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Why do we have to inject debt-based progressiveness into something that should be about athletic achievement?
The UK ought to be ashamed of what they've done to the Olympic Movement.
The purity of sport started dying in the Olympic movement in 1936 at the Berlin Olympiad. It further died at places like Melbourne, Rome, Tokyo, Mexico City, Munich, Montreal, Moscow, Los Angles, Seoul, Baecelona , Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing. Why should London be any different? Before Berlin the games were gentlemens affairs where elite prep schoolers and college boys got to play at stuff they studied in clasics classes. Nobody made a career of it or got big endorsment deals worth millions! Nor did we get wall to wall media coverage. Berlin changed that into a stage for national propaganda and vastly increased the costs.
The purity of sport started dying in the Olympic movement in 1936 at the Berlin Olympiad. It further died at places like Melbourne, Rome, Tokyo, Mexico City, Munich, Montreal, Moscow, Los Angles, Seoul, Baecelona , Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing. Why should London be any different? Before Berlin the games were gentlemens affairs where elite prep schoolers and college boys got to play at stuff they studied in clasics classes. Nobody made a career of it or got big endorsment deals worth millions! Nor did we get wall to wall media coverage. Berlin changed that into a stage for national propaganda and vastly increased the costs.
Actually, the purest olympics would have to be going back to its roots...
Everything evolves and when you live in a world that is inundated with marketing, it's no surprise that they have evolved into what they have become today.
That and cut out the tribute to the 7/7 bombings. Since in God's Own Americaâ„¢ 9/11 is the only terrist attack that ever happened in the history of the world.
They could have included the Munich Olympics attack since it was the 40th anniversary. Even during those Olympics, they refused to acknowledge the real reason for the moment of silence. And even during that moment of silence, there was further insults when the nations' flags were lowered to half mast and Muslim nations demanded their flags be raised fully and the Olympics quickly complied. Since UK has such a high population of Muslim immigrants, I'll be surprised if Muslims don't make another attempted attack. Hopefully MI5 and SAS prevents any attacks from starting.
Only read the first page. The people who planned the show failed completely. National healthcare? Dancing doctors and nurses? Really? They couldn't think of any traditional or cultural British, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh things to feature? Stonehenge, Beefeaters, Palace Guards, knights, Irish dance, and many other things could have been included in place of NHC. London Phillharmonic playing music to traditional dances, angelic children's choir singing as the winged bicycles move across the sky or light shows. And instead of fast paced pop rock music, a string of stately march music as the parade of nations moves through giving the fans time to enjoy their entrance into the stadium.
There was a lot of that in the beginning. There were childrens' choirs singing from every country. It was very lovely.
Three bits were so visually stunning even my cynical husband went "wow!" When the Olympic ring rose from being 'beaten' by the steel workers, to merge with the other rings and the fireworks poured down. The dove bicycles were so beautiful and the copper petals rising to form the flaming cauldron. Gorgeous pyrotechnics.
The dance that accompanied the beautiful singing of "Abide with Me" to mark a memorial for the Londoners who were killed in the 7/7 terrorist attack - which occurred only one day after London was awarded the Olympics - was very moving as were the deaf and hearing children's choir singing the national anthem.
One thing I appreciated: the suffragettes got a cameo. As this was the first Olympics for which women were present in every team (including the Saudis), a deeply symbolic moment.
It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
I did not know that about women being present on every team for the first time this year.
I already appreciated that they got a cameo - that does make it that much more special.
Literature of the UK should have included classics like Shakespere, Dickens, Dr Jeckle and Mr Hyde, Sherlock, and the Hitchhikers Guide series. At least they had sense to leave out Gary Glitter. He'd be chasing the young gymnastics girls.
It was not appropriate for the opening ceremony of the Olympics.
Says who? I've yet to see an opening ceremony what wasn't a "political statement" by the hosting country.
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