid has soared to intergalactic levels. I congratulate two ultimate Red Wings, Stevie Y and Mike Babcock for their leadership. And, lastly, Ryan Miller was a monster. I knew he was good, but he was absolutely more than that. He was legendary between the pipes. USA has nothing to hang their head about, we weren't even expected to medal in hockey. Brian Rafalski, Zach Parise, Patrick Kane, the entire team deserves the ultimate praise for their play over the last two weeks on behalf of their country.

[blazindw]

Indeed, congrats on having the most second- and third-place finishers (for the second Olympics in a row, no less). But it does leave me wondering who had the most fourth-, fifth- and sixth-places.

The Canadian government spent CAN$115 million on their "Own the Podium" effort. The U.S. government spent USD/CAN$0 on their "Smash the Podium Record" effort.

[DukieInKansas]

It would probably be easier to tell if they gave flowers and large hunks of metal to the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place finishers.

But they don't.

This made me laugh out loud. Good response.

[NSDukeFan]

That wasn't the point. The point was 1/3 of the entire country, on the biggest party night of the year, was watching a junior hockey (high school-age kids, for all those not hip to hockey lingo) game. And also, I wasn't trying to equate USA Basketball losses to Canadian losses. I was trying to describe how nuts Canadians are about hockey and used that as an example to try to illustrate it.

P.S. Did it really have to be Crosby that won it? My hate for that kid has soared to intergalactic levels. I congratulate two ultimate Red Wings, Stevie Y and Mike Babcock for their leadership. And, lastly, Ryan Miller was a monster. I knew he was good, but he was absolutely more than that. He was legendary between the pipes. USA has nothing to hang their head about, we weren't even expected to medal in hockey. Brian Rafalski, Zach Parise, Patrick Kane, the entire team deserves the ultimate praise for their play over the last two weeks on behalf of their country.

Since I live in Halifax, I certainly have to be a Crosby fan and of course, as a Canadian, as well. He certainly is a great player, though he made very little impact in the game today until the end. You are right USA has nothing to hang their heads about as they were fantastic in this tournament and, I believe, the youngest team in the tournament. The only guys that would not be expected to be around for 2014 would be Drury, Rafalski and maybe one other, I think. Along with winning the Juniors this year, the future looks very bright for US hockey.
What a great game, and if I was a little younger and didn't have a young family, I would definitely be out partying right now along with the rest of Canada.

[NSDukeFan]

I like how all the canadians now point to winning the most *gold* medals when their original goal was to win the most medals :). It was "Own the Podium" not "Own the very top of the Podium". The US managed to win the most medals ever by any country which is quite an accomplishment (not that winning the most *gold* medals ever isn't also quite an accomplishment). I'm assuming there are now more medals available to win which is why these records are being broken?

No doubt USA had an amazing Olympics and did better than what Canadians expected would be the number of medals needed to be the overall winner. I don't think anyone is claiming Canadians did better than Americans, but can you blame us for celebrating most golds, since we were not going to win overall medals? The Olympics were a great celebration of patriotism for us and a resounding success in every way, even if USA dominated the total medals. Great games.

[Verga3]

Kudos to Bob Costas and Al Michaels for entire flavor of the closing ceremonies coverage and the vignettes. Very respectful and warm comments for our Canadian hosts combined with some terrific pieces on our USA and other wonderful athletic performances/emotional moments that all graced this Olympics. I cannot imagine a warmer, better host country ever. Congrats, Canada!

[DukieInKansas]

Did I miss something or was that a really abrupt ending of the coverage of the closing ceremonies?

[hurleyfor3]

The IOC uses total golds, then total silvers. So the US finished third, behind Canada and Germany.

I was reading something about the USOC's strategy, in which it has stressed a sort of "diversity" to maximize medals in the winter games, rather than relying on, say, Eric Heiden. So we do better in the bobsled and the Nordic sports than ever before at the expense of throwing all our economic support behind a very few people who are expected to win gold. I even sensed this on teevee, where people (athletes in addititon to nbc) seemed to talk much more in terms of just medaling than in "going for the gold" compared to previous winter games.

And that's what happened. Personally I like it better this way. It makes more events more interesting to watch from an American standpoint.

Still, I'm teed off about our dual last-place finish in curling. And Vancouver is a nice place, but it's FAIAP a smaller Seattle... it's Portland with the metric system and free healthcare.

[phaedrus]

The Canadian government spent CAN$115 million on their "Own the Podium" effort. The U.S. government spent USD/CAN$0 on their "Smash the Podium Record" effort.

If you think the Canadian government spent more money overall developing this year's Olympic team than the Americans, you're quite mistaken.

However you value each color of medal, both countries performances were impressive to an unprecedented degree. But the way the American media and population were pining for a Canadian disappointment on home soil was a little unnerving.

I was only a Math minor at Duke, but I think the Canadian medal haul totals one gold medal won for every two or three maple syrup-eating Canadians. So that's pretty good.:cool:

[hurleyfor3]

Did I miss something or was that a really abrupt ending of the coverage of the closing ceremonies?

That was weird, but they'll apparently be back on at 10.30 Central after breaking away for some new show and the evening news.

[Duvall]

If you think the Canadian government spent more money overall developing this year's Olympic team than the Americans, you're quite mistaken.

Did the American government spend any money on the Olympic team? I don't know, but my guess would be no.


However you value each color of medal, both countries performances were impressive to an unprecedented degree. But the way the American media and population were pining for a Canadian disappointment on home soil was a little unnerving.

Blame Dick Pound.

[blazindw]

If you think the Canadian government spent more money overall developing this year's Olympic team than the Americans, you're quite mistaken.

The U.S. government spent $0. Also, the USOC may take care of athletes once they make the Olympics (in the form of travel and uniforms, room and board, meals, etc.), but they don't subsidize training costs like other nations do, which is the reason many of our athletes use private sponsorships to cover their training costs. If you watched any of the curling coverage, the fact was pointed out many times how John Shuster (U.S. skip) was a bartender and how Jason Smith was a construction worker. None of their costs were covered until they made the Olympic team. Canada's curlers got a government subsidy, which wasn't much but more than having to get a job as a bartender.

[RainingThrees]

Aren't China's Olympic athletes all sponsored by their government? I've heard some stories about their rigid system and about the young ages at which their athletes begin to train for Olympic events. A lot like the old Soviet athletes in some aspects.

[InSpades]

Not necessarily. The record was set back in '02 by the Germans (36) which was also when the U.S. won their most medals before this year with 34. I don't think there are more events, but we had some spectacular performances in events that we weren't even considered to be in the hunt for a medal (nordic combined, hockey) and in events where we haven't won in a long time (bobsled).

My point was that the US performance can't really be compared to all previous performances. The # of events has increased drastically (maybe not in the last 8 years, but the point remains). It's still a great accomplishment nonetheless.

I looked up the numbers out of curiosity... between 1984 and 2010 the # of events went from 39 to 86. So the increase is rather dramatic. This year actually only has 2 more than Torino.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Olympic_Games

[crimsondevil]

The IOC uses total golds, then total silvers. So the US finished third, behind Canada and Germany.

The IOC does not rank the countries. In fact, it is expressly prohibited in the Olympic charter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_medal_table

They do "list" the medals that way, but it could be argued that is merely an organizational listing, not a ranking.
It makes even less sense, IMHO, to essentially discard silvers and bronzes than the (admittedly flawed) way the US media typically does it, by total medals.
The best would be a widely-accepted points system, say 5 or 6 for gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze (we'd "win" under that scenario this time, but not in Beijing, BTW).

[hurleyfor3]

The IOC does not rank the countries.

We're both wrong!

They *do* publish a ranking, regardless of what they say: http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-medals/ And look at those numbers down the left-hand side. Sure looks like a ranking to me.

And it's by total medals.

[Deslok]

The fairest to me, would seem to be like a 5-3-1 pts system. So that winning the gold is better than finishing 2-3, but there is a reason you give out silver and bronze medals. Canada did end the games well, setting a record for number of gold. But of course that's with dramatically more events. I don't think anyone will ever match the Soviet performance at the 76 games in Innsbruck. In 37 total events, they won 13 gold medals. More than a third of the golds went to them. That's pretty impossible to beat - Canada would have to have won 30 golds to win an equal percentage.

[Acymetric]

The fairest to me, would seem to be like a 5-3-1 pts system. So that winning the gold is better than finishing 2-3, but there is a reason you give out silver and bronze medals. Canada did end the games well, setting a record for number of gold. But of course that's with dramatically more events. I don't think anyone will ever match the Soviet performance at the 76 games in Innsbruck. In 37 total events, they won 13 gold medals. More than a third of the golds went to them. That's pretty impossible to beat - Canada would have to have won 30 golds to win an equal percentage.

Exactly, I think percentages are always tell more than raw numbers with things like this...just look at the stats from the Dork Polls thread :)

[hc5duke]

We're both wrong!

They *do* publish a ranking, regardless of what they say: http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-medals/ And look at those numbers down the left-hand side. Sure looks like a ranking to me.

And it's by total medals.

but they also make sure not to mention the word "rank" - it's always "sort"

[TampaDuke]

I really enjoyed the olympics this year.

The number of gold medals by Canada is an outstanding accomplishment. The number of total medals by the US is likewise an outstanding accomplishment. To appreciate and applaud both, there is really no need to equate or measure the two against each other.

[DukieInKansas]

I really enjoyed the olympics this year.

The number of gold medals by Canada is an outstanding accomplishment. The number of total medals by the US is likewise an outstanding accomplishment. To appreciate and applaud both, there is really no need to equate or measure the two against each other.

Exactly. And congratulations to Slovakia and Belarus who won their first gold medals ever.