Beijing Winter Olympics 2022

[A_B]

I really miss the days when the US dominated in speedskating, though.

This has been my main takeaway too. It would be like if we sucked at swimming.

Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden aren't walking through that door!

(Is the US still good at the short-track version?)

Oh, no.

[degenerasian]

Oof. Tough Olympics for Mikaela Shiffrin.

Flashes me back to Dan Jansen, minus the sister dying on the eve of the race.

Brutal. So obviously a mental thing, which is shocking given her extensive past success. I believe her dad died this year (or somewhat recently) so maybe that’s contributing.

Her father died 2 years ago (Feb 2020).

Thanks NBC for focusing on her sitting on the snow, clearly distraught, for about 15 minutes after she skied out. Ghouls. And then, once she was no longer in contention, they shuffled the rest of the women's slalom coverage to Peacock instead of NBC.

But that's the audience they cater to, or the audience they've grown.
For example, tonight Nathan Chen skates at 12:45AM ET in the long program and all Americans on twitter are bitching about it. Why is he skating so late? Why can't NBC do something about this?

The long program starts at 9AM Beijing Time and yes, it takes nearly 5 hours. 24 skaters at like 10 minutes each, program+scores. Plus warmups and zamboni. Chen leading after the short program, goes last, just like any other sport.

Well, why can't Nathan Chen go first? Why can't the losers go last? Why can't the losers go at 6AM?

This is the way American's watch the Olympics, not sure if it's because that's how American networks have always done it, or because that's what Americans want. My parents are recording Olympic coverage every night and FF to events they think Americans can win. My mom said she doesn't care about a skiing event if it's between a Norwegian and Frenchman or whatever. The Olympic coverage is for people who only watch the sports once every four years and want to cheer the flag rather than the athletes. Nothing wrong with it, especially since the majority of events are sports that very few people follow in the US. I can't stand Olympic coverage, I'm jaded and no longer care about the human interest stories and the dramatic bullshit. When I was a kid, I ate it up and watched every minute. I used to obsessively follow the hockey tournament, but I haven't even watched that for 20 years. The crazy thing, I legit have no memory of the 2018 Olympics happening. I don't remember South Korea hosting the Winter Olympics. I thought about watching the other night, but realized I'd much rather watch Ozark.

Sure, I think we watch for Canadians too so it's no different. Networks should show live events that they think their athletes have the best chance in. But they should at least show the event to its completion, not book it when Shiffrin, the 7th skiier, goes out and not even confirm who won the thing.

In recent years, CBC has done something I think is distasteful. They show Canadians receiving their medals only and then cut it off. In the past, when a Canadian won a medal, they would show the entire ceremony and the winner getting their gold and anthem played. Now we only hear it if it's O Canada and then they cut out silver and bronze.

[The Sybian]

Oof. Tough Olympics for Mikaela Shiffrin.

Flashes me back to Dan Jansen, minus the sister dying on the eve of the race.

Brutal. So obviously a mental thing, which is shocking given her extensive past success. I believe her dad died this year (or somewhat recently) so maybe that’s contributing.

Her father died 2 years ago (Feb 2020).

Thanks NBC for focusing on her sitting on the snow, clearly distraught, for about 15 minutes after she skied out. Ghouls. And then, once she was no longer in contention, they shuffled the rest of the women's slalom coverage to Peacock instead of NBC.

But that's the audience they cater to, or the audience they've grown.
For example, tonight Nathan Chen skates at 12:45AM ET in the long program and all Americans on twitter are bitching about it. Why is he skating so late? Why can't NBC do something about this?

The long program starts at 9AM Beijing Time and yes, it takes nearly 5 hours. 24 skaters at like 10 minutes each, program+scores. Plus warmups and zamboni. Chen leading after the short program, goes last, just like any other sport.

Well, why can't Nathan Chen go first? Why can't the losers go last? Why can't the losers go at 6AM?

This is the way American's watch the Olympics, not sure if it's because that's how American networks have always done it, or because that's what Americans want. My parents are recording Olympic coverage every night and FF to events they think Americans can win. My mom said she doesn't care about a skiing event if it's between a Norwegian and Frenchman or whatever. The Olympic coverage is for people who only watch the sports once every four years and want to cheer the flag rather than the athletes. Nothing wrong with it, especially since the majority of events are sports that very few people follow in the US. I can't stand Olympic coverage, I'm jaded and no longer care about the human interest stories and the dramatic bullshit. When I was a kid, I ate it up and watched every minute. I used to obsessively follow the hockey tournament, but I haven't even watched that for 20 years. The crazy thing, I legit have no memory of the 2018 Olympics happening. I don't remember South Korea hosting the Winter Olympics. I thought about watching the other night, but realized I'd much rather watch Ozark.

Sure, I think we watch for Canadians too so it's no different. Networks should show live events that they think their athletes have the best chance in. But they should at least show the event to its completion, not book it when Shiffrin, the 7th skiier, goes out and not even confirm who won the thing.

In recent years, CBC has done something I think is distasteful. They show Canadians receiving their medals only and then cut it off. In the past, when a Canadian won a medal, they would show the entire ceremony and the winner getting their gold and anthem played. Now we only hear it if it's O Canada and then they cut out silver and bronze.

Countries other than the US win medals and have their anthems played? I agree with your position, but I don't think the majority of Olympic viewers in America want to watch a ski competition after the favorite American is eliminated, they'd rather jump to watching an American compete in another event. In the past, they'd show full events on subsidiary networks, and the overview, highlights and studio show on the main network. With streaming, if they were smart, they'd give people the option to watch whatever they wanted in full. Maybe using an international feed and no announcer if necessary, because they can't have an announcer and camera crew at every single event.

[Steve of phpBB]

Countries other than the US win medals and have their anthems played? I agree with your position, but I don't think the majority of Olympic viewers in America want to watch a ski competition after the favorite American is eliminated, they'd rather jump to watching an American compete in another event. In the past, they'd show full events on subsidiary networks, and the overview, highlights and studio show on the main network. With streaming, if they were smart, they'd give people the option to watch whatever they wanted in full. Maybe using an international feed and no announcer if necessary, because they can't have an announcer and camera crew at every single event.

I think this is basically happening now on Peacock - which we're accessing on our TV through our Comcast cable box.

[degenerasian]

Well. The Russian Olympic Committee is going to have the change it's name!

[pruitt2]

Well. The Russian Olympic Committee is going to have the change it's name!

The situation is complicated even further because, under the rules of the World Anti-Doping Code, Valieva is a "Protected Person".

That means as "an athlete who at the time of the anti-doping rule violation: has not reached the age of sixteen" Valieva cannot officially be identified if she is guilty of an anti-doping violation.

[wlu_lax6]

I really miss the days when the US dominated in speedskating, though.

This has been my main takeaway too. It would be like if we sucked at swimming.

Bonnie Blair and Eric Heiden aren't walking through that door!

(Is the US still good at the short-track version?)

Oh, no.

See just another case of Swampers putting Shani Davis down

[Rex]

C9433170-2002-4730-9DAE-17F9D724A902.jpeg (22 KiB) Viewed 567 times

[Rex]

I really miss the days when the US dominated in speedskating, though.

This has been my main takeaway too. It would be like if we sucked at swimming.

I think this actually may have started with Shani Davis and his mom.

Edit: sorry, i missed that @wlu_lax got there first

[Rex]

I used to think the US coverage of the Olympics is bad. Then I took a trip to England and Scotland during a Winter Games. Team GB won maybe 3 medals the whole time. And you would think there were only 3 events.

[Steve of phpBB]

CNBC is taking a commercial break in the middle of each end. In addition to the break between each end.

W. T. F.

[Rex]

[+] spoiler

ROC needs to find some curling drugs

[Square Rob]

Valieva being suspended for failing a doping test would be a massive story. She is unreal. If you watched some of the coverage, the chatter around her is she’s the best skater anyone has ever seen. To my untrained eye she is. Part of what separates her is her power and elevation in her jumps, so who knows.

[Rex]

I still can’t figure out how drugs would help a figure skater, other than pain relief.

[degenerasian]

I still can’t figure out how drugs would help a figure skater, other than pain relief.

Endurance. Hours and hours of practice of the long program is exhuasting.

Trimetazidine.

https://time.com/6146748/kamila-valieva ... etazidine/

Valieva reportedly tested positive for the drug trimetazidine, which is a heart medication generally prescribed to patients with angina to maintain blood flow and prevent blockages that can stop the heart. It can also reduce inflammation and relax blood vessels, and helps people who have had stents or heart operations to maintain the steady flow of blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

The drug has had a darker history in recent years, however, as a doping agent by athletes looking for an extra edge in endurance, whether for training or for competition.

[Nonlinear FC]

Yeah, we were introduced to PED's mainly through weight lifters and football players that were highly focused on building muscle mass. But, the reality is that a TON of these drugs are used in more subtle ways. A lot of the cycling doping cases aren't about muscle mass, primarily, they are about these endurance enhancements that allow athletes to just push their bodies past normal limits.

[wlu_lax6]

Bet he is the best Jewish-Canadian-Chinese Olympic hockey player
https://forward.com/news/482168/ethan-w ... -olympics/

[DaveInSeattle]

I still can’t figure out how drugs would help a figure skater, other than pain relief.

Endurance. Hours and hours of practice of the long program is exhuasting.

Trimetazidine.

https://time.com/6146748/kamila-valieva ... etazidine/

Valieva reportedly tested positive for the drug trimetazidine, which is a heart medication generally prescribed to patients with angina to maintain blood flow and prevent blockages that can stop the heart. It can also reduce inflammation and relax blood vessels, and helps people who have had stents or heart operations to maintain the steady flow of blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

The drug has had a darker history in recent years, however, as a doping agent by athletes looking for an extra edge in endurance, whether for training or for competition.

Yeah...they were talking last night during the Nathan Chen-fest (Who was amazing...and was wearing a great shirt!) that skaters get a bonus score if they do big jumps in the second portion of the long program because of the fatigue.

[pruitt2]

Bet he is the best Jewish-Canadian-Chinese Olympic hockey player
https://forward.com/news/482168/ethan-w ... -olympics/

Two minutes for high schticking!

[The Sybian]

Bet he is the best Jewish-Canadian-Chinese Olympic hockey player
https://forward.com/news/482168/ethan-w ... -olympics/

Two minutes for high schticking!

So close... we were looking for "two minutes for chop schticking."

[Steve of phpBB]

Bet he is the best Jewish-Canadian-Chinese Olympic hockey player
https://forward.com/news/482168/ethan-w ... -olympics/

Two minutes for high schticking!

Oy vey.

[degenerasian]

I watched the biathlon and it's basically survivor. Miss a shot and you're out and it's between those who don't miss.
A few are good enough to overcome a miss from a slower skiier, but not many and not against each other.

[rass]

Some dude just went over 22’ above the top of the halfpipe and it seemed like a lot to me and seemed like a lot to the announcers and the replay looked like he was floating and then he kicked the board and went even a little higher.

ETA: some other guy almost hit 24

[degenerasian]

Schuster is shooting the lights in this game.

[Rex]

Some dude just went over 22’ above the top of the halfpipe and it seemed like a lot to me and seemed like a lot to the announcers and the replay looked like he was floating and then he kicked the board and went even a little higher.

He just went higher the second time! And he's not winning! Granted, he fell on the second run.

[Ryan]

Some dude just went over 22’ above the top of the halfpipe and it seemed like a lot to me and seemed like a lot to the announcers and the replay looked like he was floating and then he kicked the board and went even a little higher.

Almost 24 on the next run. Way cooler than all the spins.

[Rex]

The judging is weird....feels like the Olympics have begun

[rass]

The judging is weird....feels like the Olympics have begun

Announcer is letting lose!

[Rex]

He's ready to throw hands. And this doesn't even implicate an American.

[Rex]

Well I guess it implicates the American judge. We're the new East Germans!

[Rex]

Potential web redemption for the judges....

[Rex]

The halfpipe competition had it all: incredible runs, controversy, tears, fist bumps, reminders of our mortality, and justice done in the end. I look forward to the next one 4 years from now.

[A_B]

[Steve of phpBB]

Some dude just went over 22’ above the top of the halfpipe and it seemed like a lot to me and seemed like a lot to the announcers and the replay looked like he was floating and then he kicked the board and went even a little higher.

Almost 24 on the next run. Way cooler than all the spins.

Halfpipe is one of those places where the strength difference between men and women is just so glaring. Women's halfpipe is fine, but holy shit do the men bring it.

[degenerasian]

Who says there's no snow in Beijing? It's coming down hard right now for the snowboard cross.

[rass]

Who says there's no snow in Beijing? It's coming down hard right now for the snowboard cross.

Looks great. And this is a fun event.

[Rex]

nobody is buying this "snow"

[rass]

Mixed team snow cross was fun!

[Rex]

Ah, the last American gold medal winner who played Double Dragon. Unless Shuster wins again. End of an era.

[degenerasian]

Mixed team snow cross was fun!

Got a bronze after getting stomped on.