ShuuKurei
Active Member
Thanks, I'll have a look at that.
Sports!!
- Thread starter Funkgun
- Start date
Thanks, I'll have a look at that.
ShuuKurei
Active Member
I really don't get what's so great about hockey. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to see the czech people beat a nation that's generally good at sports. But I just don't get it.
I was rooting a little for Gabriela Koukalova during the biathlon season 2016/2017 (though I prefer Laura Dahlmeier). Sad she only won one gold medal. Expected more of her.
Starletka
Silver Supporter
Well, hockey is our national sport, so people are really into it here, and not only during World Championships ... but yeah, I prefer biathlon myself. :D
Koukalová is our star. She'd been on the podium many times during the season and won a couple of races, plus she placed 2nd overall (and the season before that she placed 1st overall), so one golden medal in the Championships is a nice cherry on top. You have to take into account that biathlon only became popular here a few years ago (thanks to Koukalová) and we don't really have any other racers who place so high so often (unlike Germany), so we're very proud of her. :)
Laura is really talented. She deserved that first place.
ShuuKurei
Active Member
Yeah, I heard about that. If I remember correctly even some tracks got renewed due to her. Always good to see that even a single person can bring about change. Hope to see more of her in the future.
I was a little worried about her in January '17, though. Taking off a whole weekend after the break seemed a bit... odd. But she still showed 'em all. She might become the German answer to Martin Fourcade. I really hope so. I also hope that the German men learn from her, because they are... mediocore. They do have their moments, but overally they are no comparision to the stars of biathlon.
Starletka
Silver Supporter
About that ... I don't mean to offend you or anything, but concering Laura, there's been a lot of talk about ... well ... doping. Because it was kind of suspicious how she always pulled these amazing victories with inhuman sprinting skills and then collapsed at the end so badly she wasn't even able to go to the press conferences. If it was just on one instance, no one would say a word, but she did that for like half the season. And she even took that whole weekend off, because they "didn't want to stress her with the yellow bib". It was just odd. I personally don't think she's doping, but even I can't deny the whole thing is just a wee bit suspicious. Then again, look at Fourcade. But at least he doesn't collapse at the end of every race, and when he makes mistakes, he doesn't place on the podium. Idk.
ShuuKurei
Active Member
True, it is suspicious to some extend. But it might be because she is still so young and has yet to fully develp physically and mentally. And I think it was her first time wearing the yellow trikot, so maybe it'd have put too much pressure on her?
Tbh I caught myself once thinking how fourcade might be doped. But unless any of that is proven I'll just accept that he is so much better than the others.
Taek
Well-Known Member
As cynical as it may sound, it's worth thinking that if any sporting feat sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. It's almost certain that any sports person right at the top of the game is on something their competitors aren't. Screening for doping is always one or two steps behind the sports doctors that administer the PEDs.
randomredneck
Well-Known Member
I say let them juice. Sports were more fun to watch when everyone was running on steroids. Especially baseball.
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Taek
Well-Known Member
Ask me the question a few months ago and I would have been totally against it, but now I'm more ambivalent towards it. On the one hand, if one guy is on steroids and no one else is, he does have an unfair advantage, if we use Lance Armstrong as an example though, that was a case where taking steroids was par for the course as a cyclist, and he still won. I don't agree with his treatment by the media, and the cycling body that stripped him of his wins.
But when we think that all PEDs do is give an unfair advantage, then we can look at other things that do something similar. And the two big things here is money and environment, an ethiopian that lives and trains 24/7 at 5000 metres above sea level at a level of literally thin air, has an unfair advantage over every other athlete that lives at sea level. An athlete that can afford to buy and run an oxygen tent to sleep in has an unfair advantage. An athlete that can afford the best sports doctors in the world, has an unfair advantage. An athlete from a country with higher quality food options has an unfair advantage. Steroids aren't the bridge between losing and winning, going back to cycling, 75% of the field were on steroids during Armstrong's time, and the vast majority of them never won a single stage in anything, let alone a tour. You still have to be fucking good to win, even on steroids.
randomredneck
Well-Known Member
Yup, Spurs are hosed like a wet t-shirt contest.
Taek
Well-Known Member
HasseRovdjur
Breast Claw
I was barely aware that there was some hockey shenanigans going on. Shows how much I care about sportsball these days. What a disgrace I am these days.
Like that will happen again any time soon... *sniff*
randomredneck
Well-Known Member
Speaking of hockey, sure am seeing a lot more Predators jerseys around town lately. Damn bang-wagoners.
HasseRovdjur
Breast Claw
Oh, look, the Swedish ice hockey team beat the Finnish team (I actually watched parts of the game!), but Swedish teams tend to be weak against the syrup slurpers. Guess it's a silver for them.
Starletka
Silver Supporter
I'm actually surprised Russia didn't win. I rooted for Canada, of course, but I thought the Russians were a little better this year. They had the whole game in a bag, too, but then Canada pulled a miraculous recovery in the last third, as per usual. Well, I guess it was to be expected. But Sweden vs. Finland ended how I predicted it.
I'd say Russia will win tomorrow (let's face it, it's not Finland's best season - I mean, even we managed to beat them, for crying out loud). Now, Canada vs. Sweden will be interesting. They both have really strong teams this year.
HasseRovdjur
Breast Claw
Yeah, my gut says Russia as well. Pretty good match-ups this year, though. Lots of rivalries in the semifinals and finals.