Yet another excuse I can’t use. 1) I don’t drink coffee, and 2) the nearest Starbucks is 50 miles away. But I suppose if you really need an excuse and you didn’t live where there’s a Starbucks you could substitute something else. “You should have seen the line at the gas station/Dunkin Donuts/Joe’s Pool Hall!”
On this date in history:
- In 1911, actress Merle Oberon was born.
- In 1922, vaudeville star Ed Wynn became the first big name to sign a contract for a regular radio show.
- In 1924, actor Lee Marvin was born.
Actress Kathryn Grayson passed away on Wednesday. She was 88.
Tonight on TV, we have more Olympics and a new episode of Caprica.
Reading: Now I’m re-reading Goodbye, Ms. Chips by Dorothy Cannell.
And now for the Olympics report! (You know the drill, spoilers ahead).
In the ladies super combined (downhill skiing & slalom), the silver medal went to our Julia Mancuso. Lindsay Vonn wiped out on the slalom course and was disqualified. In the ladies half pipe snowboarding, Hannah Teter won the silver and Kelly Clark won bronze.
Then there was the finals of the men’s figure skating. Wow. What a night! So many great kids whose time has yet to come but could be great by the next Winter Games. Patrick Chan of Canada who finished in fifth place, Japan’s Nobunari Oda (who had to stop his performance last night for a broken skate lace) who finished in seventh place, Florent Amodio of France (who was born in Brazil and abandoned on the streets when he was only a few days old, but adopted soon after by a couple from France) who came in twelfth.
But of course, all eyes were on the “big names”. Johnny Weir skated the performance of his life, but was short-changed on the scoring in many people’s opinions (not just mine *g*). He ended up in sixth place. But he may not be crying too much. He’s getting his own TV show on the Sundance Channel. *g* Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland landed in fourth place. Daisuke Takahashi of Japan fell on his quad jump, but he rocked the rest of his program and ended up winning the bronze medal.
Yevgeny Plushenko of Russia can jump like nobody’s business. He’s probably the only skater who can do a quad consistently. But jumping ins’t the only aspect of figure skating which the Russians seem incapable of understanding. As good as his jumping was, the rest of his performance left something to be desired. Which is why he fully deserved to win the silver medal.
Evan Lysacek of the U.S. rocked the house. Granted, he doesn’t have a quad jump. But he has the total package. He can do every triple jump known to man and pull it all together with the actual skating and presentation. He fully deserved his gold medal and I’m so proud and happy for him.
And now a moment to discuss good sportsmanship. Plushenko and the Russian Federation apparently don’t understand this concept either. All they have done since he won the silver is bitch, moan, and whine about how they were robbed by not getting gold. Here’s a suggestion, you guys, GET OVER YOURSELVES!!!
What has happened to good sportsmanship? For goodness sake!
Hope you’re having a fun Friday!
Comment by Brandy — February 19, 2010 @ 3:31 pm
and that is why I love reading your Olympics recap. I missed the skating final but I will watch it on the internet.
Comment by Dru — February 19, 2010 @ 5:10 pm
That excuse is so me! I’m stealing it, Tori. It’s all mine!
Comment by Barb writing as Elle J Rossi — February 19, 2010 @ 7:49 pm
I’m just tired of athletes who can’t be gracious. Yes, it sucks not to win, but DEAL WITH IT. Especially in figure skating where you’re judged. I still disagree with the pairs outcome — I thought the Chinese were very very good, but not THAT much better than everyone else. Judged categories are always subjective. If you don’t like it, go into speed skating.
Oh wait… there are whiners there, too.
Comment by Marianne — February 20, 2010 @ 7:23 am