Will Canada ever get a chance at the Olympics again?

Marty! wrote: But the worst of all - is the 3 (yes, three) electric, green powered ice resurfacers are all the biggest POS's that they had to delay the speed skating while figuring out what to do about the crappy ice. They also had to overnight a propane powered Zamboni in to finish out the games.

Wow!

They must really have their head up their ass then.

I live in Burnaby, right next to Vancouver. I grew up in Richmond, you know, the city that the speed skating oval is located in?

The Richmond Ice Arena is less than 5 miles from the speedskating oval and they have a propane, genuine Zamboni.

The Richmond Winter Club is ACROSS THE STREET from the speed skating oval and they have a propane powered ice resurfacer.

There is one more rink across town (20 miles) with multiple ice surfaces and multiple resurfacers.

All I can say is if they actually overnighted a replacement in, they're a bunch of mouth-breathing retards. All it would take is an equipment trailer, truck, driver and about 1/2 hour to get the biggest one (5 miles away) there.

Hell, I'd do it with my car trailer in exchange for a ticket to the gold medal hockey game.

Last, the lack of snow isn't our fault. Apparently no-one who organised this thing bothered to speak to any of the locals.

I've lived here for 28 of my 31 years and I can count on one hand how many times we've had snow in February.

Shawn

Shawn - I'm going to guess they flew in the replacement ice-surface machine instead of finding one locally because the local ones were not the correct "Olympic" colours with approved sponsorship. And I agree, Vancouver and snow are not synonymous. However Whistler and fog is...

GWGarrard - Ottawa

The reason they imported another ice surfacer ( a Zamboni) was because speed skating ice surfacers are a different size than hockey rink units. The one they "imported" was trucked in from the speed skating facility in Calgary. I don't know what the differences between the two are.

There are two big differences between a speedskating Zamboni (TM) and a Zamboni for a normal rink. The first difference is the width of the ice shaving blade. Zamboni's for normal rinks (hockey, figure skating, etc) have a 77" wide blade, while the Zamboni for speedskating has a blade that is 96" wide. The speed skating ones also hold about twice as much water for making ice (1500L vs 700L). Because of the huge size of the speedskating track versus a normal rink, the normal Zamboni's would run out of water before resurfacing the whole track.

Bob

I love learning stuff like that. Just in case I'm ever called upon to do an emergency ice resurfacing on a speed skating rink, for example.

I want to see an "all natural" winter Olympics. This goes with my rule that "a city should not have an NHL team unless they can host one outdoor game a year without refrigeration". Chicago, Montreal, Ottawa, you're okay. Even the Denver Nordiques pass. Phoenix, Anaheim and LA? No.

Make the skaters skate on an outdoor rink. Hoses are allowed, Zambonis are not. Natural ice is a lot more challenging with bumps, cracks and the odd twig sticking through. It would make things a lot more exciting :) Skiing should be without artificial or trucked-in snow. If there are rocks, then put a cone on 'em. The luge and other tobogganing sports should be on the local tubing hill, complete with the jumps constructed by local kids.

Oh, and the figure skaters would be told to join a hockey team or go home.

Keith wrote: I want to see an "all natural" winter Olympics.

You sir, are a genius. I would love to see this. I hate listening to Olympians complaining that the conditions aren't perfect. You're the best in the world at what you do, you should be able to handle poor conditions. So you have to slow down for a bumpy corner instead of going flat out, big deal. If someone else can take it flat out and win, then they're better than you and deserve to win.

Can we also make rules that the network broadcasting the Olympics cannot show 'human interest' stories? I don't care what songs various athletes like to sing at karaoke (yes, NBC had a segment on this), I don't care how hard it was for a figure skater to pick her outfit (NBC again), and don't have a 10 minute segment about how you decided to visit Brandon, Manitoba or Biggar, Saskatchewan to see the polar bears while you were in Vancouver (and NBC wins the trifecta of crap). Brandon is almost 2000km from Vancouver - you don't just hop over to visit. Just show the sports, and show the whole event. Don't cut away halfway through the biathlon to udpate us on the night life of Whistler. It's a sporting event, not a winter festival.

Sorry for the rant.

Bob

Re: Zambonis - I do find it amusing that someone was so proud of themselves for being a good little hippy and being "green", and it backfired. It's dumb when tertiary factors become deciding ones, and amusing to see it backfire. Next time, how about you pick an ice resurfacer based on how it resurfaces ice, and not on how "green" it is.

Re: the Luge death - I feel sorry for his family. And yeah, with the benefit of hindsight those poles did need to be covered. I don't agree with the lower starting positions though. It's a dangerous sport. It's attraction is in the danger. Don't neuter it.

Keith wrote: I love learning stuff like that. Just in case I'm ever called upon to do an emergency ice resurfacing on a speed skating rink, for example. I want to see an "all natural" winter Olympics. This goes with my rule that "a city should not have an NHL team unless they can host one outdoor game a year without refrigeration". Chicago, Montreal, Ottawa, you're okay. Even the Denver Nordiques pass. Phoenix, Anaheim and LA? No. Make the skaters skate on an outdoor rink. Hoses are allowed, Zambonis are not. Natural ice is a lot more challenging with bumps, cracks and the odd twig sticking through. It would make things a lot more exciting :) Skiing should be without artificial or trucked-in snow. If there are rocks, then put a cone on 'em. The luge and other tobogganing sports should be on the local tubing hill, complete with the jumps constructed by local kids. Oh, and the figure skaters would be told to join a hockey team or go home.

It used to be that way.

Recall back in 1980, Eric Hyden won 5 gold medals in speed skating- all of which were done outdoors. I think they went indoors at Calgary, 1988.

And figure skating used to be outdoors, too- here's Dick Button doing his free skat outdoors in 1948- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j-9lXwSM8A

searching youtube a little, it looks like up to 1960- figure skating move indoors at the olympics in Sqaw Valley.

E-

Schmidlap wrote: There are two big differences between a speedskating Zamboni (TM) and a Zamboni for a normal rink. The first difference is the width of the ice shaving blade. Zamboni's for normal rinks (hockey, figure skating, etc) have a 77" wide blade, while the Zamboni for speedskating has a blade that is 96" wide. The speed skating ones also hold about twice as much water for making ice (1500L vs 700L). Because of the huge size of the speedskating track versus a normal rink, the normal Zamboni's would run out of water before resurfacing the whole track. Bob

As I read this all I could think is "impressive!"
Did you write this from personal knowledge? If so, impressive grasp of the odd facts. My life is now richer.
This board amazes me more and more every day or what I simpily phrase as "the power of the board!"

More on the electric ice resurfacers: I find it comical that they wen twith some 'green' ice machine while at the same time they're using helicopters to fly in snow from near-by mountains for the ski courses. I thought they even helicoptered in a replacement Zamboni from Calgary to replace the crappy electric canadian ice machines so they could acually run the speed skating. Not to mention how ridiculous it is to try and out green an LP powered ice machine when you're running a massive refrgeration system to keep the ice cool and another HVAC ssytem to keep the air warm/cool/dry. Rediculous.

I'm a little confused on the electric thing... I've skated regularly on a rink that uses one (or used one, they closed the rink) and the ice was great quality. Of course, I don't know what the ones at the Olympics were like--the one at the rink I played at was plugged in. Literally. LIke tihs one: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mgservice.ca/images/produits/surfaceuses/s_m_direct3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mgservice.ca/en/millennium_direct.php&usg=__1xjEfxozmGVcOdtmv58799t8Vw4=&h=237&w=268&sz=14&hl=en&start=7&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=UeApAeqZK_m4gM:&tbnh=100&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dolympia%2Bdirect%2Bice%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1

Also, another concern (although not in these rinks) is the pollution in the rink. Think about it, if you have a relatively low roof, the exhaust is going nowhere, and you are sitting in it. I know of two rinks that have temporarily shut down this year--and I played at both. The one, I always thought smelled kinda funny.

Keith wrote: I want to see an "all natural" winter Olympics.

How about an "au naturel" Olympics. I'll pick the competitors, thank you.

Keith wrote: Make the skaters skate on an outdoor rink. .....The luge and other tobogganing sports should be on the local tubing hill, complete with the jumps constructed by local kids.

Kind of like the spectator-added features at the Baja races?

Keith wrote: Oh, and the figure skaters would be told to join a hockey team or go home.

Don't give them the "go home" option.

Propane is safe for indoor use. I has a heater.

slantvaliant wrote:

Keith wrote: I want to see an "all natural" winter Olympics.

How about an "au naturel" Olympics. I'll pick the competitors, thank you. \

Make it the Summer Olympics and the first event Women's Beach Volleyball. The television ratings will destroy any other tv show in history...

slantvaliant wrote:

Keith wrote: I want to see an "all natural" winter Olympics.

How about an "au naturel" Olympics. I'll pick the competitors, thank you.

Ohh, Ohh, I can help!! Here's the first one.... I present to you Julia Mancuso.

I can't help I'm am such a pig sometimes......

stumpmj wrote: 'Green' ice machine... helicopters.... refrigeration system.... HVAC system... Ridiculous.

Welcome to the Political Image Agenda. It's ALL BS. It's all about what looks good, NOT what is best for anyone or anything or even if it makes logical sense. Get elected, and to heck with anyone else. Logic does not equal politics.

When my Totalitarian Dictatorship comes to power, I can assure you this world will be a very different place. I'm not saying better, just different.

When you add in the fact that the electricity generation and transmission system is only 30-50% efficient, the LP versions could well be "greener". I'll assume the electricity is hydro generated and not from a coal fired plant.

Schmidlap wrote:

Keith wrote: I want to see an "all natural" winter Olympics.

You sir, are a genius. I would love to see this. I hate listening to Olympians complaining that the conditions aren't perfect. You're the best in the world at what you do, you should be able to handle poor conditions. So you have to slow down for a bumpy corner instead of going flat out, big deal. If someone else can take it flat out and win, then they're better than you and deserve to win. Can we also make rules that the network broadcasting the Olympics cannot show 'human interest' stories? I don't care what songs various athletes like to sing at karaoke (yes, NBC had a segment on this), I don't care how hard it was for a figure skater to pick her outfit (NBC again), and don't have a 10 minute segment about how you decided to visit Brandon, Manitoba or Biggar, Saskatchewan to see the polar bears while you were in Vancouver (and NBC wins the trifecta of crap). Brandon is almost 2000km from Vancouver - you don't just hop over to visit. Just show the sports, and show the whole event. Don't cut away halfway through the biathlon to udpate us on the night life of Whistler. It's a sporting event, not a winter festival. Sorry for the rant. Bob

You said it better than I could! At least we were able to watch biathalon this year, the last Olympics I watched it on my laptop. And may I add that I am disgusted that the USA, a country with the most shooters in the world, cannot podium in Biathalon.

Is anyone else annoyed at the downhill skiing/snowboarding events?

Can we make this a little more interesting? How about this instead:

We start you at Point A: You have to make it to Point B.

Use whatever freaking route you'd like. Good luck.

I would watch that. This crap with the laid out course is annoying beyond believe.

Is there any skiing competitions that follow that sort of guidelines? I thought there was, because i used to like watching skiing competitions. But seriously. Watching all this irks me really badly.

In reply to 93celicaGT2:

I liken the downhill events to autocrossing, using gravity instead of fuel for motive power. Be the fastest across the line and you win.

There's even some "wheel-to-wheel" competition in some of the snowboard-cross stuff.

What's not to like?

93celicaGT2 wrote: This crap with the laid out course is annoying beyond believe.

Pretty sure I heard that said at an autocross event last summer!

I used to do a lot of ski racing and I think it really helped when I started autoxing. Just getting down the hill is sort of like drag racing. Where's the fun in that?

Have you guys even seen the crashes on the women's downhill? I'm not expert, in fact not even close to an amateur spectator, but something like 7 out of 20 women crashed at various places along the course. A lot of those looked very painful at best, and one poor soul got a helicopter ride to the hospital.

I'm not sure if this is considered normal, I can't think of too many racing type events where that high a number of competitors DNF. That being said, in reply to 93celicaGT2's idea of having a point A to point B type of race, I think that's a bad idea. Crashing into a tree at 50mph is my idea of deadly.

mw wrote: I used to do a lot of ski racing and I think it really helped when I started autoxing. Just getting down the hill is sort of like drag racing. Where's the fun in that?

Well, there's still fast lines, and not so fast lines. Also lines that result in much more direct routes if you've got the balls to do so.

It would focus more on the ability/mentality of the skier, rather than the ability to simply cut the corner on the pre-determined course just right.

That said, i DO enjoy watching the Apline Slaloms. That stuff is badass.

Drag racing as pertaining to skiing would be Speed Skiing, though i don't even know if that's even still active. Anybody else remember that insane sport? "Let's put on skiis, modify my suit and helmet to be really aerodynamic, perfect my tuck, and see if i can go 120mph straight down this hill, and hopefully not die."

bludroptop wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote: This crap with the laid out course is annoying beyond believe.

Pretty sure I heard that said at an autocross event last summer!

Touche...

Bit different though...

I think a big part of it is that the course just doesn't seem all that difficult this year. I'm 99% sure that i've skied harder runs. Maybe not as fast, because after all, i'm not a pro. But if you're going to be the best in the world, i'd like to see a bigger challenge, harder course, more open "rules" etc.