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OldSkool97

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OldSkool97

OldSkool97

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia – If Canada wants to “Own the Podium,” it might need to buy it from the United States.

Americans dominated from the mountains to the city Wednesday, winning six medals, including golds in women’s downhill, men’s 1,000-meter speedskating and men’s snowboard halfpipe. That set a U.S. record for a single day of the Winter Olympics (five medals, including three golds, at Salt Lake City in 2002).

More From Dan Wetzel
Right now, U.S. owns Vancouver Games Feb 18, 2010 Speedskater Reutter not a finalist, but in the record books Feb 17, 2010 ADVERTISEMENT
 



Shaun White won gold in the snowboard men’s halfpipe on Wednesday.

(Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“It’s history, man,” said Shaun White, who won gold in men’s halfpipe. “Shake ‘n’ bake.”


“It’s an unbelievable feat and for us to be a part of it is an honor,” said Chad Hedrick, who took bronze in speedskating. “I’m proud to be an American. I’m proud to represent my country. We work hard to have the people in their living room watching us [be] proud.”

The pride was shared throughout Team USA. And there was no better visual to end it than the soaring sight of White, red hair flapping behind him as he nailed the groundbreaking “Double McTwist 1260” – where he flipped twice while completing 3½ revolutions – to secure his snowboard gold.

Even more breathtaking, he didn’t even need to attempt it.

“I just felt like I didn’t come to Vancouver not to pull out the big guns,” White said. “It was the savvy thing to do. Saucy. Keep it weird.”

By not playing it safe – or keeping it weird – he offered up the ultimate testament to the Americans – superior athleticism, daring creativity and a go-for-broke attitude.



Lindsey Vonn won gold in the women’s alpine skiing downhill.

(Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)

The medals left the United States atop the total count with 14. Germany is second at 10, France has 7.


Canada made winning the most medals a priority and spent $118 million on the “Own the Podium” project. It’s currently in fourth with just six, to go along with a sink hole, a broken ice surfacing machine and a failed hydraulic system for an Opening Ceremony cauldron.

Ah, we kid, we kid. The competition is far from over and there’s no reason to get the Canadians all fired up (they might take it out on us in curling). Then again, Thursday also looks good for the Americans, with Lindsey Vonn skiing up in Whistler, women’s snowboard pipe going on at Cypress Mountain and the men’s figure skating free skate taking place in Vancouver.

Each is considered a likely medal opportunity for the United States.

The haul Wednesday came from all directions. Some, such as White and Vonn winning gold, were predicted.

“I think Americans tend to do well at big events,” said Vonn, who shook off her bruised shin to crush the competition in women’s downhill. “I’m really psyched.”

If anything, the day showed the depth of the American team. Vonn is the world’s best and her blistering trip down the mountain in 1:44.19 was proof of it. Forget the sore shin, Vonn said she had so much adrenaline she couldn’t feel a thing. “It helped not to think about the pain,” she said.



Shani Davis won gold in the men’s speed skating 1,000 meter race.

(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, White showed he’s at a different level when it comes to the halfpipe, nailing maneuvers that no other competitor could even attempt. Then there was Shani Davis, who duplicated his gold in the 1,000 meters from Turin by pumping his arms and using every last bit of energy to win by a mere 0.18 seconds.


“It doesn’t matter what it looks like, just as long as you get across the line as quick as you could,” he said with a laugh.

Best of all, it occurred in front of cheering speedskating sponsor Stephen Colbert, who in the spirit of diplomacy – and not getting beaten up – took back his claims that Canadians were “ice-holes” at a morning, downtown appearance. See, Americans can be magnanimous winners.

No less impressive were the other podium participants. Julia Mancuso had gold in her sights until Vonn flew by and dropped her to silver. They swung an American flag together in celebration. “To come out of the race here with a silver feels great,” Mancuso said.

Scott Lago couldn’t fly with White, but he was more than saucy (as White would put it) enough to edge out the field for bronze.

Then there was Hedrick, who won three medals in Turin, thought he was done with the sport earlier this year after becoming a new husband and father. After an eight-month layoff, he decided to give it one more crack and said the bronze felt as good as the gold he won four years ago. With his best event, the 1,500 meters looming Saturday, he may not be done.

Neither is the rest of Team USA.

“What is next?” White said. “Sleep. And then take on the world.”

It’s so far, so good here at the Winter Olympics.

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OldSkool97

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United States beats Canada yesterday 5-3 in hockey and leads their group in the standings at 3-0.
Canada follows in 2nd place at 1 W 1 L and 1 OTW(overtime win), and in 3rd is Switzerland with 0 W 1 L & 1 OTL.

The United States is into the Quarter Finals and will face the winner of Switzerland and Belarus on Feb. 24 @ 12:00pm PST.

[u]Group B[/u]
The womens Hockey team is 3-0 in their group while Finland is 2-1 the Russian Federation is 1-2 and China is 0-3.
The Leader of Group A is Canada at 3-0..Should be a U.S. vs Canada finals.

The ladies Hockey team is currently leading  in the Semi-Finals vs Sweden 1-0 in the 1st period. Winner to play Canada/Finland on Feb 25 @ 3:30 pm PST.
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OldSkool97

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[quote name="Bill Dauterive" post="764182" timestamp="1266870167"]
American Lindsey Vonn was stripped of her gold medal, won in the downhill, today.
the Gold medal was given to Obama. It was determined by the IOC that Obama is going downhill faster that Vonn did.
[/quote]

Ha ha thats a good one!  :D  :D  :D
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OldSkool97

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[b]No medal for Miller as Bode fails to finish first giant slalom run[/b]

It seems the Bode Miller ski renaissance has been temporarily disrupted as Miller failed to finish his first run in Tuesday's giant slalom race. Miller is one of only three skiers ever to win three medals in a single Winter Olympics, and he's hoping to become the first with four. Saturday's slalom is his last chance to set the record.

After nearly crashing in the first half of the race, Miller's line was off coming through a gate on the second half of the course, causing him to ski off course. Only skiers who complete their first run get a shot at a second attempt.

It's not surprising that Miller won't medal, and it's not even that surprising that he didn't finish. Miller has skied in only two giant slalom races this season. Suffering from a lingering ankle injury, he failed to finish in Colorado, and then wasn't fast enough to qualify for a second run in Italy.

In fact, Miller didn't even qualify for a spot on the United States team; he was added later as a coaches' selection in the hopes that he could turn in a couple of great runs. But it wasn't to be. According to the Associated Press:

"Bode skied great up top and then went down on his hip, made a recovery like only Bode can, but came in late to the next panel and hooked a gate with his hand," said Sasha Rearick, U.S. men's head coach.

"He then made another spectacular recovery and went straight back into hammering the line. He was pushing to make up time. He was happy with his run and would have liked to be in there, but he was skiing with passion," Rearick said.


With Miller eliminated, the United States medal hopes sit on the shoulders of Ted Ligety. In eighth place, Ligety is just 0.6 second behind leader Carlo Janka of Switzerland. He's well within striking distance, and is hoping to follow through on his position as pre-race favorite.
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7mary3

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[quote name="GUNHO" post="765400" timestamp="1267018635"]
I like curling and we really sucked this year with the men and women going 
2-7 I think.Worst finish I can remember. :-[
[/quote]
That's because it's the first time they've competed sober.... ;D...it's a one handed sport and the other hand had nothing in it....
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OldSkool97

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[quote name="GUNHO" post="765400" timestamp="1267018635"]
I like curling and we really sucked this year with the men and women going 
2-7 I think.Worst finish I can remember. :-[
[/quote]

Its kinda interesting actually but the whole scoring system has thrown me for a loop..Not really sure how they do it?!?
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OldSkool97

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[u]Vonn Crashes in 1st Slalom Run[/u]

WHISTLER, British Columbia (AP)—Lindsey Vonn crashed out of the first run of the Olympic giant slalom race Wednesday and injured her right pinkie.

Vonn’s American teammate Julia Mancuso was the next skier down the mountain and had to pull up midway through her run because Vonn was still on the side of the course.

Mancuso, the defending champion in giant slalom, ended up 18th after starting the opening leg again and was visibly angry over the disturbance.

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Vonn lost control around a right turn in the middle section of the course, got twisted around, landed hard on her left hip and crashed backward into the safety netting.

“The course is breaking up at the bottom,” Vonn said, holding ice on her finger, adding that her back and shin were hurting as well. “I got a little bit too inside and lost my outside ski. My knee came up and hit my chin. … I don’t know honestly how I hurt my hand.

“I’m just a little bit beat up right now,” added Vonn, who also fell in the slalom leg of the super-combined last week. “Things don’t seem to be quite going my way.”

After being checked course-side for a few minutes, Vonn got up and skied down to the finish.

Vonn said she was going for an X-ray on her right hand, after which she’ll know if she will race Friday’s slalom, her final event of the games.

“I was like a pretzel—so tangled up,” Vonn said.

Vonn was just getting over a bruised right shin, having opened her Olympics with gold in downhill and bronze in super-G.

While giant slalom is usually Vonn’s worst event, she had posted the fastest split times until her crash.

“I was hoping for something today,” Vonn said. “I was charging, I was skiing hard. I’m disappointed in myself now that I made that mistake. I can only keep smiling. I know I was skiing well.”

Vonn had a difficult starting position, 17th, but was 0.35 second ahead of the pace by first-run leader Elisabeth Goergl of Austria at the third split, just before the crash.

“She was in contention to win. To put four-tenths on this field from No. 17 is incredible,” said Thomas Vonn, the skier’s husband, unofficial coach and chief adviser. “You can win 99 percent of the way and not have anything.”

Vonn’s best career giant slalom finish was fourth in Aspen, Colo., near her home in Vail, last season.

This season, Vonn has had trouble with the conditions on GS courses injected with water to create icier surfaces, and she blamed inconsistent conditions when she hurt her wrist in a fall during a GS in Lienz, Austria, at the end of December.

Conditions were tough this time due to heavy fog and consistent snowfall during the race.

Mancuso was flagged down and had to make her way back up to the top of the course for a later start, which usually is tougher with the course deteriorating as one skier after another comes down.

Restarting is also a test physically and mentally.

“Well now its time to use that anger and fight scond run!!” Mancuso wrote on her Twitter account between runs. “That yellow flag in the GS was such… I just want to scream. I’m really miffed. Anyway, gotta take that energy and focus it for 2nd run.”

Vonn said she felt “terrible” for Mancuso, a rival since they were kids.

“She’s mad, she’s frustrated, she’s probably mad at me,” Vonn said. “I feel terrible, and I hope she understands. I definitely didn’t want that to happen.”

The snowfall and low visibility prompted organizers to abandon TV breaks during the run and send racers down the mountain at shorter intervals to get everybody down before conditions worsened.

“I’ve actually never seen anyone be flagged in a GS before,” Vonn said. “It normally doesn’t happen. I think because they were running the intervals so quickly because the weather isn’t cooperating that they did it.

“With the course conditions deteriorating the way they were, it was really difficult for her to come down with a fast time. All I can say is I feel terrible and I really hope she can ski the way she’s been skiing and hopefully have a good second run and punch it back in there.”

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OldSkool97

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[u][b]USA ROSTER[/b][/u]
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-hockey/schedule-and-results/men_ihm400000nUSA-vtour_team_stats-SF.html

[u][b]FINLAND ROSTER[/b][/u]
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-hockey/schedule-and-results/men_ihm400000nFIN-vtour_team_stats-vV.html

Finland is pretty stacked but the U.S. is holding their own. Should be a good match. I thought the Czech would of got the W over Finland but i was wrong..Game is set for Feb 26 and the time says TBD.
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[u][b]German Speeskater Misses Race[/b][/u]

A lesson to all Olympic alternates out there: Leave your cell phone on when it's time for your race.

German speedskater Patrick Beckert missed out on a chance to compete in the Olympics because his cell phone was turned off prior to the start of Wednesday's 1,000m competition. Officials were trying to contact the 19-year old, who was the fourth alternate in the race.

The spot became free when two-time gold medalist Enrico Fabris of Italy withdrew from the race one hour before it was set to begin. Officials attempted to reach the first three alternates to no avail. Once the German delegation got word that Beckert was in if he could get to the Oval in time, a hasty search was put together. Calls were placed to his turned-off cell and his sister, Stephanie, a medal favorite in the 3,000m, also tried to find him. Beckert finally called back 17 minutes before the race, but it was too late to get to the Richmond Olympic Oval.

One German site says that Helge Jasch, manager of the German speed skating team, has taken blame for the mistake because he didn't tell Beckert to report to the oval. He figured that the chances of the fourth alternate making it into the field were infinitesmal. Ninety-nine times out of 100, he'd be right.

But slim is still better than none. The team should have had Beckert arrive at the Richmond Olympic Oval just in case. And he should have kept his phone on just in case. Now, every time he pulls his cell from his pocket he'll be reminded of the call he didn't get.  

Thanks, Deadspin

---


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