OT: Olympics Talk

[AhosDatsyukian]

Figured this deserves its own thread. Which events have people watched already, which ones are you planning to watch?

I watched a bunch this weekend, snowboarding, luge, women's hockey, figure skating, etc. Those lugers are friggin nuts, I've done a lot of "crazy" things in my life and would be scared shitless to try luging.

Will probably still watch the men's hockey even with no NHLers, will of course be looking out for Nikishin for Russia.

Shaun White for the final time will be fun to watch.

Go USA (sorry to our Canadian, Finnish and Czech friends here but we want all the golds here)

Click to read more...

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

I find olympics more and more harder to watch as long as Russia “isn’t allowed to attend” and athlete have become mercenaries. The top big air skier is American but has a Chinese mom. She knew there was less competition and more money to be made in China so, now she is Chinese. Although this is the less egregious form of the mercenaries but some of the others are far worse, including for the US. Lets add in most of the events have annual worldly competitions now that take away from the prestige of the Olympics. It isn’t a big thing when the same athletes compete against each other 1-2 times a year.

 

[MrazeksVengeance]

Chinese Women Hockey team is an effing merc joke.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

I find olympics more and more harder to watch as long as Russia “isn’t allowed to attend” and athlete have become mercenaries. The top big air skier is American but has a Chinese mom. She knew there was less competition and more money to be made in China so, now she is Chinese. Although this is the less egregious form of the mercenaries but some of the others are far worse, including for the US. Lets add in most of the events have annual worldly competitions now that take away from the prestige of the Olympics. It isn’t a big thing when the same athletes compete against each other 1-2 times a year.

I grew up wrestling and honestly I think that’s got to be the biggest sport as far as mercenaries go.

Russia are just so strong and so deep that in most years they have multiple athletes per weight class who could all medal. Many move to other countries as it’s their only chance to compete. I can recall times where there were 7 Russian born athletes in one weight class with 6 representing new countries.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

I was much more into it as a kid (and even a teenager and young adult). Like a lot of things, I just have mostly moved on. Even if there were NHLers, I wouldn’t be terribly gung-ho.

Weird new events too. Well…weird to me, anyway.

I did watch some women’s ski jumping the other day. Classic event.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

I grew up wrestling and honestly I think that’s got to be the biggest sport as far as mercenaries go.

Russia are just so strong and so deep that in most years they have multiple athletes per weight class who could all medal. Many move to other countries as it’s their only chance to compete. I can recall times where there were 7 Russian born athletes in one weight class with 6 representing new countries.

I was watching the speed skating this morning and the 5 skaters in the 1000m were all Chinese but 2 of them were brothers who are racing for someone else.
I typically route for the small countries to win an event even when playing the US, the US, or basically anyone to beat China or “Russia.” Either way, the Olympics have been a sham for some time and the IOC is toward the tops of corrupt and gutless organizations.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I find olympics more and more harder to watch as long as Russia “isn’t allowed to attend” and athlete have become mercenaries. The top big air skier is American but has a Chinese mom. She knew there was less competition and more money to be made in China so, now she is Chinese. Although this is the less egregious form of the mercenaries but some of the others are far worse, including for the US. Lets add in most of the events have annual worldly competitions now that take away from the prestige of the Olympics. It isn’t a big thing when the same athletes compete against each other 1-2 times a year.

I'd still imagine most folks don't follow those other 1-2 times per year they compete. So, for the casual fan, this is still the big thing. I'm not big into any of it, but the only time I'll ever watch any of it is the Olympics. I throw it on when there is nothing else on.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

I'd still imagine most folks don't follow those other 1-2 times per year they compete. So, for the casual fan, this is still the big thing. I'm not big into any of it, but the only time I'll ever watch any of it is the Olympics. I throw it on when there is nothing else on.

Same, I think most of these sports are interesting but only interesting enough for me to tune in once every 4 years, I don't follow any of these random sports outside of the Olympics. These are many of the best athletes in the world, I enjoy watching as much as I can each cycle. And I like the winter sports much more than the summer sports

 

[Chrispy]

Chinese Women Hockey team is an effing merc joke.

Worse than Italian hockey or the Italian team in the World Baseball Classic?

That was when I learned I was eligible to compete for Italy as long as none of my ancestors actively disavowed Italian citizenship. If they just ignored Italian citizenship eligibility and I could trace back my lineage (in my case to my grandmother) I was eligible.

 

[raynman]

The main thing I enjoy about the Winter Olympics is that just about every event is dangerous in some way.

 

[LakeLivin]

Watched a bit of the Big Air ski competition last night. Those people are nuts! They go down a steep ramp similar to ski jumping but then do a bunch of flips in the air before landing. And did I mention that most of them are skiing backwards down the ramp?

 

[raynman]

Watched a bit of the Big Air ski competition last night. Those people are nuts! They go down a ramp similar to ski jumping but then do a bunch of flips in the air before landing. And did I mention that most of them are skiing backwards down the ramp?

The cooling towers in the background are so wintry and mountainy

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

The cooling towers in the background are so wintry and mountainy

They have the plant but we have the power.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

US skier just .04 seconds from picking up our first Gold. Crazy

 

[HisIceness]

Skiing is fun to watch

 

[cptjeff]

Skiing is fun to watch

I love watching the downhill especially. I love skiing like that, but obviously I don't do it as well as they do. Just breathtaking speed.

On another note, Amanda Kessel just attempted to murder a ref.

 

[DaJackal]

Haven't watched a second yet. Probably will take a look at something during the weekend, but I can't remember a time when I have been this disinterested in the Olympics (summer or winter). Even the hockey games are "meh" as a thought, we'll see if I bother.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

Haven't watched a second yet. Probably will take a look at something during the weekend, but I can't remember a time when I have been this disinterested in the Olympics (summer or winter). Even the hockey games are "meh" as a thought, we'll see if I bother.

Part of it for me is that I still feel like the summer games just ended so it’s hard to get interested again even though I usually prefer the winter games.

Also, I feel the need to point out that Canada beat the US women despite being nearly doubled in shots. It was just round Robin, though, so they should meet again in the medal round.

 

[Svechhammer]

We are still early in the competition and theres already some grade A bullshit on display with some of the questionable disqualifications in speed skating that all seem to be helping China out.

Hope these are outliers because if this just turns into the IOC judges being China lackeys for a few weeks, it'll quickly become completely unwatchable.

 

[MrazeksVengeance]

LEDECKÁ OWNS.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

We are still early in the competition and theres already some grade A bullshit on display with some of the questionable disqualifications in speed skating that all seem to be helping China out.

Hope these are outliers because if this just turns into the IOC judges being China lackeys for a few weeks, it'll quickly become completely unwatchable.

Maybe we can get another all-time olympic moment like this:

 

[To Be Determined]

We are still early in the competition and theres already some grade A bullshit on display with some of the questionable disqualifications in speed skating that all seem to be helping China out.

Hope these are outliers because if this just turns into the IOC judges being China lackeys for a few weeks, it'll quickly become completely unwatchable.

roy jones, jr agrees.

yes, i'm still mad.

 

[Lucky Lindy]

Four golds for Sweden so far (plus one silver and one bronze).

Can't complain about that, even tho some misses in biathlon and skiing.

Nils van der Poel is so cool, love that guy. And I didn't even know who he was one year ago.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Mikaela Shiffrin probably the most disappointing skiing in her career, bombed out after 5 gates 2 events in a row...ouch

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Russia wins 1-0. Nikishin +1 with 2 PIM on the day.