2014 Winter Olympics

[KPENN]

Figured with this starting up a thread could be useful. Kinda sucks with them being in Sochi and all with the time difference. With all that's going on in Russia, I'm mostly hoping for a uneventful couple weeks.

What events are people most looking forward to? Me personally I really only watch ice hockey intently, and try to catch other events here and there.

 

[NDBoiler]

Love the ski jump on the big hill, watching those dudes just launch themselves face first into the air.

 

[KPENN]

This is pretty wild.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/02/04/sports/olympic-venues.html?smid=tw-nytimes&_r=0

 

[ndfi78]

I pretty much spend the entire 2 weeks watching every possible event. Luckily my wife is down with that, the kids... not so much. Oh well, that's why we have multiple TVs.

 

[ACamp1900]

I love me the first half of the Summer Olympics and the Olympic hockey, always been fascinated with Curling also (seems like something I could do.. haha) during the winter games... but I don't get nearly as into it during years like this where the time difference is just obscene.

I get the same way with the World Cup (which I also LOVE)… has to be on at the right time for me to fully take my viewership over. Regardless I'll watch more than the average person over the next two weeks I am sure.

 

[wizards8507]

Do we know what the media situation will look like? I can't be bothered to watch something on a five-hour delay if I've already seen the results on ESPN, and I'm sure as hell not staying up until 4:00 AM to watch ski jumping. If there's relative media silence until events air, I'd be thrilled.

 

[NDWorld247]

Figured with this starting up a thread could be useful. Kinda sucks with them being in Sochi and all with the time difference. With all that's going on in Russia, I'm mostly hoping for a uneventful couple weeks.

I agree, but I don't have a good feeling about this at all. There are too many crazies in close proximity to Sochi for this to be an uneventful games.

 

[ACamp1900]

Do we know what the media situation will look like? I can't be bothered to watch something on a five-hour delay if I've already seen the results on ESPN, and I'm sure as hell not staying up until 4:00 AM to watch ski jumping. If there's relative media silence until events air, I'd be thrilled.

With today's media... Good luck with that.

I agree, but I don't have a good feeling about this at all. There are too many crazies in close proximity to Sochi for this to be an uneventful games.

Just wait until the World Cup in Qatar, still can't believe that one.

 

[Cackalacky]

I will watch anything Sean White is in.
I also could watch Curling all day.

 

[KPENN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Just ran into a veteran Olympian, very familiar with Sochi. "You like it here," I asked. "Honest, it's a shit hole," he said.</p>— steve simmons (@simmonssteve) <a href="https://twitter.com/simmonssteve/statuses/430932315494039553">February 5, 2014</a></blockquote>
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[aubeirish]

Winter Olympics >>>>>>>>>> x10,000 more entertaining than the summer olympics. There are so many really cool events. Ski and snow cross, short track speed skating, half pipe, mogul, curling and of course hockey.

P.S.: Can't wait to see Canada beat the living crap out of everybody. That's the only trash talk i'm going to do.

 

[TheSunIsRising]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Just ran into a veteran Olympian, very familiar with Sochi. "You like it here," I asked. "Honest, it's a shit hole," he said.</p>— steve simmons (@simmonssteve) <a href="https://twitter.com/simmonssteve/statuses/430932315494039553">February 5, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Yeah

I heard a couple of reporters today saying that the accommodations aren't ready yet (they are still finishing hotel rooms and some of the venue areas), and organizers 'hope' to have them ready for the start.

It's a good thing they have a full 48 hours. They should give Jack Bauer a call; imagine what he could do - that's 2 full seasons for him


Even this week there is still truckloads of construction and finishing materials being carted away. I just hope that the ice is frozen in time for hockey to start.

 

[KPENN]

Yeah

I heard a couple of reporters today saying that the accommodations aren't ready yet (they are still finishing hotel rooms and some of the venue areas), and organizers 'hope' to have them ready for the start.

It's a good thing they have a full 48 hours. They should give Jack Bauer a call; imagine what he could do - that's 2 full seasons for him


Even this week there is still truckloads of construction and finishing materials being carted away. I just hope that the ice is frozen in time for hockey to start.

Yeah I did see this too. Between this, bad water, killing stray dog, terror threats etc... This has the potential to be loads of fun.

 

[NDWorld247]

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[Booslum31]

I'm praying everyone stays safe. Just hearing and reading all sorts of scary things. Too bad that that has the potential to be the real story of these games. I guess seven years and $51Billion wasn't enough time or money for the host country.

 

[AvesEvo]

Just so everyone knows, my sister is one of five people that designed all of the graphics and animations for the Olympics. I haven't seen any of it yet, but I'm sure it is awesome. She also told me that NBC Sports is doing a rebrand so I'll keep you guys updated if it effects ND at all.

 

[ACamp1900]

This is why you don't give major international venues to podunk areas like Sochi, Russia... I mean seriously, they expected different?

I'm going to now front the group moving on landing the next World Cup for Martnaham Loch, Scotland... what could go wrong?

 

[palinurus]

I think I'd be great at curling, having spent a lot of time in my youth sweeping floors, shoveling snow, and walking cautiously on icy sidewalks. I also think ski jumping must be the most thrilling sport in the world to do.

 

[GowerND11]

Like others have stated I love the Winter Olympics and watch them much more than the Summer Olympics. Curling just sucks you in, I don't know how, but it is fun to watch. Hockey is always a great watch, speed skating, skiing and snowboarding, and I'll even leave the figure skating on once in a while. The big issue is the safety of everyone there, and I sincerely hope nothing happens, but I won't be holding my breath.

 

[ACamp1900]

Ha, I freaking love curling... I don't know why exactly, but it may be my very favorite event of either olympics short of Hockey... I love how they yell at each other after the stone has already been let go... "Make it go left,... no! that's too much!... make it go back right." lol

 

[ACamp1900]

Once the pool events finish for the Summer Olympics I usually cash in... the track and field does nothing for me.

 

[NDBoiler]

Ha, I freaking love curling... I don't know why exactly, but it may be my very favorite event of either olympics short of Hockey... I love how they yell at each other after the stone has already been let go... "Make it go left,... no! that's too much!... make it go back right." lol

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[irishog77]

I think the Sochi Olympics will be an utter disaster-- the $51 Billion is widely believed to be a conservative estimate; the weather in Sochi isn't conducive to any winter games; security will be a zoo.

That being said, I don't care all that much about the winter games...particularly since so many more "events" have been added. It's like any activity that people do in winter months is now an Olympic event. [I realize this occurs in the summer games too, but to a lesser extent]. What I care even less about though is the hotel conditions of the media. For probably about 95% of them, it is a working vacation anyway, with emphasis added to the vacation segment. We're talking about a profession where many of them actually attend the events they are covering based on the food buffet available to them. We're also talking about a profession that, instead of reporting news (you know, kinda their JOB), CREATES news. Are the athletes' rooms, bathrooms, eating circumstances that bad? No. Fuck you, media.

 

[NDBoiler]

I think the Sochi Olympics will be an utter disaster-- the $51 Billion is widely believed to be a conservative estimate; the weather in Sochi isn't conducive to any winter games; security will be a zoo.

That being said, I don't care all that much about the winter games...particularly since so many more "events" have been added. It's like any activity that people do in winter months is now an Olympic event. [I realize this occurs in the summer games too, but to a lesser extent]. What I care even less about though is the hotel conditions of the media. For probably about 95% of them, it is a working vacation anyway, with emphasis added to the vacation segment. We're talking about a profession where many of them actually attend the events they are covering based on the food buffet available to them. We're also talking about a profession that, instead of reporting news (you know, kinda their JOB), CREATES news. Are the athletes' rooms, bathrooms, eating circumstances that bad? No. Fuck you, media.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to leave the toilet paper in a trash can next to the toilet after i wipe my ass

 

[GowerND11]

Once the pool events finish for the Summer Olympics I usually cash in... the track and field does nothing for me.

They hype the 100M the entire time even thought we know the outcome, and it is only ~10 seconds long. Basketball has no competition, especially when the USA is on top. Compare that with Hockey and there is no argument over which is more entertaining. I actually think the Steeplechase is pretty cool, but still it isn't EXCITING.

 

[Rhode Irish]

I am looking forward to how big of a disaster this is going to be. Schadenfreude to the nth degree.

 

[GoIrish41]

Winter Olympics? Nap time.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Dmitry Kozak, the deputy prime minister responsible for the Olympic preparations, seemed to reflect the view held among many Russian officials that some Western visitors are deliberately trying to sabotage Sochi's big debut out of bias against Russia. "We have surveillance video from the hotels that shows people turn on the shower, direct the nozzle at the wall and then leave the room for the whole day," he said. An aide then pulled a reporter away before Mr. Kozak could be questioned further on surveillance in hotel rooms. "We're doing a tour of the media center," the aide said.

Link: Russian Officials Fire Back at Olympic Critics - WSJ.com

 

[irishog77]

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[ACamp1900]

"We have surveillance video from the hotels that shows people turn on the shower, direct the nozzle at the wall and then leave the room for the whole day," he said. An aide then pulled a reporter away before Mr. Kozak could be questioned further on surveillance in hotel rooms.

LOL wat?!