The Official 2008 Beijing Olympics Thread

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Just watching it now, seriously one of the best opening i've ever seen. The moveable type was fucking amazing - the choreography is second to NONE! I loved the trip through history, and all the fun inventions. I know China can be a big bully, and a pian in the arse, but it really is a magnificent country, and I just hope it goes all right!

come on Australia, freaking number 203 to come out! *yawn* supposedly the teams are coming out from the shortest to the longest brush strokes of their name in Chinese!

I :heart: the olympics!
 
I know they moved the swimming finals to the morning so that the US fans can watch Phelps go for the record in primetime which will be 8am to 11am local time. I think the only live athletics during primetime will the qualification heats, finals will be held in the evenings.

The official website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games

Of course, CBC Sports is putting off their usual excellent and sadly last coverage of the Olympics for us in Canada. Everything is live. If you want to sit up and turn on the tv at 3am and watch live events, you can!!
 
trevster2k said:
The aspect of the Olympics which I have always loved is the coming together of humanity in one place in peace. I would love to visit the athletes village just to witness the dense diversity of language and culture.

The human stories are also memorable. Not necessarily those who win either, displays of courage and determination by individual athletes most have never heard of are inspirational. The spectacle and lavishness of the IOC is the part I can do without.

I do have an affinity for this Olympics as it my father's homeland so I am enjoying the leadup stories about the country. So like others with ties to 2 countries, I am cheering for both Canadian and Chinese athletes.
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I also love this part as well. I think its amazing that you have these countries all in it together, like israel and palestine, or the us near to iraq and so on, and they just seem so happy and grateful to be there. I also like looking at all the traditional clothing and outfits the countries wear.
It makes me feel a bit inadequate! hahaha i wish i could be there!
 
trevster2k said:
I know they moved the swimming finals to the morning so that the US fans can watch Phelps go for the record in primetime which will be 8am to 11am local time. I think the only live athletics during primetime will the qualification heats, finals will be held in the evenings.
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yeah, that was kind of bullshit. but in all fairness, this wasn't Phelp's fault, or even NBC -- the IOC simply caved to the money NBC threw at it.

i mean, it's good for me. i'm happy to watch it all live. but if i were a swimmer, or lived anywhere else but the eastern seabord, i'd be pissed.
 
dazzlingamy said:
Just watching it now, seriously one of the best opening i've ever seen. The moveable type was fucking amazing - the choreography is second to NONE! I loved the trip through history, and all the fun inventions. I know China can be a big bully, and a pian in the arse, but it really is a magnificent country, and I just hope it goes all right!

come on Australia, freaking number 203 to come out! *yawn* supposedly the teams are coming out from the shortest to the longest brush strokes of their name in Chinese!

I :heart: the olympics!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have never seen choreography on that scale. You come out just before China which should be shortly.
 
Irvine511 said:
yeah, that was kind of bullshit. but in all fairness, this wasn't Phelp's fault, or even NBC -- the IOC simply caved to the money NBC threw at it.

i mean, it's good for me. i'm happy to watch it all live. but if i were a swimmer, or lived anywhere else but the eastern seabord, i'd be pissed.
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Yeah, I know it's good for fans to watch live I suppose. I don't watch much swimming outside the Olympics but isn't this a really unusual schedule for those athletes. Won't they have to readjust their mindset and routines to get ready for a morning final and could it affect some performances in a negative way?
 
That was a touching moment with that child walking in with Yao Ming. I think they said he saved two of his classmates during the recent earthquake.

China has a massive team, 639 strong. They just said that the team waited until 11:08 precisely before they left to enter the stadium. In keeping with the number 8, haha!

Cool, the mural they started painting earlier in the show, which was painted with footprints of the athletes as they walked across the mural is now being used as the main stage for the speeches.

I still can't get over the immense size of the Bird's nest stadium. Just massive.

Flame lit by Li Ning, winner of 3 gold, 2 silver and a bronze in 1984 in men's gymnastics. Wow, they lifted him up in to the sky, he "ran" around the upper facade of the stadium as images of a flame and Olympians appeared behind him. He reached the wick of a giant torch and lit up the sky.

That was a pretty damn impressive Opening Ceremony!!

Games on!!
 
trevster2k said:
Yeah, I know it's good for fans to watch live I suppose. I don't watch much swimming outside the Olympics but isn't this a really unusual schedule for those athletes. Won't they have to readjust their mindset and routines to get ready for a morning final and could it affect some performances in a negative way?
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it could, and it may, but they've also known about this for almost 2 years -- and everyone's under the same conditions. i'd argue that it's not much bigger a change than the inclusion of semi-finals in 2000.

but as a swimmer, it just doesn't feel right.
 
Wow, Li Ning lit the flame?! This I can't wait to see! :hyper:
 
If you haven't yet, WATCH the ceremony. Amazing.

I'm curious if any athlete intends to make a statement during these games.
 
trevster2k said:
Of course, CBC Sports is putting off their usual excellent and sadly last coverage of the Olympics for us in Canada. Everything is live. If you want to sit up and turn on the tv at 3am and watch live events, you can!!
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It hurts to be living in the US at the moment because of this. CBC Olympic coverage is legendary. :sad:
 
Stayed up until 2.00am to watch the opening ceremony. That was an awesome spectacle, loved the mind-boggling synchronisation, the drums, the costumes, the fireworks... bravo! :applaud:

The teams parade took forever but I do love the feeling of watching the world in miniature and the daggy uniforms are always a laugh, :wink: (speaking of uniforms, my Mum and I were shocked not to see the Aussie team in the customary green and gold).
 
the Australian's outfit was SHIT. Like someone said, they looked like a blue loo flush! hahaha

The USA's hat were fucking HILARIOUS! hahahahaha!

Uhm, so oter country (i think poland) had this more horrendous flowery jacket for the women, it looked like they'd all been shot at.

But most of the uniforms this year wern't too bad. I still give two :up: to traditional dress, especially the middle eastern and pacific and african nations. They know how to dress!

I LOVED the lighting of the torch. I thought it was an excellent way to light it, but felt for that guy hanging by some wire so far up above!! :reject:

and Yao Ming and the little boy was beautiful. I thought that was so respectful and sweet. The little boy was VERY cute! hehehe
 
GirlsAloudFan said:
About 45 minutes after I posted this, Bob Costas said "You can't deny the quality of this opening ceremony. It is STUNNING."

I'm going to be the next Bob Costas.
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I liked when Costas said, "Whoever has the trophy for opening ceremonies, retire it."

The last 20 minutes were friggin brilliant. Holy shit. China has a lot to be proud of. They took this serious - this felt like their coming out to the world. I felt balance shift. :uhoh: Ni hao!!!!
 
The opening ceremonies were incredible. I felt like Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd watching Cirque d'Soleil on mushrooms throughout the whole thing.

Flying children?
Men in glowing suits?
Dance-painting on a huge-ass scroll?
Running UPSIDE DOWN on a big globe?
Sarah Brightman

I mean, shit. The only way it could've been better would've been for Lo Pan and the 3 Storms to show up half-way through.
 
LemonMacPhisto said:
The opening ceremonies were incredible. I felt like Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd watching Cirque d'Soleil on mushrooms throughout the whole thing.

Flying children?
Men in glowing suits?
Dance-painting on a huge-ass scroll?
Running UPSIDE DOWN on a big globe?
Sarah Brightman

I mean, shit. The only way it could've been better would've been for Lo Pan and the 3 Storms to show up half-way through.
Click to expand...

What I think would be brilliant is if their starting five for basketball were the five deadly venoms. You think Kobe is going out there against the five deadly venoms? HELL NO. That boy ain't no fool. BAM. China gets the gold.
 
UberBeaver said:
What I think would be brilliant is if their starting five for basketball were the five deadly venoms. You think Kobe is going out there against the five deadly venoms? HELL NO. That boy ain't no fool. BAM. China gets the gold.
Click to expand...

Well... he is The Mamba after all, so who really knows?
 
Finished watching......great finish to a spectacular opening ceremony. That was truly special.

Also, I sure picked the right week to buy an HDTV and get an HDTV recevier; that shit looked awesome.

Swimming medals given out tomorrow, live in primetime. Looking forward to it.
 
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