London 2012 Olympics Thread

[patrick1]

No one cares about Palestine. (in this context, at least)

I bet all the non-American stations covering this (except for the ones in America's butt-buddies like South Korea) at least used the word "Palestine" on the air.

What are you talking about man?  They said Palestine. They talked about how they are approved by IOC and that they have an athlete who qualified for competition.  They showed members hold Free Palestine scarf aloft and they then went to commercial. They spent as much and even more time than another delegation of its size.

[Lief]

I'm pretty sure they called it "Palestinian Territories", but yeah, they showed the delegation and talked about it.

[Senator Ben]

NBC did as much coverage for Palestine as they did many other countries.  And, of course, the IOC refused to hold a moment of silence for the anniversary of the terrorist attack on Israeli athletes.

[BaldEagle1991]

I have to say that was a good opening ceremony. Not as good as Beijing and Sydney, but it was better than Vancouver and Salt Lake City. 

[Reluctant Republican]

I'm watching the repeat now.  I truly do love the Queen so much, and her performance here only enhanced my fanboyism. I'm pulling for her to outlast Queen Victoria and become the longest reigning monarch. Odd, since I don't really care much about the other royals.

As for the events, I'm mostly looking forward to the High Jump. Never really watched the Olympics before, so should be fun.

[Platypus]

Our commentators skipped Palestine, but considering that they also skipped Japan...

Because the Australians come out so early, a lot of the time is tqken up with shots of the Aussies once they're already on the field, so a lot of countries get little or no attention.

[Lief]

China wins the first gold medal.

[Platypus]

And the first bronze. Silver to Poland. Poland have a history of winning lots of medals, but relatively few golds.

[London Man]

Opening ceremony was very good, IMO, if a tad overlong. Got to do something about the parade - it's gotten far too long now.

[Hashemite]

CTV basically skipped France, which was annoying. Of course, giving the rights to CTV is a retarded idea.

[doktorb]

The reaction to the ceremony on-line has been bewildering

I've never known a ceremony polarise opinion quite like this one, that's for sure.

It was, for this jaded Brit, truly wonderful. It celebrated Britain and its people just right - mad, bad, befuddled, chaotic, eccentric, traditional, proud, multicultural, silly, and all else inbetween. I loved its humour.

If some of our Colonial Cousins "got it" whilst others didn't, does that say something about the ceremony or the nationality of those confused

[Platypus]

Depends what was to get in regards to Paul McCan'tanymore or Hppy Fmlz 4evz. Rest was fine, with moments of true brilliance.

[BaldEagle1991]

CTV basically skipped France, which was annoying. Of course, giving the rights to CTV is a retarded idea.

CTV is a lot better than NBC.

NBC has horrible commentators.

[Platypus]

Vinokourov is even worse than Cavendish as a winner, but importantly for Australia, anyone taking medals away from 'Team GB' is doing god's work, and I suspect that may have been Stuart O'Grady's primary motivation in the end

[Hashemite]

I'll try to watch some of the US women's soccer stuff, because I'm a fan of Alex Morgan and apparently she seems to be a really good player now.

[Hatman]

CTV basically skipped France, which was annoying. Of course, giving the rights to CTV is a retarded idea.

CTV is a lot better than NBC.

NBC has horrible commentators.

I see that the two Brian Williams' are back again. (Well, I assume Williams is doing the NBC coverage). The one good thing about the CTV coverage was poaching our Williams from CBC. It wouldn't be the Olympics without him. Aaaaaalright *shuffles papers* it's 9:00 local time...

But yeah, it's still weird having to watch the Olympics on CTV. A network which I don't normally watch much of (but is the most popular network in Canada).

[BushKenya]

CTV basically skipped France, which was annoying. Of course, giving the rights to CTV is a retarded idea.

CTV is a lot better than NBC.

NBC has horrible commentators.

I see that the two Brian Williams' are back again. (Well, I assume Williams is doing the NBC coverage). The one good thing about the CTV coverage was poaching our Williams from CBC. It wouldn't be the Olympics without him. Aaaaaalright *shuffles papers* it's 9:00 local time...

But yeah, it's still weird having to watch the Olympics on CTV. A network which I don't normally watch much of (but is the most popular network in Canada).

Actually, it was Bob Costas and Matt Lauer at the commentary.

[Hatman]

Oh well. It was fun when they were both in Vancouver: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzTtKbXQSUs

[Yelnoc]

Nice finish to the cycling event.  The original breakaway group swelled two thirty members and maintained a 50 second lead over the pellaton for the rest of the race.  Then, with a mile or two to go, a columbian rider broke away from the breakaway, followed by a 38 year old Kazakhstani.  He drafted and then came around behind to sprint for the win.  Love it when somebody the commentators even had trouble identifying wins the Gold.

[Platypus]

US archery team are delicious. As is the Aussie archer, Taylor Worth. May need to take up Archery.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Phelps sure has some competition this year. Ryan Lochte left everyone in the dust this morning.

[danny]

Phelps clearly isn't the swimmer he was in 2008, he couldn't even win a medal in the 400 Medley.

[Platypus]

I'm having nightmares that the,next fifty years will ve 90% US or Chinese golds. Plus Brazil, Italy, and South Korra I guess.

[Californian Tony]

Italy second in ranking so far.

[Platypus]

Gold to Australia for the first time in London, in a slight surprise. Really rather good