2010 Winter Olympic review

[SuperMillionaire]

Now that the Olympics are over, let's review it here. Let's talk about all the golden moments and history made in Vancouver, Canada, at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

From the achievements of Apolo Ohno becoming the most decorated Winter Olympian, to Shaun White defending his title to win gold in snowboarding, to Lindsey Vonn battling a shin injury and still winning gold, to the Americans winning their first bobsled team gold medals since 1948, to Canada ending its drought of no home-soil gold medals to win a record 14 here, to their epic clash with the United States in the gold medal hockey match, to South Korean ice skater Kim Yu-Na's dazzling gold medal performance, to Canadian ice skater Joannie Rochette winning bronze as a tribute to her recently-deceased mother, and all the epic ups and downs of competition that all went down as the world came together in an exciting celebration of cultures at both the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the tragic loss of Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili in a fatal luge accident, plunging his country and the IOC into mourning.

What moments of the games will you remember most? Let's talk about it here.

[Slothy]

There were tons of great moments at the games, but I honestly have to say that only one athletes performance quite literally left me speechless.

Petra Majdic has to be one of the toughest people on the planet to get a bronze with the injuries she sustained in the warmup: Petra Majdič - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra_Majdic)

[Dreddz]

I didn't watch it religously but some of the curling I saw was epic.

[Inferno]

I don't remember the last time I watched this much TV. These 2 weeks were awesome. Like you said, there was so many epic moments, but of course, as a canadian, here are my favourites :

- Alex Bilodeau becoming the first canadian to win a gold medal on our soil (moguls)
- Joannie Rochette... is there anything I need to add. When she was in tears after her historical performance, my heart just broke
- Beating the arrogant russians (men's hockey)
- The 2 goals by the EIGHTEEN years old Marie-Philp Poulin in women's final vs USA
- Crosby, Crosby, Crosby

[Rebellious Eagle]

Shaun White defending his title

Don't you mean her...? x3
I didn't see it, but I heard Kim Yu-Na was phenomenal in figure skating. I hate how when I watched, all the boring sports were on, but when I didn't watch, something interesting happened. Like a bobsled crash or a stunning figure skater or something.

[SuperMillionaire]

There were tons of great moments at the games, but I honestly have to say that only one athletes performance quite literally left me speechless.

Petra Majdic has to be one of the toughest people on the planet to get a bronze with the injuries she sustained in the warmup: Petra Majdič - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra_Majdic)

Whoa, those injuries were BAAAD. Worse than even Lindsey Vonn's injuries...

And Shaun White is a man.

[Pheesh]

And Shaun White is a man.

Yeah, because WE won the women's half-pipe ^^

I was so happy for her, especially because there's not much for an Aussie to cheer for at the winter olympics. I did enjoying watching it all though.

[VeloZer0]

Every Olympics, summer and winter I go on a two week TV blitz. It's a shame that I live only an hour out of downtown Vancouver and didn't get in once the entire time. I was going to go in for the hockey final, but I read somewhere that it started at 3:00, but it started at 12:30, right as I was about to leave. :( I've heard of a few others that were under the impression it started at 3:00 as well. wierd.

I'm so glad Canada got the gold medal record. For those of you that don't know, in 2005 Canada started a program called 'Own The Podium', which was basically an effort to put more money into sport for better results. However, because the events Canada is good in are all at the end, when we didn't blow everyone out of the water in the first week everyone was completely up in arms about what a waste OtP was, and how there should be an inquiry, etc... This is despite the fact weeks before competition even began the CoC and every media reporter had warned the public that most of the medals would be coming near the end of the games.

At least now they have something to shut the witch hunters up.


to the Americans winning their first bobsled team gold medals since 1948
In womans two person (I think) 5 of the top 6 were North American. I could hardly believe it.

[Mo-Nercy]

And Shaun White is a man.

Yeah, because WE won the women's half-pipe ^^

I was so happy for her, especially because there's not much for an Aussie to cheer for at the winter olympics. I did enjoying watching it all though.
There won't be much to cheer for in Summer Olympics either with our swimming team being not-so-awesome nowadays.

I didn't watch much of the Winter Olympics, but I did catch a few bobsled and snowboard events and indeed, the women's half-pipe. It's probably the least of any Olympics I've ever seen. It's most likely due to a severe lack of Roy and H.G. (an Australian sports-themed comedy duo).

The Ice Dream - Roy & HG's Take on American Food in Salt Lake City (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU56qcLi8_w)

[Rase]

The stupid gold medal hockey game resulted in me being up late working on a paper I had to write. Curse you Olympics!

[SuperMillionaire]

Probably because it went overtime...

That evening, I went to sleep at 12:30 AM EST (I live in the Eastern Time Zone of the United States, in close proximity to New York City) because I watched the closing ceremonies, which were awesome! (However, it would have been better if NBC didn't air The Marriage Ref to delay it.) That morning, I woke up at 6AM and left for school at 7:30 AM, to get ready for a mid-term exam. Initially, I felt all right, but then, suddenly, I began to feel dizzy and nautious, but I ate a good breakfast and recovered quickly to take the exam, and passed with a fairly high grade.

[Rebellious Eagle]

There were tons of great moments at the games, but I honestly have to say that only one athletes performance quite literally left me speechless.

Petra Majdic has to be one of the toughest people on the planet to get a bronze with the injuries she sustained in the warmup: Petra Majdič - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra_Majdic)

Whoa, those injuries were BAAAD. Worse than even Lindsey Vonn's injuries...

And Shaun White is a man.

Oh, I know that. But he looks like a woman.
I'm also upset at Canada for beating USA at hockey. Curse you, amazing Canadians who have nice accents!

[SuperMillionaire]

Yes, he has long hair...

And hey, it's their home turf, not ours. To them, for a gold medal to be truly prestigious, they had to beat us, their toughest opponents. And getting silver ain't so bad.

[VeloZer0]

You do realize that up here more people watch the gold medal hockey game than vote, right? (not even close to joking) We've spent the last 4 years talking about how we didn't win gold in 2006.

EDIT: "The consortium reports that 26.5 million Canadians watched some part of the game, meaning 80 per cent of the country tuned in at some point.

Two-thirds of the country, or 22 million people, were watching when Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal."


I'm also upset at Canada for beating USA at hockey.
Nice to know some people down there care :) In all honesty the lack of enthusiasm for hockey in the USA really makes most Canadians sad. I feel so bad for all the teams that have to play in arenas that aren't even close to full.


they had to beat us, their toughest opponents.
I'm not going to lie, going in everyone was talking about Russia and not even thinking about the US. Good job on shaking up everyone's expectations. I always find it much more rewarding to watch team Canada play USA than a European team.


Oh, I know that. But he looks like a woman.
Lol, there was an article in the Vancouver Sun about a woman who is a Shaun White impersonator. She pretends to be him to get free coffies and stuff. Too bad I can't find it. :)

[SuperMillionaire]

Interesting stuff, VeloZero.

The other day, I just saw a Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue which had Lindsey Vonn on the cover posing in a bikini... wow, a winter athlete modeling in summer clothing... interesting indeed.

What's more interesting is that she's friends with Germany's Maria and Susanne Riesch, and that because of that, she's fluent in German.

[VeloZer0]

At the international level a lot of athletes have a lot of friends from other countries. It's so common that I find it a little weird when the media comments on a specific athlete's choice of friends. It seems like a fairly ubiquitous phenomenon to me.


wow, a winter athlete modeling in summer clothing... interesting indeed.
Aside from Speed skating outfits its the only way to get attention :)

[SuperMillionaire]

Actually, it's figure skating outfits that are revealing, not speed skating outfits.

And is it really true that a lot of athletes have friends from other countries? If so, I don't know why I don't see it that often... hearing about the friendship between America's Lindsey Vonn and Germany's Maria and Susanne Riesch was only the first time I ever heard about something like that. I've heard that the Vonns stay over at the Riesches' home for the holidays.

[Slothy]

Actually, it's figure skating outfits that are revealing, not speed skating outfits.

Speed Skating outfits may not show much skin, but you're not going to be hiding anything when you wear one. :D

[VeloZer0]

I totally forgot about figure skating get ups, but that is probably because figure skating is the only 'sport' I have absolutely no interest in.

(For the record, I respect the physical demands of the sport, my beef is with all the artsy crap. If they took it out and just graded on technical difficulty of program I would watch and enjoy.)

[Slothy]

I totally forgot about figure skating get ups, but that is probably because figure skating is the only 'sport' I have absolutely no interest in.

(For the record, I respect the physical demands of the sport, my beef is with all the artsy crap. If they took it out and just graded on technical difficulty of program I would watch and enjoy.)

I couldn't agree more, but I don't think many people would watch it if they did that. It'd be kind of like Gymnastics on ice then and if there's one thing I've noticed over the years it's that Gymnastics doesn't get nearly as much TV coverage as Figure Skating, even though I find it to be one of the most amazing sports around in terms of the strength, flexibility and coordination required.

[Breine]

I didn't really watch it this year. I saw some curling, but that was about it.

It just didn't catch my attention properly.

[SuperMillionaire]

I totally forgot about figure skating get ups, but that is probably because figure skating is the only 'sport' I have absolutely no interest in.

(For the record, I respect the physical demands of the sport, my beef is with all the artsy crap. If they took it out and just graded on technical difficulty of program I would watch and enjoy.)

I couldn't agree more, but I don't think many people would watch it if they did that. It'd be kind of like Gymnastics on ice then and if there's one thing I've noticed over the years it's that Gymnastics doesn't get nearly as much TV coverage as Figure Skating, even though I find it to be one of the most amazing sports around in terms of the strength, flexibility and coordination required.

Well, 2008 gold medalist Shawn Johnson was on Dancing with the Stars last year, but other than that, I haven't really seen gymnastics on TV since then... I do see a lot of figure skating, though.

[Doomie]

Being from Montreal, it's kind of hard not to follow hockey. And that fact that it was in Canada... well. It also coincided nicely with my spring break. Ahem.

When Alexandre Bilodeau won the first gold medal, I was pretty damn close to choking up. It was so epic. That would have to be the top Olympic moment for me. The second is the Team Canada hockey gold. It was one of the most entertaining hockey games I've ever seen.

I don't think I cheered louder than when Sidney Crosby scored. Even though it was an ugly goal (AND it really was), it'll go up there with Henderson in '72, and Lemieux in '87.

I had no problem with Lindsey Vonn until her bronze medal acceptance ceremony, where she pulled out her gold. Kinda taking away the moment for the actual gold medalist. Was a really bitchy thing to do.

[SuperMillionaire]

Well, Doomie, Lindsey Vonn did crash out of the next race and ended up without a medal, and was suffering from a shin injury. And I didn't see her taking out her gold medal when she was on the podium for her bronze.