Vancouver 2010 - Oh Yeah! - ATTENTION:SPOILERS

[ladywithspinninghead]

If I weren't feeling so pro-Canadian right now, I'd be inclined to agree with you. It was quite anticlimactic. I'm not sure what they could have done differently though, other than to have the real cauldron closer to/right outside of BC Place? I'm not familiar with the area, so I don't know how feasible that would have been. They sure couldn't expect 20,000+ spectators, dignitaries and athletes to sit through 3 hours of ceremonies in the pissing down rain, and that's exactly what you get with that region.

Agreed. It was a bit tacky but I'm not sure what the alternative could have been. As for location, I think they wanted to have it near the ocean and other than running (which he couldn't have done considering the distance and how out of breath he already seemed!), not sure how they could have transported him otherwise.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

Call me in the minority, but I did not mind Gretzsky taking the Olympic torch to the outdoor cauldron. The people running beside him looked happy and it is was a proud moment for them. No one made an ass out of themselves.

 

[kramwest1]

Agreed. It was a bit tacky but I'm not sure what the alternative could have been. As for location, I think they wanted to have it near the ocean and other than running (which he couldn't have done considering the distance and how out of breath he already seemed!), not sure how they could have transported him otherwise.

I really liked the Opening Ceremonies and Gretzsky's slow-mo, OJ/White Bronco-esque ride through the streets.
But, to be honest, a small part of me wanted Gretzsky to wrist-shot a flaming puck into a big cauldron.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

Simon Ammann of Switzerland just won the first gold medal of the Olympics in the NH ski jump. Fun!

Just watched his jump.

 

[DrTeeth]

Dutch Gold speedskating medal for Sven Kramer!

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

Congrats! That was a sweet moment when he went into the stands to hug his parents and girlfriend.

 

[Popmartijn]

Dutch Gold speedskating medal for Sven Kramer!

It was a good race. Nice that he did it in an Olympic Record. Quite an achievement for a low-altitude location.

Congrats! That was a sweet moment when he went into the stands to hug his parents and girlfriend.

Other people also watch the speed-skating tournament? I thought only the Dutchies were crazy enough to care about having 29.6 laps and staying below the 30.



(But yeah, that was a sweet moment. Also a big congrats to the Korean guy, especially considering where he came from.)

 

[ladywithspinninghead]

Here's a site to a medal tracker for the Olympics:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/2010/medals/tracker/

Look quickly Marty - Netherlands are in first place

 

[Popmartijn]

Here's a site to a medal tracker for the Olympics:

2010 Winter Olympics - Vancouver, Canada - Total Medals By Nation - SI.com

Look quickly Marty - Netherlands are in first place

Can we end these Olympics today? Just so the Dutchies remain #1 in the medal tracker ranking.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

It was a good race. Nice that he did it in an Olympic Record. Quite an achievement for a low-altitude location.




Other people also watch the speed-skating tournament? I thought only the Dutchies were crazy enough to care about having 29.6 laps and staying below the 30.



(But yeah, that was a sweet moment. Also a big congrats to the Korean guy, especially considering where he came from.)

Of course! It is one of my favorite Olympic sports. NBC did a nice profile about the Dutch love of speed skating.

 

[DrTeeth]

We only love it because it's the only thing we're actually quite good at.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Simon Ammann of Switzerland just won the first gold medal of the Olympics in the NH ski jump. Fun!

Yep, nailed the gold medal with a brilliant jump. He's a gun.

 

[Thora]

Other people also watch the speed-skating tournament? I thought only the Dutchies were crazy enough to care about having 29.6 laps and staying below the 30.

Yup! I do! Enjoyed watching what I was able to catch today. I'm going to a speed skating event in just over a week. Should be great fun!

 

[coolian2]

Call me in the minority, but I did not mind Gretzsky taking the Olympic torch to the outdoor cauldron. The people running beside him looked happy and it is was a proud moment for them. No one made an ass out of themselves.

yeah, i liked it. it was a nice rare moment to have the torch and the olympics themselves (for wont of a better phrase) seemingly spontaneously available to the people with no crowd control barriers, just a chance for it to really get in touch.

 

[Pearl]

Wow, that was some speed-skating race! It really looked like the Koreans were going for 1,2 and 3, but then the last two crashed literally last minute and Apollo Ohno (sp?) took the silver. Another American, Celski, got the bronze.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

We only love it because it's the only thing we're actually quite good at.

quite good at and quite proud of!

 

[Liesje]

Other people also watch the speed-skating tournament? I thought only the Dutchies were crazy enough to care about having 29.6 laps and staying below the 30.

LOL, well I personally watch pretty much every second of Olympic coverage (and I'm Dutch...).

 

[DaveC]

But, to be honest, a small part of me wanted Gretzsky to wrist-shot a flaming puck into a big cauldron.

That would have been awesome.

yeah, i liked it. it was a nice rare moment to have the torch and the olympics themselves (for wont of a better phrase) seemingly spontaneously available to the people with no crowd control barriers, just a chance for it to really get in touch.

It has been like that for the entire torch run through Canada, other than two RCMP officers running behind it has been very much an intimate thing. The torch passed right through my home town, and right through the base I'm posted at. My fiancee and me watched it run right past our apartment, and there were people running alongside the torch as well. I read somewhere that the torch passed within a one-hour drive of 99% of all Canadians, and it also visited every single Canadian military base and station in the country. A lot of the torch bearers also have been ordinary Canadians, not just famous people and sponsors. It really was very much a "Canadian" thing, if that makes any sense, and it made me really proud.

 

[kellyahern]

LOL, well I personally watch pretty much every second of Olympic coverage (and I'm Dutch...).

Me too (well, except the last part ).

And as a proud member of the Colbert Nation, I made a donation to the USA speed skating team - so now I feel I have a vested interest as well

 

[Thora]

The ladies moguls tonight was awesome, and quite the nailbiter at the end. Too bad Jenn Heil didn't win the gold, but the silver was well deserved.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

Yay team USA!

 

[powerhour24]

Wow, I'm gonna miss Ohno when he retires, it was his emergence along with Derek Parra's success in the long-track in Salt Lake City that made me fall in love with speed-skating. But Celski seems to be his heir-apparent for the US team.

 

[powerhour24]

Other people also watch the speed-skating tournament? I thought only the Dutchies were crazy enough to care about having 29.6 laps and staying below the 30.

Former skater myself actually.

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

^oh that means you have nice legs!

 

[powerhour24]

Haha, don't be getting any ideas now. I'm done with spandex.

 

[kramwest1]

Me too (well, except the last part ).

And as a proud member of the Colbert Nation, I made a donation to the USA speed skating team - so now I feel I have a vested interest as well

Yup, I chipped in for the speedskating team, too. Yay Colbert! Yay Team USA!

Thora, which speedskating event are you seeing?

We'll be at Short Track on Wednesday night. Woohoo!

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Katherine Reutter is fucking hot and she's from Champaign and I like her and go USA.

 

[blueeyedgirl]

When's the curling on???? I love any sport where the competitors never see a gym and which involves brooms

 

[indra]

When's the curling on???? I love any sport where the competitors never see a gym and which involves brooms

Now that's my kinda sport!

...except for the sweeping part....

 

[Thora]

Thora, which speedskating event are you seeing?

We'll be at Short Track on Wednesday night. Woohoo!

I'm going to the 10,000m final (Men's). That's on the 23rd. Most of my events are that week.

Have fun at yours!!

When's the curling on???? I love any sport where the competitors never see a gym and which involves brooms

Here's the schedule. It doesn't start until Tuesday. Schedule and Results : Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics I'll be watching too!