The Olympics thread

[Lmk92]

Who came up with Skeleton??? Looks like something my.boys would have thought of when they were 8.

 

[shadoj]

Who came up with Skeleton??? Looks like something my.boys would have thought of when they were 8.

I don't know, but I still kinda want to try it. My 40yr old body says no, but my brain says "wheeee!"

 

[Lmk92]

I don't know, but I still kinda want to try it. My 40yr old body says no, but my brain says "wheeee!"

My 56 year old body/brain is saying the same thing

 

[Lmk92]

Omg, I'm in tears watching the mixed snowboard cross

 

[Jilly]

I'm not...bronze!!

 

[Lmk92]

I'm not...bronze!!

The story of those two on the winning team made me really root for them

 

[SkiGAP]

Also, the Peacock broadcasters for these races have to be the least illuminating commentators I've ever heard. I'd been loving the other British guy that was doing World Cup on Peacock--Carlton Kirby? He was terrific, and funny.

I feel super lucky to have a choice between UK and FR commentators. Either-or seem more insightful and assume more basic knowledge than I recall from US professionals.

 

[Christy]

The Peacock (NBC app) broadcast team is the Canadian former racer Britt Janyk and an English guy who, I'm pretty sure, has not once told us his name. They have very little to say that is interesting or useful.

A different English guy--Carlton Kirby--was doing commentary for Peacock before the Olympics and he was terrific. Where did he go??

I don't mind the NBC team. I enjoy Ted Ligety's brand of pessimism, and I like Steve Porino well enough. I thought they use Lindsey a little more than they are--I wouldn't mind hearing more from her.

 

[altagirl]

I don't know, but I still kinda want to try it. My 40yr old body says no, but my brain says "wheeee!"

I've tried it! They have a friends and family day at the Park City track and will throw you on a sled from the lower start...

 

[Iwannaski]

In his late 20s/early 30s (I can’t remember from back then), my friend tried out for the men’s skeleton team and almost made it. I thought that was gutsy.

 

[teppaz]

Well that Alpine combined was…something. I couldn’t believe my eyes when Shiffrin stumbled. And her reaction afterwards looked less like the deep sorrow of the first two DNFs as pure incomprehension.

Bummed by Holdener not getting gold. I love Gisin too but Wendy holds a special place in my heart. Can anybody translate what Gisin was telling her in the corral when she finished her run?

 

[Christy]

Bummed by Holdener not getting gold.

Me too. For 90 seconds I thought she was finally going to get a win. She must have been crushed. Props to Michelle, but I'm sad for Wendy. The Swiss sure have been impressive!

Well that Alpine combined was…something. I couldn’t believe my eyes when Shiffrin stumbled. And her reaction afterwards looked less like the deep sorrow of the first two DNFs as pure incomprehension.

That's the crazy part, right? There's nothing she or her team can really point to that she did wrong. It was kind of painful to watch speed skiers make it down when she didn't.

But who knows, maybe she will gain fans from this. I mean, who can't relate, especially these past couple years, to crushing disappointment, or things going wrong when you thought you did everything right. And the fact that she still faced the cameras yesterday after the race, going down the line for interviews, being very honest in all her interviews this week, trying to find positives...I'm sure she'd prefer to be remembered for a good slalom performance rather than her humanity, but there's a lot to admire here.

 

[teppaz]

To me you see true champions when they face adversity and she is handling this meltdown in gracious, candid fashion.

 

[Iwannaski]

@Christy … I hope that she can find her right first, but in some ways, she’s going to have far more of an impact on the rising generation of athletes when she can show them that even the best can struggle and persevere? But how very hard.

 

[Christy]

The women's skating!! What drama--everyone crying for different reasons, the poor gold medalist with no one to be happy around. I loved Kaori Sakamoto. What beautiful skating. I thought her short program especially was gorgeous.

 

[Lmk92]

@Christy … I hope that she can find her right first, but in some ways, she’s going to have far more of an impact on the rising generation of athletes when she can show them that even the best can struggle and persevere? But how very hard.

Did you see she posted some hate messages she got? Why are humans like this?

 

[teppaz]

Some people have been upset that she posted those hateful messages she received, but I think that was the right thing to do. You need to expose this garbage.

 

[Lmk92]

I agree. And she shouldn't have protected them. Show their names

 

[Christy]

She posted a video follow up today about that post.

I don't know the best way to handle the haters. I don't understand why public figures/agencies/etc don't just block these people from their accounts altogether. Why let these losers who are probably mostly young guys in basements get any traction or have a voice? It seems like this is such a huge issue for female public figures.

 

[Lmk92]

Blocking them doesn't make them go back under their rocks. It encourages them to look for another vulnerable female to harass.

I will always believe that sunlight is the best disinfectant. Publish their names.