Oh, I'm stoked for Vancouver. I'm so going to load up on tickets. :D I think we have a chance to be really terrifying. The way I see it, the only area we really need to work on is in alpine skiing. Hockey is fine, figure skating is coming along, we'll have Klassen and Witherspoon back in long track (we're always good at that,) our short track is good. Nordic too is coming along (that 22 year old who just won gold will be back,) and if you've ever been out to Canmore, that's gotta be the best training facility in the world. We're really good at the sliding sports (Pierre Lueders trains at the same facility I do, and he's aiming to be at Vancouver, even though that will be in 2010.) The one place we can really pick up medals is in alpine and ski jumping.

In case anyone wonders, the place I work out has an athletic training zone directly affiliated with Canada Olympic Park, which is why I know these people. Also, Dany Heatley's uncle coached my hockey team. :D

Now there's some shameless name dropping. ;) :D

Bleh... stupid winter olympics... Last I checked Britain had ONE medal. A silver. Though we may have gained one in curling now.

No yet, but the mens team are in the semis, big Rhona got knocked out tho [img]redface.gif[/img]

Womens curling off to a good start 5-1 in the 3rd end. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Had to stay up to watch the Swedish girl, Anja, win the slalom last night... they'd shown her family and town all supporting her and even throwing her a birthday bash- was really sweet and I was glad to see her win even in foggy conditions!

The aerials, though...OMG, you sure those people aren't clinically insane?! YIKES! I saw one poor Britsh woman (all of 19 or 20?) come down and hurt her knee, one that had been replaced/fixed in surgery only half a year ago...OUCH!

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#009999">7, Italy scored 3 times. The men have to pull up there socks if they want to keep up with the Women's team. As well a 7-3 win over Italy could have been a loss if they were playing Sweeden, US, or even Finland.

Nice to see Beckie get a silver in the relay, after her disappointing 6th place finish in Cross country skiing, in the singles event, she seemed pretty disappointed about that place.</font> </font>[/QUOTE]"Even" you say? Finlands going for gold this year! ;)

Though if we keep playing like we played against the States yesterday, it's not very likely...we won, but I doubt it would quite cut it against Russia or Sweden. But theres always room for improvement!

Curlings going really well for finland, too. And thats about it. [img]tongue.gif[/img] Finlands got 6 metals so far, and as far as I see, we're only likely to get two more at most. And thats if we have more than a little luck!

[ 02-23-2006, 09:32 AM: Message edited by: Raistlin Majere ]

Well, it's the Swedes vs. the Czechs in the semifinals. Whom is Finland facing in the next game?

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#009999">Finland, is my pick for gold now as well. Good team that is playing really well together.

In mens curling I have to give credit to the US, I watched the game against Canada and they seemed pretty evenly matched, good luck to them going for bronze.

Speaking of bronze Canada took Bronze in wemons curling crushing norway 11-3 I think.</font>

[ 02-23-2006, 11:08 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

LOL :D The wemons, that sounds like some alien race :D

Russkies. Good that we beat the States but unfortunately they showed how to play against finnish team.
I really truly wish you luck against the Czechs. Theres nothing like beating sweds in the hockey ring x)

LOL :D The wemons, that sounds like some alien race :D </font>[/QUOTE]<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#009999">Ha!Ha!Ha! I just noticed that than, pretty funny, so I will not edit. Hopefully this race will be implemented in some new game.</font>

[ 02-23-2006, 11:16 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

One of our female aerialists (she won gold in Salt Lake) just came back from a broken neck. I doubt they would have shown this on NBC (it was a Canadian), but earlier on they were showing a practice run by a Canadian man whose skies came flying off right at the top of his jump. He finished the jump, and landed it pretty well, all things considered. :D

TM, OUCH! See what I mean..insane! They must be! :D LOL, landed with no skis? That had to be ...um...unpleasant at best! First time I saw that competition I was sure they were joking... but nope, fifty feet up and down....on little bitty sticks of wood....oh my! :D

Amen to that! And about the match against the States...wouldn't you say they played a bit dirty on that one? And the penalty calls kinda left me cold...Exciting game though ;)

Good luck Sweden! Nothing like a Finland vs. Sweden gold match [img]tongue.gif[/img]

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#009999">I am pumped for mens curling. Alot of could be firsts in this one.

1st Canadian mens team to get olympic gold, we have had 2 silvers before so currently 0-2 in the gold medal round.

1st Newfies to get an olympic gold

oldest man to get olympic gold at age 50. The oldest man to compete in the olympics is now age 50. The other old foggies in olympics were all bobsleders in there late forties, one guy from finland was like 49 and 3/4, but once bobsleders reach that age it is all downhill for them :D .

That is all I can think of but curling can be exciting.</font>

[ 02-24-2006, 11:26 AM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#009999">10-3 after six. Holy Cow!! We are going to win gold. It would take a disaster for Finland to catch up. [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img]

I guess 3rd times a charm. :D
</font>

[ 02-24-2006, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

w00000000000000000000000000000t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sweden - Finland, 3 - 2!

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolllllddddd!!!

Edit: Yeah, and Finland fought well. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 02-26-2006, 10:16 AM: Message edited by: Stratos ]

That was an awesome 3rd period (all I saw). Bet you're pumped Stratos :D

Yep. :D

-sighs-

Silver in curling, silver in hockey...could have gone worse, but silver is always lost [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Curling really wasnt a contest after the first few, but hockey was a battle to the end! The last 30 seconds of the third period were just something wild...too bad we lacked that finishing touch! Anyway, a scandic double medal aint nothing to be ashamed of ;)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...362834_7_1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...361866_7_2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...363306_7_1.jpg

I was cheering for you guys. If only our goalie had come and played for you...oh well. Niitymaki was great anyways. From what I heard curling was one of those "If you had told them beforehand that they could have silver, they would have taken it," situations. But it always hurts to lose so close.

I was cheering for you guys. If only our goalie had come and played for you...oh well. Niitymaki was great anyways. From what I heard curling was one of those "If you had told them beforehand that they could have silver, they would have taken it," situations. But it always hurts to lose so close. </font>[/QUOTE]I think Niittymäki played really strong throughout the whole tournament, though this last match didnt quite work out. Perhaps the pressure got to him, what with the game being for olympic gold against Sweden, but he couldn't have done much better. No shame in silver, though gold would have been so nice ;)

Maybe next time!

Yep, them last seconds were really tense. Anything could have happened. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Well, there's always the second guessing when an all-star goalie who just finished one of the more clutch performances in recent playoff memory withdraws. I like Niittymaki, but there's always the questions about a young goalie in such a high-pressure situation.

Try saying that curler's name 5 times fast - I'm sure it's easy if you're used to it, but our broadcasters were tripping over it constantly.

Interesting fact, when the Sedins and some others came back, apparently they were saying they much preferred the smaller ice of the NHL. It's really too bad that it looks like 2010 will be the last Olympics with NHLers.