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Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

Bob Gray said:
I generally don't think of the media as being very capitalist, but you're right that they deserve a lot of blame. Anything to try to whip up reader angst, regardless of how inaccurate or biased their reporting is.
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It doesn't matter if you think of them that way. The media is capitalist. The government doesn't run CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox or any network outside of PBS. They're all corporations that have shareholders. If not Capitalist, how would you describe them? Fascist? Communist? Socialist?
 
Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

Priceless said:
It doesn't matter if you think of them that way. The media is capitalist. The government doesn't run CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox or any network outside of PBS. They're all corporations that have shareholders. If not Capitalist, how would you describe them? Fascist? Communist? Socialist?
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A whole bunch of Luc Robitailles
 
Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

Priceless said:
It doesn't matter if you think of them that way. The media is capitalist. The government doesn't run CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox or any network outside of PBS. They're all corporations that have shareholders. If not Capitalist, how would you describe them? Fascist? Communist? Socialist?
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Personally, I could care less what he says. He's got the right to think it. People are still uncomfortable with sexual orientation. (Heck, we're still beating or killing people because or race, orientation and religion.) Is the person a good person and does good thing? That's all I care about.

As for the Olympics, I'd love to see a couple of gay athletes win in Russia just to make them squirm a little.
 
MountieBoyOz said:
Personally, I could care less what he says. He's got the right to think it. People are still uncomfortable with sexual orientation. (Heck, we're still beating or killing people because or race, orientation and religion.) Is the person a good person and does good thing? That's all I care about.

As for the Olympics, I'd love to see a couple of gay athletes win in Russia just to make them squirm a little.
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What I hate is this absolute bumrush by conservatives about his "freedom of speech" being violated. As if the First Amendent prevents your employer from firing you for stuff you say. :rolleyes:

I for one am excited to see Brian Boitono at the Closing Ceremony so soon after defeating the evil robot king.
 
Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

MountieBoyOz said:
(Heck, we're still beating or killing people because or race, orientation and religion.) Is the person a good person and does good thing? That's all I care about.
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As Emo Philips put it, "Why hate anyone because of their race, religion, or creed, when there are so many REAL reasons to hate people?"
 
Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

Please tell me that Putin is going to have to shake hands with Boitano at some event.
 
Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

Will this blessed Olympiad be a time of redemption for America's hope in the Roaring Game - John Shuster?
 
Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

In case y'all couldn't figure out from my name, I'm into Snowboard Racing... There was even a point in time where I thought I had a miniscule shot at making the trip to Sochi as an athlete... Obviously that didn't happen for me... But I would like to spread the word of a "local" athlete who is looking to make the trip... Meant to post this a long time ago, but forgot about it :(

Mimi Wiencke, fellow snowboard racer... She's from White Bear Lake, MN...

Personally it's rather bothersome that Jon Schuster gets more support to go to Sochi than members of the US Alpine Snowboarding Team... If anyone feels inclined to help a local athlete, you can do so here...

Also, if y'all are bored after New Years, Buck Hill will host a NorAm Parrallel Slalom Event Jan 4-5th...

EVENT INFO...

That's a great opportunity to get to see some great racers and show them support... The event is really low key in that fans can mingle with the racers... It would be a great opportunity to show Mimi the support that this country can offer... Hell, show up at the NorAm races and act like you are at your favorite team's hockey game :p

Just trying to spread the word and garner support for an athlete who more than deserves the opportunity to represent her country...
 
Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

RaceBoarder said:
Also, if y'all are bored after New Years, Buck Hill will host a NorAm Parrallel Slalom Event Jan 4-5th...

EVENT INFO...
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Is this supposed to be a top end event? I only ask because Buck Hill's courses aren't exaclty long. While that particular ski slope has been the first home skiing spot for a number of American Olympic skiers, the routes can all be measured in the hundreds of feet. That seams really short for a professional or top amateur event.
 
Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

St. Clown said:
Is this supposed to be a top end event? I only ask because Buck Hill's courses aren't exaclty long. While that particular ski slope has been the first home skiing spot for a number of American Olympic skiers, the routes can all be measured in the hundreds of feet. That seams really short for a professional or top amateur event.
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Race To the Cup is the top Alpine series in North America... It's a direct feeder series for the World Cup... With the World Cup being off till the following weekend, you will see the top American racers at this race... Canada's top athletes should be there as well.. Not sure of the European contingent... I would doubt much interest from them since the World Cup is based in Europe... Probably should see some top Asian competitors as well (Japan, South Korea)... Being a FIS Junior race as well, you should see some of the top up and comers from around the world... I would guess that the Top 5 racers on the Men's and Women's side should be going to Sochi...

As far as the venue, although it's tiny, Buck is actually appropriate for a Parallel Slalom event... The runs used for PSL events are usually 25-30 seconds long... The World Cup actually starts their season at an indoor venue in the Netherlands with a PSL run that is in the 17 second range... FIS has also hosted several PSL events in cities like Moscow on temporary slopes built on scaffolding... Again, very similar to what Buck would offer for terrain...
 
RaceBoarder said:
In case y'all couldn't figure out from my name, I'm into Snowboard Racing... There was even a point in time where I thought I had a miniscule shot at making the trip to Sochi as an athlete... Obviously that didn't happen for me... But I would like to spread the word of a "local" athlete who is looking to make the trip... Meant to post this a long time ago, but forgot about it :(

Mimi Wiencke, fellow snowboard racer... She's from White Bear Lake, MN...

Personally it's rather bothersome that Jon Schuster gets more support to go to Sochi than members of the US Alpine Snowboarding Team... If anyone feels inclined to help a local athlete, you can do so here...

Also, if y'all are bored after New Years, Buck Hill will host a NorAm Parrallel Slalom Event Jan 4-5th...

EVENT INFO...

That's a great opportunity to get to see some great racers and show them support... The event is really low key in that fans can mingle with the racers... It would be a great opportunity to show Mimi the support that this country can offer... Hell, show up at the NorAm races and act like you are at your favorite team's hockey game :p

Just trying to spread the word and garner support for an athlete who more than deserves the opportunity to represent her country...
Click to expand...
Wow I would've thought she'd get a little more help. I know the XC Skiers in Alaska get good support from programs and sponsors. I think even the girl (I can't remember her name) who's a snowboard hopeful gets some help.
 
Re: Sochi 2014: From Russia With Love

Jimjamesak said:
Wow I would've thought she'd get a little more help. I know the XC Skiers in Alaska get good support from programs and sponsors. I think even the girl (I can't remember her name) who's a snowboard hopeful gets some help.
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Unfortunately Alpine Snowboarding is about 3 levels down from XC Skiing in the popularity chart when it comes to the American Public... It's the Winter equivalent of Team Handball or Modern Pentathlon... All the public ever acknowledges is what they see Shawn White do at the X-Games... I can go out to any hill here in the States and will get the "What is that?" questions regarding my Alpine/racing gear... There are something like 6 million snowboarders in the US... Right now, estimates are that there are under 2000 people that are riding on Alpine Gear... That's how small our sport is...

Justin Reiter is the US Male representative for Snowboard Racing... He has been living out of the back of his truck in order to make it to Sochi...
 
RaceBoarder said:
Unfortunately Alpine Snowboarding is about 3 levels down from XC Skiing in the popularity chart when it comes to the American Public... It's the Winter equivalent of Team Handball or Modern Pentathlon... All the public ever acknowledges is what they see Shawn White do at the X-Games... I can go out to any hill here in the States and will get the "What is that?" questions regarding my Alpine/racing gear... There are something like 6 million snowboarders in the US... Right now, estimates are that there are under 2000 people that are riding on Alpine Gear... That's how small our sport is...

Justin Reiter is the US Male representative for Snowboard Racing... He has been living out of the back of his truck in order to make it to Sochi...
Click to expand...
I don't think it's popularity that's a factor, it's more to do with available support networks. Alpine Snowboarding and XC Skiing are on fairly close levels of popularity, it's just that XC Skiing has bigger built in support networks for its athletes. Justin Reiter and Kikkan Randall probably have the same amount of name recognition in the general American public. The difference is is that Kikkan uses a built in level of support from the Alaska Pacific Univ. ski team and leverages that into support for her both emotionally and financially. Alpine Snowboarding just doesn't have those networks.

The other problem is, isn't snowboarding still run by the FIS and the US Ski and Snowboarding Assoc.? It's hard for some disciplines to have attention if an organization has too many baskets and not enough eggs so to speak. Do you think things would be better if Snowboarding had a seperate organization?
 
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