2018 Winter Olympics Thread

[The AD]

It's not the best AMATEUR athletes, it's supposed to be the best of the best.

Originally it was supposed to be for amateurs only, but obviously that ship sailed a long time ago. Jim Thorpe got his medals stripped in 1912 for playing semi-pro baseball when he was in college. But other than communist countries, most countries sent exclusively amateur athletes to the games until fairly recently (1988).

[evdog]

Yup, they used to cover up corporate logos on sticks and helmets too. Imagine that today...

Personally I'm fine if the NHLers aren't there. In fact I'd be perfectly happy if they had just pushed the world juniors back and made that the Olympic hockey tournament.

[fatnslow]

Originally it was supposed to be for amateurs only, but obviously that ship sailed a long time ago. Jim Thorpe got his medals stripped in 1912 for playing semi-pro baseball when he was in college. But other than communist countries, most countries sent exclusively amateur athletes to the games until fairly recently (1988).

Uhm, not really. It was just under the table cash for medal winners in quite a few countries. Many Olympians had sponsorship "jobs" that equated to them training even in the 70's outside the US.

[Diamond Joe]

Personally I'm fine if the NHLers aren't there. In fact I'd be perfectly happy if they had just pushed the world juniors back and made that the Olympic hockey tournament.

Really? Please explain why

[BmillsSkier]

Anyone else stoked about all the Tonya Harding hoopla?

It's like Joe Buck and Bob Costas sat down and said, "what can we do to remind Joe Dollar Store that the Winter Games exist?"

[The AD]

Uhm, not really. It was just under the table cash for medal winners in quite a few countries. Many Olympians had sponsorship "jobs" that equated to them training even in the 70's outside the US.

It may not have been purely amateur, but it was a far cry from what it is today.

I like it either way, but allowing pros is certainly better for the athletes. Back in those days most athletes had to hang it up after college.

[old goat]

I would prefer to see the NHL players in the Olympics, but the 1980 hockey tournament without them was pretty good as I recall.
I like watching international hockey--the international size rink puts a premium on skating and passing and I don't miss the fighting and cheap shots in the NHL. (Speaking of which--when did it become a thing to retaliate for a clean, legal hit, or has it always been this way and I just didn't notice? You don't want to get hit hard, keep your head up.)

[Danno]

It may not have been purely amateur, but it was a far cry from what it is today.

Yep. Endorsements and endorsement money were strictly verboten back then if you wanted to compete in the olympics.

[reckless toboggan]

The Team USA gear.






For serious.

[basinbeater]

My cousin is cross country racing for Colombia. He is 42. Fuckin cracks me up.

[TheSilverSurfer]

The Team USA gear.






For serious.

So ridiculous. First thing that comes to mind is "tool bag"

[reckless toboggan]

So ridiculous. First thing that comes to mind is "tool bag"

Gus is an awesome dude in an unfortunate outfit. Gus has a million dollar grin. His face, in this photo, says it all.

Ralph Lauren is the tool bag who dressed him...and the rest of the team.

[Shadam]

As unlikely as we all assume. This could backfire on the NHL. Similar has happened in the past in other sports. Ok not including Olympics. NHL believes they r untouchable and yes most fans will bitching but still follow the NHL with undieing commitment as ever. But with the Olympics only ever 4 years we have many ppl in other countries ( and believe it or not most ppl don't live in North America!) That don't know Fark all about hockey. So watching guys and gals that r not worth millions is refreshing for most as most athletes at the Olympics can barely pay the bills. This is wot most ppl can relate to. I hope it hurts the NHL. I hope many players get on a plane and say Fark it. I want the contravesy. I want the players to speak out.

But instead these billionaires will screen games all thru the Olympics. But Fark I hope they regret it and lose ßhit tons money ...

[The AD]

Those gloves look dexterous as fuck.

[BmillsSkier]

[evdog]

Really? Please explain why

NHLers in the Olympics was cool the first couple times but it always seemed to be the same group of players. Always found the world juniors to be fun to watch, and exciting to see up and coming players rather than the same guys I can watch in games all season long.

[TheSilverSurfer]

Gus is an awesome dude in an unfortunate outfit. Gus has a million dollar grin. His face, in this photo, says it all.

Ralph Lauren is the tool bag who dressed him...and the rest of the team.

For sure. Nothing against Gus. I meant the clothes make our athletes look like tool bags

[goldenboy]

Moving past outfits and the NHL, pretty stoked that little old Crested Butte will once again have 2 athletes in the games. Hopefully they can follow in Emma Coburn's summertime footsteps and medal.

[old goat]

As unlikely as we all assume. This could backfire on the NHL. Similar has happened in the past in other sports. Ok not including Olympics. NHL believes they r untouchable and yes most fans will bitching but still follow the NHL with undieing commitment as ever. But with the Olympics only ever 4 years we have many ppl in other countries ( and believe it or not most ppl don't live in North America!) That don't know Fark all about hockey. So watching guys and gals that r not worth millions is refreshing for most as most athletes at the Olympics can barely pay the bills. This is wot most ppl can relate to. I hope it hurts the NHL. I hope many players get on a plane and say Fark it. I want the contravesy. I want the players to speak out.

But instead these billionaires will screen games all thru the Olympics. But Fark I hope they regret it and lose ßhit tons money ...

I think more people outside North America than in it know hockey. My wife was in Prague during the world championships. There was a huge TV set up in a big square in the middle of the city and the place was mobbed and people were going crazy watching the Czech team. When she was planning the trip the one place she had trouble finding a room was Bratislava--that was where the tournament was going on when she was there. I'm pretty sure that if they ever held the tournament in the US the hotels would be filled with Europeans, not Americans.

Olympics clothes are the sports equivalent of bridesmaid dresses. I think next time around they should honor our Native American heritage and send the athletes out in breech cloths, moccasins, and nothing else. Might be a bit chilly I suppose. I do understand the wild west theme--it looks hokey to us but Europeans seem to go nuts over wild west stuff. We've traveled in Europe with a Wells Fargo credit card and the shop people get very excited when they see the stagecoach on the card. One of the most popular writers in Germany is Karl May who wrote westerns. He died in 1912 but is still widely read. We'll see how the Koreans react--I think they'll be happy as long as we don't show up with bombs.

[sb]

The Team USA gear.






For serious.

Needs the cowboy hat or its fail.

Saw where the jackets are heated.

[MontuckyFried]

I meant the clothes make our athletes look like tool bags

Seriously. Seems that every Olympics, Winter or Summer, when Team USA walks out, I can hear the sound of a hundred million facepalms reverberating all across America.

[Kenny Satch]

Just once can we have the winter Olympics in the summertime.
Why not Argentina or Chile ?

Of the 22 Winter Olympics that have been held since 1924, none have been hosted in the Southern Hemisphere

[LightRanger]

Are those gloves the same as those Astis mitts I see advertised in Powder?

[XXX-er]

the pep talk from our crew chief was " be prepared to do the same thing 3 times, have fun and remember the olympics is a TV show " and it IS way better on TV than actually being there

in the breakfast tent all the cops were on one side watching womens curling on big screen and all the course crews were on the other side watching ski racing on a big screen

[bagtagley]

How can I watch without cable?