Winter Olympics - Vancouver BC

[Therrian]

Hey all.

So the Olympics start tomorrow in my city, and today the Olympic Torch relay went right by the front of my building.

Just thought I would share some pictures of the event...pretty cool to see it in person.

Spoiler Alert!

My little man waving the flag!



Here comes the giant corporate sponsor van...they gave us free Coke, so who am I to complain.



My little man carrying his own torch!



Here it comes!



There it goes!



A group of like 20 high school kids were taking turns running it like 50 meters each...man that must have been a thrill.



Passing the flame to the next runner.



That's about it...just one last thing.

CANADA IS GOING TO KICK THE USA'S BUTT AND WIN HOCKEY GOLD!!!!!

[nyys]

NICE! Thanks for the pics...

Hockey? What the heck is hockey?

[J4Jandar]

Originally Posted by nyys

NICE! Thanks for the pics...

Hockey? What the heck is hockey?

That's where guys stand around an abandoned ice fishing hole and "hock" lougeys into it until the winning team gets it to freeze over first.

Seriously though, great pics! Thanks for sharing.

[Supergeek]

Originally Posted by nyys

NICE! Thanks for the pics...

Hockey? What the heck is hockey?

It's a sport that is way better than baseball and basketball combined.
No, I'm not talking about Baseketball.
You're probably right Therrian. If the U.S.A. doesn't win gold then I would rather see Canada take it.

[A_Train]

I am incredibly indifferent towards Olympics, even hockey.

That pictures of your son with his own torch is pretty adorable though. Well done.

[Agent Minivann]

Very cool. I was in Utah in 2002. We didn't go to any of the events, but it was still very cool to experience the whole Olympic experience.

[Land-based AE]

I stopped being interested in Olympics when the Soviet Union collapsed. The hole Capitalism/Communism battle was at least interesting. (Sorry China, you don't quite fill the same shoes).

Plus, with the globalization of the world, so many events (especially in the summer Olympics) are just rehashes of the NCAA Championships.

My fiance was watching men's gymanstics one day last year and the Canadian, Mexican and Israeli national champions were all competing for Penn State!

[Agent Minivann]

I think you are watching the wrong sports. A huge portion of the Olympic sports aren't represented by NCAA sponsored competition, or they are poorly represented (I'm looking at you volleyball).

I think I need to find my old post with my definitions of what is and isn't a sport.
EDIT: Here it is if you are interested:

Spoiler Alert!

Originally Posted by Agent Minivann

I guess my question for you is this: Do you consider Dancing with the Stars a sport? There are plenty of professional athletes that start on that show and are horrible.

My wife's family was big into marching band. They tried to get marching band to count for PE credit. I have an exercise science degree, and I tend to disagree. There is a difference between exercise and exertion. Exercise is exertion, but exertion is not always exercise. Marching band is definitely exertion. From what I have seen of marching band competitions my wife has dragged me to, marching band sometimes is barely exertion. It depends too much on how it is put together. Is it a sport? Not a chance.

In my opinion any competition that involves judges' scoring is not a sport. That includes some Olympic sports. I would say that gymnastics and figure skating are not sports. They are competitions, but I don't consider them sports. I think it needs to include direct competition. Scoring muddies that up and makes it far too subjective.

There are other competitions that I would call hobby activities, and I would include a lot of vehicle racing (I might give you non-oval/non-drag racing driving where there is a skill competition), fishing, and bowling. I won't even talk about the guy that thought chess was a sport.

To me sports are competition between two or more individuals or teams where the winner is determined by the one who is better skilled, faster, stronger, and/or has better teamwork than the others. One other key element is that the participants have to react and adapt to their opponents. Seeing the first band take the field do well and think we have to do really well to beat them doesn't even come close. There is something real intense and visceral about going into a game and having to change what you are doing because you're having your tail handed to you. It is even better when you can rise to the occasion and win. The winner needs to be the team/individual who steps up and takes it, not have it handed to them by judges.

[Onacara]

Sad news about the Georgian Luger....the video is disturbing.

RIP

[A_Train]

I haven't watched the video, nor will I, but it is very sad. Would definitely put a damper on the opening ceremonies.

[arp12]

What teams are you guys rooting for (besides USA, of course)? I'm undecided because a lot of countries I like seem to be pretty good. Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria...

[A_Train]

I always like to see the greater underdog counties get medals. I find it means much more to them, as they tend to be unexpected.