Winter Olympics

[Buoy]

Anyone else less fortunate, and not in Miami, and watching the Olympics??

I'm enjoying it.
Ohno is kicking az in the speed skating.

Now, the luge thing has me a bit pizzed. I'm sorry to hear a young guy lost his life in practice the other day, but when you lay down on a board with two ice skates under it, and go down a course at +95 mph, that's the risk you take. I feel for his friends and family.
That being said, I think it sucks that they shortened the course to slow it down for everyone still competing. Compare it to boat racing. If you trained for 4 years to run +95mph, and suddenly they cut the max speed... I don't think that is fair to the guys that did their homework, and tested and prepared to the top of their game.
any thoughts?

[THEJOKER]

I've been watching also. Yea sad on the guy getting killed. If they were going to shorten the course they should of done it before someone had to die. I couldn't believe the exposed beams on the course...........go USA!

[rchevelle71]

We were watching some of the olympics while at dinner tonight(my cuban neighbor was with us at the bar, and cheering on USA), and some when we got back to the house, Luge is kinda crazy, but so is offshore racing.:driving: Imagine being 30 miles from Miami, and having some VERY close connectons with Cigarette, Fountain, Active Thunder, and AMF, and not going to the show:eek:, but got a lot to get done around here, and can visit those places any time I want:sifone:

[Gladhe8er]

I love the winter Olympics. USA did well today with 4 medals(leads all countries).

[YoungPerformance]

I love the Olympics, both the Summer and Winter. Been watching it all evening while working.
I am very sorry the hear about the Luge accident. Shortening the course has a lot of them screwed up. They are now taking different lines through the corners because of the change in speed. Some of the favorites are not doing so well with the course change.
Eddie

[Buoy]

I love the Olympics, both the Summer and Winter. Been watching it all evening while working.
I am very sorry the hear about the Luge accident. Shortening the course has a lot of them screwed up. They are now taking different lines through the corners because of the change in speed. Some of the favorites are not doing so well with the course change.
Eddie

That's what I was also thinking.
I'm sorry the young man lost his life, but that is part of the sport - great risk.
Not much different than boat racing.
I don't like the fact that they shortened the course, and now everyone else has had to adapt to going through the corners at a lower speed than they had trained at. As professionals, they should have had the course dialed in, and to change it at the last minute is not fair to them.

[Audiofn]

Even the top teams were crashing from what I heard? Sounds like it was a little to radical of a course?

[Ratickle]

The course is the fastest course in the world. By far some say.

To me the big issue was the Canadians would not let others train on there more than a couple times because they wanted to give the advantage to their racers, so it is their issue. Their racers were training on the course for a long time and have had no real serious accidents, but they could practice over and over and work their way up to the top sppeds needed to win. The other racers, who they would not allow on the course until now, had to push it right at the beginning to try and get competitive with very little practice.

After reviewing the course, I do believe they could have made it a little safer with some padding in key places, but hitting a padded steel beam at 90 vs an unpadded one may not make a whole lot of difference.

In their defense, if they had not slowed down the track, and another died, it would be a major catastrophe for the Olympics and a possible end of Luge in the Olympics for the future.

[fund razor]

When you need to "tweak" the course, and that "tweak" is a huge plywood retaining wall... maybe you were off on your original calculations.

The basketball pole padding as a solution for 90mph impacts is a joke. The guy would have been just as dead. Just less of a clean up challenge.

[Audiofn]

When I raced downhill skiing they would change the course some times on the second run. You just had to adapt. We raced a team one day that was all very small kids on the team. They set the course up illegally tight (the gates have to be so far apart) and I blew out my knee trying to make the turns. The total race was tossed but I got my blown out knee to deal with. In this case IMO the course was to fast, to hard, and they did not give the other teams a chance to practice and now a guy is to dead. That is not what the Olypics are about IMO.

[MarylandMark]

I didn't even know the Olympics started. I liked them better when the whole ball of wax was every 4 years.

Strapped some plywood along the track for them to bounce along if a wreak occurs would have most likely saved this mans life, at minimal cost.

[mosi]

The Whistler Sliding Center is acknowledged as the fastest in the world, although an FIL spokesman said on Friday there had been 2,500 runs with only a three percent crash rate.

Athletes had been remarking all week on the speed and technical difficulty of the 1,400 meter track, which features corners nicknamed 50-50 and Shiver.

But three-times Olympic champion Georg Hackl was quoted as saying on Saturday that a "tiny driving error" and not the speed of the track was to blame for Kumaritashvili's death.

"At 60 kph he would have been dead too," Hackl, the greatest luger of all time, told Berlin daily Tagesspiegel. "It's a challenge for all athletes to master that track and they have made it, including the Georgian until that tiny driving error."

[nortech4play]

The Luge is one of the Olympic events that I enjoy watching and it was very sad that the young Georgian lost his life.

There are a couple items that stand out, the first is the experience level of the participants and the other is the availability of other countries to adequately train on this course...

While some of the athlete's comments have not been the most politically correct they do point to an obvious issue with the lack of experience of some of the participants which on a very fast and technical course is just a recipe for disaster.

I agree with some of the comments that additional padding and boards should have been in place on very fast sections in order to protect the riders and it looks like that was accomplished after the fact.

The other item that seemed a little discerning was the Canadians severely restricted or limited other countries access to training at the facility to only a few training run. I'm not sure if this is a standard operating procedure for countries in the past but it doesn't look good in face of this unfortunate incident.

So much for the Olympic ideology which is supposed to be more about the total experience of the game than the medal count. It's obvious that medal counts and having the so called "home field" advantage was more important.

just my $.02

[Perlmudder]

I read in a news paper article that many of the people who have raced the track felt it was too fast. Although they said shortening it 200m has not made that much of a difference in top speed.

[MacGyver]

Looks the Winter Olympics is turning into the Spring Olympics. Temps in the 50's and rain is causing some Serious headaches for the Olympic athletes.

[MacGyver]

Weird that Texas gets like 9" of snow last week, but Vancouver (....Canada....brrrr....cold....snowy....)is trucking in snow for the games.

[drpete3]

Just say my boy Bode win a bronze!!!!

[ChiefApache]

Just say my boy Bode win a bronze!!!!

That was very cool along with the snowboarding!! That is messed up.

[redhotsommer]

The Olympic boardercross has nothin' on the X-Games. 7 or 8 guys at a time compared to 4. Check that out sometime. I absolutely LOVE watching it...and I'd love to try it as well...

IMO...take ALL the "judged events" out of the Games...faster, further, stronger...it should be man vs man (and woman vs woman) or a race against the clock. Period.

[Dominic]

The Olympic boardercross has nothin' on the X-Games. 7 or 8 guys at a time compared to 4. Check that out sometime. I absolutely LOVE watching it...and I'd love to try it as well...

IMO...take ALL the "judged events" out of the Games...faster, further, stronger...it should be man vs man (and woman vs woman) or a race against the clock. Period.

The start of this course would have been a mess with 8 boarders shoulder to shoulder!! i personaly think it was a pretty entertaining event on a tight course, except for the condition of the track that didnt help the riders. but I agree that the X-games are very entertaining too and they come around more often than winter olympics!

Finally, I enjoy some of the judged events... ski moguls, acrobatic skiing, even figure skating where there is some exceptional athletes that (i think) deserve their spot at the olympics. IMO, these guys and girls also push it faster, further, stronger... on some more "artistic" sports.!

[fund razor]

I don't mean to be negative, but is there anybody else out there who cares less about the Olympics than ever? I don't remember caring or watching less. Maybe my interests have changed.

[ChiefApache]

I don't mean to be negative, but is there anybody else out there who cares less about the Olympics than ever? I don't remember caring or watching less. Maybe my interests have changed.

Why don't you care?

I pesonally think it's very exciting to watch the athletes and what they have trained all their life for. It's exciting and sad at the same time.

We missed the opening ceremonies and Saturday, but we've been watching every night since.

[fund razor]

Why don't you care?

I pesonally think it's very exciting to watch the athletes and what they have trained all their life for. It's exciting and sad at the same time.

We missed the opening ceremonies and Saturday, but we've been watching every night since.

I am not sure what is different this time around. I have enjoyed it in past years. I am sure that many people are really enjoying it, as you are.
Maybe my interests have changed. I was just throwing it out there to see if anyone else was not very engaged with it this time.

[ChiefApache]

I am not sure what is different this time around. I have enjoyed it in past years. I am sure that many people are really enjoying it, as you are.
Maybe my interests have changed. I was just throwing it out there to see if anyone else was not very engaged with it this time.

I think there are many who are not interested to be honest. The vast majority are.

I'm not glued to the TV or DVR it to make sure I don't miss anything. If I'm home we watch it. If not, no biggie, I'll read the highlights the next day.

[TCEd]

I'm waiting for the USA-Canada hockey game.

[fund razor]

I'm waiting for the USA-Canada hockey game.
That would be good, but the rest just reminds me of winter and I am over winter.

[MarylandMark]

I don't mean to be negative, but is there anybody else out there who cares less about the Olympics than ever?

From earlier in this thread:


I didn't even know the Olympics started.


Apolo Ohno- had no clue until Saturday night when I found out the Olympics were on, he is a skater. Vonn- heard about her on here, she skis.

A few years of time delays and no real hype; just another show to skip while channel surfing.

Remember a few years ago Dan & Dave for Reebox ads, the hype around USA Basketball, McDonalds having billions in ads? Last few years- nadda.

[fund razor]

I guess I stopped watching after the Miracle on Ice.
Wow. Thirty years ago, I cared.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2VVCRJ-688

The only cover of Sports Illustrated to ever run without a caption. March 3, 1980.

[Perlmudder]

shaun white just shredded the chit outa the pipe!

[Buoy]

Lindsey Vonn just kicked some azz!! Gold.
Couple of the other gals in that race took some nasty tumbles.

Apollo Ohno, never heard of him before this Olympics, but the dude can skate.
I like his race strategy of kind of hanging back, analyzing his competitors, and then reacting.
Fun to watch.

[Perlmudder]

Lindsey Vonn just kicked some azz!! Gold.
Couple of the other gals in that race took some nasty tumbles.

Apollo Ohno, never heard of him before this Olympics, but the dude can skate.
I like his race strategy of kind of hanging back, analyzing his competitors, and then reacting.
Fun to watch.

and shes hot!!!

[Perlmudder]

white scored a 48.4 on his second pipe run! a 1260/double mctwist that is NUTZ!

[Sean H]

The only cover of Sports Illustrated to ever run without a caption. March 3, 1980.

Actually quite a few were published that way, including the first one ever.

[Buoy]

white scored a 48.4 on his second pipe run! a 1260/double mctwist that is NUTZ!

I'm too old to snow-board, but I like the kid.
His run was very impressive!

I just want to see some pictures of him when he isn't so happy and smiling.
He needs to sneer in a few pics.
He'd look just like Dave Mustaine.

[Buoy]

and shes hot!!!

Well, yeah, that too.:cheers2:

[fund razor]

Actually quite a few were published that way, including the first one ever.

Wiki phucked me.

"The March 3, 1980 cover of Sports Illustrated, which, to this day, is the only one in the magazine's history to run without a caption or headline."

Did they have the date right? :o

[redhotsommer]

I'm usually for an underdog...especially in a judged event like halfpipe...seems like the hype of the favored athlete adds at least a couple points to the score. But Shaun White absolutely obliterated the competition...un-freakin-believable how good he is. And at 23, he's been a pro for OVER 10 years!

[drpete3]

LOved the fact that we went one two in womens downhill. AWESOME

[ChiefApache]

Lindsey Vonn just kicked some azz!! Gold.
Couple of the other gals in that race took some nasty tumbles.


That course was just plain nasty. The last one down the hill that beat Vonn the last time finsihed 8th because she looked afraid of falling down the hill. You train 4 years to take it easy? Go home.

[ChiefApache]

white scored a 48.4 on his second pipe run! a 1260/double mctwist that is NUTZ!

He was awesome!

[ChiefApache]

loved the fact that we went one two in womens downhill. Awesome

Totally agree!

[Perlmudder]

That course was just plain nasty.

that last lip was shooting them 200+ feet and it looked SKETCHY as hell! every single one of those girls has brass balls to rip down that course in my book!

[TCEd]

I'm usually for an underdog...especially in a judged event like halfpipe...seems like the hype of the favored athlete adds at least a couple points to the score. But Shaun White absolutely obliterated the competition...un-freakin-believable how good he is. And at 23, he's been a pro for OVER 10 years!

The kid is amazing !

[ChiefApache]

that last lip was shooting them 200+ feet and it looked SKETCHY as hell! every single one of those girls has brass balls to rip down that course in my book!

:iagree::iagree:

[drpete3]

Hey guys Vonn is first and mancuso third after the fist half of the super combined. They now need to finish the slalom portion of the race. They are in the hunt again

[ChiefApache]

hey guys vonn is first and mancuso third after the fist half of the super combined. They now need to finish the slalom portion of the race. They are in the hunt again

woooooooooohoooooooooooo!

[Buoy]

More good stuff on tonight.
Vonn is still kicking azz, and I think White is up again tonight. Look forward to seeing his run.

[fund razor]

I watched a little of the snowboarding. The questions that come to mind:

-Are the US snowboarding uniforms a tribute to Kurt Cobain or just grunge music in general?
-Do they test the snowboarders for weed?
-Which will be in the summer olympics: skateboarding or wakeboarding?

[hotjava66]

I watched a little of the snowboarding. The questions that come to mind:

-Are the US snowboarding uniforms a tribute to Kurt Cobain or just grunge music in general?
-Do they test the snowboarders for weed?
-Which will be in the summer olympics: skateboarding or wakeboarding?:iagree: I was telling my wife the same thing, I thought the grunge look was dead 10 years ago minimum. Also I was laughing at the snow pants that looked like jeans, I really thought they were jeans at first, even have the tag on the waistband.