[Maciej]

Eins, Zwei, Drei!!!

[AWR]

How does one get a job as a pushoff man on the Women's Short Track relay speed skating?

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by SledgeHammer The HD coverage has been extremely buggy. Sometimes it's alright, but other times it hiccups every minute or so, sometimes just pixelating the picture for a second, sometimes audio and video going away completely for a second or two. It's pretty obnoxious.

Haven't seen any of the glitches you or pmazer describe. I've been watching on Comcast HD, but recording certain events with an EyeTV 500 / antenna combo.

The coverage has been glitch-free so it's probably a problem at your affiliate's end. There's always multipath, signal level, meteorological nonsense that could effect your HD via OTA/cable/satellite.

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Originally Posted by Eugene Haven't seen any of the glitches you or pmazer describe. I've been watching on Comcast HD, but recording certain events with an EyeTV 500 / antenna combo. The coverage has been glitch-free so it's probably a problem at your affiliate's end. There's always multipath, signal level, meteorological nonsense that could effect your HD via OTA/cable/satellite.

I have Comcast HD and Saturday's broadcast was horrible. I could see the "So this is why you spent all that money on an HD TV?" look in my wife's eyes as the team figure skating feed kept getting dropped like a towel at a nudists' convention.

They seem to have fixed it as of yesterday though. Caught some female speed skating (3000m) races. OMG! those girls have humonstro legs!

[Moogs]

I'm glad we didn't rush to get DirecTV HD then...


Regarding the snowboarding, I have to agree with Drew. Basically it's the same three tricks done over and over and over. Not really sure how this got elevated from X-game status to Olympic status. Having two go at once would be pretty cool, as it would allow for the possibility of collisions (!) and add an extra layer of complexity in general.

I dunno. I don't deny what they do is difficult / takes some balls, but to me there's something lacking. Some of the newer skiing events OTOH, I can understand because mogul skiing is a very difficult skill and is a big part of the real everyday sport, and the freestyle jumping is like diving in the summer games. And also more varied than the half-pipe jumping because of the difference in height.

The half-pipe snowboarding is just not that exciting after you see two or three guys go, because the number of things they can do are so limited. The snowboard racing thing looks pretty cool though. I might be able to get into that. They should have a snowboarding downhill on a monster course like the Alpine course. That would be sweet.

[BuonRotto]

Well, as far as the halpipe snowboard, I was thinking the same thing that it looked pretty boring and the same, that is until that flying tomato kid went. His first run in the finals, I finally found myself impressed and interested in what he was doing. He looked like he was at another level.

So many winter olympic sports are just so obscure and droll. I guess there are countries out there that ocnisder these things special. I'm just more into team sports anyway, but how many different forms of speed skating are there?!

[Luca]

Droll = Amusing. Perhaps you're thinking of the word dull? EDIT: I guess you could mean droll as in "amusingly strange" but I think the word is often misused as a synonym for "dull" since it sounds so much like it.

I find the speed skating to be particularly fun, though. They have like 15 laps and while technically only the last couple really matter, it's interesting to see the skaters jockey for position at the beginning, and gradually they all speed up as the race comes to a close. I thought it was kind of funny that the much-loved Apolo Ohno totally messed up in the qualifying rounds, screwing up a pass that he didn't even need to make (since he just had to get in the top two). Oh well, sucks to be him but at least he just took himself out instead of taking out some other Olympic hopeful.

What I find particularly uninteresting is the cross country skiing events. Sure, maybe the snowboarding doesn't have much variety, but it's still more interesting to watch than a couple skiers sliding along and one of them passing the other a hundred feet before the finish. It's basically the same as watching a marathon... I guess technically it's all about endurance and saving enough strength to get a burst at the end to overtake the competition, but it's just so boring to watch. About as interesting as watching those supposedly fast racing bikes plod slowly around the banked track during the summer.

[Maciej]

Originally Posted by BuonRotto So many winter olympic sports are just so obscure and droll. I guess there are countries out there that ocnisder these things special. I'm just more into team sports anyway, but how many different forms of speed skating are there?!

Its like any speed/time trial event - such as swimming, or track. There are different length races and while I can see where this might be boring to someone who hasn't spent time performing the sport, but there actually is a lot of difference between the various races. Competitive racing takes a lot of adjustment and thinking in order to maintain competitiveness. I like it for one.

[beardedmacuser]

Originally Posted by Moogs Regarding the snowboarding, I have to agree with Drew. Basically it's the same three tricks done over and over and over. Not really sure how this got elevated from X-game status to Olympic status. Having two go at once would be pretty cool, as it would allow for the possibility of collisions (!) and add an extra layer of complexity in general.

Ooh... synchronised half-pipe! Never thought of that!

or maybe a male/female partner dance thing like in figure skating, but on the half-pipe?

Watching the half-pipe I couldn't help think it'd be really amusing for one of the competitors to take the piss out of the other guys and their trendy super-baggy clothes and do their run in some super-tight lycra outfit (speed skating style). That's what I'd do if I were a Olympic snowboarder (not that I've ever been skiing or snowboarding).

[ghoti]

Reading this article today almost made me regret I didn't watch the opening (or any sports at all). It's pretty funny, and I wish I had seen Italy showing off everything Italian from Botticelli to Ferrari. It's almost surprising that the national anthem wasn't sung by Silvio Media Whore Berlusconi ...

[BuonRotto]

Yeah, meant "droll" as in amusing in a way that I find it odd that so many people get excited about it. You know, "Whoa, Xtreme snowboarding!!!one!1!!"

I also meant "halfpipe", not "halpipe".

[murbot]

No, have the halfpipe where you have riders go in pairs, with small flags in a few spots that you have to go through for the run to count... if they happen to get there at the same time, it's full contact, baby.

Now that might just make it interesting enough to watch.

[BuonRotto]

Why stop at partners' halfpipe? Why not roller derby halfpipe or American Gladiators style with giant Q-tips?

[Moogs]

Halfpipe tackle football.

The reason I watch Winter Olympics and hold it above all other international sports events is that it's the only place you can see all of the following all at the same time:

Alpine skiing (downhill), Giant Slalom, Boblsed, Luge, Skeleton (a bad-ass new sport as of last Olympics I think - talk about cahones!), Ski Jumping, regular track speed skating (shorter distances), and of course, God's gift to sport... hockey!

I have to say also, the cross-country pursuit track they have in Torino is very cool. Lot's of hills, curves, etc. It's not the boring flatlands shit you usually have to suffer through.

[DMBand0026]

I haven't really been watching all that much. However, I'm going to be watching the Men's figure skating tomorrow night (Tuesday). A friend of mine from high school Evan Lysacek is competing. Cheer for him, he's a cool guy and a terrific skater.

[Moogs]

Will do, even if he does have a toe pick instead of Bauers.

[BuonRotto]

So can we officially call Bode Miller "Bust Miller" (or maybe "doesn't Bode well") at this point? The guy's a real douchebag frat boy asshat anyway, so I'm anxious to start throwing this term around.

[InactionMan]

Did anyone see the clip of the Chinese figure skater that was thrown and landed in the full splits. It was bloody brutal.

Yeah, I know I just admitted to watching pairs figure skating but it was worth it to see this fall.

[RowdyScot]

Some of us do prefer CCM Moogs

[Windswept]

Yay! American girls SO rule at halfpipe!

You guys might think halfpipe is boring, but I'd *love* to do aerial stuff like that. I think it looks wonderful.

It's easy to say it's boring when sitting on your ass in a nice comfy chair.

I can't believe I missed Shaun White's gold medal run. I switched away to avoid the commercial and watched Ten Things I Hate About You for 90 seconds too long. Damnation!

So, what do you guys think about the whole Wayne Gretzky thing?

[BuonRotto]

That American woman who finished fourth in the halfpipe had an amazing second run, clmost as good at the tomato kid. Her score had to go down for that last butt scrape, which was too bad but fair, but it was really amazing to watch her.

Gretzky will probably get the benefit of the doubt, hear no evil, see no evil will work as his defense. Apparently though the timing of the wiretaps works in his favor in terms of fitting with his story.

[Majost]

Originally Posted by InactionMan Did anyone see the clip of the Chinese figure skater that was thrown and landed in the full splits. It was bloody brutal. Yeah, I know I just admitted to watching pairs figure skating but it was worth it to see this fall.

Well, the truly remarkable thing is that THEY WON SILVER! I was amazed. But yeah... ouch. On a related note, did you see the human interest story about the Russian (?) guy who dropped his partner in 2004? She hit the ice even harder, and went out cold. I don't know if I could have resisted the urge to chant "Don't Drop Her!" if I were in that stadium. Heh.

Back to the Halfpipe, the moment that made that "Olympic" was Shawn White's interview afterwards. Bob Costas threw the poor kid for a loop, but he recovered quite well...

“I’m hoping Sasha Cohen dates gold medalists,” Shaun White said, slipping into an imaginary conversation with the figure skater. “Hey, babe. Oh, this? Oh, yeah, I just got it. How you doin?”

I wish I could find a recorded version of it - I was only paying half-attention until they started talking about the babes

And on that note... did anyone see the US Women's Curling team? They were almost all college aged blondes. The Skip was pretty cute, as were a few of the others. Just not quite what I expected from a curling team.

[Luca]

I noticed during Shaun's interview with Bob Costas, Costas actually smiled. He never smiles!

Seriously, watch the Olympics for a while and count how many smiles you see him crack. It's almost none. It took a cheerful, funny 19-year-old to do it.

EDIT: Hmm... maybe I'm off. When he's doing his normal reporting, he sometimes comes close but never seems to do it. But if you do a Google image search for him, almost all the pictures show him smiling. So I guess he does, just not when he's "in the zone." And that's fine with me (if a little disturbing). He's a pretty good reporter.

[Windswept]

Originally Posted by BuonRotto That American woman who finished fourth in the halfpipe had an amazing second run, clmost as good at the tomato kid. Her score had to go down for that last butt scrape, which was too bad but fair, but it was really amazing to watch her.

Yeah, she was fantastic, wasn't she? Wow! The announcers were totally blown away by her second run. I was just sitting there beaming as they kept gasping in amazement at what she was doing.

Gretzky will probably get the benefit of the doubt, hear no evil, see no evil will work as his defense. Apparently though the timing of the wiretaps works in his favor in terms of fitting with his story.

I hope you're right. But, geez, his *wife*?!? How could she be involved in betting huge sums without his having a clue about it? Just doesn't seem possible, ya know? *sigh*

[murbot]

Here's some local coverage of the woman's halfpipe event.

(do NOT have coffee in your mouth while you play that)

[Eugene]

Costas looked more annoyed at Shaun White than anything, especially after he started talking about girls...partially his own fault for egging him on I guess.

Shit, the alpine skiing news shouldn't be about Bode Miller losing, but Ted Ligety winning the Combined event.

[Moogs]

Whoa... turned on Canada-Italy this morning and it was 1-1 in the third period until Canada caught 'em on a bad line change. Sorry but with an underdog like that I can't not root for them.Like Team USA in 1980. Go Linguinis!

[murbot]

Have some more coffee Moogs, that was in the first period.

They looked brutal in the first... turned it on a bit now, and it's 4-1 with 8 minutes gone in the second.

Iggy's got a couple so far.

Shit, I got up at 4:30 to get ready to watch a 5:00 faceoff.... going to be a long day. heh

EDIT: oops, I mean 5-1.

EDIT: oops, I mean 6-1.

Yikes.

[Moogs]

Are we watching the same game? I thought goals 2-6 (so much for pasta! lol) were scored in teh 3rd period? WTF. I'm pretty sure I saw a "2nd intermission" graphic when I turned it on. Maybe that was an NBC typo.

[RowdyScot]

Bet murb and I are watching on CBC. I sooooo don't wanna go to class right now.