2014 Olympics

[Fire Tortorella 2,653]

I'd buy that.

[Guest]

Fresco would too, he'd wear it in his hipster bars

[8Ovechkin8 262]

the pants are cool. the sweater looks like some felt stitched together lol.

[sherifflobo 137]

Everything about them is horrible.

[Devise 4,475]

I called it! Stamkos not to participate. Not that it is a great thing what happened to him but I figured he'd be lucky to play a game again in the NHL this season much less Olympics. Wonder who replaces him?

[Guest]

I called it! Stamkos not to participate. Not that it is a great thing what happened to him but I figured he'd be lucky to play a game again in the NHL this season much less Olympics. Wonder who replaces him?

Better by St. Louis imo. The guy is pure class and if I was Canadian born I would want him to represent my country.

 

Then again, I'm 1 year away from applying.

[Devise 4,475]

Better by St. Louis imo. The guy is pure class and if I was Canadian born I would want him to represent my country.

 

Then again, I'm 1 year away from applying.

 

I could see St Louis but it seems Canada wants to have wingers playing center just so they have as many options as possible, while also keeping a good blend of size and skating ability. Honestly I could see Eric Staal getting it over Giroux or St Louis. But it has to be one of those three right? 

[Guest]

I could see St Louis but it seems Canada wants to have wingers playing center just so they have as many options as possible, while also keeping a good blend of size and skating ability. Honestly I could see Eric Staal getting it over Giroux or St Louis. But it has to be one of those three right? 

I would think Claude, Marty and Staal yeah. Only other person I can see get a nod is Seguin

[Victor 10,565]

St.Louis it is! Very happy, he should have been there in 2010 and on the original roster this year.

[Guest]

Hoping for a USA Russia gold medal game

[Guest]

I have a feeling any KHL player already knows the conditions and won't be affected. However, the Olympics is supposed to be above average quality for accommodations. That's why so much money is put into them. In Vancouver they spent a large amount of money on athlete accommodations in order to not be looked at as the "shitty non-friendly athlete" games. I somewhat agree with the journalists saying it's shit because so far I haven't been impressed with what Russia has brought to the table.

[Devise 4,475]

I have a feeling any KHL player already knows the conditions and won't be affected. However, the Olympics is supposed to be above average quality for accommodations. That's why so much money is put into them. In Vancouver they spent a large amount of money on athlete accommodations in order to not be looked at as the "shitty non-friendly athlete" games. I somewhat agree with the journalists saying it's shit because so far I haven't been impressed with what Russia has brought to the table.

 

The extreme examples sure. Like not being able to have running water for instance, as chemicals are coming out of the pipe. But a lot of people who touched down journalists and athletes have said to have everything fine. 97 percent of the people who have shown up so far are said to be perfectly fine with the accommodations. But that 3 percent is the one who is going to speak up. 

 

Either way some of the issues with that 3 percent are simply whiny. Rooms being too small, beds being a twin, no shower curtain in their private bathroom. The fact of the matter is these guys are just journalists. They get so used to being pampered wherever they go and these five star accommodations that anything less is just an affront to them and their character. One journalist reported blowing up at his colleagues because he felt they were being absolutely petty. His perspective was, he stayed in worse at a Motel Six back across the ocean so it was hardly that bad.

 

The only thing I still don't understand is why Sochi. The reason we have any issues is because Sochi is a smaller city that didn't have great upkeep and they had to spend so much just to get the place functional. Why not like St Petersburg or Moscow? They wouldn't need to build hotels their to accommodate people. It'd be like if the Winter Games came to Alberta and we brought them to Red Dee or Olds or something. Would make no sense. Sure those places have some accommodations but new hotels and new places would need to get build in a hurry to account for all the people coming over. That seems to be the case with some of Sochi too. People who ended up getting placed in Hotels that were build first, or had been built before any of this started seem to be fine with working everything and no issues. But a lot of the new facilities built were built last second and obviously the rush jobs have left some to be desired. 

[Guest]

Either way some of the issues with that 3 percent are simply whiny. Rooms being too small, beds being a twin, no shower curtain in their private bathroom. The fact of the matter is these guys are just journalists. They get so used to being pampered wherever they go and these five star accommodations that anything less is just an affront to them and their character. One journalist reported blowing up at his colleagues because he felt they were being absolutely petty. His perspective was, he stayed in worse at a Motel Six back across the ocean so it was hardly that bad.

 

The only thing I still don't understand is why Sochi. The reason we have any issues is because Sochi is a smaller city that didn't have great upkeep and they had to spend so much just to get the place functional. Why not like St Petersburg or Moscow? They wouldn't need to build hotels their to accommodate people. It'd be like if the Winter Games came to Alberta and we brought them to Red Dee or Olds or something. Would make no sense. Sure those places have some accommodations but new hotels and new places would need to get build in a hurry to account for all the people coming over. That seems to be the case with some of Sochi too. People who ended up getting placed in Hotels that were build first, or had been built before any of this started seem to be fine with working everything and no issues. But a lot of the new facilities built were built last second and obviously the rush jobs have left some to be desired. 

Oh I agree completely. Although, when it is a journalist talking from over there I take it with a grain of salt. The Olympic games are not for them, it's for the athletes and if they have an issue then go home and don't get paid or lose your job. They can whine all they want, but I'll continue to ignore them. If the athletes were to say anything then maybe I'd listen.

 

I agree about the Sochi point. Why in the middle of a city who's claim to fame is that they are one of the biggest Russian cities on the black sea? Why in a country with so much turmoil before and during the Olympics? The IOC knew about all this shit going on and still decided 4-5 years ago to do it. 

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

Re journalists: You have to remember, a lot of these people are sports journalists. They're not political scientists. Stuff like the stupid toilet controversy - many nations don't flush toilet paper, you know - is simply because they are used to Western tradition. And I'm not necessarily saying that it's a bad thing that they're reporting from a bubble: remember, all of these journalists are writing to a strictly North American audience that knows about as much of these things as they do, so any discovered worldliness I figure is helpful as the reporter and audience learn more about the world together. While I agree to take everything with a grain of salt, completely discounting them for trying reporting that is clearly out of their element isn't exactly the best option either.

 

And why Sochi? Putin. It's his personal vacation spot, and he wanted to build up the infrastructure around there personally. Plus, he wanted a global stage to reintroduce "post"-Soviet era Russia. The IOC in large part agrees with trying to get its spectacle to as many places as possible, which is why you'll see Brazil 2016 and South Korea 2018 as well. There's also the whole tradition of the Winter Olympics in moderate-sized cities rather than larger ones. (Vancouver was actually one of the largest Winter Olympic cities by Metro area there has ever been. Normally, it's more like Calgary or Salt Lake City.)

Edited February 6, 2014 by CowboyinAmerica

[Squinty 116]

#BringBackVancouverOlympics

[Devise 4,475]

Re journalists: You have to remember, a lot of these people are sports journalists. They're not political scientists. Stuff like the stupid toilet controversy - many nations don't flush toilet paper, you know - is simply because they are used to Western tradition. And I'm not necessarily saying that it's a bad thing that they're reporting from a bubble: remember, all of these journalists are writing to a strictly North American audience that knows about as much of these things as they do, so any discovered worldliness I figure is helpful as the reporter and audience learn more about the world together. While I agree to take everything with a grain of salt, completely discounting them for trying reporting that is clearly out of their element isn't exactly the best option either.

 

And why Sochi? Putin. It's his personal vacation spot, and he wanted to build up the infrastructure around there personally. Plus, he wanted a global stage to reintroduce "post"-Soviet era Russia. The IOC in large part agrees with trying to get its spectacle to as many places as possible, which is why you'll see Brazil 2016 and South Korea 2018 as well. There's also the whole tradition of the Winter Olympics in moderate-sized cities rather than larger ones. (Vancouver was actually one of the largest Winter Olympic cities by Metro area there has ever been. Normally, it's more like Calgary or Salt Lake City.)

 

Calgary has almost a million people in it. Salt Lake City is similar in population to Sochi for sure. You make some excellent points regarding why they chose what they chose though. I guess it just seems easier for me to understand them picking moderate sized cities in more developed countries. But in a country like Russia or Brazil or South Korea some of those smaller cities simply aren't developed. Some of the people living their still have little "village" like structures and set ups. You would figure from a tourist perspective Russia would want to show up one of it's more vibrant and attractive cities. 

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

I agree with you 100%, and that's why building that stuff up made this the most expensive Olympics in history by a long shot. But that's their rationale, and given the IOC's completely inflexibility towards change, I'd expect to see more of it in the future.

[Guest]

Re journalists: You have to remember, a lot of these people are sports journalists. They're not political scientists. Stuff like the stupid toilet controversy - many nations don't flush toilet paper, you know - is simply because they are used to Western tradition. And I'm not necessarily saying that it's a bad thing that they're reporting from a bubble: remember, all of these journalists are writing to a strictly North American audience that knows about as much of these things as they do, so any discovered worldliness I figure is helpful as the reporter and audience learn more about the world together. While I agree to take everything with a grain of salt, completely discounting them for trying reporting that is clearly out of their element isn't exactly the best option either.

 

And why Sochi? Putin. It's his personal vacation spot, and he wanted to build up the infrastructure around there personally. Plus, he wanted a global stage to reintroduce "post"-Soviet era Russia. The IOC in large part agrees with trying to get its spectacle to as many places as possible, which is why you'll see Brazil 2016 and South Korea 2018 as well. There's also the whole tradition of the Winter Olympics in moderate-sized cities rather than larger ones. (Vancouver was actually one of the largest Winter Olympic cities by Metro area there has ever been. Normally, it's more like Calgary or Salt Lake City.)

When I said discounting them, I was talking about them whining. If they are simply reporting about the things that are uncommon to them sure. If they are whining? I close the report and don't read it. 

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

When I said discounting them, I was talking about them whining. If they are simply reporting about the things that are uncommon to them sure. If they are whining? I close the report and don't read it. 

 

That's fair, and that's your prerogative as a reader. There's a fine line there, and some journalists are better than others.

[Guest]

I agree with you 100%, and that's why building that stuff up made this the most expensive Olympics in history by a long shot. But that's their rationale, and given the IOC's completely inflexibility towards change, I'd expect to see more of it in the future.

From the way you make it seem (and you probably know more about the Olympics than I do) it sounds like the IOC is set on helping countries develop moderate cities into flourishing cities.

 

Although one could say Albertville and Lillehammer were strange choices

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

From the way you make it seem (and you probably know more about the Olympics than I do) it sounds like the IOC is set on helping countries develop moderate cities into flourishing cities.

 

Although one could say Albertville and Lillehammer were strange choices

 

I don't think the goal is development for the IOC. The IOC wants to spread the wealth to multiple countries for sure, but I don't think it gives a shit what happens to those places once it leaves town. It just cares about its own reputation and the idea of "Hey, look at the cool stuff we were able to do!" for that small period. Just look at how hyped it made Athens in Summer 2004, then all the debt and terrible infrastructure it left it with afterwards. I'd imagine the same will happen to Sochi unless Putin forcibly doesn't let it happen.

[Devise 4,475]

From the way you make it seem (and you probably know more about the Olympics than I do) it sounds like the IOC is set on helping countries develop moderate cities into flourishing cities.

 

Although one could say Albertville and Lillehammer were strange choices

 

It would help if they actually did develop them into flourishing cities. But all that will happen is all the facilities and money put into the town will increase the population from a short period of time like this, the whole city will get exceptionally trashed/used and the need to be cleaned up but due to how over budget everything was that'll get put on high delay. Then everybody leaves and the city has more problems to deal with than when they started. 

 

Even a big city like Calgary had a hard time cleaning up post Olympics. Even now all the hills and facilities and stadiums that hosted the Olympics look more run down. Granted they were built for the 88 winter Olympics if I have my timeline right, but still. More than 20 years later and now people would just rather have them torn down. 

 

Ideally Olympics should be hosted in big enough cities that already have a lot of the facilities and accommodations in place. Or instead of having just a "city" host the event where they need to build everything around that area host it in a greater province? Imagine how much more convenient it would of been if instead of just building all of it in Sochi all the areas and cities/towns surrounding Sochi got boosted. Some of those places would even have venues to host some of the things already. Increases overall tourism as well. 

[CowboyinAmerica 2,731]

In speaking of the topic, good Sports Illustrated article about what happened to London after the 2012 Olympics (written by a friend of mine, so gonna link it where possible): http://olympics.si.com/olympics/2014/02/06/olympics-economic-impact-london-sochi

[Squinty 116]

IOC is corrupt

[Victor 10,565]

Tywin Lannister knows everything about legacy.