Winter Olympics

[Don Wassall]

The U.S. already has a speed skating gold medalist in Chad Hedrick, who won the 5,000 meters.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11289069/

He's aiming for five golds. Shani Davis, the black sprinter beloved by the media, finished 7th in the race.

 

[Don Wassall]

I caught part of the opening ceremonies last night, just as Yoko Ono (!) was speaking about peace and love. Then Peter Gabriel sang "Imagine," John Lennon's anthem about a borderless, raceless heaven on earth. How absurd. Here were the best athletes in the world, gathered together to represent their countries in fiercely nationalistic sports combat, listening to crap like that along with the rest of the global audience. Makes you realize how much of PC is just that, mandatory crap meant to delude glassy-eyed idealists but otherwise having nothing to do with reality.

 

[guest301]

I always hated that song "Imagine". What kind of a crappy world would that be? The beatles, the most overrated rock band of all time..the Michael Vicks of rock and roll. No offence to beatles lovers at CF.

 

[backrow]

Yoko Ono was a bit of a blast from the past... i really don't care for either Beattles or Ono...

 

[Bart]

[url]http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/torino2006/speed_skating/ne ws?slug=ap-spe-davis-teampursuit&prov=ap&type=lgns [/url]

TURIN, Italy (AP) -- Speedskater Shani Davis won't participate in team pursuit, dealing a severe blow to the United States' hopes of winning a medal in the new Olympic event.

Davis said Saturday that he wants to focus on his individual races. He finished seventh in the 5,000 meters on the first day of competition.

"I could care less what other people say about me," Davis said. "I didn't come here to skate the team pursuit."

 

[guest301]

So much for patriotism and loyalty. If he is battling injuries or something I could understand it. To my knowledge, he is not.

 

[White Shogun]

I wonder if Shani Davis will receive any criticism in the media for his decision.

I won't hold my breath.

 

[GWTJ]

The Winter Olympics in HD is awesome!

The Beatles can not be overrated. There aren't enough superlatives in the dictionary to give them their due.

They were everything that bands today aren't.

 

[Don Wassall]

I guess I'm still waiting for the Games to live up to J. B. Cash's latest. Today all the hype was about the U.S.'s Asian contingent -- Michelle Kwan withdrawing and Ohno falling down. NBC News treated Kwan like she was Michelle Wie's sister.

We did get a medal in something called the men's halfpipe. Sounds like something Cheech and Chong should be entered in. Call me old school but the X-Games stuff doesn't belong in the Olympics.

 

[White Shogun]

Call me old school but the X-Games stuff doesn't belong in the Olympics.

I don't know much about the X-Games, either, Don, but from what I've seen one has to be extremely athletic and somewhat of a daredevil. I kinda take pride in the fact that the X-Games, with its outrageous stunts and athleticism and need for tremendous courage, is dominated by whites.

I just wish they'd add mixed martial arts to the lineup!

Edited by: White Shogun

 

[guest301]

If they are going to put synchronized swimming and curling in there , then X-games stuff belong too. I love names like the "flying tomato". Shawn White looks like carrot top's younger brother. It looks like he may be about to win gold. It's kinda hard to avoid the sports news off the internet and tv so you can watch the olympics and see for yourself. Most of it is not live. Can't wait for the men's hockey to start and see Canada and the USA go at it.

 

[guest301]

Don...I don't mind the attention and respect that Kwan is getting. She strikes me as a classy and gracious young lady. She is not especially athletic but her programs are a work of art. I have never heard a negative word about her in the dozen years she's been at or near the top of her sport. I am glad that Sasha Cohen and Emily Hughes may get a chance now to escape her shadow. The Asian community has someone to be proud of in Kwan, they may get even less respect from the caste system than whites. Figure skating has pretty much flown under the radar as far as the caste system is concerned.

 

[Don Wassall]

I'm just remarking on the media's obsession with the few non-white Americans at the Games. Even at the opening ceremonies the camera kept coming back to the few "diverse" Americans in the contingent. It's nothing against Michelle Kwan personally.

As far as the sports selected, it does seem that there has always been an arbitrary factor involved. Probably diplomacy and politics too. You have equestrian events at the Summer games but they didn't want baseball and tennis for the longest time. And curling at the Winter games? Must have been to please Canada. If they have curling why not add bowling?

 

[White Shogun]

If they have curling why not add bowling?

Hey, they already have ping pong, er, I mean table tennis, so why not!

 

[Don Wassall]

Darts and horseshoes, played by heavy beer drinkers only of course, would be fun sports to add to the Summer games.

 

[guest301]

I love this kid,gold medalist Shawn "flying tomato" White. He just told Bob Costas that he hopes his gold medal helps him 'attract some babes". White Shogun..I would love to see the mma in the olympics too..but don't hold your breath..it's too violent and gladiator like..strike one..they would trick it up like boxing with the head gear..strike two..it's too white..strike three

 

[White Shogun]

Darts and horseshoes, played by heavy beer drinkers only of course, would be fun sports to add to the Summer games.

Hell, if they added darts I might have to try out!

 

[Don Wassall]

Darts, horseshoes and pool should be the three main events of the Beer Olympics.

 

[guest301]

Don..maybe you should take a patent on that name..I could see something like that being a success..The Beer Olympics!

 

[Don Wassall]

Maybe I should before some lurker here does it.

 

[guest301]

Ha! I don't like beer. But I could use the money.

 

[White Shogun]

Ha! I don't like beer. But I could use the money.

That's another strike against you, Aragorn!

 

[guest301]

Does liking a occasional shot of Jack Daniels take away a strike?

 

[Don Wassall]

Did anyone notice how the name of the site of the Olympics changed just before the start of the Games from "Turin" to "Torino"? It was the idea of NBC Sports head Dick Ebersole: "Torino just rolls off your mouth. It has a romanticism to it. And I just thought that that was a wonderful way to name these Games."

Just another illustration of the power of the media and how willingly its flock of journalists follow their cues.

 

[guest301]

This is a example of a "journalist" making news instead of reporting news. The name of the city is Turin, it should be reported that way. Does anybody know if it's called Torino by the locals?