Random stuff learnt from Olympics coverage

[Feirefiz]

Now, at the end of the Olympics might be a good time sum up all the little more or less useful pieces of information that we learnt from olympics coverage.

• Although skeleton looks dangerous it is reportedly the safest sledding sport because of the especially low center of gravity.
• A wobbling ass is considered a sign of good technique in skeleton.
• Figure skaters sneer at ice dancers.
• Figure skaters respect hockey players but whenever they share a venue they quarrel over the right properties of the ice.
• Lindsey Vonn speaks excellent German.
• When the German long distance cross-country skiers are 5 km from the finish they drink a bottle of lukewarm coffee/Coca-Cola mix.

[Cluricaun]

I am sexually attracted to most of the Russian womens curling team.

[Sarahfeena]

You can get killed practicing for the luge.

[Nrblex]

Curling exists.

[Exy]

Johnny Weir's effeminacy is a disgrace to the sport of figure skating.

[Nrblex]

Johnny Weir is my king.

[Muffin]

Muffin runs naked through the thread waving a Canadian flag while shouting "Most gold medals in a Winter Olympics for any country ever!"

[parzival]

I am sexually attracted to most of the Russian Danish womens curling team.

Also something I learned ... posts on Mellophant have a 3-non-whitespace character minimum

[Orual]

Evgeni Plushenko is a whiny little bitchboy crybaby.

Biathlon is totally awesome.

[Exy]

Evgeni Plushenko is a whiny little bitchboy crybaby.

Wait, he had nothing to do with any of that "platinum medal" bullshit. I won't stand for this insult to my disgustingly ugly boyfriend's honor.

Biathlon is totally awesome.

Okay, at this point we're going to have to discuss involuntary commitment.

[OneCentStamp]

I am sexually attracted to most of the Russian womens curling teamS.

There, fixed that for ya.

[AndrewRyan]

The biathlon was probably created over a drunken challenge that sounded something like, "Oh ya dumbass!? I bet I can ski, AND shoot a rifle better than you!"

[ivan astikov]

I'll start watching the Winter Olympics again when wrestling with polar bears becomes an event.

Curling, ffs? What next, skipping stones across a lake?

[OneCentStamp]

The biathlon was probably created over a drunken challenge that sounded something like, "Oh ya dumbass!? I bet I can ski, AND shoot a rifle better than you!"

I'm sure it sounded less idiotic in the original Russian or Finnish.

[Muffin]

Yesterday on the chairlift, we discussed how the popularity of biathlon would increase significantly if snowboarders were used as the targets.

[Zuul]

Yesterday on the chairlift, we discussed how the popularity of biathlon would increase significantly if snowboarders were used as the targets.

That sounds horrible...and yet strangely awesome.

[Cluricaun]

Biathalon seems like a pretty natural sport to me. "It's snowing and we're hungry. Now what?"

Why, ski around and find animals and shoot them. Biathalon seems like one of the only sports in the winter olympics that has a real world benefit. If you were trapped on the Matterhorn with Shaun White he could do some gnarly flips and shit while you starved to death, but the biatheletes would be knee deep in Caribou meat within an hour.

Edit: I suppose you could try and eat Shaun White, but I suspect that gingers are toxic.

[OneCentStamp]

Oh, here's another one: it's confusing and annoying that the opening notes to "O Canada" are so similar to the Olympic fanfare. They really should do something about that.

[Laughing Lagomorph]

Curling exists.

...and it's not a put-on. It's an actual sport with, like, rules and fans and stuff.

[Muffin]

So the head of the NHL wants hockey moved to the Summer Olympics, and the card game of bridge is applying to be made part of the Winter Olympics. You can't make this stuff up.

[Cluricaun]

Bridge would be stupid, but the NHL has a legitmate worry about using players in the middle of the season who could get injured in Olympic play and really impact a teams chances at the Cup. We sent 5 players from the Blackhawks out (Kane on the US, Towes, Keith and Seabrook to the Canadians and Hossa to Slovakia) and while I enjoyed the level of play that the Olympics were able to provide, those are 5 of our top players and we have a legit shot to make the playoffs this season, and let’s not forget that these guys are contractually obligated to play for the NHL. I know it sounds stingy on the commissioners part to say “No more of this during our season” they have literally invested millions of dollars in these guys for their own benefit.

Besides, I think that letting pros play in the Olympics goes against the spirit of the game as an amateur sporting competition. Shaun White and NBA players and anyone else who currently competes as a pro should be barred from the competition in the first place.

[OneCentStamp]

Besides, I think that letting pros play in the Olympics goes against the spirit of the game as an amateur sporting competition. Shaun White and NBA players and anyone else who currently competes as a pro should be barred from the competition in the first place.

The problem is, the current condition is a reaction to the 70s and 80s, when the USA would field teams of college kids against Soviet hockey and basketball teams made up of 25- to 30-year old men who had been state-supported (essentially professional) since childhood. Ditto for Cuban boxers and Chinese gymnasts, just to name two prominent examples.

I don't see any way to put this genie back in the bottle and ensure a level playing field.

[Cluricaun]

I’ll have to say that this Winter Olympics was one of the better Olympics that I can remember in terms of overall popularity for quite some time. I think that the ratings must have been pretty good, and I know I watched a lot of events besides just hockey (Snowcross is fucking metal as hell, those guys are nuts) but at the same time…….It’s just the Olympics. In perspective it falls somewhere just ahead of golf and somewhere behind professional tennis as something that I really give a good goddamn about. It’s not actually important like Baseball or Football or Soccer. It’s mostly made up of silly sports that nobody you know actually has ever participated in, or ever will. Not a lot of amateur Bobsledders at the Jr. High down the road. It boils down to chest beating nationalism for the big games, and “Sure, we’ll add to the medal count for a Bronze in Women’s Cross Country Skiing”. I think that it’s kind of stupid that sports that are played professionally with huge world wide audiences are even included.

[Cluricaun]

dup

[Laughing Lagomorph]

Back to the OP: I learned that fairly average looking women can be incredibly hot while cross country skiing in skintight suits.

Especially, for some reason, if they're wearing headbands.

[Clothahump]

Cute girls skating in shorty skirts.

Everything else is secondary.

[OneCentStamp]

Another one: I speak better French than the PM of Canada.