2026 Winter Olympic and Paralymic Games

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 1/28/26 at 5:13pm

Almost here!

Olympic Games (February 6-22)

Paralympic Games (March 6-15)

https://www.olympics.com/en/milano-cortina-2026

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 1/30/26 at 4:49pm

Why the fck are ICE going to Italy?

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/1/26 at 9:49am

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Why the fck are ICE going to Italy?"

 

https://www.npr.org/2026/01/31/nx-s1-5695197/as-winter-olympics-milan-protesters-call-for-ice-agents-to-leave-italy

 

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/7/26 at 1:08pm

Games have begun. I need to re-watch the opening ceremony. Could only watch on a tablet while at work. It looked pretty low-key but pretty to look at.

What was up with Mariah Carey? She just seemed a bit still like she was nervous.

Update: I just re-watched it at home. Also read some think she lip synced.  Also read there was a teleprompter with a phonetic breakdown of the lyrics. She actually does appear to be intently staring at something so maybe that was it. She did loosen up a bit for the second song. On a side note...I do like the way her voice has matured. 

Updated On: 2/7/26 at 01:08 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 2/7/26 at 3:21pm

I really like Peacock's coverage and how organized their app is. Just watched the Men's figure skating and Yuma Kagiyama from Japan just gave the most technically perfect, fun routine. 

I'm into the skating, bobsledding, and curling because I still can't believe it's a sport. Ha. What are other people's favorite events? 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 2/7/26 at 7:44pm

uncageg said: "Games have begun. I need to re-watch the opening ceremony. Could only watch on a tablet while at work. It looked pretty low-key but pretty to look at.

What was up with Mariah Carey? She just seemed a bit still like she was nervous.

Update: I just re-watched it at home. Also read somethink she lip synced.Also read there was a teleprompter with a phonetic breakdown of the lyrics. She actually does appear to be intently staring at something so maybe that was it. She did loosen up a bit for the second song. On a side note...I do like the way her voice has matured."

 

It was absolutely lip synched. She doesn't even perform live on her own tours anymore.

 

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/7/26 at 7:46pm

This first part is an explanation of my relationship with televised sports. You can skip over it if you want.

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

I have always been intrigued by the Olympics. 
I don’t really care about sports at all, and I never watch them during their regular seasons. The Olympics are different, though.

Because so many (not just locally, or even nation-wide, but in the world) are interested, I feel like I should be, too. So I watch the commercials to see if any upcoming event will interest me. This is waaaay more effort I would put in than at any other time, or season. 

The most attention I usually pay is to find out if/how a televised event might delay, or alter broadcast times of my favorite shows. A big one is football on Sundays. 

During football season, I have to double-check to see if a game has gone into overtime and thus delay my recording/viewing time of “60 Minutes”. I’ve actually saved scheduled back-up start times for recording using three different start times: 6:00, 6:30, and 7:00 pm. A football game that goes into overtime can throw off the entire night of programming because if it ws scheduled, everything needs to air. I suspect, more than anything else, that this is due to the contracts re: air time paid for the commercials to be run on that night, and in those specific time slots - kind of like how supermarkets and big box stores  sell endcaps and shelving space used for merchandising products, on a monetarily prioritized basis.

So for a person like me, who 1) only selectively participates in televised sports, 2) when I never would have before, 3) under any other condition but “the Olympics”, I owe a debt of gratitude to the sport of ice dancing. It is the sport that allows me to say, “I want to watch the Olympics today/tonight” and really mean it.

With the above in mind, I watched the documentary, “Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing” on Netflix last night. The 3-part docuseries follows three couples (from France, Canada, and the US) as they compete to earn a spot at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. All three couples will be competing this Feb 9th (Figure Skating - Rhythm Dance) and Feb 11th (Figure Skating - Free Dance). 

At roughly a minute and a half into the first episode, a summation of what ice dancing is all about is told to us by Olympic bronze medalist Adam Rippon: “You need to have the skills. You need to have the right partner. But at the end of the day, you need to have curb appeal. Because who really gives a **** if you can’t do a good red lip?” This doc had me at, “hello”.

Beyond the camp, Rippon provides some really knowledgeable and professional insights about each of the couples as they progress through the competitions that lead to their participation at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Tara Lipinski (1998 Olympic gold medalist), Madison Hubbell (Olympic Bronze) and Scott Moir (Two-time Olympic gold medalist) also pop in a few times with additional commentary, but none detract from, or interrupt the focus on the three couples. If fact, they all provide interesting commentary and insights about the couples, and the sport itself that support and clarify the stories of the three couples.

I don’t want to give out any spoilers, but I was really enthralled with the couples’ histories, personalities and especially the videos of their performances. There are three episodes in the docuseries and I was able to watch all three in one evening. If ice dancing is your thing, this is an excellent preamble to the performances on the 9th and 11th.

Updated On: 2/7/26 at 07:46 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/8/26 at 2:11pm

Very cool watching Francesca Lollobrigida not only win but break a speed skating record on her Birthday. 

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 2/11/26 at 9:21am

The star of the Olympics so far to me is American figure skater Illia Malinin who is nicknamed the "Quad God". He is absolutely fantastic and his short program was stunning. He goes for the gold medal on Friday.

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/11/26 at 9:23am

Today's the day! ...and here are the top two contenders for gold in ice dancing: Fournier Beaudry & Cizeron (France) and Chock & Bates (USA).

Both teams enter today's final Free Dance competition less than half a point (.46) apart in their scores from the Rhythm Dance competition with France on top with a score of 90.18 and the US scoring 89.72. 

The judges unfortunately dropped Chock & Bates' Pattern Step score from a Level 4 to a Level 3, which accounts for their hair's-breadth lower ranking.

I'm sure it's not visible in the video below, but in the 7pm televised broadcast on NBC, a slow-mo replay showed the reason for the drop in score on the pattern step. It was attributed to a minutial moment of contact of Maddie’s blade with the ice.  

“Watch Maddie’s ankle on a deep outside edge, but you can see the foot come up to straight, flip to the inside edge just a hair before she turns”. It’s further explained that, “You have to go immediately from the outside edge to the inside edge for that turn to count. You need ‘4’ in the sequence for a level 4.”

The commentator attributed that Pattern Step score as being “the difference between first and second”.

The theme for the Rhythm Dance competition was "90s music". Here's Fournier Beaudry & Cizeron skating to Madonna's "Vogue". Look at the near-perfect 90º angles of Fournier Beaudry's opening arm position over her head. Another aspect of their performance that I LOVED were their three opening twizzles - perfection! 

Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron POWER POSE

...and here are Chock & Bates skating to a rock medley:

Chock and Bates ROCK the rhythm dance

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/11/26 at 1:42pm

Love the clip they showed in a feature piece on Chock & Bates when he told her he loved her while on the ice.

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/11/26 at 3:41pm

uncageg said: "Love the clip they showed in a feature piece on Chock & Bates when he told her he loved her while on the ice."

If you haven't seen it yet, and have a subscription to Netflix, I highly recommend the docuseries, "Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing". The series devotes time to showing the evolution of Chock & Bates' relationship, as well as explaining the importance of having such a long-standing relationship on the ice. There's also really interesting info re: Madison Chock' costume design (which she does not only for herself, but others' who are competing in Italy) and specifically the history/pitfalls re: the specific length of her matador skirt.

The series also gives equal time and attention to Fournier Beaudry & Cizeron, and Gilles & Poirier who are entering this leg of the competition in third place.

Fournier Beaudry & Cizeron have a very interesting backstory/history re: why they are considered an unexpected "upset" couple, with the least amount of time working together as a couple (less than a year) as they enter the Milan Olympics. 

I've seen the series twice now, and was riveted both times.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/11/26 at 4:51pm

John Adams said: "uncageg said: "Love the clip they showed in a feature piece on Chock & Bates when he told her he loved her while on the ice."

If you haven't seen it yet, and have a subscription to Netflix, Ihighlyrecommend the docuseries, "Glitter & Gold: Ice Dancing". The series devotes time to showing the evolution of Chock & Bates' relationship, as well as explaining the importance of having such a long-standing relationship on the ice. There's also really interesting info re: Madison Chock' costume design (which she does not only for herself, but others' who are competing in Italy) and specifically the history/pitfalls re: the specific length of her matador skirt.

The series also gives equal time and attention toFournier Beaudry & Cizeron, and Gilles & Poirier who are entering this leg of the competition in third place.

Fournier Beaudry & Cizeron have avery interesting backstory/history re: why they are considered an unexpected "upset" couple, with the least amount of time working together as a couple (less than a year) as they enter the Milan Olympics.

I've seen the series twice now, and was riveted both times."

 

I need to check it out. They mentioned it when they were showing the clip of him saying he loved her. Thanks for the reminder as I didn't pop over to Netflix to put it on my list.

 

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/11/26 at 5:21pm

Just finished watching.

Wow.  Wow. Wow.

No spoilers, but what well deserved gold, silver and bronze medals.

...and truly the most romantically choreographed and executed performance.

One last note: If he can act (???), Geoffrey Brissaud (France) could easily be a contender for the third actor cast to play Superman in the Marvel movies.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/11/26 at 9:54pm

Can't wait to see them. I had the Olympics on live today on Peacock but had to step away for a bit and missed them. Got back and the first thing I saw when I turned my TV back on was the results! So decided to watch the Network Broadcast this evening. (Free Dance is about to start as I am typing)  Actually enjoying all of the extra features they do, even though they don't show the events in full or the medal ceremonies, which I love. And loving the Snoop segments!

Updated On: 2/11/26 at 09:54 PM

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/12/26 at 5:59am

Looking forward to your reactions 

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/12/26 at 9:07am

It's been a minute, so I hope I'm not spoiling anything for you at this point, but here's why I think France earned the gold over the US: their attention to the very smallest of details.

For example, when Chock and Bates took to the ice, they skated out in character, but then adopted 'frozen' positions while waiting for their music to start. Their performance ended in another 'frozen' pose (which was totally appropriate for their musical selection).

In contrast, after Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron's entrance on the ice, they skated into position, but actually began their performance before the music ever started. Both slowly moved into an embrace with her hand moving  up his shoulder to the nape of his neck, and Cizeron's hand just barely hovering over the crown of her head, then gently caressing from crown to occiput. Both slowly completed the embrace... and then the music began. Their performance ended with the very legato follow through of her fingers, using every last second of the music before finally and completely resting on his crown.

Amazing. In the docuseries, mention is made re: the importance of selection (costume, music, etc), and the effect it has on judges' scoring. Although they were equally excellent performances, the French couple made choices that superseded those of the US couple.

Other random thoughts:

- At the 4:19 mark of Gilles and Poirier's (Canada) performance of "Vincent", Poirier raises his hand to cover his left ear. I thought that was a really subtle, but effective bit of choreography. 

- Funniest Live Commentary:
US Team Carreira & Ponomarenko, skating to music from the movie, “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer”.  
(0:36 time stamp)
Johnny Weir: “…and course, I had to ask them. Christina wears Baccarat Rouge. That’s her fragrance. …aaand he wears something with a cowboy on it.” 
Terry Gannon: “Okay.”

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 2/12/26 at 1:54pm

Terrible that they DQed that Ukrainian athlete. He did nothing wrong.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/12/26 at 2:11pm

I pretty much agree. In the end I enjoyed France's performance more. They skated to music from "The Whale" with a water theme. They flowed like water and their costumes reflected the theme. It was beautiful to watch.

I thought the US was excellent but when I saw them do this program the first time I thought "well ok" but the Bull/Matador theme seemed to not totally be there even with the use of her dress.

It must be hard to come in second to a pair that you practice with and share a coach with. It was quite evident how upset they were/are. (I just watched a live interview with them and they said it would take a while to process not winning the Gold.). It was hard to tell if they are upset with themselves or if they are upset because they thought they were better and should have won. I understand the athletes are "going for the gold" but my feeling would be that out of all of the competitors if I medaled at all, I would be happy. But that's just me as I am not an athlete that works as hard as they do to get to the Olympics. And even though they already had a Gold medal from the Team Event, I am sure the individual event was very important to them.  JMO

Asides: I think it is cool that Madison designs the costumes for other skaters.

I have to go back and watch the lead in to the cologne/perfume scents! I was busy when it was live and only caught the part that John Adams quoted. When I finally watched it last night I was in the kitchen and caught it at the exact same moment. But I loved that Weir reported on their scents!

Also wondering if Chock & Bates are a bit upset that Cizeron was there even with the "scandal". He does seem to be a piece of work from what I read. I wonder if they were witness to it.

 

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/12/26 at 3:07pm

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Terrible that they DQed that Ukrainian athlete. He did nothing wrong."

Unfortunately, he went against Olympic athletic guidelines on Athletic Expression.  The problem seems to be that he wore it during training runs, which the IOC allowed, but he was not allowed to wear it during actual competition and insisted on doing so. They evidently also told him that a black armband was acceptable during competition and the helmet could be displayed after. He said that other athletes wore "expressions" on their gear but in the article I read, he didn't single any athletes out. 

https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/12/sport/ukrainian-skeleton-withdrawn-olympics-helmet

 

Updated On: 2/12/26 at 03:07 PM

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/13/26 at 8:22am

I hold respect for how the IOC has handled this very, very sensitive situation. I also value their specific goal to to preserve the playing field as a neutral zone via the IOC's guidelines re: athlete expression. 

This report from ESPN mentions the offer to allow Heraskevych to wear a black armband. I wish he'd accepted the offer, recognizing the spirit in which it was offered.

Although it is true that "no rules were broken", that fact is true only because the IOC prevented any violation by not allowing Heraskevych to start the race. He was not disqualified for violating the IOC guidelines. He was disqualified for insisting that he would, if allowed to race.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/13/26 at 8:53pm

Well that men's finals was a shocker. I was able to watch it all at work and was quite verbal. I thought Malinin would at least get the bronze after the first mistake but it just went downhill.

I am happy for Yuma Kagiyama though. Became an instant fan after the short program in the team event.

[John Adams]

Posted: 2/14/26 at 3:07am

With the recent announcement of the verdict on Heraskevych's appeal, the Winter Olympics have officially come to a close for me.

The only thing I still want to know is what the Pantone name and number are for the unique color of Fournier Beaudry and Cizeron's Free Dance costumes. Everything else I'd been anticipating has been resolved to its closure.

I'm looking forward to the return of Colbert on Monday. 

Updated On: 2/14/26 at 03:07 AM

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/14/26 at 1:30pm

Going in, the athletes know the rules. Had he worn the armband it definitely would have been mentioned by the commentators and they would have still gotten recognition. And he could have completed in their honor. A female athlete wrote something on the palm of her glove instead of displaying something on her outfit. JMO

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 2/17/26 at 8:43am

Nice to see US won the gold and a bronze in women's bobsled (one person).