Sochi 2014

[Zoraptor]

Yeah Volo, but that isn't what happened. She did 7 triples to Kim's 6. Kim skated too conservatively to defend her lead and not make mistakes, and suffered for it. Happens all the time. If anyone had cause to be upset it was the Italian in third who also did 7 triples and still scored less than Kim, perhaps due to some anti Italian/ pro Korean conspiracy.

 

My own personal favourite line on the subject, from that horrendous Murdoch rag the Brisbane Courier...

 

There were three other Eastern European judges on the panel but no Korean. And if fans in Sochi have taught the world anything at these Games, it’s that Eastern European nations cheer for each other if one of their own is not winning.

 

Oh yeah, those eastern Europeans, always taking Russia's side on everything. Christ on a pogo stick which world do some people live on?

[Malcador]

IMO, 'Harder' or not, if you screw up you screw up. PERIOD. failures should not eb rewarded the gold which is SUPPOSED to be for the so called 'best in the world'. A skater who falls on their face should not eb crowned 'best' as that is a spit in the face of the athletes who did NOT fail.

 

Well, do you want a champion who plays it safe and is unambitious ? Idea behind rewarding challenging programs is to push athletes to try.  Don't want, say, a men's champion that cannot do a quadtruple axel. 

[Volourn]

I want a champion who doesn't fall on their face. To try and fail is to FAIL. Failure should NOT be rewarded except for little kiddies. Olympic competitors should NOT treated with little kiddie gloves. if you fall you should lose. PERIOD.

 

By your idea, in hockey, skates should get points for shooting at the net and goalies should getc redit for half saves if the puck goes off their glove. LMAO

Edited February 22, 2014 by Volourn

[Zoraptor]

Bro, you'll not find a single image of her falling on her face because it simply didn't happen. Please desist with the fabrications and commence with the accuracies. r00fles!

There was a slight stumble on one landing, that's all. If anyone really wants to see it's embedded here.

[kirottu]

BOOM!!1 Whose your daddy!

[HoonDing]

 

lol

 

Well played again, Russia.

[Meshugger]

What a Hollywood ending for Teemu.

 

*sheds man-tear*

[Cultist]

5:0

[Leferd]

What a Hollywood ending for Teemu.

 

*sheds man-tear*

Olympic medalist and a Stanley Cup contender. Good way to cap his career.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Leferd

[Keyrock]

I'm assuming that the members of the Russian biathlon team that won the gold are going to have statues built of them and will never have to pay for anything ever again.

 

It's been a great Olympics for my mother land of Poland: 6 medals, 4 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze.  That was pretty much best case scenario heading into these games.

[Leferd]

The Biathlon events have been the most enjoyable for me to watch. Then again, I come from a cross country and track and field background so anything that involves anything close to a foot race is exciting for me. Plus guns.

[Keyrock]

Biathlon is the bomb diggity.  The element of having to target shoot after skiing for 10 kilometers and with your heart rate going off the charts is such a fantastic dynamic.  Too bad Poland doesn't have a top level biathlete right now.  We (I'm a 'Murican citizen and live in 'Murica, but I'm still Polish by birth, blood, and heart) have one of the very best cross country skiers on the planet, Justyna Kowalczyk, but she doesn't do the shooty shooty.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Keyrock

[obyknven]

Suddenly Russia trolled South Korea on these games.

[Hurlshort]

I've been watching a lot of my friends rant about the US men's hockey effort, but for me I was not surprised at the outcome.  Yesterday the team put a ton into trying to beat Canada, and they kept themselves in it until the clock ran down.  Today they looked like they left it all on the ice the day before.  It's a bummer, considering how strong they started out, but it isn't shocking.

 

Also, Finland is a pretty good team.  

[Tagaziel]

Too bad Poland doesn't have a top level biathlete right now.  We (I'm a 'Murican citizen and live in 'Murica, but I'm still Polish by birth, blood, and heart) have one of the very best cross country skiers on the planet, Justyna Kowalczyk, but she doesn't do the shooty shooty.

High five, baby! We have Kamil Stoch and his golds to cheer us up.

[Keyrock]

 

Too bad Poland doesn't have a top level biathlete right now.  We (I'm a 'Murican citizen and live in 'Murica, but I'm still Polish by birth, blood, and heart) have one of the very best cross country skiers on the planet, Justyna Kowalczyk, but she doesn't do the shooty shooty.

High five, baby! We have Kamil Stoch and his golds to cheer us up.

 

It definitely helps to have the best ski jumper in the world on your team.

[mkreku]

Got to love it. Sweden plays Canada in the finals tomorrow. Three out of four referees in the game are.. Canadian. The fourth.. from the USA.

 

In modern times Canada has visited the Olympic finals four times, won two. The two they lost had international referees. The two they won had Canadian referees.

 

2014 Sochi, Sweden - Canada

Referees: Kelly Sutherland, Canada, and Brad Meier, USA.

Linesmen: Derek Amell and Greg Devorski, both from Canada.

 

2010 Vancouver, Canada - USA, 3-2.

Referees: Daniel O'Halloran and Bill McCreary, both from Canada.

Linesmen: Jean Morin, Canada, and Stefan Fonselius, Finland.

 

2002 Salt Lake City, Canada - USA, 5-2.

Referee: Bill McCreary, Canada.

Linesmen: Michael Cvik, Canada, and Antti Hämäläinen, Finland.

 

1994 Lillehammer, Sweden - Canada, 3-2.

Referee: Rob Hearn, USA.

Linesmen: Vaclav Cesky, Czech Republic, and Jay Borman, USA.

 

1992 Albertville, OSS - Canada 3-1

Referee: Sven-Erik Sold, Sweden.

 

Let's hope for some fair refereeing tomorrow.

[alanschu]

I'd probably put the cutoff at 1998, given that's when NHLers were now allowed to compete.

 

I mean, before 2002, Canada hadn't won an Olympic gold medal since 1952. The fact that they've been able to do better lately could be affected by that as much as by reffing.

[mkreku]

I'm not sure I understand your logic here. In 1994 Sweden had 0 NHL pros in the Olympics, same as Canada. In 1998 Sweden had 18 of 22 players from the NHL (the other four were former NHL players, winding down their careers in the Swedish Elite League). I'm pretty sure all top teams were affected the same way when NHL players were allowed to play.

 

Try turning it around: if 3 of 4 referees were Swedish and the last was Finnish, would that make you feel comfortable?

[alanschu]

I'm not sure I understand your logic here. In 1994 Sweden had 0 NHL pros in the Olympics, same as Canada. In 1998 Sweden had 18 of 22 players from the NHL (the other four were former NHL players, winding down their careers in the Swedish Elite League). I'm pretty sure all top teams were affected the same way when NHL players were allowed to play.

You are giving the implication that the Canadian won because they had the support of Canadian referees, rather than a better capability to ice the best roster that they had, and that the two times they lost was because they didn't have Canadian refs.

 

I'm saying that until Canada was able to ice its best players, Canada wasn't winning any gold medals. Being able to ice better rosters may have more of an impact on the team's success than the referees. Unless you're suggesting that every Swede that was capable of playing in the NHL was playing in the NHL in 1994 (a position I don't agree with, since I think at that time Europe was still unfairly overlooked by North American sports leagues - and as such, I disagree with the notion that all the top teams were affected the same way at that time). Now, you could make an argument that the Olympics would have been more fairly matched up (which is fine and I wouldn't disagree... despite not winning gold Canada still did very well in overall medal count), but we're discussing Canada's success in gold medal games and the influence the referees may or may not have had.

 

 

Though since you seem to be hinting at it, how many players were playing professionally (in any league) on each of the 1994 finalists? (We could include this to players that had NHL experience, but were not playing in the NHL in 1993-94 too, if you'd like - I know there is at least one on Canada that fits this designation too, actually)

Edited February 23, 2014 by alanschu

[Meshugger]

Has Oby taken over mkreku's account?

[obyknven]

Russia win Winter Olympiad! We are first! Russia so strong!

http://www.sochi2014.com/en/medal-standings

[mkreku]

Well, that sucked. Referees were good though.

[ShadySands]

I can't say I'm not disappointed in USA's performance but most bronze metals that's something, right?

 

Congrats to Russia

[Volourn]

 Good job Crosby, Kunitz, and Price. These players were all trashed at one point during or before these Olumpics so they showed the scumbags.

 

Biggest issue with Kanada winning is now I have to hear from the Kanadian Idiots how hockey is 'our sport'.  How other countries suck, we're the best,  and the arrogance and over stated self worth garbage.Blah blah blah.

 

Was hoping the King would steal this one but oh well.