Silver Linings

 

I pretty much should just put my blog on DND (Do Not Disturb) during the Olympics, because I am that weird junkie and I want to see as much as I can... while working full-time... and capturing high school sports.

Today, it just didn't work out that I could see the LIVE pairs curling competition between my original homeland Sweden and my current/real one USA. It did my heart good to see hundreds of people in nearby (somewhat) Duluth cheering on Korey and Cory. Cool.

And, spoiler alert, even though I'm about to sit down and watch delayed NBC coverage, I know they fell just a teensy tiny bit short of the gold. Still... yay USA! I usually wear more silver than gold anyway!

As for other events, you know I love figure skating but I do love a good hockey game (saw Miracle of 1980), long ski jumps, and the very creative snowboarding runs with flips, corkscrews and mathematical degrees of twists.

Just throw in all the other sports, and I'm good. Enjoy the games. No matter what OG Homeland (Scandi-hoovians are awesome in winter!) you're cheering for!

Sport Shorts

The last 48 hours have pretty much been all sports. Yes, it was SUPER Sunday yesterday. What that meant was that is was "Souper Sunday" at church with a fundraiser for the food pantry/soup kitchen.

Then, I got home in time to watch legit LIVE Olympics coverage of team figure skating.

The Quad God for the win! I mean, WOW. How fun to watch!

After that, I did pop over to what I believe is like the 44th annual SuperBowl party in our friend Chet's basement! Said hello to all and participated in some "investment opportunities" (which yielded nothing!), then came home to actually watch the game and/or flip with Olympics coverage.

Boring game if you ask me. I like the ones that are super close and down to the last second! But that's just me.

Today was a work from home day that ALMOST had me wishing for a lunch hour with Mr. Deck Chair.

Oooh this high temperature was amazing. Obviously not sit outside for endless hours, but still so refreshing!

After work, I continued on my sports quest with Lady Royals middle school hoops. Turned out we were hosting Stratford – home of all the Austin clan that I'm related to (through marriage). Didn't take me long to recognize their coach as Jim's cousin's daughter. Then, when I talked to her at halftime, she said one of the players belonged to another cousin's daughter... so granddaughter. How fun. I then had players from both teams to shoot pictures of. 

Just got done editing and uploading pictures. And since I know what happened with co-ed curling and ice dancing today, I don't need to watch the delayed Olympic coverage. Or do I?

All the time delays... I just don't know. Go USA! And Royals! And, yes, Stratford!

Snoop, Meet Myles

After watching some coverage of the Olympics, I have two thoughts about Snoop Dogg. One, I don't know why we keep elevating his status. I mean I don't DIS-like him, just don't get the fascination. And two, he needs to spend some time in Wisconsin and Minnesota in the winter to really understand winter. 

And how to do it.

I saw a video of him riding a flying saucer type sled and having no concept what to do. Then these pictures of him as a curling "coach." Well thankfully, our U.S. duo is off to a good start anyway! And he may prove me wrong and curl in the next Olympics. 

It brought up an old curling memory, though. (Something you never thought you'd read.)

Shortly after moving to Wisconsin Rapids in late 1995, I recall a local guy here vying for the Olympics. Myles Brundidge. I even remembered his name!

What I also remember is that I had no idea what curling really was. Apparently there's sweeping but it's not the same as broom ball (if you know, you know.) It was also not something I purposely watched before. (Part of that is because in the late 1990s, we still had limited coverage of all events compared to today's live-streaming and whatnot.) And it definitely hadn't achieved the great popularity it has now – well in the Midwest anyway. Heck, even my company has a curling center named after it!

Then there was the part where the curlers didn't look like "typical" Olympic athletes. No offense. But maybe I already offended. Sorry.

But Myles did indeed represent U.S.A. in not one but two Olympics! My sports writer hubby got to meet and interview him a handful of times and said he was a nice, down-to-earth guy. Which is quite refreshing, actually, when you think of some high-level athletes these days.

Here's the Robyn-pedia scoop (not Snoop) on him: Myles Brundidge (born 1960 in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin) is an American curler. He competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, where the American team placed 4th, and at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where they placed 7th.

So no hardware to bring home, but he was certainly a positive representative of our country – and, of course, central Wisconsin!

Snoop could maybe learn a thing or two from us hardworking (mostly humble) survivalist-minded winter people! 

Whatever your thoughts... enjoy the Games!!