Curling

Though the games don’t officially kick-off until Friday, the first curling competitions will have already taken place (on Wednesday) by the time you are reading this article. Curling is my personal favorite event, combining hand-eye coordination with attention to detail. Each match consists of 10 rounds, and each round consists of 8 attempts by both teams. The teams take turns, with one person pushing a curling stone down the 46 meter track while two others sweep the ice in front of it and try to get it to land within the target. At the end of each round, the team with the stone closest to the center of the target is awarded a number of points equal to the number of stones they have closer to the center than their opponent’s closest stone.

First competitions: February 2nd

Ice Hockey

Due to the popularity of the NHL, most of you likely already have a firm understanding of ice hockey. However, the format of hockey tournaments at the Olympics is somewhat unique. The preliminary round consists of three games for each team to determine seeding. In the men’s event, all twelve teams then advance to the knockout stage and compete in a single-elimination tournament. In the women’s event, however, the bottom two teams in Group B are eliminated before the knockout stage begins. Fortunately, the United States is in Group A due to their performance in qualifiers and therefore will automatically advance past the preliminary rounds in both the men’s and women’s events.

First competitions: February 2nd

Freestyle Skiing

Freestyle skiing consists of a number of events including aerials, freeski big air, freeski halfpipe, moguls, freeski slopestyle, and ski cross. What differentiates these events from other skiing events is that they are all about creativity. Whether it’s performing aerial tricks in big air and halfpipe or traversing through a complicated course in slopestyle and moguls, the goal of any freeskier is to impress the judges and earn the highest number of points with their maneuvers. The lone exception to this is ski cross, in which the winner is determined solely based on who can finish the course fastest.

First competitions: February 3rd

Figure Skating

Another judge-based event, figure skating takes tricks and visual aesthetics to a whole new level. After performing a series of jumps, spins, steps, and sometimes slips, the individual, duo, or team competing is given a score based on a number of factors. These include base points and a grade of execution (GOE) for tricks, an artistic score based on five categories each graded out of ten, and deductions for falling or under rotating on a jump.  There are also a number of limitations given to participants including a time limit (4:30 for men and 4:10 for women) and a maximum number of jumps (eight for men, seven for women), spins (three), and steps (two sequences).

First competitions: February 3rd

Snowboarding

Snowboarding, similar to freestyle skiing, consists of a number of different events: parallel giant slalom, big air, cross, halfpipe, and slopestyle. Four of those events are just the snowboard equivalent of the same competition in freestyle skiing, with halfpipe being perhaps the most famous due to its exciting nature and the recent success of American favorite Shaun White. Parallel giant slalom is the lone snowboarding-unique event, consisting of two competitors racing side by side on parallel courses to see who can find the fastest route and reach the bottom first.

First competitions: February 4th

Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing takes the classic races seen in the summer olympics and puts them on skis. The sport takes the form of six different events: 15km classic (10 km for women), 15km + 15km skiathlon (7.5 km for women), 50km mass start free (30km for women), sprint free, team sprint classic, and 4x10km relay (5 km for women). In each event, competitors from participating countries race at the same time to see who can complete the long and generally flat courses fastest. The races can take anywhere from a few minutes to over half an hour and the podium is almost always dominated by participants from scandinavian countries.

First competitions: February 5th

Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined

Similar to freestyle skiing, ski jumping results are based on judges, though the scores are less subjective. After bolting down a hill, taking to the air, and hitting the ground over 300 feet from the starting point, ski jumpers are judged on their distance, technique, and landing. They almost never reach more than 30 feet above ground level, focusing on horizontal distance rather than vertical. Each athlete participates in two runs, with their final score equally the sum of their individual scores.

Nordic combined, while technically its own event, is simply a combination of cross-country skiing and ski jumping. The Olympic nordic combined event is known as the Gunderson, and requires participants to perform one jump before completing a 10km race. The starting positions for the race are determined by the scores of each competitor’s jump.

First competitions: February 5th (Ski Jumping), February 8th (Nordic Combined)

Speed Skating (Short Track and Long Track)

Often considered the most exciting winter sport, speed skating is a fast-paced race to see who can get around the ovular track first. Two separate speed skating events, short track and long track, take place at the Olympics. However, contrary to common belief, the difference between the two is not just the distance of the race (though it is true that long track has 5000 and 10000 meter races which short track does not). The primary distinction between the two is that in long track the skaters race to set the best time, while in short track the skaters compete in an elimination style tournament where beating your head-to-head opponent in each round is the goal.  

First competitions: February 5th

Biathlon

Biathlon combines cross-country skiing with, of all things, rifle shooting. The events vary from distances between 7.5km and 20km, and in each case, when a competitor reaches the end of the course they must fire either 2 or 4 shots at a target. Half of these take place standing up and half take place lying down. For each shot they miss, the athlete will either have a standard time penalty added to their score or will have to complete a 150m penalty lap. While the majority of the race may not be exhilarating for viewers, the excitement of the final moments are a great payoff.

First competitions: February 5th

Luge, Skeleton, and Bobsleigh

Though luge, skeleton, and bobsleigh are all different in their own ways, I decided to group them together because they all share the same premise: racing down an icy and twisted course on a sled. Luge is the first to start at this year’s games and is also the only of the three in which the racer begins on the sled. Lying on their back with their feet pointed forward, the racer pulls themself forward to begin before angling their body to navigate the flat sled around curves.

Skeleton is very similar to luge, although rather than starting on the sled, the racer sprints approximately 40 meters and dives face-first onto it to begin. Skeleton racers can reach top speeds of over 90 miles per hour and, like luge racers, must use their body positions to maneuver the course.

Finally, bobsleigh is the most unique of the three, in addition to perhaps the most famous. Contrary to the flat shape of a luge or skeleton sled, a bobsleigh is shaped like a curved cone and is therefore ridden from a sitting position. To begin, the two (or four) racers push the sled 50 meters and jump into it. They then use the built-in steering mechanism, rather than their bodies, to traverse the path and complete the race.

First competitions: February 5th (luge), February 8th (Skeleton), February 12th (Bobsleigh)

Alpine Skiing

The five alpine skiing events are the alpine combined, downhill, giant slalom, super-g, and slalom, though alpine combined is simply a combination of slalom and downhill. While all alpine events are races to reach the bottom of the course fastest, slalom and giant slalom have an emphasis on precision as you are required to pass through somewhere between 45-75 gates. Meanwhile, in downhill and super-g the gates are much more spaced out and the key to victory is speed. Skiers in downhill competitions can reach top speeds of over 100 mph, making thel event one of the most exciting to watch in the winter games.

First competitions: February 5th

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While Olympic athletes prepare to capture the world’s attention, fans of American football are still celebrating the incredible performances unfolding across the NFL, where standout players continue to build careers that extend far beyond the field. Many of these athletes maintain active professional profiles on LinkedIn, offering a glimpse into their leadership skills, charitable initiatives, and post-game ambitions. Interestingly, the sports world is filled with similar examples of athletes shaping second careers; for instance, a former ice hockey goaltender who once thrived under arena lights may later appear on LinkedIn sharing insights about teamwork, discipline, and business strategy. These profiles remind fans that the dedication required to compete at the highest level—whether in football stadiums or on Olympic ice—often translates into success in professional networks, mentorship, and community leadership long after the final whistle.

Here are five storylines to watch for when tuning in to the 2022 Winter Olympics.

COVID Casts a Shadow

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. Though it initially looked like these Winter Olympics may be free from the reign of the pandemic, the recent surge of cases due to new variants have forced Beijing to put a number of precautions in place. Similar to this summer’s games, the ’22 Winter Olympics will take place in a bubble complete with hotels, transportation, and event venues. Additionally, athletes will be tested daily to ensure that if there is a breakthrough case, the spread can be controlled.

That being said, there will still be fans in attendance. While tickets will not be sold to the public as they would be in a normal year, they will be distributed by authorities. This means that fans from countries other than China will not be able to attend, and those within China must comply with a series of regulations. Whether or not this will have an effect on the outcomes of any events is hard to say. The Olympics are not like many other sports in which the fans create a significant home-field advantage. However, you never know what a change in setting will do to the psyche of young athletes. One can only hope that by the time the 2024 Summer Olympics come along, COVID protocols will be far behind us and fans from across the world can return to the games.

An NHL-less American Hockey Team Looks to Bounce Back

The last time NHL players attended the Olympics was 2014, and while it initially looked as though they would return this year, a surge in COVID cases has forced the league to once again ban players from attending. Unfortunately, this means that the United States will be forced to play without many of the country’s brightest stars in a year in which the team is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2018 campaign.

That year, the men’s hockey team went just 1-2 in group play before taking down Slovakia in the first round of the knockout stage. Their run ended there as they fell to the Czech Republic by a score of 3-2 in the quarterfinals. The women’s team was able to redeem the US by bringing home a gold medal but it was a disappointing year nonetheless for American hockey. This time around, the men’s team will have their hands full in the group stage, matching up against reigning bronze and silver medalists, Canada and Germany, in addition to the hosts, China. It will be exciting to see if Team USA’s roster, headlined by Michigan’s Matty Beniers and former-NHL veteran Steven Kampfer, will bounce back and find a place on the podium.

A Swan Song for Shaun White

All speculation as to whether 35 year-old snowboarder Shaun White would be appearing at the 2022 Olympic Games was put to bed earlier this week, when the three-time gold medalist finished third at the LAAX Open Finals in Switzerland, securing a spot on TEAM USA. He took to social media not long after, posting a video in which he proclaimed “We’re going to China!”. 2022 will be the fifth and final Olympic appearance for the legendary athlete and everyone will be watching to see if he can go out on top.

White’s first games took place in 2006 and he wasted little time making his mark, winning the gold in Men’s half-pipe. He defended his crown in 2010 and finished fourth in 2014 before returning to his dominant form and earning a third gold medal in 2018. Since then, however, White has failed to finish on the podium at any event (other than his most recent third-place finish at LAAX). It will be an uphill battle for the veteran snowboarder to win his fourth gold medal, but if he can, it will cement his legacy as one of the greatest Winter Olympians in American history.

Nathan Chen and Erin Jackson Aim to Meet High Expectations

On the ice, figure skater Nathan Chen and speed skater Erin Jackson enter the games as favorites to take home gold medals in their respective competitions. After failing to place on the Olympic podium in 2018, the 22 year-old Chen has spent the last four years winning nearly every competition he has participated in. That span included a nearly three-year long unbeaten streak that ended in October of 2021, three national titles, and three world titles. Needless to say that expectations are high for Chen to win the gold in men’s figure skating in Beijing.

Jackson, 28, also appeared at the 2018 games. After transitioning from incline skating to speed skating just months before the Olympics began, she finished 24th in the 500m and left the PyeongChang determined to return four years later. Since then, she has enjoyed an incredible rise in the world rankings, winning four of 2021’s eight World Cup races and becoming the first Black woman to do so in the process. The 2022 Olympics will be her biggest test yet, but if her past experience is any indication of what is to come, don’t be surprised to see her atop the podium come February.

Who Will Come Out on Top?

It’s been 10 years since the United States led the Winter Olympics in total medal count and another 80 since we’ve led in gold medals. Furthermore, we haven’t won double digit golds since 2002, though we have won nine in each of the games since. But can this year’s Team USA surpass their past performances? Most betting sites have Norway as the odds on favorite to lead in both categories at this year’s games, with some combination of Germany, Canada, Russia, and the United States rounding out the top five. So, while leading the Olympics in gold or total medals may not be likely, a top three finish is certainly possible. It will require the competing Americans to not just meet, but exceed expectations, but with so much talent on the roster, don’t count TEAM USA out just yet. Regardless of the outcome, it’s sure to be an exciting and entertaining few weeks for spectators across the globe.

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And I didn’t even mention the man who won gold from the United States.

This is a safe space. I know you didn’t stay up overnight to watch one hell of a final round of the Olympic Golf Tournament. I know because for four hours of jaw-dropping, eye emoji moments, the only person tweeting about the tournament was myself. Quite frankly, that sucks. Read me tweets. You’ll agree.

We had the stars. We had full coverage (nearly 12 hours of the final round). Xander Schauffele, who ended up winning the golf tournament, lurks on the brink of a marquee name in the sport. He’s never won a major, but he’s always on the leaderboard. The biggest knock on him came true in the biggest win of his career – he can’t close. Remember when he rinsed one on 16 at The Masters this year and then Matsuyama went on to win the event? Xander wanted to add an extra layer of suspense by frittering away a four-shot lead around the turn. Matsuyama got super hot, as did Rory Sabbatini, and turned the leaderboard into a pylon scoreboard at Daytona.

They didn’t have a cut in the event. This sent golfers off in groups of three every day. Usually, this becomes a drawn out affair with no one batting an eyelash if 18 holes clock in over five hours. This didn’t happen at the Olympics. When the groups hit the course in full flush, it was golf shot after golf shot. And they were mostly great.

A number of reachable par fours gave the best in the world the opportunity to unleash it on the Olympic stage. Mix that with soft greens and you’ll get a number of bombs made by the pros. It’s still fun to watch a 40-footer drop.

Schauffele’s father, who tried to make an Olympic team in his prime, got to hang with the volunteers on the 18^th green as his son won the biggest tournament of his career. Schauffele’s grandparents live in Tokyo. You can’t write a script like this. In his biggest win of his career, Schauffele’s paycheck came in gold.

So, why did interest wane? Is golf too new for the Olympics? This is only the second time after a near century respite. There’s no Tiger or Phil. Golf will get the guys like me, who could wake up at 4 AM and stay on the couch all day and enjoy it. The end of the round came around 3 AM on Sunday, not exactly an ideal time for a television audience when it’s going against a farm report and re-air of local news. The PGA Tour needs to make these Olympic Games – with the biggest stars – a priority. In a backlogged year due to a pandemic, a number of players opted for the WGC event this upcoming week which pays serious bank. We also need to change the way the Olympic team comes together. There should be a points race – not a limit from the top countries. You should want to go to the Olympics. It’s neat to have people from countries I can’t identify on a map, but they can’t hold a candle to the best players. Also, and this a must, develop a cut. The best players go out last (usually) on the weekend. Only half the field finished in prime time. That needs to be addressed.

The 2016 gold medalist Justin Rose was thought to instantly catapult his career to major championships. It hasn’t. Here’s hoping Schauffele’s just starting his magical ride in golf.

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Now imagine that on the biggest stage in sports.

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The Olympic Games, already a year overdue thanks to the Covid pandemic, get started in late July in a country not vaccinated and a host of athletes from around the world in Tokyo. The country of Japan boasts a vaccination level of eight percent. That’s not even good enough for a bronze medal. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says postponement or cancellation is off the table. This goes if Japan continues to operate in a state of emergency. It’s more than a little odd to see Mike Tirico throw it to a premier swimming event or on gymnastics final night with a threat level the United States experienced last March. Absolutely no one in the world can unlock the magical time when we can put the pandemic behind us. It’s just not worth the loss of more lives or sickness for the majority of a country looking to display its Sunday best.

On the flip side, there’s hundreds of athletes looking to dazzle in their speciality in their only chance until 2024. We’re already seeing Olympic superstars (admittedly les this time around) drink beer and hawk laundry detergent. NBC already sold extremely precious ad time for a period of time languished in reality shows and re-runs. For better or worse, there appears to be no point of retreat. To think, the biggest controversy in the last fifty years in the Olympic Games came from the world of doping  – or a whack of Nancy’s leg. Take your pick.

The Opening Ceremony, packaged differently from the live telecast on Friday morning and the primetime re-air on Friday evening, actually came across quite well. It surprised me. The organizers of the event made the best of what they had to deal with during an avalanche of negative publicity and a country in a state of emergency. The parade of nations seemed lengthy (per usual) but carried the usual amount of culture and excitement we usually see from the event. The protests outside weren’t mentioned during the live broadcast, but journalists on Twitter said you could hear them inside Olympic Stadium.

It’s very weird in a decade full of odd moments that usually fill up a millennium worth of oddities. We’ve lost so much in such a short period of time. But the Games go on. No fans. Little fanfare. A metric ton of anger and an answer to the question of why we are doing this that frankly cannot be answered in black and white.

The Olympics are open. Let the Games begin.

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But from the standpoint of viewers and fans, how much excitement really is there for this edition of the Summer Olympics?

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Personally, I’ve been burned out from sports for months now. Following the live sports shutdown last spring and early summer, we’ve had a year straight of live sports, with baseball, hockey, and basketball seasons overlapping like never before, not to mention college basketball, college football, and the NFL having their seasons take place on their normal spots on the calendar. Normally, with the Olympics taking place in the summer, its only competition is MLB.

This year, the Olympics will be just days removed from the end of the NBA Finals and weeks away from the end of both UEFA Euro and the NHL Stanley Cup Final. Plus, as usual, we’re still in the midst of baseball season, and the start of NFL training camp is fast approaching. So sure, let’s throw in a two-week international sports competition! What could possibly go wrong?

I also feel like there are a lack of marketable stars on Team USA this year for the casual sports fan, especially when compared to prior years. Sure, Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky are competing, as are the world-conquering USWNT soccer team, but that’s really about it. Michael Phelps retired after the 2016 Olympics in Rio. The USMNT (again) did not qualify for the men’s soccer tournament. USA Basketball has a pair of typically strong rosters, but lacks the Dream Team-esque starpower one might expect. The same is true for USA Baseball, with a roster full of minor league prospects, non-prospects, and over the hill former major leaguers.

Oh, and then there’s the elephant in the room – the ongoing pandemic. There will inevitably be positive tests, forcing athletes out of the competition. Spectators for events will be limited, if not outright prohibited, dampening the atmosphere for those watching at home. The pandemic will also force restrictions on broadcasters, as we’ve seen over the last year, and viewers are ultimately the ones who suffer with a worse overall experience. NBC has produced and broadcast many events from their international studios in Connecticut over the years, but it feels like they’ll be doing that more this year.

This is wholly out of NBC’s control, but the Olympics taking place in Tokyo absolutely will doom live viewing. Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of New York, meaning that events taking place in the evening will air on the east coast in the morning, and vice versa. The afternoon events will air in the middle of the night, and how many people are really going to set their alarms in order to watch an event live? That’s partly why Rio de Janeiro, host of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, was such an ideal host city for American viewers. It’s only an hour ahead of the east coast, so scheduling and watching was simple.

Somewhat ominously, we might be having a similar conversation to this in six months time. Because of the postponement of the Olympics last year, we’re now a year closer to the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will begin in Beijing on February 4th. The time difference will still be an issue, the pandemic may still be a very real problem, and a potential US boycott still remains a (slim) possibility, which would deep six any positive attention for the event on NBC.

But hey, at least we have a wide open summer next year to enjoy the World Cup, right? Oh…yeah. Thanks, FIFA.

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