Can I Just Say, What an Amazing Event! My Husband and I Just Love

[AmieCream]

Can I just say, what an amazing event!

My husband and I just love watching the olympics together. We literally got a bowl of popcorn and watched the opening ceremonies together.

China did a superb job!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Re: Olympics!!!!DH and I have watched the Olympics together since we started dating.

He is out of town, and I am missing him tonight - but he called and we watched them together for a little while over the phone.

 

[Kattyschack]

Re: Olympics!!!!

DH and I have watched the Olympics together since we started dating.

He is out of town, and I am missing him tonight - but he called and we watched them together for a little while over the phone.

That is so sweet. My DH and I went to a restaurant for dinner and it was on only one big screen, so DH sat on the same side of the booth as me to eat so we could both watch it. This is the first (and probably last) time he has eaten on the same side as me. It was nice while it lasted

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Re: Olympics!!!!We love the Olympics.

My BIL was in the Seoul, Korea, Olympics in 1988! My husband and I got to go!

We were just talking about how wonderful it was to see the American Flag when we were there. We got to see Janet Evans and Matt Biondi win a lot of their gold medals and were there for the awards ceremonies. It brought tears to our eyes to hear the National Anthem and we sang it with pride!

We got to see the mens gymnastics. Boy did it spoil it for me - they are so tiny! Like 90 lbs!

The Olympics are actually more exciting on TV. The ceremonies are so quick and right after the events. On TV they are delayed and seem to last a lot longer!

 

[Jennie4PC]

Re: Olympics!!!!The 2002 winter olympics opening ceremony was on my birthday. I wanted to go and volunteer so bad but I also had a 6 week old.

 

[lacychef]

Re: Olympics!!!!I was bummed that I missed opening ceremonies tonight.
My mom said on the Today show they were interviewing someone who lives there (American lady) & she was saying how the media is only showing us what they want though. She said there are some buildings not finished, so they put up tarps that were painted so no one could tell. And they covered up some of the street shops, & won't let the street vendors sell their food. Thought that was interesting. Ugh, the smog there is something!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Re: Olympics!!!!

I was bummed that I missed opening ceremonies tonight.
My mom said on the Today show they were interviewing someone who lives there (American lady) & she was saying how the media is only showing us what they want though. She said there are some buildings not finished, so they put up tarps that were painted so no one could tell. And they covered up some of the street shops, & won't let the street vendors sell their food. Thought that was interesting. Ugh, the smog there is something!

Because they are serving DOG!!! Chinese officials thought it would be too offensive to Westerners to see dog being served by street vendors!:yuck:

 

[smspamperedchef]

Re: Olympics!!!!I had to miss it tonight as I flew out of Dallas into Baltimore at 5:30pmCT. Just got in to my BIL house about an hour ago.

 

[baychef]

Re: Olympics!!!!

I was bummed that I missed opening ceremonies tonight.
My mom said on the Today show they were interviewing someone who lives there (American lady) & she was saying how the media is only showing us what they want though. She said there are some buildings not finished, so they put up tarps that were painted so no one could tell. And they covered up some of the street shops, & won't let the street vendors sell their food. Thought that was interesting. Ugh, the smog there is something!

Yes, China is hiding MUCH!!!!!!!!! I loved the ceremonies, but had to laugh when they kept putting up the Chinese symbol for harmony! And then they had a segment on being environmentally conscious!!! These people had to have classes on how to behave more like a welcoming city...smile, no more cramming into the subways, quit throwing trash everywhere. These are things the Chinese people do. They are very dirty (trash wise).

My secretary's husband was a cook in the Army and did his last year in Korea. Dog stew was a dish as common as pizza is for us.:yuck:

All that negative stuff said...I have never desired a big screen HD tv watching these ceremonies. 15,000 people involved in doing this. I was mezmorized!!!

 

[raebates]

Re: Olympics!!!!The performers did a wonderful job. The precision was amazing.What little I know of China I've learned watching recent PBS specials. People say there are two Americas. There really are two distinctly different Chinas. And, of course they're hiding the worst of the worst. Everyone does. I'm sure that when the Olympics were here they hid certain aspects of America like, say, the homeless people who are ever-present in large cities.

 

[chefann]

Re: Olympics!!!!I didn't like the way NBC talked about the coverage of the opening ceremonies as if if was live: "During the break, these nations walked past..." It was on a 12-hour time delay! They could have let those countries fully march past, or (better yet, in my opinion) edited ALL of the countries to the very brief blip so that the parade of nations was 1 hour instead of 2 1/2.DH and I had the Canadian coverage on yesterday morning (they were showing the opening ceremony live), and it was much better. The American announcers feel the need to fill every second of air time with chatter. But the Canadians mentioned number of athletes and a couple of quick facts for each country, then shut up. It was much more enjoyable.

 

[chefjeanine]

Re: Olympics!!!!Am I the only person wondering how many of the shows I like are going to be reruns because of the Olympics? :blushing:

Also, I don't think China has any business hosting the event. :grumpy:

Okay, I'm done being crabby. . . for now.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Re: Olympics!!!!

Am I the only person wondering how many of the shows I like are going to be reruns because of the Olympics? :blushing:

Also, I don't think China has any business hosting the event. :grumpy:

Okay, I'm done being crabby. . . for now.

Ummm, I have one very ticked off 4 yr old, because Qubo (childrens cartoons) has been pre-empted by womens volleyball! He is steamed! I don't let him watch many cartoons, but he is allowed to watch that on Sat. morning.

And I don't think China was the right choice either. Last night, I watched all of the spectacular effects, and just kept thinking about how much money was being spent, and yet so many of the people there live on $2 a day.

 

[Jennie4PC]

Re: Olympics!!!!

I was bummed that I missed opening ceremonies tonight.
My mom said on the Today show they were interviewing someone who lives there (American lady) & she was saying how the media is only showing us what they want though. She said there are some buildings not finished, so they put up tarps that were painted so no one could tell. And they covered up some of the street shops, & won't let the street vendors sell their food. Thought that was interesting. Ugh, the smog there is something!

I saw a report that some American cyclists got of the airplane in China with masks on caused an up roar.

 

[Admin Greg]

Re: Olympics!!!!Watching womens vollyball right now. Pretty good match, US vs Japan.

 

[AmieCream]

Re: Olympics!!!!I guess I just get caught up in the "spirit" of the games.I, like many of you guys, are not happy with China and the games being there. But I still am in awe of the magnitude of having 200+ countries uniting.I love the Olympics!

 

[chefshawna]

Re: Olympics!!!!Have you seen where the Men's volleyball coach's FIL was murdered, MIL in critical condition and SIL injured today in China by someone who just walked up and started stabbing them!!

 

[Jennie4PC]

Re: Olympics!!!!That is horrible!! IS that the USA team?

 

[chefshawna]

Re: Olympics!!!!

That is horrible!! IS that the USA team?

YES!!!!! My sister saw it on the news this morning!!

 

[chefshawna]

Re: Olympics!!!!The press is saying it's not a politically motivated attack, but who knows! The person who did it killed himself afterwards. It's just horrible and makes me sick! Can you imagine having to try and coach your team after that!

 

[Jennie4PC]

Re: Olympics!!!!after I posted I went to yahoo and read the story. So sad that happened.

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Re: Olympics!!!!My Mom mentioned this to me this morning. How horrible! A coach from our town has coached the Olympics several times. He was actually the volleyball coach for my HS while I was in school.

I don't think he is coaching this year, but if he is I hope it's not his family. Not that it's any less tragic.

 

[lacychef]

Re: Olympics!!!!

Because they are serving DOG!!! Chinese officials thought it would be too offensive to Westerners to see dog being served by street vendors!:yuck:

Yeah well, that would be gross! That's why dh won't eat Chinese food with me (rolleyes!) The lady my mom saw interviewed though, said her favorite "noodle lady" couldn't sell.

 

[chefann]

Re: Olympics!!!!The food thing is only a big deal if someone makes it so. I'm sure there were athletes from India who were offended that we eat beef when they were here for the 1996 Olympics. Raising dogs for food is the same as raising chickens - they're separate animals from those kept as pets. (And a Chinese man I used to work with says that black dog tastes better than white dog.)

 

[raebates]

Re: Olympics!!!!The volleyball coach won't be coaching now. The first assistant coach will take over. As for the reruns, I have an antenna. I only get the basics, so everything is in reruns anyway. We aren't sports fans in our house. I love the Olympics, though. It's great to see people really give their all. The gymnasts fascinate me.

 

[heat123]

Re: Olympics!!!!

The food thing is only a big deal if someone makes it so. I'm sure there were athletes from India who were offended that we eat beef when they were here for the 1996 Olympics. Raising dogs for food is the same as raising chickens - they're separate animals from those kept as pets. (And a Chinese man I used to work with says that black dog tastes better than white dog.)

Yes, I agree it's totally a cultural thing! I saw on some show, that Europe buys our retired race horses in the US and serves it there!:yuck::grumpy: Totally grossed me out and upsets me because I am a true horse lover! Eating any domestic animal we have as pets here, makes me sick to think about!:yuck: But then again, didn't JIB have a lawsuit against them for serving horse meat? :O

 

[heat123]

Re: Olympics!!!!BTW, I am glued to the TV watching: swimming, gymnastics, diving, and hoping to see synchro swimming!

 

[janetupnorth]

Re: Olympics!!!!DD and I watched gymnastics and swimming last night - so sad for the loss for Katie Hoff, but the 4 x 100m freestyle team ROCKED! Way to make France eat crow for all those cocky remarks!

 

[chefmeg]

Re: Olympics!!!!

DD and I watched gymnastics and swimming last night - so sad for the loss for Katie Hoff, but the 4 x 100m freestyle team ROCKED! Way to make France eat crow for all those cocky remarks!

I totally fell asleep before I could see this, so DS and I watched it online this morning and were screaming at the laptop.....what an awesome race! I was so glad to see the post-swim interview when one of the swimmers sadi "we don't ever respond to comments until we have won~we comment in the pool"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[janetupnorth]

Re: Olympics!!!!

I totally fell asleep before I could see this, so DS and I watched it online this morning and were screaming at the laptop.....what an awesome race! I was so glad to see the post-swim interview when one of the swimmers sadi "we don't ever respond to comments until we have won~we comment in the pool"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is a good mature viewpoint.

Sammie was jumping up and down screaming with excitement saying "Go America" and waving a flag - it was cute!

As a past swimmer I was on the edge of my chair and in awe - what a comeback!!!!

 

[chefmeg]

Re: Olympics!!!!DH & I were watching when they talked about the French comment and he said something along the lines of "they just totally pi$$ed of the USA team and now they are gonna have fuel for the fire"

We were yelling so loud at the laptop this morning, we scared the dog!

 

[PamperedDor]

Re: Olympics!!!!The swimming event last night was so awesome!!! Phelps face during the last lap said it all - AND what a fabulous show of sportsmanship he showed by still congratulating the French guy who made the comment - His Momma raised a wonderful young man!

 

[AmieCream]

Re: Olympics!!!!OMG!!! We were running around the living room last night...we were so excited by the 4x100 relay! Those boys did great!I'm so proud of the americans for not talking crap...just proving they were the best! Way to go boys! They are truly men the youth of America can look up to!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Re: Olympics!!!!LOL - we are obsessed with the Olympics here! DH and I have been up WAY to late the last couple of nights.....we just can't tear ourselves away. It doesn't seem to matter what sport it is, we are fascinated with the competition!

We were feeling the disappointment of the Women's Gymnastic Team last night, as they made so many little errors. Sad for Katie Hoff.....but so so excited with the 4x100 Relay Team! What an incredible quartet of young men! I watched the interview with one of them on the Today Show this morning - I was even more impressed after that!

 

[raebates]

Re: Olympics!!!!I keep hoping that the women's gymnastics will be like the theater--a bad "dress rehearsal" portends a smashing opening night.I love Phelps' reaction to his teammate's final lap & their win. Priceless!

 

[heat123]

Re: Olympics!!!!That relay was sooo exciting, what a great triumph! Especialy after the French's vain comment about "smashing usa"! SWEET Victory!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Re: Olympics!!!!Oh it was a wonderful moment! I was so glad I stayed awake and I woke up my husband (who was getting up at 3:45 a.m.)!!

Of course we love swimming here since husband's family all swam while growing up and my BIL swam in the 1988 Olympics. My children are in competitive swimming as well.

I heard Phelps will get a $1 million bonus from Speedo if he wins 8 gold metals. He told the people on his relays that help him he will split the money w/them! So they weren't just excited about a gold metal! What a great guy!

 

[raebates]

Re: Olympics!!!!From what I can tell, that young man deserves every good thing that comes his way.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Re: Olympics!!!!

I keep hoping that the women's gymnastics will be like the theater--a bad "dress rehearsal" portends a smashing opening night.

I love Phelps' reaction to his teammate's final lap & their win. Priceless!

That's what we are hoping too. They got all of the butterflies out, and now they can concentrate!

 

[raebates]

Re: Olympics!!!!I know that the thinking with theater performances is that when you've had a great dress rehearsal you let your guard down a bit. You're a little over-confident going into the opening night performance. Remembering what can go wrong can help you focus a bit. Of course, getting obsessed with what can go wrong is definitely a bad thing. Let's hope it helps their focus.

 

[raebates]

Re: Olympics!!!!BTW, kudos to the US Men's Gymnastics Team! They were missing a couple of their top guys. They weren't expected to even qualify for the finals, let alone win the bronze. And, of course, the Americans are swimming to victory over, and over, and over.

 

[katie0128]

Re: Olympics!!!!During his commentary yesterday, Bob Costas quoted Phelps as saying all he has done in China so far is eat, sleep and swim. Costs said Phelps schedule is more like eat, sleep swim, get gold medal draped around neck, repeat. I could deal with that schedule!

 

[heat123]

Re: Olympics!!!!

BTW, kudos to the US Men's Gymnastics Team! They were missing a couple of their top guys. They weren't expected to even qualify for the finals, let alone win the bronze.

And, of course, the Americans are swimming to victory over, and over, and over.

They were rockin on the high bar and did great on floor. It just killed me to see the two faulter on the horse (that one always makes me cringe) so unpredictable:yuck:! But was so happy to see them place in the end!:love: What a great team, even with out the Hans brothers!

 

[raebates]

Re: Olympics!!!!Had to laugh this morning. They were interviewing Mark Spitz. (For you young whippersnappers, he won 7 Olympic gold medals for swimming in the 70s.) Phelps has basically smashed his times, and they were asking him if he had any theories as to why they're swimming so much faster today.Well, they showed a picture of Mark from back in the day--the one where he's wearing all 7 medals. The differences, when you compared Mark's physique with Phelps' are astounding. It isn't that Mark didn't look good. Trust me, he did. It's just that there's so much more training now on a much more sophisticated level. Yes, the suit may make a difference. The pool upgrades certainly make a difference. But, there is just a real difference in the training and conditioning that takes place today.It's kind of like comparing Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb to today's baseball players. Babe and Ty look like chubby old men compared to the athletes of today.

 

[chefshawna]

Re: Olympics!!!!I agree that the gymnastics aren't going as well as they should be, men or women's. They have made a lot of mistakes, but I really think they are being ripped off with the scoring! I watch the other countries make the same mistakes ours did and get much higher scores. Or the routines that are near perfect are getting low scores.
I also don't believe that the girls on China's team are old enough! No way they are all going to be 16 within this year, maybe in another 6! LOL
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Phelps! He is doing an exceptional job and commend him.

 

[heat123]

Re: Olympics!!!!

I agree that the gymnastics aren't going as well as they should be, men or women's. They have made a lot of mistakes, but I really think they are being ripped off with the scoring! I watch the other countries make the same mistakes ours did and get much higher scores. Or the routines that are near perfect are getting low scores.
I also don't believe that the girls on China's team are old enough! No way they are all going to be 16 within this year, maybe in another 6! LOL
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Phelps! He is doing an exceptional job and commend him.

Yeah, the first night of competition we laughed at how young the chinese team looked! Almost all of them look between 12-14 years old!

And I agree, US did seem to have lower scores overall, even when we did well on each event.

 

[janetupnorth]

Re: Olympics!!!!

Yeah, the first night of competition we laughed at how young the chinese team looked! Almost all of them look between 12-14 years old!

And I agree, US did seem to have lower scores overall, even when we did well on each event.

That's because they were!!!!

 

[janetupnorth]

Re: Olympics!!!!

Had to laugh this morning. They were interviewing Mark Spitz. (For you young whippersnappers, he won 7 Olympic gold medals for swimming in the 70s.) Phelps has basically smashed his times, and they were asking him if he had any theories as to why they're swimming so much faster today.

Well, they showed a picture of Mark from back in the day--the one where he's wearing all 7 medals. The differences, when you compared Mark's physique with Phelps' are astounding. It isn't that Mark didn't look good. Trust me, he did. It's just that there's so much more training now on a much more sophisticated level. Yes, the suit may make a difference. The pool upgrades certainly make a difference. But, there is just a real difference in the training and conditioning that takes place today.

It's kind of like comparing Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb to today's baseball players. Babe and Ty look like chubby old men compared to the athletes of today.

Definitely Rae!

I swam competitively in the late 80's. Watching stroke technique, turns, EVERYTHING it is different!

Also, back then, we could NOT to a dolphin kick in the water on all strokes, ONLY on fly. For breaststroke you had to dive in and could only do 1 pull then you HAD to surface. For backstroke you had to remain on your back at all times and do a bucket turn on your back. Each change shaves time off the event.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Re: Olympics!!!!

Definitely Rae!

I swam competitively in the late 80's. Watching stroke technique, turns, EVERYTHING it is different!

Also, back then, we could NOT to a dolphin kick in the water on all strokes, ONLY on fly. For breaststroke you had to dive in and could only do 1 pull then you HAD to surface. For backstroke you had to remain on your back at all times and do a bucket turn on your back. Each change shaves time off the event.

I saw an interview with one of the swimming commentators - and they asked him about this - the rule is you have 15 meters. Some take it all and some don't. It seems to me the ones who are winning with the best times are the ones who are taking it all.

 

[janetupnorth]

Re: Olympics!!!!

I saw an interview with one of the swimming commentators - and they asked him about this - the rule is you have 15 meters. Some take it all and some don't. It seems to me the ones who are winning with the best times are the ones who are taking it all.

Definitely! It is a fast, powerful kick if you do it well! But when you compare back in history, it couldn't be done...makes you wonder what they would have done back then with today's technology!