29th Olympic Games opening ceremony

[Slomo]

Anybody watching?

[Slomo]

It's a good opportunity to see your US Dollars at work :lol

[Slomo]

If you look real closely you'll see quite a few Euros too! :lmao

[Slomo]

On a more serious note. These massive spectacles with thousands of performers are right down their alley. So far it's pretty impressive.

[florige]

Ughhhh For some reason I'm not excited about this at all. Around here they are playing up Michael Phelps like he is the second coming of Jesus Christ or something since he's from Baltimore. I could miss this entire Olympiad and not feel too disappointed......:lol

[Slomo]

I'm still a sucker for the whole Olympic thing (although it's getting harder to be excited about it). But you know they poured a ton of money and effort in this opening ceremony, so I'll keep it switched on while I post.

So far I was really impressed by the massive opening fireworks and the HD projection they have going on on the floor.

SO yes I'll watch more obscure sports ion the next three weeks, than normal :)

It's the soccer championships I can't watch even a minute.

[L.I.T]

It's really really...big.

[MannyIsGod]

I forgot it was on this early. Are they going to have coverage during the day? Cause that would rule.

[polandprzem]

colorfull as we thought it will be

Can you imagine all the hard work they putted in the 3 and a half hour "show" ?

[florige]

I'm still a sucker for the whole Olympic thing (although it's getting harder to be excited about it). But you know they poured a ton of money and effort in this opening ceremony, so I'll keep it switched on while I post.

So far I was really impressed by the massive opening fireworks and the HD projection they have going on on the floor.

SO yes I'll watch more obscure sports ion the next three weeks, than normal :)

It's the soccer championships I can't watch even a minute.


Yeah I always end up watching some of it. But in year's past I have followed it more than I have this time around for whatever reason. I'm sure I'll watch Team USA's meltdown against Argentina again.....:lol

[L.I.T]

Ok, the this 'firefly' thing is pretty cool, as was the Ocean Silk Route homage.

[Brutalis]

Channel?

[Brutalis]

When do they do the walk through with the countries and their athletes also

[Slomo]

In half an hour or so.

[Brutalis]

Just checked NBC and the news is on. Hmm k.

[Slomo]

Shit! the floor projection is really a huge LED Screen!!! wow!

(Yes I'm a tech geek - like you didn't know :D)

[Brutalis]

What damn channel is it on? It's not NBC cause that morning news crap is on.

[Slomo]

It's on RTV Slovenija 2, on HRT2, ORF1 and Eurosport.

:p:

[L.I.T]

Damn cool globe thing.

[Slomo]

:lol Good trick, the national teams will enter the stadium using the Chinese alphabet :lol

[Brutalis]

You international fucks. It doesn't come on in the states till 7:30pm central tonight.

:lmao

[Slomo]

They're going to do it again for the US? :wow

[Slomo]

OK for our US friends:



Spoiler alert!


















The first team to walk in is Greece

:D

[L.I.T]

They're going to do it again for the US? :wow

:lmao

Oh, I'm sure they can find another 10,000 or so people.

[Cherry]

i'm watching live :D

[Brutalis]

They're going to do it again for the US? :wow

Yep for ratings. I spent 30 mins trying to find the damn channel it was on. UGH
:rollin

[MannyIsGod]

I'm sure you can stream it online.

[CubanMustGo]

Typical for the US. Whenever there are sporting events in the Far East we don't get live coverage, we get tape-delayed shit and of course once the Games actually start you know the winners already b/c of the internet. So much for the thrill of victory when you already know the outcome.

[MannyIsGod]

They better not be tape delaying a bunch of the coverage. I fucking HATE tape delayed coverage. Its the most retarded shit ever.

[Slomo]

http://img06.beijing2008.cn/20080808/Img214516768.jpg
http://img11.beijing2008.cn/20080808/Img214516904.jpg

http://img10.beijing2008.cn/20080808/Img214516567.jpg

[Slomo]

Jasikevicius is the flag bearer for Lithuania

[polandprzem]

manu with the flag!

Spoiler

haha

[Slomo]

Kirilenko with the flag for Russia.

3rd flag bearer from the NBA.

[CubanMustGo]

Dork will be the flag carrier for Deutschland.

[midgetonadonkey]

http://img06.beijing2008.cn/20080808/Img214516768.jpg

The walking brooms from Fantasia are real!

[midgetonadonkey]

Where are their buckets of water?

[leo_d]

It`s difficult for me to watch the ceremony. I know that there are a lot of chinese people who gave their best effort to make this, but I can`t forget the fact that they are under a comunist regime.

As impressive as it was, all I could see was an opressor government making propaganda.

[Slomo]

Dork will be the flag carrier for Deutschland.

And here he is!

[Slomo]

And finally Yao Ming for China

[anjlbitz]

No live coverage in the US? -_- what the hell!!!!

[Texas_Ranger]

It's nice!

[Slomo]

I'll bet you anything they crazy glued the torch to the last guy's hand :lol

[Slomo]

Last and very important information for all of you guys that have yet to watch the ceremony.

Do not miss the flag bearer for Jordan and Mexico.

You can thank me later :)

http://www.rtvslo.si/oi2008/upload/sport/rings.jpg


http://www.rtvslo.si/oi2008/upload/sport/ogenj_6.jpg

[Slomo]

http://img.rtvslo.si/upload/sport/ginobili_20_show.jpg

[Slomo]

http://img.rtvslo.si/upload/sport/nowitzki_26_show.jpg

[Slomo]

http://img.rtvslo.si/upload/sport/ming_7_show.jpg

[Viva Las Espuelas]

i wonder if al gore groupies cringed or cheered all during this ceremony.

[mffl89]

Last and very important information for all of you guys that have yet to watch the ceremony.

Do not miss the flag bearer for Jordan and Mexico.

You can thank me later :)

http://www.rtvslo.si/oi2008/upload/sport/rings.jpg


http://www.rtvslo.si/oi2008/upload/sport/ogenj_6.jpg

Those 2 were certainly very nice to watch.
My favorite part of the ceremony was in the beginning with all the drummers.
The US team was also wearing an outfit designed by Ralph Lauren specifically for this event.
Today was my first time seeing Beijing so empty! There were barely any cars on the road!

[Slomo]

The drummers were good. The whole show before the Athletes was actually very impressive. It was very obvious that a LOT of effort went into it.

[mffl89]

London is gonna have a really hard time outdoing what China has done.

[Slomo]

I don't know. The Brits are very creative.
They are going to go in a totally different direction, making any comparison impossible, It's the smart thing to do.

[mffl89]

I'm planning to bring my camera wherever I go just in case I see athletes walking down the street.
Plus, I got baseball and basketball tickets :)

[Slomo]

Nice! :tu

Be sure to post your pics on ST.com (basketball, baseball or others).

[mffl89]

No problem.
Except...basketball is women's basketball.
But hey! It's the Olympics!

[Rapper]

Have you guys watched it??

how about that? was that awesome and incredible?

you can give your comment or criticism for the performance

[velik_m]

I don't know. The Brits are very creative.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/degroof/RmV7mbbCSkI/AAAAAAAAAG0/7TDORzMLyIg/londonLogo.jpg

[ashbeeigh]

crap! I had every intention of believing this was all live when I watched it at 6:30. I hate you all.

[duncan228]

There's a thread going on it.

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102718

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Oh No. Not Another Dark Knight Thread!!!!!!!!!!

[Rapper]

There's a thread going on it.

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102718

Thanks for telling me that~

[Rapper]

Hey guys, how are you guys doin'??

I'm Chinese. and i am in Macao right now, Macao is one of the Chinese cities.

The USA Senior National Team went to Macao to play against Turkey and Lithuania for the " US basketball international challenge" last week, it means the exhibition games, and i got Kobe,D wade, Lebron, J-Kidd,CP3's autographs.i was so excited about that, 'cause the situation in China is absolutely different from US's.. we just could watch the NBA stars on TV, so that was a great opportunity for me to watch them play in China.

back to the subject~

The opening ceremony was definitely awesome and incredible, all Chinese focused on that, and every performer gave their great effort on the ceremony, the day is the histrory for our whole China.

so i wanna know your opinion about the ceremony, was that bad or good?

you can give your comment and criticism for that

'cause as a Chinese, i really want to know foreigners's opinions~

[Slomo]

I thought it was very rich and despite that elegant. No weird stuff and very little tacky things (the only things that bothered me a was the heavy make up on some of the little kids - made them look like puppets). Also the technological tricks and effects while cutting edge were quite subtle and didn't overshadow the human performance.

I liked it. Don't know if it was the best opening ceremony ever, but it was very good and executed almost to perfection.

[tlongII]

Looking forward to it...

[Mark in Austin]

Nice! :tu

Be sure to post your pics on ST.com (basketball, baseball or others).


watch out for people stealing them though... :lol

[phyzik]

Im watching it right now (stupid tape delay). So far its very impressive! I thought the Confucius part was pretty cool especially after I learned that it wasnt computer controlled but actual people lifting those writing blocks!

despite all of the controversey thats been going on I cant help but be impressed by, and be happy for, the People and Nation of China.

[Trainwreck2100]

See what can be accomplished when you force people to do things.

[1369]

Have they had the "Get on your knees and face the ditch" finale starring Tibetan dissidents?

[Brutalis]

There's a thread going on it.

http://spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102718

I'm going to assume a thread was merged. :lol

[TDMVPDPOY]

'cause as a Chinese, i really want to know foreigners's opinions~

ps. lol at some of the flag bearers expecially ak47 for russia, dude hasnt done anything on the international/nba level to warrant that honor seriously.

[ploto]

ps. lol at some of the flag bearers expecially ak47 for russia, dude hasnt done anything on the international/nba level to warrant that honor seriously.

MVP of Eurobasket 2007 which Russia won to qualify for the Olympics.

[I. Hustle]

It's really really...big.

That'swhatshesaid

[ploto]

I admit it-- I am a sucker for the Olympics. I still hold hope for its ideals.

The little boy from China made me cry.

http://www1.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Olympics+Opening+Ceremony+24jKx9kf1L-l.jpg

[I. Hustle]

That Tai Chi stuff was the shiznit

[Kriz-Maxima]

I enjoyed it, i hope i can catch some of the competition on tv

[manufor3]

Typical for the US. Whenever there are sporting events in the Far East we don't get live coverage, we get tape-delayed shit and of course once the Games actually start you know the winners already b/c of the internet. So much for the thrill of victory when you already know the outcome.

i know

[midgetonadonkey]

That stadium is pretty bad ass. That's all that interested me in these opening ceremonies.

[pawe]

question: if the US basketball team wins the gold, will it be counted as 15 gold medals or just 1 for the USA?

[FlyHigh07]

Where do yall find da pix from da Olympics????

[Fernando TD21]

I didn't watch everything live, but I liked it.
Here is a youtube video with the opening ceremony:
8ZkaoOzTqvM

[mffl89]

Even after 13 hours, I still can't get over the excitement.
This opening ceremony is probably the best I've ever seen.
Moments like this make me even more proud to be Chinese :)

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3525842

"Beijing opens Games with best show on earth

BEIJING -- One world, one dream.

One hell of a show.

The only people who didn't enjoy the awe-inspiring Opening Ceremony of the XXIX Olympic Summer Games had to be the folks with the London Olympic organizing committee. They host the 2012 Summer Games, meaning they have to follow the greatest show on Earth -- and, for my yuan, the greatest show in Opening Ceremony history.

If I were the Brits, I'd punt and go with Monty Python reruns. Unless they can top a gold medalist elevating and running on air around the entire circumference of National Stadium to light the torch.

"I was very excited," torchbearer Li Ning said. "I could feel the strength rising from the depth of my heart. This was the result of one month's training. That moment means China is standing side by side with the rest of the world."

Seminal as it was, that moment was merely the last gasp-inducing scene in a show full of fireworks, flying and gravity-defying. For four sweaty hours, the Olympics literally levitated in the thick Beijing air. The 14,000 performers staged a tour de force of choreography, technology and can-do-ology for a country intent on using the Games as a springboard to new world prominence.

About six months ago, Steven Spielberg bailed out as a creative consultant to these ceremonies in protest of China's cozy relationship with the despotic Sudanese government that has spawned genocide in Darfur. The protest was justified, but in creative terms, the Chinese didn't miss him. They produced a blockbuster longer than "Schindler's List" and more special effects-laden than "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."

China once was all about Mao. Friday night, it was all about wow. With an assist from Yao.

The one thing the host nation didn't do was cram it all into one day, the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008. Eight is a lucky number in China, but by the time this extravaganza had run its course, it was the early minutes of Aug. 9.

Hopefully, that's not a bad omen for the rest of the Games.

But a run-on production can happen when you're staging the biggest coming-out party in the history of the world. The long-cloistered Chinese had 5,000 years worth of culture and 1.3 billion citizens to show off to the world.

They had a lot to say.

"It will be shocking," predicted Marwin Joe of the Beijing newspaper Liberation Army Daily, who sat next to me for the ceremony.

He'd seen the rehearsal twice. And he was right.

But the thing more shocking to Joe -- and, assuredly, many of his countrymen -- is how far China has come as an Olympic power, and how fast. In 1984, the Chinese won 32 total medals in an Olympics boycotted by the Eastern Bloc powers.

"In 1984, when Olympics were held in Los Angeles, most of the Chinese people did not know what is Olympic Games," Joe said.

Six four-year plans later, they know. With the entire world here, their aim is to outdo the United States and win the overall medal count. Their goals are as big as their flag bearer, 7-foot-6 Yao Ming, who led the sprawling Chinese delegation into the Bird's Nest.

They were the final team to march, coming in three hours after the ceremony started and two hours after the other countries began the procession. Despite the dazzling show that began and ended the night, the athlete march truly is the highlight of every Opening Ceremony -- for all of them, this is their gold-medal moment. They made it here, to the world's biggest party. They are Olympians, and this is the payoff before only the best of the best make the medal podiums.

Hopefully TV did the whole thing justice. These productions are hard to describe, always better visually than in the written word. It's why sportswriters tend to fall back on phrases like "moving spectacle."

But this was a moving spectacle.

There are a lot of problems with China and how it handles its people and how it conducts its business. But, beginning with this show, these Games could be the country's real Great Leap Forward.

Pat Forde is a senior writer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at [email protected]."

[Cant_Be_Faded]

china china, yeeeeah, china chichina *insert southpark slow fart here*

you sure did show me that you are a top tier country in the world after that ceremony :)

[Slomo]

This is off topic, but since there's not much interest for the Olympics on this forum I guess this is the best place for this info.

The official olympic website has a very good video feature to access it you need to go to:

http://en.beijing2008.cn/

On the right side of the page there's a little window that says "Olympic video" and below a drop down menu "Select your country". When you do that you will get a list of raw feeds for your region. For us in the EU we get the 12 EBU raw feeds with sound. The quality is very good except a few glitches from time to time. I'm curious if it will function even if the demand increases.

The bad news is that it really only works on Windows XP/Vista and with IE :flipoff

[duncan228]

Thanks for the info Slomo. I'm interested, I like elite level sports of all kinds and always catch as much of the Olympics as I can.

[Rapper]

question: if the US basketball team wins the gold, will it be counted as 15 gold medals or just 1 for the USA?

Absolutely 1, dude you know what?

do you remember last Olympics in Athens? Argentina won both soccer gold and basketball gold, there were 22 players and 1 coach in a soccer team, and there were 12 players and 3 coaches in a basketball team, if it had been counted as 38 golds,(15+23) Argentina were the top nation in last Olympics.

[BacktoBasics]

Is it really necessary to have two fucking days of ceremony's. Can't they just get down to business? Why does everything have to be such a long drawn out boring production with no fucking value whatsoever other than its cool to spend billion of dollars promoting something thats already got an audience.

I tuned in to see some competition not a million chinese guys banging drums while the commentators discuss how they were asked to smile more during the practice walkthrus. Who fucking cares if they smile more...what a waste.

[SpursWoman]

I thought it was pretty amazing. :tu

[JoeChalupa]

I thought it was pretty amazing. :tu

So did I. That rolling print block that was all done by human hands was outstanding. And the planet earth with those people walking and dancing around it was awesome. I truly enjoyed and give Kudos the Chinese for a great opening ceremony that I though really captured the spirit of the Olympics.

Well done!! :tu :tu

[Thunder Dan]

Why is Nissan sponsoring the US Olympic team?

[xrayzebra]

The ones who put out the most effort was those "cheer leaders" who made the circle around the stadium and danced and cheered throughout the whole, long, long, entrance of the participants. Those young ladies must have collapsed when they got out of the place. I am sorry, but the grand entrance gets really boring after awhile.

Well, Texas was well represented, not by native Texans, but the transplanted Texans, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.:toast

[fotan2]

The ones who put out the most effort was those "cheer leaders" who made the circle around the stadium and danced and cheered throughout the whole, long, long, entrance of the participants. Those young ladies must have collapsed when they got out of the place. I am sorry, but the grand entrance gets really boring after awhile.

Well, Texas was well represented, not by native Texans, but the transplanted Texans, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.:toast

you bet !

here's one of them who fainted

http://bbs.a9vg.com/ul_img/200808/09//1218275971398.jpg

[TDMVPDPOY]

i was only interested in the girls...oh yeh 10000 concubines

[hater]

that LED screen is fuckin sick!

the USA uniforms were fuckin gay

[E20]

LOL
on yahoo.com

Thye have a little box to keep track of medals and show top athletes and it shows lebron james(GBR) LOL

[TwAnKiEs]

LOL
on yahoo.com

Thye have a little box to keep track of medals and show top athletes and it shows lebron james(GBR) LOL

Here is a website for medal counts :toast

http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml

[MannyIsGod]

God damn the NBC site is worthless. I couldn't find the Argentina schedule to save my life. I'm pretty excited to watch the swimming tonight as well as the basketball later tonight and tomorrow.

[smeagol]

Bet opening ceremony ever. It was not even close . . .

[J.T.]

Fuck the Olympics.

Fuck America.

Anarchy in the UK.

Seacrest out.

[anjlbitz]

no online/tv coverage for the Argentina-Lithuania and Greece-Spain basketball games?

[MannyIsGod]

They should be on USA later on tonight from what I understand. If not you can def stream them online.

[MannyIsGod]

BTW Phelps is really fucking fast.

[JoeChalupa]

Yeah he is. That is one swimming mofo. But I still remember watching Mark Spitz back in '72 win his 7 golds and whooping some ass. I hope Phelps can surpass that.

[MannyIsGod]

I hope Dara Torres kicks ass tonight. 41 years old and swimming in the Olympics is amazing.

[JoeChalupa]

I hope Dara Torres kicks ass tonight. 41 years old and swimming in the Olympics is amazing.

+1

[MannyIsGod]

Spain's game is about to start on USA.

[polandprzem]

US knows where China is situated? :wow




Phelphs was good though (4am). This line was chasing him and he escaped. Good for him.

[E20]

What events do people watch?

I watch gymnastics, weightlifting, martial arts, soccer, and basketball. Also I'll sometimes browse the other sports.

[duncan228]

I watch a lot of it so I see whatever they're airing, but I look for the gymnastics, basketball, and swimming. I'm really hoping Michael Phelps can win the 8 Gold. He's incredible.

[E20]

TD would beat anybody in anything that swimming has to offer. Breast stroke, back stroke, diving, sychrnoized, whatever.

[duncan228]

TD would beat anybody in anything that swimming has to offer. Breast stroke, back stroke, diving, sychrnoized, whatever.

I think Duncan would have been a Champion swimmer had he stayed with it. He was already on the radar when he quit. It worked out okay though, had he stayed in swimming we wouldn't have him as a Spur. :)

[samikeyp]

I watch a lot of it so I see whatever they're airing, but I look for the gymnastics, basketball, and swimming. I'm really hoping Michael Phelps can win the 8 Gold. He's incredible.

+1

[florige]

What events do people watch?

I watch gymnastics, weightlifting, martial arts, soccer, and basketball. Also I'll sometimes browse the other sports.


I particually watch the gymnastics. The upper body strength it takes to pull off those exercises are crazy. I would love to train to do something like that one day. And of course I like Basketball and swimming.

[MannyIsGod]

The amount of camera time the American Women's gymnastics team just got to act during a "huddle" almost made me want to puke. NBC and the girls trying to act their way to magic is retarded beyond belief.

[florige]

US knows where China is situated? :wow





Phelphs was good though (4am). This line was chasing him and he escaped. Good for him.



I wonder how long before he gets accused of taking the roid??:lol
He annilihated in the 400m.....

[1369]

I wonder how long before he gets accused of taking the roid??:lol
He annilihated in the 400m.....

What about that gal Rice from Australia? She crushed the WR in the 400 IM.

[MannyIsGod]

Dude that was so bad ass!!!!! And listening to the commentators talking shit about the french talking shit was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo great..


Eat it Frenchies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[01Snake]

Thats was EPIC

[Anti.Hero]

OMG that was amazing!

[Kriz-Maxima]

what a finale!

[Marklar MM]

I swear. How did Lezak win that? Thats heart.

[MannyIsGod]

Man that was so awesome. Coolest swimming race I've ever seen.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

what happened

[MannyIsGod]

Frenchie talks shit. Race Starts. Australians lead. Americans lead. Frenchies lead. Frenchies lead by a lot. Frenchies start to realize winning is not so French. American starts to kick Frenchies' ass. French surrender. Americans win gold. American commentators talk shit to the Frenchies who talked shit before the race.

[Trainwreck2100]

I'm gonna have a shaggia moment here

http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/5878/theultimates12personsofrl8.jpg

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/8882/theultimates12personsofny2.jpg

Fuck France

[mrsmaalox]

Wasn't it great seeing that Frenchie's dumbstruck face when he realized he blew it?! :lol

[marini martini]

Wasn't it great seeing that Frenchie's dumbstruck face when he realized he blew it?! :lol

Freakin close race! Almost felt sorry for the French man! Almost!:toast

[E20]

The amount of camera time the American Women's gymnastics team just got to act during a "huddle" almost made me want to puke. NBC and the girls trying to act their way to magic is retarded beyond belief.

I totally agree. That's why I switched to Lativa vs Argentina in beach volleyball because it was starting to reek of BS.

I agree with florige, seeing the male gymnasts upper body strength is amazing. Almost as if they were taking steriods.

[Slomo]

I like the olympics because it's so important to the athletes that almost all sports are interesting to watch. So I often watch the more obscure sports I would never watch otherwise. Today I watched the women 58kg class weightlifting - those ladies really left all they had on that little stage it was fascinating.

[Slomo]

Some of the fireworks at the opening ceremony were fake! :lol

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2534499/Beijing-Olympic-2008-opening-ceremony-giant-firework-footprints-faked.html

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Some-Opening-Ceremony-fireworks-were-faked?urn=oly,99745




Some Opening Ceremony fireworks were faked

By Chris Chase
http://f3.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_oly_experts__1/ept_sports_oly_experts-471791826-1218418035.jpg?ym0lS1_C1kb1PNbC
If you watched the Opening Ceremony on Friday night, chances are you said something like, "no way that's possible" at least once. It turns out you were right.
London's Telegraph newspaper reports that some of the fireworks which appeared over Beijing during the television broadcast of the Olympic Opening Ceremony were actually computer generated (http://f3.yahoofs.com/ymg/ept_sports_oly_experts__1/ept_sports_oly_experts-471791826-1218418035.jpg?ym0lS1_C1kb1PNbC). But -- hold on -- it's not necessarily as bad as you think.
The faked fireworks were actually set-off at the stadium, but because of potential dangers in filming the display live from a helicopter, viewers at home were shown a pre-recorded, computer-generated shot. It sounds dishonest, but I'm not sure it's such a terrible thing.
The Opening Ceremony is, at its core, just one big performance. And isn't it accepted that some things might not be legit at a performance? The final torch bearer wasn't actually running around the top of the stadium, does the fact that everyone could figure that out make it any less impressive? It might have been unnecessarily deceptive, but the firework-faking isn't really that big of a deal. But, if I found out that the lighted-drum thing wasn't on the up and up, then we'll have problems.

[Kriz-Maxima]

Some of the fireworks at the opening ceremony were fake! :lol

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/2534499/Beijing-Olympic-2008-opening-ceremony-giant-firework-footprints-faked.html

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Some-Opening-Ceremony-fireworks-were-faked?urn=oly,99745


I think the announcers mentioned it during the broadcast. It was still a great show. Plus, the fireworks were not the most amazing part of it.

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

America, fuck yeah!

I've watched that race three times since last night and it's still bad-ass.

We even stopped our poker game last night to catch the final three legs and started whooping it up right as Lezak made his move.

[FromWayDowntown]

What's amazing is that Phelps set the American record in the 100 Free on the first leg and that Lezak actually bettered that mark with the anchor leg by more than a second (even though it doesn't actually count as an American record).

I think we've conclusively established that it's the kiss of death to pronounce before the Olympic 4x100 free relay that you are going to "smash" your opponent. Gary Hall, Jr. said the Americans would smash [the Australians] like guitars" at Sydney in 2000. When Ian Thorpe did to Hall what Lezak did to Bernard last night, catching him late and outtouching him at the finish, Michael Klim and the boys serenaded the Americans with some impromptu air guitar on the deck.

I don't think the French officially said they would "smash" the Americans -- I think there might have been some journalistic license in that translation. But if they were so bold as to make such a prediction, I suspect it's the last time we'll hear such a prediciton in advance of the men's 4x100 free relay.

[jonspeaks22]

To be honest, I don't have any desire to watch the Olympics. Am I the only one???

[Slomo]

I think the announcers mentioned it during the broadcast. It was still a great show. Plus, the fireworks were not the most amazing part of it.

The comentator on our side never mentioned it. I agree it's a minor thing and doesn't take away anything from the greatness of the ceremony. I just find it a somewhat unusual technical solution/decision.

Oh, and it makes a great headline :D


What's amazing is that Phelps set the American record in the 100 Free on the first leg and that Lezak actually bettered that mark with the anchor leg by more than a second (even though it doesn't actually count as an American record).

I think we've conclusively established that it's the kiss of death to pronounce before the Olympic 4x100 free relay that you are going to "smash" your opponent. Gary Hall, Jr. said the Americans would smash [the Australians] like guitars" at Sydney in 2000. When Ian Thorpe did to Hall what Lezak did to Bernard last night, catching him late and outtouching him at the finish, Michael Klim and the boys serenaded the Americans with some impromptu air guitar on the deck.

I don't think the French officially said they would "smash" the Americans -- I think there might have been some journalistic license in that translation. But if they were so bold as to make such a prediction, I suspect it's the last time we'll hear such a prediciton in advance of the men's 4x100 free relay.

:lol

I thought of the Sidney shit talking almost instantly when I heard of the French cockiness. We might have a new "sport curse" on our hands :) (although talking shit, before you achieve anything is never a smart decision)

[1369]

http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/2987/trashtalkfrancely9.jpg

[florige]

The comentator on our side never mentioned it. I agree it's a minor thing and doesn't take away anything from the greatness of the ceremony. I just find it a somewhat unusual technical solution/decision.

Oh, and it makes a great headline :D



:lol

I thought of the Sidney shit talking almost instantly when I heard of the French cockiness. We might have a new "sport curse" on our hands :) (although talking shit, before you achieve anything is never a smart decision)




Gary Hall Jr. was notorious for talking crap and never being able to back it up. He was a clown more than anything else. Alexander Popov used to own his ass regularly in the 100m freestyle.....:lol

[GINNNNNNNNNNNNOBILI]

Anywhere to watch a video of the entire Relay race? I've only seen the last leg on all the highlights

[1369]

Phelps smashed his own record today in the 200M free and claimed his 3rd gold.

[Trainwreck2100]

Anywhere to watch a video of the entire Relay race? I've only seen the last leg on all the highlights

BYnlW-CzIx4

[E20]

wow phelps eats around 8-10 thousand calories a day? And it said he barely gains weight, plus he has a six pack and his body fat seems low. They also said he is in the water for 5 hours a day and does about a 100 laps, but seriously? 10000 calories? His breakfast was like a bajillion items all junk food. WTF I limit myself to 1500 calories a day wiht the only junk food being peanut butter and run 2 miles every other day and lift weights and I can only lose 12 pounds and see no visible difference. Fuck this diet, I'm taking a fat burner pill and switching to a diet plan with that in it.

Also, I'm pretty sure that I remember this but in 2004 he was interviewed in the olympics and he said that he was eating oatmeal and fruit and shit and eats healthy when he trains, now I'm hearing different? Either at the age of 23 he has some sort of super duper crazy driven metabolism, (I've read that the male metabolism slowly declines starting from the age of 25) or swimming doesn't need one to eat healthy in order to be good at it.

[angelbelow]

pretty impressive opening ceremony.

[FromWayDowntown]

wow phelps eats around 8-10 thousand calories a day? And it said he barely gains weight, plus he has a six pack and his body fat seems low. They also said he is in the water for 5 hours a day and does about a 100 laps, but seriously? 10000 calories? His breakfast was like a bajillion items all junk food. WTF I limit myself to 1500 calories a day wiht the only junk food being peanut butter and run 2 miles every other day and lift weights and I can only lose 12 pounds and see no visible difference. Fuck this diet, I'm taking a fat burner pill and switching to a diet plan with that in it.

Also, I'm pretty sure that I remember this but in 2004 he was interviewed in the olympics and he said that he was eating oatmeal and fruit and shit and eats healthy when he trains, now I'm hearing different? Either at the age of 23 he has some sort of super duper crazy driven metabolism, (I've read that the male metabolism slowly declines starting from the age of 25) or swimming doesn't need one to eat healthy in order to be good at it.

That, or swimming at the level that Phelps does burns calories at an incredible rate.

Few workouts can match swimming for the positive effect on cardiovascular conditioning and muscle toning.

I'd bet that Phelps swims at least 2 miles every day -- if he swims 100 laps, he swims more than 3 miles every day -- much of it at an incredible rate. And he lifts several times a week. And he does land-based cardio several times a week.

I'm sure his metabolism is incredible, but I'm also sure that his workout would kick the ass of most normal people and that anyone who worked out the way that Phelps does would see the sorts of physical results (not necessarily the same performance) that he does.

[mffl89]

Anywhere to watch a video of the entire Relay race? I've only seen the last leg on all the highlights

http://olympicgames2008medaltally.blogspot.com/2008/08/beijing-2008-swimming-men-4x100.html

[florige]

wow phelps eats around 8-10 thousand calories a day? And it said he barely gains weight, plus he has a six pack and his body fat seems low. They also said he is in the water for 5 hours a day and does about a 100 laps, but seriously? 10000 calories? His breakfast was like a bajillion items all junk food. WTF I limit myself to 1500 calories a day wiht the only junk food being peanut butter and run 2 miles every other day and lift weights and I can only lose 12 pounds and see no visible difference. Fuck this diet, I'm taking a fat burner pill and switching to a diet plan with that in it.


Also, I'm pretty sure that I remember this but in 2004 he was interviewed in the olympics and he said that he was eating oatmeal and fruit and shit and eats healthy when he trains, now I'm hearing different? Either at the age of 23 he has some sort of super duper crazy driven metabolism, (I've read that the male metabolism slowly declines starting from the age of 25) or swimming doesn't need one to eat healthy in order to be good at it.




Are you sure you heard that right? I think you might have heard that he eats healthy the day of the actual races. They made a big deal about it in 04 here last time around about the restaurant he went to EVERY morning and about all the crap he consumed in one day. He was pretty much saying the same thing then that he is saying now. I have a friend who is 29 who eats whatever the hell he wants maybe not as much as Phelps, but still takes down alot of crap and he never gains a pound. And is in about the same shape as Phelps. He just has a high metabolism.

[mffl89]

My friend saw Roger Federer here in Beijing. I cut her out of the picture for privacy reasons and my other friend attended the China - USA basketball game.
I'll upload some of my pictures from events when I have time.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/2756889560_f8ddfdb9ed.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/2756065395_aa77dfbda2.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2756065651_b581939146.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2756898580_d29be5dbae.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/2756898466_3538735b4b.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/2756065497_756108974b.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/2756889530_79d075a43f.jpg?v=0
You can see the Bush family on the second row from the top.
Senior Bush is in the red/dark blue and the President is in the blue.

[florige]

My friend saw Roger Federer here in Beijing. I cut her out of the picture for privacy reasons and my other friend attended the China - USA basketball game.
I'll upload some of my pictures from events when I have time.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/2756889560_f8ddfdb9ed.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3227/2756065395_aa77dfbda2.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2756065651_b581939146.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2756898580_d29be5dbae.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3226/2756898466_3538735b4b.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/2756065497_756108974b.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/2756889530_79d075a43f.jpg?v=0
You can see the Bush family on the second row.
Senior Bush is in the red/dark blue and the President is in the blue.



Sweet pics......

[TDMVPDPOY]

show the other half of the pic with girl with roger pic...

dude sharing is caring

[Slomo]

Phelps smashed his own record today in the 200M free and claimed his 3rd gold.

And looked like he didn't tried hard at all :lol

The guy was standing there in the pool, immediately after setting a world record and looking around like if he just realized it was a race - wasn't out of breath or anything. Made it look easy :lol
I'm pretty sure a lot of his opponent will be swearing when they see that footage.

[mffl89]

Sucks to hear this.

"Olympic opening uses girl's voice, not face

BEIJING, China (AP) -- A 7-year-old Chinese girl was not good-looking enough for the Olympics opening ceremony, so another little girl with a pixie smile lip-synched "Ode to the Motherland," a ceremony official said.
9-year-old Lin Miaoke

9-year-old Lin Miaoke had the 'cute' face that Olympic organizers wanted for the opening ceremony.

A member of China's ruling Politburo asked for the last-minute change to match one girl's face with another's voice, the ceremony's chief music director, Chen Qigang, said in an interview with Beijing Radio.

"The audience will understand that it's in the national interest," Chen said in a video of the interview posted online Sunday night.

The news follows reports that some footage of the fireworks exploding across China's capital during the ceremony was digitally inserted into television coverage, apparently over concerns that not all of the 29 blasts could be captured on camera.

China has been eager to present a flawless Olympics image to the world, shooing migrant workers and so-called petitioners who come to the central government with grievances from the city and shutting down any sign of protest.

The country's quest for perfection apparently includes its children.

Lin Miaoke's performance Friday night, like the ceremony itself, was an immediate hit. "Nine-year-old Lin Miaoke becomes instant star with patriotic song," the China Daily newspaper headline said Tuesday.

But the real voice behind the tiny, pigtailed girl in the red dress who wowed 91,000 spectators at the National Stadium on opening night really belonged to 7-year-old Yang Peiyi. Her looks apparently failed the cuteness test with officials organizing the ceremony, but Chen said her voice was judged the most beautiful.

"The national interest requires that the girl should have good looks and a good grasp of the song and look good on screen," Chen said. "Lin Miaoke was the best in this. And Yang Peiyi's voice was the most outstanding."

During a live rehearsal soon before the ceremony, the Politburo member said Miaoke's voice "must change," Chen said in the radio interview. He didn't name the official.

So Peiyi's voice was matched with Miaoke's face.

"We had to make that choice. It was fair both for Lin Miaoke and Yang Peiyi," Chen told Beijing Radio. "We combined the perfect voice and the perfect performance."
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Chen couldn't be reached for comment Tuesday.

A photo of Peiyi posted Tuesday on popular Web site Sina.com shows a smiling girl with bangs and crooked teeth. A China News Service story posted with the photo says a China Central Television reporter asked Peiyi whether she felt regret over the opening ceremony.

Peiyi responded that just having her voice used for the opening ceremony was an honor.

Whether the move was unethical, or unfair to both girls, has become a hot topic among Chinese and is racing across the country's blogosphere.

"The organizers really messed up on this one," said Luo Shaoyang, 34, a retail worker in Beijing.

"This is like a voice-over for a cartoon character," Luo said. "Why couldn't they pick a kid who is both cute and a good singer? This damages the reputation of both kids for their future, especially the one lip-synching. Now everyone knows she's a fraud. Who cares if she's cute?"

Zhang Xinyi, 22, who works in marketing in Beijing, disagreed.

"I can understand why they picked the prettier girl. They need to maintain a certain aesthetic beauty during the opening ceremonies. This situation is not so bad, especially since it gives two people an opportunity to shine rather than just one."

Peiyi is a first-grader at the Primary School affiliated to Peking University. Her tutor, Wang Liping, wrote in her blog that Peiyi is both cute and well-behaved, with a love for Peking opera.

"She doesn't like to show off. She's easygoing," Wang wrote. She and other school officials couldn't be reached Tuesday.

Miaoke, however, was a minor celebrity even before the opening ceremony. The third-grader appeared in a television ad last year with China's biggest gold medal hope, hurdling champion Liu Xiang, and she was in an Olympics ad just before Chinese New Year, China Daily reported.

Miaoke has her own blog, and one of the latest photos posted since the ceremony shows her looking up nervously at the ceremony's director, film director Zhang Yimou. "Giving the child encouragement," the caption says.

Her father, Lin Hui, told China Daily he learned Miaoke would be "singing" only 15 minutes before the opening ceremony began. The newspaper wrote Lin "still cannot believe his daughter has become an international singing sensation."

It was the second straight Olympics where the opening ceremony involved lip-synching.

Luciano Pavarotti's performance at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin was prerecorded. The maestro who conducted the aria, Leone Magiera, said earlier this year that the bitter cold made a live performance impossible for Pavarotti, who was in severe pain months before his cancer diagnosis. Pavarotti died in September 2007 at age 71."

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/08/12/olympic.ceremony.lip.synche.ap/index.html

[E20]

Michael Phelps has international glory, most girls would do him and fame, I don't want none of that shit. I want his goddamn metabolism.

[jcrod]

My company supplied and setup all the projectors for the ceremony, we've been working on the setup for about 8 months. I believe they said they used over 147 projectors. Awesome opening ceremony.

THat relay race was awesome. I haven't had a chance to see anything else.

[florige]

Andrea Joyce pissed me off so bad last night with her moronic questions when Alicia Sacramone fell off the beam and pretty much cost US the gold. She basically kept asking her the same question over and over again, "like how did you feel when you fell being as though you were the captain of the team" I would had asked her how do you think I feel you idiot"..

[FromWayDowntown]

Michael Phelps has international glory, most girls would do him and fame, I don't want none of that shit. I want his goddamn metabolism.

Take on his workout. If you worked out like he did -- if you could do that -- you'd have a physique like his. Get in the pool and swim 5 miles like he did yesterday (on a non-training day).

[E20]

Take on his workout. If you worked out like he did -- if you could do that -- you'd have a physique like his. Get in the pool and swim 5 miles like he did yesterday (on a non-training day).

I can't swim. :lol I'm around 5'8" and if I got toward the 6 feet of depth I will start to drown. :lol

I'll try to run an extra mile and run more when I'm playing ball, but running isn't as nearly as physically demanding as swimming.

[FromWayDowntown]

I can't swim. :lol I'm around 5'8" and if I got toward the 6 feet of depth I will start to drown. :lol

I'll try to run an extra mile and run more when I'm playing ball, but running isn't as nearly as physically demanding as swimming.

Take swimming lessons, then. It's a fabulous activity and offers far more bang for the buck than running. Once you learn the basics, learning how to swim freestyle laps is not a difficult thing to do.

I'll admit that I haven't been in top physical form since I was in high school, but a few years ago, when I was working out a lot, I started to swim on a fairly regular basis and cut down on my time on the treadmill/elliptical. I haven't ever seen such gains in my fitness (and such good results for my physique). I should really go back to doing that.