2010 Winter Olympics thread...

[Nomilynn]

It's nice to hear that others are excited about it. I can't wait until the stupid things are over!

[smokey the elder]

I like the figure skating but don't know who's good since I haven't been following it like I used to. (The meets keep conflicting with football!)

[Grace]

Richard, are you checking out that blog I sent you? Did you see the bit about the Olympic Torch and the surfboard?


Surfer Raph Bruhwiler, right, lights his Olympic Torch from Ruth Sadler while surfing with the flame along the shores of Pacific Rim National Park outside Tofino, British Columbia, on Sunday.

November 2, 2009, 1:08 pm
Hardy Canadians Give Torch a Ride

By Lynn Zinser

The Olympic torch has been in Canada only since Friday and already it has traveled by skateboard, canoe, wheelchair, float plane and mountain bike. And on Sunday, it got on a surfboard. The air temperatures were in the 40s, meaning the water was bone-chilling.

And yet, the people of Tofino, British Columbia, turned out with smiles and some waded right in and surfed.

Ahead, the torch is headed for a dog sled (of course), an Inuit kayak and a single dog pulling a polar bear skin.

This will not be popular among polar bears.

[RICHARD]

Richard, are you checking out that blog I sent you? Did you see the bit about the Olympic Torch and the surfboard?


Surfer Raph Bruhwiler, right, lights his Olympic Torch from Ruth Sadler while surfing with the flame along the shores of Pacific Rim National Park outside Tofino, British Columbia, on Sunday.

I have been a little distracted for the last few days, I saw it was lit and made it to Canukia!

Next week I'll start in ernest.

[RICHARD]

I had to smile about the Iraqi skeleton athlete-

Wow, I hope he makes it to the Games.

[RICHARD]

The last two weeks have been great. Speed and short track skating, bobsled and skeleton comps.

A little hawkey tossed in for color?

I can hardly wait for the other 'fringe' sports that do not get the exposure in between the Games.

[fsderek09]

I'm so excited that the Winter Olympics are almost here! I can't believe it's been 4 years since Turin. Thanks so much for the other posts guys, I had no idea of the diversity of transportation methods they were using for the torch's route to Vancouver! For winter sports fanatics like myself (and those who like to watch them in the comfort of a ski lodge), Hilton is sponsoring a contest in which three friends will be chosen as the official guests of Team USA from Hilton and get to hang with the team. The info is available at http://hiltonhhonors.com/officialguest - I'm helping them to spread the word, so let me know if you have any questions!

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

I like the figure skating but don't know who's good since I haven't been following it like I used to. (The meets keep conflicting with football!)

Figure skating is the only sport I follow in the Olympics. I too am out-of-the-loop as to who-is-who in the eligible skating world. I don't like the new scoring system so have lagged off in my interest in it. (my real love is with the professional skaters and I'm VERY DISAPPOINTED that Stars on Ice is not coming to Philadelphia this year) I've been trying to watch the Grand Prix, the US and European National competitions to get a handle on things.

In mens, Evgeni Plushenko has returned to competition---ugh. He is, by far, not my favorite but he has the jumps and can work the new scoring system. I always say he looks like he is swatting at bees as he skates as his arms and legs just seem to flail about in between the jumps. US skater Jeremy Abbott had a fantastic performance in the US Nationals and walked away with Gold. He lacks experience with the big competitions, though, and do not have a lot of hope that he will be able to perform as well as he did in Nationals. In the old scoring system, Evan Lysacek, if he were to skate all the big elements well, could beat Plushenko, but I don't think he will. I can't remember if we have 2 or 3 men representing the US at the Oly's. If we do, Johnny Weir will be the 3rd.

The US has a pretty strong representation in the Ice Dance discipline for these Olympics. Both Davis/White and Belbin/Agosto have a chance at getting on the podium, IMO.

In the pairs competition, I am rooting for China's Zhue Shen and Hongbo Zhao.

In ladies, I don't really know who is strong, whether it be US or another country-woman. I don't think the US ladies will fair very well...they are all "rookies" with the Olympic experience, I think. Nerves could do them in.

[slick]

I saw the torch!!!!!! Got some great shots - will post when I get home. I'm giggling with excitement.

[RICHARD]

I saw the torch!!!!!! Got some great shots - will post when I get home. I'm giggling with excitement.

What did I tell you?

Wasn't that a KICK!!!


Fire on a stick?


Now tonight when you watch the cauldron being lit, it the SAME FLAME you saw cruising down the street!!

GOOD FOR YOU!!!

I think you are giddy, too!

[RICHARD]

Gonna post my last critique of the Games....I'll watch the opening and have fun afterwards.


More and more I see the selfish athletes shun the 'team' concept, compete under the flag and the concept of team, as they shun their fellow teammates.

Shaun White, Shani Davis and Bode MIller are jerks that I really don't care for.

Miller has distanced himself from being a member of the USO Ski Team and then wants to compete as a member. Shaun White defers the chance to stay at the Oly Village-he want to part of the team, but want no part of the team experience,

Shani Davis is a jerk. He refused to help the short track team in one of the team events in '02

This dude made both the short and long track teams -what a wonderful accomplishment! - yet has no idea of what the concept of "team" is.

What a bunch of crybabies and selfish morons.

IT only serves them to be part of a team when it benefits them as individuals.

I guess there is an "I" in United States!

[cassiesmom]

Oh, Canadian PT Friends! I was thinking especially of you while watching the opening ceremonies! I had a pre-Valentine's Day supper at a restaurant with some friends, so all we got was pictures and closed captioning, no audio, but I still thought it was beautiful! When the young woman came out to sing the national anthem my friends and I all got choked up. It was a neat moment, all these people there from all over the world and now, here is the national anthem for the host country. All over the restaurant, people were clapping and cheering for the U.S. and Canadian athletes coming out in their groups. Seeing all those flags waving gave me goose bumps. And I love SArah MacLachlan, I love the Joni Mitchell song "Both Sides Now" and the aerialist was so cool! We couldn't quite make out what was happening with the violinists and tap dancers - audio would have really helped with that. Anyway, we were all watching it while we were eating. And I was thinking of my PT friends from all over the world.

A very sad moment when the Georgian team came out, though. Such sad news about their athlete today. I overheard one man in the restaurant say he wished he could rewind it 24 hours and have that accident not happen. Very, very sad.

[redbird]

It's nice to hear that others are excited about it. I can't wait until the stupid things are over!

I'm not really into the Olympic games either but I do like to watch Figure Skating but really nothing else interests me.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

I'm not really into the Olympic games either but I do like to watch Figure Skating but really nothing else interests me.

Same with me. I've been following skating since "the whack heard round the world". I'm kind of out-of-the-loop as to who is skating in eligibles these days, my heart lies with the professionals. But I will watch the Olympic figure skating and root for my favorites.