Thread: Olympics

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I'm kind of surprised this wasn't started sooner.

Who's been watching the Olympics and what have you thought of them?

I have enjoyed them, even though the US hasn't been as good as they were 4 years ago.

The press has really annoyed me this Davis/Hedrick (speed skating) feud. They're making it so much worse. Read an article today about the race they had today and it made Hedrick seem like he was ticked off and just walked away. Well having watched the race I saw him hug the Italian winner and Davis and smile.

Why does this country like controversy so much?

And then there is women's figure skating. Poor Emily Hughs was already in the shadow of her sister now she's in Michelle Kwan's having replaced her. But I just saw her skate and she did great, I hope she medals, find out Thursday.

What are everyone elses thoughts on the Olympics?

I would have to agree with you on the Davis/Hedrick issue. I think most people would be happy to be at the Olympics, thrilled if they had a teammate win a medal and fit to be tied if they won their own medal.

But alas, if it isn't a soap opera then we the people find no interest in it. Or so the media believes.

I have been watching then every night and all weekend and enjoying every minute. I dont even care about them being on tape delay, I have been watching the Olympics since I was a kid. The earliest games I can remember were in Sapporo Japan 1972.

I particularly love the winter games even though I was born and raised in So Cal and i hate the cold. Okay never mind that i now live in the cold.

I appreciate all the athletes no matter what country they are from, I simply enjoy the sports.

ironmaiden

Oh and I also recall the 1972 Munich summer olympics and all the horrible images that went along with those games.

ironmaiden

Really, this year I thought that I'd sooner watch re-runs of "Mr. Ed" than the Winter Olympics. But we've been switching on the New Zealand canned events package every evening and it's quite entertaining. One thing I'd like to see - personal stories of how much these kids have worked and sacrificed to be on the World's Stage, the hardships they've had to overcome. That's where the real drama is.

I do find myself cheering for the underdog in the games, but I'm always rooting for the US. I've been watching some curling as well, that's interesting. Usually you root for your hometown people as well and Davis is a hometown guy, but I really don't like his attitude a lot of the times and found myself rooting for Hedrick. Mainly because Hedrick would at least say things to make it seem peaceful and then Davis would say something to get the press riled up again and Hedrick would then be asked about it again. They both need to drop it and both agree not to talk about it anymore, it's taking away from the fun of the Olympics.

I can't remember when I watched the Olympics for the first time because as a kid 4 years was forever (I liked when the did both summer and winter together every 4 years) one of my fun memories with the Olympics was after watching figure skating my sister and I would put slippers without grips on and glide all over the kitchen floor pretending it was ice.

Wolfman, we get to see some background stories on NBC. Last night was a good one, missed the beginning. It was about a US woman bobsledder and what she and her family have gone through with her son taking him to another country to have a surgery that's not done in the US so he could hear again. Well they couldn't afford to bring the kids to the Olympics so her sponsor Kleenex surprised her and paid for them to go and they surprised her on the Today show.

Ms. Myers:
I just downloaded a video of that story. The Bobsledder who took her three-year-old son to Italy for a rare medical procedure not performed in the States. Wow. I didn't know about that, but a lot of the Olympians have had to overcome severe hardships in their lives. The most incredible story I ever heard regarding an Olympic Athlete involved a German Canoeist. He lost his partner to Cancer eight months before the Athens Games. The German conoeing federation fixed him up with another partner so he could compete at the Games. You have no idea what these guys go through, training, dieting, taking time away from work and family. Two man canoring is even tougher. As part of a duo, you can't let your partner down. These guys do everything together, dry land training, weights, cardio, everything. And for what? Who watches competitive conoeing?
At the Athens Games, the patchwork German pair won the Gold Medal in the C-2 competition. On the stand, the surviving conoeist totally lost it. He broke down on the podium as the German National Anthem played and the flag was raised. His partner couldn't be there with him.
There's a thread in this Forum that complains about the lack of originality in today's film industry. Really, the Olympic Athletes have stories in abundance that would make great movies.

I get what you're saying about not always rooting for the "hometown" athlete. Here in New Hampshire the most well known of the local Olympians is a little known jerk named Bode Miller ......

ironmaiden

We've been watching a lot of the events. I just hope we never see the dumb chick who decided to showboat during the final jump of the snowboarding event (and lost the gold) and Bodie ever again. They seem to forget they're supposed to be representing our country, as well as competing for personal glory.

Yeah, I remember the girl who lost the gold by showing off. And Bode, he only cares about the next bar he can hop to.

One guy I respect is Apolo Anton Ohno (sp?). In his interview he seems very thoughful and mature. He also has the right attitude. He said he is proud of whatever color medal he wins. I get really ticked at these people that stand up on the podium with a sour face that their medal is silver or bronze. "it's gotta be gold or nothin else".

Ah, the Canadian & US hockey stars didnt even medal...Boo Hoo IMHO NHL players dont even belong in these games. That also applies to the NBA in the summer games. I am watching the gold medal game now betwenn Sweden & Finland. Just like watching another NHL game to me.

The very thing I love about the games is when an unknown, unexpected athlete comes out of nowhere to acheive their personal best. I was happy for the Frenchman who won the downhill skiing on the first weekend of competion. Everyone was saying "Antoine Deneriaz who?"

ironmaiden