Neither here nor there

For once I have no idea what happened today as I start watching. Neither, it appears, does Bode.

Ice needs ice
It's not an inspiring lineup tonight, so let's start with the odd piece in the Post a few days ago by Paul Farhi, entitled Where the Rich and Elite Meet to Compete:

In the history of the winter competition, dating from its inception in 1924, dating from its inception in 1924, competitors from only six countries -- the Soviet Union/Russia, Germany (East, West and combined), Norway, the United States, Austria and Finland, in that order -- have won almost two-thirds of all the medals awarded. Only 17 countries have ever amassed more than 10 medals during the past 19 winter Olympiads. Only 38 countries have won even one medal. ...

By contrast, the all-time list of summer winners is long and deep, extending to athletes from 143 countries, including such places as Tonga, Paraguay and Burundi. The Summer Games have medal hogs, too, but nothing like winter ones. The top six in the summer -- the United States, the Soviet Union/Russia, Germany, France, Britain and Italy -- have swept up slightly more than half the medals since the modern games started in 1896.

I think Farhi, a Style writer, is stretching to try and make a point. Given the Summer Olympics have had an extra 28 years to spread, let's given their cousins another few decades to percolate. Even so, the gap isn't that wide between 'nearly two-thirds' (63%?) and 'slightly more than half' (52%?)

Nobody's arguing the Winter Games are as accessible as the Summer--no equipment required to run fast after all--but let's not try to make one egalitarian and the other elitist. I mean, East Germany wasn't exactly rolling in dough when it was dominating the Winter medals table. And in this day and age of international students studying in the U.S., how much GNP does it take to have one student with a talent for a sport training here and competing for their homeland?

HOUR ONE
Speed skating men's team pursuit
Hmmm, it's a team event, but Chad Hendricks said in a press conference he's not gonna beg a teammate to race with him so he can try for five golds. Shani Davis says this isn't his event, and he wants to concentrate on his best shot for gold. Dan Jansen says well, that means the U.S. isn't fielding it's strongest team.

Very odd formation--eight laps, three guys each on both sides of the ice. It looks cool, like cycling team pursuit. How can the U.S. not beat Italy?! Yet the teams are pretty much tied. Jansen says they're really skating well--yet it's essentially tied with three laps to go. Now Italy's up, and widening; U.S. is trailing, K.C. Bouttie is way behind, others don't wait for him--and Hendricks looks mad as the U.S. loses. Pathetic. Not sure I like him anymore; NBC is making it about Davis, says he's the only elite skater who didn't compete for his country.

Women's 500M short track
Qualifiers for semis; sheesh, pretty early in the process to start showing this. Some American is racing, the Chinese woman is way in front. Crash, three hit the boards hard, American Alison Baver gets up first, qualifies for semis. Wow. Hmm, she's dating Apolo.

Next, another American, Haley Kim, the one who's spent most of her life in South Korea. Ugh, she's way behind early, forget it; it's not even close. Commentators say she's been nursing an injury, and this is her least effective distance. Then they show the final heat, bunchof young, good skaters, two are taken out early by the favorite South Korean stumbling.

Three of a kind
Dick Button and Scott Hamilton join Costas in the studio to talk about Plushenko and the other skaters. It's an interesting, informative talk. Particularly when then talk about the nutty Johnny Weir. Who Scott defends... sortof, saying he's essentially telling the world I'm here, I'm weird. Button likes his style on the ice; he's not at all dressed for tv, I like him, he's like an old-style analyst, is a pro and cares about what he says and reacts to what others say. Funny moment at the end with Scott and Dick praising each other, and Bob saying we adjourn this meeting of the mutual admiration society. And from that to Ted Legaty's medal ceremony.

Men's freestyle skiing qualifiers
I'm not sure about this moguls event. It's one of those is it a real sport things; and the skiers NBC focuses on all seem obnoxious, led by that Jeremy Bloom--who NBC bills as a two-sports star even though he really wasn't much of a wide receiver playing in the Big 12 at Colorado. Announcers are your usual loud-yellers.

Canada's Chris Wong kicks off NBC's saturation coverage, nice run, he's in first. Then Mikko Ronkainen of the strong Finnish team; flailing jump, not great. Better second run, and fast. Another Canadian zips down, and Marc-Andre Moreau's into first.

These announcers at least try to do analysis during and after the run. Neat segment with a camera strapped to a skiere as he bumps down the course and flies into the air. No idea how these guys don't all have brain damage. Hmm, apparently the goggles play a key role in letting them see the course as they zoom down.

The classically-named Ruslan Sharifullin of Russia goes next, this doesn't seem at all like a sport Russians would take to. Too frivolous somehow and fun somehow, and he falls on the 2nd jump. Travis Cabral kicks off the American contingent, he just goes for it, and has good jumps, should be in first. And he is. His teammate Travis Mayer is next, same deal, he'll be new leader, even faster than other Travis. These Americans have a definite style of straight ahead as fast as possible--whoah, Mayer is just 4th. Odd.

Alexander Bilodeau of Canada next, bobbles out of the gate, looks hunched over compared to the Americans, and has a poor 2nd jump landing. Into 7th. Now Bloom goes; kindof a rough run, impressive but some mistakes. Into 3rd. Next, Dale Begg-Smith. He's apparently an Internet millionnaire, after starting a company to finance his skiing. Wow, he gets up there on a jump; funny pinkish ski bottoms. Good run, into first. They talk to Bloom, sportspeak. Next, Janne Lahtela, defending champ, from Finland. Has been having chronic back pain... nice, relaxed somersault, whoah, almost misses 2nd landing.

Finally, Toby Dawson, the last American. Originally South Korean, adopted at age 3. He's been trying to be a bit different than everyone else the last year; they show his family. Different technique up top; takes a different line too; big jump, sortof leaning differently; wow, huge second jump, too. Great run... but somehow doesn't get a very good score, into sixth.

So four Americans in the top seven, going into the finals.

Not that short
Sheesh, more coverage. Semis this time. They should've cut out a round, and shown men's double luge instead. Baver's heat gest going first, she's in third halfway through. Tough heat; she tries to pass, but then oddly doesn't stick with it, commentator says if he was her he'd have gone for it. Chinese and Canadian make it instead. Next semi, another Chinese woman, Wang Meng--she aggressively jockeys at the start and leads start to finish. Tight race though.

HOUR TWO
Women's downhill
Starts with a brief look at Lindsey Kildow, who was in that horrific crash during practice a couple days ago that left her in the hospital. She's gonna race, though. Tim Ryan also sets up the storyline of Kildow racing against her 'friend' Julia Mancusco, they've known each other for a decade which means they essentially have grown up together.

Alexsandra Meissnitzer kicks off the Austrian women's charge; weird that the women haven't had much success when the men are so dominant. She grabs first. American Kirsten Clark next, no previous mention so she must not do anything. Looks fast up top, though. But trailing already; this apparently isn't really her event. At some point you'll know the U.S. team has arrived when only the best can qualify out for each event. Ugh, almost totally stands up near the bottom; time is poor, far back.

Michaela Dorfmeister of Austria next, she's well-known and apparently led the charge to toughen up the women's course. She's wearing this cool green helmet; skis like the Austrian men, just barrels down, almost out of control, but just channeled enough to stay on course. Wow, she's half a second faster halfway through; compared to men, still skis more carefully, reminds me of footage of Phil Maher in 1984. Wow, grabs lead, by over a second. She's gonna be hard to beat. Swiss skier Martina Schild goes, her grandmother apparently won the downhill in 1948 games; granddaughter manages to slip into second.

More in-depth profile of Kildow and Mancuso. It's like something you'd see on American Idol--nice and free-spirited, possibly just a little kooky in the case of Mancusco. 'Friendly, but not friends' is how Lindsey terms their relationship. Apparently the announcers don't watch these things.

Mancuso is up first, odd camera angle makes it hard to see her up top. Unlike the men there's no sense of danger, seems to be more controlled and deliberate. She's losing time, not good, doesn't seem to be going that fast. Maybe a pure line will held down low, cause she's small too. Gosh, she's waaay back. Oh well, into 6th. Anja Paerson from Sweden, who I remember from four years ago, runs next. She's fast up top, finishes in 3rd.

No idea how Kildow is able to ski after that accident; but here she comes. Lots of chattering on her skis; but looks allright. Bit slow though; not sure anyone's gonna catch Dorfmeister. She's very tentative I think, careful in her tucks, almost deliberate. Gosh, she's lost a lot of time; oh well, definitely a case of where just showing up is victory. Both Americans in top ten, not bad for a program that didn't really exist not too long ago. And she's upset--good!

Dorfmeister's almost crying, only one skier to go. Given that it's almost 10 and they're showing an Austrian here, my guess is the U.S. did nothing today medal-wise. Final skier is Carol Montillet-Carl, a Frenchwoman--and defending champ--who looks motherly somehow. Skis like it too, she's 1.31 behind off the top--but I guess she's just coming off a big accident. She finishes well back.

Wow, so the Austrian women finally break through after 26 years of no gold in this event. Dorfmeister says post-race she's been so nervous, no sleep the last couple of nights. And making no sense, NBC goes to commercial at the top of the hour.

HOUR THREE
Men's 1000M short track qualifying
Boy, NBC must totally be desperate to stick a mere qualifying heat in this time slot; hope Ohno doesn't fall. Rusty Smith of the U.S. is in second for most of the first of six heats, Korean guy behind, Hugarian in front. Now Smith goes in front, then the Korean, and that's how they finish. So top two advance, plus two of the fastest 3r-d place finishers.

Next is a Slovakian followed by an unidentified skater and then a Korean. Announcers say these guys aren't going that fast, so they know only two will advance. Then a Chinese, Italian, Belgian, and a German. Asian guy's in front, metaphors galore. And the legendary Li JiaJun uses his big body to control the race from up front, wins.

Final heat--they didn't show a couple--features Apolo, with young skaters--a Russian, Ukrainian, and Dutchman. They go slow, oddly enough, not gunning for three out even though they know the times they have to beat. Ohno tries to make a move from the back, still in third. Next, moves into second. Then a sweet inside move and he's easily in the lead, and opens it up. Announcer really likes the way he looks; and he wins.

Crash
Jimmy R. and Chevrolet (it'd be funny if one night a truck was in the studio) take a look at crashes and the game, focusing on Kildow. He's got this thing where he tries for poetry; so sometimes it just falls flat. It's a patronizing piece--the women downhillers have had it the roughest of all so far, after petitioning for the downhill course to be made more difficult maybe they didn't know what they were getting into. Oh? He wraps it all up with the whole she won even though she didn't thing.

Mogul's mogul
Wow, it's a cool-looking course at night, lights on along the straight-down slope. Finnish Mikkok Ronniken first, wow, these guys are going fast; good run, he was flying. Looked like the tape was on fast forward. High score, announcers says will be hard to beat.

Canadian Alexandre Bilodeau next. Starts off a bit slow, huge first aerial that apparently nobody does. Misses his second big jump a bit. Wow, am getting into this event, I feel like I'm watching the *best*run*ever everytime down. But not a great score.

Lahtela of Finland next, looks like an elderly man compared to the rest. Announcer compares him to U2, always putting out hits. Big 2nd jump, but messes up the landing--no mistakes at this level allowed. Nice camerawork, can't be easy capturing these guys at full speed. How does this sport not destroy everyone's knees?

Jesper Bjoernlund of Sweden; nice two jumps, sticks his landings, but nothing like the first guy. High score has him in second, though. Next, Mayer goes. Looks nervous, but focused. Seems to be slowing up for some reason, an okay jump at the end--he won't be first. Just in third, six left to go.

Dawson next--also seems nervous. Wow, he's going fast! Wow, an amazing! second trick! It was like a somersault--cork 720--camera angle was great; he should be in first, easily. Whoah! He's only in second--but he seems happy.

Next, Bloom. His dream is to win gold, then a Super Bowl ring. Ok.... An okay first jump; nice second, not great jump. He won't win. Finishes fourth. Bye, Bloom. Next, Moreau of Canada. Apparently a surprise to be this high. Nice first jump; And a good second one, he'll be third or lower. And he's third....

Final American, Cabral. So far a disappointing event for the Americans. No one's fallen yet, either. 720, okay. Nice second jump, but hits the ground--so at best bronze. Probably out of the medals. Yup; in 8th. Dawson's mom looks pretty happy, he's guaranteed a medal. Begg-Smith of Australia last guy. His knees technique looks really good; first jump is nice. He'll win gold if he keeps it up; and he does.

So the touted Americans just get a bronze. Dawson looks like a good guy post-race interview, usual athlete speak. Bloom says he made a couple of small mistakes; still happy for Toby. He actually seems like a nice guy too; looking forward to the NFL combine.

HOUR FOUR
Short track men's relay
Wow, first semi South Korean guy hit wall; team almost out, until German guy hit wall later. U.S. versus China, Italy, Japan. 44 laps! U.S. in last early, means nothing. Focus is on Apolo... hopefully all goes well, this sure is exciting to watch. Wow, Ohno goes from 3rd to first, in a huge move, crowd totally into it. This is almost an unimaginable event, it's like totally teetering on chaos. Whoah, Japanese and Italians take each other out, so U.S. and China just needs to keep going. About 18 laps left, 4 minutes elapsed, about 3 left. U.S., China easily advance.

Man, finals will be nuts, Italians get through after Japan DQed, so five teams! Afterwards Apolo talks--'if you mess up once, it hurts, bad, but you still have more races to go.' Sheesh, Andrea Joyce is grilling him like he's on the stand.

Short track women's 500M final
Crazy--they're showing this, no Americans but two Chinese among the four. 4.5 laps for gold, wild, frenetic. Wang, who again executed a strategy of going for it all on the start, wins. Whoops, falls twice on victory lap, with her teammate carrying big Chinese flag.

I'm telling you, we're watching a country grow up in front of our eyes. China competed for the first time in the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid in 1980, with 28 athletes and an 18th place finish (in slalom) its best result. By Salt Lake it was up to 72 athletes, finishing 13th with 2 golds, 2 silvers, and 4 bronzes.

And now, it's already got 7 medals, just 2 fewer than the U.S. It's been a rough night for the U.S.--just one bronze. And we're trailing by quite a bit in the overall medals, too. As I said on Sunday, someone unexpected needed to step up in a totally inspiring and everyone else needed to feed off his or her charge. Nobody yet; maybe nobody at all.

HOUR FOUR.5
Nordic combined team
Seems like Germans vs. Austrians here. Austrians jump, do well, Then Germans. Then Austrian, takes first; then last jumper, German, and he takes first back. Russia in third, after first round of jumps. Hmm, that was brief.

Lickety-split
Ted Ligety's in the studio for an interview with the wooden Jim Lampley. He asks him if Bode being DQed gave him extra motivation--cause you know, everything here stems from Miller for NBC. Then Jimmy asks him how much of his success is from being born at winter sports HQ in Park City, Utah; Ted says a lot of it.

Afterwards they show the women's luge ceremony, with three Germans on the podium. Funny, on the bottom of the silver and bronze podiums, it says Passion Lives Here. Apparently so does English.

Night ends with Duran Duran playing, again absent any sports footage.

Photo of China's Wang Meng celebrating winning the 500M short track gold by Mark Baker/ AP.

Photo of Austria's Wolfgang and Andreas Linger after winning the doubles luge gold by Jean-Paul Pelissier/ Reuters.

Photo of Bode Miller with March 2002 Playboy playmate Tina Jordan during a party in a bar after he was DQed in the combined slalom earlier in the night, by a Reuters stringer.