Thomas Boswell, sports columnist for the Wash Post, expresses what most seem to be saying about this Olympics:
In decades at The Post, this is the first event I've covered at which I was certain that the main point of the exercise was to co-opt the Western media, including NBC, with a splendidly pretty, sparsely attended, completely controlled sports event inside a quasi-military compound. We had little alternative but to be a conduit for happy-Olympics, progressive-China propaganda. I suspect it worked.
NPR did a segment with an English comedian asking him if he thought the London Olympics would be as spectacular as the Beijing Olympics: No way -- for this type of spectacle "it's going to be impossible to top the ability of a totalitarian regime."
However, there was plenty of sports for us to enjoy. It's a shame that in a country with a billion + people there were so many empty seats.
I don't think there were that many empty seats in the more popular sports like basketball. diving, swimming and gymnastics (at least popular sports in China). There were some empty seats in athletics but it wasn't too bad in the evening sessions. The lesser sports might have been empty but they also drastically overbuilt stadiums for those events (20,000 seats venues that you only need 5000 seats max).
I thought the city looked vastly more interesting than Atlanta which only got the Games because they bribed the IOC (and didn't deserve to host just 12 years after Los Angeles).
London will definitely be a different atmosphere.
I don't think there were that many empty seats in the more popular sports like basketball. diving, swimming and gymnastics (at least popular sports in China). There were some empty seats in athletics but it wasn't too bad in the evening sessions. The lesser sports might have been empty but they also drastically overbuilt stadiums for those events (20,000 seats venues that you only need 5000 seats max).
Of course I wasn't there and saw only what was on TV, but there are many articles with quotes like this:
It's a mystery to spectators and journalists. Before the Olympics began, Beijing Olympic organizers reported that all 6.8 million tickets to Olympic events were sold out (BusinessWeek.com, 10/30/07) for the first time in the 112-year history of the Summer Games. Yet in the first week of the Olympics, there are visible patches of empty seats throughout the stadiums. It's not just at minor events but also popular stalwarts such as swimming and basketball. "There are so many empty seats. I was just at the China-Canada game, and it was insane how many seats are open," says Michael Marone, an executive with Major League Baseball's Beijing office, who attended the first day of baseball games on Aug. 13.
However, there was plenty of sports for us to enjoy.
For me, as long as this continues to be true, nothing else matters. They could actually hold it in a gulag & I'd still watch.
I thought the defining moment of this Olympic Games had nothing to do with Phelps, Bolt, or the redeem team. It was the shot of Lolo Jones leaning against the gray stadium wall, all alone & sobbing (after hitting the ninth hurdle & failing to medal in the 100m hurdles). The Olympics is only as great as they are because the athletes care as much as they do.
The real story has yet to be told. I have serious doubts that Western media has felt comfortable telling the FULL story of what went on in China to make the Olympics appear to be a success.
We are told that the Olympics are abut peace. Competetion omang nations without the policial overtones( we know thats BS). On /in the field/court/pool the BIG stories were about the althlectic accomplishments of the individual ( ex. Phleps, Bolt) ironic to celebrate that in a totalitarialistic country.
The chinese clearly are more concerned with the image of the games as opposed to the games itself. My concern that the success of the images presented will cloud the western worlds view of reality in China.
However the bikini clad cheerleaders at beach volleyball were awesome. They could have beaten the Dala Lama himself and I doubt i woulda noticed
However the bikini clad cheerleaders at beach volleyball were awesome. They could have beaten the Dala Lama himself and I doubt i woulda noticed
Are you saying you didn't notice the dancing girls during the breaks at the basketball games? Nothing like honeys humpin' the air to blaring music! Just like in the NBA!
However, there was plenty of sports for us to enjoy. It's a shame that in a country with a billion + people there were so many empty seats.
I understand tickets were going for $2.00. Most Chinese couldn't afford to part with a week's pay.
Ovation for last-place finish
This to me is the epitome of what the Olympics are all about. This is what they are really meant for. Not the Phelps's and Bolt's of the world, but athletes like these.
[quote=grol]
...I thought the defining moment of this Olympic Games had nothing to do with Phelps, Bolt, or the redeem team. It was the shot of Lolo Jones leaning against the gray stadium wall, all alone & sobbing (after hitting the ninth hurdle & failing to medal in the 100m hurdles). The Olympics is only as great as they are because the athletes care as much as they do.
I was struck by the expression on the face of one of the track gold medalists as he stood on the medal stand. I don't know who he was, but it was obvious from his smile and the look in his eyes that he was 100% happy and content. He was just glowing. Everybody should have moments like that in their life.
Ovation for last-place finish
This to me is the epitome of what the Olympics are all about. This is what they are really meant for. Not the Phelps's and Bolt's of the world, but athletes like these.
Thanks for pointing that out. This is what sports should be about.
From the last place finish article:
“I was happy the people were cheering and encouraging me,” she said. “But I would have liked to be cheered because I won, not because I needed encouragement. It is something I will work on. I will try my best not to be the last person next time. It was very nice for people to give me that encouragement, but I would prefer the winning cheer.
She shrugged and smiled.
“I knew it was an uphill task.”
Great story. I just love her attitude here.