The Olympics

[Klaatu]

After watching the highlights of the opening ceremony the first thing that came to mind was "How on Earth do we top that in 2112?"...

The Chinese did an amazing job!

But there again according to predictions throughout history the world will end in 2112...so maybe our fireworks will never be bettered:unibrow:

[Sean SE16]

Bet Seb Coe was thinking "we'd better get another box of fireworks from Stratford market..."

[Kev]

I was in Spain and was that amazed, I stayed away from the pool and sat in the apartment, my fave bit were the masses of performers all doing the same thing in unison, the painters were fab too as was the 360 degrees plasma.

We won't top that in the GB for fear of offending anyone :PDT_Xtremez_12:

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Tell you what though, the GB team are doing well, very proud of them!

[Waterways]

Londoners are not too keen on the Olympics and don't think it will benefit the city that much. They don't want to spend. The government spent zero on Liverpool's CofC and spends a fortune on the Olympics.

No wonder that goons wants all to move south as that is where he money is spent.

[Ged]

It was known from the outset though that CoC - for any City that won it, would not be funded by central government.

[Waterways]

When is our team called Great Britain!" and not the United Kingdom? The UK is all 4 countries and all are in it.

[litherlandlad]

Because Waterways, Great Britain is the United Kingdom - full title being the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. As you rightly point out there are competitors from all four countries - England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

[Waterways]

Because Waterways, Great Britain is the United Kingdom - full title being the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. As you rightly point out there are competitors from all four countries - England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

No. :) The official title on your passports says: "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Note the "and" in bold. The UK is "both" merged. Great Britain is a geographical area and Northern Ireland a political area.

Great Britain is a geographical area, not a political area, like the British Isles, which is all Great Britain and all Ireland and the islands around. Great Britain is the large land mass called Great to distinguish from Britanny in France, with it being bigger.

It appears the correct name of the country should be used in the Olympics - the United Kingdom.

[Ged]

Our best games since 1920. 3rd in the medals table with 12/7/8 = 27 total.

[Waterways]

Our best games since 1920. 3rd in the medals table with 12/7/8 = 27 total.

The country is winding up for the big one in 4 years time. Take away Phelps and the USA will have the same amount of gold as the UK (or is that GB?)

[brian daley]

Are we going to give some serious thought as to what kind of opening spectacle we could have at the 2012 games;it should be something that would reflect our Britishness. Hmmmmmmm,we could have ranks of hoodies ,brandishing their Asbos and wearing their Tags,they would enter 10 abreast and would be followed by the massed ranks of single parent schoolgirls pushing their offsprings in hi -tech strollers. Then would come the March of the Giros,led by an assortment of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants,they would lend a splash of colour to the proceedings and would allow a diplay of the flags of all nations.
The Hells Angels would act as marshalls for the event and,and ......oh god! I,m having a nervous breakdown.....Beam me up Scotty!

[Sean SE16]

Surely the opening ceremony should consist of 12 different acts standing around the stadium, and Davina Mcall standing in the middle announcing to the world:

"to see the fireworks call 0970 1234567" etc

Lines close as the flame approaches the stadium, do not call after as your vote will not count but you may still be charged....

[Maggie May]

I think we have done incredibly well and I have watched as much as I can with pride.....considering the US and China have twice the amount of athletes that we have..... team GB have done us proud......

Does any one know how far in advance tickets for the Olympics are sold....I love the swimming and would love to go see them live....seeing as the 2012 games are to be held not too far from us it would be an excellent opportunity

[Max]

Out of the 7 boxers who they sent to the Olympics only David Price Is guaranteed a medal, he was one of the least expected to win yet the ones expected lost In the 1st and 2nd rounds.

Glad Price won a medal, was a nice fella when I met him.

[seasidenan]

I've enjoyed the Olympics very much and feel really proud that so many GOLD medals have been won by athletes from the north of England. That cretin who said Northerners should 'move south' should now be eating his words and choking on them!!
Well done to all our athletes, this has been our best games ever as far as medals are concerned. Long may it continue.

[wsteve55]

I'm absolutely amazed at how well we've done, so far! I wasn't taking too much notice,to be honest, but I kept hearing that we'd gained another Gold,and thought there had been some mistake!! If you compare relative population sizes of U.S.,CHINA,etc', compared to ours,we're well ahead:snf (41):

[Max]

David Price got knocked out In the boxing In the 2nd round by the Italian world amateur champ.

Price did well to get as far as bronze though.

[Mark R]

I'm absolutely amazed at how well we've done, so far! I wasn't taking too much notice,to be honest, but I kept hearing that we'd gained another Gold,and thought there had been some mistake!! If you compare relative population sizes of U.S.,CHINA,etc', compared to ours,we're well ahead:snf (41):

If you use that analogy Australia are :)

[Max]

Talk about bitter Cubans, a Cuban boxer bit Degale In the Boxing final and the Tae Kwon Do fella kicked the ref In the head.:Smiliz_Kingz_PDT_13

[Mark R]

I saw that earlier. I think the Tae Kwon Do guy has been banned for life. What a ridiculous thing to do :shock:

[Kev]

oh i missed that

has anyone kept track of Beth Tweddle? she trains at Park Rd sports centre.

did she get a meddle in then end?

[Max]

The other guy got away with the biting too.

Not as corrupt as the Korean one was but a lot of corruption still happening In the Chinese one. Don't know why they picked China, the smog from all the pollution can affect the athletes breathing for the outdoor events.

And yet the Cubans and Chinese are supposed to be commies.

[quincyg]

oh i missed that

has anyone kept track of Beth Tweddle? she trains at Park Rd sports centre.

did she get a meddle in then end?

no she came 4th. :(

shame as her routine was one of the most difficult seen.

[Kev]

so her competitors were not underage then? there was talk about one getting disqualified for being 14 years of age.

[Mark R]

oh i missed that

has anyone kept track of Beth Tweddle? she trains at Park Rd sports centre.

did she get a meddle in then end?

Beth should have been sports personality of the year in 2006 for winning the world championship. It was obvious though that the award was going to go to Zara Phillips :disgust:

[quincyg]

so her competitors were not underage then? there was talk about one getting disqualified for being 14 years of age.

they provided birth certificates and were cleared in the end apparently. although one did look a very young 14.:ninja:

[Mark R]

There seems to be some contradiction within the Olympic committee regarding age of contestants. A US computer expert claimed to have uncovered Chinese government documents that he says prove Chinese gymnast He Kexin is only 14 - making her ineligible to compete in the Olympics - rather than 16, as officials in Beijing insist is her age. Tom Daley (the GB diver) is 14 years of age :question:

[fatbarry_2000]

The official title on your passports says: "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"
....
The UK is "both" merged. Great Britain is a geographical area and Northern Ireland a political area
....
It appears the correct name of the country should be used in the Olympics - the United Kingdom.

As I understand it, 'Great Britain' is used at the Olympics as a contraction of 'Great Britain and Northern Ireland'.

In any case, according to this page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isles_(terminology)) 'Great Britain' represents both the largest land mass in the British Isles and the largest part of the political entity.
So at best, it's confusing! I prefer the term Great Britain anyway, 'the United Kingdom' sounds a little odd to my ears, I don't know why!