2014 Winter Olympics thread

[MichaelWinicki]

whats up with the lack of attendance?

http://news.msn.com/world/sochi-is-scrambling-volunteers-to-fill-empty-seats?ocid=ansnews11

I think they nailed part of it in that a lot of folks simply didn't go due to the threat of terrorism. But it also seems the cost to attend the games was simply astronomical compared to previous games. I read elsewhere that this gal paid like $18,000 to attend, including the cost to get access for the opening night festivities. And this lady has gone to many of the games... this trip is like 4X what it cost her to attend the Calgary games. $18K... that's some serious scratch.

 

[Tabascocat]

whats up with the lack of attendance?

http://news.msn.com/world/sochi-is-scrambling-volunteers-to-fill-empty-seats?ocid=ansnews11

A bad location for this. It is a long ways away in the middle of nowhere, corrupt government(allegedly) and an isolated tourist city. They haven't had decades of promotion either. Average plane tickets are 7k. The un-welcoming of gay people doesn't help along with terrorist threat. There are a lot of reasons, generally, people are afraid, especially Americans.

The city isn't a hub for outside entertainment, not too many attractions, etc. The hotel accommodations are horrific, not a sanitary place, lack of plumbing, etc, etc.

I don't think this place was well-equipped enough to handle an event like this and was a bad decision to go there. Hopefully, Pyeongchang, South Korea will be better.

 

[Rogah]

And Shaun White comes up small.

I'm watching it right now and a lot of the top contestants are having trouble with this halfpipe. NBC is talking about how poorly constructed it is and that it just isn't up to Olympic standards.

Even the guy who I know eventually takes gold just wiped out on his 1st qualifying run.

 

[Rogah]

A bad location for this. It is a long ways away in the middle of nowhere, corrupt government(allegedly) and an isolated tourist city. They haven't had decades of promotion either. Average plane tickets are 7k. The un-welcoming of gay people doesn't help along with terrorist threat. There are a lot of reasons, generally, people are afraid, especially Americans.

The city isn't a hub for outside entertainment, not too many attractions, etc. The hotel accommodations are horrific, not a sanitary place, lack of plumbing, etc, etc.

I don't think this place was well-equipped enough to handle an event like this and was a bad decision to go there. Hopefully, Pyeongchang, South Korea will be better.

If you think Sochi is bad, just wait until we get to the disaster which is Brazil.

 

[Tabascocat]

If you think Sochi is bad, just wait until we get to the disaster which is Brazil.

True, at least it is in Rio. Been there once for a few days with an ex GF who was a flight attendant, she got me a buddy pass to go. It is a beautiful city but the athletes/media and fans should not venture outside there or it will be trouble.

 

[Tabascocat]

She made me start pulling for the Russian curling team since ours bite....

 

[Rogah]

She made me start pulling for the Russian curling team since ours bite....

Well she already knows how to sweep out the garage and kitchen..... so if that ain't wife material, what is?? :-D

 

[Phoenix]

Here's the gold medalist in women's downhill, Tina Maze, apparently...

 

[barney]

ice hockey is on soon!

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I don't pay a lot of attention to medal counts in either Olympics except to see how the lower population countries are doing. Personally I'm more impressed with what Norway or the Netherlands do as opposed to the US, Russia or Canada. I mean Canada winning a medal in hockey or curling... I mean is that a big-time achievement? Really? LOL! Norway has like 1/7th the population of Canada. The Netherlands has about 1/2th the population. I like seeing the smaller countries do well or see someone from the UK win a skate-boarding medal because they don't have the hills to practice on.

so I guess then the number of US medals is meaningless too?

The Dutch only get medals in one sport, long track speed skating. They are pretty much invisible in any other sport.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

whats up with the lack of attendance?

http://news.msn.com/world/sochi-is-scrambling-volunteers-to-fill-empty-seats?ocid=ansnews11

well when for months all you have heard is crap about how there will be terrorist attacks constantly, that the sites won't be safe etc even though we know they will be, how can anyone be surprised with a lack of attendance?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

so I guess then the number of US medals is meaningless too?

The Dutch only get medals in one sport, long track speed skating. They are pretty much invisible in any other sport.

Not meaningless. Just doesn't carry a lot of weight with me.

Somewhere in between.

I don't get all giddy when the USA clobbers someone in Olympic basketball for instance and wins the gold.

To me the gal from the US winning a bronze in the one-person luge was a big thing because it's not a sport the US has had any success in.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

She made me start pulling for the Russian curling team since ours bite....

there is something about Russian women that makes them hotter than most (well until they age and start wearing babushkas

 

[Tabascocat]

there is something about Russian women that makes them hotter than most (well until they age and start wearing babushkas

That is when you return her to the mother country and trade in for a new, younger one

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

true

 

[TheCowboy]

I hate Team Canada sooooo much

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

I hate Team Canada sooooo much

why because we beat you for the Gold twice in the last three Olympics?

 

[TheCowboy]

why because we beat you for the Gold twice in the last three Olympics?

It adds to it. I just hate Canada all together really.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

we won't sleep well tonight knowing that, although is there a reason you hate us so much?

 

[Kristen82]

It adds to it. I just hate Canada all together really.

Who wouldn't hate us with our being so good-looking and incredibly awesome?