The Reactions

[yoshi 352]

Their OC could be amazing, I seem to recall baron saying that the Nagano OC was a bit boring though, & from the very few snippets I've seen, it was in daylight. In that stadium, with their technology, we could see another new era start in 2020.

[mattygs 274]

The Nagano opening wasn't the best (stunning cauldron lighting sequence though), but they did warn us it would be a simple one, and it did fit with their overall hosting of the Games.

[jiejie 31]

I surely would like a 2020 musical theme from Joe Hisaishi.

[Athensfan 1081]

I agree with Pound that the princess was magnificent. So articulate, charismatic and refined.

Unlike many on these boards, I found the answer to the Fukushima question quite sufficient, primarily because of WHO was answering it. As the leader of the country, the prime minister gave his word in very definitive terms. That carries huge weight. He is committed now. It's on tape. He didn't hesitate for a second: "It has not affected Tokyo. It will never affect Tokyo."

[Athensfan 1081]

Truthfully, I believe the Nagano OC hurt international perceptions of the Japanese more than anything else where the Olympics are concerned. It was too quiet, too simple, too culturally specific in a restrained way the rest of the world could not appreciate.

[paul 619]

Princess was unbelievable alluring and perfect! We need to get one.

[yoshi 352]

Did the princess seal the deal for Tokyo?

[baron-pierreIV 1693]

Funny, u didn't see her anymore with the whooping commoners afterwards! I wonder where she went??

[runningrings 678]

Not sure if anybody else has picked up on it, but the speech made by Madrid Mayor, Ana Botella, has become a bit of a meme within Spain, and is popping up elsewhere. It seems to focus on her mentioning of coffee, and the way she delivered her speech in English.

remix:

[baron-pierreIV 1693]

/\/\ She's a very attractive lady, I say, even more feminine than the Greek dragon Gianna Daskalaki... but unfortunately, her English is very labored. It is hard to watch that -- and with so many accomplished bi- even trilingual speakers, she should have perhaps stuck to Spanish...and let the interpreters take care of it!! But Madrid's cocido was already cooked.

[Nemo 10]

A friend of mine without a great deal of interest in the Olympics made an interesting comment to me this morning:

"I hope Miyazaki does the Opening Ceremony."

Interesting idea - I think someone like him could really managed to crush the sterile claims with his ability to tap into the Japanese sensibility. Despite being an animator, the ideas of someone like him could produce some truly beautiful stadium theatre.

I think they only way that Miyazaki could do something live action like his films would be in something like an OC. And please God let Studio Ghibli design the mascot too! Or maybe Totoro should just the the mascot.

[Filipe_Golias 20]

I hear Botello speaking about café con leche and Sofia Vergara pops immediately into my mind.

[baron-pierreIV 1693]

Report from The New York Times..

Madrid and Istanbul Respond Differently to Rejection by Olympics

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/sports/olympics/madrid-and-istanbul-ponder-failure-of-olympic-bids.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

[Sir Rols 1902]

J

Report from The New York Times..


Madrid and Istanbul Respond Differently to Rejection by Olympics

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/09/sports/olympics/madrid-and-istanbul-ponder-failure-of-olympic-bids.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

Really interesting article. We didn't make as much about the doping issues during the campaign as other factors, but I've seen it brought up a lot in the post-mortems, and mention made of the pointed questioning of Madrid and Istanbul about their doping scandals. I think Rob was one of the view who highlighted them much. Is it just that we're more focused on the geopolitics, or are we just generally cynical and think the battle against doping's always a rearguard action.

Also didn't see much mention anywhere of how so many of Madrid's existing facilities are already white elephants already.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Sir Rols

[Rob. 2040]

Erdogan said on his return home that the result was unfair and added: “Both Tokyo and Madrid have hosted the games before; Istanbul hasn’t. It hasn’t been fair. In a way, they are cutting ties with the 1.5-billion-people Muslim world.”

http://keirradnedge.com/2013/09/09/sour-grapes-from-erdogan-over-istanbuls-ioc-decision-over-2020/#.Ui4zniCa0Ok.twitter

Edited September 9, 2013 by RobH

[FYI 1195]

Madrid lost anyway. And Istanbul beat them in the run-off, so what's he squawking about. Just like many of the Spanish are doing, he's blaming someone else. He really needs to take a good look around him & see why the city lost.

[baron-pierreIV 1693]

Erdogan said on his return home that the result was unfair and added: “Both Tokyo and Madrid have hosted the games before; Istanbul hasn’t. It hasn’t been fair. In a way, they are cutting ties with the 1.5-billion-people Muslim world.”

http://keirradnedge.com/2013/09/09/sour-grapes-from-erdogan-over-istanbuls-ioc-decision-over-2020/#.Ui4zniCa0Ok.twitter

Not only is he a broken record and playing the "muslim" card again...he just inflated the muslim population of the world by some 500 million. There are supposedly only a little over 1 billion musilms (and that's already 1 billion too many!!)), Well, with leaders like him, that's why the Games didn't go to Turkey. He is...such a loser.

[zekekelso 794]

I like Pound as usual.

So, basically Tokyo got the Olympics because he was drooling over some babe. We overthink things *way* to much on this forum. In the end, the vote comes down to 100 people who vote for whatever reason they want.

[FYI 1195]

Wow, such stating the obvious, as usual.

[runningrings 678]

Erdogan said on his return home that the result was unfair and added: Both Tokyo and Madrid have hosted the games before; Istanbul hasnt. It hasnt been fair. In a way, they are cutting ties with the 1.5-billion-people Muslim world.

http://keirradnedge.com/2013/09/09/sour-grapes-from-erdogan-over-istanbuls-ioc-decision-over-2020/#.Ui4zniCa0Ok.twitter

Stupid man.

[FYI 1195]

I think the vote went down the way the majority predicted anyway, including the bookies.

[baron-pierreIV 1693]

So, basically Tokyo got the Olympics because he was drooling over some babe. We overthink things *way* to much on this forum. In the end, the vote comes down to 100 people who vote for whatever reason they want.

Once again, you have no idea what you are talking about, do you? But that's not stopping you from posting anyway. Bizarre.