OT: 2014 Winter Olympics

[F308GTB]

Surprised no one has brought up the Olympics yet. Takeaways from the weekend events I watched:

1) One snowflake aside, one of the best opening ceremonies I've seen
2) Women's hockey has REALLY improved. I could not believe the speed and skill compared to years past.
3) Skiathlon event was awesome. Great course.
4) Biathlon was likely great. The women's in particular. Something about seeing some nice looking, fit women with rifles really got me interested
5) Bob Costas is a twit

[dbdynsty25]

Every time I turn on the f*cking TV it's Bob Costas' lazy pink eye or ice dancing. No thanks.

[sportdan30]

For whatever reason, I have had no interest or desire to watch as of yet. I do love watching downhill skiing, but that's usually about it. I'll probably get more involved this week as I feel a little guilty not watching with my daughter, whom I know would enjoy the ice skating.

[pk500]

NBC overdoses on figure skating during prime time since it draws big ratings. Plus I can only take about four minutes of Costas' omniscient arrogance before I want to pull an Elvis and shoot the TV.

Major turn-offs for me, and I'm not getting up in the middle of the night to watch events live.

Rebecca Lowe is a rising rock star at NBC. Her quality is no secret to anyone who watches Premier League coverage on NBCSN.

[RobVarak]

Winter Olympics should be about 5 days long. Downhill. Speed Skating. Hockey. X-Country. Done.

Nothing involving "judging" (thus, no college football either ), nothing involving getting "sick air" and nothing that is better left to the X-Games.

[10spro]

CBC is doing a fine job so far covering these games with Hockey anchorman Ron Maclean and Scott Russell sharing co-host duties. I am thankful that we do have a choice besides Mr Costas.

The Mrs loves watching the ice skating competition and that performance by the Russian girl at 15 was simply amazing. Does she even have a pulse? Personally I like watching the skiing (Moguls are awesome), speed skating and of course hockey. If the caliber of the hockey games matches what we saw 4 years ago in Vancouver, we are in for a treat. With a bigger sheet of ice, I think it's going to be awesome.

The opening ceremony was very good, I thought they kept it simple with just enough history of the past and present covering what Russia is today. Too bad about that fifth ring not opening up though.

[fsquid]

time difference is too much and if I already know that Bode Miller didn't medal, why should I watch? Probably curling and hockey only for me.

[Danimal]

Surprised no one has brought up the Olympics yet. Takeaways from the weekend events I watched:

1) One snowflake aside, one of the best opening ceremonies I've seen

Aside from this statement I agree and have enjoyed what I have watched so far but best opening ceremonies? I guess maybe if I grew up in a police state or something. Aside from the 11 year old girl suspended on wires, which given Russia quality of workmanship I was expecting to snap at any minute, I found the whole thing boring.

[Inuyasha]

I'll watch Hockey and that's it. Even for the Summer games I didn't watch any of it.

I think in the U.S. we have so many sports options the Olympics aren't as big as a deal.

But to the rest of the world, it's like their Super Bowl.

[pk500]

Surprised no one has brought up the Olympics yet. Takeaways from the weekend events I watched:

1) One snowflake aside, one of the best opening ceremonies I've seen

Aside from this statement I agree and have enjoyed what I have watched so far but best opening ceremonies? I guess maybe if I grew up in a police state or something. Aside from the 11 year old girl suspended on wires, which given Russia quality of workmanship I was expecting to snap at any minute, I found the whole thing boring.

Beijing 2008 (hundreds of dudes dressed as blocks moving in perfect unison) and London 2012 (Danny Boyle production) were INSANE.

[F308GTB]

Surprised no one has brought up the Olympics yet. Takeaways from the weekend events I watched:

1) One snowflake aside, one of the best opening ceremonies I've seen

Aside from this statement I agree and have enjoyed what I have watched so far but best opening ceremonies? I guess maybe if I grew up in a police state or something. Aside from the 11 year old girl suspended on wires, which given Russia quality of workmanship I was expecting to snap at any minute, I found the whole thing boring.

Beijing 2008 (hundreds of dudes dressed as blocks moving in perfect unison) and London 2012 (Danny Boyle production) were INSANE.

London and the whole tribute to the National Health Service was a bit too much for me. Thought this one had some great visuals, commie overtones aside.

[Inuyasha]

one thing I have noticed is how our media trashes or makes fun of everything Russian when covering these games.

Does everything have to be political nowadays!?!?

[Zeppo]

I'm loving it! But I'm a sucker for the Olympics in all their guises. I can't wait for men's hockey to get going. Should be some awesome games. But I love all the crazy sports I don't pay attention to or get so see outside of the Olympics, such as biathlon and all the sliding sports (I loved bobsled when I was a kid and a college friend ran luge in '94 in Lillehammer). The downhill was amazing! What a great course. Too bad Bode pulled a Bode, but it's awesome to see a guy who's yet to win a World Cup downhill event come away with the Olympic gold. And I really enjoyed the new snowboarding event - that is some crazy huge air they get! Just beautiful to see those guys an gals flying so high and so gracefully,brought home even more so when one of them fails and eats it super hard.

Like I said, I'm a sucker for this stuff. My sister mentioned our dad wasn't interested because, he says, "we don't do those sports in America," which besides being inaccurate is just silly. She and I agree it's more about him being afraid of seeing he snow! But I do imagine, if you've never skied, cross country skied, skated, snow boarded, etc (or fired a weapon in the case of biathlon), you might not get much out of seeing the best of the best do their thing in the Winter Olympics. But if you have, how can you not love the celebration of sport and high level competition the Olympics bring?

[Pete1210]

one thing I have noticed is how our media trashes or makes fun of everything Russian when covering these games.

Does everything have to be political nowadays!?!?

Maybe because of the accommodations?

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olym ... 12243.html

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/sochi- ... ics-n22486

[Aristo]

I've gone through and set my DVR for most of men's hockey. Otherwise, we just watch what they put on in prime time. Saturday was nice, as we just let it run and watched stuff as it came. I guess I understand the need for some people to want to watch specific events, but I like the randomness of watching stuff I didn't plan on.

Between my wife and daughter, they are happy to indulge on the glut of figure skating. Its just my cue to do something else, although I will watch some of it. Ashley Wagner skated to Shone On You Crazy Diamond, which was kind of cool. And that young Japanese kid is pretty amazing to watch.

[pk500]

I'm an alpine and X-C skier, so I enjoy all of the skiing events. Ski jumping and biathlon are cool, too.

Speed skating reminds me of track and field, so I dig that, too. Bobsled, luge and skeleton have vehicles, so I can relate to that.

I don't care about figure skating or the X-Games-style slope sports, even though their competitors are great athletes. The hockey leaves me non-plussed, too, since I already can see so much quality pucks through the NHL and World Juniors.

Maybe it's because those are the two Winter Olympic sports you can see regularly on network or major cable TV. There is a certain fresh appeal to seeing niche sports at a high level on network TV for only two weeks every four years, as Zeppo said.

[XXXIV]

I can only take about four minutes of Costas' omniscient arrogance before I want to pull an Elvis and shoot the TV.

Yes and yes.

Winter Olympics should be about 5 days long. Downhill. Speed Skating. Hockey. X-Country. Done.

Nothing involving "judging" (thus, no college football either ), nothing involving getting "sick air" and nothing that is better left to the X-Games.

[Diablo25]

NBC overdoses on figure skating during prime time since it draws big ratings. Plus I can only take about four minutes of Costas' omniscient arrogance before I want to pull an Elvis and shoot the TV.

Phenomenal reference to the Kurt Russell biopic of Elvis!

[Inuyasha]

I did catch the opening ceremonies but the thing that pissed me off was Costas talking over them. I was like stfu! He even insulted Americans at one point saying something like American's won't understand this part of the show. NBC talked all over the opening ceremonies. Wish they had a C-SPAN for the Olympics.

[MizzouRah]

I love the Olympics.. watch as much as I can. That 15 year old figure skater was unreal.

[bulls23]

I did catch the opening ceremonies but the thing that pissed me off was Costas talking over them. I was like stfu! He even insulted Americans at one point saying something like American's won't understand this part of the show. NBC talked all over the opening ceremonies. Wish they had a C-SPAN for the Olympics.

Liked the opening ceremonies. That projection technology was incredible. It was Matt Lauer commenting on the opening ceremonies and not Bob Costas. Would like to know what the board perception is of Lauer. Hey you got to give Costas some credit about his eye problem. He is giving it his best and being a trooper. I bet his eye is really bothering him at the least and it really painful. It would be hard for all of us to do our jobs with that going on.

I like the bobsled and luge events best, but it is difficult to find. Just managed to catch the women's luge. Looking forward to the men's hockey also and the women's hockey team kicks ass.

[bulls23]

You all have got your greatest wish. Bob Costas if off the Olympics:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics- ... 53720.html

[F308GTB]

As usual, Mary Carillo is one of the bright spots on the NBC team.

[Zlax45]

I love watching the XC and Biathlon events that are mass starts as we see some epic finishes!

Love to watch a good curling match in addition to the hockey.

X-Games sports are not my thing and I have never understood the scoring in figure skating so enough of that!

[Brando70]

I am not a fan of figure skating, but my five-year old daughter is taking skating lessons and really enjoys watching it. Plus we live in Jason Brown's home town, so there's a lot of figure skating hoopla around us right now. It's subjective, sure, but so is college football.

Short-track speed skating was a riot to watch.