The luge. Should they shut it down?

[Anonymous]

I think this venue needs to be nixed and these types of "sports" re-thought overall, Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe something is wrong with me, but after this past week of unendable snow and cabin fever and complaints and so on, when I heard this story I immediately felt like what else wrong can happen. My sister who works in HR for a top DC company told me a bunch of stories about employees who had recently had nervous breakdowns. Teachers and professors are shooting people. Everybody hates Obama. Haiti is even a worse place to live then last year. Life is turning into an Irwin Allen movie. In all seriousness, I got a little teary this afternoon. Anybody ready for spring? Came home and put on Seinfeld reruns-couldn't stand to watch anything serious. Signed, Depressed and Getting More Depressed by the Minute. (AKA-Debbie Downer). And please, please, don't anyone recommend St. John's Wart- what I need right now is lithium or a big fat doobie.

You poor thing! You do sound depressed; I hope you get whatever you need. (Vacation somewhere sunny possible? Or yes, perhaps medication for depression if that's what you need.)

[Anonymous]

These athletes are giving their all for this sport. You can't take that away from them.

The track can be run. The biggest problem is that this is the fastest track anyone has been on. About half the field is capable of running it, but the other half isn't as experienced. So there are going to be wipe-outs.

The real problem in my opinion is the lack of protection if someone pops off the track. That is what killed the Georgian, and it could happen again. You would think they would put plywood across those beams. It would hurt to hit the plywood, but it would not have been a tragedy like this.

[Anonymous]

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/bobsleigh/news/newsid=4408.html

background from 2009

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These athletes are giving their all for this sport. You can't take that away from them.

The track can be run. The biggest problem is that this is the fastest track anyone has been on. About half the field is capable of running it, but the other half isn't as experienced. So there are going to be wipe-outs.

The real problem in my opinion is the lack of protection if someone pops off the track. That is what killed the Georgian, and it could happen again. You would think they would put plywood across those beams. It would hurt to hit the plywood, but it would not have been a tragedy like this.

This is speculation.
Seems like the fastest track is too fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These athletes are giving their all for this sport. You can't take that away from them.

The track can be run. The biggest problem is that this is the fastest track anyone has been on. About half the field is capable of running it, but the other half isn't as experienced. So there are going to be wipe-outs.

The real problem in my opinion is the lack of protection if someone pops off the track. That is what killed the Georgian, and it could happen again. You would think they would put plywood across those beams. It would hurt to hit the plywood, but it would not have been a tragedy like this.

I agree. there were other wipeouts today, but no one else flew off the track like he did. If the wall was higher, and the beams padded, he would have been hurt, but likely not killed.
the footage of other wipeouts showed the lugers staying on the track. They're probably banged up, but that seems typical for the sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe something is wrong with me, but after this past week of unendable snow and cabin fever and complaints and so on, when I heard this story I immediately felt like what else wrong can happen. My sister who works in HR for a top DC company told me a bunch of stories about employees who had recently had nervous breakdowns. Teachers and professors are shooting people. Everybody hates Obama. Haiti is even a worse place to live then last year. Life is turning into an Irwin Allen movie. In all seriousness, I got a little teary this afternoon. Anybody ready for spring? Came home and put on Seinfeld reruns-couldn't stand to watch anything serious. Signed, Depressed and Getting More Depressed by the Minute. (AKA-Debbie Downer). And please, please, don't anyone recommend St. John's Wart- what I need right now is lithium or a big fat doobie.

You poor thing! You do sound depressed; I hope you get whatever you need. (Vacation somewhere sunny possible? Or yes, perhaps medication for depression if that's what you need.)

The sad thing is, I'm already on medication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe something is wrong with me, but after this past week of unendable snow and cabin fever and complaints and so on, when I heard this story I immediately felt like what else wrong can happen. My sister who works in HR for a top DC company told me a bunch of stories about employees who had recently had nervous breakdowns. Teachers and professors are shooting people. Everybody hates Obama. Haiti is even a worse place to live then last year. Life is turning into an Irwin Allen movie. In all seriousness, I got a little teary this afternoon. Anybody ready for spring? Came home and put on Seinfeld reruns-couldn't stand to watch anything serious. Signed, Depressed and Getting More Depressed by the Minute. (AKA-Debbie Downer). And please, please, don't anyone recommend St. John's Wart- what I need right now is lithium or a big fat doobie.

You poor thing! You do sound depressed; I hope you get whatever you need. (Vacation somewhere sunny possible? Or yes, perhaps medication for depression if that's what you need.)

The sad thing is, I'm already on medication.

It's hard to cope when so many things are going wrong. I don't think I'm depressed but I also get seriously in the dumps when I am hit with tragedy after tragedy (even if they are not directly linked to me). I think I started "feelng" things more when I had my son. Kind of like, what kind of world did I bring you into, kiddo? Of course, this has nothing to do with the luge, specifically, but just more like the perpetually violent middle east, US warmongering in turn, terrorism, violence and yes, the school shootings. It can be overwhelming and I don't necessarily think that being upset about all of this is depression. These are things that are very hard to turn our mind's eye away from.

[Anonymous]

I will boycott the sport, change channels when they show it.

[Anonymous]

They should work to slow it down some -- this is possible.

I hate to think it should be tossed completely as it is unfair to the luge competitors, but I do think they should have safe conditions. It should not be reckless or knowingly endanger them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought it was the design (and positioning) of the track and NOT the actual sport that was really dangerous.

Apparently the engineers and designers need to figure out where they went wrong.

Agreed.
All sports are inherently dangerous - the skiers race down the hill at 90mph with only a netting/hay bales to catch them, speed skaters can go flying off course with a slip of the blade, etc. Hockey has pucks that go flying into the fans, etc.

[Anonymous]

This is a sad reminder of how fragile life is and how fast things can change: a 21 year old boy with all dreams and hopes still in front of him, participating in his first olympics and everything changing in a split second. His life ending, and lives of those that love him came crashing in one heavy and freightnening moment. I really don't want to be in his mom's shoes.

I also find it a bit disturbing that so much emphasis was by tv reports yesterday about him not being experienced enough. He is experienced enough to have made it to no. 44 worldwide - this is not an amateur, and if no. 44 is not considered experienced, then may be the olympic committee should not have allowed him participation in the first place. So sad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a sad reminder of how fragile life is and how fast things can change: a 21 year old boy with all dreams and hopes still in front of him, participating in his first olympics and everything changing in a split second. His life ending, and lives of those that love him came crashing in one heavy and freightnening moment. I really don't want to be in his mom's shoes.

I also find it a bit disturbing that so much emphasis was by tv reports yesterday about him not being experienced enough. He is experienced enough to have made it to no. 44 worldwide - this is not an amateur, and if no. 44 is not considered experienced, then may be the olympic committee should not have allowed him participation in the first place. So sad!

Yup.

[Anonymous]

The track re-opens:
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Olympics/2010/0213/Whistler-track-reopens-day-after-luger-Nodar-Kumaritashvili-death

[Anonymous]

WJLA showed footage of the the crash and death last night with NO warning and it was HORRIBLE. I was traumatized. It was so violent and awful. I was just channel flipping and then WHAM. I am contacting the station today...