Olympics - I'm a sentimental sap

[Roxanne Appleby]

Yep, I get all choked up watching those gorgeous, dedicated, awesomely talented and disciplined young people marching into the Olympic stadium. Many of the contests choke me up too, thinking of how much work and sacrifice went into each contestant getting there. Bless 'em all.

 

[CeriseNoire]

Me too. I was just admiring the wide spectrum of beauty to be seen.

And my hometown got mentioned in the commentary. Almost made me misty-eyed.

(But I will not admit to sentimentalism)

 

[KLCK]

Watching it now.

HOLY SHIT.

 

[desertslave]

Agreed, about being a sap, and about the WOW factor. Gorgeous ceremonies, incredible people. I always love watching the teams appear in whatever costume/uniform the teams choose. I do historic costuming, and I was drooling over the Palestinian dresses.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Getting into the spirit:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwpTj_Z9v-c&feature=related

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

OK, who is the tall (?) Mexican woman with the buzzcut hair who looks like and carries herself like the worlds most awesome supermodel? Wow!

 

[fieryjen]

I loved the opening ceremony.

I pouted when they cut away from the German athletes though to go to commercial.

Otherwise, that night was pure artistic genius.

 

[ChainedEros]

Agreed.

The opening ceremonies were impressive.

 

[Belegon]

Watching the Opening Ceremonies (West Coast, ya know)... and sneaking peeks at the Women's Sabre results online...

I doubt too many of y'all know it, but when Mariel Zagunis won Gold in Athens, it was the first US Fencing Gold since 1904. I mean, that's like Chicago Cub style futility.

This year, the women on the US Sabre team are seeded 1, 2 and 6. I like our chances... (not gonna tell the results I already have... don't want to spoil anything for anyone.)

I ain't staying up for the final though... well, maybe. We'll see. But it'll be on the website I hope.

 

[Katyusha]

Yep, I get all choked up watching those gorgeous, dedicated, awesomely talented and disciplined young people marching into the Olympic stadium. Many of the contests choke me up too, thinking of how much work and sacrifice went into each contestant getting there. Bless 'em all.

I cry when they light the torch. Every...single...time. I cry when they raise the Olympic flag and declare the games open, I cry when they start waving all the nations' flags...I cry when I see each torchbearer take the flame...

And don't get me started on closing ceremonies.

Yeah. I'm a sentimental sap too. I can't even watch the ceremonies highlights for any Olympics on the IOC's website without crying.

 

[matriarch]

Watching road race cycling at the moment.......left the recorder on for the last 3 hours, and got up to watch the live stuff... we have dressage from the equestrian, road race from the cycling, sailing, and badminton. Love it all.

 

[Katyusha]

I loved the opening ceremony.

I pouted when they cut away from the German athletes though to go to commercial.

Otherwise, that night was pure artistic genius.

I was irritated that they cut to a commercial right after Canada, if for no other reason than they ALWAYS cut to a commercial right after Canada regardless of the order the teams are in when they enter the stadium.

As for pure artistic genius...what about pure choreographic genius? I want to know who it was that managed to choreograph all of that with that much precision with all those people, and also how long it took to get it like that. My jaw was resting on the floor through most of the first hour.

 

[Belegon]

One of the things I love is watching all the athletes whose real moment is these opening ceremonies... Watching hundreds, if not thousands, of dreams coming true. It's very cool.

 

[matriarch]

I was irritated that they cut to a commercial right after Canada, if for no other reason than they ALWAYS cut to a commercial right after Canada regardless of the order the teams are in when they enter the stadium.

As for pure artistic genius...what about pure choreographic genius? I want to know who it was that managed to choreograph all of that with that much precision with all those people, and also how long it took to get it like that. My jaw was resting on the floor through most of the first hour.

The beauty of watching on BBC tv - no commercials! The whole ceremony, start to finish, with no break. Perfect.

 

[Katyusha]

The beauty of watching on BBC tv - no commercials! The whole ceremony, start to finish, with no break. Perfect.

Well where were you to tell me that earlier today? We have BBC (through the antenna somehow).

 

[fieryjen]

The beauty of watching on BBC tv - no commercials! The whole ceremony, start to finish, with no break. Perfect.

*jealous*

I wish I could have seen it this way. I also could have done with one less cut to Kobe Bryant. I get that he's a great athlete, but there was enough going on in this awesome spectacle to warrant someone/something else being on the TV than his face for ten fucking minutes. Same goes for that one tennis dude... I get putting a bit more of a spotlight on well-known people, but they generally overkilled it by many seconds of airtime.

I was irritated that they cut to a commercial right after Canada, if for no other reason than they ALWAYS cut to a commercial right after Canada regardless of the order the teams are in when they enter the stadium.

As for pure artistic genius...what about pure choreographic genius? I want to know who it was that managed to choreograph all of that with that much precision with all those people, and also how long it took to get it like that. My jaw was resting on the floor through most of the first hour.

I thought it was so cute that the Cayman Islands reps wrote an email asking the US broadcasters not to cut to commercials after Canada so they could be seen on American TV in all their glory. Lucky for them the order didn't turn out to be alphabetical, but still... adorable!

I agree, the choreographies had me gasping and cheering and just plain stare in awe. Such breathtaking beauty in it all.

 

[Katyusha]

I thought it was so cute that the Cayman Islands reps wrote an email asking the US broadcasters not to cut to commercials after Canada so they could be seen on American TV in all their glory. Lucky for them the order didn't turn out to be alphabetical, but still... adorable!

I thought that was cute too.

 

[3113]

West Coast and behind everyone....

Am I the only one who wished the U.S. hadn't picked Ralph Lauren to design our costumes? He made everyone look like they about to go golfing at the country club, or maybe to the horse races?

Not sayin' the look was awful, just...come on!

 

[fieryjen]

West Coast and behind everyone....

Am I the only one who wished the U.S. hadn't picked Ralph Lauren to design our costumes? He made everyone look like they about to go golfing at the country club, or maybe to the horse races?

Not sayin' the look was awful, just...come on!

Germany's were worse. Dull army gray to bring the cheer, anyone?

 

[KLCK]

I was amazed at the size of Germany and Australia's teams. Totally didnt expect that many players.

 

[3113]

Can we call the torch lighting ceremony: Flying Athlete, Soaring Torch

 

[Carnevil9]

I hate the Olympics.

The two things I hate most in the word are Sports and Foreigners. The Olympics are the worst of both worlds! Get 'em out of here!!!.....Carney (who thinks that every four years is WAY too often for this kind of shit)

 

[DeeZire]

I get all choked up (in more ways than one) watching women's diving and women's beach volleyball.

I didn't watch the parade. Did Bush get pelted by tomatoes, or eggplant, or whatever they use for that sort of thing?

 

[scheherazade_79]

The opening ceremony's about the only bit I watch. I love seeing all the different countries and how they're dressed up, and whether or not they have any female athletes.

And if the don't, I kind of lose interest, because female athletes are just beautiful

 

[matriarch]

The opening ceremony's about the only bit I watch. I love seeing all the different countries and how they're dressed up, and whether or not they have any female athletes.

And if the don't, I kind of lose interest, because female athletes are just beautiful

Well I hope you were watching earlier this morning - women's beach volleyball. Almost naked women, at the peak of fitness, jumping and bouncing. You'd have loved it .