We knew the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, were going to be a mixed bag when we watched the opening ceremony and saw dazzling displays alongside some unfortunate mishaps. Here are the stories that made us tear up, smile, and sometimes yell at the TV in frustration. Sochi Strays Find a New HomeSnowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis may not have won gold, but she still scored a pretty special souvenir - one of Sochi's stray dogs. And she's not the only animal-loving athlete to bring home a something warm and furry. Silver medalist freeskier Gus Kenworthy Tweeted his plans to fly a...
- 2/24/2014
- by K.C. Blumm
- PEOPLE.com
Russian figure skater prodigy Yulia Lipnitskaya, 15, fell on the ice during her short program on Wednesday, dashing her dreams of winning a gold medal.
Lipnitskaya nailed her first two jumps, a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, but fell on her last jump, a triple flip, gracefully tumbling on the ice before recovering. Lipnitskaya didn’t let the fall stop her from finishing her routine with two beautiful spins – the highlights of her performance.
“It was just a technical error. She came too close to the boards. There was no pressure,” Lipnitskaya’s coach said of the fall.
Lipnitskaya may have taken a tumble, but she remains in competition and will perform in the free skate Thursday, though it is unlikely she will medal. Lipnitskaya ended the short program in fifth place with a score of 65.23, about nine points behind front runner Yuna Kim of South Korea. Still, fans are still rooting for the 15-year-old wonder,...
Lipnitskaya nailed her first two jumps, a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, but fell on her last jump, a triple flip, gracefully tumbling on the ice before recovering. Lipnitskaya didn’t let the fall stop her from finishing her routine with two beautiful spins – the highlights of her performance.
“It was just a technical error. She came too close to the boards. There was no pressure,” Lipnitskaya’s coach said of the fall.
Lipnitskaya may have taken a tumble, but she remains in competition and will perform in the free skate Thursday, though it is unlikely she will medal. Lipnitskaya ended the short program in fifth place with a score of 65.23, about nine points behind front runner Yuna Kim of South Korea. Still, fans are still rooting for the 15-year-old wonder,...
- 2/20/2014
- Uinterview
Russian figure skater prodigy Yulia Lipniskaya, 15, fell on the ice during her short program on Wednesday, dashing her dreams of winning a gold medal.
Lipniskaya nailed her first two jumps, a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, but fell on her last jump, a triple flip, gracefully tumbling on the ice before recovering. Lipniskaya didn’t let the fall stop her from finishing her routine with two beautiful spins – the highlights of her performance.
“It was just a technical error. She came too close to the boards. There was no pressure,” Lipnitskaya’s coach said of the fall.
Lipniskaya may have taken a tumble, but she remains in competition and will perform in the free skate Thursday, though it is unlikely she will medal. Lipniskaya ended the short program in fifth place with a score of 65.23, about nine points behind front runner Yuna Kim of South Korea. Still, fans are still rooting for the 15-year-old wonder,...
Lipniskaya nailed her first two jumps, a triple Lutz-triple toe loop combination, but fell on her last jump, a triple flip, gracefully tumbling on the ice before recovering. Lipniskaya didn’t let the fall stop her from finishing her routine with two beautiful spins – the highlights of her performance.
“It was just a technical error. She came too close to the boards. There was no pressure,” Lipnitskaya’s coach said of the fall.
Lipniskaya may have taken a tumble, but she remains in competition and will perform in the free skate Thursday, though it is unlikely she will medal. Lipniskaya ended the short program in fifth place with a score of 65.23, about nine points behind front runner Yuna Kim of South Korea. Still, fans are still rooting for the 15-year-old wonder,...
- 2/20/2014
- Uinterview
The Jamaican bobsled team has come back to the Winter Olympics after a 12-year absence, and they made sure their return made a splash with their very own theme song, “The Bobsled Song.”
The song is set to be timed perfectly to the Sochi bobsled course.
Jamaican Bobsled Team Qualifies For First Time Since 2002
This is the first time the Jamaican bobsled team has qualified for the Olympics since 2002, though their first appearance at the Calgary Games in 1988 inspired so much fanfare, Disney made a film about it. While the Jamaican bobsled team has collected a huge fanbase, in no small part due to the Disney classic Cool Runnings (1993), their chances at gold seem awfully slim. After the first two heats, the two-man bobsled team was at the bottom of the pack, ranking number 30 out of 30. With half the competition over, they were 4.41 seconds behind first place, Russia, who went...
The song is set to be timed perfectly to the Sochi bobsled course.
Jamaican Bobsled Team Qualifies For First Time Since 2002
This is the first time the Jamaican bobsled team has qualified for the Olympics since 2002, though their first appearance at the Calgary Games in 1988 inspired so much fanfare, Disney made a film about it. While the Jamaican bobsled team has collected a huge fanbase, in no small part due to the Disney classic Cool Runnings (1993), their chances at gold seem awfully slim. After the first two heats, the two-man bobsled team was at the bottom of the pack, ranking number 30 out of 30. With half the competition over, they were 4.41 seconds behind first place, Russia, who went...
- 2/17/2014
- Uinterview
After a disastrous short program competition Thursday's Winter Olympics, which saw Evgeni Plushenko withdraw and retire shortly before he was scheduled to take the ice, the bad luck continued into Friday's free program.
Frontrunner Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan fell twice during his program, seemingly leaving it open for Canada's Patrick Chan to take gold. But when Chan took the ice next, the skater suffered several stumbles and never quite recovered.
Read More >...
Frontrunner Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan fell twice during his program, seemingly leaving it open for Canada's Patrick Chan to take gold. But when Chan took the ice next, the skater suffered several stumbles and never quite recovered.
Read More >...
- 2/15/2014
- by Sadie Gennis
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Hopes were high for Chicago native Jason Brown, 19, after a promising short program on Feb. 13 left him in medal contention. However, his Feb. 14 free skate routine fell way short of the golden mark.
Jason Brown had the nation buzzing on Feb. 13 when his impressive short program in the Sochi Winter Olympics left him in sixth place, less than a point out from third and in serious medal contention.
Olympics — Jason Brown Loses Free Skate
At the end of the day it was Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan who walked away with the gold medal, despite falling in the midst of a quadruple jump that seemingly put him out of contention. Canada’s Patrick Chan stole silver, while Kazakhstan’s Denis Ten won bronze. Russia’s Evgeni Plushenko was favored to win big, but he drew the ire of the motherland when he dropped out last minute due to spinal pain.
Sexiest...
Jason Brown had the nation buzzing on Feb. 13 when his impressive short program in the Sochi Winter Olympics left him in sixth place, less than a point out from third and in serious medal contention.
Olympics — Jason Brown Loses Free Skate
At the end of the day it was Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan who walked away with the gold medal, despite falling in the midst of a quadruple jump that seemingly put him out of contention. Canada’s Patrick Chan stole silver, while Kazakhstan’s Denis Ten won bronze. Russia’s Evgeni Plushenko was favored to win big, but he drew the ire of the motherland when he dropped out last minute due to spinal pain.
Sexiest...
- 2/14/2014
- by Shaunna Murphy
- HollywoodLife
Warning: Do not keep reading if you'd like to remain spoiler-free for the men's figure skating finals, which will be featured on NBC's Friday (Feb. 14) primetime broadcast at 8 p.m. Et/Pt.
The 2014 Winter Olympics men's figure skating finals went out with a whimper rather than a roar. There were a lot of falls and bobbles, plus Russian favorite Yevgeny Plushenko was not competing, so not only were scores lower than expected, but there wasn't the same excitement in the building as there could have been.
U.S. skater Jeremy Abbott rallied from his big fall Thursday during the short program to post a personal best in the free skate, which is his final Olympic appearance. Fellow Team USA skater Jason Brown had a chance at the bronze medal, but he would have had to skate a nearly flawless program to leap-frog Kazakhstan's Denis Ten for third place, and he did not.
The 2014 Winter Olympics men's figure skating finals went out with a whimper rather than a roar. There were a lot of falls and bobbles, plus Russian favorite Yevgeny Plushenko was not competing, so not only were scores lower than expected, but there wasn't the same excitement in the building as there could have been.
U.S. skater Jeremy Abbott rallied from his big fall Thursday during the short program to post a personal best in the free skate, which is his final Olympic appearance. Fellow Team USA skater Jason Brown had a chance at the bronze medal, but he would have had to skate a nearly flawless program to leap-frog Kazakhstan's Denis Ten for third place, and he did not.
- 2/14/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Evgeni Plushenko's Amazing Ice Skating Strip Tease Is Better Than Olympic Gold The ending is the best part, so just sit back and enjoy. By Jillian Lucas For anyone who watched the Olympics on NBC last night, you saw Russian ice skating darling and four-time medal winner Evgeni Plushenko withdraw from the competition after suffering an injury in warm ups. This is just days after he won a gold medal for helping the Russian Team win the first ever team skating competition. At 31-years-old, he has not officially announced his retirement, but it seems inevitable at this point. While the figure skating competition was changed without the fire of Plushenko on the ice, we've uncovered the hottest video this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Celebrate Plushenko's stellar career with a look back at a long-lost and incredibly sexy archival film of the skater performing to Tom [...]...
- 2/14/2014
- by Jillian Lucas
- Nerve
Olympics recap: Jeremy Abbott's a phoenix, plus the slopestyle boys at their 5 most precious moments
There are many candidates for Thursday’s Olympic Stud of the Day, an EW.com tradition dating back to the 2008 Summer Games that honors the athlete who was the night’s biggest/coolest badass. The U.S.’s Joss Christensen, Gus Kenworthy, and Nick Goepper swept the inaugural men’s ski slopestyle event — a feat the U.S. has only accomplished twice before in Winter Olympics history. Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu became the first male figure skater to ever score above 100 points for a short program. Zhang Hong was the first Chinese speed skater to win long-track gold. But we...
- 2/14/2014
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
It was a dramatic end to an Olympic career for four-time medalist Evgeni Plushenko. The Russian figure skater had to withdraw from the men's competition in Sochi, after already taking home a gold medal for the team competition. The decision, motivated by a recurring back injury, came after he was on the ice. He had undergone back surgery last year, and when it came to his turn to skate, he placed his hands on his back and requested the judges' attention. As the announcer shared the news that he would not be skating his program, the crowd went silent. He made his way off with his hand over his heart. After the emotional exit, Plushenko also announced his retirement. See scenes from the moment below. View Slideshow ›...
- 2/14/2014
- by Annie Gabillet
- Popsugar.com
So both of Bob Costas' eyes are riddled with pink eye, Johnny Weir is channeling "The Hunger Games" in his wardrobe choices, and Norway is winning the Olympic medal count. What is going on, people? 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Et - NBC - Men's slopestyle freestyle skiing, women's speed skating, figure skating * You won't get to see skating legend Evgeni Plushenko's push for a fifth Olympic medal in the men's figure skating short program. After pulling out at the last minute (so last minute, in fact, there was no time to substitute a skater -- so no Russians in the...
- 2/13/2014
- by Liane Bonin Starr
- Hitfix
Evgeni Plushenko is out of the Sochi Winter Olympics, following injury.
An impressive competitor, the sad news that the Russian skater (and four-time Olympic medalist) had to withdraw due to injury, means fans of the support won't get to see him express his fashion flare on the ice.
Over the years, he has enchanted, surprised and shocked fans of figure skating with some of his unique outfits.
Here are 6 of his best looks...
Puppet couture realness in 2003:
Channeling his inner muscle-man in 2001:
And in 2010 the Vancouver Winter Olympics:
Caribbean ...
Copyright 2014 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
An impressive competitor, the sad news that the Russian skater (and four-time Olympic medalist) had to withdraw due to injury, means fans of the support won't get to see him express his fashion flare on the ice.
Over the years, he has enchanted, surprised and shocked fans of figure skating with some of his unique outfits.
Here are 6 of his best looks...
Puppet couture realness in 2003:
Channeling his inner muscle-man in 2001:
And in 2010 the Vancouver Winter Olympics:
Caribbean ...
Copyright 2014 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
- 2/13/2014
- by access.hollywood@nbcuni.com (AccessHollywood.com Editorial Staff)
- Access Hollywood
Warning: Do not keep reading if you'd like to remain spoiler-free for NBC's primetime Winter Olympics broadcast Thursday (Feb. 13), which will feature the men's figure skating short program results.
It was a day of ups and downs for men's figure skating. Beloved Russian skater Yevgeny Plushenko hurt himself in warm-ups and was forced to withdraw from the competition. An hour later, Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu became the first skater to ever earn a short program score that tops 100.
The U.S. skaters each had a good day, albeit for very different reasons. Jason Brown skated a clean program and earned a personal best 86 points, good for 6th place and putting him in the mix for the bronze medal, all depending on how the free skate shakes out.
Jeremy Abbott, on the other hand, fell hard during his first jump, crashing against the boards and lying there on the ice for nearly 30 seconds.
It was a day of ups and downs for men's figure skating. Beloved Russian skater Yevgeny Plushenko hurt himself in warm-ups and was forced to withdraw from the competition. An hour later, Japanese skater Yuzuru Hanyu became the first skater to ever earn a short program score that tops 100.
The U.S. skaters each had a good day, albeit for very different reasons. Jason Brown skated a clean program and earned a personal best 86 points, good for 6th place and putting him in the mix for the bronze medal, all depending on how the free skate shakes out.
Jeremy Abbott, on the other hand, fell hard during his first jump, crashing against the boards and lying there on the ice for nearly 30 seconds.
- 2/13/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
It's a disappointment for the Russians and for figure-skating fans alike: Evgeni Plushenko of Russia was forced to withdraw from the men's figure skating competition at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games due to an injury. Plushenko, 31, and a four-time Olympic medalist, was one of the event's top prospects entering the much-anticipated men's competition Thursday, when he made the decision to drop out right before he was to begin his skate, USA Today reports. Plushenko, who had back surgery in 2013, stepped onto the ice to cheers from his adoring home crowd in the Iceberg Skating Palace, but clearly looked in pain during his warm-up.
- 2/13/2014
- by Andrea Billups
- PEOPLE.com
Thursday's been a rough day in Sochi for men's figure skaters in Sochi: Just ask Jeremy Abbott and Evgeni Plushenko! Abbott, an American Olympian, fell hard during the short program competition. The 28-year-old athlete crashed into the barriers on the rink's perimeter, stayed down for a good 10 seconds, then pulled himself right back up. Not only did he finish the routine, but he nailed the landing of a triple lutz-triple toe combination and pulled off a triple axel. He earned a 72.58 for the performance and a cheering ovation from the crowds. But Plushenko, the four-time medalist who helped Russia nab a team gold this past weekend, didn't bounce back like his U.S. competitior. The 31-year-old (you...
- 2/13/2014
- E! Online
Russian Olympian Evgeni Plushenko has done his last triple axel. The 31-year-old figure skater's career came to an abrupt end on Thursday, Feb. 13, when he withdrew from the men's event at the Sochi Winter Olympics and then retired from skating altogether. Plushenko, a four-time Olympic medalist, has a chronic bad back, which he aggravated in practice on Wednesday. According to the Associated Press, he struggled visibly in warmups before the short program, later saying it felt "like a knife in [his] back" when he fell on [...]...
- 2/13/2014
- Us Weekly
Warning: Do not keep reading if you'd like to stay spoiler-free regarding the 2014 Winter Olympics men's figure skating singles short program results. It will be featured during NBC's broadcast Thursday (Feb. 13) night, which begins at 8 p.m. Et/Pt.
Russian men's singles skater Yevgeny Plushenko, the silver medalist from 2002 and 2010 and gold medalist in 2006, came out of a triple axel during warm-ups holding his back and then tried another jump that visibly hurt him. Plushenko then skated over to the judges' table and withdrew from the competition, which means the Russians do not have a participant in the men's figure skating singles event.
Plushenko was poised to contend for the gold medal. During the team figure skating event, he finished second in the short program portion and first in the free skate. It's not a foregone conclusion that he would have won gold, but he certainly would have been in the running.
Russian men's singles skater Yevgeny Plushenko, the silver medalist from 2002 and 2010 and gold medalist in 2006, came out of a triple axel during warm-ups holding his back and then tried another jump that visibly hurt him. Plushenko then skated over to the judges' table and withdrew from the competition, which means the Russians do not have a participant in the men's figure skating singles event.
Plushenko was poised to contend for the gold medal. During the team figure skating event, he finished second in the short program portion and first in the free skate. It's not a foregone conclusion that he would have won gold, but he certainly would have been in the running.
- 2/13/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Julia Mancuso became the first American woman to win four Olympic medals in Alpine skiing on Monday after she secured a bronze medal in super-combined.
Julia Mancuso: Most Decorated U.S. Woman In Alpine Skiing
Mancuso, 29, pulled ahead with a spectacular downhill run and managed to do overcome her weaknesses in slalom and come in third, earning the U.S it’s first Sochi Olympic medal in Alpine.
“I really thought I was blowing it… but I knew I just fight to the finnish… Crossing the finish line, just seeing my name in the top three, it didn’t even matter if I could have been better. All that mattered to me was crossing that finish line with a solid run,” Mancuso stated after her win.
Post by Julia Mancuso.
Mancuso joins a small club of Winter Olympians who have won medals in three consecutive Olympic games, which previously...
Julia Mancuso: Most Decorated U.S. Woman In Alpine Skiing
Mancuso, 29, pulled ahead with a spectacular downhill run and managed to do overcome her weaknesses in slalom and come in third, earning the U.S it’s first Sochi Olympic medal in Alpine.
“I really thought I was blowing it… but I knew I just fight to the finnish… Crossing the finish line, just seeing my name in the top three, it didn’t even matter if I could have been better. All that mattered to me was crossing that finish line with a solid run,” Mancuso stated after her win.
Post by Julia Mancuso.
Mancuso joins a small club of Winter Olympians who have won medals in three consecutive Olympic games, which previously...
- 2/11/2014
- Uinterview
NBC’s primetime coverage of the Olympics on Sunday was all about the ladies. Jamie Anderson tore up the inaugural Olympic Snowboard Slopestyle competition. Gracie Gold took to the ice and gave a commanding performance…although not as commanding as Julia Lipnitskaia, the Russian skating superstar. Presumably both young ladies feel nothing but deep respect for each other as opponents, but let’s just assume for that they are the estrogenized figure-skating reincarnation of Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago, and this is all building up to an epic showdown in the individual competition. (Miley Cyrus will fill the James Brown...
- 2/10/2014
- by Darren Franich
- EW.com - PopWatch
Russia won it’s first Gold medal of the Sochi Olympic games on Sunday night when fan-favorite Evgeni Plushenko and the rest of Russia’s assembled figure skating team were declared victorious in the first ever team figure skating event.
Russia’s team easily won gold in the event, earning 75 points total, 10 more than second place Canada and 15 more than bronze-winning U.S.
Plushenko, who competed as a soloist in the event, has now won four Olympic medals in figure skating, making him the most decorated figure skater of modern times. This is his second gold medal. Plushenko ensured Russia’s win with his first place finish in the men’s long program Sunday. Though many have criticized Plushenko’s lack of risk in his routine, all agree that his qualities as an entertainer, and previous injuries, more than justify his decision to play it safe.
“Many skaters are good,...
Russia’s team easily won gold in the event, earning 75 points total, 10 more than second place Canada and 15 more than bronze-winning U.S.
Plushenko, who competed as a soloist in the event, has now won four Olympic medals in figure skating, making him the most decorated figure skater of modern times. This is his second gold medal. Plushenko ensured Russia’s win with his first place finish in the men’s long program Sunday. Though many have criticized Plushenko’s lack of risk in his routine, all agree that his qualities as an entertainer, and previous injuries, more than justify his decision to play it safe.
“Many skaters are good,...
- 2/10/2014
- Uinterview
Warning: Don't keep reading if you want to remain spoiler-free as to the outcome of the team figure skating event, which enters its third and final day Sunday (Feb. 9). It will be featured in NBC's primetime broadcast this evening, which begins at 7 p.m. Et/Pt.
The first event in the 2014 Winter Olympics team figure skating finals is the men's free skate. The U.S., Canada and Japan all chose to have a different man skate in the long program than who competed earlier in the short program.
For the U.S., Jason Brown was subbed in for Jeremy Abbott. Brown, in his Olympics debut, put forth a solid performance but did fall on one of his jumps. With Canada finishing in second place for the men, it mathematically eliminated the U.S. for the silver medal.
The final men's results:
Russia, Yevgeny Plushenko, 168.20
Canada, Kevin Reynolds, 167.92
Japan, Taksuti Machida,...
The first event in the 2014 Winter Olympics team figure skating finals is the men's free skate. The U.S., Canada and Japan all chose to have a different man skate in the long program than who competed earlier in the short program.
For the U.S., Jason Brown was subbed in for Jeremy Abbott. Brown, in his Olympics debut, put forth a solid performance but did fall on one of his jumps. With Canada finishing in second place for the men, it mathematically eliminated the U.S. for the silver medal.
The final men's results:
Russia, Yevgeny Plushenko, 168.20
Canada, Kevin Reynolds, 167.92
Japan, Taksuti Machida,...
- 2/9/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
It's time to officially kick off the 2014 Winter Olympics when the opening ceremony lights the Olympic torch. But competitions actually started Thursday (Feb. 6), which means we already have awesome GIFs for you to feast your eyes on.
The spills:
There have already been many, many wipeouts, particularly on the moguls course, which is giving athletes quite a challenge. The GIFs here include Shiva Keshavan, a luger from India who makes an amazing save after spilling off of his sled while hurtling down the luge track. Below are a couple snowboarding and skiing wipeouts, but never fear -- Norway's Kjersti Buaas (top) and Hedvig Wessel (bottom) both walked away from their spills relatively unscathed.
The thrills:
The U.S. didn't get off to a very auspicious start in the team figure skating competition, but that doesn't mean other countries were the same way. Below, Russian pairs skaters Tatyana Volosozhar and Maksim...
The spills:
There have already been many, many wipeouts, particularly on the moguls course, which is giving athletes quite a challenge. The GIFs here include Shiva Keshavan, a luger from India who makes an amazing save after spilling off of his sled while hurtling down the luge track. Below are a couple snowboarding and skiing wipeouts, but never fear -- Norway's Kjersti Buaas (top) and Hedvig Wessel (bottom) both walked away from their spills relatively unscathed.
The thrills:
The U.S. didn't get off to a very auspicious start in the team figure skating competition, but that doesn't mean other countries were the same way. Below, Russian pairs skaters Tatyana Volosozhar and Maksim...
- 2/8/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
As exciting as NBC’s first night of Olympics coverage was — Slopestyle! Evgeni Plushenko! Scott Hamilton yelling! Evgeni Plushenko! The Dufour-Lapointe sisters! Evgeni Plushenko!!! — it was marred by one unfortunate development: Bob Costas’ nasty case of pinkeye. Costas was a trouper to appear onscreen despite his swollen lid… but in the immortal words of Valerie Cherish, after a long day at work, we don’t want to see that.
The obvious solution? A series of festive eyepatches, designed to take advantage of whatever Costas may be reporting on that day (figure skating; gay-rights issues; surprise upset in the Quidditch finals). You know,...
The obvious solution? A series of festive eyepatches, designed to take advantage of whatever Costas may be reporting on that day (figure skating; gay-rights issues; surprise upset in the Quidditch finals). You know,...
- 2/7/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
As exciting as NBC’s first night of Olympics coverage was — Slopestyle! Evgeni Plushenko! Scott Hamilton yelling! Evgeni Plushenko! The Dufour-Lapointe sisters! Evgeni Plushenko!!! — it was marred by one unfortunate development: Bob Costas’ nasty case of pinkeye. Costas was a trouper to appear onscreen despite his swollen lid… but in the immortal words of Valerie Cherish, after a long day at work, we don’t want to see that.
The obvious solution? A series of festive eyepatches, designed to take advantage of whatever Costas may be reporting on that day (figure skating; gay-rights issues; surprise upset in the Quidditch finals). You know,...
The obvious solution? A series of festive eyepatches, designed to take advantage of whatever Costas may be reporting on that day (figure skating; gay-rights issues; surprise upset in the Quidditch finals). You know,...
- 2/7/2014
- by Hillary Busis
- EW.com - PopWatch
For most of us, our best chance at any kind of medal is making it past 10 pipes in Flappy Bird. That's why, after we throw our phones against the wall because of Flappy Bird, we'll turn to Twitter to follow these athletes and journalists and live vicariously through their journey at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia! Okay, so Russia might not be quite ready (members of the media arriving in Sochi are sharing pics online of their rooms in a less-than-habitable state). Still, athletes and journalists are descending on the seaside host city - and they're sharing their experiences online.
- 2/7/2014
- by Cara Lynn Shultz
- PEOPLE.com
For most of us, our best chance at any kind of medal is making it past 10 pipes in Flappy Bird. That's why, after we throw our phones against the wall because of Flappy Bird, we'll turn to Twitter to follow these athletes and journalists and live vicariously through their journey at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia! Okay, so Russia might not be quite ready (members of the media arriving in Sochi are sharing pics online of their rooms in a less-than-habitable state). Still, athletes and journalists are descending on the seaside host city - and they're sharing their experiences online.
- 2/7/2014
- by Cara Lynn Shultz
- PEOPLE.com
The Olympics began in earnest last night, despite the opening ceremonies not taking place until Friday. New events slopestyle snowboarding and team skating took center stage, and not even 24 hours into competition viewers have already got Team USA heroes — hooray, Jamie Anderson! — and disappointments — when you cry, I cry, Jeremy Abbott. Look elsewhere for your recap of the actual athletic performances; here’s all you need to know about the best television moments. (I’m looking at you, cutaway to a USA top hat.)
He’s Such an Elsa: We kicked things off, as always, with Bob Costas anchoring. But...
He’s Such an Elsa: We kicked things off, as always, with Bob Costas anchoring. But...
- 2/7/2014
- by Erin Strecker
- EW.com - PopWatch
The Sochi Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony took place Friday, Feb. 7, with an elaborate show that took viewers through Russian history and included performances by Russian dancers and the gay-friendly band, t.a.T.u.
The ceremony took place in the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, which seats about 40,000 people.
The pre-show kicked off the celebrations with musical performances by the Russian military choir, who sang a cover of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” and the gay-friendly girl group, t.a.T.u. T.a.T.u had a few worldwide hits in the early 2000s. The Russian pop duo sang two of their hits during the preshow, including “Not Gonna Get Us,” which is regarded by many as a gay anthem. While Russia does not have many pop stars known the world over, it is interesting that the country currently making headlines for anti-gay policies invited t.a.T.u.
The ceremony took place in the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, which seats about 40,000 people.
The pre-show kicked off the celebrations with musical performances by the Russian military choir, who sang a cover of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” and the gay-friendly girl group, t.a.T.u. T.a.T.u had a few worldwide hits in the early 2000s. The Russian pop duo sang two of their hits during the preshow, including “Not Gonna Get Us,” which is regarded by many as a gay anthem. While Russia does not have many pop stars known the world over, it is interesting that the country currently making headlines for anti-gay policies invited t.a.T.u.
- 2/7/2014
- Uinterview
Yevgeny Plushenko, the Russian figure skater, stole the show on Thursday at the first team competition of the Sochi Winter Olympics in the men’s short program of the new team figure skating competition.
What Is Team Figure Skating?
This year, the Sochi Winter Olympics have decided to introduce a new competition to the Olympic games: team figure skating. Each country puts forth one man, one woman, one ice dancing couple and one pairs team to compete in short program. Skaters are ranked within their respective categories and then the points are added to determine a winning team. The men, including Plushenko, performed Thursday, Feb. 6 at the Iceberg Skating Palace, and the 31-year-old fan favorite pulled ahead with his routine to “Tango de Roxanne.”
Plushenko Gets Second Place For Short Program
Plushenko skated for the first time in two years Thursday, participating in his forth-consecutive Winter Olympics. He won Olympic...
What Is Team Figure Skating?
This year, the Sochi Winter Olympics have decided to introduce a new competition to the Olympic games: team figure skating. Each country puts forth one man, one woman, one ice dancing couple and one pairs team to compete in short program. Skaters are ranked within their respective categories and then the points are added to determine a winning team. The men, including Plushenko, performed Thursday, Feb. 6 at the Iceberg Skating Palace, and the 31-year-old fan favorite pulled ahead with his routine to “Tango de Roxanne.”
Plushenko Gets Second Place For Short Program
Plushenko skated for the first time in two years Thursday, participating in his forth-consecutive Winter Olympics. He won Olympic...
- 2/7/2014
- Uinterview
The 2014 Winter Olympics are in full swing, starting competitions Thursday (Feb. 6). While most sports, like slopestyle snowboarding, were staging qualifying runs, the team figure skating event started with high stakes -- every program skated counts toward a country's final total.
Related: An explanation of the team figure skating event
For the U.S. figure skating team, men's singles skater Jeremy Abbott and pairs skaters Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir took the ice for day one of the competition, though neither short program was as good as it could have been.
Abbott in particular turned in a sub-par performance, falling on his first jump and then leaving out at least one rotation on his subsequent two jumps. After his score landed him seventh out of the 10 men competing, Abbot had this to say:
"You know, I'm not sure what went wrong. It just was one of those nights because I've been skating very,...
Related: An explanation of the team figure skating event
For the U.S. figure skating team, men's singles skater Jeremy Abbott and pairs skaters Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir took the ice for day one of the competition, though neither short program was as good as it could have been.
Abbott in particular turned in a sub-par performance, falling on his first jump and then leaving out at least one rotation on his subsequent two jumps. After his score landed him seventh out of the 10 men competing, Abbot had this to say:
"You know, I'm not sure what went wrong. It just was one of those nights because I've been skating very,...
- 2/7/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Consider this a PopWatch PSA: If you’re a fan of Russia’s four-time Olympian Evgeni Plushenko (or his penchant for creating great TV), you want to watch his short program in the team figure skating competition — which began today in Sochi — in prime time. (Coverage starts at 8 p.m. Et on NBC. Update: Watch it here.)
His home crowd adored him, he blew them a kiss during his saucy routine (to “El Tango de Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge), and he was as cocky and cheeky as a man who once skated a striptease to “Sex Bomb” should be. So,...
His home crowd adored him, he blew them a kiss during his saucy routine (to “El Tango de Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge), and he was as cocky and cheeky as a man who once skated a striptease to “Sex Bomb” should be. So,...
- 2/6/2014
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
Warning: Don't keep reading if you would like to remain spoiler-free for the team figure skating opening competition, the men's short program. It will be featured in primetime Thursday (Feb. 6) on NBC.
The men launched figure skating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thursday with the short programs that will count toward the new team figure skating event. The scoring is done the same way as in the individual competition, but then for the team score, each man is ranked 1-10, with first place earning 10 points, second earning nine points and so forth.
U.S. skater Jeremy Abbott (above, left) wasn't the favorite to finish first, but he was expected to do fairly well. That's not what happened. He earned the lowest score he's received in competition in years after a fall and then turning a couple triple jumps into a double and a single.
Related: Gay Olympians through the years
Hometown boy Yevgeny Plushenko (above,...
The men launched figure skating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thursday with the short programs that will count toward the new team figure skating event. The scoring is done the same way as in the individual competition, but then for the team score, each man is ranked 1-10, with first place earning 10 points, second earning nine points and so forth.
U.S. skater Jeremy Abbott (above, left) wasn't the favorite to finish first, but he was expected to do fairly well. That's not what happened. He earned the lowest score he's received in competition in years after a fall and then turning a couple triple jumps into a double and a single.
Related: Gay Olympians through the years
Hometown boy Yevgeny Plushenko (above,...
- 2/6/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
Warning: Don't keep reading if you would like to remain spoiler-free for the team figure skating opening competition, the men's short program. It will be featured in primetime Thursday (Feb. 6) on NBC.
The men launched figure skating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thursday with the short programs that will count toward the new team figure skating event. The scoring is done the same way as in the individual competition, but then for the team score, each man is ranked 1-10, with first place earning 10 points, second earning nine points and so forth.
U.S. skater Jeremy Abbott (above, left) wasn't the favorite to finish first, but he was expected to do fairly well. That's not what happened. He earned the lowest score he's received in competition in years after a fall and then turning a couple triple jumps into a double and even a single on his axel.
Hometown boy Yevgeny Plushenko (above,...
The men launched figure skating at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Thursday with the short programs that will count toward the new team figure skating event. The scoring is done the same way as in the individual competition, but then for the team score, each man is ranked 1-10, with first place earning 10 points, second earning nine points and so forth.
U.S. skater Jeremy Abbott (above, left) wasn't the favorite to finish first, but he was expected to do fairly well. That's not what happened. He earned the lowest score he's received in competition in years after a fall and then turning a couple triple jumps into a double and even a single on his axel.
Hometown boy Yevgeny Plushenko (above,...
- 2/6/2014
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
I know, I know. The "male View" concept has never really worked. But as I watched Johnny Weir on The Tonight Show Monday, sitting beside Charles Barkley, I kept thinking, "I'd watch that show." It wouldn't even have to be daily. It could just be one hour a week. They could talk about sports and pop culture, tease each other like it's the fourth hour of Today and they're Hoda and Kathie Lee. What do you think? Before you answer, watch this clip from last night. I wish we'd gotten to see Barkley's reaction when Weir explained his sheltered upbringing in Amish Country,...
- 3/23/2010
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
In an unprecedented act of sportsmanship, Stephen Colbert took Canadian Iceholes off the on-notice board, where they had previously been sandwiched between Jane Fonda and limey squirrel eaters. And it may have been the Ziploc bag of cheap prescription drugs talking, but the Canadian spirit seemed to have won over our single-minded patriot. “Canada, I’ve changed my mind. You’re all Saskatcha-winners.” Yes, the host country’s “Own the Podium” campaign may have faltered, but Colbert was kind enough to share a “Cheer Up Canada” montage. Moose, maple syrup, cartoon mounties, Alex Trebek. Awwww. The assistant sports psychologist also...
- 2/26/2010
- by Daniella Grossman
- EW.com - PopWatch
The day after Evan Lysacek defeated Yevgeny Plushenko in an Olympic cold war for figure skating gold, we noticed Dancing With the Stars' Cheryl Burke tweeting him the suggestion that he join the cast of the show. If you've been wondering if he's game, well..."I would love to try Dancing With the Stars," he told EW in an email Tuesday. "I was a proud audience member (and cheerleader) as my friends Kristi Yamaguchi and Apolo Ohno danced their way to the mirrorball trophy. All I have heard from everyone that has done the show is what a blast it is.
- 2/24/2010
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
Olympic champion figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi spoke to EW before heading to Vancouver to serve as special correspondent for NBC's Today show. Take some time during tonight's intermittent coverage of the ladies' short program to check out her answers to PopWatch readers' questions. Look for another Kristi post before Thursday's long program, and come back for our PopWatch on Ice recap tomorrow morning. In the meantime...Toe Pick! What American female skater has the best chance at gold (or any medal)? -Tory It's definitely an outside chance for both of our girls, Rachael Flatt and Mirai Nagasu. But in my opinion,...
- 2/24/2010
- by Annie Barrett
- EW.com - PopWatch
Question: How did you handle the stress of watching Evan Lysacek's free skate? Did you leave the room believing if you didn't watch, he'd win? Did you stay on your sofa but close your eyes for the jumps? Did you force yourself to watch every second of the routine thinking somehow that self-inflicted torture would sway the figure skating Gods in his favor? Or, are you sane? For the record: My mother's the leave-the-room kind of crazy, and I'm the torture type — so you're welcome, Evan. Lysacek became the first American to win men's gold since Brian Boitano in...
- 2/19/2010
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
Men's figure skating was a nail-biter Thursday night (Feb. 18) as Evan Lysacek waited to see if one of the best performances of his career would be good enough to win him the gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
It was.
Lysacek, wearing an all-black outfit accented by a raised sparkling snake decoration encircling his neck, was very much like a snake himself, coiling very deliberately before every major technical element was executed ... and then landing them on sure feet.
By the end of the program, Lysacek showed the crowed just how proud he was for nailing the program, face grimacing with emotion and fist raised and pumped during spins and glides.
The champ had to wait through all the rest of the programs, however, to discover his fate since his biggest competition, Yevgeny Plushenko, who was previously in the lead after the men's short program, skated last in the free skate.
It was.
Lysacek, wearing an all-black outfit accented by a raised sparkling snake decoration encircling his neck, was very much like a snake himself, coiling very deliberately before every major technical element was executed ... and then landing them on sure feet.
By the end of the program, Lysacek showed the crowed just how proud he was for nailing the program, face grimacing with emotion and fist raised and pumped during spins and glides.
The champ had to wait through all the rest of the programs, however, to discover his fate since his biggest competition, Yevgeny Plushenko, who was previously in the lead after the men's short program, skated last in the free skate.
- 2/19/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Getty Images
Evan finally ended Russia’s incredible winning streak!
Dressed in a slick black outfit, complete with decorative snakes (yes, snakes) figure skater Evan Lysacek, 24, dominated last night’s men’s figure skating competition with an overall score of 257.67 points. The last time Team USA took home the gold in this event was in 1988 when Brian Boitano skated his way to Olympic victory. Evan’s score helped him to narrowly defeat former Olympic champ, Russia’s Yevgeny Plushenko, 27, who took home silver with 256.36 points.
The bronze medal went to Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi, 23, who ended the competition with 247.23 points. He would have fared better if he hadn’t fallen down while attempting his first quadruple jump.
When Evan’s big win was announced, coach Frank Carroll congratulated him with a big hug, and these words, according to the New York Times: “My God, you’re the gold medalist! You are the Olympic champion!
Evan finally ended Russia’s incredible winning streak!
Dressed in a slick black outfit, complete with decorative snakes (yes, snakes) figure skater Evan Lysacek, 24, dominated last night’s men’s figure skating competition with an overall score of 257.67 points. The last time Team USA took home the gold in this event was in 1988 when Brian Boitano skated his way to Olympic victory. Evan’s score helped him to narrowly defeat former Olympic champ, Russia’s Yevgeny Plushenko, 27, who took home silver with 256.36 points.
The bronze medal went to Japan’s Daisuke Takahashi, 23, who ended the competition with 247.23 points. He would have fared better if he hadn’t fallen down while attempting his first quadruple jump.
When Evan’s big win was announced, coach Frank Carroll congratulated him with a big hug, and these words, according to the New York Times: “My God, you’re the gold medalist! You are the Olympic champion!
- 2/19/2010
- by Andy Swift
- HollywoodLife
• Tiger Woods’s wife, Elin Nordegren, draped herself in Nike wear yesterday, on the eve of his public apology. Was she showing her support for her philandering husband by flashing the swoosh of Woods’s loyal sponsor, or has Nike decided to start sponsoring her instead? Their new motto: “Just Endure It.” [NY Post] • After pinning down interest rates at historic lows for over a year to jolt financial markets, the Federal Reserve has raised rates on short-term loans, causing plunges in overseas stocks and boosting the rising dollar even further. [NY Post] • Could Conan O'Brien be taking his act to Broadway? The beleaguered, flame-pompadoured funnyman is contractually barred from appearing on TV before September, but there's nothing to stop him from hitting the boards. [Page Six] • Noted candy enthusiast and felon Lil Wayne underwent eight root canals in one sitting, leading some to speculate the rapper will change his moniker to Teeth-Pain. [TMZ] • American figure skater Evan Lysacek—who,...
- 2/19/2010
- Vanity Fair
The medals in men's figure skating will be decided tonight (NBC, 8 p.m. Et). With less than one point separating first from third, the top of the podium is up for grabs. Here, a look at the free skates for the Top 6 competitors. Russia's Yevgeny Plushenko (currently sitting in first) at the European Championships: USA's Evan Lysacek at U.S. Nationals: Japan's Daisuke Takahashi at the Grand Prix Final Japan's Nobunari Oda at Cup of China Switzerland's Stéphane Lambiel at the European Championships (the commentators' reaction when he falls during the footwork sequence at 3:35 = priceless): USA's Johnny Weir at U.
- 2/18/2010
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
The men's is the deepest figure skating field at the Vancouver Games, and last night's short programs showed why. Less than a point now separates Russia's Yevgeny Plushenko, America's Evan Lysacek (our Olympic Stud of the Day), and Japan's Daisuke Takahashi going into Thursday's medal-deciding free skate (8 p.m., NBC). Let's take a closer look: • While defending gold medalist Plushenko's performance was obviously good, I'm obsessed with the package NBC ran on him before it. I'm pretty sure the editor of it is using it as an audition reel for the fourth Bourne film. (Yevgeny did his interview driving the...
- 2/17/2010
- by Mandi Bierly
- EW.com - PopWatch
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