Before we get back to the action, we have to check in on the world's favorite soap opera, "As the QISE Turns". In our last episode, not-Russian skater Kamila Valieva got a positive test for a banned substance that could have increased her endurance--but the results didn't come out until a day after the Figure Skating Team event. If her performance were to be dropped, not-Russia would be out, and the US would get another gold. (Yes, and Japan would get so-so silver, and Canada shameful bronze, whatever).
After tense deliberations by the august "Court of Arbitration for Sport" overnight, it was determined (perhaps in deference to yesterday's Superb Owl)--to punt the decision. Valieva will be allowed to skate in the women's competition, partly due to her status as a 15-year old "protected person" (last time I checked, this was not "QISE Junior"--she is being treated as an adult to compete). They will decide later if she should have been allowed to compete or not, and if the team results should stand or not--presumably under cover of darkness. There will be no team medal ceremony during the games, and the competitors will receive their medals in the mail in 6-8 weeks.
So when you see the medal count, just put a big ol' asterisk next to it. There's a lot of pushback online on penalizing Valieva, since she was likely just told to take something by her coaches, and since Not-Russia is Not-Russia due to widespread organized doping...
The moral of this story--if you're going to cheat, do so as a kid, as 15 year olds are blameless, holy creatures.
Meanwhile, back to last night's delayed coverage--QISE actually started earlier than planned, so it's fortunate I TiVo'd the Superb Owl. Torico, on the field at So Fi Stadium, threw us across the Pacific to the finals of Women's Monobob. The commentators try their best to relate this to the football fans. "They are the wide receivers of sliding". "It's like having Bill Belichick and Tony Dungy as your coaches". They have two great US Monobob storylines tailor-made for the broadcast. Kallie Humphries just became a US citizen in December in order to compete for America (this was after what NBC calls "some issues" with the Canadian team--actually "mental and emotional harassment"). 37 year-old Elana Meyers Taylor just got out of COVID quarantine (missing her chance to be the US flag-bearer), and wasn't able to see her newborn son for over a week. They finished gold and silver...and this is why they add new sports to QISE.
Off to the Ice Dancing finals--Tanith and Johnny at the mikes. He refers to a performance as if "you are watching something behind closed doors", and another as if he "walked into a store I couldn't afford". Do you think Johnny comes up with these on the spot, or does he have writers? If you listen to the onsite PA, as soon as the final performance is scored, they essentially say "you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here". NBC wraps it up with a rerun of the Women's 500m Speed Skating, and the medal ceremony for the Women's Monobob.
Late night kicks off with Men's Big Air. The onscreen graphic listing each competitor includes the "stance", one of which is "goofy". From now on, if someone asks for my stance on an important subject, that's how I will respond. Then we check in on Shiffrin as she does her Downhill training runs.
Torico brings us "breaking news" aka the Valieva scandal. While Tara and Johnny apply their makeup, we go to Women's SlopeStyle--all Eileen Gu, all the time. Then back to Shiffrin for a quick interview, and then it's Tara and Johnny (clearly rushed into place, as their fashions are meh). Stonefaced, they strongly disagreed with the decision. Tara was the same age as Valieva when she competed, and she understands the pressure, but QISE must be clean. Johnny: "I have to condemn this decision with every ounce of my soul." Torico noted that the Not-Russians are already under probation. Tara said she was quite aware about the need to avoid banned substances at the time, even avoiding eating a poppy-seed bagel. Both of them were doing drug tests in their early teens.
Off to afternoon coverage--Lowe brings us up to date, then sends us off to Women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying. Then it's Men's Team Ski Jump, and NBC's fixation on measuring things based on large objects. Lowe stepped in for a review of the Valieva debacle, with no new info. Off to reruns of Women's SlopeStyle, a Shiffrin interview, and the Monobob. Seems like the NBC crew wanted the afternoon off after yesterday.
Prime Time begins with--a video review of yesterday, including the Superb Owl (enough already!). Torico, back in the US QISE studio, sends us to Two Man Bobsled (right after these messages). Then off to the Women's SlopeStyle medal round, where they are dealing with extreme cold.
More to come.