Terror Threats, Rights Violations, Contaminated Water, and oh yeah, Winter Sports: Final Countdown to Sochi

     Well everybody, welcome back to The Flaming Torch.  It's been a few weeks, but I think we're ready to dive into some last-minute pre-Olympics coverage.  So far, the biggest things that have come down the wire have been Russia's harsh anti-gay policies, the lurking threat of terrorism, and various other issues(like foreign reporters having their phones tapped, a lack of potable water in the accommodations, you know, minor stuff[okay maybe not]).  But believe it or not, there are actually story lines relating to actual sport.  So far we haven't had the tragic pall cast over the start of the Games like we did in 2010, when Georgian Luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed in a training accident just before the Opening Ceremonies.

     Speaking of Opening Ceremonies, we've come to expect a great deal from them over the past few years.  Who can forget Beijing's 2,008 drummers, or the theatrics of London's 2012 show(remember that giant baby?  Still creeps me out), or that giant light-up bear that showed up in Vancouver 4 years ago?  Well, the organizers are being tight-lipped with the details, but what has been gleaned from various forms of chatter is that the Ceremony will feature roughly 3,000 performers reenacting various Russian fairy tales. Anything more than that, you'll have to watch the Ceremony tomorrow night to find out.
    
     Aside from the Opening Ceremony, there's been the last minute updates on which athletes are going, and who is competing in what.  Lindsey Vonn is out, sidelined by an injury that is still bothering her.  Shaun White is still in, just not in all of his events, having just pulled out of the slopestyle contest today in order to fully focus on the halfpipe.  And then of course you've got the uniforms.  Oh, the uniforms.  First up, you've got Team Germany, who's choice of uniform color may or may not be(but probably is) a rebuttal of Russia's infamous anti-gay policies.

 

     I'm not gonna lie, those uniforms actually look pretty cool.  Speaking of uniforms, let's take a moment to talk about Hubertus Von Hohenloe, a member of Team Mexico.  As part of his skiing uniform, he is wearing a one-piece mariachi suit.  You just need to see this to believe it.

 

 

     But let's be honest.  The outfit that everybody's going to be talking about tomorrow night belongs to Team USA:

 

 

     They look like something that your grandmother would have knitted.  Nothing against Grandmothers, they're awesome, but when you're getting a product by Ralph Luaren that is being displayed on the world stage, you've gotta do better than that.  Now I know that the common defense is that these are American made, but that's like saying that you'd rather have an Edsel than a Lamborghini because it's American made.  But before I get too far onto the hate train, this isn't the first time a stunt like this has happened.  In the 1984 Winter Games, the USA delegation rolled into the stadium with a getup that looked like a short version of what Joe Namath wore to the Super Bowl with a cowboy hat on.  But beyond all of that, bad uniforms, threats, controversies, etc... The Opening Ceremonies of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games air on NBC at 6:30 PM tonight.  And then I'll be back afterwards to sum up the ceremonies and provide a look ahead to Day 1 of competition.  Let the Games begin!