Seriously? Nobody talking about this? What are your favorite events? What do you think about the bad conditions in the news?
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2014 Winter Olympics Thread
- Thread starter carjakester
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I watched the snowboarding and sking earlier. And the other day I watched some women's hockey. My favorite event is hockey!!!
Ski jumping has always been one of my favorite events. I'm all for technology and progress, but the sport is a weak shadow of what it used to be. Back in the "old days," you would ski down a snow covered ramp and land on a mountain.
Now there is no snow on the ramp. Just 2 fixed, iced tracks. The landing area is manmade AstroTurf. The start gate is moved up and down to control speed (I know this is for safety) and they have nets to try and minimize wind impact.
Seems to me that they have masterminded every part of the process. I say, ski down the ramp and whoever jumps the furthest wins! Ha ha, but what do I know. I'm just a grumpy old man.
Now there is no snow on the ramp. Just 2 fixed, iced tracks. The landing area is manmade AstroTurf. The start gate is moved up and down to control speed (I know this is for safety) and they have nets to try and minimize wind impact.
Seems to me that they have masterminded every part of the process. I say, ski down the ramp and whoever jumps the furthest wins! Ha ha, but what do I know. I'm just a grumpy old man.
Its probably not really that exciting. I watched some of it, but moved on to watching repeats of Survivor mean on the science channel
Some of the skiing stuff grabs me, but not the figure skating and when they cut to those human interest stories my eyes glaze over so I usually switch to something else.
The halfpipe was in terrible condition for the mens event yesterday, they said thats why shawn white didn't win but its not like anyone else has a different halfpipe to use. The 15 year old kid from japan surprised me how good he was, new shawn white?
I would certainly be up for watching more curling. It seems like they focus really hard on figure skating (and gymnastics during the summer games), which doesn't interest me at all - but I'm sure that's what gets the ratings.
CNBC has curling on at 5pm EST every afternoon. I set my DVR to record it and then drive my kids nuts by watching it when they are home.
CNBC has curling on at 5pm EST every afternoon. I set my DVR to record it and then drive my kids nuts by watching it when they are home.
Thanks for the tip! I'm gonna set mine to record now.
I watched all of the Halfpipe. The two Prelims, the semis and the finals. Shawn came out of the Prelim with the best score and went straight to the finals. However, He just was unable to reproduce in the two runs yesterday and was beaten by better competitors on the day. Like you said everyone using the same halfpipe.
The Swiss who won has been at the top of the game for a while and actually invented a move which Shawn also does.
Shawn White has done a lot for the sport but has been around a long time now. Unfortunately this is a sport for youth and you could see the future there yesterday.
The new Slopestype was Amazing pity that Shawn withdrew to concentrate on the halfpipe.
I just haven't felt the same excitement I usually feel for the summer Olympics. I think it's because of the lack of coverage of strange sports that you get in the summer Olympics. Since it seems only the main NBC channel is broadcasting. While during the summer four or five NBC channels broadcast most of the time. I do watch about an hour per day.
I can see figure skating, ice hockey, snowboarding competitions on regular cable.
Of course there also aren't that many events. Perhaps they could make it more interesting by mixing things up. Say allow hockey sticks to be used in speedskating. The crashes are the best part of speedskating. If opponents could use sticks to trip up the skaters around them think how interesting it would be.
How about figure skating down the luge/bobsled track? Just imagine a pirouette going downhill at 90 MPH.
You could also make the alpine ski races more of a race. By having all the competitors race against each other at the same time. Like any other race. Rather than individual timed runs.
Curling has to be the best sport in the winter Olympics.
I can see figure skating, ice hockey, snowboarding competitions on regular cable.
Of course there also aren't that many events. Perhaps they could make it more interesting by mixing things up. Say allow hockey sticks to be used in speedskating. The crashes are the best part of speedskating. If opponents could use sticks to trip up the skaters around them think how interesting it would be.
How about figure skating down the luge/bobsled track? Just imagine a pirouette going downhill at 90 MPH.
You could also make the alpine ski races more of a race. By having all the competitors race against each other at the same time. Like any other race. Rather than individual timed runs.
Curling has to be the best sport in the winter Olympics.
Me too. Love it. Shame the US women got hammered yesterday.
On a side note - does anyone know where there is a good quality picture of the artwork that is behind the bench in the ice rink where the figure skaters get their scores? It's a takeoff on the diamond artwork that is blue, white and silver. I would love to have this as the background for my iphone.
I couldn't believe how Great Britain scored 7 points in a single end against the US.
Some ideas for future winter games to make the whole thing more interesting:
Uphill skiing - rather than speed, this sport is all about endurance. Last one to the top is eliminated, then competition resumes the next day. If anyone is still capable of standing upright at the end of the two-week event, they all get medals.
Greco-Roman speed skating - like the current sport, but full-contact. Expect the Australians to make a strong showing in the 2-man team event, while the U.S.A. looks to take home the gold in the Battle Royal category.
Cross-country snowboarding - inspired by recent commutes home from work in Atlanta, patience will get you the gold in this sport. The real challenge lies in the near-complete absence of slopes. Under Armour is called in to redesign competitors' outfits after insane calf muscles keep bursting through the fabric.
Underwater figure skating - skating on the underside of the ice. Spectators in the arena will be shown hockey matches on the Jumbotron, since that's where the real action is. Instead of a zamboni between heats, a pair of Laborador retrievers swim through the water and pluck out the survivors. Johnny Weir's costumes get cast aside in favor of wet suits more reminiscent of those worn by speed skaters.
Synchronized curling - Instead of shuffleboard, this sport more closely resembles the old playground game of "pitching pennies." China, previously not taken seriously as a competitor, begins pulling children as young as 18 months from their homes to begin training for this sport, a source of national pride. Controversy erupts when allegations of using underaged curlers (some supposedly as young as 14) begin to taint the aura of consecutive gold medals for the Chinese.
Uphill skiing - rather than speed, this sport is all about endurance. Last one to the top is eliminated, then competition resumes the next day. If anyone is still capable of standing upright at the end of the two-week event, they all get medals.
Greco-Roman speed skating - like the current sport, but full-contact. Expect the Australians to make a strong showing in the 2-man team event, while the U.S.A. looks to take home the gold in the Battle Royal category.
Cross-country snowboarding - inspired by recent commutes home from work in Atlanta, patience will get you the gold in this sport. The real challenge lies in the near-complete absence of slopes. Under Armour is called in to redesign competitors' outfits after insane calf muscles keep bursting through the fabric.
Underwater figure skating - skating on the underside of the ice. Spectators in the arena will be shown hockey matches on the Jumbotron, since that's where the real action is. Instead of a zamboni between heats, a pair of Laborador retrievers swim through the water and pluck out the survivors. Johnny Weir's costumes get cast aside in favor of wet suits more reminiscent of those worn by speed skaters.
Synchronized curling - Instead of shuffleboard, this sport more closely resembles the old playground game of "pitching pennies." China, previously not taken seriously as a competitor, begins pulling children as young as 18 months from their homes to begin training for this sport, a source of national pride. Controversy erupts when allegations of using underaged curlers (some supposedly as young as 14) begin to taint the aura of consecutive gold medals for the Chinese.
i love the olympics, but the dismal work by NBC has soured me to it.
it's the olympics: i want to watch the competition.
not the sob stories behind.
not the highlights.
not the 24 hours tape delays
not just US athletes.
the competition. whole, uncut and possibly live.
i don't understand why they can't show the events live and then show the highlights on prime time. I'll pay for it if i have to, but at least give me the option.
last sunday they showed the same team figure skating event 3 times.
not my fav, by i can enjoy it. and i did, the first time. But friggin' 3 times???
when at the same time they didn't show the downhill (only 5-6 athletes shown in the evening, hours after the event), but hay, it's only the most important single event of the entire olympics, with an exciting race and a major upset!
they showed Anderson's gold metal run in women slop style only late in the evening, in a highlight format (when they could have easily shown it live or at least fully during the afternoon) and they didn't show the men luge finals at all (which a. is very cool and b. had some historic olympic stuff going on -dude going for 6 medals in 6 olympics, gold three-peat etc.). also i couldn't find anywhere to watch biathlon's Bjorndalen record setting 12 career medal
horrible.
it's the olympics: i want to watch the competition.
not the sob stories behind.
not the highlights.
not the 24 hours tape delays
not just US athletes.
the competition. whole, uncut and possibly live.
i don't understand why they can't show the events live and then show the highlights on prime time. I'll pay for it if i have to, but at least give me the option.
last sunday they showed the same team figure skating event 3 times.
not my fav, by i can enjoy it. and i did, the first time. But friggin' 3 times???
when at the same time they didn't show the downhill (only 5-6 athletes shown in the evening, hours after the event), but hay, it's only the most important single event of the entire olympics, with an exciting race and a major upset!
they showed Anderson's gold metal run in women slop style only late in the evening, in a highlight format (when they could have easily shown it live or at least fully during the afternoon) and they didn't show the men luge finals at all (which a. is very cool and b. had some historic olympic stuff going on -dude going for 6 medals in 6 olympics, gold three-peat etc.). also i couldn't find anywhere to watch biathlon's Bjorndalen record setting 12 career medal
horrible.
What's odd is they're showing the US Mens hockey game tomorrow live at 6:30 AM and that's something that I think would make more sense in prime time. Although I'm glad they're not delaying it. I'm going to DVR the game and try to avoid any spoilers on the internet and watch it when I get home from work. Will be weird, I'm so used to swearing loudly when Jaroslav Halak gives up a goal, now I'll be swearing loudly each time he makes a save.
they do have sports that are nice to watch and are not often shown, like biathlon, ski jumping and short trackI just haven't felt the same excitement I usually feel for the summer Olympics. I think it's because of the lack of coverage of strange sports that you get in the summer Olympics. Since it seems only the main NBC channel is broadcasting. While during the summer four or five NBC channels broadcast most of the time. I do watch about an hour per day.
I can see figure skating, ice hockey, snowboarding competitions on regular cable.
Of course there also aren't that many events. Perhaps they could make it more interesting by mixing things up. Say allow hockey sticks to be used in speedskating. The crashes are the best part of speedskating. If opponents could use sticks to trip up the skaters around them think how interesting it would be.
How about figure skating down the luge/bobsled track? Just imagine a pirouette going downhill at 90 MPH.
they do (although for unclear reasons is part of the free-style section). it's call SKI-CROSS. in my opinion the best event in the olympics, although it is not (yet) considered very prestigious because it is so young.
in my opinion it will become THE medal of the winter olympics. it embodies its spirit to perfection: you all start at the top (in heats), and the first one to get down through turns, jumps and bumps wins.
really fun GAME to watch, and imagine play (i never tried).
but not a sport
it is basically Bocce on ice. or shuffleboard, if you prefer.
avoid espn,yesterday at my work they just announce olympic stories without any warning, letting me know that shawn white didn't place before i even got to watch. i might wake up to watch the mens hockey, 6:30 isn't too bad.
Agreed. I thought the team skating competition would never fracking end.
My son and I love snowbord cross.
really fun GAME to watch, and imagine play (i never tried).
but not a sport
it is basically Bocce on ice. or shuffleboard, if you prefer.
I love curling. I'd love to try it some day.
As a nation it's speed skating.
When Sven Kramer won gold at the 5,000 meters there were 6,000,000 Dutch people watching, not bad when you have a population of only 16,000,000.
Our King and Queen were there in person to watch.
It is thought that on Tuesday when Sven Kramer rides out the 10,000 meters there will be 10,000,000 people cheering him on via the TV here in the Netherlands.
Speed skating is more than a sport it's a religion.
When Sven Kramer won gold at the 5,000 meters there were 6,000,000 Dutch people watching, not bad when you have a population of only 16,000,000.
Our King and Queen were there in person to watch.
It is thought that on Tuesday when Sven Kramer rides out the 10,000 meters there will be 10,000,000 people cheering him on via the TV here in the Netherlands.
Speed skating is more than a sport it's a religion.
I spent most of NBCs 2012 coverage yelling at the screen. Having grown up watching ABC coverage, it's just horrific. I don't have enough free time to make use of live feeds, but NBC would find a way to present a chess match in an annoying way. Forget moving participants.
So I vowed to make this an NBC free olympics. Armed with my Mac mini equipped tv, BBC is coming in nicely. 8-10 hours of harmoniously edited content, broken into 3-4 subject relevant segments + highlights and extras. Would happily pay for this coverage!