OLYMPICS

I know this is a current event thing, but can we talk about it?

I am so excited....I cant wait, I am cancelling a fish dinner so that I can watch the opening ceremony.
Last time, I watched the ceremonies from Canada with my sister, we went up so my sister could have eye surgery, and we were there for the opening ceremonies. We were both very enthralled with the preocession, she couldnt see, but the narration was great. We watched with great anticipation for the turkish delegation to pass, and would you believe that right before turkey passed they put on a commercial, oh we were so upset, but then when we came back, it was the US, so of course we were boo hooing to beat the band.....(we get very emotional when we see our flag...the American one of course!!)

As a teenager, I remeber listening to the Olympics on the radio, we didnt have TV in Turkey at that time, a group of friends were listening to the Munich olympics when we heard about the devastating terrorist acts against the Israeli athletes.
we were shocked and saddened, little did we know that that would be a prelude of what was to come.

How do you remember watching the olympics? Which is your favorite part?

You know, I love watching the Olympics. It can be so inspiring. I try to get the girls to watch as well and use it as a "teachable moment" when they do. Letting children know that they can achieve their goals and starting it at an early age helps to build confidence. Following those talks, it's good to do things that challenge them, yet allow them to make decisions, learn, accomplish something, etc. It cements the idea in their brain. It makes them think, "If I can do this, then I can probably do that, too." And so they are more willing to try new things and take on new challenges.

Yes, we will watch ... and we will pray that nothing happens that undermines the unity displayed at the competitions. And we will, again, be inspired.

Every part of it is great, even the commercials. You know that guys don't cry (well, I did when my dog died) but every time they show the 26 mile marathon and the person that comes in last place, dragging across the finish line, the determination on his/her face will definately put a tear in my eye. Some countries don't have any chance of winning any medals at all, I always root for them unless of course their is an American hopeful. Its always go USA for me but I would like to see some smaller country win a few also. Any comments?

We watch some ESPN Classis everyweek and for the last 2 weeks they have been replaying great Olympic moments and one os the great ones was '84 (?, I think) when the Morrocon lady runner won the first medal for her country. So moving.

I love the Olympics and the show starts NOW so I am going to watch TV!!

This message was edited Aug 13, 2004 10:58 PM

You will not believe it, but I had to miss it, I am so bummed, my husband had planned a dinner out with some friends and the family, and wouldnt budge on changing it.

I saw a couple of minutes of highlights this morning on the news, I enjoy watching the parade of nations, they showed where the two Koreas marches together, that got me choked up....after all these years of being bitter enemies, they at least walked together, there is hope for them, just old whats his name needs to dissapear....

nadabigfarm, I too root for the little guy if he's not competing against the US, heck....I dont even root for the Turks if they are against the US (as if that would ever happen.....)
I always get choked up when one of those itty bitty countries passes, with one athlete....
And when I watch the medal ceremony and they play the American National Anthem, well, no stopping me, the water works get turned on full blast....
I imagine this year if I get a chance to watch the medal ceremony when the American win I will really get chocked up.
Since I didnt see it, can someone who did tell me, how was the Iraqi delegation's reception?
and Afghanistan?
Did anyone notice the Turks? of course on the news this morning, they showed the Turks, and I didnt even get excited....they were wearing white suits with red shirts....Anyone see them?

Pebble- I am watching the delayed broadcast right now-

Irag and Afghanistan both got big support as did Bosnia, Serbia.

Cypress got a much bigger applause than Turkey.

I really don't like the commentaries during this by Bob Costa and Katie Couric. They just say stuff to say anything and it would be so much nicer to just watch the spectacle. Also, they have pointed out the political conflict that almost every single country has had for the last 40 years and who it was with. Boy, that isn't what the games are about for me.

Otherwise the images the designers created were stunning and the stadium is wonderful. And everyone seems so happy to be there. They all make me so happy to see their smiles!

Daisy, yes, I too enjoy watching the smile/glee on all the athletes faces.
It is a shame that the commentary had to go on about the political differences of all the countries.
I was kind of worried about these games, because Turkey and Greece have been enemies since the beg of time it seems, and turks are never welcome in greece, just wonder what the turkish athelets reception is like?

Can anyone explain to me why the US Oly gear says "Roots" on it? Just curious.

it should have been "lets rock n roll"

I too was teary eyed when the two Korea's came in hand in hand as one. It was such a touching moment for me and for my DH to watch.

The crowd was quite good to every nation I thought. Turkey didn't get a huge reception but at least they didn't appear to be boo'ed either. I got so tired of Costus and Couric talking through and over the music that I almost muted the whole thing. It was very distracting to me and I wish they would have just SHUT UP and let the ceremony speak for itself. They just rambled on and on.

The statues and the flying people was wonderful but I sure am glad I wasn't one of the people asked to fly 50 feet over the athletes! I loved the water in the center of the field and its meanings to the Greeks. DH was wondering what they did with the cloth that they pulled completely over the athletes because when they came back from commercial it was gone. Another thing we think they should do with the opening and closing ceremony is to have them commercial free so people don't miss the country they wanted to watch come in. Good grief can't we have a program without distractions all the way through at 5 minute intervals?

Overall I would say a job well done thus far. Now let the games begin and keep the announcers mouths shut.

Agreed, Ponds. Those two were driving me nuts!

The dress was amazing but commercial breaks just ruined it!! For anyone who did not see it- Bjork, the Icelandic singer was singing a beautiful song, 'Oceania' and her dress, which looked like a rumpled mess when she first appeared, became a 30,000 square foot canopy which unfurled to cover all of the atheletes under its hems and from above showed a map of the world. Wonderful.

The camera showed it for maybe 5 seconds, they cut to commercial and came back and the Bjork and the dress were gone. Poof.

My neighbors were watching Telemundo and it had less commercials and they were cheering (LOL we could hear them!) the teams being presented while in our house we watched commercials. Ackk. And Costas. Ackk Ackk.

Very wonderful also was the female torch bearer from Greece who was the first Greek athelete to win a gold medal (her was in 1992) since 1912.

I was too watching the opening ceremony. It was very nice and neat. I dont remember that Sydney had that nice ceremony when their Olympics games started two years ago.
I really liked the drums, you know. When the another man was playing a drum outdoors and the other man played his drum in the sea which was built on the stadion.
I really liked the part when the sportsmen and women walked to the stadion, Iraq got huge applause.
I dont know why, but our President wasnt there, it was really stupid, we were really expecting to see her at the opening ceremony.

In Finland Olympics, as always are coming on "ad-free" channel, so we dont get any distractions when we are watching the games.

Bjork wasnt a good choice, I think. The whole song was weird and I dont like the was she sang it. I think little faster song had been better.

The 'roots' thing on their outfits was the name of who made/donated? their outfits - Saw this on the Today show.

I also watched the opening ceremonies. Our team was so small compared to others.. :( The thing I didn't get was the greek alphabetical order, it seemed so weird.

I was just wondering why did Taiwan use the name "Chinese Taipei"? And not their state flag but an olympic flag?

I liked the Sydney openings better somehow.. The good thing now is though, that Greece has got the same time as Finland, so if they live-broadcast something, it will come out from the tv on a good time here.

We visited the Munich Olympic Stadium this Summer by the way, it was awesome! Ours is really small, but hey, our Olympics were held in 1952, seven years after the war..

Yes, I found it weird too. Why Chinese Taipei, and not Taiwan.

Evert, I visited the munich stadium right before the olympics, that summer, I was 13 or so.

Evert and Mitjo-

China insists of the Olympic Committee that Taiwain be refered to as Chinese Taipei. It is a very complicated political area so I will just post a link http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=%5CForeignBureaus%5Carchive%5C200408%5CFOR20040813a.html

I found out also that Roots is a Canadian company that is dressing the USA, Great Britain, Barbados and Canada Olympians.

Does anyone remember 4 years ago that Google had the Olympic rings in its logo? Not this year.

Ahh, I knew it was something because of China. Why can't they just leave the Taiwanese people live their own life :(

FYI
In case you miss an airing of a sport that you wanted to see we were told to go to http://www.NBCOlympics.com and they will have videos that you can watch that sport anytime. I tried the website but didn't look for the video links.

Daisy...this year doesn't Google have Greek figures intertwined in it's letters? Jo

My ex and my daughter are in Taiwan right now and are glued to the screen. Taiwan has actually been at war with the mainland since 1949 and both claim to be the legitimate government of China. Since we opened relations with the Communists during the Nixon regime there can only be one China. When both claim to be the true China, one had to be forced out and for obvious reasons, Taiwan was pushed aside and could only be recognized as Taipei (the capital of Taiwan). I was really surprised to see Hong Kong march as a seperate entity from the Chinese delegation. I can't understand why they did that.
Overall, I loved the march of nations, especially the smaller countries and island-nations. Everybody seemed to be having a great time. I was very disappointed to see many of the American atheletes not in the parade because they had to compete the following morning. For example. the women's beach volleyball team and the girls gymnastic team. I know they are focused on their events but the opening ceremony march should be the highlight of the whole Olympic experience. Rather disappointed in that. When the Iraq , Palestinian and Afganistanian teams walked by, I got out of my chair an applauded them. I actually hope they win something/anything. As for the commercials, hey, they are paying for our right to see it on TV. At least they recapped what we missed during the ads which I have never seen before on previous Olympic broadcasts. I guess I had better shut up for now. All I can say is "GO USA". You can quote me............

Pebbles,

I have never seen anyone booed at an olympic event. This has always been a sporting event and should never, never be a political thing. I only wish we could fight our wars and have our indifferences on a playing field rather than the battlefield. Hopefully, all the nations can become neutral for the next few weeks and the world can see peace for a short moment. Would be wonderful if it could last. I remember Munich and hopefully it will never repeat.....

Mitjo,
If I saw it correctly, I think the drummer and the video screen guy was the same person. I was so impressed also. Great program.

Jo- they didn't have that on Google this morning early, I promise!! You are right though.

I saw your question DaisyAvenue and noticed you also found the answer. In 2000 Canada's team wore a striking red and white outfit designed by Roots. There was a write-up at the time that many countries admired the outfit and requested that Roots design theirs. Roots now has a contract to design and supply outfits to the above mentioned countries for the 2002, 2004 and 2006 Olympics.

edited to say I also believe the Canadian's beret (Roots) worn at the 1998 Winter Olympics also drew a lot of interest.

This message was edited Aug 15, 2004 2:28 PM

Has anyone noticed all the empty seats in every event. The gymnastics was empty of fans as well as the basketball game. What gives ???

The seats weren't empty above camera level but you are right. They should be filled soon:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1503&u=/afp/20040815/ts_afp/oly_2004_gre_greece_040815143723&printer=1

It was nearing midnight when the live show of the opening ceremony was on. So I managed to see up to the march pasts began. It was a spectacular show. I enjoyed the technical brilliance. I thought it had rained there in the stadium but I realized when the commentators explained about that 10 million L of water!

For anybody to be there at the stadium at any Olympics, it is a dream moment for them -- almost once in a life time experience! Not for nothing so many camera flashes illuminated the show! For the competetors, it is a dream come true - the thousands of hours of hard work meant to be there -- some are lucky to have participated in 4-5 Olympics. The Olympics is one place where one can hold his country's flag in the most sentimental manner. We have heard of people [esp. professional sportspeople] who say that they prefer the Olympics to any event that coincides the schedule.

Daisy, Thanks for the info. Can you believe that they are giving away tickets for free just to have people in the stands. I am very disappointed in the Greeks for not filling up those seats. In 84 when the Olympics were here in LA, we couldn't buy a seat at any event and I am sure it was like that at all the other Olympics too.

I think that the Greeks are upset and not going to the games because that big track star of theirs has been disqualified for missing his drug test.

Who knows. You would think from watching it that there are 3 countries competing anyways.

I think the price was quite high for tickets, I didnt realise that they were giving them away free....

They are now!!

too late though isnt it?? pity!!

Yesterday's paper carried a news item "Athens is now a terrorists' paradise"... a certain person claims to have planted fake bombs and suspicious items deliberately at the venues and still went undetected. He says he was near VVIPs -- as near as a few feet away -- was using fake names and fake jobs. Under that, he has managed to get in wherever he wants. By his action, he wants to let people know how 'strict' the security is arranged there!

Hey, Evert! There's an offering online of some memorabilia from the Olympics years ago in Finland.
http://pages.tias.com/7896/PictPage/1921046742.html

There are many of them.. An our newspaper were full of articles from 1952 two years ago when it was 50 years since the Helsinki Olympics. :)

I am sooooo sleepy from watching "the games" Having either done or coached gymnastics for close to 40years now I never miss them. Hats off to all the athletes. No matter what the politics of the time is good sportsmanship is alive and well in these kids.

Why does Puerto Rico have its own team?

Puerto Rico is US Possession, not a state.

ISN'T IT WONDERFUL!!!!! I don't think I've missed anything they have shown. The NBC stations started with 7AM on BRAVO and stayed on all day on their varius cable stations. The summer games are wonderful, but the winter games are my favorite! Can't wait!!.

I have never participated in ANY sport. In grammer school I was "excused" from playing baseball when they found out I was reading a book in the outfield .LOL My contribution to sports is to be a fascinated, admiring observer and a cheering-oner. I discoverd Beach Volly Ball this year and I just love it.

Here's a cheer from the Couch Potato group: GO USA!!!!!!!
Pati