Winter Olympics 06

[saint.panda]

Anybody watching the Olympics in Torino?

I'm totally captured by the shortrack races and figure skating. Ski jump and ice hockey are amazing, too.

 

[Homeless]

I've watched the fitst two Canadian womens hockey games (16-0 vs. Italy, and 12-0 vs. Russia) and I have to wonder how much longer Womens ice hockey will remain a medal sport when there are really only two competitive teams with Canada and the United States. Even when Italy was one woman up on the power play the Canadians were still in the italian zone passing it around like they were on a power play. At least the italian fans were good sports about it cheering the Italian women when they could get the puck out of their zone.

I'm really excited about the mens hockey, and am hoping Canada can retain the Gold. I'd say it will be Canada over the Czechs in the final and the USA and Sweden in the bronze match which could be a toss up. The russians could be dangerous aswell...

 

[Oddball]

I've been watching random events on television. I'm probably going to end up trying to catch the US Women's Hockey team as they go deeper into the tournament since I like watching team sports. I've routinely watched figure skating, and I've been disappointed with Michelle Kwan's inability to compete since I had followed her at the past two Olympic games. I think she did the right thing with withdrawing though. I plan on continuing to root for Sasha Cohen to get the medal she deserves, but it's sad that Kwan won't be there. I watched Hedrick last night and I have to say--skating around in circles is strangely mesmerizing to watch.

 

[granodemostasa]

I'm too depressed about Kwan to care about the rest of the games.

 

[daycart1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saint.panda Anybody watching the Olympics in Torino? I'm totally captured by the shortrack races and figure skating. Ski jump and ice hockey are amazing, too.

The TV coverage of Olympic competition is always miserable in the US. It is designed to get people who are not sports fans to watch. This means much more emphasis on "up close and personal" gossip reports than on actual competition.

 

[HeadphoneMafia]

The downhill skiing is phenomenal.

Surplus of 70+ mph!

Hockey and Luge are shweeet also.

 

[Homeless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daycart1 The TV coverage of Olympic competition is always miserable in the US. It is designed to get people who are not sports fans to watch. This means much more emphasis on "up close and personal" gossip reports than on actual competition.

That's what I love about being in Canada and having the CBC, it's Olympics all day and night pretty well.

I did notice that though, that NBC barely has any coverage, and none so far that I have seen has been live. All recaps, interviews, and almost like an Entertainment Tonight feel.

Right now I'm watching Jenn Heil get her gold for the womens moguls and it's nice to see her teary eyed singing O Canada...good for her!

 

[Gabe Logan]

Yes NBC hurts to watch but having to watch it in high def makes it worthwhile.Thanks to my ratshack antenna.

 

[elrod-tom]

I was watching the Canadian coverage (I always prefer it for ski racing) earlier today. I'll be interested to contrast it later tonight with the NBC coverage.

I won't spoil the DH results for anyone waiting for tonight...but there is a VERY big surprise (and a disappointment for US watchers).

Speaking of skiing, I'll be interested to see if Bode Miller can get through the week without putting ski-in-mouth.

I'm actually glad that Michelle Kwan did the right thing. I'll be tuning in to see how Sarah Hughes' little sister does.

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daycart1 The TV coverage of Olympic competition is always miserable in the US. It is designed to get people who are not sports fans to watch. This means much more emphasis on "up close and personal" gossip reports than on actual competition.

With stations like Outdoor Life Network and multiple ESPN's...you'd think that viewers in the US should be able to watch all the coverage. It must be too costly to cover the events without being commercialized. They must get more money from advertising when they show figure skating in prime time for 4 days than hardcore sports like downhill mountain biking and freestyle aerial skiing.

 

[saint.panda]

This is the first time I actively watched fast track and for one it's very diverting but there's also a lot of tactical manoeuvring which makes it extremely exciting to watch with lead changes all the time. And it's really elegant to boot.

Women's ice-hockey is a bit one-sided perhaps. The only interesting game will be the finale between USA and Canada.

Shaun White was pretty awesome today.

I'm looking forward to the figure skating finals!

Quote:

Originally Posted by daycart1 The TV coverage of Olympic competition is always miserable in the US. It is designed to get people who are not sports fans to watch. This means much more emphasis on "up close and personal" gossip reports than on actual competition.

Sorry to hear that. I'm fortunate to receive state-sponsored TV channels from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, which all, true to their Alpine heritage, indulge in quite an extensive olympics coverage, each with a different emphasis depending on national representation at the specific disciplines.

 

[BillyC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe Logan Yes NBC hurts to watch but having to watch it in high def makes it worthwhile.Thanks to my ratshack antenna.

The CBC is in HD as well.

One of the things I dislike about NBC coverage of the Olympics is that the emphasis is entirely on American athletes. If you watched NBC exclusively you'd think only one nation competes.

While the CBC shows Canadian athletes, they show other coverage where there are no Canadians involved or the Canadian athletes are totally out of the medal running.

On NBC, it seems they only show US athletes winning gold.

This goes for both the summer and winter games.

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillyC On NBC, it seems they only show US athletes winning gold. This goes for both the summer and winter games.

The US wins gold in the winter games? Rare occurence. Why is the US so bad at winter sports but so dominant in the summer games?

 

[MD1032]

I watched the Luge and Women's Speed Skating so far. It's pretty cool. You've got to admit, the tracks and courses they use are way above the norm. Seems like when I normally watch Luge the track is bumpy and the sled vibrates around a lot. At the olympics, the thing just flies pretty smoothly.

Now here's a question: How is Curling a sport?

 

[Homeless]

How is it not?