The Olympics - Peoples opinions?

[Neil]

I was skeptical before... but I must admit to being amazed how well it all went. The facilities, the organisation, not to mention the actual resultant games themselves. And the TV coverage (at least here in the UK) was stunning!

I even thought the opening and closing ceremonies were generally very good too.

So, what were other folks opinions?

ps: To think GB won just one medal sixteen years ago, and look at our haul this time! Amazing!

[kidgloves]

Absolutely loved it and everyone I've talked to in the last few weeks have too including people who were previously moaning about the cost, legacy etc.
A stunning success. If only we could get a World Cup as well.

[MinionZombie]

I've been very impressed by it all - it's pretty much gone off without a single real hitch. :)

I wasn't fussed about the sport, but I was totally behind it as a good thing for our nation, but then I got surprisingly involved in the whole thing. I found myself watching some of the events, and constantly keeping a tally on what medals we were winning where. The whole thing went really well - I absolutely loved the opening ceremony ... the closing ceremony not so much. The closing ceremony had good bits, but there were some naff bits too, and it wasn't all that cohesive ... whereas the opening ceremony was a true spectacle.

All-in-all, it really shut up all those Twitterati and Commentariat bell-ends who claim to be the voice of the majority (when, clearly - as proved time-after-time - they are no such thing), who were pissing and moaning incessantly in the run-up to the Olympics. Ooh, "you'll never find enough volunteers" (more then 200,000 applied, 70,000 were chosen, and they did a wonderful job), then ooh "we'll never do as well as Beijing" - not only was our opening ceremony miles better (it was about our nation and our people, not the control and ego of the state), we got 65 flipping medals, then the debacle with G4S ... who was it that hired them, and who went and ruddy well hired them again for their conference week? Pfft - the military done us proud too (and I see G4S donated £2.5m to them as a thank you) ... plus various other complaints-in-advance that never came to pass. Well, shove a ruddy successful Olympics in your pipe and smoke it you whinging twats - the rest of the nation was having a great time.

I also enjoyed the sense of a common goal/purpose for the nation. I felt the UK was pulled together, and had something to feel good about and be inspired by - together. I hope that sense of community and inspiration continues. In difficult times we need to band together and utilise positive thinking and expression - not the incessant, hypocritical, ill-informed doom & gloom from arseholes like Polly 'villa in Tuscany' Toynbee.

London 2012 gets a big old thumbs up from me. :thumbsup:

[Neil]

Wonder how many viewers around the world thought WTF when Eric Idle came on in the closing ceremony :) Genius!

Only issues with the closing ceremony were:-
- Wish Liam Gallagher hadn't been included? Horrible person, now in a different band, singing a song by someone else (his brother)? What sort of a role model is he to the next generation? Why not the Rolling Stone or something like that?
- Super models? Really? Naomi Campbell? What sort of a role model is she to the next generation? And a when mentioning our fashion designers they listed Victoria Beckham? REALLY!

[wayzim]

Wonder how many viewers around the world thought WTF when Eric Idle came on in the closing ceremony :) Genius!

Only issues with the closing ceremony were:-
- Wish Liam Gallagher hadn't been included? Horrible person, now in a different band, singing a song by someone else (his brother)? What sort of a role model is he to the next generation? Why not the Rolling Stone or something like that?
- Super models? Really? Naomi Campbell? What sort of a role model is she to the next generation? And a when mentioning our fashion designers they listed Victoria Beckham? REALLY!

I think she was supposed to named as one of the model? Who knows.

My only question about the Closing Ceremonies is - Who the F is Jesse J? Nice Bod, shrill voice which did no justice to Queen's classic. I was, however, happy to hear "Rule The World. " as a closing number which I heard as the end song to the movie 'Stardust. ' ( film adaption of a Neil Gaiman novel ). It's soppy, silly and great fun.

Well done to my friends across the pond.

Way Zim

[Neil]

I thought Jesse J did a good job. At least she was singing live, unlike a good number of them!

And you're telling me you've heard this?:-
qMxX-QOV9tI

[Rancid Carcass]

Well done to my friends across the pond.

Why thank you, I take full personal responsibilty for the success of the 2012 games... (apart from that god-awful logo!)

:p

Of course it has to be said, Iron Maiden were noticable by their absence - one of the most successful and globally popular bands this country has ever produced! At the very least they could've had Eddie climing up the side if that model of Big Ben, King Kong style - that would have been awesome! Hmm... they better be at the next one we do or I just might complain...

The Octo-bus was cool though!

[wayzim]

I thought Jesse J did a good job. At least she was singing live, unlike a good number of them!

And you're telling me you've heard this?:-
qMxX-QOV9tI

Why does this sound so much like a variation of F'in Perfect by PINK? and yes, Jesses' singing style seems indistinquishable from the pack and no, it didn't do justice to We Will Rock You by Queen - or maybe I'm just getting old and cranky.

Still, I did like the bulk of the music - even Russell Brand doing "I am The Walrus. "

Of course we start out the games with Rowan Atkinson ( gold medalist ) and close it out with Eric Idle ( the silver ), Russell gets the bronze in this instance.

Way Zim
"You and Me, we can ride on a star - if you stay with me, Girl - we can rule the world. "

[MinionZombie]

Agreed - I loved the Octo-bus. Quite impressive that it grew out of that van isn't it? Looked quite good, and even though Fatboy Slim was seemingly miming (except the record scratch), he did look super-happy to be inside a giant see-through illuminated Octopus ... almost looked like he was tripping balls. :lol:

[AcesandEights]

Overall, I think things went very well. I've never been one to have Olympic-fever, but it's nice to enjoy it sometimes. That said, I did not really like the opening cermeony and didn't give the closing ceremony a look. I think after Beijing, the bar has been raised for opening ceremonies.

[EvilNed]

I like the feeling and atmosphere that this Olympics conveyed. The opening and closing ceremonies were all about how great Britain is, but I didn't mind that. But you can definetly sense that it was made that way to rally the british under one united flag in these desperate economic times.

The eerie part is that I just read a book set in 2012 (I believe) where a destitute Britain puts on a majestic festival they dub "The New Festival of Britain" to ease the desperate folks of the nation and too celebrate what it is to be british. The whole thing goes awry, and during the preparation of the festival grounds they overturn centuries old corpses who turn out to be the living dead... You get the rest. Anyway, this Olympic spectacle reminded me very much of that.

[Neil]

The eerie part is that I just read a book set in 2012 (I believe) where a destitute Britain puts on a majestic festival they dub "The New Festival of Britain" to ease the desperate folks of the nation and too celebrate what it is to be british. The whole thing goes awry, and during the preparation of the festival grounds they overturn centuries old corpses who turn out to be the living dead... You get the rest. Anyway, this Olympic spectacle reminded me very much of that.

LOL! We had to go living dead somehow in the end :)

What's the book?

[Mike70]

i really cannot stand these world vanity projects that pretend to the ridiculous notion that sport somehow brings people together, which it does if the person happens to be wearing the correct color jersey. i could give a rat's ass less if the Olympics were ever held again.

Sport is about winning and nothing more. it has nothing to do with holding each others balls and wishing the world a better place. in a lot of ways, sports can bring out the absolute worst in people.

[LouCipherr]

So, what were other folks opinions?

I liked it when the Olympics were about the sport and not what it is today: fixed games focused around bunch of corporate advertising.

I used to love the Olympics when I was a kid, but it's changed a lot since then. Now I can't even watch it. It's a giant weeks-long advertisement for COKE and NIKE. :rolleyes:

[bassman]

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/c0.0.299.299/p403x403/384698_422509244467485_456630268_n.jpg

I honestly don't care for the olympics at all. Or most sports in general, for that matter. I didn't watch one second of the games, only saw snippets during the news and even those bored me to tears...

[Sammich]

I lost interest in the Olympics after they started allowing professionals into the games and also all of the goofy "sports" being allowed in. What is next, hacky sack and competitive eating? It has just become a huge tool for advertising and marketing companies. The political b.s. that happens every time is also a big turn off.

[rongravy]

Ehhh, I'm still trying to come to terms with having watched chicks race walking, and the ensuing awkward horniness. I say awkward because I was watching it on a tv monitor at the hospital...
Race walking...
Crazy stuff.
I thought it was nice Duran Duran got to represent England in that opener thangie. I thought they represented the heck out of it. Anybody else catch them? Good stuff.

[Neil]

Pundits give their greatest moments - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19215464