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What a vile, unpleasant place this forum has become. Have some of you heard yourselves? You do realise that most of what some of you are displaying here amounts to not much more than bullying, abuse and intimidation? You come here for fun? Grow the hell up!!! It is quite obvious that many of you are enjoying the current situation with Tony. Tony could try the patience of a saint - granted - but I think after a while you have to just ignore those that you conflict with. I came here originally to learn and share thoughts with likeminded people on a common interest. I am sure many of you did the same. However, for some time now this website seems to offer nothing more than just a place to score childish points. I found this website was starting to bring the worst out in me around the time of the 2012 games. I had a realisation back then that I was getting more stressed than fulfilled by the petty nature of Gamesbids. That was a few years back, it has gotten so much worse. I look around now and am so glad to have left when I did. I have not been around these forums much for the last few years, maybe just once every other month to have a brief look around at the news. I can't believe some of the abuse I have been reading. I also can't believe it has been left to fester by the moderators and Rob Livingstone himself. It is tiring to read for me, I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for regular members who are not involved in the bickering. It seems most of the good people who used to post here have abandoned ship leaving only a handful of good people still around from the days when these forums offered a real purpose. It seems that many of the new members have picked up on the negativity of the forums and decided to just run with the theme. It is very obvious when you don't post here regularly and are able to step back and see the bigger picture. You only get one life. Do you really want to spend days of your life just arguing, fighting and bickering over who is right and who is wrong? That being said, something definitely needs to be done to help Tony and subsequently the existing members here who just want to debate Olympic matters. He seems a troubled chap and as someone else said on this forum - not sure who it was - I think Tony will be happier for having his access taken away from him. Even if he doesn't quite realise that himself. It can't be good for a young lads self esteem to be the butt of so much vitriole and ridicule, even if he often provokes it. Can I also say that whilst Tony is English, he does not speak for an entire nation. I would appreciate it if some of you took that on board before abusing an entire nation to score some cheap points. It isn't pleasant to read and says more about you than anything else. I fully expect some retaliative replies to come my way in retaliation to this post . I will not be responding to them. I no longer care for most of the people on this website and therefore do not want to get drawn into a long, childish argument. However, I do think what I have said needed saying, allthough I fully suspect it wll fall on deaf ears. Adios.

Hey guys. A big thanks for all the very astute and entertaining comments! Cheers, Anthony

Hey Gamesbidders, I will fly to Rio tomorrow for my second Olympic Games in person. After London 2012 I decided very fast, that I want to go to the next Games also. Of course I am aware that the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will be completely different, but that is exactly what I want to experience = different Olympic Games! I hadn't been to South America before so I will encounter "Um Mundo Novo" - I am very excited about it, but a little bit anxious also due I don't speak Portuguese or Spanish - so I will have to "survive" in a country where I can't speak the national language... I would like to invite you to follow my blog here on GamesBids - I had fun to do it during London 2012 and I hope you will enjoy my blog of Rio de Janeiro 2016 as well.

Hey everyone, It has been a while since I have posted here. No, I am not late to the party, at all. As a matter of fact, since I live in Rio, I was part of it the whole time, but life makes some surprising twists, which means sometimes I wasn´t able to do it properly. Four years ago I wrote this post, right after London Games. Then, I´ve tried to sum up all my expectation and fears about the Games and, on the last paragraph, I wrote: "Hopefully, in 4 years, I can come here and write that Rio made a great Olympic Games, just like London did last night, and finally have one of dreams finally come true and remember for the rest of my life." So, here I am, to fulfill my promise. I wish I was able to come here more often. When I wrote that piece, back then, things were doing OK for me. My daughter was recently born (after a very difficult period of pregnancy), and I started to make lots of plans again. Unfortunately, similar to what happened to Brazilian economy, it all went downhill after that. My wife, a year later, acquired a neurological disorder which, at least until today, is still unexplained and no closed diagnosis has been proved yet (she can still walk and do things like a normal person, but only for a short period of time, when she starts to feel shortness of breath). Because of that, I had to completely change my life and dedicate most of the time trying to help her and my daughter, while trying to keep a normal life, which started to become very difficult after a year. To make things worse, I´ve bough an apartment, before it started to built, months before my wife started to get sick, and it was only ready to move this January. Meanwhile, the building period began, and I followed closely (reading SSC forum) all the infrastructure and stadia, eager to watch in person, but most of the time postponing because was either too tired to go. Then came the World Cup and I´ve tried to watch as many games as possible, missing the Final because of my credit card company (long story). Then it was the countdown, the ticket marathon (almost a year logging at the site every single day at work and at home), the Whatsapp groups, with sirens and chats with fellow brazilians about the event. Even with all that build up, I wasn´t really completely focused on the Games because it still wasn´t my main priority and I kind of felt a little sad because I knew that moment wouldn´t return. So, because I wasn´t able to enjoy the pre-show, I decided that I would really focus on doing it when it really matters. And boy, I really did. 74 sessions. 125 finals (40% of total). All on site. Rushing from one venue to another at least once a day. Cursing the guy who thought the shooting venue would be easy to arrive and prasing the one who made a short walk for the golf venue. Regretting of doing some almost impossible movements intercity, even knowing Rio mass transportation for at least 25 years. Lucky that I got a crazy taxi driver that was able to arrive at the BMX venue in 15 minutes from the train station to watch both finals. Happy that some sessions were canceled because I wouldn´t be able to watch it anyway. Leaving home between 9-10 am and coming home between midnight-1 am (sometimes even 2:30) every single day dead tired with my feet hurting during the first 10 days. All of this because I knew it was once in a lifetime experience. Sure, I "miss" some of the most dramatic brazilian gold medals but, really, since I wasn´t really interested before, I knew I wouldn´t change my schedule because of that (and don´t regret it at all). Saw lots of other things that I will never forget, like the european supporters at canoeing slalom, the crazy heavyweight event in weightlifting (the TV missed a lot of the action on the stands), the Argentinians almost falling from the upper sectors during the QF Basketball against USA, and so many others that made me feel happy of being there after all the effort spent to see them. Then, during the second week, when things were a little less rushed, I started to enjoy the moments. Walking slowly around the Olympic Park and at Deodoro cluster, watching other people around the bleachers and walking around the venues. The volunteers. Everything. I knew it would be over soon, so I wanted to soak it as much as possible of the whole atmosphere. Finally, the final day, the final session, the final cerimony, and it was gone. So, it is possible to say Rio made a great Olympic Games? Yes. THAT great? Well, maybe not, mostly on details that would match Rio with the great ones, but it was one heck of event. It is strange that, if Rio wasn´t selected as a host of the event, I would be OK with that, although I would always imagine how would it be. I don´t need to do this anymore. It was a reality. Also, I think it is kind of weird that my projections of which stakeholders would be successful in organizing the Games were almost spot on (City Hall doing things right, State of Rio, BOC and former president doing it wrong), even though 1 year ago that scenario would be very unlikely. After all, who cares? I will remember it for the rest of my life (but I am still glad that I was right ) My apologies for not being present here during this period. I really wanted to chat with all of you, to make the experience even better. Now, I return to my normal life, with all the problems that were left behind, but with one big smile that will follow me every time I talk about those 16 days in August 2016. I don´t even know if I will be as dedicated to the Olympic Games as I was before (well, I am still a commentator during the Winter Olympic Games, so I guess I will keep for quite some time), if I will download every video from now on, but I know that, more than ever, the Olympics will be a big part of my life. Not bad for someone who joined here in 2003 when Rio was "only" the next host of the PanAm Games. Thanks for reading.

Is this a dream? Honestly guys this means a hell of a lot to me. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!!!! GET IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To finally see my logo on the roll with all of the other awesome winners is fecking lit I would like to thank everyone who voted for my logo over all of the rounds, you guys are the best and i am forever in your gratitude. To those who voted for the other logos - thank you for doing that also as it makes the comps fun and competitive and that nothing is certain in these things. Rols, buddy thank you for your promotion of the comp and also for your 2nd win Finally Yoshi - you bloody legend, when this comp could have fell into the abyss you have continued to make it fun and exciting every year, for that my friend... THANK YOU! Looking forward already to the 20th champions of champions comp and ofcourse next years. Heres to Gamesbids forums Thank you all

Hello friends of GamesBids. It has been 5 years since I last posted here and at that time much of my life was in a mess: wife had cancer, problems at my job that caused me deep depression, among others. At that time I realized that if I stayed here reading the forums it would ruin the joy of receiving the Olympic Games in my beloved hometown of Rio. So I decided to simply avoid GamesBids Forums. I decided to face the lots of problems of my life and also enjoy my dream. I don't regret. Fortunately, my wife's cancer was cured in 2017 and I'm still treating my depression (it got much worse in mid-2017 and every day has been a battle since then). About the Olympics? I think you guys agree with me: It's the best event in the planet and Rio 2016 was perfect. For me it was. Rio and Brazil had, have and will have problems (just like all countries, some more, other less). But as I pointed above, we must face problems and enjoy life when possible. Rio did it. I did it. And unfortunately I couldn't did it here with some many "POVs" ruining my experience. During the years at the Forums I made a very special friend, Martin from Germany. He came to Rio 2016, we went to Maracanãzinho together watch female volleyball, he stayed few days at my home and it was one of the best days of my life. Martin is truly a gentleman and a special human being. He told me some members of the forums were in Rio. I wish I could have met all of them to have fun and show a little bit of the city. I was not invited to the rendervouz and that's really okay. Somehow this was/is a club of friends and I was never part of the club... "Danny is too sensitive to critics". You are right. Maybe I was to certain extent. But anyway it doesn't matter anymore. For those who came to Rio 2016, I truly hope you enjoyed at least one second of your stay. If you smiled once in Rio I'm happy. Smiles are more special than I thought before depression and smiles are the most pure expression of our souls. During the last 5 years I missed all the logo competitions, all the inappropriate bid contests, some jokes, some good talk, but I never missed some bad times we had here. Thankfully now it's past and no hard feelings. :) I waited 5 years to write this post. I waited the end of Tokyo Games so now Rio is past, Tokyo is past too. Right time to say something without Rio games in the mirror. I want to thank you for a great opportunity on understanding different cultures, to understand different backgrounds, to learn much of the English skills I have today (still not fluent). You guys helped me a lot with English! You guys also helped me a lot in the other fandom I'm part now. The "international mindset" that I learned here was a keypoint in my 5-year role as a chairman of an international event held annually in Brazil and respected abroad. Thank you! It was also a great opportunity to prove myself that we must focus in good things of life. It's way better than spend time trying to show other people with pre-existing judgements that things can be a little bit different. To show that maybe I was right to be happy about something we share the passion - Olympic Games. But Olympic Games in a different place, a place I love. To all those who read this letter, my respect and best wishes of good luck. To those few ready to write harsh words in the comments, my respect and best wishes of good luck too. To GBMod, thank you for everything in the past and I hope IOC bring back the bid process. It was much better. Greetings from Brazil (and Brazil continues a very amazing and beautiful place as always), Danny PS: Rio 2016 Opening Ceremony still the best after 5 years. Change my mind - lol

SPOILER ALERT A rehearsal of the Opening Ceremony was held last night in Tokyo and I managed to find some footage from Channel 7 News Australia (the Australian broadcaster for the Olympics). You can expect a lot of fireworks, projections and some Japanese elements blended with contemporary art. Looks very promising.

Who cares if performers are world famous or not? As long as they work for the show, in the moment, that's what matters most. These ceremonies are about cities showing the world the face THEY want to show it. If it's someone you don't know, maybe look them up. I remember having this exact conversation with you about the brilliant Dame Evelyn Glennie in the 2012 Opening Ceremony thread. Maybe I'm odd, but I'd rather have someone more obscure but interesting. Especially if the alternative if wheeling out Susan Boyle. #susanalbumparty

Hello, I'm new here; allow me to make my contribution to the discussion by providing you with some information on the artistic content of the OOC as they were recently revealed in the French press and which, it seems, has not been not mentioned here: First of all Thierry Reboul*, the executive director of the ceremonies, who was interviewed in a major French sports media: “The opening ceremony will be twelve scenes, twelve scenes which will follow one another. And there is a great novelty which was brought by Thomas Jolly, which is to say that we were going to take the artistic segments, that we were going to take the parade of athletes which is the backbone of an opening ceremony, and we are going to mix all that." "In fact the parade of athletes will cross these twelve scenes. And the ceremony will take place along the water following this parade. We will go from one scene to another." And another article** (this time paid) in which Thomas Jolly was interviewed where we learn that the first of these scenes was to take place on the Quai de Béthune, but the fragility of this quay requires that this scene either adapted or moved elsewhere. Also, the facade of the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris (just next to Notre-Dame) was to have scene planned on its facade (probably dancers? light shows?), but the discovery of asbestos prevented its use. The other information is that the Trocadéro will host the arrival of the Olympic flame, Macron's speech (thank God he will not make a parade on the Seine with the athletes) and the last scene; which probably means that there will be 11 scenes spread over the 6km of the Seine. The TV director has also been chosen since January and is working with Thomas Jolly's team. ---- * https://rmcsport.bfmtv.com/jeux-olympiques/jo-de-paris-2024-douze-tableaux-un-film-de-trois-heures-on-en-sait-plus-sur-le-spectacle-de-la-ceremonie-d-ouverture-sur-la-seine_AV-202402270044.html ** https://www.telerama.fr/theatre-spectacles/thomas-jolly-je-suis-triste-qu-on-ne-puisse-pas-partager-la-ceremonie-d-ouverture-avec-plus-de-public-7019339.php

Omg guys, u need to sotp! It's boring how you're jugding the hole cerimony just by pictures. LETS RIO SHINE without yours negative comments. I'm loving everything, it's so colorful, so alive. They are working so hard to give their best. Lets wait until august 5 to jugde

From now on, every time I feel sad I'll put on the uniform and hold the torch again.

My sympathies might be for the Brazilian left, but it is getting a bit too much Caue. And a bit disappointed your pic postings rained a bit on Victor's big moment in the spotlight on the forum.

So, the Olympic Flame made a tour around the city last sunday (May 29) and I was one of the 110 people chosen to be a torchbearer. The nomination was confirmed earlier this month. I was selected by the committee because mostly because of my work as a teacher at a community cram school, a student debate society founded by myself and and an archery workshop I brought to a state school last year. This is nothing compared to many great people I met at our gathering point and their truly inspiring stories. The sunday was rainy here in Maceió, but the crowds were big near the starting point of the relay. The parade of the sponsors ahead of us (Coca-cola) was a party! Lots of music and people dancing despite the drizzle. I was the 15th runner that night and you can see me igniting my torch in the pic below. The olympic torch is light and the flame looks pretty elegant in it. It's a neat sound when we release the gas and the segments open up. The torchbearers run for only 200 meters and I ran as slowly as I could, but the security squad noticed and joked saying 'hey man, we see what you're trying to do'. I passed the flame to a girl but before we planned to do something funny to the media truck: I proposed to her, kneeling myself and she said yes before lighting her torch. The people were shocked! And that's how it ended. It was fun, inspiring and unforgettable.

Very wise of you. For a start, if you examine the plans carefully, it become apparent that the running tracks in both designs have inside lanes 400 metres long !

https://tokyo2020.jp/en/emblem/

I have been offered a position as Assistant Venue Press Operations Manager with TO2015 for the Games!

This thread is a textbook example of AFs modus operandi and obstructions. An innocuous thread gets started A few posters make a few comments that contain some criticisms of the IOC AF gets wind and posts a few press releases from the IOC (usually repeats of posts he’s made in other threads) to ry to cover up the dissenting voices. Other posters reply, continue criticisms AF embarks on a campaign of making sure all such replies are immediately followed by posts of his own, again usually re-posting previously posted press releases or banal “comments”, all the while putting @ alerts to anybody who’s posted. Other posters eventually are bludgeoned into giving up and walking away in disgust and frustration. @GBModerator - I know you seem pretty disengaged from meddling in the board, but could you PLEASE at least post restrict AustralianFan? He’s become incredible disruptive to any free flowing discussions on the board - in fact actively tries to prevent it. In this thread alone, he’s reposting materials from other threads and repeating posts from here in two other threads - if that’s not disruptive spamming, I don’t know what is. He’s turning many members away from the board, and I’m constantly flooded with PM requsats complaint about him and asking to :”do something about him”. A post limit, as happened to TonyELovesArchtiecture (to whom AF’s very similar, through he should be mature enough to know better), even temporarily, would seem highly appropriate.

It is with great pleasure that I present to you my design for the Dublin 2036 Olympic Games The features behind my design include: The green and orange colours depict the colours of the Irish flag The logo is in the shape of a stylised d for Dublin and also has a shamrock style design. The logo itself honours the more traditional games logo types and also the traditional world renowned Irish culture. Whilst the logo is traditional in design the lettering of the font is more modern and depicts Dublins modern and youthful side. I believe that this logo encompsses and showcases the historical, cultural and modern sides of the Irish capital and present this logo to you for your votes.

It's official: I'm not a man of his word. I'm surprised that's it's only Robert that has realized that the EB effectively killed off the Swiss Olympic bid last Tuesday. Swiss Olympic's bid was a masterpiece in structuring something the Swiss people could accept. 1. Distributed venues: Would give the "whole" country a feeling of being a part of the games. This without potentially burdening any one town with too much needed infrastructure/accomodation. Further they avoided having any "single point of failure". If one town declined to participate, finding venues for one to three events elsewhere, and not necessarily together, would be manageable. Finding an entire new hub is much more difficult. 2. Financial Guarantees. The bid was structured expressedly to avoid asking for any government financial guarantee. Such a demand would more or less automatically trigger a referendum. Something Swiss Olympic was desperate to avoid. 3. Referendum. Referendums are bid killers, espcially in Switzerland. Even if opinion is favorable before the campaign all the negative aspects will be highlighed. In this case the whole Italian mess will be brought into light since it's going to be fresh in people's memory anyway. Now the EB requires that the bid will exposed to a referendum when the way Swiss Olympic had structured its bid could possibly have circumvented the need for one. So, I suggest that you start thinking about who's going to get the games in 2038. My money is on Beijing. Only for the purest of cynical reasons of course. A safe bet considering who's going to make the decision. As for the SOK bid. To be fair it wasn't Sweden that failed to get its act together. It was SOK. Sweden as such was never keen on the games. Neither was it really against. The dominant view was an overwhelming indifference. However, the 70% appears to correct as a figure. Only it's 70% out of some 35000 votes on the online question (on the sports pages on the biggest newspaper in Sweden) "Are you disappointed that Swden didn't get the games?" who say NO. Media in Swedish mostly just noted the decision and then went silent on the subject. If there's a gold medal to be handed out it's to SOK for their magnificent disregard of trying to enthuse Swedish opinion. SOK had even failed to hand in the formal application for government guarantees. The press secretary of the sports ministry said that had they done that last Tuesday the process would have been ready in April. And finally, as many have noted, it's rather stupid not to hava a back-up until the French pen is on the dotted line.

Time I guess, to give our personal assessments of Sochi. Gotta say, not that easy at all for me - a great games but with very definite flaws and issues. Ceremonies - 9/10: Apart from a few minor technical deductions in the execution of the compulsory elements of the opening and a workmanlike but lacklustre short program with the medal ceremonies, truly top rate and pure class. On the whole, the showpiece opening was visually stunning, beautifully conceived and entertaining. Haven’t seen the closing yet, but a quick look through the news and posts here indicate Russia didn’t stuff it it up at all – looking forward to watching through the day some time. No need to inflate the marks for me to give them a gold medal in thi category. Look - 9.5/10: I always liked the look, from the moment the quiltwork was unveiled, and I’ve gushed over it in the threads here during the games. Memorable, evocative (both in its folk and typography elements), colourful and attractive. Only the original logo let it down, but that got sidelined to only a minor branding role during the games anyway. Bravo! Operations – 9.5/10: Efficient, smooth and unobtrusive (unless you were Pussy Riot followed by a film crew trying to make your point in front of a logo backdrop with nearby Cossacks looking on). Honestly, this is the first games I can remember without the traditional and inevitable “the buses got lost” story – I heard not one complaint about the transport or logistics. The sports all ran for the most smoothly, judging controversies aside and teething troubles for some tracks aside, and that’s quite an achievement for a beast like the WOGs so dependent on weather and the elements. A bit of fog the main disruption, as far as I can recall now. Quite remarkably efficient, really, but then again, old Vladimir wouldn’t have let them be otherwise, would he? Sports – 9/10: A feast! But this is the Olympics, it should be. Favourites fell, new stars rose, and the medals seemed to get shared around a lot more this time (though, personally, would have liked Oz to get a yellow-hued medal in its haul). Dope fails towards the end, a figure skating judging scandal (OMG – who would have thunk it!) and the odd bit of trash talk aside, remarkably free from major scandals (if anything, they could have done with a bit more spicy and sizzling scandal). Can’t get enough of those new sports like slopestyle – I think the attraction of the Winter Games sporting show is excellent shape following these games. Venues – 7/10: Yes, all very impressive in general from what I saw on the TV. The central park at Adler looked suitably top notch and state-of-the-art. I thought the unfinished woodwork on the parts of the sliding track looked a bit quick and cheap and there may have been a few snitty comments at the state of the halfpipe and slopestyle course early on, but that’s more nit-picking. Rosa Klebb Khutor was always a nice backdrop for the snow events as well. My main marking down comes from both locations just being all too centralised, isolated and almost hermetically sealed off from the Sochi and Russia proper. The games may have been in Sochi, but for all we experienced it on TV it could have been held in a gorgeously crafted and groomed outdoor studio setting bubble – the Olympic Truman Show. Indeed, about the only comments we got from outside the bubble were of unfinished or shoddy hotels or double booked cruise liner berths, brown water, worksites and all that hullabaloo. That was likely over-egged a bit, especially in the lead-up to the opening, but nonetheless reinforced the Potemkin Village feel of the venues to me. Crowds/Atmosphere - 6/10: This touches on the previous point. From inside the venues (apart from the usual sponsor seat no-shows) the crowds on TV seemed eager and enthusiastic and the numbers were indeed swelled by proud, vocal, good spirited and gracious locals. But again, it was the Trumanov Show - outside the bubble It didn’t see it touch to wider populace. Sure, it perhaps wasn’t ever going to be a Lillehammer or Vancouver like that, but I still thought there was a conspicuous lack of images of proud and celebrating Russians in the streets of Sochi or excitement in live sites across the country. That’s an important element of an Olympics for me – to touch and to be really taken in and embraced to the home of the hosts. I’m not saying it didn’t happen, but I’ve seen little claim or evidence to the contrary. Legacy – 5/10: Okay, so it’s hard to say how what’s on the ground in Sochi now is going to end up like. They’ve got the F1 and the WC to come up. And Sochi may well end up becoming Russia’s all-seasons answer to Ibiza, the Gold Coast or Orlando. But… $50 billion dollars!!!!!! Even if it’s counting a total transformation of a sleepy black sea resort town, it’s always a figure that will inextricably be linked to the 2014 Olympics. And that’s before you start talking about corruption and thing like forced labour and forced evictions in the name of Putin’s personal-presidential vanity project. Those to me are the biggest tarnishes on the Sochi legacy, and they’re pretty serious ones. IMO they’ve done more to damage the Olympic brand’s reputation and reduce its attractiveness to potential future hosts than any issues of recent games. Quite simply, it’s already led bidders in the last summer race and the current winter race to pledge against over-spending as their one of their chief messages and attractions, and scared off other, very suitable and responsible bidders. Hopefully, I don’t think the IOC’s been blind to this. Overall and general comments – 7.5/10: I think I’m always going to be a bit ambivalent about these games. On the one hand, there’s no denying these were visually very handsome and technically very slick games. Amongst the best of the best. On the other hand, I’m not re-assured they’ve left a positive impact on the Olympic brand considering the issues they’ve brought up. And it’s not the politics. I think hosting’s always a two-edged sword – you’re in it for the prestige and glory, but be prepared to have your dirty linen being given a dose of good hard glaring publicity and criticism. I believe issues like gay rights in Russia, Tibet, aboriginal treatment in Australia or environmental impacts in BC force more attention through the games than they otherwise could have hoped to achieve. But digress. The grotesque cost will always be footnoted against these games, and for all their shiny settings, smooth operations and great new sports, I still feel personally they were all just disconnected from the host city and country compared to others, and the cost???? Totally over-the-top in the worst possible way. Put it this way, I think future bidders will still try to subtly or overtly use the “we’ll give you another Lillehammer” pitch. I can’t see much public or IOC enthusiasm if someone tried to pitch themselves as the “next Sochi”. GamesBids Moments: “Belle Brockhoff – Teenage Lesbian Vampire Witch” for GBids meme of the games. Followed by Tony’s “I know my short track and I know what I saw”.

I don’t know whether I should be proud or embarrassed, but here goes my post number 20,000 on GamesBids. It took almost 18 years to get here - and it’s not like I’ve ever been a reticent poster - so I guess it’s quite a mark. I think I’ve earned a self-indulgent thread of my own.It seems I’m only the second member to ever reach the milestone, but I doubt I’ll ever be able to catch up with @baron-pierreIV’s 37,000 plus posts (and counting). Thanks to all the friends I’ve made here - too many to name - who’ve stimulated some great conversations, debates and furious typings. And I guess thanks also to the many adversaries I’ve had here who’ve provoked furious reactions and heated exchanges. I hope we’re all still at it come Paris 2024 and beyond.

Yes, they can play a bloopers tape of all the minorities in the Commonwealth he offended. Might be a long ceremony.

I feel like the bold should go without saying, but also seems like that needs to be made clear. What you think the ceremony "needs" is based on your personal interpretation. The people running the Olympics know who their audience is. Suffice it to say, they likely don't think like you. So lets break this down point by point... The last daytime ceremony was Nagano in 1998 and that was for the benefit of American TV. Ditto with Seoul in 1988. Sunshine is friendlier for the crowd in the stands. But this is very much a TV event those days. The visuals look better at night which is why nearly every ceremony in the last 35 years has been after dark. Bear makes a good point that the 2028 opening will likely start during the day to suit NBC. It will without the slightest doubt end after sunset. The visual from 1984 of the flame making its way up to the cauldron would have been 100 times more dramatic if it was dark out. The flaming arrow in Barcelona. Cathy Freeman in Sydney. Li Ning in Beijing. All work so much better at night. We may never see a daytime ceremony again in our lifetimes. We'll see what tricks they have with the roof at SoFi. They'll make it work. Vancouver 2010 was in an enclosed stadium. Sochi 2014 had a roof. It's not as big a deal as you want it to be. The flagpoles.. seriously? There might not be another person on the planet who thinks that's something worth thinking about. The doves are a relic of the past. Watch animal rights groups get in a tizzy if that's suggsted. Not worth the trouble. The Olympic Hymn isn't herioc enough for you? LOL And Bear said it well.. if a choir makes sense, then sure. It is not a "need" Not to rehash what Rols said, but you could be a lot more well-received here if you didn't come off as some sort of spamming troll. Having a strong opinion about something like flagpoles all well and good. But try engaging in discussion rather than just making the same point over and over again and then dropping YouTube clips as if we have enough time on our hands to indulge your whims

I was just thinking yesterday that it’s a saving grace at least that you don’t have premium. You’re insufferable enough now

I can’t in good conscience watch this. It may not mean anything in the scheme of things, but I’ll be doing my own personal boycott - the first Olympic ceremony I’ll miss since 1976. I’m disheartened to see so many getting hyped for this grotesque perversion by the CCP.

What is it with you and gay slurs? Internalized homophobia? As a straight guy (even as one who likes cute animals) it would never even occur to me to say something like that.

Only mistake the IOC made (with hindsight admittedly) with Pyeongchang is going there 4 years late. This in 2014, & Sochi wouldn't have happened, & it's not a big leap to think that we'd now be watching Munich 2018 - handing off to Oslo on Sunday week. To be fair to IOC, I don't think anyone could've seen in 2007 just how bad it would get, & at the time it felt like a good, positive step, but as it turned out, picking Sochi over PC ended up being possibly the worst decision they ever made.

I went to Tokyo today and here are some photos.

Yes, we all know this. I even think that you celebrate when something goes wrong. But I don't care about your opinion. Keep searching the bad news while we (athletes and spectators) are here having fun.

Hello from a jet-lagged CAF... I arrived in Rio yesterday after a smooth flight - it was 3:20 a.m. and the airport was empty: no queues anywhere in sight. The luggage pick up was quick - the drive from the airport to Ipanema worked very well. My apartment is great - I even would say that it is luxury! The owner let me in around 6 a.m. and welcomed me really enthusiastic - a living room with a sofa, table, TV set and a wonderful view into a tree, which stands right in front of the house - a kitchen very good equipped, a bed room with a air-condition and double windows (which will help me to sleep, when I want to - the apartment is in one of the best known party areas of Ipanema) and a bathroom. As little extra the owner placed a wonderful white orchid on the table in the living room for my well being. After a short nap on the sofa I went to Botafogo - I bought my Rio Olympic Card (transportation is not free for ticket holders this time) and headed to downtown with the metro. I picked up the rest of my Olympic tickets at the reseller HQ and took the bus from Botafogo to Leblon. "Buses" - there are a lot of different lines and you have to learn to take/use them - I just recommend to use an app! The bus ride was fun - you can see so much more than in the metro! The city is vibrant - amazing little architectural gems between the 'normal stuff' - you can see people with their surfboards heading to the beach and at the same time people in their suits. i bought a Brazilian SIM card and I was looking for an Adaptor, since I have an issue with my MacBook power net cable plug - it doesn't fit into the socket. That Adaptor will be difficult - I spended a lot of time searching for an Adaptor, which fits with an European 'Schuko-plug. No success so far and therefore I will buy a new cable for my MacBook at an Apple Store today. Lagoa Freitas, where the canoeing and rowing takes place - when you look closely you will find Christo, the Redeemer The landscape of Rio is beautiful! Really an unique place in earth: the ocean, the lagoons, the hills, the tors and the tropic flora! And the people!

Why shouldn't we? Russian desires for sporting glory comes from a desire for prestige. The same thing that drove the GDR and the Soviet Union to their state-sponsored programs decades ago. Canadian and American athletes are put through some of the most stringent anti-doping regiments of any countries. This is about clean sport and a fight against systematic, state-sponsored doping. And who better to go after Russia then countries that have had their own scandals and let stars and idols flap in the wind when they got caught. Also look at the list, Japan is apart of the group asking for a total ban. This is not about a rogue coach or cadre of athletes. THIS IS STATE-SPONSORED DOPING. THE SUCCESSOR OF THE KGB, THE FSB, WAS INVOLVED. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SWEPT UNDER THE RUG. If Canadian, American, European and Japanese organizations and athletes have to step up and demand respect for fair, clean sport. So F-CKING BE IT. From a Canadian perspective, our organizations need to be fighting for the memory of Cheryl Gibson and Nancy Garapick who should have been Olympic champions but were denied by the last famous instance of state-sponsored doping. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgyqAD5Z6_A

Rio will be my second Olympics - I know that it will become a totally different Olympic experience after London 2012, but that is exactly what I want to have. Athletics Beach Volleyball Canoe Slalom Canoe Sprint Cycling - BMX Cycling - Track Diving Eventing - Cross Country Equestrian - Jumping Fencing Gymnastics - Artistique Handball Hockey Opening Ceremony Rowing Rugby Sevens Tennis Triathlon Volleyball Weightlifting Wrestling After the Olympics I will leave Rio and fly to São Paulo to stay at a friend's home in São Vicente - then I will go to Foz do Iquaçu and via Rio/Belo Horizonte to Ouro Preto to visit two UNESCO world heritage sites in Brazil. From Belo Horizonte I will fly via Rio back to Germany. I think about to do a blog again (like I did it for London)

I even refuse to open the Thread. (Even tho I have him on Ignore.) Get him outta here. He's just a plain Forum-killer and Troll.

Not everyone walks in though... http://youtu.be/1AS-dCdYZbo

We've also made it out of the knock-out round more recently.

2030 - The Moon, The Moon are the Favourites if they Bid. Honestly, how often do you want to repeat all of this? It's just as redundant as GCL's ramblings on the other side of the spectrum.

F**K Tony! Are you that desperate to post that now you come up with this? It gets harder to defend you when you pull sh!t like this.

If they were to host some sort of clustering would like happen. Divide 5 west venues (Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Regina) into one zone and (Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal, Eastern Canada) into one zone. At most for the preliminaries is a one hour time zone difference. It would definitely pose a logistical issue.which would weaken the bid. The 2014 FIFA u20 world cup has a group where teams are scheduled to play in Edmonton and Moncton, while the 2007 FIFA u20 world cup had Chile go Toronto-Edmonton-Toronto-Edmonton-Montreal-Toronto. I don't think a country which has made some of the lower tiered FIFA events the most successful tournaments in those categories can be defined as "bland" Well at least the stadiums would be built on time and the stadiums would be full

my torchbearer essay When I found out I'd be a torchbearer I made a decision to hold back the essay I wrote to "win" my spot. To be selected as a torchbearer via Coke's competition you entered a random draw multiple times (I did nearly 100 times). If you make it past the first round you are asked to submit a 200 word essay about how you've changed your life for the better. Then a panel decides if your entry is one of the best 4000. I thought long and hard before submitting this--even longer about sharing it. And not only because I find it hard to say anything in 200 words or less...ok, here goes: Start moving I want to carry the flame for those whose alcoholism took away everything. In February 2010 I will be excited about the Games, but I’ll also think about where I’ve come from in twenty years. Starting in February 1990 I lost it all: job, home, family, and health—all gone in a few weeks. I found myself trying to figure out where it had all gone so terribly wrong. I could see where my life was headed—and I was terrified. Terrified enough to change everything. I learned how to take care of myself: certainly no more alcohol, but also eating well and moving more. That first year I walked all over Vancouver. Then I learned how to cross-country ski. Over the next several years I added downhill skiing, ice and inline skating and snowboarding to the mix. My body recovered and got stronger; so did my mind and spirit. I even I went back to school, eventually earning a PhD. Life’s funny. Twenty years ago I was sedentary and wasting away. Today it’s me who organizes the gang to do stuff! I’ve been so lucky; I’ve tried to give back. Over the years I’ve mentored others facing challenges like alcoholism. I tell them that for me it all started with two decisions: change everything. And start moving.

Lol, isn't it rich that you're being called a narcissistic troll, when it's that you-know-who troll that has multiple, alias accounts to lick, I mean like, their OWN posts. Not only is that narcissistic & trollish, but also desperate & pathetic. Yeah, if I had a dollar every time I (& others) have heard that one, too. lol

Hiii I'm pretty new to this community (I literally just joined yesterday) but ive been fancying myself in the world of logos for a while now and decided, why not join this comp? so may I introduce: My Dublin 2036 and Alpes Francaises 2030 logos!

I'm still very much alive. Thanks for checking.

and now i finally have time to present to you all, my DUBLIN 2036 emblem: Showing the Dublin skyline and the iconic cliffs of Ireland, this emblem is a representation of Ireland's urban and rural life, unifying the entire nation for the world's greatest sporting event. The people are embracing this emblem, and it can be seen on T-Shirts: Street art: And of course the official Games Poster: There is also a Welcome variant to be used for tourism promotion for the city of Dublin in the build up to the Games, which can now be seen on billboards across the world: for yoshi / sir rols, if you need a higher quality image of my entry for the voting period here it is:

What a load of unfounded right-wing political nonsense and conspiracy theories from bollock and lollick @StefanMUC @Gonzo

"ultra left wokeism" wow i didn't realize this was a far right forum

What "debating style"? They clearly have NONE. All they incessantly do around here is spam the same houlier-than-thou new-norm garbage over & over again. And heaven forbid that anyone disagrees with any of it. It's total characteristic of narcissism. All they're interested in is wrapping their tentacles around this website with their tripe (like a certain you-know-who has done with a certain political party) & suck the life right out of it. I really don't understand why anything hasn't been done by now with all the constant trolling & spamming that they do. I mean that sportlighting other GB's handle (what was it, team Blake) was limited in posting for their innocuous behavior (& I'd say that was/is much more tame than this case has been). Some type of similar action here already, at the very least, would seem to be warranted for the sake of these boards in general.

The Sir Rols Nairobi and Reykjavik Logo Bid teams would like to wish Season’s Greetings and Goodwill to all participants and spectators. Happy Christmas!

But it’s at least adding to a “crowded field” of contenders…

It’s taken me a while, but I finally got some image editing working again (good news for you @yoshi, you able to start polls now but I may be able to help with the grids). Aside from that, it also means I can update the Winners’ Roll. There a bit too unwieldy now for a signature, but definitely worth having up in the comps. Ladies and Gentlemen, here’s the Logo Comp Roll of Honour: