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Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
Not just thoughts on "ours is best" or "we got the most medals" - but how about some deeper thoughts on the significance of the Games?
My thoughts? Well despite the recent BBC revelations on alleged corruption within the IOC, despite the cheats and drug takers we've all seen over many years, I still think it is as near to a "pure" International event as can be achieved. I remember the attack on the Israeli team in Germany, the boycott of the Soviet Games by the USA, the various African boycotts due to race and colour. I just hope and pray that these dedicated people are allowed to compete without terrorism in this very special Olympic place called Greece. |
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Harry Murphy Inner circle Maryland 5445 Posts |
What I am looking forward to is the Woman’s Marathon. I was there in Los Angles 20 years ago when young Joan Benoit won the event by a huge margin. I was cheering my head off when she emerged from the tunnel and started that final lap.
Joan is competing in the Olympic marathon and will be one of the oldest women running. Hers is a story that inspires me to strive to be better at everything I do. I love watching the Olympic games and don’t really care which country wins the most metals. I enjoy the spirit of honest competition amongst world-class athletics. I have always viewed the Olympic games as being a time-out from politics. Unfortunately some individuals and governments try to toss politics right into the middle of the games (examples are the events you mentioned). I hope for a safe and harmonious games. My hat is off to all the competitors.
The artist formally known as Mumblepeas!
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GrumpyOwl New user ... 74 Posts |
The opening was amazing
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RiffClown Inner circle Yorktown, Virginia (Previously Germany) 1579 Posts |
The Armed Forces Network isn't showing it for several more hours. I'm looking forward to it.
Rob "Riff, the Magical Clown" Eubank aka RiffClown
<BR>http://www.riffclown.com <BR>Magic is not the method, but the presentation. |
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dr chutney Special user United Kingdom 518 Posts |
I always look forward to it, and this year will be no exception. However, the IOC itself is another matter. Like that other great unelected body FIFA the whiff of corruption is never far away. It's a shame, but perhaps inevitable, that the Games have become tainted as they have grown and the money involved has increased astronomically.
Somehow most athletes rise above it and we get those wonderful Olympic moments that live long in the memory. I can still recall that wonderful USA v USSR basketball final in 72 and the commentary on the BBC from the late David Saunders. USSR snatching it with a long pass and basket in the final second. And from a British perspective that 5th Gold Medal row from Sir Steve Redgrave. My work schedule is about to be seriously interrupted!
We're having a laugh!
Grab yourself a FREE Joke Ebook at http://thejester.biz |
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The Mighty Fool Inner circle I feel like a big-top tent having 2140 Posts |
What I'm looking forward to is the fact that this is the first Olympics where theyre actually going to have WOMEN'S WRESTLING!!! Hubba hubba! I hope they have cool names and signature moves!
Did anyone remember to bring Jello? : )
Everybody wants to beleive.....we just help them along.
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Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-08-13 14:37, aceparties wrote: Here are some wonderful articles about the nature of the Olympic ideal (well, the original one, anyway): The Olympian Mind The Olympic Ideal: Integration of Mind and Body |
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Patrick Differ Inner circle 1540 Posts |
I remember Florence Griffith Joyner in a 100 yard dash (or is it metric?). She exploded off the blocks like she was shot out of a gun. She was still accelerating after she blew past the tape and all the other runners could say was "What the..?" Pure adrenaline!
I wish the Olympic games were still exclusively amateur. Alas... Patrick
Will you walk into my parlour? said the Spider to the Fly,
Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I've a many curious things to show when you are there. Oh no, no, said the little Fly, to ask me is in vain, For who goes up your winding stair -can ne'er come down again. |
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Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
I think the most memorable moment in the Olympic Games themselves would have to be the 1980 victory of the U.S. hockey team against the Soviets.
Jimmy Carter's inability to take any real action on the Iranian hostage crisis had sapped the nation's morale. The Soviet Union had just invaded Afghanistan, and Carter threatened to boycott the Moscow Olympics. As for the hockey teams themselves, the U.S. team was good, but the Soviet team was awesome, with each Soviet team member averaging about 3 Olympics under their belts. In an exhibition game, the Soviet team had wiped the floor with the U.S. team, 10-3. The cold war context, low U.S. morale, and the lack of confidence in the inexperienced U.S. hockey team had everyone hoping that, at the very least, the U.S. team could at least keep up for most of the game. Midway through the 3rd period, the U.S. team tied the game 3-3, and that was thrilling. The U.S. was actually keeping up with the Soviets, and it really seemed like anybody's game! Two minutes later, Mike Eruzione snuck a shot past the Russian goalie, and the impossible happened - the U.S. was ahead of the Soviets 4-3!! Through the rest of the 3rd quarter, and all through the 4th quarter, the U.S. hockey team kept the Soviet team from scoring. It got down to the final seconds, and the entire stadium was rumbling. 5...4...3...2...1...and then Al Michaels uttered the phrase that would freeze the moment for all time - "Do you believe in miracles? YES!" The applause and cheers were so loud and so thunderous, you could actually see the building physically shaking! |
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Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
Iraq beating Portugal 4-2 in soccer, in its first appearance at the Olympics in 14 years, is quite a magical moment in the Olympics, too.
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RiffClown Inner circle Yorktown, Virginia (Previously Germany) 1579 Posts |
I thought it ironic that NBC chose not to show the Mexican and Canadian divers. They always came back from commercial break just after the Russians and inserted the Russians' dive into the space of Canada's rotation. After the fourth round of dives it became quite obvious.
The reason I know this is the EuroSport channel was showing the same competition (commercial free) and my TV has picture in picture. On top of that the opening ceremonies were ruined by Katie Couric trying to define moments that speak for themselves. As for the most memorable moment, I would have to say it was the actual lighting of the flame in Barcelona. Quote:
On 2004-08-13 23:29, MRD Friday wrote: Me Too.
Rob "Riff, the Magical Clown" Eubank aka RiffClown
<BR>http://www.riffclown.com <BR>Magic is not the method, but the presentation. |
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redstreak Inner circle A.K.A David Kong 1368 Posts |
Hmm, in Greece this year. I wonder if it's going to be near the actual Mount Olympia where they originated thousands of years ago.
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Scott Cram Inner circle 2678 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-08-14 18:37, Rob Eubank wrote: The most memorable quote from Katie Couric was when she said "Athena is the patron saint of Athens." I'm sure the Greeks (and thinking people around the world) were surprised to hear that the ancient Greeks had saints. I'm still wondering what did Athena did to get demoted from Greek god to Catholic saint. I'm also amazed at the number of imaginary countries attending the Olympics this year. I'm having a little trouble finding the countries of "Palestine" and "Chinese Taipai" (sp?) on any map, although I do remember the appearance of some Palestinian ambassadors at the 1972 Olympics in Munich (Yet, to this day, the IOC won't allow any official Olympic memorial to the 11 Israeli athletes who gave their lives for this commercial event). Also interesting was the cheers for the return of female athletes to the Afghan team, and the cheers for the end of the 14-year absence of the Iraqi teams, while the country that made both of these things possible got a thumbs down (mostly from European countries, I noticed). Quote:
On 2004-08-13 23:29, MRD Friday wrote: I remember the Olympic regulation that banned professional athletes from the games, but there were few actual Olympic games in which this rule was followed by every country. |
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RiffClown Inner circle Yorktown, Virginia (Previously Germany) 1579 Posts |
Hey Katie!! If you ever read this.."Less is More!!"
Rob "Riff, the Magical Clown" Eubank aka RiffClown
<BR>http://www.riffclown.com <BR>Magic is not the method, but the presentation. |
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MichelAsselin Veteran user 20th century, 3rd dimension 326 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-08-13 23:29, MRD Friday wrote: Well, as it turns out, the "purity" of the adrenaline might have been lethal. Michel Asselin
" , ? ; !!! "
- Marcel Marceau, Feb 30, 1945. |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7565 Posts |
I'm looking forward to the closing ceremonies. Last time they had a bunch of famous singers / bands from Australia.
Maybe this time they will have John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John! As we all know, they are singers from Grease! Hehehe! - Donald. P.S. (or is it supposed to be Greece?)
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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jonesc2ii Loyal user Oxford, England 235 Posts |
Surpisingly the badminton has been the highlight so far!
I've been a tennis lover for many years and always thought of badminton, like most people do, as a weak, boring alternative but at this level it is amazing, much faster than tennis. I think Phelps is the story so far, he is incredible. But, as always, there's some negative stories too. The two Greek stars missing their drugs tests and then being in a motorbike accident is a coincidence, then withdrawing from the games, not banned, what's that all about? And there have been some fiascos. I am most aware of those that have involved British competitors (the Three Day Eventing, the Judo and the Swimming) but I suspect their have been others. Sometimes nobody seems to know what the rules are or whether they need to be applied to all competitors! Let's hope everything runs more smoothly next week for the athletics which is when most of the world tunes in.
www.ixyl.co.uk/forums - for when you fancy a debate or a quiet chat.
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Daegs Inner circle USA 4291 Posts |
Hmmm I don't know....
The Olympic Committee is a really evil organization. They sue anyone who host an event like "Rat Olympics", "Ferret Olympics" and probably the most popular, "Gay Olympics" got renamed to "Gay Games" because they got sued. I think it is terrible that they go out sueing people for using a name that is well documented in history. Back when The Olympics were in Washington State(which has a capitol of Olympia, the Olympic mountain range, and Olympia Beer along with many local resturants and buisnesses that carry "Olympian" in their title got sued by the Commitee and usually, the small buisnesses that have been around for years had to change their names. And let's not mention the wide-spread orgies of the Olympic Athlete Village. Here is a news piece done on that: http://news.scotsman.com/features.cfm?id=814602004 Note that the former olympic athlete calling the present Olympics a "****-Fest". I just don't think that the olympics were what they used to be.... |
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Rupert Bair Inner circle ? 2181 Posts |
The US are doing well. I wish we were.
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jonesc2ii Loyal user Oxford, England 235 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-08-21 08:11, magic_matt wrote: For such a small, under-funded place I think we do pretty well. Admittedly most of our medals are for the 'minor events' like sailing and rowing but that's what the games are all about.
www.ixyl.co.uk/forums - for when you fancy a debate or a quiet chat.
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