[Closed] The Winter Olympics thread

They were not 'cheering for someone falling' but cheering the fact that JJ had won a medal, just so happened that the fall gave her the medal.

I really can't see how a 'normal' commentator could commentate on a sport like that.

I did think Warwood could get in trouble for his "that's not your pulse" joke when i heard it but I found it funny and refreshing commentary all round.

There really are some incredibly dull people in this country aren't there.

Even I enjoyed it. 😀
Don't tell anyone though.....

And I've never seen the point of a completely unbiased commentary during international sporting events.

Everyone at home is cheering for the Brit, so why pretend otherwise?

Anyone watching the Moguls?
Some tough cookies - seen 2 really big spills and both got up and walked (well skied) away... Nails!
RM.

Really cant believe that people would complain about the commentary, she won the first medal EVER for the UK on snow (Mr Baxter, I'm looking at you in the corner!)she was their friend, and represented the lifestyle they've chosen, and what some of them were never able to achieve (don't forget Ed Leigh was a good rider in his prime)
I thought they were awesome, and TBH I wish other sports had the same level of ownership from their commentators.

Ridiculous isn't it?

Did the same folk complain when Andy Murray won Wimbledon, everyone went mental and the beeb played endless hours of back-patting slow-mos and tributes from Boris Becker etc?

Success [i]should[/i] be celebrated - something we are very bad at in the UK.

It was a little too much for my taste. I dont mind it from Rob Warner as he's not on the BBC. I was cheering her on like anyone else, but a little more professionalism would of been nice. Ed Leigh did a decent job and its easy to forgive Aimee(sp?) as she's not employed as a commentator, but the other guy should of done a little better. Still wouldn't of complained though, a few comments on twitter where no one will read them would of been the height of my annoyance.

Infact, this wound me up so much I've emailed the beeb in support of the coverage. My righteous hat has now been put back in its box. 👿

I suppose the thing is, it works for some sports, but not for others.

That said, I would love to hear them and/or Warner commentating on the icebowls.

😀

CaptainFlashheart - Member
Whiny, whiny, whiny

More than a taste of "grumpy old people complaining about youngsters enjoying themselves" there, I think. 🙄

More than a taste of "grumpy old people complaining about youngsters enjoying themselves" there, I think.

Absolutely, a load of grumpy old farts who have moaned about skiing on TV since Ron Pickering stopped commentating and think David Vine is a "young upstart"

And they probably don't think snowboarding is a real sport and shouldn't be in the Olympics.

I like commentary where they are genuinely excited. Ever watched DH when Rob Warner isn't commentating and it has dry 'professional' presenters? Pretty dull IMO.

It was funny when he switched her mic off for screaming too much. 🙂

Moguls on now. Makes my knees ache just watching it!

The moguls is rather dull, I wonder if technology and specialisation has somewhat killed the spectacle. I think they need to look at course design and the direction the sport is going, because as it is it will die IMO.

Moguls dull? Nah I think this is cracking.

I've been watching the moguls too - strangely captivating for a reason I can't explain.

Question - Does it get easier or harder or stay the same the later you ride the course?

I started thinking it would get easier as the bumps get smoothed off.

Then I thought it would get harder as they get shredded up/shape destroyed.

I just have no idea... anyone know?

The snow looks a mess later in the day but I dunno if it makes it harder or not.

Gets harder. The bumps don't get "smoothed-off" - the ruts get deeper!

Speed skating is pretty good. Especially this 1 lap sprinting.

Watching the moguls makes my knees ache in sympathy!

That's got to take a hefty toll on your body.

Moguls was revolutionalised when they allowed inverted moves off the jumps. I made a feeble attempt at qualifying for Nagano. I did a few inverted moves, sometimes even on purpose 😆

Moguls came from the original hot dog freestyle school of skiing. As with slopestyle and half pipe, as well as snowboardering, it took ages to get in the Olympics.

Woo yay, Katie S in to the finals! Big up da Sheffield massive, etc.

My mate Ben is competing in the men's half pipe today. I actually woke up with butterflies in my stomach, so no idea how he's feeling right now!!!!

🙂

Not if they don't sort the pipe out he wont be...

Are they considering cancelling/delaying it until they sort it out? I'd heard it had been slated from a few people during practise.

The riders were complaining that it wasn't built right, too much vert throwing them back into the bottom, too soft and slushy meaning not fast enough, poor transitions etc.
Looks like they are going ahead, come on guys!

Was there anyone other than the US team who voiced concerns openly? (not a dig at them, just didn't seem to hear anything other than from that team).

Is it just Shaun White moaning again?

katie. ouch.

No, the Brits were moaning on twitter last night. Fair play to them, I know its the same for everyone but I'd expect the shapers to get it right.

Yeah it's disappointing. Worrying too, since everyone is going to be at their limit today, so the chance of injury is surely higher too 🙁

Shaun White with a haircut!!! Yikes he looks like, well, Old. 😯

Looking forward to the Halfpipe, should be full of raddnezzz.

Lets be honest, if you'd prepared for a few years for a couple of runs you'd at least expect the facilities to be up to scratch.

Slopestyle course is cutting up pretty bad from the looks of it, slowing the women down quite a bit.

Go Katie!!!!

yup, shorted that one

Harsh judging there on Katie's second run 🙁 Feel really sorry for the women's ski slopestyle today, terrible conditions. They really got the pooey end of the stick on this one.

That's awful. 70 points, when they've given a 94?

Nooooo! Not a good start for Ben

Most are looking a bit wobbly in the halfpipe though.

Fingers crossed for second run...

look BBC i know you want to talk all the time about Brits, but please please please give us some interviews with the winners, some commentary on the people coming after the Brits (not just talk about what the Brit just did) and overall interest in the games from a non Brit POV.

god this is a shambles!

Gutted 🙁

Agree entirely. I'm blaming the terrible pipe.

Yup, that pipe is shocking. If you're putting your body on the line you'd expect it to be world class. I've seen better conditions in the 'domes.

When is Shaun White on?

When is Shaun White on?

Thank you RM.

DB

We are getting spanked in the curling aren't we?

We're sitting on about 2.5 million pieces of scaffolding put together by the lowest bidder 😆

We are getting spanked in the curling aren't we?

I would rather watch that

The Guardian live feed is pretty good.

We are getting spanked in the curling aren't we?

We are getting spanked in the curling aren't we?

Good result in the end, not sure how they pulled that off.

Women on much better form today, lets hope it continues through the rest of the games.

Top 4 finish needed in the group but a higher finish should mean an easier semi.

No medal for Shaun White.

Bit of a shocker, but it wasn't deserved either really. His 2nd run wasn't clean enough by far.

Nothing for chemmy either. Not sure why she was whooping and cheering after coming over the line in 19th ❓

I'd be happy to get to the bottom after multiple leg breaks, its her last Olympics, TBH I doubt she'll do the world cup next year. Fair play to her.

Not sure why she was whooping and cheering after coming over the line in 19th

Article in the paper today about here saying that she was just happy to be seen (and I paraphrase) as a girl who never stopped trying and never gave up. Good on her!

Chemmy did bloody well getting to Sochi and starting 42nd to finish 19th with a leg that is very much less than healed.

Incredible to see a tie for first, I have never seen that before in DH. Does the other girl get silver or bronze ?

She gets bronze they said on the commentary. I fully appreciate she's (chemmy) done very well to actually get there.

I went home early to watch Shaun do the Pipe and I'm rather glad I did. Despite a rather tatty course I thought the riders performed exceptionally in those conditions and I doff my cap to Shaun for going Big in his 2nd run having hurt more than his pride in the 1st I suspect. 😯
I too can't beleive he's cut his hair.. 😆

Something I noticed recently, was that all of the snowboarderists now appear to be wearing mittens. I'd always thought that mittens weren't [s]kool enough for teh kidz[/s] the best of choice, what with bindings to faff around with. Something change in the fashion stakes?

Yeah, I noticed that. They wouldn't interfere with binding faffage, but they do look a bit
[img] [/img]

for that reason, I'm out.

Something I noticed recently, was that all of the snowboarderists now appear to be wearing mittens. I'd always thought that mittens weren't kool enough for teh kidz the best of choice, what with bindings to faff around with. Something change in the fashion stakes?

I've always worn mittens due to injury and never had a problem with bindings. But agree that they used to be avoided by the cool kids based on fashion. Presumably it's just the cool thing at the moment? I can't keep up 🙂

Never seen the need for mittens myself. Not fashion thing (I happily use the Idiot Strings on my gloves), but they just look like a faff. Bindings might be okay but I imagine zips, buckles, buttons, cameras etc would be a pain.

Suppose they are a bit warmer than gloves, but my gloves are pretty toasty already.

Big mitts are easier for wrist guards and I bought a pair when I broke my wrist as gloves didn't fit

now back in burton ak gloves which are very nice

Czech and Sweden in mens ice hockey at 17.00 go Svenska

Has Putin seen the Luge doubles?

I have a feeling he wouldn't approve..

[img] [/img]

On the mitts versus gloves thing, I've always worn mitts, mostly due to an old injury (snapped tendon between middle and ring finger, and broken knuckle). They are deff warmer than gloves, and I use a mitts with under gloves for faff negation purposes. Bindings are easy to do up/undo with mitts.

Easier to fake a grab with mitts 😛

mitts are warmer.
especially when you spend a lot of time dragging your hands through the snow to keep yourself upright.

I've always worn mitts - never got the memo about them not being cool... 😉

Woodsy - 0930 Slopestyle finals!

[url= http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/winter-olympics/10634581/Sochi-Winter-Olympics-2014-James-Woods-promises-tricks-in-slopestyle.html ]No wussing out! [/url]

Go big, Woodsy! Go big!

Good show in the skeleton currently 🙂

Loved the dreadlocked Swedish skier who ultra baggy pants fell down on the second to last kicker - "Claire Balding will have a field day"
I know I'm a boarder but a lot of the ski slopestyle runs seemed very similar, very few had a definite "style", too much spinning for my old head, was good to see the wall ride used though.
Go Woodsy!

Mitts/Gloves - I normally wear mits when skiing, warmer and its easy to do/undo boot clips etc. If zips are small then you have to take one off but that's easier to do than gloves. Plus my mits are Mammut Extreme so that means I must be a decent skier and cool right ?

Chemmy - she was physched to even make it to the games. I think her best prior result was 13th so 19th with all the injuries is a result.

How about those Japanese 'kids" an Olympic snow medal at 15 ! White is an old man at 27 🙂

If only we had live streaming here in the office, sooo looking forward to watching Woodsys run 😡

@bikebouy - watch it on your phone then !

STOMPING!

Come on woodsy!