2010 Olympics - Vancouver

[QUOTE=tatertots;158091]So I got a screen grab that kind of shows me at the men's figure skating final! NBC was the only one that backed up enough to see us in the upper tier. I lightened it a little and messed with the contrast a bit so you could see the blurry red blob that is me better. Luckily I wore a red and black check jacket so I stood out a little more. :D [url=http://vevmo.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5616][img]http://vevmo.com/imagehosting/15244b85a9fd90d10.jpg[/img][/url][/QUOTE] Awesome! That is so great you got to go to an Olympics, and to see THE big event in the marquee sport - figure skating. I so hope I can make it to an Olympics some day. I am very interested in the medal ceremony. I saw the video you posted of it (and I thank you for it). I am interested in Plushenko specifically. I guess I missed it during the broadcast, but I heard he stepped up on the top podium to get to the second place podium. He claimed it was a mistake because he's so used to being in first place. Did he hesitate on the top podium before going to the silver podium? Or did he not seem confused and just did it to do it? What's your opinion on it? Also, did he look unhappy after he got off the podium as well (he definitely had a sour expression on the podium!). How about his coach? How did Daisuke look on the podium? NBC cut him out of the picture to focus on Plushenko and Evan. Anything else interesting you saw before, during, and after the competition? I just watched the women's 300m short track speed skating relay - I think speed skating may be one of my new sports to watch. The S. Korean team at one point edged China out and got in front at the crucial point in the race and got to the finish line first. However, the S. Korean skater slightly bumped the Chinese skater, so the judges had to have a conference about it. When I saw it, I thought it looked like something they'd consider illegal, and that's what the judges ended up ruling. Unfortunate for the S. Koreans, who had been celebrating a win! The U.S. team hadn't won a medal in 16 years and won bronze by default, since S. Korea was disqualified. Very glad I decided to watch. I paid more attention to men's speed skating because of Apolo, Shani, and Chad. It was an exciting and interesting race. Oh, and Joannie Rochette last night? Amazing! I bawled right along with her at the end.

Anyone who gets to go to the Olympics is a lucky devil. :)

[QUOTE=RW561015;158180]I am very interested in the medal ceremony. I am interested in Plushenko specifically. I guess I missed it during the broadcast, but I heard he stepped up on the top podium to get to the second place podium. What's your opinion on it?[/QUOTE] Yeah, Evgeni definitely intentionally stepped up there. He was ****** Evan beat him and did it to make his point that he thinks he should have won. If it wasn't evident to the TV audience, then it certainly is now that he has awarded himself a "platinum" medal on his website. Ugh! When he jumped up the whole crowd kind of made an awkward laugh because we didn't really know how to react. Everyone knew Evan skated an overall better program and erupted when he won. Evgeni got a standing ovation but his reaction to losing was very unnecessary and you could feel in the atmosphere that he was tainting the moment for everyone. [QUOTE]Also, did he look unhappy after he got off the podium as well (he definitely had a sour expression on the podium!). How about his coach?[/QUOTE] I didn't see the coach so much, just what they showed in the kiss and cry, but Evgeni was visibly unhappy. He did the poses he needed to do and skated around but he got out as fast as he could. He even threw the bouquet into the crowd, which could have been a nice gesture but it seemed more like he did it to throw it away because he didn't want it and didn't think it was worth keeping. [QUOTE]How did Daisuke look on the podium? NBC cut him out of the picture to focus on Plushenko and Evan.[/QUOTE] Daisuke was just beaming. He got a great response and the crowd was upset with his low score but they were all happy for him and for Japan to have a male skater finally medal. We had a few Japanese people around us that were just going crazy with pride. A very nice moment for him. [QUOTE]Anything else interesting you saw before, during, and after the competition?[/QUOTE] The judging the whole night seemed a little off. Chan got such a huge number that the crowd was very puzzled, but also very pleased with since a lot were Canadian. A lot felt Weir should have been at least 5th if not 4th ahead of Chan and the Swiss skater. I don't know if they aired it but another skater from Sweden, in the first or second flight, did a program to "Insane in the Membrane" and it got a great reaction from the crowd. Very entertaining, a nice and different pace compared to the rest of the skaters in those flights. I think he ended up 10th or 12th but he was pretty popular that night and got my attention to look out for him. Nothing else major that I could see or sense happened besides the big upsets, good and bad, of Chan, Weir, Evan/Plushenko and of course the whole broken lace thing which was very sad because he had a good program and it just broke up the flow. We all thought he was hurt at first and started to try and clap him on to complete it until we found out it was his skate. I was definitely very lucky and had a great seat, in between the entrance onto the ice and the kiss and cry. It was also where many of the skaters landed their first big jumps. So in the beginning it was almost cringe-worthy when they kept missing them but it also had a big pay off when Evgeni landed the quad right in front of me!

[QUOTE=Bacchus;158159]You look a little different than I thought you would, lol.[/QUOTE] You didn't picture me as an amorphous red blob? Odd. ;)

Pretty cool story. [url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=reilly_rick&id=4927674]ESPN The Magazine - Rick Reilly - U.S. bobsledder John Napier represents his country in the Olympics and beyond - ESPN[/url]

[QUOTE=molds13;158268]Pretty cool story. [url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=reilly_rick&id=4927674]ESPN The Magazine - Rick Reilly - U.S. bobsledder John Napier represents his country in the Olympics and beyond - ESPN[/url][/QUOTE] Very cool story. Truly an inspirational person. On another note, does anyone else think that Julia Mancuso is being a bit whiny? If it wasn't for Vonn's popularity a lot of American's may not even watch women's alpine at all! She should be thankful that a teammate of hers is popular and is helping her get noticed too when she performs well, possibly leading to endorsement deals for herself. [QUOTE]“Our team is struggling, as a group,” says Mancuso. “People are having a hard time reaching their potential because it’s such a struggle for attention. You come to meetings after races and it’s like it’s a bad day if Lindsey didn’t do well.”[/QUOTE] I'm sure all the drama is being pumped up by the media more than what is actually going on between the two, but her comment about Vonn being bad for the team definitely came across the wrong way.

I think the US alpine and nordic skiers are doing better than anyone expected them to do. They've probably accounted for at least a good 1/4 of the medals so far...

Women's hockey gold/silver medal game between USA and Canada is about to start! The bronze medal game was actually a pretty good one. They both fought hard to the end and the overtime goal was very nicely done. [B] Go USA!!![/B]

[QUOTE=Bacchus;158344]And I guess we're looking at silver. Oh well, Survivor is on in an hour. :D[/QUOTE] I think it is going to be hard to come back now that Canada has the momentum and have so many expectations, but it could still happen! A great game so far though, don't you think? Nicely paced, a good mix of contact considering checking isn't allowed, lots of shots and some good power plays so far. All USA needs is a goal!

Man these have been some great penalty kills on both sides! Both teams are really fighting for it!

The referees are awful on the offside calls. I've counted at least 4 that they've missed.

Man some of the USA girls look down right ******! It's nice for the audience and the gold medalists to get their medals right after but it must be so hard to be happy about getting silver when the loss is so fresh in your mind. Silver is still pretty awesome though! Now the boys just need to take the gold!

[QUOTE=tatertots;158398]Man some of the USA girls look down right ******! It's nice for the audience and the gold medalists to get their medals right after but it must be so hard to be happy about getting silver when the loss is so fresh in your mind. Silver is still pretty awesome though! Now the boys just need to take the gold![/QUOTE] I would want to get the **** off the ice.

[QUOTE=molds13;158399]I would want to get the **** off the ice.[/QUOTE] Right? It's just brutal. Not gonna lie, I teared up a little when the crowd started chanting "USA! USA!" when they were finishing getting their bouquets.

Another gold medal for Canada. Hopefully the same can be said for womens curling soon.

[QUOTE=Bacchus;158407]"Well, at least you're the best at [I]women's[/I] hockey..."[/QUOTE] Oh that's just low... ;) Dang! They just had indoor fireworks! Now the boys better win because I want those fireworks to be for us!

Holy ****, that South Korean figure skater just killed it. 150 points? I don't think anyone is going to be even close to her...the next highest score from tonight was a 126.61!!

Ah, hard place. Would be great to see Rochette take the bronze home, but gotta want an American on the stands...

All of my favorites made the podium! That doesn't usually happen for me! I just wish the skaters had more fire tonight. Joannie is amazing. I am relieved for Yu-Na Kim - the South Korean media probably would have gone bonkers if she didn't win. I was scared for her. I hope the Japanese don't tear Mao Asada apart! They are very fanatical about her, just as the S. Koreans are about Yu-Na Kim (but perhaps to a slightly less degree). I hope Mao can be happy with her silver. Thanks, tater, for your Olympic report. I really appreciate it! :) I don't remember seeing the Swedish skater - I think I would have remembered someone skating to that song! Yeah, I heard about Evgeni and his "platinum" medal. He's annoying me (and I feel embarrassed as well, since he's a fav). I also felt Johnny should have at least been fifth.

[QUOTE=RW561015;158441]All of my favorites made the podium! That doesn't usually happen for me! I just wish the skaters had more fire tonight. Joannie is amazing. I am relieved for Yu-Na Kim - the South Korean media probably would have gone bonkers if she didn't win. I was scared for her. I hope the Japanese don't tear Mao Asada apart! They are very fanatical about her, just as the S. Koreans are about Yu-Na Kim (but perhaps to a slightly less degree). I hope Mao can be happy with her silver.[/QUOTE] She didn't look happy at all!! Looked very disappointed. I could understand if it was a matter of a couple of points, but...20?

Yeah, Mao looked really sad. Perhaps she is unhappy that she messed up on a landing and popped a jump. She was doing so well until then. It's been a trying season for her. Typically she would have been seen as likely a potential gold medal winner like Yu-Na, but she struggled early on this season. She finally started to get things together better a little before coming to Vancouver. Maybe she expected more of herself. At least she has a victory with all the triple Axels she landed.

[QUOTE=RW561015;158441]Thanks, tater, for your Olympic report...He's annoying me (and I feel embarrassed as well, since he's a fav). I also felt Johnny should have at least been fifth.[/QUOTE] No problemo! I like Evgeni too. I totally respect him as an athlete but I think he is being a ridiculously sore loser and hopefully with time he will understand why he didn't take gold and see that his actions since then are hopefully not what he wants to portray. I'm very sad I won't be seeing Johnny Weir in the Olympics again! Plus it's in Russia next and I can't even imagine the response he would have gotten! It would have been crazy and I'm sure he would have felt quite at home there. Someone better step up in he next four years and bring the sparkle in Sochi! ;)

Parise is on a roll lately!!