Arrrrrg, bite me (gold medal)

[canman]

I just watched the curling match between Japan and Russia, of course Japan lost. And what a way to lose the skip completely blew the last shot and just handed the Russians victory. I thought maybe they could pull off at least one surprise victory, but nothing nada, bupkiss.
Taro I like your new cap, its quite becoming.
What is the next sport that Japan is going to get kicked at, I think tonights its ladies speed skating. I hope the young smiley girl can win something.

[GuyJean]

I hope the young smiley girl can win something.

Are you talking about Tomomi? She's not that young.. But smiley..

GJ

[Big Booger]

They call her Melo Yelo...

LOL

[canman]

I meant YOSHII Sayuri. She is cute and always smiling. Of all the women skaters I like her the best.
Hey another silver for Canada in the cross country relay race. Man we are just smoking!

[Mike Oxlong]

P.S. Does anyone have the thread URL for the story behind Mike Oxlong-san's Avatar? If so, please post it here. San Queue Desu!

Clue: It looks like this:

Herro Pongi-san,

I sinku you aaru lookingu foo this. Za "I like dribing bery bery mucchi" topikusu.

Banzai!

MO

[Greji]

ZANNEN DESHITA!"[/b]

Rob, they are getting desperate! The 500m finals brought forth the worst as usual. There were at least six zannens, but they were outnumbered by that ever-popular signal of the end, "Wazuka ni". You know that when the Pronouncers get down to the wazuka's, they know that they are really in the shits, and that they better be getting ready to move to the next event to cheer on mighty Nippon's rush to the gold!

I don't know who the dude was that was doing the color for the 500m, but when Okazaki skated her last heat, he sounded more like he was the designated race wanker in the background. "Oh", "ah", "yaa", "yaa", "yaaa", and when she got slam dunked by the Korean girl at the finish line, a mighty "Kyaa" and a thud like he blew his load and fell on the mike!

This is as good as it gets!!!

[Mulboyne]

There may have been errors in selection. The Nippon Ham basball team mascot, B.B. (Brisky the Bear), came in second in the Sapporo Intinernational 5km ski marathon on Sunday.

[dimwit]

They call her Melo Yelo...

Don't laugh, it my be true. When I first heard the name I assumed Domu and Melo were the offspring of Yankies, but according 2channel dad is a 50 something Kyoto Dai graduate. So most likely they are [SIZE="5"]HIPPIES[/SIZE]

[canman]

[dimwit]

I have my pet theory about why Japan is tanking it so badly in these games. In other countries where networks have to bid for the games, it pays for the winning network to promote the games as much as possible and this in turn generates interest in the sports involved. Here, NHK is given the games hides them away on their pay network since they don't advertise and can't generate revenue that way. Essentially having NHK do the games is like the Americans having PBS as the host network.

[American Oyaji]

That is an interesting theory.

[canman]

But Dimwit, you know as well as I do that Japanese crave international attention. So I don't think that is an issue. Just like they want Nobel prizes and the like, they also want Olympic glory. And for a long time in Canada the CBC had a lock on the games and didn't have to worry about competition but Canada was still able to produce some good athletes. I think the Japanese Olympic athletes have a much higher profile than most do in other countries.

[Greji]

But Dimwit, you know as well as I do that Japanese crave international attention. So I don't think that is an issue. Just like they want Nobel prizes and the like, they also want Olympic glory. And for a long time in Canada the CBC had a lock on the games and didn't have to worry about competition but Canada was still able to produce some good athletes. I think the Japanese Olympic athletes have a much higher profile than most do in other countries.

Another thing that I think might be consided is that for many years the Chairman and/or prime mover of the Japan Olympic movement was Tsumikaicho! He was able to develop and/or personally see that a lot of money was funnelled into the olympic preparation and to the training camps. When he came under fire and subsequently went down in flames, no one was left who could provide, or generate the cash that had been previously provided.

[dimwit]

But Dimwit, you know as well as I do that Japanese crave international attention. So I don't think that is an issue. Just like they want Nobel prizes and the like, they also want Olympic glory. And for a long time in Canada the CBC had a lock on the games and didn't have to worry about competition but Canada was still able to produce some good athletes. I think the Japanese Olympic athletes have a much higher profile than most do in other countries.

CBC for all its name is a commerical broadcaster. It does advertise and it does compete (usually with CTV) for Olympic broadcasting rights so coverage by the winning network is at saturation level. Compare that to Japan where you do get some live coverage at 1 o'clock in the morning, but during the daytime or early evening prime time when they could be rebroadcasting from the day before, you have no coverage whatsoever on terrestrial TV. NHK General seems more concerned with showing Shogi and Amateur Karaoke contests which are watched by about as many people who watch the late night local cable station back home.

As for commerical TV, it is interesting to compare US (or Canadian) coverage to Japanese. On Canadian TV they will usually bring in former athletes or coach to informatively discuss the sport, while wide shows find former sumo wrestlers, kick boxers, baseball players and whatever other riff raff they can find to give their insight into winter sports.

This lack of media attention does a disservice to winter sports.

While I do agree with gboothe that having good training and coaching are necessary and that the Japanese Olympian have been effectively orphaned by the lack of powerful supporters, participation is extremely important and can best be increased by actually having people see the sports.

[canman]

Wow the Japanese ladies curling team beat the US. Now we've got something to hceer about. Good for them.
Dimwit, I agree that having talents doing color commentary and special hosts is insulting to the sports and the athletes, I'm afraid the netowrks feel that is the only way to gain a wider audience. Which of course is crap. Who wants to hear Nakaie of Smap interviewing some speed skater, it makes no sense at all.
But I also look at the money that Japan pumps into sports compared to say Canada, and they sure aren't getting their money's worth.

[Greji]

Wow the Japanese ladies curling team beat the US. Now we've got something to hceer about. Good for them.

Hey, I wouldn't cheer to loud. They were not to shabby in curling in the last Olympics. Curling is a sport that is talking hold in Japan (with the ladies at least)! They could be a force to be delt with in the future as the US team just found out! I can hear it now! Japan styled curling is unique because of their Shinto relationship with the stones!

But I also look at the money that Japan pumps into sports compared to say Canada, and they sure aren't getting their money's worth.

Still, it is not as much money as it was, which is the point I was making. However, you can rest assured that if the J-team gets thoroughly blanked as it looks like they well might be, that will change in the immediate future!

[IkemenTommy]

Wow.. Day Number.. (whatever it is now) and Japan is still medal-less--not even a shitty bronze 3rd place. Better work harder I guess.. "ganbare!"

I am hoping to see Nippon going medal-less but then again.. the Olympics is so :yawn: boring and pointless I don't give a rat's.

[IkemenTommy]

Hey, I wouldn't cheer to loud. They were not to shabby in curling in the last Olympics. Curling is a sport that is talking hold in Japan (with the ladies at least)! They could be a force to be delt with in the future as the US team just found out! I can hear it now! Japan styled curling is unique because of their Shinto relationship with the stones!

It sure is nice to see a bunch of women working with brooms again, but as a sport, it's not exciting.

[American Oyaji]

Ya know, i've never actually WATCHED a curling match. I'm watching one now and it is QUITE interesting. It's rather difficult.

[Mulboyne]

The best show of "fighting spirit" so far is undoubtedly Chinese skater Zhang Dan who tore a ligament when she failed to land a quadruple Salchow - never before seen in competition - and then elected to carry on. She did enough to secure a silver with her partner Zhang Hao. I think that ranks above Okazaki's cold and Kato's tight boots.

[Greji]

I think that ranks above Okazaki's cold and Kato's tight boots.

Oh, but you forgot that Kato also had to wait and extra five minutes while they repaired the ice. How could he possibly be expected to win a medal with all that stacked against him? Nippon wa kawaiiso desu!

(I could have mentioned that Kato has no balls and skates like a girl on a prom date, but I didn't) Zhang Dan is my kind of athelete. I would be willing to buy her a pint of Bull Frog if she wanted to pop into the pub after the games! If Zhang Hao is her old man, she should definately she stop by. I belive that boy's a stone rope skipper

[Charles]

The best show of "fighting spirit" so far is undoubtedly Chinese skater Zhang Dan who tore a ligament when she failed to land a quadruple Salchow - never before seen in competition - and then elected to carry on. She did enough to secure a silver with her partner Zhang Hao. I think that ranks above Okazaki's cold and Kato's tight boots.

Yeah, but look at the Russian woman who won the gold. She was severely injured in an accident in training, I think it was about a year ago. Her partner slipped while lifting her over his head, dropping her from a height of 7 feet right onto her head. She smacked face-first, really HARD, right into the ice. I saw video of the accident and I was horrified, I figured she should have died. From what I heard, she had a severe brain injury and spent months in rehab. And she came back to win the gold. Now THAT is a truly Olympic performance. I was truly impressed, and I don't even like figure skating.

[dimwit]

Well, Takahasahi blew it this morning. Had a chance to win silver if he skated well since only Plushenko seemed to have it. The Canadian Bronze medalist looked particularly mediocre. I actually found myself cheering for the guy over the Canadian. Crash, fumble slip. Nope. Oh well, I guess there is still the women's figure skating.

[Mulboyne]

Sports Illustrated are predicting 2 medals for Japan a bronze for Kato in speed skating and a bronze for Arakawa in Figure Skating

See there complete list of picks here.

The Asahi has just picked up on this.

Expectations far too high

In snowboarding, pre-Games forecasts may have been too optimistic. Because it was not uncommon for both Japanese men and women to stand on the winner's podium at World Cup halfpipe events, expectations were high for Turin. However, most American snowboarders did not take part in those World Cup events, instead focusing on domestic events that offered prize money. While no Japanese snowboarder picked up a medal, American men and women won both the gold and silver in the halfpipe events. Before the Games got under way, very few experts outside Japan expected the Japanese team to do well. Sports Illustrated predicted that only two Japanese would win medals, Joji Kato in speedskating and Shizuka Arakawa in figure skating. The Associated Press predicted that Arakawa would be the only Japanese who would win a medal. Because of the large number of medals won at the Athens Games two years ago, expectations at home may have exceeded reality for Turin. Historically, Japan has never done exceptionally well at the Winter Games.

[dimwit]

After losing to the Swiss they are going to have big problems from here on in. Neither of their backup goaltenders are first stringers, and tomorrow's game against the Finns will really show. My feeling is that it is now going to be Canada vs. Sweden for the gold. Very good news for Canada who up until yesterday were complaining in a very Japanese way about the poor results of their team (1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze).

[Greji]

After losing to the Swiss they are going to have big problems from here on in. Neither of their backup goaltenders are first stringers, and tomorrow's game against the Finns will really show. My feeling is that it is now going to be Canada vs. Sweden for the gold. Very good news for Canada who up until yesterday were complaining in a very Japanese way about the poor results of their team (1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze).

You're lookiing right on Dimmer, the Swedes just beat the US in double overtime 3-2 (shouldn't have won it). The bets are on hearing "Oh Canada" after the show.

[canman]

I was a little stunned to see the US women's team had lost to Sweden. I know everybody is comparing this to the US miracle of 1980 over the Russians, but I think this is even bigger. Good for women't ice hockey, and great for Canada. I think their road to the gold got a little bit easier. But I read some of the Canadian women were sadened by the result, they really like playing the US women, and kicking their butts.

[canman]

I'm watching the women's slalom and its frickin strange. One Austrian skieer wore a tiara. Another American skiied down with pearls on. They announcers said she wanted to wear tiger ears, but the officials wouldn't let her. The NBC announcers weren't very impressed by it thats for sure.
The announcer said that the Austrians were the best dressed skiiers at the Olympics. I never thought I'd head that kind of a comment.

[IkemenTommy]

I was a little stunned to see the US women's team had lost to Sweden. I know everybody is comparing this to the US miracle of 1980 over the Russians, but I think this is even bigger. Good for women't ice hockey, and great for Canada. I think their road to the gold got a little bit easier. But I read some of the Canadian women were sadened by the result, they really like playing the US women, and kicking their butts.

I read somewhere that other nations were protesting the Canadians because the Canadians simply destroyed all their competitions into shreds and demanded a little mercy. I mean.. come on... get over it you little pussies!

[IkemenTommy]

I'm watching the women's slalom and its frickin strange. One Austrian skieer wore a tiara. Another American skiied down with pearls on. They announcers said she wanted to wear tiger ears, but the officials wouldn't let her. The NBC announcers weren't very impressed by it thats for sure.
The announcer said that the Austrians were the best dressed skiiers at the Olympics. I never thought I'd head that kind of a comment.

I'm telling you.. the Olympics have become a joke since they let snowboarding as a competition. Boardcrossing... what?!?!

I would start watching these silly games if they allowed snowmobile as a (motor)sport. I mean.. why not? They joyride on luges and bobsleds