Winter Games Day -8

[joggerjayne]

The Calgary Winter Olympics in 1998 are most remembered for two things. The Jamaican bobsleigh team. And Eddie the Eagle.

Eddie Edwards. National treasure and, possibly, our best known Winter Olympian?

Eddied represented GB at the 1987 World Championships, and was ranked 55th in the world. This qualified him for the 1988 Winter Olympics (keep that "55th" in mind for a minute).

At Calgary, Eddie came last in both the 70m and 90m events. And, in doing so, he became a legend. At the closing ceremony, the president of the Olympic Organizing Committee said ... "At these Games, some competitors have won gold, some have broken records, and some of you have even soared like an eagle" ... clearly a reference to Eddie.

So why did Eddie not jump again? Everyone loved Eddie. Except, apparently, the International Olympic Committee, who introduced a rule that requires Olympic hopefuls to be ranked in the world's top 50 (!)

As a result, Eddie couldn't qualify for the 1992 Games (Albertville) or the 1994 Games (Lillehammer) or the 1998 Games (Nagano).

And that is why the International Olympic Committee should be regarded as a collection of the biggest prats on the planet. That, and their decision to hold the Summer Games in Atlanta in 1996.

Anyway, I will post below a clip of Eddie in action.

[joggerjayne]

Hope this works. This is Eddie ...

[Maydup]

Oh what fun it was watching Eddie, how we loved him!

I did agree with their decision going forward though if i'm honest. We all love an underdog, but it did turn into the Eddie show and it was good for him to finish when he did with us all wanting more!

[murraymints]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_%22The_Eagle%22_Edwards#The_Eddie_.22The_Eagle.22_Rule


Brilliant !

[joggerjayne]

Wow, who knew that his name was actually Michael?

[emmie]

wasn't it 1988?

[Ratty2E]

Eddie is great, he's currently showing his skills on 'the jump' Ch 4. Also he won Splash last year, maybe he should have been an Olympic diver instead.

[mushroom25]

he worked as an instructor at tamworth's snowdome for a time after his "success" in calgary

[joggerjayne]

Yes, it was 1988

[mushroom25]

that was the same year as the "cool runnings" bobsleigh team. :-)

[joggerjayne]

Yes. Cool Runnings was based on the 1988 Calgary story.

The crash in the movie was incredibly like the actual crash. Actually,must thinking about it ... did they use the actual footage from the Olympics? I'm not sure.

They did finish the course, like in the movie, but they pushed the sled, not carried it.

Hang on, let's see if there's a clip on YouTube ...

[joggerjayne]

[joggerjayne]

Oh, for goodness sake.

Okay, you have to copy the link and post it in your browser search window.

[mushroom25]

//our best known Winter Olympian? //

yep, he's up there with john curry, robin cousins and of course, torvill and dean.

[joggerjayne]

Emily Sarsfield ...

Are the British Olympic Association serious?

Really serious? They're not letting her go to the Games?

Okay, I'm going to get really annoyed in a minute.

What is wrong with these idiotic, half witted buffoons?

[joggerjayne]

Today's "One For The Boys" is Austrian skier, Anna Fenninger. Anna gained automatic qualification for Sochi when she won the Super Giant Slalom World Cup in December. She was voted the Austrian Sportswoman Of The Year last year. She's a formidable skier.

http://coedbc.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/25-anna-fenninger.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XmNTRSL.jpg

http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Anna%2BFenninger%2BAudi%2BFIS%2BWorld%2BCup%2BWomen%2BSuper%2BtH52xO01CANl.jpg

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/oly/winter14/ap/bios/images/Anna_Fenninger.jpg

Don't say I never give you guys anything!