Will you be watching?

I like the swimming (those boys have some killer bodies). I like the track events too. I'm not too interested in the gymnastics, but I'll probably tune in.

I like to watch diving, gymnastics, swimming and fencing (except that they never show the fencing... )

Fact, not party pooping:
(full as possible boycott in effect in this household in the wake in fact of something learned on this very board! but that's what I decided to do; I certainly don't begrudge anyone enjoyment of the Olympics!)

Hmm! I musta missed that.

nubs, I like the fencing too. I think that might be shown this weekend (?).

I'm truly torn on this...usually I watch as much as I can of the Olympics...I get caught up in the whole thing. But with China hosting...the whole cat killing business that happened a while back..the politics/lack of human rights in the country? It's hard to ignore, and hard to pretend it all doesn't exist. I know how hard the athletes have worked to get there - and I've certainly nothing against the citizens of China...but...probably not going to watch.

For all the above enumerated reasons and Tibet, Chinese censorship, Darfur, and etc, I'm very seriously considering not watching the Olympics this summer.

Well damn...I feel like a total loser now.

I'd like to be noble, but honestly, I'm sure I'll be watching some of it.

I never watch the Olympics. Not a sports person. Not watching will only hurt NBC, not China, in my opinion.

I don't think you need to feel like a 'total loser' at all or any less noble.

I've already watched 2 Olympic soccer matches, yesterday morning the USA women and this morning at 5:00 a.m. the mens soccer on MSNBC. I plan to watch quite a bit, all the soccer and as much of the other events as I can catch. I always find I pay no attention until they start, then get engrossed in all the events.

J.

I can't wait for the Olympics! I never was interested in gymnastics either, Mary. However, I saw the Hamm brothers and some russian gold medal winners in Atlanta a few years ago along with some of the female gold medal winners and I fell in love with the gymnastic portion! It is more difficult than people realize once you see it up close. I am so looking forward to seeing Michael Phelps swim as well. I understand he will get a million dollars if he surpasses Mark Spitz's olympic record and obtains 8 gold medals. I hope that he does. I love both the summer and the winter olympics, but the winter ones are my favorite! I love figure skating, downhill racing and the luge!!

I don't agree with a lot of China's policies, but these people have worked so hard to get where they are that they should not have to suffer for a particular countrie's politics or lack thereof. You have to separate the sport from the politics, but that is just my opinion. I watch for the sport, not where it is held. I was in Atlanta the year it was bombed as well, didn't consider the bomber as part of the Olympics either.

We will watch, ethics be darned. Mr. Diva is an Olympics fiend. He lives for this time every two years, and will watch every event he possibly can. And I do love the diving and the gymnastics.

Thanks, katy! I was trying to be a little tongue in cheek there (badly I guess).

My conscience is perfectly clear in watching. Countries that don't always adhere to principles of human rights are many...and that's as far into that topic as I'm going to stray.

Many of the venues they've built look quite beautiful!

I'm not much of an Olympics watcher in any country but it's the architecture that fascinates me. I find the buildings mesmerizing!

http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index...upload_id=10174

I have no interest in the Olympics in general, nor China in particular, so I don't plan to watch. But I wish all the athletes well in their endeavours.

P.S. I used to watch the Olympics at times but what turned me off was not politics but drugs. It seemed pointless to me to watch something that may be authentic or not and you may not know if you've wasted part of your life watching a fraud until years down the line.

Another good point 5-O. I heard on Radio Canada today that there have already been 30 athletes disqualified due to doping/drugs, and the games haven't even started yet. Such a shame.

Our family will be watching, love the summer & winter olympics & the commonwealth games too. I just hope that all the athletes stay well & don't get effected by the pollution especially the endurance competitors.

I so agree, I wish them all well. Most of them have worked their whole lives to go to the Olympics. Can you imagine winning a gold medal and being the best in the world? That's what its all about, IMHO.

I watch the Olympics to see competitive sports that we *never* see on teevee otherwise. The whitewater kayaking, indoor velodrome cycling, badmitton, table tennis, javelin, hammer throw, shot put, pentathalon, Greco-Roman wrestling... Every four years, baby!

Teddius

love the swimming gymnastics, track, and the horses. Love the Olympics: the politics, the drama, and the scandals!

will miss Blu Hors Matine in the dressage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKQgTiqhPbw

Nope. Could not care less.

Now that is a really beautiful and elegant sport, CF!

You've just won the gold for succinctness!

Again, revealing myself to be an ultimate nerd...

I love the opening ceremonies. I love the spectacle and pageant. My heart just swells when I see all the athletes come parading in, full of hope and excitement. The fact that they are often so very young adds to the--I don't know how to describe it exactly--pathos, perhaps.

I even love the cheesy dance numbers (remember the Winter Olympics when the little snowpeople popped out of the snow?). Okay, the one in Atlanta with the people driving around in pickup trucks, not so much.

I love it when the runner comes in with the torch. I held my breath when archer Antonio Rebollo, (who competed in the Paralympic Games according to Wikipedia) shot the flaming arrow into the cauldron. I cried with delight when I saw Muhammad Ali light the flame. (And when he receive his "lost" medal.)

Now the sports, I really don't watch those.

I don't actively watch the Olympics but I'll pause sometimes when chanel surfing.
I love the unexpected. During the last go-'round, the Hamm brothers looked so buff and built and macho. The hype was all about them being corn fed muscle bound horse gymnist farm boys. It was inspiring. I was no less inspired, but giggling a little, when I heard one speak and he sounded like mickey mouse.
Oh and the bad boy skiier from Vermont? He was all hyped to be the next Jean Claude Kily
zooming around the New England countryside swish, zoom zoom! Doing commercials before he ever went to compete. Then he got there, partied too much, and dropped off the photog screen almost immediately after losing b-a-d.

Oh and mens swimming and volleyball. I umm sorta like these events...maybe a little....(raising eyebrows)

Joining you as another ultimate nerd. I get all weepy as well and my heart swells. Muhammad Ali made me sob, literally when he lit that flame. I remember him as a young man and I can only imagine what was going through his mind when he did that, such triumph and pride!!

GD, thanks for reminding me of what the Olympics are all about!

I changed my mind. I'm watching. The sports I may catch intermittently in channel-hopping but the ceremony touches the heart. One thing I am sure of is that regardless of the various issues, the Chinese will bring all their resources to bear to bring on a heck of a show!

Aw man, now I'm going to have to watch.

Aww, thanks Char, FiveO, and Shalini!

There are some spoilers of the opening ceremony up on the Web! I'm trying not to click on them, I want to remain unspoiled.

Char, have you seen that movie, When We Were Kings? Powerful, riveting, heartbreaking.

LOL, Gal I'm avoiding spoilers too. I want to be surprised!

No, I haven't seen the movie, but I will keep it in mind.
I know about the spoilers, but won't be tempted. I am patiently waiting until 1930 (7:30PM) this evening to watch the whole thing.

SPOILERS:




OMG those drummers!! They were amazing!! my heart is pounding.

Those children in traditional costume--so adorable.

And that scroll--magical. Jaw-droppingly beautiful. Art.

Cute commercial with Clydesdales.

OK, gotta get back to it.

amazing opening ceremonies and how....well they did invent gunpowder!

OMG, the opening ceremony was spectacular! So beautiful, so much attention to detail, I don't think this ceremony will ever be outdone, just breathtaking.............

Gosh, it was magnificent!

Loved the opening ceremonies! Thank you RALPH LAUREN! Thanks to him the American team looked great, and what can you say about, that terribly brave little boy who saved himself and two (?) of his schoolmates after the earthquake That's real heroism.

The only thing that sat ill with me was the site of President Bush, sitting there, legs splayed, and jacketless, like a teamster on a bus after a hard day!!!
What I think of his policy is neither here nor there, the fact remains that he IS a president of a major world power, and one can assume he has people and handlers, or at the least an extensive training in the gentlemanly arts of diplomacy.
What sort of image does demeanor like THAT send about Americans? Jeeze! The world is not universally impressed by the "down-home" (WHOSE home, by the way?) folksiness of a backyard barbecue in Podunk.

And it was obvious that he knew better because he put his jacket on when the U.S. team came into the stadium, so was that just indifference for all of those OTHER world athletes who worked so hard to be there that night?

Wear linen and SUFFER! It's the statesman-like thing to do! It's respect.

Okay, I'm through channelling my great-grandmother now---let the games begin!

I wasn't planning to watch the opening ceremonies, but my daughter called and we held an hour long phone crit of the outfits of the participating countries as they marched into the stadium. The Americans looked completely dapper - big BIG improvement after years with tacky little cowboy hats. The Swedes were so beautiful in their gracious salute to Chinese dresses. The Iranians found the perfect green for their blazers. We have a friend rowing with the Australian women's crew team, so were eager to see the team appear - whoa, mama, those were ugly shiny ombre running suits! The Swiss looked fabulous - cream, beige, red and sporty. The Philippine team looked beautifully cool and collected in sheer embroidered shirts. Loved South Korea, the Danes, the Japanese. Was amazed that Taiwan was included - very good. Other favorites?

I felt such sympathy for the poor athlete who lit the torch, suspended by a cable and circling the upper perimeter of the stadium ceiling, pretending to "run" and looking more and more exhausted and distressed as time went slowly by. Poor guy.

Andy, I prefer a more run-into-the-stadium-and-right-up-to-the-torch approach myself.

Completely agree, Cat! I was so proud of the way Team USA looked. Nicely done, Ralph Lauren!

(sigh) You're right, Bush looked noticeably bored and impatient. Surely he knew the video feed was going out to billions around the world, couldn't he have sat up straight? In contrast, Sarkozy looked so classy. He was sweating bullets but he never removed his jacket or loosened his tie.

Could that little boy have been any cuter?

As far as Mr. Bush goes, I noticed the same thing. Class is never handed out with $$, you either have it or you don't and he never did.

Counting the days, hours, minutes, until the end of this term!!!

Anyway, overall, this was by far the most impressive opening ceremony I have ever seen.

This was by far the best opening ceremony I've seen. Amazing.





Don't even get me started on lil' ol' Shrub.

I'll be watching some of the events, if I can find some good LIVE feeds on the internet. I'm tired of playing the major network's games, namely watching the events that THEY choose, WHEN they decide to air them (don't even get me started on delayed tapes. ) Also, the networks even decide WHICH athletes you get to see in any given event!!

Folks (like myself,) who seriously follow figure skating, find ways via the internet to get what they want, cause you sure can't count on the networks to deliver (unless it's football, basketball, or baseball.) UHG...

Okay. First they choose the world's worst orchestration of the US National Anthem. THEN they cut it off early during Michael Phelps' awards ceremony. I don't know which is worse.

Hmmmph.

I have been in China 3 times in the summer. Trust me, if you haven't been, you can't know. The heat and humidity is beyond anything I've ever experienced, and I live in heat and humidity.

I've not been in Beijing, but wind brings in the dust off the desert and Chinese will cover their mouths with scarves.

I would walk outside my hotels in Nanjing and Guangzhou and be drenched instantly head to toe, it was so hot, but you would see Chinese women wearing full dresses, riding bikes, not a hair out of place or a bead of sweat. I figure they are acclimated to it.

I was in Nanjing in June 1997. Nanjing is one of the three furnaces of China. I forget the other two.

I thought the opening ceremony was beyond amazing.

The 'Three furnaces of China are Nanjing, Wuhan and Chongqing, all cities on the Yangtze River. I agree they are hot and humid beyond anything. The hottest is Wuhan.

What I liked about the ceremony was the blending of technological wizardry and historically symbolic motifs. ( Thankfully,no pandas, no lion dances, no dragons. ) Zhang Yimou's cinematic style was used in an incredibly imaginative way.


I like the Canadian outfits this year. They were designed by a Chinese Canadian designer and mix traditional Chinese designs and motifs with Canadian motifs. (and are designed to be worn in the heat)

Katy, I like the outfits too. I noted them when the Canadian team was marching into the stadium. There was a poll on the CTV news site last week asking if people liked the outfits or not and I think it was 58% no, 42% yes. What do people want? What I like about them is they are unpretentious (which goes along with Camada's reputation), white with red touches, look easy to wear and comfortable--not too tight or too loose. I didn't know they were made for the heat but I can believe it because when the athletes moved, it appeared as if a breeze was blowing through their clothes. In my book, that's good design!

I am not a sports person! I didn't plan on watching. I kinda had the opening ceremonies on. TOTALLY BOOOOORING!!!

TO MY UTTER SHOCK! I got up this morning and started watching Basketball of all things. Dwayne Wade is from the Miami Heat and I know about him.
I was TOTALLY INTO IT!! Got so excited while on the "dreadmill" I almost fell off! Uh..........Bush didn't look too bored there! ahem.

While I do like football ( as in futebol) , I have gone off what little sport I did enjoy , boxing and hockey to name a few. Mr V is a huge fan of cricket , when I asked him explain "test matches" to me , still bewildered after an explanation , I asked him "when do they stop messing around with all this testing and get to playing?", poor man was exasperated, as you can see sport is a lost cause with me , unless it involves a bunch of Euros kicking a poor defenseless ball around.
I fear that only the winter events get a little peek and that is about it.

I wondered how soon the teams got there to get somewhat acclimated to the heat or the time zone difference.

I couldn't imagine sitting and watching beach volleyball, for instance, but they were blessed with overcast and rain.