2012 London Olympics Thread

[Saintsfan]

That was amazing! Don't think I've seen an opening ceremony pulled off quite so well. I am currently swelling with patriotic pride!!

[DEAD!]

I know, I know, Canadians couldn't bring four arms together, but the Brits can bring in over 200

I think it was well done, a bit understated and less serious, (with a bit humour) than Beijing.

[Kevin W.]

Bob Costas sometimes tends to annoy me, but I applaud what he's doing.

Yeah, Costas just got a big +1 in my book.

[BigMac12]

Bob Costas sometimes tends to annoy me, but I applaud what he's doing.

Yeah, Costas just got a big +1 in my book.

Agreed.

[rainmaker17]

Bob Costas sometimes tends to annoy me, but I applaud what he's doing.

Yeah, Costas just got a big +1 in my book.

Agreed.

He's still a prick.

[The Imperfect]

That was amazing! Don't think I've seen an opening ceremony pulled off quite so well. I am currently swelling with patriotic pride!!

Are you kidding me? That was nothing special and Beijing blew that out of the water!

Firework footsteps, hundreds of drummers in unison lighting up the floor with their drums, and the dude with the torch flying around the stadium.

The only thing better this year was the lighting of the olympic gauntlent.

and of course paul mccartney had to ruin things by stuffing his nose in another major british event.

"ooo let me sing hey jude remember that song everybody loves it"

[BlackBolt3]

Good ceremony, but where will the cauldron go?

[McCall]

Anyone else see the sexy-ass close-up of Kate Middleton doing a little head shake with that smile? Damn.

[Viper]

Best opening ceremony ever - leave it to James Bond to top Beijing's airborne torch-runner - but putting the cauldron smack-dab in the middle of the stadium? Aren't they just begging for trouble (in the same vein as high punts hitting the Cowboys Stadium video board) during the track & field throwing events, especially disc and javelin?

Update: According to ESPN, "Organizers said the cauldron would be moved Sunday night to the corner of the stadium where a giant bell tolled during the show."

Which, of course, raises the question of how they intend to move it without putting the flame out first.

[ninersdd]

I didn't know RG3 carried the flag for South Africa.

[dfwabel]

Bob Costas sometimes tends to annoy me, but I applaud what he's doing.

Yeah, Costas just got a big +1 in my book.

Agreed.

He's still a prick.

I agree with 'rainmaker', if the same words were said by Joe Buck, then the internet (and this board) would be up in arms about grandstanding. Costas is no Jim McKay as primetime host.

Anyone else see the sexy-ass close-up of Kate Middleton doing a little head shake with that smile? Damn.

Honestly, compared to some of the talent as flag barrers or in the Parade of Nations, she is "Plain Jane". The directors got it right in terms of focusing on "talent". There was a Sri Lankan girl who was hot! I am not a fan of Sharipova, but dozens of girls looked better than her.

I didn't know RG3 carried the flag for South Africa.

I did not know that Kenya was to have a white guy as flag bearer.

[NJTank]

I liked the pacing of the parade of nations, nice and fast.

The cauldron lighting was a bit diasppointing.

Paul McCartney sounded old. I expected more legendary rockers.

Where was heavy metal in there salute to British Music. No Iron Maiden, No Ozzy, No Queit Riot, No Led Zepplin WTF.

No punk either, Come on London Calling

Muhammad Ali very sad, he does not look like he even knows where he is any more.

[NEW.ERA]

They played a tiny blurp of London Calling during the starting video package of the trip down the Thames, also you didn't want to put all your focus on the music part of the ceremonies.

Anyways tremendous work from Danny Boyle. The opening ceremonies always make me super emotional, the whole Olympics does for that matter. Just like in Vancouver, found myself a tad teary eyed today.

[dfwabel]

I liked the pacing of the parade of nations, nice and fast.

The cauldron lighting was a bit diasppointing.

Paul McCartney sounded old. I expected more legendary rockers.

Where was heavy metal in there salute to British Music. No Iron Maiden, No Ozzy, No Queit Riot, No Led Zepplin WTF.

No punk either, Come on London Calling

Muhammad Ali very sad, he does not look like he even knows where he is any more.

Sir Paul McCartney IS old!

With all the pop music, this "Opening Ceremony" was more like a "Closing Ceremony" in terms of a presentation. It was more like a World Cup opening than previous Olympic Games. The end will have more and will probably feature Coldplay, Keane and possibly The Killers.

And again, Brit Pop > American Pop.

[Saintsfan]

I liked the pacing of the parade of nations, nice and fast.

The cauldron lighting was a bit diasppointing.

Paul McCartney sounded old. I expected more legendary rockers.

Where was heavy metal in there salute to British Music. No Iron Maiden, No Ozzy, No Queit Riot, No Led Zepplin WTF.

No punk either, Come on London Calling

Muhammad Ali very sad, he does not look like he even knows where he is any more.

There was some Sex Pistols in there. (With weird headed dancers bouncing around). And London Calling was used in a VT at the beginning.

The cauldron lighting was a really classy touch IMO, literally passing the torch to the next generation.

[dfwabel]

NBC used their editing to not show the tribute to those who died on 7/7.

Now the very, very overrated Michelle Beadle is wearing a see-thru white top on NBCSN now as NBC mocks China for losing in sand VB to Russia.

[Seadragon76]

Don't want to mock the Chinese for too long as a Chinese person has taken home the first gold medal in the games for Shooting.

[BRM_PTX]

I liked the pacing of the parade of nations, nice and fast.

The cauldron lighting was a bit diasppointing.

Paul McCartney sounded old. I expected more legendary rockers.

Where was heavy metal in there salute to British Music. No Iron Maiden, No Ozzy, No Queit Riot, No Led Zepplin WTF.

No punk either, Come on London Calling

Muhammad Ali very sad, he does not look like he even knows where he is any more.

Sir Paul McCartney IS old!

With all the pop music, this "Opening Ceremony" was more like a "Closing Ceremony" in terms of a presentation. It was more like a World Cup opening than previous Olympic Games. The end will have more and will probably feature Coldplay, Keane and possibly The Killers.

And again, Brit Pop > American Pop.

....The Killers are from Las Vegas, Nevada......

Also does anyone else think it's odd they played "God Save the Queen" by the Sex Pistols?

[bosrs1]

I know, I know, Canadians couldn't bring four arms together, but the Brits can bring in over 200

I think it was well done, a bit understated and less serious, (with a bit humour) than Beijing.

I think that's why I liked it better than Beijing too. Not nearly as "grand" and pompous and as a result it was more fun to watch. Did not feel like a 3 hour program. I'm sure part of its appeal came from the pop culture references which have pervaded US culture too since something like half of our pop culture is nothing but reworked or directly stolen from the Brits.

[crashcarson15]

Hey, everyone, if you don't like NBC showing things on tape delay, don't watch it on their {one and a half minute tape delayed) online feed either. NBC still makes $$$ from people watching it online. Watch it illegally online somewhere, it's all out there. I don't care if I have to watch in Afrikaans or whatever I was listening in, at least I got to see it live as opposed to a minute and a half behind like the NBC feed was.