Ahhh, the anticipation! I'm watching the live score updated after each skater, Slutskaya is on the ice right now. Meisner and Hughes had finished their shorts earlier.

Won't spoil it for you, but if you want to see for yourself, I posted the URL somewhere above in this thread.

I LOVED the Italian ice dancing couple. They were totally avoiding each other before the performance, gave what I thought was the most riveting performance of the night, then had a wonderful make-up hug after. Wonderful drama--Bravissimo!

amyb, thanks for the explanation. I just got all caught up in watching their intensity! Now maybe I can murmer "scratchy" and sound like I know what I am talking about, lol.

Love the winter olympics. I'm not real happy about the NBC networks and their coverage. I would be happy to watch a german channel instead.

What's with those Russian outfits? They look like bad pajamas. Another compaint - those ridiculous berets that the U.S. wears. People here in Salt Lake still wear those 2002 hats (even to the opera) and are clueless how silly they look.

For those who don't mind knowing who wins before the tv coverage, the competition just ended and results are on the website:
http://www.torino2006.org/ENG/IDF/FS/RT_FSW010200.html

I peeked myself to find out whether it's worth staying up for Sasha, since she was last.

Very interesting result in the men's 1500m speed skating!
//www.torino2006.org/ENG/IDF/SS/C73A_SSM015101.html

Yes, I'm glued to the big screen every night, watching Olympicsm, with my DH. My lucky-duck daughter got to see women's freestyle and men's downhill events, and to be in Turin the night of opening ceremonies (at a pizza place with big screens). At the Sunday men's downhill event, she was interviewed by USA Today and ended up on their on-line publication in a 'live' interview! Fun to see her on-line when she's in Italy this semester, and we're in Denver.
Two big disappointments, though, with the Olympics: 1. Bode, please get one medal at least! And 2., those ice dancing costumes-- how grotesquely ugly 95 percent of them are. One of the news channels did a pretty funny review of them and how hideous they are.
Anyway, there's something about the Olympics that is so inspiring. All those athletes who kept to their dream and made it there, whether or not they get a medal. Way to go to each and every one of them. Even Bode.

"I peeked myself to find out whether it's worth staying up for Sasha, since she was last" DejaVu, yes, it's worth staying up! And then sleep at work... yaaawwwwnnnn

Who came in third in the ice dancing competition? I fell asleep and missed the final pair and the final scoring. Heard about Gold and Silver, but not Bronze (I know I can find this in the paper/online etc, but I am trying to avoid finding out today's results until I watch tonight's coverage, and so am avoiding the media in general...)

I thought the Latvian pair had some amazing moves. And I like the French couple who skated to music from "Les Miserables" -- the headband that kept sliding over her eyes was a little bizarre, though.

Annabelle, Grushina and Goncharov, the Ukrainians who did the Arabian number, came in third.

Gold - Russia
Silver - US
Bronze - Ukraine

I enjoyed the Les Mes routine too.

Thanks!

Panecot, Thought of this just before I fell asleep last night. The lighting of the flame was quite spectaclar, but for me none compare to the Barcelona lighting. That lighting via flaming arrow is my all time favorite. But Turin didn't dissapoint.

The games just started so I won't read today's postings for fear of learning a result.

We are lucky enough to get the Canadian coverage of the games - they play all the big events in the middle of the day so you don't have to stay up until midnight to catch NBC's coverage. Yes, they emphasis too much curling and hockey for my taste, but we enjoy their commentator very much.

I've been a little surprised by the sparse attendance at the figure skating events.

"We are lucky enough to get the Canadian coverage of the games ... Yes, they emphasis too much curling and hockey for my taste, but we enjoy their commentator very much."

Hockey and curling? They're in our genes. I just watched our Canadian men win gold in curling. Newfoundland will be partying tonight.

Anselm

I'm with you, Inthechips--don't know where the skating crowds are this year.

But I commented to my husband how civil the spectators have been. I can't remember ever such unilateral, a-political clapping of encouragement when skaters have faltered during their performance. You really sensed everyone just was willing the best performance for each competitor. Did my heart good!

And while we're on skating... though I feel bad for the Irina and Sacha coming up short after all that hard work, I like the new judging system. The best skater on that day has a better chance of getting the medal they deserve, instead of judging being so wishy-washy. Sacha's short performance was exceptional, too bad it couldn't be repeated last night. At least she can try again if she wants to, I think Irina has run out of time in her olympic career.

Oh Anselm, believe me, I know how much our neighbors north of the border adore those sports and I'm enjoying seeing the Canadian reporting, rather than the hype of the NBC coverage, which often spends too much time on "up close and personal". And of course, NBC delaying the coverage of the major events until way into the primetime coverage with the little teasers that you'll see them later has always made me crazy! Which is why for the last 25 years when it's Olympics time, I've always been thanking my lucky stars I get CBC!

Curling just isn't my cup of tea

inthechips, I'm delighted to hear you like the CBC coverage. Canadians have such mixed feelings about the CBC (some love it, some hate it); it's interesting to see how someone from outside the country assesses it.

By the way, while most of the nation is in a blue funk over the dismal performance of our men's hockey team, these have been a great Olympics for us. It really touches the heart to see the effort and the results.

Anselm

Today's newspaper showed TV ratings have plummeted during the current Olympics to a record low -- and nowhere near as high as they were during the Lillehammer Olympics.

Remember, CBC and NBC exist for entirely different reason. For NBC, getting the Olympics is about making the most money, period. And that means getting the most people to watch, and getting the most ad revenue. That's it.

Ratings of course is nowhere like its past. There are more channels, more stuff to watch. And one can get information much more readily on the web. Cold war is also over, so there's no more US vs USSR rivalry.