The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics
 

ITT we discuss the Winter Olympics. So far, I'm enjoying the opening ceremony. I thought it would be fun to post about it during the winter games. I've always enjoyed the Winter Olympics --much more than the Summer Olympics. :)

I enjoyed them too. I've been thinking about my trip to Russia all week. It's been MANY years ago now (perestroika/Boris Yeltsen era), but it was such a great trip. And from watching, I feel like I need to re-read War and Peace. I remembered snippets, but not enough of it.

I love watching the obscure sports and marveling at someone making Biathlon or Curling their life's work. It takes so much determination and sacrifice; I am continually humbled at the thought.

I HATE watching all the ridiculous bios and the overly heavy editing of the events so that all you see are the medal winners and the Americans. If they cut out 5 minutes of the sappy crap they could show a lot more of, I don't know, SPORTS!

I liked the opening ceremonies pretty well. Parts of them reminded me of the Atlanta opening ceremonies. I just don't get the slogan: Hot. Cool. Yours. It sounds like a slogan for a fast food restaurant instead of the Olympics.

Well, Sochi isn't exactly cold so I think they're exaggerating to hot, along with the double meanings of both hot and cool. I like it, but you're right; I expected to see a company logo (Coke, McDonald's, Chevy) after the slogan. It's a little TOO slick.

Some of these commercials are better than the ones during the Super Bowl.

Ha, I know right?

The opening ceremonies were actually pretty awesome. That floor was amazing.. and genius. The parts with just people and the images on the floor were some of my favorites. So simple (but probably flippin' expensive).

I liked the horses, and I liked the onion dome inflatables. I realize that the icon positioned at the missing Olympic ring was a stylized snowflake, but my first thought was BP.

Ballet! So beautiful and so appropriate for Russia.

Being in the UK, I watched the opening ceremony live whilst DH was at work, we got an unedited version, the BBC did a fabulous job, although I thought the opening of London was better (only saying this because I got to go).

I giggled when I saw the Snowflake miss-fire (someones getting fired for that), twitter blew up saying it was too afraid to come out!

I know its very early morning back home at the moment, but currently watching the finals for the first ever Snowboard Slope Style event, its amazing!

Watching this.. it's amazing! The Olympics just got so much cooler!

I agree

#KudosToSageKotsenberg

I think the London opening ceremony tops pretty much everything.

Sochi was really, really good, though. The integration of animation and dancing to create effects was pretty amazing and their designers were really great. Loved the horses and the sun.

Oh I agree, the opening ceremony was great, like ASTAlumna06, I thought the floor animation specifically was just spectacular, the ballet was perfect. I must admit, I'm a super Olympics fan, I cried during the lighting of the torch!

I thought, "Someone's getting shipped to Siberia for that one!"

If anyone is watching the team figure skating event right now, Tri-Delta Meryl Davis will be competing in just a few minutes.

And she and Charlie were outstanding!

Just watched the finals of women's cross country skiathlon...now THAT is a cardio sport

I'm ready to pass out just from watching! That must take so much stamina. The fact that everyone hit the floor immediately after crossing the finish line says a lot.

Agree. It was telling how they all fell to the ground grasping for breath as soon as it was over.

I'm most looking forward to luge, ski jump, and any/all downhill ski events, which means that I will be on the minor NBC networks for two weeks while I avoid most of the figure skating.

I love the Olympics. I studied some Russian in college and I was surprised at how much I remembered about the culture, history and language during the opening ceremonies. I have been trying to read the cyrillic and doing ok. Don't remember what a lot of the words mean.

Watching the team ice skating thus far.

I think they mentioned it during the opening ceremonies, but apparently the Russians didn't see the mistake. I guess they re-taped the snowflakes opening, and then they showed that on tv. Of course, I'm sure they all know about it anyway.

Really? I found that one pretty boring.

Nothing will ever be as epic as the London Opening Ceremony. Shakespeare, Spice Girls, James Bond, the Queen, Mr. Bean, Harry Potter, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Paul McCartney, and the flags planted on Glastonbury Tor.

I still get goosebumps at all of the flags planted on Glastonbury Tor.

New t-shirt! LOL

https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/...30095188_n.jpg

Russia was apparently shown the practice session footage of the rings!

http://media.kansas.com/smedia/2014/...b.SlMa.55.jpeg

Nothing gets the Dutch more excited than speed skating. Nothing.
When Kramer, the winner of the 5000m speed skating event was on the track, the streets were empty.

I find it rather boring, especially the 10000m. That takes forever...

I enjoy on weekends the ability to watch less prominent events live during the day, then watch what I missed in primetime at night. I wonder how many people are going to be streaming the Olympics during the day at work...

USA bobsledder broke through his bathroom door:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjkiebus/usa...-like-a-damn-s

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf8PHIcIMAEhTRp.jpg

Someday, I'm going to have enough vacation time to take the entire two weeks off during the Olympics to watch every minute. I did manage to be on maternity leave during the Olympics when I had Hypo. Maybe if I ever have to have surgery again, I can schedule it during the Olympics. I love watching all of it.

http://www.siyclone.com/forum//style...spitcoffee.gif

I'll buy one!!

Dang it! you beat me to it!! :)

Is that door filled with cardboard???

Haha that's what I was wondering!

Who knew veelas were so good at skiing?

French Canadians sisters take silver and gold in Women's Moguls.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/dufour-...2153--spt.html

http://img2-3.timeinc.net/people/i/2...pointe-600.jpg

I can't stop watching the Russian Police Choir.

Gracie Gold was amazing. And even though the Canadian fell I loved her costume.

I thought she was ok but I really loved Carolina Costner! That version Ava Maria was stunning!

This is the first Olympic games that hasn't held my interest. I'm looking forward to the Ladies Figure Skating and the Jamaican Bobsled Team, but other than that... *yawn*


I did enjoy this pictogram, though:



https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BfYN6ojIMAAHfkR.jpg



Still can't figure out the very last one, but it is interesting, although I wouldn't order fish in Sochi on a bet!

No drinking in the bathroom?

No drugs in the bathroom. Just Say No.

No playing with your boats and planes in the toilet.