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| London 2012; Olympics Time | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 18 2012, 02:50 PM (4,366 Views) | |
| Morvant's Finest | Jul 26 2012, 08:40 AM Post #16 |
Tommy McLean
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Yep, it all went a bit Monty Python didn't it. "The Republic of Korea? F*ck off, we're the People's Democratic Republic of Korea!" In fairness to the work experience student who knocked up the video footage it's a bit confusing nowadays since they stopped calling themselves North and South Korea. Always been a massive fan of the Olympics, with moments like Alan Wells' 100m win and Coe and Ovett's duel in Moscow and Carl Lewis winning 4 golds in 1984 fairly huge sporting memories from my childhood.....pretty sure I got up at about 4am in the morning (well it seemed that late) with the rest of the family to watch Seb Coe soundly beaten by Joaquim Cruz in the 800m final that year as well......  As for this Olympics, I'm the kind of saddo who was up at 7am last time round watching Archery and the women's cycling road race (or whatever else was on) so it's safe to say I'll be watching a fair amount this time round.... And despite all the technical advances in sport 99% of the winners will still be the ones that have the most talent, determination and strongest mental attitude on the day. Watching excellent recent documentaries on Victoria Pendleton and another on Kenyan distance runners (who mostly grow up running on dirt tracks round their villages) it was instructive to hear what it means to them to compete at the highest level and how hard they all train. Pretty sure I remember Daley Thompson explaining that he trained every single Christmas day of his career because he knew his rivals would be as well and Pendleton talked about looking forward to the 1st guilt free Christmas Day off in the last 10 years this year when she retires. The athletes may mostly be selfish, mental basket cases but I thank them for putting on a spectacle for us lazy sporting couch potatoes every 4 years.  |
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| findus | Jul 26 2012, 01:23 PM Post #17 |
Jerry Kerr
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What documentaries? Still available on BBC iPlayer or C4 player or whatever? |
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| Morvant's Finest | Jul 26 2012, 01:47 PM Post #18 |
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Tommy McLean
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Found this link to a "signed for the deaf" version of the Victoria Pendleton doc: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01l1yl4/sign/Victoria_Pendleton_Cyclings_Golden_Girl/ Sorry, can't seem to find another version. And this looks like the Kenyan Runners doc, didn't see all of it as only stumbled upon it on BBC4: http://vimeo.com/33808532 BTW found what looks like a very decent series of articles on some of the greatest Olympics moments on the Grauniad website. Just need to find a free day to read them all now....  http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/series/50-stunning-olympic-moments |
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| findus | Jul 26 2012, 03:12 PM Post #19 |
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Jerry Kerr
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Awesome, thanks Morv! 
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| Setenza | Jul 26 2012, 03:16 PM Post #20 |
Knitting with only one needle
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There's still tickets for the opening ceremony, if anyone wants to part with a few hundred pound to see some people running around in fancy costumes. |
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| Morvant's Finest | Jul 27 2012, 11:03 AM Post #21 |
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Tommy McLean
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Ach I'm busy tonight. Though it appears close to 80,000 people (not including corporate freebees) have already parted with silly money to see said spectacle.... |
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| gordonthearab | Jul 27 2012, 08:27 PM Post #22 |
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Craig Brewster
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That opening ceremony is a bit ott . I think i will watch alot of itv in the the next few weeks or read a book. |
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| Cobardon | Jul 27 2012, 08:39 PM Post #23 |
Uncle Smurf
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It's fabulously cheesy. I'm enjoying it because it's so amazingly slapdash, uncoordinated and bizarre. Where else could Wallander come out with unconvincingly painted on mutton chops and quote Shakespeare on an unconvincing grassy knoll? Impressively bonkers. Only the addition of Boris Johnson being rolled through a lake of honey in the nude while gargling 'Parklife' could finish this ceremony. edit: was that papa Lazarou I saw? Edited by Cobardon, Jul 27 2012, 08:43 PM.
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| Morvant's Finest | Jul 28 2012, 10:11 AM Post #24 |
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Tommy McLean
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You're my wife now Dave! As for the ceremony, loved every minute of it, when you've got a Director with (mostly) impeccable music taste it certainly helps. Seems it rubbed a few Tory MPs and Toby Young up the wrong way, so it must have been doing something right.
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| findus | Jul 28 2012, 11:35 AM Post #25 |
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Jerry Kerr
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Nice one, Morv and Cobs. From the bits I've seen, looks like it was an excellent opening ceremony, yet all I see on Facebook are British people moaning about it. Fcuking Victor Meldrew nation! 
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| Cobardon | Jul 28 2012, 12:09 PM Post #26 |
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Uncle Smurf
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Well, there was a good bit you could complain about, to be fair, as it was such an eclectic mix. Emile Sande really made a dreadful hash of the misplaced glurgefest she was entrusted with...note to Danny Boyle: pop singers aren't really able to step outside their range. There was too much pop music as it was. Fine for young people, but horribly alienating to anyone over about 50: no wonder the Queen looked so unimpressed. Too many kids singing, weird juxtapositions that made no sense at all, no clear overall narrative. McCartney is done, icon or not. But, to balance that, the eccentricity threw off any comparisons with the militaristic precision of China, some (most?) of the music and effects worked well and the gesture of getting unknown young athletes to light the fabulous cauldron was a masterstroke. And, yeah, it was just so quirky that you lost yourself in it from time to time. Overall, probably better than anyone had any right to expect. My major disappointment was that Israel and Iran's flags were carried by Israel and Iran. Boo!
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| Cobardon | Jul 28 2012, 01:35 PM Post #27 |
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Uncle Smurf
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...and on to the events themselves. Anyone else noticed that reports that nearly all the events were sold out may have been slightly off the mark? |
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| findus | Jul 28 2012, 03:32 PM Post #28 |
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Jerry Kerr
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A few friends could not get tickets for the gymnastics or the swimming. Any tickets.
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| Morvant's Finest | Jul 28 2012, 04:16 PM Post #29 |
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Tommy McLean
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Absolutely gutted for Cav, very unlucky that with so many riders in it from a variety of Countries the other teams had no interest in chasing down the group that got away. Still, he showed real class with his appreciative comments about how hard Stannard?, Froome, Wiggins and Millar worked to help him all day. As for the empty seats, could be wrong but initial reports seemed to suggest they were un-ticketed seats? Which may suggest it was sponsors and their fat lazy clients who couldn't be arsed to get out of bed and actually use the free ticket they were given.
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| Vex | Jul 28 2012, 04:48 PM Post #30 |
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Paul Sturrock
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In fairness the football at Hampden on Thursday was excellent and the atmosphere during the Japan v Spain game was very good. Mainly due to the Japanese supports who sang, drummed and cheerlead throughout. Two brillant goals from Morocco and an inspirational Japan display. Easily the best football I have been to since the 2010 cup final and it was pretty much half the price for two games (£56). It was well organised and they had tidied Hampden up very well. Programme was very good and just a £5 for something much better than a cup final or Scotland game programme. Only complaint is the usual one about cost of the food. Overall excellent and it would have been a brilliant as a first game for your kids. Also over 37,000 people there. Not bad for a bunch of mainly neutrals watching U23 football. Maya Yoshida of Japan had a good a game at centre back as you will see in a long time. |
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