# Winter Olympics 2014



## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Are you watching?  What do you think?  Thought I would just open up a thread in case anyone else is tuning in!


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I watched opening ceremony Friday and tonight I watched figure skating and some slope events.  So far it's the new team competitions (skating), but after Sunday the figure skating will be individual events.  The announcers did not explain this very well.

Also watched some speed skating Sunday afternoon.  Wasn't focusing on it much since I was online at the same time.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

I've been watching. Tonight the announcer for the snowboarding were driving me crazy. Someone needs to teach him how to pronounce matryoshka. He pronounced it 4 different ways and not one of them was correct. I'm looking forward to watching luge, curling, and short track.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

I'm watching.  It's kind of annoying, though, since I'm currently on the west coast, so I'm three hours delayed even than the east coast.  And it annoys me is that they stick so much filler in.  C'mon, NBC....there's hours and hours of stuff that happened during the day and you only have four hours to show it, you don't need filler, just show me the events.  I don't need a discussion of the politics of it all (like they had this evening.)

I am catching stuff during the day when I can  Love it all.  I'm a total Olympics junkie.

For the first time, this year, I even liked the ice dancing.  It's gotten so much better--much more speed and more tricks in the routines.

Betsy


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I'm watching. It's kind of annoying, though, since I'm currently on the west coast, so I'm three hours delayed even than the east coast. And it annoys me is that they stick so much filler in. C'mon, NBC....there's hours and hours of stuff that happened during the day and you only have four hours to show it, you don't need filler, just show me the events. I don't need a discussion of the politics of it all (like they had this evening.)
> 
> I am catching stuff during the day when I can Love it all. I'm a total Olympics junkie.
> 
> ...


The best part of my day today was discovering that I could pick up the Canadian broadcast and watch the Olympics there. The commentators are so sweet and supportive of everyone, I just want to hug them all! They even brought out the mom to talk to after her girls won gold (rather than some heavily edited soap opera montage). I got to see all of the competitors instead of just the ones some network guy thought I should see. NBC was making me really grumpy with all their bitterness and whining about their hotels rather than focusing upon the... you know... the sports... GO CANADA!


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

I watched Gracie Gold kill it last night. That's about all... really haven't cared for the Olympics in a long time.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

I watched about 3 hours of figure skating on my computer yesterday and enjoyed it very much. Mostly just skating not a lot of blabbing and interruptions.

L


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## cork_dork_mom (Mar 24, 2011)

LUV the Olympics!! 

Really enjoyed the opening ceremonies. I like watching how the host country represents itself to the world - especially a country like Russia! 

Heartwarming to hear some of the stories of the competitors. Especially those who know they're not contenders for a medal but just being at the Olympics is the win.

Can't wait to see the freestyle moguls and more snowboarding. Watching those kids sail through the air is amazing!

And must cheer on the men's Alpine ski team - their coach is from Western State Colorado University - my alma mater!! Western Up!


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I love the Winter Olympics and spent all weekend watching.  So far the ice dancing has been my favorite - they make it look so effortless and fun.  I'd kill myself trying to copy the basic moves dancing, much less on ice skates!

I am surprised at the repeats of the various events on television.  I thought there were enough different things going on that we would always see something different.  I could have watched the ice dancing 3 different times yesterday.  

Was anyone else depressed that their local temperatures (with wind chill) were the same as Siberia?


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I love to watch them, but I am with Betsy on how NBC just pads their broadcast. I feel like I only see a small bubble of what is going on. The time difference doesn't help either as I can't go anywhere on the web for fear of headlines. 
I loved watching Plushenko. I just love the guy.  . And that 15 year old russian girl, loved her. So wonderful to watch. 
Am I the only one to hold their breath every time they do the jumps? And then when some do fall I feel so bad for them. 

I wish I had a bit more of a idea what is on when. But if I go to the sites to look it up now or during day time, I get spoiled as everything has already happened. I guess I'll have to get a "map" of the events maybe tonight before I go to bed. 

I am so confused about what is a repeat of a repeat, what is the first broadcast albeit time delayed and what is live. Some of the early morning stuff is live I guess since its then evening there. 

I just wish they'd stop babbling in the studio in stead of showing the sports. And the commercials, holy moly, every 3 minutes it seems. 

So there is NBC, CNBC, USA, And NBC sports. Am I missing another channel they are broadcasting on? 

Since I am so confused at what is when and where, I don't even know what is coming up so I just go with the flow and catch whatever when I catch it I guess. Do they ever show any medal ceremonies? I have yet to see even one. I mean any ceremony, no matter the winner. All I see are pictures afterwards. 

The opening ceremonies were fantastic. Loved it.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

I watch every evening. Do admire the skill and strength going over 80 miles an hour and skating grace and strength....


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## prairiesky (Aug 11, 2009)

I am reading  the temperature in Sochi today was near 60.  Strange site for winter Olympics.  I always enjoy watching them off and on.  The venues seem to have lots of empty seats. This Olympics just doesn't seem to be as big a deal as in the past.  Or, maybe, it's just me who is less excited.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I'm watching. It's kind of annoying, though, since I'm currently on the west coast, so I'm three hours delayed even than the east coast. And it annoys me is that they stick so much filler in. C'mon, NBC....there's hours and hours of stuff that happened during the day and you only have four hours to show it, you don't need filler, just show me the events. I don't need a discussion of the politics of it all (like they had this evening.)...


This has been my main gripe with US network coverage of the Olympics. Ever since way back whenever it was that ABC started doing "Up Close and Personal" segments, they all seem to feel obliged to do this (or their market studies suggest people actually want all of that?) On top of that, they generally seem to assume that if Americans are not competitive in an event, we don't really want to see it.

Oh well, hopefully I'll find some time to catch a little curling -- but in general I'm not finding myself having a lot of interest in these games in general.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

I've enjoyed watching them every night as well. I feel like we only get to see a few minutes of each event. We see a few athletes perform then it's onto another event, commercial or whatever. It's kind of hard to follow people when that is the case. Maybe when the bigger events happen it will be different, who knows.

I did hear on the news today that it is in the 50s and 60s and they've had to add water to try to make skiing surfaces harder for skiers, etc. They said they are using the snow to cool off when they get done with their runs because they are so hot. I don't ever remember other Olympics like this.  

I enjoy the ice dancing and figure skating the most. It amazes me all the things they can do while on ice skates!


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Currently watching the US against Switzerland in ice hockey.  I have no idea if it is live or delayed, but I don't know the outcome if it is delayed and it is exciting so far!


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Back in the mid-70s I was living in London.
And the (I think) summer olympics were there then.
BBC broadcast everything live around the clock.
So I got to watch things that, especially at that time, were not of interest to American viewers - like dressage and cross country horse riding.
And the performances by little countries that had no chance of winning a medal.
It was great.  Because you could just immerse yourself in the whole thing.  Or chose what you really wanted to watch.  But you chose, not the network.

Just sayin.....


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Geoff, I wish we had that same choice now.

I should mention the US/Switzerland ice hockey game is _women's_ ice hockey which I did not know was a sport!


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

To find out what's on when, go to nbcolympics.com.  There's a tab for tv listings.  You enter your zip code and your cable provider and it says which channels have olypmic programming and when.  It's not too detailed, but it's something.

I'm kinds sorta watching but the Hubs is not really interested at all and I don't see any point in recording delayed broadcasts of sports!


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

Thanks to finally having somewhat decent internet speeds, I can finally stream the events on my ipad with the NBC live extra app or on my computer. I like watching it on my ipad because hubby can watch what he wants on the regular tv. 

At the moment, I'm watching men's curling (I watched women's curling earlier)


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

Leslie, at what URL are you watching the Olympics? I can't seem to find anything even half decent.


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## 31842 (Jan 11, 2011)

Just saw this article about someone who bought a Canadian IP address so that they could stream the Canadian coverage.  My family and I keep exclaiming throughout the games, "We love this commentator!" Everything is so positive!

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/02/10/cbc-sochi-2014-olympics_n_4763185.html

I watched Women's Curling last night and was astounded. How does that even work?! It was like watching championship pool, except the table is fifty-feet long! Loved it!


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

Normally I am an Olympics junkie. I admit that the nonsense going on in Russia and the things we were hearing about Sochi tarnished my feelings towards them. I have not been watching them with as much dedication in days past. Of course, in this day and age, I can catch up on the big buzz stuff via online.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

HappyGuy said:


> Leslie, at what URL are you watching the Olympics? I can't seem to find anything even half decent.


My Sunday experience must have been unique because now I have ads...sigh. However, I downloaded the NBC Olympics Live app to my iPad and I am enjoying it. Last night I watched the replay of the pairs short program. They had all 20 couples that were competing so it was great to see everyone. Now I am watching the pairs long program--live! I am at the office. I was able to sign in and watch using my Time Warner account. I was afraid it wouldn't work because I wasn't at home but that is not a problem. I have to say, this is really great--I'll get to see all 16 couples. Of course, I am trying to do some work, too...LOL.

L


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I didn't realize until last night that the NBC Sports cable channel has more complete coverage of the skating.  I recorded the figure skating (pairs free skate) this morning.  (In New York on Time Warner, it's channel 122).  A friend of mine has been watching this mornings and saw more skating on Sunday and Tuesday than we've been getting in prime time.  I think they've only been showing the favorites.


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

mlewis78 said:


> I didn't realize until last night that the NBC Sports cable channel has more complete coverage of the skating. I recorded the figure skating (pairs free skate) this morning. (In New York on Time Warner, it's channel 122). A friend of mine has been watching this mornings and saw more skating on Sunday and Tuesday than we've been getting in prime time. I think they've only been showing the favorites.


I think that in prime time, they always just show the favorites or the top competitors--maybe 5 out of 16. I watched the entire pairs long skate competition this morning/early afternoon. It was great.

L


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Leslie said:


> I think that in prime time, they always just show the favorites or the top competitors--maybe 5 out of 16. I watched the entire pairs long skate competition this morning/early afternoon. It was great.
> 
> L


I've been watching this evening the pairs skating that I recorded this morning. There is so much that I would have missed just watching the prime time show.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I get to work from home, so I often have the games on in the background. It's just one of the advantages of this job.


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## Nancy Beck (Jul 1, 2011)

geoffthomas said:


> Back in the mid-70s I was living in London.
> And the (I think) summer olympics were there then.
> BBC broadcast everything live around the clock.
> So I got to watch things that, especially at that time, were not of interest to American viewers - like dressage and cross country horse riding.
> ...


Being a bit of a trivia geek (including the Olympics), the summer games were held in London in 1948 (right after WWII) & 2012.  Just for the heck of it, I checked on Wikipedia, & London also hosted the 1908 games as well. (No, I wasn't around for them, lol.) All summer games; I believe the winter ones didn't start up until the mid- to late-50s. Correction: I was completely off here - the winter ones actually started in 1924.

The one from the 70s I remember was the 1976 Montreal Olympics - I remember I cut out and posted everything in the newspaper onto the wall of my bedroom because I was so into it. Like you, I liked looking at events I'd never seen before. ::sigh:: Wish the networks here had live stuff around the clock, because I don't doubt I would have watched whenever I could, at whatever time of the day.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Nancy Beck said:


> Being a bit of a trivia geek (including the Olympics), the summer games were held in London in1948 (right after WWII) & 2012.  Just for the heck of it, I checked on Wikipedia, & London also hosted the 1908 games as well. (No, I wasn't around for them, lol.) All summer games; I believe the winter ones didn't start up until the mid- to late-50s.
> 
> The one from the 70s I remember was the 1976 Montreal Olympics - I remember I cut out and posted everything in the newspaper onto the wall of my bedroom because I was so into it. Like you, I liked looking at events I'd never seen before. ::sigh:: Wish the networks here had live stuff around the clock, because I don't doubt I would have watched whenever I could, at whatever time of the day.


Ah yes, that was it.....it was the Montreal Games. But the BBC ran the coverage in real-time, so there was stuff all "night" long. Thank you for getting me straight.


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## AngryGames (Jul 28, 2013)

Well, I've learned in 2014 that nowhere on the internet is safe from having the scores of hockey games ruined. 

Wife and I record all of the games on the DVR then watch them in order when she's home. We spent the entire weekend (three day weekend!) catching up, including shouting (literally) at the television for almost two hours as we watched Team Switzerland almost keep up with the Canadians in women's hockey (our favorite sport, regardless whether it is men's or women's). 

I was just posting on Twitter about twenty minutes ago when I saw the flood of scores of a game I didn't want to know about until we watched them. *sigh*

My other rant is that while I'm sure ice dancing and figure skating is popular, since we have THREE channels in America (NBC, NBCSN, MSNBC) that cover the Olympics, how come we don't get more of all the interesting sports? No offense to figure skating and such, but I want more bobsled, biathalon, luge, skeleton, etc. More importantly, I want more than just whatever American is competing. I actually DO care when South Korea faces off against Kazakhstan in curling. 

Maybe it's because I hate NBC since they've essentially ruined the Stanley Cup Playoffs and we can't get any of the CBC/Rogers/TSN channels in America. 

Yay, ranting always makes me feel better.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

To be honest - I say what's the point anymore of trying NOT to hear about something. I mean, sheesh, it drives me insane! Oh, don't talk about this or that - I haven't watched it yet. Well, knowing the end of the story has never once ruined the story for me. I dunno - just stop worrying about it.


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## N. Gemini Sasson (Jul 5, 2010)

I'm going to have withdrawal when it's over. Such a refreshing break from regular TV. Love hearing all the stories behind the athletes.

Can we take a vote on which winter sport is the most insane? Anyone for freestyle skiing? Snowboard cross? Skeleton?


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## A.C. Nixon (Apr 21, 2011)

I love watching short track speed skating, and the team relay looks like roller derby. Of course in root for my country's athletes, but I love it when someone unexpected wins.


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## prairiesky (Aug 11, 2009)

Russia lost to Finland! They are out..  We won't get to play them again.  Kinda disappointed about that.


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## prairiesky (Aug 11, 2009)

I guess I should have clarified that I am talking about Hockey!


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## Not Here Anymore (May 16, 2012)

A.C. Nixon said:


> I love watching short track speed skating, and the team relay looks like roller derby. Of course in root for my country's athletes, but I love it when someone unexpected wins.


Snowboard cross makes me think of short track--they're both crazy and anything can happen.


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## SunshineOnMe (Jan 11, 2014)

I love figure skating here. It's one of those things I know I could never do (ok I couldn't do any of the Olympic sports realistically, but still there is a tiny part of my brain that says maybe about some of them...)

My brain can't even lie to me about figure skating...


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

SunshineOnMe said:


> (ok I couldn't do any of the Olympic sports realistically, but still there is a tiny part of my brain that says maybe about some of them...)
> 
> My brain can't even lie to me about figure skating...


Hah, yeah, I used to want to do ski jumping when I was little. Its a very popular sport in Germany. Not one for women though back then. First year they have had the women so that is fun.

I could possible attempt some curling, for others amusement. We played a simplistic version of that growing up on the ponds and such. Its what you do when you grow up in the middle of nowwhere in Bavaria I guess. Just that we didn't have a shiny nice surface with pretty lines like that. Or such pretty rocks. Of course I am not athletic in that way so that is useless. I did cross country, again though not in any competitive way, just trying to get around in the snow and not wanting to die from boredom.  Those were the days before the internet after all. 

I don't have a competitive bone in my body.

I was barely able to skate around a ice rink in my days, I'd be flat on my butt just trying to do a simple circle. I never managed the art of breaking on them either, so I used to just slam into the walls, on purpose. . So yeah, I am pretty amazed when I see them just twisting in the air like a pretzel while smiling pretty.

I like to watch anything with ski, minus anything to do with snowboarding or snowboard like ski thingies. I don't get that stuff.

I am actually very much looking forward to watching the paralympics. They will finally have some coverage on NBC of it. I watched some video and the wheelchair hockey looks fierce. I am glad the athletes are finally getting some air time.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Well I watched the skating last night, and all I can say is its good to be a Russian athlete in a sport that has subjective judging this year


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## Nancy Beck (Jul 1, 2011)

N. Gemini Sasson said:


> I'm going to have withdrawal when it's over. Such a refreshing break from regular TV. Love hearing all the stories behind the athletes.
> 
> Can we take a vote on which winter sport is the most insane? Anyone for freestyle skiing? Snowboard cross? Skeleton?


Ski cross. Watch the men's event yesterday, and it was wicked insane with the huge leaps and unbelievable crashes. Close second for me is snowboard cross (similar to the skiing version), and skeleton. With skeleton, egad, their faces are justthisclose to the freakin' ice! Insane!


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## LSBurton (Jan 31, 2014)

Such a fantastic Women's Gold Medal hockey game yesterday between Canada and the US. I've been saying that women's hockey is worth watching for a long time, and it's nice to see a lot of people saying how amazing a game it was.


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Am I the only feeling that something is missing in the way NBC is showing Sochi games...!!!!!


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Am I the only feeling that something is missing in the way NBC is showing Sochi games...!!!!!


You mean like all of it? Or at least 90% is missing


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## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Chad Winters said:


> You mean like all of it? Or at least 90% is missing


Like most of it...LOL But I miss that the games and excitement is over...


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

The paralympics are still to come for more excitement. Start on the 7th. 

I wish NBC had done less drama lama stuff overall, like the Tonya and Nancy piece was so tabloid. 

They did make me cry with that clip of Jessica Long and how she met her birth parents in Syberia. Then they played it again yesterday and I sobbed all over again.  . 

I loved though the clips of Mary Carillo as she traveled to some places in russia. If they had to have fillers, I'd rather just have had those. But they spend so much time on commercials and the yakking on the seats while they could have shown more events. 

And when they did the endless lead up story in the evening program about Plushenko when everyone and their cats already knew he didn't skate. 

And I am so happy I recorded the morning live showing of all the skating, Tara and Johnny did a fantastic job commentating on the event. It was just so pleasant and perfect and they explained things so clearly. I caught some of the evening broadcast and couldn't handle the voice of Scott Hamilton, he just kept yakking through the performances. Plus they didn't show all the skates in the later casts. 

It was also nice to see the Jamaican bob sled team again, they just made everyone smile.


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## LSBurton (Jan 31, 2014)

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Am I the only feeling that something is missing in the way NBC is showing Sochi games...!!!!!


I haven't tuned in to an NBC broadcast for years. They wouldn't air events live. Later in the day they would show events in which American athletes did well. That takes the excitement out of it.

CBC in Canada does something similar now, but it airs the popular events as they happen as well, and only shows replays of events in which Canadians have done well while there's no events actually happening.

In truth, I try not to watch American broadcasts of sports if I can help it. The focus on individual athletes, often aiming for emotional sop stories, really doesn't appeal to me, and usually seems corny.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

NBC SN (cable) did broadcast some live events during the day, including figure skating and hockey (and other things I didnt' watch or record).  They showed all the figure skating short and long programs.


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## LSBurton (Jan 31, 2014)

mlewis78 said:


> NBC SN (cable) did broadcast some live events during the day, including figure skating and hockey (and other things I didnt' watch or record). They showed all the figure skating short and long programs.


Right on. I guess they learned it pays to show events live.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I am kind of glad they are over. Back to regularly scheduled programming.


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