February 11, 2018

"Red Gerard, a 17-year-old from Colorado, was sitting in last place heading into the third and final run."

Like many riders, he had struggled to land a clean run on his first two attempts. But when the pressure was on, he delivered. During his run, Gerard's creativity was on full display, as he repeatedly used features of the course that other riders were ignoring...."

"Snowboarder Red Gerard wins first U.S. gold medal of 2018 Winter Olympics" (NBC). Lots of video at that link.

38 comments:

Sebastian said...

Turned on the TV just before his last run. Flow in motion.

Ann Althouse said...

We got tired and turned off the show (with the recording on) after the second run. Then my iPhone notified me that Gerard (who'd been in 11th place when we quit) had won the gold. I'm going to have to turn off my notifications during the Olympics. I can't enjoy watching the events dragged out past my usual end-of-TV time. We don't keep a TV in the bedroom (and don't want one). I need to be able to stop and watch when I'm interested in following it, not when I'm thinking I wish it would be over.

mockturtle said...

It looked as it the snowboarders were building too much momentum toward the bottom of the run and wiping out but Gerard held on. Great performance!

MayBee said...

It was so fun to watch!

He had wiped out in the previous run, and was grabbing his back. Imagine getting back up and making a run like that!

Oso Negro said...

Our teenage wastrels are the finest in the land! We will totally own skateboarding in 2020!

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

He was in 10th place.

Henry said...

He looks like Peter Parker!

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

or maybe it was 11th.

I watched his run and it was really good. I looked at him as he took off and he looked like a guy who had nothing to lose and the nerves were gone. It was fun to watch. He's a little squirt and he looked like a soaring little bird.

MadisonMan said...

From the article:

he transferred over the hitching post with a stylish, tweaked-out frontside air before doing a 50-50 to tailslide to 270 out combo on the rail.

Um....what?

MadisonMan said...

Since points are just for best run, being in last place means nothing. It's not like the cumulative points of gymnastics, or diving.

FullMoon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Madison man - sure, but the placement gives you a glimpse into how well each person is doing.

MayBee said...

Our teenage wastrels are the finest in the land!

Wastrels? Have you seen what they can do? It's amazing!

mockturtle said...

Gerard had wiped out on his previous run, hence the placement. He was not really considered an underdog in this event although the Canadians Parrot and McMorris had the edge.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

I'm guessing that's one of those sports where you could get really hurt.

Breezy said...

That last jump was incredible! I love how he stopped, too - that young man knows his physics!

sane_voter said...

I wondered about the scoring for that event. I get the feeling the judges just come up with a number at the end of the run and is very subjective. At least now in figure skating they know the maximum score you will get if you execute all of the elements correctly.

sane_voter said...

I also saw on a graphic that Red only weighs 117 lbs. A little wisp like those Chinese gymnasts.

sane_voter said...

FYI, I recommend watching the replay of the men's luge event this afternoon. At 1:30p ET on NBCSN

wholelottasplainin said...

Sebastian said...
Turned on the TV just before his last run. Flow in motion.

**********************

Whaaa.....?

There's static flow?

Who knew?

Wince said...

"Ohhh, Gnarly!"

hawkeyedjb said...

Madison Man, I'm with you: 'what?' The description of this sport may as well be in Korean; I would understand it equally well.

rehajm said...

The family was cool- everyone jumping up and down celebrating yet dad never spilled his beer.

His rope tow at home is very cool!

SteveBrooklineMA said...

I stopped watching when it looked like he was injured from his second run fall and they said he was “in last place”. I figured he couldn’t make up the difference... not knowing it was best of three!

Mark said...

Use the NBC Olympics app and watch the following day ... we stream via Chromecast on to the TV using iPad as remote.

They have clips of the winning runs too, in case you go to bed and miss it.

It was the only way to get the announcer-free Opening Ceremony (also included the stuff NBC cut in order to devote time to shirtless Tongan and video of Shaun White taking selfies with people, etc).

Tank said...

That was great fun. I wish we'd had those snowboards when I was young and a skier.

mockturtle said...

Most kiers I know are contemptuous of snowboarders but have had to cave to their children. Snowboarding is the favored snow sport for the young and my grandsons have enjoyed it for years. The parents ski, the kids snowboard.

Mark said...

Since points are just for best run, being in last place means nothing. It's not like the cumulative points of gymnastics, or diving.

Since points are just for best run, being in last place means nothing. It's not like snowboarding is a real sport that is truly worthy of being in the Olympics.

mockturtle said...

Skiers, not 'kiers'. But that should be evident.

Luke Lea said...

It's fun to see somebody win like that!

Humperdink said...

I skied and my snot-nosed little daughter (I kid) would snow board. When I mentioned that she "skied" with a snow board, she corrected me: "You ski, I ride". Well alrighty then.

Mark said...

Just saw a story over at Washington Post.

Can someone explain to me why it is suddenly my business to know that a certain skier is gay?

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...

"I also saw on a graphic that Red only weighs 117 lbs. A little wisp like those Chinese gymnasts."

Perfect for slopestyle snowboarding.

Big Mike said...

Can someone explain to me why it is suddenly my business to know that a certain skier is gay?

Didn't you read PB's comment the other day on this Althouse thread?

"The love that dare not speak its name has turned into the love that just won't shut up."

mockturtle said...

"The love that dare not speak its name has turned into the love that just won't shut up."

PB said that? That's pretty good, actually.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

PB said that? That's pretty good, actually.

2/11/18, 5:28 PM

It's a good line, but not a PB original. I think I first came across it at least 25 years ago.

It's funny because it's true.

Lucien said...

A few thoughts:

The written description as someone said earlier might as well have been in Korean - “frontside air into a 50-50”?

I watched the video and it’s amazing. He clearly figured he needed to do something epic on the last run or he was going home a loser. He went for it and the result was spectacular.

I’ve got no meaningful way to say why he deserved the gold other than his run looked awesome. That’s why IMO the best sports are based on who is fastest, who goes farthest, who lifts the most, who is still standing at the end. Sports of “form” with judges aren’t really sports. At best they’re “competitions”, like a dog show.

California Snow said...

I love snowboarding and loved watching those guys fly but I thought Parrot's final run was better than Gerard's. His landings were so smooth but you never what the judges are seeing. I suppose there are some of the finer technical aspects that I wasn't seeing that Gerard was doing better.