Olympics Day Guide: Feb. 7

Yesterday was the first taste of Olympic competition, even though the Opening Ceremonies aren't until tonight. Why? Because Putin said so, that's why. It was a little silly, to be honest, especially since the announcers repeatedly noted that nobody would be eliminated from anything, lest they get kicked out of the Olympics before even being able to walk into the Olympic stadium behind their home country's flag.

Mostly, yesterday served to set some seeding for the snowboarding and skiing events and introduce a couple of new sports - slopestyle snowboarding and team figure skating. Plus we got a fine introduction to the treacherous slopestyle course and a re-introduction to Russian figure skating royal/bitter loser Evgeni Plushenko, who was last seen contesting the gold medal won by American Evan Lysacek in 2010. He's not at the same level as he was four years ago - he's not favored to win any medals - but he's still him and despite apparently not shaving for several days beforehand, nailed his short program for the team competition.

In our daily Disastrous Sochi news, another course has been deemed dangerous by the people that have to compete on it. This time, it's the women's downhill skiing course, which was apparently tested by non-Olympic-caliber skiiers who couldn't get the kind of air that the real competitors will.

Perhaps even more disturbing, Sochi's latest victim is Bob Costas.

Medals Awarded Yesterday
None

Medals To Be Awarded Today
None

Televised Coverage
7:30 p.m. - NBC - Opening Ceremony

Interesting Reads
Because Slate's bread and butter is writing columns that challenge the status quo, even if the status quo is right, they're telling us not to blame Sochi for all those dangerous courses. Making courses is hard, guys!

If you want to do some homework before tonight's Opening Ceremonies, Time has a nice little primer for you.

And if you, like me, live in Western Mass. and are interested in UMass connections on the U.S. and Austrian men's hockey teams, there you go. Plus, the writer is kind of the best.