Olympic Talk

CMJ · February 19, 2014

Well, this explanation doesn't make it seem like so much of a jump at all, more like a pushing motion (that's not even vertical) into the natural glide of the ramp. But it's really all semantics I guess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VN1G5SVXqQ

As far as the weights go...here is a good article from the Vancouver Games.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/olympics/2010/writers/phil_taylor/02/16/skinny.ski.jumpers/

Basically, I missed my calling. I am 5'11 and have never weighed over 140lbs in my life. Too bad that heights scare me and I couldn't imagine a sport I'd be less inclined to try. :lol:

Edited February 19, 2014 by CMJ

Mean Green Matt · February 20, 2014

Russia peaces out if the men's hockey tournament without a medal...again.

mattmartin817 · February 20, 2014

In honor of the USA/Canada hockey matchup. USA USA USA!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVPDL89FQ1M

CMJ · February 20, 2014

The bigger news than Russia losing in hockey, to me, was the great bi-athlete Bjoerndalen, winning his record 13th medal at the Winter Olympics. I remember watching the biathlon the first time back in 1988, and I really was fascinated by it. The sport is incredibly intense with the fortunes potentially changing massively every time they shoot. Anyway, Bjoerndalen is in his 6th Winter Olympics, and I actually have vague memories of him back to 1998 (not '94, but he was just a relative kid back then). He's not as great as he was in his Salt Lake City peak (four golds!) - but he's forty and is still arguably the best skier out there. If his shooting was more trustworthy, he may have won more than the two golds he's gotten this Olympics.

UNTFan23 · February 20, 2014

The bigger news than Russia losing in hockey, to me, was the great bi-athlete Bjoerndalen, winning his record 13th medal at the Winter Olympics. I remember watching the biathlon the first time back in 1988, and I really was fascinated by it. The sport is incredibly intense with the fortunes potentially changing massively every time they shoot. Anyway, Bjoerndalen is in his 6th Winter Olympics, and I actually have vague memories of him back to 1998 (not '94, but he was just a relative kid back then). He's not as great as he was in his Salt Lake City peak (four golds!) - but he's forty and is still arguably the best skier out there. If his shooting was more trustworthy, he may have won more than the two golds he's gotten this Olympics.

I'm sure King James could dominate this sport, right?

MeanGreenTexan · February 20, 2014

I'm sure King James could dominate this sport, right?

This one, maybe not. LeBron is only shooting .371 from 3pt range this year. I'd give the nod to Steph Curry in this event.

Rudy · February 20, 2014

In honor of the USA/Canada hockey matchup. USA USA USA!!!

USA vs Canada today for the women's gold.

AMERICA!!!!!!!

Rudy · February 20, 2014

Russia peaces out if the men's hockey tournament without a medal...again.

Russia looked shaky the whole tournament. Tons of talent, but they just didn't seem at the top of their game.

Cerebus · February 20, 2014

Russia looked shaky the whole tournament. Tons of talent, but they just didn't seem at the top of their game.

Talent? Two of the world top five! He met with the team before the tournament and told them anything less than the gold medal would be a disgrace.

I wonder... when he orders someone to make sure the coach breaks through the ice and drowns, will anyone be able to tell him there isn't an actual body of water under the rink?

MeanGreenTexan · February 20, 2014

Russia looked shaky the whole tournament. Tons of talent, but they just didn't seem at the top of their game.

No shame in losing to the Fins though in reality. I called them to win Gold before the Olympics started.

CMJ · February 20, 2014

No shame in losing to the Fins though in reality. I called them to win Gold before the Olympics started.

Whoever has the best goalie has to be a favorite (even if not THE favorite), and the Fins do. Definitely a smart pick.

CMJ · February 20, 2014

In the womens hockey final....scoreless 1st stanza.

Rudy · February 20, 2014

Talent? Two of the world top five! He met with the team before the tournament and told them anything less than the gold medal would be a disgrace.

I wonder... when he orders someone to make sure the coach breaks through the ice and drowns, will anyone be able to tell him there isn't an actual body of water under the rink?

No shame in losing to the Fins though in reality. I called them to win Gold before the Olympics started.

The Russians may have had too much pressure, or not enough time together to gel as a team. That's one of the disadvantages of having an All Star team instead of a full time international team.

The Fins are good. Rask and Lehtonen definitely give them an edge. Will be a good two semifinal games. Sweden vs Finland, and USA vs Canada.

UNTFan23 · February 20, 2014

The Russians may have had too much pressure, or not enough time together to gel as a team. That's one of the disadvantages of having an All Star team instead of a full time international team.

The Fins are good. Rask and Lehtonen definitely give them an edge. Will be a good two semifinal games. Sweden vs Finland, and USA vs Canada.

The US is a team of all-stars though.

CMJ · February 20, 2014

Overtime...after Canada comes back from two goals down.

UNTFan23 · February 20, 2014

Overtime...after Canada comes back from two goals down.

The Empty Net almost cost them the game though. One shot hit the post!

Cerebus · February 20, 2014

Overtime...after Canada comes back from two goals down.

Obviously a jinx. Also obvious that jinx is UNTFan23. We'll have to kill him to appease the hockey gods.

CMJ · February 20, 2014

I don't think they'll ever totally get over this one. I feel awful for our girls.

Cerebus · February 20, 2014

I don't think they'll ever totally get over this one. I feel awful for our girls.

I'm going to find someone's shoulder to cry on.

Rudy · February 20, 2014

The US is a team of all-stars though.

I'm not sure they or Canada will win gold either.

Rudy · February 21, 2014

I've been dwelling on the USA loss all day. It honestly pisses me off. The officials should NEVER decide a game. The officials for the women's tournament have been sketchy all tournament long. They made a bad call which kept Japan from getting a goal against Russia, which could have had an impact on the game. Replay showed that Japan should have had the goal. The penalty box officials were "trying" to get the on ice officials attention to halt play for a review, but they couldn't figure out how to get their attention. Litterally every rink in the world that has an electonic scoreboard has a buzzer in the penalty box. You hit it to get the ref's attention. It is so complicated that elementary school kids helping their dad keep score at the local rink can figure it out.

Then in the first US/Canada game, the American goalkeeper attempted to freeze the puck and stop play. The ref is taught to blow the play dead if you lose sight of the puck. Furthermore, the play is technically dead when the ref decides to blow the whistle. If the ref makes the move to blow the whistle, but the puck were to go in the net, the play can still be ruled dead. In the game, the whistle actually blew, well before the puck went into the net. Canada was given a goal.

On to today. They did a good job of letting them play in the 3rd. Then late in the third, when Canada had its goalie pulled, the linesman got in the way of the Canadian defenseman on point, resulting in a turnover which almost gave the US a 3-1 lead.

In overtime, there were three penalties called which resulted in the score. The first came against Canada. The American player was on her butt beside the Canadian goalier. A Canadian player came, gloves chest level, and ran into her. Since she was low, the gloves went into her face. At most, that would have been a roughing call, however, it was called a cross check. A cross check is when you hold the shaft of your stick with both hands, and hit the opposing player, usualy in the back, and extend your arms outward. At most, it should have been a roughing call, but with the one player being lower than normal, you would be hard pressed to call that in any game. You don't call that in a championship game.

It was such a bad call, IMO, that literally 5 seconds later a makeup call was made, that was the worst of the three. An American player made a slapshot from the point, which was absorbed by the Canadian goalie. An American player in front of her turned to face the goalie as the shot passes her. It is customary to put your stick on the ice in case there is a rebound, and often, you will tap the goalie on the pads. This happens in every game, at every level, across the world. This official chose to call a slashing penalty. This ended the penalty, and ensured that the next penalty would become fatal.

Canada had a breakway opportunity. An American caught up to her, eliminating the breakaway chance (thus eliminating the possiblity of a penalty shot) and started contesting her. They were shoulder to shoulder and the American player went down. Once the American player went down, the Canadian player lost her balance and fell. We were called for a cross check. Remember the definition for a cross check? An applicable call would have been interference. But the only reason she fell was because she lost her balance. Many referees belive that just because someone falls, you have to call a penalty. This is fatal thinking. This second call gave Canada a 5 on 3 power play and Canada scored on it. As an official, you are taught when there is any doubt, don't call the penalty.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Rudy

MeanGreenTexan · February 21, 2014

The Russians may have had too much pressure, or not enough time together to gel as a team. That's one of the disadvantages of having an All Star team instead of a full time international team.

The Fins are good. Rask and Lehtonen definitely give them an edge. Will be a good two semifinal games. Sweden vs Finland, and USA vs Canada.

Wow!

Wasn't expecting Lehtonen to get beat like that...

Quoner · February 21, 2014

Wow!
Wasn't expecting Lehtonen to get beat like that...

Lundqvist is good...if/when we beat Canada, I can only hope they decide to swap him out for Tommy Salo.

Rudy · February 21, 2014

I haven't seen the game, but I was SHOCKED to hear Finland lost. Sweden is always a great team though.

Green Mean · February 21, 2014

The Swedes were considered one of the main favorites going in to the Olympics. It shouldn't surprise anyone at all if they take the gold. Like Rudy said both semifinal games are good.

Hard to say what one thing killed Russia but it was a combination of things. Bad defense, couldn't score, enormous pressure playing in front of their home crowd and Putin and the stars not being stars when it counted. It sucks for them that they couldn't deliver on their soil but the 4 teams that remained were really good.