Monday, March 01, 2010

The agony of defeat! 2010 the Olympics of crashes



I first want to say the 2010 winter Olympics is under a cloud. Yes it is under the cloud of Nodar Kumaritashvili death on the luge track everyone was afraid of. Before that horrific accident there was 12 accidents and that particular turn known as 50/50 because you stood a 50% chance of not making it.

We hear nothing about it other than the accident being blamed on driver error. However I heard on MSNBC that just prior to the accident a foil had been put on the track to prevent melting, Nodar was not aware of it and was blinded by the reflection. I never heard another line about it just that it was blamed on him and not the track that all said as too fast and it was slowed down. Horrific crash video be forewarned

As you know, that was before the Olympics even started. The whole Olympics has been under a cloud of serious accidents. The 2010 Olympics has to be second to none in that category! The design of the luge was said to be good but alterations were made after the accident. The ski slopes were one accident after the other. Sometimes they fell right out of the gate. The chopper was well used ferrying to the hospital.

Could have been venue designs but every year it becomes more and more necessary to risk ones life. The need for speed to capture Olympic gold has more and more become death defying. More attention has to be paid to the design and safety of courses. Events have become scary to watch let alone participate in.

The worst crash besides Nodar's was not even physical it was mental. I believe poor Sven Kramer will have nightmares the rest of his life. After crossing the line faster than anyone in the 10,000m, Kramer learned he skated the final eight laps in the wrong lane Tuesday. The amateurish blunder could be blamed on his coach but, in the end, the greatest long distance speed skater in the world paid for the mistake in the worst way. He was disqualified! Lane-switching gaffe costs Kramer gold medal | NBC Olympics

Slovakia hockey forward Lubos Bartecko out for the duration Slovakia hockey forward Lubos Bartecko out for the duration

The Latest is American Lindsey Vonn not only crashed on her giant slalom run today, but she broke her little finger on her right hand. She lost control of her skis partway through the run, then smashed into the safety nets Lindsey Vonn Breaks Finger In Giant Slalom Crash - Lindsey Vonn ...

There was so many ski accidents it was the topic of conversation at the VA while I was waiting for my appointment. A whole program was devoted to them and one female Russian skier was flown away trussed up so tight she appeared to be in a body bag but came out fine. A Swiss skier crashed, a couple of Canadian skiers, a couple Russian's, a couple Americans, Bode Miller won his medals but he went down too. The worst crashes of the 2010 Winter Olympics

It has been an Olympics of accidents. It has also been an exceptional Olympics in my mind!



James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com

6 comments:

Demeur said...

I think the biggest factor was the weather out here. It seems we're closing in on one of the warmest winters in many years (what's that about global warming?). With warmer day temps and freezing nights you know what happens...ice. Skiing on ice is no pic nic. I also think everyone was told to down play the conditions.

jmsjoin said...

Demeur what you said makes sense to me. To top it off they push it a little farther every year to break the record.

You know thinking about it, why should the record be the4 goal and not just beating the other competitors?

Holte Ender said...

The warm Canadian winter did them in, they should moved down to Atlanta like I suggested. Seriously, tragedy apart, I enjoyed the Games, and I'm no skier or skater, but I enjoy watching the best at anything.

jmsjoin said...

Holte I was surprised by the warmth thinking it was cold as hell in the winter.
I think technology and modernity is tarnishing the games and wonder when this asinine strivance for gold is going to be replaced with being the best at that time. It is getting too dangerous though I do enjoy it!

Demeur said...

Update: Make that the warmest winter on record here according to the weatherman today.

jmsjoin said...

Thanks Demeur! It kills me that ass holes get away with saying there is no such thing as Global warming while man made natural or both it can not be denied.

On a somewhat similar note a brother and I are going up to Nova Scotia to see family we lost touch with in 1919. The 100 year old woman my Great Grandfather left the land to when he died in 1937 wants to see us. Pretty cool huh?