RON AND DON

I take it back: The Winter Olympics can be impressive

Feb 12, 2018, 12:05 PM | Updated: 12:06 pm

winter olympics...

A visitor walks along the beach near the Olympic Rings in Gangneung, South Korea, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2018. Gangneung is the site of the coastal cluster which will host ice hockey, figure skating, speedskating, short track and curling for the 2018 Olympics. The 2018 Pyeongchang Games will be held from Feb. 9 to 25. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A week ago or so, I said that I was having a hard time getting into the Winter Olympics this year. I just didn’t know any athletes beyond Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White.

RELATED: What we hate to admit about Tom Brady

But one of the advantages of having a horrible flu is you have plenty of time to veg out in front of the TV. I went down the rabbit hole on a few things.

Winter Olympics: Curling

First, I really want to try curling. I watched this for an hour or so on the Canadian television feed. In case you’re unaware, curling involves teams of either two or four people sliding a big round stone on ice while a teammate sweeps a broom vigorously in front of the sliding puck. There’s a lot of yelling and special shoes.

I know they are the best in the world, but it seems like I could pick this up in couple of hours and have a basic understanding of the
strategy and technique. Honestly, it looks more like an excuse for Canuks to drink beer and get of the house in the winter than an actual Olympic event. I don’t think you should be able to watch the world championships of any sport and say, “I bet I could do that.”

Figure skating

Which brings me to figure skating. Evidently, this must be ratings gold for television. There is a lot of figure skating on. But I’m surely
not watching someone do a triple Salchow and thinking that I could pull it off.

In my cold-med induced haze, I have been kind of obsessed with the skaters that can pull of the quad flip in skates. That’s four complete spins in the air in under a second while landing backwards on one blade.

I did a little research and according to an article in WIRED magazine, a skater is spinning at least 340 revolutions-per-minute to pull off the quad. At the maximum spin rate, it’s over 400 rpm. Figure skating phenom Nathen Chen tops out at almost 440 rpm. They then land on one blade with the equivalent of 6-8x their body weight of force — on one blade and backwards.

It’s breathtaking to watch the sheer athleticism of this move. Scientists are arguing over whether it’s physically possible for
someone to do five spins.

So I guess I’m warming up to Winter Olympics after all. Just don’t get me started on the physics of snow cross.

You can hear “What are we talking about here?” everyday at 4:45 p.m. on 97.3 FM.

More from Ron Upshaw

Ron and Don

...

KIRO Newsradio Newsdesk

Ron and Don’s last show on KIRO Radio

Last night was Ron and Don’s last show on KIRO Radio.

5 years ago

Kelly Herzberg in her natural habitat. (Photo by Rachel Belle)...

Rachel Belle

In Seattle, a personal shopper and stylist who only shops at thrift stores

If you think you can't afford a personal stylist, head to the thrift store with Sweet Kelly Anne Styling's Kelly Herzberg who will pull hundreds of pieces for you to try on.

5 years ago

Viaduct waterfront...

Ron Upshaw

What do we do with the waterfront after the viaduct is gone?

After the viaduct is taken down, we'll be left with a choice: What do we do with one of the most beautiful waterfronts in the country?

5 years ago

(MyNorthwest)...

Ron Upshaw

Shower Thoughts: Ichiro can give Mariners fans something to root for

Rumor has it that Ichiro might make a comeback next year, and I for one welcome it.

5 years ago

Border wall...

Ron Upshaw

Trying to figure out why people want Trump’s border wall

A little over 40 percent of Americans now support the idea of a border wall, but what is it about it that seems so attractive?

5 years ago

Dan McCartney, Pierce County Sheriff...

Don O'Neill

Why you could hear kids’ voices on Pierce County Sheriff radios Monday night

Sometimes, "gone but not forgotten" isn't always how slain officers are remembered. But in Pierce County, a special effort is being made to commemorate a fallen deputy.

5 years ago

I take it back: The Winter Olympics can be impressive