The Olympics

[Ascot]

At least they got the North Korean flag correct this time.


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[Clip]

I wouldn't say so Clip - the prose I put together was based on what I could gather from my Facebook feed. Indeed, however they are defining bands in British music history, and certainly bands like Iron Maiden maintain a huge fanbase worldwide today - I would at least expect them to be played, even if no-one inside had heard them (which I doubt), as they are simply one of Britain's most defining sounds.

No, thats fine if you want to base your opinion on other peoples opinions rather then your own.

Oh and I do believe The Who were played, well according to the rag anyway.

 

[Butts]

At least they got the North Korean flag correct this time.


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Talking of flags - all 204 of them.....

One interesting thing to note is the number of former UK territories that still pay homage to the motherland in their national flags.

From The Cook Islands to Australia the union flag inset is present.

As far as I could see no other Countries are represented in this manner - ie ex French or Spanish or Portugese colonies.

Enjoyed the ceremony - but was waiting for the spice girls to appear

 

[MidnightFlyer]

No, thats fine if you want to base your opinion on other peoples opinions rather then your own.

Oh and I do believe The Who were played, well according to the rag anyway.

I based it on people's reports, not their opinions; that would be nonsensical. I've also read web reports and the set list, I missed that The Who was on there. Now if only they would've filled the heavy metal void too!

 

[chris89]

Well currently watching the Mens Road Race, and by god isn't it packed along the route.

Ashame about the majority of the quality of the roads though and some parts look extremely dangerous.

Chris

 

[Heinz57]

Enjoyed the ceremony - but was waiting for the spice girls to appear

They are rumoured to be apearing at the closing ceramony.

The closing ceramony will be based around music and feature The Who, The Wanted, Queen with Jessie J, Sex Pistols with French+Saunders dressed as punk rockers, The Who will also be there to close the show I beleive.

Two others are Russel Brand singing and One Direction - God help us.

Going back to the opening ceramony. Did anyone else see Mrs Doubtfire in the audience?

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[Oswyntail]

Yep - the Who and "My Generation" were definitely included. Culturally, I noticed there was virtually nothing of "Classical" music (other than Elgar), little of Literature (other than Shakespeare), nothing of Art - all aspects where Britain has been a leader for centuries, and which are important to me. But do I care? Not a bit. We have such a rich and diverse heritage that some bits have to be left out. And the overall effect was terrific.
And just think what it might have been if it had been left up to the committee that did the Dome! A sickly melange of: Football; Routemasters; Bobbies on bicycles; Notting Hill Carnival; "Must celebrate 'diversity' so mustn't include Britain"

 

[Giugiaro]

As far as I could see no other Countries are represented in this manner - ie ex French or Spanish or Portugese colonies.

In the Portuguese case, the reason why each of its former colonies don't having any reference to their "motherland" is because when they were in fact colonies, neither of them had a proper colonial flag, but instead a coat of arms: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coats_of_arms_of_Portuguese_colonies

Of course when these countries became independent, they had to design from scratch their own flags, and their respective coat of arms weren't much of a good base to work on.


Don't have an idea on the Spanish and the French.

 

[Butts]

Ah well down to earth with a crash for Cavendish and Co in the Road Race...those Gold Medals don't grow on trees.

With regard to BBC coverage we are missing a serious anchor with the gravitas to hold it all together.

Someone such as Des Lynham , Frank Bough or David Coleman who in the past would have fulfilled this role. Presenters with decades of experience who actually knew what they were talking about.

 

[chris89]

Ah well down to earth with a crash for Cavendish and Co in the Road Race...those Gold Medals don't grow on trees.

With regard to BBC coverage we are missing a serious anchor with the gravitas to hold it all together.

Someone such as Des Lynham , Frank Bough or David Coleman who in the past would have fulfilled this role. Presenters with decades of experience who actually knew what they were talking about.

They never pushed hard enough/ went for the breakaway at the beginning did them in sadly. Hope for the Womens road race tomorrow, and the time trials next week.

Feel sorry for the Swiss guy though who had that accident and he did manage to finish but was destroyed. Also yet again another idiot didn't have there dog on a lead.

Currently watching the Archery on. Italy Vs USA for the Team Finial.

Chris

 

[Johnuk123]

Terrible first day for us, we had 2 excellent medal prospects in Miley and Cavendish and both failed miserably.

 

[Goldfish62]

Terrible first day for us, we had 2 excellent medal prospects in Miley and Cavendish and both failed miserably.

Agreed, medal-wise. But still so brilliant that the Olympics are here - there was a fantastic buzz in Richmond to day with the cycle race.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Surprised to see on the BBC News Mark Cavendish being so rude to the reporter who asked a perfectly reasonable question...

 

[telstarbox]

Looking ahead to tomorrow, Rebecca Adlington will be defending her 400m freestyle swimming title.

 

[Clip]

I based it on people's reports, not their opinions; that would be nonsensical. I've also read web reports and the set list, I missed that The Who was on there. Now if only they would've filled the heavy metal void too!

Yeah what a shame the didnt fill a heavy metal void eh. Id write in to the Daily mail if i were you to complain.

Surprised to see on the BBC News Mark Cavendish being so rude to the reporter who asked a perfectly reasonable question...

Did you see the reporter who asked the road race winner questions though? Mor einterested in how he felt about the GB racers. rubbish.

 

[Greenback]

Ah well down to earth with a crash for Cavendish and Co in the Road Race...those Gold Medals don't grow on trees.

There will be more instances where the hot favourite doesn't win anything, I am sure!

With regard to BBC coverage we are missing a serious anchor with the gravitas to hold it all together.

Someone such as Des Lynham , Frank Bough or David Coleman who in the past would have fulfilled this role. Presenters with decades of experience who actually knew what they were talking about.

I said exactly the same thing to Mrs Greenback when the opening ceremony began with Mr Lineker, I even mentioned the same three names (plus Harry Carpenter!!!)

 

[Butts]

There will be more instances where the hot favourite doesn't win anything, I am sure!



I said exactly the same thing to Mrs Greenback when the opening ceremony began with Mr Lineker, I even mentioned the same three names (plus Harry Carpenter!!!)

Yes the same can be said of the commentary teams (with the exception of Steve Cram)

Barry Davies, John Motson, Ron Pickering, Dan Maskell, Richie Benaud, Peter Alliss and the great Coleman himself. These men were there for decades. The expansion of televised sport has diluted the quality of presenters and commentators in my opinion.

 

[jon0844]

There's the expansion aspect, plus the BBC wanting younger faces, and also the fact that when they tie big names to contracts they want to get the most from them, so the current 'favourites' end up on everything - to the point where you eventually go 'Oh God, not him/her'. ITV does the same.

Also, some big names from the past have since retired.

 

[Greenback]

Yes the same can be said of the commentary teams (with the exception of Steve Cram)

Barry Davies, John Motson, Ron Pickering, Dan Maskell, Richie Benaud, Peter Alliss and the great Coleman himself. These men were there for decades. The expansion of televised sport has diluted the quality of presenters and commentators in my opinion.

I agree. They developed their gravitas through experience built up over many years.

There's the expansion aspect, plus the BBC wanting younger faces, and also the fact that when they tie big names to contracts they want to get the most from them, so the current 'favourites' end up on everything - to the point where you eventually go 'Oh God, not him/her'. ITV does the same.

Also, some big names from the past have since retired.

True, but they haven't been replaced. Most of the current mix of presenters and commentators do not have the same abilities as their predecessors of yesteryear, they lack the eloquence and the ability to describe a situation with ten well chosen words instead of constant superfluous waffle!

I was cringing watching Gary Lineker talking to Ian Thorpe last night before the start of the swimming.

I think that it is down to the shift away from formality in modern life, along with the broadcasters wanting to put young, attractive faces on viewers screens (though whether the viewers actually care is debatable).

Still, despite all that, I suppose that most people are watching for the sport, rather than the presenters!

(I appear to have become far more interested in the Olympics than I ever thought I would!)

 

[richw]

There will be more instances where the hot favourite doesn't win anything, I am sure!

Didnt the aussie swimmer, cant remember his name, only managed 4th.

 

[Darandio]

Didnt the aussie swimmer, cant remember his name, only managed 4th.

The American, Phelps, won 8 golds in Beijing and is going for 7 this time. He only got 4th in his first final.

 

[Oswyntail]

....Currently watching the Archery on. Italy Vs USA for the Team Finial.
Chris

That was one fantastic last shot by Frangilli Are you into archery? For me this sort of thing is what the Olympics really bring, the opportunity to watch "lesser" sports presented with all the resources usually given to bankers like football or athletics. All sport can be gripping, and there is one out there for everyone - it doesn't all have to be running around in a pack swearing and falling over.

Miley and Cavendish and both failed miserably.

That is what the build up in the press would have us think (and how damaging that can be to an athlete!). But any coach would tell you that in individual sports where you cannot affect what the opposition do, so long as you do the best you can, you cannot be accused of "failing". Miley could not have known that the Chinese girl would have such reserves, and Cavendish would not necessarily have expected the eventual winner to be a threat to be countered. This is why so many athletes appear to be happy with lower places (oh no they're not!), and why the UK Sport medal targets seem so vague and include numbers of finallists.

 

[Greenback]

That is what the build up in the press would have us think (and how damaging that can be to an athlete!).

How true, a sif the pressure of being an Olypian in your home antion isn;t enough, the press then cranks up the expectation as well!

But any coach would tell you that in individual sports where you cannot affect what the opposition do, so long as you do the best you can, you cannot be accused of "failing". Miley could not have known that the Chinese girl would have such reserves, and Cavendish would not necessarily have expected the eventual winner to be a threat to be countered. This is why so many athletes appear to be happy with lower places (oh no they're not!), and why the UK Sport medal targets seem so vague and include numbers of finallists.

I fail to see why there are targets at all. Surely the Olympic ideal is more about taking part, trying your best and not about how many medals a country can win...or am being naive?

 

[SS4]

How true, a sif the pressure of being an Olypian in your home antion isn;t enough, the press then cranks up the expectation as well!

Then you end up with the Press blaming athletes if they don't live up to unreasonable claims. The England football team has had it since I've been old enough to notice (roughly 2000) but I suspect it goes back to Euro 68 (if there was one) or World Cup 70.
The media never blames itself despite often being at fault. You need only look at the phone hacking scandal (they said it was a rogue reporter/executive rather than a systemic policy iirc)

I fail to see why there are targets at all. Surely the Olympic ideal is more about taking part, trying your best and not about how many medals a country can win...or am being naive?

You're right but it's kind of naive nowadays unfortunately - you implied it yourself with unrealistic expectation in the press. Of course for the even more cynical it's a marketing event by the sponsors with a bit of sport inside.

 

[Oswyntail]

.......I fail to see why there are targets at all. Surely the Olympic ideal is more about taking part, trying your best and not about how many medals a country can win...or am being naive?

Sadly, funding is not unlimited, and the targets are there to help assess the distribution of funding after the Games. For the individuals (at least the ones I know personally) the ideal is exactly as you describe, but the governing bodies are also competing with each other for the future.

 

[Greenback]

'Twas not so in 1948, of course!

 

[LE Greys]

'Twas not so in 1948, of course!

Oh no, that was before all this politically correct nonsense came in in the '60s.

 

[chris89]

That was one fantastic last shot by Frangilli Are you into archery? For me this sort of thing is what the Olympics really bring, the opportunity to watch "lesser" sports presented with all the resources usually given to bankers like football or athletics. All sport can be gripping, and there is one out there for everyone - it doesn't all have to be running around in a pack swearing and falling over.

Am not myself, have done some in the past and have been a rather good aim for it, Watched it since was rather intresting to myself.

Also got a Silver in the Womens cycling Road race as well

Chris

 

[Butts]

Well done to the lady cyclist paving the way for Team GB.......

Team GB ?......why is it not team UK ?

Poor old Northern Ireland seems to be snubbed by this moniker ....ie

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

 

[Oswyntail]

Well done to the lady cyclist paving the way for Team GB.......

Team GB ?......why is it not team UK ?

Poor old Northern Ireland seems to be snubbed by this moniker ....ie

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Blame the IOC! - the official "initials" are "GBR"