2018 Winter Olympics

[ELA]

The fact that we are like 5 days in without a thread should answer it, but is anyone watching?

On one hand I like how the marquee primetime events are live, but what I always enjoy are the sports I don't otherwise watch, and having them essentially take place overnight kind of takes away from that.

The hockey being garbage doesn't help.

What is always my major issue with the Winter games is simply that in the Summer, you have the athletes racing at the same time in most events, and that adds excitement.  It's tough to watch the same thing over and over for the Winter Games, just racing the clock, and to the naked eye, they look close to the same.

[MarqHusker]

I'm definitely watching this USA v Canada (women's) hockey game.  This is always must watch.  USA with so many chances tonight.  Getting pushed around a bit too.

I do DVR and watch biathlon/skiathlon/cross country events.   They are always my favorite events of the winter games.   I also watch Curling, but then again, I watch it on NBCSN when it isn't the olympics.   Curling is fun to play, but pretty tough to be casually good.
 I have little interest in the X game sports, and watch some of the alpine skiing.   Speed skating is still a great event to watch, but as the USA struggles NBC has buried it.   Amazing how the Dutch fans take over the building.  The kids love the figure skating of course, and surprisingly, the curling.

edit: DVR is the only way to watch these games (minus this rare live Hockey game at night).

[ELA]

Disagree about hockey.  I think (with NHL players) the Olympic tournament is as good as it gets.  But these guys?  It's not good hockey at all, and I don't find hockey to be a sport (much like basketball) that translates well to women's.  I don't like hockey enough to watch it played at the level it's being played at in the Olympics.  Kind of like what has happened to NCAA hockey over the past 20 years, with fewer of the top players going the college route.  I used to love college hockey, and always watched the rare times it was on.  Now, it's on quite a bunch between ESPNU, NBCSN and BTN, and it's tough to watch.

[MarqHusker]

I'm not sure we're in disagreement.  I'm not watching the men's hockey at all, mostly for the reasons you stated.  I'm only tuning into USA v Canada (at least the women's game).  They've had a good history of games over the years, and for whatever reason its compelling to me.  I won't be watching say Canada v OAR, or US vs Finland though. 

[Brutus Buckeye]

Yeah, sports generally lend themselves to one gender or another.

It is strange to watch men play figure skating, gymnastics, volleyball, tennis or cheerleading.

It is strange to watch women play basketball, ice hockey, soccer etc. 

I do get a kick out of women's lacrosse. But most people probably don't. 

That said I do typically attend a game or two of OSU W Ice Hockey every year, just because it's free and I like the old arena. Usually it is just their boyfriends and parents in the stands, but they are pretty good this year. So it was standing room only when they were playing Penn State. 

[FearlessF]

I'm not watching

I have NCAA basketball to watch

[Drew4UTk]

My wife grew up with Nick Baumgardner in the U.P. of Michigan- they were neighbors.   it's kinda funny how many folks of note came out of that small town- for instance Jan Quareless is also from there- i got to sit and BS with him for hours over the holidays... 

at any rate, Nick run last night, and i watched the first one... didn't see the others, but he placed 4th.. his highest finish ever after winning x-games several times...

[ELA]

Yeah, sports generally lend themselves to one gender or another.

It is strange to watch men play figure skating, gymnastics, volleyball, tennis or cheerleading.

It is strange to watch women play basketball, ice hockey, soccer etc.

I do get a kick out of women's lacrosse. But most people probably don't.

That said I do typically attend a game or two of OSU W Ice Hockey every year, just because it's free and I like the old arena. Usually it is just their boyfriends and parents in the stands, but they are pretty good this year. So it was standing room only when they were playing Penn State.

I don't think it's strange.  I just don't find the brand very entertaining.

[TyphonInc]

Last night was the 1st night my family missed watching the Olympics.

Girls love Figure Skating.
I like Hockey (mens and womens,) short track racing, the Snow Boarding race where they all go at once. And biathlon (skiing and shooting as an event, hell yes!)

IMHO they should alter the Winter Olympics to Winter/Indoor Olympics. Summer Olympics are about 4x times bigger but cost is comparable (minus Sochi cost at a corrupt 50 Billion.)
 
Winter - 2952 athletes, 102 events
Summer - 11,328 athletes, 306 events

Badminton, Boxing, Fencing, Handball, Judo, Table Tennis, Taekwondo weightlifting, and Wrestling (or a subset) all could easily switch to Winter/Indoor at a very small cost increase and bring diversity to the Winter games. 

[ELA]

That's an excellent point.  Basketball would be tough if the NBA or NCAA won't give players time off though.

[MarqHusker]

My oldest was yelling about this last night.    I think Norway and the Netherlands might object, but it makes perfect sense.   They like being atop the medal standings.

[SFBadger96]

Been watching a little, but don't have enough time to really dig in. 

I'm generally not a fan of judged sports as far as the scoring goes. I still like watching them; whether its figure skating, gymnastics, or snow boarding, those athletes do amazing, awe-inspiring things. I just don't like how subjective the winning and losing is. 

Would watch more if I had more time.

[huskerdinie]

I've been watching the Olympics this year; since I DVR everything, it is pretty easy to just fast forward to events / people I want to see.  So far, been disappointed in US Figure Skating results and having the Alpine ski event postponed multiple times hasn't helped me by having to fast forward through multiple events I don't particularly like. 

On the other hand, while I am not a snowboard enthusiast by any means, it sure has been fun watching the US get all the golds, ha ha.  My jaw about hit the floor in the half-pipe events; no way would I even attempt half of what Shaun White and Chloe Kim pulled off.  I hope that Japanese snow boarder is ok after his accident - hitting that concrete hard half pipe sure looked painful.  

My preference is definitely for the Summer Games because of the swimming / diving / and gymnastics.  For someone who ran track in high school I just can't get into the track and field events for some reason.  I think marathoners are crazy.  

[CatsbyAZ]

Watched a few events, skiing and snowboarding. So far my favorite has been the 5000m women's speed skating, which a Dutch girl knocked off the reigning two time gold medalist from Czech Republic. Was thinking how the Dutch do better at the rink skating events than the outdoor slopes and guessing it goes back to national geography. The Netherlands is the flattest nation in the world and obviously can't grow downhill skiers within it's own borders.