# 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:** 14
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/261 "2018-02-22T21:57:26Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Shockingly bad - but probably not the worst choke even in professional golf. > > That would belong to Jean Van de Velde at the 1999 British Open: He arrives at the final tee (on a hole he has played in birdie-birdie-par) needing only a double bogey to win the championship. Through a combination of bad shotmaking, incredibly poor decisions, and bad luck, he has to make a 6-ft putt for a triple bogey. This qualifies him for a 3-way playoff, which he loses. Plus, he ends up with a photo of him standing in the creek (or burn, or whatever they call a ditch over there? with his socks off and his pants rolled off! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a3d4f5/32.png) [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/262 "2018-02-22T22:39:06Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > As of two weeks ago there was no reason whatsoever to think that. Homan’s rink was absolutely the best in Canada. Hindsight is 20/20, after all. I have to disagree somewhat, even before Jones’ win at the Scotties she had been playing much better than Homan this season. Yes Homan won the Roar of the Rings (over Jones) but Jones has won more Pinty’s Grand Slam events this season. Last season JJ was curling like a turd, but this season with exception of the Roar Homan has been curling sub-par. MtM ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/263 "2018-02-22T23:02:22Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I see that one of the Canadian women’s hockey players was a bad sport and took her silver medal off as soon as it was put around her neck. > > Geez, silver means that at that point you are second best in the world, nothing to be ashamed of. > > It reminds me of that French figure skater who did the same thing some years ago. While the Canadian gal may have been emotionally overcome, you could see that the French girl was a real snot. I can’t quite remember her name, but I’m going to go look it up. > > On edit, that was Surya Bonaly. It’s not uncommon at the Olympics for the silver medal winners in team sports like hockey, soccer, basketball, etc. to be depressed and annoyed while the bronze medal winners are ecstatic. That’s because to win the silver medal you have to lose your last game, while to win the bronze medal you have to win your last game. ---
**Author:** ![borschevsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@borschevsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/borschevsky)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/264 "2018-02-23T00:55:35Z")
The women’s hockey is a special case, because there really are only the two strong teams. Being disappointed with silver is reasonable when it’s basically the worst you could have done. ---
**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 23, 2018, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/265 "2018-02-23T04:19:58Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > Geez, silver means that at that point you are second best in the world, nothing to be ashamed of. Second Place is First Loser. 😃 (I _kid!_) I couldn’t watch the game because today was a commuting day and 04:20 comes pretty early in the morning. I heard this morning that the game was decided by a shootout. I posted before that I don’t like shootouts. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/266 "2018-02-23T06:11:16Z")
No one _likes_ shootouts, but many of us grudgingly accept them because we also enjoy sleep. And for the record, this shootout was fucking fantastic (as was the whole game but especially the OT period). ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/267 "2018-02-23T06:54:51Z")
NBCSports is showing the last training run of the 4-man bobsled and I just realized–if anyone mounts a flux capacitor to one, we could well see a bobsled go back in time. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/268 "2018-02-23T06:56:31Z")
The 2 OAR women’s skaters got gold and silver. Canada got bronze. So Canadian hockey and curling enthusiasts can take comfort in that bronze medal on ice!! I am sorry, I am ribbing you. Canada has always done well in the Winter Olympics, y’all have nothing to be ashamed of. ---
**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 23, 2018, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/269 "2018-02-23T10:46:24Z")
What is the theory behind 4-on-4? How much do teams practice this? > [@BobLibDem](#): > > Crappy way to decide hockey gold. I think the medal games should be NHL playoff style- you play until someone scores. If it takes seven overtimes, so be it. But why, though? People keep saying this, but what’s the problem with the shootout? Is it something about tradition? (If so, the shoe’s on the other foot!) I found it the most exhilarating part of the game, although as someone else noted the penalty killing to get to the shootout was really tense as well. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > No one _likes_ shootouts, but many of us grudgingly accept them because we also enjoy sleep. > > And for the record, this shootout was fucking fantastic (as was the whole game but especially the OT period). Don’t say “no one”—I like them! But if you don’t, then how about alternating power plays, a minute at a time, until one team has a lead after an even number of power plays? > [@TroutMan](#): > > Refusing to shake your opponent’s hand after the game is poor sportsmanship (US Men’s hockey coach, I’m looking at you). But taking off a disappointing medal is an entirely personal gesture and doesn’t disrespect your opponent at all. Totally OK. My dividing line is in a different locale than yours. The TV commentator said during the medal lineup\* that some people criticize the silver medalists for crying and generally having glum faces during the ceremony. But she had been in that exact situation herself and didn’t blame them. I agree with that. It’s too much to ask, to insist that someone put on a brave, fake happy face when they are so disappointed. But it is NOT too much to ask that they keep their medal on until they are out of public view. Does it disrespect their opponent? I don’t know—I hadn’t even thought of it that way. But it absolutely, definitely disrespects the Olympics itself. And if you aren’t going to respect the competition you are in, at whatever level right down to the bush leagues, don’t enter it. \*On a purely shallow note, wow does Finland have some hotties on their team! I noticed at least four of them who were way more attractive than anyone on the U.S. or Canadian teams. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/270 "2018-02-23T13:45:26Z")
Canada does not look good against Germany. At least they can get to play for bronze. Also another terrible hit to the head. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/271 "2018-02-23T15:33:21Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > What is the theory behind 4-on-4? How much do teams practice this? Fewer skaters means more open ice so there’s more chance of a breakaway, and a faster skater/better stick handler can get around the defense more easily. Both of these increase the chances of a goal (the NHL went to 3-3 in OT for this reason). You could see the difference in the gold medal game: the U.S. had faster skaters, but Canada was being more physical and knocking the U.S. skaters off their routes, so the speed advantage was somewhat neutralized. Once OT started, that strategy didn’t work as well, and the U.S. was dominating possession. They had at least four excellent scoring opportunities, and I don’t think the Canadians had one until they got a 4-3 advantage. I don’t know how much they practice this specifically. There are adjustments they make with positioning on the ice, but it isn’t a completely different strategy. I doubt they need to spend too much time on it. ---
**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 23, 2018, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/272 "2018-02-23T16:01:32Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > The 2 OAR women’s skaters got gold and silver. Canada got bronze. So Canadian hockey and curling enthusiasts can take comfort in that bronze medal on ice!! > I am sorry, I am ribbing you. Canada has always done well in the Winter Olympics, y’all have nothing to be ashamed of. Because Canada did so well in 1988 - when they were in Calgary… However, Canada did get a few golds on ice: mixed doubles curling team figure skating ice dancing men’s 1000m short track speed skating men’s 10,000m speed skating plus, if you stretch the definition of “on ice” a little, men’s 2-man bobsled > [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Canada does not look good against Germany. At least they can get to play for bronze. Also another terrible hit to the head. So, if Germany manages to beat “not Russia” for the gold, when do they get the movie about them made? Oh, wait…apparently, it works like this: USA upsets USSR (in a game where arguably the best goalie ever sat out the second period), 1980: “miracle on ice,” Sports Illustrated Sportspersons of the Year, and, eventually, a major movie made about it Germany upsets Canada (after upsetting Sweden), 2016: “Er, Canada choked, Germany got lucky, it’s Gary Bettman’s fault, nothing to see here, let us never speak of this again.” ---
**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 23, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/273 "2018-02-23T16:11:40Z")
Well, to be fair, it _is_ Gary Bettman’s fault. 😛 But seriously if the German’s beat the not-Russians it will be one for the history books, and they should by all means make a movie about it. It may be tough, though. The Russians have the advantage of KHL talent that is probably at a higher level than the NHL-washouts that Canada and Sweden were fielding. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/274 "2018-02-23T20:17:15Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I am sorry, I am ribbing you. Canada has always done well in the Winter Olympics, y’all have nothing to be ashamed of. Prior to 1992, Canada NEVER did well at the Winter Olympics. Things started getting better in 1994 and have improved since. until 1992, Canada never won more than 7 medals in an Olympics, averaged maybe 4, and failed to win a gold at the winter Games it hosted itself. Since then: Albertville 1992 - 7 Lillehammer 1994 - 13 Nagano 1998 - 15 Salt Lake 2002 - 17 Turin 2006 - 24 Vancouver 2010 - 26 Sochi 2014 - 24 So far this time - 27 People will say Calgary caused Canada to take this more seriously, and that’s kinda part of it, but most of it is simply that they have added events Canada’s good at. Of the medals won so far this Games, 18 of 27 are in events that did not exist in 1988. That has been true since Lillehammer; in Lillehammer, 6 of 13 medals were in things that were’t things in 1988. In Nagano, 8 of 15; in Salt Lake City, 11 out of 17; in Turin, 16 of 24; in Vancouver, 18 of 26; in Sochi, 18 of 25. > [@That Don Guy](#): > > USA upsets USSR (in a game where arguably the best goalie ever sat out the second period), 1980: “miracle on ice,” Sports Illustrated Sportspersons of the Year, and, eventually, a major movie made about it > > Germany upsets Canada (after upsetting Sweden), 2016: “Er, Canada choked, Germany got lucky, it’s Gary Bettman’s fault, nothing to see here, let us never speak of this again.” Hats off to the Germans, but their upset over Canada was not remotely comparable to what the USA did in 1980. If Canada had shown up with all their best NHL players, but somehow Germany had still been forced to leave their best players in the NHL (sure, they have a few) and in fact had to do with a team mostly made of of college kids, then it’d be the same. ---
**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 23, 2018, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/275 "2018-02-23T21:52:39Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > People will say Calgary caused Canada to take this more seriously, and that’s kinda part of it, but most of it is simply that they have added events Canada’s good at. That is indeed most of it, but the other element is that some of the facilities built for Calgary (and later Vancouver) have provided huge boosts to some programs, most notably bobsleigh/luge/skeleton and speedskating. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/276 "2018-02-23T22:13:28Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > USA upsets USSR (in a game where arguably the best goalie ever sat out the second period), 1980: “miracle on ice,” Sports Illustrated Sportspersons of the Year, and, eventually, a major movie made about it > > Germany upsets Canada (after upsetting Sweden), 2016: “Er, Canada choked, Germany got lucky, it’s Gary Bettman’s fault, nothing to see here, let us never speak of this again.” To be fair, as \*\*RickJay \*\*said, the Soviet 1980 team was a team at full strength, while this Canada team was a shell of itself. Germany still scored a big upset victory, no doubt, but it wasn’t Appalachian State vs. Michigan stuff. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/277 "2018-02-24T00:04:20Z")
And, in an update to Canada’s misery, the men’s rink crashed out 7-5 to the Swiss, and won’t be taking home any bling, either. Right now, the misery would be complete if the Canadians lose the bronze medal game in hockey to the Czechs. Tonight is going to be a LOOOOOOOOONG night; definitely going to the local curling club to watch the gold medal game!! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/278 "2018-02-24T01:01:02Z")
[Monkey Dick wins gold in Ice Streaking!](https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3k7jb9/if-the-olympics-had-a-streaking-category-this-guy-would-win-gold-vgtrn) > [@](#): > > It’s Winter Olympics time again, the glorious period every four years when the world’s greatest athletes on ice and snow go head-to-head to prove they’re the best sweeper or sledder or Bond henchman cosplayer or whatever. And Friday was no exception as PyeongChang audiences were treated to yet another gold-medal performance for an under-appreciated sport, albeit not one that’s officially on the list—streaking. > > On Friday morning, a mysterious man broke onto the ice after the Men’s 1,000m Speed Skating medal ceremony, wearing nothing but a pink tutu and a monkey pouch over his crotch, TMZ reports. If that isn’t Olympics-level streaking, I don’t know what is. > > Behold, the man in all his glory, as he pirouettes his way across the PyeongChang ice: This single incident makes this my favorite Olympics of all time. 😃 ---
**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 24, 2018, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/279 "2018-02-24T05:09:30Z")
Interesting not to see commentary here about the women’s figure skating final, arguably the marquee event of the whole Winter Olympics. Anyway, that worked out well for me as I was out last night and didn’t catch the final until tonight. I liked Sakamoto’s smooth as silk stylings better than any of the medalists, so once again we see that the scoring system is not what I would prefer. But at least the winners stayed off the ice (other than their skates, obviously). I also rewatched the shootout. Still like it! I have a question, though. One of the best goals (other than the winning one by L’Amoureux) was a crazy super fake-out where the shooter collided with the goalie who had left the net, and she reached back to slap it into the empty net. So my question is: when is the play over? What exactly constitutes a “shot”? If she had been unable to reach that puck sitting in front of the goal, could she get up and continue to try to get to it before the goalie does? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2018, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525/280 "2018-02-24T05:53:51Z")
I just watched the men’s PSG semifinal and when they showed the replay of the finish line, it was painfully obvious that Lee from South Korea did not cross the line first. WTF? It was so obvious that the guy who lost was even pointing it out when he saw it on the replay monitor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-winter-olympics-thread/808525.md?page=15)