Winter Olympics

[Koroshiya-Ichi]

Nothing has prevented Russia from qualifying both Plyuschenko and Kovtun for the Olympics (they could have split the team and individual events). They decided to put all their eggs in one basket, so to speak, and paid the price. I don't blame Plyuschenko for pulling out - the man has a vertebral implant, for heaven's sake. You don't mess with spinal injuries; I'm sure he'd rather not paralyze himself over a chance at one more medal.

You're right about Russia putting all their eggs in one basket. Very unwise.

 

Plushenko took the risk of further injury when he participated in the team event too, and it was a gamble that paid off big, allowing him to have a marvelous farewell skate and helping secure gold for his country. All I'm saying is that I personally believe his withdrawing from further events was not ONLY due to his injuries. Not sure why this opinion seems to be causing a fuss...?

[LadyNightshade]

I finally saw Davis & White's ice-dance performance from today. They were spectacular. Though I admit I winced when she was balancing on him and her skate blade was on his thigh. That takes some incredible trust between them (to not slash his thigh open).

[Melisande]

I'm kinda sad because right now I don't own a tv. I've been watching highlight reels online, and keeping track of the medal count (yahoo has running totals on the front page when I go check my mail). Really want to see the ice-dancing. Dose any one know a good website to watch them online?

[azila]

I'm loving the Olympics so far, though of course my mom refuses to watch any of the more flamboyant events because she thinks they're dangerous. But someone from my hometown was on the luge team, so that was fun to watch. He ended up placing eleventh, but at least we won a bronze in the bobsled. Gotta say, for all the hype about the Jamaican team I was honestly expecting them to do a bit better, but they are up against some pretty tough opponents too. Maybe next time.

 

Figure-skating has been kind of 'meh' for me so far. Of course I enjoy watching it, and it sucks that the Russian had to drop out due to injuries, but it just seems kind of uneventful so far.

 

I still love watching the downhill and bobsledding, though.

[Mommy_Kitty]

For me personal this Olympics are aMAZEing, cause Tina Maze that lives in same town as i do won 2 gold medals at skying, and there is still one event to go, and our hockey team wrote history by getting to quarterfinals, even tho we only have 1 professional team, and 8 hockey rings in all the country.

[shadowgrr]

I finally saw Davis & White's ice-dance performance from today. They were spectacular. Though I admit I winced when she was balancing on him and her skate blade was on his thigh. That takes some incredible trust between them (to not slash his thigh open).

No offend, but I liked more the Canadians at Ice Dance (even thought my favourite couple is from France). Anyway couples like the four first are making Ice dance interesting, otherwise is very dull in addition with the couples.

[Koroshiya-Ichi]

Glad I'm not the only one underwhelmed by most of the skating so far. That being said, Kim Yuna just had a really great skate in her short program. Anyone else watching? Only a little while till glorious Yulia! <333

 

 

... my mom refuses to watch any of the more flamboyant events because she thinks they're dangerous.

 

What do you mean? o_o

 

 

I'm kinda sad because right now I don't own a tv. I've been watching highlight reels online, and keeping track of the medal count (yahoo has running totals on the front page when I go check my mail). Really want to see the ice-dancing. Dose any one know a good website to watch them online?

 

What country are you in? I have a list of international sites/streams but I can't find it right now unfortunately, let me look elsewhere for a sec...

 

If you're American you can watch live streams and reruns at NBC's Olympics site, and the BBC (UK) and CBC (Canada) sites also have streams up; there are also ways to bypass international region restrictions if you can't access the streams due to living outside those countries. Here's a list of coverage providers from most countries, I assume there are probably streams on most (all?) of them: Sochi2014.com viewer's guide

Actually, there MAY be streams on the sochi2014 site itself, but I haven't looked there myself so I'm not certain.

 

Let us know if you find a way to watch or if you need further help!

 

 

 

 

EDITED @ 1:00 PM CST...

 

Oh my GOD, NO! Yulia fell during her routine!! Nooooo... it's like McKayla Maroney on the gymnastics Vault all over again - someone who's absolutely incredible with beautiful technique and flawless execution choking when it counts and ending up below people she's capable of outperforming. This is honestly heartbreaking, I hate when anyone falls but especially such a giant of a contender. Here's hoping she absolutely aces the free skate tomorrow, although even that may not save her now... She may be the skater I've rooted the hardest for in all my years of watching skating. /crosses fingers

 

Can't even imagine how Russia is reacting to this, especially after their men's hockey loss. So freaking unfortunate.

Edited February 19, 2014 by Koroshiya-Ichi

[raykawolf]

Rooting for team Russia here, but at the same time, rooting for USA. Don't know how that's quite possible but oh well.

 

And Hanyu was so great, I was actually rooting for him too

[Koroshiya-Ichi]

Surely I can't be the only one watching the women's free skate live? Surprised no one's posted yet since the other skating events seemed to draw more posters than any other sport.

 

(to be on the safe side - SPOILERS for those of you waiting for the tape delay/rerun later this evening)....

 

Thank god, a huge, HUGE redemption for Mao Asada! You could feel her desire to perform well and I couldn't help standing up and cheering for her after that wonderful skate. I'm SO not ready to say goodbye to her yet, I hope she competes at a few more international competitions before she officially retires. If only her short program had gone just as well yesterday, she could've gone out on a medal.

 

There's been quite a few embarrassing falls and generally lackluster performances today again though, as there were with the men the other day. Between this, the slushpipe, and the melted ski/snowboard courses Sochi 2014 may as well be renamed the Fall Olympics. /rimshot

 

comments for subsequent skaters...

 

Maé-Bérénice Méité (yikes, had to copy & paste that one!) skating in a bodysuit (i.e. in PANTS)?! I LOVE IT! She's chosen some awesome music too, and I've been quite taken with her style of skating since seeing her for the first time in the team event last week. I love how unafraid and unique she is.

 

I really hate Valentina Marchei's choreography, especially the skirt-lifting at the beginning. The whole routine is kind of off-putting, to be honest.

 

GOD IN HEAVEN YULIA FELL AGAIN NOOOOO. But I don't even care - she has SUCH absolute grace when she skates, it's sublime, and her spins are jawdropping. Forget Queen Yuna, for me this is Queen Yulia - she will win gold in my heart. ;_; One thing's for sure: she is going to be ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE once she matures and improves as an athlete. It's genuinely inspiring.

 

Ashley Wagner disappoints, as expected. Still can't believe she got chosen over Mirai Nagasu (one of my top 3 fav skaters ever.) Wonder how Mirai would've placed had she been given her rightful chance to be here instead... :T

 

...and WOW - there you have it! Adelina Sotnikova (DESERVEDLY!) takes gold, Kim Yuna silver, and Carolina Kostner bronze! Very good skates for all three, and I definitely agree with this ranking. Was a shaky start and middle, but a DAMN fine end to the 2014 women's figureskating. CONGRATS RUSSIA!!! You earned it!

Edited February 20, 2014 by Koroshiya-Ichi

[Mellwen]

I loved watching the team figure skating. I'm sad it's over. We watch the Olympics at night, so once the Olympics come on, me and my whole family smash in to the boys room to watch it. I agree Koroshiya-Ichi, I really do not like watching Ashley Wagner skate. I really do not like her style. What do y'all think about her?

[LadyNightshade]

I think Ashley Wagner is a total brat. She's going around saying she did better than the others (justification being "I didn't fall") and deserved more than 7th place. And that the whole scoring system is rigged (Well, it is biased, but she still didn't deserve a higher place).

 

 

Just another embarrassing US moment I think (and I'm an American). Just like I really hate the attitude the US women's hockey team showed over getting silver - Crying, disgust, etc.

Honestly, that is just so terrible (to act like that).

 

 

Rant moment aside, the top three that did place did a wonderful job and deserved the spots. It was pretty exciting to see that Russia got a gold in an event they hadn't ever before. And that Italy got their first ever medal in the event. Great job for them!

 

 

[Koroshiya-Ichi]

I think Ashley Wagner is a total brat. She's going around saying she did better than the others (justification being "I didn't fall") and deserved more than 7th place. And that the whole scoring system is rigged (Well, it is biased, but she still didn't deserve a higher place).

 

 

Just another embarrassing US moment I think (and I'm an American). Just like I really hate the attitude the US women's hockey team showed over getting silver - Crying, disgust, etc.

Honestly, that is just so terrible (to act like that).

I read a couple articles about her whining over the judging a few hours ago and I couldn't agree with you more. I already had a grudge against Wagner for taking Mirai Nagasu's place at the Olympics this year, however I knew that wasn't her doing and I was just being petty, but this... wow. Have some dignity and class, Ashley, it's verging on "ugly Americans" caliber sore loserdom. The worst part is that she does have a few legitimate complaints about the judging process, but those points get lost in the rest of her immature diatribe.

 

Also agree about the reaction of the women's hockey team. For god's sake, you won a SILVER MEDAL AT THE OLYMPICS, take a step back and gain some freaking perspective! I get that it's emotional and they lost to their biggest rivals, but come on.

 

I'm American too but the smugness of so many of our teams, athletes, fans, etc. and the sore losers after big losses are what made me, all the way back in childhood, decide I wasn't going to root for our country just because I'm from here. I'll root for the people and teams I genuinely like, but if it's a sport I don't follow often or there are (usually European) countries/athletes competing that I favor more, I won't hesitate to actively root against my country and representitives competitors. Some people act like that's tantamount to burning the flag and declaring my hatred of the US, but it's not that at all. I've just always hated smugness and teams that always win and the extreme, blind patriotism that so many display for the U.S. to the exclusion of all others. I'm a Czech supporter at heart, and I also root for other Euro countries I enjoy, or the smaller/underrepresented longshot countries. I admire the courage it takes, for instance, to be the ONLY person from your country to compete in an event, or even the entire Olympics, particularly for countries that never see snow. That takes a lot of guts and heart - underdogs ftw!

 

Gonna be SO sad on Monday when there's nothing to watch all day anymore. Anyone else ever get post-Olympics depression like me? :[

[Beldarius]

I'm incredibly happy that Yuzuru Hanyu won the gold medal in men's figure skating. He's really quite something to have done this in his FIRST Olympics. He was one of the youngest male skaters in the whole event (at 19) and he has asthma to top it all off. That boy is ONE hard worker, I tell ya.

 

...Daisuke Takahashi is actually my favorite skater, but Hanyu really deserved his win. I saw him live at the Finlandia Trophy last year and he was simply spectacular, completely plowed through all opposition (2nd place went to Sergei Voronov).

 

Off-topic, but speaking of that event? I actually managed to give Sergei Voronov and Kento Nakamura roses in person~ >///< I saw Voronov passing through a public hallway and simply took a step towards him and offered him a rose, and he took it, bowed and said "Thank you". With Nakamura, he went to watch the women's skating in the audience and during a break (and after the little girls asking for autographs had gone), I leaned over and handed him his rose... and he said a clear, English "Thank you.". (Japanese people are pretty famous for their "Engrish" so I was pleasantly surprised that Nakamura seemed fluent. ...He's also a really cute guy up close~)

 

...Anyway, I was also rooting for Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in ice dancing, and Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy in pair skating. Cue Tessa and Scott with silver, and Aliona and Robin with bronze. <3 (I also love how an Ukrainian woman and a Polish man represent Germany. )

 

PS. Now rooting for Finland to win bronze in men's ice hockey. ...2-0 so far and I'm giddy!

Edited February 22, 2014 by Beldarius

[Mellwen]

I really agree about their attitudes. It is so unattractive in athletes (or any body). I mean really, they go to be in the OLYMPICS! Really, just being in the Olympics would be enough for me. @Beldarius, oh my goodness! You were at the Olympics? Now that is awesome. I would have LOVED to be there.

[Beldarius]

Oh, no - I wasn't at the Olympics, but at the Finlandia Trophy back in October 2013. They even caught me on camera and showed me on TV for a split second.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Beldarius

[raykawolf]

I've seen complaints from Americans about bad drinking water in their rooms in Sochi, but it's been proven wrong, since if you looked up the photo of the yellow water it dates back to a few years ago.

[orrrangeee]

Most of our whole community gathered in a park to watch the women's gold medal games. I am seriously proud to be Canadian.

 

What's stupid though, here's a funny story. I told someone I was Canadian (we were kids at a day camp near my grandma's house in Wisconsin) and they were like: So, what's it like living in an igloo?