Author Topic: The Winter Olympics in Sochi (Read 17591 times)

mattc · « **Reply #100 on:** 16 February, 2014, 05:25:48 pm »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/winter-olympics/10641558/Winter-Olympics-2014-Team-GB-short-track-speed-skater-Elise-Christie-subject-to-internet-threats-after-collision.html

Good grief

Elise gets a final go - in the 1000m - Tue 0930

Meanwhile, I've actually watched some short track without british gurrls in. I was struck by the russian mens 1-2. They seemed to be very much blocking the skaters in position 3+, with skater2 entirely happy for 1 to stay ahead of him for 5 laps, then take Gold.

Is this standard practice in short-track? I did see similar tactics in the heats. It seemed very ... not cricket.

David Martin · « **Reply #101 on:** 18 February, 2014, 11:21:47 am »

How on earth did the british curling team manage to persuade the russians to let them be lead onto the rink by pipes and drums?

mcshroom · « **Reply #102 on:** 18 February, 2014, 11:43:41 am »

Apparently they are a Russian Pipe band. One of the BBC presenters spoke to them a few days ago.

clarion · « **Reply #103 on:** 18 February, 2014, 11:44:32 am »

Talking about Russian bands, two members of Pussy Riot have been arrested in Sochi.

red marley · « **Reply #104 on:** 18 February, 2014, 11:56:08 am »

During an interval in the long track skating over the weekend, the band was playing a gay anthem anthology including Go West and YMCA.

clarion · « **Reply #105 on:** 18 February, 2014, 11:56:51 am »

Really? Cool!

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #106 on:** 18 February, 2014, 01:44:25 pm »

Elise Christie . . . . what a race.

Perfectly judged - I thought there was no way she could get round, but she made the others look so slow, powering round them, then hurtling to the finish. Winning by nearly 1.5s.

Even if she doesn't get a medal in the finals, that was one incredible race.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/26240381

clarion · « **Reply #107 on:** 18 February, 2014, 02:57:19 pm »

Excellent. Glad she's got another shot after the misfortunes.

andygates · « **Reply #108 on:** 18 February, 2014, 08:25:14 pm »

Thinking of short-track speed skating, I thought I saw something that looked like Keirin. Was I mistook, or were teams skating with one "on" player and slingshot pushes?

David Martin · « **Reply #109 on:** 18 February, 2014, 08:38:28 pm »

speed skating relay?

Jaded · « **Reply #110 on:** 19 February, 2014, 05:49:27 pm »

So we get a medal in the Men's curling. Not sure which one yet.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #111 on:** 19 February, 2014, 10:09:31 pm »

Quote from: Jaded on 19 February, 2014, 05:49:27 pm

So we get a medal in the Men's curling. Not sure which one yet.

That'd be hairdressing. All part of the gay conspiracy, obviously.

Jaded · « **Reply #112 on:** 20 February, 2014, 11:10:32 am »

Women's Curling - the Bronze

Clare · « **Reply #113 on:** 20 February, 2014, 01:52:13 pm »

Yay

Some idiot scheduled an interview for 1100 so I missed the final end.

Auntie Helen · « **Reply #114 on:** 20 February, 2014, 01:59:59 pm »

Can I say that Eve Muirhead or Anna Sloan should procreate with Graham Bell.

Their children would have the most beautiful eyes ever!

Flying Duck · « **Reply #115 on:** 20 February, 2014, 09:49:56 pm »

According to Sir David Attenborough the objective of curling :
"The aim of this ritual is to land your walnut in the centre of the nest."

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #116 on:** 20 February, 2014, 10:01:20 pm »

My sister's comment on the curling: Why don't they come and clean my kitchen floor?

Ivo · « **Reply #117 on:** 21 February, 2014, 06:30:05 pm »

One of the Dutch speedskating coaches interviewed in English on US TV (CNBC).

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/02/dutch-speedskating-coach-american-football-sucks/

Gus · « **Reply #118 on:** 21 February, 2014, 06:47:48 pm »

Quote from: Ivo on 21 February, 2014, 06:30:05 pm

One of the Dutch speedskating coaches interviewed in English on US TV (CNBC).

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/02/dutch-speedskating-coach-american-football-sucks/

frankly frankie · « **Reply #119 on:** 21 February, 2014, 07:25:33 pm »

Quote from: clarion on 18 February, 2014, 02:57:19 pm

Excellent. Glad she's got another shot after the misfortunes.

Robbed again. Quite hard to believe she hasn't made an enemy somewhere among the judges.

Jakob · « **Reply #120 on:** 21 February, 2014, 10:37:18 pm »

Quote from: Ivo on 21 February, 2014, 06:30:05 pm

One of the Dutch speedskating coaches interviewed in English on US TV (CNBC).

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/02/dutch-speedskating-coach-american-football-sucks/

Erh, US football is probably one of the most complex team games.

woollypigs · « **Reply #121 on:** 21 February, 2014, 10:42:32 pm »

Quote from: Jakob on 21 February, 2014, 10:37:18 pm

Quote from: Ivo on 21 February, 2014, 06:30:05 pm
One of the Dutch speedskating coaches interviewed in English on US TV (CNBC).

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/02/dutch-speedskating-coach-american-football-sucks/

Erh, US football is probably one of the most complex team games.

Yes they have to cut to an ad break every two minutes while they talk over the rules for the next play

Euan Uzami · « **Reply #122 on:** 21 February, 2014, 10:58:28 pm »

Some of the things they pass off as sport really are farcical.
What's that one where they have to continually brush the ice in front of the path of a puck which doesn't seem to affect it's trajectory one bit.
Where's the accessibility there? It's hardly the sort of thing kids are going to aspire to be good at. "I want to be a footballer!"
"I want to be a cycle racer!"
What do you want to do little Johnny? "I want to be an ice-brusher!"

Jaded · « **Reply #123 on:** 21 February, 2014, 11:11:54 pm »

Quote from: frankly frankie on 21 February, 2014, 07:25:33 pm

Quote from: clarion on 18 February, 2014, 02:57:19 pm
Excellent. Glad she's got another shot after the misfortunes.

Robbed again. Quite hard to believe she hasn't made an enemy somewhere among the judges.

There's one angle that shows her shoulder making contact with the Chinese skater before the latter fell. What I couldn't understand was that if she caused the crash, why was the Chinese skater penalised too.

mattc · « **Reply #124 on:** 22 February, 2014, 09:19:37 am »

Yes, I'd agree there was contact. (But I don't recall a blanket ban on contact.)

Elise is about the unluckiest athlete I can remember in recent games. All these decisions are of the "50/50" nature, as were decisions in many of the other short-track races I've watched at Sochi.

But christ, surely any sane judge with any sense of 'sport' would have given at least ONE of the three in her favour?!?
First event - leaned on by the Italian, much more so than Elise leaned on the chinese yesterday. She certainly didn't cause that crash.
2nd - the finish line rule. She gained no advantage (maybe a disadvantage), possibly didn't even know she'd done it. Made the sport look a little silly.
3rd - she was the one athlete clearly trying to avoid trouble. She backed out of the 1st corner, from 2nd place to last. The final lap 'incident' was at worst, 50:50 - but in reality she made far less contact than many, and the 'both penalised' judgement made no sense at all.

And breathe. I feel 110% better for that rant. Doesn't help Elise, sadly!

Has anyone ever been DQed from _3_ Oly events before? (I mean on the day, not drugs cheats!)

Poll

Are you watching, or boycotting?

Author Topic: The Winter Olympics in Sochi (Read 17591 times)

red marley

Jakob

Euan Uzami