We’ve got an awesome U.S. team! I’m expecting eye-popping, heart-pumping events at the Winter Games, which will run from Feb. 7–23. The 2014 Sochi Olympics are expected to cost a mind-blowing $50 billion dollars. With that kind of money at stake and our team of top talent, you deserve a bit of viewing guidance. Here’s the scoop:
Who to Watch
Figure skaters Jeremy Abbott and Jason Brown are in! At the final day of the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Brown worked the crowd into a frenzy with his flawless performance.
There are three female figure skaters representing the U.S. We’re almost hoping Gracie Gold doesn’t medal. You can imagine how many “golden” sound bites we’ll hear if that happens. Polina Edmunds is only 15. Ashley Wagner caused a slight uproar with her placement on the team. Wagner finished behind Mirai Nagasu in the competition yet it was Wagner who was picked. Wassup wit dat? Nagasu chose not to appeal. Her exact words were, “I’m disappointed in the decision. Though I may not agree with it, I have to respect the decision the federation made.” It’s sad we won’t see such a classy athlete compete.
Wagner has vowed to give up tweeting until the Olympics are over. She said, “Twitter is a blessing and a curse at the same time. It’s tough to filter out the good things that you hear and the awful things that people will write, so I’m going cold turkey.” It looks like she’s serious. No tweets from her @AshWagner2010 since Jan. 12.
Speed skater Kelly Gunther is going to Sochi. She’s calling herself, “The Comeback Kid.” Gunther crashed on the ice four years ago and her foot was practically severed. After the injury she knew her bone was broken but she didn’t know how badly. When she asked the paramedics if she’d ever skate again they said, “No, your foot is hanging off your leg.” Doctors said at one point there was a chance her foot might need to be amputated. Now, get this, she was back skating within six months.
Skier Todd Lodwick is determined to get to Sochi for the Feb. 20 4x5km relay. It’s the last event for the Nordic combined. What’s in the way? He dislocated his shoulder in a ski jumping accident in France on Friday, Jan. 10. If he can overcome the injury in time he’ll be the first American to compete in six Winter Olympics. Lodwick said he felt fine post-crash. That is until his shoulder was popped back into place. “Then the pain set in,” he said.
The 2014 Sochi games are running much tougher anti-doping tests than past Olympics. Athletes will undergo 1,269 pre-competition tests for the games. That’s nearly 400 more than during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. This is most likely due to cases like Jamaican world-record 100-meter sprinter Asafa Powell. His Kingston hearing before an anti-doping panel was held on Tuesday, January 14. In June, Powell tested positive for the banned stimulant oxilofrine. He claimed he hadn’t known that what he took was wrong. Hmmm. Isn’t that what they all say?
And, now, last on my list is a tender story of twin sisters, Tracy and Lanny Barnes. The 31-year-old biathletes were born five minutes apart. Tracy, the younger one, would’ve been on her way to Sochi but when Lanny got sick during the final selection races in Italy, Tracy who had come in third, stepped down so Lanny, who’d placed fourth, could go. “Lanny is my best friend and teammate,” said Tracy. “I see how hard she works so I know firsthand that she is deserving of a spot on the Olympic team.” So, Lanny is on her way to Sochi.
Where to Watch
NBCOlympics.com will broadcast every millisecond live online for over 1,000 hours. Those hot bodies doing super-human feats can be in your home via live stream on your television. Just register your cable TV subscription with NBC on its Live Extra site. You can also watch via the free Live Extra App on your iPhone and iPad. It’s also available for Android devices. Twitter will be on fire at NBCOlympics. You’ll probably want to visit Instagram, too. And, check out this handy at-a-glance guide.
How to Watch
What to do to feel like you’re in Sochi? Invite friends over and get close, really close. In Russian culture people are “close talkers.” Eating and drinking in Russia is a central part of life so pick up some bottles of Russian vodka (Stoli, Beluga) and serve the crowd some Rusky cuisine. For those who like to cook go to RusCuisine.com for recipes. If you prefer ordering in, call a local restaurant for babka, blintzes and blinis. Have some Russian tea handy, then gather in your living room to stare at your large screen HDTV. If you’re going to a friend’s house wear a Got Borsh? T-shirt and bring a matryoshka doll or a case of beer; here’s 23 Russian beers to choose from. If you’re alone and want some attention, go to a local hangout dressed like this or this.
Check back for more Sochi Olympics coverage on TheBlot.
