The Ben Pon/Eric the Eel Olympic thread

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 24 Jun 2013, 20:59

Kimi-ICE wrote:Now that London 2012 is over who's going to be watching Sochi 2014? and don't just say it's because you want to see the new Russian track ahead of the Russian Grand Prix? Someone who has actual interest in the Winter Olympics would be a good person to reply

I like any winter sports that have something to do with speed such as ski jumping, the toboggan or the bobsleigh as that is all about timing and that is one of the reasons why I'm into F1. I only watch these when I find them on the TV by accident. I have watched the two previous Olympics in Turin in 2006 and Vancouver in 2010.

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 24 Jun 2013, 21:04

good_Ralf wrote:
Kimi-ICE wrote:Now that London 2012 is over who's going to be watching Sochi 2014? and don't just say it's because you want to see the new Russian track ahead of the Russian Grand Prix? Someone who has actual interest in the Winter Olympics would be a good person to reply

I like any winter sports that have something to do with speed such as ski jumping, the toboggan or the bobsleigh as that is all about timing and that is one of the reasons why I'm into F1. I onto watch these when I find them on the TV by accident. I have watched the two previous Olympics in Turin in 2006 and Vancouver in 2010.

No Biathlon is the best by a mile. It's just nobody knows what it is let alone watch it. I'm part of a Biathlon forum as well as this one. The advantage of liking Winter Sports is that you have something to do while the F1 boys are off testing. If anyone here knows what Biathlon is I will be surprised

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 24 Jun 2013, 21:15

Kimi-ICE wrote:No Biathlon is the best by a mile. It's just nobody knows what it is let alone watch it. I'm part of a Biathlon forum as well as this one. The advantage of liking Winter Sports is that you have something to do while the F1 boys are off testing. If anyone here knows what Biathlon is I will be surprised

I saw a bit of biathlon at the last WOs. First you ski carrying a rifle across several kilometres of snow with varying terrain from flat ground to slopes and then you shoot at five targets. But it was a Top Gear Winter Special that really told me what it was about. I was told how you need 6000 calories a day to be a successful biathlete. Then Jeremy Clarkson and James May used estate cars and drove through some snow-draped forest at the site of 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. They shot at some targets from the boot of their cars and I think James won, being ecstatic about it of course.

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 24 Jun 2013, 21:17

Kimi-ICE wrote:
good_Ralf wrote:
Kimi-ICE wrote:Now that London 2012 is over who's going to be watching Sochi 2014? and don't just say it's because you want to see the new Russian track ahead of the Russian Grand Prix? Someone who has actual interest in the Winter Olympics would be a good person to reply

I like any winter sports that have something to do with speed such as ski jumping, the toboggan or the bobsleigh as that is all about timing and that is one of the reasons why I'm into F1. I onto watch these when I find them on the TV by accident. I have watched the two previous Olympics in Turin in 2006 and Vancouver in 2010.

No Biathlon is the best by a mile. It's just nobody knows what it is let alone watch it. I'm part of a Biathlon forum as well as this one. The advantage of liking Winter Sports is that you have something to do while the F1 boys are off testing. If anyone here knows what Biathlon is I will be surprised

Well, a triathlon is three sports (cycling, running, swimming), a pentathlon is 5 sports, a decathlon is 10 sports, so a biathlon is clearly 2 sports!

(However, which two is beyond me, but not Google...) I would hazard a guess that it's not chess-boxing!

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 24 Jun 2013, 21:19

dr-baker wrote:Well, a triathlon is three sports (cycling, running, swimming), a pentathlon is 5 sports, a decathlon is 10 sports, so a biathlon is clearly 2 sports! (However, which two is beyond me, but not Google...) I would hazard a guess that it's not chess-boxing!

It's Shooting and Skiing Baker

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 24 Jun 2013, 21:22

Kimi-ICE wrote:
dr-baker wrote:Well, a triathlon is three sports (cycling, running, swimming), a pentathlon is 5 sports, a decathlon is 10 sports, so a biathlon is clearly 2 sports! (However, which two is beyond me, but not Google...) I would hazard a guess that it's not chess-boxing!

It's Shooting and Skiing Baker

You're right, I doubt many people would have guessed which two sports that was (I would have been convinced that it was two out of three from the triathlon sports).

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 24 Jun 2013, 21:34

dr-baker wrote:
Kimi-ICE wrote:
dr-baker wrote:Well, a triathlon is three sports (cycling, running, swimming), a pentathlon is 5 sports, a decathlon is 10 sports, so a biathlon is clearly 2 sports! (However, which two is beyond me, but not Google...) I would hazard a guess that it's not chess-boxing!

It's Shooting and Skiing Baker

You're right, I doubt many people would have guessed which two sports that was (I would have been convinced that it was two out of three from the triathlon sports).

Well, that must be international competition for the biathlon info you have. I know of a biathlon in the fall here in America and it includes running and whitewater paddling! It isn't a big event, but it's held near Washington DC!

WaffleCat · Post by **WaffleCat** » 24 Jun 2013, 23:14

I love winter sports (despite being in a place where the only snow is artificial inside an air-conditioned building), so I'm definitely going to pay attention to Sochi. Keeping my eye on luge,skeleton,bobsleigh,skiing and biathlon.

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 26 Jun 2013, 00:24

I'll watch the Sochi Olympics. I think it'll be worth it.

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 07 Sep 2013, 20:21

Tokyo has won the bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics!

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 07 Sep 2013, 20:29

good_Ralf wrote:Tokyo has won the bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics!

Well done to Tokyo. The last time Japan hosted an Olympics was the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano.

You have to feel for Madrid. How many times have they bid for an Olympics but failed to get it?

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 07 Sep 2013, 20:45

Freeze-O-Kimi wrote:
good_Ralf wrote:Tokyo has won the bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics!

Well done to Tokyo. The last time Japan hosted an Olympics was the 1998 Winter Games in Nakano.

You have to feel for Madrid. How many times have they bid for an Olympics but failed to get it?

Well they missed out on 2012, 2016 and now 2020!

As mentioned on the chatline all 3 countries have had their issues.

Japan - Recovering from an earthquake (the most costly natural disaster in history, financially), they have their own Chernobyl and they in economic trouble.
Spain - Have some of the biggest money problems for any EU country, plus massive unemployment.
Turkey - Are a third world country and have had major terrorist attacks e.g. Istanbul in 2003

nome66 · Post by **nome66** » 07 Sep 2013, 21:45

hopefully the Baltimore-Washington(my neck of the woods) Olympic Bid for 2024 will become a thing.
we have like four stadiums for big sports and the intros/outros.
RFK, FedEx Field, Oriole Park, and M&T Bank Stadium.
if they clean the bay enough by then, the sailing and whatever can be in the Inner Harbor.

pasta_maldonado · Post by **pasta_maldonado** » 07 Sep 2013, 21:46

good_Ralf wrote:
Freeze-O-Kimi wrote:
good_Ralf wrote:Tokyo has won the bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics!

Well done to Tokyo. The last time Japan hosted an Olympics was the 1998 Winter Games in Nakano.

You have to feel for Madrid. How many times have they bid for an Olympics but failed to get it?

Well they missed out on 2012, 2016 and now 2020!

As mentioned on the chatline all 3 countries have had their issues.

Japan - Recovering from an earthquake (the most costly natural disaster in history, financially), they have their own Chernobyl and they in economic trouble.
Spain - Have some of the biggest money problems for any EU country, plus massive unemployment.
Turkey - Are a third world country and have had major terrorist attacks e.g. Istanbul in 2003

That's not strictly true. Turkey are practically a 2nd world country

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 07 Sep 2013, 21:54

pasta_maldonado wrote:
good_Ralf wrote:Turkey - Are a third world country and have had major terrorist attacks e.g. Istanbul in 2003

That's not strictly true. Turkey are practically a 2nd world country

I take that back. But to prove my point they are 92nd out of 200+ on the Human Development Index. Britain is 28th and the US is 3rd.

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 07 Sep 2013, 22:13

nome66 wrote:hopefully the Baltimore-Washington(my neck of the woods) Olympic Bid for 2024 will become a thing.
we have like four stadiums for big sports and the intros/outros.
RFK, FedEx Field, Oriole Park, and M&T Bank Stadium.
if they clean the bay enough by then, the sailing and whatever can be in the Inner Harbor.

I only live 3-4 hours from there. Maybe I could actually visit the Olympics without actually trying to compete in it!

Well done to Tokyo anyway. Did Shinji Nakano have anything to do with the 1998 Winter Olympics?

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 07 Sep 2013, 22:22

Adding to Freeze-O-Kimi's comment, Japan have previously hosted the games in 1964 (in Tokyo) and 1972 (in Sapporo for the Winter Olympics).

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 07 Sep 2013, 23:17

good_Ralf wrote:Adding to Freeze-O-Kimi's comment, Japan have previously hosted the games in 1964 (in Tokyo) and 1972 (in Sapporo for the Winter Olympics).

Nagano 1998?

Anyways, Madrid should have won. Apparently they had 80% of their facilities already built!!

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 07 Sep 2013, 23:37

Aerospeed wrote:
good_Ralf wrote:Adding to Freeze-O-Kimi's comment, Japan have previously hosted the games in 1964 (in Tokyo) and 1972 (in Sapporo for the Winter Olympics).

Nagano 1998?

He said "Adding to Freeze-O-Kimi's comment, whose comment is above.

Aerospeed wrote:Anyways, Madrid should have won. Apparently they had 80% of their facilities already built!!

Well, that means Spain wouldn't go into a deep money hole if they got the bid anyway.

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 08 Sep 2013, 11:32

Aerospeed wrote:
good_Ralf wrote:Adding to Freeze-O-Kimi's comment, Japan have previously hosted the games in 1964 (in Tokyo) and 1972 (in Sapporo for the Winter Olympics).

Nagano 1998?

Anyways, Madrid should have won. Apparently they had 80% of their facilities already built!!

Yes it was Nagano 1998 but good-ralf thinks there's a place in Japan called Nakano. There was Shinji and Shinya Nakano but there's no place called Nakano mate

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 08 Sep 2013, 11:35

Freeze-O-Kimi wrote:
Aerospeed wrote:
good_Ralf wrote:Adding to Freeze-O-Kimi's comment, Japan have previously hosted the games in 1964 (in Tokyo) and 1972 (in Sapporo for the Winter Olympics).

Nagano 1998?

Anyways, Madrid should have won. Apparently they had 80% of their facilities already built!!

Yes it was Nagano 1998 but good-ralf thinks there's a place in Japan called Nakano. There was Shinji and Shinya Nakano but there's no place called Nakano mate

It was a joke.
It would be unlikely that even a hamlet in Japan would have the same name as one of their greatest rejects...

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 12 Sep 2013, 14:28

Although, all Shinji has to do is add " to his name in hiragana and Bobbu-san is your oji.

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 16 Sep 2013, 23:53

Well, I was expecting canoe slalom to go downhill for Rio.

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 01 Oct 2013, 20:50

good_Ralf wrote:
Kimi-ICE wrote:No Biathlon is the best by a mile. It's just nobody knows what it is let alone watch it. I'm part of a Biathlon forum as well as this one. The advantage of liking Winter Sports is that you have something to do while the F1 boys are off testing. If anyone here knows what Biathlon is I will be surprised

I saw a bit of biathlon at the last WOs. First you ski carrying a rifle across several kilometres of snow with varying terrain from flat ground to slopes and then you shoot at five targets. But it was a Top Gear Winter Special that really told me what it was about. I was told how you need 6000 calories a day to be a successful biathlete. Then Jeremy Clarkson and James May used estate cars and drove through some snow-draped forest at the site of 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. They shot at some targets from the boot of their cars and I think James won, being ecstatic about it of course.

I've had a soft spot for the Biathlon World Cup since December 2011 and I'll be heading over to watch it all on the IBU website when the F1 Season is done and dusted.

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 05 Nov 2013, 21:24

go_Rubens wrote:Well, I was expecting canoe slalom to go downhill for Rio.

The situation has resolved itself, and a new venue will be built in the Deodoro zone for Canoeing.

go_Rubens · Post by **go_Rubens** » 23 Nov 2013, 20:52

I, for one, most certainly does not like this
Richard Fox is right about this

I have just lost all my respect and sympathy for the International Canoe Federation. Bathplug you.

watka · Post by **watka** » 09 Jan 2014, 01:21

Hi guys,

Perhaps its not worthy of a thread entirely of its own, but I know a few of you on here enjoy winter sports and no doubt interest in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi will peak in the coming weeks.

Big news is that Lindsay Vonn will not me competing due to a repeating knee injury: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-sports/25638944
Love her or not, it's a real shame that the poster girl of winter sports won't be competing. It's the Winter Olympics equivalent of a Summer Olympics without Usain Bolt.

I also thought this thread could be used to share some of our favourite moments from Winter Olympics gone by. I thought I'd share the story of Ethiopian cross-country skier, Robel Teklemariam: http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/ ... ympics2010

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 09 Jan 2014, 01:56

We already have this and this, either of which could carry Winter Olympics discussion.

watka · Post by **watka** » 09 Jan 2014, 13:54

Woops, my bad. I looked through the recent threads but couldn't find them. I'll use the search bar next time.

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 09 Jan 2014, 15:28

I'm beyond happy that the whiney, sniveling, self-centered, overrated glamour-model-who-thinks-she's-an-athlete, Linsey Vonn is finished. No loss whatsoever I say, especially since like in 2010, she will no doubt interrupt the US team entering the stadium to do another woe-is-me whine fest instead of supporting her teammates. She wasn't even actually hurt in 2010, so I can't imagine how bad this years whine-fest will be!

Of course I won't be watching the Opening Ceremony anyway, because NBC has decided to not show it live (which I totally get) and has decided to send over muppets Matt Lauer, Al Roker, and Meredith whatever from the god-awful today show. Because nothing says international sports, like three gossip columnists!

That being said, our hockey tem this year is STACKED! Canada watch out!

watka · Post by **watka** » 10 Jan 2014, 23:30

I never suspected that Lindsay Vonn would be that popular in these parts; commercially focused, a bit of a sense of self-entitlement and Red Bull sponsored!

The Winter Olympics gives me a rare opportunity to watch ice hockey too (unless I want to stay up very late and find a dubious stream of NHL games). As a Canucks fan, I guess I side with Canada more than the USA, and also Sweden with the Sedin twins.

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 10 Jan 2014, 23:55

I've been off watching the biathlon as expected so I haven't been around as much. The tour is currently in ruhpolding Germany and in the mens relay saw Austria beat Germany to the win by 0.1 seconds. There are some bloody close finishes in this sport.

watka · Post by **watka** » 22 Jan 2014, 00:38

2 big bits of news that people here should appreciate.

Firstly, the qualification of the Jamaican bobsleigh team for the Winter Olympics has been confirmed!: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/25816067
Unlike their counterparts in the film Cool Runnings, the Jamaican team will compete in the 2 man sled rather than the 4 man event. It's their first Olympics since the 2002 Salt Lake City games.

Secondly, it seems that we could see world renowned violinist Venessa Mae compete in the Olympics in, surprisingly, the alpine skiing events: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/25802907
It appears that giant slalom is her forté but she's likely to be way off the pace if she's accepted into the games.

DOSBoot · Post by **DOSBoot** » 22 Jan 2014, 02:37

watka wrote:2 big bits of news that people here should appreciate.

Firstly, the qualification of the Jamaican bobsleigh team for the Winter Olympics has been confirmed!: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/25816067
Unlike their counterparts in the film Cool Runnings, the Jamaican team will compete in the 2 man sled rather than the 4 man event. It's their first Olympics since the 2002 Salt Lake City games.

Even so, "Cool Runnings" was about 95% inaccurate. But hell, I love the movie anyways.

dinizintheoven · Post by **dinizintheoven** » 22 Jan 2014, 13:30

Some people say you know they can't believe, Caterham we have a bobsled team!

It's the green and yellow of the Jamaican flag that does it. Plus, we know they'll be at the back of the field. But yes... that's what we like! GO JAMAICA! At least beat the other tropical countries!

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 28 Jan 2014, 18:29

watka wrote:I never suspected that Lindsay Vonn would be that popular in these parts; commercially focused, a bit of a sense of self-entitlement and Red Bull sponsored!

The Winter Olympics gives me a rare opportunity to watch ice hockey too (unless I want to stay up very late and find a dubious stream of NHL games). As a Canucks fan, I guess I side with Canada more than the USA, and also Sweden with the Sedin twins.

Its not just all that. I lost any respect I had for her after 2010 when she pouted during team USA entering the stadium. She was supposedly too hurt to march (she actually wasn't injured) and decided to take away her teammates moment of glory. (Something she was lambasted for by her teammates, but not as much as Lolo Jones was last summer.) Blame NBC for airing it when they did, but it just left a bad taste in my mouth. She reminds me of Michael Andretti's first wife, its all about her. See her when she's fawning over Tiger Woods (drawing a reprimand at the Masters for poor conduct) or how after twice announcing she's not going to be part of NBCs terrible coverage, she goes and signs on. Its gotta be about her. Good riddance.

I'll watch hockey, as it will be nice to see good hockey on TV for once. It seems the NHL can only put on an entertaining game anymore if its outside. I hope women's hockey is closer, after the last two tourneys, which saw the US and Canada obliterate all, they said if this year isn't better, bye-bye sport!

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 28 Jan 2014, 18:40

It's alpine skiing and biathlon for me in Sochi.

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 31 Jan 2014, 17:51

Excuse the Double post but I think you might want to know that Sochi won't be a drug free games

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 31 Jan 2014, 18:56

Freeze-O-Kimi wrote:Excuse the Double post but I think you might want to know that Sochi won't be a drug free games

But... she tested positive and won't be in. So it will be?

Alextrax52 · Post by **Alextrax52** » 01 Feb 2014, 20:42

OK it's another Olympics where doping is involved but you get the Idea. As much as I love Biathlon (I'm the resident nut of this sport) it's isn't the cleanest wintersport out there. The last DSQ of an Olympic Medal came in 2006.

Anyway Here's my top 10 for the Medal Table

1 USA
2 Norway
3 Germany
4 Russia
5 South Korea
6 Canada
7 Sweden
8 France
9 Switzerland
10 Italy