So, like the rest of the world, I have been watching quite a bit of the olympic coverage on TV. My apartment came with a very nice flat screen TV, bigger than the one Janet and I have at home. I was disappointed by the Hockey outcomes in a number of ways. First, I very much wanted Russia to do well. People here were broken-hearted by the loss to Finland(eliminating Russia from the medals). I came in to the office the next day determined not to bring it up. Nobody spoke of the subject---and the mood was pretty somber.The Russian players looked devastated on TV; these guys are amazing hockey players---Ovechkin, Datsyuk, Kovalchuk, Malkin.....major NHL stars....Ovie for my adopted hometown Capitals. People LOVE him in Washington--he is arguably the biggest sports star in town. He is a very gregarious fellow and is out in the city quite a bit. We(Washingtonians) all sort of think that a gold medal for him might have really caused him to play well in the NHL playoffs. The last Olympics, which also ended in Russian hockey disappointment, caused a real Ovechkin hangover. By the way, we don't prounounce his name correctly at all. It should be....AHHVyechkin. I think for most Russians it must be very annoying to here English speakers misprounce the Russian "o". It should be "Ah". I have met several Olegs in America and Russia and you can see them physically wince when we say Oh-leg. It is actually AH-lyeg.
Anyway, TV coverage of this hockey loss was very interesting. The coach looked like he wanted to melt innto the floor. Putin looked like he wanted to flay somebody. The players were pretty peeved in post game interviews---really crabby. I watched part of an interview with the coach in which he actually said something like...."yes, I will still be alive in the future..." I doubt very seriously he will be coaching the Russian National team in the future. My take? Those of you that know hockey know that we had a guy in Washington, Aleksandr Semin, for a couple of years. Massively talented but a complete head case----basically a manic depressive knucklehead who would just dissappear during important playoff games. He was on this Russian Olympic Hockey team too.The chemistry was lacking on this team---and my instinct tells me it might have had something to do with Semin.
I was fascinated by the Biathlon coverage. This is the most amazing sport. I can't believe how much stamina and 'coolness" you ned to be successful . Not a single American anywhere near a medal in this sport.I think some of my "git er done", NRA member, gun-loving family and friends should develop an exploratory committee to improve American biathlon performance. Sorta shameful.
There is this Ukranian woman biathlon competitor that just flat out kicked everybody's rear end----it got a lot of coverage here----the Russians root for Ukranians pretty heavily.
Also, this little speedskating Korean immigrant, Viktor Ahn, who is now a Russian, won more medals than I have roubles---I think he is the Russian version of Apollo Ohno---but he doesn't irritate the crap out of you like Ohno.The Russians love him.
Anyway, TV coverage of this hockey loss was very interesting. The coach looked like he wanted to melt innto the floor. Putin looked like he wanted to flay somebody. The players were pretty peeved in post game interviews---really crabby. I watched part of an interview with the coach in which he actually said something like...."yes, I will still be alive in the future..." I doubt very seriously he will be coaching the Russian National team in the future. My take? Those of you that know hockey know that we had a guy in Washington, Aleksandr Semin, for a couple of years. Massively talented but a complete head case----basically a manic depressive knucklehead who would just dissappear during important playoff games. He was on this Russian Olympic Hockey team too.The chemistry was lacking on this team---and my instinct tells me it might have had something to do with Semin.
I was fascinated by the Biathlon coverage. This is the most amazing sport. I can't believe how much stamina and 'coolness" you ned to be successful . Not a single American anywhere near a medal in this sport.I think some of my "git er done", NRA member, gun-loving family and friends should develop an exploratory committee to improve American biathlon performance. Sorta shameful.
There is this Ukranian woman biathlon competitor that just flat out kicked everybody's rear end----it got a lot of coverage here----the Russians root for Ukranians pretty heavily.
Also, this little speedskating Korean immigrant, Viktor Ahn, who is now a Russian, won more medals than I have roubles---I think he is the Russian version of Apollo Ohno---but he doesn't irritate the crap out of you like Ohno.The Russians love him.
