Arena 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

Loved the part with ballet/the War and Peace segment. It makes me happy that they chose to highlight how important ballet has always been in regard to Russia's identity as a culture. *yesIamaballetnerdandIdon'tcare*

And though I haven't read much Russian literature (yet), it's amazing stuff.

 

Anything with Russian ballet is good.

 

Just starting on the West Coast.

 

Spoiler

Loved the use of Stravinsky's Firebird during the lighting of the cauldron.

Great opening ceremonies with some very striking visual moments!

 

No she's not the date of Putin.

 

Watching the Women's Cross Country Skiathalon. They've had lovely weather there for that and the snowboarding.

 

That's Maria Sharapova, not Putin's girlfriend. Putin's girlfriend (forgot her name) is dark-haired. But yes, she carried the torch as well.

 

Are we tagging unaired spoilers?

Just in case

Spoiler

USA! USA! USA!

First gold of the games!

 

I feel funny that people mistake Sharapova for others, she's probably one of the most famous Russian athletes.

 

Bonus points for Addams Family music.

 

Been dipping in and out of the BBC's coverage today as I was also watching the Six Nations Rugby. Just saw the final of the women's mogul skiing. Caught some of the speed skating and luge (men's for both) earlier as well. The building where the luge track is looks like it's still under construction - you could see unfinished areas near the track as they showed the runs.

 

Loved Tretiak lighting the torch, absolute legend. I actually saw him and the Red Army team blow out the Rangers in the mid 70s.

 

http://www.nbcolympics.com/tv-listings

 

I'm really loving the new team event in figure skating! I've never paid much attention to ice dancing beyond the legendary performances of Torvill and Dean - one of my first Olympic memories is when they got robbed of the gold in 1994 and my mother booing - but I really enjoyed the teams that NBC showed today. Loved the French and US dancers.

 

Gotta like any figure skater who skates to Pink Floyd.

 

Not exactly the Floyd though

 

Why are all the female athletes smoking hot? You'd think there would be a few homely looking ones but they all have perfect complexion, facial structure, pearly white teeth... It's a conspiracy I tell ya!

 

Jenny Jones wins a bronze in the Snowboarding Slopestyle! Britain's first ever Winter Olympic medal on the snow!

 

Yeah, loved the US ice dancers' skate. That last spinning lift they did was incredible! (plus...you gotta love Charlie White's hair)



Also really enjoyed the women's team skating. Julia Lipnitskaya's last spin was insane! Ashley Wagner was great too...so she was not too happy when she saw her score:

 

That expression will be a new meme within hours, I bet you more than anything.

 

I don't doubt it...the site I pulled the image from was already making the comparison to the mega-memed image of the "not impressed" silver medalist gymnast from the last Summer Olympics:



(To be fair to Ashley, though, she wasn't on the medal podium so it was definitely more of an immediate "in the moment" reaction.)

 

Yeah, I was thinking about that Silver medalist too (though name escapes me at the moment).