Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
Friday, February 10, 2006, Washington Post

Winter Games Run Hot and Cold

Sports fans are excited about the Winter Olympics that start in Turin, Italy, today. I like the Winter Games. The only problem -- not enough sports.

The Summer Olympics have more than 30, from archery to yachting. The Winter Olympics have 15 sports. The rule for the Winter Olympics is that a sport has to involve ice or snow. You can't play badminton or soccer on ice. You can't throw the shot put or do gymnastics in the snow -- although it might be pretty cool if you tried.

Still, the Winter Olympics have some great stuff, including downhill skiing. Skiers streak down the icy slopes at speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. Downhill skiing beats every other sport for heart-in-your-throat action. One mistake and a racer might be in real trouble.

The Olympic hockey tournament should be terrific, too. All the best players will be there, and the bigger Olympic rinks allow for more skating. Since the players are representing their countries instead of the Washington Capitals or the Phoenix Coyotes, for example, the games are much more exciting than the usual middle-of-the-week National Hockey League clash.

Don't forget women's hockey. The gold medal usually comes down to a showdown between the United States and Canada. That game is always a classic.

I like speedskating, too, but not the long races on the oval. I go for short-track skating. The skaters speed around and jostle for position and sometimes crash into each other. Short-track races look like bumper cars on skates.

Cross-country skiing is fun even though the United States has only one Olympic medal in the sport. In cross-country events, skiers race one another instead of just the clock.

The new snowboarding event, snowboard cross, in which four boarders race down the slope at the same time, also should get pretty wild.

But let's face it, some sports in the Winter Olympics are not so hot. I just don't get the bobsled races. I know the sleds go almost 90 miles per hour, but every run looks the same to me. Sometimes I wonder if the TV producers show the same film over and over again. Then, at the end of four runs, the medals are decided by hundredths of a second. The luge and skeleton events are not any better.

And who thought up mogul skiing? My knees get sore just watching the skiers bounce around. Mogul skiing has got to be the goofiest Olympic sport ever.

Still, I'll be watching the Olympics. Why? Because sport is the best reality TV there is. Even bobsled runs are better than "Fear Factor." And I'll take speedskating over "Skating With Celebrities" anytime.