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2010 Winter Olympics Wrap-Up: Katie Uhlaender Reflects On Closing Ceremony, Friend's Victory

Posted 3/2/10 11:30 am EST by in Sports


MTV News dispatched a team to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and not only got the inside scoop from some of the top athletes at the games but also made some friends along the way. We asked new pal skeleton participant Katie Uhlaender to write about her experience in Vancouver.

By Katie Uhlaender

The closing ceremony is always a moment of reflection. You think about all you have put into getting to the Olympic games, everything that happened, and are again presented with the opportunity to do it all over again. In the midst of all that, you have a mixture of emotions from all the athletes. For some, Vancouver was the last competition of their career, while for others it was a time of celebration in just making it or winning a medal. For a few, it was a huge disappointment to leave without having won.

As a member of Team U.S.A., it was a combination of disappointment, pride and inspiration for me. I obviously wish my competition had gone better, but when you consider everything the team has accomplished (37 total medals, the most any country has won in any Olympics in history), I was proud to be a part of that. There really are no words to express the pride I have in wearing U.S.A. at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

As the team gathered in the hockey arena to get ready to walk into the closing ceremony, I walked through the crowd to say goodbye to those I could and get pictures for proof of lasting memories. I hadn't seen my good friend [gold medal-winning bobsled driver] Steve Holcomb yet, and was texting him to try and find him. He is a friend that had been there for me through my father's death, drove up on weekends while I was unable to move or walk after shattering my knee cap and couldn't have a better understanding of how much it has taken for me to get to Vancouver. At the same time, I've been there for him through the complications of his sight loss, his possible retirement, girl troubles and the stress of competing on tour.

I finally saw him, standing there with his gold medal around his neck, and I was overwhelmed with emotion. I ran to him and gave the biggest hug ever. I told him, "Can you believe it? I couldn't be more proud of you." He looked at me and said, "You have no idea." At that point the wind must have blown or something and stirred up some dust, because both our eyes were filled with tears.

To watch one of my best friends win at the Olympics and to have been able to walk in both the opening and closing ceremonies with him as a part of Team U.S.A. is something I hope to experience again in Sochi. But next time, I hope our hug is accompanied by the clinking sound of both of our medals.

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Lil Wayne, John Mayer And The New Orleans Saints: February's '2010 In 30'

Posted 3/2/10 10:30 am EST by in Music


By Saimon Kos

The calendar flipped again, which is why it's time for another installment of "2010 in 30," where we look back at the month that was. Don't sell these last 28 days short, because plenty went down during the year's smallest month. So let's take a second (or 30, to be exact) and look back the all the things that made February so memorable.

After January's tragic earthquake in Haiti, February brought celebs from all walks of life together to remake "We Are the World." Elsewhere in the entertainment world, "Lost" returned!

In sports, The Saints marched all the way to a Super Bowl win. But fellow New Orleans native Lil Wayne delayed his jail sentence because of his teeth.

Much further north, the Winter Olympics kicked off in Vancouver. Meanwhile, John Mayer went way off the map in an interview in Playboy.

In band relationship news, Fall Out Boy seems to have broken up, while Aerosmith officially got themselves back together.

There was whimsy, too, as Conan O'Brien and Lil Wayne both join Twitter. Kevin Smith and LMFAO's Sky Blu both grabbed headlines for getting kicked off of planes (though for very different reasons).

Sadly, we ended the month with another tragedy, as Chile was hit with a destructive earthquake. Hopefully March will bring an outpouring of support that country the way the rest of the world came to bat for Haiti.

That about covers it. Enjoy the video below and be sure to tune in at the end of March, when we break it down all over again.

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The 2010 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony: Behind The Scenes With A Dancer

Posted 3/1/10 10:00 am EST by in Sports


MTV News dispatched a team to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and not only got the inside scoop from some of the top athletes at the games but also made some friends along the way. We asked dancer and Canadian TV personality Rachel David to blog about her experience performing at the closing ceremony, which featured performances by Michael Bublé, Neil Young, William Shatner and a host of other Canadian luminaries.

By Rachel David

Sunday night (February 28) marked the conclusion of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games here in Vancouver. But what does almost every closing to every big event have? A crazy-a-- party!

Being a hip-hop dancer for the closing ceremonies has been a party throughout every rehearsal, but Sunday was especially crazy. The entire day was such a surreal experience. From the moment I walked through security, I was greeted by happy smiling faces and those smiles continued on throughout the day.

Not only was it the last day of the 2010 Winter Olympics, but it was also the gold medal hockey match between rivals U.S.A. and Canada. I have never seen such an intense game in my life! To be backstage with hundreds of Canada's finest performers and watch them patriotically cheer on their sport was an experience in itself.

The actual closing ceremony was fascinating to watch. As a dancer, I had met all the other dancers and had seen their costumes but I didn't actually know what any of them actually did (everything was so top secret that no one was allowed to tell anyone what their actual roles were). I didn't see what everyone had been learning over the past seven months until I was backstage watching this extraordinary party.

I felt my biggest rush of adrenaline when I actually got into the stadium as I was running past artists such as Michael Bublé and Nickleback on my way to my pre-set position. It was then that everything started to really sink in. I remember standing seconds away from bursting out on stage and just feeling my heart pumping through my neon pink hoodie. As Kos started singing all I could think of was how proud I was to be performing because this was the first Olympics to ever have hip-hop and break dancing in it.

When I was on stage, I felt as light as a feather (thanks to my adrenaline) and when I got off my high continued. As I look back on this experience, all I can say is "Wow, I was just a part of one of the biggest shows ever put on in the entire world!" I can truly say dancing at the closing ceremonies was the icing on the cake and the perfect way to close my Olympic experience.

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Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne And Lady Gaga: This Week's Deep Cuts

Posted 2/26/10 6:10 pm EST by in Deep Cuts


This week's adventures in the MTV Newsroom had a lot to do with teams. It seemed like everybody was finding a partner, combining powers and barreling headlong at a common goal. Perhaps everyone suddenly became inspired by the Winter Olympics? Are they fans of WWE Unified Tag Team Champions Big Show and the Miz? Or are people just looking to stay warm during these ridiculous snow storms?

Whatever the case, before you go looking for your own tag-team partner this weekend, check out everything you might have missed this week, and be sure to stay tuned for more opinions, humor, insights and behind-the-scenes awesomeness next week!

» When he announced he would be performing on "Saturday Night Live," Justin Bieber found himself in the exclusive club of the youngest "SNL" performers of all time.

» All types of teams showed off during the Olympics this week, including some ice dancers who summoned the power of Linkin Park during their routine.

» Not all of this week's teams were current, as we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice.

» This weekend, the U.S. hockey team will play for gold with the assistance of Kings of Leon and Metallica.

» Meanwhile at Disneyland, Michael Jackson got the opportunity to get back together with an alien named Hooter when "Captain EO" returned to the lineup in Tomorrowland.
Read More...

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Adam Lambert Calls Johnny Weir 'A Trailblazer': The MTV News Quote Of The Day

Posted 2/26/10 3:25 pm EST by in Music


"I'm glad he's a trailblazer. He's comfortable in his own skin, clearly. And he's expressing himself. I think that's what art's all about. Whenever you do something that hasn't really been done, you're going to get love and you're going to get hate."

-Former "American Idol" runner-up and For Your Entertainment mastermind Adam Lambert, who came out in support of Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir after Weir took criticism for his flamboyant appearance and approach at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Following his performance last week, a pair of Canadian sports broadcasters said that Weir was setting a bad example for other male skaters.

"It wasn't these two men criticizing my skating, it was them criticizing me as a person, and that was something that really, frankly, pissed me off," Weir told reporters in response to the comments. "I think masculinity is what you believe it to be." Later, he told "Access Hollywood," "Every little boy should be so lucky as to turn into me, and that's all I have to say."

Lambert knows all about deflecting that brand of judgment. Following his controversial performance at the American Music Awards back in November 2009, Lambert took a lot of heat over the sexually explicit nature of the performance and had to deal with the fact that the network airing the show received hundreds of complaints about it. But Lambert managed to weather that storm and bounce back — something that Weir will no doubt be able to accomplish as well.

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Kaylin Richardson Didn't Win Gold In Vancouver But Is Trying To Score The 'Most Fun Athlete' Award

Posted 2/24/10 11:45 am EST by in Sports


MTV News dispatched a team to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, and not only got the inside scoop from some of the top athletes at the games but also made some friends along the way. We asked skier Kaylin Richardson — who competed in the Ladies' Super Combined event — to write about her experience on the slopes in Vancouver.

By Kaylin Richardson

Four years of preparation. One day of racing. That is the name of the game at the Olympics. Every athlete has worked incredibly hard to fulfill her destiny on the world stage in pursuit of a glory that occurs only once in a lifetime. We throw ourselves down mountains, skate on razor sharp weapons and — perhaps most crazy of all — we wear ridiculously tight, unflattering outfits. We are the superheroes of reality.

I have had the opportunity to fight crime and unseat super-villains on two U.S. Olympic teams. In Torino four short years ago, I competed in the Alpine Combined event and owned ... 17th place. After 2006, I evaluated my place in this crazy elite world of winter sports and decided to commit myself to ski in the 21st Olympiad in Vancouver.

Like I said above, over the last four years much of what I did revolved around that singular goal. And now, for me, the long road I've traveled reached its destination. I competed in the Alpine Combined Event on February 18. I came. I raced. I conquered ... 17th place. Sound familiar?

Don't jump to conclusions — it was expertly orchestrated. Coordinating my movements just so to have a repeat performance was extremely complicated.

OK, I jest, but in all honestly I am very proud of myself. Due to uncooperative weather, I only got one fractured training run on the Downhill course (I really could have used the three that were originally scheduled). Having watched the Downhill race, I was privy to the nerves (and "Holy s---!" reactions) that accompany viewing your contemporaries wreck left and right. It wasn't the most calming pre-race affair, but the next day I made it down with the moves of a jungle cat. My respectable 17th aside, the U.S. Ski Team reigned victorious again with Jules (Mancuso) sitting pretty on her second silver medal in two days. I am always one to give credit where it is due. I am one of the best skiers in the world, although it also feels very cool to be associated with the best U.S. Ski Team in history.

Now this blog seems to be all business, but the last few days have been anything but. My new (and arguably more intense) quest after racing in my event has been claiming the indisputable "Most Fun Athlete" award at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. As of right now, it has only been self-proclaimed, but after having a dance-off with Russian silver medal-winning figure skater Evgeni Plushenko and being mistaken for gold medalist and media-darling Lindsey Vonn on multiple occasions (one of which supplied my crew and I with a very generous bottle of champagne), I am gaining more and more support by the minute.

I will nobly continue to sway the good people of Whistler with my enthusiasm and entertaining antics. Every giggle can make a difference, so please get behind my campaign.

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Olympic Ice Dancing Features Canadian Victory, Linkin Park

Posted 2/23/10 8:05 am EST by in Sports


Despite the fact that everybody seems to hate NBC's coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, there have still been compelling television moments. Take Monday night (February 22) for example: In the midst of hypnotic images of ski jumping and freestyle aerials, the focus of the evening was on ice dancing. It's an event that has been dominated by Russia ever since joining the Olympics ranks in 1976, but Monday's competition saw the rise of Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue, the Canadian pair who surged to the top and took the gold medal. Meryl Davis and Charlie White, an American team who have been partnered up for 13 years, took the silver medal, while Russia's Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin — the reigning world champions — settled for bronze.

Unlike plain old figure skating, ice dancing focuses more on storytelling, coordination, lifts and holds rather than jumps and twists. There's also a heavy focus on music — in fact, one of the reasons why the American pair grabbed such a big score in their final skate was because they managed to meld their choreography so well with the music (sadly, said music was a series of tunes from "Phantom of the Opera" — apparently, some aspects of ice dancing are still stuck in 1988).

In fact, most of the musical selections were pretty safe, as a majority of the teams stuck to well-worn classical pieces. However, there was at least one truly bold choice during the skating last night. Brits Sinead and John Kerr gave something of a retirement performance (they declared that this would be their last Olympics) set to a remix of Linkin Park's "Crawling" (they used "Krwlng," from LP's 2002 remix album Reanimation). The commentators noted that it was a big chance, and while their scores didn't put them on the medal podium (they finished in 20th place), they deserve a thumbs up for injecting a little edge into the evening.

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The U.S. Olympic Hockey Team's Win Over Canada Was Fueled By Kings Of Leon

Posted 2/22/10 1:45 pm EST by in Sports


As we noted this morning, the United States men's Olympic hockey team overcame tremendous odds to defeat Canada by a score of 5-3 yesterday. The U.S. team will now advance to the top seed of the quarterfinals, adding another wrinkle to an already unusual Olympic tournament.

Much of the credit for the unlikely victory goes to goaltender Ryan Miller, whose day job is with the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and who racked up 42 saves in a tense and heated match-up. Of course, Miller didn't do it alone: He had support from his able-bodied teammates, as well as a hand from Angus Young and Jared Leto.

Like many elite Olympic athletes, Miller uses music to help get him into the game-time mindset. "It varies, but a lot of the time it's a lot of modern rock mixes," Miller told MTV News in Vancouver. "I've been listening to Kings of Leon for a long time — ever since they had mustaches and long hair, so I like that they've had some success. I like that 30 Seconds to Mars has new stuff out. I like Silversun Pickups, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, stuff like that."

Teammate Ryan Callahan — a forward who plays with the New York Rangers — likes it a little older and heavier. "I keep it more old-school and simple," Callahan said. "AC/DC and Metallica get me really pumped up and ready to go. I like listening to that stuff before the games."

The men play again on Wednesday, but on Monday (February 22), the women get the chance to continue the U.S. hockey run in Vancouver. The U.S. will play Sweden in a semifinal game, and you can bet that an eclectic mix will help the ladies get ready to play. "On my iPod, I like to listen to hip-hop," forward Kelli Stack told MTV News. "I have a lot of Lil Wayne, Drake, Jay-Z and Eminem. But in the locker room, it's a little bit of everything, so a little bit of hip-hop, a little bit of country."

What would you play in the locker room to get ready for an Olympic hockey game? Leave your ideas in the comments!

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The 'Miracle On Ice' Puts U.S. Hockey In The Record Books: Wake-Up Video

Posted 2/22/10 9:00 am EST by in Wake-Up Video


It's a great morning for the United States hockey program, as they walked away from their match-up with Canada with a 5-3 victory on Sunday (February 21). Goalie Ryan Miller played an improbably stellar game, and the U.S. now has a bye into the quarterfinal round of the tournament. They'll have to see how the rest of the seeding shakes out, but for now the U.S. is the top seed in an already topsy-turvy Olympic tournament in Vancouver.

It's appropriate that the United States got the win a mere 24 hours before the anniversary of the biggest upset in the history of Olympic hockey. On this day in 1980, the underdog United States team defeated the Soviet Union by a score of 4-3 in the semifinals of the Olympic tournament in Lake Placid, New York. The game was a freestanding metaphor for the height of the Cold War: The Soviet Union team consisted of more experienced, state-sponsored athletes, while the U.S. was made up of mostly college players and true amateurs. The grit and tenacity of the American squad — along with some deft coaching care of hockey legend Herb Brooks — overcame the streamlined efficiency of the Soviets, and the U.S. outlasted them in one of the most stunning upsets in sports history. Two days later, the United States went on to win the gold medal following a win over Finland.

The victory over the Soviet Union became known as the "Miracle on Ice" (after play-by-play announcer Al Michaels jubilantly shouted "Do you believe in miracles?" following the final buzzer at the end of the game). While Sunday night's win over Canada doesn't quite hold the same cultural caché as the win in 1980, it's still a huge upset and could mean big things for the U.S. squad (which hasn't won a medal since 2002 and hasn't scored gold since 1980). Maybe it's time for another run. Maybe it's "Time for Miracles" (thanks, Adam Lambert).

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Lil Wayne, Kings Of Leon Help Pump Up U.S. Olympic Hockey Teams

Posted 2/18/10 6:00 pm EST by in Sports


By Nick Neofitidis

I'm a really huge hockey fan, so yesterday when I got to interview four members of our U.S. Olympic women's and men's hockey teams, I was pretty excited. However, there is one drawback to being a stand out supporter of Team USA Hockey, especially at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Canadians love (and I mean love) their hockey. All the niceness we learned about? Here comes the big asterisk.

That being said, I wanted to make sure our men and women hockey players are taken care of while at the games. So when I got men's team forward Ryan Callahan and goalie Ryan Miller on the microphone at the Team USA house downtown, I went right to my biggest concerns for them.

"Fellas, please tell me that while you are warming up they are not blasting any Celine Dion or Michael Bublé!" Once Calli and Mills (we hockey fans like to shorten names, trust me) got a good laugh out of my questions, they assured me they were too focused and didn't even hear what was playing. Women's team forwards Hilary Knight and Kelli Stack also reassured me of the same. That was quite a relief, because I did not want to have to drop the gloves and go toe to toe with the Canadian team. (Those guys are huge.)

With the stadium music crossed off my list of concerns, I asked everyone what music they liked to listen to in the locker room or on the Ipod before a big game. The men went right to rock and roll, with Kings of Leon, 30 Seconds to Mars, AC/DC and Metallica leading the way. As for the ladies, the're no Taylor Swift on these iPods. These ladies are bumping some serious hip-hop: Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Drake and Eminem. Now that's hardcore.

Unfortunately, I will have left Vancouver before both teams play Canada. But you can be sure I will be listening, watching and cheering all the way. Good luck, Team USA!

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