107 replies to this topic

[Seven Costanza]

At first I thought you meant Lindsey Vonn, arguably the best women's alpine skier in the world. I'm pretty interested to see what she hauls in in Vancouver.

Also looking forward to the inevitable Bode Miller disappointment. It would be nice to see Ted Ligety medal again.

Edited by Seven Costanza, 11 January 2010 - 07:58 PM.

[Maalox]

At first I thought you meant Lindsey Vonn, arguably the best women's alpine skier in the world. I'm pretty interested to see what she hauls in in Vancouver.

You never know, but obviously in the speed events she is the favorite. She's just so smooth, barely even kicks up snow in the speed events. Not a great finesse skier but really really smooth and fast.

I think she has said she'll be happy with any sort of medal. I'll be happy just looking at her ass as she goes by. Her ass is epic.

Also looking forward to the inevitable Bode Miller disappointment. It would be nice to see Ted Ligety medal again.

IMHO he went about his re-tuning the wrong way, skiing all-out when he didn't have the technique and racking up DNFs. The problem with that is that you don't get a lot of full runs in at race tempo. It would make more sense to me to dial the speed back and just finish, but run harder in practice and gradually work that speed into your racing. The way to make yourself faster is to ski some runs past your comfort level in practice, then ski at 95% of that in a race. Then your next practice try toi ski even faster, then dial it back, etc etc. So you're still skiing on the edge, or very near it, but you're gradually moving your edge farther out as you go from race to race to race. Crank it up, crank it up, crank it up and over time you're going super fast but you're totally aggressive. That's how I would do it with six weeks to prepare, anyway. Instead, Miller ran out of control pretty much the whole time. By definition you're not skiing aggressively if you're out of control, responding to the terrain. Admittedly he has skied better in the speed events very recently. But apparently his ankle is still hurting him, so I would not expect much in slalom or even GS if the terrain is icy or chattery. I think Bode's a bit of a head case.

A dark horse I would watch in the downhill and SG for USA is Erik Fisher. He actually was ripping everybody a new one a couple years ago before he had a crash that kind of freaked him out. He definitely generates the raw speed to win an event.

[Seven Costanza]

IMHO he went about his re-tuning the wrong way, skiing all-out when he didn't have the technique and racking up DNFs. The problem with that is that you don't get a lot of full runs in at race tempo. It would make more sense to me to dial the speed back and just finish, but run harder in practice and gradually work that speed into your racing. The way to make yourself faster is to ski some runs past your comfort level in practice, then ski at 95% of that in a race. Then your next practice try toi ski even faster, then dial it back, etc etc. So you're still skiing on the edge, or very near it, but you're gradually moving your edge farther out as you go from race to race to race. Crank it up, crank it up, crank it up and over time you're going super fast but you're totally aggressive. That's how I would do it with six weeks to prepare, anyway. Instead, Miller ran out of control pretty much the whole time. By definition you're not skiing aggressively if you're out of control, responding to the terrain. Admittedly he has skied better in the speed events very recently. But apparently his ankle is still hurting him, so I would not expect much in slalom or even GS if the terrain is icy or chattery. I think Bode's a bit of a head case.

A dark horse I would watch in the downhill and SG for USA is Erik Fisher. He actually was ripping everybody a new one a couple years ago before he had a crash that kind of freaked him out. He definitely generates the raw speed to win an event.

I think this is the understatement of the year. The training approach you lay out makes complete sense- you and I both know though that Bode is incapable of racing at anything under 110%. He's a born competitor- I saw on ESPN a few days ago that he is going to try and qualify for the US Open in tennis.

Ligety won his first Cup race of the year today in GS.

I don't know much about Erik Fisher. Thanks for the heads up.

[Maalox]

Nadia Fanchini had a scary accident today. Out of the Olympics.

Vonn starting to look human.

Ted Ligety looking like a strong medal hope, at least for the technical events.

[dolomite133]

I think Bode will get some redemption in this, his last Olympic games. If for no other reason than he is four years older, and probably won't party *quite* as much. Not sure he'll win gold, but I wouldn't put it out of the question.

[gaelgirl]

I wouldn't be surprised if Miller medaled, either. It would be fitting that he sucked so badly at his other Olympics in years that he was otherwise un-fucking-believably good, and medaled in a year he can barely finish a race.

But, I think at this point he might have a better chance at a tennis medal than a skiing one. I really look forward to seeing if he can actually play.

[Fred not Lynn]

I wouldn't be surprised if Miller medaled, either. It would be fitting that he sucked so badly at his other Olympics in years that he was otherwise un-fucking-believably good, and medaled in a year he can barely finish a race.

Now that everyone's given up on him, look to Miller to bring a healthy case of the "give-a-shits" to his races -- and perform surprisingly well.

[Maalox]

Agreed. And I was going to say that I could see Vonn not medaling, but after this weekend I suspect she will be be loaded for bear. Did anyone see her interview after the downhill on Saturday? She was really pissed.



This interview was a good 20-30 minutes after she got thrown by a rut in mid-turn on the "Mauer" and lost a couple seconds getting back on the course. (1:02 of video below)



This is Riesch's winning run. Note how much higher her line is on the same turn and how much tighter she is to the gate. (1:02 of video.) You can't really see it well from the close camera angle but she got thrown out quite a bit too. She does not generate the power Vonn does but she holds her edges better in the turns. An excellent slalom skier who can sometimes overski the speed events - but it helped her in this downhill.



Of course next day Vonn won Super G on essentially the same course.

[Sprowl]

Brett Anderson's latest snow report for Whistler and Cypress:

Projected freezing levels around the Olympic venues this week (note, if there is precipitation, the snow levels can range from 1,000 to 2,000 feet lower than the freezing level)... Wednesday....4,000 ft
Thursday....4,800 ft
Friday.......4,800 ft
Saturday...4,900 ft
Sunday......4,200 ft

Most of the Alpine events at Cypress are held near the 3,000 ft level. Elevations at Whistler/Blackcomb range from near 2,000 ft at the base to 7,000 feet at the top...

The good news is that there is plenty of snow at Whistler thanks to record snowfall at the start of the season. Cypress should be fine for the Alpine events (nice snow base), but there are still concerns for the Nordic at the lower elevations.

[Fred not Lynn]

All the nordic events are at Whistler Olympic Park in the Callahan Valley, not Cypress anyway - or is that where they're worried about?

[Ed Hillel]

The Cover of SI for this week is...interesting. Can't find it online as of now, but it's of Vonn in a vulnerable position.

[Dropkick Izzy]

I like the Dicks/Under Armour commercial better, but this isn't too bad.

[Sprowl]

All the nordic events are at Whistler Olympic Park in the Callahan Valley, not Cypress anyway - or is that where they're worried about?

If Whistler is OK, then Callahan should be fine: I think most of Callahan is above 1000 metres anyway, and the Whistler corridor has gotten more persistent snow than Vancouver's north shore. Cypress is described as being for alpine events -- and Cypress is a lower mountain, but it has little if any flat ground, so it wouldn't be suited for nordic events.

[Fred not Lynn]

If Whistler is OK, then Callahan should be fine: I think most of Callahan is above 1000 metres anyway, and the Whistler corridor has gotten more persistent snow than Vancouver's north shore. Cypress is described as being for alpine events -- and Cypress is a lower mountain, but it has little if any flat ground, so it wouldn't be suited for nordic events.

Sprowl..how are plans for the Olympic Bash going anyway? Is anyone else going to even be in Vancouver?

And I'm pretty sure Cypress is only for freestyle and snowboard. All alpine is at creekside in Whistler. I'm in Richmond now...but going to Wisconsin for the weekend...we'll have to gather for a drinK after I get back.

[Maalox]

I like the Dicks/Under Armour commercial better, but this isn't too bad.

And the decision to feature the word "HEAD" in the picture will be appreciated later when I...read the article.

[Sprowl]

Sprowl..how are plans for the Olympic Bash going anyway? Is anyone else going to even be in Vancouver?

And I'm pretty sure Cypress is only for freestyle and snowboard. All alpine is at creekside in Whistler. I'm in Richmond now...but going to Wisconsin for the weekend...we'll have to gather for a drinK after I get back.

I put a thread in the bash forum, but it got no responses, so I think there will be only two SoSHers in Vancouver for the part of the games (I'm away Feb 18-26) -- not critical mass even for a mini-bash. Drop me a PM when you're back and we'll drink!

[bosoxsue]

And the decision to feature the word "HEAD" in the picture will be appreciated later when I...read the article.

Apparently there is some backlash about this cover. I can be as much of a reactionary feminist type as anyone if I'm in the mood, but I don't get it. Here is a great-looking woman on the cover of SI in February who achieves her excellent figure through athletics, not blow and purging. Where's the problem?

Story about SI cover

Edited by bosoxsue, 04 February 2010 - 05:01 PM.

[Maalox]

Apparently there is some backlash about this cover. I can be as much of a reactionary feminist type as anyone if I'm in the mood, but I don't get it. Here is a great-looking woman on the cover of SI in February who achieves her excellent figure through athletics, not blow and purging. Where's the problem?

I had not heard about the backlash. It's not as if Lindsey Vonn in the tuck position is gratuitously sexual. This is what the woman does for a living.

I know the writer is defending the picture, but even that article is a bit condescending:

She's an athlete, not a sex symbol, the chorus inevitably reminds us. They have a point in taking issue with SI; the magazine rarely features women athletes on the cover and its annual swimsuit issue has been a focus of protests for decades. But Vonn's cover is different.

Yeah, she's an athlete whose success in speed events is heavily dependent upon her ability to get into that position quickly, stay in it for as long as possible, and get back into it as quickly as possible.

The pose at least resembles the tuck stance skiers like Vonn take when barrelling down the hill. It's exaggerated, of course, but not gratuitously so.

It doesn't resemble a tuck, it is one. And it's not exaggerated at all. If anything she's too far forward - on flats she gets way the fuck down and back and just glides.

Odd, it was just few months back that the Austrian coach made that silly comment about Vonn being overweight. Call me cynical, but I wonder whether there would be backlash if Vonn hadn't had the nerve to be pretty.

I'm now going to go whack off self-righteously.

[Maalox]

Seriously, it's like being upset that a down lineman is in a four-point stance. There's no backlash there because he's a big fat guy.

I'm really pissed off about this. When we start telling hot female skiers that they can't bend over for magazines, the terrorists have won.

[Maalox]

So the woman has a nice ass. We can't celebrate that? For fuck's sake.

[Maalox]

She knows she has a nice ass. I know she has a nice ass. Everyone knows she has a nice ass. What's the freakin problem?

[Fred not Lynn]

Apparently there is some backlash about this cover. I can be as much of a reactionary feminist type as anyone if I'm in the mood, but I don't get it. Here is a great-looking woman on the cover of SI in February who achieves her excellent figure through athletics, not blow and purging. Where's the problem?

The reactionary feminists have a built in legitimate issue in there being ONE sport (well technically two) on the entire Olympic program, summer or winter that doesn't have equal oppotunity for women to compete, and they waste their time on THIS? There's an entire world full of female ski jump athletes who'd give their left nuts (or whatever body part women offer up in a deal like that) to be sexually objectified on the cover of SI, if it only meant they had the opportunity to compete in the Olympic Games.

[Wake]

I have no problem with the photo. But it's pretty clear they photographed her on flat ground and rotated the image. Just look at the way her hair falls. Then again, I guess it'd be pretty tough to get her to remain stationary on a 45-degree slope.

Edited by Wake, 05 February 2010 - 12:53 PM.

[Sprowl]

Training time on Cypress cut to save snow. It's not a pretty picture:

[sheshistory]

Apparently there is some backlash about this cover. I can be as much of a reactionary feminist type as anyone if I'm in the mood, but I don't get it. Here is a great-looking woman on the cover of SI in February who achieves her excellent figure through athletics, not blow and purging. Where's the problem?

Story about SI cover

Yeah, I don't get the fuss either. First, I don't see her pose or outfit as being incredibly gratuitous - it resembles and ski pose and that what she'd wear to ski in her events. In addition to feminists not really focusing on Fred Not Lynn's point regarding equality of events and that a woman has been chosen for the cover of SI, shouldn't they also be proud that a woman that doesn't really conform to the stick thin stereotype of beauty is being celebrated for her skill and her way her body looks as a result? From my point of view, kudos to SI for doing a full body shot (okay, the pageant make up is a little much) and not cropping out those super strong thighs Vonn's developed from all her training as I've seen so many other publicity shots of her do in order to make her look more stereotypically appealing.

On Sprowl's post regarding the snow (or lack thereof) - I read today that dump trucks of snow from higher elevations are being loaded and taken down to provide more cover for Cypress but judging from the pic, it looks like they have some serious work to do.

[Maalox]

Training time on Cypress cut to save snow. It's not a pretty picture:

With all due respect to you, Sprowl, and the folks in Lake Placid and such places, I think they should just have the Winter Olympics somewhere in the Alps every 4 years.

[Fred not Lynn]

With all due respect to you, Sprowl, and the folks in Lake Placid and such places, I think they should just have the Winter Olympics somewhere in the Alps every 4 years.

They could have just had freestyle events in Whistler. Lots of snow there.

[Maalox]

They could have just had freestyle events in Whistler. Lots of snow there.

I wonder why they didn't. Was it just because they wanted the camera shots from Cypress?

[dolomite133]

So let me get this straight. Are Whistler and Cypress both struggling with snow? I could've sworn Whistler got hammered this season. Then again I went there a few years back during their worst season in decades, when the lower part of the mountain was slush and cloaked in dense fog.

As for suggestions the alps should host it every year, don't they have perennially poor snowfall (at least in recent years, which impacts several world cup events)? Meanwhile Colorado has gotten dumped on regularly for the last decade (at least).

Edited by dolomite133, 08 February 2010 - 04:41 PM.

[Sprowl]

So let me get this straight. Are Whistler and Cypress both struggling with snow? I could've sworn Whistler got hammered this season. Then again I went there a few years back during their worst season in decades, when the lower part of the mountain was slush and cloaked in dense fog.

Cypress is struggling, mostly because it's only 4000' tall and most of the ski runs face south, where the sun melts them away more quickly. Whistler is doing fine: the ski runs start as high as 7500' and run down the north slope. Higher elevation, heavier precipitation, and no direct sun all add up to plenty of snow.

Whistler is notorious for dense fog in November and December, but by February the weather is often intermittently pleasant.

[gaelgirl]

As for suggestions the alps should host it every year, don't they have perennially poor snowfall (at least in recent years, which impacts several world cup events)? Meanwhile Colorado has gotten dumped on regularly for the last decade (at least).

I am not going to take the time to look it up, but a few years ago I distinctly remember that there were a lot of problems with snow in at least a few of the European World Cup locations, while Colorado/Utah/Rockies were awash with snow. I believe some events were moved over here because of it. So, the Alps aren't always reliable either.

Vancouver organizers should have just kept the skiing events in a place where snowfall wouldn't be a worry. They'll get it worked out, I'm sure, but it's not a good situation to be in five days before the Olympics begin.

[SilasCL]

Lindsey Vonn has a serious bruise on her shin, which may hurt her chances in the Olympics.

http://today.msnbc.m...n_to_vancouver/

Lindsey Vonn’s quest for five Alpine skiing medals may be in serious jeopardy because of a serious shin injury suffered a week ago in training, the skier revealed Tuesday.

Vonn has had fluid drained from the deep bruise, which she has been told will take “a couple of weeks” to completely heal.

“It’s essentially a deep muscle bruise, so I have a contusion. So the muscle is bleeding and it’s really deep inside the muscle,” the World Cup champion told TODAY’s Matt Lauer after arriving in Vancouver Tuesday.

[Maalox]

So let me get this straight. Are Whistler and Cypress both struggling with snow? I could've sworn Whistler got hammered this season. Then again I went there a few years back during their worst season in decades, when the lower part of the mountain was slush and cloaked in dense fog.

As for suggestions the alps should host it every year, don't they have perennially poor snowfall (at least in recent years, which impacts several world cup events)? Meanwhile Colorado has gotten dumped on regularly for the last decade (at least).

Yes, but when the snow sucks in Switzerland, you're still in Switzerland. When the snow sucks in Colorado, you're in Colorado.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, Switzerland is better. Colorado is worse.

[Sprowl]

The Pacific storm train is turning northward toward BC, with snow levels predicted between 2500' and 4000'. Cypress might get lucky after all.



Lindsey Vonn, not so much: bruised right shin.

edit: ... as Silas posted a few hours ago...

[doc]

Lindsey Vonn has a serious bruise on her shin, which may hurt her chances in the Olympics.

http://today.msnbc.m...n_to_vancouver/

Whatever happened to pumping athletes full of lidocaine and percoset so the could go out and perform. A fracture I can understand but a bruise, this is the Olympics man, maybe a one time shot at glory. I think I'm an old bastard.

[BigMike]

She knows she has a nice ass. I know she has a nice ass. Everyone knows she has a nice ass. What's the freakin problem?

The problem is these pics in this weeks SI swimsuit issue

Seriously who decided these granny panties would make her look good

http://sportsillustr...sey-vonn_4.html

[Sprowl]

Google Snow View is up and running for the Whistler slopes. There's also Google's Get inside the games, with venues, medal counts, news, and the like.

[barbed wire Bob]

Yes, but when the snow sucks in Switzerland, you're still in Switzerland. When the snow sucks in Colorado, you're in Colorado.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, Switzerland is better. Colorado is worse.

I've skied in both places and that's debatable, although Zermatt is pretty damned awesome.

[SilasCL]

The problem is these pics in this weeks SI swimsuit issue

Seriously who decided these granny panties would make her look good

http://sportsillustr...sey-vonn_4.html

Not only was that outfit absurd, but there was not a single shot of her ass in the whole shoot.

This is as close as we're getting
http://sportsillustr...ey-vonn_31.html

A travesty of epic proportions.

[Fred not Lynn]

Yes, but when the snow sucks in Switzerland, you're still in Switzerland. When the snow sucks in Colorado, you're in Colorado.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, Switzerland is better. Colorado is worse.

When the snow sucks in Colorado, you can still have a cheeseburger.

[Maalox]

When the snow sucks in Colorado, you can still have a cheeseburger.

Cheeseburger? Good one, Bubba.

[Maalox]

Lindsey Vonn has a serious bruise on her shin, which may hurt her chances in the Olympics.

Apparently she has severe shin-bang. I had comparatively mild shin-bang several times in college and if it's severe enough it's essentially impossible to ski without painkillers. I would not describe the pain as "excruciating" so much as unbearable. You can feel nothing, nothing, nothing and then when it hits you react automatically and take all pressure off that leg, like your leg has a mind of its own. Vonn apparently wasn't even able to walk until a couple days ago.

[Fred not Lynn]

Cheeseburger? Good one, Bubba.

I've never been chronically hungrier in my life than I was during my stays in Davos. Linsdey Vonn, by the way, refuses to allow an x-ray because it it's broken, she doesn't want to know.

[Bongorific]

As someone who follows skiing, and some snowboarding, I'm surprised I never heard of Clair Bidez. Her photoshoot is amazing.

[Maalox]

I've never been chronically hungrier in my life than I was during my stays in Davos. Linsdey Vonn, by the way, refuses to allow an x-ray because it it's broken, she doesn't want to know.

I want to have sex with this woman in a bed full of cheeseburgers.

[dolomite133]

UH OH: Men's downhill postponed hours before start due to slushy conditions!

[Maalox]

Boy, DeFago skied great. Do you realize that if he'd landed that jump clean at the end he'd have been even faster? He has to be considered a real threat for the super combined now, as after Miller he is probably the best slalom skier out of the speed merchants, and the long run is a short downhill, presumably on this same course. Super combined is completely up for grabs tomorrow: DeFago, Svindal, Miller, Janka, Raich and Kostelic. Any one of them could win this.

I would really like to have seen Kostelic's and Raich's* runs today, BTW, to get some idea of how they skied. Did I just miss these runs or were they not shown? I am pretty sure Kostelic just wasn't shown as I think he skied after Cuche in the downhill today.

Let me say for the zillionth time, as everyone has: NBC eats shit. This is no kind of way to watch skiing. You have to be able to see who is going good and who isn't to handicap the next event. You can't just look at the top five guys in a vacuum. This is frustrating because NBC Universal Sports does a really fine job with the World Cup events, I watch them regularly and their coverage is quite analytical and the color guy knows his racing. Almost none of this expertise gets carried over to the tight window at the big network.

It is very disappointing. Very disappointing.

* EDIT: Raich did not ski

[gaelgirl]

Boy, DeFago skied great. Do you realize that if he'd landed that jump clean at the end he'd have been even faster? He has to be considered a real threat for the super combined now, as after Miller he is probably the best slalom skier out of the speed merchants, and the long run is a short downhill, presumably on this same course. Super combined is completely up for grabs tomorrow: DeFago, Svindal, Miller, Janka, Raich and Kostelic. Any one of them could win this.

I would really like to have seen Kostelic's and Raich's* runs today, BTW, to get some idea of how they skied. Did I just miss these runs or were they not shown? I am pretty sure Kostelic just wasn't shown as I think he skied after Cuche in the downhill today.

Let me say for the zillionth time, as everyone has: NBC eats shit. This is no kind of way to watch skiing. You have to be able to see who is going good and who isn't to handicap the next event. You can't just look at the top five guys in a vacuum. This is frustrating because NBC Universal Sports does a really fine job with the World Cup events, I watch them regularly and their coverage is quite analytical and the color guy knows his racing. Almost none of this expertise gets carried over to the tight window at the big network.

It is very disappointing. Very disappointing.

* EDIT: Raich did not ski

It's fucking ridiculous. And it's not like the night was so action-packed that they had to trim the event to fit. They had plenty of time to do the stupid Dreamworks ads, the polar bear story, the "flash of lightning" story, the awful forced banter, the story of the Chinese coach, the 95,737th version of the Lindsay Jacobellis story... They had plenty of time this afternoon to show the Women's 15K Cross-Country event. And we get six downhill ski runs. Five and a half, considering the last dude fell, and just four contenders. So frustrating.

[Spacemans Bong]

Not to get Sausage in Section 17 in here, but the BBC's coverage has been very, very good.

They showed the first 31 competitors of the downhill live in prime time. You could follow the rest (none of whom were worth a crap as they explained to us - and nobody who started after 31 finished above 14th) on the red button, which is sort of like a channel specific version of on demand but live. No commercials.

They showed us all of the heats for the snowboard cross then the final. They are not big on the medal ceremonies and there's been a few commentators who are really bad, but they really get to showing the events in a sizable chunks. You're going to see the top 15-20 contenders in any event in their full. We saw all four heats of the luge with at least 20 competitors being shown at all times and all of the competitors available to watch on the red button.

Even stuff like women's ice hockey gets covered live on the red button with highlights on the main channel.

The BBC is a public broadcast and as such has different responsibilities but still, for a country that has won 8 gold medals in the Winter Olympics it kicks ass.

[johnmd20]

Not to get Sausage in Section 17 in here, but the BBC's coverage has been very, very good.

They showed the first 31 competitors of the downhill live in prime time. You could follow the rest (none of whom were worth a crap as they explained to us - and nobody who started after 31 finished above 14th) on the red button, which is sort of like a channel specific version of on demand but live. No commercials.

They showed us all of the heats for the snowboard cross then the final. They are not big on the medal ceremonies and there's been a few commentators who are really bad, but they really get to showing the events in a sizable chunks. You're going to see the top 15-20 contenders in any event in their full. We saw all four heats of the luge with at least 20 competitors being shown at all times and all of the competitors available to watch on the red button.

Even stuff like women's ice hockey gets covered live on the red button with highlights on the main channel.

The BBC is a public broadcast and as such has different responsibilities but still, for a country that has won 8 gold medals in the Winter Olympics it kicks ass.

Nothing Sausage about this post. I'm just jealous. As I have said many times in the daily threads, NBC's coverage has been woeful. It is incredible they could screw it up so badly, but they have. It is like a High School production and what they are deciding to show and not show borders on the insane. They had 5 hours to put together a good program for the Alpine Skiing. 5 hours. And they showed 5 skiiers and built no drama and, all of a sudden, it was over and Bode won a medal and I barely could care.