2014 Winter Olympics

[VAisForEagleLovers]

So who's planning on watching the Olympics? What's everyone's favorite sport? Mine, as you might imagine, is hockey, but I definitely prefer most of the winter sports over the summer sports.

I didn't get to watch much back in 2010 since my satellite dish was off the house (roof replacement). I'm not sure how much I can watch this year since nearly everything happens while I'm at work.

[sodascouts]

You and I are on the same wavelength, VA - I just started a topic on this as well! I'll go delete it. Too funny!

My favorite winter sport is figure skating. I love all types, but especially pairs.

I'm tuning into the opening ceremonies right now. I love the air of celebration and excitement.

[tjh532]

When I was growing up we only got 3 channels. So when the Olympics came around it was a big deal, and we watched every night. I've been hooked ever since! I remember watching when the US Hockey team beat the Russians :) I love it.

[Freypower]

As I live in a country where winter sport is not a big deal it's hard to get that interested. I like the traditional sports like ski jumping & bobsledding. I like figure skating but I probably wont be watching much of it.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

Soda, I saw your thread not long after I submitted mine, very strange that we both had the same thought at the same time! Quick! What am I thinking now?

The Pens are playing the Rangers tonight, last hockey game before the Olympic break, so I'm watching that. I guess I'll start watching tomorrow!

[sodascouts]

Soda, I saw your thread not long after I submitted mine, very strange that we both had the same thought at the same time! Quick! What am I thinking now?


You're thinking that you hope it's an isolated incident. ;)

Regarding the Opening Ceremonies, they've got this really cool setup for the Parade of Nations: when the athletes march in, the shape of their home country appears on a global map of lights under their feet that "spins" with the entrance of each new country. I love it!

On the other hand, I'm not a fan of the way they outfitted the women "wearing" the country names. (For those not watching, here's a picture of the Jamaica team coming in (http://usatq.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/jamaicamon.jpg) - check out the lady in white in front of them.) The "techno" music getting played as the countries come in is pretty awful, too.

All these young athletes recording the procession with iPhones and taking selfies as they walk in are cracking me up.

Since the countries are coming in according to their order in the Cyrillic alphabet, I have no idea when the USA will be arriving.

ETA: The USA is right in between Slovenia and Tajikistan, just under 90 minutes in.

[zeldabjr]

oh I love watching the Olympics...and I do like the winter games better than the summer...my favorite...is the hockey...but I really love all the sports...except the speed skating...to me that's boring...I love all the skiing and the ice skating...

[Islander canuck]

I will be watching. I find it intersting to watch the more obscure sports. On that note I am currently watching the Men's Snowboard Slopestyle final.

[Islander canuck]

I will be watching. I find it intersting to watch the more obscure sports. On that note I am currently watching the Men's Snowboard Slopestyle final.

And the first medals of the Games are...

Gold-Sage Kotsenburg-USA

Silver-Staale Sandbech-Norway

Bronze-Mark Mcmorris-Canada

[bluefeather]

I like ice skating but I probably won't be watching it

[Brooke]

I like the skiing and some of the snow boarding. Also speed skating. I'll probably just watch bits and pieces if I'm bored elsewhere!

Glad to hear that Sage Kotsenberg got the gold in the slopestyle! :yay: USA!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

I like sports too, but, TBH, the Olympics have never really appealed to me very much. I guess it is too long and drawn out for my liking. I just don't have the time, desire, or patience to follow along too closely.

[zeldabjr]

I will be watching. I find it intersting to watch the more obscure sports. On that note I am currently watching the Men's Snowboard Slopestyle final.

I kind of like that too Ic...there is one sport...not sure what they call it...where they cross country ski...with a rifle...and periodically they stop and have to shoot at targets along the way...amazes me how they can calm their breathing enough to hold still and hit these targets...

and you will probably appreciate this...I like to watch the curling...because although I live right near the Canadian border...I never see curling much...and don't understand it...keep trying to figure it out!

and I always watch the coverage of it on the Canadian TV CBC because they show everything live...thanks Canada...

[Houston Baby]

I like watching the Olympics & try to watch as much as possible. That being said I missed the opening ceremony last night. I'm helping a friend redecorate her living room so we were participating in my favorite sport -shopping! At least it was her money, not mine -LOL. I heard the opening ceremony was excellent!

My favorite sports are snowboarding, skiing & figure skating. I love the winter games since they are sports I have never done. Well except for ice skating & that was not so much ice skating as it was me walking on the ice wearing a pair of ice skates. I didn't fall so I thought I deserved a medal. :thumbsup:

GO
TEAM
USA!

GOOD LUCK to all the athletes!!!!

[Wildthyme]

I am pretty much an Olympics junkie just like my parents were before me. I grew up watching every minute I could of them every four years and later every two years. Needless to say, I will be watching the events as much as possible and I know even at work I will be checking results throughout the day. I just can help myself! :blueblob:

[sodascouts]

The figure skating is so freaking beautiful.

This one last night blew my mind when she did those staggering spins from 2:45 - 3:20. WOW!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBoLZP84F0o

[Houston Baby]

I'm enjoying the pairs figure skating right now. And I can't wait to see how Shaun White does. I have been avoiding the news today. I want it to be a surprise!

[sodascouts]

The Russian pairs skaters were magnificent. All the pairs were good, but they were flawless. They left me speechless!

[sodascouts]

I'm enjoying the pairs figure skating right now. And I can't wait to see how Shaun White does. I have been avoiding the news today. I want it to be a surprise!

It's a surprise alright...

[Freypower]

This story is typical of the way Australian athletes think everything should be given to them on a plate & how they whine when things don't go their way:

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/winter-olympics/torah-brights-mother-calls-on-putin-to-rebuild-halfpipe-20140211-32fyp.html

The course was the same for everybody.:ziplip:

I loved the Russian skaters too but as usual the TV coverage here leaves a lot to be desired. Obviously I can't watch it live as it's the middle of the night for me & the repeats have too many ads.

[Houston Baby]

It's a surprise alright...

What a bummer! I was really rooting for Shaun. Oh well I guess it's back to his band.:sad:

[Brooke]

Darn, me too! :sad:

[Houston Baby]

I would love to make a run on the halfpipe. Not doing the tricks, I would break my neck but just to go up and down it. It looks like so much fun!!

[sodascouts]

The Russian having to withdraw from men's skating was so heartbreaking! I also felt sorry for the American skater who took the huge fall, but like everyone else I admired his spirit for getting up and finishing the program.

Finally, those people singing the national anthem loudly and horribly off key during the medal ceremony for freestyle skiing needed to shut the freak up!

[sodascouts]

More falls in the men's long program part of the figure skating competition. Maybe they just try to do too much.

[VAisForEagleLovers]

That's usually why I don't watch the ice skating any more!

Watching USA vs. Russia in hockey right now, so weird to be cheering against Geno and cheering for players I normally would never consider cheering for!

[Houston Baby]

I'm watching the USA vs Russia shoot out right now. I need VA here to explain this to me!! :headscratch:

[VAisForEagleLovers]

I'm watching the USA vs Russia shoot out right now. I need VA here to explain this to me!! :headscratch:

It's different in the Olympics than the NHL, but it was an AMAZING game. I thought about watching it again this evening.

They do the shootouts if the OT still ends in a tie. In Olympics, they then have the shootout and you start out with three different shooters from each team. All six shoot one-on-one against the opposing goalie. At the end of the three, whichever team has the most goals, wins. In this one, after three each, it was tied 1-1, so then they do round-by-round, and the shooters can be the same person or people (NHL they have to be different). They switch at this point and the team that went first goes last in each round. If one makes it in and the other doesn't, the team that made it in wins. In this game, it took eight rounds to get a winner. They go until someone scores and the other doesn't.

[Houston Baby]

Thanks VA! That helps! One day I would like to go to a NHL game. No such luck in H-town!

:yay::yay:U S A!!:yay::yay:

[VAisForEagleLovers]

I want to go see my Pens play the Predators but it's the night after the Cindy show. I can't drive back from Raleigh on Saturday, then drive to Cincy and back on Monday, then drive to Nashville and back on Tuesday! Guess it'll wait until next year, or I'll go see the Preds play someone else.

BTW: Oshie has been trending on Facebook and Twitter all day!

[zeldabjr]

never knew what TJ Oshie looked like...he's a cutie!...I don't care if he's young enough to be my son...lol

[ktdids]

Used to always get excited about the Olympics, loved the ice skating in particular, but it's not what it used to be. Jim McKay on ABC was the best, and they showed pretty much EVERYTHING with most events. These days it's a shadow of that time, and having watched the ladies skating event, I don't need to wonder why I've lost interest in it over the last few years. The goal is to rack up the points with the tricks and oh yeah, try and make it look kind of pretty and connected. ACK.

[Islander canuck]

Some US atheletes are finding more than gold, silver and bronze in Sochi.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2562816/The-Sochi-strays-getting-one-way-ticket-U-S-Snowboarder-latest-Olympian-come-rescue-street-dogs-adopting-pet.html

[Brooke]

I loved watching the womens final free skating event last night even though the US didn't make the podium. I thought Gracie Gold and Ashley Wagner did great even so.

Also loved seeing Maddie Bowman win the gold in the womens halfpipe!

You go girls! USA!

[sodascouts]

Some US atheletes are finding more than gold, silver and bronze in Sochi.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2562816/The-Sochi-strays-getting-one-way-ticket-U-S-Snowboarder-latest-Olympian-come-rescue-street-dogs-adopting-pet.html

Aw - good for them!

Brooke - I love watching the free skating too!

[Brooklyn Roads]

I enjoyed most aspects of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi. I mostly enjoyed the ice skating (I used to be a competitive roller skater way back in the day - so can relate to this sport the most!), the Half pipe, snowboarding, speed skating, bobsledding and various other forms of it, all forms of the skiing - but I never got to catch the curling portion. Happy for the US! We did great despite the injuries and hurdles many of our athletes faced, we still tried our best and that's what counts!

[sodascouts]

Exactly. People always stress about medal counts, but it's the efforts of the athletes that matter.

[MaryCalifornia]

Listen to this - US snowboarder Jamie Anderson won gold in the slopestyle. Her niece Kenzie is in my daughter's class. Kenzie went to Sochi for two weeks (she's only 8 )!! She got back last week. Here is a picture of her with her aunt.

http://www.delmartimes.net/2014/02/19/del-mar-resident-travels-to-sochi-to-cheer-on-gold-medal-winning-sister-jamie-anderson/

That is definitely something I would pull my kid out of school for!!

[zeldabjr]

I am always sad when the Olympics end...I don't usually watch the closing ceremony...I get sad watching it...My favorite part of the Olympics is hearing all the great stories about all these fabulous athletes and what they have gone through to get where they are...such will, dedication, strength..physically and mentally...they are all such an inspiration, whether they win a medal or not!

[Brooke]

Listen to this - US snowboarder Jamie Anderson won gold in the slopestyle. Her niece Kenzie is in my daughter's class. Kenzie went to Sochi for two weeks (she's only 8 )!! She got back last week. Here is a picture of her with her aunt.

http://www.delmartimes.net/2014/02/19/del-mar-resident-travels-to-sochi-to-cheer-on-gold-medal-winning-sister-jamie-anderson/

That is definitely something I would pull my kid out of school for!!

That's cool, MC! :thumbsup: