I don't care for Ohno at all. Ever since I saw him race during the Salt Lake Olympics, I haven't cheered for him. He's always pushing or touching people. I was upset that he wasn't disqualified from the semis. If anybody else had touched another skater they would've gotten disqualified, and Ohno has touched people more than four times (not in the same race)! I was very proud of Korea for getting gold, and I'm glad that Celski got a bronze. He really deserved to get a medal after all the stuff he's gone through. I was sad that the Koreans wiped out. But they did their best!

hmm can't agree with you there (about Ohno), some jostling isn't uncommon and he was only trying to regain his balance after being entangled with Sung.
And the two Koreans that wiped out, the one trying to pass the other caused the whole accident, he did a really badly done pass and knocked his teammate out in the process. If I was the other korean I'd be mad lol.

hmm can't agree with you there (about Ohno), some jostling isn't uncommon and he was only trying to regain his balance after being entangled with Sung.
And the two Koreans that wiped out, the one trying to pass the other caused the whole accident, he did a really badly done pass and knocked his teammate out in the process. If I was the other korean I'd be mad lol.

Actually, I have to disagree with you. There were several times (I rewatched in slow-mo a bunch of times) that Ohno touched not just the Koreans but even his own teammate Celski, and it was not for balance that he reached out. It wasn't jostling either. You can tell in the slow-mo that he was intentional but sneaky. I'm not upset about the Koreans wiping out. They were doing they're best to beat Ohno, and in the process, there wasn't enough room for both to turn. I wish they could've won silver and bronze, but that's okay. What I'm not thrilled about is that Ohno wasn't disqualified after intentionally touching others. He even said in an interview that speed skating is a contact sport. What I don't get is that if speed skating is a contact sport, then why do people get disqualified for making contact with other people? And why does he see it necessary to touch other people? He needs to keep his hands to himself, and play fair.

I'm sorry if I come across too strongly. My whole house is in uproar over this, lol!

Was anybody cheering for Dale Begg-Smith in the men's moguls? I admit after hearing the new story about his being Canadian, but going for Australia was interesting. He came across as mysterious, according to the story. He's an excellent skier, and I thought he did well.

~Wunder

We were astonished at the pairs short program last night. During one routine, a man fell during a jump and that couple got third place; then a few minutes later, a couple did not fall and had a very good routine and got fourth place. Explain that?

That's one thing about figure skating - the scoring is, at least partially, subjective - as opposed to things like races where the time is the objective criterion for winning. (But I still ike watching it).

I remember the old days when judges from the Eastern bloc countries could pretty much be counted on to score Western athletes poorly ("and a 2.1 from the East German judge"), and vice versa. I think things are better now, but then there was "skategate" during the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics (which did lead to some changes in scoring) so we still have some distance to go.

Currently, the men's snowboard cross competition is being hampered by the sunny conditions, with the track alternately icy and sticky, leading to some falls and other slowdowns.

I am looking forward to Alexandre Bilodeau's medal ceremony tonight - Canada's first home gold.

Way to go Alexandre Bilodeau from Canada! It was sooo cool watching his brother (who has cerebal palsy) celebrating his brother getting the first gold for Canada on their home turf!!!

My sister and I had the chance to catch it on TV last night- it was so intense during the last skier's run, and while I'm sad he got 6th, I was very happy that Canada won their first gold. My siblings and I agreed it was very special to see Olympic history happening. And I really liked his whole attitude about his new "status" now, how he kept focusing on his medal and himself as really just part of Team Canada. Very classy and very humble I found.

I watched some of the China vs. USA game yesterday, and felt kind of bad for China. It was fun to watch though (China's goalie did a fantastic job, she had some amazing saves!) They said China only has 166 registered female ice hockey players After watching it for a while, I think I want to play ice hockey now

I heard about that game...poor China! I used to play Ice Hockey with my family, but I got out of it two or three years ago. Right after my parents bought me new skates too, good timing, I know. (Which, in fact, was during the 2006 Olympics) I kind of feel like I want to get back into it as well, but I think it might be a little bit embarrassing, um, because of what my siblings might think after them trying to get me to play again and I always refusing and now to actually change my mind. Oh well.

the couple who won last night's round of ice skating were amazing!!!!! I hope they make it to the finals and win!!!!

HighQueenofNarnia, if I remember correctly, it wasn't the flipping off his sled that killed the Georgian luger; it was him hitting an unpadded steel pole. I'm not necessarily a fan of the luge, but the track is known for being one of the fastest and most dangerous ones in the world. And yes, they shortened the starting length for both men and women (making the track safer, but boring, apparently ) and they built a wall to protect lugers from the steel poles. So, while it could've been preventable, the track wasn't what killed him.

Wunderkind_Lucy, perhaps the difference between being disqualified and not in speed skating is with how much force you 'touch' someone with and/or how close you get? I've never really paid too much attention to it, though. Honestly, I'd be much more concerned about the figure skating---the Russian pair who fell down and still scored higher than the American pair who had executed an almost flawless routine? Yes, maybe the Americans weren't as "artistic" as the Russians, but falling down and still placing fourth when all was said and done?!

At any rate, the only events I usually watch are the pairs figure skating, womens figure skating, and ice dancing. I'm especially looking forward to ice dancing this year, as I've actually some notion of who all is competing.

Edit: And I was very happy that Canada finally won it's first home gold! And that he won it for his brother---that was very sweet.

This isn't an Olympic comment per se, but I enjoyed the 'flavor' piece NBC just ran about the polar bears in Churchill. A friend went there once to see the bears, and I've thought it would be neat to do it sometime. Besides, it's roughly due north of here anyway...

Tonight is more alpine skiing, snowboarding, and figure skating.

I am watching the ice skating right now while I type this! totally amazing!!!!

Actually, I have to disagree with you. There were several times (I rewatched in slow-mo a bunch of times) that Ohno touched not just the Koreans but even his own teammate Celski, and it was not for balance that he reached out. It wasn't jostling either. You can tell in the slow-mo that he was intentional but sneaky. I'm not upset about the Koreans wiping out. They were doing they're best to beat Ohno, and in the process, there wasn't enough room for both to turn. I wish they could've won silver and bronze, but that's okay. What I'm not thrilled about is that Ohno wasn't disqualified after intentionally touching others. He even said in an interview that speed skating is a contact sport. What I don't get is that if speed skating is a contact sport, then why do people get disqualified for making contact with other people? And why does he see it necessary to touch other people? He needs to keep his hands to himself, and play fair.
I'm sorry if I come across too strongly. My whole house is in uproar over this, lol!

That's ok, you're entitled to having an opinion .
I'm no expert on the sport, but from my understanding, some physical contact is allowed, especially in those mass-start races when you got more than two racers starting on the same start line. A disqualification usually happens if one skater interferes with another skater by blatant shoving or in such a way that causes danger to them. It's mostly up to the judges, how it looks to them.

I'm most looking forward to the dance pairs, and to the female solo! But the underside of living in Europe is that I have to record those ravishing shows and watch them only after I come back from school the next day... sigh. I adore figure skating, it's so beautiful, graceful and light, I enjoy the energy and grace it combines, as well as the visual feast it provides with the costumes and choreography

I'm most looking forward to the dance pairs, and to the female solo!

I'm looking forward to the ladies' figure skating as well. Who is everyone cheering for?

This isn't an Olympic comment per se, but I enjoyed the 'flavor' piece NBC just ran about the polar bears in Churchill. A friend went there once to see the bears, and I've thought it would be neat to do it sometime. Besides, it's roughly due north of here anyway...

I really enjoyed that piece as well. The polar bears were pretty cute!

I also like the piece that they did about Alexandre Bilodeau and his older brother Frederick. I thought it was really sweet that Alexandre gave up hockey and did skiing instead because of his brother. What love!

I'm really looking forward to more speed skating tonight!

~Wunder

I can't believe I havn't been in this thread yet! In my opinion, the Olympics are better than Christmas. Plus, this time there's the added bonus that it takes place at my old stomping grounds. I had the priviledge of living in Vancouver for a short while in junior high and I just love seeing Grouse Mountain, Canada Place, Stanley Park, and Granville Island.

I'm so glad that Seth Wescott won gold for the US in Men's Snowboard Cross because as cute as Hannah Kearney's braids are, I was getting tired of watching her run over and over again.

I'm looking forward to the men's figure skating tonight, I want to see Even Lysacek make it on the podium this time.

I'm also looking forward to Women's Snowboard Cross and I hope Lindsay Jacobellis can finally get the gold that she almost had in Torino.

I also can't wait for my favorite event: Snowboard Halfpipe.

As far as Women's figure skating goes, I'll be pulling for Mirai Nagasu, but I just want an American to win.

I was so happy for Evan Lysacek tonight. I missed Plushenko's program, so I don't know how they really compared.
I dunno much about skating, but I thought Johnny Weir deserved a higher score. Yeah, forget about all the controversy, he had a great performance.

I liek the summer olympics better,

1. they have better sport imo
2. australia goes good in them.

some oen austrlian woman practises skeleton on a running court. lol

I was SO excited that Korea won gold in the women's 500m in speed skating! So they swept up gold in both men's and women's 500m!

I thought Plushenko did very well. I was impressed with his quad. It was sad that everyone else that attempted it messed up. I really enjoyed watching the Czech guy. I thought he did very well.

I'm also looking forward to Women's Snowboard Cross and I hope Lindsay Jacobellis can finally get the gold that she almost had in Torino.

Yeah, I was hoping she would be able to get the gold, too. I was SO surprised when she wiped out. But she really had a good attitude. I thought she would be more upset.

I'm looking forward to more speed skating and short track tonight! I'm hoping that Korea can snag some more medals!

~Wunder