summer olympics
 

hey--
Do you guys know when the summer olympics (opening games) start? I love watching them :D

August 13-29

I've been a little disturbed about some of the things I'm already hearing about the Olympics. For example, American athletes are supposed to avoid showing too much excitement if they win (because of our current world image).

I hope the whole thing goes through without a serious terrorist act. If it does, then I think that's a pretty good indicator that the war against terrorism is going well.

agreed

Hey did you guys see the sweet clothing they get to wear?...It was previewed on the today show a few weeks ago...lots of stuff made by ROOTS and some other company that I cant remember at the moment.

Perfect. starts on my birthday. I can't wait to see how LeBron James and Carlos Boozer of the Cavaliers do against International Competition.

quote:
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Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
August 13-29
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Unfortunatly it's right at the beginning of my work week....but I'm soooo excited for work week (my first one!) :D

And it ends one day after mine! Go August Birthday's and Ohioans!

I thought that the athletes and fans were "discouraged" from being overly "patriotic"... no US flags hanging from their hotels or running through the streets chanting USA.

Greece has had a anti-American terrorist problem for a decades now. They normally target diplomatic and military personnel... but a high profile attack on athletes or fans during the Olypmics is what authorities fear. Furthermore their is always the threat of foreign terrorists making attacks too.. hence the warning to athletes.

That's precisely what I was thinking about.

Also, being Canadian, you should appreciate this. I think French judges should be excluded from the Olympics.

HAHAHAHAHAHA :D

I'm disturbed by that because if I were the second place athlete and the first place athlete looks like he could give a isht that he won (or it might even seem like, oh well, just another routine victory for the USA...), that would piss me off even more then excess celebration...it's the Olympics for christ's sake...

For the summer Olympics? Nah.. the French judges haven't messed up any summer sports yet.

Just give them a chance.

They won't disappoint. I guarantee you though, anytime there's a French judge and an American or Canadian athlete, corruption will be the automatic thought of everyone involved if the French judge gives low marks.

Hey, we have the same birthday! :D

Hehehe... that's a funny statement... if only because I've heard the exact same thing said about US judges, Russian judges, Spainish judges, well basically everyone..... it's all perspective, unless of course your score is so messed-up that even other countries athletes complain (like Salt Lake).

That's actually what I was thinking about when I mentioned it.

How about I amend my statement only to include a certain French pairs figure skating judge?

i think that last part of august is a little late for the olympics. does it not usually come on in july??? i do not recall ever being in school during the olympics. i hope that i do not miss all of the gymnastics. that is all i have ever cared about with the olympics. although i know that i will have to watch the other stuff.

i just hope that everyone stays safe during the games. cause you know that security is going to be in HIGH GEAR.

Traditionally, they've been held in the summer months of July and August, though television has pushed it closer to late summer to (ahem) coincide with the new fall TV lineups.

Interestingly, the 2000 summer games in Sydney were held in the Southern Hemisphere's late winter/early spring. (The 1956 Summer Games in Melbourne were actually held in our winter (their summer) with the exception of the equestrian events, which were held in Stockholm, Sweden - Australia has very strict animal quarantine laws).)

/hijack

For those who are Canadians, is it annoying if you are abroad, then someone appoach you, thinking that you're an American and start complaining about something?
Pretty sure there are lots of incidents out there, giving our Canadian brothers and sisters hard time because people think that they are Americans (from my experience last summer in Europe).

It happens.... but they usually buy you a drink to make up for it :)

Seriously though what bothers me though is the number of Americans travelling as "Canadians"... you know the Canadian flag displayed and all (in fact I have seen GCs recommend doing this). You should have pride in your own country and not feel the need to hide who you are.... as well as mis-represent yourself to others... to me it'd be like me wearing another org's letters....

Someone bought up the anti-american feelings already, and my mom and I were actually talking about that the other day. She mentioned that she doesn't have a very good feeling about the events. Once she said that, my mind returned to the Munich Olympics (not that I was alive for them, but I do know all about them thanks for Prefontaine). And then to the Atlanta bombings.

What are your thoughts about the secruity of the games? I know there will be alot of security measures, so I don't mean that. I mean more along the lines of does anyone else think that something might go wrong with these games as well?

I'm trying my hardest to not sound negative, but considering sentiment around the world and that there have already been issues in Greece, I'm a bit concered for everyone's atheletes.

It is interesting because Athens 2004 will be the first olympic games since the modern trend of "terrorism" happens against Americans (at least since 9-11). Everybody is watching nervously on what will happen during the event, and of course the official is tighten up the security measurement, with helps from EU and NATO forces. IF anything happens, it must be really well organized plan and execution, as the security will be super tight.

Personally, I don't trust anyone for the safety of our atheletes and any other Americans out there. Heaven knows what will happen.

Nothing we can do as a civilian, really. Just wait and see, and enjoy the Olympics competitions as much as you can, as did Zeus.

What about Salt Lake City??

Oh, I meant the Summer Olympics. I don't consider Winter Olympics as the "real" olympics, because if you see it, more than 90% of the Winter Olympics participants are Western Countries anyway (except Jamaica, with the bobsled ;) )

Even the middle eastern countries participate the Summer Olympics.