So this post turns out to be all about medal counts...
29 athletes who used K2 Inc. products at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy won a combined 43 medals. K2 is a top ski, snowboard and skate manufacturer and the medals were won in alpine, Nordic and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and speed skating. So do Olympic champions make a difference from a sales/marketing perspective? All I can say is that every time I go skiing, I secretly hope I will get Dynastar skis because that's what Tommy Moe used when he won the Olympics back in 1994.
43 countries have at least one winter Olympic medal. Norway has the most with 98 gold, 98 silver and and 84 bronze, totaling 280 medals.
Great Britain will host the upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics, in London. Britain has historically done very well at the Summer Olympics, having won 715 medals, and at least one gold at each Summer Games. But in the Winter Olympics? Not so much. They've only won 20 Winter medals. And to make this fit in to the countdown, at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina D'ampezzo, Italy, with a team of 43 athletes, Britain failed to win a single medal (as is the case of 6 other Winter Olympics as well).
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
44 Days
Meet Kenya's only Winter Olympian, Philip Boit. Boit is a cross-country skier who first participated in the Nagano Olympics in 1998, where he placed last. He has slowly climbed from the bottom, placing fourth to last in 2002 in Salt Lake City and sixth to last in 2006 in Turino. Boit hopes to improve in Vancouver, which he announced will be his last Games.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, 44 nations had apparel deals with Nike.
The University of Florida has produced 44 Olympic champions. The most notable is swimmer Dara Torres who won 4 gold medals and 12 medals in total. Her most recent medal was silver and was won in Beijing at the age of 41, making her the oldest U.S. female swimmer to compete in the Olympics.
The Olympics' host countries usually have strong showings at the Olympics they host. Canada's record medal count is forty-four medals which they won at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 1984. However, that number comes with an asterisk, since the communist countries boycotted that Olympics and did not compete. Canada didn't do that well at the Calgary Winter Olympics or the Montreal Summer Olympics, but have many medal contenders competing in Vancouver, so stay tuned.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, 44 nations had apparel deals with Nike.
The University of Florida has produced 44 Olympic champions. The most notable is swimmer Dara Torres who won 4 gold medals and 12 medals in total. Her most recent medal was silver and was won in Beijing at the age of 41, making her the oldest U.S. female swimmer to compete in the Olympics.
The Olympics' host countries usually have strong showings at the Olympics they host. Canada's record medal count is forty-four medals which they won at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 1984. However, that number comes with an asterisk, since the communist countries boycotted that Olympics and did not compete. Canada didn't do that well at the Calgary Winter Olympics or the Montreal Summer Olympics, but have many medal contenders competing in Vancouver, so stay tuned.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
45 Days
Gold medal favorite, American Lindsey Vonn hurt her arm in a skiing race yesterday in Austria at a world cup event. She initially thought she broke her arm, but it turns out to be just a bone bruise. With her arm in a sling, Vonn competed in the slalom event today, finishing 18th out of 30th. Yesterday, many questions arose as to whether or not she would compete today and how her injury would effect her quest for Olympic gold. Vonn has been doing so well this season, that even without finishing the race yesterday, she still remains in the lead in the World Cup standings.
As is the Olympic custom since the Innsbruck Games in 1964, the Olympic torch was lit in Olympia, Greece, the home of the ancient Olympics, on October 22. The torch, which may only be lit via sunlight off of a metal reflector, was handed off to the first torchbearer and began its travels through Greece. After eight days in Greece, the torch was handed over to the Vancouver Olympic Committee. From there, it began its 106 day, 45,000 kilometer route throughout Canada. On February 12, the final torchbearer will reach the Opening Ceremonies and light the Olympic flame which will remain lit throughout the entire Olympic games.
The longest event in short track speed skating is the 5000 meter relay, in which only men participate. The race consists of 4 players on each team who take turns skating 45 laps. At the 2006 Turino Olympics, the South Korean team won the gold medal. Canada placed second and the U.S. team, led by Apolo Ohno, came in third. Prior to that, both the Olympic and World records had been held by Canada. Come February, you can be sure the Canadian team will be looking to take back the gold in front of their home country. And of course, Apolo Ohno can never be counted out.
As is the Olympic custom since the Innsbruck Games in 1964, the Olympic torch was lit in Olympia, Greece, the home of the ancient Olympics, on October 22. The torch, which may only be lit via sunlight off of a metal reflector, was handed off to the first torchbearer and began its travels through Greece. After eight days in Greece, the torch was handed over to the Vancouver Olympic Committee. From there, it began its 106 day, 45,000 kilometer route throughout Canada. On February 12, the final torchbearer will reach the Opening Ceremonies and light the Olympic flame which will remain lit throughout the entire Olympic games.
The longest event in short track speed skating is the 5000 meter relay, in which only men participate. The race consists of 4 players on each team who take turns skating 45 laps. At the 2006 Turino Olympics, the South Korean team won the gold medal. Canada placed second and the U.S. team, led by Apolo Ohno, came in third. Prior to that, both the Olympic and World records had been held by Canada. Come February, you can be sure the Canadian team will be looking to take back the gold in front of their home country. And of course, Apolo Ohno can never be counted out.
Monday, December 28, 2009
46 Days
At the 2010 Winter Olympics, the U.S. ski team will have the upper hand in at least one aspect - the food! For parts of the World Cup circuit and during the Olympics, the team will have home cooked meals prepared in a fully equipped trailer by team nutritionist and chef, Adam Korzun. Many skiers, including Bode Miller, have frequently complained about the food they receive on the road. Furthermore, even if the food is good, it's still not necessarily the right balance of nutrition athletes require right before a race. Korzun will see to it that the skiers are provided with the proper amount of carbs and protein racers are accustomed to at home.
Vonetta Flowers is the first African American to win a gold medal in a winter Olympic Games. She did that in 2002, in Salt Lake City in bobsled. Flowers started out in track and field events. When she failed to qualify for the 1996 or 2000 Summer Olympics, she switched to bobsled. She and her teammate, Jill Bakken, became the first Americans to win a medal in bobsled for the men or women in 46 years. She came in sixth in 2006 in Turino and will be competing in Vancouver as well. Good luck to Vonetta!
Canadian hockey player, Martin Brodeur won gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City 46 years after his father, Denis Brodeur won the bronze medal in hockey for Canada in 1956.
Munich, Germany is planning to bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, which will take place 46 years after the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, remembered mostly for the massacre of the Israeli team by Palestinian terrorists. If their bid is successful, Munich will be the first city to host both a summer and winter Olympics games.
Vonetta Flowers is the first African American to win a gold medal in a winter Olympic Games. She did that in 2002, in Salt Lake City in bobsled. Flowers started out in track and field events. When she failed to qualify for the 1996 or 2000 Summer Olympics, she switched to bobsled. She and her teammate, Jill Bakken, became the first Americans to win a medal in bobsled for the men or women in 46 years. She came in sixth in 2006 in Turino and will be competing in Vancouver as well. Good luck to Vonetta!
Canadian hockey player, Martin Brodeur won gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City 46 years after his father, Denis Brodeur won the bronze medal in hockey for Canada in 1956.
Munich, Germany is planning to bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics, which will take place 46 years after the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, remembered mostly for the massacre of the Israeli team by Palestinian terrorists. If their bid is successful, Munich will be the first city to host both a summer and winter Olympics games.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
47 Days
I just want to thank all of my friends again for their amazing birthday party throwing abilities. Particularly, Miriam B. for hosting and Miriam L. for her spectacular birthday cake:
Those are of course, the Olympic rings, the symbol of the Olympic Games, which was created by Pierre de Coubertin (see 79 Days) in 1912. The five rings are interlocking to promote peace, unity and healthy competition between the five continents which partake in the Olympics. The five colors - blue, yellow, black, green, red - along with the white background represent the colors of the flags of the countries that took part in the Olympics at that time.
Athens, Greece hosted the first Olympic Games in 1896. As is usually the case, the host nation did particularly well, and was awarded 47 medals - the most at that Olympics.
Austria is the leading nation in alpine skiing medals with 101 at the Winter Olympics. Austrian athletes have also swept the World Cup podium (meaning they have come in first, second and third place) 47 times since 1973. No other country has dominated a single winter sport to this extent. This year, the Austrian ski team is lacking the big stars they've had in the past, such as Hermann Maier, but their track record proves they can never be counted out. Look for Benjamin Raich and Michael Walchhofer in the men's events and Marlies Schild in the women's events.
Those are of course, the Olympic rings, the symbol of the Olympic Games, which was created by Pierre de Coubertin (see 79 Days) in 1912. The five rings are interlocking to promote peace, unity and healthy competition between the five continents which partake in the Olympics. The five colors - blue, yellow, black, green, red - along with the white background represent the colors of the flags of the countries that took part in the Olympics at that time.
Athens, Greece hosted the first Olympic Games in 1896. As is usually the case, the host nation did particularly well, and was awarded 47 medals - the most at that Olympics.
Austria is the leading nation in alpine skiing medals with 101 at the Winter Olympics. Austrian athletes have also swept the World Cup podium (meaning they have come in first, second and third place) 47 times since 1973. No other country has dominated a single winter sport to this extent. This year, the Austrian ski team is lacking the big stars they've had in the past, such as Hermann Maier, but their track record proves they can never be counted out. Look for Benjamin Raich and Michael Walchhofer in the men's events and Marlies Schild in the women's events.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
48 Days
2407 athletes competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm. Only 48 of them were women. And women's gymnastics, which is one of the most popular Summer Olympic events today, was only a demonstrative sport. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, all sports besides ski jumping will have both a men's and women's field. The female ski jumpers who were fighting to compete in the Olympics just lost their final battle with the Canadian courts, so their fight is now over.
Lindsey Vonn, formerly Lindsey Kildow before she got married, had a major crash on an alpine downhill training run at the Winter Olympics in Turino in 2006 and had to be immediately helicoptered to a nearby hospital. Just 48 hours later, she was back in skis, competing in the women's downhill event and placed eighth. Because of her gutsy performance there, her fellow American athletes, her fans and members of the media awarded her the 2006 U.S. Olympic spirit award. Vonn is definitely a medal contender at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Lindsey Vonn, formerly Lindsey Kildow before she got married, had a major crash on an alpine downhill training run at the Winter Olympics in Turino in 2006 and had to be immediately helicoptered to a nearby hospital. Just 48 hours later, she was back in skis, competing in the women's downhill event and placed eighth. Because of her gutsy performance there, her fellow American athletes, her fans and members of the media awarded her the 2006 U.S. Olympic spirit award. Vonn is definitely a medal contender at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Friday, December 25, 2009
49 Days
Thanks for all the birthday wishes and blog visits yesterday. It was all very much appreciated. Due to the various celebratory events that occurred last night, today's blog will be an abbreviated version. I only hope you can find it in your hearts to somehow forgive me.
49 countries competed in the Summer Olympics in Berlin in 1936, which was more than any other previous Olympics. 49 nations competed in the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics in Yugoslavia as well. Those were the only Winter Games ever to be hosted by a Communist country.
In a study completed about marathon tryouts for the 2004 U.S. Summer Olympic team, 49% of the men vying for a spot on the team did not have a coach. The study was done in an effort to find out more about the sport since it is one in which the U.S. has not been successful.
49 countries competed in the Summer Olympics in Berlin in 1936, which was more than any other previous Olympics. 49 nations competed in the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics in Yugoslavia as well. Those were the only Winter Games ever to be hosted by a Communist country.
In a study completed about marathon tryouts for the 2004 U.S. Summer Olympic team, 49% of the men vying for a spot on the team did not have a coach. The study was done in an effort to find out more about the sport since it is one in which the U.S. has not been successful.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
50 Days
On November 11, two days after I started this blog, I received the following g-chat message from my friend Avi Z.
Well Avi, I like chocolate syrup and rainbow sprinkles...
However, in exchange for the ice cream, I'm going to give a shout-out to Avi's favorite Olympian, Australian snowboarder, Torah Bright. Bright grew up in Australia, where she still trains during Southern Hemisphere winters and spends Northern Hemisphere winters training in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the age of 19, she placed fifth at the 2006 Winter Olympics in the half-pipe event in Turino, Italy. She has also won gold and silver at the X-Games, and became the first Australian to win gold in that event in 2007. She's considered a gold medal contender at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver, having won a recent World Cup event in November. Australia has never medalled in snowboarding at the Olympics. Bright will face stiff competition in February from the American ladies, Gretchen Bleiler, Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark, all of whom are previous Olympic medalists. Good luck to them all.
Fifty years after the 1924 Winter Olympics, an error in the scoring of the men's ski jumping event was discovered. American Anders Haugen, who had initially placed fourth, was found to have actually placed third. He was awarded his bronze medal in 1974.
I have no idea how biathlon seems to make it into all my posts these days. Nevertheless, the biathloners'... biathletes'... (what do you call them?) shooting targets are 50 meters away. Depending on the type of race, for each shot missed there is either a time penalty or another lap added to the race.
if you make it until 50 i will buy you an ice cream cone
Well Avi, I like chocolate syrup and rainbow sprinkles...
However, in exchange for the ice cream, I'm going to give a shout-out to Avi's favorite Olympian, Australian snowboarder, Torah Bright. Bright grew up in Australia, where she still trains during Southern Hemisphere winters and spends Northern Hemisphere winters training in Salt Lake City, Utah. At the age of 19, she placed fifth at the 2006 Winter Olympics in the half-pipe event in Turino, Italy. She has also won gold and silver at the X-Games, and became the first Australian to win gold in that event in 2007. She's considered a gold medal contender at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver, having won a recent World Cup event in November. Australia has never medalled in snowboarding at the Olympics. Bright will face stiff competition in February from the American ladies, Gretchen Bleiler, Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark, all of whom are previous Olympic medalists. Good luck to them all.
Fifty years after the 1924 Winter Olympics, an error in the scoring of the men's ski jumping event was discovered. American Anders Haugen, who had initially placed fourth, was found to have actually placed third. He was awarded his bronze medal in 1974.
I have no idea how biathlon seems to make it into all my posts these days. Nevertheless, the biathloners'... biathletes'... (what do you call them?) shooting targets are 50 meters away. Depending on the type of race, for each shot missed there is either a time penalty or another lap added to the race.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
51 Days
Only five athletes (all in summer sports) have competed in both the Olympics and Paralympics. This year, a Canadian cross-country skier has the chance to become the first winter athlete ever to compete in both the Paralympics and the Olympics. Canadian Brian McKeever won a 50 kilometer race yesterday, putting him one step closer to making the Canadian Olympic team. McKeever has Stargardt's disease, a genetic disease that caused him to start losing his vision at the age of 19. His vision is less than 10%. McKeever already has seven Paralympic medals in cross-country skiing and biathlon. The Canadian Olympic cross-country ski team will be determined in January. Good luck to McKeever!
The International Sled Sport Federation was created in 1913 to promote the sport of Luge. It took 51 years until luge became a Winter Olympic sport in 1964 at the Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria.
In his first NHL season, hockey great Wayne Gretzky scored 51 goals. Gretzky and the Canadian team came in fourth at the 1998 Winter Olympics, where they were expected to have medalled.
The International Sled Sport Federation was created in 1913 to promote the sport of Luge. It took 51 years until luge became a Winter Olympic sport in 1964 at the Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria.
In his first NHL season, hockey great Wayne Gretzky scored 51 goals. Gretzky and the Canadian team came in fourth at the 1998 Winter Olympics, where they were expected to have medalled.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
52 Days
Have you heard about the Vancouver Olympics' most recent controversy? The Vancouver Olympic Committee invited the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to play at the Opening Ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in February. When VANOC suggested that conductor, Bramwell Tovey, pre-tape the performance and then have another conductor mime it on the actual night, Tovey refused. Since then, VANOC has apologized to Tovey and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is now happy to play during the Olympics. The orchestra will also record the national anthems of participating countries to be played at the medal ceremonies. While VANOC's reasoning is understandable, in that many musical performances are pre-taped for live events to ensure good sound quality for broadcasting purposes, I'm surprised that they suggested having a conductor other than Tovey at the actual Opening Ceremonies. This reminds me of the controversy at the Summer Olympics in Beijing in 2008, when a young Chinese girl won the chance to record a song for the Opening Ceremonies and the Olympic Committee chose another, more attractive girl to lip sync to it at the event itself.
By the way, if anyone feels like rewarding me for doing such a great job on this blog by buying me tickets to the Olympics, the official Vancouver2010 website has opened a fan-to-fan marketplace for fans to buy and sell tickets off of each other. Just fyi, there are some skating tickets in there... Happy holidays to me. :) Ticket holders can also be a bit more charitable and donate their tickets to underprivileged kids who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to go to the Olympics.
Here's a trivia question for you: Which American actor won 6 Olympics medals (in 1924 and 1928), 52 U.S. National Championships and set 67 world records in swimming? That would be Johnny Weissmuller who was best known for playing Tarzan in twelve films.
In a survey completed by over 2100 athletes who competed in the Summer and Winter Olympics between 1984-1998, 52% of Olympians felt that family support greatly factored into their Olympic success.
By the way, if anyone feels like rewarding me for doing such a great job on this blog by buying me tickets to the Olympics, the official Vancouver2010 website has opened a fan-to-fan marketplace for fans to buy and sell tickets off of each other. Just fyi, there are some skating tickets in there... Happy holidays to me. :) Ticket holders can also be a bit more charitable and donate their tickets to underprivileged kids who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to go to the Olympics.
Here's a trivia question for you: Which American actor won 6 Olympics medals (in 1924 and 1928), 52 U.S. National Championships and set 67 world records in swimming? That would be Johnny Weissmuller who was best known for playing Tarzan in twelve films.
In a survey completed by over 2100 athletes who competed in the Summer and Winter Olympics between 1984-1998, 52% of Olympians felt that family support greatly factored into their Olympic success.
Monday, December 21, 2009
53 Days
North American skiers are set to debut new racing suits come the Olympics in February. Spyder, the official outfitter of the U.S. Olympic Ski Team, has worked with skiers such as Olympic medal hopeful, Lindsey Vonn, to build a new, slicker racing suit that creates less drag and air resistance. Similar to the swimming racing suits that athletes like Michael Phelps wear, the more high-tech ski suits can really make a difference in races that come down to hundredths of seconds.
Biathlon, an Olympic event that combines cross country skiing and shooting, first took place in the Winter Olympics in 1960. Since then, 53 gold medals have been awarded. Of those medals, Russia, Germany and Norway have won all but eight of them. I've talked about him before, and American Tim Burke is one step closer to giving the athletes from those three countries a run for their money. On Sunday, Burke made U.S. history by becoming the first American to lead in the World Cup standings. No American has ever stood on the podium in Biathlon at the Olympics.
Between the Winter and Summer Olympics combined, there are 53 disciplines within 35 different sports in which competitions take place and medals are handed out. (38 in the Summer Olympics and 15 in the Winter Olympics.)
Biathlon, an Olympic event that combines cross country skiing and shooting, first took place in the Winter Olympics in 1960. Since then, 53 gold medals have been awarded. Of those medals, Russia, Germany and Norway have won all but eight of them. I've talked about him before, and American Tim Burke is one step closer to giving the athletes from those three countries a run for their money. On Sunday, Burke made U.S. history by becoming the first American to lead in the World Cup standings. No American has ever stood on the podium in Biathlon at the Olympics.
Between the Winter and Summer Olympics combined, there are 53 disciplines within 35 different sports in which competitions take place and medals are handed out. (38 in the Summer Olympics and 15 in the Winter Olympics.)
Sunday, December 20, 2009
54 Days
Skeleton was not a part of the Olympic Winter Games for 54 years - from 1948 until 2002 when it was again added to the program. Here's your interesting Skeleton factoid of the day (as if the first one wasn't enough): American Zack Lund was banned from competing in skeleton at the 2006 Olympics because he failed a drug test. Lund says the drug he tested positive for, finasteride, was found in propecia, something he had been using for years to help prevent hair loss.
Of Vancouver's $34 million bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia financed 54% of it. Private companies financed the rest.
Hermann Maier, one of the greatest skiers of all time retired just months before the 2010 Winter Olympics. The Austrian won a total of 54 World Cup victories and four overall World Cup titles. He is a two time Olympic gold medalist (in 1998) and two time Olympic silver medalist (in 2006). He is also known for having the most spectacular fall at an Olympic event, in 1998, just days before he won those two gold medals. Click here to watch the crash.
Of Vancouver's $34 million bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia financed 54% of it. Private companies financed the rest.
Hermann Maier, one of the greatest skiers of all time retired just months before the 2010 Winter Olympics. The Austrian won a total of 54 World Cup victories and four overall World Cup titles. He is a two time Olympic gold medalist (in 1998) and two time Olympic silver medalist (in 2006). He is also known for having the most spectacular fall at an Olympic event, in 1998, just days before he won those two gold medals. Click here to watch the crash.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
55 Days
How have I been blogging this long into the countdown without mentioning American athlete Shawn White? Called the "Flying Tomato" because of his red hair, White is the defending Olympic Champion in the snowboard halfpipe event. He's a nine-time gold medalist in halfpipe at the X-Games (ESPN's extreme sports annual competition) as well. He also skateboards competitively. Apparently, the new "it trick" of the season is called a double cork and many snowboarders will be attempting the move in their runs at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The double cork is basically two diagonal flips, off axis in the air. Shawn White plans to win gold by doing two double corks back to back, which he's already completed in competition this year. White practiced the move over the summer on a halfpipe with a foam pit built in. (Another snowboarder, Matt Ladley learned the move without the foam pit at broke two bones in his arm in the process.)
A men's slalom course may have no fewer than 55 gates. Women have a minimum of 40 gates.
I never understood how athletes enjoy sitting outside in the freezing cold during the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. Especially the ones who have to compete early on in the two week schedule. (One of the reasons figure skater Michelle Kwan had to withdraw from the 2006 Olympics was because she reinjured herself in practice the morning after the Opening ceremonies in Turino, where she felt being out in the cold for so long had stiffened her injured muscles.) The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver will mark the first time that the Opening and Closing ceremonies (and some of the medal ceremonies as well) will be held indoors at the domed BC Place Stadium which seats up to 55,000 people. This should provide a more comfortable experience for athletes and fans alike.
A men's slalom course may have no fewer than 55 gates. Women have a minimum of 40 gates.
I never understood how athletes enjoy sitting outside in the freezing cold during the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. Especially the ones who have to compete early on in the two week schedule. (One of the reasons figure skater Michelle Kwan had to withdraw from the 2006 Olympics was because she reinjured herself in practice the morning after the Opening ceremonies in Turino, where she felt being out in the cold for so long had stiffened her injured muscles.) The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver will mark the first time that the Opening and Closing ceremonies (and some of the medal ceremonies as well) will be held indoors at the domed BC Place Stadium which seats up to 55,000 people. This should provide a more comfortable experience for athletes and fans alike.
Friday, December 18, 2009
56 Days
Okay, so I get why I don't have tickets to the Olympics. But I do not understand why an Olympian's parents don't have tickets, especially when they are prepared to pay full price for them. That's currently the case with Tugba Karademir's parents. You'll recall from 59 Days that Karademir is a Turkish figure skater who will be making her second appearance at the 2010 Winter Olympics in February. At the previous Olympics in 2006, she qualified so last minute, that her parents didn't have the chance to get tickets to see her compete in Turino. This year, even though they had plenty of time to prepare, they just can't seem to get their hands on any tickets. Unlike other countries, who help athletes' families make the necessary provisions to cheer on their family members, the Turkish Olympic Committee does not have the means to help the Karademirs. At the end of the day, the Olympics is a money-making business, so I won't even bother suggesting that athletes' parents be given free tickets. But it seems to me that there is no reason why some Olympic governing body, whether it be the I.O.C. or the host nation's Olympic committee, shouldn't give each athlete the opportunity to buy tickets for a limited number of family members to attend the events in which they will be competing.
UPDATE: It appears that Tugba Karademir's parents are headed to the Olympics. Apparently, a woman with tickets to the ladies figure skating short program and long program will not be going to the Olympics after all and those tickets now belong to Tugba's parents. Don't you just love happy endings?
in 2003, the 2010 Winter Olympics was awarded to Vancouver over Pyeongchang, South-Korea by a margin of three votes. The final tally was 56 in favor or Vancouver, to 53. (Just lost a 53 stat right there...)
There are only five countries that have participated in every Summer Olympics - Australia, France, Great Britain, Greece and Switzerland. Great Britain is the only country that's won a gold medal at every Summer Olympics. The most gold medals they won in one Summer Games is fifty-six, which occurred in 1908 on their home turf, in London.
UPDATE: It appears that Tugba Karademir's parents are headed to the Olympics. Apparently, a woman with tickets to the ladies figure skating short program and long program will not be going to the Olympics after all and those tickets now belong to Tugba's parents. Don't you just love happy endings?
in 2003, the 2010 Winter Olympics was awarded to Vancouver over Pyeongchang, South-Korea by a margin of three votes. The final tally was 56 in favor or Vancouver, to 53. (Just lost a 53 stat right there...)
There are only five countries that have participated in every Summer Olympics - Australia, France, Great Britain, Greece and Switzerland. Great Britain is the only country that's won a gold medal at every Summer Olympics. The most gold medals they won in one Summer Games is fifty-six, which occurred in 1908 on their home turf, in London.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
57 Days
NBC announced that they are forecasting a loss of about $200 million by televising the Olympics in February. That is a heck of a lot of money. I guess the economy and ad spending is not what it used to be. If you want to argue that the Summer Olympics brings a larger audience than the Winter Olympics do, NBC also lost an undisclosed amount on the Beijing Summer Olympics, two years ago in 2008.
The city of Vancouver spent $57 million to build a speed skating oval for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The last time the Winter Olympics took place in Canada was in 1988, in Calgary. 57 countries participated, as opposed to the 80-plus countries competing in Vancouver. One of the highlights of the '88 Olympics was the "Battle of the Brians" in men's figure skating, between American Brian Boitano (who won) and Canadian home-country hero, Brian Orser (who placed second). Orser is returning to the Olympics this year as the coach of Korean figure skating phenom, Yu-Na Kim, who is expected to medal in Vancouver. We were also introduced to Italian skier, Alberto Tomba "La Bomba" who was known more for his playboy/model-dating ways than for his three Olympic gold medals (two of which were won in Calgary). Another notable story was that of the Jamaican Bobsled team - proof yet again that the Olympics is not just about winning gold medals, but also about passion of sport. With no chance of winning, they stole the hearts of Olympic fans everywhere when they walked their bobsled over the finish line after having crashed on one of their runs. Here's clip of their crash.
The city of Vancouver spent $57 million to build a speed skating oval for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
The last time the Winter Olympics took place in Canada was in 1988, in Calgary. 57 countries participated, as opposed to the 80-plus countries competing in Vancouver. One of the highlights of the '88 Olympics was the "Battle of the Brians" in men's figure skating, between American Brian Boitano (who won) and Canadian home-country hero, Brian Orser (who placed second). Orser is returning to the Olympics this year as the coach of Korean figure skating phenom, Yu-Na Kim, who is expected to medal in Vancouver. We were also introduced to Italian skier, Alberto Tomba "La Bomba" who was known more for his playboy/model-dating ways than for his three Olympic gold medals (two of which were won in Calgary). Another notable story was that of the Jamaican Bobsled team - proof yet again that the Olympics is not just about winning gold medals, but also about passion of sport. With no chance of winning, they stole the hearts of Olympic fans everywhere when they walked their bobsled over the finish line after having crashed on one of their runs. Here's clip of their crash.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
58 Days
The bid to win the 2010 Winter Olympics came down to three cities: Vancouver, Canada; Salzburg, Austria and Pyeongchang, South Korea. Because European countries made up a large part of the vote with 58 members, many expected Salzburg to win the bid. Interestingly enough, Salzburg was the first city to be eliminated. In fact, it is believed that the European voters specifically did not vote for Salzburg, knowing that the International Olympic Committee does not usually put two consecutive Olympic Games on the same continent. Had Salzburg won the 2010 Olympic bid, cities like Madrid and Paris, who were gunning for the 2012 Summer Olympics (which was eventually won by London), would have lowered their own chances to host the Olympics.
I recently came across an article from the New York Times, written on June 9, 1908. The headline read, "AMERICAN ATHLETES FOR OLYMPIC GAMES; Seventy-six Men Selected to Represent the United States in London. MORE MEN MAY BE PICKED Supplemental List of 58 May Be Added If Sufficient Funds Are Raised -- Hard to Choose Men." I found it interesting that the United States, a super power and one of the leaders in Olympic medals, would have ever considered sending fewer athletes than allowed to an Olympic Games because of financial issues. There are many other countries today who can only afford to send athletes to the Olympics who are expected to make a good showing. However, what's great about the U.S. team is that they do have the funds to send a group comprised of medal contenders and also athletes who can live their dreams just by competing at the Olympics. The article continues on to say that the approximate cost per athlete was $325 and that the American Olympic Games Committee needed approximately $15,000 more to send all of the athletes. Check out the article here. In the end, 122 male athletes were sent to the 1908 Olympics. (The U.S. did not send female athletes to that Olympics.)
I recently came across an article from the New York Times, written on June 9, 1908. The headline read, "AMERICAN ATHLETES FOR OLYMPIC GAMES; Seventy-six Men Selected to Represent the United States in London. MORE MEN MAY BE PICKED Supplemental List of 58 May Be Added If Sufficient Funds Are Raised -- Hard to Choose Men." I found it interesting that the United States, a super power and one of the leaders in Olympic medals, would have ever considered sending fewer athletes than allowed to an Olympic Games because of financial issues. There are many other countries today who can only afford to send athletes to the Olympics who are expected to make a good showing. However, what's great about the U.S. team is that they do have the funds to send a group comprised of medal contenders and also athletes who can live their dreams just by competing at the Olympics. The article continues on to say that the approximate cost per athlete was $325 and that the American Olympic Games Committee needed approximately $15,000 more to send all of the athletes. Check out the article here. In the end, 122 male athletes were sent to the 1908 Olympics. (The U.S. did not send female athletes to that Olympics.)
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
59 Days
I was talking to my friend Miriam L. the other day and we were discussing the difference between recreational Olympic fans and die-hard Olympic FANS. I'm sure you can imagine which of those categories I fall into. I think one aspect of the Olympics that the die-hard fans really appreciate is the feel good stories. Sometimes viewers get so wrapped up in the race for the gold medal, they forget about the rest of it. The athletes who have dedicated their lives to a sport which they love and have overcome all odds just to have reached the Olympics. The ones who are living their dream just by being there. One such athlete is figure skater Tugba Karademir of Turkey. Vancouver will be Tugba's second Olympics, as she competed in the 2006 Olympics in Turino four years ago. Tugba started skating at the age of five at Turkey's only skating rink. She quickly began competing internationally and it was clear that she had outgrown what skating in Turkey could offer her. Her parents saw the talent she possessed and gave up everything to move the family to Canada, where she could train in better conditions with top coaches and choreographers. In 2006, Tugba became the first Turkish skater to compete in the Olympics, where she placed 21st. Since then she has improved steadily, and while she doesn't appear to be a medal contender, her passion for skating is undeniable. I was in Lake Placid for Skate America last month and saw her skate her short program to Turkish music (choreographed by World champ Kurt Browning). It is clear that she is in it for the love of her sport, which to me, is the most important part.
I just happened to turn the television on last night to find country music star and actor Tim McGraw being interviewed on the Jay Leno show. I tuned in right on time, to hear Leno ask McGraw which of the winter Olympic sports is his favorite to watch, to which McGraw responded, figure skating. He said that with a houseful of women (McGraw is married to fellow country music singer, Faith Hill and they have three daughters) his family very much enjoys watching ladies and mens figure skating events. Here's the clip.
59 countries participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, the most up to that point. Unfortunately, due to World War II, London was not prepared to host the Olympics and many athletes were not properly trained. Thus, even with the record number of countries involved, it was not considered a particularly successful Olympics.
According to an ESPN poll, only 59% of American viewers rooted for the U.S. Olympic basketball team, known famously as the "Dream Team" at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Ga. The Dream Team was comprised of professional NBA stars who easily beat every team they played by an average of 32 points per game.
I just happened to turn the television on last night to find country music star and actor Tim McGraw being interviewed on the Jay Leno show. I tuned in right on time, to hear Leno ask McGraw which of the winter Olympic sports is his favorite to watch, to which McGraw responded, figure skating. He said that with a houseful of women (McGraw is married to fellow country music singer, Faith Hill and they have three daughters) his family very much enjoys watching ladies and mens figure skating events. Here's the clip.
59 countries participated in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, the most up to that point. Unfortunately, due to World War II, London was not prepared to host the Olympics and many athletes were not properly trained. Thus, even with the record number of countries involved, it was not considered a particularly successful Olympics.
According to an ESPN poll, only 59% of American viewers rooted for the U.S. Olympic basketball team, known famously as the "Dream Team" at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Ga. The Dream Team was comprised of professional NBA stars who easily beat every team they played by an average of 32 points per game.
Monday, December 14, 2009
60 Days
Wow, 60 days left in the countdown to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. That's just two months. It's hard to believe I've been writing this blog for over a month already, but it's been great fun, and I expect the next 60 days to be the same.
Per the Miriam L. official "countdown to Vancouver" blog rules, years may not be used as a stat. However, the 1960 Winter Olympics played an important part in Olympic history, and I thought it would be fitting to discuss it today. Don't worry, you'll get the official countdown stats below.
The Olympics saw many firsts occur in Squaw Valley, California in 1960. For the first time, a television network (CBS) paid ($50,000) for exclusive rights to televise the Olympics in the U.S. which was hosted by Walter Cronkite. It was the first time an athletes village was created to house all of the athletes in one area. It was the first and only time that all skiing and skating events were all in close proximity to each other. Biathlon debuted as an Olympic event in Squaw Valley, as did women's speed skating. (Bobsled competition was skipped, as it was too expensive to build a bobsled run and there were not enough countries with athletes to compete.) It was also the first time South Africa competed in a Winter Olympic Games. And for the first time, scores were tallied electronically by IBM.
Another Olympic first to affect the entire sports world: instant replay. When officials were unsure of whether or not a skier had missed a gate during the men's slalom, they asked CBS to see the tapes. This gave CBS the idea to develop the first instant replay system, which debuted in 1963 at an Army-Navy football game.
Freestyle aerial skiers regularly fly about 60 feet above the ground in competition. This makes the event the highest event in the Olympics.
The maximum number of gates on an Olympic slalom course for female skiers is 60.
The Integrated Security Unit will be operating for 60 days over the course of the Vancouver Olympics, including setup time at the beginning of January and throughout the Olympic Games, and the Paralympic Games, which end in March.
Per the Miriam L. official "countdown to Vancouver" blog rules, years may not be used as a stat. However, the 1960 Winter Olympics played an important part in Olympic history, and I thought it would be fitting to discuss it today. Don't worry, you'll get the official countdown stats below.
The Olympics saw many firsts occur in Squaw Valley, California in 1960. For the first time, a television network (CBS) paid ($50,000) for exclusive rights to televise the Olympics in the U.S. which was hosted by Walter Cronkite. It was the first time an athletes village was created to house all of the athletes in one area. It was the first and only time that all skiing and skating events were all in close proximity to each other. Biathlon debuted as an Olympic event in Squaw Valley, as did women's speed skating. (Bobsled competition was skipped, as it was too expensive to build a bobsled run and there were not enough countries with athletes to compete.) It was also the first time South Africa competed in a Winter Olympic Games. And for the first time, scores were tallied electronically by IBM.
Another Olympic first to affect the entire sports world: instant replay. When officials were unsure of whether or not a skier had missed a gate during the men's slalom, they asked CBS to see the tapes. This gave CBS the idea to develop the first instant replay system, which debuted in 1963 at an Army-Navy football game.
Freestyle aerial skiers regularly fly about 60 feet above the ground in competition. This makes the event the highest event in the Olympics.
The maximum number of gates on an Olympic slalom course for female skiers is 60.
The Integrated Security Unit will be operating for 60 days over the course of the Vancouver Olympics, including setup time at the beginning of January and throughout the Olympic Games, and the Paralympic Games, which end in March.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
61 Days
Big news: 2006 Olympic figure skating champion Evgeni Plushenko is injured. Apparently, he's been attempting too many quad-quad and triple axel-quad combination jumps, which have never been landed in competition before. Check out this video of a Plushenko attempting a combination triple axel, quadruple toe loop. I really hope this injury isn't too much of a set back for him, because he is pretty much the front runner to win the upcoming 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, even though he has only competed once (this fall where he won by a landslide) since the last Olympics four years ago. If he could land something like that at the Olympics, it would be absolutely spectacular.
The Olympic Charter is the set of rules that the International Olympic Committee uses to govern each Olympic Games. It is made up of 5 chapters which are broken out into 61 articles. It creates a general outline of who's in charge, the responsibilities of each governing body and discusses the overall values of the Olympics.
Wayne Gretzky, considered the greatest hockey player of all time holds 61 records: 40 regular season records, 15 playoff season records and 6 all star records. He played for the Canadian hockey team in Nagano, Japan in 1998, where Canada failed to win a medal. As the Executive Director of the Canadian hockey team in 2002, Canada won it's first gold medal in hockey in fifty years. Gretzky returned as Executive Director in 2006, but Canada could not repeat and did not medal in Turino. Gretzky helped Vancouver win it's bid for the 2010 Olympics by serving as an ambassador. He will not be managing the 2010 Canadian team, but will be involved to some extent. Some have speculated that Gretzky will light the torch at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics, an honor usually given to a champion athlete of the host country.
The Olympic Charter is the set of rules that the International Olympic Committee uses to govern each Olympic Games. It is made up of 5 chapters which are broken out into 61 articles. It creates a general outline of who's in charge, the responsibilities of each governing body and discusses the overall values of the Olympics.
Wayne Gretzky, considered the greatest hockey player of all time holds 61 records: 40 regular season records, 15 playoff season records and 6 all star records. He played for the Canadian hockey team in Nagano, Japan in 1998, where Canada failed to win a medal. As the Executive Director of the Canadian hockey team in 2002, Canada won it's first gold medal in hockey in fifty years. Gretzky returned as Executive Director in 2006, but Canada could not repeat and did not medal in Turino. Gretzky helped Vancouver win it's bid for the 2010 Olympics by serving as an ambassador. He will not be managing the 2010 Canadian team, but will be involved to some extent. Some have speculated that Gretzky will light the torch at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics, an honor usually given to a champion athlete of the host country.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
62 Days
With only 62 days left in the countdown towards the 2010 Winter Olympics, you can seriously find the Olympic rings on anything. Including ecstasy. You know, the drug. Vancouver police seized over 100,000 pills of ecstasy imprinted with the Olympic rings this past Thursday. The drugs were worth about $1 million.
In February, the city of Richmond, British Columbia will honor the 2010 Winter Olympics by floating 13 million cranberries down the Fraser River in the shape of the Olympic rings. The cranberry float will be 62 meters in length and will sit in the river right behind the Richmond Oval, home of the 2010 Olympic long track speed skating competition. Cranberries are being used because Richmond is Canada's largest cranberry producer.
At the last Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy in 2006, 62 individuals won medals for 26 countries. Canadian speed skater Cindy Klassen won five medals, South Korean speed skater Ahn Hyun Soo won four, Italian speed skater Enrico Fabris won three, as well as American speed skater Chad Hedrick. American speed skaters Joey Cheek, Shani Davis and Apolo Ohno all won two medals. Of the top medalists in 2006, Klassen and Cheek have retired and Ahn Hyun Soo failed to qualify for the 2010 Olympics. Fabris, Hedrick, Davis and Ohno should all be there, so watch for them come February.
In February, the city of Richmond, British Columbia will honor the 2010 Winter Olympics by floating 13 million cranberries down the Fraser River in the shape of the Olympic rings. The cranberry float will be 62 meters in length and will sit in the river right behind the Richmond Oval, home of the 2010 Olympic long track speed skating competition. Cranberries are being used because Richmond is Canada's largest cranberry producer.
At the last Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy in 2006, 62 individuals won medals for 26 countries. Canadian speed skater Cindy Klassen won five medals, South Korean speed skater Ahn Hyun Soo won four, Italian speed skater Enrico Fabris won three, as well as American speed skater Chad Hedrick. American speed skaters Joey Cheek, Shani Davis and Apolo Ohno all won two medals. Of the top medalists in 2006, Klassen and Cheek have retired and Ahn Hyun Soo failed to qualify for the 2010 Olympics. Fabris, Hedrick, Davis and Ohno should all be there, so watch for them come February.
Friday, December 11, 2009
63 Days
Have I mentioned how much I love Phil Hersh? Well, maybe not on this blog, but trust me, I've said it a bunch of times. Hersh is a sports journalist who covers Olympic sports for the Chicago Tribune and I have enjoyed reading his articles (mostly the figure skating ones) for years. I think he is candid and honest (and funny) and just generally tells it like it is. To be completely objective, I know some skating fans have accused him of playing favorites, but since Michelle Kwan is one of his favorites, that's never really bothered me all that much. :) Anyway, the point is that on Wednesday, Hersh attempted to get to the bottom of why speed skater Shani Davis called speed skating sponsor, Stephen Colbert a jerk. The comment seemed to come after Colbert's joke about the Canadian Olympic officials who stopped allowing non-Canadian athletes to train in Canadian venues for the months leading up to the Olympics in Vancouver. (See my post from Wednesday. Be sure to check out my comment at the bottom for the video.) Hersh opined that it goes back further to the 2006 Olympic controversy when Shani Davis requested not to skate in the team pursuit in Turino and it was suggested that he was unpatriotic for doing so. At that point, on his show, Colbert made some remarks a lot unfriendlier towards Davis than the more recent jokes. Click here to read Hersh's article and see the 2006 Colbert clip.
According to a poll, over 18 million Canadians will watch a collective 63 million hours per week of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Norway holds the record for most Winter Olympic medals with 280. That's 63 more than Russia and the United States, who both come in second. However, in 2006, Norway only collected 19 medals - and only two of those were gold - the lowest amount since 1988.
According to a poll, over 18 million Canadians will watch a collective 63 million hours per week of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Norway holds the record for most Winter Olympic medals with 280. That's 63 more than Russia and the United States, who both come in second. However, in 2006, Norway only collected 19 medals - and only two of those were gold - the lowest amount since 1988.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
64 Days
The 2010 Winter Games is bringing us lots of Olympic firsts from a technology and media perspective. For the first time in Olympic history, the Games will be broadcast live in HD in movie theatres throughout Canada. As is the case of most sporting events, watching competitions with a roomful of fellow fans definitely adds to the excitement and energy of the event and I think this is a great way to get more people involved in the Olympics and winter sports in general. Until they bring that to the States (or unless someone reading this blog wants to send me to Vancouver), a living room full of semi-fans (aka my friends who can't come up with better plans that day) in my apartment will have to do.
The next Olympic first: The Vancouver Olympic Committee has announced that they will be providing audience members of figure skating, curling and hockey games with in-venue headsets to hear live commentary throughout the events. There will also be some sort of texting mechanism for the audience to interact with the commentators. Similar headsets have been used before, like at the U.S Open and I am super excited about this. I really hope this carries over to future sporting events, particularly in skating. With the new judging system, it can sometimes be very hard to understand why skaters receive the scores they do and having the commentators' opinions (who have access to the judges' scores) would be incredibly helpful. The commentary will be provided in English and French. No word yet on how much these headsets will cost.
There will be 64 events at the 2010 Paralympic games and 64 gold medals will be awarded.
The upcoming Summer Olympics in 2012 in London will mark the first time in 64 years that the Olympics has returned to the U.K. The previous time was in London in 1948. London also hosted the 1908 Olympics and they were supposed to host the 1944 Summer Olympics, but that was canceled due to World War II.
The next Olympic first: The Vancouver Olympic Committee has announced that they will be providing audience members of figure skating, curling and hockey games with in-venue headsets to hear live commentary throughout the events. There will also be some sort of texting mechanism for the audience to interact with the commentators. Similar headsets have been used before, like at the U.S Open and I am super excited about this. I really hope this carries over to future sporting events, particularly in skating. With the new judging system, it can sometimes be very hard to understand why skaters receive the scores they do and having the commentators' opinions (who have access to the judges' scores) would be incredibly helpful. The commentary will be provided in English and French. No word yet on how much these headsets will cost.
There will be 64 events at the 2010 Paralympic games and 64 gold medals will be awarded.
The upcoming Summer Olympics in 2012 in London will mark the first time in 64 years that the Olympics has returned to the U.K. The previous time was in London in 1948. London also hosted the 1908 Olympics and they were supposed to host the 1944 Summer Olympics, but that was canceled due to World War II.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
65 Days
In my 93 Days post, I mentioned that Colbert and his fans stepped in to sponsor the U.S. Olympic speed skating team after their previous sponsor went bankrupt. So far, Colbert Nation has raised over $250,000. So you would think that the athletes benefiting from this money would be appreciative. Well, one seems not to be. Shani Davis, a long-track speed skater and 2010 Olympic medal front runner, called Colbert a "jerk" the other day in response to some of Colbert's speed skating jokes. Shani, he's a comedian, jokes are what he does. Probably not wise to bite the hand that feeds you. Just sayin'.
In 1984, ABC aired just 65 hours of coverage of the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia as opposed to the hundreds of hours NBC plans to air in February.
In Vancouver, ski cross will be the only sport to debut at the 2010 Olympics. Ski cross is a fast paced sport where 16 women and 32 men (in separate events) race 4 skiers at a time, down a rugged course with turns, bumps and jumps. The first two skiers in each heat to finish the course advance to the next round. Intentional contact is not allowed. The average speed for men is 65 mph. Ski Cross has been a part of the Winter X-Games for years, where it's can be even more exciting with 6 skiers racing at a time. One American to root for in Vancouver is Daron Rahlves. If you've followed the Olympics at all, you may remember Rahlves as a downhill and super G skier from the '98, '02 and '06 Winter Games. He's won countless events, but has never taken home an Olympic medal. He recently switched over to Ski Cross and is the 2008 X-Games Ski Cross Champion and may very well be in reach of that elusive gold.
In 1984, ABC aired just 65 hours of coverage of the Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia as opposed to the hundreds of hours NBC plans to air in February.
In Vancouver, ski cross will be the only sport to debut at the 2010 Olympics. Ski cross is a fast paced sport where 16 women and 32 men (in separate events) race 4 skiers at a time, down a rugged course with turns, bumps and jumps. The first two skiers in each heat to finish the course advance to the next round. Intentional contact is not allowed. The average speed for men is 65 mph. Ski Cross has been a part of the Winter X-Games for years, where it's can be even more exciting with 6 skiers racing at a time. One American to root for in Vancouver is Daron Rahlves. If you've followed the Olympics at all, you may remember Rahlves as a downhill and super G skier from the '98, '02 and '06 Winter Games. He's won countless events, but has never taken home an Olympic medal. He recently switched over to Ski Cross and is the 2008 X-Games Ski Cross Champion and may very well be in reach of that elusive gold.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
66 Days
I feel like ranting for a second. At Skate America, my sister came up with a new term for figure skating costumes: Olympic ready, as in, is this what you want to be wearing when you win and are on every front page of every newspaper? For instance, we think ladies front runner, Yu-Na Kim is very Olympic ready. And we would also assume that if Vera Wang is designing your costumes, you would automatically be Olympic ready, i.e. Nancy Kerrigan in 1994 and Michelle Kwan in 2002. Well somehow, Evan Lysacek seems to be managing just the opposite. This season he has had two costumes for his long program designed by Vera Wang, and both just don't seem Olympic ready at all. The first one was sheer in the front and back and the new one has snakes. (And the sleeves need to be shortened.) To steal a line from SNL, really? In my opinion, he is very quickly heading into giraffe-tuxedo land, a la Olympic Champion, Ilia Kulik in 1998. And also, why does Lysacek always wear black? You can visit the photo gallery on his website or just take my word for it - Lysacek has not added color to his repertoire since 2004. For crying out loud, just wear a color already. This is the Olympics, not a funeral! (Please be advised that this rant is only written out of love and concern for Evan. If I wasn't rooting for him to make it to the podium and thus the front page of newspapers everywhere, I wouldn't care if he wore a bathrobe. And I must admit, the giraffe costume grew on me... a little.)
66 countries are members of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), but only seven of those (Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and the United States) have finished in the top three at the IIHF World Championships. Those seven countries have also medaled at every men's ice hockey event in the Olympics since 1920 but six. (And five of those six medals were bronze.) Also, all nine Olympic medals in women's ice hockey have gone to one of those seven countries. (Women's ice hockey did not become an Olympic sport until 1998.)
There are also 66 countries who are members of the International Biathlon Union.
A law was passed in Beijing prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics banning smoking in the city's 66,000 taxis for both drivers and passengers. The law fined drivers $13 to $26 if caught smoking at the wheel.
66 countries are members of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), but only seven of those (Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and the United States) have finished in the top three at the IIHF World Championships. Those seven countries have also medaled at every men's ice hockey event in the Olympics since 1920 but six. (And five of those six medals were bronze.) Also, all nine Olympic medals in women's ice hockey have gone to one of those seven countries. (Women's ice hockey did not become an Olympic sport until 1998.)
There are also 66 countries who are members of the International Biathlon Union.
A law was passed in Beijing prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics banning smoking in the city's 66,000 taxis for both drivers and passengers. The law fined drivers $13 to $26 if caught smoking at the wheel.
Monday, December 7, 2009
67 Days
The U.S. snowboarding team unveiled their Olympic team uniforms. Not something I would ever wear on the slopes, but then again, I'm a skier. What do you snowboarders think?
http://snowboarding.transworld.net/files/2009/12/mensolympicuniform.jpg
Even though GM company declared bankruptcy back in June, they have still committed $67 million to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and while most of that is in the form of in-kind contributions such as cars, it also includes $14 million in cash.
Canadian Jeremy Wotherspoon is the 500m world record holder, an Olympic silver medallist and his 67 World Cup wins are an all-time record for male speed skaters. The 2010 Olympics in his home country will be his fourth.
http://snowboarding.transworld.net/files/2009/12/mensolympicuniform.jpg
Even though GM company declared bankruptcy back in June, they have still committed $67 million to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and while most of that is in the form of in-kind contributions such as cars, it also includes $14 million in cash.
Canadian Jeremy Wotherspoon is the 500m world record holder, an Olympic silver medallist and his 67 World Cup wins are an all-time record for male speed skaters. The 2010 Olympics in his home country will be his fourth.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
68 Days
Celebrations all around for US Biathlon and Tim Burke. It was a week of firsts for Burke when he became the first American to win a medal in a World Cup Sprint competition by placing second and the first to medal in biathlon twice in one week. In the sprint, he went 10 for 10 in shooting and on a personal note, he made an excellent shooting instructor for my friend Miriam L. and me at the U.S. Olympic Committee's Countdown to Vancouver event in Rockefeller Center, NY a few weeks ago. Lots of luck to Tim in the Olympics!
For 68 years, after the Olympic flame was lit at the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics, a group of doves would be released to symbolize peace. The tradition began at the 1920 Summer Olympics. It ended after the 1988 Summer Olympics when several doves were burned alive in the Olympic Flame. Not so peaceful.
According to the Sports Business Journal, the U.S. Olympic Committee approved 68 newspapers to cover the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which is almost half as many as the 134 newspapers that covered the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The U.S.O.C. had issued 481 individual passes, but 135 were returned. Furthermore, television ad sales are down from the usual amount for the Olympics. Both of these down trends seem to indicate lack of interest in the Olympics, and in winter sports in general. Some suggest that the upcoming Olympics is lacking in marketable athletes. Others suggest that it's all just due to the bad economy.
For 68 years, after the Olympic flame was lit at the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics, a group of doves would be released to symbolize peace. The tradition began at the 1920 Summer Olympics. It ended after the 1988 Summer Olympics when several doves were burned alive in the Olympic Flame. Not so peaceful.
According to the Sports Business Journal, the U.S. Olympic Committee approved 68 newspapers to cover the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which is almost half as many as the 134 newspapers that covered the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. The U.S.O.C. had issued 481 individual passes, but 135 were returned. Furthermore, television ad sales are down from the usual amount for the Olympics. Both of these down trends seem to indicate lack of interest in the Olympics, and in winter sports in general. Some suggest that the upcoming Olympics is lacking in marketable athletes. Others suggest that it's all just due to the bad economy.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
69 Days
At the 1932 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, only 24 members of Brazil's Olympic team out of 69 were able to compete. Brazil was so poor due to the Great Depression that the only way they could get the team to Los Angeles was to send them on a barge with 25 tons of coffee to sell to ports on the way. At the time, there was a $1 head tax per person to enter the U.S. and a $2 athlete entry fee for the Olympics. The hope was that the profits from selling the coffee at ports along the way would be enough for all 69 athletes. Unfortunately, they were able to sell only $24 worth of coffee by the time they reached L.A. The Brazilian Olympic team then pleaded their case to the Brazilian consulate in San Francisco, which sent a check written out for the equivalent of 45 American dollars. Yet again, the athletes were hit with bad luck, and in the time it took for the check to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles, Brazil's currency devalued and the check was worth only $17 when it arrived. What's more, the check then bounced. Here's hoping that Brazil will be able to make up for that fiasco when the Summer Olympics come to Rio in 2016.
When softball and baseball were dropped from the 2012 Olympics in 2005, they became the first sports in 69 years (counting back from 2008 - the last time it would be played) to be dropped from the Olympics. Before that, Polo was cut after the 1939 Olympics. More recently, softball and baseball were also voted out of the 2016 Games in Rio.
When softball and baseball were dropped from the 2012 Olympics in 2005, they became the first sports in 69 years (counting back from 2008 - the last time it would be played) to be dropped from the Olympics. Before that, Polo was cut after the 1939 Olympics. More recently, softball and baseball were also voted out of the 2016 Games in Rio.
Friday, December 4, 2009
70 Days
Jim Thorpe to some is considered the best all-around American athlete, having excelled in football, basketball and baseball as well as in various track and field events. He won two gold medals in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, in the Pentathlon and Decathlon. However, in 1913, the I.O.C. discovered that Thorpe had played professional baseball prior to the Olympics, and stripped him of his medals. At that time, the I.O.C. were very serious about allowing only amateur athletes to participate in the Olympics. In a ceremony in 1983, 70 years after Thorpe was stripped of his gold medals, (and thirty years after his death,) the I.O.C. declared Jim Thorpe co-champion with the athletes who had originally placed second to him. They awarded two of Thorpe's children with commemorative medals, since his original ones had been stolen from a museum.
In 2006, the Vancouver Olympic Committee sent 70 of their employees to the Winter Olympics in Turino to shadow their Italian counterparts in order to prepare for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
In 2006, the Vancouver Olympic Committee sent 70 of their employees to the Winter Olympics in Turino to shadow their Italian counterparts in order to prepare for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
71 Days
Move over all you baseball and football fantasy league players, there's a new fantasy sport in town. Figure Skating! US Figure Skating has a fantasy skating league on their website, but SkateBuzz.com, part of Skate Canada, seems to have one-upped them, by offering prizes such as cookware and skin care products -- they know their (female) audience. And get this, the pot they're giving away has a skating image on it! The rules are similar to that of other fantasy leagues. Choose the winners of each event beforehand, and get points for how accurate the choices are. Skate Canada (Canada's governing skating body) in particular has been trying to close the gap in the way the general public feels about skating vs. other sports. I guess a fantasy challenge is a step in the right direction.
Seventy-one of Finland's 151 medals have come in cross-country skiing. That's almost 50%, from one sport!
A year before the Olympics, 71 Canadian athletes signed a petition asking VANOC to make the 2010 Olympics carbon neutral. 25 Olympic sponsors are currently helping make this a reality.
71 million U.S. postal stamps were created to commemorate the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Seventy-one of Finland's 151 medals have come in cross-country skiing. That's almost 50%, from one sport!
A year before the Olympics, 71 Canadian athletes signed a petition asking VANOC to make the 2010 Olympics carbon neutral. 25 Olympic sponsors are currently helping make this a reality.
71 million U.S. postal stamps were created to commemorate the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
72 Days
The 2014 Olympic Committee has unveiled the logo for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics to be held in Russia (in about 4 years and 72 days). While the logo definitely won't be awarded a wooden spoon anytime soon (see 83 Days), it is being criticized by some for being plain and boring. It is also the first Olympic logo to include it's website, which I think fits the twenty-first century perfectly. I'm just curious as to why they decided on a blue and white theme, as opposed to the usual Russian colors of red and white.
In other Sochi news, International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge announced that he fully trusts Russian authorities to provide proper security for the Olympics following a deadly bomb explosion in Russia this past weekend. Rogge was in Russia to help unveil the new logo for the Sochi Olympics. With four years to go, I don't think we should be worrying about security at the Sochi Olympics just yet. The 2002 Salt Lake City Games came just months after 9-11, and there were no major security concerns at all.
The Olympics has seen a major increase in doping tests over the last few years. There was a 72% increase from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy where about 1200 drug tests were administered. The number of drug tests given is expected to double at the upcoming Winter Games in Vancouver to about 2500. The World Anti-Doping Agency has also announced that the drug tests themselves are getting better and more accurate. Results of thorough drug tests should be ready within 72 hours of taking them. (That's two 72 stats in one topic!)
Aside from the current medical facilities already in place at Whistler Mountain, home of the ski and snowboard events for the 2010 Olympics, there will be a temporary trailer set up filled with 72 hours worth of surgical supplies as well. Given the fact that a medal-hopeful is already out of the Olympics due to injury(Canadian John Kucera broke his leg a couple of days ago in a World Cup event, and underwent surgery), I'd say that's a good idea.
In other Sochi news, International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge announced that he fully trusts Russian authorities to provide proper security for the Olympics following a deadly bomb explosion in Russia this past weekend. Rogge was in Russia to help unveil the new logo for the Sochi Olympics. With four years to go, I don't think we should be worrying about security at the Sochi Olympics just yet. The 2002 Salt Lake City Games came just months after 9-11, and there were no major security concerns at all.
The Olympics has seen a major increase in doping tests over the last few years. There was a 72% increase from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City to the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy where about 1200 drug tests were administered. The number of drug tests given is expected to double at the upcoming Winter Games in Vancouver to about 2500. The World Anti-Doping Agency has also announced that the drug tests themselves are getting better and more accurate. Results of thorough drug tests should be ready within 72 hours of taking them. (That's two 72 stats in one topic!)
Aside from the current medical facilities already in place at Whistler Mountain, home of the ski and snowboard events for the 2010 Olympics, there will be a temporary trailer set up filled with 72 hours worth of surgical supplies as well. Given the fact that a medal-hopeful is already out of the Olympics due to injury(Canadian John Kucera broke his leg a couple of days ago in a World Cup event, and underwent surgery), I'd say that's a good idea.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
73 Days
I know that all of you, my wonderful readers, come to this countdown every day for one reason... Curling! Right? Ok, so curling is not the most popular Winter Olympic sport. But that doesn't mean we should ignore it and pretend it doesn't exist (even though I'm pretty sure that's what NBC does by airing it on NBC affiliates rather than their main channel). A few months ago, some friends and I tried curling on the wii and we pretty much had no idea what we were doing (who ever takes the time to read the instructions on those games). It also ended with some angry neighbors and the police being called, but that's another story for another blog. So, let's take some time to learn the rules of curling so that maybe 73 days from now, we might find that it's actually a fun and interesting sport to watch. (Or not, who am I kidding?)
Now, as we know from yesterday, Curling was originally a part of the Winter Olympics as a demonstration sport, but later became an actual sport in 1998. Curling is played by two teams at a time, with four players on each team. Teams take turns sliding granite stones down a rectangular sheet of ice, using brooms to help bring the stone to rest at the other end of the sheet, in a red circle called the house. After each team throws 8 stones, the team with the stone closest to the center of the house gets a point for each of their stones that's closer to the center than their opponents closest stone. The highest score a team can get is 8 points, and that is considered very difficult. There are 10 ends in each game (similar to an inning). To make this entry pertinent to today, each team has 73 minutes to play their stones over 10 ends.
Meaning no disrespect to Curling fans, researching the rules of Curling for this blog has made me less of a fan than ever, if that's even possible. Sorry. But here's the 50 page rule book for anyone who's still interested.
To end on a not necessarily better, but different, note, the estimated cost for building the Olympic Athlete's Village in Vancouver is $73 million.
Now, as we know from yesterday, Curling was originally a part of the Winter Olympics as a demonstration sport, but later became an actual sport in 1998. Curling is played by two teams at a time, with four players on each team. Teams take turns sliding granite stones down a rectangular sheet of ice, using brooms to help bring the stone to rest at the other end of the sheet, in a red circle called the house. After each team throws 8 stones, the team with the stone closest to the center of the house gets a point for each of their stones that's closer to the center than their opponents closest stone. The highest score a team can get is 8 points, and that is considered very difficult. There are 10 ends in each game (similar to an inning). To make this entry pertinent to today, each team has 73 minutes to play their stones over 10 ends.
Meaning no disrespect to Curling fans, researching the rules of Curling for this blog has made me less of a fan than ever, if that's even possible. Sorry. But here's the 50 page rule book for anyone who's still interested.
To end on a not necessarily better, but different, note, the estimated cost for building the Olympic Athlete's Village in Vancouver is $73 million.
Monday, November 30, 2009
74 Days
Engineers at the University at Calgary have invented a tracking mechanism for the Canadian ski team that uses GPS to help correct any mistakes the skiers make as they race down a course. A sensor placed on the skier can track speed and position, with results that can then be read on a monitor. Since ski races can be won or lost by such small increments of time, any slight correction can make a huge difference. The 2010 Canadian ski team is hoping this helps come the Olympics in February. This certainly seems to give the Canadians an edge and it'll be interesting to see how the International Olympic Committee reacts to new technology like this.
There was a 74 year gap from the time Curling was first included in the Winter Olympics in 1924 until it was played again, this time as an official sport in 1998, in Nagano, Japan. In 1924, curling was played as a demonstration sport, but in 2006, the I.O.C. retroactively made the 1924 competition an official event and awarded medals to the winning countries.
A total of 74 men and 74 women will compete in the figure skating events at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. There are 30 spots available in both the mens and ladies fields, 20 spots for pairs and 24 spots in the ice dance event. Each country is given 1 to 3 spots based on how their athletes performed at the previous World Championships, and then the remainder of spots are up for grabs in other Olympic qualifiers. Each country determines which skaters to send based on their National Championships and how well their athletes have performed over the season.
There was a 74 year gap from the time Curling was first included in the Winter Olympics in 1924 until it was played again, this time as an official sport in 1998, in Nagano, Japan. In 1924, curling was played as a demonstration sport, but in 2006, the I.O.C. retroactively made the 1924 competition an official event and awarded medals to the winning countries.
A total of 74 men and 74 women will compete in the figure skating events at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. There are 30 spots available in both the mens and ladies fields, 20 spots for pairs and 24 spots in the ice dance event. Each country is given 1 to 3 spots based on how their athletes performed at the previous World Championships, and then the remainder of spots are up for grabs in other Olympic qualifiers. Each country determines which skaters to send based on their National Championships and how well their athletes have performed over the season.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
75 Days
Someone on ebay is selling two Vancouver Olympic pins for $50 each. While most pins on the Vancouver Olympic website are worth $8, these are apparently worth more because they display the Taiwan national flag. Because of politics between China and Taiwan, the International Olympic Committee has ruled that Taiwan may not compete in the Olympics as its own entity. China, who doesn't recognize Taiwan as a state, has compromised and allowed the Taiwanese people to compete as Chinese Taipei, under a different flag. The pins created with the flag of Taiwan were recalled, thus (according to the seller) increasing in worth.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-2010-Vancouver-Winter-Olympics-Pin-MISTAKE-Taiwan_W0QQitemZ220513021324QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_SM_Fan_Shop?hash=item335799ad8c
Figure Skater, Evgeni Plushenko of Russia is a favorite to win gold in the men's event in Vancouver. Before the International Skating Union changed the scoring system, he had racked up 75 perfect 6.0 marks. He is also the youngest man to ever receive a 6.0, which he won at sixteen.
The U.S. Speedskating team has won 75 Olympic medals, making it the most successful winter sport in the U.S. Hopefully that number will only grow in February.
The maximum number of gates in a men's Olympic slalom race is 75 gates.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Rare-2010-Vancouver-Winter-Olympics-Pin-MISTAKE-Taiwan_W0QQitemZ220513021324QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_SM_Fan_Shop?hash=item335799ad8c
Figure Skater, Evgeni Plushenko of Russia is a favorite to win gold in the men's event in Vancouver. Before the International Skating Union changed the scoring system, he had racked up 75 perfect 6.0 marks. He is also the youngest man to ever receive a 6.0, which he won at sixteen.
The U.S. Speedskating team has won 75 Olympic medals, making it the most successful winter sport in the U.S. Hopefully that number will only grow in February.
The maximum number of gates in a men's Olympic slalom race is 75 gates.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
76 Days
Want to raise money for the Special Olympics? Then be a part of Colorado's "Freezin' for a Reason" fundraiser on Dec. 5. All you have to do is plunge yourself into the frigid waters of the Chatfield Reservoir in Colorado. The event will raise money to provide facilities, equipment and coaches for Special Olympians in the Colorado area. Sounds like a plan. http://www.specialolympicsco.org/
$76 million was spent to house over 5000 security personnel for the 2010 Winter Olympics on 3 cruise ships from Holland America and Carnival which will be docked in Vancouver over the course of the Games.
Again, I'm cheating a bit, but give me a break, it's Thanksgiving weekend. Jack Poole, the Canadian responsible for bringing the 2010 Olympics to Vancouver, died in October, at the age of 76. As the chairman for the Vancouver Olympic Committee, Poole oversaw their winning bid for the Olympics. Canadians consider him the father of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
$76 million was spent to house over 5000 security personnel for the 2010 Winter Olympics on 3 cruise ships from Holland America and Carnival which will be docked in Vancouver over the course of the Games.
Again, I'm cheating a bit, but give me a break, it's Thanksgiving weekend. Jack Poole, the Canadian responsible for bringing the 2010 Olympics to Vancouver, died in October, at the age of 76. As the chairman for the Vancouver Olympic Committee, Poole oversaw their winning bid for the Olympics. Canadians consider him the father of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Friday, November 27, 2009
77 Days
Yesterday's post had sort of a negative vibe, what with (potential) Olympians not displaying the behavior that is supposed to go along with the spirit of the Olympics. So today, I want to get this countdown back on track, by highlighting an athlete whose actions do accurately portray that of the ideal Olympian. The first athlete who comes to mind is Olympic champion, speed-skater Joey Cheek. Cheek is a three time Olympic medalist from Greensboro, N.C. (Shout-out to Greensboro!) At the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy, the U.S. Olympic Committee decided to award money to any American athlete who won a medal. Cheek medaled in two events and donated his $25,000 gold medal bonus and his $15,000 silver medal bonus to charity and urged other athletes to do the same. He was thus elected by the entire U.S. Olympic team to carry the American flag for the closing ceremonies. Since then, Joey Cheek has gone on to do a lot of charity work with regard to the war in Darfur. There, I feel better now.
The Vancouver airport is expecting March 1, the day after the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, to be their busiest day ever. Over 77,000 pieces of luggage are estimated to depart the airport that day (as well as 39,000 people). Air Canada has also added extra domestic flights throughout the Olympics. Who wants to pick the over/under number for percentage of suitcases that get lost?
http://www.justtheflight.co.uk/news/19466351-vancouver-airport-preparing-for-busiest-ever-day.html
$77 million worth of tickets to the 2010 Winter Games were sold in the first phase of ticket sales, from Nov. '08 through Jan '09. That's over a year before the Olympics are even set to take place.
YouTube bought the rights to stream highlights of the 2008 Summer Olympics to 77 territories where digital rights had not been sold, primarily in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The clips were blocked to everyone outside the 77 territories. This reflected the first time the Olympics could be viewed globally.
The Vancouver airport is expecting March 1, the day after the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics, to be their busiest day ever. Over 77,000 pieces of luggage are estimated to depart the airport that day (as well as 39,000 people). Air Canada has also added extra domestic flights throughout the Olympics. Who wants to pick the over/under number for percentage of suitcases that get lost?
http://www.justtheflight.co.uk/news/19466351-vancouver-airport-preparing-for-busiest-ever-day.html
$77 million worth of tickets to the 2010 Winter Games were sold in the first phase of ticket sales, from Nov. '08 through Jan '09. That's over a year before the Olympics are even set to take place.
YouTube bought the rights to stream highlights of the 2008 Summer Olympics to 77 territories where digital rights had not been sold, primarily in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The clips were blocked to everyone outside the 77 territories. This reflected the first time the Olympics could be viewed globally.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
78 Days
The Olympics is supposed to bring out the best in athletes around the world and inspire the human race to be better people. Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the IOC, said, "The important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle, the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." Which is why it's unfortunate when athletes cannot live up to that standard. As I mentioned in 86 Days, Russian figure skater, Andrei Lutai was arrested for allegedly stealing a car and drunk driving in Lake Placid, NY after competing at Skate America. Lutai was held in jail for several days. He then pleaded not guilty and was released to return to Russia. The Russian Figure Skating Federation just released a statement announcing that they have banned Lutai from the Russian national team for a year "for violating ethical norms of an athlete" which means he has lost his chance to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. On the same topic, nine-time Olympic speed skating medalist, Claudia Pechstein has been banned from the 2010 Winter Olympics after returning blood samples with "abnormal levels" at the World Championships last year. The German Pechstein has won 5 Olympic gold medals in the past 4 Winter Olympics, and is Germany's most successful Winter Olympian.
I know I don't usually use years for my stats on the countdown, but I thought this was interesting. In 1978, the regulations for the Olympic medals were created. While each Olympic organizing committee can design their own medals, there are certain requirements which must be followed. Medals must be a minimum of 60 millimeters in diameter and three millimeters thick. Gold and silver medals must be at least 92.5% pure silver, and the gold medal must be gilded with at least six grams of gold. The name of the sport must be etched in each medal and must be attached to a ribbon or chain, to be hung around the medalists' necks. Here's an image of a gold medal to be awarded at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
At the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games, only 25 of the 78 nations that competed were awarded medals.
I know I don't usually use years for my stats on the countdown, but I thought this was interesting. In 1978, the regulations for the Olympic medals were created. While each Olympic organizing committee can design their own medals, there are certain requirements which must be followed. Medals must be a minimum of 60 millimeters in diameter and three millimeters thick. Gold and silver medals must be at least 92.5% pure silver, and the gold medal must be gilded with at least six grams of gold. The name of the sport must be etched in each medal and must be attached to a ribbon or chain, to be hung around the medalists' necks. Here's an image of a gold medal to be awarded at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
At the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games, only 25 of the 78 nations that competed were awarded medals.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
79 Days
Who doesn't love a good Olympics-related movie. The heart-warming ones, inspired by true stories like Chariots of Fire, Miracle and Cool Runnings. The utterly ridiculous, like Blades of Glory. And of course my favorite, The Cutting Edge. (I'm still waiting for a real pairs team to attempt the Pamchenko Twist.) Well there's a new one coming out to add to your collection, about British ski jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards who came in last in both of his ski jumping events at the 1988 Winter Olympics. Set to play Edwards is Harry Potter star, Rupert Grint. What's your favorite Olympics movie?
Ever wonder who decided to revive the ancient Olympic Games and turn it into the modern Olympics that we know today? In the 1880's, a Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin began to promote the idea of sports as a way to maintain health and bring unity and peace to the world. In 1894, de Coubertin gathered 79 delegates from 12 countries to attend an international congress with the purpose of reestablishing the Olympics. The 79 delegates gave de Coubertin the permission to form the International Olympic Committee and get things started again. Two years later the first modern Summer Olympic Games took place in Athens in 1896.
Whistler Mountain, the location of the ski and snowboard events for the 2010 Winter Olympics, lies 79 miles north of Vancouver, the home of all the indoor events.
Fourteen-time Olympic Gold Medalist in swimming, Michael Phelps, has a wingspan of 79 inches. That's equal to about six feet, five inches. Former NBA star Charles Barkley is 6'5. So from finger-tip to finger-tip, Michael Phelps can reach from Barkley's head to his feet. That's nuts.
**UPDATE: Apparently, I can't do math. 79 inches is actually 6 feet, 7 inches (as was so lovingly pointed out to me) which makes Phelps' wingspan longer than his actual height; he's 6'4.
HFDUFYFZCF2X
Ever wonder who decided to revive the ancient Olympic Games and turn it into the modern Olympics that we know today? In the 1880's, a Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin began to promote the idea of sports as a way to maintain health and bring unity and peace to the world. In 1894, de Coubertin gathered 79 delegates from 12 countries to attend an international congress with the purpose of reestablishing the Olympics. The 79 delegates gave de Coubertin the permission to form the International Olympic Committee and get things started again. Two years later the first modern Summer Olympic Games took place in Athens in 1896.
Whistler Mountain, the location of the ski and snowboard events for the 2010 Winter Olympics, lies 79 miles north of Vancouver, the home of all the indoor events.
Fourteen-time Olympic Gold Medalist in swimming, Michael Phelps, has a wingspan of 79 inches. That's equal to about six feet, five inches. Former NBA star Charles Barkley is 6'5. So from finger-tip to finger-tip, Michael Phelps can reach from Barkley's head to his feet. That's nuts.
**UPDATE: Apparently, I can't do math. 79 inches is actually 6 feet, 7 inches (as was so lovingly pointed out to me) which makes Phelps' wingspan longer than his actual height; he's 6'4.
HFDUFYFZCF2X
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
80 Days
Here's the lesson of the day: When you need answers, go to the experts. Yesterday, I wondered where the term "eighty-one" came from in reference to a crash in bobsled and luge. Enter our experts, the folks at the Olympic Sports Complex in Lake Placid, NY and 1998 Olympic Silver medalist in Luge, Gordy Sheer. While it still seems like no one is quite sure where it came from, there are a couple of ideas.
Sheer thought the term came from motor racing, where in the event of a crash, "eighty-one" would be called in order to notify those who needed to know, without causing panic and chaos for the fans in attendance.
Olympic Sports Complex Marketing Manager, Rebecca Dayton, added that she heard that it originates from the old law enforcement codes, i.e. 10-4 (OK), 10-20 (location) and 10-81 (crash).
Thanks so much guys!
U.S. Figure Skating just announced its nominees for the 2010 US Figure Skating Hall of Fame. One of the nominees is 2002 Olympic Gold Medalist, Sarah Hughes. I totally understand that an Olympic Champ should be inducted into a hall of fame, but it just seems a little early to me. Granted, she's done with Olympic-level skating, but she won only eight years ago! (And don't get me started on the fact that she never won anything else, although even I understand that it's irrelevant once you've won the Olympics.) For crying out loud, she's twenty-four years old! Doesn't that seem a bit young to be entered into a hall of fame? Shouldn't you have to be like ninety or something? (On a scale from 1 to 10, how bitter do I sound?) I know others before her, such as Tara Lipinski, were inducted at young ages as well. It just seems to me that being entered into any Hall of Fame should be more like a lifetime achievement award - something that occurs once you've proven many years of dedication in your field.
Anyone heading to Vancouver for the Olympics better know someone there since 80% of Vancouver hotels are already booked by the Vancouver Olympic Committee, leaving few places to stay for tourists and spectators. And much of the remaining 20% is being reserved for preferred guests and tour operators.
http://www.goldencityrentals.com/node/97
Eighty people are part of Whistler Mountain's snow-making team this year, in order to prepare the mountain for the Olympic skiing events. That's double the number from last year.
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=17254.html?cid=rsstsn
Sheer thought the term came from motor racing, where in the event of a crash, "eighty-one" would be called in order to notify those who needed to know, without causing panic and chaos for the fans in attendance.
Olympic Sports Complex Marketing Manager, Rebecca Dayton, added that she heard that it originates from the old law enforcement codes, i.e. 10-4 (OK), 10-20 (location) and 10-81 (crash).
Thanks so much guys!
U.S. Figure Skating just announced its nominees for the 2010 US Figure Skating Hall of Fame. One of the nominees is 2002 Olympic Gold Medalist, Sarah Hughes. I totally understand that an Olympic Champ should be inducted into a hall of fame, but it just seems a little early to me. Granted, she's done with Olympic-level skating, but she won only eight years ago! (And don't get me started on the fact that she never won anything else, although even I understand that it's irrelevant once you've won the Olympics.) For crying out loud, she's twenty-four years old! Doesn't that seem a bit young to be entered into a hall of fame? Shouldn't you have to be like ninety or something? (On a scale from 1 to 10, how bitter do I sound?) I know others before her, such as Tara Lipinski, were inducted at young ages as well. It just seems to me that being entered into any Hall of Fame should be more like a lifetime achievement award - something that occurs once you've proven many years of dedication in your field.
Anyone heading to Vancouver for the Olympics better know someone there since 80% of Vancouver hotels are already booked by the Vancouver Olympic Committee, leaving few places to stay for tourists and spectators. And much of the remaining 20% is being reserved for preferred guests and tour operators.
http://www.goldencityrentals.com/node/97
Eighty people are part of Whistler Mountain's snow-making team this year, in order to prepare the mountain for the Olympic skiing events. That's double the number from last year.
http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=17254.html?cid=rsstsn
Monday, November 23, 2009
81 Days
I watched 5 1/2 hours of figure skating yesterday (amongst other activities like getting a black and blue ankle from horseback riding) so that I could bring you, my loyal readers, everything you deserve in a blog post.
When I was in Lake Placid last week, one of the things I was really hoping to do was take a bobsled ride down the famous course at the Olympic Sports Complex. Unfortunately, the course was closed in order to prepare for a World Cup bobsled event that took place over the last couple of days. Happily, Team USA came in 1st and 2nd in the 4-man bobsled event, which makes me feel a bit better about missing out on that opportunity. A bit. (Although I'm really not sure why Stephen Colbert got to take a bobsled ride when I couldn't. What, just because someone is famous and single-handedly sponsoring the entire U.S. speed skating team (see 93 Days), they get V.I.P. treatment? What's that all about?)
Well the people at Lost may not be intimidated by the Winter Olympics (see 84 Days) but the folks at the Academy Awards certainly are. Rather than air in late February as they have since 2004, the Oscars will air on March 7, 2010 so as not to coincide with the Olympics Games.
In Bobsled and Luge, the term "eighty-one" is used to signify a crash. It most likely originated at the Lake Placid, NY course, but people aren't sure why. I intend to get to the bottom of this! (Two points to anyone who can help.)
Only 81 countries participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia (former Soviet Union). That was the lowest number of competing countries in a Summer Olympics Games since 1956. 60 countries, including the U.S., boycotted the Games in protest of the former Soviet Union's war on Afghanistan. Many of the boycotting nations competed in the Olympic Boycott Games in Philadelphia, PA. instead.
When I was in Lake Placid last week, one of the things I was really hoping to do was take a bobsled ride down the famous course at the Olympic Sports Complex. Unfortunately, the course was closed in order to prepare for a World Cup bobsled event that took place over the last couple of days. Happily, Team USA came in 1st and 2nd in the 4-man bobsled event, which makes me feel a bit better about missing out on that opportunity. A bit. (Although I'm really not sure why Stephen Colbert got to take a bobsled ride when I couldn't. What, just because someone is famous and single-handedly sponsoring the entire U.S. speed skating team (see 93 Days), they get V.I.P. treatment? What's that all about?)
Well the people at Lost may not be intimidated by the Winter Olympics (see 84 Days) but the folks at the Academy Awards certainly are. Rather than air in late February as they have since 2004, the Oscars will air on March 7, 2010 so as not to coincide with the Olympics Games.
In Bobsled and Luge, the term "eighty-one" is used to signify a crash. It most likely originated at the Lake Placid, NY course, but people aren't sure why. I intend to get to the bottom of this! (Two points to anyone who can help.)
Only 81 countries participated in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia (former Soviet Union). That was the lowest number of competing countries in a Summer Olympics Games since 1956. 60 countries, including the U.S., boycotted the Games in protest of the former Soviet Union's war on Afghanistan. Many of the boycotting nations competed in the Olympic Boycott Games in Philadelphia, PA. instead.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
82 Days
No news today. This weekend is Skate Canada, a skating competition which I've dvr-ed and haven't watched yet. I'm pretty adamant about not finding out what happens in a skating event before I watch it. And searching for Olympic news whilst avoiding the most popular Olympic sport is kinda hard.
In a European Olympic qualifying game in Women's hockey last year, Slovakia beat Bulgaria 82-0. Now, I'm no expert in hockey, but don't games usually get like a max of 5 goals or something? 82? Not only 82, but 82 to ZERO. I'm not sure if this is a really good sign for Slovakia in the 2010 Winter Olympics, or just a really bad sign for Bulgaria, but it set a record in an International Ice Hockey Federation-sanctioned event. The Slovakian team average one goal every 44 seconds.
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3577150
Top speed achieved in the skeleton event is 82 mph. The skeleton event is sort of like the luge, only instead of going down the track feet first, you go down the track head first. Skeleton was first introduced in the Winter Olympics in 1928 and returned in 1948, then took a hiatus until 2002 and 2006. 2010 will be its fifth Olympics.
The Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Center, which will be the home of the curling and paralympic wheelchair curling events cost $82 million to build. And I'm sure everyone will be happy to know that the building is eco-friendly, using rain water to flush toilets.
http://www.krolltravel.com/TravelNews/tn2008110362.html
In a European Olympic qualifying game in Women's hockey last year, Slovakia beat Bulgaria 82-0. Now, I'm no expert in hockey, but don't games usually get like a max of 5 goals or something? 82? Not only 82, but 82 to ZERO. I'm not sure if this is a really good sign for Slovakia in the 2010 Winter Olympics, or just a really bad sign for Bulgaria, but it set a record in an International Ice Hockey Federation-sanctioned event. The Slovakian team average one goal every 44 seconds.
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3577150
Top speed achieved in the skeleton event is 82 mph. The skeleton event is sort of like the luge, only instead of going down the track feet first, you go down the track head first. Skeleton was first introduced in the Winter Olympics in 1928 and returned in 1948, then took a hiatus until 2002 and 2006. 2010 will be its fifth Olympics.
The Vancouver Olympic/Paralympic Center, which will be the home of the curling and paralympic wheelchair curling events cost $82 million to build. And I'm sure everyone will be happy to know that the building is eco-friendly, using rain water to flush toilets.
http://www.krolltravel.com/TravelNews/tn2008110362.html
Saturday, November 21, 2009
83 Days
Whistler Mountain, home of the ski and snowboard events for the 2010 Winter Olympics is celebrating early with record-breaking snow fall for the month of November (with a few days left). Hopefully this is a good sign for conditions in February.
83 countries have competed in archery at the Olympics since it debuted in the Summer Olympics in 1900.
http://www.ticketluck.com/sports-tickets/Olympics-Archery/index.php
When the London Olympic Committee unveiled their new logo for the 2012 Summer Olympics, the BBC created a poll, asking readers to rate the logo by giving it a gold, silver or bronze medal, or a wooden spoon. 83% of those polled gave it a wooden spoon. Here's a link of the logo.
83 countries have competed in archery at the Olympics since it debuted in the Summer Olympics in 1900.
http://www.ticketluck.com/sports-tickets/Olympics-Archery/index.php
When the London Olympic Committee unveiled their new logo for the 2012 Summer Olympics, the BBC created a poll, asking readers to rate the logo by giving it a gold, silver or bronze medal, or a wooden spoon. 83% of those polled gave it a wooden spoon. Here's a link of the logo.
Friday, November 20, 2009
84 Days
Today, Nov 20th, commemorates the 14th anniversary of the sudden death of Sergei Grinkov. With his partner on and off the ice, Ekaterina Gordeeva, he won two Olympic gold medals in 1988 and 1994 in pairs skating. Together, they are considered one of the best pairs team in the history of the sport. I'm prepared to say the greatest (although my dad definitely gives that title to the legendary Protopopovs). Gordeeva and Grinkov were in Lake Placid, NY practicing for an upcoming Stars on Ice event in 1995, when he suffered a heart attack on the ice and passed away. Truly a great loss.
There were lots of rumors going around over the t.v. schedule for the last season of ABC's Lost this coming winter. Many television networks do not normally air new programming during the Olympics. But ABC has announced that new episodes of Lost will air during the entire month of February, which means they will compete for viewers against the 2010 Winter Olympics on NBC. All I have to say is, thank God for tivo.
84 American NHL hockey players were in the running for the 23 man US Olympic hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=432241
In a survey taken by international sports experts in 2007, the question arose as to whether the International Olympic Committee should institute a continental rotation for the location of the Olympics, similar to FIFA's rotation for the World Cup. 84% of those who took the survey were against the idea of a continental rotation. However, 75% did feel that the Olympics should come to Africa in the next few years.
http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/other_news/1170437337.html?print
Shameless plug to follow my Olympic countdown on twitter: http://twitter.com/countdowntovanc
There were lots of rumors going around over the t.v. schedule for the last season of ABC's Lost this coming winter. Many television networks do not normally air new programming during the Olympics. But ABC has announced that new episodes of Lost will air during the entire month of February, which means they will compete for viewers against the 2010 Winter Olympics on NBC. All I have to say is, thank God for tivo.
84 American NHL hockey players were in the running for the 23 man US Olympic hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=432241
In a survey taken by international sports experts in 2007, the question arose as to whether the International Olympic Committee should institute a continental rotation for the location of the Olympics, similar to FIFA's rotation for the World Cup. 84% of those who took the survey were against the idea of a continental rotation. However, 75% did feel that the Olympics should come to Africa in the next few years.
http://www.gamesbids.com/eng/other_news/1170437337.html?print
Shameless plug to follow my Olympic countdown on twitter: http://twitter.com/countdowntovanc
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Still 85 Days
Today gets another post because Michelle Kwan is the Queen of everything so she gets her own post.
Royal Caribbean has named two-time Winter Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan one of the seven godmothers of their newest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas. Kwan is the most decorated U.S. figure skater in history. She won the silver medal in 1998 in Nagano, Japan and the bronze medal in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is also a five-time World champion and nine-time National champion. (There are some facts I totally didn't have to google.) The other godmothers are Gloria Estefan, Jane Seymore, Dara Torres, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Shawn Johnson and Daisy Fuentes.
Anyone want to get me into the inaugural event in Ft. Lauderdale on Nov 30? All you have to do is buy me a $500 ticket...
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=141076&cat=1
Royal Caribbean has named two-time Winter Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan one of the seven godmothers of their newest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas. Kwan is the most decorated U.S. figure skater in history. She won the silver medal in 1998 in Nagano, Japan and the bronze medal in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is also a five-time World champion and nine-time National champion. (There are some facts I totally didn't have to google.) The other godmothers are Gloria Estefan, Jane Seymore, Dara Torres, Keisha Knight Pulliam, Shawn Johnson and Daisy Fuentes.
Anyone want to get me into the inaugural event in Ft. Lauderdale on Nov 30? All you have to do is buy me a $500 ticket...
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=141076&cat=1
85 Days
How do I get my face on an airplane? I suppose winning 5 Olympic medals in short track speed skating like Apolo Ohno did certainly couldn't hurt. (And neither could winning Dancing with the Stars.) Ohno won gold and silver in 2002 in Salt Lake City and gold and two bronze medals in 2006 in Turino. He's currently tied with speed skater Eric Heiden (although Heiden's 5 medals are all gold and came in one Olympics in 1980 in Lake Placid, NY). With one more medal in 2010, he could become America's most decorated winter Olympian. Check out the plane:
http://stuckattheairport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Alaska-Air-Apolo-Ono.jpg
I'm sure all of you have already sent in your designs for the ski goggles contest (see 91 Days). Well here's another contest for you creative folks. Design a ski helmet to be worn by two-time World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/lindseys-helmet/
Top speed that can be reached on a luge: 85 mph
Rather than build a new international size hockey rink on which Olympic hockey games are normally played (which measures 200 ft x 98.5 ft), the men's and women's hockey events at the 2010 Winter Olympics will take place on an NHL size rink at the home of the Vancouver Canucks. NHL rinks are a bit more narrow, measuring 200 ft x 85 ft. Not only did this save the construction costs, but it will allow about 35,000 more spectators at the hockey games.
http://tripatlas.com/2010_Winter_Olympics
85% of tickets for the 2010 Winter Paralympics are $20 or less, in order to create an affordable way to share in the Olympic spirit. The 2010 Paralympic Games will take place in Vancouver on March 12. Five events will take place: alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, wheelchair curling and ice sledge hockey.
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-news/vancouver-2010-paralympic-winter-games-tickets-on-sale-may-6--2009--prices-start-at-$10_53386rF.html
http://stuckattheairport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Alaska-Air-Apolo-Ono.jpg
I'm sure all of you have already sent in your designs for the ski goggles contest (see 91 Days). Well here's another contest for you creative folks. Design a ski helmet to be worn by two-time World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/lindseys-helmet/
Top speed that can be reached on a luge: 85 mph
Rather than build a new international size hockey rink on which Olympic hockey games are normally played (which measures 200 ft x 98.5 ft), the men's and women's hockey events at the 2010 Winter Olympics will take place on an NHL size rink at the home of the Vancouver Canucks. NHL rinks are a bit more narrow, measuring 200 ft x 85 ft. Not only did this save the construction costs, but it will allow about 35,000 more spectators at the hockey games.
http://tripatlas.com/2010_Winter_Olympics
85% of tickets for the 2010 Winter Paralympics are $20 or less, in order to create an affordable way to share in the Olympic spirit. The 2010 Paralympic Games will take place in Vancouver on March 12. Five events will take place: alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, wheelchair curling and ice sledge hockey.
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-news/vancouver-2010-paralympic-winter-games-tickets-on-sale-may-6--2009--prices-start-at-$10_53386rF.html
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
86 Days
Wanna know how not to make it to the 2010 Winter Olympics? How about get drunk, steal a car and go driving in it 89 days before Opening Ceremonies. That is allegedly what Russian figure skater Andrei Lutai did the day after his disappointing 10th place performance at Skate America in Lake Placid. He is being held in a county jail on $100,000 bail. If Lutai had been Russia's best hope for an Olympic medal, I could see the Russian Skating Federation sending him to the Olympics anyway, but with the return of gold medal favorite, Evgeni Plushenko (the 2006 Olympic Champion), the repercussions of this could (deservedly) be devastating to Lutai.
Here's a name you probably haven't heard yet: Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong. He is Ghana's first professional skier and will represent the country at the Olympics as well. He has also just received government backing to build Ghana's first artificial, indoor ski slope to build interest in the sport.
There will be 86 medal events taking place at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
http://www.travelplaces.co.uk/travelplaces/olympics/winter-olympics-2010-sports-venues.htm
In '86, the IOC voted to separate the Summer and Winter Games and place them in alternating even-numbered years, which began with the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in 1994.
Here's a name you probably haven't heard yet: Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong. He is Ghana's first professional skier and will represent the country at the Olympics as well. He has also just received government backing to build Ghana's first artificial, indoor ski slope to build interest in the sport.
There will be 86 medal events taking place at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
http://www.travelplaces.co.uk/travelplaces/olympics/winter-olympics-2010-sports-venues.htm
In '86, the IOC voted to separate the Summer and Winter Games and place them in alternating even-numbered years, which began with the Lillehammer Winter Olympics in 1994.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
87 Days
Well Olympic silver medalist Bode Miller's return to skiing does not seem to be going so smoothly. In his first outing this season, he barely qualified for his second run in the slalom event, finishing last of those who moved on. His second run didn't go any better; he got hit in the face by a gate, ended up with a bloody nose and could not finish. Miller won two silver medals in skiing in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and went 0 for 5 in 2006 in Turino.
Jamaica is attempting another run at the Olympics in bobsled this year. They even asked 2008 Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt to join the team. The Jamaican sprinter won three gold medals in Beijing in the 100m, 200m and relay, breaking world records every step of the way. Apparently, Bolt's answer was, "Cold. No."
Norway has the most Winter Olympic medals with 280 and 87 of those medals have come in cross-country skiing.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/nations/nation=nor/index.html
87 of the 211 U.S. athletes who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy had previously competed in at least one Olympics beforehand. Of course, the number changed to 86 once figure skating favorite Michelle Kwan pulled out a couple of days into the Olympics due to injury and new-comer Emily Hughes took her spot. http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/MYSA021006_1X_OLYmain_fc3a201_html6394.html
Talk about dedicated: Olympic hockey player Jenny Potter played in the world championships 87 days after the birth of her first child. (She competed in another world championships only 83 days after the birth of her second.) And she has competed in three Olympics. http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/13/news_pf/Sports/Mothers_superior.shtml
Jamaica is attempting another run at the Olympics in bobsled this year. They even asked 2008 Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt to join the team. The Jamaican sprinter won three gold medals in Beijing in the 100m, 200m and relay, breaking world records every step of the way. Apparently, Bolt's answer was, "Cold. No."
Norway has the most Winter Olympic medals with 280 and 87 of those medals have come in cross-country skiing.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/nations/nation=nor/index.html
87 of the 211 U.S. athletes who competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turino, Italy had previously competed in at least one Olympics beforehand. Of course, the number changed to 86 once figure skating favorite Michelle Kwan pulled out a couple of days into the Olympics due to injury and new-comer Emily Hughes took her spot. http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/MYSA021006_1X_OLYmain_fc3a201_html6394.html
Talk about dedicated: Olympic hockey player Jenny Potter played in the world championships 87 days after the birth of her first child. (She competed in another world championships only 83 days after the birth of her second.) And she has competed in three Olympics. http://www.sptimes.com/2007/05/13/news_pf/Sports/Mothers_superior.shtml
Monday, November 16, 2009
88 Days
My trip to Lake Placid and Skate America has come to end, but what a wonderful trip it was. We spent the morning at practice (I even made it to the 8:45 am practice session...on a Sunday!), getting the inside scoop by listening in on conversations between the skaters and their coaches. It was also fun to see the skaters who had already finished competing (their practice sessions were for the exhibition) let loose a little and joke around on the ice. Congrats to American Rachael Flatt for beating the favorite, Korean Yu-Na Kim in the Ladies long program, and coming in second over-all. Congrats to Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto for winning in Ice Dance. And major mazal tovs all around to the Israeli Ice Dance team, Alexandra and Roman Zaretski, for winning their first international medal, the bronze.
Oh an by the way, those women ski jumpers will not be competing in the 2010 Olympics. Maybe instead of suing everyone in sight, they should focus on building their sport so that it might actually be a competitive event for the 2014 Olympics in Russia.
Top speed that can be reached in the bobsled is 88 miles per hour
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/olympics/2006/02/10/oly.guide/
88 symbolizes good fortune in Asian culture, which is why the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China began at 8 pm on 08/08/08.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-07/08/content_6827827_12.htm
Oh an by the way, those women ski jumpers will not be competing in the 2010 Olympics. Maybe instead of suing everyone in sight, they should focus on building their sport so that it might actually be a competitive event for the 2014 Olympics in Russia.
Top speed that can be reached in the bobsled is 88 miles per hour
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/olympics/2006/02/10/oly.guide/
88 symbolizes good fortune in Asian culture, which is why the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China began at 8 pm on 08/08/08.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-07/08/content_6827827_12.htm
Sunday, November 15, 2009
89 Days
Lake Placid has been as much fun as I knew it would be. With Skate America taking place here, you can't really go too far without running into another skater. Even my sister stalked some British skaters into a book store on Main street. (We later saw them wandering around the skating rink, so we took a picture with them more to commemorate my sister's first skater-stalking experience than anything else.) Congrats to Evan Lysacek (gold) and Ryan Bradley (bronze) on a job well done. Shout out to Scott Hamilton for taking pictures and signing autographs with fans even though he was just on a bathroom break from his commentating duties. And props to me for being called the most knowledgeable figure skating fan by the woman sitting in front of me.
According to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), as of 2005, 89% of NSAA member ski areas have freestyle terrain, which include terrain parks, halfpipes, superpipes, etc. I think the 2002 Winter Olympics had a major affect on this, since the US swept the medals in men's snowboard halfpipe and won the gold in women's halfpipe as well.
http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa/press/2005/terrainparksafety.org.asp
Almost $89 million in federal funds was used to create and improve access roads and highways to Olympic venues in Salt Lake City, UT for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/janfeb02/olympics.htm
A total of 89 medals were won by Germany during the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, under Hitler and the Nazi regime. American Jesse Owens won 4 gold medals in track and field events there too.
http://www.bibliobuffet.com/content/view/894/195/
According to the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), as of 2005, 89% of NSAA member ski areas have freestyle terrain, which include terrain parks, halfpipes, superpipes, etc. I think the 2002 Winter Olympics had a major affect on this, since the US swept the medals in men's snowboard halfpipe and won the gold in women's halfpipe as well.
http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa/press/2005/terrainparksafety.org.asp
Almost $89 million in federal funds was used to create and improve access roads and highways to Olympic venues in Salt Lake City, UT for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/janfeb02/olympics.htm
A total of 89 medals were won by Germany during the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, under Hitler and the Nazi regime. American Jesse Owens won 4 gold medals in track and field events there too.
http://www.bibliobuffet.com/content/view/894/195/
Saturday, November 14, 2009
90 Days
So far, my Lake Placid experience has been great. We started out yesterday at the 1980 Herb Brooks Skating Arena, watching the pairs practice for Skate America. Watching these skaters practice their spectacular throws and lifts from the front row was amazing, and their speed across the ice is so much more apparent than can be seen on t.v. The Olympic Center was home to figure skater Sonja Henie's 2nd of three Olympic championship performances in 1932 and is most well-known for the "Miracle on Ice" in 1980 when the U.S. hockey team beat the Soviet hockey team in a major upset and then went on to win the gold medal. After walking around the Olympic Center and visiting the Olympic Museum, we headed to the Ski Jumping Complex, where we were able to take the elevator to the top of the 120m jump tower for quite the amazing view. There is a second jump tower for the 90m jump (would you look at that, a 90 Days stat without even trying).
90% of Whistler Mountain will be open to the public during the 2010 Olympics, while the rest will be closed off for ski and snowboard competitions.
http://www.whistlerskishop.com/About-Whistler.html
Here are two more stats for you...
90% of US Olympic Lugers are discovered at "slider searches" where potential lugers slide down a concrete hill on a sled attached to rollerblade wheels at a maximum speed of 25 mph. Those with potential can then start training on one of two luge tracks in the country, in Salt Lake City, UT and Lake Placid, NY.
http://www.uticaod.com/sports/x2145961673/Search-is-on-for-next-luge-star90% of Whistler Mountain will be open to the public during the 2010 Olympics, while the rest will be closed off for ski and snowboard competitions.
http://www.whistlerskishop.com/About-Whistler.html
Friday, November 13, 2009
91 Days
Reporting to you today from Lake Placid, NY, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. This weekend's activities include touring the Olympic sites and attending Skate America (minus Sasha Cohen) to watch the likes of Evan Lysacek, Yu-Na Kim and Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto gear up for the Olympics. Crazy as it sounds, this is the first time I am attending a skating competition of this level, so needless to say, I am super excited.
Anyone like contests? Adidas is holding a competition to design a pair of ski goggles. The winning pair will be worn by an Olympic competitor in Vancouver, and $20,000 will be awarded to the designer as well.
http://www.talenthouse.com/creativeinvites/show/detail/80?THSessionId=66b07cf8a930e37f08814080fd08f407
And here are our stats for the day:
91% of the athletes who participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics came home without a medal.
http://imaging-radiation-oncology.advanceweb.com/Article/Lessons-from-Olympic-Losers.aspx
An Olympic size basketball court is 91 feet (10 inches) long and 49 feet 2 1/2 inches wide.
http://library.thinkquest.org/14015/GAMES.HTM
This is a bit of a stretch (as if others haven't been) but hear me out. The Shea family is the only U.S. three generation Olympic family. Jack Shea won two gold medals in 1932 in speed skating. Jim Shea, Sr. competed in cross country skiing in 1964 and Jim Shea, Jr. won the gold in Skeleton in 2002. Now, I could tell you that if you add the years of the Olympics up (32+64+2=98) and then subtract the number of gold medals won (98-3=95) and then subtract the number of letters in the name Shea (95-4=91) you get 91. But instead, I'll just say that Jack Shea was planning on attending the '02 Olympics in Salt Lake City to watch his grandson compete, but he was killed by a drunk driver 17 days before the Olympics at the age of 91.
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-athletes/legendary-athletes/jim-shea_94920BV.html
Anyone like contests? Adidas is holding a competition to design a pair of ski goggles. The winning pair will be worn by an Olympic competitor in Vancouver, and $20,000 will be awarded to the designer as well.
http://www.talenthouse.com/creativeinvites/show/detail/80?THSessionId=66b07cf8a930e37f08814080fd08f407
And here are our stats for the day:
91% of the athletes who participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics came home without a medal.
http://imaging-radiation-oncology.advanceweb.com/Article/Lessons-from-Olympic-Losers.aspx
An Olympic size basketball court is 91 feet (10 inches) long and 49 feet 2 1/2 inches wide.
http://library.thinkquest.org/14015/GAMES.HTM
This is a bit of a stretch (as if others haven't been) but hear me out. The Shea family is the only U.S. three generation Olympic family. Jack Shea won two gold medals in 1932 in speed skating. Jim Shea, Sr. competed in cross country skiing in 1964 and Jim Shea, Jr. won the gold in Skeleton in 2002. Now, I could tell you that if you add the years of the Olympics up (32+64+2=98) and then subtract the number of gold medals won (98-3=95) and then subtract the number of letters in the name Shea (95-4=91) you get 91. But instead, I'll just say that Jack Shea was planning on attending the '02 Olympics in Salt Lake City to watch his grandson compete, but he was killed by a drunk driver 17 days before the Olympics at the age of 91.
http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-athletes/legendary-athletes/jim-shea_94920BV.html
Thursday, November 12, 2009
92 Days
As I've mentioned, I've been a pretty hard-core fan of the Olympics since 1994, which means I have watched just about every moment of 4 Olympics now (can I use that stat when we get to 4 Days? and yes, we WILL get to 4 Days...). I even recently splurged on a new Panasonic DVD Recorder in order to clear last season's events off of my DVR to make room for this season's. Anyway, in all that time, I never even noticed that female ski jumpers do not compete in the Olympics. How strange. I kind of just assumed in this day and age every sport in the Olympics would be open to men and women. The IOC says that there just aren't enough high level female competitors to warrant making it an Olympic sport. A bunch of the women have gotten together to sue the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) for gender discrimination, but the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that only the IOC can decide which sports are added to the Olympics. And the IOC is not bound by Canadian Law. To me, this doesn't really sound like a legal battle that should be taken up with the Canada courts. The IOC can run the Olympics however they want, and I'm guessing their number one priority is money. So if they feel that TV viewers are not going to tune in to watch a lack luster sporting event, there seems to be no reason to include it. The women are appealing the decision today and tomorrow, so stay tuned...
On to the number of the day, 92:
At the Summer Olympics in 2016, Golf will return as an Olympic sport for the first time in 92 years, since 1924.
http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/2009/10/09/golf-rugby-back-in-olympics-tiger-set-for-rio/
In 2008, 92 South Korean professional soccer players were indicted for intentionally dislocating their shoulders in order to dodge mandatory military service.
http://ballhype.com/story/south_korean_players_dislocate_shoulders_to_dodge/
In 2006, 92 Chabbad-run Chanukah on Ice events took place in the U.S.
http://figureskating.about.com/od/historyoffigureskating/p/chanukahonice.htm
On to the number of the day, 92:
At the Summer Olympics in 2016, Golf will return as an Olympic sport for the first time in 92 years, since 1924.
http://blogs.reuters.com/sport/2009/10/09/golf-rugby-back-in-olympics-tiger-set-for-rio/
In 2008, 92 South Korean professional soccer players were indicted for intentionally dislocating their shoulders in order to dodge mandatory military service.
http://ballhype.com/story/south_korean_players_dislocate_shoulders_to_dodge/
In 2006, 92 Chabbad-run Chanukah on Ice events took place in the U.S.
http://figureskating.about.com/od/historyoffigureskating/p/chanukahonice.htm
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
93 Days
Before I get to what you all (like all 5 of you) have come to see, I'd like to start off with a little Olympic news. First of all, 2006 Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen announced a couple of days ago that she will not be competing at Skate America, a prelim/warm-up event to the National Championships where she will be vying for a spot on the US Olympic team. This news did not shock me at all, in fact, I would not be surprised if she just quit the entire season. She should just bow out now, gracefully, because my guess is she wouldn't make the Olympic team anyway.
Also, since the announcement that the Colbert Report will sponsor the US speed skating team, some speed skaters have started wearing the Colbert Nation logo on their skating suits. Apolo Ohno has yet to be seen wearing it.
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/.a/6a00d8341c60fd53ef0120a67503e4970b-pi
OK, so back to the whole 93 days thing...
For the 2008 Olympics, China created Olympic stamps with the faces of 93 Chinese table tennis champions
http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/sponsors/headlines/n214249914.shtml
In a consumer research poll conducted in '98, '99, '00, unaided brand awareness for the Olympic Rings was 93%, proving that the Olympic Rings are famous and have enormous licensing value.
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/journals/njtip/v3/n2/6/#note14
Frantisek Capek, the 1948 Olympic Champion in canoeing, died at the age of 93.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-01-31-1535910723_x.htm
Also, since the announcement that the Colbert Report will sponsor the US speed skating team, some speed skaters have started wearing the Colbert Nation logo on their skating suits. Apolo Ohno has yet to be seen wearing it.
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/.a/6a00d8341c60fd53ef0120a67503e4970b-pi
OK, so back to the whole 93 days thing...
For the 2008 Olympics, China created Olympic stamps with the faces of 93 Chinese table tennis champions
http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/sponsors/headlines/n214249914.shtml
In a consumer research poll conducted in '98, '99, '00, unaided brand awareness for the Olympic Rings was 93%, proving that the Olympic Rings are famous and have enormous licensing value.
http://www.law.northwestern.edu/journals/njtip/v3/n2/6/#note14
Frantisek Capek, the 1948 Olympic Champion in canoeing, died at the age of 93.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-01-31-1535910723_x.htm
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
94 Days
I have been challenged by my friend Miriam L. to come up with Olympic stats that match the number of days until the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, so here goes...
94 votes eliminated Chicago as a locale for the 2016 Summer Olympics
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7044621&rss=rss-wls-article-7044621
94% of all professional Curlers live in Canada (at least in 2006) according to the World Curling Federation
http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/wintergames/story.html?id=e31c61b2-83cb-4fa2-9c38-8c321c59f7b6&k=91452
94% of all IOC (International Olympic Committee) revenue goes back in various Olympic sport organizations, according to IOC President, Jacques Rogge
http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/49346
And most importantly, '94: year of the Lillehammer Olympics, year of the "whack heard 'round the world" (aka the Tonya/Nancy saga), year of Tommy Moe, and the year I began my obsession with figure skating and all things Olympics.
94 votes eliminated Chicago as a locale for the 2016 Summer Olympics
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7044621&rss=rss-wls-article-7044621
94% of all professional Curlers live in Canada (at least in 2006) according to the World Curling Federation
http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/wintergames/story.html?id=e31c61b2-83cb-4fa2-9c38-8c321c59f7b6&k=91452
94% of all IOC (International Olympic Committee) revenue goes back in various Olympic sport organizations, according to IOC President, Jacques Rogge
http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/article/49346
And most importantly, '94: year of the Lillehammer Olympics, year of the "whack heard 'round the world" (aka the Tonya/Nancy saga), year of Tommy Moe, and the year I began my obsession with figure skating and all things Olympics.
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