I'm stunned the reaction across the board is so negative. I absolutely loved the ceremony. Obviously, there was no way it could match the spectacle of Beijing, but I think I enjoyed a lot of it even more. The ending was beautiful. Maybe I'm just different, though. I'm always more interested in the storylines of the athletes and the nations than I am the statistics and tactics (though I'm still a normal sports fan and care about those things as well). Oh well.
At least they didn't have a bunch of deaf kids hand signing "We Are the World" while snippets of Michael Jackson played on the big screen ......... or did they?
I confess, I didn't watch it.
Running on Empathy wrote:
At least they didn't have a bunch of deaf kids hand signing "We Are the World" while snippets of Michael Jackson played on the big screen ......... or did they?
I confess, I didn't watch it.
I'm surprised no one has commented on why on earth they wheeled out the disabled/mentally challenged kids to sign out that song. That was...painful to watch. Really painful.
Highlights:
*Gebrselassie on the flag. Definitely the high point for any distance fan
*Agrarian to Industrial transition was actually pretty cool. Reminded me of Beijing-type stuff.
*Torch lighting was okay. As has been said earlier, a blown opportunity to honor a national hero. But the David Beckham boat was cool, and the copper leaves coming together was sorta cool. It was no Beijing, which was a given, but it was no Atlanta either.
*Danny Boyle couldn't soil the parade of nations. Lots of cool stuff in that. US uniforms looked superb. Always nice to see athletes looking classy
Lowlights:
*pretty much everything else. But the lost cell phone bit was the lowest of all lows. Especially the prolonged make-out session at the end. Keep in mind that ONE BILLION PEOPLE are watching this. THAT is what London has to say to the world?
Running on Empathy wrote:
At least they didn't have a bunch of deaf kids hand signing "We Are the World" while snippets of Michael Jackson played on the big screen ......... or did they?
I confess, I didn't watch it.
No but they did have story time with Mary Poppins. I was too young to watch the 96 games and I'm sure it was corny, but this whole thing was just about mostly pop culture.
Jasmine Breinburg is her name
from my side of the pond wrote:
msnjd wrote:Seriously, you would think modern Britain was more chocolate than vanilla (as Lolo might say.)
Kinda surreal.
well vanilla, chocolate or coffee the gal that played June is a stunner.
I'm British - hated the whole ceremony. Embarrassing and plain awful on so any levels.
from my side of the pond wrote:
Jasmine Breinburg is her name
from my side of the pond wrote:well vanilla, chocolate or coffee the gal that played June is a stunner.
The trouble is the whole story she "played" in was lame.
Brit Girl in Utah wrote:
I'm British - hated the whole ceremony. Embarrassing and plain awful on so any levels.
Finally an honest and sober Brit!
it was pretty sad for an Olympic Ceremony. I'm actually really dissapointed. The opening ceremonies are usually one of the highlights of the games. This one was pathetic. Bad start to the London Olympics. It was boring, and dull. I hope this is not a reflection of the country and its people.
Well the tweeting story thing was fun, but not appropriate for the venue and level of ceremony that should be displayed.
Every Olympics I watch I hear the same thing, some people hate it, some like it.
As far as I remember the Atlanta one was the worst, very crass and plastic sort of speak.
Beijing was good, but it was marred by fake fireworks and the lip synching girl singing, because the singer was "too ugly".
That is pretty bad.
It is difficult to please everyone.
Culturally England has provided the world with lots of rock music and many excellent writers, so they did use that to a fair degree. I actually missed the industrial revolution part.
I thought it was awesome that the Queen was game for doing the Bond thing.
I definitely prefer silver trucks and men with jetpacks. Really classy.
Probably all a bit too subtle for you 'discerning' yanks
no innovation. no imagination. they featured too many tired old hags and limp dicks. a total dud. great example that the old world has no courage nor aspiration.
How is it possible that this POS went 1 billion over budget?
wankstains wrote:
wow that was seriously embarrassing...
best part of this thread is seeing these bloakes defending their country and ceremony when it was clearly cheap and sh*tty...
shame on you for UK, Britian, England or whatever country or nation is hosting it...
also whats with " the Majesty"? "God save the queen? who gives a shit about her? what makes her so "GREAT"
Never realized how much of losers the UK is made up of...i feel sorry for you
the majority opinion here in the UK is very positive. Personally, I'd give it 8/10. There were some moments of genius - i just think it went on a little too long.
This is why these other countries want us to vote in Obama. He of course will play right along with this weak butt stuff. What a joke this all was. Romney don't play..I'm telling you. He only will accept the best efforts and best outcome in the world. He literally brings in the best teams in the world to sabotage (training wise) the existing efforts. He can't help being a little worried about security at London. He would have had Israel's YaMaM combined with USA Navy Seals playing saboteur training attacks for the last 6 months at London. London would have been way ready. Romney don't play.
Romney never did anything in his life on his own. He's a rich spoiled fanboy. I take that back, he beat the hell out of small boy and cut his hair because he was gay. Other than than that what has Romney ever done on his own ? He would have done the world a bigger favor by taking videos at track meets, impersonating the real media, like the fanboys we all love do at the meets we compete at.
He would have had Israel's YaMaM combined with USA Navy Seals playing saboteur
The same SOCOM Navy Army Af spec ops boys who couldn't handle Afganistan so Obama had to send in 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan and ask for volunteer teenagers to man the new MARSOC after he took office ?
worst opening ceremony ever wrote:
[quote]ukathleticscoach wrote:
They parachuted the Queen in what more do you want?
Ever hear of a body double? '
Are you thick, that much was obvious!
Would America include a song about the president whcih says 'he ain't no human being'. No because it really is not the land of the free - although even here they cut that bit!
People come the uk because of the culture and history they could have easily made just a big dumb party but that would be a copy of other ceremonies
If a million dollars had floated out of the tv last night and landed in your hands some of you on here would have still complained because you have a big chip on your shoulders about where you came from. Face it you would have loved it to train or something had actually gone wrong. American's I have met in real life have been great maybe there are just a lot of trolls on here, maybe there are just a lot of immature jerks, if you actually post about anything related to actual running or training you hardly get any comments
Steve Ovett said they should get kids to light the flame and he was right, ever heard of Ron Clarke?
We have some Polish neighbours they put up a big screen in their garden and all their families and kids loved it. They WANTED to enjoy it!
Anyone notice the one athlete who managed to get around the no advertising rule?
Thi thread is hilarious in terms of the fact that Chimpanzees would have got more of the underlying point than many of the contributors.