Off Topic: Olympics

[bobgeorge]

I'm taking a break from football coverage to write some Olympics articles on my website. If any of you want to read them, go to http://www.bossports.net/olympics/.

After the Olympics I'll get on with positional analyses.

Enjoy,

Bob G

 

[Bella*chick]

Bob, I really appreciate your article about Michelle Kwan. This young woman is truly a legend, and ironically, I think what cemented her status as such was her gracious attitude in the face of defeat at the Olympics. People just LOVE Michelle Kwan. Others may win gold medals, but they will never reach the heights she has reached, and while that seems strange, we all know it is true.

It does seem sort of strange to me though, that so many make mention of Kwan's age (25) without making mention that the heavy favorite Irina Slutskaya (what a last name!) is 26 and may have already turned 27. I even remember reading an article on MSN that said Kwan was too old to have any chance against the likes of Slutskaya. Umm, except for the fact that Slutskaya is older and has been around just as long, although she has taken long haituses due to illness.

 

[JoeSixPat]

While I think Bryant Gumble was way off base in his comments and disrespect for Winter Olympians, like him, I just have no interest in the Olympics whatsoever.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Can anyone help me here. When do the Olympics start?
Man, the Bruins have had a bunch of days off lately.

 

[DarrylS]

My wife and I were talking about this at dinner, came to the conclusion that when you try to watch them there is too much extraneous stuff and too many commercials to really enjoy them. Many of the athletes, or some of them, seem more self absorbed than usual.

 

[flutie2phelan]

Bob, I really appreciate your article about Michelle Kwan. This young woman is truly a legend, .... People just LOVE Michelle Kwan. Others may win gold medals, but they will never reach the heights she has reached, and while that seems strange, we all know it is true.

Spokane. October '02. An international skating event was in town. I was staying across the street from the hotel in which the US figure skaters were lodging.

One noontime i was waiting at a deli pickup counter for the sandwich and salad i had ordered for takeout. Ahead of me was a petite, attractive, young Asian-American lady. Her order was called moments before mine.

Walked out through the seating area a few steps behind her. Fellow in a booth looked up ... and "recognized" her. "Kristi ... are you skating tonight? Well, good luck!"

"I'm Michelle ... but thanks," replied Ms. Kwan ... having proven, once again, while being mistaken for fellow skating icon Kristi Yamaguchi ... that All Orientals Look Alike.

postscript. Few days later ... in the airport terminal lounge, my bride chatted up an attractive, very engaging, young couple also headed elsewhere via Chicago. They turned out to be Tenith Belbin and Ben Agosto ... who perhaps are headed for a medal in ice-dancing soon.

 

[Beavis]

them there is too much extraneous stuff and too many commercials to really enjoy them. .

Bingo...gets to damn irrating after a while...esp all the commericials.

 

[flutie2phelan]

Bingo...gets to damn irrating after a while...esp all the commericials.

I mercifully let this slide when GJA first said it.

But how can ANYONE WHO WATCHES the NFL on tv ... complain about Too Many Commercials? Aren't NFL telecasts the best training camp possible ... for watching too many commercials? (Actually, isn't that why we watch at all? Jes kiddin.)

 

[chunkypony]

Women's Curling.....yummm....


droooollll

 

[mgteich]

We had the good fortune to witness Michelle's last competitive skate in Boston a couple of months ago. We were able to go down to the meet and greet (only Michelle greeted fans), and be in the presence of one of America's great athletes, one whom my wife and I have followed for 12 years.

Everyone has their favorite sports after NFL football. For me, I like the Winter Olympics much more than the Summer.

Spokane. October '02. An international skating event was in town. I was staying across the street from the hotel in which the US figure skaters were lodging.

One noontime i was waiting at a deli pickup counter for the sandwich and salad i had ordered for takeout. Ahead of me was a petite, attractive, young Asian-American lady. Her order was called moments before mine.

Walked out through the seating area a few steps behind her. Fellow in a booth looked up ... and "recognized" her. "Kristi ... are you skating tonight? Well, good luck!"

"I'm Michelle ... but thanks," replied Ms. Kwan ... having proven, once again, while being mistaken for fellow skating icon Kristi Yamaguchi ... that All Orientals Look Alike.

postscript. Few days later ... in the airport terminal lounge, my bride chatted up an attractive, very engaging, young couple also headed elsewhere via Chicago. They turned out to be Tenith Belbin and Ben Agosto ... who perhaps are headed for a medal in ice-dancing soon.

 

[ilduce06410]

and they're both really hot in california gear

Bob, I really appreciate your article about Michelle Kwan. This young woman is truly a legend, and ironically, I think what cemented her status as such was her gracious attitude in the face of defeat at the Olympics. People just LOVE Michelle Kwan. Others may win gold medals, but they will never reach the heights she has reached, and while that seems strange, we all know it is true.
It does seem sort of strange to me though, that so many make mention of Kwan's age (25) without making mention that the heavy favorite Irina Slutskaya (what a last name!) is 26 and may have already turned 27. I even remember reading an article on MSN that said Kwan was too old to have any chance against the likes of Slutskaya. Umm, except for the fact that Slutskaya is older and has been around just as long, although she has taken long haituses due to illness.

you'd know the difference betwen kwan and yamaguchi in a heartbeat. yamaguchi wears spandex and drives corvettes. i don't think kwan does.
IMO kwan is unique in women's figure skating. i heard her say once she just liked competitive skating and wanted to do that as long as possible before going into the 21st century ice capades circuit.
hey, it's what she wanted to do.
she's transformed from a skinny 13-year-old into a gracious young woman. in skating she's like the queen mother now, but off the ice she's a fun-seeking 25-year old who's as likely to be rollerblading at venice beach as she is to be doing commentary in a tv studio.
for me, it's been a great 12 years.
now she gets to fade into southern california where every 3rd person is famous and she can be anonymous.

 

[Mike the Brit]

My wife and I were talking about this at dinner, came to the conclusion that when you try to watch them there is too much extraneous stuff and too many commercials to really enjoy them. Many of the athletes, or some of them, seem more self absorbed than usual.

The Olympics are being broadcast here by the BBC (no commercials or interruptions) -- and I still find them unwatchable.

 

[ilduce06410]

they have these characteristics in common

My wife and I were talking about this at dinner, came to the conclusion that when you try to watch them there is too much extraneous stuff and too many commercials to really enjoy them. Many of the athletes, or some of them, seem more self absorbed than usual.

they're athletes.
so they are very insecure, egotistic, competitive, listening to their bodies all the time, want to be the center of the universe.
they'rs also artists.
so they are temperamental, nervous, picky, drama queens/kings, want to be catered to, jealous.
almost all of them.
i stopped approaching any of them for autographs or stuff when i was in my teens. they don't do 'conversation' very well. their thing is performing, you know?

 

[Bella*chick]

I feel quite warm and fuzzy about all the nice things being said about Michelle in this thread. I, too, have followed her career since she was a kid and in my opinion, she is the greatest skater ever, gold medal or not.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I feel quite warm and fuzzy about all the nice things being said about Michelle in this thread. I, too, have followed her career since she was a kid and in my opinion, she is the greatest skater ever, gold medal or not.

That's becasue you haven't seen me on skates.:singing:

 

[Beavis]

I mercifully let this slide when GJA first said it.

But how can ANYONE WHO WATCHES the NFL on tv ... complain about Too Many Commercials? )

Who said I dont complain about the NFL too? MNF is a complete JOKE when it comes to commericals. But the night time showing of the "O" has been as bad if not worse! They show one skier finish....commerical....then two more come down...commerical....hell at least with the NFL I get to see a series of downs played. Or...I tape the Pats games and watch them later flying by the commericials....