Ice Dancing begins, featuring 2006 silver medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto live. Plus, already with a silver medal at these Games, Bode Miller returns to the slopes for men’s super-G. Women’s Skeleton and Simon Ammann goes for gold in Ski Jumping.
Miller has a bronze medal and is more low key at these games and that could be an advantage for him.
Alan Abrahamson, NBC Olympics and Universal Sports reporter: (on Bode Miller, U.S. men’s downhill skier): “Anytime Bode comes in under the radar, it’s an advantage for him.”
Three big hockey games this afternoon – Belarus – Sweden at 3p.m. on MSNBC then on CNBC at 7:30p.m. Czech Republic – Latvia and then Finland faces Germany at 11:55p.m. on MSNBC.
Here is today’s Olympic buzz-
Picabo Street, 1998 Olympic Gold Medalist, 2002 Olympian and Alpine skiing analyst (on the women’s downhill race): “It was a pretty big day, lots of build-up for all of us. For (Vonn) to have skied as well as she did, risk as much as she did on a course like that and with all the uncertainty, put it on the line – that’s what the Olympics are all about.”
Street (on Julie Mancuso’s silver medal-winning run): “She’s a big gamer and she believes in herself. She liked her odds. Conditions were iffy; no one had really tested the course. She’s a gold medalist coming into these Games, and she came in under the radar, but even she was surprised by her results.”
Street (on the women’s downhill overall): “With the crashes and mistakes, one of the most difficult parts for me was watching some of the best racers out there tiptoe down the course.”
Kenan Harkin, Snowboarding analyst (on Shaun White’s continued success in snowboarding): “He’s got X Games fans, and now mainstream America. Every win matters; it’s about staying on top…I love Shaun, the way he puts it on the line every time.”
Jeremy Bloom, 2002 and 2006 Olympian, two-time Freestyle World Cup champion and Freestyle analyst: (on the origins of ski cross): “It’s ‘Hey, let’s go skiing and I’ll race you to the bottom.’ It’s incredibly dangerous and I’m excited to see it in the Olympics for the first time.”
Bloom (on the differences between ski cross and short track speed skating): “Ice is always the same. Snow is always different, and with the additional three other people on the course, you have to be careful.”
Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, the first Yupik Eskimo to become an Olympian: “You can only get to my hometown by a boat or airplane; it’s a different way of life. I’m so proud to represent my people and my culture.”
Chythlook-Sifsof (on her participation in women’s snowboard cross and her competition on Feb. 16): “The first time I was on a chairlift was when I was 12. I’ve never been to an event with so many people. It was amazing to hear the roar of the crowd. Having (your) family there, it makes you do even better when you know they’re watching. I can’t wait to have redemption in Russia (at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi).”
Andrea Webber, mother of women’s Alpine downhill Silver Medalist Julia Mancuso (on raising a champion): “You raise them and give them a lot of love and support. It’s a ton of work, but worth it at the end of the day.”
MEET THE OLYMPIC PRESS:
Alan Abrahamson, NBC Olympics and Universal Sports reporter (on the women’s downhill): “I predicted (Lindsey) Vonn to be No. 1 and Julia (Mancuso) to be No. 2 and everyone thought I was crazy.”
Abrahamson (on Shaun White constantly pushing the sport forward): “What he won with in 2006 wouldn’t even make the finals here. When you watch Shaun White, you see a sport progressing.”
Abrahamson (on the halfpipe): “It’s the best event at the Olympics, winter or summer.”
