Actor Eddie Cahill celebrates the upset in 2004's "Miracle" When the U.S. ice hockey team upset the Canadian squad on Sunday, we couldn't help but be reminded that today, February 22, marks the 30th anniversary of what many believe was the greatest upset in sports history, the so-called "Miracle on Ice." Sportscaster Al Michaels' call, "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!," entered the pantheon of great sports calls, and put the capper on the American ice hockey team's upset of the heavily-favored Soviet team. The "Miracle on Ice" was probably a once-in-a-lifetime occurance, but hardly a season goes by when some underdog doesn't defy the odds and stun fans with an unexpected victory. And don't think that Hollywood doesn't notice, either. Such David-and-Goliath sagas are tailor-made for the movies, where stories that warm the heart can turn into cold, hard cash. The American hockey victory alone was turned into not one, but two films, and such unlikely human -- and animal -- champions as James J. Braddock and Seabiscuit gave hope to Americans beaten down by the Great Depression -- to the delight of studio heads seventy years later. Audiences cheered Milan High School's small-town championship in "Hoosiers," and, while it's not an "upset," the rags-to-riches story of Michael Oher in last year's "The Blind Side" may spell Oscar gold for Sandra Bullock. Whose story will make it to the silver screen next? Joe Namath's? Kirk Gibson's? Or is the next Rulon Gardner still in hiding, just waiting for a chance? Suggested Sites... ESPN: The Biggest Upsets - fans and writers vote on the greatest upendings of all time. Broadway Joe - you'll look at this page about Joe Namath -- we guarantee it. Wikipedia: Miracle on Ice - all about the team that went for the gold. Russians Play Down "Miracle on Ice" 30 Years Later - not everyone was happy with the outcome. Vancouver 2010: Ice Hockey - official Olympic site for the current competition.

Directory categories: Sports Movies, 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, Miracle Movie, Olympic Ice Hockey, 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games

Archived under: 1980s, American History, Anniversaries, Athletes, Entertainment, Hockey, Ice Hockey, Miracles, Movies, Olympics, Russia, Sports, Winter Olympics, Winter Sports

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

In Vienna, curling may be for the terminally hip, but everywhere else, it's for everyone (Photo by Chad K) Way back in 2002, I was up late one night during the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. In a mood to watch the competition, I happened upon a curling match. "Curling?!," I scoffed, "Surely there's something better than that." I stayed tuned, though. There was something about the sport that was gripping, what with its arcane rules, fast-yet-slow action, and alien aspects. I was hooked, and I’ve stayed that way ever since. In 2006, I wrote the piece below, in anticipation of the Turin Olympic Games. In those years since, popular culture has caught up with The Spark. It might be human to feel superior to these Johnny-come-latelys -- I mean, when "The Simpsons" has built an episode around a cultural phenomenon, surely its time has passed -- but in the spirit of curlers around the world, I can't help but feel fellowship with anyone who gets -- and loves -- a bonspiel of any kind, anywhere. One winter's day in the dim past, someone saw that a lake or a river that had frozen over and said to his fellows, "Hey, let's find some heavy rocks, go out on the ice and slide them at a target." From those humble beginnings grew curling, the world's most exciting slow-motion sport. It’s a pastime available to curlers of all ages -- from eight to eighty -- who love nothing better than to find a rink and get a bonspiel going. They lace up their sliders, step up to the hack, and slide a series of 41-pound chunks of polished granite (the "stones") down the ice at a target called "the house." There's more to curling than just sliding rocks, though -- team members (the not-so-cleverly named "lead," "second," "third," and "skip") also get to scrub the ice with brooms! Since the ice the game is played on is deliberately made uneven and stippled by pouring hot water on it -- unlike the glassy surfaces speed skaters, hockey players, and figure skaters perform on -- curlers have to use their brooms to make sure that the stone speeds up, slows down, and goes (or "curls") where they want it -- until the skip shouts "off!" The team that ends the game with the most stones after ten ends (not unlike baseball innings) close to the target -- the "button" at the center of the house (think of it as a bulls-eye in darts) -- wins. If a team somehow manages to get all of its own rocks -- and none of their opponents' -- in the house, though, they score that rarest of feats, an 8-ender -- comparable to a 300 game in bowling. For those with a taste for freezing, wearing funny clothes, and trying not to fall, it's heaven on ice. Suggested Sites... World Curling Federation - source for bonspiels around the globe. Vancouver Olympics: Curling - schedules, news, and highlights. NBC Olympics: Curling - schedules, video highlights, and expert commentary. CBC: Olympic Curling - standings, features, rules, and history. Curling Science - it's more than just shuffleboard on ice.

Directory categories: Curling, Curling at the 2010 Olympic Games , 2010 Olympic Games, Winter Sports, Curling Gear and Equipment

Archived under: Canada, Curling, Games, Ice, Olympics, Sports, Winter, Winter Olympics, Winter Sports, Women's Sports

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

Zach Lund Imagine rocketing face-first down an icy, winding track, using your weight alone to steer a stripped-down sled at almost 80 miles per hour. No, this isn't the latest in extreme sports -- it's skeleton. Balancing on the bare bones of a steel frame, skeleton sledders traverse the 1500-meter course in a prone position. Invented in the 19th century in St. Moritz, Switzerland, as a daring alternative to traditional tobogganing, skeleton races were originally held for no greater prize than a bottle of champagne. In 2002, racer Jim Shea lobbied to have the sport made a permanent part of the Winter Olympics, making headlines when he overcame a painful injury to win the gold and become a third-generation Olympian. This year's Turin games are focusing attention on medal hopefuls such as Canadian champions Jeff Pain and Melissa Hollingsworth-Richards. Even lesser-known sports like skeleton have their share of controversy, however -- for U.S. racer Zach Lund and coach Tim Nardiello, this Olympic season has turned out to be a bumpy ride. Suggested Sites... A Spectator's Guide to Skeleton - fun facts about the track, the sled, and athletes' high-speed techniques. Videos From the 2005-2006 Skeleton World Tour - see the racers in action. Olympic Skeleton News - the latest news about the race for the gold, from NBC. St. Moritz Tobogganing Club - the sled run where the sport was invented 130 years ago.

Directory categories: Skeleton in the 2006 Olympics, Skeleton Worldwide, Olympics News

Archived under: Sports, Winter, Winter Olympics

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

(from Yahoo! Travel) Many know of Turin as the home of a certain shroud and a fleet of notoriously finicky automobiles. But as the world focuses its attention on the Italian city for the Winter Olympics, other attractions and reasons to visit are sure to emerge. If you can't muster the last-minute trip for the Olympics, come another time. For lovers of art and culture, there's no shortage of things to do or places to visit in the ancient city. The Torino Card will get you into some great museums, including the National Museum of Cinema and the Egyptian Museum of Turin. Foodies should come in October for the Slow Food Festival, and between bites, get a ChocoPass to taste some of Turin's famous confections. Finally, we recommend an apéritif -- after all, vermouth was invented here. Suggested Sites... Turismo Torino - discover the city's food, art, sports, and nature. Torino+ - find out what's hot in Turin during the Winter Olympics and beyond, including tips for getting around and where to stay. Juventus - catch the passion of Serie A football with a Juventus match.

Directory categories: City of Turin, 2006 Winter Olympics, The Shroud of Turin

Archived under: Italy, Regional, Sports, Winter Olympics

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

(photo by Vincent Wong) One winter's day in the dim past, someone saw that a lake had frozen over and said, "Let's go out on the ice and slide rocks at a target." Those humble beginnings begat curling, the world's most exciting slow-motion sport. Curlers of all ages love to find a bonspiel, lace up their sliders, step up to the hack, and throw 44-pound stones down the ice at the house. There's more to curling than just sliding rocks, though -- team members also get to scrub the ice with brooms! The team that ends the game with the most stones close to the target wins. If they manage to get all their own rocks and none of their opponents' in the house, though, they score that rarest of feats, an 8-ender -- comparable to a 300 game in bowling. For those with the bug for freezing, wearing funny shoes, and trying not to fall, it's heaven on ice. Suggested Sites... NPR: Canadian Curler Rocks History Books - watch the come-from-behind attempt that many think is the greatest curling shot in history. International Olympic Committee: Curling - all about those who go for the frozen gold. World Curling Federation - curling news and results from the four corners of the earth.

Directory categories: Curling, Curling Organizations, Curling Competitions

Archived under: Curling, Sports, Winter, Winter Olympics

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting