# 2018 Winter Olympics Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 9, 2018, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525 "2018-02-09T16:55:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/201 "2018-02-21T05:34:11Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > I believe it was 1984…a guy named Thomas Fahnder, I think, who swam for either Germany or France, set a new Olympic record in one of the longer swimming events—and didn’t win a medal at all. > > Fahnder tried to pace himself in the semifinal and miscalculated, finishing ninth overall and missing out on the final. He wound up in the “consolation final “ ( numbers 9-16 in the semis) and swam all out, setting a record in the process. No one beat it in the actual final. Technically, he finished ninth. But he did continue to hold the Olympic record for the next four years… That’s a great story! I read the explanation of the short track deal three times and still don’t understand what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/202 "2018-02-21T05:41:45Z")
> [@dzeiger](#): > > Finally found some other analysis of that short track final–China was penalized for some shoving at the end. Canada was penalized for interfering and not getting out of the way of the finish even though they were essentially being lapped. Korea was not penalized because the fall was judged to be purely accidental. I think had it been a qualification round that’s the type of thing that would have gotten Canada advanced (had they not later been DQed), but in a final it’s just bad luck. It’s okay to take out two other teams by accident? Well, that’s handy. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/203 "2018-02-21T07:13:05Z")
Canada will not make it to the semi-finals in women’s curling. That’s a staggering upset. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/204 "2018-02-21T08:02:10Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I do understand why it’s not as satisfying to watch timed races compared to ones where everyone competes at the same time. But didn’t they use to use a digital image of the “ghost” of the skiier/sledder currently in first place to compare? I could swear I remember that, and it made it so much better. I totally agree. But the problem is that if you keep killing the first place person to summon his “ghost” so that you can digitally render it for viewers at home, then you keep confusing people about who is currently in the lead. And then if the ghosts are medalists… Well you remember in, I think it was ‘84, they tried awarding a silver medal to a ghost ski-jumper and first the guy kept sinking into the podium then his moaning clearly unnerved the other medalists, then apparently the silver had a bad reaction when they put it on him and it briefly tore the veil between the realms of the living and dead… Anyway the IOC determined in a 1986 decision that ghosts can’t receive medals anymore. So then it gets really awkward at the ceremony. I think that’s why they don’t do that anymore. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/205 "2018-02-21T08:36:07Z")
Heh, it’s embarrassing to admit how long into that post it took me to get the joke! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/206 "2018-02-21T12:32:30Z")
Congrats to Jessica Diggins and Kikkan Randall for the 1st XC gold medal in the team sprint. It is also the 1st women’s XC ski medal for the US > **[U.S. women win 1st gold in X-country skiing](https://www.espn.com/olympics/winter18/story/_/id/22524929/us-wins-1st-gold-women-cross-country-skiing-marit-bjoergen-wins-record-14th-medal)** > > The United States has won its first Olympic gold medal in women's cross-country skiing, and Norwegian skier Marit Bjoergen is now the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time by taking bronze at the Pyeongchang Games. video of the end here: [http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/usas-randall-diggins-win-historic-cross-country-gold](http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/usas-randall-diggins-win-historic-cross-country-gold) The only other XC medal the US has won was Bill Koch’s silver in 1976 Brian who XC skis, but not fast ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/207 "2018-02-21T13:29:15Z")
OK, I’ve already established that I don’t care for ice dancing. (And I’m pretty consistently a day behind in my viewing.) But do the rest of you appreciate the “emotion” supposedly involved in the routines? And can you see the differences in the style and degree of difficulty? Because I sure can’t. The announcer was going on and on about the perfection of the French pair. But personally, I preferred several aspects of the next couple’s routine. Then they replayed and praised one of the Canadians’ lifts, whereas to me, it looked awkward, with here ending up straddling his shoulders with her crotch in his face. I mean, I can tell if someone falls, if the 2 aren’t in time, or if they lack grace, but so much of what the announcer was describing, I just couldn’t see. And then there is the supposed emotion and “artistry.” The announcer was talking about how they “tell a story” and act roles, with one the aggressor, the other pursued, etc. And the skaters are grimacing and emoting while skating - too often to some bland program music. I don’t get it. For me, the exaggerated smiles and grimaces detract, emphasizing that this is acting rather than athletics. And I don’t for a second buy/appreciate the BS kneeling on the ice sobbing after the routine. In what other sport is such behavior common? What other sport has a “kiss and cry” booth? Final question (different sport) - “amplitude”? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/208 "2018-02-21T14:34:20Z")
A shootout? I hate shootouts. Why not just flip a coin? :mad: ---
**Author:** ![gregorio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gregorio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gregorio)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/209 "2018-02-21T15:38:29Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Final question (different sport) - “amplitude”? EDM ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/210 "2018-02-21T16:00:13Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Do you? The comparable sport in the Summers is gymnastics. Do gymnasts get only a minor penalty for trying a double flip and ALMOST making it, but actually falling flat on their ass? If not, why not or alternatively, why do skaters get the ‘tried hard, but didn’t make it’ bonus? Actually, no, the comparable sport to compare is snowboarding, with the various stunts. Notice that you don’t have to land a jump with maximum difficulty to beat a less-difficult jump that is landed more perfectly. The reason I asked is simple: if you are not a skater, then we tend to look at skating as a _performance_, rather than an athletic endeavor. Judging it from that standpoint (did you please the audience), the emphasis upon landing a jump without falling is understandable. But a **skater** looks at it as an athletic endeavor. Thus, they push the boundaries all the time of what is possible. Male skaters are already looking to figure out if/how a quad-Axel can be accomplished, as that is the next frontier in athleticism. The audience for the snowboarding events understands this. That’s why they cheer on an attempt at some insane number of revolutions, even if it’s not completed perfectly. Someone who does something relatively safe, long-since mastered by the body of boarders, gets little support for doing such a move accurately. I am not a skater. I appreciate what they attempt. I understand that a quad jump is difficult (it’s a function of rotational speed versus height/distance of jump). And I’m willing to let skaters themselves, through their international union, determine how such things should be judged. Personally, I’m quite happy with the new system; what other judged sport allows you to see as the person is performing how he/she/they is/are doing as the attempt is ongoing? The bad old days of watching a performance, then waiting to see the whole thing distilled down into one number without any insight into how that number was determined (objective? subjective? political??) are gone. I assume that, as time goes by, the skating authorities may tweak the values for quad jumps vis-a-vis triples. But I don’t see the system as producing “bad” results, just because Adam Rippon and his double-axels didn’t win. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/211 "2018-02-21T16:05:29Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Canada will not make it to the semi-finals in women’s curling. That’s a staggering upset. HUGE upset. Rachel Homan and her rink will probably have to return to Canada on some sort of anonymous boat, slipped into port in Thunder Bay under cover of night, fog, and a political election or something. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > A shootout? I hate shootouts. Why not just flip a coin? :mad: I agree. They should skate it to a conclusion. That’s what the NHL does in the playoffs, and it makes riveting hockey. Cannot recall the number of times I’ve seen an OT playoff game involving the Capitals, always just fascinating to watch them go 2 or 3 OTs. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/212 "2018-02-21T16:27:53Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Congrats to Jessica Diggins and Kikkan Randall for the 1st XC gold medal in the team sprint. It is also the 1st women’s XC ski medal for the US > [U.S. wins 1st gold in women's cross-country skiing; Marit Bjoergen wins record 14th medal - ESPN](http://www.espn.com/olympics/winter18/story/_/id/22524929/us-wins-1st-gold-women-cross-country-skiing-marit-bjoergen-wins-record-14th-medal) > video of the end here: > [http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/usas-randall-diggins-win-historic-cross-country-gold](http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/usas-randall-diggins-win-historic-cross-country-gold) > > The only other XC medal the US has won was Bill Koch’s silver in 1976 > > Brian > who XC skis, but not fast I just saw that race. Amazing. But I’m trying to figure out how the competition is structured. I watched the semi-finals and the announcers said the top two teams go through to the final, along with the faster third-place time. So I was expecting five teams in the final, but there were ten. I’m sure I missed something along the way. > [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > HUGE upset. Rachel Homan and her rink will probably have to return to Canada on some sort of anonymous boat, slipped into port in Thunder Bay under cover of night, fog, and a political election or something. I get the feeling Canada is a bit more chill than that. They’ve had a great run of success, medalling every time women’s curling has been contested, and are having a pretty good Games overall. I’m sure Canadians will be disappointed, but nobody wins every time. And the U.S. men are into the semi-finals. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/213 "2018-02-21T16:30:25Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > HUGE upset. Rachel Homan and her rink will probably have to return to Canada on some sort of anonymous boat, slipped into port in Thunder Bay under cover of night, fog, and a political election or something. > > I agree. They should skate it to a conclusion. That’s what the NHL does in the playoffs, and it makes riveting hockey. Cannot recall the number of times I’ve seen an OT playoff game involving the Capitals, always just fascinating to watch them go 2 or 3 OTs. Shootouts are an abomination before the Lord, and 3 on 3 overtime isn’t far behind. That said, there’s not a lot of flexibility in the scheduling of the hockey tournament, and having a game go to triple overtime might well throw a large wrench into things. Still, could at least play 5 on 5 till someone scores in gold medal games. Also, Germany has beaten Sweden to advance to the semifinals. WTF Sweden? Homan is a fabulous curler. Not sure what happened at this bonspiel, but I for one won’t be expressing any disappointment in her play. I’m sure she is feeling lots badly enough already. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/214 "2018-02-21T16:50:41Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > Shootouts are an abomination before the Lord, and 3 on 3 overtime isn’t far behind. That said, there’s not a lot of flexibility in the scheduling of the hockey tournament, and having a game go to triple overtime might well throw a large wrench into things. Still, could at least play 5 on 5 till someone scores in gold medal games. Also, Germany has beaten Sweden to advance to the semifinals. WTF Sweden? It’s not like they lost to Nigeria. Germany has always had a competent hockey team, and in single game elimination formats, you lose a few bounces and you’re done. The Rachel Homan blowout has stunned pretty much everyone, but I don’t think anyone’s angry or anything. If the women’s hockey team had done badly, well, that’s a different story, they wouldn’t have been allowed back. But everyone just feels bad for Homan and her rink, who for whatever reason got the chokes this week. one simply hopes Homan doesn’t let this get into her head - she is only 28, is already a three time national champion, and has a hell of a future. According to my Mom, who was herself a brilliant skip and has seen Homan live, Homan is about as talented a curler as we’ve ever produced. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/215 "2018-02-21T17:12:29Z")
Thanks for answering my Cross Country question. Got another question. Are some of these Olympic events only for the Olympics? Like the Cross Country Relay Team events, the team pursuit in Speed Skating, the Team Luge etc? Or are there world Championships in these specific events every year? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/216 "2018-02-21T17:53:49Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It’s not like they lost to Nigeria. Germany has always had a competent hockey team, and in single game elimination formats, you lose a few bounces and you’re done. Well, true, but there’s always been a pretty steep drop-off when you get past the top 6 in men’s hockey. Germany has been close to the top of the rest of the pack for a long time, and does have a smattering of wins against the top 6, but beating Sweden in a playoff round is still a huge upset. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/217 "2018-02-21T20:21:44Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > Got another question. Are some of these Olympic events only for the Olympics? Like the Cross Country Relay Team events, the team pursuit in Speed Skating, the Team Luge etc? The one I know that is Olympics-specific is the team event in figure skating. > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I just saw that race. Amazing. > > But I’m trying to figure out how the competition is structured. I watched the semi-finals and the announcers said the top two teams go through to the final, along with the faster third-place time. So I was expecting five teams in the final, but there were ten. I’m sure I missed something along the way. From the results, it looks like the top two in each heat and the next six fastest times (two from one semi-final and four from the other, as it turned out) got into the final. > [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I agree. They should skate it to a conclusion. That’s what the NHL does in the playoffs, and it makes riveting hockey. Cannot recall the number of times I’ve seen an OT playoff game involving the Capitals, always just fascinating to watch them go 2 or 3 OTs. I think they do it this way because the last thing they want is a long break after 20 minutes of overtime just to resurface the ice again. Although, I don’t see why they don’t do it this way for the finals; IIRC, in the final, it’s 20 minutes OT followed by a shootout if necessary. > [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > HUGE upset. Rachel Homan and her rink will probably have to return to Canada on some sort of anonymous boat, slipped into port in Thunder Bay under cover of night, fog, and a political election or something. Thunder Bay? Maybe if they finished fourth. For this, they’ll sail the long way around, and land somewhere in Nunavut. ---
**Author:** ![Orwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@Orwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orwell)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/218 "2018-02-21T21:09:15Z")
Just watched a great win by USA men in curling over Great Brittain. We scored 4 points in the 8th end, and didn’t even have the hammer. On to the semi-final against Canada. ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/219 "2018-02-21T21:27:21Z")
I love the sentence “We scored 4 points in the 8th end, and didn’t even have the hammer.” It sounds like it was made up for a Dan Harmon comedy even though I know it wasn’t. (I probably should know this terminology, given that I lived for years in Duluth Minnesota and now live again in another part of northern Minnesota…but I just don’t. Sorry!) ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/220 "2018-02-21T22:03:09Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I love the sentence “We scored 4 points in the 8th end, and didn’t even have the hammer.” It sounds like it was made up for a Dan Harmon comedy even though I know it wasn’t. (I probably should know this terminology, given that I lived for years in Duluth Minnesota and now live again in another part of northern Minnesota…but I just don’t. Sorry!) 🙂 End = round or inning, somewhere in there Having the hammer = getting to throw the last stone of the end [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525.md?page=12)