February 17, 2010
Lovin' the 'lympics
Can't deny my interest in the Vancouver Olympics. Wondering about your observations, though, on a few points:1. Bob Costas: second-best or best sports broadcaster of our time?
2. I'm sick of hearing about Lindsey Vonn, Jacobellis' blunder (and blunder 2(?)), the cafeteria love of Shen/Zhao, the fall Shaun White had earlier this month, and essentially every other Olympics narrative that NBC is milking. Mix it up.
3. More Dick Button, please.
4. WSJ's coverage is superb. Great mix of analysis and outright fun.
5. Apollo Ohno = dorky tool
Labels: news, Olympics, sports, Wall Street Journal
by Tony at 9:04 PM |
14 Comments:
They always cut Mr. Button off right when he starts getting all fired up.
I miss having access to CBC Olympics coverage.
Point-by-point, though:
1. Can I say he's lower? He's so damn condescending sometimes. For example, hearing him and Chris Collinsworth talk about snowboarding was like hearing two somewhat popular seniors talk about the freshman at the lunch table. "Well, it's an okay sport, but it's a different mindset... all these Gravity Games sports. Fine sports. In other news..."
2. I'm actually surprised we haven't heard more about Johnny Weir. Maybe he's too gay for America?
3. Seconded.
4. I haven't even seen the WSJ stuff, but I will now. I have been reading the NY Times coverage.
5. Boo to his bandana headbands. Give me Shani Davis over Ohno.
Also:
6. Does anyone else get frustrated watching people race against the clock? It's kind of annoying after a while to watch each skier or luger go individually then watch the clock on that couch thing they've got there on the finish line. That's why I love snowboard cross. Every downhill sport should be against other people.
7. I'm excited to watch hockey, but it seems like every single game is on MSNBC in the early afternoon. What gives?
8. Speaking of hockey, just to give yourself a reminder about Alexander the Great and how awesome it will be when Russia makes the finals. Ovechkin highlight reel.
I wish NBC would offer more easily accessible full-video coverage of the events online.
NPR featured Dick Button today, as I see Jack linked to, and it was interesting. In general I'm more interested in watching figure skating. I'll be happy to watch women individual competition next week...and the men's freestyle medal competition tomorrow night.
Wish curling wouldn't be on the USA channel. Also, I remember watching curling with Silliman one day at the Beat. Good times.
Downhill skiing is by far my favorite winter event, even though it's just against the clock.
1. I'll simply never forget Costas when NBC used to air the World Series. He was especially frank/blunt tonight about some technical TV issues with NBC, promising at the 11:30 p.m. conclusion that they'll straighten things out by tomorrow. Lots of sound snafus and other mishaps on NBC's part, I'd say.
5. Come to think of it, there haven't been many endearing winter Olympians, IMO. The US snowcross winner was well-spoken.
6. I agree. Clock racing kills me. I'm digging on snowboard and speed skating.
Even snowboard half pipe is a bit repetitive and anti-climatic with that redhead fella coming down the mountain.
Weir's Wikipedia page has some gems.
The fact that Weir makes his own costumes and refers to himself as "princess" kill me.
I'm really excited to see how Evan Lysacek performs in his 2nd space slot going against the blonde-mulleted Russian.
Apparently Weir is going to have a reality show, which is obviously going to be horrible and awesome.
Y'all are just jealous that Ohno is a bitchin Seattlite and you aren't.
I like Apolo Anton Ohno, but it annoys me that people keep mentioning that he has now surpassed Bonnie Blair as the most decorated winter Olympian. As he himself pointed out, I believe, what he does is nothing compared to the long track. Also, she is from my hometown. Take that, Seattlites!
1. I've always liked the guy, but I also can't remember watching an Olympics that he didn't anchor. Maybe this will give Costas more street cred (sorry the tracking and audio-sync suck): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-0nTG3cDz8.
2. The post-awards ceremony interview with Vonn and Mancuso (who won 2nd in the downhill) was annoyingly one-sided in favor of Vonn. I forget who the interviewer was, but I'm pretty sure he pissed Mancuso off. He said something along the lines of, "Good thing you helped Lindsey Vonn win the gold."
2a. I also think part of the fascination with Vonn is that she looks a lot like Sharon Stone.
3. Along similar lines, Button looks like Peter Boyle.
@Chase: This WSJ article sums up how I feel about the men's figure skating this year (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704804204575070540583636252.html?mod=WSJ_olympics_LeftTopHeadlineHighlights). Personally, the competition in ice-skating has frustrated me, because it seems like there are more athletes than performers. A co-worker assures me one of the American male skaters has a Bachelors in Acting, but even if that's true, the performance aspect has been lackluster. Thank God for Scott Hamilton's insider commentary
Also: the best-worded headline I've seen about these Olympics:
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-news/n/news/afp-news/short-track--china's-dominant-wang-retains-500m-title_282892ag.html
Two things:
-Today in emphasizing Johnny Weir's gayness (a tresury of dumb quotes about Wier
-Crotchety old man has some sort of vendetta against Ovechkin Who could hate Ovie?
Johnny Weir is glam on ice! That's a good thing. David Bowie would be friends with him. In fact, Bowie probably would have been a great figure skater.
Kyle and Vanessa are enjoying most the men's figure skating competition.
But we are anticipating curling. Think about it, it's bowling on ice. It doesn't get any better.
Curling = best winter sport.
...his name is Apollo, what can you expect?
Did he shave that silly little thing onto his face with an ice skate? Probably not. He looks like a Venus man to me.
"I'm your Venus, I'm your fire! Your desire!"
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