Ski

70 degrees yesterday and it's snowing pretty hard right now...

Ha, kinda tough to root for him when he doesn't even show up for four straight races.

If you don't think that EVERY top World Cup racer skis all balls out on every run, then you don't watch much ski racing. Ever see Maier push out of the start? The World Cup point system is designed to favor people that win, over people that consistantly finish "just" in the top 10. Maybe Bode needs it to include "almosts" and "near finishes". If you think all skiers other than freestylers and mogul skiers are "prissy old ladies and preppy douchebags", then what are you doing on this MB? You are surrounded by a bunch of douchebags. Hmmmm... You never even saw a USSA race until this year. You never even watched an FIS race. You have no idea who the USST coaches are, or what their teaching techniques are. You don't even know what Rahlves did in Europe before Bode began winning. Apparently, you never heard of Picabo Street. It's funny to watch people get up on a soap box and proclaim something "old-school" and "stagnant" when they are TOTALLY ignorant of the subject. BTW, everyone IS judging Bode by what he's doing on the hill: falling down.

Although it's kind of funny how slight gusts of wind seem to hit Bode over and over again, while everyone else makes it down just fine. In fact, take a typical Super G course. They had to change the rules for the starting order of SG's before last season. Because there are no training runs in SG (unlike DH), bib numbers were assigned that matched your FIS ranking. So, for instance, Maier would be bib #1, Walhoffer #2, etc...the problem was then that the race was pretty much over before it started. Maier would win, followed by the next ranked skier. Why is this relevant? Because it goes to show that there is tremendous consistancy outside the American Team. Racers don't fall in speed events very often and they often place very close to where they are ranked. The FIS changed to a reverse 30 start order for SG, meaning the 30th ranked skier would go first. Crowds loved it, since the fastest track is often early, and you now have to really earn your win. You are absolute right that the Olympics are a crap shoot. Any race is a crap shoot, when it comes to reaching the podiums. The competition is amazingly close among the top 12 racers. But that's also why doing a few shots the night before has so much of a negative effect. Consider: Andrea Meade Lawrence, the first ever American woman to win alpine Gold, fell down in one of her slalom runs, yet still had the fastest combined time. People look at Alberto Tomba's rep as a partier back in his day, but he later admitted it was all just an image... And, just as a reminder, the Olympic Creed is as follows: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

And it only affects five or six of us anyway...

Today through Thursday, lifts are only running from 5pm to 10pm, as per the phone message.

I like that idea, but it may creep out too many people...

That's just south of Dallas, Texas...it was a Texas Ski Council Day. 556, you have to hop on this old bandwagon with the rest of us envying Sib's move to a town near Big Mountain, Montana.

There's a link on the ASRA MB. I accidentally swiped the pic of you, then accidentally Photoshopped the logos out.

Harsh. Very harsh.

Well, it took me a few times being shut out at Montage to learn never to take anything for granted. I was fuming when they closed early because of 10mph winds...Ya just live and learn when it comes to our mountain. Pissing people off is just another way they keep liftlines short...

Ha, bringing this thread full circle...to Raich...who has skied his Atomics to the Title.

19 days!!!!!! And Assassin: peace, okay? And just for the record, I'm roughly 13% slower than Bode. Jeff is closer than that in GS, while 'Dude is about 8% behind Bode. But in 19 days, 'Dude has a shot to knock off a World Cup GS winner!!!! 19 days!!

'Dude, she told you the story about what happened that night? Metzy's Corky impression is probably pretty irresistable to the ladies...

I agree it sucks that they closed because of a storm that lasted about 30 minutes. BUT, VTmark, it's the Poconos...why not hit one of five other places? Dickson City has an okay mall, but the skiing sucks.

You might need a fact checker, or to do a little research before typing. Bode's a DISAPPOINTING 6th in the standings, not third. He could have been third, but he ran away from the tour in some sort of fit. Badass Bode speeding up? Here's how Bode's been speeding up in his latest races: DNF 6th DNF DSQ DSQ DNF All of us on this MB won just as many medals at Turin as Bode did, if you really want to look at it that way. But, seriously, do you never question anyone who is an expert in their field? Just because a cop knows the traffic laws, are they always right? Is everything a teacher does always right, just because they are teachers? And bashing Lance? You and Bode are quoting a story in the French tabloid L'

It's not an assumption, it's out of Bode's own mouth. You should probably know something about the subject before getting all hatefull: "I was out pretty late drinking, but didn't get really drunk or anything. We've been having a lot of fun." And it's not about beating us, it's about beating World Cup racers. You know: his JOB. Shut who'se mouth? Are you seriously that upset over some drunk guy on the World Cup? A lot of us are disappointed in Bode...we wasted time rooting for someone that now says he'd rather party than win. And Skidude, Jeff, Skierboi, and several others would have beaten Bode in 11 out of 13 slalom races this year. Unless, of course, they were as hung over as Bode and fell down, too.

*

Thanks...the recording didn't happen to mention that. I'm psyched that they are making this effort to be open through the weekend. Some cold temps might even get them to stay open until SPRING!

Couldn't say it any better, 'Dude. Every one of Bode's sponsors is feeling ripped off right now. How about those Bode/Visa commercials during the Olympics? They spent millions on him and the spots, but he'd already DNF'd by the time most of them were on. I don't think I've ever seen anything so pathetic. Sportsmanship and character count. And you can be an individual and have fun on the Tour. Look at the American women, for example. They wore big beaded necklaces and tiaras...and they all said they had a blast without boozing until 3am...and Mancuso brought home a GS Gold.

hehehehe

We were just headed out the door when I made a quick call...Montage is "closing for this evening due to forecast of high winds and heavy rain". They'll reopen tomorrow. Bummer. Off to hike for turns...

Every year, the WC Tour heads to Asia for two weekends, prior to coming back to Europe for Finals. Some racers skip the long flight to Korea and Japan, unless they are in contention for either individual discipline titles, or the Overall title. It would have been a great place for Bode to pick up lots of easy points and keep Raich from clinching. I've only heard speculation as to why he blew it off, though...

UST coaches listed Bode as 30lbs heavier than when he began his Overall Title season. Heavy skiers aren't at any particular disadvantage; in fact, Anja Paerson is one of my favorites and still has a shot at the women's title: But to add 30lbs. you're not used to carrying? That could very well be part of it.

Pffffft. BTW, how do you then tell kids not to get drunk the night before they take the SAT's without being a hypocrit? Nevermind. Forget I asked. This is beyond stupid. I'm done.