Around The Rings

   Some things about the Sochi Games you may -  or may not - be aware of.  Thanks to CR contributor Megan Lawrence.



I Want My Yogurt - As of last Saturday morning, there were 5,000 cups of Chobani stalled at Newark Airport that were supposed to be available to Team USA in Sochi.  The Russian goverment alleges that the paperwork necessary to allow the yogurt into Sochi isn't correctly completed, American authorities contend the regulations are newly stringent, and not necessary.  A nice cup of Black Cherry Chobani could have made the .4 of a second difference in the downhill, yesterday, right?



BMW -  and you thought they only make cars.  Evidently, these days, if you want a really good bobsleigh, go to BMW.  They make the world's best, and you'll see many in Sochi.  #yourtaxdollarsatwork



XC -  one of the very sports that has taken place at every Winter games, cross-country skiing now has 5 events each for men and women, the Norwegians are far and away the best at this discipline.



Lotsa Rocks - there are 10 countries competing in curling, and each country plays the other nine in preliminary stages, then there are semis and finals.  How's your rotator cuff?



% - Jumping skis may be no longer than 146% of the height of the competitor.



Oh... more than half of the women registered to play hockey, on the planet, are in Canada.  Question -  how do you "register" to play hockey?



Amateur ? -  Russia has promised $122,000 to a gold medal winner, the U. S. hasn't offically named a number, but we do know that London winners got $25,000.



Remember Kenmore?  - 14,000 people carried the Sochi torch on the relay to the Games.  The torch went into the world's deepest lake, and also went to the International Space Station.



Close To The Sparkles - ice dance partners are not to be separated by more than two arm lengths.  (And room for the Holy Spirit.)



JuCo, sorta -  American Ice dancers meryl Davis and Charlie White are college juniors who took the year off school to concentrate on training.  (What have you done with your life, Chrisitian?)



Joe Boxer - Bruno Banani is Tonga's luger and flag-bearer, and he changed his name to a famous brand of German underwear.



Multi-Purpose - Fisht Olympic Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies are held, will host soccer matches as a part of the 2018 Worl Cup.



Big Ups - Bobsledder Steve Langton has a 39 inch vertical leap.  So he can pretty much jump over Marry Kersey from a standing start.



Next - The 2018 Games will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.  The 2022 Games bidders are, Almaty, Khazakstan, Beijing, China, Krakow, Poland, Lviv, Ukraine, and Oslo, Norway.

And now, Sochi...

     Finally have worked through some vexing interwebtubes nonsense - what field am I in, anyway? - and am happy to be blogging the Games once more.
     Jerry Sullivan from the Buffalo News wrote many, many column inches prior to his departure, the News' preview section is chock full of good data and opinions on USA Hockey, the new sports added, and so forth.  surely worth a read if you have not been there.
     I found the ceremonies to be decidedly Russian, sort of "as expected" and thought some of the technology was pretty cool.  The Cyrillic alphabet screwed me up at the parade of Nations with what felt like an entirely screwed up order.  Very provincial of me, I get it.  Congrats to Sage Kotsenburg winning Gold in slope style, the height that man got on some of his moves is just amazing.
     The Canadian women look fast and tough on the ice, the chippy rivalry between them and the U.S. girls promises to bring us some great hockey.
      The Games are back, and I am psyched, and I thank my fiancé for my very cool pin!  Folks near me will be seeing a lot of it over the next 17 days.