Sochi 2014 Olympics

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Indeed. Also because shorttrack provides Chinese women who suddenly turn out to be good sprinters on the long track

And Koreans who when they fail to qualify for the Olympics in short track, go on and do the 5km and 10km because they apparently don't have anything better to do with their life, only to win silver on the 5km and gold on the 10km (because Kramer got DQ'd).

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Verweij

 

[Arnout]

Less hair would've done the job probably

 

[jens_attacks]

unbelievable 1500 meters...poland wins. i think they got 3 medals, all gold wow

 

[kanari]

Incredible hockey game between Russia and USA. 2-2. USA wins after the sickest shootout competition I think I've ever seen...

 

[theyoungest]

Less hair would've done the job probably

Bob de Jong actually has long hair because it provides him with an aerodynamic advantage (kind of a TT helmet)... maybe Verweij does the same, because it looks ridiculous.

Everything went the Dutchies' way in speedskating so far... it was bound to go wrong at some point.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yeah...but by 0.003s.. damn.. monkeyballs

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

That was a great hockey game RUS vs USA. Too bad hockey has too many BS rules like the one that takes away a scored goal only b/c the goalkeeper took the goal off its anchorage. If I would be a goalie I´d always take the goal off when I see the going gets tough. Any hockey die hards here, who can explain this stupid rule? Thx in advance...

And I saw the 1500 meter millisecond decision simultaneously on the PC. Very exciting olympic day.

 

[kanari]

That was a great hockey game RUS vs USA. Too bad hockey has too many BS rules like the one that takes away a scored goal only b/c the goalkeeper took the goal off its anchorage. If I would be a goalie I´d always take the goal off when I see the going gets tough. Any hockey die hards here, who can explain this stupid rule? Thx in advance...

The real error was that the refs didn't notice when the goal went off, they are supposed to stop the game when that happens. Deliberately moving it is a 2 min penalty. That scoring is not allowed when the goal is off is just common sense imo. I can certainly see why the Russians were frustrated though.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

That scoring is not allowed when the goal is off is just common sense imo.

Imagine a breakaway and you are the goalie. Let´s say the opponent is Ovechkin. Just move the goal, and the scoring opportunity is gone. Not logical to me. I´d (as the goalie) take the 2 min penalty and let the opponent try their luck in a 2 mins PP...

 

[zapata]

Dam! Noriaki Kasai is a legend anyway, I don't know what you'd call him if he had beaten Stoch. I'll be rooting for him again in 2018.

 

[roundabout]

Really? The guy has like 3 individual medals in a billion years of competing.

Could have won something in his previous 10 games if he was an actual legend.

 

[The Hitch]

Some real cycling memories coming out today. Kasai doing a real Horner coming out of 20 years of average career to silver (unlucky not gold)

Earlier though Russia did a Ullrich Arcalis pulling the entire race and winning (also similar to this insane Russian performance from 2012 where Zaripova pulls the entire race http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZYIDiQ7ukU)

 

[jens_attacks]

cheered for kasai but it wasn't to be

what was the arcalis, hitch?

hockey i don't watch at all because i can't force my eyes to follow a puck.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

hockey i don't watch at all because i can't force my eyes to follow a puck.

A bigger TV does wonders. I had the same problems before.... all good now.

 

[purcell]

Incredible hockey game between Russia and USA. 2-2. USA wins after the sickest shootout competition I think I've ever seen...

For those of us in other time zones, who haven't seen the game yet, it REALLY would have been nice had you not put this part in.

Thanks.

 

[purcell]

Imagine a breakaway and you are the goalie. Let´s say the opponent is Ovechkin. Just move the goal, and the scoring opportunity is gone. Not logical to me. I´d (as the goalie) take the 2 min penalty and let the opponent try their luck in a 2 mins PP...

That scenario would be a 2 min penalty to the goalie PLUS a penalty shot.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

That scenario would be a 2 min penalty to the goalie PLUS a penalty shot.

Always with penalty shot on top, or only on one-one situations?
Good to have an hockey expert here. We discussed it a little over the years at the NFL thread.
The most burning question is solved (why no obese Sumo ringer is put in as goalie).
Another one is: Why (once taking a lead) aren´t teams blocking their own goal with a goalie in the middle and two defense-men blocking the outside part of the goal. I bet no shot would get trou if the remaining three players of your team would then try to block shots simultanously by throwing their bodies into opposing shots instead of trying to check opposing players at the fence.
I guess with that tactic the high skilled Red Wings of the late 90s, 2000s would have won more than "just" 4 Stanley Cups...

Edit:
Just have heared that the rules say the refs can only judge goal scored/no-goal in replay!? If that is true, the refs blatantly blew the game, b/c it was a goal.
If the refs don´t see the goal(posts) being out of position in live action, it´s their fault and shall not be corrected with replay help.
And let´s not forget that the refs gave a goal for Team USA even tough it was illegal shoved in with the skate.
Either hockey refs are worse and more blind than soccer & football refs (something I thought is impossible), or the fix was in.
It´s a shame that well paid refs too often have major influences in game outcomes...
Conclusion: Very undeserved win for USA. Hope for pay back and Russia wins gold...

 

[The Hitch]

what was the arcalis, hitch?

Short track speed skating 1500. The Korean 3 time champion, Vijtor Ahn who Putin paid millions to become a Russian for this olympics and the other Rusian went to the front from the gun, shared the work the whole race and crossed the line practically holding hands like Hinault Lemond.

 

[Tricycle Rider]

For those of us in other time zones, who haven't seen the game yet, it REALLY would have been nice had you not put this part in.

Thanks.

I have no idea which time zone you live in, but if you're a Yank this is what I had posted to fellow Yanks very early on in the thread.

Being I'm a Yankee I haven't had a chance to watch the opening ceremony yet, it'll be on TV in about 7 hours from now, pacific time. So apologize in advance for making some very belated comments and observations in the future.

Btw., for fellow Yanks who cannot stream everything live - this would be a good thread to avoid if you don't want spoilers.

Having said that - I absolutely do NOT expect for the rest of the world to wait to comment till I have seen some replays of the Olympic coverage on NBC. If I can't watch something live I just avoid reading this thread until I have seen the replay.

You might want to try the same.

 

[zapata]

Really? The guy has like 3 individual medals in a billion years of competing.

Could have won something in his previous 10 games if he was an actual legend.

Did you just look up his olympic records or something? Kasai is a legend for a multitude of reasons.

 

[the sceptic]

Northug failing tomorrow would make the olympics perfect for me. I got a feeling he will be super motivated though.

 

[roundabout]

Did you just look up his olympic records or something? Kasai is a legend for a multitude of reasons.

nope, I have been watching him compete for 20 years

but thanks for the assumption

 

[kanari]

Northug failing tomorrow would make the olympics perfect for me. I got a feeling he will be super motivated though.

All the motivation in the world won't help if he's starting his leg with a 40 second deficit which is what I fear is going to happen.

 

[the sceptic]

Probably the most likely scenario. Northug will be a man possessed if he is in the lead bunch on stage 4 though.