Poll: Opening Ceremony pagentry for an athletic events
 

Are they necessary or would you prefer that they go straight to the national anthems and then the game?

I like pagentry in sports if it's done well.

I don't like the pagentry, nor do I want to listen to 3,000 national anthems. However, it should remain because many enjoy it. I just don't watch that stuff until the games start.

Oh man, I missed that? Its cool to see what other countries flags are, in case you're ever at the U.N. and you see some diplomat salute his flag or something you can be all like "haha, (insert name of country) we kicked your ass"

I love every bit of the display and pageantry. I love seeing the flags, the national team uniforms, the lighting of the Olympic torch (if we're talking Olympics here).

What I don't like is the endless "athlete's profiles" and other filler type pieces, especially ones already broadcast during the US Olympic trials. Show me a gymnast or runner from a tiny country, or a swimmer from a normally freezing cold climate, not yet another piece on Mark Ruiz, Carly Patterson OR on the doping drama in US Track :)

Agreed. They need to seriously lay off the vignette crap. I could give a crap if Lakshmee broke her leg last year.

I can't stand ANY of those profiles. If I wanted to know about the trials and tribulations of war torn <instert country here> I'D WATCH THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL!!!!!!!

What drives me nuts is the lack of coverage of some sports. Sure, they show all the 'glammor sports' like basketball, baseball, gymnastics, and the 'glammor' races of swimming and track and field. But they never show any race (in track) above the 400m. And heaven forbid we see more than just the top 3 jumps in the pole vault or the long jump or the high jump; or even the throws in discuss and hammer. I would KILL to be able to see the 1500m or the 800m or the 3000m runs. :mad:

What also drives me nuts is when I'm flipping through ESPN and I see the results before the event. I understand when things are in different time zones and stuff like that. But when the Olympics were in Georgia, and I found out the results of the women's individuals, I was pissed.

It's too bad you don't get CBC there.... trust me the coverage is alot more broad than the US channels... you'll see almost every event.

Hey Coop, jealous on this end of World!:)

Of course, in the Kansas Heat, really enjoy the Winter Olympics!

Raced G S as amature, did not do well, but what a hoot is was racing in, New Mexico, Colo, Iowa, Kansas, and Austria!:D

While it may be boring to some, it is neat to see some of the small countries and ther small contingents and flags of Nations that we never hear about.

It is an honor to those Atheletes who are there vieing no matter what the odds are.:cool:

Co-sign on what AOIIAlum said. Those profiles can be pretty annoying, but the funniest one I've ever seen was done during the '96 Olympics. Bob Costas profiled "Izzy" the Atlanta Games mascot who wasn't seen that much during the Olympics. Turns out the found him drunk in a dumpster somewhere in Downtown Atlanta. :D

True, but you also miss out on the USA! USA! jingoism. The Olympic games are the one time I become a jingoistic fool. Once every four years should be acceptable, right? :D

Some of us are lucky enough to live close to Canada and we can flip from CBC to NBC constantly. How else would we know what curling is?

Canada shows a lot more of the equestrian events, which I love!

Back on topic though.. I like the pagentry of the Olympics opening events. I like the pagentry of introducing players, etc. when it's a championship series.

Dee