Athens 2004 - The Olympic Games

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]I skimmed the titles on the first page, and didn't see anything about this. (Sorry if I missed it. *.*) I'm surprised no one posted about it yet.

Anyways, I'm all hyped up to see the Olympics take place. I watched the opening ceremony, and all the Nations parading, according to the Greek alphabet! ^_^

So here, say anything (constructive) about the Olympics, that you want. Maybe you're favorite sport, or who you want to win, etc.


I just want to say that I really like the gymnastics. I guess you can say I'm a sucker for it. *_*;;; (And I used to do gymnastics when I was little, but I stopped.) Heh. I'm really enthusiastic about the USA team, this year, because it features two women in their mid twenties. I hardly know anything about them, except their age, but already I know they're exceptional athletes, for being able to compete with 13, 14 year olds on the same team. That takes extreme dedication, especially when younger girls are able to perform stunts more easily.

Now that I'm done with my rant about my favorite Olympic sport, you can share whatever you want about the games.[/color]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[color=darkviolet]I was watching the opening ceromonies as well, it confused me a bit because there would be a K then an I L U then another K. Hey, I'm old and I get confused easily.

The only sport I really care anything about is the equestrian events. I don't care who wins, I just like to see these athletes working in intense conditions with their mounts. It's very inspiring. This year there's a guy from my area on the US Olympic team.

Okay in some ways I'm also looking forward to the mens swimming and diving, but for very different reasons than the equestrian events. Those are some of the few guys that should always be allowed to wear speedos. :devil: [/color]

[Ben]

I look forwardto watching the rest of the various fencing competitions. I watched the Men's Individual Sabre finals this morning, and it blew me away.

[spoiler]Italy's Aldo Montano won the Gold, with a 15-14 victory over Hungary's Zsolt Nemcsik. Vladislav Tretiak of Ukraine took the Bronze.

The bout I watched this morning was amazing. Nemcsik got an early four point lead, but Montano came back to take the lead 12-11. Nemcsik tied it at 12, and the finalists went back and forth with the next four points, finally settling at 14-14, with the Gold Medal going to the next legitimate touch. Nemcsik retreated slightly on the final play, and Montano thrust forward to make the touch and win. He was very excited, and executed a front flip before jumping into the arms of his coach. :p

U.S. did not fair too well in the Men's Saber. Earlier on in the competition, Keeth Smart, who last year became the first American fencer to be ranked No. 1 in the world, stumbled earlier against Montano and lost 15-7.

Ivan Lee, who like Smart is from New York and first learned fencing at the Peter Westbrook Foundation, defeated Gianpiero Pastore of Italy 15-9 in his opener, but then had to face four-time gold medalist Stanislav Pozdniakov. The Russian dominated the bout, taking 12 of the first 16 points. He won 15-9.

Jason Rogers of Los Angeles lost 15-3 in the round of 32 to Luigi Tarantino of Italy.

Vladislav Tretiak of Ukraine defeated Dmitri Lapkes of Belarus to win the bronze. Lapkes had beaten Pozdniakov in the quarterfinals.[/spoiler]

Some of this information was posted directly from MSNBC's website.

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]I love the Olympics, but missed the opening ceremony. Too late, and my own sport interfered with the delayed telecast. Sounds like it was great though.

My favourite events are the swimming [Australia kills you all :p], velodrome, gymnastics and hockey.

[spoiler]Sadly the women's hockey lost 2:1 to Germany last night ;_;[/spoiler][/size]

[Redemption]

GO AUSTRALIA!!!
AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!! OI OI OI!!

Actually I was really disappointed by the Opening Ceremony. Our (australia, sydney) Opening Ceremony was much better. The Athens one was far too abstract for my liking but every person to their own opinion. And I do ancient history and the disappointment was they never dived into their rich history. I mean geez, there are so many good things about Greece. The food, the people, their history, epic battles, etc. It was far too short and too abstract.

[TheShinje]

I saw most of the countries enter the arena during the opening ceremony, and that was really it. My VCR recorder refused for some reason to start taping, and I had to watch it from 7 onwards with 1 hour (the best hour) missing.


Still, it was great to be able to see New Zealand enter the arena, and the Greek alphabet enterance kept me guessing who would come next. I thought the unusual torch device (making it like a pendulum) was quite interesting.


As for the events, I've seen a few cycling events, and the Womens basketball. I'll be sure to see some of the other events too, if they do not clash with our holidiay plans.
I wodner what they'll pull off for the closing ceremony, they'll be hard-pressed to equal Sydney's glorious closing.

[Guest lavalamp]

I only watch for gymnastics really. I prefer women's because I like the events more, but men's is nice because I get to see hard bodies and a reenactment of the Battle of the Bulge.

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]Wow. I have something to reply to everybody about thew Olympics, so far!!! (I must be weird.)[/color]

[QUOTE=ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet]The only sport I really care anything about is the equestrian events. I don't care who wins, I just like to see these athletes working in intense conditions with their mounts. It's very inspiring. This year there's a guy from my area on the US Olympic team.

Okay in some ways I'm also looking forward to the mens swimming and diving, but for very different reasons than the equestrian events. Those are some of the few guys that should always be allowed to wear speedos. :devil: [/color][/QUOTE][color=#9933ff]Oh, I really want to watch the equestrian events too. I used to horseback ride, also. And, now that I know more about horses, how to ride, breeds, etc., I really want to see how the pros do it. Of course, afterwards, I'll probably be itching to ride...

Haha. I saw the men's swimming events but only because i'm trying to watch everything about this olympics. Hehe. The Thorpedo![/color]

[quote name='Ben']I look forwardto watching the rest of the various fencing competitions. I watched the Men's Individual Sabre finals this morning, and it blew me away.[/quote][color=#9933ff]Poo. I didn't see the fencingness, but I'm sure a lot of people at my school did. Many of them are on the fencing team, and I'm just a fan of fencing (when I was little and found out you can't really hurt anybody, I was so disappointed. ;_; )[/color]

[quote name='Baron Samedi][size=1]My favourite events are the swimming [Australia kills you all :p'], velodrome, gymnastics and hockey.[/size][/quote][color=#9933ff]Yeah, I saw some of the 400m swimming events. Ian Thorpe is really uber good!!! Of course, we have Michael Phelp, so nyeh. :p ^^;;; By the way, what is velodrome?[/color]

[quote name='amgoddess']Actually I was really disappointed by the Opening Ceremony. Our (australia, sydney) Opening Ceremony was much better. The Athens one was far too abstract for my liking but every person to their own opinion. And I do ancient history and the disappointment was they never dived into their rich history. I mean geez, there are so many good things about Greece. The food, the people, their history, epic battles, etc. It was far too short and too abstract.[/quote][color=#9933ff]You know, I never saw anything in Sydney (I was very apathetic), and now I'm a rabid fan of Athens, to make up for it. (I'll probably be insane over Beijing, too. *_*''') But I thought that the Greeks did a decent job of representing their country. I mean, I didn't like some of what they did (that weird thing with the face and the statue breaking apart was nutty), but it is pretty hard to fit +3000 years of history into an hour. I really liked a lot of those people on the floats - they were so real, and yet so... um... non-real (wowness)!

I'm not sure everyone picked up on some of the Mythology references, which is a shame. When the blue flying person, Eros, showed up, I was like "Ahh!! I know that, I KNOW that!" XD (By the way, I wish Eros had been a girl; she sometimes is in Greek mythology, as opposed to the male Cupid from the Romans).[/color]

[quote name='Sir Auron']Still, it was great to be able to see New Zealand enter the arena, and the Greek alphabet enterance kept me guessing who would come next. I thought the unusual torch device (making it like a pendulum) was quite interesting.[/quote][color=#9933ff]Yeah... The torch was um... interesting. It's supposed to look like an olive branch, I think, but I didn't really see the olive-ness in it. '~'[/color]

[quote name='lava lamp']I only watch for gymnastics really. I prefer women's because I like the events more, but men's is nice because I get to see hard bodies and a reenactment of the Battle of the Bulge.[/quote][color=#9933ff]Haha. I like the women's, too. They're so graceful. But I feel bad, because some of them are so tiny, or just very thin. It's not healthy to look like, that, I don't think. >_< And, I also watch the men's, but just because I like gymnastics.

[spoiler]I did see the pre-trials for the men's last night - they were good. Surprisingly, the Russians fell into fourth place by the end, and Romania is doing fairly well! Japan led, followed by the US, China, Russia, and um... other people. Ukraine rounded out the 8th spot.

Really, the Japanese men are doing so well. I thought the Chinese were very good on the vault - the judges gave them low marks, and... they sux0R. >_<[/spoiler][/color]

[HetepKa]

[FONT=Century Gothic]
[I][SIZE=3][COLOR=Green]I loved the opening ceremony, it was very very inspiring, it made tears come out of my eyes, no kidding, it was just soo beautiful, it's a time when all countries are equal, even though some Olimpic Teams are huge and have more than 80 people, and some have only 3, it's really a special moment for me, and, when I saw my country, Venezuela, it made me feel soo happy! My country has gone through [B]A LOT[/B], and to see them there, it's really inspiring, maybe they wont win anything, but it still makes me happy... :D

I would really like to see tennis, I love tennis, and to see it in an Olimpic scale, makes it more eciting, and all my favorite players are there (They DON'T include Andy Roddick) and, it'll be a battle 'till the end, it's acually a very exciting idea.
I'd also like to see equestrian sports, since I ride, it's exciting to see those people jumping extremely high jumps..A man that rides in my city was going, but, his horse got hurt, and he couldn't go... :(
I also like gimnastics, since I can't do them, it's fun to see them, it's such a gracefull sport, but, you also need mental preparation, which makes it extremely hard.

I'm also glad no terrorist attacks ave occured, unlike the Munich 1972 Olimpics (Correct me if I'm wrong, I think that was the year...) When the Israelites where taken as hostages, and killed,by Plaestines because of their war, in which the Isralites that went to the Olimpis had nothing to do with, it just tore my heart when I saw it in The History Channel, and the heard the interview of one of the widows of one of the men that died, it almos made me cry :( ...It makes me happy to hear that nothing like that has happened.... :D :love: :D

[quote name='ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet']I was watching the opening ceromonies as well, it confused me a bit because there would be a K then an I L U then another K. Hey, I'm old and I get confused easily. [/color][/quote]
ChibiHorsewoman, it got me confused to, but then, I noticed that they weren't going out in a normal alphabetical order, in the the Greek alphabetical order...I know because my country Venezuela, came out as one of the first , it was number 25 or 24 I think, when, in the other alphabet, is should be one of the last :confused:

Peace to all!! Peace and out, this was,
HetepKa[/COLOR] [/SIZE] [/I] [/FONT] :angel:

[badjesus]

I think that the Otaku should post "medal updates" for each event, you know so that you dont have to watch the news every night to keep track.





P.S. COME ON GREAT BRITAIN!

[Lady Asphyxia]

[font=Verdana][size=1]I have to admit it; I'm not into sport. But even I am getting behind this year's Olympics. The swimming especially has been absolutely amazing, in my opinion.[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=1][spoiler]Wasn't the men's 4 x 100m relay amazing? The South African's were just fantastic, I was so impressed. [/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=1]I'm really looking foward to the triathlon. It turns out one of my relatives is in it and is a contender for the gold. We saw him at the Commonwealth [I think it was Commonwealth!] games a few years ago, and Mum called her parents and asked if we were actually related to him [the name was familiar but she wasn't sure] and it turns out we are, lol.[/spoiler][/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=1]I'm so interested in the gymnastics and diving; I always watch those two events. They're just so great, heh. ^_^"[/size][/font]
[font=Verdana][size=1][/size][/font]
[font=Verdana][size=1]I love the way the Olympics really unite almost everyone all over the world. Everyone has this feeling of togetherness and they all have something in common. I talk to my friends in England, and for once, when I mention something, they know exactly what I'm talking about! It's a great feeling to get, especially in these times.[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=1]Anyway, those are my two cents.[/size][/font]

[Juu]

[size=1][color=deeppink]Apparently, we don't get soccer/football here in the US, though, so my dad and I have to flip over to the Mexican channel to watch Korean matches. ...And that sucks A LOT, because we can't see any other teams play besides teams linked with Mexico. So I haven't a clue what's going on otherwise, but I haven't really looked online anyway.

It seems like the only events we get to see are figure skating, gymnastics, and swimming. (That are highly publicized, anyway).

Soooo... I haven't been paying much attention to the Olympics this year. =/[/size][/color]

[Doukeshi]

[QUOTE=badjesus]I think that the Otaku should post "medal updates" for each event, you know so that you dont have to watch the news every night to keep track.





P.S. COME ON GREAT BRITAIN![/QUOTE]


I think that is a great idea.

Come on Great Britain? I fear that your enthusiasm is misplaced child...we suck. Lets see..I think we have one silver medal in, wait for it, Synchronised Diving, now there's a sport you can be proud of ¬_¬. I think the only thing we're doing well in is the water related sports like sailing and rowing. I mean, we're pretty much cack at everything else.

Speaking of which, lets take a look at Henman shall we. Put him in an international tennis tournament and he'll do pretty well. Stick him in the Olympics against people ranked something like 200th in the world you watch him sink like a stone.

Now if you'll forgive me I'm off to watch the woman's weightlifting.

[Roxie Faye]

[quote name='HetepKa][FONT=Century Gothic][I][SIZE=3][COLOR=Green]I'm also glad no terrorist attacks ave occured, unlike the Munich 1972 Olimpics (Correct me if I'm wrong, I think that was the year...) When the Israelites where taken as hostages, and killed,by Plaestines because of their war, in which the Isralites that went to the Olimpis had nothing to do with,[/COLOR] [/SIZE] [/I'] [/FONT][/quote][color=#9933ff]Me too. I really hope nothing happens at the games, though I'm sure it won't. It was sad when I heard that, this year, an Iranian's first opponent for a sport (I forget which) was Israeli, so he refused to be in the Olympics. >< Too bad some nations are so much at war, you know?[/color]

[QUOTE=badjesus]I think that the Otaku should post "medal updates" for each event, you know so that you dont have to watch the news every night to keep track.


P.S. COME ON GREAT BRITAIN![/QUOTE][color=#9933ff]Yeah, I'd like England to win something, too. ^^; I don't know if you were serious about the medal updates, but you can always check them out on this page: [url]http://www.athens2004.com/en/OlympicMedals/medals[/url] Hope that helps![/color]

[QUOTE=Lady Asphyxia][font=Verdana][size=1]I have to admit it; I'm not into sport. But even I am getting behind this year's Olympics. The swimming especially has been absolutely amazing, in my opinion.[/size][/font]

[font=Verdana][size=1][spoiler]Wasn't the men's 4 x 100m relay amazing? The South African's were just fantastic, I was so impressed.[/spoiler][/size][/font]
[/size][/font][/QUOTE][color=#9933ff]Yeah, I thought the swimming has been really good, with Michael Phelps and Ian Thorpe last night. [spoiler]I did see the men/s 4 x 100m relay. I though it was really cool, too. ^^;[/spoiler][/color]

[QUOTE=Juuthena][size=1][color=deeppink]Apparently, we don't get soccer/football here in the US, though, so my dad and I have to flip over to the Mexican channel to watch Korean matches. ...And that sucks A LOT, because we can't see any other teams play besides teams linked with Mexico. So I haven't a clue what's going on otherwise, but I haven't really looked online anyway.

It seems like the only events we get to see are figure skating, gymnastics, and swimming. (That are highly publicized, anyway).

Soooo... I haven't been paying much attention to the Olympics this year. =/[/size][/color][/QUOTE][color=#9933ff]Heh. I know what you mean. I'm not really a rabid soccer/football fan, but I did try and watch it on the spanish channel. After five minutes I tried to ignore the commentary... After ten minutes I put it on mute, but that bothered me, too, so I decided to watch something else. *____*

And I guess the only reason I've been really into the Olympics this year, is because I was really apathetic towards it during Sydney. So now I'm making up for it. Hehe...[/color]

[quote name='doukeshi03']Now if you'll forgive me I'm off to watch the woman's weightlifting.[/quote][color=#9933ff]Oh, I didn't see it, but I heard about it. [spoiler]My dad is Thai, and so I did hear about the Thai woman who won a gold medal in it!! I was so proud that it was Thailand's first gold by a [b]woman[/b]. I hope they win boxing again, too; but now I'm rambling. ><[/spoiler][/color]

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]Just like children's TV, the Olympics are evil. You sit down for 2 minutes, you sit down for two hours. Mind-warping, soul-sucking TV coverage. Damn good though.

I've enjoyed the swimming so far [spoiler]but it sucks that we lost the relay last night. First time in years! +0.13 seconds! Then again, Ian Thorpe apparently came back really well. So damn close![/spoiler]

The gymnastics were good too, and so was the diving. I also saw some of the Equestrian Cross-Country. That was pretty good, but I can't believe that [spoiler]one of our riders came off ;_;[/spoiler].

Oh well. So far the Olympics have been really good, and better yet, Jana Pittman is almost a certain to compete ^_^

[b]Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi![/size][/b]

[ChibiHorsewoman]

[QUOTE=Baron Samedi][size=1]
[b]Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi![/size][/b][/QUOTE]

[color=darkviolet]Yeah, we beat your butts (finally) in the relay, but like you said, it was close...and at least it wasn't Canada.

I felt so bad for that one girl on the Chinese gymnastics during the uneven bars. She was doing pretty good until the dismount when she fell on her face. That had to suck pretty bad.[/color]

[Heero Darkangel]

Hey this is the first time I've watched the olympics and man i've never seen so much determination in one hour!!...Its Great. I'm actually watching it now...which is the the mens coxless pair...it's rowing and i like it...I can't wait for the track and field sports and the cycling and well I just can't wait to see the rest

I'm proberly way behind in the olympics...but i miss alot because i forget what time it all starts

[badjesus]

Well I just want to cheer my country on....

On the subject of gymnastics I bet you Russia get just about every medal for the events and if not some country in the balkans will the (ex) communists love gym.

Im gonna try to start a medal pool you pick a country at random put £5 into the pool and if that country gets the most golds then you win the pool.

[Guest lavalamp]

I really love Svetlana Khorkina, and I was sad to see her not do so well. She's been around for so long and has such a strong personality from what I've seen of her. It seems as if she's a little too hard on herself but I guess that's expected.

In the interview with the two American gymnasts, I was pretty annoyed. One girl was humble and the other was just a snot. Granted, the interviewer was a bit forward, but still.

[Roxie Faye]

[QUOTE=ChibiHorsewoman][color=darkviolet]Yeah, we beat your butts (finally) in the relay, but like you said, it was close...and at least it wasn't Canada.

I felt so bad for that one girl on the Chinese gymnastics during the uneven bars. She was doing pretty good until the dismount when she fell on her face. That had to suck pretty bad.[/color][/QUOTE][color=#9933ff]The relay was amazing, and yeah, I felt really bad for the Chinese girl. There was somethign funky about those uneven bars, I tell you - the Chinese missed all their dismounts on it. ¬_¬ Boo.[/color]

[QUOTE=badjesus]Well I just want to cheer my country on....

On the subject of gymnastics I bet you Russia get just about every medal for the events and if not some country in the balkans will the (ex) communists love gym.[/QUOTE][color=#9933ff]Hm? What country are you from?

Heh. I'm sure the Russians will do really well. I'm hoping that the Chinese can make a comeback, because I really like them. Ahem. *coughs*[/color]

[QUOTE=lava lamp]I really love Svetlana Khorkina, and I was sad to see her not do so well. She's been around for so long and has such a strong personality from what I've seen of her. It seems as if she's a little too hard on herself but I guess that's expected.

In the interview with the two American gymnasts, I was pretty annoyed. One girl was humble and the other was just a snot. Granted, the interviewer was a bit forward, but still.[/QUOTE][color=#9933ff]Ooo. She was so good last night, considering her age. I think she's an amazing gymnast, for being that "old" you know? I would LOVE it if she won the all-around - she deserves it more than anyone out there.

Yeah, Karly Paterson was really annoying, but then again, isn't she only 15-16 or something? The other one, Courtney Cupets, is 25, and a lot more mature. (So is the Cuban on the USA team. Her first name is Annia, I think.)[/color]

[Baron Samedi]

[size=1]In regard to gymnastics [spoiler]the Russians haven't done anything at all that is worth knowing about, and China has done exceedingly well. From what I remember, anyway. Forgive me if what I say is arse-about.[/spoiler]

And you're quite right Chibi. You beat us...finally.Took you long enough :p

If only Sprenger had more strength, and Klim had been fitter. +0.13!!![/size]

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]Baron Samedi: [spoiler]Nah, I know. I just wish she would win. I think my sister and her Russian-ness has finally gotten to me. ¬_¬; Actually, no, i know what it is. It's just that she's practically the oldest gymnast out there, and I admire her for staying with gymnastics so long, you know? And that, to me, is even greater than winning a medal (though it would be nice. j/k.).[/spoiler]

By the way, did anybody and all see Paul Hamm last night? He was both the worst athlete and the very greatest athlete. That was just phenominal. Incase you didn't see, [spoiler]he basically threw himself out of winning a medal when he did one of the unthinkables: at the vault, he tried to stick the landing, but ended up tumbling sidewards, and almost crashing into the judges table (which promptly got him a 9.1). And yet, on the two apparatus after that, he managed to capture 9.8s, and won the gold for the men's all around - the first time in USA history. [/spoiler]Now THAT is frickin' awesome. [spoiler]The South Koreans also won second and third, when they weren't expected to capture any medals - uberness! ^_^[/spoiler][/color]

[badjesus]

Born in england of mixed race parents (my dads half middle eastern) and my mums half irish.

Go figure why im like this.

[MangoPenguin]

Amazing--I thought I was the only anime fan who was into the Olympics. Glad to know I'm not alone!

Gymnastics has been severely phenomenal this year. I haven't missed a night of it!! It's crazy!! I think [SPOILER]Japan might've gotten gold in something in the gymnastics[/SPOILER], which is very cool if they did. I've been rooting for Japan through everything, it makes my racist father really mad but what the heck? Go Japan!!

Did anyone see judo? I wanted to see it, but the United States is very selective in their programming (i.e. if the US has a chance to win it, they'll show it, otherwise they're very stuck up about it). So I wasn't sure if judo has even been on yet.

[Azure Rose]

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue]Yes I saw Paul Hamm the other night! It was unbelievable! [spoiler]To make that huge mistake on vault and slip to 12th place and come back with a stellar high bar and parallel bar performance was just absolutely incredible![/spoiler] I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! [spoiler]He really deserved the gold![/spoiler] I did feel a little bad for the Chinese gymnast who has always come in second and really wanted to take the gold, although I can't remember his name at the moment... :sweat:

Swimming has just been awesome as well. The men's 200m relay where [spoiler] Klete Keller (I think that's how you spell it) beat out Ian Thorpe (the Thorpedo, lol, what a great nickname!) by literally half a finger length was the most exciting thing I've seen in a long time![/spoiler] The women's 200m relay was great too, but the [spoiler]American women had a really strong lead the whole time,[/spoiler] so it wasn't quite as edge-of-your-seat cool as the men's event.

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the women's all around in gymnastics tonight! It'll be fun to see who wins...[/COLOR]