CelticsStrong

Other Discussions => Other / General Sports => Topic started by: Moranis on January 11, 2014, 11:20:31 AM

Title: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: Moranis on January 11, 2014, 11:20:31 AM
Who else is looking forward to the winter Olympics?
Title: Re: Olympic thread
Post by: Donoghus on January 11, 2014, 11:36:38 AM
Definitely.

I actually enjoy the Winter Olympics more than the Summer games.  So many of the events kick butt in HD too. 

Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: Celtics18 on January 11, 2014, 11:38:05 AM
When do they start?
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: Moranis on January 12, 2014, 09:18:35 AM
When do they start?
February 7-23
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: chicagoceltic on January 12, 2014, 09:51:54 AM
I absolutely LOVE the Olympics, both summer and winter!  The excitement and pride shown by the athletes competing for their country is a joy to watch.

I mentioned this a few years ago in the summer Olympics thread and I will mention it again...one of the greatest moments of sports fandom for me was wathcing the 2008 swim relay race where Jason Lezak chased down the french swimmer on the final leg and won by the smallest of margins keeping Michael Phelps' push for 8 gold medals alive.  Some buddies and I went to a Cubs game and were at a bar in Wrigleyville after the game.  The bar was packed and quieted down for the last leg of that race.  When they showed the results the bar EXPLODED with cheers and U.S.A. chants.  Strangers were high-fiving and hugging each other and as cheesy as it may sound there was an electric feeling in the place.  What other time would a swimming event get a reaction like that?
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: Celtics4ever on January 12, 2014, 10:54:01 AM
Used to be big but becoming more of a joke with each year.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: Donoghus on February 04, 2014, 05:08:08 PM
Sounds like things are off a stellar start in Sochi.

http://deadspin.com/staying-in-sochi-is-a-hilarious-adventure-1515722114

In all seriousness though, does anyone else have a bad feeling about these Olympics? 
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: kozlodoev on February 04, 2014, 05:24:11 PM
In all seriousness though, does anyone else have a bad feeling about these Olympics?
In a country that worries more about gay "propaganda" and phasing out TV stations that ask "insulting" questions, I didn't expect anything different.

IOC should really be ripping the organizers, not the groups that are boycotting this shameful excuse for Olympic games.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: rocknrollforyoursoul on February 04, 2014, 05:26:10 PM
Sounds like things are off a stellar start in Sochi.

http://deadspin.com/staying-in-sochi-is-a-hilarious-adventure-1515722114

In all seriousness though, does anyone else have a bad feeling about these Olympics?

Construction isn't even finished on a bunch of the infrastructure, and Sochi is actually a subtropical city—and only about the size of Encenitas, California. How did this place even get consideration for hosting the Olympics?

I'm not surprised at the situation, though, considering this is Russia.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: Donoghus on February 04, 2014, 05:29:53 PM
In all seriousness though, does anyone else have a bad feeling about these Olympics?
In a country that worries more about gay "propaganda" and phasing out TV stations that ask "insulting" questions, I didn't expect anything different.

IOC should really be ripping the organizers, not the groups that are boycotting this shameful excuse for Olympic games.

Agreed that the IOC should be all over these guys although they were the ones who ultimately awarded Sochi these games in the first place.  They should've been pressuring and even threatening the organizers when things were falling behind.

I probably could've said it better but the bad feeling question stems from wondering if some sort of terrorist act is going to happen at these games.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: kozlodoev on February 04, 2014, 05:32:58 PM
Sounds like things are off a stellar start in Sochi.

http://deadspin.com/staying-in-sochi-is-a-hilarious-adventure-1515722114

In all seriousness though, does anyone else have a bad feeling about these Olympics?

Construction isn't even finished on a bunch of the infrastructure, and Sochi is actually a subtropical city—and only about the size of Encenitas, California. How did this place even get consideration for hosting the Olympics?

I'm not surprised at the situation, though, considering this is Russia.
Someone thought it was a good idea to award a WC to Quatar, and seriously considered playing it in the summer, as usual. Apparently money seems to trump common sense all around these days.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: kozlodoev on February 04, 2014, 05:43:15 PM
Construction isn't even finished on a bunch of the infrastructure, and Sochi is actually a subtropical city—and only about the size of Encenitas, California. How did this place even get consideration for hosting the Olympics?
Sochi itself is a popular Russian sea resort on the Black Sea. This type of climate is only found at the lower elevation, though.

That's not where the events take place. That happens at the (newly expanded) Krasnaya Polyana/Rosa Khutor complex that goes up to 7,000 feet above sea level.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: D.o.s. on February 04, 2014, 05:54:03 PM
I'm with Terje:

Quote
The whole thing is corrupt – the IOC is run by a few people, when in reality it is something that should be owned by the whole world and to benefit sport, not just to make them money.

How would I change it? I would make it so that a host city would get the rights to sell the rings and the imagery of the Olympics themselves in every country around the world – and use that revenue to pay for all the new facilities, which that town could then use to improve local facilities.

Any extra money could then be used to support sport around the world. That’s how easy it could be. If people had values, we could start to change it.

Quote
Ultimately, the whole qualification system isn’t built to make sure the best guys are there. It’s to have all the nations included so that they can sell the Rings to more territories, so they can get more commercial revenue for the IOC people. Who don’t pay tax on it either.

http://whitelines.com/features/comment/terje-haakonsen-why-i-still-hate-the-olympics.html
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: rocknrollforyoursoul on February 04, 2014, 06:10:34 PM
Sounds like things are off a stellar start in Sochi.

http://deadspin.com/staying-in-sochi-is-a-hilarious-adventure-1515722114

In all seriousness though, does anyone else have a bad feeling about these Olympics?

Construction isn't even finished on a bunch of the infrastructure, and Sochi is actually a subtropical city—and only about the size of Encenitas, California. How did this place even get consideration for hosting the Olympics?

I'm not surprised at the situation, though, considering this is Russia.
Someone thought it was a good idea to award a WC to Quatar, and seriously considered playing it in the summer, as usual. Apparently money seems to trump common sense all around these days.

Good point.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: rocknrollforyoursoul on February 04, 2014, 06:11:26 PM
Construction isn't even finished on a bunch of the infrastructure, and Sochi is actually a subtropical city—and only about the size of Encenitas, California. How did this place even get consideration for hosting the Olympics?
Sochi itself is a popular Russian sea resort on the Black Sea. This type of climate is only found at the lower elevation, though.

That's not where the events take place. That happens at the (newly expanded) Krasnaya Polyana/Rosa Khutor complex that goes up to 7,000 feet above sea level.

That makes more sense. Still, though, I wouldn't trust Russia with being able to accomplish something like this, and on time.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: kozlodoev on February 04, 2014, 06:17:52 PM
Another particularly informative read about the Sochi Olympics in particular, and Russia in general:

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-02/the-2014-winter-olympics-in-sochi-cost-51-billion#p1
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: Donoghus on February 15, 2014, 10:22:44 AM
Absolutely epic hockey game btw USA & Russia.  USA wins it in the 8th round of the shootout.

TJ Oshie carried the US on his back there. 4 shootout goals.

Just absolutely full of drama. Huge no goal call against the Russians in the 3rd. 

This is why I love sports.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: mgent on February 15, 2014, 10:55:34 AM
Epic is right.

I was jumping up/down and yelling so loud during that shootout that my throat still hurts.
Title: Re: ' 14 Winter Olympic thread
Post by: dark_lord on February 17, 2014, 07:47:22 PM
i love the summer olympics and want to love the winter games, but i just struggle to do so.  i respect the athletes and their sports, but i just cant get into it or watch for more than like 20 minutes at a time