|
|
Post by Dr. Matt on Feb 12, 2010 20:35:41 GMT -4
I won't post the video because I really can't stand watching it again, but Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed this morning when he was ejected from the luge track in Whistler this morning and struck a steel post traveling 143 km/h (about 90mph).
I saw it first earlier before they declared the guy was dead, and they were replaying it a lot. It's incredibly hard to watch: he comes around a corner, comes off the sled, bounces from one side of the track to the other, then comes to a violent stop against a post.
I can't even imagine what are going through his teammates and all the other lugers heads. They just showed his whole run on the news, and you can see the determination in his face as he's starting the run.
Just fucking tragic, man.
|
|
|
|
Post by Chris Cyrus on Feb 12, 2010 21:53:12 GMT -4
Damn... That sucks.
|
|
|
|
Post by President Jeff on Feb 13, 2010 12:39:32 GMT -4
Man, I woke up this morning, turned on sports center and thats the first thing I saw. Fuck that was sick. How is that sport even legal, these guys have no protection going at high speed. I wouldn't be surprised if changes are made to that sport after this inncident
|
|
|
|
Post by Level-Two on Feb 13, 2010 13:30:53 GMT -4
Man, I woke up this morning, turned on sports center and thats the first thing I saw. Fuck that was sick. How is that sport even legal, these guys have no protection going at high speed. I wouldn't be surprised if changes are made to that sport after this inncident I can hear it already... ''BAN DEY LUGERS NOWZ'' It's an extreme sport; and things like this unfortunately happen. I'm sure they knew the risks involved. The media (like always) just wants to thumb their nose around and push the notion that the sport needs to be changed to be more safer. One underwear bomber on a plane; we all need naked body scanners at airports. Rising incidents in France of women and men killing each-other; so screaming at your wife in public is illegal. Some guy shoots another on a bus; and we need cameras in busses. If it just saves one life it's worth it.Bullshit. Same thing here. With this though, they'll end up forgetting it before they actually get to attempt to make any changes to the sport; I don't think it needs any as unfortunate as it is. What they'd actually change? I don't know. If it wasn't at the olympics; with the entire world watching, this accident would get a paragraph in a local newspaper at best. If people die in this sport all the time, then you already know it's dangerous. If they don't; then it's a rare accident, which can happen in virtually any sport. Still; you absolutely have to DREAD the media airing his death all over television not even after 24 hours of his death. Fucking pigs. |
|
|
|
Post by biggs on Feb 13, 2010 14:06:22 GMT -4
Hear hear, Level-One. The fact of the matter is that we didn't need to see the crash on television. The coverage, specifically on CNN, was classless, and focused too much on sensationalism. Luge is an extreme sport that is very dangerous, and the athletes know that at anytime it could all go wrong. Dedicating the opening ceremony to him was a good move, though.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Matt on Feb 13, 2010 15:35:34 GMT -4
A few thoughts:
1) CTV (the channel broadcasting the Olympics in Canada) showed the footage again and again in the afternoon right after it happened; before they announced he was dead and before they even knew who he was. My parents had come over, and my dad turned on the Olympics, and it was pretty much right when it happened. 143 km/h into a steel post? The guy was fucking dead. He was flying and came to a complete stop and was just motionless.
They knew damn well the guy was dead.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think they shouldn't have ever showed the footage. You know, maybe show it once, just so people really understand the gravity of the situation, you know? But playing it again and again. Hell, after it was all confirmed, and CTV did the whole "this is disturbing footage, etc."; they showed it, THEN DID A SLOW MOTION REPLAY. Come on.
2) People complaining they didn't give him enough recognition in the opening ceremony. I think what they did was touching. It was a night for celebration. Many things had been planned months in advance. Give him a proper tribute during the medal ceremony for the luge. Something they can plan out and make really thoughtful. I think that'd be better than whatever they could've slapped together last minute.
3) They were discussing this morning "Is this track too dangerous?" Dude. Someone got thrown out. The answer is "yes". It's not a discussion anymore.
Now, granted, many lugers have come on and said it's never happened before. No one thought it could happen. Really, I think it was a freak accident.
Face it, you could die doing any sport. You could slip on the pommelhorse and break your neck. You could get a line drive to your throat in baseball and crush your larynx. You can't go banning things because of million to one chances.
Yeah, people are saying "why was their no protection on the poles"? Because, if in hundred years of the sport, no one has ever been ejected from the track, then, you know, people think it won't happen. Maybe people think they should've still thought it could happen, but Hindsight is 20/20.
4) All in all, it's still a shame that this kid died when he was about to compete in the olympics. I won't say he died doing what he loved, because I have no idea who he was. It's just a fucking shame he is known for this. It's tragic that if this never happened, he most likely would've finished in the 30s or 40s and would just be another face in the crowd.
|
|
