I learn the lingo every four years and then forget until the next Olympics. As indicated above, having the hammer means getting the last throw in the end (inning), which is a big advantage. Getting four points in any end is huge, and even more so when the other team gets the last throw.
One generally wouldn’t say, “We scored 4 in the 8th end without the hammer,” but rather, “We stole 4 in the 8th.” You score when you have the hammer; you steal when they have it.
Sounds like “breaking serve” in tennis.
A North Korean cheerleader accidently started clapping for the Americans.
I think I know what you mean. It’s like every emotion has to be dialed up to 11. No one can look a little sad or a little happy; the highs are bright and explosive, the lows are tragic and soul crushing. If they’re telling a story on the ice, there doesn’t seem to be any room for nuance.
I’m sure there are reasons for that. The TV cameras give us a much closer look than the audience or the judges that the skaters are really performing for. And I wonder if there’s something of an American Idol effect at work. These are kids. They haven’t learned subtlety yet. Great performers know when to blow you away and when to draw you in, but it takes time to learn that.
Where in northern Minnesota? I might be out that way this summer.
It’s really fascinating to watch it unfold once you understand some of the strategy. Early in a game, both teams are trying to score. By the late ends, it’s very clear that one team is playing offense and the other playing defense. The team that needs points has to take risks. Miss a couple shots and thing go bad, fast.
I would not want to be related to her right now.
Oh no. I can’t even laugh, because it actually could be really bad for her.
Robot Arm, I’m in Moorhead. Just met with our mayor, in fact.
My dad and stepmom have a place in Minnesota, and I’m trying to plan a visit this summer, but I think it’s somewhat east of you.
Yeah, we are on the western edge, right by the Red River. Our undefeated high school hockey team might have a future Olympian or two on it. 
On my way back from a bonspiel in Winnipeg last month, I was forced to spend the night in Fargo, after our flight to MSP was diverted there. That gave me the opportunity to once again eat at Kroll’s Diner, where I enjoyed the Knoephla soup and the fleischkuechle. I have enjoyed my now two visits to your neck of the woods. 
“To come to the Olympics and win a gold medal and a silver medal, that is big. How much does that mean to you?”
“Honestly, I’m trippin’. LIke, I’m so grateful. I got a gold. I like silver. I like it all. A little yin-yang, you know? I mean, double gold would have been pretty gangster, but you gotta do your best, and bless the rest.”
–Jamie Anderson, American female Olympic snowboarder
Come on USA Woman’s Hockey…lets beat those Canadians, eh.
They did!!
There might be a couple future Olympians from my curling club.
^ This guy has it right! 
I don’t know why you guys are down on the shootout: that was awesome! The (what turned out to be) winning goal by L’Amoureux was especially stylish.
Cool! I tried that Knoephla soup and found it too salty. I hadn’t heard of the fleischkuechle, but after looking it up it looks like something I would enjoy, so I will definitely put trying it on my “to-do” list. Perhaps counterintuitively, what I’ve been impressed by here is the non-European ethnic food. There is an Indian restaurant that has the best naan I’ve ever tried (and I’ve tried my share), plus another Indian place I still need to check out. There are two East African restaurants that are both great, and a new Persian eatery with a lamb shank that truly falls off the bone. (My wife has several Norwegian-American family members in the area, and they always look at us with total bafflement when we talk about eating at those kinds of places.) There’s also a pastry place with fancy, French-style pastries that change regularly, and they are of impeccable quality (I have visited France multiple times and these actually hold up) at ridiculously, incomprehensibly low prices, like this little (but not that little) dark chocolate “tower” I bought last weekend, filled with mousse au chocolat and covered with edible gold leaf, for less than six bucks.
Winnipeg is such an awesome city—wish I could make it up there more often. I’ve only been once, but I was super impressed, especially by that museum of human rights.
Is this for real??
Awesome! Want to name names, so you can gloat over the prediction in 2022?
I suppose you were due. Quite disappointing for this Canadian though.
It was a fantastic game and either team deserved to win it. See you in four years!
I’d rather not, but they (one man, one woman) were on the teams that finished runner-up to Shuster and Roth at the trials. They’ve both moved to the upper Midwest to have better competition, coaching, and such.
No message.
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.