The Summer Olympics have a pretty straightforward lineup. Run as fast as you can, jump as far or high as you can, swim better than anyone else -- it's all relatable, at least on a conceptual level, to even the laziest couch potato.
But the Winter Olympics present a whole different animal, introducing all sorts of gadgets, equipment and esoteric rules. So, to get you prepped for Sochi, we've employed Google Autocomplete, the brutally honest talisman of the Internet's brain, to help make sense of the Games.
Read on to get up to speed.
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The Context
The 2014 Winter Olympics take place in Sochi, Russia, and are viewed by most as a huge moment for President Vladimir Putin on the world stage. So what do Google searchers think about the setting and biggest player of this year's Games?
Russia
When it comes to 2014's host country, confusion reigns. Europe or Asia? The country is actually bi-continental, but you definitely wouldn't call it gay (for a variety of reasons). Homosexuality is actually quite the no-no in Russia.
Here, meanwhile, are Autocomplete's most popular questions about the host country:
Vladimir Putin
Putin is either "a badass" or "evil," but you can't have it both ways, Internet. And whether or not you think he's "the man," he's definitely the Man if you live in Russia.
Sochi
Aw, poor Sochi.
The Sports
Now let's learn about some of the Winter Olympics' more popular sports!
Snowboarding
Woah, snowboards are kind of like "cool skis" if you really think about it. Mind. Blown.
Curling
Gonna have to go with "awesome" on this one.
Speedskating
HOW COULD SPEEDSKATING EVER POSSIBLY BE IN THE SUMMER OLYMPICS? What kind of question is that?
Bobsledding
Bobsledding is not a sport, they say? Lolo Jones would tell you otherwise.
Figure skating
Figure skating is not a sport either? There seems to be a theme emerging with some of these Winter Olympic sports. Except ...
Luge relay
