That is probably the main reason why snowboarding event was added...US dominates it and we have the most pull. It's almost a guarantee win for us.

 

You could be right, I don't know. We are the 800 lb. gorilla so to speak.

I thought maybe they added it because its popular, growing, and so sells tickets and drives up TV ratings and ad revenue. I imagine that other countries will catch up eventually in skill but US may lead for a while.

I think I can understand those that don't care for it - the culture of snowboarding is so different than the traditional sports. But I think it's a positive difference. You don't see skiers and skaters cheering on and high fiving their competition so much. Boarders seem to appreciate a good ride more than medals and such regardless of what country a rider hails from.

Blasting AC/DC from the loudspeakers during the gold medal run works for me but I know, sadly, it's not for everybody.

 

Notice how many of those athletes with medals Live in Alberta ?

This is the legacy of the 1988 winter olympics in Calgary

 

I used to really like the olympics when I was younger. The problem now is, I just can't seem to get into all of the sports the way I used to. Maybe its because its in Italy, and I can catch the highlights before they actually air them. I actually liked the winter olympics more than I did the summer olympics, but that changed two years ago I think. Curling is great, something addictive about watching it.

My biggest turn offs about this winter olympics.

1. Bode Miller Hype
2. Torino or Turin
3. The nightly news shows the results before the actual events

 

Here's an example of how big curling is in some parts of this country> Brad Gushu's rink(team) from plays Finland tomorrow afternoon for Gold.

From the CBC website;

"Gushue will have an entire nation behind him, including thousands of school kids who were given the afternoon off by Newfoundland and Labrador Education Minister Joan Burke.

She called Friday's match a historic moment for Newfoundland and Labrador.

"We want our students to remember exactly where they were when they saw the world recognize the talent in this province," Burke said in a statement.

In St. John's, a crowd of about 6,000 is expected to gather at Mile One Stadium to watch the final."

 

I love the olympics, especially the winter games. BUT I really am irritated by the coverage on NBC. WAY too many personal stories of triumph and/or adversity etc. I know some people really love that stuff, but why not just air the games/contests and put the true-life stories on a sister network (Bravo, MSNBC, CNBC, USA - or more appropriately Lifetime).

 

I like watching the Olypics, the news station announces before they give the results incase we dont' wanna see. And have yall seen the Skiing Arials? Holy Friggin' crap! I don't plan on ever being that high without a parachute. and did you see the womens arials the on Wed.? it was so foggy you could see from one end of the hill to the other. The spectators had to be like, "hey if you hang out here a while a skiier falls out of the sky!" I love watching the winter olympics (I'm 20)
-matt

 

I like the Winter Olympics 10x more than the Summer Olympics. I can't explain why, I just do. Except for ariel skiing. Having suffered a skiing related knee injury, my leg gets sore just watching them land. And when that Aussie girl hurt her knee on a fall, it almost brought tears to my eyes. It reminded me of how much that hurts. But thats the only event I won't watch.

The curling is fun, although a bit slow to watch at sometimes, but I like sitting around discussing strategy with others. Long track speed skating is where its at. They look so graceful, yet are flying. My brother and I both agreed if we were to partake in the Olympics, we'd be speed skaters. That short track stuff though, it looks like a bloody accident waiting to happen.

The hockey is dissapointing to both Canadians and Americans, but I'll admit, I knew nothing of the American team, and probly couldn't tell you 8 players on it. Well, thats a lie, I probly could. Perhaps it's a sign of lack of quality players right now? In a few years the American program will be better (its still good), get some of the dinosaurs out (Chris Chelios & Derian Hatcher, I'm looking at you) and get some of the young blood in. Anyway, we had enough controversy on our side of the border. What with Neyedermayer taking his time deciding, then finding a replacement, and the Janet situation.....

Looks like we should wind up with 21 medals, a nice number. But look out in 2010, top of the mountain here we come!

To sum up cause this is goin long and its past my bedtime, winter olympics=good.

Trevor

 

im not a big fan of the olympics. i just "discoverd" curling this year, i happend to hear my mom and sister upstairs dying of laughter, they'd stumbled apon it.

curling is the weirdest thing i've ever seen. i cant help but laugh when they soom in on their faces, they always have such a serious look. their screaming who knows what in all the various languages.

if anyone can tell me what is the point of the game? get as many rocks in the target as you can or what?

im still waiting to see one of them slip and fall, but their all to good at their weird little sport.

 

The object of the game is to get as many rocks as close to the bullseye as possible.
The ice is cleaned and pebbled at the start of every game.
The group of circles is called " The House"
Each team gets 8 rocks (4 players throw 2 rocks each)
The circles are called: the 12 foot, 8 Foot, 4 foot, & the centre dot is called the Button.
When the Skip (team captain) or 3rd (asst Team captain) places their broom on the ice in the circle at the other end of the rink,that is the target for the rock of a team member to be directed at.
The rock thrown perfectly should do what the Skip wanted the rock to do.(ie: like hide behind an opponents rock)

The rock is thrown with either an in-turn or an Out-turn to allow the rock to CURL in around other rocks.
Rules:
A personcannot sweep an opponents rock until it clears the haf house line
A person has to release the rock before the foul line
A person cannot touch a rock with any part of the body unless the rock doesn't clear the hog line (Minimum distance the rock has to travel to be considered In Play) or hits a side board.These rocks are removed from play.

There is a saying here in Canada : You either Bowl or you Curl in the winter because you can't do both in the same season as it will only screw up your game.

 

Curling is basically shuffleboard on ice.

I never watch the summer olympics, they are freakin' boring and dull compared to
Skeleton -130Km/hr head first down a bobseld run
Luge- same thing backwards
Bobsled- yeeehaw!
Hockey- compared to basketball ? get real
Downhill skiing.. I used to love to go fast when I could afford to do this sport.. would have loved to have been a downhill racer


tossing discusses and baseball and basketball and sprinting just don't hold a candle

 

Actually curling is more like chess. The strategy is just as important as the ability to make shots.
Its really more of a participant sport than a spectator sport.

Its a great social sport, and a weekend bonspiel is a great time.
here are some club rules...

....Winning team always buys the first round of drinks.....losing team always sticks around long enough to buy the second.
... if both teams agree, you can leave your brooms on the ice, skip an end, and go to the bar for a drink. This is called "Stacking the brooms"...

...Skip isn't allowed to complain about being cold...if he wants to be warm then he can sweep while the rest of the team yells at him! (but then, he's down at the other end of the rink, so you don't have to listen to him anyway)

 

WOW so these are the offical rules. i guess it sorta makes sense to me now. im more into bowling myself, and bowling has beer.

 

oh mil1ion one more question, i've noticed the timer counting down in the back ground during curling, what is the purpose of it?

 

I'll take a crack at that question.

It's an alarm clock to wake up people?