I like sports. Always have. I’ve played on teams where my contribution was needed and played on teams where my presence wasn’t necessarily evident or maybe more negative in fashion. I’ve participated in sports where you are the only one responsible for successes and failures and participated in sports where I had no business being.

All that being said, I am a huge fan of sporting events and entertainment. With the start of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., I’ve been absolutely beside myself with the utmost of school girl giddiness. I love the Olympics. Everything from the tantalizing expectations leading up to the event, to the Opening Ceremonies, to the first trainwreck of an athlete getting kicked out of the Olympic Village, to the sweet taste of American medals, to the final closing comments and the anticipation of the next games.

One thing I hate; media coverage. I can see B.C. from my doorstep and I can’t get live media coverage? NBC makes me want to impale myself. This media conglomerate (see: NBC-Universal-Comcast-Xfinity-You-Are-Under-Our-Control-Corporation) thinks by controlling the broadcast of the Olympiad, the peppering of McDonald’s and P&G advertisements, and the uncountable interviews with pre-Olympic injured athletes, that I’m OK with missing the action in real time.

Apparently, I am not the only one who wants the heads of NBC officials:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/ronjudd/2011098934_judd17.html

Anyway, I’ve been geeked out for weeks waiting to watch them. The opening ceremonies didn’t disappoint. It was no Beijing but then again, Canada doesn’t coerce its population into succumbing to a Communist Regime for the sake of a Dog and Pony show. I liked the intimacy of the Opening Ceremonies as well as their technological achievements in digital projection. But what I really wanted to see was all of the winter sport. Still, despite the network broadcast shortcomings, I’m an addict. Let’s talk some events here that I like. And I’m no media spinning, propaganda belching reporter, so you will get my feelings and not some overbearing dramatization.

Short Track Speed Skating
A wall of three South Koreans separated Apolo Ohno and teammate J.R. Celski from medaling. The spill of two of the South Koreans opened the door for Ohno and Celski to medal Silver and Bronze respectively. I am not a big fan of speed skating or going around in circles but I do appreciate the intensity of short track racing, the sharp elbows of the competitors and a good wad up. It’s like roller derby on blades but with out the slinky costumes and black eyes.


Men’s and Women’s Moguls
I was bummed out when local Patrick Deneen wrecked while trying to go big on his last jump. His competition had scored extremely well so the pressure was on to bring it. Unfortunately, the Olympic Gods did not support his plight and he went down. But such is this in sport, go big or go home. He went for the win and while not getting it, he embodied everything that is great about our US athletes. Heart to win.


On the women’s side, the race was tight and the Canadian incumbent, Jenn Heil, was the odds on favorite to win gold. Well, until Hannah Kearney rocked a flawless run in cleanup. In 2006, she sucked. In 2010, she was golden. Kearney had something to prove and went out and did just that. She had the fastest time and biggest tricks. Kearney snatched the gold right away from the incumbent through her dominance and not playing it safe.


Men’s and Women’s Snowboard Cross
This is probably my favorite event of the winter Olympics for many reasons. Most significantly, I snowboarded for a long time and the sport is near and dear to my heart. I always felt that it was my generation that assisted its growth into mainstream. Also, the course reminds me of a freeride MTB trail. Drops, gaps, and high berms are the stuff I dream about. And lastly, the race is about speed and style.

Seth Wescott made a huge comeback win to beat the competition during the finals. He was so far behind that he would have had to dial long distance to reach the leader. But in an shrewd, precise fashion, one by one, he made his way to the front of the pack to take gold. To make it more impactful to our nation, he carried his grandfather’s U.S. flag who served in WWII and has past away. Family and patriotism.


On the women’s side, I thought Lindsey Jacobellis would have learned from her mistakes in 2006. She had gold locked up in the Turin Olympics but pulled a bone-headed hot dog move on the last step down. That time, her landing was sketchy and she wadded up ultimately grabbing the silver instead of gold. This year, it wasn’t her style that got her, it was fate. Unfortunately, during her semifinal heat, she stumbled on a landing trying to avoid the competition and went off course. This resulted in a disqualification. It’s unfortunate fate for a star that revolutionized the sport for women.


Leave it to the media to rain on her more in her disappointment. Read this jack ass’s perception of her:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/jerrybrewer/2011099429_brewer17.html

Olympics Medal Counter


Now I am waiting for the halfpipe competition to support the sports current generation of athletes. No live TV coverage though. It’s a shame that the CBC lost its Olympic contract and now us Seattle folks have to deal with a media conglomerate. Oh well, it would be easier to drive up and see it real-time, then drive home and watch it again on NBC. NBC continues to deny the fact that West Coast viewership wants to see it live. The idiots think that more people will enjoy watching tape delayed, packaged and edited curling and ice dancing. I love sports, but not on NBC.