# Random Winter Olympics questions/opinions **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** olympic-sports\ **Created:** [February 15, 2026, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685 "2026-02-15T17:05:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/121 "2026-02-22T14:26:20Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Alpine Skiing. I feel like having a howling camera drone pursuing the competitor down the slope is an unnecessary distraction to the competitors and it’s unfair too - since the drone will not be flown the exact same way every time and thus the noise that it makes, and its proximity to the competitor will not be uniform. I get that it’s a thing we _can_ do so apparently it’s also a thing we _must_ do, but it feels wrong to me. I heard a piece about this on NPR this morning. The athletes had a chance to practice with drones, and many did. NPR reported that a lot of the competitors say they don’t even notice the drones once they start their race, and they really enjoy the footage, too. They had a clip from one telling about how amazing it was that the drone operator would get these gorgeous scenery views and then switch to following a guy going 60mph. He was clearly a fan. They also talked about how the drones are run in general. Each drone has both an operator, who wears VR equipment, and a spotter, whose job is to have wider situational awareness and warn the operator if the drone is at risk of getting in a bad place. They also have a team whose job is to quickly retrieve drones that crash, as a safety measure. They haven’t been needed, yet, but it seems like a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/122 "2026-02-22T18:00:37Z")
When did the bobsleds stop bearing numbers- like USA1 and USA2, etc.? ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/123 "2026-02-22T20:19:55Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > the other half would have to go uphill Fair, although the end being uphill accomplishes the same thing. I didn’t consider the end being uphill when I saw the course shape on tv. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/124 "2026-02-22T22:14:12Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > Aerodynamics. I believe they’re custom curved for each skier. It’s more of an issue with the speed events (downhill and Super-G) where being in an aerodynamic tuck with your bent poles behind you is a key to carrying speed. You see straight poles in slalom and some giant slalom racers use aero poles. At the top levels racers have custom curved poles but they’re pretty much off the shelf for everyone else racing. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/125 "2026-02-22T22:40:09Z")
In the second period of the gold medal hockey game, a player dropped his stick, and didnt skate over and retrieve it right away. I didnt have the sound on so I dont know if the announcers explained it, but was a rules issue, or he just didn’t want to get out of position? ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/126 "2026-02-22T23:17:59Z")
I did not see the incident, but according to the rules of hockey, if your stick breaks during play, you MUST discard it. You either drop it where you are when you realize it’s broken, or drop it into the bench if you’re close enough. If you’re a defenseman and you’re not near the end of your shift and nowhere near the bench, frequently a forward will give you his stick so you can continue playing defense and he will skate toward the bench and get another one for himself. If you’re either at the end of your shift OR near the bench, you’ll get off the ice and let a teammate -with a stick - take your place. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2026, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/127 "2026-02-22T23:52:04Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > or he just didn’t want to get out of position? Exactly, and it happens all the time in hockey if the stickless player is in the defensive zone. It’s better to stay in your place until your team has the puck. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/128 "2026-02-23T00:03:23Z")
Thanks, although I dont think the stick broke; I think he just dropped it ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/129 "2026-02-23T02:00:49Z")
I did not see the play. If he did not retrieve the stick right away, and the stick was not broken, possibilities include: 1. Getting the stick may have put him in an offside position, so he wanted to wait to see if the puck passed the blue line. 2. Getting the stick would have removed him from a defensive play. Without a stick he could still block a shot or tie up an opponent. 3. Getting the stick would have removed him from an offensive play. Without a stick, he could still distract a defenseman, tie up an opponent, or get into a strategic position. Especially if the defenders might not have immediately realized he did not have his stick. 4. The player was unsure if the stick was broken. As stated above, players are not permitted to carry damaged sticks and must drop them immediately or face a penalty. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/130 "2026-02-23T05:47:13Z")
With regard to bobsled brakes not working, this was not a brake issue but raises some of the same issues where the pilot was the only one in the sled and had to determine how to brake. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/f_qZ7b1zu1c/hq2.jpg "Scary bobsled ride for Team USA") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_qZ7b1zu1c) ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/131 "2026-02-23T06:37:02Z")
It doesn’t have to be in two pieces to be considered broken. You can usually feel and hear it when your stick breaks, and if you continue to carry it, you run the chance of a referee having heard it break, thereby incurring a penalty. @Dr_Paprika enumerates other possible explanations, too. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/132 "2026-02-23T12:20:24Z")
I only really noticed the thinking time countdown clock in the curling final - it made me wonder if it might be interesting to have, rather than a total for each team that just ticks down, instead to have a shared total thinking time of, say, 2 minutes - initially shared equally - 1 minute per team, but as the clock ticks down for team A, it ticks up for team B - so if you spend a long time thinking, you afford the opposing team a longer thinking time - if you put yourself under time pressure and shorten the thinking time, you also put the opposing team under time pressure because you’re not giving them more seconds from your ration. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/133 "2026-02-23T12:33:12Z")
I was shocked to realize that the USA’s men’s hockey gold medal was their first gold since 1980, the Miracle on Ice. That’s 46 years! It’s also the first time that both the men and women won gold in the same olympic year. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/134 "2026-02-23T14:11:01Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > It’s also the first time that both the men and women won gold in the same olympic year. Is that the first time for the U.S. teams? Or first time for the teams of any country? ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/135 "2026-02-23T14:19:51Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Is that the first time for the U.S. teams? Or first time for the teams of any country? Yes, first for the USA, because last time the US men won gold in 1980, there still wasn’t a women’s hockey tournament. But not the first for any country, Canada pulled it off in 2002, 2010 and 2014. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/136 "2026-02-23T14:44:44Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Canada pulled it off in 2002, 2010 and 2014. I didn’t check that but, when I read @Pleonast 's post, that was my immediate guess. Canada has been very dominant over the years and a thorn in our side seemingly forever. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/137 "2026-02-23T14:46:22Z")
Yeah, my first thought, too. I hadn’t the years remembered, but went to Wikipedia to look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/138 "2026-02-23T15:15:33Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > Canada has been very dominant over the years and a thorn in our side seemingly forever. Based on history, the US has been a thorn in Canada’s side. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2026, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/139 "2026-02-23T15:16:46Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Based on history, the US has been a thorn in Canada’s side. You’re a thorn in hockey, we’re a thorn in pretty much everything else. LOL It’s a thorny problem. 😈 ---
**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 23, 2026, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685/140 "2026-02-23T16:25:58Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > I only really noticed the thinking time countdown clock in the curling final… The current timing rules are an improvement over the previous rule. I think the change was only in the last 5-10 years. It used to be that the clock would run while the shot was in progress. For example, the yellow clock would run while the yellow stone was sliding down the ice. As soon as the rock stopped, the yellow clock would stop and the red clock would start. I think each team started with 73 minutes. The problem was that it had an effect on strategy. Takeouts travel faster down the ice, so a team that threw lots of takeouts would run less time off their clock. Throw a lot of guards, draws, and freezes and you may find your team short on time near the end of the game. The way it works now, the yellow stone stops and the red clock starts, then the red clock stops as soon as the red player slides out of the hack. That’s why they keep calling it “thinking time”. My club occasionally hosts tournaments that include time limits like the games at the Olympics. I’ve worked as a timer a few times. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-winter-olympics-questions-opinions/1027685.md?page=8)