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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Feb 16, 2010 - 11:54am PT
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The Norwegian men's hockey team is playing Canada today. It won't be quite as lopsided as women's hockey, in which Canada and the US are so much better than the other teams that the competition is really between them for gold/silver, and between everyone else for bronze. There are four or five men's teams which might win it all, although then another half dozen to fill out the group. Oh well, Norway is a small country, and can't win everything. Norway would, however, happily beat the pants off the Swedes. History, eh?
It's almost like there are two events this week, the Olympics and the hockey Olympics.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Feb 16, 2010 - 01:01pm PT
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The forecast for Whistler, from Environment Canada:
Issued: 5.00 AM PST Tuesday 16 February 2010
Today: Snow ending this morning then cloudy with sunny periods and 40 percent chance of rain showers. Snowfall amount 2 to 4 cm. High plus 4. Tonight: Cloudy. Low minus 1.
Wednesday: Clearing in the morning. High plus 4.
Thursday: Sunny. Low minus 7. High plus 4.
Friday: Sunny. Low minus 7. High plus 5.
Saturday: Sunny. Low minus 7. High plus 5.
Sunday: Sunny. Low zero. High plus 5.
Monday: A mix of sun and cloud. Low minus 1. High plus 5. Conditions will be equally good at Cypress Provincial Park, although it will be warmer, so there may be snowmelt problems.
You'll see lots of sunshine on television over the next few days.
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Chief
climber
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Feb 16, 2010 - 01:13pm PT
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Have I missed something or did Dale Begg-Smith clinch gold for most villainous and unsporting demeanour after Saturday's freestyle event? I hope the Aussies made him relinquish his Canadian citizenship when he jumped ship. His attitude reflects poorly on him, his country and the notion of healthy competition. We need more of Shannon Bahrke's energy and enthusiasm at the podium than the spectacle of Dale's pathologically sour mug. Thanks for letting me rant.
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blahblah
Gym climber
Boulder
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Feb 16, 2010 - 01:26pm PT
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Say what you want about Begg-Smith, but it's pretty impressive that a self made multimillionaire can beat the pants off of full-time athletes who, aside from their sports skills, would be capable of at most a "you want fries with that" type job.
Seems to me that Begg-Smith really exemplifies the old Olympic spirit--a real gentleman who is good at sport and competing for the love of the sport and competition, rather than a trained professional who is just doing a job.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Feb 16, 2010 - 01:36pm PT
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Jingoism isn't a Canadian strong point.
Well Anders, you don't have much to be jingoish about.
Heh.
Except maybe the healthcare. And the TV coverage.
Nothing worse than being in the states during an Olympics, especially a Winter Olympics. Unless you want to watch the former football player interview the blond snowboarder instead of actually seeing some frickin sports.
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pc
climber
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Feb 16, 2010 - 02:07pm PT
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Blahblah, I agree. Much cooler to be a true amateur IMO.
And IMO I think he was justified in looking a little pissed (american version) when they awarded him Silver. He's so much better than the rest it's startling. It's about skiing bumps. Watch a replay of him doing it compared to the others. Frickin' different level.
pc
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Feb 16, 2010 - 03:04pm PT
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self made multimillionaire Begg-smith
It's been reported he made his money on spyware! There's a special place in hell reserved for asswipes that make money on the misery of others.
And he did not ski better than the others. I saw his hands drop behind him a number of times while other skiers were rock solid.
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blahblah
Gym climber
Boulder
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Feb 16, 2010 - 03:39pm PT
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the Fet--I don't think your analysis of Begg-Smith's skiing is right even according to the judges who crookedly fixed it so the guy skiing for Canada won. Begg-Smith got a higher score for actually skiing, he just didn't go quite as fast, at least that's how I understood the (convoluted) scoring.
Actually the American Bronze winner looked the best to me, but that's probably cuz he crushed the jumps, which seem to be the most difficult part of it. Of course they're all great mogul skiers, but they don't look much better than the hotshots you can see at any local ski area, until they hit the jumps.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Feb 16, 2010 - 03:44pm PT
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Bilodeau
Air score: 5.44
Turn score: 14.1
Time score: 7.24
Begg-Smith
Air score: 5.43
Turn score: 14.2
Time score: 6.95
Overall
Bilodeau 26.75
Begg-Smith 26.58
Heaven knows what the numbers actually mean. Their times down the course were around 30 seconds - there must be some formula for converting them. But it does show that Bildeau essentially won on time.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Feb 16, 2010 - 04:01pm PT
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I know that watching in slow mo you could see Begg-Smiths hands drop a few times which led to him getting in the back seat, then he'd drive his hands forward and recover. Some other guys hands did not move from the best position.
Subjective judging is always up for interpretation. I think it's lame that time contributes more to the score than air. It's a freestyle event for cripes sake.
Bilodeau was smoking fast.
But the American did the best airs so personally I liked his run the best.
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blahblah
Gym climber
Boulder
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Feb 16, 2010 - 04:01pm PT
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MH--right, thanks for posting the above, that's shows the point that I was trying to make:
Begg-Smith got the highest score of all competitors for actual skiing (so I don't know what "the Fet" was talking about with his hands--whatever it was, B-S did well enough to have the best skiing style of any human being on the planet), the other guy narrowly edged him in air, and beat him soundly in speed.
The difference is speed--the only objective criterion--was enough that I'm going have reconsider my judgment that the Canadians cheated--the win seemed as fair as you're going to get in a judged sport.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Feb 16, 2010 - 04:04pm PT
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WILSON Bryon turns 13.8 air 5.46 speed 6.82 total 26.08
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Feb 16, 2010 - 04:23pm PT
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Heaven knows what the numbers actually mean
Here's a number I can relate to, sort of (did a little downhilling):
Didier Defago: 1:54.31 - not much left to speculate about.
Average speed: waaaay fast!
And kudos to NBC for only showing about, what, 7 or 8 racers?
Geez, wouldn't want to let some real racing get in the way of
watching Bob Costas talk through the top of his head. I'd wager
they devoted as much time to that stupid snowboard Nascar imitation
as they did to the premier skiing event.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Feb 16, 2010 - 04:46pm PT
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Lot's of complaints about NBC's coverage. People want to see the competitions not so much BS.
Snowboard cross may have gotten more viewers than downhill. Sad.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Feb 16, 2010 - 05:01pm PT
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Here's a still of Begg-Smith in the backseat. He's got good form (which is subjective), but he makes mistakes.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Feb 16, 2010 - 05:10pm PT
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Last night's Men's Downhill NBC "coverage" existed of two Americans, two Swiss, a Norwegian and a Canadian.
That's it.
Six skiers.
The fact that I can remember the line-up points to how piss-poor the coverage was.
You would have to believe there were no Austrians, Swedes, Germans or Italians competing in the Downhill this year.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Feb 16, 2010 - 05:23pm PT
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my email to NBC:
I have never done this before but your coverage, or non-coverage,
of the Mens' Downhill spurs me to do so. The premier skiing event
of the Olympics only merits the showing of 6 racers? Are you kidding me?
We have to watch moguls qualifying and endless segments of Costas opining
and our reward is 12 minutes of actual racing?
LAME!
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Trad climber
San Francisco, Ca
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Feb 16, 2010 - 05:33pm PT
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What??!! The olympics are more than a mogul competition between USA and Canada?
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Feb 16, 2010 - 05:33pm PT
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Shame, too, Reilly.
Because they had some really cool camera angles this year.
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