Olympics

TroyK · #1 02-24-2010, 07:05 PM

Can't believe we don't have an Olympics thread going, for that matter I can't believe that we don't have a specific Olympic Hockey thread.

I'll kick it off and then look forward to what you all have to say:

1) I think the hockey this year is a North American game, due to the ice size. I know that there are NHL players on every team, but it's not how Europeans and Asians like to play and when they are at their best. I am enjoying it, but I've been an advocate for some years now that the NHL goes to Olympic sized ice to open up the game and here we are watching the Olympics being played on NHL sheets. Not complaining, I'm loving it this year, but just commenting.

2) I sorely miss CBC coverage. NBC makes my teeth hurt. Though I've either started tuning them out or they've toned some of it down.

3) I won't jump on the bash the Vancouver organizers bandwagon, but if you must. I am sorry that they've had the mis-steps that they have. Vancouver/Whistler/BC Other is a great part of the world.

4) Even though the US curling teams finished dead last and even though our Alpine skiers and everyone's snowboarders are hotter, I was kinda diggin' the US women's skip. Those Minnosota accents kill me.

5) Love skiing, don't snowboard. Love snowboard cross! Not a huge fan of ski-cross.

6) Would rather long track speed skate. Would rather watch short track speed skating.

7) I watched some of the Canadian Women's hockey game the other day. I've cut them a bit of a break for running the scores up, because maybe point differential will be important, but the check that got thrown in the 3rd that injured the Finnish player when they were up by 10 goals and then the laughing about it on the bench is just bad sportswomenship. Very un-Canadian of them.

8) Glad it's been snowing.

What say ye?

Sam Sherry · #2 02-25-2010, 06:19 AM

Bode Miller is right: When the top three skiers finish a run within 0.09 seconds, "winning" and "not winning" is not a reflection of superior skill. Each medalist is a top-of-the world performer and the difference between "winning" and medaling that kind of race comes down to luck: Who gets a fortunate wind-gust or a 0.5-degree temperature drop in a fortunate location. That's what happens when people are not racing at precisely the same moment.

Which is what's so cool about snowboard-cross and ski-cross -- they race together.

Jake deVilliers · #3 02-25-2010, 09:36 AM

Nice Troy! I was thinking about making a similar post.

Maiken and I have been captivated by the Canadian stories at these Olympics:

- Alexandre Bilodeau, the moguls winner who took his inspiration from and dedicated his gold medal to his handicapped older brother Frederic.

- Joannie Rochette, who skated her best ever short program two days after her mom died suddenly of a heart attack.

- Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, the youngest ice dance champs ever at 20 and 22, partners since they were 7 and 9 years old, and the first non-Euros to win the contest.

- Jon Montgomery who won gold in Skeleton, and while walking to the CTV stage was handed a full pitcher of beer by a fan. He did the right thing!

- Now that the Canadian guys have found their stride and smoked the Russians, I'm hoping for a Canada/US gold medal final- that would be a hockey game!

Here in the Lower Mainland we have coverage available on CTV, Sportsnet, TSN, TSN2, APTN, NBC Seattle and NBC Boston and MSNBC. I've really enjoyed the coverage by the Canadian consortium of broadcasters and I like Bob Costas too, but the NBC coverage has been very limited, at least in my viewing hours.

We'll be going downtown for the first time this evening, going to meet TB's Igor Kondur who is with the house band at Joey's Bar on Burrard, a de facto Russian Pavilion. Should be a blast!

TroyK · #4 02-25-2010, 09:53 AM

I was offered USA/Finland tix today, but had to decline. It's killin' me.

If I failed to say this in my list, I freakin' love the Olympics. Always have. Del's even starting to catch the bug.

ChuckCorbisiero · #5 02-25-2010, 03:37 PM

The coach of the U.S. Hockey team is from the infamous 1980 team. The U.S. goalie is from the Sabers and he made 42 saves against Canada. In fact, the guy who scored twice against Canada for the U.S. team plays for the Vancouver Canucks. Our team is loaded. It is surprising that Russia went down so easily against Canada.

TroyK · #6 02-25-2010, 09:32 PM

Well, the Canadian men were playing like a team possessed. They made a good change in goal to Roberto Luongo (Canucks goalie playing in on his home ice and sleeping in his own bed at night, by the way) and they are scarey good right now.

Hats off to the Canadian women too, they were the best women's team by far this year. The US women were a close second, but they were second and should be proud of their silver and start dreaming and training for gold in 4 years.

Want to see men's ski jumping and women's Super G tonight, but could do without figure skating and need to practice for a Wayne Shorter tribute that I'm playing in next week. Will be going up and down the basement stairs a lot tonight, I suspect.

Jake deVilliers · #7 02-25-2010, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroyK

Well, the Canadian men were playing like a team possessed. They made a good change in goal to Roberto Luongo (Canucks goalie playing in on his home ice and sleeping in his own bed at night, by the way) and they are scarey good right now.

Hats off to the Canadian women too, they were the best women's team by far this year. The US women were a close second, but they were second and should be proud of their silver and start dreaming and training for gold in 4 years.

Want to see men's ski jumping and women's Super G tonight, but could do without figure skating and need to practice for a Wayne Shorter tribute that I'm playing in next week. Will be going up and down the basement stairs a lot tonight, I suspect.

Apparently you have a need for a TV in the basement!

Maiken and I went downtown tonight to catch the Olympic party vibe.

Holy Cow! Half of downtown Vancouver has the streets blocked to cars and its a f*cking gigantic street party with huge flat screens, CTV projecting a 20 foot TV picture onto the side of the Sears building, a couple of zip lines with screaming crazies zooming through the night sky over Robson Square!

We watched the final flight of the women's figure skating with 2000 other cheering fans and it was amazing when Joannie Rochette skated to the bronze after losing her mom to a sudden heart attack Saturday night...bands playing, dance troupes, buskers, more Canadian hockey sweaters than I have ever seen before - I'd love to be down there to watch the Gold medal game on Sunday.

TroyK · #8 02-26-2010, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

I'd love to be down there to watch the Gold medal game on Sunday.

...just to see how the same crowd handles disappointment?

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #9 02-26-2010, 07:58 AM

I don't give a rats *** about hockey, but have been enjoying the tidbits I have caught of the olympics immensely. I've also been extremely interested in checking out the surprise at the popularity of the olympics ( (Here's one article, but there are many), especially about how the olympic coverage beat "American Idol" in TV ratings.

I have a theory about this, which belies my inner optimism in the face of the overwhelming cultural wasteland that passes for entertainment in the western world these days: people are beginning to become tired of the glorification of the mundane and the mediocre that has dominated the recent "reality TV/anybody with a pulse can become famous" syndrome. After years of this absolute and utter bull****, when the olympics come on and we are treated to hour after hour of watching people who have devoted thousands of hours of hard work and practice to achieve a tremendous level of skill at various specific tasks... we are absolutely fascinated with the reality (the real kind this time) of the results of this work, and can't help but respect the people who have done it immensely.

That's my theory, anyway, and I'm sticking with it. Like I said, I plan to remain an optimist until death do me part.

ChuckCorbisiero · #10 02-26-2010, 09:06 AM

How 'bout those Canadian Hockey Ladies? Cocktails, Cigars, Cigarettes...on ice celebrating their Gold. Now those are my kind of broads. Just one thing. You won't be singing "I've grown accustomed to your face" to them after 20 years of marriage. Man.

TomSauter · #11 02-26-2010, 09:39 AM

They probably aren't interested in husbands anyway

JeffKissell · #12 02-26-2010, 09:44 AM

Surprised to see the Swedes out... kinda glad the Russians are gone... amazed at the level of panic / elation / 2nd guessing with goaltenders. Nabokov got hung out by his defence and he kinda melted but the fans in San Jose are absolutely freaking out, maybe not quite at the "Canada lost, it's Brodeur's fault, we're all gonna die!!!!!!!!" level but worse than I've seen in a while. It will be highly ironic if Brodeur and Nabokov met in the SC final... or maybe Lunqvist and Hiller. I hope Lou's got the intestinal fortitude to get it done or downtown Vancouver is toast. Hockey fans have gotten so wacked!

The coverage from NBC is horrible, it's like ADD broadcasting. All they showed during the handshakes between Canada / Russia was Crosby and there were a lot of NHL teammates on both sides of that lineup not just SJ either. I wish Milbury and Roenick would just shut up or duke it out... and what's up Bob Costa's hair?

Amazed at the level of competition on the men's side. Many teams played inspired hockey. Canada should be proud of the level of play from around the world. "Their" game is global.

Women's ice hockey is coming on fast!! If the other countries supported their women's programs like in CAN/US there would be much more parity. Some of those players are really skilled!

-J

JeffKissell · #13 02-26-2010, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomSauter

They probably aren't interested in husbands anyway

ChuckCorbisiero · #14 02-26-2010, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomSauter

They probably aren't interested in husbands anyway

You'd be surprised. Those GALS up their by the North Pole can't afford to be choosy.

TroyK · #15 02-26-2010, 06:22 PM

When Roenick was a PLAYER I wanted him to shut his pie hole. Now he's a color guy.

US Men were dominant today, I'm expecting the Canadian men to be the same. Sunday will be epic!

ChuckCorbisiero · #16 02-26-2010, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroyK

US Men were dominant today, I'm expecting the Canadian men to be the same. Sunday will be epic!

Uh,oh.... those Canadians are on the warpath. You better get strapped in. There's gonna be a brawl for sure if Canada doesn't go ahead early. The U.S. has to score early, like they did last week. If Canada goes up by 2,it's all over. There will be no turning down tickets for this one. Right Troy?

ChuckCorbisiero · #17 02-26-2010, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

After years of this absolute and utter bull****, when the olympics come on and we are treated to hour after hour of watching people who have devoted thousands of hours of hard work and practice to achieve a tremendous level of skill at various specific tasks... we are absolutely fascinated with the reality (the real kind this time) of the results of this work, and can't help but respect the people who have done it immensely.

Also, Chris as my wife likes to point out, this is the ladies chance to get even with men, for the hours and hours of baseball, football, basketball and hockey. I stayed up all night watching ice skating with her last night. Now I'm seeing double and can't even enjoy my Clippers game.

scotty77 · #18 02-26-2010, 09:14 PM

Clippers game? Is the NBA still even on? Sorry, I've been glued to the Olympics. Forgot about all the other sports.
One thing that I will say in support of NBC is that this year they seem to be the most neutral in their reporting. I've noticed that they are giving all athletes their due.
Up here in Canada, I've really liked the CTV coverage. Brian Williams knowledge, Rick Hansen's segments, and the Athletes stories have all been great. As Jake mentioned, there have been some very moving stories of courage and fortitude. Love to see it.
Now, if the chairman of sports for Canada had just said "Reach for the Podium", we could of saved a lot of face.
Go Canada Go!!!!!!

christ andronis · #19 02-27-2010, 06:46 PM

I'm looking forward to the hockey game tomorrow. I grew up loving the Blackhawks but then the game (at least the NHL game) turned into the equivalent of Pro (?) Wrestling and became more about the fighting and physical play than the skill. Now, it seems to have reverted back to the highly skilled game that it is (the physical will always be a part of it). I have really been enjoying the Blackhawks again.

Interesting note (at least to me). The current US Hockey team is the youngest in the Olympics.....and they're still, on average, two years older than the US team that beat the Russians in Lake Placid.

In any case....enjoy the game and remember: it's only a game!!

reedo35 · #20 02-27-2010, 08:18 PM

What the heck are they doing up there, anyway?

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/101...out-of-condoms