Olympics

[ausdon]

I had to stay up until about 2am here to see the torch lit. Its funny but I wouldn't call myself a big sports fan. The Olympics get to me though, the spirit, the atmosphere. The fact that someone always triumphs over the odds to get there and have a go brings a lump to my throat.

[ausdon]

Okay - so we turned to the Opening Ceremonies. I was thinking that the Project Runway design was going to be their attire, but - nope. Not that I can see. Anybody watching that?

Did you see some of the stoopid outfits some of those people came up with??!! Whoa!

Cotton, I must confess that since Australias outfit was a surprise I sure did have my fingers crossed!!! Turns out it wasn't as bad as it could have been!

[Ansamcw]

I love the Olympics too. Was very impressed with their production numbers....quite dramatic and artistic. That globe was stunning IMO...

I do wish I will be able to watch a lot of the Olymics...unforttunately my cait dominates our TV viewing. I will have to get her interested in all the sports coverage.

I do love Canada's coverage...much more complete and less US centric.

[claytonic]

I love the Olympics - stayed up to watch the opening ceremony... very VERY impressive, the mind boggles at what they did!

The lighting of the cauldron is always a major anticipation... and while I found what Beijing did as fantastic, I still feel that Sydney 2000* was the most amazing to me..... it is hard to forget the image of Cathy Freeman igniting the cauldron, standing in the centre of fire and water. The lighting was delayed due to a technical hitch but it simply added to the drama of it all.

*Did you guys know that 2000 is Sydney's postcode?

I am looking forward to the swimming, gymnastics and blue ribbon track events. Plus some diving because I am a fan of little Michelle Wu. Oh and I try not to miss the last stages of the marathon!

[Ansamcw]

Yup Sydney games was fantastic. I also liked Spains lighting the Cauldron with an arrow.

[cha cha trusty]

I thoroughly enjoyed the Opening Ceremonies!! I always watch them, I still have some tapes of previous ones.

I'll have to look sometime soon to see if I have Sydney. That was in 2000?

I loved all the thousands of people doing all those numbers... like the drums, and the tai chi, and the performers witht he lights on their bodies... OMG... it was really great!

The lighting of the cauldron (I always call it the torch ) was really usual, although I got a little bored when the guy was running in mid-air toward it!!

and YES! I was watching Project Runway to see the stuff they came up with for the Olympic team. But I wasn't expecting any of them to show up tonight, esp since Tim said that Ralph Lauren had already designed them for the team. And to get 600+ of them completed, I think they had to start quite awhile ago!

I was happy to see that chick leave this week tho... she was seriously stuck in the past. You could tell just by looking at her!! (discussion continued in the PR thread!)

[Couch Tomato]

best opening ceremony EVER...loved it.

Hungary had the worst outfits..eek LOL

[Couch Tomato]

so I've been watching every single night.

Enjoyed swimming but glad it's over. Yay Phelps..I was so rooting for him to win 8 gold. And it was amazing ..especially the relay race where his team mate raced up from behind and then the race where he won by one hundredths of a second. That's just crazy and it was meant to be.

I'm not a very american centric person when I watch these... take the women gymnasts. Yawn. None of them inspired me at all. I got a lot of work done during their sport. Loved the chinese male gymnast tht won all around gold. Loved the Chinese female diver that won gold today.

Of course I'm rooting for US basketball. And I love track and field. Usain Bolt was faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast and it looked like he didn't even run full out at the end. Wow.

I am sick of beach volleyball. Every time I look around it's on. Enough already.

I don't watch these sports normally but where is the wrestling and boxing and equestrian. I love them in olympics.

I enjoyed the rowing today. Thsi is why I watch the olympics to see some of these sports that you don't normally see... where's that run a mile, shoot an arrow, jump over a fence stuff I used to watch when I was a kid And I hope there is a decathalon cuz I love that sort of thing.

And it seems like they make up ways to keep gymnastics going for two weeks. Did I say I'm tired of gymanstics?

Last half hour of the marathon was good. I cracked up that the winner ran a victory lap after running 26 miles.

I accidently erased the opening ceremonies from my DVR ..crap..but I see they have it for sale. I don't even want to look to see how much they are charging for it.

ETA: OK if I have to suffer through olympics is it bad I'm rooting for the Korean girl in the hopes that I'll hear OMWH LOL.

[claytonic]

so I've been watching every single night.

Enjoyed swimming but glad it's over.

Yay Phelps..I was so rooting for him to win 8 gold.

And it was amazing ..especially the relay race where his team mate raced up from behind and then the race where he won by one hundredths of a second. That's just crazy and it was meant to be.

I'm not a very american centric person when I watch these... take the women gymnasts. Yawn. None of them inspired me at all. I got a lot of work done during their sport. Loved the chinese male gymnast tht won all around gold. Loved the Chinese female diver that won gold today.

Of course I'm rooting for US basketball. And I love track and field. Usain Bolt was faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaast and it looked like he didn't even run full out at the end. Wow.

I am sick of beach volleyball. Every time I look around it's on. Enough already.

I don't watch these sports normally but

where is the wrestling and boxing and equestrian

. I love them in olympics.

I enjoyed the rowing today. Thsi is why I watch the olympics to see some of these sports that you don't normally see... where's that run a mile, shoot an arrow, jump over a fence stuff I used to watch when I was a kid

And I hope there is a decathalon cuz I love that sort of thing.

And it seems like they make up ways to keep gymnastics going for two weeks. Did I say I'm tired of gymanstics?

Last half hour of the marathon was good. I cracked up that the winner ran a victory lap after running 26 miles.

I accidently erased the opening ceremonies from my DVR ..crap..but I see they have it for sale. I don't even want to look to see how much they are charging for it.

ETA: OK if I have to suffer through olympics is it bad I'm rooting for the Korean girl in the hopes that I'll hear OMWH LOL.

Phelps isn't human. There can be no other explanation!!

Couchie, I loathe boxing and wrestling, and it amazes to hear that women actually like these sports. There's a TV presenter here who is considered a serious and intelligent journalist, and is a mom of 3 kids. She said she loved the wrestling, she and her grandma used to watch it together. It totally confounded me!!! I honestly thought only men liked wrestling and boxing!! Am I just plain boring?

I'd bet my bottom dollar that you know MANY people who would have recorded the Opening Ceremony and have probably already burned it to DVD. So I doubt you'd have to pay for it unless you wanted a professionally produced DVD, which I know some people DO want. I have a friend who bought the Sydney Olympics OPening and closing ceremonies on VIdeo Cassette even though he had recorded it as well.

p.s. If you like Equestrian, have you seen this....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKQgTiqhPbw

[ldyjocelyn]

where's that run a mile, shoot an arrow, jump over a fence stuff I used to watch when I was a kid

couchie, that was "Wide World of Sports." My husband and I were just lamenting the cancellation of that show, for exactly the reason you stated. You could watch some of these more obscure sports and learn something about them.

claytonic, I'm with you on the boxing, but I like watching the wrestling too. I've known a few wrestlers, and they really love their sport. To me, it's fascinating to watch them just pin each other -- and then shake hands with each other afterwards.

Gymnastics? Well, I was fascinated by the men's pommel horse last night (how DO they do that?), and the story of the 33 year old German gymnast on the vault was pretty darn cool too.

I find myself not being able to watch the diving. The idea of Greg Louganis hitting his head on the board at over 20 years ago still flashes through my mind!

[Couch Tomato]

Claytonic... well I don't find anything wrong with wrestling at all. Not talking about the soap opera sport but the wrestling you see in college, high school and the olympics.

Boxing is a different story. I don't watch it much anymore but I think that's because it's become a joke. I think in the olympics they wear helmets but yes it's still a violent sport. I did use to watch it a lot back i the day with Ali, Frazier and Foreman, and even the lower weight classes like Sugar Ray, Hagler and Sweet P heee Whittaker.

Yeah I did look up for the men's pommel horse. I just hate all the whining when the US doens't win.

OK late last night..LOVED the Jamaican female sprinter that won. She was just so exuberant...and 1, 2 and 3 all Jamaicans? Great feat.

[ldyjocelyn]

Oh, yum.

Michael Phelps' Sports Illustrated Cover Revealed

[djs111]

Couchie, I loathe boxing and wrestling, and it amazes to hear that women actually like these sports. There's a TV presenter here who is considered a serious and intelligent journalist, and is a mom of 3 kids. She said she loved the wrestling, she and her grandma used to watch it together. It totally confounded me!!! I honestly thought only men liked wrestling and boxing!! Am I just plain boring?

I never thought much about boxing until - ironically! - I watched the Olympic boxing match where some kid was getting beat up and his mom jumped into the ring and started pummeling the other guy with her purse.

I thought yes, it must be hard to watch your own son get hit. And then that thought kinda percolated and permeated and such - and now I can't bear to watch it!

That 6'4" discus thrower was impressive - evidently she is a big fan of Mary Lou Retton, and is obviously waaaaay too tall for gymnastics.

Bela Karolyi should be a commentator for gymnastics every time they are televised - such joy!

[Couch Tomato]

Michael Phelps is not yum material to me. I love him..thrilled he won all those medals but yum to me means sexy and he's just not that to me.

Gymanstics - is it bad that I don't like the female USA gymnasts. They all seem snotty and entitled to me. I root for the other teams.

bwah it just hit me that the olympics are airing during the day. I guess my DVR has picked it all up. Anyway, I did see one speck of wrestling today since and American won gold. I guess we don't get stuff unless we're in contention for gold.

[Couch Tomato]

THEY DROPPED THE STICK! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

make that a double

[claytonic]

Well, the Closing Ceremony was awesome, beyond description really!! BUT I cannot believe Michael Phelps did not stay for the Closing Ceremony... he created Olympic history in Beijing, I bet the Chinese were very disappointed. Apparently he went to London for some deal. Well, I don't care how good the deal was, it's not like he has any competition and has to get there to see someone who can't wait for him. At first I thought he wanted to avoid all the media that would be at the airport when the athletes return home but surely that comes with the territory. LOL swimming is my favourite Olympic sport, and I really wanted to see him get some kind of special recognition at the Closing Ceremony. Ah well. <sigh>, I still can't over his 8 gold medals... at the very start when there was all that talk about him winning 8 gold, I though "yeah, right".

[Couch Tomato]

OK my thoughts on the last few days.

Go USA basketball...women and men. I love that these millionaires (men LOL) seemed to really enjoy their olympic experience, taking in the sites and sounds. I don't think this team had any ugly americans. and the game was a great competive game last night. Paul Gasol played great for Spain. I hope he comes back to the Lakers with that same passion.

OK the diving from last night. I felt SO bad for that one lone Chinese diver who didn't get gold. I was rooting for him but he screwed up on his final dive and left the door open for the Australian guy who nailed it. He was awesome...and that shot of the thrill of victory side by side with the agony of defeat was heartbreaking.

The only thing I haven't liked is Costas trying to chastise Ussain Bolt and treat him as he is some sort of showboating bad sportsman. He is exciting and flashy but so what. Everybody doesn't have the same personality and I hate that they seem to be trying to take something away from him. Saw on my local news that world wide he is extremely popular...saw some footage of him dancing at his birthday party. So I hope what he did on the track speaks for itself and he isn't penalized for not being Michale Phelps. Also, I heard he gave 50,000 to earthquake relief. I'm not sure how much money he has but that seems a lot to me for a track runner. Hopefully he gets a lot of commercial opportunities so that he can keep on doing this to the next olympics.

wow closing ceremonies don't come here until 7 PM. And I just heard last night that they would be doing something special with Michael Phelps. I will be curious to hear what Costas has to say about that.