# 2014 Sochi Olympics



## Vaneyes

Welcome to The Official Olympics Thread (TOOT). 

Anything goes, except nasty toilet stories and Putin bare-chest pics.


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## Art Rock

I will not be censored upfront:









Anyway, looking forward to the speed skating events where the Dutch do very well traditionally.


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## quack

Violinist Vanessa Mae set to compete at Winter Olympics
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/25802907


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## Andreas

I understand t.a.t.u. might be performing at the opening ceremony.


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## SiegendesLicht

Personally, I am not a fan of such political measures, but after a while of following closely the preparations for these Olympic games, I think it would be best to boycott them altogether - because of their enormous cost (not only in money) to the ordinary man. Of course, an event like this is always going to cause some inconvenience to the population of the city where it is taking place (hightened security and all), but people being evicted out of their houses because of the construction, construction employees forced to give up their salaries into the "Olympic fund", the nature of this unique place destroyed, people not being able to enter the city at will (during the Games every citizen of Sochi will be issued a special permit, stating that he indeed lives in the city and people without such permits will be deported or not be allowed to enter at all) - all that is simply too much. 

Add to that the huge financial cost of the Games, which with the budget of USD51 000 000 are going to be the most expensive games in history - paid out of taxes of course, and that in a country, which unlike the US, Canada or Italy, is pretty much a third-world nation outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg. 

Add to that all the trouble and inconvenience (to the ordinary man again) caused by the ""Olympic fire marathon" ceremony: traffic stopped in whole cities for days while that marathon is taking place in them, huge security measures etc... 

Add to that the whole budget farce - millions that were supposed to be used for construction, that landed in the pockets of businessmen and government officials instead, with the actual construction done in the cheapest way possible. To be honest, I will be surprised if no accidents happen during these games: if one of the structures does not collapse, or the skiing track has not been properly secured... 

Shortly, it is simply a major show-off - and the ordinary man has to pay for it. 

Of course I don't think the world's politicians or media talk about this a lot - they are more concerned about gay rights than about those of the average Russian.

Apart from that - good luck to the Americans and the Germans, the Canadians and the Finns, and to all the other nations traditionally good at winter sports, in beating the arrogant Russian Bear.


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## Andreas

Some have voiced concerns that the athletes might not be safe in Sochi, given the threat of terrorism. I'm wondering, though: if you're practicing downhill, ski jumping or bobsleigh on a regularly basis, how great can your concern about safety be?


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## Huilunsoittaja

Go Finland!!! I hope they get many medals this year, and especially in Hockey!!


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## Andreas

Sochi Olympic Rings win! Putin lets the sun shine on everybody!


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## SiegendesLicht

Well, I have seen a bit of the opening ceremony. Except, that when I got online to watch it, it was right at the moment when the German team walked out, and it would be better if I had not seen it at all. It made me mad to see those strong, beautiful, proud, athletic men and women forced to wear costumes better suited for clowns or imitations of tropical parrots, in order to make a political statement. The powers that be seem truly hellbent on crushing the last bit of dignity and self-worth out of those people. Darn them for spoiling my Friday evening! :devil:


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## Manxfeeder

SiegendesLicht said:


> W It made me mad to see those strong, beautiful, proud, athletic men and women forced to wear costumes better suited for clowns or imitations of tropical parrots, in order to make a political statement.


I just looked them up. Wow, that's hideous!


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## Headphone Hermit

there was a lot to enjoy in the opening ceremony .... even if it dragged on for what seemed like the whole day. I especially liked the spinning ballet dancers towards the end. 

and by gum, that Anna had a powerful set of lungs singing the Olympic anthem

Well done for putting on a remarkable show!


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## Huilunsoittaja

Glad to hear, from the other side of the pond, that no terrorist attack occurred at the ceremony. Now let's just hope for the best concerning safety for the next events...


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## Vaneyes

SiegendesLicht said:


> ....Add to that the huge financial cost of the Games, which with the budget of *USD51 000 000 *are going to be the most expensive games in history - paid out of taxes of course, and that in a country, which unlike the US, Canada or Italy, is pretty much a third-world nation outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg....


Didn't you forget to add *000* ?


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## scratchgolf

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Go Finland!!! I hope they get many medals this year, and especially in Hockey!!


Booooooooo 

Can't wait for hockey!


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## Couchie

Surely Tchaikovsky and all the ballet was in violation of the new anti-gay propaganda laws. Hypocrites!


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## sabrina

I really enjoyed the Opening ceremony show. I loved the ballet moments and, of course the wonderful music. I just don't understand a word in Russian except da for yes...but the show was mostly visual...


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## Tristan

Watching it now. Loved the use of Borodin's _Prince Igor_ (Polovtsian dances and the opening chorus) in the opening act


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## Huilunsoittaja

I feel positively Russian after seeing that ceremony this evening.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Couchie said:


> Surely Tchaikovsky and all the ballet was in violation of the new anti-gay propaganda laws. Hypocrites!


In Russia today, many still dismiss the idea that he was gay, and that he also committed suicide. Although the latter has still been debated, with the former they seem to dismiss too many actual pieces of evidence to my judgment. 

I've heard theories that he may have been transgender too... I guess we'll never know...


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## Tristan

Valery Gergiev is one of the flag-bearers  Very cool.


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## SiegendesLicht

Vaneyes said:


> Didn't you forget to add *000* ?


I have indeed, thanks for pointing that out. However, the 51 billion is only an official estimate. The real costs are reported to be unknown.


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## Levanda

Loved so much opening ceremony, my favourite Soviet era music and machines times, red costumes, yes we are too nostalgic Soviet Union life and culture.


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## TxllxT

http://trinixy.ru/96894-tualety-v-sochi-dlya-dvoih-34-foto.html

34 photos of the most famous site in Sochi


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## Art Rock

5 km speed skating men: gold silver and bronze to the Netherlands. First time to one country in 50 years.


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## joen_cph

^^^^^

Indeed, you have the advantage of a very long tradition in that field - as depicted by Averkamp, in the 1600s:











Denmark has won _one_ set of medals in the entire history of Winter Olympics, and to many here, the highlight this year will be curling (I hear that the Canadians are quite interested in that very minor sport too. But as long as it remains a discreet sport, our chances are bigger ).


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## Art Rock

joen_cph said:


> ^^^^^
> 
> Indeed, you have the advantage of a very long tradition in that field - as depicted by Averkamp, in the 1600s:
> 
> View attachment 34563


Amazingly, Avercamp actually lived and worked in Kampen, the city where we live since 2012. He was nicknamed "De stomme van Campen", referring to his muteness.


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## Manxfeeder

Art Rock said:


> 5 km speed skating men: gold silver and bronze to the Netherlands. First time to one country in 50 years.


I'm half Dutch and filled with pride!


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## hpowders

Am I alone here?

I personally find this every 4 year overload of athletic events 24/7 soooo boring!!!!!

Wake me up when the hockey semifinals are being played.


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## Headphone Hermit

Art Rock said:


> Amazingly, Avercamp actually lived and worked in Kampen, the city where we live since 2012. He was nicknamed "De stomme van Campen", referring to his muteness.


Wow! Thanks for that - 'stomme' is another bit of Dutch vocabulary that I have used for decades without realising it was Dutch ... In English, 'to keep stum' means 'to stay silent about something'. Heaven knows why we use 'Double Dutch' to signify something incomprehensible - we have pinched loads and loads of your vocabulary - my favourite is 'Let up!' which in Liverpool means 'to diminish an unpleasant act' whilst I think it means 'to slow down' in Dutch (Hmmm - I recognise this is pinging off on a tangent - apologies!)


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## sabrina

Two Canadian sisters grab the gold and silver medals in mogul ski...quite unique


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## Vaneyes

Men's downhill rocked. I can't recall so many, so close.


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## Masada

Vaneyes said:


> Men's downhill rocked. I can't recall so many, so close.


Just watched the replay/conclusion and I wholly agree. Fantastic competition this year.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Wow, I almost couldn't believe this. I watched a rerun of the Figure Skating Team Finals this evening with parents, and they told me ahead of time that they all used Russian composers. But I did NOT expect a team to use GLAZUNOV almost ENTIRELY for their routine, AND to get SILVER MEDAL in the process!!! WOOT CANADIANS!!!  :clap:


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## Jos

Whoooha, all medals for the Dutch 500 mtr. sprinters.
A great performance; best of luck to our fast girls tomorrow!

Cheers,
Jos


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## sharik

SiegendesLicht said:


> these Olympic games, I think it would be best to boycott them altogether - because of their enormous cost (not only in money) to the ordinary man


i'm not feeling that it cost me anything.



SiegendesLicht said:


> people being evicted out of their houses because of the construction


they were paid for those houses twice the price.



SiegendesLicht said:


> construction employees forced to give up their salaries into the "Olympic fund"


that did not happen.



SiegendesLicht said:


> the nature of this unique place destroyed


that's not true.



SiegendesLicht said:


> people not being able to enter the city at will (during the Games every citizen of Sochi will be issued a special permit, stating that he indeed lives in the city and people without such permits will be deported or not be allowed to enter at all)


the permits are issued for the residents of Sotchi and the holders of sports venue tickets, a usual security measure after a terrorist attack.



SiegendesLicht said:


> paid out of taxes of course


we Russians don't have to pay as much taxes as they in the West do. Russia enjoys the lowest tax rate in the world.



SiegendesLicht said:


> that in a country, which unlike the US, Canada or Italy, is pretty much a third-world nation outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg


have you ever been to Russia to make such conclusions?


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## sharik

Couchie said:


> Surely Tchaikovsky and all the ballet was in violation of the new anti-gay propaganda laws


really? and how?


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## sharik




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## Levanda

Surprise me why nobody from Greenland and North Korea?


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## sharik




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## sharik




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## Levanda

sharik said:


>


Opening ceremony absolutely stunning, loved every single second. High culture adore it good for Russia.


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## sharik




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## sharik




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## sharik




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## sharik




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## sharik




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## sharik




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## sharik




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## Levanda

The last picture and music it was my favourite as relating to my life so much, as myself grow up in Breznev' s child. I have visited Russia few times vow, can we go back in times of course is not at least I can enjoy in stage shows.


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## sharik




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## sharik




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## Flamme

My friend who is a russian by origins from those ''white russians'' who came to Serbia went to Sochi to work as a mason and he came back not being paid the whole paycheck but third part, complaining of more than poor living conditions for workers and his conclusion was that his ''fatherland'' was a mafia country where ''nobody smiles without money'' ''everybody thinks the same'' his words, he almost got attacked in a store where one young ''hooligan'' accused him of being english and an ''Liverpool'' fan just for talking english (which by the way nobody there speaks on his shock), thats just laughable cause he has many russian features, in which he will never return again...


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## Levanda

Flamme said:


> My friend who is a russian by origins from those ''white russians'' who came to Serbia went to Sochi to work as a mason and he came back not being paid the whole paycheck but third part, complaining of more than poor living conditions for workers and his conclusion was that his ''fatherland'' was a mafia country where ''nobody smiles without money'' ''everybody thinks the same'' his words, he almost got attacked in a store where one young ''hooligan'' accused him of being english and an ''Liverpool'' fan just for talking english (which by the way nobody there speaks on his shock), thats just laughable cause he has many russian features, in which he will never return again...


Ah dam this is not political forum but I should point capitalism destroying workers rights as we all know it. Well capitalist state creating workers hell.


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## Flamme

Coming from an ex communist country i must disagree...The so called workers paradise is much much worse what we can see everyday in China, North Corea...


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## Aramis

Levanda said:


> Ah dam this is not political forum but I should point capitalism destroying workers rights as we all know it. Well capitalist state creating workers hell.


The next person to register on TC, I hope, will be a dinosaur.


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## Levanda

Aramis said:


> The next person to register on TC, I hope, will be a dinosaur.


Sorry what is that mean " I hope will be a dinosaur"?


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## TxllxT

:tiphat: to our King & Queen :tiphat: Thanks to all who make the Sochi Olympics such a great sportive event!


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## joen_cph

Levanda said:


> Sorry what is that mean " I hope will be a dinosaur"?


He is saying that a critique of capitalism sounds a bit old-fashioned/out of date here. He is just being funny.


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## Huilunsoittaja

_Warning: please avoid political discussion on this thread. This thread is dedicated to an international arts/sports event, not political criticism. Discuss such topics amongst yourselves through private message, or the political discussion group which you can find in the Groups section of this forum._


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## Vaneyes

Quebec er Canada ruled short track skating and men's moguls today. I noticed not much comaraderie in the former discipline, but lots in the latter.

Enjoyed the women's downhill portion of the combined. Didn't see the second part. USA's Mancuso blistered the first (tucked better), but ended up with Bronze.

Men's luge is spread over two days. I don't think that's necessary.


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## Andreas

Watched a bit of women's slopestyle this morning. Pretty cool.


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## TxllxT

TxllxT said:


> :tiphat: to our King & Queen. Thanks to all who make the Sochi Olympics such a great sportive event!


Above the reaction of King Willem Alexander to the first triple Dutch.
Below his reaction to the second triple Dutch:








The King represents his people quite perfectly...


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## sharik

Flamme said:


> My friend who is a russian by origins from those ''white russians'' who came to Serbia went to Sochi to work as a mason and he came back not being paid the whole paycheck but third part


why do you trust him without even questioning his workmanship abilities?


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## sharik

Flamme said:


> what we can see everyday in China, North Corea...


have you ever been to China or North Korea to make judgement at all?

some time ago i met an American who works in Moscow, he just came from China and said it's a well off country.


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## SiegendesLicht

TxllxT said:


> :tiphat: to our King & Queen :tiphat: Thanks to all who make the Sochi Olympics such a great sportive event!


That is one lovely royal couple!


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## TxllxT

sharik said:


> have you ever been to China or North Korea to make judgement at all?
> 
> some time ago i met an American who works in Moscow, he just came from China and said it's a well off country.


Last year we visited St Petersburg and this year we hope to return again to this great city. I think, there is a lot of hidden jealousy and unbelief in all those sour comments on Russia & president Putin. With our own eyes we have seen how the whole country is being transformed with a flow of gigantic financial investments. I remember all those Dutch journalists until recently complaining and lamenting over all those grand palaces in decay along the Petersburg canals. Well, we really had trouble to get a view of an unkept building... Now they are rolling their eyes over the 50 billion Euro investment into Sochi, not able to believe that for Russia it is just one of their many longterm investments.


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## Vaneyes

Watched the men's halfpipe. Shaun White was the last competitor. He didn't disappoint, though he commented he was disappointed with 4th place. Gold - Switzerland, Silver - Japan, Bronze - Japan.

I was surpised to hear White say he has his sights on one more Olympics, "I'm only 27 now." 27 is an old man in this sport. His hospital stays during the past year helped illustrate that. Age 31 is unthinkable. Anyway, good luck to him.

Final note. I noticed there was no display of camaraderie between the two Japanese medalists and the other competitors. I would like to think it's due to a Japanese custom of reserved emotion, rather than dislike.


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## EricABQ

Bob Costas has anchored 157 NBC prime time Olympic shows in a row (both summer and winter.)

That streak comes to an end tonight as he has been forced to step aside due to a stubborn eye infection. 

I guess I will have to get my nightly dose of smug self importance elsewhere.


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## SiegendesLicht

With four gold medals, Germany is now on the third line in the medal count, after Norway and Canada. Looks like those clown costumes did not damage their psyche after all. 

Ah yes, and Belarus won one gold too.

Edit several hours later: first line now! Hojotoho!


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## shangoyal

I love watching Curling - it's so exciting in a passive way - it's not called the 'Chess on Ice' for nothing, and I enjoy it because it's so unique. It almost looks like a children's game sometimes, with all the funny things going on - but it requires great accuracy and skill, not to say mental strength.


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## Vaneyes

Way too much testosterone on display in the USA/Canada women's hockey game.


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## hpowders

shangoyal said:


> I love watching Curling - it's so exciting in a passive way - it's called the 'Chess on Ice' for nothing, and I enjoy it because it's so unique. It almost looks like a children's game sometimes, with all the funny things going on - but it requires great accuracy and skill, not to say mental strength.


You need a lot of patience and a strong back to be constantly bent over like that.


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## EricABQ

Vaneyes said:


> Way too much testosterone on display in the USA/Canada women's hockey game.


That is one of the fiercest rivalries in all of sports. Those women really hate each other.

Kind of the same way with the U.S and Canada women's soccer teams.

Not sure what it is about American and Canadian women.


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## Bulldog

Vaneyes said:


> Watched the men's halfpipe. Shaun White was the last competitor. He didn't disappoint, though he commented he was disappointed with 4th place. Gold - Switzerland, Silver - Japan, Bronze - Japan.


Well, I was disappointed as well. Shaun really wanted that third gold medal; getting no medal at all was a heartbreaker.

The half-pipe is one of those competitions for very young men. Unfortunately, Shaun ages just like the rest of us. I was glad to hear that Shaun has many other fires in the oven that will make it relatively easy for him to move on in his life.


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## Vaneyes

Women's Skeleton has aroused my interest.


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## KenOC

I see the US has moved up to a first-place tie with Norway in the overall medal standings. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!


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## EricABQ

KenOC said:


> I see the US has moved up to a first-place tie with Norway in the overall medal standings. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!


Yes.

It helps that we invented a bunch of new sports and got them in the games, of course.

Whatever "slope style" is, it has certainly helped our medal count.


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## EricABQ

I'm up early to watch Russia v. USA in hockey.


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## EricABQ

That was something. Russia caught a bad break with that goal being waved off. 

Olympic hockey always seems to deliver.


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## arpeggio

What a shootout!!!!!!!!!!!

Since I am a Capitals fan the game was a win win for me. :trp:


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## Vaneyes

Medal Tracker

http://espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2014/medals


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## SiegendesLicht

Congratulations to all Americans on here on the epic hockey victory!


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## Vaneyes

Lady Russkies curling, 3 - 6. We're in danger of not seeing more of them. 

View attachment 35193


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## Jos

Koen Verweij missed the gold metal for 1500 mtr speedskating by three (3) thousandths of a second, thousandths!!
What a shame, but what an incredible race. 
Congrats to the Polish victory from Brodka

Cheers,
Jos


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## KenOC

SiegendesLicht said:


> Congratulations to all Americans on here on the epic hockey victory!


On seeing what happened, I think the Russkies were robbed.


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## Art Rock

In speed skating, the Netherlands just managed that normally ultra-rare occurrence, a sweep of all three medals, for the third time this tournament. The 1500 m for women - even the 4th place was for a Dutch girl.


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## sabrina

Figure Skating: the pairs were very good, especially the winners,Tatiana VOLOSOZHAR/Maxim TRANKOV. I also loved Kristen MOORE-TOWERS / Dylan MOSCOVITCH. The men section was horrible. The high difficulty of elements resulted in lots of mistakes that hampered absolutely all free programs.


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## Vaneyes

Currently, there are six in the Sochi medal race. Netherlands, Russia, USA, Norway, Canada, Germany. 

Russia and USA to pull ahead in the second week? Thoughts?


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## EricABQ

The US Women's team is currently using the Swedish team for goal scoring practice.


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## EricABQ

Vaneyes said:


> Currently, there are six in the Sochi medal race. Netherlands, Russia, USA, Norway, Canada, Germany.
> 
> Russia and USA to pull ahead in the second week? Thoughts?


The Netherlands should start to fall behind as the speed skating wraps up.

US has some strong events still to come, so I think I agree that Russia and the US will finish 1 - 2 in some order.


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## Jos

Vaneyes said:


> Currently, there are six in the Sochi medal race. Netherlands, Russia, USA, Norway, Canada, Germany.
> 
> Russia and USA to pull ahead in the second week? Thoughts?


Yep, as EricABQ mentioned, the speedskating is almost done and then it's exit for us Dutchies. "We" probably will win a few in the coming 10000 and 5000 and team-persuit, especially now a few have withdrawn from competition in the 10000.

Have to catch up with my old sport icehockey, played left-defense for two seasons at uni-competition. In Holland that is, level of play is significantly less than in USA or Canada. Will watch the outcome this week. Bobsleigh 4 will get my attention too.

Cheers,
Jos


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## Guest

The thing that always seems to get in the way of my enjoying of the olympics is the ever expanding list of "sports" that get introduced, a purpose for which I can't see. I understand the luge. But why do we need 2-man luge? And then going down face first is no longer luge, but skeleton? For figure skating, we have the short program, the free skate, the free dance, the short dance, then all those permutations for men, women, pairs, and teams. And that is just figure skating. It seems like it metastasizes with every new olympics, creating new sports which exist for no other reason than to perform in the olympics. So when I go to watch them, I'm bombarded by all these things. The cynic in me thinks it is just so that they can hand out more and more medals, all in this competition to see which country takes home the most.


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## Piwikiwi

EricABQ said:


> The Netherlands should start to fall behind as the speed skating wraps up.
> 
> US has some strong events still to come, so I think I agree that Russia and the US will finish 1 - 2 in some order.


Actually i believe there is a chance of another sweep on the 10 km


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## Bulldog

DrMike said:


> The thing that always seems to get in the way of my enjoying of the olympics is the ever expanding list of "sports" that get introduced, a purpose for which I can't see. I understand the luge. But why do we need 2-man luge? And then going down face first is no longer luge, but skeleton? For figure skating, we have the short program, the free skate, the free dance, the short dance, then all those permutations for men, women, pairs, and teams. And that is just figure skating.


An excellent way to cut down some on all the events is to eliminate figure skating from the Winter Olympics. It's such a boring sport that even curling seems exciting in comparison.


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## EricABQ

Piwikiwi said:


> Actually i believe there is a chance of another sweep on the 10 km


You're right, there are more events left than I thought there were.

The Dutch will definitely add to their haul.

The U.S, on the other hand, had a disastrous effort on the oval this time. Nothing went right for them.


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## Piwikiwi

Bulldog said:


> An excellent way to cut down some on all the events is to eliminate figure skating from the Winter Olympics. It's such a boring sport that even curling seems exciting in comparison.


I disagree I quite like watching figure skating


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## Couchie

Curling requires actual thinking and figure skating incorporates classical music, giving them an edge over most sports in my book.


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## EricABQ

Russia goes down in hockey, fails to medal in their home Olympics.

Losing to Finland is not as big of an upset as 1980 was, but I'm sure they were expecting more than a quarter final exit.


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## Flamme

?


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## arpeggio

*Disappointed Ovechkin Fan.*

^^^^^

If I was not an Ovechkin fan and a fan of Washington Capitals I would have given the above a "like".

With all of that talent, what happened?


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## EricABQ

As of right now, the Dutch have won 21 out of a possible 30 medals in long track speed skating.

I know nothing about speed skating, but that seems like a pretty substantial butt kicking they have given the rest of the world.


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## KenOC

EricABQ said:


> As of right now, the Dutch have won 21 out of a possible 30 medals in long track speed skating.
> 
> I know nothing about speed skating, but that seems like a pretty substantial butt kicking they have given the rest of the world.


I suspect the entire Dutch team is descended from Hans Brinker.


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## EricABQ

Going into the third, Canada had better wake up or they will be joining Russia on the sidelines.

(Now that I've posted that, I expect them to explode for 4 goals in the fourth.)


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## EricABQ

Latvia denied their own version of the Miracle on Ice. Canada squeeks by.


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## Huilunsoittaja

arpeggio said:


> ^^^^^
> 
> If I was not an Ovechkin fan and a fan of Washington Capitals I would have given the above a "like".
> 
> With all of that talent, what happened?


What do you mean, what happened? WE happened!! Ihanaa leijonat!!! 

This isn't the first time Finland beat them. But it also won't be the first time if Sweden beats them on Friday.  although I'm also Swedish, I will root for Finland most of the time.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Flamme said:


> ?


It's funny how most news sources speak of how Russia toppled but don't say about how a little country could do so well. They focus more on the great loss than the enormous victory.


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## Vaneyes

Snowboard Parallel Slalom may be the dumbest of all.

I'll guess USA! and Finland in the **** hockey final, with the Finns winning the Gold.


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## hpowders

The Olympics is getting too darn complicated. Do we really need all these obscure events?

I long for a simpler time. Remember when your TV channels were NBC, ABC, CBS and two or three other stations?

Neither do I, but I read about it in an Ancient American History book.


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## Vaneyes

Women at their fiercest, is happenin' now. USA! & Canada **** hockey. 

Update: Whatta game! Canada goalie Szabados kept them in it...until The Miracle Finish.

Oh Canada!


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## hpowders

Oh no! The US Women's Hockey Team was up 2-0 with 5 minutes left to play and wound up losing this gold medal game to Canada in overtime 3-2!!!!!

It's stuff like that, that could motivate Tchaikovsky to write the 4th movement of the Pathetique Symphony.


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## EricABQ

It's not enough that they gave us Justin Bieber and Nickleback, now they snatch the gold away from our hockey team.

Canada is a cruel, cruel nation.


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## Piwikiwi

EricABQ said:


> It's not enough that they gave us Justin Bieber and Nickleback, now they snatch the gold away from our hockey team.
> 
> Canada is a cruel, cruel nation.


They even burned down the white house!


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## Huilunsoittaja

hpowders said:


> Oh no! The US Women's Hockey Team was up 2-0 with 5 minutes left to play and wound up losing this gold medal game to Canada in overtime 3-2!!!!!
> 
> It's stuff like that, that could motivate Tchaikovsky to write the 4th movement of the Pathetique Symphony.


I am very sorry for the USA team. After all I'm American. :tiphat:


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## arpeggio

*Another Hockey Disappointment*

After the Russian Men's meltdown now the USA Womens Team blows it. :scold:


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## Piwikiwi

Huilunsoittaja said:


> I am very sorry for the USA team. After all I'm American. :tiphat:


But your name is finnish and adore russian music


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## Vaneyes

hpowders said:


> Oh no! The US Women's Hockey Team was up 2-0 with 5 minutes left to play and wound up losing this gold medal game to Canada in overtime 3-2!!!!!
> 
> It's stuff like that, that could motivate Tchaikovsky to write the 4th movement of the Pathetique Symphony.


*ESPN: "Pass the defibrillator:* With the Americans leading 2-0 with 3:26 to play, a shot by Canada's Brianne Jenner ricocheted off the right knee of American defender Kacey Bellamy and into the back of the U.S. net. The goal energized the arena and gave a boost of confidence to the Canadians. Bellamy returned to the bench with her head down. A few seconds later, with Canadian goalie Shannon Szabados pulled for an extra attacker, a U.S. chance to put the game away missed by inches when an empty-net shot clinked off the left post. With 54.6 seconds left, Poulin beat Meghan Duggan to a rebound, then flicked it past Vetter to tie the game and send it to overtime."

What's not mentioned in this ESPN paragraph, is that a linesperson game official got in the way of a Canada pass in USA!'s end...which led to USA! getting the puck and almost scoring an empty-netter.


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## Vaneyes

Huilunsoittaja said:


> I am very sorry for the USA team. After all I'm American. :tiphat:


They were sorry, too. Their tears were copious enough to help a Zamboni prepare ice.


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## hpowders

Vaneyes said:


> *ESPN: "Pass the defibrillator:* With the Americans leading 2-0 with 3:26 to play, a shot by Canada's Brianne Jenner ricocheted off the right knee of American defender Kacey Bellamy and into the back of the U.S. net. The goal energized the arena and gave a boost of confidence to the Canadians. Bellamy returned to the bench with her head down. A few seconds later, with Canadian goalie Shannon Szabados pulled for an extra attacker, a U.S. chance to put the game away missed by inches when an empty-net shot clinked off the left post. With 54.6 seconds left, Poulin beat Meghan Duggan to a rebound, then flicked it past Vetter to tie the game and send it to overtime."
> 
> What's not mentioned in this ESPN paragraph, is that a linesperson game official got in the way of a Canada pass in USA!'s end...which led to USA! getting the puck and almost scoring an empty-netter.


I watched it. The puck almost went into the empty net making it 3-0 USA. That would have been the gamer.
Too bad.


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## Guest

I have to say that the Dutch speed skating coach is kind of a Dick.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Piwikiwi said:


> But your name is finnish and adore russian music


I am a very biased world-citizen.


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## Couchie

Good day for Canadian women, Canada has won 11 straight games to a gold in women's curling! Now the men must match!


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## Piwikiwi

DrMike said:


> I have to say that the Dutch speed skating coach is kind of a Dick.


He is one of a couple of coaches actually. Do you say this after watching that interview?


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## Guest

Yeah - actually, he had some balls saying what he did. Yes, the Dutch are dominating speed skating, but outside of the Olympics, how big is that sport? And as of last night, the U.S. was winning the medal count, certainly higher than the Dutch, and more golds than the Dutch. Anyways, I know that some of what he said was in good fun, but still, he really came off as a conceited dick.


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## Piwikiwi

DrMike said:


> Yeah - actually, he had some balls saying what he did. Yes, the Dutch are dominating speed skating, but outside of the Olympics, how big is that sport? And as of last night, the U.S. was winning the medal count, certainly higher than the Dutch, and more golds than the Dutch. Anyways, I know that some of what he said was in good fun, but still, he really came off as a conceited dick.


But you have to remember that the population of the united states is about 20 times bigger. A lot of response from US newspapers were really pathetic as if the American speedskaters performed badly for any reason other than the fact that they simply weren't good enough. Blaming it on the suits etc.


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## Vaneyes

hpowders said:


> I watched it. The puck almost went into the empty net making it 3-0 USA. That would have been the gamer.
> Too bad.


USA! 3 - 1, it would have been. And as you say, game over. :tiphat:


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## Vaneyes

February Madness continues, with another NHL, er Olympics men's **** hockey game. Big hate-ons will be visible, as USA! plays Canada. :devil:


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## hpowders

Vaneyes said:


> USA! 3 - 1, it would have been. And as you say, game over. :tiphat:


Unbelievable. Now it's the mens' turn. US vs Canada in a few minutes. I'll be watching....and hoping....and praying.


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## Guest

Piwikiwi said:


> But you have to remember that the population of the united states is about 20 times bigger. A lot of response from US newspapers were really pathetic as if the American speedskaters performed badly for any reason other than the fact that they simply weren't good enough. Blaming it on the suits etc.


Everybody does that. The Russians claim they lost to us in hockey because our goalie knocked the net off. People are now claiming Yuna Kim didn't win the gold in women's individual figure skating because of crooked judges. At any rate, it was still a tactless thing for the Dutch coach to say. And regardless of whether other people were being dicks, he was definitely being a dick.


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## hpowders

The mens' US Hockey team had their chances today, but Canada showed they are the better team.


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## Vaneyes

1 - 0, Oh Canada.

Well, my prediction for a Finland/USA! final was total failure. I must now guess Big Red over Ikea, er Sweden.


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## EricABQ

Well, now that that is over, me and %90 of my fellow Americans can return to not caring about hockey.


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## hpowders

Vaneyes said:


> 1 - 0, Oh Canada.
> 
> Well, my prediction for a Finland/USA! final was total failure. I must now guess Big Red over Ikea, er Sweden.


That should be a great final game.


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## Guest

EricABQ said:


> Well, now that that is over, me and %90 of my fellow Americans can return to not caring about hockey.


Hey, we care a lot about hockey. When you talk about the National Hockey League, Canada is not the nation referred to. And soccer would kill for a tenth of the attention in the US that hockey gets.

At any rate, I suspect it is more the Olympics in general that most Americans ignore.


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## Couchie

American's "don't care" about hockey when they lose or curling which they are pathetic at. It goes hand-in-hand with delusional self-aggrandizement.


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## EricABQ

Couchie said:


> American's "don't care" about hockey when they lose


That's not true.

We would have stopped caring even if we had won.


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## Huilunsoittaja

I've been terrible at watching anything Olympic related, all I do is check news articles for the results.  Tomorrow, USA vs. Finland Bronze medal final, I might watch some. ooooooh time for little Finland to show who's on top! :lol:


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## Guest

Couchie said:


> American's "don't care" about hockey when they lose or curling which they are pathetic at. It goes hand-in-hand with delusional self-aggrandizement.


True - we really don't care about shuffleboard dressed up as an olympic sport. Shuffleboard is what you play on a cruise or at a retirement home - regardless of whether you play it on a wooden deck or with a big rock and brooms on ice.


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## Vaneyes

EricABQ said:


> That's not true.
> 
> We would have stopped caring even if we had won.


Well, the day after maybe.


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## Vaneyes

United States971127Russia910726Canada910524Norway104822Netherlands67922


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## Vaneyes

Using a 4 (Gold) 2 (Silver) 1 (Bronze) points application...

Russia 63
USA! 61
Canada 61
Norway 56
Netherlands 47


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## Vaneyes

Coming soon...Auto Ice Racing for the Winter Olympics.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Too bad for the Russian hockey team - but I think they can regroup in time for the 2014 world championships. Recipe: no Ovechkin (although I do like him as a player, he seems to have a negative effect on the Russian team), and have one 'superstar' per line - i.e. separate Malkin, Datsyuk, Radulov and Kovalchuk lines. That way the players won't be rubbing egos with one another. Have younger stars, i.e. Tarasenko, Nichushkin, Anisimov, Yakupov, etc. play on those lines. I think that might work well for the Russian team.


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## Piwikiwi

Couchie said:


> American's "don't care" about hockey when they lose or curling which they are pathetic at. It goes hand-in-hand with delusional self-aggrandizement.


Or about speed skating. When Shani Davis was winning they even made a super hero in his image (frozone) and now they are all acting as if speed skating is boring.


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## EricABQ

Piwikiwi said:


> Or about speed skating. When Shani Davis was winning they even made a super hero in his image (frozone) and now they are all acting as if speed skating is boring.


Shani Davis never enjoyed anything even remotely approaching widespread fame, even when he won his gold medal.

Speedskating in America doesn't even qualify as a niche sport. It's a sub-niche sport.

It is a blip on the radar once every 4 years, same as nearly every other Olympic sport, summer or winter.

The hierarchy in the U.S is this:

1. NFL

2. College Football
3. Talking about the NFL in the off-season.

4. NBA

5. College basketball, but only during the NCAA tournament.
6. MLB

7. Everything else.


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## Piwikiwi

2 more gold medals for the Netherlands


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## EricABQ

Finland came to play today. 

That was a beat down.


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## Huilunsoittaja

EricABQ said:


> Finland came to play today.
> 
> That was a beat down.


YESSS!!


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## arpeggio

*Final score 5-0*

I am trying to watch the Finnish USA game. Finland is now winning 4-0 in the third period.

I was thinking of what I think is the best National Team the USA ever fielded, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey Team: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1996_World_Cup_of_Hockey_rosters

What a team with the likes of Chris Chelios, Bret Hull, Brian Leech, Mike Modano and Mike Richter.

Chelios, Leech, Hull and Pat La Fontaine are in the Hall of Fame. There are probably a few other potential hall of famers on that team.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

The Finns deserved bronze, they showed very disciplined, focused play and didn't let their opponent teams 'get away' with mistakes. I was rooting for Russia in their game against Finalnd (since I consider myself Russian) but a ton of respect for the Finns' performance. Teemu Selanne also said that he felt bad for the Russians and I thought that was sportsmanlike. If the Finns would've beaten Sweden, maybe they could've gotten gold against Canada.


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## Vaneyes

Didn't watch the Bronze game. Guess that 1 - 0 loss to Big Red gutted USA!, not taking anything away from the Finns. :tiphat:

I'll tape the men's Gold **** hockey game, the figure skating Gala, and the closing ceremonies. That'll do Sochi 2014 for me. 

South Korea will be the next suckers to host the Winter Olympics. Good luck to 'em.


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## Couchie

EricABQ said:


> That's not true.
> 
> We would have stopped caring even if we had won.





DrMike said:


> True - we really don't care about shuffleboard dressed up as an olympic sport. Shuffleboard is what you play on a cruise or at a retirement home - regardless of whether you play it on a wooden deck or with a big rock and brooms on ice.


Typical uncultured American attitude. Curling is a sophisticated sport that not only predates any of he American atrocities masquerading as sport (cough football), but your country itself. It has been called chess on ice. But I can see why Americans are more interested in sports where participants attempt to give each other brain damage rather than actually using their brains.


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## EricABQ

Congrats on being the best in the world at curling.

I haven't actually figured out what athletic skill is involved, but in four years when I see curling again it may come to me.


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## Guest

I have come to realize that the Olympics are just an opportunity for all the marginally important countries on this planet to reassert their importance by competing in a bunch of "sports" that most people don't care about at any other time. The Netherlands can no go back into obscurity, firm in the knowledge that, while irrelevant in virtually every other way, they still dominate in the oh so important world of speed skating. That and legalized drugs. But now that Americans have Colorado and Washington, I suspect Dutch cannabis tourism is going to drop off.


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## Couchie

EricABQ said:


> Congrats on being the best in the world at curling.
> 
> I haven't actually figured out what athletic skill is involved, but in four years when I see curling again it may come to me.


Do let the US curling team know when you find out.


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## SiegendesLicht

DrMike said:


> The Netherlands can no go back into obscurity, firm in the knowledge that, while irrelevant in virtually every other way, they still dominate in the oh so important world of speed skating. That and legalized drugs.


You do realize that this is precisely the attitude that has earned Americans a reputation of ignorant louts, who know nothing about the rest of the world and who confuse Sweden with Switzerland and Austria with Australia?


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## EricABQ

Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's going on here?

I thought we were just making fun of Canada for being good at curling.


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## arpeggio

*Oh America*



EricABQ said:


> Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's going on here?
> 
> I thought we were just making fun of Canada for being good at curling.


Things have started to get out of hand because of the rhetoric of some of our American members who think that the rest of the World is inferior to us.

If we can not win any gold medals at speed skating, we belittle the Dutch. When we can not win any medal in Curling, it is not a real sport.


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## TxllxT

DrMike said:


> I have come to realize that the Olympics are just an opportunity for all the marginally important countries on this planet to reassert their importance by competing in a bunch of "sports" that most people don't care about at any other time. The Netherlands can no go back into obscurity, firm in the knowledge that, while irrelevant in virtually every other way, they still dominate in the oh so important world of speed skating. That and legalized drugs. But now that Americans have Colorado and Washington, I suspect Dutch cannabis tourism is going to drop off.


OK, we're happy with the 4 sweeps domination in speed skating and we're happy with any drop off in cannabis and the like. Back to business however: One of the markets that's getting more and more important for the Dutch is... the rapidly growing market of Russia. Did you notice the presence in Sochi of our King, Queen and Prime Minister? Yes, the Dutch are aiming for the highest goals in many, many respects all at the same time: Dutch, Double-Dutch, Triple-Dutch, Quadruple-Dutch


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## science

Mike, the Olympics are for fun, right?

To me, it's great that there are so many sports that a lot of countries can get at least a few medals. Everyone should enjoy a little national pride now and then. They can kiss US butt the rest of the time, if that's how you think the world works or should work, but at least every couple of years we can let someone enjoy their medals in the 3000 meter short track speed skating without demanding that they volubly remind themselves that we can blow them up without putting down our potato chips, let alone getting up off our sofas. That's what the Olympics are for, basically. Blow off some nationalist steam without anybody getting killed. Admittedly, strafing schools and hospitals (and--especially!--journalists) is more _viscerally_ satisfying, but only a few countries really get to do that kind of thing in this day and age. So no matter how insignificant, everyone should have a little fun now and then.


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## SiegendesLicht

Pardon me in advance if it seems like I am trying to rain on everybody's parade here. 

I used to be very enthusiastic about expressions of national pride centered around sports, but now I am somewhat sceptical towards them. While winning Olympic gold and associated festivities may be fun and entertaining, they have no real influence on the life of the ordinary citizen of those medal-winning countries. Just because the Russians have won more gold than, say, the Swiss, Russian average standard of living is not going to get better and that of the average citizen of Switzerland is not going to get worse. I think a far better reason for national pride than sports achievements, is the quality of life in a given nation and all the factors that affect it: quality healthcare, average life expectancy, high standard of education, low crime levels, economy in good shape and all the contributions of a given nation throughout history to the improvement of civilization, to science and the high arts - classical music, books, etc. Granted, those things are not as showy as sports victories, but they will last long after the world forgets who the last Olympic skating champion was, and they provide a much more stable foundation for national identity and national pride. 

Thus, let the Dutchman say to himself more often not: "We have won eight gold medals", but "I live in a beautiful, peaceful, clean and prosperous nation, and that will not change no matter if we win any gold at all".


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## sharik

the closing ceremony -


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## sharik




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## sharik




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## sharik

_the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics Medal standings_


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## EricABQ

Back to the topic of the Olympics, the Russians pulled it off. 

I enjoyed them, like I always do. Its nice to get a break from the normal sports and see unusual things. I particularly enjoy the Nordic sports, even though I tried cross-country skiing once and didn't fare too well.

One thing, though.....after relatively balmy Vancouver and Sochii, it might be nice if the Winter Games were actually held someplace, you know, cold.


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## Guest

This was the most expensive Olympics pulled off to date. The question is what precedent that will set. First of all, was the cost apparent? Did anybody notice a proportional increase in the quality of the games as compared to other cheaper Olympics? For $50 billion, you would have thought they could get all the rings to light up at the same time. And are future venues going to feel they need to be as extravagant? With the world financial situation what it is, it feels a little like Nero fiddling while Rome burns to spend so much on games.


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## EricABQ

An interesting note on Russia's medal count: Two of their golds were won by an American and three golds and a silver were won by a Korean.


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## Piwikiwi

EricABQ said:


> An interesting note on Russia's medal count: Two of their golds were won by an American and three golds and a silver were won by a Korean.


That could have been US medals but the poor guy didn´t get any funding


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## Art Rock

EricABQ said:


> An interesting note on Russia's medal count: Two of their golds were won by an American and three golds and a silver were won by a Korean.


Both were born outside Russia but they have become Russian citizens.


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## sharik

DrMike said:


> This was the most expensive Olympics pulled off to date


no it wasn't because let's keep in mind today's prices on nearly everything are higher than 4 years back.


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## sharik

DrMike said:


> I think the U.S. is not as ignorant of the rest of the world as you might think


if they weren't then its mass media wouldn't even try the hoaxes like those as to Sotchi Olympics.


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## TxllxT

I guess a lot of people are glad and relieved, that 'Sochi' will be remembered for its sportive events and that there was no repeat of 'Munich' whatsoever. Sochi used to be a spa resort and they would do well to build a passenger terminal for cruise ships. That would really attract the tourists from all over the world...


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## Guest

sharik said:


> no it wasn't because let's keep in mind today's prices on nearly everything are higher than 4 years back.


Yes, there is inflation. But Vancouver 2010 cost $8 billion. Sochi cost $51 billion. I don't believe that inflation has been 600%. And Beijing 2012 cost $44 billion, but hosted 3 times as many events.


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## Flamme




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## arpeggio

*American snow boarders are not poor*



Piwikiwi said:


> That could have been US medals but the poor guy didn´t get any funding


Sorry, this is incorrect. The gentleman in question was a snow boarder. American snow boarders have plenty on money. He married a Russian snow boarder who is also on the Russian team. He joined the Russian team so he could compete with his wife. They had a story about them on American TV. (I hate to mention this because some of our members will probably accuse him of being a traitor.)

She also won a bronze medal. I though the announcers stated that, outside of figure skating, they are the first husband and wife who won medals in the same winter Olympics.

The one who was screwed by his home country was the South Korean speed skater who was a member of the Russian Team.

Note: Between WWII (What does WWII have to do with the 2012 Winter Olympics? ) and the Olympics, I have lost track of all the inaccurate statements that have been presented in this thread. I had drafted several posts and gave up.

Note 2: It seems that my above post is inaccurate. Sorry about that. Based on what I saw and read I thought it was accurate. It still does not excuse all of the bogus nonsense I have read here. It is getting to weird so I think I will bow out before someone starts accusing me a being an UnAmerican traitor.


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## EricABQ

arpeggio said:


> Sorry, this is incorrect. The gentleman in question was a snow boarder. American snow boarders have plenty on money.


Yes, they do have money for snowboarding, but they weren't spending it on his particular discipline (Alpine snowboarding.)

Of the approximately $24 million the USSA has to spend, they spend only $150,000 on Alpine snowboarding. His stated reason for skiing for Russia was to get more support: "It has nothing to do with the United States istself. It only has something to do with the nonprofit organization the USSA. They didn't give me what I needed."

So, he pursued his dream where he had the best chance to do what he loved. I say more power to him. You only get one shot at life, so go where you can be happy.


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## Guest

Flamme said:


>


Was this from the closing ceremonies? I tuned out when NBC started showing the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding retrospective, and then ended up watching the Amazing Race, followed by the final episode of Downton Abbey.


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## arpeggio

^^^

He also has a cute wife.


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## Vaneyes

Of 20 Summer and Winter Olympics since 1976, 11 profited or broke even, and 9 lost money.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cost_of_the_Olympic_Games


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## Mahlerian

Thread temporarily closed for repairs.


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