Vancouver 2010

Htown Harry

Htown Harry

Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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May 13, 2007
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It's time for another Olympics.

I started a Beijing thread two years ago. So....following the same format:

One week until the opening ceremonies and I'm starting to get excited...

Favorite Winter Olympics ever - none stand out for me. I tend to remember specific events: USA's hockey victory in Lake Placid, Klammer's downhill run in Innsbruck, Dan Jansen, the first year for the snowboarding events.

Favorite event - alpine skiing, especially the men's downhill (Sat. Feb 13)

Least favorite event - women's [-]gymnastics[/-] figure skating. The athleticism is impressive, but the hype and the endless TV coverage just wear me out. Then there is the fact that the judging scandal of a few years back didn't surprise me in the least. [-]Diving[/-] Freestyle skiing is similar - the judged events just don't keep my interest like the timed events or the team sports.

Can't get excited about - curling

Offbeat event I will seek out - cross country skiing relays.

Secretly want to be - a gold medal-winning downhiller. Second choice - trainer for the Norwegian women's [-]soccer[/-] alpine ski team.
coolsmiley.gif
 
I live in the Seattle area. It's been unseasonably warm for the last month or so. Apparently the same is true of Vancouver. The local papers report that there is hardly any snow at Whistler, so I'm really curious to see how they handle the skiing events. The paper also reports that Whistler is on the auction block, the owner filed for Chapter 11.
 
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The hype here in Calgary is huge. IMHO it is being oversold. The lack of snow and the disappearance of several of the sponsors in the wake of the recession suggests an even bigger financial disaster coming than previous Olympics. Vancouver is worrying about protesters objecting to the waste of money in these bad times.

The State of Washington widened Meridian from Bellingham to the Lynden crossing this past year, presumably in time for the Olympics. (The Canucks spent their money expanding the Peach Arch crossing.) We anticipate some benefits from our neighbor's big party.
 
We get the Vancouver CBC station on cable here in the Seattle area. In the past, CBC coverage of the Olympics has been much better than US coverage IMO. The CBC does a surprising good job of covering US athletes. Unfortunately, the CBC was outbid for coverage of the Vancouver Olympics, so I'll have to settle for substandard coverage.
 
Apparently there is no problem with snow in Whistler, just Cypress. Cypress is in town and the trucked in snow should cover the time that events are held there. The snow on those hills are being preserved because training while take place in Whistler.

We are in PV but we get Canadian TV via Shaw Direct so this is just what has been reported. Our place in Vancouver is 15 minutes from Cypress Mountain on its south slope.
 
If the Olympics had been held a year ago there would have been tons of snow. But this year Vancouver saw the warmest January in history. Go figure!
 
Meadbh said:
If the Olympics had been held a year ago there would have been tons of snow. But this year Vancouver saw the warmest January in history. Go figure!
Click to expand...

Seems to me that someone should have had the foresight to stage them in the Washington DC/Philadelphia area. I understand that they have an abundance of snow now.
 
I want a return of Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya "Roller Derby" Harding. My all time favorite Olympics story.

Most of the blather during and around the games makes me nauseaous.

Ha
 
Yeah, it's not like the old days. I remember when Pelops beat King Oenomaus in the chariot races. Now that was excitement! :whistle::D
 
After two+ days, my favorites so far:

  • kd lang at the opening ceremony
Video | Opening Ceremony: Hallelujah | NBC Olympics

  • The aerialist running through the wheatfields at the opening ceremony

  • Canadian men's mogul skier wins gold (more of a thrill for me than the American woman winning the event the night before)

  • The finish of the men's nordic combined - a four-way sprint to the finish line after a 10k cross-country ski.
Hoping for the weather to hold so they can start the alpine events tomorrow.

Can figure skating be canceled due to weather? >:D
 
I've been taping it and watching the events that interest me.

I swear I get winded just watching them. I'm getting old....:p
 
I am not really a TV person but I love the Olympics . The US pair skaters were from my area and they basically trained on a shoestring so even though they did not medal is was amazing to watch them . Last night men's snowboarding was great . Shaun White deserved another gold . I just enjoy watching all the sports except curling . I just do not get that concept .
 
Not a TV watcher at all, so I've been reading the headlines and a few of the stories online.
In younger years, I used to be glued to the figure skating events, but the hype and commercialism of it all anymore is also nauseating to me. :nonono:

For those who missed this live, Shaun White's performance on snowboard was phenomenal...skip forward to 3:36 for the second run and watch this young man "fly".
http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/as...85-f58dc5238dfe.html?__source=msnhomepage&cid=
 
UPDATE: Never mind. It's on now. :D Such style and grace.

Does anyone know how to find the EXACT time the pairs Ice Dancing event will be broadcast tonight on NBC? :confused:
I went to www.nbcolympics.com and all they show is the full time block, not individual events. I have the Olympics on with the sound muted to avoid the inane chatter and commercials.
 
I LOVE the snowboard events! Especially when four people are competing with each other at the same time.
 
mickeyd said:
Curling...Curling...why can't I get enough of this sport? Women with jewelry and men with cell phones on their belts. What a sport...
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It is a quirky sport, for sure. However, anyone who has tried it will tell you there is a reason it is an Olympic sport--it is hard as hell!
 
Just watched the short speed skating event with Apolo Ohno where the skaters shoot around the ice like. It's hilarious.
 
Hey - Spock in a Star Fleet uniform was being a newscaster for the men's gravity on skis followed by flying through the air event.

Fantastic women's flippy-doodles on skis - last years gold medalist did a bunch of aerial acrobatics wearing skis, landed, did a somersault, shed her skis, and slid down the slope standing on her feet. Super! Couldn't believe she didn't get extra style points.
 
Lindsey Vonn in the downhill.
The first time I watched it live and thought it was great she won, but she looked a little sloppy, uncontrolled.
On the slow-motion replay, I came to realize that all she did was beat the best skiers in the world while skiing on ONE LEG due to her shin injury. Any skier who saw her carving turns at 60 MPH on her inside ski had to be absolutely awed. What a performance!

Steve
 
The women's downhill and speed skating have been entertaining and exciting. Shaun White was plain amazing!

I'm concerned with the "up the anty" ness causing more injuries on the downhill and luge (sad) courses among others.

The Skeleton? What the heck, that is nuts, face first on a sled...now that is where you send those kids going full speed down hills on their skateboards...instead of scolding them, send them to the olympics! eaaaak!
 
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