It seems like we just had the Olympics (since the Tokyo Games were delayed a year).

Curling is kind of a big sport here in Minnesota, and as I recall a number of the US Olympians hail from here. But even here, it gets very little press compared to the "big 4" American sports (football, baseball, basketball, hockey) - except when the Winter Olympics come around.

I'll also be watching the opening in the evening, since 5.30 is just too early.

I mainly enjoy watching the outdoor sports, but also like the figure skating and (in smaller doses) hockey competition.

I don't know which TV channel has got rights to the games here  if its a pay one, I'll just see highlights on the free view channel news.

Winter will be refreshing as we've got the heat of summer here. I don't use AC to cool down, but try to use cool drinks  and shade.

@fantasia Usually the figure skating as the skaters are so graceful & agile.

No we don't follow any particular sport but we cheer for any Aussies, if they are around. I see we had some entries into the curling, but didn't get anywhere. The opening ceremony is on this evening our time. Luckily the weather is still rather cool & the ice & snow is nice to see on a hot day anyway. 

A late-night show host poked some fun at the 2022 Winter Olympics:

(If the link doesn't show, you're looking for "Lie Witness News - Winter Olympics Edition," February 2, 2022.

...

As for me, I shall always root for the Jamaican Bobsled Team.Go champs!

The film "Cool Runnings" took some large liberties with the story. It was entertaining, to be sure, the pleasant popcorn movie with a wholesome message. But the film was made very Disney-fied.

Even though the real story was just as inspiring.

Well, they're back:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/the-jamaican-bobsled-team-is-returning-to-the-olympics-24-years-later-one-bobsledder-on-what-its-like-to-carry-the-nations-legacy

I used to love watching the Olympics. I will not be this year. Aside from having to have cable or a paid subscription to watch here in the US for anything more than highlights of the "popular" sports, my list of reasons are long and varied. The simplist of which is time. 

I have time this year, so perhaps I will learn about winter sport for the first time.

So far in the opening ceremony:  I am surprised that China's seasons are almost a month ahead of everyone else's! They are now in the start of spring, while the rest of the northern hemisphere has the end of winter (in fact, cold weather continues until at least the end of March in northern England, and probably the same in north America). In the southern hemisphere we are in the last month of summer.

Thoughts on seeing the buildings for the first time:  beside the 'birds nest' stadium are several buildings lit by various colours. One of them reminds me of an orange mattress someone in my family once owned!

Edit: This apparently happened 7 hours ago, so we must be seeing it on considerable delay. It began screening at 9.45 am here (Saturday). I googled and found it was 6.30 am Friday Eastern Time, which makes it (+18) about 12.30 this morning NZ time - nearly 12 hours ago now. 
The next listing on the TV channel is highlights of the games, presumably for the first day!

My favorite winter sport is the snowboard cross, but that's not for a few days (I think next week?). In the meantime I'll be watching figure skating and the snowboard and ski high jumps. My next favorite sport is definitely sled hockey, but of course the paralympics aren't for a few weeks.

Posted by: @fantasia

Anybody watch curling? I'm typically good for one game and I'm good for the next four years

Every year I try to understand the rules of curling, and every year I continue to be confused. Although, I don't really understand figure skating judging either . . .

@Coracle: So far in the opening ceremony:  I am surprised that China's seasons are almost a month ahead of everyone else's! They are now in the start of spring, while the rest of the northern hemisphere has the end of winter (in fact, cold weather continues until at least the end of March in northern England, and probably the same in north America). In the southern hemisphere we are in the last month of summer.

The opening ceremony started at 11.00 pm last night by which time I was sound asleep. Beijing is in the same time zone as Perth, Western Australia, which is 3 hours behind Sydney, Melbourne & Canberra. But I wouldn't be too sure of that when all of China is in the same time zone, unlike here. Beijing is 39.9042 degrees latitude North of the Equator & 116.4 longitude East. That makes its latitude between Melbourne's 37.81 South, San Francisco 37.77 North, Wellington's 41.29 South (NZ), & Baltimore's 39.29 North. Beijing might well be already coming into its New Year Spring when by the calendar there is only 3 weeks to go. How long do the Winter Games go for? 

I enjoy watching the parade of nations as the athletes enter the stadium. As the announcers noted, for many of them this is their most memorable Olympic memory.

I liked the snowflakes that preceded each nation's entry and the way they interlocked together at the end. But if that's the Olympic torch, I found it a bit...underwhelming.

Posted by: @coracle

One of them reminds me of an orange mattress someone in my family once owned!

I think that was the aquatic center built for the 2008 games.

Edit: the games end February 20.

My interest increased today, when a New Zealand girl won a gold medal in snowboarding. 

It's the first gold we've ever won at the Winter Games.  

Congrats to that winner, coracle!

Regarding curling, a friend on Facebook shared a gif that I found amusing. It shows a beaver riding the stone while another beaver does the sweeping. Of course, it comes to a rest on the button (the center circle of the house, worth the most points).

Enjoy!

@stargazer is this the Narnian team? 

Posted by: @coracle

My interest increased today, when a New Zealand girl won a gold medal in snowboarding. 

It's the first gold we've ever won at the Winter Games.  

Yes, congratulations, indeed.   In the same event Australia won the bronze medal, but we also won a gold medal later yesterday, when Jakara Anthony won the gold medal for the Women's moguls. When winter sports are not really associated with Australia, despite snowfields in the Australian Alps, I get pleasantly surprised when Australia gets any medals at all, and am doubly surprised that New Zealand has not had previously won a gold medal, when you have Queenstown, fjords, glaciers, the works. That picturesque row of snowcapped mountains in the South Island, filmed for LOTR, gives the impression that New Zealand might be right up there with the Scandinavians & the Swiss. 

In some events that I have seen, mostly skiing, & figure skating, Southern Hemisphere competitors other than Australians & New Zealanders, tend to be hard to find. I did see one Argentinian, but haven't noticed any Chileans. It was astonishing to even hear there was a Brazilian contestant as well. 

Has anyone been watching the figure skating?  I loved Nathan Chen's gold medal winning performance.