Blazerblaz3

Salt Lake City in 2002. USA Hockey lit it that year. The flame seemingly raced up the stem of the cauldron to the top (looking back it was a pully system of some sort) where it ignited the actual bowl.

Could also be like you're saying and based off the torch designs. Would not be mad if it was just a larger version of the torch TBH

Maybe sure. But I think we're going to see a design more similar to the light columns in the background with the 6 orbs at the top. If you look at how the covering is laying atop the cauldron it would appear that it mirrors the same 6 orb design.

But if you look at the cauldron in the photos it appears to be surrounded by two different circles of mirrors. The interior ring does not seem large enough to allow the pillar to expand out to a petal. The use of mirrors at that height leads me to believe that it will be vertical tower design. Like how SLC cauldron was ignited, but the "stem" stays lit.

Lots of talk about the games possibly being canceled on the radio during the ride home. Either serious or a great marketing ploy to remind people it’s happening and to drive up interest.

They might be up there setting up the firework pods or doing a security check.

Yeah, ALL the governments and organizing committees say that. But we've usually got a better grasp two weeks out.

Good lord, 7AM?! Shame they aren't doing it later in the day. I need to go see the revamped Olympic section. Tokyo's time zone isn't very friendly for us east coasters.

I think black was chosen so they could use it again in future needs of blacking out the roof. I know they purchased black curtains for the Benz for the Final Four last year for the same reason. Dome got torn down with the Benz rising up directly to the south. MLK Jr Drive had to be diverted around and some properties including a church or two were purchased by the state for demolition. The Dome site in now the "Home Depot Backyard" for tailgating and community events. The northern section of the old dome spot (closest to GWCC) is having sitework done to build a 1000+ bed hotel. The Omni was torn down and replaced with State Farm Arena on the same site. I wouldn't count the Olympic stadium as demolished. As you know it was always going to be transformed into Turner Field. And despite the horrible configuration that GSU has it in right now, Not much has been altered of the structure itself since the Turner Field transformation. The only demo work that has happened was to about 6 sections in what use to be left field. The only OG Olympic stadium structure has been Demo'd since it became Turner Field was the 7 field level sections they took down along the first base line in the transformation to the GSU Stadium.

So this is going to be a pure "made for tv" opener? Yeesh. Will they at least have the led lights in stands to give the illusion?

Except that wasn't Bob Costas. It was Matt Lauer

The church cauldron seems much much smaller than the maracana version

Like I said, I'm staying quiet out of respect for others but you've almost got the right idea

There's zero chance they axe the cauldron. We know what it looks like and how its going to work. I won't get into details because I know some people want to be surprised but there's going to be one and there's going to be real fire.

"less carbon emitting ceremony" isn't exactly a high bar to beat as far as the flame is concerned. Think back at the last very cauldrons. London had one gas line for each country, Vancouver had 4 massive flames. Beijing's was huge!!! even only having 5 modest gas heads would be less carbon emitting than normal. Those 5 or 1 will be multiplilied by mirrors. Don't expect anything crazy like no flame.

2 hours and 2 minutes!!!

Wait I'm confused. I thought NBC was delaying their broadcast tonight in the US. Its starting at 7:30pm EST.

Yes. Staging in the arena and then will be on the floor after the carnival of nations.

It could work with gas pipes. You'd simply have to make the stems/branches/arms pipe lines. then fit a cool mirror at the end. totally would work.

So how do we think the Parade of Nations is going to happen? With no natural track and the little white stages sitting so close to the stands I think they enter from the tunnel opposite of the box stage and go straight to the box stage instead of around and then to their respected side. This will give the illusion of the carnival once delegations start to fill in. I think this would also help with cutting the time of the segment because they would be going in a straight line instead of around.

Maybe it'll be "The Hand of God" rising up from the box with the flame in the palm and the kinetic structure will rotate around it as the golden aura.

I still don't think they'd put tunnels and holes in the middle of an expensive drainage system. Especially because this stadium has to be used for the football gold medal matches.

That wouldn't be a tunnel there baron. That would require a hole the size of a shipping container which isn't there. Maracana has a top of the line drainage system under the turf which is what I think you saw and mistook it as tunnels. Big shiny spiny thing hanging from the roof is absolutely the cauldron. did the "tunnels" look something like this?

OO Thats a good angle. Where did you find that? Looks like the structure is anchored from above in the stadium. If this is indeed the cauldron would they also anchor it from above at the church or just flip it?

No. It looks like a series of circles. Looks like its going to be surrounded by water. There's one pipe in the very middle of the circles. could be water or gas. Guessing the pieces of the actual cauldron are under the tents waiting to be constructed. I can't make out whats in the section behind the tents and toilets. Enhanced it in photo shop and its still all dark.