Beijing Olympics 2008
 

These are some classy Olympics. I'm very impressed and excited for the rest. Great job China.

Haha, for some reason, I can see this be the validation of the East vs. the West for world superpowers in the near to distant future. Beijing is doing a great job and is showing off it's nation to the world.

Yes, they are doing a great job. The opening ceremony was bomb.

I REALLY REALLY hope and pray that the Olympics come to Chicago in 2016. I will actually be upset if we lose to Madrid or Tokyo. If they do come then I have no excuse as a Chicagoan not to go. Plus, we'll have our chance to prove we are the best city in the world ;)

Eight years, fresh? Who's to say you'll still be in Chicago by then? Don't forget to find a sitter for the kids. ;)

C'mon, Ms. Clodfobble. My major is Sports Management, it's my hometown....

I have no excuse not to go!!!!

All over the map:

This is what I bought the HDTV converters for. It's been a pleasure to watch the events.

The endlessly repeated and often incredibly stupid commercials annoy me to no end and remind me why we normally don't watch TV. The massive stupidity of the Subway commercial has convinced me to eat at Jimmie John's for a while.

I found the Chevy "gas pumps hate us" commercials amusing the first half-dozen times. Not that an amusing commercial would convince me to buy a Chevy.

McCain's commercial slams Obama. Obama's commercial doesn't mention McCain.

American advertisers are obviously convinced that appeal to thought and logic is not viable and the only valid approaches are appeal to emotion and humor.

It's been fun to watch Phelps rip through gold medals.

Beach volleyball has been entertaining.

I felt sorry for the US woman's gymnastics team last night. It's too bad they got rattled.

It's hard to believe that littlest Chinese female gymnast is sixteen. She looks about ten.

And the US men's soccer team sucks balls as usual. To be fair, while it is the players' fault for what they do/don't do with the ball it is the pathetic US infrastructure for coaching that is to blame. We are finally producing skilled players but refuse to admit that we need coaching from outside the US to become competitive.

My turn at the kitchen sink ...

The nine year old little girl that sang, "O China!" ("Ode to the Motherland", actually) or whatever the opening anthem was... Little girl has pipes; pipes of silver and crystal, just beautiful. Turns out, she was lip synching it. Her "beauty" lay in her smile, not in her singing talent. And the real singer got booted because her smile wasn't as pretty. A matter of "doing what's best for the nation". Hahahahahahahahahaha!!! Why didn't they add her to the women's gymnastics team roster while they were at it?

Second fakery: The "Giant footprints in fireworks" Did you hear the breathless NBC coverage: "almost animation" "cinematic". Bwahahahahahahah! And I fell for it! (kicks self again! Sucka!) Turns out the NBC people *knew* it wasn't real, *knew* it was animation but hedged their commentary with that little "almost". I'm pissed at that. "Oh, we were just accepting the feed from the Chinese". "Chust followink ORDERS!" is not an acceptable defense. FFS, even Bob Costas irritated the President and then said "You're dismissed!" ( :eek ). You can't call a chinese 钗车/铲车 a spade?

And what's up with the "women's" gymnastic team from China. I use quotes because I don't consider 11 year old girls "women". wtf?

i thought they all had to be at least 16 for this olympic cycle?

yes.

The rule is they have to turn 16 the year of the games. So, if the DOB is in 1992, they're golden.

But did you see them? My god, man... Some of them don't have all their teeth yet. And the average weight? 77 pounds. A few of them look like fifth graders.

yes, but was it a pirate copy?

i know they look really young BigV but you aren't suggesting our olympic hosts might have doctored the birth certificates for some of the children they took from their families at age three, are you? What kind of country would do that? Certainly not... just kidding, I think they did too.

Gutted. I watched it with a room full of artists but none of our pyro-technicians were there. Mike - a theatrical engineering sculpter (for want of a better word) who has been around pyro for years did actually swear at how tight it was. I replied - from the depths of my worldly wisdom - "Well if anyone's going to get fireworks right it's the Chinese!"

I am completely gutted. That part of it blew me away. The visual idea was still good, but it's cheating. Bad Chinese. To be fooled is one thing. To be fooled about the thing that impressed me the most is another. I may never but another cheaply manufactured item again.

Mike also said that our commentators were reading from a script supplied by the hosts. I was willing to be more benevolent and suggested that they simply had production notes. Now I wonder. Gah.

They aren't allowing banners in the stands at events for fear that a protest or political statement will pop up.

This is the last olympics for softball and baseball and the US team's supporters flew over in pretty good numbers but they've been repeatedly reprimanded for banners displaying player names.

I wonder how many of our US residents realize that China was forced to change their schedule for finals from China's (and incidentally of course Australia and NZ) evening prime time to US evening prime time. The same was done during the Sydney Olympics.

Personally I think it sucks. I'm sure everyone in the US thinks it's great though.

About the kid doing the lip syncing, who really cares? Madonna does it. So does Kylie, and who could forget Milli Vanilli?

I don't see what the big fuss is, considering it's not just China that thinks only beautiful people should be on tv.

Another reason to be grateful that Americans don't watch "soccer"! Or are you bored of that too ;)
Meh - I think it's because it's not a case of an established artist. It's not a case of a professional performer. It's a situation where an unknown child is presented to the world, apparently singing, and I for one accepted her performance as "true". I wasn't all that impressed by it (a collective groan went up in our room when she came on) but knowig it was purely based on looks... Shame. Don't they have Pop Idol over there?!

Maybe I don't care so much because I didn't really think she was singing from the start.

I think the opening ceremony was great regardless of a bit of acting on the part of a cute little kid. In fact, I thought it was awesome. Best ever.

Nah. Sydney definitely had more jaw-dropping moments.
And that's not sucking up - we all agreed it. Then again they're a group of arty-farties and I just cracked up at the giant shrimp.

Yep, I do think it's great. Know why? Because we are still, at least at the moment, the biggest market for this stuff. We consume pretty much any damn thing we want and we vote with our dollars. The olympics aren't free and the advertisers aren't stupid. That's why it is set up to air when it's convenient for us.

There are a lot of consumers in other time zones too. For instance, Japan. What's the population there these days? And how many of them tune in to the olympics? I suspect quite a vast number. Possibly more than the US even, especially combined with China and the host of other nations in similar time zones.

could be. let me know when they spend what we do. better forward that email on to all the advertisers too. you may not like it and it may not be true for much longer but you can't deny that events like this revolve around the desires of the US public. Welcome to markets in action.

Well my point is that it revolves around the whole world. Not the US.

your point was that it sucks that events are scheduled to coincide with our prime time. There is a perfectly logical reason that events are scheduled that way. regardless of who is participating, watching, and enjoying the olympic games the advertisers know who pays the biggest chunk of the bills and schedule accordingly. To do otherwise would be foolish.

Again, my point is not about the financial aspect of it. My point is that the rest of the world never gets to see events live unless they have access to a tv during US prime time because whoever it is and for whatever reason, it happens every time.

My point is that it's simply not fair on 'the rest of the world'.

So are you going to say the same thing again or accept that maybe a sporting event such as the Olympics where so many other countries are represented should at least be aired during prime time in the country that's hosting? Or do you think that's an unreasonable wish? If so, why? What makes viewers in the US more important for any other reason than their consumer dollars?

The $900,000,000 NBC paid the Chinese for the broadcast rights.

bidniz is bidniz

Once again, if you can come up with any other reason than financial ones I'd like to hear them.

Why should there be any reason than accommodating the customer?

I'm sure no one means to be rude, but money is the only reason that actually matters in the reality of the situation...

Please tell me you aren't naive enough to believe the olympics would be televised at all if money weren't the motivating factor. Please? The whole reason networks want the olympics is for the advertising income. Executives aren't sitting around twiddling their patriotic thumbs hoping for some great event to broadcast for the sheer joy of it. They want a program a bunch of people watch so they can charge a bunch of other people a bunch of money. The money IS the reason.

And beyond that, who said anything about fair? What does this have to do with fair? Why should fair even be a factor in the equation?

Okay - I can see both sides. I'm not naive about the Olympics being big business. But I wonder whether this will be the case in 2012?
We're simply not in the right time zone surely?

I'll be mad as hell if they schedule events during the night for financial reasons. I don't care whether it's pandering to the dollar, the yen or the bhat - if I can't watch the Olympics at a reasonable time in my own city then I don't see why my taxes should pay to hold it in the first place.

It doesn't bother me overly if Madonna or Kylie lip synch to their earlier performances (although it does indicate a lack of talent or confidence). But a performer who lip synchs to another person's performance is taking credit for the work and talent of someone else. That's why Milli Vanilli sank and what I find sad and wrong about the Beijing story.

SG, by 2012 I think you'll find that even fewer hours of the olympics will be televised than now. I remember as a kid the olympics were on nearly around the clock, but that was back before the interwebz took over.

I think major events will be moved to be a later start in london, say 9-10PM so that they'll be televised in late afternoon to early evening in the US. Truthfully, even this year you can keep up to date while at work and I think that web access will only grow.

They are on all night long, here. :zzz:

Yeah, the men's gymnastic all-around didn't end until 2am here.

Yes, I suppose that would work - we're already an hour ahead of mainland Europe, so it would fit in with their schedules too. I'd still expect that to be limited to the indoor events though. As a kid I always remember track & field taking place in the sunlight - it would feel very wrong to me if the big athletics events were held under spotlights. Might as well only consider countries in the US time zone if it's that important.

(for clarity this is not an anti-American issue - I know when you held the World Cup the times were calculated to appeal to the largest amount of fans)

How unfair. I'd like them to be on during my dinner hour.;)

Exactly my point!

The olympics are televised pretty much around the clock here. It's very popular and everyone seem to be keeping up with what's going on. Australia is a nation of sports lovers though, and we excel in most sports we represent, so that's probably a big part of it. We're all very impressed with our olympians. They are doing our small nation very proud.

Man, I was enjoying the live event streams on the NBC website last night, but I can't get the streams to work tonight. Recorded stuff plays fine, but no live streams will load.

Fascinating article on how they follow the divers with the camera.
Hint... they drop the damn thing. ;)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121856740339434067.html

16 years old Minimum MY DYEN ASS !!!!
The 2 on the left OK ,
Maybe the third from the left ok ,
but the three form the right , NO F**Kn WAY !!!!!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3161/...52e43e12_b.jpg
Try and tell a cop Well shes 16 !!!!

oh and by the way ,
HELL F**KN YESSSSSSS!!!!!!!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3260/...4fa9b6c0_o.jpg

The American girls went gold and silver in the individual all around.

MICHAEL PHELPS MIRACLE 1/100 OF A SECOND
USAIN BOLT JOGGIN THE LAST 50 METERS

i love the olympics so much :)

Unbelievable finish!

Its official...Michael Phelps is God.

No he ain't. Sure, he won 8 gold medals, but only set 7 worlds records, the slacker. :lol2:

The Olympics are beautiful, tons of different people and hundreds of nations competing in a wide multitude of sports. It is a place where the human endeavor comes and unites everyone of every culture.

But I hate that I know what Michael Phelps eats for cereal, where he frequents for coffee, how many times his mom cried during his events. Jesus the woman gets more coverage than most of the sports! Sure they are building up the American hero, but he isn't a god. I hate that 5 or 6 times a day we are hearing where he last used the bathroom, give it a break. Phelps should be a little more humble, in my opinion too.

But I love the Olympics. Go USA!

I agree we've heard quite enough about him, but I'm more annoyed by the post-medley interviews that go something like;
"Michael, gush gush gush & 99 superlatives, oh by the way, the rest of you guys... nice job supporting Michael". :(

Team America, !@#$ Yeah!

Track and Field is where the Americans will probably go up by at least 10 medals on China in the medal count.

Did anyone else watch Usain Bolt of Jamaica? His 100m final was amazing. Pure athleticism, you can't teach that.

Truly amazing. I can't believe a big guy can move like that.

Hot male gymnasts, tonight! Get the ice cream tub ready, I'm not leaving the couch.

The US fencers picked up two team silvers! One each for women's foil and men's sabre. The men beat Hungary (a long term powerhouse) 45 - 44.:cool: The Smart siblings Keeth and Erinn both get a medal!

Hey cool, our pirate roots are paying off. :D
Does anyone know who's picking up the tab for all those US team parents over there? Do they get any help... discount air fares?... a break on the hotel tab?

Lil' Pete goes to the Olympics, I will pay whatever it costs.

Of course, if you can. Don't any Olympic athletes come from poor folk, or does the expense for the years of training rule them out?

You've got to figure that parents who were able to pay for and drive to the pool, gym etc... will be there. Some parents will take on debt. I assume corporate sponsors will bring parents of high profile athletes. Some track and field folks get paid enough to bring their parents... I guess there are a lot of different circumstances, but I'd guess lower middle-class folks would take the financial hit for something this big.

I think that's a good question. It seems to me that a lot of the elite australian athletes come from well to do if not downright wealthy families in the main part. I think there are probably a lot of hidden talents throughout the world who just never find out how great they are because they never have the opportunity to really hone their skills because the families either can't afford it (and to some families, club fees are too much) or just aren't motivated enough to get out of bed at the crack of dawn with their kids every day and cart them off to whatever venue they train at. Again, this is also a financial burden when you consider transport costs and other sundries associated with just day to day training.

A bit more from The Silent Witness:
Oh and can I just say - Britannia Rules the Waves!