Olympics 2012

[Bunnylump]

Well, it's here whether we want it or not, so I thought we really ought to have a thread to celebrate it / slag it off!!

Opening ceremony.

Well, that was quite something, wasn't it?? And I am prepared to bet that a large proportion of the USA will have believed that the Queen actually DID parachute into the stadium... I also wondered how many children would be having nightmares about the giant witches etc. who visited the children from GOSH. Did anyone expect hobbits to appear out of the grassy hill?

I'm just watching the tedious bit (all the athletes marching past - are we REALLY only on C still???? But it did strike me how dreadful it looks when people who are chosen to represent their country, and bear their country's flag, think it's OK to CHEW as they do it. I'm old fashioned, I know...

I did like the Czech Republic's wellies though!!

[supersleuth]

But that's the best I like best - seeing the countries and sort of entering into their pride at being there.

Can't cope with most of the rest

[Scurra]

I really enjoyed being able to watch without any commentary (thank you, red button) - I was surprised at how coherent the first part turned out to be without useless people wittering on in the background telling me what I could see.

The Sun reported on the sequence with Daniel Craig as Bond meeting the Queen - but they published it on April 1st and I don't think anyone believed it.

[Bunnylump]

You read the SUN??

Unfortunately for me, I've had the commentary on. And it's been banal, to say the least.

Also, could someone please explain to me why Dizzee Rascal got such vast exposure?

[Scurra]

No, I read the round-up of "April Fool" stories (I think it was on the BBC website.) And that was one of them...

As for Dizzee Rascal - well, someone has to perform occasionally, like the woman singing Abide with Me, or Mike Oldfield doing Tubular Bells. I can think of many worse people to do that particular job. (Like me. ) It's like wondering who is going to light the Torch: someone has to do it, but only one person can, so everyone can complain about picking them over anyone else...

[Bunnylump]

Just as an aside, we have a method for analysing the reading age that various books and publications are suitable for. And the Sun is written at a reading age of 12 (i.e an average 12 year old should be able to read it confidently).

[Scurra]

That's surprisingly high. Or else our expected reading standards have fallen somewhat.

[Bunnylump]

Back to the Olympics. Cyclists with WINGS?? Whatever next??

[Wulfruna]

But the cauldron was sheer genius - it doesn't need to be just one athlete after all........




Goodnight

[Scurra]

Marina Hyde in the Guardian:
"I'm still reeling that a country that can put on a show that hilariously bonkers is allowed nuclear weapons."

[MBH]

Oh - it's started has it? I'll just listen to the highlights


We've had the Olympics here in Newcastle for a couple of days already with the football matches (and all the trouble THAT caused with tickets, etc). A real talking point on the Radio phone-ins.

[Redfraggle]

I thought the bit with Daniel Craig and the Queen was really funny! I also got an education - I didn't know half of those countries existed. Yes, Bunny - I expected hobbits to make an appearance

[Bunnylump]

My sister in law is a volunteer, and got to see the dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony live. She said it was really good to watch in person, especially the drumming. I was asking D why he wasn't asked - especially now he can play the tubular bells as well...

[Cenwulf]

Now we're into the events proper, the BBC has gone into overdrive with it. I was expecting it on BBC1 and BBC3, but I wasn't expecting it to be taking over the BBC News channel as well. Any non-Olympic news is relegated to minor importance.

I thought the Olympic motto was Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger).
But for the BBC it seems to be Edimus, Dormimus, Spiremus (Eat it, Sleep it, Breathe it)!
(Translation provided by Mr Sator)

[Bunnylump]

I must say I'm quite put out that Wallander isn't on.

I'm just fed up with the complete obsession with medals. Totally pointless to put them under that extra pressure. It's as if they haven't won a medal they haven't achieved anything. The fact that they are all world class athletes who have worked their socks off to get this far seems irrelevant. This is one of the reasons I hate sport, particularly competitive sport. I do sometimes like to watch things just to watch the SKILL levels, for example, the height those basketball players can jump is phenomenal.

[Scurra]

I don't think it's an obsession with medals particularly, it's just that the Olympics are interesting because they give medals, as opposed to ginormous cheques and huge trophies. (Have you noticed that there are no advertising hoardings to be seen? Those corporate sponsors don't get much for their money. )
The winners are still the winners, whatever sport it is; they'll get the coverage. (Lewis Hamilton won the Grand Prix earlier today. In any other week that would have been all over the news...) You can watch a sport and admire the performance of everyone - the BBC commentators are doing a pretty decent job of trying to maintain their neutrality (I am told the US coverage is basically "who's the US competitor, ignore the rest." Is it wrong to feel glad they were beaten by the French earlier?!)

[kathlyn]

(I am told the US coverage is basically "who's the US competitor, ignore the rest." Is it wrong to feel glad they were beaten by the French earlier?!)

Nothings changed re US from 1998 then. We were living over there then and if the Americans were in it they showed it, any other great athlete from other countries were ignored or received a cursory mention. Who said these were the friendly games?

[Scurra]

Here are some amazing photographs.

http://mashable.com/2012/08/01/twitter- ... ry_box6815

The cameras are looking down (or from underneath in the pool) and the results are fantastic.

[Redfraggle]

Cousins of ivan's family won the silver in rowing!

[eirian]

Congratulations! It was a brilliant race - they did really well