London 2012 Megathread [Part 1]

getz · 28-07-2012 09:37AM

partyguinness wrote: »

Just watching the opening ceremony.

I am sorry but I thought it was rubbish (compared to China and Greece).

1. The first 15 mins was taken up showing rugby and cricket....2 non-olympic sports!
2. The reference to the NHS...WTF
3. Then a moment remembering people who were killed on 7/7...WTF Talk about politicising the Olympics which I thought was banned.
4. The industrial revolution....jesus...get over it. They are still cleaning up after it!

I know the Brits love any opportunity to go on about themselves but this was just a promo from the Ministry of Tourism.

I felt like I was watching a end of year school pageant in the local national school. Well intentioned but you just grit your teeth and through it.

Overall I thought it amateurish, lazy and dare I say, looked cheap and bereft of originality.

I mean Paul McCarthy singing "Hey Jude"...really come on...are they that short of ideas that it comes down to an end of the night wedding song!!!! That's just lazy.

It had feck all to do with sports or the olympics and was just a big orgy of Britain. I know there was always going to be an element of self-promotion but that's all it was!!

Very disappointing. Even my English wife felt disappointed. It was totally forgetable.

At the end of the day, it's all about the sports to come so we move on.

ps I liked the torch idea

you dont get it do you, the opening olympic ceremonies are about promoting your own countries culture /history and music over the years,and the NHS is the envy of most countries in the world,

partyguinness · 28-07-2012 09:40AM

I think the camera shots did the event no favours.

It was all over the place there seemed to way to much going on and the production team didnt know where to go or what to shoot next.

Even that was mentioned on the BBC (cheerleaders in chief) this morning as a moaning point.

The camera team were on speed.

RichT · 28-07-2012 09:40AM

Women's Beach Volleyball is on NOW on BBC1 via the red button......:p

Elessar · 28-07-2012 09:43AM

Yawn. Olympics me hole. Pointless drivel. Oooh look that "athlete" jumped higher than the last one. Who cares!

If these athletes want to impress me they need to get jobs and start paying taxes.

You can tell I'm not a sports person

partyguinness · 28-07-2012 09:47AM

getz wrote: »

you dont get it do you, the opening olympic ceremonies are about promoting your own countries culture /history and music over the years,and the NHS is the envy of most countries in the world,

Yes because all the people around the world were watching to see just how the NHS would be portrayed. Because that is what the Olympics are about.

"Hey everyone, look at our health care system." Right.

Oh I got it alright. I just didnt think it was very good.

Opening ceremonies tend to be about bringing cultures/peoples etc together for a once every 4 years event and celebrating. Of course there will be self-promotion but this was just embarrassing.

That was Danny Boyle's take on it and so be it.

OU812 · 28-07-2012 09:47AM

The only thing missing in the opening ceremony was Dr Who. Was expecting the tardis to appear any minute for pretty much the whole thing.

Would have fitted in so well.

Patsy fyre · 28-07-2012 09:50AM

Elessar wrote: »

Yawn. Olympics me hole. Pointless drivel. Oooh look that "athlete" jumped higher than the last one. Who cares!

If these athletes want to impress me they need to get jobs and start paying taxes.

[SIZE="1"]You can tell I'm not a sports person[/SIZE]

God, you must have a sad life

partyguinness · 28-07-2012 09:54AM

Then again it is a little unfair comparing it with Greece and China.

Greek and Chinese culture is rich and varied and spans thousands of years whereas Britain is a relatively young society built on war and colonialism over the past 400 years.

So I suppose it is a bit much to expect Britain to able to compete with that.

Quite simply, it can't.

mike65 · 28-07-2012 09:57AM

A vast number of great shots from last night

www.imgace.com/page/1/

Partyguinness stop trolling, British Culture bestrides the world and has done for the last 5 centuries. From Shakespear on its been a British dominated pop cultural environment.

Run_to_da_hills · 28-07-2012 09:59AM

The opening ceremony from different angle, I sort of guessed why so much effort was put into this part in particular.

Billions of people around the world witness the symbolic forging together of the five rings representing the five continents of the New World Order,

"We have before us the opportunity to forge for ourselves and for future generations a new world order, a world where the rule of law, not the law of the jungle, governs the conduct of nations". George W Bush. 1991.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc7i0wCFf8g

Elessar · 28-07-2012 09:59AM

Patsy fyre wrote: »

God, you must have a sad life

I've a fantastic life actually

Just don't see any rhyme or reason to competitive sport in general, particularly the bloated, pointless back slapping party that is the Olympics.

Sea Filly · 28-07-2012 10:02AM

Got a little bit emotional when Team Ireland was announced and was really surprised at the cheer they got! :eek:

Ella · 28-07-2012 10:03AM

Elessar wrote: »

Patsy fyre wrote: »

God, you must have a sad life

I've a fantastic life actually

Just don't see any rhyme or reason to competitive sport in general, particularly the bloated, pointless back slapping party that is the Olympics.

So why post in this thread?

partyguinness · 28-07-2012 10:04AM

mike65 wrote: »

A vast number of great shots from last night

www.imgace.com/page/1/

Partyguinness stop trolling, British Culture bestrides the world and has done for the last 5 centuries. From Shakespear on its been a British dominated pop cultural environment.

I am not trolling Mr Back Seat Mod. Plus you have essentaily agreed with my point.

Lando Griffin · 28-07-2012 10:06AM

Pudsy33 wrote: »

What time is the opening ceremony tomorrow?

You can catch the closing ceremony in a few weeks.

westendgirlie · 28-07-2012 10:14AM

watching the swimming..... Yummy

getz · 28-07-2012 10:22AM

partyguinness wrote: »

I am not trolling Mr Back Seat Mod. Plus you have essentaily agreed with my point.

your point is irreverent ,and also shows a lack knowledge about the opening ceremonies of olympic host countries,

mike65 · 28-07-2012 10:23AM

partyguinness wrote: »

I am not trolling Mr Back Seat Mod. Plus you have essentaily agreed with my point.

I still don't see the essential point of your culture comment - the Greeks have two cultures these days - yoghurt and tax avoidance, the Chinese culture is buried - literally, and metaphorically - under decades of authoritarian communist rule.

Last night was a mad dash through the period that has created modern Britain (agrarian revolution onwards), its unlikely that Boyle would ever have thought spending time on woad covered early Britons made sense (or that there was enough time!)

H2UMrsRobinson · 28-07-2012 10:30AM

daisybelle2008 wrote: »

Does the main Olympic thread on boards have to be cluttered up with all this irish vs brits politics nonsense?

On topic what sport are people going to watch today?

+1. It seems to pervade almost every thread at some stage on AH and it's tiresome. It doesn't represent the attitude of the general populous here in Ireland. I've always been made to feel most welcome here and have never experienced any negativity of this kind in "real life".

Loved the opening ceremony, I think it was very tastefully done, and representative of what is at the heart of British people's identity and pride in their nation.

I'm most looking forward to the events that are taking place outside the stadia. Get to see London in all it's glory. The start of the road racing on the Mall this morning looked great. And the rowing on now, the weather looks great. The spectators in London are really getting into the spirit of the Olympics and it's great to see my home City being portrayed in such a great light. I bet there'll be a great atmosphere over the next 3 weeks in and around the events.

Hercule Poirot · 28-07-2012 10:38AM

Phelps is looking very good, more gold medals for him methinks

westendgirlie · 28-07-2012 10:39AM

Phelps just scraped into the 800m medley final which is decided by times and not by who wins each heat.

Capt'n Midnight · 28-07-2012 10:41AM

getz wrote: »

you dont get it do you, the opening olympic ceremonies are about promoting your own countries culture /history and music over the years,and the NHS is the envy of most countries in the world,

Like we haven't milked Riverdance.

Off topic - how much would it cost to get in the NHS to replace the HSE ?

Hercule Poirot · 28-07-2012 10:42AM

westendgirlie wrote: »

Phelps just scraped into the 800m medley final which is decided by times and not by who wins each heat.

Yeah but he wasn't even trying - he knows what he's doing, the crafty fox

Colmustard · 28-07-2012 10:47AM

To much sport on, what will I watch, heaven.

There are 2 Irish lads in the cycling road race. You never know, Wiggins and Cavendish may fall off their bikes.

Capt'n Midnight · 28-07-2012 10:50AM

partyguinness wrote: »

1. The first 15 mins was taken up showing rugby and cricket....2 non-olympic sports!

yet

3. Then a moment remembering people who were killed on 7/7...WTF Talk about politicising the Olympics which I thought was banned.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/london/story/2012-07-27/London-Olympics-Israelis-Munich-moment-of-silence/56545088/1

the IOC permitted a video tribute to the 52 people who were killed in the suicide bombings in the London transit system the day after the city won the Games in 2005.

Here's a big clue - "the day after" Kinda hard for Londoners who remember winning the gig not to associate.
No mention in that article about Bombing during the Atlanta Olympics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Olympic_Park_bombing - weren't there a load of people killed too when some nutter mounted a sidewalk

Overall I thought it amateurish, lazy and dare I say, looked cheap and bereft of originality.

Did you miss the Mr Bean moment ?

Capt'n Midnight · 28-07-2012 10:50AM

daisybelle2008 wrote: »

Does the main Olympic thread on boards have to be cluttered up with all this irish vs brits politics nonsense?

On topic what sport are people going to watch today?

whichever one has irish vs brits

getz · 28-07-2012 10:53AM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Like we haven't milked Riverdance.

Off topic - how much would it cost to get in the NHS to replace the HSE ?

BBC today was talking to a american media company who took a sample poll around the world,and its results came up as 87% said it was a success,13% including partymcguiness did not like it.

mike65 · 28-07-2012 10:54AM

In the States NBC cut away from the remembrance to show an interview with Phelps. Well done them! :rolleyes:

Capt'n Midnight · 28-07-2012 10:54AM

Beefy78 wrote: »

and I can't wait to get to London for the second week of the games.

Unless you have a pass for those special lanes you'll probably make it if you leave now

westendgirlie · 28-07-2012 10:54AM

Just switched to cycling. They do like chatting when racing, don't they?

London 2012 Megathread [Part 1]

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