2022 Beijing Olympics: Don't Mention the Slaves

[Kepler]

"traditional events" like tug of war, polo, or military patrol.

No argument from me. Tell me you wouldn't watch Olympic tug of war?!

I'm for bringing back the cultural events.

 

[Spartanforlife4]

No medals = not a real event, otherwise we get to talk about “traditional events” like tug of war, polo, or military patrol. Curling became a medal event in 1998, the same year Snowboarding became a medal event. It’s only part of the Olympics because the Canadians pushed it for decades. It’s probably one of the reasons no one wants to host the Winter Olympics anymore because curling is a very high cost event to put on.




It’s 2022, you can watch any event online without NBC commentary very easily.

Does curling really cost that much more than building these giant luge and bobsled courses?

 

[Spartanforlife4]

Thanks for the details, I've not yet seen Canada play. But I very much agree that the US does not look as crisp- a couple of slam dunk goals could have been had the pass been a little better and the stick was on the ice. Let alone some really great shot opportunities lost because the pass was not quite right. Hopefully, they can get it together- but the next three days will be tough with consecutive games.

The scary thing is Canada has had quite a number of those missed opportunities, too. Like I said after their first game, they could’ve put up 20 if they nailed their open net opportunities.

I still can’t believe how far Sweden has fallen. Silver medal in 06 and now they aren’t even in the top division of the world championships, fighting with China and Denmark to get to quarters of the Olympics.

 

[Kepler]

Nice to see First Whore Land get their ski jumping medals.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Does curling really cost that much more than building these giant luge and bobsled courses?

Giant luge and bobsled courses at least have uses as World Cup and training venues, a fourth indoor arena with an ice plant (on top of the two you need for hockey and the one for figure skating and short track) is pretty useless and expensive.

 

[aparch]

Giant luge and bobsled courses at least have uses as World Cup and training venues, a fourth indoor arena with an ice plant (on top of the two you need for hockey and the one for figure skating and short track) is pretty useless and expensive.

Wait, short track speed skating and figure skating share their Olympic rink?

 

[Jimjamesak]

Wait, short track speed skating and figure skating share their Olympic rink?

Yes, ever since 1992.

 

[MichVandal]

Giant luge and bobsled courses at least have uses as World Cup and training venues, a fourth indoor arena with an ice plant (on top of the two you need for hockey and the one for figure skating and short track) is pretty useless and expensive.

This is where Beijing hosting works as they repurposed the swimming center and put curling rinks in it. At least for some of the events, you can use the same temporary ice coolers that the NHL uses for their outdoor games. So any decent sized convention hall can host curling.

BTW, are you sure that the short track and figure skating still share? They are both going on now, with the team figure skating event.

The rink that I think would be the biggest bother would the large speed skating venue, since the figure and/or short track can use a decent sized BB arena, and bring in temporary coolers.

 

[state of hockey]

This is where Beijing hosting works as they repurposed the swimming center and put curling rinks in it. At least for some of the events, you can use the same temporary ice coolers that the NHL uses for their outdoor games. So any decent sized convention hall can host curling.

BTW, are you sure that the short track and figure skating still share? They are both going on now, with the team figure skating event.

The rink that I think would be the biggest bother would the large speed skating venue, since the figure and/or short track can use a decent sized BB arena, and bring in temporary coolers.

They just introduced a short track relay race, and on the graphic it gave the location and the events held there. It read Capital Indoor Stadium, Figure Skating/Short Track.

 

[Jimjamesak]

This is where Beijing hosting works as they repurposed the swimming center and put curling rinks in it. At least for some of the events, you can use the same temporary ice coolers that the NHL uses for their outdoor games. So any decent sized convention hall can host curling.

BTW, are you sure that the short track and figure skating still share? They are both going on now, with the team figure skating event.

The rink that I think would be the biggest bother would the large speed skating venue, since the figure and/or short track can use a decent sized BB arena, and bring in temporary coolers.

Yes, figure skating and short track use the same venue. Short track uses it on the off days for figure skating.

A speed skating oval has uses post Olympics as a training venue and World Cup venue much like the Bobsled/Luge tracks plus you can fit multiple hockey rinks on the inside of the oval for multi-use (this is done in both Calgary and Salt Lake City). Plus you can always convert into an indoor sports field/track if don't need the ice oval.

The big thing with curling is the fact you require a fourth indoor venue because how many mid-sized indoor venues does a city really need? And you can't really use a convention hall because you typically use the convention hall as the media center, unless you build a huge convention hall in which case you have a huge convention hall that you likely won't use all of ever.

And that's on top of the two 8-12k capacity arenas you need for figure skating and hockey.

 

[aparch]

It really surprises me that they share a venue as the temperature difference in the ice for those two sports is drastic. Speed skating needs colder "faster" ice, whereas figure skating needs warmer "soft" ice.

I know when the USOEC hosted short track skating in Marquette, the skaters loved the venue because the ice was "hard" (cold) for hockey. What they *hated* about it was the ruts ice hockey skates carved into the surface. Short Track then moved to Utah, for the elevation training and dedicated facility.


The two separate years that Marquette hosted short track qualifiers (one being an ISU global event), the hockey ice was smooth as glass for a month prior.

Also, the whole reason the Berry Events Evener was built to international ice size was due to speed skating.



*edit* I saw a comment that the KHL (and eventually the Euro leagues) may move to NHL sized ice, which will kill the ability to host short track speed skating.

 

[aparch]

..., since the figure and/or short track can use a decent sized BB arena, and bring in temporary coolers.

Per the ISU rules, figure skating *and* short track speed skating ice sheets should be "international" sized, or 200'x100'

 

[rufus]

A speed skating oval has uses post Olympics as a training venue and World Cup venue much like the Bobsled/Luge tracks plus you can fit multiple hockey rinks on the inside of the oval for multi-use (this is done in both Calgary and Salt Lake City). Plus you can always convert into an indoor sports field/track if don't need the ice oval.

Or if you're Lake Placid, you can use it as parking for the hockey rink.

 

[Slap Shot]

Only if you have to listen to our broadcasters. I start out every Olympics neutral. By the first commercial break, I am actively rooting against every American athlete. Fuck the jingoistic garbage. If I lived in Toronto I'd probably feel the same way about Canada, but I live here, so America bad.

Okay Rufus.

 

[Jimjamesak]

It really surprises me that they share a venue as the temperature difference in the ice for those two sports is drastic. Speed skating needs colder "faster" ice, whereas figure skating needs warmer "soft" ice.

I know when the USOEC hosted short track skating in Marquette, the skaters loved the venue because the ice was "hard" (cold) for hockey. What they *hated* about it was the ruts ice hockey skates carved into the surface. Short Track then moved to Utah, for the elevation training and dedicated facility.


The two separate years that Marquette hosted short track qualifiers (one being an ISU global event), the hockey ice was smooth as glass for a month prior.

Also, the whole reason the Berry Events Evener was built to international ice size was due to speed skating.



*edit* I saw a comment that the KHL (and eventually the Euro leagues) may move to NHL sized ice, which will kill the ability to host short track speed skating.

The ice rinks at the Olympics look to be at least the "hybrid" sized rinks that Finland uses (200' x 92') as they do seem kinda narrow.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Per the ISU rules, figure skating *and* short track speed skating ice sheets should be "international" sized, or 200'x100'

They don't have to be, they certainly weren't in SLC or Vancouver.

 

[MichVandal]

Watching this US-Swiss game- seems that the IOC should be donating money to the NCAA for international recruiting. Maybe that would expand the NCAA women's game some to increase the depth of talent.

 

[Jimjamesak]

Second skier into the Mens downhill and we already have a crash. Coupled with Shiffrin and others missing gates in the Womens Super G it’s been a brutal day on the slopes.

 

[Spartanforlife4]

Canada is refusing to take the ice against ROC because ROC won’t share their COVID results. ROC has had multiple players in some stage of protocols since arriving.

 

[MichVandal]

Second skier into the Mens downhill and we already have a crash. Coupled with Shiffrin and others missing gates in the Womens Super G it’s been a brutal day on the slopes.

Shiffrin made the post accident comment that she thought the conditions were great- but watching her and the accidents before her- it sure doesn't look like it. I know they love to race on ice, but that does not seem like ice you can really carve into. It was mentioned that the snow is different than anywhere else in the world- being that it's 100% man made, and they are skiing in a desert. A very cold desert.

They look like pretty nice facilities, but it sure doesn't look like a sustainable kind of event there.