The OFFICIAL 2014 Winter Olympics Thread

[MaxQue]

Canada named Hayley Wickenheiser, a female hockey player, as the flag-bearer. She is also known for critizing this summer the gay legislation of Putin, so, I'm a bit surprised about it. Many French people are unhappy since the flag-bearer is not speaking French for the 4th time in a row.

[MaxQue]

She's a good choice, since she wasn't given the captaincy, despite being the captain for the last 2(?) Olympics. And you know, being the best female hockey player ever.

She was in fac the captain ntil a few days, when the new head coach gave it to Ouellette.

[MaxQue]

In moguls, two canadian sisters ended 1sr and 2nd, which is very impressive (and probably didn't happened often). They had a 3rd sister competing (!), which finished 12th.

[MaxQue]

The fans that did show up to the curling events aren't very knowledgeable. Cheering for bad shots that "look good" by the Russian team. When the men's team lost, you could almost hear the collective "wait... is the game over.... why are they shaking hands... did we win or lose?" Of course, even in Vancouver the fans weren't knowledgeable. 

Quebec TV noticed that, but said it was worst in Torino (people booed when people "missed" the last shot in order to draw and not give the last stone to the opposing them there).

[MaxQue]

Apparently, acrobatic skiing is the new Canadian national sport, we won 6 of our 9 medals there (2 in men's moguls, 2 in women's moguls and 2 in women's slopestyle). (The three others are figure skating, speed staking and snowboard).

The fans that did show up to the curling events aren't very knowledgeable. Cheering for bad shots that "look good" by the Russian team. When the men's team lost, you could almost hear the collective "wait... is the game over.... why are they shaking hands... did we win or lose?" Of course, even in Vancouver the fans weren't knowledgeable. 

Quebec TV noticed that, but said it was worst in Torino (people booed when people "missed" the last shot in order to draw and not give the last stone to the opposing them there).

You mean when a team throws their last rock through to maintain last rock advantage if the most they could get is 1 point? I can see why a n00b wouldn't understand that. But I remember from the Torino games that the Italians loved the curling, because it reminded them of Bocce.

Anyways, who's doing the Quebec curling coverage? Guy Hemmings? He's awesome!

Yes, I'm meaning that, Herbie. I understand it's confusing (myself being a confused person at first). But, like in Torino, the crowd knowledge will be much better deeper in the event.

And, yes, it's Guy Hemmings. He is barely known in Quebec, so, I'm very surprised you know him. It's his former curling career? He is retired now, he is a full time teacher, apparently.

Radio-Canada is having duet covarage (CBC probably do the same). Guy Hemmings is the analyst, Justine Boutet is the host (the one doing more general comment). She is a former tennis university player, but is now a sports journalist (and the one usually covering curling news).

[MaxQue]

Re: Men's curling...

Without having to go on a Google chase, does anyone know what happened to the old curling team from Vancouver? I'm not really up on any of the athletes or anything, but the calibre of the previous team doesn't even seem to compare to the one we've got in Sochi. Did they fail to qualify? Did they retire? I would've thought for sure we could count on a curling gold, but I'm not too optimistic now.

A member of the team left and they lost in the semi-finals of the Canadian olympic selection tournament.

[MaxQue]

I have to say the Austrians are fumbling quite a few chances recently ...

At least, alpine skiing is better for you than in Whistler 2010.

[MaxQue]

Wierdly, a Canadian speed staker (Gilmore Junio) withdrew to allow the more experienced and in form substitute (Denny Morrison) to run instead.

Morrison won silver in an upset (which makes it a good move, since Junio wasn't going to do it at all) and is campaigning for Junio to be the flag-bearer at the closing to underline his selflessness, team spirit and sacrifice.

Nonetheless, it's making a great story for news.

[MaxQue]

Ah Yevgeny    His back was hurting so he left the ice without competing, while Russia showed their appreciation. At least he helped Russia win the team event before his retirement.

Jeremy Abbott's performance after his side slammed into the ice was incredible. 

It's most likely the end of the road for Plushenko. Sad end for such a great person for his sport (and sad for the Russian crowd). I was also impressed by Abbott managing to do so well after his very bad fall. I suppose than adrenaline and endorphines allowed it, it soothed the pain.

I'm also quite happy of the Canadian Chan (2nd after the short) and was impressed by the japanese leader. So young and so close of perfection.

[MaxQue]

Terrible sexism from Germany.

They announced they'll end funding the women hockey team because they ended outside of the top 6 at the Olympics.
Men hockey team in Germany is ranked much lower, but it will still be financed.

[MaxQue]

Russia is under shock.

The main goal of Putin and Russians, the Gold in men hockey (in which they were heavy favorites) isn't possible, they lost in the quarter-finals against Finland.

Russian newspapers won't be pretty tomorrow and I would suggest to the Russian NHL players to return as soon as possible in North America, to not face the considerable outlash they'll encounter.

[MaxQue]

Russian Ice Hockey team = many, many Indian Cricket Teams of the past c. infinite decades. Lots of very talented players, but seemingly an inability to play as, you know, a team...

That's the right answer, but I'm very surprised than it came from a British/Welsh person, given ice hockey knowledge in United Kingdom is probably very low.

On the first trio, there is Ovechkin and Malkin, two big stars, but they didn't passed the puck from one to the other one in order to get a good angle and distract the oppnoent, they both tried to goal, instead.

[MaxQue]

Ugh, sudden death overtime

Well, we are happy, here, up in the North!

[MaxQue]

Canada wins gold-silver in skicross. We're now in 2nd place in the medal standings behind Norway (2 golds behind though). Perhaps a gold in men's curling and men's hockey will put us in first?

We are in the semis (against Korea) of the men pursuit in long track staking, too. If I remember well, we wond gold in Vancouver in that event.

[MaxQue]

How did the British men's curling team make it to the finals? They are playing horrible curling right now. Congrats to Canada on winning gold twice.

It's not really improving through the match.

[MaxQue]

Well, the real winter sports country won.

As the silly Canadian Olympic Committee motto is, "We are Winter".

[MaxQue]

The ice dancing competition was having much of them.

An American for Canada, two Japaneses for USA, one Russian for Germany (and her brother was competing for Russia), a Welsh for France....

[MaxQue]

In Canada, medallists (excluding the hockey teams which I didn't check) were all born in Canada, but Jan Hudek, which was born in Czech Republic (or more exactly, Czechoslovakia).

Patrick Chan has Hong Kong parents, but he is born in Canada.

In sports, people rarely deflect to Canada. It's usually the reverse (Begg-Smith to Australia...)

[MaxQue]

The driver of one of the Canadian bobsleighs was Australian, actually.

Yes, but I was talking about medaillists.