[GDT] February 15 General Thread

[Kelekin]

Medal Table (Gold Medals): 4 (3rd)
Medal Table (Total Medals): 11 (5th)

Canada got on the podium yesterday with a silver from Patrick Chan. Canada will look to its' short track team to bring us another medal on Saturday. Charles Hamelin and Denny Morrison, both who have won medals for Canada already, will be in action. Brad Jacobs has another important match versus a strong British team in Men's Curling.

Events of Note:

[10 PM] Curling – Women’s: #1 CAN (5-0) vs #6 JPN (2-3) Jennifer Jones’ rink sits at 5-0 with 4 matches left. This game should be an easy victory versus a Japanese team doing better than expected. Historically, all team with six wins have qualified for the playoffs, so this will be a clinching match.

[12 AM] Alpine Skiing – Women’s Super G: Marie Michele-Gagnon will attempt to make up for a disappointing Super Combined. Her best finish on the World Cup this year in this event is 6th. Larisa Yurkiw and Marie-Pier Prefontaine round out the Canadian competitors.

[3 AM] Cross-Country Skiing – Ladies’ Relay 4x5km: Another Cross-Country event you say? Why yes! But this one is a Team Event, and Canada is one of the 14 competing teams. Don’t expect a medal, but it is a fun event.

[3 AM, 4:12 AM, 5:06 AM] Short Track Speed Skating – Ladies’ 1500m: Canada has three competitors in the Ladies’ 1500m, including veteran Marie-Eve Drolet, Marianne St-Gelais, and Valerie Maltais. Drolet retired from the sport after the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, where she came close to winning three medals. She came back to the sport recently, and the 1500m is her strongest event, ranked 6th in the world this year. This is the weakest distance for St-Gelais, ranked 17th, but it is Maltais’ best distance, ranked 4th. There is an outside medal shot here.

[3 AM] Curling – Men’s: #4 CAN (4-2) vs #1 GBR (5-1) Jacobs’ team finally found its’ footing against Norway, remembering how to make shots. They will have a tough match here and a victory will cement the likelihood of them making the playoffs.

[3:43 AM, 4:43 AM, 5:20 AM] Short Track Speed Skating – Men’s 1000m: After a heartbreaking fall in the 5000m Relay, Canada’s premiere short track event, Charles Hamelin, Olivier Jean, and Charle Cournoyer will try their shot at an individual medal. Hamelin has been dominant in the 1000m this year, ranked #1 in the world. Jean is ranked #6, and Cournoyer #16. Jean and Hamelin have tougher quarter-finals but should both advance to the semi-finals, and at least one of them should make it to the finals.

[6:30 AM] Speed Skating – Men’s 1500m: Before Denny Morrison’s silver medal in the 1000m, it looked like Canada might be headed for a drought in a sport primarily with Canadian dominance. Denny Morrison will lead a group of four Canadians in the event. He is unlikely to medal here in his weaker distance, but he has been skating great this week.

[7:45 AM, 9:15 AM] Skeleton – Men’s Runs 3 & 4: After the first two runs, John Fairbairn sits in 8th and Eric Neilson in 12th. A medal is unlikely.

[8 AM] Curling – Women’s: #1 CAN (5-0) vs #5 RUS (3-3) Coming into the match, Russia was a dark horse to make it to the playoffs. However, they have not played up to expectations and with three tough draws remaining, they are unlikely to be a threat.

Other Events:

Ice Hockey! Women’s Quarterfinals begin, with Finland vs Sweden and Switzerland vs Russia.
Ice Hockey! Slovakia vs Slovenia, USA vs Russia, Sweden vs Latvia, Switzerland vs Czech Republic.

[Nehkara]

You are awesome sir.

[19Yzerman19]

What time is USA - RUS hockey? Do want to watch that one.

[Nehkara]

I think I'll head to bed early tonight (8 or 9) and wake up at 3 AM to watch the short track/long track/skeleton.

[Nehkara]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

What time is USA - RUS hockey? Do want to watch that one.

5:30 AM mountain.

[Kelekin]

Originally Posted by Nehkara

I think I'll head to bed early tonight (8 or 9) and wake up at 3 AM to watch the short track/long track/skeleton.

I had been waking up at 9pm and going to bed at 12pm to be on Sochi time, but I'm throwing a party tonight (moving after three years so it's a send-off to this place) which means I probably won't get to see anything until the short track. If people are still here at short track I might tell them to go away so I can watch it, I never miss short track.

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

What time is USA - RUS hockey? Do want to watch that one.

5:30 AM. I didn't post it because there will be a separate thread but I probably should have.

[flames_fan_down_under]

That Russia USA game is going to be a good one to watch. AHHH 4:30 am though, i have been getting no sleep the past week, oh well.

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Kelekin

If people are still here at short track I might tell them to go away so I can watch it, I never miss short track.

Or ask if they want to watch too! (Sorry I can't make it. )

[flames_fan_down_under]

Ahhh the Olympics have fully taken over my life again. I knew it would happen, it always does, doesn't always happen at the same time during the two weeks, but never the less I become addicted.

[KelVarnsen]

Mike Harris is terrible.

[Arsenal14]

Crazy start to the womens Super G - seven of the first eight have taken DNFs after missing gates including Canadian Marie-Michele Gagnon.

[Gundo]

Wow 7 DNF's in a row in the Woman's Super G. This is nuts.

[Arsenal14]

Looks like the top skiers have figured out what they need to do to stay on course. A couple of finished runs in a row now.

[KootenayFlamesFan]

Solid win for Jennifer Jones and team Canada. 6-0 now.

[V]

Why is this Canadian girl skiing for Australia in aerials?

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by V

Why is this Canadian girl skiing for Australia in aerials?

That happens to a few freestyle skiers it would seem, I think they used to have better coaching and facilities in Australia (maybe they still do?).

That's why Dale Begg-Smith ski's for them as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Begg-Smith

Begg-Smith was skiing for his native Canada as a teenager when his coaches told him he was spending too much time on his successful business, and not enough time in training. He subsequently quit the Canadian ski program because it clashed with his business interests and, along with his brother Jason Begg-Smith, moved to Australia at age 16. The brothers chose to ski for Australia because the country had a smaller ski program that offered them more attention and flexibility. This ensured that they could still successfully manage their business. The brothers stayed out of competitive skiing for three years and instead trained with the Australian team, living in Jindabyne each winter. The pair qualified for Australian citizenship after these three years in 2003–04, and were then free to compete for their adopted country.

[Karl]

The Slovenes are vastly outplaying the Slovaks in the men's hockey game going on right now.

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by Karl

The Slovenes are vastly outplaying the Slovaks in the men's hockey game going on right now.

Kopitar is the best player on the ice right now by a wide margin.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Kopitar is the best player on the ice right now by a wide margin.

True, but the entire rest of team Slovenia is also completely outplaying everyone on the Slovakian team.

[Karl]

Glenn Healy just ripped Vanek a new one moments ago. Accusing Vanek of mailing it in for Austria.