Air Guitar

Shaun White entry updated with video of air guitar national anthem.

Stephen So-Right

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This past week saw Stephen Colbert fall a little in love with Canada. Yes, the same people he once called ice-holes are impossible not to love (I beg to differ vis-à-vis Canadian roommate Greg); it looks like they love him too. In an interview with Bob Costas closing out his time in Vancouver, Colbert declared “the Canadians are uninsultable at this moment!” Affable, easy-going folk, those Canadians. He proceeds with a Dudley Do-Right impression, “Nell! Oh my sweet Nell!” Oh yeah, he’s wearing full-on Mountie regalia. Puffy pants and all. Points for people who got my title reference.

nbcolympics.com

What can we look forward to next week on the Colbert Report? Colbert was in Vancouver this past week shooting his show on an outdoor set and engaging in all manner of shenanigans at NBC where he was adopted for the week, thus granting him the right to broadcast. This is in addition to his position on the US speed skating team as assistant sports psychologist, likely allowing Colbert all manner of opportunities to “help” (read irritate) Shani Davis. I’m glad he’s not psychologizing me!

Magical moments? Colbert somehow procured a stuffed moose which he named ‘Ebersol,’ after NBC Universal Sports chairman Dick Ebersol. The moose was featured on his outdoor set where somehow Bob Costas was convinced to climb aboard, inspiring Canada’s latest touristic tagline: “Come to Canada! Ride a Moose!”

It’s gonna be big.

As a farewell gesture, the NBC interview set has adopted Ebersol, and renamed him ‘Colbert.’ Costas also got Colbert to return a favor and hop on the moose himself. And then they left him there.

Commenting the Super G

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During the men’s Super G one of the commentators described the conditions of the course thusly: “I could come down here on hockey skates and not break through that snow.”

Other great things said by the commentator? Well Bode Miller is “a young American warhorse.”

Miller, incidentally managed to take home the silver and fellow American Andrew Weibrecht took bronze, in case you missed that. Miller also took his place as the most highly decorated American Alpine skier… for the moment, dun dun dun….

And the champion? Aksel Lund Svindal, the “Norwegian Viking”/come-back kid preemptively celebrated his gold by donning some serious gold sunglasses. What a fitting accessory to have on hand.

About Those Spandex Suits

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Tony Benshoof (USA), Luge/ nbcolympics.com

Sure, the figure skating costumes get a lot of attention from the sartorially inclined, but what about everyone else gallivanting about in spandex?  Let’s talk about them.

Of course plenty are just basic, country colors, maybe a flag emblem or perhaps the ever popular visual trope for speed: flames. OK, boring. Soooo passé.

Let’s not give in to the expected, unless the expected is a crazy intense shade of orange that only the Dutch can pull off, in which case go ahead and call it ‘Svencouver’ if you mus t, in honor of Sven Kramer who arrived in Vancouver on a mission to sweep his long track events, beginning with gold in the 5000m.

latimes.com

Naturally the Dutch speed skaters are encased in typical Dutch style as seen below. Style points for having just enough orange in those uniforms. It would be a little ridiculous to have it any other way.

Forging forward we enter into realm of the unexpectedly absurd. I bring you the American Apparel-esque stylings of Team Japan! Yes in fact they are the ones sporting gold lamé unitards and I love them for it. So sassy. Especially when sometimes it appears that the gold fabric might just be a little sheer for comfort. Keep an eye out.

Eri Natori/ nbcolympics.com

Let’s close with a couple of Alpine skiing suits, shall we? The Swiss and American teams feature spandex suits referencing their respective flags. Of course the old stars and stripes end up looking a bit gaudy, but what can you do. It has a certain jazziness– playful, if you will. Julia Mancuso certainly makes it work with her teal accessories.

reuters.com

The ultimate sartorial gold however goes to the Team Switzerland who sport red and white swizzled candy cane-like suits. Ribbons twisting around the elite athletes, the Swiss flag abstracted and re-imagined. Swiss elves speeding down the slopes from their workshops… or Olympic athletes who probably hate being likened to candy canes, but I love it!

Didier Defago/ nbcolympics.com

Fabienne Suter/ nbcolympics.com

To sum it up, the Swiss have by far the best spandex on the slopes.