Cindy Kleh Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 You would think with all of the hype given to the sport of snowboarding during the Winter Olympics (for example, the opening ceremonies) that there would be more than 3 snowboarding events. There's so many skiing and ice skating events ... why not slalom? Super-G? Slopestyle? Big air? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 You would think with all of the hype given to the sport of snowboarding during the Winter Olympics (for example, the opening ceremonies) that there would be more than 3 snowboarding events. There's so many skiing and ice skating events ... why not slalom? Super-G? Slopestyle? Big air? because as you said it's about hype not sports. all about money, from what I can tell the IOC does not care about anything other than money. They **** athletes, the people where the games are held and the local governments where they are held all for the benefit of coca cola and other advertisers as well as big developers. most places the games go they end up in a fiscal hole that they can't dig themselves out of for a decade or more. the one that went the best is atlanta, but even atlanta's games took it's toll on the working poor in the city. the olympics tend to leave a trail of high unemployment and massive deficits which is one of the better ways to encourage poverty in your city. to have the games it often means displacing lots of people, almost always poor people. yeah, **** the olympics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philfell Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 First we need to open up the criteria so that ALL athletes who have the ability to podium are able to attend, then we can worry about getting in other events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Kleh Posted February 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 Well, if was all about money, then IOC would be featuring sports that have a huge following and draw. Like ice skating and snowboarding. If it's all about selling product, what hotter image to use than snowboarding? (except snowmobilers that do back flips) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 Disclaimer: I know absolutely nothing about the Olympics, or who watches it, but my guess is: 1) Young people don't watch the Olympics, so not a ton of people are actually watching snowboarding at the Olympics. 2) The Olympics is not smart/proactive/capable enough to win over young viewers who would rather be watching Nitro Circus. Thus not much emphasis on snowboarding in the Olympics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonbordin Posted February 14, 2010 Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 Not until there is a sport where you could run Snowboard vs Skis and have it fairly balanced will there be some parity. Downhill? or maybe... Carving Cup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.a Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 what bobdea said I agree 1000%. For all the high and mightiness of the Olympics the entire venue and philosophy of the games were sold out a long time ago, all thats left is a bunch of smoke and mirrors with regular announcements by the IOC 'how important this all is', self congratulation, and a **** ton of money to make off people. I remember some people saying the whole games changed when that anti corporate president resigned in the 80s or something, but for me it was the Atlanta games, the merchandising and commercials just killed it for me, and I still remember the Norway games. Now the Olympics are just as pepsicolaGMhsbcbankofamericaNIKEetcetc as any other sports championship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tahoetrencher Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 "Cool, a McDonald's in the Olympic village, I'm so going there every morning." Then after an appropriate pause,"NOT!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Kleh Posted February 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Don't hold back guys ... you're being too nice! So you just don't watch it at all? Even the PGS? I gotta imagine that even die-hard carvers want to see Shawn White's Olympic halfpipe run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Don't hold back guys ... you're being too nice!So you just don't watch it at all? Even the PGS? I gotta imagine that even die-hard carvers want to see Shawn White's Olympic halfpipe run. yeah, I'll watch events somewhere like ninjavideo.com. basically doing my best to avoid giving anyone ratings. well, a TV helps with that and I don't have one in a room in this house I like being in so it's easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wun Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 don't you have to explicitly volunteer or give consent in order to contribute to ratings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 most places the games go they end up in a fiscal hole that they can't dig themselves out of for a decade or more. This Olympics has to be the worst marketing disaster in the history of Whistler/Blackcomb. Who would ever book a vacation there, now knowing the risk of this weather? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 don't you have to explicitly volunteer or give consent in order to contribute to ratings? AFAIK if you have sat or digital cable you already have by having said service and box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skategoat Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 This Olympics has to be the worst marketing disaster in the history of Whistler/Blackcomb. Who would ever book a vacation there, now knowing the risk of this weather? Here is what it was like in rainy Whistler yesterday. Everyone I meet is loving the Whistler experience. I rode a lift with a French alpine coach yesterday and he was just raving about how great these games have been. I thought he was going to kiss my wife on the mouth. At the village level, the rain is doing nothing to dampen the enthusiasm. The Victory Celebration on Saturday was jam packed. It was also tremendous fun. The crowd wouldn't let medalists leave the stage. High fives, posing for photos - the organisers had to practically push them off to keep the proceedings going. When All-American Rejects hit the stage, even old fogies like me were dancing in the mosh pit. All of you moaning about the commercialisation of the Olympics - name a sport that hasn't been commercialised. Watch a European hockey game, the players themselves are human billboards. How about auto racing? Sailing? X-Games? It's the marketing dollars that make it all happen. Maybe we should go back to running in bare feet wearing white underwear? I left my cynicism behind when I got on the plane for Whistler and I am having the time of my life. Some marketing disaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailertrash Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 doesn't look good here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 That is great to hear skategoat. Hopefully when the skiing and boarding coverage starts, people will see that Whistler is in good shape. Right now the distinct impression being given is that it's a complete melt-down. And I agree, I love the Olympics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 doesn't look good here. yeah, Cypress != Whistler, but one might make that extension based on the coverage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Kleh Posted February 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Right on, Jack! Glad you're enjoying it. I'm enjoying it too by TV. I didn't have a TV for 9 years, and this is the first Olympics in a long time that I have been able to really watch. Just seeing top athletes perform in any sport intrigues me. (Love Lycra!) I agree that the commercialism and esp the sugar-coated bios on each star can make the whole package harder to swallow, but I've been fascinated with the whole marketing package of the Olympics (sorry, media's my field). It's hard to believe they pull it off every four years ... in a new city. It would seem greener to reuse some of those Olympic venues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailertrash Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 yeah, Cypress != Whistler, but one might make that extension based on the coverage. Really? it is close enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Kleh Posted February 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Nice photos. Keep em coming, Jack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boarderboy Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 I know the idea's been floated. Run the summer games in Athens. Select another likely safe weather location for the winter Olympics. Latter selection should at least anticipate the possibility that warming climate is likely, so err on the side of extreme latitude and altitude. (Patagonia, maybe?) Won't happen, but most cities do take a real financial bath on hosting the games. BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Nice photos. Keep em coming, Jack. skategoat provided the photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Really?it is close enough. Cypress is smaller, and right in Vancouver. Whistler is taller and a ~2 hour drive north. http://cypressmountain.com/mountain-stats http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/mountain/stats/index.htm and you know what they say about rain in the valley.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cousin of Beagle Posted February 15, 2010 Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 Cypress is smaller, and right in Vancouver. Whistler is taller and a ~2 hour drive north I am a Vancouver local. The city of Vancouver rarely has snow in the winter. The weather is almost identical to Seattle's, which is 2 hours drive away. Typically there may be snow on the ground only a few days in the winter. For the last hundred years or so, the 15th of February average high temperature is 46°F. The average low is 36°F. For a Vancouverite, anything below 32°F is considered "extreme." Vancouver is at sea level on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Cypress Mountain is located on the outskirts of the city. The snowboarding and ski freestyle events are here. The base elevation is around 2300 feet. The other mountain venue is Whistler (two hours drive away), where it is a snowy winter wonderland with real winter temperatures and tons of snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy Kleh Posted February 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2010 My apologies, Skategoat. Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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