Is anybody into the Vancouver Winter Olympics?

[Roy Hersh]

I am really excited for the Olympics to get started and wish in the USA we had coverage beyond NBC. From what I've read, we've been blocked from obtaining the live Canadian feed, and even being just a few hours away from Vancouver and in the same time zone ... there will be a 3-hour delay (for us W. coasters) and yet, they'll still have "live" written on the screen.

[Glenn E.]

My brother's train was hired to provide additional lodging, so he'll be in Vancouver the entire time. I'm hoping to get up to visit him the last week of the Olympics, and he's going to try to score tickets to an event for us.

No idea what he might be able to get, but really anything would be fun. Just being able to say that I saw an Olympic event in person would be pretty cool!

[Andy Velebil]

Honestly, since they "split" the olympics I just lost interest. I loved it when it was all in one year and I could get excited about it once every four years. For some reason this every two years thing just doesn't appeal to me anymore. I wish they would go back to the old way of doing it.

[Peter W. Meek]

CBC-tv lost out to a private network in Canada, which we can't get here on either cable or satellite. I can't seem to get interested in the US coverage; they spend more time talking about how many medals the US is getting than actually showing the events. Tiresome.

(Topic drift follows here)
I can get interested in any sporting event where the absolute best in the world compete against each other. The countries the competitors come from has nothing to do with it. That's why I like things like Formula 1 and sumo wrestling, but not football (either kind) or baseball. With the multiplicity of leagues and league expansions there are just too many players needed, and naturally, that means the players aren't (can't be) all selected from those very few, very best in the world.

(Extreme topic drift)
How about a "league" for football/soccer or baseball (or any team sport) where the 30-40 best players in the world played round-robin style. The players would be rotated randomly or according to some pattern between two teams so that each player would eventually play both alongside and opposing each other player, and have their performance rated by how the team they were playing for did that day (not their individual performance - their team's performance, since these are team sports). Win big and everybody on the "Blue" team gets a couple of points; squeak out a victory and all get one point. No individual points at all to avoid players trying for individual advantage - I repeat: this is a team sport. Think of the fun people would have handicapping such a sport: pairs of players (or triplets/quads) that seem to work well together would make one team or the other stronger TODAY. Tomorrow everything is different. The rosters for each game would have to be published well in advance. Did the "Red" team get a bunch of outfielders or defensive linemen today? Too bad; move them around and make do. The other team is likely off balance in some other way. Move the games around the country (or world) in empty parks where the (regular league) home team is playing an away game. Root for the team that has more of your favorite players today; root for combinations of players that you like; what the heck, pick a color you like.

[Rob C.]

Andy - just remember though, Dan Jansen would probably never have got his speed skating gold were it not for the split.

Now THAT moment was the Olympics at its finest.

[Frederick Blais]

The private Canadian channel does have web cast : http://www.ctvolympics.ca/video/CTV/index.html

It is almost live coverage, it is getting about 2 mins delay from the television version.

[Roy Hersh]

I loved the women's freestyle skiing action and was amazed that Canada did not pull off the Gold in that event. Then you have that freaky ending to the men's 1500 short skating program where the So. Korean team had a lock with G-S-B medals and yet the second/third place skaters collide and wind up not getting medals and Ohno and Celski getting crazy lucky. It is time for Canada to get their Gold and hopefully it will happen before the hockey teams get going. I'd love to see them win in hockey too though!

[Roy Hersh]

In case you did not see this link in the Video file:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iyLRR2vAO8&NR=1

[Markus D.]

I loved the women's freestyle skiing action and was amazed that Canada did not pull off the Gold in that event.

I've been loving the Olympics (being a Vancouverite, it's easy to get caught up in the action!). I actually attended the women's freestyle yesterday and it was quite exciting, though it got to be extremely cold with the rain and wind. I also was able to attend the olympic opening ceremonies dress rehearsal last wednesday which was a lot of fun. Hockey and curling is next this week. As well as Sam Roberts playing a free concert this Saturday and all the other cultural events going on around town. For people in Seattle, if you can get a chance you should come up for a day or two and take in the city during this two week long party!

[Roy Hersh]

I'll be up after the Olympics and this weekend will be having a great wine weekend here with very close friends from Vancouver who live near (Seymour St.) a block or two from the art museum coming down and they're taking Friday off so as not to have to deal with the border crossing on a weekend.

[Melanie R.]

Wow, I just watched the video ("The Edge of the Never" trailer). Very touching and amazing. Sometimes I think there is a fine line between bravery and stupidity, but you have to have some measure of respect for people with that kind of guts. His mother must be very brave also, I think.

[Roy Hersh]

Melanie,

It is on showtime this month too. I can say this, not a single day has passed since I watched that movie ... where it was not on my mind at least twice. Really intense in a way that very few movies are ... knowing it is real. The "foreboding" technique used in that film is so stupendous, that I am considering writing the director a letter to congratulate him. Seriously. I don't think it would have the same affect, if one was not into skiing. At the same time that Kye's dad Trevor was into his extreme skiing, it was the peak of my stunt skiing and racing, even before moving to CO to be a ski bum ... while managing a restaurant atop Copper Mtn. right after finishing Univ. I know this is hard to believe, but I was WAY more into skiing than I am now into wine. Fanatical does not begin to describe my obsession back then.

It's good to see the snow falling in BC but they're running into so many other "issues" this is becoming problematic.

[Melanie R.]

Wow, I can see how that would make a personal connection for you as well. I have never been into skiing (I tried it a couple times, but it didn't "stick". No surprise there since I am not very outdoorsy and don't like being cold). I guess I looked at it more from a perspective of being in awe at the things these guys did, for the sheer thrill and enjoyment. Even though I don't have kids, it hit me from the perspective of a parent too, what his mom must feel seeing him do these dangerous things. I haven't been able to watch the whole movie yet, since we don't have Showtime.

[Marc J.]

As both a skier & a mountaineer I was very impressed with that video trailer! What a story....

Marc

[Peter W. Meek]

For various reasons, all the Biathlon races have been very exciting. Congrats to all the medalists.

[Roy Hersh]

Wednesday was kind to American Olympic participants.

So do you think Canada will win GOLD in men's or women's hockey?

[Peter W. Meek]

Women's Downhill and Men's Half-Pipe were (respectively) intense and impressive.

[Roy Hersh]

The women's halfpipe was like watching little leaguers after the previous night's excitement. Fortunately, women's slalom was a great event and the best of what was on tonight, albeit I have no desire to watch the men's skating ... better known as dancing on ice (nor do I watch the couple's for that matter, even though it is my wife's favorite event ).

So what do you think of the NBC coverage so far?

For me, I can't imagine it getting much worse. I truly miss being able to switch out to CBC. NBC is all-America all the time. It is monotonous and stupid. I love my country but this type of coverage is so one-sided that it is an embarrassment. Beyond that main issue, to be forced to watch events with a 3 hour time delay for games that are taking place just a handful of hours by car from here ... is absolutely pathetic.

[Eric Menchen]

Women's Downhill and Men's Half-Pipe were (respectively) intense and impressive.

Shaun White absolutely proved he was the best with that second run, and not because he scored even more than his already gold winning score, but because he did it. He could have just goofed off, but he didn't. And from what I've read of him, he thrives on pressure, so it wasn't the no-pressure situation that allowed him to do so well. I was amused when NBC passed along the audio of him talking with his coaches before that run. What, NBC, you were surprised when they used expletives not allowed on broadcast TV?

I've gotten tired of the NBC broadcast in general, and not just because of the one-sidedness, but because there is so much fluff.

[Roy Hersh]

Eric,

Have you ever been able to catch CBC broadcasts of the Olympics in the past? It is like watching an entirely different sporting event. They know how to cover sports as if it is an actual sport, not a highlights reel, filled with "feel good" BS stories. NBC is half sports and half American Idol. Pathetic as I said earlier.