# Olympics 2008



## Pet_Bunny (Aug 8, 2008)

Opening Ceremonies are about to start in 1 hour.


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## JadeIcing (Aug 8, 2008)

For the first time in my soon to be 26 years I refuse to watch. I wish the best to all the teams. Go USA.


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## pinksalamander (Aug 8, 2008)

Opening ceremony = weird.

I hope ours isn't as weird when it comes around. I dread to think! I'm hoping to go to at least one event. My Grandads Gun Club got asked for some members who might be interested in helping out on the shooting event but he turned it down due to the fact he will be 75 by 2012!

Fran  :hearts :brownbunny


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## Bo B Bunny (Aug 8, 2008)

I can't wait to see it all but it's so annoying because we don't send anyone for the Paralympics coverage. THAT is what I want to see! We have a niece and friends on teams..... and it's just much more interesting to me.


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## SOOOSKA (Aug 8, 2008)

I just watched the whole Opening Ceremonies. They were simply Beautiful. 

To be honest I really wondered why the Olympic Commitee gave them the Olympics in the first place, with all their human rights issues and all. But after seeing the Opening Ceramonies I really think they did a Great Job.

I look forward to watching the sports now.

Susan


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## Bo B Bunny (Aug 8, 2008)

There was a lot of controversy over continuing their having the Olympics for awhile. Infact, I expected a boycott in a way.

The U.S. teams are shipping in their own food and stuff too tho..... it's very concerning about health and stuff like that.

I hope all goes well - it does seem it will be beautiful - we haven't seen the ceremonies yet - it's delayed to the states. :X


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## pinksalamander (Aug 8, 2008)

The ceremony is weird but amazing.

I'm seriously worried now.... ours is gonna be crap! What are we gonna do? Launch some fireworks and have Take That sing a song? 

Fran  :hearts :brownbunny


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## seniorcats (Aug 8, 2008)

Perhaps this will be the best thing that ever happened to modern China in terms of human rights improvements. Sadly, we usually get the worst of the worst news about this country. There are many Chineses citizens trying to take action to improve huan rights and the also the humane treatment of animals. unfortunately, it;s usually the bad and the sensational that makes the national news.

I am looking forward to watching the opening. It doesn't hurt that my DH bought chocolate pastry for the event.


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## Pet_Bunny (Aug 9, 2008)

*Bo B Bunny wrote: *


> - we haven't seen the ceremonies yet - it's delayed to the states. :X


Our Canadian (CBC)channel has exclusive rightsin Canada, so any other stations are not allowed to show anything. We can't see any US versions of the Olympics.

However they showed the Grand Opening live (6:00 am) and are rebroadcasting it at 4:00 pm and 11:00 pm.So I am seeing bits and pieces of the Opening but haven't sat down to see the whole thing. We are getting live coverage in prime time, so I am glued to the TV. Not getting anything else done when I watch TV.


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## Bo B Bunny (Aug 9, 2008)

ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING! 

and that little boy - What a hero!


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## seniorcats (Aug 9, 2008)

I didn't know a stadium could be beautiful. That one is spectacular, as are all the venues. I haven't seen any pic's of the equestrian venues yet as those are actually in Hong Kong, I think they said.


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## Bo B Bunny (Aug 9, 2008)

I haven't seen those yet either. 

I wanted to be there in a couple of weeks with my niece, but decided against going to a communist country. Now, I'm kinda sorry.


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## Bunnys_rule63 (Aug 9, 2008)

*pinksalamander wrote: *


> I'm seriously worried now.... ours is gonna be crap! What are we gonna do? Launch some fireworks and have Take That sing a song?
> 
> Fran  :hearts :brownbunny





So so so true.:laugh:Oh why did we get it?! London is adump (I should know - my poor brother lived there for 2 years!:shockAt least give it to a better British city!



I think I will watchthe Olympics although I'm still angry that it was given to China despite all the present 'issues' there. We'll just have to hope all the world-wide public profile there will make them improve their human rights.:?


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## pumpkinandwhiskersmom (Aug 9, 2008)

Wasn't that little boy's story amazing??? The ceremonies were weird, but awesome, I thought. I'm looking forward to the coverage. It was also pretty cool to see all of those heads of state there without them tearing into each other.


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## ADEE (Aug 9, 2008)

their opening ceremonies were BEAUTIFUL, the way they were so coordinated and RIGHT ON with every single thing.. organizing 2008 people to do what they did is amazing... i guess i missed the little boy part as im not sure what your talking about. thankfully we have it on dvr so i can watch it again. I cant wait to see the equestrian division.. thats my favorite. anyone know what day its on? I know the Olympics go on for two weeks.


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## pinksalamander (Aug 9, 2008)

Just watched the Dressage and it was really good. Man I don't know how they do it! They must have to train so hard. The GB girl was really good too. We also did well in rowing but its only heats.

Does anyone know what time diving is?

Fran  :hearts :brownbunny


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## ADEE (Aug 9, 2008)

whattt!!! how many hours ahead are you from the US? its 12pm here... i want to see dressage! Vollyball is on right now


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## Bunnys_rule63 (Aug 9, 2008)

*ADEE wrote: *


> I cant wait to see the equestrian division.. thats my favorite. anyone know what day its on? I know the Olympics go on for two weeks.


I don't know about exact times but the equestrian events run on these days:


August 9th - dressage (eventing)

10th -dressage (eventing)

11th - cross country (eventing)

12th - showjumping and award ceremony (eventing)

13th - grand prix dressage

14th - grand prix dressage

15th - Showjumping

16th - dressage grand prix

17th - showjumping

18th - showjumping and award ceremony

19th -grand prix freestyle dressage and ceremony

21st - Showjumping and ceremony



Personally I LOVE eventing so will be watching the show jumping andx country parts of that. Dressage is still very impressive but a bit boring to watch.I'm more of an adrenaline junkie.I'm just disappointed Zara Philips had to pull out of our team due to Toytown going lame (especially after she kept him out of Badminton horse trials to save him for the olympics:?) but hopefully we'll still do well.


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## ADEE (Aug 9, 2008)

what channel are you viewing that on?? We dont even have a break down that i can find of the events!!! GAAAAA i wanna watch equine events, they are my all time favorite!


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## ADEE (Aug 9, 2008)

AHHH!!!! I was on the wrong channel!!!!

Its on USA, not NBC! I missed the dressage!!!!


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## ADEE (Aug 9, 2008)

ok... it was on USA, Oxygen and NBC.... I have officially set my DVR to record all the equestrian events! Boy, I wouldve been mad if i missed all the equine events :X


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## pinksalamander (Aug 9, 2008)

I've just been having the entire show on all day. Except now I'm watching the Mummy . Watched weights this morning (boring) then swimming, then dressage. Apparently the x country is on tonight at like 2am so I will set Sky+ to record that for me!

Fran  :hearts :brownbunny


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## BSAR (Aug 9, 2008)

I watched some of the opening ceremony, like the first ten or so minutes. It was pretty cool! But also a tad weird. All those drummers..............look alike! When they said they had 2008 drummers my sister and I immediatley got it, but my thirteen nephew took a while to get it. a few minutes later he said " Oh get it? 2008 drummers, year 2008?" we just could not stop laughing, we though he got it right away. Anyways I am going to try and watch it. I never ever have and I want to so yeah.


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## Bunnys_rule63 (Aug 9, 2008)

*pinksalamander wrote: *


> Apparently the x country is on tonight at like 2am so I will set Sky+ to record that for me!


Equine cross country? What channel?


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## Dublinperky (Aug 9, 2008)

I watched the whole thing. It was AMAZING!!! I am watching the swimming events right now actually!


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## Michaela (Aug 9, 2008)

The Opening Ceremony was stunning!:shock: Amazing, I loved it! 

I also love the BBC for how well they are covering this, practically every minute it shown on the red button. 

But yeah, London is going to be embarrassingly bad - just look at the Logo. :?

I didn't see most of it, but gosh you had to feel for those cyclists today in that heat (the big road race) none of the 4 British athletes could finish! (They were not alone of course.)

I've been trying to watch the horsey thingies too, afraid the dressage is a bit dull for me.  I'll like the Cross country and jumpy thingies though.  Gymnastics is what I've mostly been watching, it was the men's team all around, a poor Korean boy fell of the bar twice in his performance, then his team mate fell off after him. :shock:


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## seniorcats (Aug 9, 2008)

I can't wait for the men's diving. Hunky muscled guys in skimpy swim trunks. Also I would like to find some of those really cool Team Canada tee shirts with the maple leaf and shield.


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## Pet_Bunny (Aug 16, 2008)

Lucky 8's

Canada finally won it's first medals on day eight of the Beijing Olympics. (sigh of relieve). They won 1 Gold, 1 Silver, and 1 Bronze on this day. 

Is Michael Phelps destined to win 8 Gold medals at these games.


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## Raspberry82 (Aug 16, 2008)

I was watching the swimming competitions, what a show! That American that won Gold for all the swim competitions (record for highest # earned by 1 person at an olympics) AND he beat a time record, too. Pretty wowsers.


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## Dublinperky (Aug 17, 2008)

Michael Phelps won all 8 olymic metals!!!! I can't believe he actually did it!


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## Pet_Bunny (Aug 17, 2008)

7 World Records, 8 Gold Medals, 9 Days of swimming.

That gives Michael Phelps a total of 16 career Olympic medals just shy of the record 18 medals ownedSoviet gymnast Larisa Latynina. He will have to wait until the London 2012 Olympics to do that. 

Does anyone remember Mark Spitz's seven-gold performance at the 1972 Munich Games? (I do.... :blushan


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## pumpkinandwhiskersmom (Aug 18, 2008)

I sure do remember Mark Spitz's '72 performances....I was in love with that guy....and the funny thing is that I wouldn't have recognized him now....when they interviewed him, I wondered who the grey-haired guy was....OOPS!!! Then I looked in the mirror, and wondered who the grey-haired woman was!!:biggrin2:


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## Bassetluv (Aug 18, 2008)

Afraid I haven't been following the Olympics at all, though if I was I'd definitely be watching the equestrian events. I did manage to catch a tiny bit of the cross-country, but didn't really know who was who (they seemed to keep darting back and forth from one rider to another and I got confused a few times...probably 'cuz I was computering at the same time ). Normally though, I love watching the jumping, the cross-country, and the dressage...as well as high-diving (men in Speedos only works on olympians ). 

But I heard something about Michael Phelps' dining regimen which left me going :shock:!!! So thought I'd share it here - this was an article that appeared in 'The Australian' newspaper:

*There is a shortage of food at Olympic venues in Beijing. Early suspicions centred on the Chinese organisers, who had taken one look at the hundreds of thousands of Western visitors and decided it was time to halt the developed world's obesity epidemic. 

Truth is, **Michael Phelps has been eating all of it. The 23-year-old American's march toward eight gold medals - he won his sixth yesterday with another world record in the 200m individual medley - has been fuelled by a remarkable 12,000-calorie a day diet.

Teammate Ryan Lochte, who won gold with a world record in the 200m backstroke yesterday, confessed he has eaten almost every meal in the Athlete's Village at McDonald's. 

But Phelps has been powered by something far more substantial. Each day he consumes a kilo of pasta, a bowl of porridge, a whole pizza, a five-egg omelette, three fried egg sandwiches (with salad), three chocolate chip pancakes, three French toast, two ham and cheese sandwiches and a partridge in a pear tree. 

No wonder noone can get near him. They don't want to.* 


LOL...and with all of the medals this guy has been taking, one of the dj's on morning radio today said that Canada is striving to keep up with just him...if Canada as a country can take home half as many medals as Michael Phelps, we'll be happy.


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## LuvaBun (Aug 18, 2008)

*pumpkinandwhiskersmom wrote: *


> I sure do remember Mark Spitz's '72 performances....I was in love with that guy....and the funny thing is that I wouldn't have recognized him now....when they interviewed him, I wondered who the grey-haired guy was....OOPS!!! Then I looked in the mirror, and wondered who the grey-haired woman was!!:biggrin2:


LOL!! Me too. 

Jan


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## Brandy456 (Aug 19, 2008)

i watch them with my brother but I never know who's who and what team imsupposed to be cheering for...

so I just cheer and root for the team that wins


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## Bassetluv (Aug 19, 2008)

Woohoo Canada (and Ian Millar!)!!

http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/equestrian/story/2008/08/18/olympic-team-jumping.html

Apparently Ian Millar rode with a picture of his wife in his pocket. Always his strongest supporter, she passed away from cancer earlier this year. Ian said he had an angel riding with him. ink iris:


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## Pet_Bunny (Aug 22, 2008)

The US team must hold the record for dropped batons in Track and Field sprintrelays. Did you see boththe mens and womens team struggle and drop the baton? :shock: Womens anchor leg Lauryn Williams said, "Somebody, somewhere's got a voodoo doll of the U.S." 

Talking about jinx's, Canada's flag bearers seem to suffer a fate of failing to earn a medal, as Canadian Adam van Koeverden finishes eighth in his K1 1,000-metre canoe-kayakrace final. He was favored to win, thus chosen to be our flag bearer.


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## Pet_Bunny (Aug 22, 2008)

Tim Berrett finishes38th place with a time of four hours, eight minutes and 18 seconds in themen's 50-km race walk. This is his fifthand probably his final Olympics. He is a local Edmontonian that I ran with when I use to train for the marathon. 






This is a lapel pin I got from the Chinese consulate. It has my last name (Mah meaning horse) and the Chinese character of a horse on it.


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## SOOOSKA (Aug 22, 2008)

Good God, I'm watching too much of the Olympics well into the middle of the night. 

I cannot believe how good the Chinese team is. I think they have one in every sport or come darn close. Gosh those women divers especially the girl who one the gold was superb.

Susan


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## Pet_Bunny (Aug 23, 2008)

*SOOOSKA wrote: *


> Good God, I'm watching too much of the Olympics well into the middle of the night.


Me too. And I have to get up earlyand startworkby 6:00 am. :zzzzz

I was a volunteer driver in the Edmonton1983 Universiade where I drove the Womens Romanian Gymnastic Team to West Edmonton Mall and spent the day with them. :wiggle


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## LuvaBun (Aug 23, 2008)

Ooohh Stan, that pin is really neat - I didn't know you ran marathons - I'm in awe . And how exciting to drive the Romanian gymnastic team around - can I have your autograph??? 

Jan


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## Pet_Bunny (Aug 24, 2008)

ClosingCeremonieswill start in less thana 1/2 hour. 

It will be much different than the Opening Games. Will David Beckham take part in the closing as London 2012 accept the Olympic flag from China? 

Karen Cockburn, a Toronto native will carry Canada's flag. She won silver in the trampoline. :Canada small:


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## SOOOSKA (Aug 24, 2008)

Yeah I watching them right now. So far so good.

Susan


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## Bo B Bunny (Aug 25, 2008)

I was too exhausted to watch the closing last night. I hope to catch them on a replay or something.

We had a couple of local people there this year. My niece leaves next weekend for the Paralympics. I sure wish they'd air those like they do the regular ones here!


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## Pet_Bunny (Aug 25, 2008)

*Bo B Bunny wrote: *


> I was too exhausted to watch the closing last night. I hope to catch them on a replay or something.!



I taped the Opening andClosing ceremonies, but was too busy towatch them. Now that the Olympics are over and everybody starts to get the post Olympics blues, I'll have time to see it. 

With the time difference, it was hard to view live events. CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) showed the races live, but it was like3 in the morning for us. CBC then rebroadcast the Olympics during prime time (evening hours), but we already knew who won. :blueribbon:
NBC the American station always showed the races 1 hour after we saw them on CBC. But it was nice to get a different view point of the games. :USAflagwaving: 

The anchor person on CBC (Ron Maclean) was missing after the first week of the Olympics. His mother passed away, and he went home for the funeral. ink iris:


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## Pet_Bunny (Aug 25, 2008)

*Bo B Bunny wrote: *


> My niece leaves next weekend for the Paralympics. I sure wish they'd air those like they do the regular ones here!


There was a new event in Beijing, Marathon swimming for men and women, over the distance of 10 kilometres.A lady with one leg swam that event.


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## Becca (Aug 25, 2008)

To be honest i'm not really watching it! LOL

I only watched the running!

*Becca*


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## Bo B Bunny (Aug 25, 2008)

Stan that is SO cool. They are so amazing when you think about what they have to overcome to do what they do. That's why it makes me so angry they don't televise anything here. I love watching the regular games..... watching the paralympics would be even more interesting IMO.

I wish I had taped the ceremonies. We've just been super busy.


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## pinksalamander (Aug 25, 2008)

Oh god... cringe cringe cringe.... that 8 minute 'handover' was pure embarrassment!

What were we thinking? Buses, lollipop ladies, dancing chavs, Leona Lewis pops up out of a hedgerow? It was like a massacre! 

Fran  :hearts :brownbunny


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## LuvaBun (Aug 25, 2008)

I*pinksalamander wrote: *


> Oh god... cringe cringe cringe.... that 8 minute 'handover' was pure embarrassment!
> 
> What were we thinking? Buses, lollipop ladies, dancing chavs, Leona Lewis pops up out of a hedgerow? It was like a massacre!
> 
> Fran  :hearts :brownbunny


I agree! Of all the cultural things they could have had, they came up with a double decker bus and a football!!!! China had all of their culture, wonderful dance performances, and we looked like we didn't have anything but stereotypes. I really, REALLY hope they come up with something better in 4 years!

Bo, what event is your niece doing? I agree that more coverage should be given to the paralympics. I was in awe of Tanni Grey Thompson winning her Golds in 2004.

Stan, I saw that lady swim. She was amazing, and looked so happy at the end ( I would look happy too, if I'd managed to swim 10km )

Jan


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## Bo B Bunny (Aug 25, 2008)

She's on the Women's Seated Volleyball team.


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## LuvaBun (Aug 26, 2008)

I Love volley ball. I hope they show it here so I can watch.

Jan


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## Bo B Bunny (Aug 26, 2008)

Apparently, they will broadcast some of it on this website. I haven't found out the details yet, but when I do, I'll post them.



http://universalsports.tv/Home_Page.html


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## seniorcats (Aug 26, 2008)

I have to say I really enjoyed these Olympics. I haven't watched as much and enjoyed them so much since Barcelona. The finals on the men's platform diving were heart stopping. China has certainly set the standard for many years to come. There seemed to be far less controversy and far more courtesy then there has been in a long time.


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