PyeongChang 2018 Olympics

[magpie]

This is a thread to discuss Olympic-related things. Who's watching/watched the opening ceremony?

Olympics | Olympic Games, Medals, Results, News | IOC

 

[ceecee]

I watch it all. I personally play or played some of these events so the Winter Olympics are my favorite. I have no problem with the fact that the US doesn't dominate these games and never has. I just saw a poll that this appears be a reason some Americans don't watch it, plus they have no idea what many of the sports are and don't wish to educated themselves either. This reflects much of what I've heard myself.

The US finally won a medal in the luge -silver plus a gold in snowboarding makes 2. That puts us in 4th place overall currently.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

I never paid much attention to the Winter Olympics before, but this year I've made a conscious decision to change that. My favorite event I've seen so far is snowboarding slopestyle. I think what those folks do is mind-boggling, especially Red Gerard. I also like that participants have different options available for obstacles to perform maneuvers off of.
I'm excited to the see the skiing slpoestyle and compare and contrast.

 

[that's not my name]

Saw an article from the economist saying that no athlete from Russia should be allowed to compete as it is being to lenient towards drug use when in the same breath they admit other countries do it too. So what? Individuals born in the wrong country should be penilzed for something they didn't do? Thats not the olympic spirit at all, this is the reason why we have the olympic team, so deserving athletes can compete even if their countrt fucked up. I'm so sick of rabid retards pretending to be intellectuals and trying to justify their hatred and politics when there is no justification. Stop bringing politics into sports you condescending pieces of shit. You hate Russia and you are trying to take it out on individual Russians because you a prejudiced asshole, banning Russia as a body is more than enough. I'm so sick of these stupid witch hunts. Sorry for the rant but it needs to be said.

 

[ceecee]

Saw an article from the economist saying that no athlete from Russia should be allowed to compete as it is being to lenient towards drug use when in the same breath they admit other countries do it too. So what? Individuals born in the wrong country should be penilzed for something they didn't do? Thats not the olympic spirit at all, this is the reason why we have the olympic team, so deserving athletes can compete even if their countrt fucked up. I'm so sick of rabid retards pretending to be intellectuals and trying to justify their hatred and politics when there is no justification. Stop bringing politics into sports you condescending pieces of shit. You hate Russia and you are trying to take it out on individual Russians because you a prejudiced asshole, banning Russia as a body is more than enough. I'm so sick of these stupid witch hunts. Sorry for the rant but it needs to be said.

Sure, athletes shouldn't be punished for the country. But this investigation was years in the making, it's not about hating Russia. If anyone hates here, it's the Russian government for not giving a shit about their athletes as humans and will put any substance into their bodies. But hey, they probably aren't doing it now, right?

Russian athlete reportedly fails Winter Olympics drugs test | Sport | The Guardian

Incidentally, meldonium, the drug in question here, was developed in the Soviet Union.

 

[Riva]

More interesting than the winter olympics is North Korea 'making an effort' to mend broken ties with South Korea.

Let's hope it works for the best.

 

[ceecee]

More interesting than the winter olympics is North Korea 'making an effort' to mend broken ties with South Korea.

Let's hope it works for the best.

I hope it works out but I also think that's the only diplomatic choice they had. Once some dipshit thousands of miles away decided to cause a shit ton of upheaval for a country totally aware of what's on their northern border without any reminders, I mean.

 

[ceecee]

These Olympics are crazy. I predict you will never see the NHL barring players from representing their country ever again. The Canadians won't have it. Losing to the US men in curling is one thing. Losing to Germany in hockey is quite another.

 

[Snow as White]

We've really enjoyed watching the Olympics this year. Normally I just like watching ice skating/dancing, but this year I've made an effort to catch some of every sport. What a treat! I am now obsessed with curling and the magic that are the Dutch doing speed skating.

 

[ceecee]

This should be the next thing added to the Winter Olympics.

Yukigassen - Wikipedia

 

[entropie]

These Olympics are crazy. I predict you will never see the NHL barring players from representing their country ever again. The Canadians won't have it. Losing to the US men in curling is one thing. Losing to Germany in hockey is quite another.

another?
It's all about wanting it

 

[Kas]

I have been watching ski jumping and obviously figure skating ( but managed only to see ice dance and ladies). Also a little bit of different sports.

I feel for Medvedeva- she was winning all the contests for 2 years and even only technical mistake she keeps doing was ignored until young Zagitova showed up and took the Olympic Trophy. Younger skater has loads of potential technical skills and ballet training, but at this point Medvedeva skating is better both technically and when it comes to components, also she shows the story on ice, her performance is spectacle. Zagitova is stronger skater though and she managed to make all jumps in second part of program- simply that's why she won. It's upcoming trend from last year to win because of number and time of jumps. But is it enough? hope it won't make discipline lose its art side.

 

[ceecee]

 

[Crabs]

How bout those speed skating uniforms?

 

[Snow as White]

I have been watching ski jumping and obviously figure skating ( but managed only to see ice dance and ladies). Also a little bit of different sports.

I feel for Medvedeva- she was winning all the contests for 2 years and even only technical mistake she keeps doing was ignored until young Zagitova showed up and took the Olympic Trophy. Younger skater has loads of potential technical skills and ballet training, but at this point Medvedeva skating is better both technically and when it comes to components, also she shows the story on ice, her performance is spectacle. Zagitova is stronger skater though and she managed to make all jumps in second part of program- simply that's why she won. It's upcoming trend from last year to win because of number and time of jumps. But is it enough? hope it won't make discipline lose its art side.

late to the party but....

i had similiar thoughts. i thought M's program was superior because it had artistic flow to it. you could go along for her ride. Z is obviously incredibly talented and a great skater as well. it's clever use of mechanics to have all the jumps in the second half for that huge bonus... however, her program was so weird to watch. the first 2-3 minutes are like sitting at an ice skating recital wherein they just learned how to do a spin last week so it's just making figure 8's and doing the occasional spin. then it's just jump-jump-jump-jump-jump-jump-jump-fin.

i feel like the next olympics is going to be a lot of that style where it's boring af for the first half and then it's technically awesome in the second but no art... just exhibition.

 

[Kas]

late to the party but....

i had similiar thoughts. i thought M's program was superior because it had artistic flow to it. you could go along for her ride. Z is obviously incredibly talented and a great skater as well. it's clever use of mechanics to have all the jumps in the second half for that huge bonus... however, her program was so weird to watch. the first 2-3 minutes are like sitting at an ice skating recital wherein they just learned how to do a spin last week so it's just making figure 8's and doing the occasional spin. then it's just jump-jump-jump-jump-jump-jump-jump-fin.

i feel like the next olympics is going to be a lot of that style where it's boring af for the first half and then it's technically awesome in the second but no art... just exhibition.

Figure skating fan? I have few people to talk about it these days.

If ISO won't change anything definitely it's going this direction. I think that rules or pointing system may (should) change again. Last changes in pointing system put more pressure on components and it influenced a lot skating style in different categories than ice dance - esp in couples in my opinion (Alona Sawczenko, Robin Szolkowy proved how much points one can get from components). But now seems it's a problem that amount of point for components is limited and with technical elements score has no limits-> it's great to see beautiful jumps but in a way it's not making the program more boring.

 

[Snow as White]

Figure skating fan? I have few people to talk about it these days.

If ISO won't change anything definitely it's going this direction. I think that rules or pointing system may (should) change again. Last changes in pointing system put more pressure on components and it influenced a lot skating style in different categories than ice dance - esp in couples in my opinion (Alona Sawczenko, Robin Szolkowy proved how much points one can get from components). But now seems it's a problem that amount of point for components is limited and with technical elements score has no limits-> it's great to see beautiful jumps but in a way it's not making the program more boring.

I am

It's so difficult to figure out a solution since any change will yield a response change because... well, it's smart.

And even trying to factor in WOW points of just "I can't believe I was witness to this beautiful display of art just now" will only breed more bribes and other issues. Which is part of how we got to the current system as it is.

So where is the balance? I have no idea. Maybe there needs to be a bonus for cohesion. So few of the skaters choose music that pairs well with their routine, and where you can actually see how their routine flows with the music. The gold medal couple from 2018 is a great example of this. Going back to women's FS, I thought that M did a great job with her ability to skate to her music and make the entire routine feel like an experience. Z's was just too much checking off of tiny boxes for me. Some of the other girls suffered from that syndrome as well. Choosing jazzy vocal rock songs and then skating in classic fashion with no energy.