Back to last night, and more of the Women's Ski SlopeStyle. Looks like NBC wanted to switch over to Women's Downhill, but the weather had different plans. So Torico does some tap dancing, going over the Valieva fiasco. Then it's the Women's Aerials final (is this a rerun? I've lost track of these "X-Game-y" sports that seem almost identical to me).
Finally, the winds have died down, and Women's Downhill is on. Lindsey Vonn continues to get onscreen time, a rarity for the analysts, but similar to that of Tara and Johnny.
We move onto Late night, with Maria Taylor sending us to Men's Snowboarding Big Air finals. Then back to Women's Freestyle Skiing Aerial finals. I'm really getting tired of people flipping around in the air. At this point, I'm in NASCAR mode, just watching for crashes.
Meanwhile, on "As the QISE Turns"--we're now learning Kamila Valieva's defense of the positive test for a banned substance, via the QISEOC's chair of the disciplinary committee, who (unofficially) spoke on camera. It's all a wacky mix-up! Valieva's grandfather is taking the heart medication, and there was "contamination" causing the positive test results. So, they keep their medications in the same place, or she grabbed the wrong bottle, I guess??? I'm sure we'll hear more about the "Grandpa Defense" later today on NBC.
Speaking of, in afternoon coverage--Lowe sends us off to Biathlon, the Men's Team Relay. Well, at least there's no flipping involved. Then it's Nordic Combined--Ski Jumping on the Large Hill and a 10km Cross-Country race. Back to the studio, with Lowe interviewing Ryan Cochran--Siegel, the American silver winner in the Super-G. A bunch of softball questions, with meh responses. Oh, no--more Aerials! More Big Air! Z-z-z-z...
On to Prime Time--Torico teases the Women's Figure Skating Short Program before sending us off to the Two Man Bobsled finals. Kornacki narrates a video package of stats and animation. Then another review of the Valieva case, before we move on to the actual skate. Tara and Johnny (along with Terry) reiterate their opposition to the not-Russian being allowed to skate. The US team's goal is to be in the Top 10--is that because we're at a low point, or that we're not juicing up like our competitors, or both? Tara refers to one of them as a "Care Bear". Johnny's analysis is not as florid as usual--perhaps a reaction to Valieva?
More to come.