baron-pierreIV Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 All athletes have the right to march into the OC. That will be voted down by the athletes and no one wants to antagonize them as a whole. We're all aware how the athletes pressured the Chinese government on pollution. . Any decisions in the OC are made by the IOC Executive Board. The athletes are in NO Position to dictate their demands on the IOC. They are GUESTS of the IOC and the Organizing Committee. The athletes did NOT pressure the CHiense gov't. The Chinese gov't is/was firghtfully aware of the pollution problem w/o having to be told about it -- and took all corrective measures to fix the problem. Guests do NOT dictate to their hosts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaka_Ray Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 The athletes parade is an important segment for the athletes, because I think you'll feel very proud if you are an athlete and then you are marching into the stadium represent your country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Rols Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Al is right. You HAVE to have the athletes parade. It is the most enduring opening ceremony tradition! Yes, it is very long, but without the athletes, there are no Olympics. And for many of these athletes, the march in is the closest they will get to hearing the cheers of victory. Of the 10000 athletes there, only a few hundred bring home medals.My suggestion would be to have the athletes enter at multiple points and set up so that a national team is called out every 15 to 20 seconds, and then swirl into the centre of the stadium. So while the big USA team may enter at the south gate, the smaller teams from the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Vanuatu enter at the north gate. I seem to remember that such a thing was proposed once (with two teams entering at a time from opposite ends, I think) for one of the US games, Atlanta? or LA? (Maybe you know Baron?), but the IOC nixd the idea. Seriously, those of us who are old enough to have seen more than a few OCs are probably a bit jaded by the march of nations this time, but it was precisely the march that was one of those things that first sparked my fascinaton with the gams as a young nipper. It's all about the athletes, and it's important to keep the young 'uns discovering th magic of the games. It would just be nice if it could be speeded up without losing its whole significance and majesty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYI Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 They're just really filler that the IOC and the sponsors hope to make money on. Physical whores -- that's what they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike74ph Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Any decisions in the OC are made by the IOC Executive Board. The athletes are in NO Position to dictate their demands on the IOC. They are GUESTS of the IOC and the Organizing Committee. The athletes did NOT pressure the CHiense gov't. The Chinese gov't is/was firghtfully aware of the pollution problem w/o having to be told about it -- and took all corrective measures to fix the problem. Guests do NOT dictate to their hosts. It could have sounded less forcefully in my previous post. Unhappy and noisy (those who air their opinions to the media) athletes makes the IOC uneasy. Although they cannot dictate their demands to the IOC, a collective noise hurts the IOC in many ways. From a business point of view, athletes are the clients of the IOC. IOC can bar anyone who they want. But they can't make athletes go to the host city either. The Chinese government, IMHO, was pressured by noises of boycotts and fears about poor athletic performances on Beijing's pollution. The Chinese would not even bother to clean up their environment if not for the Olympics. In subtle ways, China can be pressured to do something. Besides, they are so concerned with their image abroad that they had to do something about it. Guests may not dictate to their hosts, but hosts cannot force their guests to come if the conditions are not hospitable. Who's going to a party if you know you are going to be ignored or treated badly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Who's going to a party if you know you are going to be ignored or treated badly? Of course, not. I did not mean they should be treated shabbily. What I meant was that they should NOT be catered to hand and foot. Yes, the Games are all about them. But there are limits. ANd frankly, I am getting tired of those LOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG Parade of Athletes. If NBC knew that their ratings dip 70% as that BORING portion drones on, they would be the first to say: let's drop this portion!! Actually, it was Samaranch himself who wanted to really condense and hasten the ridiculous Parade starting with the 1992 Games -- but some ridiculous reason like ' all nations must march in' prevailed. Really a BLACK DAY in Olympic Ceremonies history. Far worse than the 1972 massacre!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IceNarcissus Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 It's just a matter of perceived importance. Not everything with low ratings, although nearly everything, gets cut eventually. For example, election coverage has very poor ratings except amongst the oldies, but do they just stop showing it? No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfm Jeremie Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Any decisions in the OC are made by the IOC Executive Board. The athletes are in NO Position to dictate their demands on the IOC. They are GUESTS of the IOC and the Organizing Committee. The athletes did NOT pressure the CHiense gov't. The Chinese gov't is/was firghtfully aware of the pollution problem w/o having to be told about it -- and took all corrective measures to fix the problem. Guests do NOT dictate to their hosts. Baron is neither a guest, nor a customer nor anything to BOCOG, the IOC or NBC and therefore has no right. I rest my case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Baron is neither a guest, nor a customer nor anything to BOCOG, the IOC or NBC and therefore has no right.I rest my case. What case? You never had one to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfm Jeremie Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Of course, not. I did not mean they should be treated shabbily. What I meant was that they should NOT be catered to hand and foot. Yes, the Games are all about them. But there are limits. ANd frankly, I am getting tired of those LOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG Parade of Athletes. If NBC knew that their ratings dip 70% as that BORING portion drones on, they would be the first to say: let's drop this portion!! NBC is already editing big time the ceremonies that they never broadcast live anyway. Suggest you write to NBC and complain about them being jerk at editing cutting the good part while keeping stupid athletes march. (if NBC hasn't done so yet, could it be that maybe some of the US viewers still think that the Olympics is first a sports event???) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 (edited) Gee, jeremie, I expected more from you. I thought you could tell the difference between hyperbole and what is not... Edited August 28, 2008 by baron-pierreIV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfm Jeremie Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 Gee, jeremie, I expected more from you.I thought you could tell the difference between hyperbole and what is not... I don't care about what you think. NBC is the one you should be whining at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 I don't care about what you think. But obviously you cared enough to reply. BTW, cfm jeremie is NOT GamesBids or does not in any way represent GB. I rest my case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guardian Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 By the way, I know that NBC has already got DVDs out about the opening ceremony at least. Would they ones for the closing ceremony? With the CBC, did I hear correctly that it will make DVDs about the ceremonies, too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmaniS Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Go do something else while the parade is on if it is so bad. I love the parade. For the Atlanta games, I watch with my mom, her in NJ, me in Georgia. I normally have large phone bills during the Olympics. Even for the Italian one I think my bill was for 2 hours. It great trying to remember where all these countries are and if the commentary is good, it can be quite educational. Get the kid down with a map or atlas. Its better than sitting in a classroom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 By the way, I know that NBC has already got DVDs out about the opening ceremony at least. Would they ones for the closing ceremony? Unless NBC feels there are enough suckas out there to purchase a separate Closing Ceremony DVD, I don't think they will NOR should they put out a separate DVD for it. It's really even less than half-a-show than THAT Opening. If Beijing had staged a really dull, humdrum Opening, then that Closing would not have looked shabby in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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