Hi. I'm hoping to watch an Indian goddess float across the ice in the ice dancing though I'm not sure the couple plan to do that routine. It's beautiful and they should though.
I'm stoked for figure skating. And this isn't really sport related, but I hope Apolo never shaves his goatee. I love it! But don't tell Joel.
All three women (gold, silver and bronze) in that event, gave outstanding performances. They're all winners in my view.
My Olympic impressions: I was very impressed with the beautiful opening ceremonies this year. Not even the hiccup at the lighting of the cauldron ruined the night. The ceremonies were solemn and yet joyous and beautiful. Poor, poor Georgia. I heard there's video out on the Web of the crash, but I don't want to view it. That's absolutely horrible and something that shouldn't have happened. I was watching luge last night and one of the guys went too high up on one of the walls and fell halfway off his sled, but managed to stay on. For a while, it looked like he was going to fly off his sled, and when he came to a safe stop, the announcers were clearly relieved--one of them said "Forget about the time, thank God he's okay!" It really shows how terrified people are this year watching luge. I hope everything goes smoothly and nobody is hurt. In happier news, the US is leading the medal count so far with 4 medals total--2 bronze, a silver and a gold. Go USA!
I've not really been watching any of the Olymics... I don't really expect Belgium to get a medal either... anyway, I'm not very patriotic I'm afraid. As for Georgia... yeah. They kept showing the crash of the poor guy on the news, I really don't understand why they had to, it makes me feel sick.
The US is going to clean house. Every time I see our US athletes in the Games, I am awestruck at how focused and talented they are. Every athlete stuns me, but the US athletes are the best IMO (I may be a bit biased. ). And I love the friendship and peaceful competition. No country is stabbing each other in the back to get medals--it's a time for the world to come together and be happy in a great tradition. The integrity and amazing character of these Olympic athletes makes me happy and proud.
Yeah, it's incredible how clean their runs were given the poor conditions of the track. Edit: The crazy thing is that Slovakia blew out Bulgaria 82-0 in qualification.
You're too young to remember the Olympics during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the Western countries. Competition was cut throat. Doping, drug enhanced performance, falsifying "amateur" status, severe bias in judging (especially in ice skating and gymnastics)...those kinds of behaviors marred what the Olympics were supposed to represent. Even before the Cold War, international politics tarnished the games. Hitler tried to use the Olympics to promote his notions about Aryan superiority. Too bad for him a black guy from the US, Jesse Owens, spoiled the theory. And in 1972, Arab terrorists took Israeli Olympians hostage, murdering some. The point is, you are seeing Olympics that way they were intended to be...friendly competition between athletes and nations. I sincerely hope we never return to the tension, bitterness, and even violence, in the Olympics of my youth. Enjoy it!
Yeesh...... I remember reading about Jesse Owens beating the Germans, but that's as far as I thought it went. Thank goodness I've always seen the Olympics as the sport they were meant to be.
Caydee, what have you done for the USA?! I know she's only sixteen, but I was really counting on a higher place than 53.xx from the Denney / Barrett team. Evora / Ladwig did better (as I expected, after Denney's down-graded double) but I dont think they're worthy of the podium. Denney and Barrett were worthy, but that short program. She was so nervous. Maybe I'm speaking too soon, but with Denney / Barrett in 5th, and Evora / Ladwig in 3rd, with the best in the world still to perform? I doubt the US will medal for pairs skating tomorrow. The short program (which is on tonight) will never determine standings, but if you dont place 1, 2, or 3 by the end? It's likely you will not place in the overall, either. Mirai Nagasu (and Rachel Flatt, I guess), Johnny Weir (and Jeremy Abbott, I guess)? Please, give me some hope here in the womens and mens competitions. US needs to earn gold in at least one of these figure skating divisions.
Canada wins their first gold at home! Beautiful run by Alex Bilodeau. Now the pressure of breaking the drought is finally gone, and as much as I wanted Heil to win, I'm even happier for Bilodeau and his family. Nice run for Wilson too, he really wasn't expected to do so well. The US can really be proud of their performance in the moguls this year. I'm so proud of Langlois and Hay, best short program score of their career, putting them in 2nd for now.
I know the Olympics are supposed to be happy, so I'm putting my pairs short program figure skating rant behind a spoiler. Spoiler Okay, now I'm pissed. I put up with the 53.xx for the Denney / Barrett team because I thought the judges were going to be that hard on all the skaters. That short program was not designed to max points like one of the Russian teams was, but it was designed for at least a 65. I've watched Denney and Barrett perform that routine all year. ALL YEAR! It's never scored that low. WTF. The short program event has been full of falls and bobbles and stumbles and poor spin executions tonight, but almost everyone else has been scoring 63-65. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? Dube / Davison pair was terrible! Off tempo the entire time, a bobble from Davison and a fall by Dube. Yet they end up with a 64.xx?! Someone needs to be fired. With the Russian and Chinese going all out for pairs while USA only submitted two contenders (and we're not super-strong in the first place, like Russia), I was not expecting a USA medal, but I was not expecting one of the USA teams to rank in LAST PLACE. Something is very, very wrong. Scott Hamilton, commentator for NBC, said he would like to see the Master sheet for review. I wouldnt mind a look myself. Edit: Good point in the event: Congrats to Shen / Zhou. That really was amazing. Olympic record. WOW. 2nd good point: Great job for Germany's final performance. I'll never look at clowns the same way again; what a fantastic performance.
I don't follow figure skating enough to fully understand the judging, but I was very surprised. Shen/Zhou and the German pair were both great and totally deserve their placement, but a few others I don't really understand. That stood out for me, as did another pair that scored very well despite a fall. Of the Canadian pairs, I thought Langlois and Hay performed better. Everyone I'm watching with were very disappointed about the low score for the Swiss team, and all of us were surprised Dube/Davison scored highest of the Canadians.
I saw that gold win and thought of you. That last performance was amazing! I saw their makeup and was like uhhh...ok...but it was a beautiful performance.
I totally agree with the quality and sportsmanship of the US team, but of course every competing country shows its own version of the Olympics The coverage is very selective, designed to appeal to the folks back home. For example, when I was in France during the last summer Olympics I was amazed at how well the French athletes were doing, and what interesting and nice people they were!
I saw something unpleasant yesterday in the pairs skating. Did you guys see it? Yeah, I'm gonna' say it. Maybe I'm wrong but it sure looked like it to me! It was the Russian team. The boy fell and the coach was visibly upset. But that's not the worst of it. When they went to the place where the coach and the couple sit after the routine, the coach looked angry and the girl looked frightened to death of him and the boy looked devastated. Did you guys see how the girl sat very close to her guy and held him and there was a visible separation of at least two feet between the girl and the coach? It's like . . . well when we get home, you're getting kicked out of your "spacious" apartment reserved for famous athlete and you're going into the snow!
the skating has always been controversial. that is why I don't watch it anymore. But Canada now has at least one silver and one gold. The jinx may be broken finally. We don't win gold when Canada hosts the games. go Canada go. we were told by the prime minister that we can be loudly patriotic and not to be shy about being proud.
Or you can try it like this: Although it was a challenging and risky routine, the coach was sure his skaters were up to it. But the boy fell. The coach WAS angry. They’d done it many times in training, why oh why did this have to happen? Fate is cruel. The boy thought he’d let everyone down. The girl knew he was blaming himself. She wanted to show him she had no hard feelings, so she made sure to sit close to him and be supportive. Going through all their heads was “Five or six years of work, leading up to this moment, and we screwed it up.” It's always a good idea to see people from other countries as individuals, and not just the product of a system which we are maybe unfamiliar with.
Hi Madhoca. Got a problem with that line. Guess I got a problem with being "angry" as opposed to being disappointed (and loving). Know what, I think he's mean and she hates him.
You know what? When I didn't get into White Lodge to study ballet, I wasn't 'disappointed'. I was reallly, really devastated/angry/livid/furious, railing against my mistakes as well as fate in general. I was 12 at the time. I felt the same when I was placed seventh in the South of England under 14s cross country. You have to be insanely competitive and driven to be successful as a sportsperson. (I guess in the end I had enough insanity, but just lacked the physical strength needed). For an Olympic skater, they really only get the one chance. They peak at that moment. And they blew it. So I don't think that they were 'disappointed', no. I can understand why the coach didn't give them a big healing hug. He wanted to shoot them both probably--just at that particular moment! Which was his weakness, of course. But then, the Olympics is nothing if not high drama, which is why we watch it. Perhaps it's more difficult for you to understand because you haven't competed as an athlete or tried out as a performer? Oh, and the coach got her to the Olympics. Of course she doesn't hate him.
I wish I could watch the Olympics from another country's POV! I was thinking about how the coverage might be from another country, so I'm really glad you posted this. It would be really interesting to me to see it not just from the US's perspective, but other places as well.
No I haven't. You make good points and perhaps you could say, "well then you don't understand". Ok. Point taken. I'm simply stating how I feel about the matter. I found it disturbing to watch that particular scene especially the distance the girl was placing between the coach and herself. And if she doesn't hate him. Good for them both and I stand corrected then.
Dude, if you want to start an argument, can you do it in a PM? Please don't get this thread closed over a difference in opinion.
