2018 Winter Olympics - Pyeongchang, South Korea (1 Viewer)

[Walter C]

The Winter Olympics start tonight. And with actual live coverage. I guess it is no longer hard to believe that NBC would have influence to change the start times, to make it live for viewers in the US. Though live coverage did not seem to matter much with Rio.

Still hard to believe that North Korea is actually participating in these Games. Will their national anthem be allowed to be played, should one of their athletes win a gold?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Some cities are easier to arrange live coverage for than others. Rio was only three hours ahead of the East Coast, so live coverage would have meant starting events at 11 PM -- which wouldn't have been conducive to the athletes putting forth their best, nor making events desirable for ticket holders to attend.

Pyeongchang is 14 hours ahead, which means events airing live at 8 PM ET begin at the very reasonable time of 10 AM the following day in South Korea.

My first impression is that NBC's figure skating coverage is a big step up from Sochi four years ago. Terry Gannon is better prepared than Tom Hammond was, and more upfront about the limitations of his knowledge. And Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir are a much better commentary team than Scott Hamilton and Sandra Bezic were. Where Hamilton would get caught up in enthusiasm, Lipinski and Weir are blunt and factual.

 

[ChristopherG]

Apparently polishing the ice with your ass is a new Olympic sport....

 

[Edwin-S]

Meaning?

 

[Malcolm R]

I presume that means a lot of skaters fell down.

 

[Walter C]

Some cities are easier to arrange live coverage for than others. Rio was only three hours ahead of the East Coast, so live coverage would have meant starting events at 11 PM -- which wouldn't have been conducive to the athletes putting forth their best, nor making events desirable for ticket holders to attend.

Pyeongchang is 14 hours ahead, which means events airing live at 8 PM ET begin at the very reasonable time of 10 AM the following day in South Korea.

My first impression is that NBC's figure skating coverage is a big step up from Sochi four years ago. Terry Gannon is better prepared than Tom Hammond was, and more upfront about the limitations of his knowledge. And Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir are a much better commentary team than Scott Hamilton and Sandra Bezic were. Where Hamilton would get caught up in enthusiasm, Lipinski and Weir are blunt and factual.

Rio was only 1 hour ahead of the East Coast during the Summer Games. So really, not much of a difference. A lot of live coverage should have mean great ratings.

Also, it does seem like asking too much to ask to change the start times, for the American viewers. In addition to the perceived unfairness, it may throw the athletes off their game, by having to perform in the morning. Who knows if that played a factor for Nathan Chen and the other skaters last night, who stumbled on the ice.

Well, as this is the start of the Asian Olympic Triangle (as Mike Tirico or the other guy would call it) for the next 4 years, more of the same thing should be expected, with the start times catering to American viewers.

This new broadcast team will take some getting used to, as I am used to hearing Terry Gannon calling short track in past Olympics. The other 2 seem okay, but just have to wait and see.

 

[ChristopherG]

Edwin,

Malcolm has correctly deciphered my saracasm. Lots of falling by almost everyone that I saw - a shame but I think there was a ton of opening night jitters across the field. Or ice.

Chris

 

[Walter C]

So what everyone thought of the Opening Ceremony?

I thought it was a nice ceremony to watch, as I knew that it would be no where near the levels of Sochi. Nothing really spectacular that stands out in the artistic portion, but nice to watch. Even if some parts are reminders of past ceremonies, like the drum number.

The more memorable parts came from the Parade of Nations, with the shirtless oil-skinned guy from Tonga, and the 2 Koreas marching as one nation. In South Korea, which I never thought, would ever happen. Also, one of the torch bearers being 2 hockey players from the 2 Koreas, carrying it up the stairs to the cauldron.

I ended up watching most of it again online, without the broadcasters voice in it. And a lot better to watch, even if I don't understand everything that is happening. The only reason to watch the NBC version is not have to see the nutcase running onto the stage.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

As a movie fan, I found Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir's free dance tonight remarkable. It was set to a medley of numbers from the Moulin Rouge! and did a brilliant job summoning the emotional journey of that film.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Virtue and Moir were head-and-shoulder, performance-wise, above the field.

 

[Patrick Sun]

But, I'm not all that into this year's Winter Olympics games.

 

[Malcolm R]

But, I'm not all that into this year's Winter Olympics games.

Me, either. Haven't watched any of it so far.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Since I have to get up early for work nowadays, I DVR the after-midnight replays, and then skip through them the next day to pick out Olympic events I'm watching this go-round. So, I'm almost 2 days behind when I get a chance to view the events.

Not sure I need to see the luge crotch cam footage ever again, though... LOL! That was just too much POV for this guy.

 

[Malcolm R]

I wish there was a way to watch events without the moronic yapping by the "commentators." I don't need someone to describe everything that's happening on screen. I wish they would just shut the hell up during the event. If they want to give a critique at the end of the performance, that's fine, but events like skating are completely ruined by the nonstop blabbering. I just want to watch the skater and hear the music. I don't give two craps what Kurt Browning, Scott Hamilton, or anyone else thinks while the skater is performing.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I watched a little bit of the women's hockey between the USA and Russia while sitting in the Miami Airport. I just can't get used to watching hockey with no checking allowed.

BTW, Team USA won the women's world championship last spring at USA Hockey Arena, which is located about 5 minutes from our house in Plymouth, Michigan. I will be watching international hockey there starting tomorrow. A Five Nations U18 men's tournament is being held there between the USA, Russian, Czech Republic, Swedish and Finnish national teams.

 

[Stan]

But, I'm not all that into this year's Winter Olympics games.

I think that's what many people feel. Just not all that interesting any longer. Used to watch it a lot, this time, zero.

Went to an ice skating show maybe ten years ago. Actually met Peggy Fleming, sat five feet behind her. She was a judge. Absolutely beautiful woman, like stunningly beautiful. Not some Photoshop version, the real person, wow. And so nice.

Other than that, not much interest in the Olympics.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Since I've been DVR-ing the after midnight replays, I speed through 3 hours in about 45 mintues the day after when I get back from work. That's about as much interest as I can muster, but some events I just skip chunks at a time (like the X-games-ish events).

 

[Walter C]

I've still been watching, though I have fallen behind by a day, and still trying to catch up. Hence, why I have not been commenting nearly as much this time. Always skipping some dead spots, but these Olympics have still been enjoyable to watch. Though I will admit, I have been watching less than in past Games.

Hardly watched any hockey, since they have no NHL players. A part of me knows one of the reasons why the NHL players are not in it, which is the white elephant in the room. As in, the NHL will never actually say it, but I believe that white elephant was the final straw. The only hockey that I have seen, was in women's Hockey, mainly to see the novelty of seeing a unified Korean team. Who knows if this will ever happen again!

I did find some of the X-Games events growing on me, like the snowboard halfpipe, and feel like I have a better understanding on how each run is judged. Still, watching it passively for the most part. And saw that remarkable comeback by Shaun White, winning gold, after not even getting on the podium at all in Sochi. Also, glad to see Chloe Kim winning gold, and getting that out of the way and living up to the hype.

Still have to watch the free skate for Ice Dancing. I do wish the announcers would talk less during the skate, especially Lipinski who just seems to love to hear herself talk.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Still have to watch the free skate for Ice Dancing. I do wish the announcers would talk less during the skate, especially Lipinski who just seems to love to hear herself talk.

I really appreciated the commentary in the early events, but by this point there's a lot of repetition of earlier insight for people tuning in late that wears a bit thin.

 

[ponset]

Hip, Hip Hoo-Ray to the American Women for winning GOLD in Hockey. Well Done, Ladies.