Winter Olympics Thread...aka 2010-2011 FIS thread

[HowardRoark]

I will be sitting on beach for the first week of the Olympics, but I am looking forward to watching as much as I can.

I am particularly looking forward to the alpine events at Whistler as I have spent a lot of time up there skiing. I spent most of my time there in the mid 2000s prior to the development of the Creekside area where the Downhill event will finish. Dusty's Backside, an old bar.....which is unheard of at Whistler, was the highlight of the base area (I hope they didn't bulldoze that place). I am very familiar with the Dave Murray course, and have spent many afternoons skiing down the area at speeds that prompted my brother (a Doctor) to pull my aside halfway down to recommend that I purchase a helmet. You can't go slow down the run.

Evidently they don't have any snow at Cypress Mountain (which is basically in Vancouver) where the freestyle events will be held. I have seen that place when driving through Vancouver many times, but never gone there. I checked out the website.....the views look really nice.

[Joemailman]

Hope the weather doesn't ruin the downhill events. Predicted high temps for the next week are 45-50 F. Weren't they asking for trouble having the Winter Olympics in a city on the Pacific Ocean? The bobsledders might have to wear flotation vests.

[Freak Out]

The organizers have been losing lots of sleep lately.

[red]

i can't wait, i love the olympics

winter olympics and the world cup in the same year

not too shabby

[Joemailman]

They're bring snow in to Cypress Mountain with trucks and helicopters. http://www.sportingnews.com/olympics/article/2010-02-09/vancouver-games-officials-confident-cypress-ready

Hope everything works out. Next to NFL Football, the Winter Olympics is my favorite sporting event.

[Joemailman]

Lindsey Vonn has an injured shin that might be serious. http://www.sportingnews.com/olympics/article/2010-02-10/lindsey-vonn-s-chances-for-gold-impacted-shin-injury

Damned SI jinx!! :evil: :smack:
http://thebiglead.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/vonn-si-cover_feb-8-2010.jpg

[Scott Campbell]

Lindsey Vonn has an injured shin that might be serious. http://www.sportingnews.com/olympics/article/2010-02-10/lindsey-vonn-s-chances-for-gold-impacted-shin-injury

Damned SI jinx!! :evil: :smack:
http://thebiglead.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/vonn-si-cover_feb-8-2010.jpg



Well that sucks. She's been tearing it up.

I wonder if Bode can show well.

[Freak Out]

Bode should be ok....seems to have recovered from the injury. Ligety has a shot at another medal in Slalom.....I want an American to win the downhill so bad..... :twisted:

[HowardRoark]

I was really happy to be back on snow today even if it was for only 1 freeski run. My shin was still very painful, but I feel like the injury is finally progressing a bit. The pain level has gone down from a sharp debilitating pain to something that I feel I may be able to grit my teeth through. So that really puts a smile on my face!:) I won't know the full extent of what I am dealing with untill I actually get on the DH coarse. Generally I am disappointed when a training run is cancelled, but in this situation I definitely welcome the extra day to heal! And I want to say thanks so much for all the nice messages you guys have been sending (except Harlan, he is a prick!!)! I read them everyday and they have been cheering me up a lot! :) XOXO LV

[MadScientist]

Ominous lead-up for these games -
First they are already delaying some alpine events due to clement weather, now this:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/35369187/ns/sports-olympic_sports/

Lets hope that's the last of such happenings.

[Scott Campbell]

Ominous lead-up for these games -
First they are already delaying some alpine events due to clement weather, now this:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/35369187/ns/sports-olympic_sports/

Lets hope that's the last of such happenings.




He hit an unpadded steel pole near the finish line? WTF? What genius designed that?

[red]

Ominous lead-up for these games -
First they are already delaying some alpine events due to clement weather, now this:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/35369187/ns/sports-olympic_sports/

Lets hope that's the last of such happenings.




He hit an unpadded steel pole near the finish line? WTF? What genius designed that?

no doubt

big steel post at the bottom of the fastest luge hill of all time

nice work guys

[Joemailman]

There seems to be a bit of a dark cloud hanging over these games, literally and figuratively. Hope things get better. The women's Super-Combined schedules for Saturday has been postponed, which is great news for Lindsey Vonn.

[red]

video of it

http://www.buzzfeed.com/akdobbins/nodar-kumaritashvili-luge-crash

that is absolutely fucking unbelievable stupid having all those pillars there

what the hell were they thinking

sounds like the whole event might be canceled do to the track being so unsafe

[MadScientist]

Ominous lead-up for these games -
First they are already delaying some alpine events due to clement weather, now this:
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/35369187/ns/sports-olympic_sports/

Lets hope that's the last of such happenings.




He hit an unpadded steel pole near the finish line? WTF? What genius designed that?

no doubt

big steel post at the bottom of the fastest luge hill of all time

nice work guys

The text wasn't clear, but now that they have a good picture up, it really looks poorly designed. The retaining walls need to be much higher. Doing so will cut back on the viewing angles, but that's better than cutting short a life.

[Patler]

video of it

http://www.buzzfeed.com/akdobbins/nodar-kumaritashvili-luge-crash

that is absolutely fucking unbelievable stupid having all those pillars there

what the hell were they thinking

sounds like the whole event might be canceled do to the track being so unsafe

God-almighty! Presumably the Olympics, the international luge racing body and others would have approved it, too.

When I heard the story I thought, "What bad luck. He goes out of the track and hits a lonely steel pole standing there!" But, there appear to be so many pillars that IF you went out of the track it would be almost impossible to not hit a pillar.

[Scott Campbell]

"I think they are pushing it a little too much," Australia's Hannah Campbell-Pegg said Thursday night after she nearly lost control in training. "To what extent are we just little lemmings that they just throw down a track and we're crash-test dummies? I mean, this is our lives."

[HarveyWallbangers]

I read somewhere that the luge track was roughly a mile long and in that mile there was the equivalent of a 48 story drop. Crazy!

[red]

I read somewhere that the luge track was roughly a mile long and in that mile there was the equivalent of a 48 story drop. Crazy!

up until this track was built the world speed record for a luge was like 89 mph. sounds like people are doing over 90 on a regular basis at this track, and one guy hit 95 or 95. the guy that died was going just under 89 in that curve

i think at the very least they need to put plexi glass walls (like for a hockey rink) along that last stretch with all the beams

[red]

what happens if you lose control in this turn? you get impaled by a freaking light

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/In-light-of-luger-s-death-IOC-should-cancel-eve;_ylt=ArfgtW3ChMKxzI7q6qN0C0gpsrV_?urn=oly,2193 93

[Joemailman]

I didn't want to watch the video, but this picture pretty much says it all. Who designed this? http://a.abcnews.com/images/Travel/nm_luge_olympics_04_100212_ssh.jpg

[Scott Campbell]

Who designed this?


A Canadian.

They should stick to curling.

[red]

why are the beams even there, what are they holding up?

[Freak Out]

I read somewhere that the luge track was roughly a mile long and in that mile there was the equivalent of a 48 story drop. Crazy!

up until this track was built the world speed record for a luge was like 89 mph. sounds like people are doing over 90 on a regular basis at this track, and one guy hit 95 or 95. the guy that died was going just under 89 in that curve

i think at the very least they need to put plexi glass walls (like for a hockey rink) along that last stretch with all the beams

Pretty sad stuff.
The tracks are "supposed" to be designed so racers cannot come out even at full speed. Obviously they fucked that up. It is just as obvious that there is inherent danger in any sport where you ride down a track on your back at 90 MPH.

[MJZiggy]

It's hard to even begin to know what to say. How are the rest of the athletes supposed to compete there knowing how dangerous it is. The Georgian is not the only accident there this week.

[red]

road trip

who wants to go to vancouver with me?

my goal is to lay any one of the swedish female athletes. preferably the one hot blond they kept showing......

and her friend

[MJZiggy]

Good to aim high!

[Freak Out]

road trip

who wants to go to vancouver with me?

my goal is to lay any one of the swedish female athletes. preferably the one hot blond they kept showing......

and her friend

I'll meet you in Seattle and we"ll roll North if that's cool.

[channtheman]

Track held Blameless

http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/story/olympic-luge-probe-completed-021310

[digitaldean]

The Canadian approach of limiting outsiders access is coming to bite them. Input on the facility from outside competitors may have helped point out hazards like this.

I know they wanted to give themselves a homefield advantage to get more medals, but it's beyond childish, and creeps into negligence for the competitors' safety.

[Joemailman]

In Women's Hockey, Canada beat Slovakia 18-0. Still a huge gap between the haves and the havenots in women's hockey. Women's moguls was pretty interesting. How they don't all end up with bad knees I don't understand. Maybe they do at some point.

[Scott Campbell]

Women's moguls was pretty interesting. How they don't all end up with bad knees I don't understand. Maybe they do at some point.



That discipline tends to ski on the back of their skis. That puts a lot of tension on your ACL's, and you combine that with smacking the crap out of all of those bumps and you increase the odds of snapping one exponentially.

There's a ski academy here in UT tied to the best prep school in the valley. They routinely have 25% of the top junior skiers in the country enrolled there. We hear the stories about how these kids sit around and compare scars.

[red]

they said one of the girls last night was already skiing with a torn acl

thats nuts

[Patler]

they said one of the girls last night was already skiing with a torn acl

thats nuts

Another they said has had 6 knee surgeries, three on each knee.

[red]

i remember my doctor once telling me when i was younger that for some reason i can't remember now, women are much more susceptible to knee injuries while skiing then men are

it has something to be with slightly different muscle structure or different bone structure or too top heavy or something like that

[Patler]

i remember my doctor once telling me when i was younger that for some reason i can't remember now, women are much more susceptible to knee injuries while skiing then men are

it has something to be with slightly different muscle structure or different bone structure or too top heavy or something like that

Relatively wider hips and shorter leg component lengths, causing more angular strain on the knee joints. (I studied it when my daughter had ACL surgery years ago! :( )

[Scott Campbell]

i remember my doctor once telling me when i was younger that for some reason i can't remember now, women are much more susceptible to knee injuries while skiing then men are

it has something to be with slightly different muscle structure or different bone structure or too top heavy or something like that


They actually have a training video out now demonstrating the correct way to fall.

[Scott Campbell]

Bode posted a pretty good downhill run - currently good enough for a Bronze. I hope it holds up.

[Harlan Huckleby]

The report from the Olympic officials claims that the death was due to human error, not the design of the structure.

The president of Georgia said, "Since when does an error in a sporting event lead to a death?"

[red]

The report from the Olympic officials claims that the death was due to human error, not the design of the structure.

The president of Georgia said, "Since when does an error in a sporting event lead to a death?"

yeah, the olympic folks could not be handling this any worse

its disgraceful to blame the guy right after he dies

yes he messed up and lost control, but that happens in that sport, they needed to plan for the worse and they didn't

like someone said yesterday on tv, if nothing was truly wrong with the track, then why did they rush out and increase the wall height in that sport and cover up those posts?

[Scott Campbell]

The report from the Olympic officials claims that the death was due to human error, not the design of the structure.

The president of Georgia said, "Since when does an error in a sporting event lead to a death?"

yeah, the olympic folks could not be handling this any worse

its disgraceful to blame the guy right after he dies

yes he messed up and lost control, but that happens in that sport, they needed to plan for the worse and they didn't

like someone said yesterday on tv, if nothing was truly wrong with the track, then why did they rush out and increase the wall height in that sport and cover up those posts?


Not only was it wrong, it was incredibly insensitive.

[Scott Campbell]

Good to see Bode get a bronze.

[Freak Out]

Good to see Bode get a bronze.

If he would have gotten the chance to ski later in the draw he would have won.

[Scott Campbell]

Good to see Bode get a bronze.

If he would have gotten the chance to ski later in the draw he would have won.


I was happy enough to see him not DNF again.

[Freak Out]

Good to see Bode get a bronze.

If he would have gotten the chance to ski later in the draw he would have won.


I was happy enough to see him not DNF again.

:lol: True.....but most of the course was in shadow when the early guys went and once it got light the times got a little better with the improved visibility.
Still....great showing.

[Scott Campbell]

Good to see Bode get a bronze.

If he would have gotten the chance to ski later in the draw he would have won.


I was happy enough to see him not DNF again.

:lol: True.....but most of the course was in shadow when the early guys went and once it got light the times got a little better with the improved visibility.
Still....great showing.


Hopefully that puts all that talk of him being "over rated" to rest. With 2 World Cup titles and 3 Olympic medals, he's one of the greatest American skiers ever.

[Freak Out]

Good to see Bode get a bronze.

If he would have gotten the chance to ski later in the draw he would have won.


I was happy enough to see him not DNF again.

:lol: True.....but most of the course was in shadow when the early guys went and once it got light the times got a little better with the improved visibility.
Still....great showing.


Hopefully that puts all that talk of him being "over rated" to rest. With 2 World Cup titles and 3 Olympic medals, he's one of the greatest American skiers ever.

The guy is a natural....over rated is a joke. He dominated the tour for awhile.

Nine hundredths of a second separated gold from bronze. Crazy...

[Patler]

Not everyone thinks as fondly of him:

http://olympics.fanhouse.com/2010/02/15/bode-mille-gets-bronze-but-a-gold-for-underachieving/

[pbmax]

Tim Layden is a little more forgiving. And several skiers think he still ranks near the top.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/olympics/2010/writers/tim_layden/02/15/bode.downhill.bronze.ap/index.html?eref=sihp

Layden covers skiing as part of his beat. Blackistone is a talking head on Around the Horn whose background includes precious little Olympic coverage. He is one degree and two awards away from being a message board commentator.


KEVIN B. BLACKISTONE

HOMETOWN: Born in Washington, D.C., and reared in Hyattsville, Md.

EDUCATION/CAREER TRACK: A 1981 graduate of Northwestern University. Started as a city side reporter at The Boston Globe. In 1983, moved on to write for a monthly investigative magazine on racial and social issues in Chicago called The Chicago Reporter. In 1986, started at The News as a reporter on the city desk, then moved to business covering economics. After covering Nelson Mandela's U.S. tour in 1990, moved to SportsDay to cover sports business and write columns. Morphed into a full-time SportsDay columnist a year later.

MOST UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE ON THE JOB: Spending a summer month in Europe writing about its sports.

SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME: I've never seen Roots.

IF I HAD TWO SPARE HOURS, I WOULD: Have two more to waste.

MOST MEMORABLE SPORTING EVENT I'VE COVERED: The Mike Tyson bite fight.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Letterman asked Tracy Jordan about the olympics last night and TJ said "black people don't watch the winter olympics."

[Scott Campbell]

From a fellow competitor:


"One Bode Miller is prominent in any discussion of the most talented ski racers in history. Before Monday's downhill, Kjetil Andre Aamodt, who won eight medals (four of them gold) in four different Olympics, said, "At his best [Miller] was the ultimate skier. And probably nobody has been at that level, ever." Notice Aamodt's use of past tense."



Most of the criticism I've seen leveled at Bode come from people not affiliated with the sport. He partied too hard. But that's what skiers do. He's politically incorrect, and that ticks people off who wanted him to treat his Turin Olympic opportunity more reverently. But has he ever gotten in any real trouble?

[hoosier]

Letterman asked Tracy Jordan about the olympics last night and TJ said "black people don't watch the winter olympics."

My guess would have been that most white people don't watch either. But then I see a 3 page long thread blossoming in the romper room. Who knew there were so many people who follow professional downhill skiing? (There is a pro circuit, right?)

[red]

lindsey vonn has to be the biggest drama queen i've ever seen

my god

[Gunakor]

lindsey vonn has to be the biggest drama queen i've ever seen

my god

Assuming the story about her bad shin was true, that's an incredible accomplishment winning gold on a course in such awful condition as this one was. I think she's earned the right to be emotional about her victory.

Congratulations, Lindsey.

Congrats also go out to Shani Davis for his gold in the 1000m long track and to Shawn White for his gold in Snowboarding half pipe.

[Freak Out]

lindsey vonn has to be the biggest drama queen i've ever seen

my god

She dominated. Mancuso showed just how good she was.....the others pushed and crashed or chickened out.

[Iron Mike]

The U.S. is kicking ASS!!!!

http://media.funlol.com/content/img/canada-americas-hat.jpg

[Scott Campbell]

lindsey vonn has to be the biggest drama queen i've ever seen

my god

She dominated. Mancuso showed just how good she was.....the others pushed and crashed or chickened out.


The crashes were brutal. The course was brutal.

[Scott Campbell]

lindsey vonn has to be the biggest drama queen i've ever seen

my god



Women sometimes do that. I thought NBC should have gotten the camera out of her face, let her get a good cry in, compose herself, and then talk to her.

[Little Whiskey]

lindsey vonn has to be the biggest drama queen i've ever seen

my god



Women sometimes do that. I thought NBC should have gotten the camera out of her face, let her get a good cry in, compose herself, and then talk to her.

then it wouldn't have made for a good story. people like the story lines.

[Freak Out]

lindsey vonn has to be the biggest drama queen i've ever seen

my god

She dominated. Mancuso showed just how good she was.....the others pushed and crashed or chickened out.


The crashes were brutal. The course was brutal.

The course was tough....the weather can make any course a little more difficult but World Cup skiers can deal with it. The last compression and big air took a toll though :lol:

[pbmax]

From a fellow competitor:


"One Bode Miller is prominent in any discussion of the most talented ski racers in history. Before Monday's downhill, Kjetil Andre Aamodt, who won eight medals (four of them gold) in four different Olympics, said, "At his best [Miller] was the ultimate skier. And probably nobody has been at that level, ever." Notice Aamodt's use of past tense."



Most of the criticism I've seen leveled at Bode come from people not affiliated with the sport. He partied too hard. But that's what skiers do. He's politically incorrect, and that ticks people off who wanted him to treat his Turin Olympic opportunity more reverently. But has he ever gotten in any real trouble?
I believe maintaining that you have skied wasted (and comparing that to driving while drunk) goes beyond political incorrectness and into functional stupidity. Especially when you follow that up with a less than impressive performance.

[MadScientist]

Swedish biathlon skier Björn Ferry has a great solution for dopers:

"If it were up to me I would dish out the death penalty in doping cases," he said.

"Or at least lots of kicks in the balls."

http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-features/news/newsid=423033.html#ferry+drop+hammer+dopers

I'd suggest the second option for NFL dopers, but after doing steroids, could you even find their balls?

[Scott Campbell]

I believe maintaining that you have skied wasted........


Have you been around a lot of skiers? Finding one that hasn't skied wasted is like trying to find a virgin in a whore house.

Bode's not politically correct.

[pbmax]

I believe maintaining that you have skied wasted........


Have you been around a lot of skiers? Finding one that hasn't skied wasted is like trying to find a virgin in a whore house.

Bode's not politically correct.
You don't think that risking your own life, and potentially others on the slope, is more serious than being politically incorrect?

Just because others do it, makes it no more safe. Or admirable.

[Scott Campbell]

I believe maintaining that you have skied wasted........


Have you been around a lot of skiers? Finding one that hasn't skied wasted is like trying to find a virgin in a whore house.

Bode's not politically correct.
You don't think that risking your own life, and potentially others on the slope, is more serious than being politically incorrect?


No matter how much you try to hype it, I don't find it particularly serious. Or unusual. Are you going to condemn Max McGee for doing the same thing?

Have you been around a lot of skiers?

[red]

poor lindsey

i suppose her horribly injured shin caused her to catch that gate and wipe out

[Scott Campbell]

poor lindsey

i suppose her horribly injured shin caused her to catch that gate and wipe out


I expect that'll be her story, and she's sticking to it. Mancuso is a monster in these games so far - eh?

[pbmax]

I believe maintaining that you have skied wasted........


Have you been around a lot of skiers? Finding one that hasn't skied wasted is like trying to find a virgin in a whore house.

Bode's not politically correct.
You don't think that risking your own life, and potentially others on the slope, is more serious than being politically incorrect?


No matter how much you try to hype it, I don't find it particularly serious. Or unusual. Are you going to condemn Max McGee for doing the same thing?

Have you been around a lot of skiers?
Max was usually hung over. But even if still drunk, he wasn't coasting along through the secondary at 40mph on skis. And I don't remember Max announcing before the big game he was going to be sure he was hammered for kickoff.

I know enough skiers and snowboarders to have been skiing with them while some were toking on the chairlift, and others were drinking in the clubhouse. And there were times both needed to be avoided.

But safety aside, I think Miller miscalculated. He clearly was bothered by the attention and expectations going into 2006 and sought to diffuse them by either insisting he wasn't going to change or that he would refuse to conform. That's fine. To do so by insisting he was going to put others at risk or engage in behavior that a substantial portion of the public would think is objectionable or illegal (I do not know Miller enough to know if by wasted he meant alcohol or something else) was calculated stupidity. He wasn't being politically incorrect, he was inviting abuse. And when his performance was below expectations, the reaction was as predictable as sunrise.

One thing I was never clear on was whether he sought to intimate that he skied in an altered state on his own or in competitions.

Every athlete has their own obstacles to overcome and the mental ones may be the most difficult of all. I do not hold that Miller somehow is an underachiever because he did not medal in 2006 (or took a year off), like the author in Patler's link does. He is far too accomplished (World Cup titles, medals in 2 other Olympics, the most decorated American Alpine skier) for such tut tutting of his accomplishments.

He did damage his public reputation with those comments. But the greater harm was the sabotage of his own abilities. Is he even as old as Max was at the Super Bowl?

[red]

poor lindsey

i suppose her horribly injured shin caused her to catch that gate and wipe out


I expect that'll be her story, and she's sticking to it. Mancuso is a monster in these games so far - eh?

hell yeah she is

how tall is the german, like 6-5?

amazing to see that sweed take third after that nasty crash yesterday. busted ass, legs, hips and all. 24 hours after it happened. vonn could learn something about toughness from her, or at least how to shut her mouth and quit trying to make everyone feel so bad for her bruised shin

[Gunakor]

Did Lindsey Vonn kill your dog or something, Red?

You can just watch her ski and tell that she ain't faking the injury. It's bothering her, she's definitely fighting through something. Does that not speak to her toughness? For chryst's sake, if you compete through an injury you've got toughness. It doesn't matter what the final score is.

Besides, you have no idea how bad her injury is. And you've obviously forgotten her training run at Turino 4 years ago, where she was flown off the mountain on a backboard after a horrific crash. She's one of the very last people whose toughness I'd question.

[red]

it took me about 2 minutes of listening to her first interview at the olympics to see that she was a total fake and a massive drama queen

i can't stand either

[Scott Campbell]

I guess if you win a gold, you get to be a bit of a diva.

[Freak Out]

Well.....there goes the Olympics thread.

[Scott Campbell]

How bout the snarky comments made by the Russian skater that took silver last night. That wasn't very gracious.

[sheepshead]

I tuned in like I do every 4 years and I am totally board out of my mind I cant stand it. Commercials, Bob Costas, skating, people falling. I really tried last night to watch but as far as TV viewing goes, it blows. Just me I guess. I have zero interest except the snowboarders look cute maybe except that Vermont chick.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I guess if you win a gold, you get to be a bit of a diva.

Kind of funny since Mancuso is said to be the diva of the US women's team. People have compared her to Bode Miller. She does everything she can to not be part of the team--whereas Vonn is the hard working team player. That's said to have caused some animosity between the two.

By the way:
http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/At-low-point-Lindsey-Vonn-takes-the-high-road?urn=oly,220818

At low point, Lindsey Vonn takes the high road


Immediately after the race, Vonn spoke of being too aggressive in trying to shave off time to catch Germany's Maria Riesch. She said she knew she had to attack the course if she wanted to win gold. There was no mention of skiing for silver because, one could guess, Lindsey Vonn didn't come to the Olympics to finish second.

The shin came up, as it always does. Vonn said it was "killing" and wondered if she was too aggressive in light of the injury. That suggestion only came up after she was asked though. On her daily update on her Facebook page, Vonn didn't mention the injury once.

[HarveyWallbangers]

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/alpine_skiing/news?slug=cr-mancuso021810&prov=yhoo&type=lgns


Suddenly, Vonncouver is feeling a little like Vancuso.

And it couldn’t be a more riveting tug of wills, with Vonn and Mancuso having been close friends early in their ski careers, but now managing a much cooler, prickly rivalry. And like all rivalries, it features two opposing characters, with clashing ideologies grasping for their portion of the spotlight. Vonn is the sweet, pretty, wholesome one. The one with massive expectations, who sat out the Opening Ceremony while nursing an injured shin and baking banana bread in her condo. Mancuso is the feistier, wilder surfer chick who hawks an underwear line called “Kiss My Tiara.” The one who arrived in Vancouver with almost no expectations, and was slightly late for Opening Ceremony because she was playing a last-minute game of “Dance Dance Revolution” in the athletes’ Olympic Village.

In general, they are viewed differently inside the U.S. skiing family. Mancuso is seen as a freer, defiant spirit, cut from a cloth that is something similar to the enigmatic Bode Miller. Vonn is thought to be the harder working one, the master of her craft, and the good soldier in the U.S. program...

And both have taken swipes at each other in the past for the way they prepare for skiing greatness. Vonn has shown some disdain for Mancuso using a private bus rather than traveling with the U.S. team in Europe, and for dryland training away from the program. On the other side, Mancuso has talked about Vonn’s approach to skiing being too analytical and boring.

In the article, Mancuso complains about the rules allowing men's skis. I guess when she complains, it's no big deal. When Vonn does it, she's deserves scorn.

[Scott Campbell]

Kind of funny since Mancuso is said to be the diva of the US women's team. People have compared her to Bode Miller.



I remember her getting crap for wearing a tiara to some ski event.

http://asap.ap.org/data/photos//20061117/9c6a6b95-e463-4f1f-8c6f-9f63950c7210261935-big.jpg

[Scott Campbell]

I think they're both good for each other, and good for the sport. Maybe B could get them to jello wrestle for us after the Olympics.

[red]

oh man, sucks to be this lady

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Video-French-skier-falls-five-seconds-into-down?urn=oly,220613

[Scott Campbell]

Bode won another silver today.


Miller's fourth career Olympic medal makes him the most decorated American Alpine skier in history and came on his daughter's second birthday.

[Scott Campbell]

Boneheaded snowboarder leaves games:

http://sports.espn.go.com/olympics/winter/2010/snowboarding/news/story?id=4929283

[pbmax]

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/alpine_skiing/news?slug=cr-mancuso021810&prov=yhoo&type=lgns


Suddenly, Vonncouver is feeling a little like Vancuso.

And it couldn’t be a more riveting tug of wills, with Vonn and Mancuso having been close friends early in their ski careers, but now managing a much cooler, prickly rivalry. And like all rivalries, it features two opposing characters, with clashing ideologies grasping for their portion of the spotlight. Vonn is the sweet, pretty, wholesome one. The one with massive expectations, who sat out the Opening Ceremony while nursing an injured shin and baking banana bread in her condo. Mancuso is the feistier, wilder surfer chick who hawks an underwear line called “Kiss My Tiara.” The one who arrived in Vancouver with almost no expectations, and was slightly late for Opening Ceremony because she was playing a last-minute game of “Dance Dance Revolution” in the athletes’ Olympic Village.

In general, they are viewed differently inside the U.S. skiing family. Mancuso is seen as a freer, defiant spirit, cut from a cloth that is something similar to the enigmatic Bode Miller. Vonn is thought to be the harder working one, the master of her craft, and the good soldier in the U.S. program...

And both have taken swipes at each other in the past for the way they prepare for skiing greatness. Vonn has shown some disdain for Mancuso using a private bus rather than traveling with the U.S. team in Europe, and for dryland training away from the program. On the other side, Mancuso has talked about Vonn’s approach to skiing being too analytical and boring.

In the article, Mancuso complains about the rules allowing men's skis. I guess when she complains, it's no big deal. When Vonn does it, she's deserves scorn.
Congratulations to Miller for his Silver. I remember when it was a flat upset for an American to get any medal in the Olympics in Alpine Skiing.

Vonn was on the radio today and she was none too shy about the pecking order of her rooting interests and rivals. Asked if she couldn't win the Gold in an event to pick between Mancuso and her friend on the German team (I think her best friend is on the German team), she picked the German first before saying she would still root for the American team and Mancuso.

She was also asked about the relationship with her father, from whom she is apparently estranged. She said he had not changed and that they had not communicated at all during the Olympics. It was a little strange, since earlier this week I saw a news piece on her Grandparents in Milton. They were watching from their home. During the interview, Vonn stated that her mother's family was with her in Vancouver. So he father's side of the family would seem to be from Milton, WI.

[Freak Out]

I think they're both good for each other, and good for the sport. Maybe B could get them to jello wrestle for us after the Olympics.

They are both hot......and badass on the hill. I'd pay to lick jello off their bodies.....I'd pay for Bretsky as well. :twisted:

They have the right to be diva's right now.

[Joemailman]

Bretsky prefers caramel.

[Freak Out]

That was a hell of a Super G today.

[MJZiggy]

Sigh. I only turned it on in time to see the last wipeout and then they went to ice dancing so I went to bed.

[red]

Sigh. I only turned it on in time to see the last wipeout and then they went to ice dancing so I went to bed.

yeah, they need to put the ice dancing and figure skating on the bravo channel or the WE channel where it belongs

[MJZiggy]

I don't mind the figure skating, at least there they have some jumping and cool stuff, (and if anyone knows the snarky comments the Russian dude made, I haven't seen them yet) but through the two routines I made it through before giving up, all they did was skate in circles and lift their leg. My neighbor's dog does that and I wonder where they find boys who actually want to do ice dancing...

[Scott Campbell]

................... I wonder where they find boys who actually want to do ice dancing...


I'd give it a shot.


http://www.hoahoctro.vn/Upload/20071214/bestsmiles/Tanith%20Belbin.jpg

[Iron Mike]

I wonder where they find boys who actually want to do ice dancing...

Pamchenko finds them.....
http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/the-cutting-edge.jpg

[HarveyWallbangers]

Bode won another silver today.

Miller's fourth career Olympic medal makes him the most decorated American Alpine skier in history and came on his daughter's second birthday.

I heard that he did it in four different events. Incredible!

[HarveyWallbangers]

Vonn was on the radio today and she was none too shy about the pecking order of her rooting interests and rivals. Asked if she couldn't win the Gold in an event to pick between Mancuso and her friend on the German team (I think her best friend is on the German team), she picked the German first before saying she would still root for the American team and Mancuso.

I'm not surprised by this--since the German is her best friend. I think most of us would root for our best friend.

[Harlan Huckleby]

What is a parent thinking when they name their kid "Apollo"? I know you want kids with good self-esteem. but do you really want them walking around thinking they are Adonis? What;s next, "Zeus", "Xena the Princess Warrior", "Hercules"

[red]

canadas speed skating team has the coolest uniforms ever

[swede]

What is a parent thinking when they name their kid "Apollo"? I know you want kids with good self-esteem. but do you really want them walking around thinking they are Adonis? What;s next, "Zeus", "Xena the Princess Warrior", "Hercules"

He is exceptional; no reason for you to be Thor.

[Scott Campbell]

What is a parent thinking when they name their kid "Apollo"? I know you want kids with good self-esteem. but do you really want them walking around thinking they are Adonis? What;s next, "Zeus", "Xena the Princess Warrior", "Hercules"



Should you really be questioning anyone elses choice in names?

[Harlan Huckleby]

kinda sensitive, are your kids Eenie, Meenie, Miny and Moe?

[Freak Out]

Big party in Holland after the 1500 meter gold.

Big day in ski jumping....2 man bobsled, speed skating, alpine women....it's all good.

[Scott Campbell]

kinda sensitive, are your kids Eenie, Meenie, Miny and Moe?


I was talking about your name.

[Joemailman]

Anybody watching hockey? Good game going on between Russians and Czechs. U.S. vs. Canada tonight.

[Scott Campbell]

Bode finally gets his first gold at age 32.

[red]

SKI CROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

holy shit, greatest olympic event ever

[swede]

SKI CROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

holy shit, greatest olympic event ever

I also found that really entertaining.

Now if we could just stop the bus, let out the figure skaters, and drive away real fast.

[Joemailman]

USA! USA! USA! 5

CANADA 3

:wave: :wow: :flag:

[MJZiggy]

SKI CROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

holy shit, greatest olympic event ever

I wasn't watching today. Is ski cross the one that's supposed to be like Nascar on skis?

[Freak Out]

SKI CROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

holy shit, greatest olympic event ever

I wasn't watching today. Is ski cross the one that's supposed to be like Nascar on skis?

Just mentioning Nascar in this thread should get you disciplined with the cat-o-nine tails.

[Freak Out]

Bode finally gets his first gold at age 32.

The way he won it is pretty amazing.

[pbmax]

SKI CROSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

holy shit, greatest olympic event ever

I wasn't watching today. Is ski cross the one that's supposed to be like Nascar on skis?
Yes. They race on the same course as the snowboard cross (the Lindsey Jacobellis experience). It looks somewhat similar to a motocross race. Four on the course is exciting, but its very ungainly, especially on skis. There are times where they go up a hill and are close to a dead stop as they arc over the jump. Other jumps are such that they can't take them at full speed, so an Olympic skier snowplows to slow down before the jump. They look like kids at some points.

Its exciting but very weird.

[pbmax]

USA! USA! USA! 5

CANADA 3

:wave: :wow: :flag:
Brian Rafalski with two goals. He was the king of the short handed goal for the Badgers when he was there.

[Joemailman]

Usually the host country does very well in the Winter Olympics because they get to train on the various venues more than the visiting countries. Canadians have to be disappointed with what has happened so far.

[hurleyfan]

USA! USA! USA! 5

CANADA 3

:wave: :wow: :flag:
Brian Rafalski with two goals. He was the king of the short handed goal for the Badgers when he was there.

He was pretty darn good when he was with the N J Devils too!

[Joemailman]

Switzerland beats Belarus in men's hockey in a shootout following a 10 minute scoreless overtime period. Weird. Would be like deciding a baseball game with a homerun hitting contest. Still, I can understand in a tournament like this needing to avoid a 4 hour hockey game.

[Maxie the Taxi]

The Winter Olympics are kind of like Summer Sitcoms.

[HowardRoark]

A friend was up there for the openeing weekend. Wilco played that weekend.....it rained all the time and the crowds have been unbearable from what he said. Waited for an hour and a half to get some food between rounds of the moguls.....

Handshake Drugs live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj5CXcXDvFM

[pbmax]

Switzerland beats Belarus in men's hockey in a shootout following a 10 minute scoreless overtime period. Weird. Would be like deciding a baseball game with a homerun hitting contest. Still, I can understand in a tournament like this needing to avoid a 4 hour hockey game.
Isn't that how the NHL is doing it now? And didn't they also discuss making the OT 4 on 4?

[Joemailman]

It is done that way in the NHL in the regular season, but not in the playoffs. What made this different was that it was an elimination game. Just seemed like an odd way for a team to be eliminated. Still, they probably have no choice. Overtime hockey games sometimes go on for quite a while.

[Freak Out]

A friend was up there for the openeing weekend. Wilco played that weekend.....it rained all the time and the crowds have been unbearable from what he said. Waited for an hour and a half to get some food between rounds of the moguls.....

Handshake Drugs live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kj5CXcXDvFM

Just a great band.....all really good musicians and writers.

I heard the crowds were so rowdy they stopped alcohol sales early for a few days in Vancouver.......7pm :shock:

Hooray for the US winning a silver in Nordic combined. :flag:

[pbmax]

SPOILER :

Zach Parise had a pretty good game today.


: END SPOILER

[red]

CAT FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:clap: :clap: :five: :alc: :wave: :bump: :bclap: :drma: :drma:

kick her ass julia

[Freak Out]

That's why I love Nordic skiing.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Mancuso seems like a real jerk. She seems jealous that Vonn has turned into the greatest female skiier in US history. I'll give Mancuso credit for her three surprising medals in the Olympics--although she hasn't done much outside of the Olympics.


The frosty relationship between American skiing stars Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso may have grown a little more contentious Wednesday. Mancuso was flagged off the course during the women's giant slalom because she started while Vonn was trying to untangle herself from the netting after crashing in the previous run. Vonn broke her finger in the accident.

This came after Mancuso took a shot at Vonn in a Sports Illustrated report that claimed the U.S. ski team was being hurt by "a popularity contest."

"People are having a hard time reaching their potential because it's such a struggle for attention," Mancuso told Sports Illustrated. "You come to meetings after races and it's like it's a bad day if Lindsey didn't do well."

Vonn, who told Reuters she was "bummed out" by Mancuso's statements, reiterated her support for her teammate.

[swede]

The S.I. curse strikes again.

[red]

Mancuso seems like a real jerk. She seems jealous that Vonn has turned into the greatest female skiier in US history.



and vonn seems like an air headed phony who would do everything she can to get a little more media attention

so i guess it comes down to which kind you can't stand more, a bitch, or an idiot media whore

no matter what mancuso got hosed yesterday in what was suppose to be her best event.

one, its stupid that they were going off 1 minute apart so you always have 2 women on the run at the same time. two vonn could have gotten her ass up and out of the way, she knew someone would be coming right behind her and knew she would screw them up. she said afterwards that she was tangled up in the net and twisted like a pretzel . she was neither, she sat there away from the netting, she could have gotten up if she tried IMO.

third, the course crew didn't have to stop her. and as soon as vonn went down why didn't the call go up to stop the racer right away?

it was just bad luck all around for mancuso yesterday and it might have cost her a medal. and worst of all she didn't do anything wrong

[HarveyWallbangers]

More of the same for Mancuso. Supposed to be a non-team player before the Olympics and she continues to show what little class she has.

Here's what a media whore looks like:

http://away.com/images/outside/200711/julia-mancuso-1.jpg

http://communityneu.klz.apa.net/static/sites/guentersagmeister/media/julie-mancuso-lange-girl.story.jpg

http://away.com/images/travel_photo_gallery/outside/julia-mancuso/gallery01.jpg

http://www.free-sport-wallpapers.com/ski/julia_mancuso3.jpg

[HarveyWallbangers]

On a side note; I really have nothing against Mancuso, but I think Red's rants against Vonn are pretty silly, so I'm jerking his chain. None of us know what these girls are really like.

Blame Vonn because she fell down and broke her finger. That's nice!

[Freak Out]

I'd hot tub with either.

http://img.metro.co.uk/i/pix/2008/04/chemmy0704LM_450x306.jpg

Damn.....can't find one of Vonn in the tub.

[pbmax]

What happened in Women's Hockey? Didn't get a chance to watch the game, only the score tracker.

[Patler]

What happened in Women's Hockey? Didn't get a chance to watch the game, only the score tracker.

What happened? The best team won?

Seriously, that game was bound to be close. I thought Vetter might be the deciding factor, as she can be absolutely dominant.

I did not see the game, but from the sounds of things the Canadians have an 18 year old phenom that scored both goals.

I wish I had taped it.

[Freak Out]

Nordic combined history baby! :flag: :knll:

[HarveyWallbangers]

The two teams were even. The Canadian goalie just didn't give up any goals. I wouldn't say the Canadian goals were soft, but the Canadian goalie stopped even more difficult shots during the game. It really did come down to the Canadian goalie having a perfect game--while the American goalie was less than perfect.

[red]

6-0 US in the first 12 minutes

WOW

[Scott Campbell]

Here's what a media whore looks like:


I almost forgot what one looks like without the stubble.

[Scott Campbell]

On a side note; I really have nothing against Mancuso, but I think Red's rants against Vonn are pretty silly, so I'm jerking his chain. None of us know what these girls are really like.



I can't make up my mind just yet. Can you find us some more pictures? They're very helpful.

[Freak Out]

:lol:

http://deadspin.com/5481084/presenting-your-new-favorite-olympian

[Freak Out]

My wife and I tried this down at the skating lagoon the other night. :)

http://www.bestweekever.tv/wp-content/nggallery/the-40-most-sexual-olympic-poses/sexual-pose-31.jpg

We just....inserted this into our routine.

http://www.bestweekever.tv/wp-content/nggallery/the-40-most-sexual-olympic-poses/sexual-pose-11.jpg

[Freak Out]

"Just Finnish them!"

[Bossman641]

Tough DQ for Apolo

[HowardRoark]

Tough DQ for Apolo

Blames it on the Canadian refs.

I like that guy who says, "R-E-A-D-Y" before the short track races.....

[Bossman641]

Tough DQ for Apolo

Blames it on the Canadian refs.

I like that guy who says, "R-E-A-D-Y" before the short track races.....

Haha, I like the READY guy too. He sounds like a complete creep.

[red]

i like the shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh guy myself

[red]

well thats the biggest cluster fuck i've ever seen

[pbmax]

What happened in Women's Hockey? Didn't get a chance to watch the game, only the score tracker.

What happened? The best team won?

Seriously, that game was bound to be close. I thought Vetter might be the deciding factor, as she can be absolutely dominant.

I did not see the game, but from the sounds of things the Canadians have an 18 year old phenom that scored both goals.

I wish I had taped it.
I would criticize your small sample size if they hadn't won 7 of the last ten. :lol:

But I was more interested in how they got two goals early and then nada for both teams for the rest of the game. Harvey seems to credit US defense and Canada's goalie.

[Joemailman]

Canada's goalie was good, but I didn't think The U.S. made it real tough on her. Didn't get much traffic in front of the net for screens or rebounds. Of course, you have to give Canada's defense some credit for that.

Of the 2 goals given up, I thought the 2nd one was a little soft. A quick wrist shot to the short side. That 2nd goal really changed the complexion of the game.

[Freak Out]

Holy fucking four man bobsled!

[Joemailman]

Congrats to Holcomb & Co. U.S.A. has been knocking on the door for a while. Glad to see them finally break through. As a kid, the Bobsled was the first Winter Olympic event that really caught my attention.

I think it would be cool to see them take a Bobsled down Whistler Mountain.

[Freak Out]

I think it would be cool to see them take a Bobsled down Whistler Mountain.

That would be a blast.

[Freak Out]

Well.....I was going to go hit the slopes but I can't miss this game.

[red]

Well.....I was going to go hit the slopes but I can't miss this game.

same exact thing here

i can hear the hill screaming my name

better be a damn good game

[Freak Out]

The Canadians are fired up.

[Joemailman]

Canadian defense is really tough. Hard to get any shots through. I have a Jonathan Toews Blackhawk jersey and now I have to cheer against him. Need Patrick Kane to even things up.

[red]

WOW

hell of a game

OT?

[digitaldean]

If Miller wasn't such a stud in goal, it'd be tough to decide between Parise and Rafalski as MVPs of the US team for the tournament.

At least we have a gold medal game worthy of it's stature.

:flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag: :flag:

[Joemailman]

Sudden death overtime. If no one scores in 20 minutes, a shootout follows.

[digitaldean]

Well, so much for that.

I know the US team went farther than was expected, but we just didn't do it defensively in the OT. Too much time in our own end.

[Joemailman]

4 on 4 always favors the team with the most offensive talent, and that was Canada. In the end, the best player on the ice got the winning goal. As a Blackhawks fan, I was glad to see Patrick Kane have a good game. He's the guy I was hoping might get a breakaway situation in the overtime. He's an awesome talent who hasn't quite reached his potential yet. Hopefully the NHL will send their players to the Olympics in 4 years. U.S.A. hockey is turning out some impressive talent.

[Freak Out]

Epic game.....congrats to Canada.

[Patler]

Well, so much for that.

I know the US team went farther than was expected, but we just didn't do it defensively in the OT. Too much time in our own end.

The "underdog" image put forth by the media for the US team was simply wrong, in my opinion. The US team got exactly where I expected - 2nd. This was a team filled with young players who already have 2, 3 and 4 years of NHL experience simply because they are among the best players in the world. Most have had success in the world juniors tournaments and other international competitions in the recent past. Older, more experienced American players were left home, because they weren't as good as those selected. More importantly, it was put together as a team, with a mind toward role players who would complete four lines as you would want to play with all season under international rules. The US had the second best roster there. They should have been in this game.

Canada's advantage was primarily in fire-power across four forward lines, and maybe consistency defensively from their defencemen. I might have given them the edge in the net before the tournament, but Miller was very, very solid.

You get to the end, and you expect a play from the likes of Crosby or Parise. Parise got his at the end of regulation to tie it, Crosby made his in overtime to win.

[MJZiggy]

Why in blazes can't they just thank everyone for coming and close the damn games without making a 3-hour production out of it?

[Patler]

Why in blazes can't they just thank everyone for coming and close the damn games without making a 3-hour production out of it?

Because it sells advertising time for NBC? (or ABC, or whoever has the broadcast rights at the time)

[red]

Why in blazes can't they just thank everyone for coming and close the damn games without making a 3-hour production out of it?

i thought that it would have been classic if they just would have come out with fire extinguishers and put out the flame right after they made the huge deal about that girl lighting that one arm the was broke

ok folks thats it, get the hell out

[HowardRoark]

http://img682.yfrog.com/img682/1329/93s.jpg

[MJZiggy]

That's a lot of cotton candy...

[HowardRoark]

The girls are working hard down in Chile.....

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=932839744520&ref=mf

[Freak Out]

Nice..... :)

I'm buying a new pair of all mountain/powder boards this fall....what have you been skiing on Roark?

[HowardRoark]

Nice..... :)

I'm buying a new pair of all mountain/powder boards this fall....what have you been skiing on Roark?

Most of my skiing mental energy has been to my sons the past few years. My seven year old is in the same club that produced Lindsey Vonn. The main guy there is an old Austrian that is legendary in ski racing circles worldwide. It’s pretty interesting.

He had his first ever “dry land” training this past week. He came back smiling and wanting more…..so that is a positive.

[HowardRoark]

I skied A-Basin this past Memorial Day......we'll see who opens first:

http://sports.espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/news/story?id=5627055&as

BTW Freak....I have a couple pairs of Atomics (getting old) Fat and GS. Years seem to go by before I switch out equipment; my boots are nearly 20 years old, but i don't know the difference. They do smell pretty bad during Spring skiing though.

As recently as 2002, I still had some Kastle SpeedMachines. No shape at all, about a half foot taller than me, but thy could fly.

[Scott Campbell]

I skied A-Basin this past Memorial Day......we'll see who opens first:

http://sports.espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/news/story?id=5627055&as

BTW Freak....I have a couple pairs of Atomics (getting old) Fat and GS. Years seem to go by before I switch out equipment; my boots are nearly 20 years old, but i don't know the difference. They do smell pretty bad during Spring skiing though.

As recently as 2002, I still had some Kastle SpeedMachines. No shape at all, about a half foot taller than me, but thy could fly.


I'd be really careful with ski old boots. When they go, they'll disintegrate. I've seen them practically blow up. Hopefully not at a bad time.

[HowardRoark]

I skied A-Basin this past Memorial Day......we'll see who opens first:

http://sports.espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/news/story?id=5627055&as

BTW Freak....I have a couple pairs of Atomics (getting old) Fat and GS. Years seem to go by before I switch out equipment; my boots are nearly 20 years old, but i don't know the difference. They do smell pretty bad during Spring skiing though.

As recently as 2002, I still had some Kastle SpeedMachines. No shape at all, about a half foot taller than me, but thy could fly.


I'd be really careful with ski old boots. When they go, they'll disintegrate. I've seen them practically blow up. Hopefully not at a bad time.

I remember sitting outside having lunch up in Alta a few years ago, and some guy told me that the orange resin in my boots was prone to making the boot shatter at the most inopportune times.

Maybe it’s time for a change.

They are some version of this:
http://www.freeride.co.uk/img/review/large/528.jpg

[Freak Out]

I have some very old ski gear.....some Rossignol 223s and some Kastle 215s that I keep around just for the racing memories... :lol: I've been skiing some loaner Volkl GS boards I've been using but they blow for the deep stuff. I go through boots like nothing...

I'm going to demo some of these ASAP.

http://www.rossignol.com/US/US/ski-men-skis-freeski.html

Then I'll try the K2s.

[HowardRoark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcHVxmorXRQ

[Freak Out]

Flurries today. :shock:

[HowardRoark]

Bode Miller wants to feed off Olympic success

By ANDREW DAMPF, AP Sports Writer 2 hours, 23 minutes ago

Fresh off a successful Olympics, Bode Miller is back for another World Cup season and unlike a year ago he has a full summer of training behind him.

He’s even lost some weight.

“Bode’s feeling healthy and he’s been training and conditioning much more than he did last year,” U.S. men’s head coach Sasha Rearick said last week after a 10-day training block almost exclusively with Miller on Swiss and Austrian glaciers. “He’s in pretty good shape.”

Last year, Miller took the entire summer off while he considered retirement, then rejoined the U.S. Ski Team after racing independently for two seasons. Peaking in midseason, he won gold, silver and bronze medals at the Vancouver Games in super-combi, super-G and downhill.

The 2010-11 season opens this weekend with men’s and women’s giant slaloms on the Rettenbach glacier in Soelden, Austria.

Miller won the overall World Cup in 2004-05 and 2007-08 but has won just one race on the circuit the past two seasons—a super-combi in Wengen, Switzerland, in January, that geared him up for his Olympic performance.

“Last year was definitely just the Olympics,” Rearick said. “This season he wants to be out there and competitive every day.”

He has just turned 33 and many would suggest that Miller concentrate solely on speed events—the downhill and super-G. That’s not a view Miller shares.

“He’s training all events and plans on racing slalom, GS, super-G and downhill,” Rearick said.

While Miller did skip the U.S. team’s second summer camp in New Zealand, he came into Europe early to make up for lost time. That’s given him an opportunity to work out plans for his personal motor home.

When Miller left the U.S. team several seasons ago the main reason was that the squad saw his motor home as a source of division. Now it’s come to the point that the team is going to help him with logistical arrangements at races.

“I fully support him doing that,” Rearick said. “A guy his age being on the road that long, having a consistent place to sleep and call home while you’re on the road I think is a good thing.”

Taking a cue from Miller, the team has a larger mobile kitchen to travel the circuit this season, and will also drive a rolling gym from one European race to another.

While Miller enters the season sharply focused, teammate Ted Ligety could face more challenges after a complete change of equipment, having joined Miller with Head skis and boots.

Ligety has a new ski man and will also have to get accustomed to a new tech coach, with Mike Day replacing Rudi Soulard.

“It’s a challenge but he’s up for it. He’s keeping things very positive,” Rearick said. “When you switch everything it takes a while to dial everything in.”

Still not a giant slalom specialist, surprise Olympic super-G bronze medalist Andrew Weibrecht won’t open his season until the circuit comes to North America with races in Lake Louise, Alberta, and Beaver Creek, Colo., in November and early December.

On the women’s side, Olympic downhill champion Lindsey Vonn wants to break her American single-season record of 11 World Cup wins set last year and take aim at the all-time record of 14 victories set by Swiss great Vreni Schneider in 1988-89.

That would also boost Vonn into the top five on the career win list, where she currently sits tied for sixth with Hanni Wenzel with 33 wins each.

“She’s definitely moving up that list, but something like that you can’t plan,” said new U.S. women’s head coach Alex Hoedlmoser. “You just go out and try to go race by race.”

Julia Mancuso, Vonn’s teammate and longtime rival, put two disappointing seasons behind her with two silvers in Vancouver. She also made an equipment change, keeping her Lange boots but switching from Rossignol to Voelkl skis.

Despite the change, Hoedlmoser believes Mancuso can be a threat for the overall title for the first time since 2007-08.

“Her condition is really solid, she’s been training a lot, and she’s happy,” said Hoedlmoser, an Austrian who has been on the U.S. team’s staff since 1998. “I really think that she can be strong in a lot of events again.”

Having already launched her own lingerie line, Mancuso recently posed nude in ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue.

“I have always been an advocate to girls and women to have a positive body image,” Mancuso wrote in her online blog. “It’s your choice how much time you spend working out, and how motivated you want to be at getting the body you want. I have nothing to hide! and now the pictures to prove it.

“I won’t lie and say I didn’t blush when I picked up the copy and saw that my photo was a TWO PAGE SPREAD!!! WHAT!” Mancuso added. “It was quite a surprise, and it does feel like I suddenly got to the top of my run and found out I forgot my clothes.”

[Joemailman]

Is Bode thinking of another Olympics? He'd be 36. Any idea who is the oldest guy to medal in downhill events at the Olympics?

[HowardRoark]

Ski racing's "White Circus" kicks off in Soelden
Vonn 'not satisfied' with where she's at, Riesch looking to top her pal

By Brian Pinelli, Special to Universal Sports | Posted: Oct 22, 4:50p ET | Updated: Oct 22, 5:08p ET

Related to this article

It's time again to wax the skis, click into the bindings and fearlessly hurl down steep, icy and unforgiving pistes in a battle against inertia.

We're in the charming town of Soelden - tucked away in the Otztal Valley about 50 miles west of Innsbruck and playing host to this weekend's FIS World Cup Alpine season opener. Journeying to this picturesque village in the Austrian Tyrol has become a rite of passage for the ski racing world and the Rettenbach Glacier, perched high above Soelden, has been the arena for the races 12 times since 1993.

It's Good to be the Queen

Having recently celebrated her 26th birthday, Lindsey Vonn has already accomplished just about everything there is to possibly accomplish on the mountain, changing perception and awareness of the traditionally European sport in the U.S.

Her 33-career World Cup wins is tied for sixth all-time and another overall World Cup title would move her alone into second place. The Vail, Colorado resident is currently tied with Croatia's Janica Kostelic, Switzerland's Vreni Schneider and Austria's Petra Kronberger, each boasting three (Austria's Anne-Marie Proell has six).

"I'm really proud of everything I've done in my career, but I want to continue to ski fast and defend all of my titles," said Vonn during an interview at Soelden's Giggi Tenne après-ski bar. "I'm not satisfied with where I'm at. I want to try to improve every season and that's what gets me out of bed in the morning."

And if that isn't enough to terrify her opponents, Lindsey revealed some other significant information that will surely brighten her game this season.

"I got Lasik eye surgery in the offseason and I think that will really help," she said. "It was a little bit blurry last year so I'm excited to see better."

Now that's both humorous and intimidating at the same time.

Time for Change?
In the tight-knit ski racing community Lindsey and Germany's Maria Riesch are like "Frick and Frack", often hanging out together both on-and-off the mountain and even sharing a holiday on the beaches of Mexico.

Although Riesch captured double gold to Vonn's one at the Canada Olympics, the German has finished second over the past two years - and third the year previous - to her American friend in the overall standings.

Could this finally be the season that Maria gets the job done?

"It's hard to plan. You can't say what the key for success in the overall is," said Riesch. "I tried to train all disciplines in the offseason, because my GS [last season] was missing and I lost lots of points and I tried to better prepare in the speed disciplines also."

"I hate talking about the overall [title] in October because it's so far away."

Interestingly, Vonn seemed more than happy to discuss the overall title. Draw your own conclusion.

[HowardRoark]

http://www.fisalpine.com/leader-board.html?discipline=ALL&count=30

[HowardRoark]

Men's GS canceled, next stop Levi on November 12th-14th.

http://www.skisport.fi/worldcuplevi/en/

[HowardRoark]

Nice article

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/sports/skiing/07skier.html?_r=1

http://images.covers.com/editorial/2010/416x265/julia_mancuso022810.jpg

[Joemailman]

I'm sometimes suspicious of the motives of people who wrap themselves in the flag, but when Lindsey Vonn does it, I'm pretty much okay with it.

http://i.current.com/images/asset/903/616/58/Dpoql.jpg

[HowardRoark]

Santa Claus may still be hibernating during the World Cup races in Levi, Finland, this weekend, but some of his reindeer will be close by.

Sitting 130 km north of the Arctic Circle, Levi became a stop on the World Cup for the first time in 2004 and has been a regular early season venue for men and women since 2006.

Last year’s men’s race saw a big win for Austrian Reinfried Herbst with Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic and France’s Jean-Baptiste Grange (who won at Levi in 2008) following closely in second and third while reigning world slalom champion Maria Riesch won the 2009 women’s race at Levi (becoming the venue's only two-time winner) with best friend Lindsey Vonn on her heels and Finland’s star (and 2008 Levi champ) Tanja Poutiainen rounding out the podium.

According to Hans Pieren, FIS Race Director for the men's technical events, the conditions at Levi are excellent.

"It has been very cold at Levi with temperatures below -15C in the last several days and the course is in great shape," he said. "The forecast for the weekend calls for a bit warmer weather relatively speaking, above -10C, and possibly even some snowfall."

The women kick off the weekend’s races with the first run at 11 a.m. local time on Saturday, as the men are scheduled for first run at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

After the Levi weekend, both the ladies' and men's tours will head to North America. The ladies will first head to Aspen (USA) for a technical weekend while the men will launch the speed season as is traditional in Lake Louise (CAN) with a downhill and a super-G.

[HowardRoark]

Video from today:

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=14b71c77-455f-4a7d-a991-1554b5c46064.html#wc+levi+lindsey+vonn+sl2

[Freak Out]

I'm missing winter a little right now....90+ and 90 percent humidity. Been snowing in Anchorage I hear.

[MJZiggy]

I'm missing winter a little right now....90+ and 90 percent humidity. Been snowing in Anchorage I hear.

See, this is why you belong in Alaska. It's 60 here and that 90+ sounds very good to me right now.

[HowardRoark]

Chicks downhill this weekend in Canada.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47d4nMvURKQ&feature=player_embedded#!

[HowardRoark]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47d4nMvURKQ&feature=player_embedded#!

[HowardRoark]

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=2ea2bb49-12ed-4475-976f-5e1b7594adc3.html

[HowardRoark]

Sat Dec 11, 2010 7:31am EST

Dec 11 (Reuters) - Official first run result of a men's
World Cup giant slalom race from Val d'Isere on Saturday.

Run 1
1. Ted Ligety (U.S.) 1min 11.37secs
2. Aksel Lund Svindal (Norway) 1:11.63
3. Massimiliano Blardone (Italy) 1:12.01
4. Marcel Hirscher (Austria) 1:12.49
5. Benjamin Raich (Austria) 1:12.59
6. Carlo Janka (Switzerland) 1:12.96
7. Davide Simoncelli (Italy) 1:13.03
8. Kjetil Jansrud (Norway) 1:13.36
8. Sandro Viletta (Switzerland) 1:13.36
10. Thomas Fanara (France) 1:13.40
11. Gauthier De Tessieres (France) 1:13.47
12. Ivica Kostelic (Croatia) 1:13.50
13. Cyprien Richard (France) 1:13.51
14. Markus Larsson (Sweden) 1:13.75
15. Felix Neureuther (Germany) 1:13.79
16. Manfred Moelgg (Italy) 1:13.94
17. Didier Cuche (Switzerland) 1:13.99
18. Steve Missillier (France) 1:14.06
19. Marc Berthod (Switzerland) 1:14.07
20. Ondrej Bank (Czech Republic) 1:14.21
21. Truls Ove Karlsen (Norway) 1:14.43
22. Romed Baumann (Austria) 1:14.55
23. Robbie Dixon (Canada) 1:14.65
24. Hannes Reichelt (Austria) 1:14.84
25. Florian Eisath (Italy) 1:14.87
26. Kalle Palander (Finland) 1:14.89
26. Christoph Noesig (Austria) 1:14.89
28. Silvan Zurbriggen (Switzerland) 1:15.08
29. Fritz Dopfer (Germany) 1:15.24
30. Michael Gufler (Italy) 1:15.33

(Compiled by Infostrada Sports; Editing by Toby Davis)

[HowardRoark]

Lindsey just won the Down Hill in Val D'Isere

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=fe9a3c7c-ae9c-4dad-bf80-4c9460503815.html#2010+val+disere+lindsey+vonn+dh



http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=fe9a3c7c-ae9c-4dad-bf80-4c9460503815.html#2010+val+disere+lindsey+vonn+dh

[mraynrand]

Sat Dec 11, 2010 7:31am EST

Dec 11 (Reuters) - Official first run result of a men's
World Cup giant slalom race from Val d'Isere on Saturday.

Run 1
1. Ted Ligety (U.S.) 1min 11.37secs



What were Ligety's splits?

[swede]

What were Ligety's splits?

Whenever I laugh out loud while reading a post and somebody in the house wants to know what I'm laughing about and I show them they rarely think it's funny.

I told my son it's funnier when Rand tells it.

[HowardRoark]

What were Ligety's splits?

Lickety Splits in red:


The French were hopeful. Thomas Fanara had thrown himself down the Gran Risa slope at Alta Badia, recording the fastest second run time and had moved into first place. Cyprien Richard had won the first run and still sat in the start house. But Ted Ligety never blinked and the French hopes were dashed.

Ligety had been the only racer with a realistic chance to unseat Richard, sitting just .15 back after one.

He is on a roll and confident and charged his way to take Fanara by a half second. It looked, momentarily, as if Richard might manage to hold off the American as he had moved in front half way down the tough, icy flanks. Then he ran into trouble, bobbled slighty, and slid into second, .14 behind the red bib. Ligety had won his third straight GS and preserved what so far is a perfect GS record. The Frenchmen were second and third.

"This is a dream come true," said Ligety in the finish, "Especially with three in a row. I just feel really lucky to have won today because Cyprien was the best skier today. He made the mistake and I just got lucky in that sense."

He said the hill was "crazy, crazy icy," and said his "secret" was good physical conditioning and and great skis.

It is Ligety's eighth career World Cup win all coming in GS. While he had skied well previously at Alta Badia - considered by many to be the consummate GS of the World Cup tour - he had not previously made a GS podium at the site. He becomes the second American to ever win an Alta Badia GS, the other being Bode Miller in 2002. Ligety did podium in two slaloms at Alta Badia (2006&2007)

There were some interesting results behind the leaders. Bibs from way back in the pack placed well, with Norwegian Leif Kristian Haugen and another French, Thomas Frey, coming from the 62nd and 57th starts respectively to place 11th and 12th.

Bode Miller, the only North American outside of Ligety to make a second run, finished 15th.

Gepa photo.

More to come

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Equipment
Men's World Cup GS, Alta Badia, Italy, Dec. 19, 2010
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Ligety, Head/Head/Head
2 Richard, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
3 Fanara, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
4 Cuche, Head/Head/Head
5 Bank, Elan/Nordica/Elan
6 Svindal, Head/Head/Head
7 Olsson, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
8 DeTessieres, Head/Head/Head
9 Goergl, Fischer/Lange/Fischer
10 Simoncelli, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon

Men's World Cup Giant Slalom, Alta Badia, Italy, Dec. 19, 2010. ... It is the 12th race of the men's 138 race 2010-2011 World Cup schedule. ... the tenth to be held. ... It is the fourth GS on the slate and third held with the opener at Soelden having been canceled. .... It is the 26th Cup race hosted by Alta Badia. ... The 22nd GS. ... Finn Kalle Palander and Italian Alberto Tomba are the three time winners of GS's at the site.

It is the eighth career World Cup win for Ted Ligety, all in GS, and his third of the season having swept all three GS's held to date. ... It is the 216th U.S. World Cup win and fifth of the season (sixth including Lindsey Vonn's win the same day in Val d'Isere). ... Ligety is eighth all-time on the U.S. win list and is one win behind both Steve Mahre and Picabo Street.

It is the third career World Cup podium for Cyprien Richard, all in GS, and his second at Alta Badia having been third last season.

It is the first career World cup podium for GS specialist Thomas Fanara. ... best previous result had been fifth, twice, at Adelboden in 2006 and Soelden in 2008.

It is the sixth scoring result of the season for Bode Miller, five of them placings between eight and 17.

Ligety takes over the lead of the World Cup overall standings 321-315 over Silvan Zurbriggen (did not qualify for 2nd run). ... Didier Cuche (4th in race) and Michael Walchhofer (did not race) are third with 294pts each. ... Eric Guay is top Canadian overall in 24th with 106pts. ... Ligety leads the GS standings 300-165 over Aksel Lund Svindal (6th in race). ... Richard is third with 142pts. ... Jean-Philippe Roy (did not qualify for 2nd run) is the top Canadian in 32nd place with 14pts.

Austria leads the men's Nations Cup 1798-1255 over Switzerland. ... France is third with 856pts. ... Canada is sixth with 501pts and the U.S. seventh with 470pts.
Place Alta
Badia (ITA) Discipline Giant Slalom
Date 19.12.2010 Category FIS World Cup
Race codex 0768 Gender M
Valid for FIS Points YES TD Name Tiefenthaler Manfred (AUT)


Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time FIS Points
1 6 534562 LIGETY Ted 1984 USA 1:17.84 1:14.15 2:31.99 0.00
2 9 191423 RICHARD Cyprien 1979 FRA 1:17.69 1:14.44 2:32.13 0.80
3 19 191750 FANARA Thomas 1981 FRA 1:18.66 1:13.88 2:32.54 3.15
4 11 510030 CUCHE Didier 1974 SUI 1:18.86 1:14.29 2:33.15 6.64
5 23 150398 BANK Ondrej 1980 CZE 1:18.89 1:14.40 2:33.29 7.44
6 7 421328 SVINDAL Aksel Lund 1982 NOR 1:18.49 1:14.82 2:33.31 7.56
7 39 501324 OLSSON Matts 1988 SWE 1:19.31 1:14.41 2:33.72 9.90
8 28 191746 DE TESSIERES Gauthier 1981 FRA 1:19.72 1:14.08 2:33.80 10.36
9 35 50600 GOERGL Stephan 1978 AUT 1:19.45 1:14.53 2:33.98 11.39
10 10 292120 SIMONCELLI Davide 1979 ITA 1:19.88 1:14.11 2:33.99 11.45
11 62 421669 HAUGEN Leif Kristian 1987 NOR 1:19.93 1:14.48 2:34.41 13.85
12 57 192653 FREY Thomas 1984 FRA 1:20.28 1:14.15 2:34.43 13.97
13 8 292491 MOELGG Manfred 1982 ITA 1:20.29 1:14.36 2:34.65 15.23
14 13 290693 PLONER Alexander 1978 ITA 1:19.47 1:15.27 2:34.74 15.74
15 32 532431 MILLER Bode 1977 USA 1:19.60 1:15.25 2:34.85 16.37
16 30 201702 NEUREUTHER Felix 1984 GER 1:20.77 1:14.12 2:34.89 16.60
17 5 421483 JANSRUD Kjetil 1985 NOR 1:20.14 1:14.76 2:34.90 16.66
18 3 53831 HIRSCHER Marcel 1989 AUT 1:20.66 1:14.31 2:34.97 17.06
19 41 202462 DOPFER Fritz 1987 GER 1:20.45 1:14.76 2:35.21 18.43
20 17 380260 KOSTELIC Ivica 1979 CRO 1:20.70 1:14.67 2:35.37 19.35
21 42 53853 SIEBER Bjoern 1989 AUT 1:20.75 1:14.67 2:35.42 19.63
22 45 990048 BORSOTTI Giovanni 1990 ITA 1:20.42 1:15.09 2:35.51 20.15
23 20 192506 MISSILLIER Steve 1984 FRA 1:20.26 1:15.27 2:35.53 20.26
23 15 51007 SCHOERGHOFER Philipp 1983 AUT 1:19.78 1:15.75 2:35.53 20.26
25 21 420148 KARLSEN Truls Ove 1975 NOR 1:20.38 1:15.33 2:35.71 21.29
26 2 511313 JANKA Carlo 1986 SUI 1:19.20 1:16.80 2:36.00 22.95
27 18 511352 VILETTA Sandro 1986 SUI 1:20.86 1:15.66 2:36.52 25.93
28 25 500656 LARSSON Markus 1979 SWE 1:20.10 1:16.52 2:36.62 26.50

[Freak Out]

Universal Sports is great....a local over the air HD station carries all of their World Cup races a day late.

[Freak Out]

The Vonn win is impressive in typical fashion....almost crashes and still wins.

[HowardRoark]

The Vonn win is impressive in typical fashion....almost crashes and still wins.

She just won again........leading WC


Sun Dec 19, 2010 10:49am EST

VAL D'ISERE, France (Reuters) - Lindsey Vonn fought her way back to the top of the Alpine ski World Cup standings with her second win in two days at Val d'Isere on Sunday.

Vonn, overshadowed by her great friend and rival Maria Riesch in the North American races at the start of the season, won a super-combined race a day after winning a downhill on the same OK piste.

The double victory, her first in the French resort where she won her downhill world title in 2009, gave her a three-point lead over Riesch in the overall standings.

"It's more important in terms of my morale than in terms of points," said Vonn, a triple World Cup champion.

Austria's Elisabeth Goergl, third last winter in the same race, placed one better this year 0.32 seconds behind the American's time of two minutes 7.80 seconds.

Former World Cup champion Nicole Hosp, also of Austria, confirmed her return to form with third place, 0.39 off the pace.

Riesch, the slalom and super-combined Olympic champion, was fifth after a bad super-G leg.

The German, whose downhill was ruined by a sudden gust of wind, had problems with her skis on Sunday and said: "I just can't keep them in line."

Riesch was flown by helicopter to Baden Baden after the race to receive a trophy as the best German athlete of 2010 but will be back in France on Tuesday for a slalom in Courchevel, hoping to recapture the World Cup lead from Vonn in arguably her best event.

Whatever the outcome, the two skiers will, as usual, spend Christmas together.

[HowardRoark]

Skiing in Munich today.....


Munich, Germany - Over 10,000 people are expected to be on hand Sunday night as American ski racers Bode Miller, Lindsey Vonn, Ted Ligety and Julia Mancuso will go head-to-head with the top racers on the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup tour during a unique parallel slalom at Munich Olympic Park.


The top 15 men and women in the overall World Cup starting list points earned the invitation to battle for World Cup points and over $100,000 in prize money.

"I'm definitely looking forward to it and am really excited about the event," said Vonn, a three-time World Cup overall champion who resides in Vail, Colo. "With it being right in the city, there's going to be a huge crowd of people that maybe wouldn't have a chance to see the excitement of ski racing live – it's going to be great for our sport."

"I’m pretty excited about a duel," added Mancuso, of Olympic Valley, Calif. "I don’t know what it’s going to be like, but I think it will be a good show and exciting and fun to watch."

Perched at the southern edge of 1972 Olympic Summer Games venue, a hill was constructed in 1945 using remaining debris from the Second World War bombings. That hill, measuring 200 meters long has become the 20-gate race venue with the finish spilling into the upper section of the drained Olympic Lake.

"Over 10,000 tickets, along with more than 1,500 VIP tickets, have already been sold for the premiere City Event in Munich. The slope is excellent condition following the pre-Christmas thaw and has been injected during this week's cold period," said Günter Hujara, FIS Chief Race Director for the men's Alpine World Cup.

The first parallel slaloms at Olympic Park were held in 1986 and 1987, when over 50,000 people watched races with stars such as German Olympic downhill gold medalist Marina Kiehl, six-time World Champion Erika Hess of Switzerland and Tamara McKinney, the last American woman to win an overall World Cup title before Vonn. Yet, on those occasions there was only one competition which featured female skiers and no World Cup points were awarded.

Sunday will be a first for the women's tour. With World Cup points on the line, women's racers are understandably nervous.

"It's tough because I've never raced a parallel event before," said Vonn, who trails German favorite Maria Riesch in overall points. "This could theoretically change the outcome of the overall title."

The last time a parallel was held in Vienna, but was scored only for Nations Cup points.

Miller and Ligety are experienced with the head-to-head format having raced the past two seasons in the exhibition events held in Moscow.

"The scene was awesome," said Ligety, after finishing third in the Moscow event last season just ahead of Miller. "People were packed all around the base of the ramp. They had Euro techno blasting and fireworks shooting out the side of the ramp scaffolding after the competition. It was such a sweet event to be invited to."

Munich will be the first time Ligety has returned to racing since Dec. 19, when he captured his third consecutive World Cup giant slalom win of the season, completing a sweep in that event over the first half of the winter.

The natural slope of the Olympic hill will certainly not have the same feel as industrial scaffold high above the street as it was in Moscow, but it will certainly provide a high energy venue for athletes and fans as live DJ's and bands mix with ski racing

[Freak Out]

Crazy.

[HowardRoark]

Reminds me of Buck Hill here in MN where my kid races (except we don't have the cool Euro songs at the finish line)......

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=aaf507ff-6442-4a40-b2a0-afa512065a30.html

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=f286c9a6-65a1-4714-bfca-ac1eb38f128c.html

Bode took 3rd.

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=cdda4137-6d35-4b94-bc22-d6f7c169ae2d.html#bode+miller+munich+ps

[Freak Out]

She did it again....skied off course and still won.

[HowardRoark]

She did it again....skied off course and still won.

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=b954ffa0-ea24-422b-afe8-db21ea9fc679.html#2011+zauchensee+lindsey+vonn+dh


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzL43_IzrOU

[HowardRoark]

Lara Gut (Swiss) wins Super G and 6th in DH......I will put up a close up picture of her:

http://www.sportlive.it/gallery/foto/sport-invernali/foto-lara-gut/lara_gut13.jpeg

[HowardRoark]

My son and I went up a lift this past weekend with this guy. They were filming a ESPN piece on him while we were riding. Nice guy, kept telling my kid about how he (my kid) would be on ESPN, and getting him pumped for seeing himself on TV.

A nice object lesson for my son (and me for that matter) about complaining about how tough we have it.

http://www.theagencygroup.com/artistphotos/KevinConnolly.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP8JxNT9OEM

[HowardRoark]

It's Hahnenkamm Week.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1JegMvBN3U

[HowardRoark]

Helicopter needed in Austria

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=ac8eabf4-19f9-4fa4-a1f4-d9fe2b124b24.html#2011+kitzbuehel+siegmar+klotz+cr ash

Check out Vonn at 1:10

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=93e45f35-1da5-4380-afcb-03d3a283c463.html#2011+cortina+dampezzo+lindsey+vo nn+dh

[Freak Out]

You and the boy and going to have to come north if they get this project going Roark.

http://www.chenahotsprings.com/winter-activities/

A new ski resort with no lifts...just helium balloons that glow like the Borealis. I listened to the owner today and it sounds pretty fun. It's a great place powered only by geothermal.....great freaking hot springs.
It gets overrun with fornicating Japanese in winter but it's not that bad. :)

http://aprn.org/2011/01/27/alaska-news-nightly-january-27-2011/

radio story here somewhere.

BTW. Hahnenkamm week is the best...bar none. You've been right?

[Freak Out]

The top and bottom of that course is so fucking hairy.

[HowardRoark]

My son and I went up a lift this past weekend with this guy. They were filming a ESPN piece on him while we were riding. Nice guy, kept telling my kid about how he (my kid) would be on ESPN, and getting him pumped for seeing himself on TV.

A nice object lesson for my son (and me for that matter) about complaining about how tough we have it.

http://www.theagencygroup.com/artistphotos/KevinConnolly.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP8JxNT9OEM

While I was upstairs last night pouring myself another Jameson, from the basement my kid was screaming “Dad, Dad!!!!!!” I naturally assumed his brother punched him in the nuts again, so I carried on with the important task at hand; my drink.

Evidently there was a commercial for Montana featuring his new buddy Kevin. Anyone see it?

[HowardRoark]

BTW. Hahnenkamm week is the best...bar none. You've been right?

Yes, I have been there....but when I was there I was unaware of how important the place is. I just remember getting myself lost on the mountain and ending up in the next village up the road and needing to take a city bus back to Kitzbuehl.

[Freak Out]

Of course you went to the Londoner. :)

[HowardRoark]

Vonn gets 40th career WC victory today in the Down Hill:

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=26e0277b-44fc-4730-8d9a-09949a3663e8.html#2011+are+lindsey+vonn+wins+dh

[HowardRoark]

Vonn clinches 4th consecutive downhill title
By ANDREW DAMPF, AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf, Ap Sports Writer 51 mins ago

TARVISIO, Italy – Lindsey Vonn won her fourth consecutive downhill crystal globe Saturday by finishing second to Anja Paerson, who earned her first victory in a frustrating season.

Paerson finished in 1 minute, 26.91 seconds on the Prampero course for a commanding win in a season hampered by knee problems.

Vonn finished 0.73 behind and holds an insurmountable 143-point lead in the downhill standings over German rival Maria Riesch, who finished sixth but remains the overall leader.

Vonn and Riesch have each won three downhills this season, with Paerson becoming the only other woman to win in the discipline. Last season, Vonn won six of eight downhills.

"I wasn't able to win as many times as last year, so it definitely wasn't easy," Vonn said. "Maria gave me a run for my money, and I had to keep fighting hard the whole season."

It was the 42nd World Cup victory of Paerson's career, improving her fourth-place position on the all-time list and moving two in front of Vonn.

"It's been kind of a struggle this season, and I finally picked a run where I could (be) perfect," said Paerson, who pulled up short because of knee pain during a race on home snow last weekend in Are, Sweden.

While she knew she had clinched the title, Vonn didn't celebrate upon crossing the finish line. She was going for time in finishing second and a chance to cut more points off Riesch's overall lead.

"I didn't know that Anja had had such a good run, but I didn't see what else I could have done to ski faster," Vonn said. "I made a little mistake in the middle, but she was just really fast on the flats."

Riesch is just 136 points ahead in the overall ranks with Vonn favored to make up more ground in Sunday's super-G. That's when the American can clinch her third discipline title in three days, having taken the super-combined globe Friday.

"It's still possible," Vonn said. "In ski racing, things can change very quickly. I obviously would love to be ahead right now, but I'm not in a bad position. I'm skiing like I have nothing to lose and sometimes that can be really dangerous."

Having made a mistake midway down, Riesch was visibly disappointed with her run, slamming into the protective padding at the finish and banging her pole in frustration.

"I just saw that I'm eight hundredths back with this mistake, so I was frustrated in the first moment, but you can't always have runs without mistakes," she said. "It's just normal that one race is not perfect. This is not my favorite downhill track, it's really, really flat and sixth place is not a really good result. But it's still OK."

In a day full of emotions, not even Paerson celebrated, instead grimacing in pain because of her knee problem.

"Landing that jump in the middle of the course was really painful," Paerson said.

Elisabeth Goergl, who swept gold in super-G and downhill at last month's world championships, finished 1.17 back in third. Tina Maze, who won the super-combined on Friday, was fourth.

American Julia Mancuso finished 10th.

Racers competed in sunny and cool conditions, although the course was shortened because of the lack of a training session on the upper section.

"I was a bit lucky that we didn't ski the top part, so I could stay fit the entire run," said Paerson, adding that she still hasn't decided whether she'll keep racing next season.

"Of course when you win you feel positive and everything is going your way, but it's still a big decision. If you race, you have to be dedicated every hour every day. I have to see if I still have the motivation."

[HowardRoark]

Vonn climbs to within 23 points (1678-1655) of her friend Riesch in the overall standings with four races left on this season’s schedule.

[mraynrand]

Vonn climbs to within 23 points (1678-1655) of her friend Riesch in the overall standings with four races left on this season’s schedule.

Shouldn't this go in the "Lindsey Vonn: Living Legend" Thread?

[Freak Out]

Nordic....on a Glacier baby. One of the girls is a neighbor of mine.


http://community.adn.com/?q=adn/node/157785

[HowardRoark]

Nordic....on a Glacier baby. One of the girls is a neighbor of mine.


http://community.adn.com/?q=adn/node/157785

Did you hear about that kid a couple nights ago on the Development Team who pissed on an 11 year old girl's leg on a flight from Oregon to NY?

Done. Kicked off.

http://www.ology.com/sports/worst-us-skier-pees-11-year-old-girl

[HowardRoark]

It's Hahnenkamm Week.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1JegMvBN3U

http://www.hahnenkamm.com/

[Freak Out]

I still have some crazy Austrian Eagle ski pole baskets I bought there the first time I went in the early 80s. It was so much fun...

[mraynrand]

It's Hahnenkamm Week.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1JegMvBN3U

need more cowbell

[swede]

Oh he's a ski guy.

I thought Hahnenkamm was a klezmer band.

[mraynrand]

Oh he's a ski guy.

I thought Hahnenkamm was a klezmer band.

the guy on the video does sound a bit like a member of "Los Colorados"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYNcbdwkHYg

[mraynrand]

Oh he's a ski guy.

I thought Hahnenkamm was a klezmer band.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQpemfi7ymk

[swede]

ton nisht farhaltn working bay dayn yom shtele

[Freak Out]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQpemfi7ymk

Pure awesome. Thanks.

[Freak Out]

Nothing quite like drunken Yiddish texting Swede.