Here’s what was said on the NBC Universal networks on Monday.
First, Universal Sports.
UNIVERSAL SPORTS AT THE VANCOUVER GAMES:NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010Monday, February 22, 2010 — On the eleventh day of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Universal Sports at the Vancouver Games continues its five-hour programming block, starting at 10 a.m. ET and continuing daily until the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, February 28.Vancouver Olympic News Center and Morning Buzz:News Alerts:· The United States has 24 medals. The American delegation at the 2006 Winter Olympics Games won 25 medals overall, and 34 medals in the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City as the host nation.· The head of the Canadian Olympic Committee, Chris Rudge, acknowledged that a $117 million “Own the Podium” program – started five years ago – will not meet its stated goal, as there is no chance Canada can win the total medal count. But Rudge said it remains beneficial to have Canada’s Olympians sharing a “quantifiable goal” heading into this and future Games.Mike Eruzione, 1980 Olympic Ice Hockey Gold Medalist (on the USA vs. Canada hockey game, won by Team USA): “Any kind of sports fan, not just hockey fans, would have been excited watching that game last night.”Eruzione: “This is Canada’s game…if they don’t win the gold medal, it will be devastating. With the win last night, the U.S. took a big step toward proving that they can play with the best teams in the world.”Jeremy Bloom, 2002 and 2006 Olympian, two-time Freestyle World Cup champion and Freestyle analyst: (on whether the sport of ski cross is too dangerous): “It’s what the Winter Games are all about: dangerous sports, like downhill skiing, the halfpipe and now ski cross.”Steve Porino, Alpine Skiing Analyst: “I’m in disbelief (over the Americans’ performance in Vancouver). With eight medals, (the 2010 U.S. ski team) is the best team ever. “Features:“Call of the Day” is a new feature that challenges Terry Gannon and Lindsey Soto to correctly identify a call in a foreign language during the Universal Sports at the Vancouver Games show Morning Buzz. Today’s call was from Russian TV during the Russia versus Czech Republic ice hockey game on Sunday, Feb. 21. Russia won the game, 4-2.Jessica Flint, a reporter from Vanity Fair, stopped by to comment on the star power in Vancouver, including Cindy Crawford, who hosted a party at the Fairmont Hotel, Valdis Zatlers (President of Latvia) taking in some hockey games, and U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and his family enjoying the events. In terms of who is having the best time, she said the New Zealanders and Americans are enjoying themselves the most.Summer Sanders, Universal Sports’ Whistler sideline reporter, learns more about the blue lines on the ski courses from Jeff Hume and the ‘dye crew.’ Using a vegetable dye mixed with antifreeze, the crew sets the lines to give the racers a guide to the terrain coming up on the racecourse.Today Show weekend anchor Lester Holt checks out the skiing on Blackcomb – the ski area next to Whistler, with the longest ski gondola in the world.Universal Sports reporter Kenan Harkin takes a trip on the (now famous) sea plane, often seen by viewers taking off and landing as the part of the backdrop of the Vancouver studio set. Harkin took an aerial tour of Vancouver and the Olympic venues, as well as the Whistler/Blackcomb ski areas, home to the Alpine events. He even attempted to fly the plane for a few minutes.MEET THE OLYMPIC PRESS:Jimmy Roberts, host of “Meet the Olympic Press”: “I am so annoyed at the costumes in figure skating and ice dancing. They’re ridiculous. Is there anybody in the figure skating establishment that can look at it and say, ‘Is this a good idea?’ “Helene Elliott, Los Angeles Times reporter and honoree of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame: “Ice dancing is more athletic, more interesting to watch. The sport has come a long way in the last 10 years. Except for these silly costumes.”Alan Abrahamson, NBC Olympics and Universal Sports reporter (on Canada losing to the U.S. in hockey last night): “Today is National Group Therapy Day in Canada.”On who will win the Men’s Ice Hockey Gold Medal:Guest Pierre McGuire, NBC Hockey Reporter: “The defending champions from Sweden will win (hockey gold). They will win the gold medal if they stay healthy, no question about it.”John Powers, Boston Globe reporter: “The Americans are going to win this thing…reminds me of 1980…who knows these guys? They are young, hungry and ready to go.”McGuire: “Less than gold is not acceptable for Canada (in hockey). This team was built to win…you don’t go to win silver or bronze. But the Americans deserve a ton of credit. “Elliott: “The Russians will win.”McGuire: “Is there a better player, or better person, in the NHL than (New Jersey Devils winger) Zach Parise?”Thumbs up/Thumbs down segment:McGuire: “Thumbs up to this hockey tournament and the caliber of play. Real star power at the Games.”John Powers: “Thumbs down to the Canadian hockey team. How do you give a goal up in the first minute? There was a complete lack of respect for the American hockey team.”Roberts: “Thumbs up to the final minute of the USA and Canada Hockey game. My heart has never beat faster (watching a sporting event).… and, the gold medal for the day goes to Pierre McGuire, a citizen of both Canada and the United States.VANCOUVER REVIEW/PREVIEW:Jeff Z. Klein, New York Times sports reporter (on the USA vs. Canada game): “The crowd was predominately Canadian…which made the Americans’ achievement so much greater.”Eddie Olczyk, NBC Hockey Analyst (on Matt Kessler’s empty net goal to take the U.S. up 5-3): “It was risky for Kessler, but an unbelievable reward. The standing ovation in the building was as loud as I’ve heard it and the (NHL Vancouver) Canuck fans had to cheer the effort. This win—no matter what happens for Team USA in the rest of the tournament—will have a huge impact.”Klein: “That was probably the greatest empty net goal I’ve ever seen.”Olczyk: “The Russians came out with a statement and rose up to beat a very good Czech team.”Klein: “The (Russians) are brilliant on the ice.”Olczyk (on Sweden’s goaltender Henrik Lundqvist): “He’s so cool and so calm, he doesn’t get upset if things get bad. He’s had a shut-out for the entire Olympics.”Olczyk (on which goaltender Team Canada should use in the game against Germany): “They should stick with (Martin) Brodeur. Was he average yesterday? Absolutely. It’s an opportunity to regain confidence.”Klein: “I would go with (back-up goaltender) Roberto Luongo. He’s a great goalie, despite not winning a Stanley Cup, nor being on a team getting out of the second round (in the NHL playoffs). Brodeur has had some problems in recent weeks.“Figure Skating Review/Preview (Saturday and Sunday):After the compulsory dance and the original dance, the Canadian pair Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are in first place, American pair Meryl Davis and Charlie White are in second place, Defending world champions Oksana Domnina and Maksim Shabalin are in third place and American pair Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto are in fourth place heading into the free dance.On the Ice Dancing Original Dance performances on Sunday, Feb. 21Peter Carruthers, 1984 Olympic Pairs Figure Skating Silver Medalist (on the Canadian pair Virtue and Moir): “The hockey game was good, but this was greatest figure skating performance I’ve ever seen. I felt like I had a $200 theatre ticket watching them last night. I get chills thinking about it. They brought the house down, and they did it with the expression and character of the music. I would absolutely put this dance up against (Canadian Ice Dancing Pair Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean’s 1984 Olympic Gold Medal performance).”Carruthers (on the Russian pair Oksana Domnina and Maksim Shabalin): “The dance itself wasn’t top notch. You have to look at the whole performance and that skill level wasn’t that high for the reigning world champions.Paul Wylie, 1992 Olympic Figure Skating Silver Medalist: “The Americans are getting in there and attacking, and moving up on the Russians (who fell from first to third place after the original dance). “Nick Verreos, fashion designer and a former contestant on Bravo’s Project Runway (on the American pair Davis and White): “I love watching the original dance. Their costumes enhanced to the performance, they didn’t distract and everything flowed beautiful. They got some great advice.”Verreos (on the Russian pair Domnina and Shabalin performing an Aboriginal-themed routine): “Oh, dear. … They took the paint off their faces, which was a good thing (after wearing face paint in previous competitions)…I still didn’t think they were cute, and I do think they were culturally insensitive. This is an example when the costumes took away from the performance.”Verreos (on Virtue and Moir): “This (flamenco program) is going to become an iconic performance with stunning costumes. I felt like I was in Madrid, everything about (the costume design) was flawless, just like their performance.”Verreos (on the American pair Belbin and Agosto): “Their outfits could use some editing, they went too literal. It was a lot (of costume). A lot of trim. A lot of details. The costume (worn by Belbin) distracted from how gorgeous she is. The (billowed) sleeves broke the line (of her body relative to the ice), and we all know how important the line is in ice dancing.”Verreos (on where to draw the line in design): “The first thing is to consult with the client. There’s a fine line between theatrics / performance and reality. You have to think ‘what will work with the dance and the music?’ and then edit.”Kristi Yamaguchi, 1992 Olympic Figure Skating Gold Medalist: “You would never see (these costumes) in singles or pairs dancing. The level of detail was almost…theatrical.”Susie Wynne, two-time U.S. National Dance Champion, commentator and choreographer (by phone from Chicago, on Canadian ice dancing sensation Tessa Virtue): “She can do things some of the other dancers can’t. She is so proficient. I have new respect for her.”Wynne (on Belbin and Agosto not moving up from fourth to third place after the Original Dance, overtaking the Russian couple): “I was a little cranky about Belbin and Agosto’s fourth place in the OD. I thought they should’ve definitely been in third. My concern is that we don’t have any politics on the ground. Because Plushenko did not win the gold and the (Russian) pairs team fell short. You are just hoping there is not this little political push to get (Domnina and Shabalin) a medal. I’m just saying this because I can. We’ve changed the judging system to…protect ourselves from politics, so I hope there is no playing around that way if they all skate great. We’ll just see what happens.”Carruthers: “This international judging system has in my mind improved the discipline of ice dancing more than any other discipline. You are seeing this incredible display of art and athletic skating that is user friendly and really terrific for the audience, and for the judges as well.”On the upcoming Pairs’ Free Dance Event on Monday, February 22:Carruthers: (on Virtue and Moir) “Watch what they put down as far the way they move their lower bodies and what they do with their arms throughout the entire performance. … And their tricky footwork. I look for great things from them.”Carruthers: “Virtue and Moir are the gold medalists. Their scores in the original dance were only .25 points off of the all-time highest scored original dance. Davis and White can win, because they will have the energy of the audience…if they don’t overskate it.”Terry Gannon, host of Figure Skating Review/Preview: “It’s very interesting, and you can’t often say that (about) ice dancing.”Yamaguchi (on Joannie Rochette’s decision to compete for Canada in the aftermath of her mother’s death on Saturday): “She has the heart of a champion. I can’t imagine that loss and going on with it, but I am sure she is thinking this is what her mother would want.”Coming up this week on the Figure Skating Review/Preview, Carruthers promises he had a few of his old costumes sent to Vancouver to show host Terry Gannon, but they are ‘stuck in customs.’SCHEDULE FOR UNIVERSAL SPORTS NETWORK – TUESDAY, FEB. 23, 2010:10 –11:30 AM Vancouver Olympic News Center and Morning Buzz11:30 AM – 12 PM Behind the Games12 – 12:30 PM Meet The Olympic Press1: 30 – 2 PM Vancouver Review/Preview2 – 3 PM Figure Skating Review/PreviewFUN QUOTES OF THE DAY:Kristi Yamaguchi (on playing hockey as well as being a figure skater): “I’m horrible. I need the toe pick to save me from falling on my face.”Peter Carruthers (on costumes worn by Russia’s Jana Khokhlova and Sergei Novitski in the Original Dance): “Peter Pan, or possibly curtains that have been re-used.”Jimmy Roberts: “The original dance is an ethnic theme, but there’s something wrong when the Germans are doing the hula.“ [WAS THIS ROBERTS OR JOHN POWERS? I seem to recall Powers making a similar statement]
Now to NBC Universal’s daytime coverage.
DAY 11 DAYTIME HIGHLIGHTS OF NBC WINTER OLYMPICS COVERAGE“Remember when the NBA used to use the slogan, ‘We love this game.’ That is puppy love. That is a first date next to the way puckheads feel about hockey.”- NBC’s Al Michaels on hockey fans
“It’s great to have USA on my back today and to be wearing the red, white and blue.”- Team USA’s men’s curling coach Phill Drobnick after their elimination
VANCOUVER - February 22, 2010 - Daytime coverage of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games continued Monday on NBC and USA Network. On NBC, live coverage included the men’s and women’s cross-country sprint gold medal finals. Live USA Network coverage included the first women’s hockey semifinal game between Team USA and Sweden and men’s curling between Team USA and Canada.
NBC daytime host Al Michaels sat down with USA’s Shani Davis, who won gold in the 1000m and silver in the 1500m speed skating finals.
NBC’s Jimmy Roberts reported on Sunday’s exciting men’s hockey game between Team USA and Canada.
NBC’s Tracy Wilson stopped by the studio to preview tonight’s figure skating dance gold medal final live in primetime.
Coverage highlights include:
NBC
HIGHLIGHTS FROM MICHAELS’ INTERVIEW WITH USA’S SHANI DAVIS
DAVIS ON HIS CONFIDENCE GOING INTO THE 1000M: “It was so hard for me to get the confidence needed to be able to go out there and skate that race. It took all day for me to really truly believe in myself and go out there and be able to step up. To challenge all the competitors that had all this momentum from their great skating. They had so much momentum going on from their sprint race and I had to go out there and defend my title. It was really hard to do but I’m so happy I was able to do it.”
DAVIS ON HIS STRATEGY GOING INTO THE 1500M: “I just went out there and skated with my heart and just pure determination. Unfortunately, I was a heavy favorite to win that race. All season I’ve been winning that race by over a half of a second. That given day at the Olympics, I just didn’t have what it took on that type of ice surface. It was really difficult. Then Mark had a really great pairing and he caught some really good drafts with the bronze medalist there. There’s nothing I could do more than what I did.”
DAVIS ON COMPETING IN SOCHI: “I believe in myself to the fullest extent. I believe I’ll be ready in four years to step up to the plate and go for it again. I love the challenging factor that I have to age. I’ll be thirty-one then, but I should be pretty strong still. I’m very motivated. I would love to have another opportunity to go out there and try my best and come away with maybe a victory. If not, then I tried my best.”
MICHAELS AND ROBERTS ON THE USA VS. CANADA MEN’S HOCKEY GAME
ROBERTS ON USA’S RYAN KESLER’S GAME ENDING GOAL: “You know the game ended with a little bit of a touch of irony. Ryan Kesler scores that great empty net goal for the Americans. I’m sure there were some fans in the audience that were a little bit confused at the point, because, of course, during the NHL season, he’s a Vancouver Canuck. This is his home ice.”
MICHAELS ON HOCKEY FANS: “Remember when the NBA used to use the slogan, ‘We love this game.’ That is puppy love. That is a first date next to the way puckheads feel about hockey.”
TRACY WILSON PREVIEWED TONIGHT’S DANCE GOLD MEDAL FINAL
MICHAELS ON THE RUSSIANS NOT DOMINATING THE ICE DANCE COMPETITION THIS OLYMPICS: “All of sudden now we have a new world order there.”
WILSON ON USA’S DAVIS AND WHITE WINNING A MEDAL: “Davis and White have a stunning free dance. When they come out onto the ice, it pushes you into the back of your seat with their power. What they do so well is they get into every beat of the music. They are skating to Phantom of the Opera. I have watched this a number of times in competition. It never fails to bring the house down. It is going to set up such an incredible showdown.”
WILSON ON USA’S BELBIN AND AGOSTO: “They’ve come out very aggressively. They have not looked like they have any doubt. There is total confidence oozing from this team. They are going to put the pressure on the Russian team. Domnina and Shabalin have been injured this season. Maksim has bad knees. His training is limited because of it. We saw them looking a little vulnerable in the original dance. The free dance is twice as tough and twice as long. If Tanith and Ben can just go out there and get the job done, who knows with the Russians how they’re going to be able to handle the pressure and the difficulty of their free dance here.”
MICHAELS ON THE RUSSIANS MEDAL STREAK: “I think its pretty interesting too because the Russians have not been shut out of a figure skating gold since 1960 and that’s a possibility now.”
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY SPRINT GOLD MEDAL FINALS
Al Trautwig (Play-By-Play), Chad Salmela (Analyst)
MEN
Gold: Norway
Silver: Germany
Bronze: Russia
TRAUTWIG ON THE WEATHER: “How about skiing in the Winter Olympics in your t-shirt?”
SALMELA ON THE INTENSITY OF THE END OF THE RACE: “The further we go, the more it looks like its going to be a drag race in the final closing meters of this race.”
TRAUTWIG ON NORWAY WINNING THE GOLD MEDAL: “Finally something to celebrate for the Norwegian men. Petter Northug brings it home.”
WOMEN
Gold: Germany
Silver: Sweden
Bronze: Russia
SALMELA ON THE TEAM CROSS-COUNTRY SPRINT: “You’re going absolutely to the top of your ability, three times in a row and all you get is a six-minute break between. It’s a little bit torturous.”
SALMELA ON GERMANY WINNING GOLD: “It’s gold for Germany. That’s going to be a nice edition to the silver medal won by Tobias Angerer in the pursuit on the men’s side.”
SALMELA ON TEAM SWEDEN: “This is going down as one of the greatest Olympic Games for Sweden’s cross-country program.”
SALMELA ON SWEDEN’S CHARLOTTE KALLA: “Charlotte Kalla, the first leg for Sweden, has just been a force in this race so far. She goes off the front and just tries to tell everybody, ‘Keep up if you can.’ Most people can’t.”
USA NETWORK
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY: USA vs. SWEDEN
Bill Patrick (Host), Cammi Granato (Studio Analyst), Kenny Albert (Play-by-Play), AJ Mleczko(Analyst), Joe Micheletti (Reporter)
USA: 9 Sweden: 1
MLECZKO ON THE PRESSURE OF GETTING THE GOLD MEDAL: “It takes a while to realize that coming home with a silver medal is still something special. In women’s hockey when you’re a Canadian player or an American player gold, is what you want; anything less is a loss.”
GRANATO ON TEAM USA’S JENNY POTTER: “Jenny is a player that when she scores early in a tournament, she gets confidence, she gets rolling, she’s done that. She’s also in the best physical shape that she’s ever been in, so that’s really helping her game.”
GRANATO ON TEAM USA’S NATALIE DARWITZ: “She leads by example. She comes out of her shell every once in a while and surprises you, but on the ice she’s loud and she’s vocal. She’s got tremendous speed and great offensive power and that’s how she leads.”
MLEZCKO ON TEAM USA’S KACEY BELLAMY: “Bellamy is somebody who stays quiet. You don’t hear a lot about her, but she does so many subtle things right. She’s just always in the right place at the right time, jumps in the play, makes passes and is very strong on her feet.”
TEAM USA’S ANGELA RUGGIERO: “We’re trying to score from every position and that’s the beauty of the team, is that it’s a team effort.”
“We just know we’ve had to take one game at a time in this tournament in order to advance in the final.”
MEN’S CURLING: USA vs. CANADA
Fred Roggin (Host), Andrew Catalon (Play-by-Play), Don Duguid (Analyst), Elfi Schlegel (Reporter)
Canada: 7 USA: 2
TEAM USA COACH PHILL DROBNICK: “I’m proud of these guys. The week hasn’t gone necessarily how we wanted it to go, and they’ve held together as a team and it really says a lot about those guys. There have been criticisms and there haven’t been criticisms about what the guys have done and what’s going on. And the American people out there have been so supportive of this team. It has been unbelievable; the messages, the text messages that we’ve gotten, the phone calls, facebook messages, it truly has been great. We thank the American people for all of that and it’s great to have USA on my back today and to being wearing the red, white, and blue. Thanks America, go USA.”
CATALON ON TEAM CANADA DEFEATING TEAM USA: “The Americans kept it close, but in the end, Team Canada was just too good.”
DUGUID ON TEAM CANADA: “I think their biggest strength is their consistency. Every member of their team makes great shots. They put a lot of pressure on the team, but I think the key is their consistency.”
CATALON ON TEAM CANADA’S STRENGTHS: “There are so many great parts to this Canadian team. To me, it’s the sweepers, Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert. When these guys get going, there are no two better sweepers in the world.”
Finally, primetime quotage.
CANADA’S VIRTUE & MOIR WIN GOLD IN ICE DANCING; TEAM USA’S DAVIS & WHITE EARN SILVER; CANADA TO PLAY USA IN WOMEN’S HOCKEY GOLD MEDAL GAME“Coming up is a moment that will resonate across the continent.” – NBC’s Tom Hammond on Virtue & Moir’s medal ceremony
Bob Costas Begins Program from Vancouver Seaplane
VANCOUVER - Feb. 22, 2010 - Canada’s Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir won gold in ice dancing on the 11TH day of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games. Team USA’s Meryl Davis & Charlie White earned silver and Russia’s Oksana Doinina & Maxsim Shabalin took bronze. Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto of the US finished just out of the medals in fourth. The program concluded with the medal ceremony and the crowd singing the Canadian national anthem.
NBC’s Tom Hammond leading into the anthem: “Coming up is a moment that will resonate across the continent.”
Primetime host Bob Costas on the Canadian victory: “A night after disappointment from its hockey team, Canada has at least some reason to celebrate a different kind of victory on ice tonight.”
Costas opened the program from a seaplane, which are commonly used by Vancouver commuters. Daytime host Al Michaels waited for Costas on the dock near where the seaplane landed.
Michaels: “Ground control to Major Bob Costas.”
In men’s freestyle aerials, Zongyang Jia of China leads the competition after qualifying with Team USA’s Ryan St. Onge in second and Jeret Peterson in fifth. The finals are Thursday night.
On CNBC, two Team Canada women’s teams were victorious. The host nation defeated Sweden, 6-2, in curling and Finland, 5-0, in hockey. With the win, the women’s hockey team advanced to the gold medal game to face the US on Thursday.
Michael Phelps joined Costas in studio for an interview:
Phelps: “It’s cool to be on the spectator side of things. It’s very rare that I’ve had that opportunity. I had a chance to see the US hockey game against Norway. I had a chance to watch Apolo make history last night. It’s been fun.”
Costas: “Eight golds in Beijing, as everybody knows. Prior to that, six golds and a couple of bronzes in Athens. You are the best in terms of gold medals in Olympic history. But actually, Larissa Latynina, the gymnast from the Soviet Union, won 18 career medals. So you’ve got to go to Great Britain and notch three to go past her.”
Phelps: “We’ll see, we’ll see. This is kind of the halfway point between Beijing and London. Just being here and being able to see everybody, see people on the medal podium, listen to the national anthem, and having the gold medal around their neck. It really does get you more and more excited. And I’m honored to have the opportunity to come here and sort of get more and more of the fire to carry me over to London.”
Costas: “You swam in eight events and won gold in all of them in Beijing. How many in London?”
Phelps: “It won’t be eight. I’ll give you that. It won’t be eight again but we’re not really sure what we’re going to do yet. It all depends on the program order.”
Costas: “You’ll toss the medley events, that seems the most likely?”
Phelps: “I don’t know yet. I have no idea what I want to give up yet and what I don’t want to. I think that the distance swimmers are not going to do that, and I’m not going to do any breaststroke. So those are the only two things that are out of the question. But, everything else is sort of wide open.”
Costas: “Last thing, as you point toward London. Do you still feel the competitive fire or are you going to have to wait and see, when training becomes more intense? Or do you know it’s going to be there.”
Phelps: “It’s still there.”
Costas: “No question?”
Phelps: “I know it’s still there. It’s definitely there.”
Former Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw joined Costas in studio and introduced a feature on US snowboarder Kevin Pearce, who was a medal contender before suffering a severe head injury prior to the Games.
Andrew Pearce on his brother and what’s getting him through the injury: “His determination. His goodwill. He’s the best-natured person you could ever meet. That’s what made him a great athlete. T hat’s what’s making him a great patient and it’s what makes him a great member of our family.”
Brokaw: “Winning has a completely different meaning for Kevin now.”
Pearce’s mother on his recovery: “I feel like there have been miracles unfolding in front of my eyes. I am just in awe of having that experience. It’s very moving and very humbling.”
FIGURE SKATING:
Play-by-Play: Tom Hammond
Analysts: Tracy Wilson
Reporter: Andrea Joyce
Wilson on the rivalries between the North American teams: “It’s those rivalries that has driven ice dancing in North America to new heights.”
Hammond on Davis/White: “From a young age, it seems like they were always destined for the spotlight.”
Wilson on Davis/White after their dance: “They went after it. As we’ve seen them do time and time again. This time, uninhibited on Olympic ice. That is a sensational program.”
Davis after their skate: “We put out a really good performance for us. We’re really proud of ourselves.”
Hammond after Canada’s Virtue/Moir’s: “Oh, Canada.”
Wilson on Virtue/Moir: “I thought it was a stunning performance filled with elegance and grace. Absolutely exquisite.”
Wilson on Virtue/Moir’s score: “No score has come close to that this season.”
Hammond on Belbin/Agosto: “The pioneers of the emergence of North American ice dancing.”
Virtue on their performance: “It was such an amazing performance. We’re so pleased with that. And it’s been such a journey and so many people have been a part of this.”
Hammond on the final results: “And for the first time in history, a North American, specifically the Canadians Virtue and Moir, have won ice dancing gold.”
Wilson on the top two performances of Virtue/Moir and Davis/White: “Sensational, memorable performances that will stand the test of time.”
Belbin on if it’s their last skate: “We’re not certain right now. But when we were thinking about it, which we have been, we were definitely imagining a skate like we had tonight to cap off a great career. So we’ll have to take that into consideration.”
Costas on ice hockey vs. ice skating: “One has a penalty box, the other has a kiss-and-cry area. But they’re both Olympic sports.”
Wilson: “As an ice dancer, this is the first Olympic event with ice dancing that the number one issue has not been the judging. And it’s so wonderful, hopefully that is behind this sport. The judges did a fine job here, calling it like they saw it.”
SKI JUMPING:
Play-by-Play: Matt Vasgersian
Analyst: Jeff Hastings
Hastings on Swiss ski jumper Simon Amaann: “He is so head and shoulders above the rest of this field. The jury had to bring the speed down in the individual events to keep him from landing in the parking lots.”
Hastings on 17 year-old Peter Frenette of the US: “I don’t know what he’s missing back home -- either math or English -- but this is a lot better than that.”
Vasgerian on Austria’s Gregor Schlierenzauer: “In the Austrian sports world, he’s big enough to be known by a single name.”
Hastings: “The Austrians are making absolutely sure that the gold medal is going home with them to Innsbruck.”
Hastings on Schlierenzauer before his jump: “You can’t see it now, but that gold medal is already hanging around his neck.”
FREESTYLE SKIING:
Play-by-Play: Todd Harris
Analyst: Jonny Moseley
Reporter: Tina Dixon
Moseley on China’s Han Xiaopeng: “Some people need the pressure of the Olympic Games to bring out their best and that was one of the best jumps I’ve seen him do.”
CNBC, Women’s Ice Hockey:
Canada 5 vs. Finland 0
Bill Patrick (Host), Cammi Granato (Studio Analyst), Kenny Albert (Play-By-Play), AJ Mleczko (Analyst)
Mleczko on Canadian fans: “Hear this crowd supporting their team, it’s amazing. This is what Hayley Wickenheiser talks about; this crowd can be the seventh man for their team.”
Mleczko on USA and Canada in the gold medal final: “This is what hockey fans want. This is what these competitors want. And it’s going to be a fantastic match up for the gold medal game.”
Albert on Canada: “They tie an Olympic record with 46 goals here in Vancouver.”
Mleczko on the tournament: “This is what these teams battle for is this opportunity to play in a gold medal game. It’s 60 minutes of hockey to determine the success of your season; that’s a scary prospect.”
Patrick on Canada’s Agosta: “Meghan Agosta has exploded on the scene and is one of the best women’s players in the world. She leads all Olympic scorers with 12 points.”
Mleczko on Agosta: “She is so fast. She is deceptive.”
Mleczko on Canada: “There’s no question about their offensive fire power.”
Canada’s Jayna Hefford on Finland: “They are always a tough team to play against. Good goaltender and right now we are just trying to shoot as much as we can.”
“We just got to keep the energy up. We know we have a lot of speed on this team.”
CNBC, Women’s Curling:
Canada 6 vs. Sweden 2 (Sweden concedes after 9th end)
Fred Roggin (Host), Andrew Catalon (Play-By-Play), Don Duguid (Analyst), Elfi Schlegel (Reporter)
Catalon on Canada and Sweden: “These are two of the favorites to win the gold medal.”
Roggin on Canada and Sweden: “Look into the eyes of Anette Norberg of Sweden. Look in to the eyes of Cheryl Bernard of Canada. The skips for these two teams, a titanic clash. The top two in the women’s draw, fighting for first place this afternoon.”
Duguid on Canada’s Bernard: “For mental toughness, you can’t beat Cheryl Bernard.”
Duguid on Sweden: “The big thing for Sweden is they love to play the quiet come-around game. Lots of rocks in play, and they are masters of it.”
Duguid on Sweden’s Anette Norberg: “She reads the ice better than anybody, lots of experience.”
Canada’s head coach Elaine Jackson on Sweden: “You can’t take this team lightly; they are an extremely talented team.”
CTV’s stuff is next.
