Sochi 2014
Feb 11th 2014, 12:07 pm
#1
Concierge
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Oakville, ON, CA
Posts: 8,320
Sochi 2014
I am loving this year's Olympics!! CBC has good coverage, I love having everything available on the website, particularly since so much of it airs in the middle of the night.
It looks like it's so much fun, it looks like Russia has put together a pretty impressive Games so far.
Canada is doing well which is nice to see. Go Canada Go!
It looks like it's so much fun, it looks like Russia has put together a pretty impressive Games so far.
Canada is doing well which is nice to see. Go Canada Go!
Feb 11th 2014, 1:10 pm
#3
I said what ?!
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: Peterborough, Ontario.
Posts: 1,079
Re: Sochi 2014
Well, one guy got a medal previously but was stripped of it as he'd tested positive for a banned substance - which turned out to be a vicks sinus...
Feb 11th 2014, 1:19 pm
#4
Banned
Joined: Dec 2010
Location: Durham Region Extension
Posts: 3,342
Re: Sochi 2014
Yeah....but it's only the Winter Olympics innit?
The IOC is still looking at canceling women's hockey as it's a 2 way pony show i.e. US -Can
Summer Olympics is where it's at
51 million dollars on a stadium that will only be used for the opening and closing ceremony. Anyone see the documenatry on CBC before the olympics, with all the potholes outside of the city, poverty, lavish life of all the politicians, corruption etc?
I think we should adopt what they did to get attention for those potholes here...paint the PM's, city Mayor etc face around the potholes
The IOC is still looking at canceling women's hockey as it's a 2 way pony show i.e. US -Can
Summer Olympics is where it's at
51 million dollars on a stadium that will only be used for the opening and closing ceremony. Anyone see the documenatry on CBC before the olympics, with all the potholes outside of the city, poverty, lavish life of all the politicians, corruption etc?
I think we should adopt what they did to get attention for those potholes here...paint the PM's, city Mayor etc face around the potholes
Last edited by ultrarunner; Feb 11th 2014 at 1:26 pm.
Feb 11th 2014, 1:20 pm
#5
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Sochi 2014
My givedamn about Sochi broke when I read about the ridiculous cost and the environmental and human rights toll. No games are worth that. I hope the competitors have a good time and no one gets seriously hurt, but beyond that I just dont care.
Feb 11th 2014, 1:24 pm
#6
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Sochi 2014
Not a sports fan, and can't say I look forward to all the Olympic hoopla, not sure why its such a big deal really, but again not a sports fan, and don't enjoy watching people play sports and competitions.
Feb 11th 2014, 2:56 pm
#7
Magnificently Withering
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Oakville, ON
Posts: 6,891
Re: Sochi 2014
I love the whole Olympic beanfeast. The corruption, the judging scandals, the half-finished infrastructure... but most of all the actual competition.
For Canada, the Winter games are much more significant than the Summer ones. There's a realistic chance of finishing at or near the top of the medal table; regardless of whether you think competitive sport's a good thing to spend money on, it gets political attention when a country does very well at an Olympics.
Canada's riding high right now. A lot of people thought that, after the enormous success of the Own the Podium campaign at Vancouver, the Sochi games would be a bit of a harsh reality-check. But with 4 golds, 3 silver and 2 bronze so far, heading the medal table, it seems Team Canada has made a strong start.
OK, so the winter games has rather too many judged sports, and the judging is a bit obscure in some (the slopestyle system, with a "head judge" enforcing a sort of groupthink mentality in the national judges, has absolutely got to change), but it's absolutely compelling viewing in my household. The CBC's cross-platform coverage is pretty good, too, with a bunch of web streaming options for less mainstream sports (I particularly like Biathlon and Nordic Combined events).
Go Canada Go.
And, of course, huge congratulations to Jenny Jones winning the UK's first ever skiing medal (with the exception of Alain Baxter's slalom bronze in Salt Lake City, where many still believe he was extremely harshly treated by the IOC's appeals committee after his disqualification...)
For Canada, the Winter games are much more significant than the Summer ones. There's a realistic chance of finishing at or near the top of the medal table; regardless of whether you think competitive sport's a good thing to spend money on, it gets political attention when a country does very well at an Olympics.
Canada's riding high right now. A lot of people thought that, after the enormous success of the Own the Podium campaign at Vancouver, the Sochi games would be a bit of a harsh reality-check. But with 4 golds, 3 silver and 2 bronze so far, heading the medal table, it seems Team Canada has made a strong start.
OK, so the winter games has rather too many judged sports, and the judging is a bit obscure in some (the slopestyle system, with a "head judge" enforcing a sort of groupthink mentality in the national judges, has absolutely got to change), but it's absolutely compelling viewing in my household. The CBC's cross-platform coverage is pretty good, too, with a bunch of web streaming options for less mainstream sports (I particularly like Biathlon and Nordic Combined events).
Go Canada Go.
And, of course, huge congratulations to Jenny Jones winning the UK's first ever skiing medal (with the exception of Alain Baxter's slalom bronze in Salt Lake City, where many still believe he was extremely harshly treated by the IOC's appeals committee after his disqualification...)
Feb 11th 2014, 3:12 pm
#8
Concierge
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Oakville, ON, CA
Posts: 8,320
Re: Sochi 2014
I love the whole Olympic beanfeast. The corruption, the judging scandals, the half-finished infrastructure... but most of all the actual competition.
For Canada, the Winter games are much more significant than the Summer ones. There's a realistic chance of finishing at or near the top of the medal table; regardless of whether you think competitive sport's a good thing to spend money on, it gets political attention when a country does very well at an Olympics.
Canada's riding high right now. A lot of people thought that, after the enormous success of the Own the Podium campaign at Vancouver, the Sochi games would be a bit of a harsh reality-check. But with 4 golds, 3 silver and 2 bronze so far, heading the medal table, it seems Team Canada has made a strong start.
OK, so the winter games has rather too many judged sports, and the judging is a bit obscure in some (the slopestyle system, with a "head judge" enforcing a sort of groupthink mentality in the national judges, has absolutely got to change), but it's absolutely compelling viewing in my household. The CBC's cross-platform coverage is pretty good, too, with a bunch of web streaming options for less mainstream sports (I particularly like Biathlon and Nordic Combined events).
Go Canada Go.
And, of course, huge congratulations to Jenny Jones winning the UK's first ever skiing medal (with the exception of Alain Baxter's slalom bronze in Salt Lake City, where many still believe he was extremely harshly treated by the IOC's appeals committee after his disqualification...)
For Canada, the Winter games are much more significant than the Summer ones. There's a realistic chance of finishing at or near the top of the medal table; regardless of whether you think competitive sport's a good thing to spend money on, it gets political attention when a country does very well at an Olympics.
Canada's riding high right now. A lot of people thought that, after the enormous success of the Own the Podium campaign at Vancouver, the Sochi games would be a bit of a harsh reality-check. But with 4 golds, 3 silver and 2 bronze so far, heading the medal table, it seems Team Canada has made a strong start.
OK, so the winter games has rather too many judged sports, and the judging is a bit obscure in some (the slopestyle system, with a "head judge" enforcing a sort of groupthink mentality in the national judges, has absolutely got to change), but it's absolutely compelling viewing in my household. The CBC's cross-platform coverage is pretty good, too, with a bunch of web streaming options for less mainstream sports (I particularly like Biathlon and Nordic Combined events).
Go Canada Go.
And, of course, huge congratulations to Jenny Jones winning the UK's first ever skiing medal (with the exception of Alain Baxter's slalom bronze in Salt Lake City, where many still believe he was extremely harshly treated by the IOC's appeals committee after his disqualification...)
I also like that the whole thing is a bit more relaxed. The athletes seem to be more jovial than in the Summers, and there appears to be a lot more camaraderie.
And, as Oakvillian said, it's exciting for Canada. We do well at the Winters - being in a country that caters to both climates, the Olympic funding gets split between the two. And as my family was discussing at dinner last night, it takes a lot more money to fund the Winter sports. This is massively oversimplifying, as this is a very, very dumbed down example, but if you have a runner, you can kind of just, well, run. You need what, shoes and a road. And you just go. Something like skiing is sort of a different ball game. You need to live somewhere with the mountain, and you need to be able to afford ski gear. It would almost be a lot easier to accidentally find out you're really, really good at running because pretty well anyone can just take it up. (Again, seriously oversimplifying, I'm not accounting for coaches, physio, proper training, etc etc.) Whereas skiiing... there's a certain amount of capital required to even begin to get involved in it.
So that's kind of an interesting dynamic.
For me, I just like watching it all. I watched so many events during the summers, and I have the recorded broadcasts and webcasts on constant stream from CBC. It's just fun to watch, particularly the snow sports.
I think it's great that both Canada and GB have put out their biggest teams ever. GB has some serious medal contenders as well, and Canada is having a great showing so far with 9 medals and currently sitting on top.
Go Team Canada, Go Team GB.
Feb 11th 2014, 3:16 pm
#9
Moderαtor Emeritus
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Sochi 2014
Sure the events can be exciting and fun (plus there is curling), but for me the games organisation is tainted with corruption and misery and is now miles from the Olympic ideals the movement was founded on. Hold a bunch of world championships and Id watch that, spread the money around different places, have an uber X-games or whatever and just be out there with the commercialisation and sponsorship and be done with all the pretense that is some great idealistic movement for humanities betterment.
The nationalistic frenzy that now surrounds the games doesnt seem right to me either now you mention it. Sure the olympics are for many the peak of their chosen sporting field (although increasingly less so perhaps), but its individuals that put in the hours to get there, not the lardarses watching it happen at home on the TV. Canadian success has bugger all to do with you or I.
Perhaps its just easier for me to ignore as I dont have TV at home anyway. The IOC needs a reality check, its bloated and overexpensive but as long as people keep watching, sponsors will keep throwing money at whatever corrupt government thinks it needs to polish up its international image. That aint right.
The nationalistic frenzy that now surrounds the games doesnt seem right to me either now you mention it. Sure the olympics are for many the peak of their chosen sporting field (although increasingly less so perhaps), but its individuals that put in the hours to get there, not the lardarses watching it happen at home on the TV. Canadian success has bugger all to do with you or I.
Perhaps its just easier for me to ignore as I dont have TV at home anyway. The IOC needs a reality check, its bloated and overexpensive but as long as people keep watching, sponsors will keep throwing money at whatever corrupt government thinks it needs to polish up its international image. That aint right.
Last edited by iaink; Feb 11th 2014 at 3:43 pm.
Feb 11th 2014, 3:19 pm
#10
Concierge
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Oakville, ON, CA
Posts: 8,320
Re: Sochi 2014
Sure its exciting and fun, but for me its also tainted with corruption and misery and miles from the Olympic ideals the movement was founded on.
Perhaps its just easier for me to ignore as I dont have TV at home anyway. The IOC needs a reality check, its bloated and overexpensive and as long as people keep watching, sponsors will keep throwing money at whatever corrupt government thinks it needs to polish up its international image. That aint right.
Perhaps its just easier for me to ignore as I dont have TV at home anyway. The IOC needs a reality check, its bloated and overexpensive and as long as people keep watching, sponsors will keep throwing money at whatever corrupt government thinks it needs to polish up its international image. That aint right.
My husband's response? "Suspended for corruption? Really? That's rich, coming from the IOC... pot, kettle, black..."
Though, this is the same guy who, after reading about the premise of Curling, responded, "so basically it's like lawn bowls, only you're allowed to mow the lawn in front of you bowl as it rolls."
Feb 11th 2014, 3:25 pm
#11
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: Sochi 2014
I love the whole Olympic beanfeast. The corruption, the judging scandals, the half-finished infrastructure... but most of all the actual competition.
For Canada, the Winter games are much more significant than the Summer ones. There's a realistic chance of finishing at or near the top of the medal table; regardless of whether you think competitive sport's a good thing to spend money on, it gets political attention when a country does very well at an Olympics.
Canada's riding high right now. A lot of people thought that, after the enormous success of the Own the Podium campaign at Vancouver, the Sochi games would be a bit of a harsh reality-check. But with 4 golds, 3 silver and 2 bronze so far, heading the medal table, it seems Team Canada has made a strong start.
OK, so the winter games has rather too many judged sports, and the judging is a bit obscure in some (the slopestyle system, with a "head judge" enforcing a sort of groupthink mentality in the national judges, has absolutely got to change), but it's absolutely compelling viewing in my household. The CBC's cross-platform coverage is pretty good, too, with a bunch of web streaming options for less mainstream sports (I particularly like Biathlon and Nordic Combined events).
Go Canada Go.
And, of course, huge congratulations to Jenny Jones winning the UK's first ever skiing medal (with the exception of Alain Baxter's slalom bronze in Salt Lake City, where many still believe he was extremely harshly treated by the IOC's appeals committee after his disqualification...)
For Canada, the Winter games are much more significant than the Summer ones. There's a realistic chance of finishing at or near the top of the medal table; regardless of whether you think competitive sport's a good thing to spend money on, it gets political attention when a country does very well at an Olympics.
Canada's riding high right now. A lot of people thought that, after the enormous success of the Own the Podium campaign at Vancouver, the Sochi games would be a bit of a harsh reality-check. But with 4 golds, 3 silver and 2 bronze so far, heading the medal table, it seems Team Canada has made a strong start.
OK, so the winter games has rather too many judged sports, and the judging is a bit obscure in some (the slopestyle system, with a "head judge" enforcing a sort of groupthink mentality in the national judges, has absolutely got to change), but it's absolutely compelling viewing in my household. The CBC's cross-platform coverage is pretty good, too, with a bunch of web streaming options for less mainstream sports (I particularly like Biathlon and Nordic Combined events).
Go Canada Go.
And, of course, huge congratulations to Jenny Jones winning the UK's first ever skiing medal (with the exception of Alain Baxter's slalom bronze in Salt Lake City, where many still believe he was extremely harshly treated by the IOC's appeals committee after his disqualification...)
The Mexican lesbians may also be in for a shock.
Feb 11th 2014, 3:33 pm
#12
Magnificently Withering
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Oakville, ON
Posts: 6,891
Re: Sochi 2014
Who, pray, are the Sapphic Mexicans to whom you refer?
Feb 11th 2014, 3:44 pm
#13
Concierge
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Oakville, ON, CA
Posts: 8,320
Re: Sochi 2014
Boo, Norway just took the top of the medals table - 4-3-4 to Canada's 4-3-2. Keeping an eye on Luge for later today... Canadians go into the last race in 4th and 5th, so fingers crossed there. Not sure what other medal hopefuls are on today, though...
Feb 11th 2014, 4:19 pm
#14
Banned
Joined: Dec 2010
Location: Durham Region Extension
Posts: 3,342
Re: Sochi 2014
Actually, I mentioned to my husband that the athletes from India are competing as Independent Olympic Athletes, as India has been suspended by the IOC for corruption.
My husband's response? "Suspended for corruption? Really? That's rich, coming from the IOC... pot, kettle, black..."
Though, this is the same guy who, after reading about the premise of Curling, responded, "so basically it's like lawn bowls, only you're allowed to mow the lawn in front of you bowl as it rolls."
My husband's response? "Suspended for corruption? Really? That's rich, coming from the IOC... pot, kettle, black..."
Though, this is the same guy who, after reading about the premise of Curling, responded, "so basically it's like lawn bowls, only you're allowed to mow the lawn in front of you bowl as it rolls."
Boo, Norway just took the top of the medals table - 4-3-4 to Canada's 4-3-2. Keeping an eye on Luge for later today...
The one that will really shut people up will be the men's hockey team losing....it has happened before, remember Luongo letting in all those goals?
Feb 11th 2014, 4:25 pm
#15
Slob
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Ottineau
Posts: 6,342
Re: Sochi 2014
I hope they lose in the round robin. My one bugbear about the CBC coverage is that it's so skewed to hockey and I really, really don't care about that. Why they hell Ron McLean gets studio airtime for any other sport completely defeats me, he's absolutely clueless and completely useless as an anchor.
Who, pray, are the Sapphic Mexicans to whom you refer?
Who, pray, are the Sapphic Mexicans to whom you refer?