Friday, February 26, 2010

Olympic Friday

I love watching the men's aerials in the Olympics. They go so freaking high! And they spin and flip and rotate so much! It's just so cool. It seems so impossible, you know? And yet here are these guys, doing it. Though I cringe every time someone does a "backslap"--it looks like those things would be deadly, and yet most of them just stand right up and ski down the hill.

I guess what I wonder is, how do people get into this sport to begin with? I find it difficult to envision circumstances in which a kid would begin doing a sport like that. And how do you LEARN it? It's so INTENSE. I mean, they jump 50 feet in the air. ON PURPOSE.

On the other hand, I am beyond uninterested in the Nordic combined event. Ski jumping where everyong just goes straight forward looking exactly the same? Blah. Cross country skiing where we watch people heave themselves forward on two sticks for 10 kilometers? Also blah. I mean, I understand it's a very challenging sport, and I could never do it myself, but watching it on TV? Not my thing.

Side note: while I was typing this, a large brown spider crawled up the curtain behind me. And I am very proud of myself for not shrieking and jumping off the couch and injuring myself in the process. I just calmly stood up, stepped far away from the curtain, and called for Torsten to bring the vacuum cleaner. THANK GOD. Perhaps someday I will totally get over my total fear of and disgust toward spiders. I don't have high hopes, though.

ANYWAY, now I'm all distracted and discombobulated, but I'm pretty sure that I had a point with this post. Oh, I remember. I also find figure skating kind of boring, which is a new sensation for me--I always liked it in the past. And I do like watching gymnastics, so I don't know what my deal is. But Joannie Rochette--I cry every time I see her. The story about her mom is just so sad, and watching her be so emotional just kills me every time. And I don't even have an excuse for my tears--no pregnancy, no PMS, no similar personal traumatic memories, nothing. I just feel so sad, and so impressed with her poise. And, on the men's side, I am seriously in heart with Johnny Weir.

But yeah, other than that, I'm did not really enjoy the figure skating. And I can't even force myself to watch a single ice dancing routine, I find it so boring. But I loved all the downhill skiing events, and also the snowboard and ski cross events. I'd never seen or heard of them before, but it's so interesting watching four people cram onto one tiny course together, you know?

What about you? What Olympic sports and athletes do you like, or not like?

14 comments:

  1. I've absoutely loved watching all the Olympic hockey, men's and women's. On the woman's side this is their Superbowl, their biggest tournament and they only get to do it every 4 years. Seeing the USA win Silver last night was hard, I so thought they could beat Canada this year but I got over it pretty quickly when I saw how thrilled Finland was to win bronze.

    On the men's side it's amazing to see the guys playing for their country instead of their NHL teams. It puts NHL teammates against each other and makes for a fascinating game.

    I've loved also loved all the downhill events and snowboarding. I didn't get into any of the ice skating this year which used to be my favorite. I actually fell asleep trying to watch the ladies last night and ice dancing needs to just be gone, so boring to me and I'm a dancer.

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  2. It's official, I want to be an ice dancer. I'm not kidding.

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  3. I actually used to date a former top level moguls skier. This has actually been my first time actually watching any Olympics events since I was a little kid. I've spent most of my time trying to figure out how hockey works, but I also saw some bobsledding. Which was terrifying.

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  4. Joannie Rochette, for sure. I'm not a big figure skating fan, but her story is just riveting. I didn't care if she got a medal, but I was really hoping she skated well.

    The sports I like to watch the most are speed skating (short & long track), half-pipe and ski cross/snowboard cross. I always look at sports like curling, bobsled, luge, etc. and think that (with a little training) I could do that.

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  5. I love ski & snowboard cross, because apparently we rock at them (2 golds, 1 silver, and this is the first time ski cross was included in the Olympics). Plus its just SO much fun to see who'll crash!!

    Joannie Rochette makes me teary too. I missed her routine due to travel but ugh. still makes me cry. OH WAIT, nevermid! it's on right now, yay for replay! (Johnny Weir is AWESOMESAUCE. So is Evan lastnameistoolongtospell, and Patrick Chan!)

    I didn't even know there was a difference between ice dancing/figure skating until, like, 3 months ago. I think we're great, and that routine that won them gold was exquisite but I'm not sure I can ever take a sport seriously that has "twizzles" as an element.

    HOCKEY HOCKEY OMFG HOCKEY. Of course. SO jazzed the women's won gold and am SO LOOKING FORWARD to Canada whupping Slovakia's bum tonight!! WOOOOOOO.

    Love: Speed skating both short track and long track, bobsled, skeleton, aerials, luge and moguls. Curling is oddly fascinating (new developement, still can't watch a full game).

    Couldn't care less about Nordic Combined or half-pipe or 10k Pursuit or giant slalom or bi whatever else. Ugh!

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  6. I have missed practically all of the olympics, thanks to children who won't sleep and my disinterest in most events anyway. I wish I could have seen some of the ice skating though, that's about the only event I like. Even though I think I'd personally like the women who do OTHER events much better. Except for the x-games stuff, that's just silly to me. Why do they take themselves so seriously?

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  7. Meh, I never really watch the Olympics. It's feels very unAmerican to say so, but I just don't like them all that much.

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  8. I usually love figure skating but it was just sort of hoh humm last night. Can't wait for gymnastics in 2012!

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  9. I heart Johnny Weir too! And Joannie. I love the snowboarding, downhill, bobsledding, skeleton (now that is a crazy sport), and...yes, figure skating and ice dancing was fun. You should read what I thought were the top 5 moments on my blog!

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  10. I've watched a lot of hockey this Olympics. I work for a team, so I have an interest and an understanding, which is not true on all the other sports. I'm kind of tired of all the figure skating myself, though I do find it beautiful. Can't wait for Sunday's gold medal hockey match- go Team USA!

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  11. HOCKEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. Fave Olympian is different every time but Rochette and Bilodeau for sure this go round

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  12. I'm always a huge fan of the Olympics, but this year I'm even more excited over it -- probably because it's IN Canada, and we're also doing amazing this year for medals! So exciting!

    I even got really into the Men's Curling final last night, LMAO!

    Looking forward to the Hockey game today too -- and these are seriously sports that are on in my house all the time anyway, but I typically escape from watching them, LOL.

    I hope the closing ceremonies is as good as the opening ceremonies were!

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  13. I really am tired of hearing about Shawn White and Lindsay Vonn. They're both great athletes but I'd rather her other stories about people who aren't in the spotlight all the time.

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  14. Oh I didn't even get to see the figureskating. All they showed on tv here were the damn nordic combined events and *shudder* curling. YAWN

    But the skijumping is fun :p

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