Olympic Figure Skating Pictorial: Gold for Kim, Bronze for Rochette

Congratulations to the ladies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Ice!

Figure Skater Joannie Rochette Performs Through Grief at the Olympics

The ladies took to the ice last night in Vancouver for the figure skating short program, and you had to be under a rock not to hear about Joannie Rochette.  The Canadian figure skater's mother died suddenly of a heart attack last weekend and in spite her overwhelming grief, Rochette skated a nearly flawless program from the heart and finished in third place.

After completing the program Rochette burst into tears while acknowledging the standing ovation from the crowd.  It was the most heartbreaking and moving moment of the Games so far. 

There were however other ladies who skated last night.  Two Americans, Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu are in fifth and sixth place respectively, but the top two spots are occupied by two titans of Asia. 

My favorite was Mao Asada of Japan even though she's in second place behind North Korea's 19 year-old dynamo, Kim Yu-Na who skated her program to a medley of James Bond music.

The ladies long program is tonight.  Joannie Rochette will have all of Canada and many more pulling for her.

Congratulations Olympic Gold Medalist Evan Lysacek!

Last night Evan Lysacek proved that the world of figure skating judging can get it right once in a while.  That's because last night he became the first American man in 22 years to win the Olympic gold medal. 

And he did it without a quad, but with a command of the ice that all the other male jumping beans couldn't match.

In his comments after the competition, the reigning Olympic champion Yevgeny Plushenko was more than a little sour grapey when he said that an Olympic champion without a quad wasn't a real Olympic champion.

Well Yevgeny, I beg to differ.  You've been getting away with those flailing arms and the pretense at artistic interpretation for years, while skating to music that might as well be playing in an elevator, for all that your program has anything to do with it.  You've been getting away with stringing jumps together and calling it a program for far too long.

What Lysacek did over the two nights of competition was put together a technically proficient program--without a quad, mind you--that was exciting, interpreted the music and that created the kind of Olympic moments figure skating fans look for.

The only thing I found shocking was that the lame numerical judging system actually rewarded him for his efforts.

Since the figure skating higher ups implemented the numerical system, programs have pretty much become interchangeable as skater after skater adds up points by doing exactly the same moves as everyone else. 

And then once a really good program is over and the audience is trying to figure out if the judges thought is was good or not, here come the numbers.

"Evan Lysacek, you got a...42!"  Oh that's exciting.

Please, please bring back the 6.0 system and put in some judges who aren't in the national federations' pockets.

Finally, how ironic is it that 71 year old coach Frank Carroll doesn't get his first gold medalist pupil in the form of the great Michelle Kwan, but in Evan Lysacek?  Gotta love it. 

Congratulations Evan!

2008 US Open Women's Champion: Serena Williams

Not only is she the new 2008 US Open Champion, she's also the new No. 1 player in the world.

Congratulations Serena!

Venus vs. Serena at the US Open

Okay, so I was wrong.

Congratulations Serena!

Venus Williams vs. Serena Williams at the US Open

I haven't written a lot about this year's US Open because frankly there hasn't been a lot to write about.  But now that we're in the second week, things are heating up.  Tonight is the de facto women's final because sisters Venus and Serena will meet each other and slug it out for a place in the semis.  Whichever sister wins it has to be considered a big favorite to take it all.

My prediction of who will prevail among the Williams girls tonight?  Drum roll please.....Venus.

I say that because, though they're both playing very well, I think Venus is going to keep it together just enough to win the big points when the going gets tough.  Like at Wimbledon, I'm expecting a good match, but I think Serena's emotions will get the better of her and Venus will be able to take advantage.

I then see Venus and Dementieva in the final with Venus prevailing in three sets.

Other thoughts from week one:

• James Blake lost...love ya' James, but this is becoming a bore.

• Jelena Jankovic did everything she could to get beaten, but is still in the tournament.

• Novak Djokovic surprised me and figured out a way to escape Tommy Robredo.

• Roger Federer surprised me and figured out a way to escape Igor Andreev.

• Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva are riding the glow from their new Olympic medals to the latter rounds.

• Rafael Nadal is still cute as ever and I predict he's going to beat Roger in the final for the men's title---though tonight's match against Mardy Fish should be fun.

And spare a sentimental thought for USA Cable.  This is the last year they'll be covering the US Open and I for one am going to miss them.  USA Cable always gave wall to wall coverage and I've gotten used to their dependability and their tacky promos for their fall shows.  Not to mention, I really like their US Open theme music.

Next year ESPN takes over and God knows what kind of coverage we'll get.   I can see it now:  during a match like yesterday's Federer/Andreev, at six o'clock, right in the middle of the fourth set ESPN will have to cutaway to show the first round of the World Championships of Lawn Bowling.

Needless to say I'm not looking forward to them taking over, but I'll try to give them the benefit of the doubt...that is until they shoot that all to hell.

Congratulations To The Beijing Olympic Tennis Champions

Rafael Nadal, the undisputed new No. 1 in the world with bronze medalist, Novak Djokovic

James Blake Beats Roger Federer, Serena, Venus Out of Singles at the Olympics

James Blake just pulled off the biggest upset of his career, beating Roger Federer at the Beijing summer Olympic Games, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2).

I watched it all live on my laptop on NBC Olympic website.  Thank God for the internet!  Right now Serena's in the third against Elena Dementieva.

The Beijing Olympics Online: A Sports Smorgasbord

As I write this post I'm watching live Olympic tennis. American James Blake is in the deciding third set against Dominic Hrbaty of Slovakia and it's tied 3-3.  I'm not watching this match on television.  I'm watching it live online.  That's right, live streaming of Olympic events have come into their own with the Beijing Games, and the first and best stop for all your action is NBC's Olympic Website.

The team that put this site together deserves a medal of their own because it has just about anything an Olympics sports fan could want. As long as you stay within NBC's restrictions that is.

Let's face it NBC paid a gazillion-billion dollars for the rights to broadcast the games and they're not just going to give away the prime rib of events like swimming and gymnastics for free, so for those events and others like them, there's a time delay until NBC has broadcast them on both coasts of the US.

The Summer Olympics: Love 'Em or Hate 'Em?

The Beijing Summer Olympics officially kicked off today with the opening ceremonies.  I'm of two minds about the Olympics these days, sometimes I love 'em and sometimes I hate 'em.  Here are some reasons why:

Reasons I Hate The Summer Olympics:

Bob Costas/No Jim McKay (R.I.P.)
NBC's coverage
The fact that it's not ABC's coverage in its heyday
No figure skating
Rhythmic gymnastics
The new gymnastics scoring system
The cheating
The pretense that all the cheaters are caught
Track and field, since a big chunk of the athletes seem to be cheating
Cheater Marion Jones
Olympic mascots
Not enough non-Americans covered
Nothing will ever compare to the 1984 LA Games
How cocky and obnoxious some of the Americans act
How cocky and obnoxious some of the other athletes act
The "going to war" security that's now required
Events that aren't covered live, like today's opening ceremonies
Kind of like James Bond, because there are so many similar kinds of sporting events, it just doesn't feel special anymore

Reasons I Love The Summer Olympics:

No cross country skiing
Wonderful memories of ABC's classic coverage under Roone Arledge
John Williams music originally composed for the 1984 Los Angeles Games
The amazing cameras and equipment that are used to give us incredible shots
Gymnastics
Tennis
Platform diving
Track and field, even though a big chunk of the athletes seem to be cheating
The one or two athletes no one's ever heard of who overcome major odds to either win or do very well
It's one of the few communal television viewing experiences Americans can share

Let the Games begin!