Olympics

allrightmeow · February 2014

I like the Olympics but Russia is turning out to be a nightmare. I wonder if the event spaces are going to be up to par since nothing else is.

snowpants · February 2014

Lol @stephpaez, my DH got all excited about the Tron music too.

The ballet portions were beautiful for sure.

@Kristalyn85, yeah those sweaters were horrible. They did the press release on them a week or two ago and I've been cringing ever since.

JulieSmiles · February 2014

I felt like the opening ceremonies were really awkward at times. Like when they went on and on about how much Russia suffered during WWII. Maybe I'm completely ignorant but I feel like many countries really suffered then. It seemed like they wanted us to remember how bad things were for them and almost like they wanted retaliation. Just odd to me. I really love the Olympics and I'm exciited to watch. I think this year may be unusual though.

bebemac · February 2014

temursgirl · February 2014

I love the Olympics! We just got a new TV which was perfect timing. I watch everything, but I especially like the skiing events. I also always watch the figure skating. I did gymnastics and dance, so I kind of feel I understand it.

Now about those outfits... they remind me of patriotic ugly Christmas sweaters and the turtlenecks add a bonus 1980's feel. Why would we do that to our athletes?

And about the human rights issues... I definitely understand that point of view. Some of the reasons I choose to watch anyway:

1. To support our athletes and athletes in general.

2. To support the idea of healthy and peaceful competition and people communicating across borders in a positive way.

3. Because I really believe governments don't always represent all of their people. Like Alexey Sobolev obviously doesn't hold those views. And I think interaction is better for the Sobolevs and Nadya Tolokonikovas of Russia than if the world turns its back on Russia.

4. In general I don't think isolating questionable nations benefits their regular citizens. Better to have world attention focused them.

DH was laughing at a lot of the hotel mishaps etc. going on in Sochi. His hometown also lacks pavement and drinking water. And there are tons of stray dogs, although I've never seen one indoors.

Jazznit1984 · February 2014

Here's some levity.. hope you all enjoy.. makes me giggle every time I watch it!

https://www.upworthy.com/canada-makes-a-great-point-about-the-olympics-in-thirty-seconds

CainesL · February 2014

Haha that video is awesome Jazznit1984.

Go Canada Go! CBC aired the opening ceremonies earlier than the American stations yesterday so I felt like I was cheating and getting them before the rest of North America. I kind of like all of our Canadian gear this year.

Throughout Canada yesterday towns & cities and even some provincial governments ( including mine here in Newfoundland & Labrador) raised the gay pride flag in honour of those in the LGBTQ community who are feeling discriminated by, excluded & disrespected by countries like Russia. Thought that was very cool!

Cindy Thomas · February 2014

I thought the same thing about those sweaters Joules, but I love the olympics, summer or winter!

stephpaez · February 2014

I love figure skating.....just wanna throw it out there

bebemac · February 2014

stephpaez said:
I love figure skating.....just wanna throw it out there

Me, too! How they do what they do is beyond me! I can appreciate this much more than sports where you chase a ball around. The talent is so fabulous!

stephpaez · February 2014

@bebemac
Not sure what time zone you're in, but the pair skating is on....like NOW!! :x :x

bebemac · February 2014

stephpaez said:
@bebemac
Not sure what time zone you're in, but the pair skating is on....like NOW!! :x :x

Thanks! We don't have cable, though.

(

Shineoncrazy · February 2014

I wasn’t excited in the lead up, but I’m getting really into it now. DH and I watch all the main events, but we both really like the snowboarding.

I will say I’m actually somewhat “emotional” about these Olympics though. One of the ice skaters fell earlier, and I just remember thinking about how difficult it must be as a parent to mentor your kid through disappointment like that. As I mentioned in the ticker change thread, the commercials are killing me too.

crestedlady · February 2014

Love the Olympics, both Summer and Winter games. My favorite in the winter games is figure skating, but I am enjoying watching the skiing and snowboarding events this year as well.

chickpea912 · February 2014

We watched the Opening Ceremonies (recorded from last night) with M this morning. This was my favorite part (get ready, it's another "My kid is hilarious!" story): Before they actually get to the ceremonies, Bob Costas starts the interview with the president, and M turns to us and says, quite matter of factly, "That's Obama. He's the president. He's not God."

I found the Opening Ceremonies to be pretty amazing, although I was bummed to learn that Germany's outfits were NOT actually intended to be a political statement. I was hoping to be all "Yay, Germany!" for once. But big yay to the Greek athletes with their rainbow gloves.

M enjoyed the dancing, and we watching some of the skating this morning. We will watch bits here or there, although I'm more of a summer olympics (year round competitive swimmer for 15 years here) girl.

stephpaez · February 2014

@joules235
Did you see the 15 yr old Russian skater!!! I thought she was amazing!!

MrsBHM · February 2014

@stephpaez She was amazing!! I didn't want her program to end.

shellbell813 · February 2014

I absolutely love everything about the Olympics! And honestly ... curling is my favorite of the winter sports (don't laugh!) But I try to watch them all!!!

brideybridg · February 2014

love the olympics!

stephpaez · February 2014

@MrsBHM she made me want to go figure skate...then I remembered that my center of gravity is off and I'm not a figure skater! 8->

JNerd · February 2014

So... this commercial that they keep showing... I hate it. Something about it gets me everytime and I cry. I cry telling people about it. Stupid hormones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57e4t-fhXDs

Jazznit1984 · February 2014

I watched the opening ceremonies but have been too lazy to go to cbc.ca to watch anything else yet. This is the problem with living overseas, not being able to just turn the tv on and let the Olympic feed run all day!

MrsBHM · February 2014

@shellbell813, my husband is obsessed with curling!! And has been since I've known him, lol! I have to admit that I thought it was pretty nerdy but after being forced to watch it it's actually becoming a little interesting

babygabe614 · February 2014

I was amazed watching that 15 yr old Russian figure skater last night. It just boggles my mind that someone that young can have such talent and outshine much more experienced athletes.

I was disappointed in the American female figure skater's reaction when they announced her scores. You could clearly see her say "That's bullshit" to her coach, and it just made us look really tacky.

stephpaez · February 2014

Are you talking about Ashley Wagner? I agree @babygabe614, I think it was very unsportsmanlike of her to complain about her scoring. She should be happy that she is even able to compete at the Olympics.
I'm routing for the younger American girl, Gracie I think.

JulieSmiles · February 2014

I heard something interesting last night about the opening ceremonies. For all of us in the US, when they showed the rings opening, one of the 5 rings didn't open. In Russia, they cut that footage out and replaced it with footage of it going off perfectly. Which version did you all see??

stephpaez · February 2014

I saw the missing ring version.

JulieSmiles · February 2014

@babygabe614 She made the US look horrible. I had been cheering for her until she did that.

@CharSamm I agree. It wasn't a big deal, just a technical glitch. It seemed weird to me that they would cover it up.

babygabe614 · February 2014

@stephpaez Yes, that's her! The name was escaping me. Her interview after her performance was kind of crappy as well. I'm no Olympic athlete, but I would think I'd be a bit more appreciative to even be there (like you mentioned) than she appeared to be. She said something in her interview like, "I guess I'll have to review the rules" or something to that effect, and she had such an attitude. I just wanted to be like, "Lady, you are competing against the best people in the world - you had a great performance, but some people were just better than you. Get over it and have some class!" Sheesh.

babygabe614 · February 2014

@joules235 I totally agree with you! My DH & I had a similar conversation last night but he also agreed that some of those more "exciting" sports really didn't seem to have as much athleticism involved (as far as we can see, of course) as something like figure skating. Ski jump, for example - I'm sure there is some skill involved but I would never put it on the same plane as figure skating solo for several minutes and landing all those difficult jumps like you mentioned.

rileymiller · February 2014

babygabe614 said:

I was amazed watching that 15 yr old Russian figure skater last night. It just boggles my mind that someone that young can have such talent and outshine much more experienced athletes.
I was disappointed in the American female figure skater's reaction when they announced her scores. You could clearly see her say "That's bullshit" to her coach, and it just made us look really tacky.

I didn't realize she said "that's bullshit", I swore she said "that is horrible" referring to her score. I need lip reading lessons!

I love the figure skating though...beautiful, amazing...and makes me jealous the times I have been on skates I couldn't even stand without falling! And I can't bend or stretch like those girls and guys! So I love watching them!

nunzchucks · February 2014

@joules235 I think all the sports take a tremendous amount of athleticism (maybe curling excluded, but skill is involved there). While I like figure skating more, too, the soaring heights of the ski jumpers and snowboarders are impressive!

nunzchucks · February 2014

@joules235 Ah, I missed the part where he said it wasn't as athletic.

nunzchucks · February 2014

@joules235 Daily Currant is a site similar to The Onion - fake stories.

JNerd · February 2014

I saw that story but figured it must have been fake. If it had been real it would have been picked up by other major news outlets and exploded under the international scrutiny.

temursgirl · February 2014

@joules235 I used to do gymnastics and dance. I haven't been able to do certain things for some time, and now my belly is in the way for most of the remaining moves. I challenge your H to stand on one leg and pull the other to his face keeping it straight and hold it there for an eight count! Different sports require different kinds of mucsle endurance and flexibility. I like skiing, but I'm not great at it, and I can barely move a snowboard. On the other hand, I have a very athletic guy friend who sometimes goes to Pilates with me and can't do half what I can pregnant! Different body types can be athletic in different ways. I think a lot of guys just don't like figure skating

Ashes92813 · February 2014

Check this out: a Russian snowboarder was bored at the Olympics, and apparently horny, so he did this https://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/02/snowboarder-alexey-sobolev-sochi-olympics/

shellbell813 · February 2014

About Ashley Wagner... I think her negative reaction was because she didn't realize that she had under rotated on her jump which was why her score was lower than expected, so I could understand a little shock and disappointment right when she heard it, but I didn't see the later interview... she should have pulled it together and been a bit more humble at that point.

JNerd · February 2014

Totally streaming canada vs the fins in women's hockey this morning. Thankful am able to multitask (somewhat). Gotta live Olympic hockey!

snowpants · February 2014

@babygabe614 @stephpaez @JulieSmiles and anyone else I'm missing who discussed Ashely Wagner...

Isn't she also the skater who is darn lucky to even be at the Olympics?? If I have my facts right she got 4th place in the qualifying competition but the US Olympic committee people voted to put her on the team instead of the girl who got 3rd place. And to me, that sucks. I get the value of looking at someone's performances over the whole year BUT if you don't perform when it counts then you don't make the team. Period. It's not like the Olympic judges are going to say "well you fell down but we'll give you the gold medal anyway because you were really good the rest of the year" so why do we make that exception for our team? Just my uneducated opinion but needless to say, for someone who is lucky to even get the chance to compete I'm not impressed with her attitude.

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