Olympics 2014

[Lavabe]

What a pathetic fucking joke that sport is - and I use the term sport loosely there. If it cannot be measured, timed, or scored objectively (. putting pucks in the net, scoring baskets, etc.) then it isn't a sport and doesn't belong.

Umm, don't look now, but the Canadians are doing pretty well in judged sports on the slopes. ;)
By the way, Dara Howell... WAY cool performance!!

[Lavabe]

Team Luge Relay?

Never heard of it before today.

[TillyGalore]

Team Luge Relay?

Never heard of it before today.

I believe it's another brand new thing this year like the team figure skating.

[CathyCA]

I watched some curling this morning when I dropped off my kid at my mom's house. I've decided that during the off season, the curling team would be really good at scrubbing my kitchen floor.

[windsor]

I watched some curling this morning when I dropped off my kid at my mom's house. I've decided that during the off season, the curling team would be really good at scrubbing my kitchen floor.

Given the lack of sponsors and funding for curling, for the right price I am sure they would do it!

[Lavabe]

I watched some curling this morning when I dropped off my kid at my mom's house. I've decided that during the off season, the curling team would be really good at scrubbing my kitchen floor.

But could you put up with all their screaming? ;)

[CathyCA]

I watched some curling this morning when I dropped off my kid at my mom's house. I've decided that during the off season, the curling team would be really good at scrubbing my kitchen floor.

Given the lack of sponsors and funding for curling, for the right price I am sure they would do it!

Maybe they could get a broom company to sponsor them.

[CathyCA]

I watched some curling this morning when I dropped off my kid at my mom's house. I've decided that during the off season, the curling team would be really good at scrubbing my kitchen floor.

But could you put up with all their screaming? ;)

If my floors sparkled after they finished, yes.

[Lavabe]

And, in typical fashion, there is already a scandal brewing in figure skating as a French magazine is reporting that the Russians and Americans have agreed to prop each other up so that they win their respective titles (team event for Russia, ice dance for the US). The magazine has also said that it has already been decided that the Canadian ice dance pair of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir (they are past world champions and won the Olympic gold in 2010) will be awarded silver. What a pathetic fucking joke that sport is - and I use the term sport loosely there. If it cannot be measured, timed, or scored objectively (. putting pucks in the net, scoring baskets, etc.) then it isn't a sport and doesn't belong.

Officer Koharski! Paging Officer Koharski! Would you please take away a few goals? ;)

Umm, just saw a ref take away a Russian goal vs. the US ... the goal was off its moorings?
I guess we don't need Officer Koharski!

[Lavabe]

By the way... men's figure skating finals SUCKED!!

The Japanese skater who won fell twice, which was only marginally better than the Canadian skater (who wound up with silver) who fell out of two or three, then reduced a jump on another. ANd the American who had a chance for bronze fell out of a few as well, winding up 9th. And the person who wound up with the bronze wasn't even shown on American TV.

Men's figure skating should be placed on probation during the next Olympics. One more crappy finals performance, and it should be removed from the Games. Or keep it in the Games, but give it as much primetime TV time, as say, the women's mass start biathlon.

COME ON!!

[Lavabe]

Dear NBC (or is it Time Warner/Comcast Cable?),
You ASSholes!!
Don't switch away from US-Russia live men's hockey as it enters overtime, so that you can give me a 20 minute segment recapping Swiss women's hockey.
Sincerely,
Lavabe

[Lavabe]

Dear NBC (or is it Time Warner/Comcast Cable?),
You ASSholes!!
Don't switch away from US-Russia live men's hockey as it enters overtime, so that you can give me a 20 minute segment recapping Swiss women's hockey.
Sincerely,
Lavabe

FWIW... the game was a thriller, and ended in 2OT.
Result appears below this line:
USA wins, 3-2.

WAY TO F'ING GO, NBC!!

Note: My apologies. That segment was 15 minutes long, not 20, and didn't just feature the Swiss women's team. I also learned about the Swedish women's team, and I got to see the Russian women's goalie crying after their loss to the Swiss.

[DukieInKansas]

Glad I watched it on USA since there was no cutaway. Of course, the game made me late to work.

OSHIE! QUICK! Great job in the shoot out.

[Lavabe]

Dear NBC (or is it Time Warner/Comcast Cable?),
You ASSholes!!
Don't switch away from US-Russia live men's hockey as it enters overtime, so that you can give me a 20 minute segment recapping Swiss women's hockey.
Sincerely,
Lavabe

FWIW... the game was a thriller, and ended in 2OT.
Result appears below this line:
USA wins, 3-2.

WAY TO F'ING GO, NBC!!

Note: My apologies. That segment was 15 minutes long, not 20, and didn't just feature the Swiss women's team. I also learned about the Swedish women's team, and I got to see the Russian women's goalie crying after their loss to the Swiss.

Shootout, not 2OT. My apologies.

[Lavabe]

Glad I watched it on USA since there was no cutaway. Of course, the game made me late to work.

OSHIE! QUICK! Great job in the shoot out.

I was watching on MSNBC, and they said go to NBCSN. It was on USA?

Sheesh!!

[DukieInKansas]

Glad I watched it on USA since there was no cutaway. Of course, the game made me late to work.

OSHIE! QUICK! Great job in the shoot out.

I was watching on MSNBC, and they said go to NBCSN. It was on USA?

Sheesh!!

You are right - it was on NBCSN. NCIS was on USA. Too many channels and often, when I go to one of the channels that is supposed to carry Olympics, it is showing something else. Of course, I'm not looking at a guide - just flipping through the 5 channels.

[windsor]

Local cable (Brighthouse) is showing all the NBC stations on 1200 1201 1202 1203 and 1204 for the duration of the olympics. it is VERY handy

[ArkieDukie]

I've been watching figure skating on NBCSports. It's live during the mornings, and they show all the skaters. Bonus is that the broadcast team of Terry Gannon, Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski is far superior to the evening team of Tom Hammond, Scott Hamilton and Sandra Bezic. The B Team is more knowledgable about the scoring system and just generally more entertaining. They actually explain why a particular program is scored a certain way by the judges (point out where deductions would occur). Johnny and Tara's coordinated outfits are bonus entertainment. Lots of other people are asking the same question as me: why aren't they the A Team?

Lavabe, if you watched Johnny and Tara's commentary on the men's free skate the results would make a bit more sense. Hanyu had a higher start value for his skate due to the technical difficulty of his program. He also had a 5 pt (I think) cushion from the short program. With that being said, Tara came right out and said that it didn't feel like a gold medal skate to her. Patrick Chan had every opportunity in the world to win, even with his lower start value, and he blew it. Based upon results from the short, the gold-silver outcome was pretty much a given. The big battle was for the bronze, which could've been won by any of the skaters in 3-13th after the short. They were that close in score. Made the last 2 groups really interesting to watch.

Too bad you didn't get to see Denis Ten's program. It was really good. Due to his placement after the short, he was the first skater in the penultimate group. It's amazing his placement held until the end.

Jason Brown did very well for himself: a top 10 finish at the Olympics in his first year as a senior level competitor. He's working on the quad. Once he gets it, look out. His artistry is already great. I'm a huge fan. Too bad his free skate wasn't as great as at Nationals - or as great as the short program that had him skating in the final group.

[Lavabe]

Lavabe, if you watched Johnny and Tara's commentary on the men's free skate the results would make a bit more sense. Hanyu had a higher start value for his skate due to the technical difficulty of his program. He also had a 5 pt (I think) cushion from the short program. With that being said, Tara came right out and said that it didn't feel like a gold medal skate to her. Patrick Chan had every opportunity in the world to win, even with his lower start value, and he blew it. Based upon results from the short, the gold-silver outcome was pretty much a given.

All of this was logical while watching, and the short performances were way different. Understood. Tara's right.

Still, if you fall or check out of three things, you really have struck out and don't deserve ANY applause, accolade, or medal. Go home. Go back to school figures. DQ the people.

On the other hand, it's got me watching figure skating for the crashes and falls.

Some folks watch NASCAR for the very same thing.

Can hardly wait to see the robot, Julia Lipnitskaya, in the women's championship. Every time they pan to Putin, drink.

[ArkieDukie]

Still, if you fall or check out of three things, you really have struck out and don't deserve ANY applause, accolade, or medal. Go home. Go back to school figures. DQ the people.

On the other hand, it's got me watching figure skating for the crashes and falls.

Some folks watch NASCAR for the very same thing.

Can hardly wait to see the robot, Julia Lipnitskaya, in the women's championship. Every time they pan to Putin, drink.

Part of the problem is the way they judge the elements. The score is based upon whether or not you complete the element in question before the fall. I believe that quad with a fall can count as more points than a fully rotated triple - if the technical panel decides the jump was fully rotated before the fall. That leads to scenarios in which Patrick Chan falls multiple times and wins the world championship over someone who skates cleanly. The uberfans claim that it's because Chan's skating skills are so superior to everyone else's. Others refer to it as "Chanflation." This part of the scoring system needs to be overhauled IMO.

Jason Brown's approach has been to not add elements to his program until he can land them consistently in practice. He didn't add the triple axel until this year, I believe. Rumor has it that his quad salchow is almost consistent enough to add. The focus has been on developing basic skills. His skating is sublime; he won over lots of fans after his performance at Nationals and the Olympics. Other skaters head straight for the quad, and they end up as robo-skaters with no musicality. Max Aaron is an example here. With that being said, he was MUCH better this year than in previous years. When Jeremy Abbott (a more artistic skater) is on, he is phenomenal.

Women are the same with the 3-3 combos. Exhibit A would be Julia Lipnitskaia. Gracie Gold also qualifies, but she has improved since changing to Frank Carroll as her coach.