Vancouver Olympics, 2010

[Mentar]

I just rewatched Anni Friesinger-Postma _swimming_ over the goal line at the speed skating team contest against the US ^_^

This must be one of the most bizarre finishes ever... and lord knows what would have happened if she hadn't had the brains to rotate her skate to the front.

[Theowne]

Originally Posted by JagdPanther

I dunno. I seem to forget how burned out I get after watching pretty much nothing but the Olympics for 17 days.

It's been a great two weeks (just the right length, I think). I remember how people on the Canadian forums were bashing the COC and our athletes after that disappointing first week. Ever since we've taken the gold lead they've come crawling back with their feigned patriotism . Heck, maybe I'll even buy that overpriced Olympic DVD that the CTV is putting out, this is an event to remember.

Ah well, another 4 years. I don't enjoy the Summers as much as the Winters, just too many events and too many competitors to wrap my head around (and no short track).

As for the grand hockey finale....keep the expectations tepid. The U.S. team is undefeated, already beat us once, and summarily executed the Finns while we only beat the Slovaks by a point.

[Karlson]

Originally Posted by Mentar

I just rewatched Anni Friesinger-Postma _swimming_ over the goal line at the speed skating team contest against the US ^_^

This must be one of the most bizarre finishes ever... and lord knows what would have happened if she hadn't had the brains to rotate her skate to the front.

The best part was her reaction afterwards. She thought she had lost her team that race. You can see she was slamming her fist on the ice as she slid. And then, she looks up at the clock, and realized "OMG! We won!?". Without a doubt, that gold will go down as the one I'll remember the most among the Germans' gold medal performances in these games.

[PreSage]

Originally Posted by Theowne

I remember how people on the Canadian forums were bashing the COC and our athletes after that disappointing first week. Ever since we've taken the gold lead they've come crawling back with their feigned patriotism . Heck, maybe I'll even buy that overpriced Olympic DVD that the CTV is putting out, this is an event to remember.

Wow, some are such hypocrites. If the athletes tried their utmost best and lost, I'd still cheer for them for a great fight.

Ah well, another 4 years. I don't enjoy the Summers as much as the Winters, just too many events and too many competitors to wrap my head around (and no short track).

Same here. I don't like the Summer Olympics as much as Winter. I only watch one or two events in Summer but I watch everything I can catch in the Winter Games - winter games are just so much more exciting, I think.

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

And thus is the heart of the new judging system controversy.

I also think they should place more emphasis on the quad.....Not too much though, artistic content overall should factor heavily as well.

I for one would like to see the quad salchow being raised as the next level for ladies' skating......after all, if Miki Ando could land it...

The judging system in figure skating will probably forever be plaqued with controversy. But, yes, I definitely think they should put an emphasis on the quad - in both men's and women's figure skating but especially the men. This would bring out a greater and different group of talents.

After watching the figure skating exhibition gala, I still say that Plushenko is the better men's skater. Sorry Lycechak, even if he did win gold, I feel there's still a huge difference in skill level between these two, and Lycechak has a lot of catching up for the 2014. <_<

But I was wholely impressed by that ten-year-old boy skating in the gala. He holds real promise to skate for Canada in the 2018 games - still too young for the 2014 unfortunately. But for a ten-year-old to be able to jump like that is extremely impressive. He is a natural at artistic expression as well.

[Theowne]

The judging system in figure skating will probably forever be plaqued with controversy.

It's really the only sport in the Olympics that is so heavily reliant on judging. Even something like snowboard half-pipe, I think most average viewers could guess winners and losers on their own, I don't think it's the same for figure skating. I mean, I thought Plushenko was going to win...... I dunno, I can appreciate wanting to see "artistic" content in figure skating, but isn't the Olympics supposed to be about athleticism first and foremost? I've never really understood the ice-dancing category either, AFAIK it is figure skating without jumps, seems like having ballroom dancing in the Summer olympics. Meh, what do I know.

[PreSage]

Originally Posted by Theowne

It's really the only sport in the Olympics that is so heavily reliant on judging. Even something like snowboard half-pipe, I think most average viewers could guess winners and losers on their own, I don't think it's the same for figure skating. I mean, I thought Plushenko was going to win...... I dunno, I can appreciate wanting to see "artistic" content in figure skating, but isn't the Olympics supposed to be about athleticism first and foremost? I've never really understood the ice-dancing category either, AFAIK it is figure skating without jumps, seems like having ballroom dancing in the Summer olympics. Meh, what do I know.

The problem with the judging in the figure skating are the judges themselves. For some reason, those in figure skating are extremely subjective and seems to even involve political bias in their scores. They should automate the judging in figure skating by having everyone wear those motion capture suits. Hey, it does work - just not very pretty or comfortable.

Well, the ice-dancing seems to merge more and more with the pairs figure skating. I mean, some of their "lifts" weren't allowed several years back but they are permitted now. Soon we won't know the difference between pairs figure skating and ice-dancing.

I just saw a short interview/preview of the ParaOlympics athletes and I have to say that it touched my heart more than the regular Olympics. Those people are truly amazing and special. I just feel so sad for them that they don't get the same coverage and recognition as everyone else. But I'll cheer for our team just the same - that is if I can catch it on any TV network.

...and in the news, Apolo Ohno was caught commenting how he was disqualified in that last race for interfering with Tremblay because the referee was Canadian and the referee wanted a Canadian to win a medal. Oookaaaay, I thought Apolo had better sportsmanship than this...guess I was wrong. Tsk tsk...he should know the call wasn't made by one referee alone.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Theowne

It's really the only sport in the Olympics that is so heavily reliant on judging. Even something like snowboard half-pipe, I think most average viewers could guess winners and losers on their own, I don't think it's the same for figure skating. I mean, I thought Plushenko was going to win...... I dunno, I can appreciate wanting to see "artistic" content in figure skating, but isn't the Olympics supposed to be about athleticism first and foremost? I've never really understood the ice-dancing category either, AFAIK it is figure skating without jumps, seems like having ballroom dancing in the Summer olympics. Meh, what do I know.

The ice-dance really IS ballroom dancing on ice......I don't think you'll ever see jumps in ice dance in the short run....and they'll never score it the same as the other skate events..


It's what you get really having a discipline that is so similar to gymnastics...all these judging issues. What is needed is stricter control on how program components are scored. Of course, people will then complain that there is too little room for flexibility...

[Karlson]

And so the final day is upon us. Well I would just like to say it has been an honour having these games hosted here. The excitement in downtown is something I havn't seen since the Vancouver Canucks went on that miraculous run to the Stanley Cup Finals back in 1994/95. These games may have been plagued with tragedy (Nodar's death), controversy (the safety of the slide track, Lysacek winning gold over Plushenko, Ohno's Disqualification in the 500M and South Korea's Disqualification in the Women's Relay), as well as some technicality and weather issues. But through these problems I've really come to realize just how difficult it really is hosting the Olympic games and it has made me come to respect other past olympic games that have been mired with the same kind of harsh luck and tragedy.

Though despite the hardships, these games have truly been historic for this country. For a country that was once laughed at for being the only country in the world to host the olympic games twice and never winning a gold in both, we've come biting back winning 13 gold...the most gold medals Canada has ever won in the winter olympics but even more impressive the most a host country has ever won in a winter olympics. And Canada has two more chances to win a gold today. The 50km cross country skiing event is a very slim chance we come out on top so it pretty much comes down to this epic hockey final between very heated rivals in the US and Canada. If Canada wins the game, Canada sets the new record of the most gold medals ever won in the Winter Olympics (the only record we havn't broken yet) to 14. So I won't be missing this chance to see it with the crowd in downtown.

But before I part ways and head out here is a video of the 2002 final in Salt Lake City when they fought for gold

[Hari Michiru]

Originally Posted by PreSage

...and in the news, Apolo Ohno was caught commenting how he was disqualified in that last race for interfering with Tremblay because the referee was Canadian and the referee wanted a Canadian to win a medal. Oookaaaay, I thought Apolo had better sportsmanship than this...guess I was wrong. Tsk tsk...he should know the call wasn't made by one referee alone.

This is what I call karma...

First he's happy that the Korean got DQ'ed, and then he complains that he got DQ'ed. Maybe he'll be careful about what he says next time...

[Theowne]

Devin Kershaw, 5th place in mass start, only 1.6 seconds behind the gold medalist. He was very disappointed in his interview, but 5th place in the 50km mass start is a great achievement. I feel tired just watching that race.

[wingman32x]

Lol @ The hype for this game. Stupid NBC. " This game is the biggest in hockey history" LMAO!


Anyway, go USA! We beat them once, we can do it again!

[PreSage]

After seeing Canada play about halfway into the first period...I'll declare it right now...Canada will not win. The US team will win gold. Congratulatios US team...T_T

*goes to emo*

[Theowne]

Originally Posted by PreSage

After seeing Canada play about halfway into the first period...I'll declare it right now...Canada will not win. The US team will win gold. Congratulatios US team...T_T

*goes to emo*

Canada 1-0

Please let this last

[qwertyuiopz]

Wooohooo canada! 2-0

[panzerfan]

2-0. Canadian killed off an American power play and scored a goal.

[wingman32x]

Yeah, we're probably going to lose, but I'm happy with how we did during the tournament. Most Pundits didn't even predict us winning bronze, so I think we exceeded expectations this tournament.

[Theowne]

There's still a lot of time left. Remember Canada v Slovakia?

[wingman32x]

2-1 now, I got a bit of confidence back .

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by wingman32x

2-1 now, I got a bit of confidence back .

Errrrrrrrr you do know how hockey works right? 20 minutes will be all the time they need to come back and tie it and really any time is a good time to score a goal when you are in front of the net. The only time a lead is really secure is if it's by about 4 or 5. Something tells me Miller is not coughing up any more goals either.

[wingman32x]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

Errrrrrrrr you do know how hockey works right? 20 minutes will be all the time they need to come back and tie it and really any time is a good time to score a goal when you are in front of the net. The only time a lead is really secure is if it's by about 4 or 5. Something tells me Miller is not coughing up any more goals either.

Oh, believe me, I know. As a Red wings fan, I've seen 2 or 3 goal leads blown. But Canada's goalie has been great so far IMO. I said that because I couldn't see us getting two unanswered in the 3rd with the way this game has gone so far.