THE OLYMPICS: Official Thread of All-Things Games! (Sportsmanship Required)- Page 2

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 11:58pm

Holy crap indeed! Gorgeous...just shock and total awe...

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:04am

From the nation that provides us with the world's technology...

Huh??

[EugLoven]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:05am

I AGREE!

And there's just so much more to look forward too! I'm so pumped for the actual games to be aired!

And to learn more about China, the Olympic Village, personal stories, cultural tidbits, and to see some gorgeous cinematography, and edge-of-our-seat competitions!

I'm gonna be hootin' and hollerin' and rootin' for everything!!!

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:07am

That was the most amazing opening ceremony I have ever seen! Kudos to the Chinese. That lighting of the cauldron was just incredible.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:11am

I must admit, my enthusiasm is tempered by my distaste for the government, its policies, and the corruption rampant there.

China is an amazing country, full of possibilities. It is also a almost impossible country to govern unless an iron fist is used.

I don't think it deserved the Olympics, but I will tune in at some point. But I have a hard time separating the government of China from the Olympic games, since they are so closely intertwined.

I will watch, but honestly, feel a little guilty about doing so.

[supportivemom]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:13am

Well, I've been watching the Olympics for a very long time and I thought the opening was absolutely stunning! The people of China are beautiful- the women and the children particularly. The costumes blew me away! The creativity of the director made my jaw stay open all night. Of course the fireworks were amazing! Just sayin'

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:14am

Has anyone here seen TOKYO OLYMPIAD? It's a scathingly hilarious critique of Japanese society by Kon Ichikawa that is dressed up as a documentary of the 1964 Olympic games. It's an incredible film. You will wish that Ichikawa would have shot all sporting events after you see it.

[TheatreFreak05]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:18am

That opening ceremony was amazing!

I am just wowed by it all!

[cubanpab]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:20am

i've seen lots of opening ceremonies, but that was quite possibly the most stunning one i've seen... just insane.

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:38am

Can I get a round of applause for those Chinese women who danced around for 3 hours during the parade of Nations? I would've fallen over after the first hour.

Also, Lopez Lomong, the kid from Sudan who was carrying the flag for the US, graduated from High School in a town about 20 minutes from me, and his journey to the Olympics has been huge in the news here. There was a benefit recently to raise money to send his adoptive parents and high school coach over to China to see him compete, and as far as I know they should be on their way there.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:45am

I felt the same way, Mandi, both about those cheerleaders and for Lomong.

Okay, so I'm watching the Live Streaming Video of the Women's Fencing and it's soooo intense. You know how people grunt when they play tennis? Well the same holds-true for Fencing, only these women are SCREAMING! Like banshees, it's maddening. Each time the USA girl hits the Ukraine girl, they yelp like they're dying! It's nuts!

[supportivemom]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:54am

Thanks for posting all the beautiful pictures too! The Chinese cheerleaders were adorable. I did see that they got to drink water at least. I also loved the costumes of some of the African nations. They must have been burning up though- they said the humidity was bad- but then again, they had no body fat! Can't wait for the women's gymnastics!

[Greekmusicalfan]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 6:01am

Of course there will be no fighting here Eugene, especially between us ! As I said, this was only my opinion, it doesn't mean I am right ! I am glad people enjoyed it, it's just that I didn't ! And like youwantitwhen so rightly said, I also find it hard to separate the Games from the government, so maybe I am biased ! Hey, I'm only human

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 7:44am

That opening was breathtaking.

[madbrian]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 11:26am

It's around 11:30AM here, and so far this morning I've watched: soccer, indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, dressage, badmitton and handball. God bless cable, but I'm going to be exhausted by the end of these games.

[scott68]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 11:31am

I'm just peeing myself getting ready for women's gymnastics!

[EugLoven]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:00pm

...and all the swimming events tonight!!!

I'll be at a party, but will insist the hosts have their TV on :)

Currently, I'm at work watching the Women's Basketball games on live streaming-video.

[EugLoven]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:09pm

PHOTO GALLERY: DAY 1

NBC provides some great shots of the various competitions, new photos added daily.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/photos/galleryid=186037.html

Images of triumph, challenge, training and defeat. The woman falling down during her weightlifting is scary! The ones of George W. Bush and the volleyball players has a "dirty old man" feel to them. And I LOVE looking at the Men's Gymnastics photos (those arms and shoulders!). The Taraje Murray-Williams judo photo... they are literally floating above the ground.

GREAT SHOTS!

[EugLoven]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:13pm

PHOTO GALLERY: Swimming Day 1 Prelims
http://www.nbcolympics.com/swimming/photos/galleryid=188167.html



Incredible shots of Michael Phelps and other swimmers. Look at their intensity! Precision! Muscles and power just PLOWING through the water!

Updated On: 8/15/08 at 12:13 PM

[clever name]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 12:34pm

ooh thanks for the pic of Michael Phelps, Eug! You know that phone commercial with the Michael Phelps fanatic? Picture that girl's MOM behaving that way and you pretty much have me! lol. I'm watching volley ball right now.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 3:16pm

Phelps just set an Olympic record in the Men's 400 Meter IM. I loved that the commentators kept saying that he was just "on cruise control," and then were in shock when he set a new record. He's such an incredible athlete.

[The Boy From Ohio]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 4:34pm

"That was the most amazing opening ceremony I have ever seen!" - obsessedjb You took the words right out of my mouth.

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 5:22pm

I am glad I taped it. However, we were experiencing some really severe storms and lost sound right before the China National Anthem (Some say it was on purpose.) They re-ran it at 1:30 in the morning. But it was the most stunning opening to the Olympics I have seen and I think it will be very hard to beat!

On to the games...something I am noticing. They are mentioning the "partners" of some of the athletes. Phil Dalhausser's (vollyball) coach has also been referred to as his partner. They did this again with a female swimmer. If they are referring to thwm as their gay partners, I think that's cool. Don't remember them doing this in the past.

Latvia just beat the US in beach Vollyball. And those Latvian boys are cute!

[EugLoven]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 5:27pm

RE: Partner... Don't worry, I instinctively felt the same way, but no they mean "team partner."

When you're in an intimate two-person sport like Volleyball, they're called partners. Makes it more personal (and more truthful, as they spend so much time together).

Of a televised event like the Olympics (with over 4-billion viewers), you leave personal info like that outside the games. Especially in something so gender-specified and "machismo" as international sport.

EDIT: I could be wrong! Now that I soak it in (and perk my ears) I'm going to be listening for other references to "partner" -- because it'd be wonderful for the US commentators to point-out family and supporters of ALL kinds!
Updated On: 8/9/08 at 05:27 PM

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/9/08 at 5:36pm

I understand that Eug, but they referred to his coach as his coach and partner, not his playing partner. And the swimmer's partner they referred to was not an athlete If I remember correctly and was not her coach.