I ask because, well, HERE COMES NORWAY. Earning a pair of golds in each of the last two day, Norway was jumped right back into contention for the most gold medals. Team USA has six golds and still leads the chase, but Norway now is right on their heels with five. Germany has four. Suddenly my 12/1 play on Norway which looked dead after Norwegian favorites fell flat the first couple days of the Olympics is in better shape than my even money play on Germany. Not that the Germans are out of it with four golds. The race is on. As for the overall medal count, the race might be over. Team USA is on the verge of lapping the field. With 20 medals, they are now seven better than Germany, their biggest lead over the Germans during this Olympiad. They have twice as many medals as any other country, a margin they’ve held since the opening day of competition. While I am excited that the 12/1 play on golds is in play, the smarter bettors are the ones with 4/1 plays on Team USA to win the most medals and the most golds. I’d be shocked at this point if one of those didnt come in. The games enter their second week. The hockey tournaments pick up in stakes. And there are plenty of Nordic events left for Norway to get more golds and steal this thing.
AMERICANS BREAK OUT THEIR ALL STARS…….AGAIN
Look for Team USA to try and bite back today. They have three of their biggest stars today going for medals in Lindsey Vonn, Shanni Davis and Apolo Ahton Ohno. The speed skating events will be basically held live during NBC’s prime time. Vonn’s ski race will be on tape delay during the broadcast, so we’re on No Spoiler alert this afternoon. Unless we watch the action via live stream on Canada’s TSN website, of course.
Vonn goes in her third event, looking for her second medal. But, she is hardly just the story. American won only 2 medals in Torino. This season Team USA skiers have a total of six medals through four events. Bode Miller and Julie Mancusco have two apiece. The Americans have never medalled in every Alpine event during an Olympiad. While there is a long way to go before they accomplish that, they still have not been shutout from the podium yet in Vancouver.
Today, it’s the Women’s Super G. If the betting odds tell us anything, its dont expect the American streak to end today. Vonn is the heavy favorite to take the gold medal from this 53-skier field. She is listed as 8/11 at BoDog and as pricey as -200 at sportbook. Two hours before the race, you cant even find odds at BetUs, perhaps in a move to stop one sided betting on the American. She is skiing 17th today, so her run will take place sometime during the mid-2:00 hour est. Her American teammate Julie Mancusco is the first out of the gates this afternoon. It’ll be interersting to see if she can set a blazing pace. She’s already earned two silvers this Olympiad, so nobody on the women’s side is skiing better than her right now. To take the gold, she’s a 9/1 shot. It’s also not a women’s Alpine race without the ubiquetous European stars Marie Riesch and Anja Paerson. They both had disappointing downhills, but rallied to take gold and bronze in the combined event. Both go off at 5/1 odds today. Reisch, the German, skis 12th, while the Swede Paerson skis after Von in the 21st slot.
Vonn owned this event last season, winning 5 straight races to close the season. She won the World Cup for this event. She hasnt been quite as dominant this season and perhaps in the results of those events can you find a solid a darkhorse. Elisabeth Goergel of Austria beat Vonn two months ago in this event. You know she’s skiing well this week after her bronze in the downhill. She’s listed at 16/1 Fraenzi Auftenblatter also beat Vonn in a different December world cup event and the Swiss skier is 28/1.
It’s North America versus Asia in the men’s 1,000 short track speed skate. American hero Apolo Anton Ohno is a 13/2 play to win gold, but more money is expected to come in on a pair of South Korean rivals. Ho Suk Lee and Jung Suk Lee are listed at 13/8 and 9/4 and are more chalky than Ohno.South Korean Si Bak Sung at 5/1, Canadien Chad Hamelin at 8/1 and American John Robert Celski is 22/1 round out the top six favored bets. You’ll recall a week ago, Team USA got its medal hunt off to an awesome start when Ohno and Celski took silver/bronze after a wipeout on the final turn ruined a Korean sweep. It’ll be interesting to see how those emotions play out tonight. Are the Koreans tight? Are the Americans loose? And Canadian Hamelin didnt even qualify for the finals. Can he rebound? This should be a fun race this evening.
For some reason, the book I use is posting the odds for the women’s 1,500 short track skate in some form of Asian script. Oh, no wait, it’s because the only people you can bet on are from China, Japan or Korea. Six of the top nine favorites are from the Asian block. Skate chalk is China’s Yang Zhou at even odds with South Korea’s Eun Byul Lee on her heels at +150. American Katharine Reutter stands an excellent chance at breaking up any possible Far East sweep off the podium. She’s 5/1 to take gold, putting her in third favored status, along with China’s Lin Lin Sun.
Three rounds of skating this evening for both events. And, it will be a late one as the women’s final wont skate until 10:50 est and the men’s final at 11:05.
On the long track this evening, the event of the day is the men’s 1,000. First skaters go off at 7:15 est, so all the contenders will be skating live for the podium spots during NBC’s first hour of live coverage this evening. And, its where the rubber meets the road in the Red, White and Blue intra-rivalry between Shanni Davis and Chad Hendricks. The two have clashed in the past, the latest being Hendrick’s public statements against Davis for not skating on the team relay. Davis is going for his second gold of the Games and is heavy chalk at -200. Hendricks did win a bronze medal in the 1,500 earlier, but that was more a surprise. This is his best event. And, he’s the second favorite to win gold at 4.5/1. There are 19 pairs of skaters and Hendricks and Davis skate in the final two pairs respectively. Canadian Denny Morrison at 7/1 and South Korean Mae Te-Bum is 9/1 offer the best chances to break the American duo at the top. A third American Trevor Marsicano is 12/1.
Me? I am pulling for Norwegian Havaard Bokko at 18/1. He really is the best chance, and a slim one at that, the Norwegians have to grab a gold in any of these events. With Reisch in the women’s skiing today the Germans only true hope in these three events, my future bets might not be able to survive another American gold rush.
A MUST WIN FOR NORWAY ON THE TRAILS
If Norway wants to keep this charge going, it needs to pick up a gold medal in the cross country skiing today with the men’s 30K. The have the top-seed in the race Peter Northug. He is even money chalk at offshores with nordic skiiing lines this morning. His top challengers are Swissmen Dario Cologne ate 2.5/1, Czechosolvakian Lucas Bauer, 6.1 and Sweden’s 12/1. It started off as a poor Olympics for Norwegian nordic skiers. But that’s changed in recent days with Marjet Bjoerjen picking up golds in two straight women’s events raced in the last three days. Can that magic roll over to the men’s side. Considering the expected golden haul of Team USA with Vonn, Davis and perhaps even Ohno, the Norwegians need to stay hot on the trials. That means its a must win for Northug. I wonder if I should Twitter him to tell him that I’m on his side. Race begins at 4:30 est.
The Germans wont win a gold today, barring a major upset, unless Reisch skis to gold in the women’s Super-G. And, that in and of itself would be an upset. But, the bobsled events begin today, and, of course, expect the Germans to be in thick of it for gold in every event. Tonight, the first two of four runs are raced in the men’s 2-man bobsled. While the Swiss top team of Hefti and Lamparter are the trendy pick to win, per SI’s medal projections, the betting public thinks otherwise. The German tandem of Andre Lange and Kevin Kuskie are -250 chalk. That means they are favored by more in this event than Vonn and Davis are in theirs. The Swiss duo are 2.5/1. The Germans have a second sled in the race that could win with Florshuetz and Kuhne catching 5/1 odds. The top American team of Holcomb and Tomasevicz are 40/1 to win, Napier/Langton 50/1 and Kohn/Cunningham 100/1 . Dont Book It.
CURLING, HOCKEY DRAMA
Otherwise, there is drama today as curling and hockey continue their round robin plays. The saga of Jon Schuster and the men’s curling team is playing out this afternoon. After missing on four straight game winning shots in Team USA’s 0-4 start, Schuster was benched. They beat France yesterday, but Schuster is back in the lineup today. Everyone of their matches has come down to the final shot. If a football and basketball team played that many close games, I would announce to the world to always play the underdog in their games. Is the men’s curling team the same thing? They were heavy dogs today at 2/1 to win. I’d take my chances on a final shot with a 2/1 payout. But, with no spread to cushion a loss, is it a wise bet given Team USA’s luck this week. I’m not sure, but I’ll be watching.
Sadly, the men’s 0-4 start likely kocked them out of medal contention. Top 4 of the 10 teams advance in the medal round. The women are in 7th place, but in a bit of a better spot. They’re 1.5 games out of fourth place, but have a chance to make up a full game today by beating Great Britian, the current fourth place team. It would be an upset, however, as the Brits are -275 to win and USA is 2/1. The other big match takes place on the men’s side between Canada and Great Britian. Canadian bettors must be loading up. They’re -292 to win, close to 1/3 odds, at pinnacle sports to win.
Positioning for the bottom half of the men’s ice hockey draw is also on the line today as the project 3rd and 4th place teams in all three pools go head to head in their final games before the knockout stage. Switzerland is -2.5 over Norway (3:00), Slovakia is -2.5 over Latvia (7:30) and Germany and Belarus is a pick ‘em (midnight). So, what’s at stake in these games? Slovakia probably has the most on the line. If they win and the Russians lose tomorrow to the Czechs, they would finish in second place in their pool and be the sixth seed in the knockout tournament. They should win their first game and then they’re an upset away from the medal round. All six teams playing today were projected to be seeded 7-12 when the tournament began and would need a pair of upsets to reach the medal round. Slovakia has a chance to increase its chances to at least play for a medal if they win and things break right tomorrow. The Swiss, a very dangerous team, can win and put themselves in a winnable first round situation come Tuesday. Germany and Belarus play with the winner avoiding the 12th or 11th seed and a game with one of the Big 6 in the opening knockout round. It’s looking like the loser of this one, Norway and Latvia will be the bottom three seeds. The best goal differential will be in 10th and at least avoid a Big 6 team right off the bat. So, counting goals will be important. Among the four winless teams, those standings are Belarus -6, Germany -7, Latvia -9 and Norway -13.
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway'Today, it’s the Women’s Super G. If the betting odds tell us anything, its dont expect the American streak to end today. Vonn is the heavy favorite to take the gold medal from this… [...]
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway'Today, it’s the Women’s Super G. If the betting odds tell us anything, its dont expect the American streak to end today. Vonn is the heavy favorite to take the gold medal from this… [...]
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway'Today, it’s the Women’s Super G. If the betting odds tell us anything, its dont expect the… [...]
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway'Today, it’s the Women’s Super G. If the betting odds tell us anything, its dont expect the… [...]
[...] He is even money chalk at offshores with nordic skiiing … See the original post here: Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway' Share [...]
[...] He is even money chalk at offshores with nordic skiiing … See the original post here: Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway' Share [...]
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway' [...]
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway' [...]
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway'But, the bobsled events begin today, and, of course, expect the Germans to be in thick of… [...]
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway'But, the bobsled events begin today, and, of course, expect the Germans to be in thick of… [...]
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway'But, the bobsled events begin today, and, of course, expect the Germans to be in thick of it for gold in every event. Tonight, the first two of four runs are raced in the men’s 2-m… 2 Man Bobsled from FriendFeed [...]
[...] Winter Olympics: What's Norwegian For 'Here Comes Norway'But, the bobsled events begin today, and, of course, expect the Germans to be in thick of it for gold in every event. Tonight, the first two of four runs are raced in the men’s 2-m… 2 Man Bobsled from FriendFeed [...]