Alright y'all, it's getting close. Twenty eight days from today to be exact. You know what I'm talking about.
Just so there's no confusion, the Olympics actually start on a Thursday this time around. Because of the addition of new events, the games begin on Thursday, Feb. 6, while the opening ceremony is on Friday, Feb. 7.
I realize I have 27 days to change my mind, but I still don't think I'll do a full blog and daily update for these games. I just don't think I have the time to dedicate to it. But you can find thoughts and general updates here - as usual.
As we get closer, I saw this article on 23 U.S. Olympic stars to watch for. No surprise, I know of most of them, but you may not. You can read the full article here and I will bore you with some more below.
J.R. Celski - short track
He's pretty much taken the torch that Apolo Ohno has been carrying for the U.S. team since Salt Lake City in 2002. He won two medals in Vancouver and is seen as the top American in Sochi,
Kelly Clark - snowboarding
She's kind of like the Shaun White of women's snowboarding. She was the inaugural gold medal winner in the event in 2002 and took bronze in 2010. She's had a lot of recent success and is looking to be back on top of the podium.
Shani Davis - speed skating
If you've watched the past two games, you should know who he is. He's the two-time defending champion in 1000m and will also look to medal in the 1500m. He has gotten silver in the 1500m the past two games. He also currently owns the world records in both events. If he wins in the 1000m again, he'll be the first American male to win the same event in three different and consecutive Olympics.
Meryl Davis and Charlie White - ice dancing
Many people immediately change the channel when they see that they are watching ice dancing. It doesn't draw the same attention as the high-powered jumping of the individual and pairs skating. But let me tell you, watching Davis and White is like watching a painter work on his masterpiece. They are enchanting and just down right amazing. They've been the top pair in the U.S. for the past six years and one of the best in the world in that time as well. They finished second in 2010 behind friends and training partners Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada. Since then, it's pretty much been all Davis and White. They won both the world championship and grand prix last year and are the favorite for gold. However, it really could go either way. Virtue and Moir closed the gap at the grand prix final, so it's pretty much these two couples and then everyone else. I'll be pretty shocked if these two don't go 1-2. Both were amazing four years ago and I think the home crowd helped put the Canadian couple on top, so we'll see who gets it done in a more neutral field. So far it's been all Meryl and Charlie. Let's hope it stays that way!
Gracie Gold - figure skating
Gold burst on to the senior scene last year after winning the world junior title in 2011. And let's just get the obvious out of the way - she has the perfect last name for an Olympian. However, she probably won't be earning gold, at least not in Sochi. The U.S. is just hoping for a medal. Gold is great when she can be consistent. When she puts it all together, she's a really fun and lovely skater to watch.
Lindsey Jacobellis - snowboarding cross
You may remember Jacobelis from 2006. She was seconds away from winning gold when she decided to throw a trick, messed it up, fell and gave up her lead to finish second. I bet she can give a great speech now on why you shouldn't showboat. Four years later she didn't medal. Now eight years later, she is back and still working for that gold.
Sarah Hendrickson - ski jumping
Sochi will be the first time the women are allowed to compete in ski jumping. For whatever reason, it was seen as one of those "too dangerous for women" sports for the Olympics prior to this. Basically, it's dangerous for anyone that does it, no matter the sex. Anyways, Hendrickson is the reigning world champion and looks to become the first Olympic champion.
Lindsey Van - ski jumping
Not to be confused with Lindsey Vonn, Van won the ski jumping Olympic trials. Won over the above mentioned Hendrickson. The chances for the U.S. are looking good in Sochi. Van was one the people who really fought to get women's ski jumping included in the Olympics. Gold, silver, bronze or nothing, her hard work has allowed her to add the word Olympian to her resume.
Steve Holcomb - bobsled
Remember when the U.S. won the four-man bobsled in Vancouver with the "Night Train"? He's back as the pilot of "Night Train Squared" and has been very successful over the last year. He's also the pilot of the two-man team and will hope to win the U.S. it's first medal in that event since 1952.
Hannah Kearney - mogul skiing
Kearney won my heart in 2010 when she said she was just excited to be part of an Olympic montage after winning gold. She looks to become the first woman to win back-to-back golds in freestyle skiing.
Ted Ligety - alpine skiing
Ligety has been one of the best U.S. men's skiers over the past decade. He didn't do too well in Vancouver, which was hard since I kind of have a crush on him. However, he's been pretty awesome lately and won gold in three events at last year's world championships.
Julia Mancuso - alpine skiing
With Vonn out, Mancuso will have her chance to shine. She's considered the best big-race competitor out there and has three Olympic medals. She's been really successful during the same time span as Vonn but has always kind of been in the shadow because she struggles at World Cup races. But this is the Olympics, so there's no bigger race than that for the gamer. Some of you may more remember her as the skier that likes to wear a tierra on the medal podium. Whatever works Julia, just win yourself some medals.
Bode Miller- alpine skiing
Yep, it's still "Miller Time." This will be Miller's fifth Olympics and he has won five medals in those games - the most by any American skier. He's coming off a knee injury from last year, but had success in races at the end of 2013 and is looking good. And let's be honest, skiing is just more fun if Bode is competing.
Heather Richardson - speed skating
I'm hearing a lot about Richardson because she's from nearby High Point, N.C. Her strength is the 1000m, but she has a chance to medal in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m.
Mikaela Shiffrin - alpine skiing
Think of Shiffrin as the Missy Franklin of the Winter Olympics. She's 18-years-old and is the current world champion in the slalom. She is the favorite to win gold in the slalom and could also medal in the giant slalom. Expect her to then take over as one of the faces of alpine skiing for the U.S.
Ashley Wagner - figure skating
Wagner finished in that dreaded spot four years ago. She was the first woman out for the U.S. team in figure skating, watching Mirai Nagasu and Rachel Flatt go to Vancouver. Instead of quitting the sport, she has been the top skater for the U.S. the past several years and skates with a new passion and fire. Now 22-years-old, she has a noticeable maturity and beauty that seems to be what international judges are looking for these days. She is the reigning two-time U.S. champion and finished fifth at worlds the last two years. The hope is that she or Gold can get on the podium and give the U.S. its first women's figure skating medal since 2006.
Seth Wescott - snowboard cross
Wescott won his second straight gold in Vancouver in a nail bitter of a race where he came from behind to win. I remember it very vividly (no surprise). He's coming off an ACL injury from last year but is still the favorite to win another gold.
Shaun White - snowboarding
Along with Lindsey Vonn, he's probably the most well known U.S. winter Olympian. I don't need to say much except that he's going for his third straight gold in the event and is still the favorite (although I think the gap has narrowed a bit). He is also looking to medal in slopestyle, a new event, which is more like snowboarding tricks down a course, rather than the halfpipe.
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