Olympian2005 Posted June 21, 2021 Report Share Posted June 21, 2021 I am very lucky to live in an Olympic host city and very proud that my city hosted the games in 1996 - i only wish that i was around to witness it. i do think that the city could do better to celebrate this proud moment. This weekend I went for a run to the Centennial Olympic Stadium, which is now Georgia State ball field. The area is a bit of a mess. What is cool though is the cauldron is still there and it is always a very cool feeling running past it - great inspo. I do think that they should move the cauldron to Centennial Olympic Park. Has anyone here ever been? if so, what would you like to see done with the Olympic Stadium area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hightowerio86 Posted June 21, 2021 Report Share Posted June 21, 2021 no doubt the cauldron should be moved to Centennial Olympic Park and there should an Olympic Museum be built dedicated to the 1996 Olympics on the park 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted June 21, 2021 Report Share Posted June 21, 2021 7 hours ago, Olympian2005 said: I am very lucky to live in an Olympic host city and very proud that my city hosted the games in 1996 - i only wish that i was around to witness it. i do think that the city could do better to celebrate this proud moment. This weekend I went for a run to the Centennial Olympic Stadium, which is now Georgia State ball field. The area is a bit of a mess. What is cool though is the cauldron is still there and it is always a very cool feeling running past it - great inspo. I do think that they should move the cauldron to Centennial Olympic Park. Has anyone here ever been? if so, what would you like to see done with the Olympic Stadium area? I was living in Atlanta 1993-96; and I participated in the Opening Ceremony. Great times; great memories. But many people put in charge of the Games were there because of their connections to the Atlanta power structure -- not because of merit or qualifications. Hence, they didn't know how to run an Olympic Games; and hence, the f*ck-ups that followed. ACOG didn't like to hire people who worked with LAOOC. They insisted in hiring their own people. Big mistake -- one of them was the dumb "cauldron." Sorry. They should just put that unsightly thing in a warehouse. I believe there is a torch collection/Centennial section at the Atlanta History Center Museum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WD96 Posted June 21, 2021 Report Share Posted June 21, 2021 Contrary to popular belief, it also ran on Cartoon Network on August 1996. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2021 15 hours ago, WD96 said: Contrary to popular belief, it also ran on Cartoon Network on August 1996. This is so cool... have never seen it before, thanks for sharing :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2021 17 hours ago, baron-pierreIV said: I was living in Atlanta 1993-96; and I participated in the Opening Ceremony. Great times; great memories. But many people put in charge of the Games were there because of their connections to the Atlanta power structure -- not because of merit or qualifications. Hence, they didn't know how to run an Olympic Games; and hence, the f*ck-ups that followed. ACOG didn't like to hire people who worked with LAOOC. They insisted in hiring their own people. Big mistake -- one of them was the dumb "cauldron." Sorry. They should just put that unsightly thing in a warehouse. I believe there is a torch collection/Centennial section at the Atlanta History Center Museum. The cauldron itself is ok, its the scaffold tower that it sits on that is ugly. I never understood why they used that and not just connected it to the stadium in some way. It is so cool that you participated in the opening ceremony, that must have been an awesome experience. the city must have been buzzing during this time. I want to try and visit the venues of the games this summer to see what they are now like and if they have any memorabilia housed in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2021 They relit the flame last year... https://youtu.be/wiBJQOKhwzM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rio2016man Posted June 22, 2021 Report Share Posted June 22, 2021 Izzy was a weird part of Atlanta's Olympics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted June 23, 2021 Report Share Posted June 23, 2021 8 hours ago, rio2016man said: Izzy was a weird part of Atlanta's Olympics The first Olympic computer virus mascot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2021 Izzy is ok, at least we are still talking about him 25 years later.... good or bad, can't say the same for other mascots. It angers me that the Atlanta games gets so much negativity.... there was also so much cool stuff that happened and at least the city did not suffer because of the games like others such as Athens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 23, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2021 Did y'all know that the running track from Centennial Olympic stadium was lifted and is now located at Panthers Stadium in the city. i am going to try and get access here this weekend and then i can say that i have run on an Olympic Games track - so cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted June 23, 2021 Report Share Posted June 23, 2021 (edited) What and where is the Panthers Stadium? Also, that idea was copied from LA 1984. The running track there at LA Memorial was given to, if I am not mistaken one of LA's City schools-- I think it was the one located in East LA. Schools usually become the beneficiaries of many installations in American-staged Olympics. Edited June 23, 2021 by baron-pierreIV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2021 10 hours ago, baron-pierreIV said: What and where is the Panthers Stadium? Also, that idea was copied from LA 1984. The running track there at LA Memorial was given to, if I am not mistaken one of LA's City schools-- I think it was the one located in East LA. Schools usually become the beneficiaries of many installations in American-staged Olympics. Panther stadium is part of Clark Atlanta University. It is east of downtown. i found out that is was used for hockey during the games and then the running track was moved here. i am going to visit on Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WD96 Posted June 24, 2021 Report Share Posted June 24, 2021 This year is the 25th anniversary. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2021 14 hours ago, WD96 said: This year is the 25th anniversary. yes it is I really hope that the city does something to celebrate this fact. It would be cool if they replayed the opening ceremony on a outdoor big screen and then relit the cauldron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2021 So as i have been interested, researching the Atlanta games lately, my Dad seen me watching the opening ceremony and he was like "oh i was in that' Like WTF seriously..... anyway so we looked to find him and my dad is the guy highlighted dancing in the Welcome to the World segment i have tried to mark him. Always thought my dad was cool but this is next level haha 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted June 25, 2021 Report Share Posted June 25, 2021 3 hours ago, Olympian2005 said: So as i have been interested, researching the Atlanta games lately, my Dad seen me watching the opening ceremony and he was like "oh i was in that' Like WTF seriously..... anyway so we looked to find him and my dad is the guy highlighted dancing in the Welcome to the World segment i have tried to mark him. Always thought my dad was cool but this is next level haha COOL! He was with the Cheerleading section! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 25, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2021 17 minutes ago, baron-pierreIV said: COOL! He was with the Cheerleading section! Yeah, can't believe he never told me before now... Do you think you would have met him? as you said you also took part in the ceremony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted June 25, 2021 Report Share Posted June 25, 2021 7 hours ago, Olympian2005 said: Do you think you would have met him? as you said you also took part in the ceremony. No. Unless you knew each other beforehand, the various sections didn't mix. #1 - simply because of logistics -- you had to concentrate on your section of the show; and #2 -- rehearsals and where you stayed BEFORE and AFTER your section, were always separate and segregated. (After all, this was the South. ) J/k. But this was how to deal with a show utilizing 5,500 performers. (And remember, there was a backstage crew of over 2,000 as well.) You should ask you dad to buy my book on amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 26, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 17 hours ago, baron-pierreIV said: No. Unless you knew each other beforehand, the various sections didn't mix. #1 - simply because of logistics -- you had to concentrate on your section of the show; and #2 -- rehearsals and where you stayed BEFORE and AFTER your section, were always separate and segregated. (After all, this was the South. ) J/k. But this was how to deal with a show utilizing 5,500 performers. (And remember, there was a backstage crew of over 2,000 as well.) You should ask you dad to buy my book on amazon. Which part of the ceremony did you participate in? Did you get to keep your costume? My dad said he got to keep his, unfortunately he lost his many years ago. You no longer live in Atlanta? do you still visit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted June 26, 2021 Report Share Posted June 26, 2021 5 hours ago, Olympian2005 said: Which part of the ceremony did you participate in? Did you get to keep your costume? My dad said he got to keep his, unfortunately he lost his many years ago. You no longer live in Atlanta? do you still visit? See your PM box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2021 As it is the 25th year celebration of the Atlanta games i thought i would post some images of how the various venues look today. Starting with the Aquatics Center. no white elephants need apply haha Then: Now: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quaker2001 Posted June 28, 2021 Report Share Posted June 28, 2021 3 hours ago, Olympian2005 said: As it is the 25th year celebration of the Atlanta games i thought i would post some images of how the various venues look today. Starting with the Aquatics Center. no white elephants need apply haha Does that mean you won't be posting present day images of the Stone Mountain Tennis Center? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2021 17 hours ago, Quaker2001 said: Does that mean you won't be posting present day images of the Stone Mountain Tennis Center? Happy to One or two venues after 25 years not being used is pretty damn impressive i say. Not many host cities can say the same.... cough, Athens, cough 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olympian2005 Posted June 29, 2021 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2021 Gymnastics and Basketball venue Georgia Dome Then: Now: Although the Georgia dome was demolished, the Mercedes Benz stadium has taken its place and continues its legacy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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