~Sophia~ Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 I have been a great fan of winter sports and Olympics since early childhood. It originated with the influence of my maternal grandfather. He was a great winter sports athlete in his youth and later in life used political influence to build a sports complex facility in his city. This was not his primary job (he was a banker) but every free minute he had was spend coaching young raising athletes. After he died people named that building with his name. My mother grew up under his influence and then passed the same passion to me and my sister. My mother taught me every winter sport I know. We would travel for two hours one way by public transit just to go skating. My mother to this day can ski better than I do (I have never been particularly great at sports - where are those grandfather's genes? haha ). So, as you can imagine winter Olympics has been quite an event in my family. I have seen every games since I can remember. I think looking back the spirit of the games - the strive for greatness, the effort of fairness, significantly influenced my positive sense of life. The idealism did not end for me after the 16 days were over very four years - I carried it to my every day life. I also credit figure skating for shaping my sense of esthetics. And now the city I live in is hosting winter Olympics. I work two minutes from the Olympic village my father helped to build. I am quite emotional in a good way. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEgoist Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 Very cool that you get to be so close, Sophia. I'm only watching for the Hockey, which I assume the Canadian communist scourge of the northwestern hemisphere shall take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A is A Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 I saw the Opening Ceremony last night. Very nicely done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thales Posted February 13, 2010 Report Share Posted February 13, 2010 Hey, that's neat that you are in the middle of it all, Sophia. The ice hockey has always been my biggest interest in the winter Olympics, although the down hill Slalom events were fun. My mother used to figure skate, and loved the ice dancing competitions. I remember when they allowed pro-hockey players play, that's when the hockey became really good. Brett Hull's shot really stood out in the Olympic style game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZSorenson Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 I like the speed skating. Today was a good example of why with a last minute crash! The skiing is fun, the figure skating, the hockey's okay (there's the NHL and all, just like summer olympics basketball being an NBA sideshow). Luge, sled, snowball fighting, er, um... The winter olympics is by far the 'funnest' olympics in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Link Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 I also love the winter olympics, but now I'm wondering whether the recent tragedy and the subsequent statements of irresponsibility will be followed by news of another death. John Link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weston Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 I just watched the men's 5000 meter speed skating, in which Sven Kramer took gold. I was really inspired to see all the Dutch so happy about him, and to see how one man can do so much for an entire nation. I'm not even a speed skating fan, but I think everyone can appreciate that spirit of triumph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert J. Kolker Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 I love them too. The sting of the cold air against my face, the excitement of the crowd, the sight of luge riders flying through the air. Quite a rush. Bob Kolker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexandros Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 I love them too. The sting of the cold air against my face, the excitement of the crowd, the sight of luge riders flying through the air. Quite a rush. Bob Kolker You write like you were there... are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert J. Kolker Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 You write like you were there... are you? No. I am indoors, safe and warm. Bob Kolker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexandros Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 No. I am indoors, safe and warm. Bob Kolker Oh. Now I get it! Flying luge riders! Hardy-har. Man, I need some sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted February 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 Hannah Kearney was absolutely amazing yesterday. Skiing last, under tremendous pressure - she delivered 30 (or so) sec of pure perfection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZSorenson Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 I also love the winter olympics, but now I'm wondering whether the recent tragedy and the subsequent statements of irresponsibility will be followed by news of another death. John Link Some of the women luge competitors have complained that the speed was reduced too much on the track. While they re-iced and walled the area where that guy died, they also forced the women to start off from a lower position on the starting ramp. Many of the athletes are pretty upset about it. They know what sport they're in, and sometimes people overreact to tragedy. Overreaction won't bring the dead back to life. Prudence will save others from dying in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexandros Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Some of the women luge competitors have complained that the speed was reduced too much on the track. While they re-iced and walled the area where that guy died, they also forced the women to start off from a lower position on the starting ramp. Many of the athletes are pretty upset about it. They know what sport they're in, and sometimes people overreact to tragedy. Overreaction won't bring the dead back to life. Prudence will save others from dying in the future. Someone needs to give them a quick physics lesson, mainly Newton's third law and the centripetal and centrifugal forces. I'm sure that will settle the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted February 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 It seems almost unfair to single someone out of the the winning Olympians but I found Lindsey Vonn's gold medal performance yesterday especially inspirering. She handled the pressure of grand expectations well and won despite her recent serous injury (if you watch it closely she was protecting her sore shin throughout the run and reached the finish line on a one ski). What a fighter! (And she has done something similar before on more than one occasion). Then to see her elation afterwards... awesome moment. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtColville Posted February 18, 2010 Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 It seems almost unfair to single someone out of the the winning Olympians but I found Lindsey Vonn's gold medal performance yesterday especially inspirering. She handled the pressure of grand expectations well and won despite her recent serous injury (if you watch it closely she was protecting her sore shin throughout the run and reached the finish line on a one ski). What a fighter! (And she has done something similar before on more than one occasion). Then to see her elation afterwards... awesome moment. :) I agree -- totally awesome! Her race was so inspiring, especially considering how technical the upper turns were and how trecherous that last jump was. In her post-race interview, you could hear how proud she was of her effort and determination and how much work she had put in. Lindsey is phenomenal, embodying the best in athletic competition! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gags Posted February 18, 2010 Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 I get a huge kick out of the snowboarders. I've never even tried the sport and don't plan on it either, but the guys and the women do some really amazing tricks. Shaun White in the half-pipe last night was incredible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffS Posted February 18, 2010 Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 It seems almost unfair to single someone out of the the winning Olympians but I found Lindsey Vonn's gold medal performance yesterday especially inspirering. She handled the pressure of grand expectations well and won despite her recent serous injury (if you watch it closely she was protecting her sore shin throughout the run and reached the finish line on a one ski). What a fighter! (And she has done something similar before on more than one occasion). Then to see her elation afterwards... awesome moment. :) Brought tears to my eyes. As KurtColville just wrote, you could hear how proud she was of her individual effort. She worked hard for something she really wanted, and now has earned, and deserves to enjoy, the fruits of her labor. I don't know if it's just me, or it's this Olympics, but I'm hearing a lot more of that type of sentiment; athletes mentioning how hard they've worked rather than how lucky they were. The commentators are actually getting in on the act and pointing out how hard these individuals work and the struggles and strife they must go through - the time away from family, the long hours, the constant competition, the constant pressure to perform and succeed with the stress of not knowing whether you will. No one would ever dream of taking away Ms. Vonn's medal, or even taking a little piece of it. Yet the same hard work, struggles and strife are endured by millions of productive individuals who compete in the Reality Olympics every day. Sometimes earning gold, sometimes silver, sometimes nothing at all. Few will be interviewed, fewer still get medals for their accomplishments. Yet most can count on someone taking part of their metal away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Sophia~ Posted February 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 I don't know if it's just me, or it's this Olympics, but I'm hearing a lot more of that type of sentiment; athletes mentioning how hard they've worked rather than how lucky they were. I am glad to see it as well. Is it because the work is directly physically experienced for athletes - that it is harder to ignore the individual aspect? Physical pain is not shared and that makes it more clear who is doing the work. Also, the otherwise collectivism driven society seems to be more accepting of crediting one's individual effort for success in sports thus you hear that from athletes more often. We don't get the same type of acknowledgment from actors or singers, for example (it is God, or family, or lucky stars). Yet the same hard work, struggles and strife are endured by millions of productive individuals who compete in the Reality Olympics every day. Sometimes earning gold, sometimes silver, sometimes nothing at all. Few will be interviewed, fewer still get medals for their accomplishments. Yet most can count on someone taking part of their metal away. Very true. Someone but also many do this to themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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