Best Games Of All Time?

[Soaring]

In your opinion, what are the most impacting Summer Olympic Games of all time? Keep in mind global historical events, organization, finances etc.

Do not respond by saying your "favorite(s)," but discuss what Games you feel were the most important, and why.

Basically, which Games set the tone for future generations?

.

[Sir Rols]

It's a hard one, I think a lot of people will post their favorite games, and we'll see a lot of more recent ones being mentioned. But if I get your drift right, you're talking about the most significant ones in terms of legacy and long-term effects.

Well, the easy answer would be Athens 1896, the one that got the whole ball rolling.

I'd nominate these also as being significant, in no particular order (except chronologically):

Stockholm 1912 (the template for all future games)

London '48 (re-etsblishment of the Games after WWII)

Munich '72 (a negative legacy _ showed the risks of holding a games)

LA '84 (Saved the future of the games after a run of disasters that threatened the IOC like never before)

Sydney 2000 (I'm probably a bit biased here, but again I would say they reinvigorated attitudes towards the games after the IOC was plunged into its great bidding scandal problems)

[baron-pierreIV]

Well, my FAVOURITE Games are the Salt Lake Games because they had a mahvelous Opening Ceremony.

[Citius Altius Fortius]

It's a hard one, I think a lot of people will post their favorite games, and we'll see a lot of more recent ones being mentioned. But if I get your drift right, you're talking about the most significant ones in terms of legacy and long-term effects.

Well, the easy answer would be Athens 1896, the one that got the whole ball rolling.

I'd nominate these also as being significant, in no particular order (except chronologically):

Stockholm 1912 (the template for all future games)

London '48 (re-etsblishment of the Games after WWII)

Munich '72 (a negative legacy _ showed the risks of holding a games)

LA '84 (Saved the future of the games after a run of disasters that threatened the IOC like never before)

Sydney 2000 (I'm probably a bit biased here, but again I would say they reinvigorated attitudes towards the games after the IOC was plunged into its great bidding scandal problems)

my list:

STOCKHOLM 1912 - the template for all future Games

BERLIN 1936 - on one hand the first propaganda Games of a totalitarian state (two had followed (Moscow 1980 and Sarajevo 1984)) - we will see another one very soon - on the other hand it is interesting that these Games introduced a new element, which represent the international component of the Games today: the torch relay

LONDON 1948 - re-establishment of the Games after WWII

MUNICH 1972 - reality stopped the "bright Games": great international events attract terrorists to abuse them as stage - furthermore a gesture: no marchs during the entrance of the nations

LOS ANGELES 1984 - thanks Ueberoth - these Games saved the future of the Olympic games after a run of disasters that threatened the IOC like never before

SYDNEY 2000 - after the Games became too commercial these Games gave a new impulse back to the sources of the Olympic spirit

[Stu]

Athens 1896 - Obviously the first Games was influential. The passion of the Greeks for the Olympics also couldn't be matched by the subsequent few hosts.

London 1948 - the first use of volunteers - the backbone of all future Olympics.

Tokyo 1964 - the first to use the Games as an excuse to to completely modernise a whole city and to successfully change stereotypical views internationally.

Barcelona 1992 - the first (and the last) to give the Cultural Olympiad as much importance as the Sporting Olympiad - it proved to be very successful and hasn't been matched since.