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2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread
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 2014-01-23 9:09 PM |
Champion  6931      Bellingham, Washington |  Subject: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics ThreadLet me be the first to open up the discussion on this debacle and hopefully moderators can make the Winter Olympics its own page. Ok reading ESPN has a story about Lolo Jones (a favorite of mine) getting the nod for the bobsled team....and there is some controversy...? She is by far the best athlete for the comp and probably so is Lauryn Williams.. So what that she had a couple faux pax last year....put the best competitors in the comp. http://espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2014/bobsled/story/_/id/10341641... As compared to figure skating where they bumped the third place finisher for the gal who fumbled and bumbled her routine and finished 4th. But no lets give her the third spot because of her past history? I'm more interested in the hunt for the black widow. |
| 2014-01-24 12:10 AM in reply to: 0 |
Champion 7821 Brooklyn, NY | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread I'm happy to see Lolo get another shot at a medal. I'm a fan if hers as well. I haven't paid much attention to the athletes leading up to the games up I'll be all in once they start. I saw a report on HBO a few weeks ago that said that this Winter Olympics will cost more than every other winter Olympic Games, ever. Combined. The road that had to be built to get the spectators up to the venue ended up costing billions. And that almost none of it is going to the citizens of Sochi. They did paint a few of the tenements to make them look more presentable and when paint wasn't enough, they built some huge walls so visitors wouldn't have to see the slums. I know every country that hosts the Olympics is guilty of some of these sorts of things--even Atlanta allegedly gave homeless people free bus tickets out of town and handed out new clothes to the ones who wouldn't leave to make them more presentable, but the things that came out in this report were especially sad. The one funny thing was that, since Sochi isn't really a winter resort, they were understandably worried about not having enough snow. So, last winter, they started collecting tons and tons of snow under these giant silver insulated blankets. So there are these massive piles of old snow, being kept cold (at what I'm sure must also be a staggering cost) all over the place, just in case Mother Nature doesn't cooperate. http://abcnews.go.com/International/sochis-olympic-snow-stored-tarp... Edited by jmk-brooklyn 2014-01-24 12:13 AM |
| 2014-01-24 5:20 AM in reply to: jmk-brooklyn |
Champion 14571 the alamo city, Texas | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread i LOVE me some lolo jones, and who doesn't like a track athlete-turned-bobsledder-cool-runnings-story!??!?! |
| 2014-01-24 5:26 AM in reply to: mehaner |
Pro 4838 | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread Originally posted by mehaner i LOVE me some lolo jones, and who doesn't like a track athlete-turned-bobsledder-cool-runnings-story!??!?! I agree. I was sad when she got smoked in the hurdles so I hope she can get a gold medal in the bobsled. |
| 2014-01-24 6:34 AM in reply to: Iowaman |
Master 2642 Bloomington, MN | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread I agree about Lolo getting another chance. She seems very likable and it would be nice to see her on the podium. I love the Olympics and am really hoping that the security can prevent any outside drama. Just let these athletes compete for a couple of weeks. |
| 2014-01-24 6:53 AM in reply to: BellinghamSpence |
Master 3205 ann arbor, michigan | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread I have one of the weeks off from work and am trying to convince my wife to go. She is understandably reluctant. Plus, it would likely be the most expensive vacation we would ever take. I am just so tempted by the fact that there are still tickets available to most events. Wait. Why are tickets still available two weeks out from the Olympics?.......... Hmmmmmm. |
| 2014-01-24 10:08 AM in reply to: wannabefaster |
Pro 15655 | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread I have a bad feeling and I hope I'm wrong. The Chechen terrorists have pulled of some BIG attacks, and they are ruthless beyond anything we see in our society. Read up on the Belsan school attack to see how fanatical they are. |
| 2014-01-24 11:14 AM in reply to: jmk-brooklyn |
Pro 4578 Vancouver, BC | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread We had to collect snow for our 2010 Winter Olympics too. I think we had to use it too! We also had to build a new road from Vancouver to Whistler, well we had to rebuild an existing road, but in fairness we did need it and we are still using it today. |
| 2014-01-24 12:08 PM in reply to: Left Brain |
Pro 4174 Keller, Texas | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread Originally posted by Left Brain I have a bad feeling and I hope I'm wrong. The Chechen terrorists have pulled of some BIG attacks, and they are ruthless beyond anything we see in our society. Read up on the Belsan school attack to see how fanatical they are.
I have the same feeling and really hope I am wrong too.
On the plus side, I have really started to enjoy Curling and going forward to the non-stop coverage of that! |
| 2014-02-06 11:53 AM in reply to: dodgersmom |
Pro 6838 Tejas | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread One more day! I love watching the Olympic games more than any other sporting event. The winter games are my favorite over the summer games. I'm going to ignore all the negative press about security threats and the facilities not being up to par. I'm not going to let those reporters whining about their hotel rooms and not having wifi dampen my enthusiasm. I'll be glued to the tube for the next two weeks, let the games begin!! |
| 2014-02-06 12:02 PM in reply to: mdg2003 |
Champion 14571 the alamo city, Texas | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread i LOVE summer olympics and watch as much as i can, but i just don't enjoy winter olympics as much. i am psyched for the opening ceremonies tomorrow night, i adore the parade of nations. it makes me super emotional! |
| 2014-02-06 12:05 PM in reply to: mdg2003 |
Alpharetta, Georgia Bronze member | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread Don't know how much of this is truth, but interesting to read. |
| 2014-02-06 12:06 PM in reply to: wannabefaster |
Champion 10018 , Minnesota Bronze member | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread Originally posted by wannabefaster I have one of the weeks off from work and am trying to convince my wife to go. She is understandably reluctant. Plus, it would likely be the most expensive vacation we would ever take. I am just so tempted by the fact that there are still tickets available to most events. Wait. Why are tickets still available two weeks out from the Olympics?.......... Hmmmmmm. I think this is maybe a joke, but if you're serious at last check you need a visa to visit Russia. Might be too late for that |
| 2014-02-06 6:27 PM in reply to: BikerGrrrl |
Champion 6931 Bellingham, Washington | Subject: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? They can't get workable toilets that flush TP, but they know that their surveilance cameras in the showers work just fine? http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/olympics/spying-tourists-shower-l... |
| 2014-02-06 9:02 PM in reply to: BellinghamSpence |
Elite 4564 Boise | Subject: RE: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? I'm just going to throw this out there. Figure skating is awful. I don't understand why it's given the most air time. I'd rather watch any other event than this. |
| 2014-02-07 7:06 AM in reply to: JoshR |
| Master 1946 Memphis, TN | Subject: RE: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? Originally posted by JoshR I'm just going to throw this out there. Figure skating is awful. I don't understand why it's given the most air time. I'd rather watch any other event than this. It's only fun when your team is expected to medal and by all accounts the US team isn't very good this year. The bad thing about the Winter Olympics is fewer sports so even the boring ones get lots of TV coverage. In the summer olympics there are so many sports and you can cut to all of them, even though they seem to cover synchronized swimming a bit to much for my taste. |
| 2014-02-07 8:38 AM in reply to: JoshR |
Pro 5761 Bartlett, TN | Subject: RE: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? Originally posted by JoshR I'm just going to throw this out there. Figure skating is awful. I don't understand why it's given the most air time. I'd rather watch any other event than this. I do not enjoy any sport where the fans have to sit there quietly. Now if the figure skaters had to deal with fans with signs and big faces like a basketball player does at the free throw line, then it might make it more interesting to me.
Nah, probably not |
| 2014-02-07 9:58 AM in reply to: jford2309 |
Pro 15655 | Subject: RE: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? Figure skating would be better if there were giant plungers that sprang up from the ice at random and knocked unsuspecting skaters on their arses. I'd pay to see that.
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| 2014-02-07 10:00 AM in reply to: BellinghamSpence |
Extreme Veteran 3177 | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread Nothing beats Biathlon (cross country skiing plus shooting) and curling (ice, stones, brooms and beer - ok the beer part is optional) for my winter sport amusement. A close 3rd is Ski jumping. I know my wife will want to watch the figure skating but I am hoping to avoid it. |
| 2014-02-07 10:01 AM in reply to: JoshR |
Extreme Veteran 1001 Highlands Ranch, Colorado | Subject: RE: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? Originally posted by JoshR I'm just going to throw this out there. Figure skating is awful. I don't understand why it's given the most air time. I'd rather watch any other event than this. Figure skating gets more coverage at the Winter Olympics for the same reason that gymnastics gets more coverage at the Summer Olympics, the networks are trying to get more female viewers. It is odd that the TV ratings for these events are horrible in the non-olympic years and are the most watched events at the Olympics after the opening and closing ceremonies. Personally I do not like any sport where the athlete is judged on form where many times the score is based on the athlete's reputation or popularity. I would rather watch an event that is won by absolutes based upon time or points scored. |
| 2014-02-07 10:19 AM in reply to: rick4657 |
Expert 2180 Boise, Idaho | Subject: RE: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? There are waaay more crashes, falls, spills, mishaps, etc. at the Winter Games. Some folks watch racing just for the wrecks. Same difference to me. Also, the winter athletes seem to have more unique 'personalities'. I'm just praying for an "incident Free" games. Go USA!
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| 2014-02-07 10:21 AM in reply to: BellinghamSpence |
Extreme Veteran 2261 Ridgeland, Mississippi | Subject: RE: 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thread Up until this year I didn't care about the winter Olympics, but I've had a growing interest in speed skating. I watched some of the trials, and it's pretty incredible how much speed these guys can pick up. |
| 2014-02-07 10:39 AM in reply to: 0 |
Pro 6838 Tejas | Subject: RE: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? I love the skiing events. Nothing like watching these athletes screaming down a mountain in the downhill. Ski jumping is fun too. I did the zipline from the top of the big jump in Calgary when we were the a couple years ago. Anyone who can voluntarily hop off that rail and go down that on skis is a true bada##. I'm glad to see the women are jumping this year too. Here's a youtube link to the zipline, imagine doing that on skis, without a harness and drag chute!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6aeBMj-GrY Edited by mdg2003 2014-02-07 10:45 AM (calgary.jpg) Attachments ---------------- calgary.jpg (98KB - 13 downloads) |
| 2014-02-07 10:40 AM in reply to: rick4657 |
Expert 3126 Boise, ID | Subject: RE: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? Originally posted by rick4657 Originally posted by JoshR I'm just going to throw this out there. Figure skating is awful. I don't understand why it's given the most air time. I'd rather watch any other event than this. Figure skating gets more coverage at the Winter Olympics for the same reason that gymnastics gets more coverage at the Summer Olympics, the networks are trying to get more female viewers. It is odd that the TV ratings for these events are horrible in the non-olympic years and are the most watched events at the Olympics after the opening and closing ceremonies. Personally I do not like any sport where the athlete is judged on form where many times the score is based on the athlete's reputation or popularity. I would rather watch an event that is won by absolutes based upon time or points scored. I think the figure skating gets coverage because they can create drama with it. In bobsled you either have the fastest time or you don't, pretty cut and dried. In figure skating if the Ukraine judge gives someone a low score they lose and the commentators can throw a fit, then people can take to twitter and FB and cry and moan about how so and so was robbed by the judges. Can't do any of that in timed events.
I agree, I don't like the judged sports as well, too subjective. |
| 2014-02-07 2:31 PM in reply to: Aarondb4 |
| Master 1946 Memphis, TN | Subject: RE: Can we start to make fun of the Russian Winter Olympics? watching the women's slope snowboarding last night and when they wipe out on their face it looks brutal, but they all got back up. Those women are tough as nails. |
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