Sochi Olympics, Winter Games 2014 (now with Paralympics coverage)

[james0246]

Is there really not a Sochi thread already?

This is the general purpose Winter 2014 Sochi Olympic Events thread. All discussion of the current Winter Games shall occur in this thread (unless a spin-off is needed for a particular issue/topic). Please keep discussion civil with no bashing or maligning of other countries. Otherwise, feel free to discuss anything concerning the Olympic events and the various issues that surround the events. Have fun and here's to a good Games .

As an aside, let's try and keep the politics out of this thread. Putin's probably a little crazy, the venue is awful (and probably chosen for even worse reasons), housing sucks, and terrorist might attack at a moments notice. But, such heady issues are not what the Olympics are about. So, let's try and keep politics out of this thread as much as possible.

[KiraYamatoFan]

9 hours difference between Sochi and the US Eastern seabourne, just to give an indication for people living in North America.

[james0246]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

9 hours difference between Sochi and the US Eastern seabourne, just to give an indication for people living in North America.

And that's just to New York.

I know NBCOlympics.com is showing the events live (unless they are scheduled for primetime), but the site requires too much hoopla to for a casual fan.

[Kirarakim]

Ah well since I guess everything is going to be delayed this isn't going to be a very fun Olympics for me.

And yet every 4 years the Winter Olympics is the only sporting event I care to watch

[AnimeFan188]

5 Awful Stories You Haven't Heard About the Winter Olympics:

"Good news, figure skating fans: The Winter Olympics are starting this week in the
Russian city of Sochi! You can look forward to two weeks of people in tight jumpsuits
spinning and sleds being used for things that would blow Charles Foster Kane's
mind. Oh, and also, soul-killing clandestine bullshit.

See, all Olympics have unexpected horrors they don't want you to know about, but
this being Russia, they just had to take it to another level."

See:

http://www.cracked.com/quick-fixes/5...nter-olympics/

[Last Sinner]

Hoping Torah Bright and Alex 'Chumpy' Pullin can bring some medals home for Australia.

[Triple_R]

I'm a big hockey fan, so I'm definitely looking forward to hockey at the Olympics (both men and women).

I also like figure skating every now and then, so I'll probably check it out at the Olympics unless it's on at a really bad hour for me.

Aside from that, I'll follow Canada's medal count, and cheer on from back home, but I'm not a big fan of most of the Winter sports.


I'm trying to think of a good Canadian anime character to get an avatar or sig for. For the 2010 Games, I had Ryoko Asakura against the backdrop of a Canadian flag, partly as a joke, but I'd probably like to go with something different this time (partly since the joke is rather old now )

[Irenicus]

According to some interpretations, Google is having a little dig at Russia's anti-gay laws. Some interpretations of course. It's just a human rights quote and the Olympics rainbow.

Original link in case anyone can't find it.

Personally, I'm still confused why they want to do it in Sochi instead of, like, anywhere else in bloody Russia that actually, you know, has snow.

Some egos...

[Cosmic Eagle]

Watching this mainly for figure skating

I hope Youtube offers live coverage like with the London Games. Would like to follow the skiing and luge events too but no cable ><

[Solace]

I haven't given a shit about the Olympics in years. Won't bother starting now. I just can't carry the starry eyed view of it that I had as a child into my adult years. Not when you start learning what really goes on behind the scenes.

And to be honest, it feels like this will be televised even worse than it was in 2008. =\

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Solace

I haven't given a shit about the Olympics in years. Won't bother starting now. I just can't carry the starry eyed view of it that I had as a child into my adult years. Not when you start learning what really goes on behind the scenes.

And to be honest, it feels like this will be televised even worse than it was in 2008. =\

It will still mean that there's some free broadcast for someone with no cable at all...

2008 had live coverage for almost every event


Starry eyed view of the games? Ugh no way....It's purely for the sport here. Honestly, the Worlds championship is more important than the Olympics....but the Olympics is more prominent, that's all.

[james0246]

Originally Posted by Solace

I haven't given a shit about the Olympics in years. Won't bother starting now. I just can't carry the starry eyed view of it that I had as a child into my adult years. Not when you start learning what really goes on behind the scenes.

Well then, the next two weeks just opened up quite a bit for you .

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

Starry eyed view of the games? Ugh no way....It's purely for the sport here. Honestly, the Worlds championship is more important than the Olympics....but the Olympics is more prominent, that's all.

To add, the World Championships are focused on one specific discipline. The Olympics combine multiple different disciplines into one major event. So, the size difference is quite significant, not to mention the media attention which completely alters the athletes perception.

But in terms of ranking, yes the World Championships are actually more respected amongst the athletes.

[Solace]

Originally Posted by james0246

Well then, the next two weeks just opened up quite a bit for you .

Always something to fill time with. ^^ I didn't mean to grump, it's just that people really get hyped about this stuff and I can't detach "sports are fun" from all of the stuff that happens outside of the athletes competing. I do hope things go smoothly though, given all of the security concerns and reports that construction crews took a lot of shortcuts to get things done.

Just saw that there was a malfunction with one of the rings. The floating islands are neat though.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Solace

Just saw that there was a malfunction with one of the rings. The floating islands are neat though.

With all the story about unfinished hotel rooms, unpaved streets, the infamous ''toilets for 2'' and the obvious overbilling for the construction of the infrastructure, we can expect some other malfunction until the end of the game

[KiraYamatoFan]

Originally Posted by Solace

Just saw that there was a malfunction with one of the rings. The floating islands are neat though.

Well, I remember when Vancouver was slated about that torch pillar malfunction in the ceremony with lots of media taking the piss to call doom and gloom before the games even started. I wonder how that malfunction will be discussed in the papers tomorrow.

Originally Posted by ganbaru

With all the story about unfinished hotel rooms, unpaved streets, the infamous ''toilets for 2'' and the obvious overbilling for the construction of the infrastructure, we can expect some other malfunction until the end of the game

Some horror stories I've heard in the last few days indeed. My, oh my.

[AnimeFan188]

41 New Events That Would Get Us to Watch the Winter Olympics:

"Let's face it: So far the only entertaining thing about the Winter Olympics are the
stories on how comically and tragically things are coming together over there. But
outside of awful conditions and curling, what's the point of watching? We asked our
readers to come up with some events that would actually make us tune in, and we
gave $100 to the winner ..."

See:

http://www.cracked.com/photoplasty_7...nter-olympics/

[Triple_R]

I'm honestly starting to wonder how the heck Sochi even managed to win their Olympic bid.

[Mr Hat and Clogs]

It does make you wonder. There are some serious horror stories coming out of there with regards to facilities and so on.

[Sackett]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I'm honestly starting to wonder how the heck Sochi even managed to win their Olympic bid.

Money. Lots and lots of money.

Which was then promptly stolen by corrupt officials.

[AnimeFan188]

Russian Deputy PM: We're Surveilling Sochi's Showers:

"It was only a matter of time before a Russian official said something about
western journos and their portrayal of Sochi hotel rooms — but no one could
guess that it would be such a foot-in-mouth moment.

Responding to the western campaign of "deliberate sabotage" in the media, Paul
Sonne of WSJ reports, Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozak said, "We
have surveillance video from the hotels that shows people turn on the shower,
direct the nozzle at the wall and then leave the room for the whole day."

Then an aide whisked Kozak away before he could answer any follow-up
questions, Sonne reports."

See:

http://www.businessinsider.com/hotel...abotage-2014-2


=====================================


Sochi’s Internal Refugees:

"In the shadow of the Winter Games in Sochi, families kicked out of their homes to
make way for Olympic construction are desperate for some compensation for their
lost lives."

See:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-refugees.html


=====================================


The Yakuza Olympics:

"All eyes are on Russian corruption and incompetence at Sochi, but new reports
have emerged about a likely link between Japanese Olympic officials and Japan’s
infamous yakuza. Jake Adelstein reports on possible troubles for 2020."

See:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-olympics.html