Winter Olympics Thread: Vancouver 2010

[Lavabe]

Might as well start this thread now.

Hockey: Does the US stand a shot at a medal, given its goaltending? Can the Canadians win a gold? Peter Forsberg playing again?

Figure skating: How have they changed the judging this time? Who's providing the commentary?

Skiing: Any Bode Miller sightings? Is Lindsey Vonn receiving enough coverage?

[colchar]

Might as well start this thread now.

Hockey: Does the US stand a shot at a medal, given its goaltending? Can the Canadians win a gold? Peter Forsberg playing again?

No, even with great goaltending the US will probably not win a medal (they'll come in fourth or fifth behind Canada, Sweden, Russia, and maybe the Czechs). The Canadians should win gold - we always should but hockey politics being what they are here we've often sent teams that weren't our best and therefore didn't always win. Now that those politics have, to a large extent, been dealt with we should be fine (we could conceivably enter two teams and there would be a fair chance that both would medal). Our team is young, which is a slight concern, but I still think we'll be fine as there are veterans on the team and our talent is second to none. Plus, we've got the best goaltending in the world. As for Forsberg - he's not important.

Figure skating: How have they changed the judging this time? Who's providing the commentary?

Figure skating is traditionally so corrupt that I can't take it seriously.

Skiing: Any Bode Miller sightings? Is Lindsey Vonn receiving enough coverage?

Don't follow skiing so I can't comment.

[colchar]

Might as well start this thread now.

Hockey: Does the US stand a shot at a medal, given its goaltending? Can the Canadians win a gold? Peter Forsberg playing again?

No, even with great goaltending the US will probably not win a medal (they'll come in fourth or fifth behind Canada, Sweden, Russia, and maybe the Czechs). The Canadians should win gold - we always should but hockey politics being what they are here we've often sent teams that weren't our best and therefore didn't always win. Now that those politics have, to a large extent, been dealt with we should be fine (we could conceivably enter two teams and there would be a fair chance that both would medal). Our team is young, which is a slight concern, but I still think we'll be fine as there are veterans on the team and our talent is second to none. Plus, we've got the best goaltending in the world. As for Forsberg - he's not important.

I just checked the rosters and have changed my opinion. The US will do better than I stated above but are still unlikely to be any better than fourth. I'll be surprised if they get a bronze and would be shocked if they were to win silver. The other teams are simply too good.

The US will have lots of supporters there which will help but the home ice advantage enjoyed by Canada will be overwhelming.

[ArkieDukie]

Figure skating is traditionally so corrupt that I can't take it seriously.

I've already heard the commentators say that the judges won't "let" 3 North American teams win medals in ice dancing, even though the 3 best couples this year are clearly Belbin/Agosto, Davis/White, and Virtue/Moir, in some order or other. They've also said that Virtue/Moir will likely get a medal since they're Canadian, and that Davis/White (currently the top ranked ice dance team in the world) will be the ones left off the podium in favor of a European team. I'll be ticked, but not surprised, if that really happens. The judging in ice dancing is always the most dicey.

[colchar]

Figure skating is traditionally so corrupt that I can't take it seriously.

I've already heard the commentators say that the judges won't "let" 3 North American teams win medals in ice dancing, even though the 3 best couples this year are clearly Belbin/Agosto, Davis/White, and Virtue/Moir, in some order or other. They've also said that Virtue/Moir will likely get a medal since they're Canadian, and that Davis/White (currently the top ranked ice dance team in the world) will be the ones left off the podium in favor of a European team. I'll be ticked, but not surprised, if that really happens. The judging in ice dancing is always the most dicey.

Dicey? I'd call it corrupt. Always has been, always will be.

[ArkieDukie]

Figure skating is traditionally so corrupt that I can't take it seriously.

I've already heard the commentators say that the judges won't "let" 3 North American teams win medals in ice dancing, even though the 3 best couples this year are clearly Belbin/Agosto, Davis/White, and Virtue/Moir, in some order or other. They've also said that Virtue/Moir will likely get a medal since they're Canadian, and that Davis/White (currently the top ranked ice dance team in the world) will be the ones left off the podium in favor of a European team. I'll be ticked, but not surprised, if that really happens. The judging in ice dancing is always the most dicey.

Dicey? I'd call it corrupt. Always has been, always will be.

The new judging system really hasn't helped. The judges still inflate the marks for the skaters they want to win. Judging in the Grand Prix competitions was quite bizarre this year.

[rockymtn devil]

I'll defer to colchar on hockey, but if there is one position that, if hot, can carry a team, it's goaltending. I don't expect the U.S. to medal either, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

More importantly, there can't be enough Lindsay Vonn coverage.

[colchar]

I'll defer to colchar on hockey, but if there is one position that, if hot, can carry a team, it's goaltending. I don't expect the U.S. to medal either, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

True, a hot goalie can carry a team (there is nothing worse in hockey than coming up against a hot goalie) but, while the US has good goaltending, so do many other teams.

The US has Miller and Thomas - both of whom are excellent - but other countries can easily match them. Finland has Backstrom and Kipprusoff and they easily match the US goalies (especially Kipper). Russia has three NHL goalies on its roster and Nabokov can get hot real quick. Slovakia has Halak and he is great too. While both Russia and Slovakia have one really good goalie and the US has two, only one can play at a time so they match up pretty well as far as starters are concerned. Sweden has Lundqvist and Gustavsson and believe me, the Monster (Gustavsson), while young, is the real deal and I think he will thrive once back on the international ice surface (different than the NHL ice surface) and while playing under international rules (again, different from NHL rules). The Swiss have Hiller and Gerber and, although Hiller will start the first game or two, I expect Gerber to be hot during the Olympics (just a hunch) and he can easily steal a game or two for them.

So I'd say that all of those countries stack up fairly well with the US in terms of goaltending thus eliminating the main advantage the Americans might have had.

I'll put Canada's three goalies up against any other country's and Canada's will be better as a group - no other country can match Brodeur, Fleury, and Luongo as any one of them could easily be the starter for any other country. Individually, Brodeur is the best there is (top five of all time) and he has already won Olympic gold as well as a couple of Stanley Cups. Plus, up until the middle of this past week, his GAA (goals against average) was 1.00! That is simply insane. Just fucking nuts. If he is anywhere near that hot during the Olympics he will be next to impossible to beat. Plus, even if he somehow falters, we can replace him with a goalie (doesn't matter whether it is Fleury or Luongo) who would likely be the starter on any other team in the tournament. We really don't have any weaknesses in goal.

The biggest factor in America's ability to medal will be how some of these European teams come together. Due to internal tensions (or outright dislike between some players) a couple of them might falter during the tournament and, if any of them do, the US could easily make its way into medal contention. That being said, there is virtually no way the US can win gold or even play in the gold medal game as I predict that game will be Canada vs Sweden (with Canada winning of course!).

[Lavabe]

Figure skating is traditionally so corrupt that I can't take it seriously.

I've already heard the commentators say that the judges won't "let" 3 North American teams win medals in ice dancing, even though the 3 best couples this year are clearly Belbin/Agosto, Davis/White, and Virtue/Moir, in some order or other. They've also said that Virtue/Moir will likely get a medal since they're Canadian, and that Davis/White (currently the top ranked ice dance team in the world) will be the ones left off the podium in favor of a European team. I'll be ticked, but not surprised, if that really happens. The judging in ice dancing is always the most dicey.

If the commentators are saying this openly now, what does this say about whether figure skating, particularly ice dancing, belongs in the Olympics?

Yeah, I know it gets the ratings, but I just can't imagine a sport in which the athletes and everyone associated with it openly admit that it's not going to be scored accurately and reliably. Maybe eliminating it from the Olympics would be the wisest move. It might just give figure skating the kick in the ass it really needs.

rmd: How about get rid of the ice dancing, and give more TV time to Lindsey Vonn? ;)

[colchar]

Figure skating is traditionally so corrupt that I can't take it seriously.

I've already heard the commentators say that the judges won't "let" 3 North American teams win medals in ice dancing, even though the 3 best couples this year are clearly Belbin/Agosto, Davis/White, and Virtue/Moir, in some order or other. They've also said that Virtue/Moir will likely get a medal since they're Canadian, and that Davis/White (currently the top ranked ice dance team in the world) will be the ones left off the podium in favor of a European team. I'll be ticked, but not surprised, if that really happens. The judging in ice dancing is always the most dicey.

If the commentators are saying this openly now, what does this say about whether figure skating, particularly ice dancing, belongs in the Olympics?

Yeah, I know it gets the ratings, but I just can't imagine a sport in which the athletes and everyone associated with it openly admit that it's not going to be scored accurately and reliably. Maybe eliminating it from the Olympics would be the wisest move. It might just give figure skating the kick in the ass it really needs.

They'll never get rid of it because of the ratings (makes me wonder about the people who watch it knowing that it is corrupt). Personally, I don't think anything that is judged should be considered a 'sport'. If you can't score it, time it, or measure it then it isn't a sport.

rmd: How about get rid of the ice dancing, and give more TV time to Lindsey Vonn? ;)

Who the hell is Lindsey Vonn? Yeah I know I could look her up but asking here gives you a chance to boost your post count (not that anyone here needs any assistance with that).

[bjornolf]

That's Linday Vonn. Apparently she likes Red Bull. ;)

[CathyCA]

Lindy has more ads on her body than a stock car.

[Lavabe]

Lindy has more ads on her body than a stock car.

Does she really have ads on her body? ;)

Seriously, BOBSLEDS and cross-country skiiers should have ads on them.

[colchar]

That's Linday Vonn. Apparently she likes Red Bull. ;)

Now I get it. Yeah, she's kinda hot.

[cl15876]

That's Linday Vonn. Apparently she likes Red Bull. ;)

Now I get it. Yeah, she's kinda hot.

YA THANK??? GO USA and RED BULL!!!! ;)

[OZZIE4DUKE]

That's Linday Vonn. Apparently she likes Red Bull. ;)

Nothing to add. I just wanted to see the pictures again!

[Rolvix]

That's Linday Vonn. Apparently she likes Red Bull. ;)

Nothing to add. I just wanted to see the pictures again!

When I saw the picture of her in the gray toboggan I did a double take! She looks almost exactly like one of my very good friends in that one, albeit my friend has a slightly thinner face.

I'll have to tell her she looks like someone famous tomorrow.

[windsor]

Colchar, I will be telling her that you think Linday is hot.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Colchar, I will be telling her that you think Linday is hot.

005.JPG

Windsor's Daughter is (still) hot too!

[ArkieDukie]

Colchar, I will be telling her that you think Linday is hot.

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Windsor's Daughter is (still) hot too!

Isn't there a thread about that? ;)