Winter Olympics

[Phishfan]

Is anyone watching? Do you have any sports you particularly like? Is there anything you can't stand?

I'm watching at least a little every night. I have always been huge on the hockey (being old enough to have watched "The Miracle on Ice") but I am really bummed the NFL would not let it's players compete this year. I'm not sure what to expect with the product. I will probably fall in line and watch though. I really enjoy curling and expect to see someone else say they hate it. I'm really down to watch just about all competitions except for the figure skating and ice dancing.

[Downunder Dolphan]

We have been getting pretty thorough coverage here down under, the most focus being on the events Australians are competing such as moguls, snowboarding, aerials which are quite entertaining to watch.

Some of the events have been very dramatic, with the champion favorites seriously challenged and pulling out all stops on their last attempt to win gold, great stuff. Shaun White, Natalie Geisenberger, Maren Lundby, Mikael Kinsbury, incredible, just incredible, I salut you! One notable exception was the huge upset in the mens luge where Felix Loch (who had been dominant the previous three runs) fluffed it halfway through and missed out completely on a medal: again it was very dramatic finale, with underdog David Gleirscher (who barely scraped on to the Austrian team) setting what would end up being the winning time and watching as each following competitor failed to better it, moving into an unexpected medal winning position, and when Felix cocked up, the gold.

[Sunstroke]

I've watched a lot of the snowboarding and some curling to this point. The Winter games aren't quite as enjoyable to me as the Summer games, but there are a few events that I really get into.

[Tenshot13]

Is anyone watching? Do you have any sports you particularly like? Is there anything you can't stand?

I'm watching at least a little every night. I have always been huge on the hockey (being old enough to have watched "The Miracle on Ice") but I am really bummed the NFL would not let it's players compete this year. I'm not sure what to expect with the product. I will probably fall in line and watch though. I really enjoy curling and expect to see someone else say they hate it. I'm really down to watch just about all competitions except for the figure skating and ice dancing.

I'd be more bummed they didn't let NHL players play.

[masterfins]

I've just started watching some, I like the curling - I was actually watching some of the prelims on TV a month or more ago.  One thing I didn't like was watching Shaun White drag the American Flag across the ground while stepping on it after winning a Gold Medal last night.  I get that he was emotional, but it's not like it was his first win.  They tried to turn this into a scripted great video for tv and failed miserably in my opinion.

[Phishfan]

I'd be more bummed they didn't let NHL players play.

Good catch

[Dolphster]

I enjoy women's curling.  Especially when the Scandinavian women's teams are competing.  Lots of close-up tv shots in that sport.

[CF DolFan]

I've just started watching some, I like the curling - I was actually watching some of the prelims on TV a month or more ago.  One thing I didn't like was watching Shaun White drag the American Flag across the ground while stepping on it after winning a Gold Medal last night.  I get that he was emotional, but it's not like it was his first win.  They tried to turn this into a scripted great video for tv and failed miserably in my opinion.

He apologized and didn't realize he was doing it. Did you see him go to his mother? Dude lost it. There is no doubt he appreciated this gold more than the ones when he was a kid. I think we can let him slide.

I watch most everything that Americans are actually "competing" in but I love the snow board races. It's one of the few I can watch without having the USA in a heat.

[Phishfan]

That and short track speed skating are both really cool.

[CF DolFan]

We sent the most athletes ever to these Winter Olympics and are posting the worst results in over 20 years. Our best event is the snowboard and we are losing ground there as well. I saw one of the skaters who was expected to do very well say he fell to the pressure. Technologically speaking we are far advanced but I can't help but believe we are getting softer as a nation the farther we get away from the greatest generation. If all things were equal .... our grandparents would kick our grandkids' butts.

[Tenshot13]

We sent the most athletes ever to these Winter Olympics and are posting the worst results in over 20 years. Our best event is the snowboard and we are losing ground there as well. I saw one of the skaters who was expected to do very well say he fell to the pressure. Technologically speaking we are far advanced but I can't help but believe we are getting softer as a nation the farther we get away from the greatest generation. If all things were equal .... our grandparents would kick our grandkids' butts.

I think "if all things were equal" doesn't apply.  Our grandparents were brought up with less opportunity, knowledge, etc, so they made up that with work ethic.  Now, generations are brought up with less hardships, but more opportunity and knowledge.  If all things were equal, our grandparents generation would most certainly outperform the current generation just on that alone, you had to be tougher and more dedicated.  The work ethic of old isn't needed in today's generation because...knowledge is power! derp. or there are more opportunities, or the knowledge of the human body shows how work smart instead of work hard.

I can't compare the two, it's like comparing the bronze age to the industrial age.  It's not that far a reach, look at the differences in how we live from our grandparents to present day, and the same applies across sports.

[CF DolFan]

Other countries have the same conveniences but they seem to be getting better. Think complacency has much to do with it? When you look at the number of people in the US versus countries like Norway it is mind boggling. Norway has 5 million to our 321 million. We are 24th if you go by population to medals and Norway, who is leading the medal count, is at the top behind only Liechtenstein who has about 35,000 people and one medal.   

I know locally there is a huge complaint about commitment from kids in youth sports. It gets hard and they quit so coaches are constantly being encouraged to coddle them. I fear for the future.

OMG ... while I was writing this I get notified the Olympic skiers are backing out of the inaugural team event because they don't think they can win. Wow!! Go team USA!

[Fau Teixeira]

It could also be that other countries emphasize quality of life and have a much stronger social support system so that their college kids don't have to work crap jobs just to feed themselves while their universities are profiting off of them. Places like germany and finland actually pay their students to go to school, have universal health care and strong worker protections.  No wonder they're doing better.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Coud also be those really arent our sports.  My high school had a swim team and basket ball team but no curling or speed skating team.  I bet that was true at your school too. 

[Phishfan]

My two counterpoints to Hoodie would be that other countries don't have those sports in their education system either and that it is quite common for many world class athletes to be too advanced to play in
high school