Oh, by the way, the Olympics have started ......

I think you mean, the Stanley Cup!

Just waiting for enough injuries to cause the NHL to say "no" to the Olympic committees on allowing their players to play in the Olympics...Flyers owner has already come out strongly against it, but the NHLPA likes it.  As hockey tournaments go it's a great spectacle, and played on the IIHF sized rink is better, but the possible liability for the people who pay these guys losing their investment will likely change things eventually.

Oh yeah. that overvalued fandango of hyped prima donnas hurling themselves to the ground because their hair gel has been disturbed. Cannot wait

Bruce (never a great football fan, now largely hates it)

Rugger, a game for ruffians played by gentlemen.

Soccer, a game for gentlemen, played by louts. Well that was then. Now soccer is played by over-paid diving big girls' blouses!

ATB from George

Does ruffian come from the same word-root as Ruffenian [today, Ukrainian]?

ATB from George

Interesting DrMark. I am 100% with you on the subjectively rated sports. Really not sure why there is figure skating pairs and ice dancing pairs either. I am not sure I agree about the new sports being added (well I grant you the dozens of variations of going down a hill/tube on a snowboard/skis). In fairness baseball and softball (and wrestling almost, one of the ancient Olympic sports for gods sake) are being dropped from the Summer games. Americans have been known to do pretty well in these sports. I think the whole Olympic spectacle has gotten carried away and countries devote way too many resources which could be better used elsewhere.

Sure, the Olympics are "sports", but in the larger scheme it's all just entertainment. Some people can get emotionally enthralled in the "sporting" and "nationality" aspects every four years, but really it's no different than Hollywood selling a movie or a TV network selling a program, just less frequent. The object is to make money (like billions $$$) and traditional sports might no longer sell. 

I happen to enjoy watching curling, but on a four-year basis. I love the newer events like slopestyle ski and snowboard, and so do my kids. But they look at traditional events like classical nordic skiing and luge and say "WTF? who wants to do or watch that?" and I don't blame them. If the Olympics wants to maximize revenues, they have to appease the traditional audience while welcoming the next generation.

George,

You could not be more correct .

Oh for the days of Wyn Davies, Dave Mackay and Martin Chivers . Real footballers.

I like the newer sports-the world evolves and if sport can be a force for good amongst the young it must be with events that interest them. The flip side would seem to be losing some of the old events though. I struggle with the relevance of skiing, shooting targets, skiing again etc much as I do with the odd combination of the ironically named modern pentathlon at the summer games.

My main issue with the Winter Games is one that really applies to winter sports in general-the environmental issue. For sports that are so focusssed on conquering the elements etc they have huge adverse environmental impact. Not just in terms of the energy being used to cool and maintain the ice-based events (and in Sochi to maintain vast warehouses of reserved snow to repair melting areas) but the destruction of biodiversity and industrialisation of mountain environments that comes with ski-ing. It is the prime reason I've never tried it. I like my mountains as wilderness, with trees and plants not swathes of concrete and pylons. Go to a ski resort in summer and look at the pisted areas to see how the compacted snow destroys the alpine meadows etc.

As for the nationalistic element-I think you can be patriotic without being xenophobic, I can also appreciate great performance from any individual I hope. And if countries use the games to promote thier 'brand' so be it. Better that than through more militaristic behaviour.

Bruce,

I hear what you are saying regarding the environmental aspects, but it applies to anything we do or any choices we make on a daily basis, and everyone has their own priorities/agenda. Back in the day, cold weather sites were obligate and the venues were all outdoors. Usher in the era of TV programming and its commercial revenue.

As a skier in the US, I can look at the alternatives to land-use leases the Forest Service has and skiing seems relatively low impact relative to logging. It also fosters appreciation of the mountainside and wilderness among skiers, who by-and-large are an organic and environmentally friendly group. In addition, skiers tend to be an overall healthy lot, which takes less of a toll on the the national health care system.

And as you suggest, despite the nationalistic feelings the Olympics inspire, it also engenders recognition and respect of athletes and their cultures regardless of origin.

l almost forgot my Olympic highlight for Thursday .....

Americans Joss Christensen, Gus Kenworthy and Nick Goepper swept the first ever men's slopestyle ski event.

A spectacular event and all the participants I saw were amazing! 

US wilderness skiing is a fairly different to the more resort-based European areas I would consider particularly bad.

As for ski-ers being a healthy lot-in principle yes but they certainly keep knee surgeons busy!

Bruce

And another of those subjective sports of which I spoke earlier.  Now a snowboarding race I cold endorse - think weightlifting vs bodybuilding.

And I was glad baseball was dropped, because that brings up another point; many sports have their own showcase, and the Olympics in part helps highlight those which otherwise do not.  We don't often sit down to watch 100 meter dashes on a regular basis, as well as other track & field sports for the summer, or many alpine sports in the winter.  (Although that latter is more from the USA perspective - we can't get excited about a good Giant Slalom unless there is an Olympic medal count attached to it, whereas in say, Norway, the top skiers are celebrities.)

Baseball has its World Series, tennis & golf has its own circuit, and these newer "alpine" sports have the X-games.

But as was pointed out above, it all comes down to the $$$$$$.  Which is why despite being an athlete of sorts my entire life, I really don't bother with the Olympics any more.  I'll watch the ice hockey because it is the sport in which I still participate, but by and large something which in my younger adult life I would not miss a minute of has become largely sullied by the aforementioned money and the manipulative nationalism.  (Maybe the US can get drone-attacking in the Summer Games?)

Basically it has become a corporate media blitz for an overrated track meet any more.

DrMark

i understand your response but that feels like a very N American perspective. The Olympics covers not just a vast range of sports but also vast range of nations. For some competing is a personal Everest not another corporate jolly.

Bruce

Understood Bruce - it is not the athlete's issue, and as a former competitive athlete I have a great deal of empathy, respect, and admiration for what it takes to achieve world class and world championship status. 

It is TPTB (both corporate & government) that have diminished the appeal; not the competitors.

YARNY'S ARMY!!!

Congratulations to Lizzy on her gold medal. Go girl!

Congrats to the Brits on their gold. For awhile it was looking like they might have to call Eddie the Eagle out of retirement.

Japanese ski-jumper Noriaki Kasai has won Olympic medals twenty years apart.

His first was team silver in 1994. Now another silver in large hill at age 41. He claims he'll be back in four years, and judging by this photo, I don't doubt it. He is competing in his seventh winter games. Awesome!

And a great pic too!

Look like fog might be the winner today in Sochi, at least as far as the alpine events. Hopefully things will clear.

Men's Snowboard Cross

The entire competition today was outstanding. Just watched it live. Does racing on snow get any more exciting than this event? 

If the riders weren't different, this photo would look like a time-lapse of the same person going over a hill. That's how close the racing is in this event. Amazing photo.

Rask was impressive . 37 saves! Finns vs Swedes should be a great one. Looking forward to it.

I just wish they'd pull up their pants.

That seems a bit negative. What do you have against White?