Does Anyone Care about the Winter Olympics?

[RJeremy]

I've watched most of the Olympics, it's only every 4 years, and I enjoy them...

can't stand watching the Hockey, especially Women's Hockey

[Spearit]

On Anton Ono- This guy really had it until he got greedy and allowed his ego to take over- failing to see he was qualified into the next round- he tries to manuever around the 1st place guy and lost it- fell in disbelief.
I have some great pics in the 2002 race- where the top 4 guys all fell and the last place guy won- scrambling to his feet Ohno placed second- That was wild.

As far as every four years- yes winter olympics every four years (with summer olympics in between).
I have pictures of Russia (Khaby-bull-in in net) against Belarus in 2002. Great game won by the Russies 6-4. One supreme smack down of the Belarus player sent the Doctor with his black bag across ice. Great game. Canada men and women both are supreme in Hockey. Russia lost to Sweden in mens already so noone is to be taken lightly.

[CheechB03]

I used to have much more interest in both the summer and winter games. Now I don't care very much about either.

[ChuckLazar]

I can relate with you Spearit.......These are true hero's in sports, whether Winter or Summer Olympics....Most of these people struggled thru hardships and some never really had the talent it takes, but dedicated their lives to working hard and are accomplishing dreams that can be only truly appreciated through eyes of another competittor....
I bet 50% of some of these kids here, never even roller skated let alone Snowboarded or even went on a tobaggon at 100 miles an hr.
Most of these 20 yr old kids sit behind their computers all day pretending to be big gamblers, and have no lives outside of that....

[Spearit]

I can relate with you Spearit.......These are true hero's in sports, whether Winter or Summer Olympics....Most of these people struggled thru hardships and some never really had the talent it takes, but dedicated their lives to working hard and are accomplishing dreams that can be only truly appreciated through eyes of another competittor....
I bet 50% of some of these kids here, never even roller skated let alone Snowboarded or even went on a tobaggon at 100 miles an hr.
Most of these 20 yr old kids sit behind their computers all day pretending to be big gamblers, and have no lives outside of that....

I tell ya Chuck- knowing full well that you are an athlete- that to be laid up in a hospital with cluster headaches - on demerol and vistaril- watching a full week of the Olympics on TV- with the USA winning the gold medal in hockey- I was hooked. I wanted to be a part of it and was for two Olympics. I hope to be part of the team in 2008 in China.

Funny - though. I never understood why American Press was so fixated on Americans. The beauty of all this is to come away with a unique story and event. They miss the mark completely with a game effort by an American but lose the value of what an impoverished nation athlete was able to overcome to reach the top.

I am perplexed to see the apathy overall on the Olympics- but I agree I don't watch everything. I will look over the events for the day and then make up my mind to see it or not. Sarah Hughes sister will be taking Michelle Quans place - this could be an interesting story.

[Spearit]

Snowboarding Womens
On Monday, Kelly Clark got bumped out of the third spot when Norway's Kjersti Buaas had one of the runs of her life. Clark, the 2002 gold medalist, had a great run going in an attempt to overcome her, but fell in her attempt to land a 2 1/2-spin jump at the end.

"I felt like this was the time to pull out all the stops,'' Clark said. "I really went for it.''

She finished with 41.1 points to 42 for the Norwegian.

Again, though, it was hard to complain -- at least not for the American side. Even Clark seemed to be soaking this one in, standing at the bottom and congratulating her teammates who finished up after her.

During the awards ceremony, Teter wrapped the American flag around her waist and jumped up and down on the podium. Both she and Bleiler wore stars-and-stripes bandannas, the same as White wore the day before.

Teter's road to victory was also a lot like White's.

Riding with the cords from her iPod dangling about, she scored a 44.6 on her first run to take the lead, an advantage that none of the other 11 riders could match. It made her second trip down the icy pipe a victory lap, just like White's, except she outdid the first, scoring a 46.4 on the strength of a frontside 540 followed by a frontside 900.

Like most of the best athletes in this so-called "alternative lifestyle'' sport that is quickly going mainstream, Teter has taken a quirky path through life and athletics.

The 19-year-old lists one of her favorite hobbies as making syrup out of the sap from trees near her home in Vermont. Her entire family is involved in snowboarding, from two brothers who also are on the U.S. team, to another who is the manager of what they call Team Teter.

Bleiler, meanwhile, is no stranger to photo shoots and could have a career in modeling once the snowboarding is over. She missed the Olympic team on the strength of a tiebreaker in 2002, a motivator that landed her next to her teammate four years later.


I wish I knew how to post a picture of her.

[jcindaville]

No

[Spearit]

Well JC - I am more of a leg man these days and this snowboarder has the legs. Nothing against yo mama there who looks enticing as well - but her legs are no match to this snowboarding queen.

[JBC13]

I can relate with you Spearit.......These are true hero's in sports, whether Winter or Summer Olympics....Most of these people struggled thru hardships and some never really had the talent it takes, but dedicated their lives to working hard and are accomplishing dreams that can be only truly appreciated through eyes of another competittor....
I bet 50% of some of these kids here, never even roller skated let alone Snowboarded or even went on a tobaggon at 100 miles an hr.
Most of these 20 yr old kids sit behind their computers all day pretending to be big gamblers, and have no lives outside of that....

I have rollerskated and snowboarded before :christmas

[meaiken]

I enjoyed watching the olympics before they started letting pro-atletes play. It's suppose to be for amatuers.

I turn it on here and there to see what's going on. I liked watching women's hockey those chicks can play.

I like summer olympics better, I used to be a swimmer and runner in high school so I like to watch those events.

[Jaxson]

Spearit do you live in Utah or were you just there for the 2002 games

[therealdeal]

No

[MNCapper]

I still do enjoy watching the Winter Olympics and the Summer as well. I enjoy speedskating, luge, bobsleding, downhill skiing, ski jumping and other sports that I would never watch unless they are in the Olympics.

[maxell]

I like the Winter Games. I'll watch all except the curling. Especially like the luge, bobsled, speed skating and the Alpine events where the "agony of defeat" was born.

[soxx9]

I read an article in the paper today that the girl's on the U.S. Curling team were hot? Can anyone other than Spark verify this for me?

I'm watching Women's Curling on USA Network cause it's just like Shuffle Board, but on ice.

Signed,

Spark

Also, for what it is worth.....the Summer Olympics with Track and Field blow away the Winter Olympics for me.