[Homeless]

Well, our Canadian womens hockey team got the gold as expected...now lets hope the men can pull their act together to defend the gold. I was suprised by the loss to the swiss, and while the finns are an awesome team and I thought it would be a toss up, I didn't expect Canada to be shut out again

 

[nabwong]

Holy crap! Curling is insane! It's like marbles on steroids. I was like, "what the heck is this bloddy stupid excuse for a sport".... then i'm sitting here for an hour already watching them go...."yyUUPPPPP!!!!!!!"...."Woooo-OOOOOO!!!"

Jamie and Cassie Johnson are soooo cute!

 

[plainsong]

I can watch curling for hours trying to figure out what the heck they're doing.. other than shouting "YEP YEP!" It's great... in a boring kind of way, but every 4 years... I can take it.

Watched the Ice Dance free dance tonight, and if it ain't the sorriest excuse for a reason to put on skates... jeez. I just wish we got NBC's feed so I could hear Dick Button tear them apart. Am I talking about the performers? Mostly no, I'm talking about the judges. They have it so decided beforehand. It's worse than any of the other disciplines. There were some interesting things out there tonight, but no thanks to the rules. You could see it in the routines....either highly technical and old skool... or with lots of lifts and flash. No one knew what the judges wanted. The judges just wanted you to be Russian, that's pretty much it.

And that pair who tried to rip off Bolero.. not only extremely uncool... but they couldn't even execute the moves they tried to rip. Come on, it's 2006. Bolero was in 1984... can't you find some new ground to break? Did T&D have to do it all for you?

There were some great routines, but they didn't make the podium. Why? It would upset the status quo among thte judges.

 

[tennisets]

Wow, that's a pretty wicked GS course they've got set up there. I was a little dissappointed with the DH, it was definitely not a very technical course. The gold basically went to whoever could keep off of his edges the most (in this case, Deneriaz).

The GS has some wickedly spaced gates on steep grades, some really technical skiing required there! What a great course!

On two other notes: Ted Ligety's slalom run was truly world class, that was some great skiing! and despite the fact that Bode Miller DQ'd in the Super G, you've got to give him credit for a pretty amazing recovery. He could have run into some real trouble even after regained his balance with that ski bouncing around behind him, but he managed to get it back under him. Unfortunately he just doesn't appear to be in the best of shape; even after the very short slalom course he was gasping for air, let alone after the GS (he looked like he was about to keel over). He arguably could have won the DH, but in the lower half of the course he just couldn't keep in his tuck; he was sucking wind when he should have had the energy to finish up the race in good form, especially on such an easy course.

 

[elrod-tom]

I'd have to agree....Bode seems out of shape.

It's almost like he's acting out, trying to show everyone how much he doesn't care about the Olympics. As someone who grew up ski racing, and knew more than a few Olympic ski racers pretty well, this guy's act is becoming an embarassment.

The GS courses (especially the second course) seemed to be well set. I was very much impressed with the runs that Raich and Maier turned in.

 

[fewtch]

Ditto on elrod-tom's observations... it almost seems like Bode Miller is not really olympic material. Disappointing.

I also agree with Plainsong on the ice dancing... geesh, the ones with the most robotic, mechanical performances that follow the rules closely seem to get the highest scores. Those judges just have no heart, and don't care at all about creativity or artistic ability. At least the skaters themselves know better, but I hope this won't turn the sport into an utterly dull, rote sort of thing over time.

 

[nabwong]

Bode is quite a dissappointment. His attitude is quite shocking. Sure he's X-games material but he's like anti-Olympic spirit. He looks tired and uninterested.

 

[tennisets]

Yeah, and you know the thing is, it's not as though he's not doing well. He is doing well, 5th in DH and 7th in GS is a good finish, it's just that he should be doing better. He's clearly exhausted by the end of his runs, and not in shape for this competition. He barely even made it to the finish in his second GS run, and lost a lot of time in the bottom of the course, possibly due to his tired legs (just like in DH).

If not inspecting the course works for him, great. If staying out late also works for him, fine, but either that's the reason he's so tired (in which case it's not working for him) or he's just slacking off in his conditioning. I'm inclined to think it's a little of both.

Granted, Rahlves is having a worse showing the Bode, but the difference is that he's really trying, whereas it appears that Bode is just along for the ride and obviously did not properly prepare for these games. I'm sure he did put 100% into his races, but no way did he put 100% into his preparation.

It's unfortunate that such a talented skier seems to be so ambivalent about his success.

I agree, Raich's and Maier's runs were a pleasure to watch. Reich really nailed his second run.

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong Watched the Ice Dance free dance tonight, and if it ain't the sorriest excuse for a reason to put on skates... jeez.

i have a new rule which i think the IOC should adopt:

Rule 493b subsection III: no sport that requires the athletes to smile shall qualify as an Olympic event.

although, i am kind of bummed that that canadian couple couldn't perform because of injury. apparently their routine was a re-enactment of a scene between Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymoure from the movie Somewhere in Time... BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

 

[Homeless]

I was kind of annoyed to see yesterday that the third goalie for the Canadian womens hockey team will not receive a gold medal.

That's total BS...she practiced and travelled with the team, and to make things worse...the gold (or silver and bronze) medal winning mens team third goalie will receive a medal. What's up with that?

Btw...thank god the men have been able to pop a couple early goals. Just incase anyone can't watch the game it's Canada 3 Czech Rep. 1 at the end of the Second period.

 

[MIKEp]

Ya i hope canada's hockey team can pick it up a little because they sucked in the last two games. I was really happy that the womans team got gold but ill be pissed if Canada doesnt even make it to the gold medal game.

 

[Homeless]

Looks like we'll be facing Russia in the quaters, because Sweden couldn't beat the Slovaks

It's intriguing that the Swedish coach would imply that he'd rather not beat the Slovaks because if they did they'd face either Canada or the Czechs...both of which would be more difficult than the Swiss, their likely opponents should they lose today. I hope the Swiss pound the Swedes and Canada rolls over Russia, but we'll have to wait and see...should be good though.

 

[plainsong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax i have a new rule which i think the IOC should adopt: Rule 493b subsection III: no sport that requires the athletes to smile shall qualify as an Olympic event. although, i am kind of bummed that that canadian couple couldn't perform because of injury. apparently their routine was a re-enactment of a scene between Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymoure from the movie Somewhere in Time... BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

LOL - you know one inane rule they enacted, proving there's no musicians or music lovers among them... that in ice dance, no ballet music is allowed.

A wealth of material, specifically meant for dance... gone, can't use it, nuh-uh. No way.

That proves the expertise of these judges.

 

[JahJahBinks]

I didn't watch ice dancing, but I heard about people falling on the ice....

 

[plainsong]

I wasn't inspired enough to watch it either... but I seem to remember that would disqualify you once upon a time. My knowledge on that is hazy though, second hand through some ice dancer friends who are probably not only not up on the latest rules, but who I haven't had a chance to talk to in ages. But I watched the free skate and no one was disqualified.. I dunno, maybe they'll just deduct the heck out of you now or something. Falling is rare in ice dance, as there's no jumps allowed. Of course things went right to heck (not hell, heck - read your Dilbert) in 94 and ice dance has been the person stepson ever since.

Yeah, it's a case for Phil, the prince of insufficient light alright.

Heheh, a girl skating to Malaguena right now. LOL - it would be better if the 88 Madison Scouts were there, but it does show some taste.