The Eurosport commentators have stopped doing it so much now that Austria are less dominant in ... everything alpine and most things ski jumping but I still get significantly miffed when if the Austrian team do something, it's because their mean and evil but when someone else, particularly the Americans and Norwegians, do the same thing, it's fine. For example, when an Austrian is replaced by one of the juniors it's because the ski federation are impatient. When the Norwegians do it, it's because they have strength in depth.

It's not that the various Austrian winter sports federations are nice. They're not. They're stubborn, baby-eating fiends who haven't heard of patience and believe nothing other than first place is worth it. It's just that that is true of all the winter sports federations of any country. Normally, if they show patience, it's a sign that there's no depth, no young 'uns coming up.

Also, when do the commentators expect the teams to blood in the young ones? Or are you supposed to let athletes carry on floating on a wave of past glories until they retire?

Most annoying.

(I should be more zen because they have been being really nice about Hirscher, but they've only been this nice about him since he's retired. They also seem to be unwilling to recognise the awesome that is Michaela Schiffrin.)

Comment here or on Dreamwidth, wherever you prefer.

Glorious Austrian victory in the men's downhill

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/winter-olympics/26056243

Is he not just the most beautiful and lovely person right now :) (I am hideously biased. Ridiculously biased.)

I admit I'm more tickled pink because I'd totally written the Downhill off. I didn't even expect a medal, especially after I saw Graham Bell's ski-through yesterday. Because it looked very technical, especially the top section, and the snow looked like the hard ice you get on the Italian hills, which doesn't really suit the Austrians. Or so I thought, because I was thinking of Klaus Kröll and Romed Baumann who both belong to the Herman Maier school of "point skis down the hill, attack the mountin, win or bust" skiing*.

Because of this I was expecting Svindal and the Italians to do well. I think guessing 2nd and 4th place shows I wasn't too wrong, I was just working on out of date info about the Austrian skiing team.

Obviously this will be over-shadowed in the UK by Jenny Jones getting a bronze in one of the new events I refuse to acknowledge but I will spend lots of time on the Die Presse and Der Standard websites instead. The plus points of knowing other languages ;)

So far this weekend is going well sports-wise. Austrian victory in the men's downhill, Bjoerndalen victory in the biathlon (with an Austrian in second place :) ), Ireland beating Wales. All I want now is a Russian win in the team skating event and either a Kasai or A.N. Austrian victory in the men's 90 m ski-jumping. Scotland losing miserably to England has been the only thing that hasn't gone in a way that I could at least be happy with.

*Bodie Miller is also a member of this school. That was why he didn't like the look of the course. He was just getting his excuses in early.

Muller Rice advert -



Now normally I'm not a one for adverts that sound like the main idea has been produced by madlibs, but there's something about this one. Possibly because there's a bear with a quiff singing "rice, rice baby".

The Toyota Auris advert -



Because I like their version of the future.

Alpen advert -



The one with the Swiss who have mysteriously up and down Swedish accents, given that they're Swiss.

And, despite the bias which my final comment is going reveal, I will give Swiss muesli this much. It is a lot better than Alpen. Because Alpen is cardboard and sugar. I have a sweet tooth, and it's too sweet for me. But the no-added sugar version is literally cardboard.

My final point, the revealing one, wishes to make it clear that the Swiss know nothing about having been robbed in the skiing. Because it's normally them reporting the Austrians to the powers that be leading to our boys being stripped of their victories. Bloody Swiss skiiers!

Ahem. /skiing rant

I have mostly been watching the Nordic Skiing World Championships.

Which have been awesome.

Now one of the reasons for this is that the Oslo crowd is amazing. They've been two or three deep even on a work day, and on a weekend they're about five deep out in the forest and about ten deep nearer the stadium.

They have been making one heck of a noise. They've been making home athlete volumes of noise for everyone, and I'm sure that the decibels they put out for the Norwegians break health and safety. But that's the thing, they cheer like mad for everyone. The guy in last, the woman in the middle the winners. The Olso crowd are wonderful.

The other reason is the athletes. There's been such sportsmanship. I mean there always is in Winter Sports (reason 956 why winter sports are great) but it's been intra-team and inter-team and it's been lovely (as seen here - http://brightnshinythings.tumblr.com/post/3529450645/bjoergen-and-kowalczyk-continue-to-be).

Also lovely are the Norwegian royal family, who are doing their collective nuts every single finish.

It's not all been love and light, in between Peter Northug saying that the Swedes are always great the week before a major championship, and terrible at the championship and the Norwegian press suggesting there is something funny about the Austrian ski-jumping suits, but that's about as bad as it's got.
~~~~

One of my favourite of the various moments of cuddly awesome actually came from the Bobsleigh, Luge and Skeleton worlds, in the men's skeleton. Martin Stukurs had come down in a brilliant time, about half a second quicker than anyone else. The first person to congratulate him wasn't his brother, or his coach or any of the other members of his family. No, it was one of the German team.

~~~~

Wrestling:

How do you solve a problem like Wrestlemania?

Because so far, I am not interested in the matches. The only thing that interests me is the possibility of a CM Punk versus Randy Orton match.

Neither world title match is really catching my eye, and I doubt I'm alone in that. The Miz vs Cena match is being overshadowed by Cena vs the Rock, and Edge versus Alberto del Rio has meh written all over it. I want to like del Rio, or hate him or something, but mostly whenever I see him I want to say 'go away'. It's not even the good 'go away', it's the go away of I am about to be bored stupid.

Then you've got HHH versus the Undertaker. I'm one of the 2.3 people who actually liked the pantomime of threatened violence, because it's quite hard to explain 'you're good and I'm good, wanna fight?' and have it fit with 'I am scary and undead' and 'I am suffering from delusions, again ' I am awesome'. I'm cheering for the guy with the Johnny Cash entrance music, but I am aware that that is the only reason why I care.

I have no idea what the household is going to do with itself during the women's final at the Australian Open, because we like both of them. I get vision of my Nan cheering for Djokovic even if Murray does get through. She is not a Murray fan and she quite likes Djokovic, well, for today at least.

~~~~

It's the European Championships, and I am enjoying watching it. So far many strange things have occured:

1) There is a British couple in the Pairs competition.
2) There are, in fact, two British couples in the Pairs.
3) There was a Russian pairing, where he was twice her size, that featured the beginnings of artistic merit. And one of the best finishes to a program I've seen - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2akoWLhuKp8. I prefered the Germans - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtwsMSiAgDs but it's very much a personal thing.
4) The Kerrs are in third in the ice dance, after the short programme (it's a smooshing of the compulsaries and the original dance) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjFCsrKlono I want to swap the UK commentators for the Russian ones. I might not be able to understand a word, but at least they're quiet during the performance.

So far there's not been any major themes in the music, unlike the year where half of the men danced to Riverdance, or the year where folk music was the chosen music for the original dance so a third of the couples danced to Kalinka. It's the men's short programme, and I've just checked and it looks like the Russian Skating Federation are still not speaking to Plushenko. I am intrigued by the new Russians, not least of all because Alexei Urmanov coaches one of them.

~~~~

I also saw the Under-23 Men's Cross Country Skiing 15 km from the Nordic Skiing Junior World Championships in Estonia. Russian 1, 2 and 3. There was a Brit in 6th, a Brit who has previously won in Norway in the Norwegian Championships. But no, lets fund the alpine skiiers and the snowboarders instead (argh!).

I have great love for the third Russian, Shakirzianov, who on being given his finishing blanket (cross-country skiiers, they're like horses in a way) lays it on the ground and then collapses on top of it with a look of delight and satisfaction.

I am very happy that Thomas Morgenstern won the Four Hills. (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/06012011/58/morgenstern-comes-second-win-title.html)

I was almost as happy that he stopped pratting about and took his qualifying jump (long story, top ten in the world don't have to take their qualifying jump, then it descends into the usual mind games and bravado). This was calming to the nerves.

I've always understood the Andi Goldberger comparisons (that would be the Andi Goldberger who, at the age of 5-ish, I threatened to name my children after) but now I totally get that. I don't think he quite manage the same number of spectators but the volume and the fear I had certain seemed similar.

The skiing was pretty awesome too, with a fantastic push from 30th by Mattias Hargin, even if I would have loved Ivica Kostelic to win on his home piste. I do love that Ivica says he likes the Croatian coaches but the one he listens to is his sister.

I loved that the commentators were saying how terrible the Austrian performance was, given that there were two Austrians in the top 6. At our worst Alpine event. Idiot commentators.

~~~~

I managed to catch Match of the Day yesterday. My thoughts can mostly be summed up by:

Oh Alan Hansen, I <3 you. When asked what he thinks of the Roy Hodgson situation, he says, "I've never said anyone should be sacked, and I never will, because I didn't have the bottle to do the job." And then he says, "but any idiot will tell you he's under a lot of pressure." I have seen Liverpool play worse, but we do not speak of the Souness era.

Him playing for the wrong team notwithstanding, Florent Malouda is beautiful - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/redfiona99/malouda.jpg

Stephen Hunt, bless his evil little socks, isn't.

Man Utd are doing that thing again, the one where they don't play that well but they keep on winning.

Remind me again why Darren Bent can't get a game for England.

~~~~

Film Meme:

Day 14 - A film that you used to love but now hate

My taste in films hasn't changed much, if at all over the years. I'm not sure whether to put that down to me having good taste as a child or me being more than slightly change averse ;)

( The Other DaysCollapse )

You can tell this is likely to be one of the coldest weeks this year because our heating has packed up. It's not too bad because we've got a couple of spare electric heaters but still -7 with no central heating is no fun.

It does, however, mean I feel particularly sorry for the competitors in the various Nordic winter sports that have been going on this weekend. Kuusamo went from a high of -5 down to a low of -20, not counting the wind chill, which was obviously bad, going off the way the flags were waving. They even had to cancel the qualifying for the ski-jumping one day.

Particular love goes out to Felix Gottwald, of the Nordic Combined, who, upon being asked about his comeback, replied saying that it wasn't a comeback, but merely a return. Ah, Felix, one of these days you'll remember how to ski-jump and then you'll be dangerous. Also love to Hannu Manninen, who is combining his nordic combined career with learning to be a pilot, a career path that Jason Lamy Chappuis appears to also be thinking of.

Love also goes out to Alexander Legkov, who, having won the men's 10k in the cross-country, after breaking away from the rest of the leading group, said that he thought the weather was great. It must be said that the Russian cross-country team train in Siberia, which is the only explanation for saying the weather was great. It was that cold that several of the Norwegians decided not to turn up for the 10k race.

Marit Bjoergen probably does not need any more plaudits (4 wins out of 4 races at Kuusamo) but well done her.

I do hope that Simon Amman is not actually so injured he might quit at the end of this season. I may not like him, but I wouldn't want any harm to come to him. I was very happy that Andi Koffler won.

Apparently Michael Walchoffer won the men's downhill. This makes me happy. I am sad that he is retiring at the end of the season though.

1) Mid-way through the downhill once the three that were going to be the three medallists were watching the TV coverage and there's a bit where they show the first two's run's overlapped, and the three of them are watching it and making hand signals, trying to explain where they could have gone better.

2) In the men's 15 k pursuit in the biathlon, the Italians are not doing well. By which I mean 3 minutes behind the leaders. They're together in a pack as they come to the end, so they split across, and hold hands as they cross the line together. Then they bow. I love them dearly.

So I'm not exactly happy with who won the downhill. I don't mind Didier Defargo per se, my dislike is nothing personal. It just means that an Austrian didn't win it and a Swiss skier did. Which is of the not good. I can only hope that either the women do better than expected or the Austrians get something in the Super-G.

Of course, having watched that in the lab (partly personal choice due to obnoxiousness of housemates), I get home in time to see the Swiss win another gold medal in the 15 k cross-country.

It's not good ;)

Anyway, the moment that was over, I was unceremoniously removed from the TV so my housemate, and his girlfriend, can watch their DVDs of Damage. I go and cook, and then eat my dinner upstairs while watching the snowboard cross which is by far my favourite of the new events (she says new, knowing that it's been there for 15 years). It was probably just as well I was watching it alone, given that I'd have to explain why I was killing myself laughing every time the BBC commentator was trying to pronounce Mario Fuchs's surname. They pronounced it to rhyme with Cuche, I think to avoid an unfortunate homophone that doesn't actually occur if you pronounce it properly.

~~~~

The man writing for the Times on the Winter Olympics is a fool who knows nothing. Apparently Didier Defargo was a skier of no note before this. The man has won at Wengen and Kitzbuehel, back to back. He is a known quantity and if I know that, why doesn't the man who is writing about him.

~~~~

However, the Times is temporarily forgiven, because they published this - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article7028242.ece

John Amechi writing much sense.

Well, the BBC's four-yearly attempt to convince me that Moguls is a sport is once again not working. It's not that I don't think it involves skill, and knees of steel, it's just not a sport.

Before anyone looks at me funny, I am willing to accept aerials and half-pipe as a sport so it's not like I'm totally biased against new winter sports.

Back to more traditional sports, I am sorry for ever complaining about the Eurosport commentators. The BBC ones are even worse. For the ski-jumping we had Michael Airman (Uhrmann) and Adam Malysz's little known brother Thomas. For the luge, in between the usual severe naming problems, it was great fun that every time either of the commentators pontificated, the lugers then did the exact opposite or received the exact opposite time. What makes it worse is that one of the commentators, Colin Bryce, is an ex-bobsleigher.

One of the Canadian lugers, Ian Cockerline, had a pretty spectacular way of delivering a Valentine. It was written on the inside of his gloves that he got to show off when he finished. Well played that man.

I also liked the fan in the stadium with the sign that said '[luger's name that I didn't catch] ride faster than Santa'.

My mother, meanwhile, is of the belief that there is a Franco-Canadian plot in the biathlon, but I think that's just because her beloved Norwegian's got the worst of the weather on the biathlon course.

Either way, age does seem to be catching up with Bjorndaelen and Hannevold, but I think the 15 km races could get very interesting.

Other crowds I am in love with include the ice hockey crowd who were loudly cheering for China rather than against the US, which is a small, but important, difference.

I have been good and not been squeaking in RL. But I have now found my lucky scarf so Austria may have half a chance in the men's downhill.

I am excessively exciteable about it.

I am also happy that it looks like the Irish two-women bob will be competing despite the better efforts of Australia and Brazil to rules lawyer them out of it. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic_games/vancouver_2010/bobsleigh/8507487.stm and http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/other/2010/0210/1224264128758.html) Boo! to the Aussie and Brazilian Winter Sports federations.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/article6957773.ece

Today's are more heart-warming.

( 59. 2001: Liverpool 5 Alavés 4, Uefa Cup final, DortmundCollapse )

57. 2009: Harlequins and rugby union’s “Bloodgate” scandal, London No cut for this, or blurb, just remember it next time Union fans try to claim the moral high-ground over, well, anything.

( 54. 2008: Rebecca Adlington in the pool, BeijingCollapse )

( 52. 2007 Joe Calzaghe outclasses Mikkel Kessler, CardiffCollapse )

( 51. 2002: Rhona Martin’s curlers win Olympic gold, Salt Lake CityCollapse )

( 41. 2009: Andrew Flintoff runs out Ricky Ponting, KenningtonCollapse )

On non-list, but still sporting related matters - why the heck have Milton Keynes been made part of the 2018 bid when Leicester haven't? It can't be our stadium, it was one of the ones they used while Wembley was out of action. It can't be sporting history because Milton Keynes has none. I am assuming bribery.

Lots of other things too, but mostly I'm enjoying being home and being able to watch the ski-jumping and the skiing and everything else.

They've decided to put photos of the participants next to their names when they stick them up. As per usual, they're terrible photos, particularly for the ski-jumpers. The ones where they don't look 15, make them look like mugshots, which is particularly bizarre as the mugshottier ones belong to some of the nicest guys on the tour. Dmitri Vassiliev's is particularly bad, which is odd because he's one of the better looking jumpers on the tour.

I found out that Janne Ahonen has retired which makes me sad, because, despite him regularly beating Austrians, he was brilliant and I'm fond of him. He's also the guy in the icon.

It has also lead to me finding out about an excessively attractive Südtirolese skiier (http://www.patrickthaler.com/). Shame he officially counts as Italian.

Ivica Kostelic won, and then they said that it was his first win in 5 years, which, well it has to be true, but I can barely believe it.

Other than that, I caught the end of Afterburn, which featured Jeff pwning Edge (and me cheering for him - I feel strange and unusual) and the usual Smackdown hijinks. Where is the Maryse/Michelle McCool femme-slash?

Then I caught ECW, and well, I was deeply amused by the Kofi Kingston, CM Punk and Ricky Ortiz and Tiffany/Eve/whichever one she is's present. CM Punk does a good impression of that friend of yours who regularly mocks you and yet you still like.

I have no words for the awesome that regularly is the Miz and Morrison. I <3 them and their heelish, cheating ways.

I liked Hornswaggle taunting Striker and someday someone will explain why WWE keeping having their evil monster heels reading poetry at us (although it did lead to Tony Atlas in raindeer antlers and nose).

In short, I enjoyed myself immensely.

You know how I said that the Austrian Nordic Skiing Federation really ought to sue Dick Pound for what he said - well, someone, okay the disgraced coach at the centre of the palaver, has and is http://www.eurosport.com/alpineskiing/torino/2005-2006/sport_sto945840.shtml

Went to Danny's house party last night. Had fun. Did stupid things. The usual.

I swear the doping authorities are out to get the Austrian cross-country skiers and the biathletes. Not that I don't doubt that at least some of them are on something, but why don't you go raid the Russians and the US camps too, because well, ditto.

Too much work. Not enough food. Life goes on as usual.

Oh and pretty meme

Get your own spectral analysis from Area 23®

2 was in the men's luge pairs. Which was unexpected because normally the Germans win that.

3 was in the Nordic Combined Team event, where they won, although that might have something to do with the Norwegians not competing due to flu. Not that I'm complaining.

But tonight's the one. Men's long programme.

Unfortunately I have to go to fencing, but if I time it right, and Plushenko isn't the first on the ice, I should be back for most of it. (Crosses fingers, toes and everything else crossable).

Mother is the only one who doesn't think I'm mad.

Also

I'm free, free as the birds, I'm allowed out of the lab. Now as someone who wants to be a lab monkey I know this is supposed to make me sad, and it does a little, but it does mean I will have the time to write the bloody thing up.

Sorry, this entry was going to be all about the men's short programme but then I found out that Michaela Dorfmeister won the women's downhill. Please excuse me while I do the silly dance and wave my Austrian scarf about.

I'm extra pleased because she's retiring :( and hadn't won an Olympic medal of any colour before.

Anyway, onto the men's short programme. I watched the men's skating and started to feel certain that technique is slipping, people are missing triples for goodness sake.

Other than that I would have had Joubert at least 1 position higher, and I don't even like him, as usual I loved his costume, the boy, or his coach, has style and brains and a sense of ideas. I may have misjudged him when I said he had American style, he's getting more French i.e. bonkers brilliant, as he gets older. Actually that's the worst thing, with him, Plushenko and Lambiel I don't just see what they look like now, I see what they looked like when they were wee young things. With Lambiel it's the worst because when did that boy get good looking.

Johnny Wier definitely also looked damn good, ditto Matthew Savoie.

Not sure how I feel about Plushenko's short programme other than relieved. Barry Davies came out with a corker of a comment '[Plushenko] is sometimes a little dramatic when you are watching'. No shit Sherlock. I can barely watch him waiting for the thing he will screw up that he could normally do in his sleep. But yes, it wasn't as good as I know he can be.

It's worse than watching the men's combined! Sorry, joke on my part because I knew Benni Raich would throw it away before I watched it, because he always does. Yes, had Dorfmeister not won this would be a very depressed Red.

I'm a bit :( that Bjorndalen didn't win in the Biathlon.

I'm also :( that an Austrian didn't win the Downhill, but Walchhoffer took it very well, and was generally a good egg. And that's like 2 silvers we've got so far. Admittedly I'm worried that we're not going to get any golds but still so far so good. Plus, at least it wasn't a Swiss that won it.

I can't really find it in me to be annoyed about Lars Bystoel winning the small hill ski jumping, because he's a pretty cool dude, plus I'm quite fond of the Norwegians.

The crowd at the ice skating are already getting a bit 'grr argh' with the judges, which is not a good sign.

That and it's only 1 day till the men's start and I'm so very worried about Plushenko.

If we ignore that Dan has annoyed me to the point of me wishing to humiliate him, and having come up with a way to do it, today really couldn't be better. Want to know why:

THE WINTER OLYMPICS AND THE RUGBY LEAGUE SEASON START TODAY

And yes, it's deserving of capslockage.

I'm feeling all eek, eee, argh at the minute:

- I've found my beloved Austria scarf, most importantly my lucky scarf, before the men's downhill. Hey, I wore it last time and an Austrian won, so I feel I should wear it again. I am well aware that there is no such thing as luck, but...

- I have also found my 'buy the Times for cheap' vouchers, also vital Olympic kit.

- I have lost a big cheque. So I have to see the Finance people. Who scare me. And the website doesn't say when they're open from.

- I'm all a-sniffle reading all the Robbie Fowler articles, this one in particular

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,428-2013437,00.html

This bit in particular:
Whereas Michael Owen was jeered by some on his return with Newcastle United, Fowler has always been revered. They love him for every one of his 171 goals for the club, but they also love him because he is one of them, a daft scally who could be seen winning Fifa fair-play commendations, earning the wrath of Uefa by wearing a T-shirt supporting the sacked Liverpool dockers and snorting the goalline in an ill-advised celebration in a Merseyside derby.

Bear in mind this was all in one season.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1698586,00.html

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1698711,00.html

There's also the fantastic story of him walking into the Liverpool chairman's office, grabbing a pen and about to sign his contract without reading it, only to have the Liverpool chairman stop him and tell him to read it first.

I <3 him so much.