Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Russia sticking their OARs in: Winter Olympics 2018

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #26
    Originally posted by San Bernardhinault View Post
    Oh! That's a shame.

    Now which aging legend who, by all rights, shouldn't be competing, will I support? It can't be Vonn, because I'll be sickened by NBC's coverage.
    Can I recommend Eva Tofalvi of Romania in the biathlon? She;s just qualified for her 6th winter olympics in a row, at the age of 39. She's from my town, and has basically made it on her own (the Romanian biathlon federation doesn't really exist in any meaningful way). She retired after Sochi, but I guess got bored and has now come back, and her placing in an event on Saturday earned her qualification for the games.

    Of course if you want a recommendation of someone to support who has the remotest chance of finishing in the top 10 in any event, then she's probably not your best bet.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89va_T%C3%B3falvi

    Comment


      #27
      Everyone's favourite Eurosport commentator is warming up his act.

      https://twitter.com/robhatchtv/status/960520101085655040

      Comment


        #28
        And here's a quiz from the Beeb.
        http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-olympics/42910362

        8/10 but with several lucky guesses.
        Last edited by Kevin S; 05-02-2018, 14:34.

        Comment


          #29
          Originally posted by Kevin S View Post
          8/10 but with several lucky guesses.
          Same. I tripped on the fifth question, but the first two I had no idea either.

          It's always good to be reminded of Steven Bradbury.

          Comment


            #30
            7/10 for me, bah. Got the Cool Runnings and Miracle on Ice ones wrong, and the last one about the Tongan.

            I had to go and watch Bradbury's gold medal again after that, it remains a joyous underdog moment. I hadn't appreciated before just how lucky he was though – in his heat he came 3rd but one of the two ahead was disqualified, to put him in the semi-finals; in the semis he was skating fourth when all three in front of him crashed out to let him come through to make the final, and then in the final all four ahead of him took each other out on the final bend to allow him to catch up and dodge past the carnage, Foinavon style, to take the gold. Fantastic.

            Comment


              #31
              So, it's started, sort of. Mixed Doubles curling round robin matches are underway, and it's Miracle On Ice time. Eagle Vs Bear. OAR vs USA...

              Is it reasonable to want the Russians to lose in curling because of other Russians doping? Because I do.

              Comment


                #32
                Slavic hordes waxed, 9-3

                Comment


                  #33
                  NOR-CAN seems a very tight match.

                  Comment


                    #34
                    More aging legend news from the ski jumping: Five-times world champion 40 year old Janne Ahonen has, as he did for Sochi, come out of retirement to try and win an individual olympic medal (he has two silvers from the team competition). He's got no chance.

                    In with a better, albeit still slim chance of a medal is the remarkable 45 year old Noriaki Kasai. Already the oldest ski jumping olympic medal winner after his silver on the large hill in Sochi, he's been competing in the World Cup for 29 seasons, notching up 537 appearances. Any sort of medal for Noriaki would be universally popular - I mean, how many other competitors in these games can match the following Wikipedia entry? "In 2014 a Finnish garage punk band Van Dammes released a tribute single called "Mr. Noriaki Kasai". Another tribute song was released in January 2015 by Jalle S: "Song for Noriaki Kasai". Also Polish rapper Koldi has written a song about him. "Noriaki Kasai"

                    The normal hill takes place tomorrow, the large hill next Saturday and the team event on Mon 19th.

                    Comment


                      #35
                      For the UK specifically, it really is the posh olympics isn't it? This impression isn't helped by the BBC studio team

                      Comment


                        #36
                        Winter sports aren't the most accessible thing here, for sure. Hence this Viz classic...

                        Comment


                          #37
                          Alright, the drones were good.

                          Comment


                            #38
                            Well, I'd say don't let British toffs and tossers put you off the Winter Olympics. It's far bigger than that and in countries with the right geography it must be far more egalitarian. It's full of high-adrenaline stuff you don't see regularly, partly because the Brits don't always win. I just showed my boy a clip of the luge and it blew his mind.

                            It may be that Eurosport is the better bet, broadcast-wise, in avoiding parochialism though.

                            Comment


                              #39
                              Originally posted by Wouter D View Post
                              Same. I tripped on the fifth question, but the first two I had no idea either.

                              It's always good to be reminded of Steven Bradbury.
                              Eight as well. A bit shocked at how much I remember, although I can't forget the USA v Russia match, if only for Alan Weeks going crazy in the commentary box.

                              Comment


                                #40
                                Kasai finished 20th in the qualification round, which isn’t bad.

                                Comment


                                  #41
                                  Are the organizers more worried about keeping Pence away from Kim's sister, or in protecting him from Adam Rippon one of the very first openly gay US winter olympians, who seems intent on ramming a skate up the vice-presidential fundament if he gets the chance.

                                  Comment


                                    #42
                                    Pence's team is exactly what one would expect


                                    They didn't even know who the current senior US diplomat in Seoul was, instead asking after a guy who resigned months ago.

                                    Comment


                                      #43
                                      The BBC front man, welcoming us to the main broadcast at twenty past midnight, asked why we might be watching then reeled off an impressive list of possible reasons without mentioning the obvious: we're very, very drunk.

                                      Comment


                                        #44
                                        Listening to BBC Five Live on the phone through the internet. It's a general news show (Up All Night) and they started chatting about yesterday's opening ceremony for a few minutes. The stream went blank due to contractual reasons. It seems that any time the BBC mentions anything to do with the Olympics, they have to cut off internet listeners outside the UK.

                                        Fucking IOC

                                        Comment


                                          #45
                                          Originally posted by Kevin S View Post
                                          It may be that Eurosport is the better bet, broadcast-wise, in avoiding parochialism though.
                                          Not a guarantee though, with Jonathan Edwards as a presenter doing puff pieces as filler. To paraphrase something from him last night whilst interviewing a big bloke I didn't recognise and a woman who may have been Emma Carrick-Anderson, 'So skeleton is for Britain is what Luge is for Germany? OK, so lets ignore Luge'

                                          Comment


                                            #46
                                            Jeebus. NBC so far has had lots of filler. But, whoever the guy on the ice skating commentary was, was hugely critical of Nathan Chen.

                                            Which was slightly unfair. The times are totally based on the USA market, which sort of fucks the routine of a skater. And it showed.

                                            Admittedly, the Japanese guy was reasonably amazing, but, there's always one.

                                            So, I am typing this, to keep me awake, because the 3000m women's speed skating is on at 3am, and it's a final, and my favourite (Ireen Wust) is in it.

                                            I really like commas.

                                            Comment


                                              #47
                                              Incidentally, why are there 5 gold stars against this topic?

                                              Is that a participation thing? Or is it the general level of conversation? Knowing that Janik is into this, means that my money is definitely on the latter.

                                              The Opening Ceremony is on after Jimmy Fallon, which means it will be the 4th time in 24 hours, that NBC have shown it. (Once on NBC Sports, so maybe only 3.***)

                                              But fucking hell, there's other stuff on.

                                              ***Which I realised would be 3 times in 12 hours, and it's 3 hours long.

                                              Comment


                                                #48
                                                Watching the womens hockey, Sweden vs Japan. Not the highest quality, but entertaining end to end stuff played at a rocket pace.

                                                Comment


                                                  #49
                                                  Anyway, in the spirit of Janik, here is a preview of the Women's 3000m schaatsen speed skating (Proper):

                                                  Ireen Wust will be fabulous. She might not win. She will be very close. It is her event. Last time in Sochi, she was favourite for everyfuckingthing and she ended up only winning two of 4. She's doing 4 again, one team thing (2nd would be failure), and 2 shorter, but her best shot is the 3k.

                                                  And... she won a fortnight ago, so maybe her timing is great, but her season has been a bit of a mess. And there is Antoinette de Jong (and all the other entrants). I may have made this up, but I think she is Ireen's wife's sister. Probably not, but it's a cracking story. (I think her wife's surname is de Jong too, and I just went for it. Who knows?)

                                                  Anyway, speed skating is superb. Which is nice.

                                                  (There is no way I am lasting until 3am, and the favourites aren't on for at least 45 minutes.)

                                                  Comment


                                                    #50
                                                    I see this women's ice hockey tournament has a weird format. In Group A the top two qualify for the semi finals and the other two qualify for the quarter finals. In Group B (which includes this Japan - Sweden match) the top two qualify for the quarter finals and the other two eliminated.

                                                    Comment

                                                    Working...
                                                    X