Reasons to watch the Winter Olympics

1. The best athletes from all over the world gather to participate in the sports at which they excel: What a treat to see skiers, curlers, hockey players, snowboarders, lugers, bobsledders, etc. competing for their country and bragging rights.

2. Figure skating: I really like watching figure skating and have since I was a child. I guess I just get a kick out of watching someone able to twirl, jump and fly on the ice without falling on their butt. It takes such skill to complete all those delicate moves. Years ago they showed the compulsories for the Olympics on TV and although it was kind of tedious, it was also fascinating to see the requirements skaters had to complete to make it to the fun stuff.

3. Women's slope style: I know this is the first year, and I think it's cool. It's kind of like the skiing version of track's steeplechase where the athletes have to overcome obstacles using one fat ski. Some of the spills are horribly scary, but it's just amazing what these girls can do.

4. Downhill skiing: It's probably one of the purest winter Olympic sports with just shear strength and speed. Some of it kind of reminds me of a nightmare I have sometimes about trying to walk down stairs, for example, and winding up flying through the air to the bottom. On the downside, I'm sorry but I'm glad Bode Miller is out of it.

5. Speedskating: The short races are the most fun. It's kind of like drag racing on skates. You have one lane that's usually the hot one where the athlete in that lane usually wins.