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.
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Turned on the TV just before his last run. Flow in motion.
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.
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!
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!
Our teenage wastrels are the finest in the land! We will totally own skateboarding in 2020!
He was in 10th place.
He looks like Peter Parker!
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.
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?
Since points are just for best run, being in last place means nothing. It's not like the cumulative points of gymnastics, or diving.
Madison man - sure, but the placement gives you a glimpse into how well each person is doing.
Our teenage wastrels are the finest in the land!
Wastrels? Have you seen what they can do? It's amazing!
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.
I'm guessing that's one of those sports where you could get really hurt.
That last jump was incredible! I love how he stopped, too - that young man knows his physics!
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.
I also saw on a graphic that Red only weighs 117 lbs. A little wisp like those Chinese gymnasts.
FYI, I recommend watching the replay of the men's luge event this afternoon. At 1:30p ET on NBCSN
Sebastian said...
Turned on the TV just before his last run. Flow in motion.
**********************
Whaaa.....?
There's static flow?
Who knew?
"Ohhh, Gnarly!"
Madison Man, I'm with you: 'what?' The description of this sport may as well be in Korean; I would understand it equally well.
The family was cool- everyone jumping up and down celebrating yet dad never spilled his beer.
His rope tow at home is very cool!
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!
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).
That was great fun. I wish we'd had those snowboards when I was young and a skier.
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.
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.
Skiers, not 'kiers'. But that should be evident.
It's fun to see somebody win like that!
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.
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?
"I also saw on a graphic that Red only weighs 117 lbs. A little wisp like those Chinese gymnasts."
Perfect for slopestyle snowboarding.
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."
"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.
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.
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.
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.
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