# The 2022 Winter Olympics Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** olympic-sports-track\ **Created:** [February 3, 2022, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841 "2022-02-03T11:41:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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 3, 2022, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/1 "2022-02-03T11:41:11Z")
This is the thread to comment on the opening/closing ceremonies as well as any sports. Please keep politics to a minimum, preferably zero (if a giant ice sculpture of Mao shows up commenting on that would be OK) As a (very not Olympic level) XC skier I like those events, particularly Nordic Combined and Biathlon. Speed Skating is good too. Of course it will be wall to wall ice skating which I tolerate. Except for Ski Jumping (which is only partially judged), I like the judged events less. I don’t hate Hockey but can take it or leave it. What sports interest you? Are Skeleton participants actually sane? Brian ---
**Author:** ![SoToasty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sotoasty/32/2803_2.png) [@SoToasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoToasty)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/2 "2022-02-03T12:02:06Z")
I enjoy, and watched some curling last night. I like the strategy and the slow pace, followed by lots of yelling and frantic sweeping. I also enjoy the XC, bobsledding and luge. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/3 "2022-02-03T12:27:03Z")
Who’s playing on the hockey teams without NHL players? Are they all minor-leaguers or juniors? How about KHL players? ---
**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 3, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/4 "2022-02-03T20:13:47Z")
Good to see an Olympic thread, because I have a question even before the opening ceremony. I’m just watching curling out of boredom, it never was a sport that interested me very much, but I like to watch when nothing else is on. I’m watching the Switzerland-UK game, and I noticed that they have mixed teams. Is this new? I remember seeing men’s and women’s curling, not mixed. Is this a new discipline? ---
**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 3, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/5 "2022-02-03T21:08:52Z")
Mixed doubles was added in 2018 > **[Curling at the Winter Olympics](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling_at_the_Winter_Olympics)** > > Curling was included in the program of the inaugural Winter Olympic Games in 1924 in Chamonix although the results of that competition were not considered official by the International Olympic Committee until 2006. Curling was a demonstration sport at the 1932 Games, and then again after a lengthy absence in 1988 and 1992. The sport was finally added to the official program for the Nagano 1998. > Until 2018, only men's and women's events were contested. An additional event, mixed doubles, was re... Brian ---
**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 3, 2022, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/6 "2022-02-03T21:09:30Z")
Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/7 "2022-02-03T21:13:36Z")
Curling is the best Olympic sport ever. (And anything without active defense isn’t even a sport at all). I will take no questions at this time. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/8 "2022-02-03T22:38:16Z")
I’ve been watching everything on Peacock(bought 1 month just to get the Olympics). Very little has occurred so far, but it’s fun to see the early events. Indeed, curling has really gotten going, as has Moguls and women’s hockey. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/9 "2022-02-03T22:39:41Z")
Ice Hockey, bobsled, luge, and skeleton are my favorites and I always try to catch some speed skating. I’m glad it’s easy to see most of the events and it’s easy to avoid the drama filled prime time NBC coverage and endless focus on figure skating ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/10 "2022-02-03T22:49:39Z")
I’m looking forward to the announcement, “Welcome to the 2022 Olympic Games from Beijing, China (but really from Stamford, Connecticut).” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/11 "2022-02-03T23:12:53Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m looking forward to the announcement, “Welcome to the 2022 Olympic Games from Beijing, China (but really from Stamford, Connecticut)” I don’t get the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2022, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/12 "2022-02-03T23:25:09Z")
Almost all of the commentators and on-air staff (and production staff) for NBC will be working out of the NBC Sports facility in Stamford, Connecticut. Because of the pandemic, they are sending very few people to Beijing. In fact, in previous Olympics, NBC Nightly News and the Today show would relocate to the host city but they’re not doing that. In short, in some respects this is going to be a lot like the Tokyo Games last year. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/13 "2022-02-04T12:14:16Z")
Ooh pretty green sticks… The BBC prefaced its coverage by discussing the human right abuses of Uyghur muslims, showing the Hong Kong protests and reminding us that the well-being Peng Shuai is still not certain. 👍 ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/14 "2022-02-04T12:51:25Z")
I’m struck by the music being used here. There is no attempt whatsoever to utilise Chinese music. The music so far as been classical European stuff or cheesy dramatic sounding soundtrack style music. I think most hosts would fill an opening ceremony with music from their own country, or get a well-known home-grown artist to compose something new. Plus some live performances. Perhaps when they light the flame we will hear something. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/15 "2022-02-04T13:56:10Z")
…and now John Lennon’s “Imagine” for the _third Olympic opening ceremony in a row_. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/16 "2022-02-04T15:16:57Z")
It was a bad opening ceremony. Thematically vague and generally underwhelming. Even with making allowances for covid, Tokyo pulled off something that was at least more interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/17 "2022-02-04T15:35:34Z")
Question about downhill skiing. The gate actually opens for them to begin during the beeping countdown(think Mario Kart race starts). It beeps a couple more times at least after they start skiing, then does the high pitch beep that indicates “go”. I see no mark they have to reach by the final beep. How does this beeping start work? ---
**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 4, 2022, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/18 "2022-02-04T16:58:41Z")
As I understand it, the beeping is just advisory. The clock is started by moving a small lever in front of the skier’s shins, and it’s stopped by breaking a beam at the finish line. If you watch the skiers, they throw their body forward out of the start gate first, and then their feet; and at the end they extend one foot (or their had) to stop the clock. Every fraction of a second might matter. The race organizers do want things to run on a schedule; one skier down the course each minute or two. The beeping helps the racers keep to the schedule. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2022, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/19 "2022-02-05T02:12:12Z")
I didn’t watch all of the opening ceremony, but did catch a good chunk of it. It was OK. However, I actually really liked the “snowflake” cauldron lighting. I also was surprised that they full-blown put a Uyghur citizen to light the final torch/cauldron. While I liked the ending, the whole dove-heart-peace message was very forced and fake. Anyway, beautiful images. But let’s be honest, the 2008 opening ceremony can never be touched. It was incredible. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2022, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841/20 "2022-02-05T02:58:00Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > I’m struck by the music being used here. I’ve got the TV on, but the stereo is blasting **The Drive-By Truckers.** [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-2022-winter-olympics-thread/958841.md?page=2)