A Very Different Olympics

Newsflash-the Pyeongchang Olymics are shaping up to be particularly unique and possibly quite historic!

Yesterday it was announced that North and South Korea would be competing under 1 flag and walking together for the opening and closing ceremonies, and here I was thinking that the Russian doping scandal and subsequent competition ban was going to be the big story of the 2018 Games!!  What excitement, what a move towards building peaceful diplomatic relations through the platform of an event that has always been about bringing people together!

No Russia-USA Hockey Rematch

Speaking of those Russians….sigh.  My heart breaks for Russian fans that are absolutely some of the most intense fans I’ve ever met.  The decision was announced to ban Russia and a long list of their athletes from competing in Pyeongchang back in December, and since then, 43 athletes have appealed their lifetime ban in hopes to still compete in Korea.  Since Russia as a country participant is banned, the athletes must compete under the IOC flag, in neutral uniforms.  I would like to say that I will cheer loudly and proudly for any athlete that didn’t test positive, but after watching the documentary “Icarus” (available on Netflix, it’s FANTASTIC), I don’t trust a single athlete who might test negative now, but most likely doped at some point in their career, possibly just a few months ago.  We had such a fantastic experience in Sochi with the Russians, that it honestly hurts my heart to think that so many of those amazing gold medal moments that were so exciting for their fans were based on lies and cheating.  I also loved the great rivalry we always have with Russia, the Canadians are not nearly evil or shady enough to pass as a proper arch enemy. 

Bob Costas Retires

In other Olympic news, Bob Costas announced last year that he would be stepping down as the host of the Olympics, with Mike Tirico as his successor.  I know Bob hasn’t been the NBC host for my entire life, but it certainly feels that way!  I tried to get on TV with a “Bob Costas Is My Dad” sign at Beach Volleyball in London, but was clearly unsuccessful.  I’m not going to get pinkeye to honor your service, sir, but I’ll definitely remember you!

Shut.The.Eff.Up.  (Literally)

YOU GUYS.  YOU GUYS.  YOU GUYS.  For the first time ever, the Opening Ceremonies will be streamed LIVE on the internet WITH NO ONE YAPPING OVER THE SHOW.  That’s right!  The television broadcast will feature Katie Couric and Mike Tirico and it will be the yammer fest we’ve all come to know and loathe.  BUT!  MEANWHILE, ON THE INTERNETS…THIS IS GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE.  I know so little about the Korean culture and people that I am especially excited about what they have planned for the opening!  They definitely have some big shoes to fill-Both Sochi as the last Winter Games and Rio for the Summer Games really put on some dynamite performances.

New sports, yo!!!! 

There are 4 new events debuting at Pyeongchang, and we don’t have tickets to ANY of them!  Woo hoo!  I wanted to get Big Air, but I think that was either not available or less high on my compatriots priority lists.  Here’s a quick rundown of the new events:

Curling Mixed Doubles:  2 players, 1 male and 1 female.  They play with 6 stones instead of 8, and go to 8 ends instead of 10.  Basically, it’s a faster version of traditional curling.  Any other curling fans out there excited about this new event??

Speed Skating Mass Start:  Long track speed skating is a staggered start, timed event.  In short track speed skating, it’s a ton of skaters, it’s total mayhem, and you’re not even sure who won.  Mass Start is a LONG track event with a mass start like short track, but with sprints where skaters earn points.  So, a stronger skater might hold back a little in order to gain more points in the sprint laps, so again, it’s hard to tell who the leader is.  It sounds chaotic, and it probably will be, but in skating crazed Korea, I think this will be a very popular new event!

Alpine Skiing Team Event:  4 skiiers, 2 men and 2 women.  They race down a parallel slalom against their competing team in a best of 4 contest.  The event starts with 16 teams, who will compete in a knockout format over 4 rounds.  I love a good race down the mountain, it’s why I love snowboard cross so much!

Snowboard Big Air:  Snowboarders ride down a steep ramp and launch into the air up to 49 meters, doing all kinds of twists, turns, and then landing successfully at a slope angle of 40 degrees.  Words can’t even describe my excitement!  This event has been an X Games staple for years!

I Miss My Friend

The biggest difference in the 2018 Olympics for me is going to be going without my bestie, Erin!  It’s been beyond bizarre to be planning anything without her involvement!  She was the one who discovered the sweet, sweet life of the Visa VIP Lounge in London, she helped score some great tickets in Sochi, and she was also exhaustive in searching for housing when our flat cancelled on us for London with only a few months to re-book!  (The place we then found was bigger, better, and more rooftop-decky for a serious upgrade, all thanks to her refusal to book any flat with a “weird shower”)  She loves the Olympics as much, if not more, than I do, and I’ll be looking for the perfect Olympic souvenir to bring back to her so she at least has a small piece of Pyeongchang to savor! 

22 sleeps until Opening Ceremonies!!  25 sleeps until I’m there!!