Running 2018 Winter Games thread

We’re all suffering a bit of Michael Phelps Syndrome - winning a gold medal doesn’t hold our interest. Let’s see you win five!

These games are also lacking in American star power, especially without a marquee figure skater. Mikaela Shiffrin and Chloe Kim have been marketed hard, but I don’t feel like they’ve caught on. You’d think Shaun White would be bigger, but grown-ups don’t seem to care about snowboarding as of yet.

 

There's a real X Games feel to the broadcast -- something cool to watch for about 5-10 minutes then it all looks the same. And as others have said, if Americans don't excel, we don't seem to care.

That said, in our house, we have watched most of the primetime coverage and I keep it on as background at work most days.

 

I watch it constantly, but I get why others wouldn’t. I think the summer Olympics make for better TV because you more often have the competitors on the track or in the pool competing head-to-head.

 

There was drama seeing Lindsay Jacobelis not win a gold medal for what, the fifth Olympics? Sean White's gold was pretty cool. Chloe Kim is a compelling tv figure. I watched a biathlon race that was a photo finish after an hour of racing! Apparently, some attractive ice dance couple feign the guy eating the girl out while skating - that seems pretty cool (I don't watch anything with sequins).

Not sure what people are looking for - I guess more American golds. It's winter olympics, so my expectations aren't very high.

 

This. Too many sport that are judged.

 

Or simply run against the clock, one competitor at a time.

 

You forgot the French skaters nip slip

 

I thought White winning the gold with a 97+ was the best moment so far. He finished, the announcers knew he was close, and then you had to wait for the score to be announced. It was pretty high drama. I missed Chloe Kim's event, so it's kind of out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

Regardless, I enjoy the Winter Olympics quite a bit, although curling doesn't do it for me. I'm sure there's a large separation in interest between people have skied/skated/snowboarded and people who haven't, interest-wise.

 

Complete disappointment. I went to the interwebs after hearing about it. I am not sure I still ever saw it.

 

Exactly. Watching individual skiers is much more compelling, athletic and interesting than watching someone run in a straight line or around a circle or do laps in a pool. There’s much more to it than just going fast. But since there’s no one to compete against, only the clock, after a few skiers have gone it loses the immediacy of a competition.

The skiing is gorgeous to watch. The bright white of the snow,the colorfully dressed individual racing down a mountain. Made for HDTV. Much better to watch than sweaty bodies running in their underwear.

 

It was cold and she was excited, an easy thing to miss

 

The judging thing is a bummer. I agree, sports with judging suck.

As we mentioned before, the snowboard races are about as cool a thing that there is.