Olympic Opening Ceremony

[Dr T Non-Fan]

I had read someplace that the torch would be lit by the 1980 USA hockey team. After thinking more about it, it seems a bit of a logistics issue. However, I think it's a correct pick.

Second thought: Eric Heiden is a true A-hole.
"They asked if I'd be one of the guys carrying the torch, and I told them I wanted to be the last guy. They said they couldn't do that, and I said, 'Well I have other things to do.' So I turned them down."
Heiden said he was disappointed. "I thought I was a pretty good candidate."

[Han Solo]

Eric and Karl Malone should get together for brunch sometime.

[lou]

My wife and I were talking last night and found it hysterical that Steven Spielberg considered being asked to carry a tiny corner of the Olympic flag one of the biggest honors of his life, but Eric Heiden couldn't lower himself to being the next to last person. What a jerk.

Of course, finding out that he is a surgeon made his arrogance a little easier to understand - can you imagine the God complex on someone who is a doctor and a multi-gold medalist! Sheesh.

[quentin cassidy]

what did karl malone do? i haven't heard anything he's done recently except skip the nba all-star game to be with his ailing mother.

watching the ceremony, i don't think anyone felt they were missing something by not having eric heiden there.

one thing that caught my eye during the parade of nations was that the american team was the only one that had like half the team walking in w/ camcorders, cellphones.

[Mick Fan]

I was wondering what happened to Heiden. What an idiot.

The torch passed through my city in January. All the people who carried it were thrilled just to be a part of it. At least Heiden's departure opened up the spot for someone who really wanted to do it.

[Dr T Non-Fan]

I'll bet that Eric was going to be placed where the two active women athletes, Granato and Street, were: going up the stairs.

Apparently, he's was arrogant during his own Olympics. He'll be the Ty Cobb of US speed skating.

[Dr T Non-Fan]

And, hey, I was right! Or at least the leak in the press was right. I thought I read about this around the NHL All-Star break, where the whole team was together, and with 20 guys, there's bound to be someone spilling.
Then, I read that the team didn't know until that morning that they would be lighting it. Hmm...

[Han Solo]

QC - Similar to Eric, Karl did have some comments a while ago to the effect that if he wasn't going to be the last one carrying the torch, why bother.

Did he reneg on that? I thought I read somewhere that he carried it for a leg.

[L. Mo]

(mark this date in your calendars, folks...elmo is in the sports threads!)

I really liked the way they did the cauldron lighting part of the ceremony. Very cool to get the whole team in on it. Eruzione said he knew about it weeks ago, but couldn't tell the others because it would have gotten out.

And, the American team wasn't the only one with cell phones and camcorders...I saw quite a few of them among the Canadians and other teams.

Funniest moment, if only for Bob Costas' reaction...when Sasha Cohen handed her cell phone to President Bush to talk to her mom. Too funny.

[Pseudolus]

Which country was it that marched in with the "F"s because their official name is "Former Yugoslav Republic of Somethingorother"? What kind of a name is that? It's sounds like the way they give driving directions in Rhode Island: "Go a couple miles and turn left by where Helio's Pizzeria used to be".

[L. Mo]

I believe it was the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

[Pseudolus]

Ahh, maybe it had to do with Greece being none-too-happy with the name "Macedonia", which is also used (I think) for a portion of their territory. Still a silly name, but I can start to see the rationale. Thanks!

[Rockhound]

But wasn't Bob Costas the in his most annoying self--talking incessantly!

He talked over the M. T. Choir, the Boston Pops, several country and western singers, and the public address announcer.

But the worst was when he started to babble as they carried in the WTC flag. I heard an interview with a spectator in the stands who said that at that moment, you could have heard a pin drop in the stadium, it was so solemn. None of us at home got to experience that.

There was a "show" going on yet for some reason NBC and Costas felt they needed to describe it too us. I suggest NBC do the same next time they are showing ER or Friends--have an announcer tell us what we are seeing.

[Dr T Non-Fan]

I get all upset at that upstart Georgia, too. The nerve of it, using one of OUR states' names for their country!
Even the spectators were confused. I heard unusually loud cheering for Georgia when it entered the stadium.

[Pseudolus]

I heard unusually loud cheering for Georgia when it entered the stadium.


Actually, that's because they thought the announcer said "George-dubya is now entering the stadium".

[Actuary321]

And one thing that seems to have gotten in there via lobbying was the fact that Latvia got announced on live TV rather than after returning from a commercial.

The local NBC station has been doing about a week or 2 of late night half hour shows leading up to the games. They kind of adopted Latvia and would give a nightly Latvian update. The host of the show said that one of the things the Latvians told them about their Olympic experience was that they had never been able to march in on Live TV. So the host when talking to Costas or one of the other NBC big wigs told them about this and asked if they could get them on Life TV. So instead of instead of getting listed after a commercial they got about 2 sec. of air time before a commercial. At least it is a start.

I did like Costas' joke about using "live, Olyimpics and Austrailia" in the same sentence.

[egg]

I did like Costas' joke about using "live, Olyimpics and Austrailia" in the same sentence.


No a joke is using NBC live and Olympics in the same sentence.

[Dr T Non-Fan]

Live for half the US, at least.
I'll have to check at home to see whether CNBC is locally delayed or not.

[AL THE LAB]

You looking forward to this year, DTNF???

[Dr T Non-Fan]

You get a new shovel, 'cause you're digging up a lot of the past.
Olympics are meh. Might catch up on some reading.