Olympic Chatter

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I'm so amazed by Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris - bronze medal in Slopestyle in 2014 - Canada's first medal in that sport. Then in Feb 2016 he fractured his femur. Recovered from that & got back to competing successfully. In March 2017 he was in a terrible back country accident at Whistler - complex injuries. And again, despite odds, he made an incredible recovery. Now watching him tonight ... he's so far in first place in the Olympics, not even a full year later. Amazing hard work. Canadian men are doing well - at this point in 1, 2 & 4th place in this event - but more runs to come.
 
I watched Canada beat the Swiss in mixed pairs curling.

Rivetting? It was not.

Being honest, if it weren't for the fact it was Canadians competing I would have turned to something else.

Not really a big curling fan so there is that.
 
I glance at the Olympics for a few minutes every now and then but can't honestly say that I'm much of a fan. Too much politics involved. Too much nationalistic jingoism with flag-waving and anthems. Too many doping scandals over the years. Too much corruption in the IOC. Too expensive to the point where very few cities actually bid to host the Olympics anymore.

I respect the efforts of the clean athletes who put so much effort into it - but I'm just not much of a fan.
 
Can't say I've ever been a fan of curling - saw it described the other day as "a sport where nobody ever smiles" and "chess on ice".

I do love to watch speedskating. Probably because my brother was a speedskater who eventually competed at the provincial and national level when he was in high school, coached at provincial level, and later worked as the ED of the Ontario Speedskating Assoc'n for many years. So I've been to many meets, and once tried it out myself - harder than it looks - as are most things I think!!
 
I respect the efforts of the clean athletes who put so much effort into it
Me too. All the doping stuff does create a cloud over it for all, sadly. And the Russian stuff just before these games - some questionable decision making there.
 
I think in most sports you have to know the gaame, probably you have to have played it at some level, to appreciate watching it. Golf? Curling? football? Never played, don't understand the fine points of the game. But bowling? - I love to watch a good bowling game on TV - seldom happens, apparently not a spectator sport, not an olymptic sport. But to watch somebody lining up the ball to pick up a spare when they've left the bedposts, or gone strait down the center! Any type of bowling is good - candlepin, like I do, is best!
 
I'm so amazed by Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris - bronze medal in Slopestyle in 2014 - Canada's first medal in that sport. Then in Feb 2016 he fractured his femur. Recovered from that & got back to competing successfully. In March 2017 he was in a terrible back country accident at Whistler - complex injuries. And again, despite odds, he made an incredible recovery. Now watching him tonight ... he's so far in first place in the Olympics, not even a full year later. Amazing hard work. Canadian men are doing well - at this point in 1, 2 & 4th place in this event - but more runs to come.
Teal Harle in slopestyle is the son of a ex-racer and coach at my ski club. These guys literally fly. He and his cousin have always been risk takers. His cousin does downhill longboarding. On asphalt. Whatever they call the actual sport.
 
Who's watching what? Let's chat.

Watched the Opening Ceremony with Yobo. Thankful for the opportunity to see them with my Korean honey. She explained a lot of the cultural stuff that was being represented far better than the commentators did.

Saw the normal hill ski jumping this morning. Exciting stuff. Ski jumping is my favorite winter Olympi sport.

Then luge came on. Not as interesting to watch imho.
 
Apparently the CBC Centre in Toronto, where they have huge screens in the lobby & usually a bunch a chairs set up - is staying open 24/7 during the Olympics so people can gather to watch. They had a pancake breakfast on Friday served by some former Olympians :) One of them - I think Becky Scott - was commenting that she was inspired at about age 4 to become an Olympic athlete because Nancy Greene was her neighbour and used to let her "play dress-up" with her medals.

Those personal connections matter I think - makes the goals seem somehow more attainable when people you know as "regular folks" in your life go on to train so hard & achieve these things.
 
Watched the Opening Ceremony with Yobo. Thankful for the opportunity to see them with my Korean honey. She explained a lot of the cultural stuff that was being represented far better than the commentators did.
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That's so great to have additional explanation & interpretation. I bet it was an opportunity also for her to share aspects of her culture that might otherwise not have been mentioned.
 
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That's so great to have additional explanation & interpretation. I bet it was an opportunity also for her to share aspects of her culture that might otherwise not have been mentioned.

Yes, and she's really enjoyed the coverage from Korea (though she tells me the commentators are mispronouncing PyeongChang. For me, the game coverage (especially the little set pieces that go along with it) are helping me prepare emotionally for our trip this spring.
 
I don't want to derail the thread by talking about your upcoming trip - but I'm interested to hear more about your travel plans - so could you maybe start a new thread for that? I think others might also be interested & the info then won't get buried here :)
 
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I suspect in was not Beckie Scott and Nancy Greene (Rein). Beckie grew up in Vermillion AB. I think Nancy was from ON. She is now at Sun Peaks -just outside of Kamloops. She is a senator her husband the mayor of Sun Peaks.
 
Mixed pairs is very exciting to those who watch curling. Very complicated for me

to follow the rules. First time it ha been in the games. I read that they have made

some sports gender neutral. The next Olympics will have more. Regular curling starts

Tues(men) and Wed(women)
 
Mixed pairs is very exciting to those who watch curling. Very complicated for me

to follow the rules. First time it ha been in the games. I read that they have made

some sports gender neutral. The next Olympics will have more. Regular curling starts

Tues(men) and Wed(women)

I like how they throw the rock then have to hustle their buns over to sweep.
 
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