As I look out the window on this lovely fall day, I wonder why it is supposed to be our second consecutive 90 degree day. It isn't a lovely fall day, it is the middle of summer, in the middle of September. But why, why I ask you, has summer ended, but summer heat lingers like leftovers in the back of the refrigerator. Summer ended. I know. I watched it end several times.
Summer first ended when our summer swim team season ended. That is always the first sign of the end of summer. The 7 week thief of the freedom of summer takes over our lives with a routine of practices, meets, social events, lunches and aggravation. We all love it. The end of summer swim is as abrupt as a brick wall. We see new and old friends on an almost daily basis, with little or no control over our lives, and then -BAM- it is over. The first week after swim season ends is like withdrawal from an addiction.
The end of summer swim did not, however, come with the end of summer swim. As I recovered from my withdrawal symptoms, I could look forward to the family summer vacation. We spent a wonderful week in Myrtle Beach, highlighted by a sunset kayak tour and lowlighted by Youngest's face plant into a pile of shells, courtesy of a 5 foot wave. We managed to squeeze in a lot of wave fighting (the waves were particularly strong that week), some mini-golf, an aquarium, a trip the Fort Sumpter and even a casual stroll on a World War II Air Craft Carrier (the USS Yorktown). And with the end of that trip, summer was over.
Except it wasn't. We had another week of summer break, lazy days, boredom and nothing until school started (well, at least the Boys did). One more week for them after returning from Myrtle Beach to get themselves prepared for the end of summer and the beginning of school. That week ended and so did summer.
Except it didn't. They started school. I started making lunches again. The Wife started dealing with homework again. Summer was definitely over.
Except it wasn't. Four days after they started school, they had Friday off and we celebrated Labor Day weekend. Labor Day is always the traditional end of summer. We took care of some things around the house, went out for ice cream and grilled dinner multiple times. On Monday, we went to the pool one last time. Mother Nature decided to declare the end of summer with a strong thunderstorm, ending our day and closing the pool for good. Summer had indeed come to an end.
Except, it kind of didn't. We still hadn't started winter swim practice, we hadn't started Cub Scouts, we hadn't gone to church. Many of the things we put on hold hadn't started and although school and soccer practices (plus all three Back to School Nights) made last week difficult, we hadn't really hit the end of summer. This week, it hit us. Swim practices, soccer practices, 5 days of school, church, homework, Ninja... Just an avalanche of activities.
This was the real end of summer. As a kid, summer is a wonderful time of nothing and boredom. As a parent, it is a break from non-stop activities. I enjoy not making lunch, not having to compare schedules with the Wife every morning and, this summer, not working out. With the real end of summer, all that comes back.
As we started to get our groove back a little (and we were thankful the end of summer came in waves and not all at once), I started to realize that we shouldn't make New Year's Resolutions. New Year's Day isn't a transition, at least not for a parent. New Year's Day is a nice holiday and a rude end to the "holiday" season. But I am doing the same things after New Year's Day that I was doing a week and a half before New Year's Day.
The end of summer is a transition. I go from (relatively) free to a full schedule, and that is nothing compared to the awful change The Wife must deal with. It is a new beginning. A new swim season (for the boys and for me), a new school year, a new soccer season, a new Ninja schedule. It is a great chance for a new outlook on things. I took 2 months off from swimming over the summer. It was great. I got home at a reasonable hour, I wasn't the slowest moving person in the family, I didn't hurt ALL. THE. TIME. But with the end of summer, I started up again. I hurt again, I am slow again, I never see my family again. But it was time.
The end of summer is time. Time to start everything again, or for the first time. As a parent of kids in school and sports, the end of summer is the beginning of everything else. So I decided to look at it as my new beginning. My chance to re-focus myself on trying to do things better. Trying to parent better, do better at my job, workout better, maybe even eat better. It just seemed like a better time to do this than while watching bowl games on TV (or not, since they no longer really have that many on New Year's Day).
So Summer, you're done. We are back to everything. Enough with the 90 degree days.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Thursday, July 25, 2019
One Year More
In two days I will attend a high school production of Les Miserables. Every time I think about that, I hear "One day more..." in my head. Usually in the voice of Lin-Manuel Miranda from Carpool Karaoke. So, yesterday, as I watched NBC excitedly announce, in every possible news program, that Tokyo 2020 begins in just one year, I repeatedly heard "One year more..." in my head. From Lin-Manuel Miranda. Which is both really weird and really stupid. But what can I say, I am an amateur Olympic and youth sports blogger talking about a high school production of a Broadway musical. It seems fairly obvious that I am going to say something stupid. Plus, with a layoff of about a year and a half, I am bound to be out of practice.
With all the "One year more" going through my head, I have decided I need to get back into practice. The Winter Olympics is fun, with sports I don't see a lot on cold, slick surfaces, people skiing and shooting, and a reasonable amount of coverage that one can almost keep up with if one focuses, ignores all family obligations and devoutly follows Guideline1 of the Guidelines for Watching the Olympics. It is possible to keep up with the Winter Olympic and write about it. The Summer Olympics is a DISASTER. No one can keep up, regardless of how well he or she fends off the advances of their partner. I know. I have tried. I have sacrificed, for you. I have not just ignored my wife during the Summer Olympics, I have actively shunned her. That is how dedicated I am. Even with that, I can't keep up, and in the end I am nothing more than a blabbering idiot, huddled in the corner trying to figure out why Ryan Lochte can't just be honest about his drunken idiocy and the color of his hair. If I don't properly prepare, real damage could be done to someone, or something, or everyone.
In addition to the reminders of one year more, the World Swimming Championships are currently on television. To give you an idea of how nuts I am, I spent almost 8 hours at a swim meet last Saturday in 100 degree temperatures. I'm not even exaggerating. It was 100 degrees (or maybe 99). I spent 3 days watching the weather people on the news tell me not to spend too much time outside on Saturday, then I spent 8 hours at a swim meet and 3 more at an outdoor swimming banquet. Sunday morning I woke up and I...watched swimming. Really. I voluntarily watched swimming on TV the day after spending almost 8 hours at a swim meet. I may have a problem.
To give you an idea of how much I have failed you, I didn't write about it. I didn't tweet about it. I posted nothing on Facebook or Instagram or any other social media site I have never heard of. I kept it all to myself. In non-Olympic years, I have become a me person. Me-me-me-me-me. Just like Beaker on the Muppets. I watched Katie Ledecky lose and said nothing to no one.
Wait, you did WHAT!!! YOU WATCHED WHAT!!!
I watched Katie Ledecky lose and...oh, my God!...Katie Ledecky lost? I am not properly prepared for this and real damage is happening to everyone. Katie Ledecky doesn't lose. The sun rises in the East, you can't avoid taxes, and Katie Ledecky wins. The only other sure thing in the world is...well, nothing. There's Katie Ledecky and if we don't have her, we have nothing. I find myself aimlessly walking in circles babbling "Here comes Diggins!" trying to re-find my Olympic equilibrium as I try, and fail, to comprehend those three words...Katie. Ledecky. Lost.
We love sports because - oh, shut up! We don't love watching Katie Ledecky lose! We love watching Katie Ledecky crush the hopes and dreams of distance swimming girls in all the lands. We love to watch American swimmers win an incomprehensible number of medals. This is wrong. Just wrong.
However, I am finding my groove. Despite the shock. Despite the longful flashbacks to those dreamy days of Jesse Diggins. Despite the slow acceptance that Michael Phelps will not return to make the world right. Despite the small pieces of evidence that Katie Ledecky might in fact be human like the rest of us (OK, not like the rest of us, but human nonetheless). Each night I am watching the World Swimming Championships. Each night I am frightened a little more that the US Olympic dominance in the pool may be a little less than we are used to. Each night I fall a little more in love with the sleeve-tattooed, blonde God named Caeleb Dressel.
I am only now realizing that yelling "Here Comes Diggins!" into my blog, dropping the mic and disappearing for 18 months is a disservice not only to my 6 loyal readers, but to myself. I am not ready for Tokyo 2020. Who is the Hungarian wonderkid that broke Michael Phelps's world record in the 200 IM? How does the US not win, much less medal, in the Men's 100 back? What do you mean Chase Kalisz didn't win the 200 IM? How does Katie Ledecky lose? When did swimmers start protesting during medal ceremonies? What do you mean Lily King was disqualified? Why are the finals on in the morning? What is going on? Where is Jesse Diggins? WE NEED YOU! WE NEED HERE COMES DIGGINS!
But Jesse Diggins is not coming, at least not for another 30 months. We need to move on from Jesse Diggins. We need to figure out this whole Olympics in Asia, blogger in America thing. We need to recover from our Michael Phelps hangover and figure out how to become dominant again. We need to rise from the ashes, like a phoenix and find new life! WE NEED TO...
Yeah, that got a little too dramatic.
We need to get back on the bike and ride again. And so, we climb on, we remember Jesse Diggins, but we leave her behind. We find our voice and we speak again. In short, we are back, getting ready for Tokyo 2020. One year more.
But first, yeah, I have another swim meet on Saturday.
With all the "One year more" going through my head, I have decided I need to get back into practice. The Winter Olympics is fun, with sports I don't see a lot on cold, slick surfaces, people skiing and shooting, and a reasonable amount of coverage that one can almost keep up with if one focuses, ignores all family obligations and devoutly follows Guideline1 of the Guidelines for Watching the Olympics. It is possible to keep up with the Winter Olympic and write about it. The Summer Olympics is a DISASTER. No one can keep up, regardless of how well he or she fends off the advances of their partner. I know. I have tried. I have sacrificed, for you. I have not just ignored my wife during the Summer Olympics, I have actively shunned her. That is how dedicated I am. Even with that, I can't keep up, and in the end I am nothing more than a blabbering idiot, huddled in the corner trying to figure out why Ryan Lochte can't just be honest about his drunken idiocy and the color of his hair. If I don't properly prepare, real damage could be done to someone, or something, or everyone.
In addition to the reminders of one year more, the World Swimming Championships are currently on television. To give you an idea of how nuts I am, I spent almost 8 hours at a swim meet last Saturday in 100 degree temperatures. I'm not even exaggerating. It was 100 degrees (or maybe 99). I spent 3 days watching the weather people on the news tell me not to spend too much time outside on Saturday, then I spent 8 hours at a swim meet and 3 more at an outdoor swimming banquet. Sunday morning I woke up and I...watched swimming. Really. I voluntarily watched swimming on TV the day after spending almost 8 hours at a swim meet. I may have a problem.
To give you an idea of how much I have failed you, I didn't write about it. I didn't tweet about it. I posted nothing on Facebook or Instagram or any other social media site I have never heard of. I kept it all to myself. In non-Olympic years, I have become a me person. Me-me-me-me-me. Just like Beaker on the Muppets. I watched Katie Ledecky lose and said nothing to no one.
Wait, you did WHAT!!! YOU WATCHED WHAT!!!
I watched Katie Ledecky lose and...oh, my God!...Katie Ledecky lost? I am not properly prepared for this and real damage is happening to everyone. Katie Ledecky doesn't lose. The sun rises in the East, you can't avoid taxes, and Katie Ledecky wins. The only other sure thing in the world is...well, nothing. There's Katie Ledecky and if we don't have her, we have nothing. I find myself aimlessly walking in circles babbling "Here comes Diggins!" trying to re-find my Olympic equilibrium as I try, and fail, to comprehend those three words...Katie. Ledecky. Lost.
We love sports because - oh, shut up! We don't love watching Katie Ledecky lose! We love watching Katie Ledecky crush the hopes and dreams of distance swimming girls in all the lands. We love to watch American swimmers win an incomprehensible number of medals. This is wrong. Just wrong.
However, I am finding my groove. Despite the shock. Despite the longful flashbacks to those dreamy days of Jesse Diggins. Despite the slow acceptance that Michael Phelps will not return to make the world right. Despite the small pieces of evidence that Katie Ledecky might in fact be human like the rest of us (OK, not like the rest of us, but human nonetheless). Each night I am watching the World Swimming Championships. Each night I am frightened a little more that the US Olympic dominance in the pool may be a little less than we are used to. Each night I fall a little more in love with the sleeve-tattooed, blonde God named Caeleb Dressel.
I am only now realizing that yelling "Here Comes Diggins!" into my blog, dropping the mic and disappearing for 18 months is a disservice not only to my 6 loyal readers, but to myself. I am not ready for Tokyo 2020. Who is the Hungarian wonderkid that broke Michael Phelps's world record in the 200 IM? How does the US not win, much less medal, in the Men's 100 back? What do you mean Chase Kalisz didn't win the 200 IM? How does Katie Ledecky lose? When did swimmers start protesting during medal ceremonies? What do you mean Lily King was disqualified? Why are the finals on in the morning? What is going on? Where is Jesse Diggins? WE NEED YOU! WE NEED HERE COMES DIGGINS!
But Jesse Diggins is not coming, at least not for another 30 months. We need to move on from Jesse Diggins. We need to figure out this whole Olympics in Asia, blogger in America thing. We need to recover from our Michael Phelps hangover and figure out how to become dominant again. We need to rise from the ashes, like a phoenix and find new life! WE NEED TO...
Yeah, that got a little too dramatic.
We need to get back on the bike and ride again. And so, we climb on, we remember Jesse Diggins, but we leave her behind. We find our voice and we speak again. In short, we are back, getting ready for Tokyo 2020. One year more.
But first, yeah, I have another swim meet on Saturday.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
HERE COMES DIGGINS! HERE COMES DIGGINS!
As Jessie Diggins weaved her way between Maiken Caspersen Falla and Stina Nilsson, Chad Salmela screamed from my television, "Stina Nilsson leading Jessie Diggins into the final turn, can Diggins answer?!" His broadcast partner, Steve Schlanger, obviously having prepared his words for the moment, set the scene, "As the roars rattle around the cross-country stadium in PyeongChang, Sweden, the U.S. and Norway come into the light!" Salmela had no time for such poetry.
HERE COMES DIGGINS!! HERE COMES DIGGINS!!
Moments later, Chad answered his own question in his own special way, "YES! YES! YES! YES! GOLD!"
And with that, Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall made history.
Sometimes history happens, sometimes history is made and sometimes history is seized.. Kikkan and Jessie seized history. Before her first leg, Jessie had a smile on her face and appeared to be dancing. I'm not sure I have ever seen an athlete so ready to do something that had never been done before. I'm not sure I have ever seen an athlete as prepared to grab her destiny. And grab it she did. With each of her three legs of the race, Jessie took off like a rocket. She had more determination than her competitors every time.
(Yes, I said each of her three legs. I was reminded yesterday that the Team Sprint Free is essentially a method of torture. Two teammates ski three different laps that last a little less than 3 minutes each. So you go all out for about 3 minutes, then you get a 3 minute break, then you go again, then another break, then you go again. This hurts just thinking about it.)
The commentary, which is receiving well deserved praise, added to the magic of the moment. Jessie came speeding around the last turn in second place. Shlanger was setting the stage and Chad was going crazy, as Chad does. Schlanger had to have prepared his set up, there is no way Chad did. Chad is pure emotion. The two blended together like a mash-up. The excitement was off the charts. Jessie was once again showing a level of determination necessary to create history.
Chad: They're all completely gassed! They've given it everything on the klaebo bakken! Stina Nilsson leading Jessie Diggins into the final turn, can Diggins Answer?!
Steve: As the roars rattle around the cross-country stadium in PyeongChang, Sweden, the U.S. and Norway come into the light!
Chad: HERE COMES DIGGINS!! HERE COMES DIGGINS!!
Steve: Diggins! Making the play around Sweden!
Chad: YES! YES! YES! YES!!
Steve: Jessie Diggins to the line!
Chad: GOLD!
Steve: And it is Jessie Diggins, delivering a landmark moment that will be etched in U.S. Olympic History!
All the while, Jessie Diggins, blonde pony tail bouncing behind her, surged into the lead and with one final ecstatic scream, stretched her left foot across the finish line, thrust one arm in the air and collapsed. History made? No. History seized.
I thrust two arms into the air, screamed "YES!" and wept. That's right, I wept. I have declared my love and allegiance to our Women's Cross Country Skiing Team. I remember my disappointment four years ago when Kikkan failed to earn the first U.S. Women's Cross Country medal in Sochi. I was not disappointed in her, I was disappointed for her. As the 2018 Winter Olympics began, I re-found my love for the Women's Cross Country Skiing Team and particularly for Jessie Diggins. As I have stated before, with each near miss, I died a little. 5th in the Skiathlon, 5th in the 10K Free Ski, 6th in the Sprint, and 5th in the Relay. It reached the point that I started avoiding my beloved Jessie, because seeing her or even just hearing her name brought me pain. She said all the right things, and I know that what she was accomplishing was incredible, but I wanted this for her as much as she wanted it for herself and her team. It is possible I was taking this all a little too far.
Kikkan Randall ran out to embrace her teammate and fellow gold medalist. Read that again. Fellow gold medalist. Glitter on their faces, color in their hair and gold medals around their necks. This is my third favorite gold medal ever, behind only the gold medal won by someone I actually know and Jason Lezak's comeback in the 2008 400 Free Relay. The combination of hard work, team work, fun people...and the glitter. It gets me every time.
As for that call. It may lack the poetry and political significance of "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" but what it lacks in poetry it more than makes up for with emotion. In four years, when NBC is putting together a highlight package to promote the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, I expect to hear "HERE COMES DIGGINS!! HERE COMES DIGGINS!!" This truly was a call for the ages.
I have watched the end of that race about 20 times in less than 24 hours. I can't see it enough. Like Jason Lezak coming back to win the 400 Free Relay in 2008, this is a race I expect to see hundreds of times in my life. I will never get tired of the blonde pony tail bouncing behind the glittered face, the frantic determined sprint, hearing "HERE COMES DIGGINS!! HERE COMES DIGGINS!!, the scream as Jessie crosses the line, and the Gold Medal. As I said yesterday , the most exciting thing to happen in 2018. I don't mean in the 2018 Winter Olympics. I mean in 2018.
Reflections on What We have Seen:
1. I think I covered this above.
2. The Gold Medal in Cross Country Skiing was really just the beginning of an incredible day. The Women's Speed Skating Pursuit Team won bronze to end a two Olympic drought for medals in Speed Skating; the U.S. went 1-2 in Men's Ski Half Pipe; Michaela won her second medal of the Games; as did Jamie Anderson (both silver); and Women's Bobsled silver.
3. GOLD! For the U.S. Women's Hockey Team. Shootouts are not the best way to end a game, but they do make things exciting. The second time in 24 hours I was almost brought to tears by U.S women.
4. Curling! On to the gold medal match for the U.S. Men's Team!
What to Watch For:
1. Women's Figure Skating. Put the Short Program behind you, ladies and channel your inner Nathan Chen.
2. Women's Ski Cross - always a fun ride.
3. The end of the Women's Cross Country Team Free Ski. Really. Watch it again. And again. And again. It's that good.
4. Curling!
HERE COMES DIGGINS!! HERE COMES DIGGINS!!
Moments later, Chad answered his own question in his own special way, "YES! YES! YES! YES! GOLD!"
And with that, Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall made history.
Sometimes history happens, sometimes history is made and sometimes history is seized.. Kikkan and Jessie seized history. Before her first leg, Jessie had a smile on her face and appeared to be dancing. I'm not sure I have ever seen an athlete so ready to do something that had never been done before. I'm not sure I have ever seen an athlete as prepared to grab her destiny. And grab it she did. With each of her three legs of the race, Jessie took off like a rocket. She had more determination than her competitors every time.
(Yes, I said each of her three legs. I was reminded yesterday that the Team Sprint Free is essentially a method of torture. Two teammates ski three different laps that last a little less than 3 minutes each. So you go all out for about 3 minutes, then you get a 3 minute break, then you go again, then another break, then you go again. This hurts just thinking about it.)
The commentary, which is receiving well deserved praise, added to the magic of the moment. Jessie came speeding around the last turn in second place. Shlanger was setting the stage and Chad was going crazy, as Chad does. Schlanger had to have prepared his set up, there is no way Chad did. Chad is pure emotion. The two blended together like a mash-up. The excitement was off the charts. Jessie was once again showing a level of determination necessary to create history.
Chad: They're all completely gassed! They've given it everything on the klaebo bakken! Stina Nilsson leading Jessie Diggins into the final turn, can Diggins Answer?!
Steve: As the roars rattle around the cross-country stadium in PyeongChang, Sweden, the U.S. and Norway come into the light!
Chad: HERE COMES DIGGINS!! HERE COMES DIGGINS!!
Steve: Diggins! Making the play around Sweden!
Chad: YES! YES! YES! YES!!
Steve: Jessie Diggins to the line!
Chad: GOLD!
Steve: And it is Jessie Diggins, delivering a landmark moment that will be etched in U.S. Olympic History!
All the while, Jessie Diggins, blonde pony tail bouncing behind her, surged into the lead and with one final ecstatic scream, stretched her left foot across the finish line, thrust one arm in the air and collapsed. History made? No. History seized.
I thrust two arms into the air, screamed "YES!" and wept. That's right, I wept. I have declared my love and allegiance to our Women's Cross Country Skiing Team. I remember my disappointment four years ago when Kikkan failed to earn the first U.S. Women's Cross Country medal in Sochi. I was not disappointed in her, I was disappointed for her. As the 2018 Winter Olympics began, I re-found my love for the Women's Cross Country Skiing Team and particularly for Jessie Diggins. As I have stated before, with each near miss, I died a little. 5th in the Skiathlon, 5th in the 10K Free Ski, 6th in the Sprint, and 5th in the Relay. It reached the point that I started avoiding my beloved Jessie, because seeing her or even just hearing her name brought me pain. She said all the right things, and I know that what she was accomplishing was incredible, but I wanted this for her as much as she wanted it for herself and her team. It is possible I was taking this all a little too far.
Kikkan Randall ran out to embrace her teammate and fellow gold medalist. Read that again. Fellow gold medalist. Glitter on their faces, color in their hair and gold medals around their necks. This is my third favorite gold medal ever, behind only the gold medal won by someone I actually know and Jason Lezak's comeback in the 2008 400 Free Relay. The combination of hard work, team work, fun people...and the glitter. It gets me every time.
As for that call. It may lack the poetry and political significance of "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" but what it lacks in poetry it more than makes up for with emotion. In four years, when NBC is putting together a highlight package to promote the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, I expect to hear "HERE COMES DIGGINS!! HERE COMES DIGGINS!!" This truly was a call for the ages.
I have watched the end of that race about 20 times in less than 24 hours. I can't see it enough. Like Jason Lezak coming back to win the 400 Free Relay in 2008, this is a race I expect to see hundreds of times in my life. I will never get tired of the blonde pony tail bouncing behind the glittered face, the frantic determined sprint, hearing "HERE COMES DIGGINS!! HERE COMES DIGGINS!!, the scream as Jessie crosses the line, and the Gold Medal. As I said yesterday , the most exciting thing to happen in 2018. I don't mean in the 2018 Winter Olympics. I mean in 2018.
Reflections on What We have Seen:
1. I think I covered this above.
2. The Gold Medal in Cross Country Skiing was really just the beginning of an incredible day. The Women's Speed Skating Pursuit Team won bronze to end a two Olympic drought for medals in Speed Skating; the U.S. went 1-2 in Men's Ski Half Pipe; Michaela won her second medal of the Games; as did Jamie Anderson (both silver); and Women's Bobsled silver.
3. GOLD! For the U.S. Women's Hockey Team. Shootouts are not the best way to end a game, but they do make things exciting. The second time in 24 hours I was almost brought to tears by U.S women.
4. Curling! On to the gold medal match for the U.S. Men's Team!
What to Watch For:
1. Women's Figure Skating. Put the Short Program behind you, ladies and channel your inner Nathan Chen.
2. Women's Ski Cross - always a fun ride.
3. The end of the Women's Cross Country Team Free Ski. Really. Watch it again. And again. And again. It's that good.
4. Curling!
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
AND IT'S A ... tie?
A tie is like kissing your sister, according to an old saying. Someone forgot to tell German Bobsledders Francesco Friedrich and Thorsten Margis this, as they looked like they would have kissed their sisters, their brothers and any and every Canadian in the world when the duo of Justin Kripps and Alexander Kopacz finished with the exact same time after four runs down the course in the Alpensia Sliding Centre. The course in this year's Olympics is 2018 meters long. Each team slides down the course 4 times. Each run takes a little more than 49 seconds and the sleds reach a top speed of 86 or 87 miles per hour. After all that, these two teams finished with the exact same time. The people who looked like they were going to be forced to kiss their sisters was the Latvians, who finished 3rd, .05 seconds behind.
A tie in the Olympics is not unheard of. The last time the Canadians won a gold medal in this event was in, wait for it,..., a tie, in 1998. The most memorable recent tie in Olympic competition was the three way tie for second in the Men's 100 Fly in 2016. This was memorable because three people tied for silver and one of them was Michael Phelps. Most people don't realize people can swim as fast as him, much less beat him. The worst tie in the history of sports was the 2002 Pairs Figure Skating, when the Russian pair "won" the gold medal, then the Canadian pair (who most people thought were better) was given their own gold medal along with the Russians after evidence of collusion to give the Russians the gold medal was found. How do you end up in a tie when there is judging? Why are the Canadians always in a tie?
There have been 29 ties for medals in the Winter Olympics. Nine of those ties have been for gold. Of those nine, only two have been in the Bobsled competition and both involved Canada, 1998 and this year. Why, Canada? Why? Interestingly, every Winter Olympics except 1932, 1936, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1994 and 2006 have included at least one tie for a medal. OK, that wasn't that interesting. (Of more interest, every Summer Olympics has had a tie for a medal except the 1932 Los Angeles Games. We'll have to figure that one out.) Of the ties in Winter Olympics, the sport with the most ties is Speed Skating, accounting for 12 of the 29 ties, including 3 ties in the 1968 Games, all for the silver medal. In the Women's 500 meter Speed Skating in 1968, three Americans tied for the silver medal. Alpine Skiing is second, with 6 ties. Luge has had one tie, in 1972, and then they decided that ties were unacceptable, so now they time to the one thousandth of the second, instead of the one hundredth. Luge is just a little too good for ties, and for all of us for that matter.
With all these ties, I was asked what happens when there is a tie. Being your go to guy for Olympic information, I checked it out. Unfortunately, I was not able to find a lot of information. You would think with ties in every Summer Olympics except one, people would be curious. Maybe they are spending too much time playing curling with brooms and a Rumba to care. However, my readers, well at least one, is curious, so I tried to figure it out.
First the fascinatingly obvious. Please feel free to skip over this paragraph, but, since most of the articles I found cover this, I thought I would too. If two people tie for gold, no silver is awarded. If two people tie for silver, no bronze is awarded. If two people tie for bronze, well, good for them. If three people tie for gold, no other medals are awarded. This seems pretty obvious and simple, but maybe not.
Second, the IOC comes prepared with more medals than they need. In Sochi, they brought 46 extra medals (no word on colors) to prepare for the inevitable ties (which happened in the Men's Super G and the Women's Downhill). Each medal is individually inscribed for the event, so there is some work that needs to be done, but they are generally ready.
Third, the National Anthem. If two people (or teams) tie for gold, both National Anthems will be played. I can't figure out what order. I wonder if the American Anthem was played twice in 2000 when Gary Hall Jr. and Anthony Ervin tied in the 50 free. Probably not.
Finally, the medal stand photo looks a little weird. Especially when Michael Phelps, Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh tie for silver, so one guy is standing on top and three are standing next to him.
I have no sisters, so I don't know what it is like to kiss them. I have tied in sports. I never felt that bad about it. When I tied a friend I was happy for him and me. When I tied someone I didn't know, I was...well, I was happy for him and me. When my boys finish in a tie, especially in a team sport, everyone walks away happy. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. You can't have a tie in a tournament, or in the Super Bowl or the World Series or the World Cup. I get that. In the Olympics, I can understand the luge position, but I don't agree with it. Swimming has had several ties, and if you pay enough attention, you can often discover who would have won if the times were taken to the thousandth. But why? On Monday, I watched two large German men run around a small icy area hugging every Canadian they could get their hands on to celebrate a shared victory. I saw pictures of four very large men with giant grins, two holding up a Canadian flag and two holding up a German flag. I can't say why this is a bad thing.
Reflections on What We have Seen:
1. Monday I watched the US Men's and Women's teams win very exciting Curling matches. In both, the US had to make a clutch shot at the end to seal the victory. As the commentator said, "If you don't love this, you don't love curling." Who is he kidding? EVERYBODY loves curling.
2. The Ski Half Pipe is just not as exciting as the Snowboard Half Pipe.
3. The Women's Snowboard Big Air competition starts atop a giant ramp built over a road. That was pretty cool. Then The Wife pointed out the little elevator going up the scaffolding to, presumably, take the athletes up to the top. If I could snowboard (which I can't), and I could go down that ramp (which I can't) and I could do a bunch of spins and flips (which I can't) and I could stop before hitting the fence (which I couldn't even come close to doing), I still would not be able to compete in this sport, because I would be TERRIFIED to go up that elevator.
4. Love Biathlon. Can't say that enough.
5. Great Britain Speed Skater Elise Christie is one of the most talked about Speed Skaters at these Games. In 2014 and 2018 she competed in 6 events. She has been disqualified in 5 events and crashed at least 3 times.
6. Watched a little Ski Jumping. Learned a little about wind and points. Tried real hard, but I just can't seem to care.
7. I really wish our Men's Hockey team had beat the Czechs so I could say we beat Czechoslovakia.
8. The US seems to be getting a lot of 4th places and we are currently tied for 4th in the medal standings. Odd coincidences all around.
9. Anyone who does an Ice Dancing routine to music from Moulin Rouge deserves to win gold.
10. A doping scandal involving a Russian Curler. You could not come up with a better doping story.
10. I got a news alert about THE MOST EXCITING THING TO HAPPEN IN 2018 this morning, but will not comment until I get to see it.
What to Watch For:
1. Women's Hockey Gold Medal Game. U-S-A! U-S-A!
2. Women's Bobsled. U-S-A! U-S-A!
3. The US Men's Curling Team made the semifinals!! U-S-A! U-S-A!
4. Cross Country Skiing. Big news. Big news. BIG NEWS!!
A tie in the Olympics is not unheard of. The last time the Canadians won a gold medal in this event was in, wait for it,..., a tie, in 1998. The most memorable recent tie in Olympic competition was the three way tie for second in the Men's 100 Fly in 2016. This was memorable because three people tied for silver and one of them was Michael Phelps. Most people don't realize people can swim as fast as him, much less beat him. The worst tie in the history of sports was the 2002 Pairs Figure Skating, when the Russian pair "won" the gold medal, then the Canadian pair (who most people thought were better) was given their own gold medal along with the Russians after evidence of collusion to give the Russians the gold medal was found. How do you end up in a tie when there is judging? Why are the Canadians always in a tie?
There have been 29 ties for medals in the Winter Olympics. Nine of those ties have been for gold. Of those nine, only two have been in the Bobsled competition and both involved Canada, 1998 and this year. Why, Canada? Why? Interestingly, every Winter Olympics except 1932, 1936, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1994 and 2006 have included at least one tie for a medal. OK, that wasn't that interesting. (Of more interest, every Summer Olympics has had a tie for a medal except the 1932 Los Angeles Games. We'll have to figure that one out.) Of the ties in Winter Olympics, the sport with the most ties is Speed Skating, accounting for 12 of the 29 ties, including 3 ties in the 1968 Games, all for the silver medal. In the Women's 500 meter Speed Skating in 1968, three Americans tied for the silver medal. Alpine Skiing is second, with 6 ties. Luge has had one tie, in 1972, and then they decided that ties were unacceptable, so now they time to the one thousandth of the second, instead of the one hundredth. Luge is just a little too good for ties, and for all of us for that matter.
With all these ties, I was asked what happens when there is a tie. Being your go to guy for Olympic information, I checked it out. Unfortunately, I was not able to find a lot of information. You would think with ties in every Summer Olympics except one, people would be curious. Maybe they are spending too much time playing curling with brooms and a Rumba to care. However, my readers, well at least one, is curious, so I tried to figure it out.
First the fascinatingly obvious. Please feel free to skip over this paragraph, but, since most of the articles I found cover this, I thought I would too. If two people tie for gold, no silver is awarded. If two people tie for silver, no bronze is awarded. If two people tie for bronze, well, good for them. If three people tie for gold, no other medals are awarded. This seems pretty obvious and simple, but maybe not.
Second, the IOC comes prepared with more medals than they need. In Sochi, they brought 46 extra medals (no word on colors) to prepare for the inevitable ties (which happened in the Men's Super G and the Women's Downhill). Each medal is individually inscribed for the event, so there is some work that needs to be done, but they are generally ready.
Third, the National Anthem. If two people (or teams) tie for gold, both National Anthems will be played. I can't figure out what order. I wonder if the American Anthem was played twice in 2000 when Gary Hall Jr. and Anthony Ervin tied in the 50 free. Probably not.
Finally, the medal stand photo looks a little weird. Especially when Michael Phelps, Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh tie for silver, so one guy is standing on top and three are standing next to him.
I have no sisters, so I don't know what it is like to kiss them. I have tied in sports. I never felt that bad about it. When I tied a friend I was happy for him and me. When I tied someone I didn't know, I was...well, I was happy for him and me. When my boys finish in a tie, especially in a team sport, everyone walks away happy. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. You can't have a tie in a tournament, or in the Super Bowl or the World Series or the World Cup. I get that. In the Olympics, I can understand the luge position, but I don't agree with it. Swimming has had several ties, and if you pay enough attention, you can often discover who would have won if the times were taken to the thousandth. But why? On Monday, I watched two large German men run around a small icy area hugging every Canadian they could get their hands on to celebrate a shared victory. I saw pictures of four very large men with giant grins, two holding up a Canadian flag and two holding up a German flag. I can't say why this is a bad thing.
Reflections on What We have Seen:
1. Monday I watched the US Men's and Women's teams win very exciting Curling matches. In both, the US had to make a clutch shot at the end to seal the victory. As the commentator said, "If you don't love this, you don't love curling." Who is he kidding? EVERYBODY loves curling.
2. The Ski Half Pipe is just not as exciting as the Snowboard Half Pipe.
3. The Women's Snowboard Big Air competition starts atop a giant ramp built over a road. That was pretty cool. Then The Wife pointed out the little elevator going up the scaffolding to, presumably, take the athletes up to the top. If I could snowboard (which I can't), and I could go down that ramp (which I can't) and I could do a bunch of spins and flips (which I can't) and I could stop before hitting the fence (which I couldn't even come close to doing), I still would not be able to compete in this sport, because I would be TERRIFIED to go up that elevator.
4. Love Biathlon. Can't say that enough.
5. Great Britain Speed Skater Elise Christie is one of the most talked about Speed Skaters at these Games. In 2014 and 2018 she competed in 6 events. She has been disqualified in 5 events and crashed at least 3 times.
6. Watched a little Ski Jumping. Learned a little about wind and points. Tried real hard, but I just can't seem to care.
7. I really wish our Men's Hockey team had beat the Czechs so I could say we beat Czechoslovakia.
8. The US seems to be getting a lot of 4th places and we are currently tied for 4th in the medal standings. Odd coincidences all around.
9. Anyone who does an Ice Dancing routine to music from Moulin Rouge deserves to win gold.
10. A doping scandal involving a Russian Curler. You could not come up with a better doping story.
10. I got a news alert about THE MOST EXCITING THING TO HAPPEN IN 2018 this morning, but will not comment until I get to see it.
What to Watch For:
1. Women's Hockey Gold Medal Game. U-S-A! U-S-A!
2. Women's Bobsled. U-S-A! U-S-A!
3. The US Men's Curling Team made the semifinals!! U-S-A! U-S-A!
4. Cross Country Skiing. Big news. Big news. BIG NEWS!!
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Do it for the Team
One of the biggest differences between the Winter Olympics and Summer Olympics is the absence of teams in the Winter games. The Winter Olympics have only two true "teams": curling and hockey. In the Summer Olympics, we get soccer, volleyball, basketball, field hockey, and a few others, including the aptly named Team handball.
Despite the lack of teams, the IOC has made an obvious effort to create team events. In 2014, the Team Figure Skating event premiered to great fanfare. This year, there is apparently a Team Alpine Skiing competition in which teams will compete head to head in a tournament format, with both men and women on the team. Luge has a relay that features one woman, on man and one pairs team (I really want to see a bobsled relay). Speed Skating has the Team pursuit competition that looks like a team cycling race. Given the US record in Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding compared to the US record in EVERY other Winter Olympic sport, you have to imagine we will figure out some team competition in those to get us a few more medals.
I LOVE the team competitions. I was skeptical of the Team Figure Skating event in 2014 and couldn't have been more wrong. This year, I couldn't wait for it and was excited to begin my Olympic watching before the Opening Ceremony by watching some Team Figure Skating. I was greatly rewarded for my efforts. OK, maybe not efforts, but I was greatly rewarded for my sitting on the couch with the blanket and the cat.
The great thing about any team competition, whether it is a team sport, a relay or a made up event that creates some way of making individuals compete as a team (like Team Figure Skating and gymnastics) is that you have added pressure and added support. When Chris and Alexa Knierim stepped on the ice for the Team Competition, the US was pretty low. Nathan Chen didn't knock us out of a medal (obviously) with his atypical performance, but the US had come into the Olympics expecting the Men's Short Program to be a strength in the Team Competition. The US needed a lift and the Knierim's gave it to their team with their best performance of the Olympics. When the pressure was greatest and an entire country relying on them, they stepped up and nailed it. Well, except for the Tara Lipinski jinx.
Most athletes find something more when competing for a team. The greatest example ever was Jason Lezak's anchor leg in the 400 Free Relay in 2008. Diving into the water a half body length behind the World record holder in the 100 free, knowing he had to win to allow his teammate to make history with 8 gold medals, Lezak dropped the fastest 100 free relay split ever. Every once in a while I watch it on YouTube because it is that good. When one of my boys asks why we are watching it again, I tell them "because it is that good!" The Kneirim's didn't pull off anything quite as impressive as Lezak, but they stepped up, and I would watch their program again and again, because it was that good.
Another aspect of the team is the training. A team will push you to work harder than you thought possible and achieve things you other wouldn't. This year, I have fallen in love with the US Women's Cross Country Skiing Team. I watched a personal interest story about their efforts, as a team, to win the first US Olympic medal in Women's Cross Country Skiing, and only the second US medal in Cross Country Skiing. The team is working together, pushing each other and supporting each other to achieve a team goal, winning a medal. Never mind that only one of them would get the medal. They all want a medal for the team, regardless of who wins it. When Jessie Diggins missed a medal by about 4 seconds in the 10K Freestyle, her teammate Kikkan Randall seemed more upset that he failed to medal than Jessie. I know I was more upset. At this point I am fully invested in Jessie and the entire team's quest for that first ever medal and I die a little with every near miss.
The ultimate team is, of course, Team USA. Is it really a team, though? Are athletes motivated by to perform for their country in the same way as their teammates? For all the athletes who talk about wanting to go out there and do it for the ole U S of A in various interviews, the answer is no. Your teammates are the people you sweat and hurt with; you laugh and cry with; you bitch about your coach with. Your teammates are the ones you go out drinking with after wins and losses. The ole U S of A just can't get as personal.
As much as we would like to think that competing for your country is the apex of motivation, it isn't. The cross country skiers have it right. Work as a team, even in an individual sport. Like the Nordic Combined team of 2010, this is how they will make history. I believed in our Nordic Combined team in 2010. I died a little with their failures and soared with their eventual success. I look forward to the same with my girls on the Cross Country Skiing Team.
Reflections on What has Happened
1. Disclaimer - I am a Suburban Sports Dad. Due to various family obligations, a ridiculous swim workout, trying to keep up with watching the Olympics and a weekend swim meet, I have fallen behind on this blog. I will reflect on what I remember. It will be incomplete.
2. It is nice of the other countries to agree to add the freestyle snowboard and skiing events so we can win some medals.
3. As an American i am brainwashed into not liking the French. However, I can't help but root for Martin Fourcade in Biathlon. He is just that good.
4. I really don't need to see training runs.
5. I enjoy the crashes, but I could have done without seeing and hearing Emily Sweeney's crash in luge.
6. Cross Country skiing and Biathlon under the lights will never get old.
7. The Wife loved watching Marit Bjoergen, age 37, sprint to a gold medal in the Cross Country Relay and tie Ole Einar Bjoerndalen for most Winter Olympic medals ever, with 13.
8. My heart breaks a little every time I hear Jessie Diggins name and am reminded of her three near misses.
9. Where have you gone Eric Heiden?
10. And Apolo Anton Ohno?
11. And our hockey team?
12. And Bill Johnson?
13. Maame Biney and Adam Rippon are just fun.
14. I have just about had enough of the Dutch in Speed Skating. And the South Koreans in Short Track. And the Canadians in just about everything.
15. I enjoyed Shawn White's reaction to winning gold even more than his performance.
Things to Watch For:
1. Whether or not I figure out the time difference and schedule during these Olympics, or I have to wait until Tokyo 2020 to get this under control.
2. Women's Team Sprint in Cross Country Skiing. I STILL BELIEVE!!
Predictions:
Due to my inability to figure out what is live, what is coming and where I am, I will skip predictions the rest of these Olympics. They will return in 2020.
Despite the lack of teams, the IOC has made an obvious effort to create team events. In 2014, the Team Figure Skating event premiered to great fanfare. This year, there is apparently a Team Alpine Skiing competition in which teams will compete head to head in a tournament format, with both men and women on the team. Luge has a relay that features one woman, on man and one pairs team (I really want to see a bobsled relay). Speed Skating has the Team pursuit competition that looks like a team cycling race. Given the US record in Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding compared to the US record in EVERY other Winter Olympic sport, you have to imagine we will figure out some team competition in those to get us a few more medals.
I LOVE the team competitions. I was skeptical of the Team Figure Skating event in 2014 and couldn't have been more wrong. This year, I couldn't wait for it and was excited to begin my Olympic watching before the Opening Ceremony by watching some Team Figure Skating. I was greatly rewarded for my efforts. OK, maybe not efforts, but I was greatly rewarded for my sitting on the couch with the blanket and the cat.
The great thing about any team competition, whether it is a team sport, a relay or a made up event that creates some way of making individuals compete as a team (like Team Figure Skating and gymnastics) is that you have added pressure and added support. When Chris and Alexa Knierim stepped on the ice for the Team Competition, the US was pretty low. Nathan Chen didn't knock us out of a medal (obviously) with his atypical performance, but the US had come into the Olympics expecting the Men's Short Program to be a strength in the Team Competition. The US needed a lift and the Knierim's gave it to their team with their best performance of the Olympics. When the pressure was greatest and an entire country relying on them, they stepped up and nailed it. Well, except for the Tara Lipinski jinx.
Most athletes find something more when competing for a team. The greatest example ever was Jason Lezak's anchor leg in the 400 Free Relay in 2008. Diving into the water a half body length behind the World record holder in the 100 free, knowing he had to win to allow his teammate to make history with 8 gold medals, Lezak dropped the fastest 100 free relay split ever. Every once in a while I watch it on YouTube because it is that good. When one of my boys asks why we are watching it again, I tell them "because it is that good!" The Kneirim's didn't pull off anything quite as impressive as Lezak, but they stepped up, and I would watch their program again and again, because it was that good.
Another aspect of the team is the training. A team will push you to work harder than you thought possible and achieve things you other wouldn't. This year, I have fallen in love with the US Women's Cross Country Skiing Team. I watched a personal interest story about their efforts, as a team, to win the first US Olympic medal in Women's Cross Country Skiing, and only the second US medal in Cross Country Skiing. The team is working together, pushing each other and supporting each other to achieve a team goal, winning a medal. Never mind that only one of them would get the medal. They all want a medal for the team, regardless of who wins it. When Jessie Diggins missed a medal by about 4 seconds in the 10K Freestyle, her teammate Kikkan Randall seemed more upset that he failed to medal than Jessie. I know I was more upset. At this point I am fully invested in Jessie and the entire team's quest for that first ever medal and I die a little with every near miss.
The ultimate team is, of course, Team USA. Is it really a team, though? Are athletes motivated by to perform for their country in the same way as their teammates? For all the athletes who talk about wanting to go out there and do it for the ole U S of A in various interviews, the answer is no. Your teammates are the people you sweat and hurt with; you laugh and cry with; you bitch about your coach with. Your teammates are the ones you go out drinking with after wins and losses. The ole U S of A just can't get as personal.
As much as we would like to think that competing for your country is the apex of motivation, it isn't. The cross country skiers have it right. Work as a team, even in an individual sport. Like the Nordic Combined team of 2010, this is how they will make history. I believed in our Nordic Combined team in 2010. I died a little with their failures and soared with their eventual success. I look forward to the same with my girls on the Cross Country Skiing Team.
Reflections on What has Happened
1. Disclaimer - I am a Suburban Sports Dad. Due to various family obligations, a ridiculous swim workout, trying to keep up with watching the Olympics and a weekend swim meet, I have fallen behind on this blog. I will reflect on what I remember. It will be incomplete.
2. It is nice of the other countries to agree to add the freestyle snowboard and skiing events so we can win some medals.
3. As an American i am brainwashed into not liking the French. However, I can't help but root for Martin Fourcade in Biathlon. He is just that good.
4. I really don't need to see training runs.
5. I enjoy the crashes, but I could have done without seeing and hearing Emily Sweeney's crash in luge.
6. Cross Country skiing and Biathlon under the lights will never get old.
7. The Wife loved watching Marit Bjoergen, age 37, sprint to a gold medal in the Cross Country Relay and tie Ole Einar Bjoerndalen for most Winter Olympic medals ever, with 13.
8. My heart breaks a little every time I hear Jessie Diggins name and am reminded of her three near misses.
9. Where have you gone Eric Heiden?
10. And Apolo Anton Ohno?
11. And our hockey team?
12. And Bill Johnson?
13. Maame Biney and Adam Rippon are just fun.
14. I have just about had enough of the Dutch in Speed Skating. And the South Koreans in Short Track. And the Canadians in just about everything.
15. I enjoyed Shawn White's reaction to winning gold even more than his performance.
Things to Watch For:
1. Whether or not I figure out the time difference and schedule during these Olympics, or I have to wait until Tokyo 2020 to get this under control.
2. Women's Team Sprint in Cross Country Skiing. I STILL BELIEVE!!
Predictions:
Due to my inability to figure out what is live, what is coming and where I am, I will skip predictions the rest of these Olympics. They will return in 2020.
Sunday, February 11, 2018
In Curling, the US vs...OAR?
The US Mixed Doubles Curling Team, Matt and Becca Hamilton, played (is it played? slid? curled?) their first match (game? contest? boulder bumper car?) against OAR. When I checked the schedule, I saw that the US was boulder bumper carring against OAR and was immediately confused. What is OAR? Did someone make a typo with Qatar? Does Qatar have a curling team? Is this some weird way of saying U.A.E.? Is the U.A.E. at the Winter Olympics? (These thoughts actually went through my head. What a stupid I am.)
As I finally figured out, and I am sure everyone knows by now, OAR stands for Olympic Athletes from Russia. Russia has been banned from the Winter Olympics for systematic doping violations. However, individual Russian athletes who have not been, I guess caught, doping are allowed to compete. They just can't represent Mother Russia. If they win a medal, the Olympic flag will fly. If they win gold, the Olympic Anthem will be played during the Olympic Ceremony. I admire the IOC taking a stand here, but is it possible this is just a way for "The Olympics" to get a little more publicity for themselves? There are a lot of OAR athletes, several of whom are going to medal. It is only the second full day of competition and I have already seen the Olympic Flag more times than in every other Olympics combined. There are also more oars than at your average crew regatta.
Oh, come on! No bad Dad puns. OK.
If you do a Google search for "Russian doping scandal" you will get approximately 550,000 results. The stories cover the Russian athletes who have lost medals in the past, athletes who are banned from 2018 and lost their appeals to get to compete, stories about athletes who are allowed to compete this year, and literally thousands of other stories. A lot of this stems from the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where Russia engaged in a cover up of doping so sophisticated they took some techniques from mice.
Doping is pretty clearly the biggest scandal in Olympic sports. It is an issue that has grown over the past 40+ years. If you are my age, or around my age, the first big story was Ben Johnson in 1988. However, this is a story that has been around for much longer. It is also a story that shows no sign of going away. As long as people can make lots of money playing a sport rather than sitting at a desk, some of them are going to be motivated by ANYTHING that will keep them out of some office.
The Russians, however, seem to be taking it to a new level, or at least back to the level of the East Germans. Some of those stories found in a simple Google search say that, once you prove you have world class ability in Russia, you have the choice of doping or quitting. This is one of the reasons many are saying the sanctions against Russia are not sufficient. When you have a country using their position as hosts to sneak samples through holes in the wall, it is kind of hard to argue against these people.
Sadly, I am an idealist. I like to think my heroes, whether they are swimming incredible times in the pool, flipping on snow, or participating in my beloved biathlon, are clean. If Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps or Caeleb Dressel are caught doping, I will be devastated, much as I was by Lance Armstrong. It is hard to believe that Maame Biney is a doper. Same for Bradie Tennel. However, even in my idealistic mind, it is hard to ignore the facts. If all (or almost all) the Russians are doping, it is hard to believe no one else is. If everyone is doping, it is hard to believe someone dominating everyone is clean. Hopefully, it is just the Russians, and not all of them. Hopefully my heroes, and the athletes we are all enjoying in the Winter and Summer Olympics, are, for the most part clean. We will never really know. And, for me, maybe that is best.
Reflections on What Has Happened
1. The U.S. finished Day 1 without a medal for the first time since 1998. On Day 2, we went for history. Red Gerard nailed his final Slopestyle run to become the youngest Snowboard gold medalist in Olympic history (not that Snowboard has a long history). Then Chris Mazdzer won the first Men's Single Luge medal in US history, with a silver.
2. The Luge competition was a fascinating wave of emotions. Germany's Felix Loch, the favorite coming in and leader going into the 4th round, made a big mistake, resulting in ecstatic cheering and hugging from both the Austrians (who won gold) and the Americans. In a way, there were a bunch of people celebrating Felix's failure, just a few feet away from him as he sat on his sled looking miserable.
3. Lots of inter-country love between the Americans and Austrians.
4. Biathlon under the lights is just plain awesome. But my prediction of a historic US medal in biathlon does not look good after the first weekend.
5. Tara Lipinski tried to solidify the award for greatest commentator jinx on the first night. She made a valiant effort, but failed. In the Men's Biathlon 10K Sprints France's Martin Fourcade approached the shooting range for the first time, Steve Schlanger said Fourcade is the best shooter "in the history of the sport". He proceeded to miss 3 of 5 shots. If he missed 2, he probably would have won gold. Well played, Steve. Well played.
6. The cold in South Korea is causing problems. In Sochi, the warmth caused crashes. In Pyeongchang, the cold is making things faster, causing crashes or at least mistakes. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
7. Big fan of the Team Figure Skating and the allowance of real music.
Predictions Recap
1. Mikaela Shiffrin will be the US Darling of these Olympics (as she rightly should be). - Pending
2. Nathan Chen will nail his short program in the Men's Competition. - Pending
3. The US breaks through with a biathlon medal. Any biathlon medal will do. - Pending
Predictions
1. Medal for Mikaela in Giant Slalom.
2. Bronze for US in Team Figure Skating.
3. Many people will violate Rule #1 on Wednesday.
4. Schlanger holds onto the Broadcaster jinx award for 2018.
What to Watch For
1. CAA Swimming Championships begin on Wednesday.
2. Women's Slopestyle.
3. Team Figure Skating.
4. At some point, I will figure the schedule out.
As I finally figured out, and I am sure everyone knows by now, OAR stands for Olympic Athletes from Russia. Russia has been banned from the Winter Olympics for systematic doping violations. However, individual Russian athletes who have not been, I guess caught, doping are allowed to compete. They just can't represent Mother Russia. If they win a medal, the Olympic flag will fly. If they win gold, the Olympic Anthem will be played during the Olympic Ceremony. I admire the IOC taking a stand here, but is it possible this is just a way for "The Olympics" to get a little more publicity for themselves? There are a lot of OAR athletes, several of whom are going to medal. It is only the second full day of competition and I have already seen the Olympic Flag more times than in every other Olympics combined. There are also more oars than at your average crew regatta.
Oh, come on! No bad Dad puns. OK.
If you do a Google search for "Russian doping scandal" you will get approximately 550,000 results. The stories cover the Russian athletes who have lost medals in the past, athletes who are banned from 2018 and lost their appeals to get to compete, stories about athletes who are allowed to compete this year, and literally thousands of other stories. A lot of this stems from the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where Russia engaged in a cover up of doping so sophisticated they took some techniques from mice.
Doping is pretty clearly the biggest scandal in Olympic sports. It is an issue that has grown over the past 40+ years. If you are my age, or around my age, the first big story was Ben Johnson in 1988. However, this is a story that has been around for much longer. It is also a story that shows no sign of going away. As long as people can make lots of money playing a sport rather than sitting at a desk, some of them are going to be motivated by ANYTHING that will keep them out of some office.
The Russians, however, seem to be taking it to a new level, or at least back to the level of the East Germans. Some of those stories found in a simple Google search say that, once you prove you have world class ability in Russia, you have the choice of doping or quitting. This is one of the reasons many are saying the sanctions against Russia are not sufficient. When you have a country using their position as hosts to sneak samples through holes in the wall, it is kind of hard to argue against these people.
Sadly, I am an idealist. I like to think my heroes, whether they are swimming incredible times in the pool, flipping on snow, or participating in my beloved biathlon, are clean. If Katie Ledecky, Michael Phelps or Caeleb Dressel are caught doping, I will be devastated, much as I was by Lance Armstrong. It is hard to believe that Maame Biney is a doper. Same for Bradie Tennel. However, even in my idealistic mind, it is hard to ignore the facts. If all (or almost all) the Russians are doping, it is hard to believe no one else is. If everyone is doping, it is hard to believe someone dominating everyone is clean. Hopefully, it is just the Russians, and not all of them. Hopefully my heroes, and the athletes we are all enjoying in the Winter and Summer Olympics, are, for the most part clean. We will never really know. And, for me, maybe that is best.
Reflections on What Has Happened
1. The U.S. finished Day 1 without a medal for the first time since 1998. On Day 2, we went for history. Red Gerard nailed his final Slopestyle run to become the youngest Snowboard gold medalist in Olympic history (not that Snowboard has a long history). Then Chris Mazdzer won the first Men's Single Luge medal in US history, with a silver.
2. The Luge competition was a fascinating wave of emotions. Germany's Felix Loch, the favorite coming in and leader going into the 4th round, made a big mistake, resulting in ecstatic cheering and hugging from both the Austrians (who won gold) and the Americans. In a way, there were a bunch of people celebrating Felix's failure, just a few feet away from him as he sat on his sled looking miserable.
3. Lots of inter-country love between the Americans and Austrians.
4. Biathlon under the lights is just plain awesome. But my prediction of a historic US medal in biathlon does not look good after the first weekend.
5. Tara Lipinski tried to solidify the award for greatest commentator jinx on the first night. She made a valiant effort, but failed. In the Men's Biathlon 10K Sprints France's Martin Fourcade approached the shooting range for the first time, Steve Schlanger said Fourcade is the best shooter "in the history of the sport". He proceeded to miss 3 of 5 shots. If he missed 2, he probably would have won gold. Well played, Steve. Well played.
6. The cold in South Korea is causing problems. In Sochi, the warmth caused crashes. In Pyeongchang, the cold is making things faster, causing crashes or at least mistakes. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
7. Big fan of the Team Figure Skating and the allowance of real music.
Predictions Recap
1. Mikaela Shiffrin will be the US Darling of these Olympics (as she rightly should be). - Pending
2. Nathan Chen will nail his short program in the Men's Competition. - Pending
3. The US breaks through with a biathlon medal. Any biathlon medal will do. - Pending
Predictions
1. Medal for Mikaela in Giant Slalom.
2. Bronze for US in Team Figure Skating.
3. Many people will violate Rule #1 on Wednesday.
4. Schlanger holds onto the Broadcaster jinx award for 2018.
What to Watch For
1. CAA Swimming Championships begin on Wednesday.
2. Women's Slopestyle.
3. Team Figure Skating.
4. At some point, I will figure the schedule out.
Saturday, February 10, 2018
And It Begins
We've had figure skating, moguls, curling, training and controversy. But until this moment, we have not had the Opening Ceremony. The Olympics have become so big, it has to start before it starts. I can understand why NBC wants to show Tara and Johnny as much as possible, but when you have to start before you start, maybe you have gone a little too far. Maybe? Nah. We love the Olympics. Let's have more and let's get started.
So here I sit, warm sofa, warm blanket and the cat, ready to begin. Ready for the Ceremony, the spectacle, the stories and the athletes. For the Opening Ceremony, I am going to try something new. I am going to write my blog as I watch. No reflections, just immediate reaction.
8:08 - The opening just finished. I love Mikaela, I really want Nathan Chen to crush it, and as The Wife just said, "I hate Canada during the Winter Olympics."
8:09 - Already too much talk about Mike Pence and North Korea.
8:15 - Maybe we should talk to some athletes other than Shawn White and Lindsay Vonn.
8:17 - I still love Mikaela. Not sure that is going to change any time soon.
8:22 - I really miss a live opening ceremony. START ALREADY!!
8:24 - RESTON VA!!! GO MAAME BINEY!! Reston, VA is about 5 miles from the nice warm seat I am currently sitting in, as well as the birthplace of all 3 of my sons. It is great to see a local woman in the Olympics and even better to have the first African American woman to compete in short track be from RESTON, VA! Yes, I may be a bit of a homer.
8:28 - Hey, they started. I was beginning to worry there.
8:29 - The aerial shot with the ski jump and, is that the bobsled course, in the background is awesome.
8:31 - Let's make sure we put some elementary aged children in a position to get crushed by giant icicles. And eaten by a light tiger.
8:32 - I think we need to put a white tiger in the White House.
8:40 - "Some of what you are seeing on the screen we can't see in the stadium. It is augmented reality". Is that like alternate facts? Fake news?
8:42 - A large number of people wearing the same outfit and banging on drums in unison. I think we saw this in 2008.
8:46 - As the drummers finished and colored into the Korean flag, The Wife said, "Looks like the Pepsi symbol."
8:49 - Why isn't Psy singing the national anthem? Were they playing bagpipes?
8:52 - Ghana is very excited to be there. As is Nigeria.
8:53 - Why are all the African countries first in the Korean alphabet?
8:55 - Lots of love for the New Zealand flag bearers cape. Here at home and with Katie Couric.
8:56 - Why is Mikaela Shiffrin carrying the Danish flag.
8:58 - The Wife was very concerned that the Olympic Opening Ceremony tradition of going to commercial right before Latvia was going to continue. Luckily, it did not. In case you didn't know, Latvia once wrote an Op-Ed piece about always getting skipped over for commercials during the telecast of the Opening Ceremony.
8:59 - I am getting a fascinating ongoing commentary on the hats of each country from The Wife. You are all missing out.
9:01 - LITHUANIA!
9:03 - Awesome hat on the Mexican flag bearer. So says me and so says the Wife.
9:06 - How many countries are we skipping for the back to back commercial breaks bookending the Team USA trivia?
9:10 - OK Gangam Style playing. I knew we couldn't get through this without Psy. And I really hope you spent some time watching the dancers during the Parade of Nations.
9:11 - You go Elise, indeed.
9:13 - Did the US Team think they were riding horses into the stadium? No. Then what's with the gloves?
9:19 - Bermuda in the shorts. Flag bearer is a Rhodes scholar. Bermuda wins the Opening Ceremony.
9:20 - How does Belarus have one woman who has won 3 Biathlon medals and the US has no Biathlon medals ever?
9:22 - The Wife likes Bulgaria's hats.
9:22 - Brazil always looks like they are having more fun than you.
9:28 - The Slovaks look goood!
9:29 - For how many Olympics do you think the commentators are going to refer to Micheal Phelps? How long can we milk that?
9:30 - The Wife about Argentina: "Ooh, sparkly hats. I like."
9:32 - Andorra gets an A for participation. Just as long as they don't get a trophy for participation.
9:34 - I totally called the Estonian flag. The Wife: I'm proud of you.
9:36 - Seeing these athletes, I am definitely going to have to do a "You are Beautiful" post. There are some very good looking people there. Men and women. And to prove my point, there is Anna Veith carrying the Austrian flag.
9:41 - Iranian woman carrying the flag and crying. Nothing else needs to be said.
9:44 - Jamaica. The only people having more fun than the Brazilians. Cool Runnings!
9:51 - As if following Rule #1 wasn't hard enough, Tessa Virtue is carrying the Canadian flag. Even The Wife has commented on the attractiveness of the flag bearers today. She also once again stated our two week hatred of Canada.
9:53 - The Wife: "Ooh, capes for the Columbians!" No comment on the hat, though. Weird.
9:54 - The Wife just yelled "The Kyrgys are wearing the hats! We have one!" It's true. We do.
9:56 - Switch from basketball to luge. Yeah, that makes sense.
9:57 - Tonga...nuff said. Except Taekwondo to Cross Country skiing? Olympics in both? I'm feeling rather lacking in my athletic ability and achievements.
10:02 - The Finns are very bright. To Katie Couric, who said "whatever that is" to her own comment about "Wife Carrying" (a competition in Finland), I think it is self explanatory.
10:05 - The dancers are back to doing the breaststroke.
10:07 - Stadium announcer: "All athletes, please take your seats." I guess the part where the athletes matter has come to an end. We can't let the Koreans enjoy their moment too long.
10:09 - Not a fan of the song. LOVE the views.
10:14 - The Korean kid steps through a time portal and comes out a doctor. Can you say stereotype? I knew you could.
10:16 - If I was in Seoul, I'm pretty sure I would know that I am not in a city that is 300 years in the future.
10:23 - Coming to the realization that I know nothing about Korea.
10:24 - IOC President just said "to the athletes, now is your turn." Just as long as you stay in your seats.
10:27 - With his messages of peace, diversity and hope, is Thomas Bach speaking directly to Donald trump?
10:29 - I don't believe those were real candles.
10:35 - The skiers and snowboarders and drones and lights and sparklers creating the Olympic rings was really cool.
10:43 - It would have been nice if they told us who the athletic stars of the past and the future who carried the Olympic flag were.
10:44 - Katie just mentioned Mohammed Ali in 1996 lighting the torch. Trivia question - who handed the torch to him?
10:46 - Having a North Korean and South Korean as the penultimate torch bearers together is very powerful. Very meaningful.
10:48 - Yuna Kim - good choice. Cool lighting.
Well done South Korea. Let's get started.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)