Blogger Roundtable: Must-Watch Winter Olympic Sport

What is the most intriguing, must-watch Winter Olympics event and why? Here are our thoughts, now share yours. Be sure to vote in the poll above and comment below to let us know your opinion.

With the 2014 Winter Olympic Games getting underway in Sochi, Russia feelings of nationalism, patriotism, and pride in our country reach peak levels. As the most talented athletes from across the globe step into the national spotlight we will get to view some of the most classic along with some of the most strange events on a daily basis. All of the events are unique in their own sense, but some are clearly more captivating than others.

The little nuances about each sport are what makes each competition so fascinating. Figure skating and snowboarding are critiqued down to every little movement by the participants, luge, skeleton, and speed skating are all about, and bobsled and hockey are all about a team first mentality. It is a challenge to pick one favorite event, so we asked our bloggers to help you out.

What is the most intriguing, must-watch Winter Olympics event and why?

Here's a look at what our bloggers had to say:Matthew Hakimian, Featured Blogger- Men's Hockey

There's no doubt that hockey is the most intriguing event at the Winter Olympics. People might say curling or skeleton just because we only watch these sports once every four years, but lets be real here - there is no sport in the Olympics more thrilling than hockey. Unlike basketball, professional hockey stars rarely have the opportunity to represent their nations. When they have the opportunity to do so in Sochi these next couple weeks, it will absolutely be must-watch TV.

Stephen Rosen, Assistant Editor- Curling

Curling. Its a once every four years event. Unlike hockey, snowboarding or even figure skating which get coverage even in non-Olympic years, Curling is only televised during these weeks. For those who don't totally understand curling take a break and watch some of the action on CNBC or USA throughout the week. It is amazing how something that looks so simple can be so difficult. Maybe we should call it the Flappy Bird of Olympic sports. I am excited to continue this once every four year tradition and get totally wrapped in this Olympic's curling events.
Stephen Dreznick, Blog Contributor- Men's Hockey

The most intriguing sport in the Winter Olympics is men's hockey. There is violence, action and suspense all involved. Many of the other sports, such as skiing and figure skating, can be boring to watch at times. Last Olympics, the gold medal game in hockey ended on an overtime goal, in which Canada defeated the United States. The bottom line is that men's hockey is very captivating to watch and is the most intriguing sport in this year's Olympics.
Max Fogle. Editor-in-Chief-Curling

It's curling and it's not even close.  Ten ends of gut wrenching action you can't see anywhere else.  Curlers practice in underwhelming facilities for decades, all without a single paycheck, waiting for their chance at representing their country.  No precision game (darts, archery, bowling, etc.) requires the strategy of curling. And perhaps no other Olympic sport better captures the spirit of amateurism like curling.

What is the most intriguing, must-watch Winter Olympics event and why? Here are our thoughts, now share yours. Be sure to vote in the poll above and comment below to let us know your opinion.

Sochi 2014: The NHL's Return?

Will Sidney Crosby and Team Canada get to celebrate in Sochi?

It is now less than 365 days until the Olympic flame is lit and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games begin. While many questions of the game are unknown and will not be answered until right before the games, (will there be enough snow on the slopes? Or will they have to bring snow in like Vancouver in 2010?) The biggest question to hockey fans, though, should be answered soon. Will the NHL players be allowed to participate in the next winter games?

Since the 1998 Nagano Winter games, the NHL has taken a mid-season break to allow NHL players to participate in the games. The reason why the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) want NHL players is quite obvious: they want the premier talent in hockey to part take in the Olympics. The reasons why the NHL is not sure about allowing its players back also make sense: they assume all the injury risks to stop stars and get no reward in direct revenue or anything else. 

Both the IIHF and the NHL realize the need to keep the players going to the Games, especially after the success of the NHL players at the 2010 Vancouver Games. The gold medal game between the USA and Canada was an instant classic with Sidney Crosby, the NHL’s biggest star, cementing his legacy by scoring the game-winning goal in overtime. The gold medal game was watched by 32.8 million Americans, making it the most watched game since the famed “Miracle on Ice” game at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Despite the success of the Vancouver Games, why is the NHL still so skeptical about sending its players to the Sochi Games?

The NHL gets no revenues from any of the advertising the Olympics receives for the use of the NHL players participating. The NHL cannot even use the highlights or photos of the Olympics for their own marketing. The NHL would like to get use to the images and highlights from these Olympics in exchange for the NHL players participation. IOC rules, though, only allow the images from the Olympics to be used by their sponsors, which the NHL is not. But why is the NHL not considered a sponsor of the game? They provide the athletes, rather than the money, to support one of the larger winter events. Baseball was never successful at the summer games because the MLB never was willing to allow the best major leaguers to go to the Olympics. I understand the IOC's and IIHF's hesitation. After all, if they let the NHL have access to images from these Winter Games, when does the NBA start asking for the same from the Summer Game? Will FIFA ask for the same for soccer?

The NHL also wants access for its general managers and other team personal to interact with its players while in Sochi, as well. The IOC has generally been reluctant to give leagues these rights, but is it worth it for the IOC to lose top quality athletes in a major sport at the Sochi Olympics? The NHL is giving up two and half weeks of its season. It is reasonable to understand their desire to receive some sort of compensation. 

In the end, I think everyone will be shocked if the NHL, IIHF, and IOC do not agree to do a deal that allows the NHL players to return to these Olympic Games. It is something the NHL needs if it is to completely recover from its last lockout and the IIHF and IOC needs to make the ice hockey competition at the Olympics seen as a truly legitimate with the world’s best hockey players competing.