Vancouver Olympics, 2010

[PreSage]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Our all-time-record 14-gold medal performance in the Winter Olympics games doesn't accomplish this in your eyes?

Even if you think the ceremony is a complete dud, it takes nothing away from how the Canadian athletes did.




Not everybody shares the same taste in presentation.

Personally, after what felt like hours of intense seriousness, I liked the more lighthearted feel of the lumberjack skit.

Sometimes I think that the Olympics takes themselves a bit too seriously. Throwing in a bit of comedic relief doesn't hurt, imo.

I completely agree with you. What Canada did was unique by thowing in a light-hearted, relaxing comedic skit to close all the intenseness of the past two weeks. I only wish they had invited a Canadian AirFarce skit.

I have already predicted that the Russian theme with their hosting will be one of culture and classics because that is a central part of Russian culture. That doesn't mean that Canada doesn't have all that, we just do it differently with comedy and technology.

...well, I guess this thread will be dead soon.

[panzerfan]

Going back to the Vancouver Olympic... I agree to disagree about how that presentation is I guess, but I have no doubt about how this game has been for Canada.

14 gold medals is a high mark that is made all too sweet by the Hockey victory that will actually be told for generations to come as said by Furlong. Canada has broken a record that the Soviet Union has held since 1972 and that in itself is worth celebrating. The victories are really not given, and had to be hard won. In fact, nothing came easy for the people working in Vancouver. It feels a little sad though that it's over, but it's a good feeling that something was done here that makes it all worthwhile.

As for the United States, this game has much to celebrate about. The highest winter Olympic medal haul ever and breakthroughs in Nordic really are something to think about. The Americans are really dedicated to their athletes and are in contention as the best of athletes. Moreover, the Americans have actually been pretty good to people in Vancouver.

Russia I feel a little down for. The Russian program had declined notably in the 90s, and their athletes suffered because of that. Kremlin cannot reverse the damage done to the athletes competing today, so they have to plan on tomorrow. This will be tough on them, but Sochi and Vancouver are good wakeup calls.

[aquamarineAngel]

Awww... I'm sad... I didn't want it to end.
This is my first time watching the winter olympics and I'd never thought I would be so interested in it. 17 days came and went so fast.
Yeah... the closing ceremony... my sis was more "wtf is up with that moose?" xD
But it was still funny and enjoyable.

Thanks Canada. You guys were awesome.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by panzerfan

Going back to the Vancouver Olympic... I agree to disagree about how that presentation is I guess, but I have no doubt about how this game has been for Canada.

I'm glad that we can agree on that at least.

14 gold medals is a high mark that is made all too sweet by the Hockey victory that will actually be told for generations to come as said by Furlong. Canada has broken a record that the Soviet Union has held since 1972 and that in itself is worth celebrating.

Definitely.

As for the United States, this game has much to celebrate about. The highest winter Olympic medal haul ever and breakthroughs in Nordic really are something to think about. The Americans are really dedicated to their athletes and are in contention as the best of athletes. Moreover, the Americans have actually been pretty good to people in Vancouver.

The sheer depth of America's athletic program is impressive. America being very competitive in what seemed like every event does say a lot, yes.

And Norway's performance was awesome for a country of a fairly small population.

[Nerroth]

From the rendition of the State Anthem to the skill and artistry put into the Sochi presentation, the Russians made an awful lot of the time they had on-stage.


The Canadian side of things... not so much.


(At the very least, I wish that of the four anthems sung in that ceremony, the Canadian one was the least properly done.)

[Karlson]

I never got a chance to watch the closing ceremonies because I went straight to the cauldron to see the flame get extinguished after the game. But wow...it took so long to get out of Robson Square people were climbing up onto bus stop rooftops and traffic signs. You couldn't even move in the interersection of Granville and Robson without having to push people aside and of course your pushing against people who are also pushing trying to go the other way lol

And that hockey game just about gave me a heart attack when the US forced OT. That third period felt like the longest period ever. Miller was outstanding, just as expected out of someone who has been the best goaltender throughout this season in the NHL.

[0utf0xZer0]

I'm not opposed to the use of Canadian stereotypes for comedy - after all, I love the Monty Python Lumberjack skit and quite a few Arrogant Worms songs (Canada's Really Big, The Mountie Song, The Last Saskatchewan Pirate, etc.).

The comedy section of tonight's ceremonies simply did not work for me though. I didn't much care for the choice of music - more a matter of execution than style, I think - and I still hadn't had time to recover from Shatner and O'hara's painfully flat routines when they started laying on the stereotypes.

[PreSage]

Originally Posted by panzerfan

Russia I feel a little down for. The Russian program had declined notably in the 90s, and their athletes suffered because of that. Kremlin cannot reverse the damage done to the athletes competing today, so they have to plan on tomorrow. This will be tough on them, but Sochi and Vancouver are good wakeup calls.

After what happened here, Russia will come back with a vengeance in Sochi.

I do have to add that the Russian anthem was very beautifully sung - as expected from the famous Russian choir.

[Theowne]

Originally Posted by panzerfan

14 gold medals is a high mark that is made all too sweet by the Hockey victory that will actually be told for generations to come as said by Furlong. Canada has broken a record that the Soviet Union has held since 1972 and that in itself is worth celebrating. The victories are really not given, and had to be hard won. In fact, nothing came easy for the people working in Vancouver. It feels a little sad though that it's over, but it's a good feeling that something was done here that makes it all worthwhile.

Particularly considering the dejected tone that had started to settle in after the first week, culminating in that loss to the U.S. at the end of Sunday, which was probably the low point of Canadian morale. To climb back up the way they did to what they managed to accomplish by the end is something to be proud of. And of course the hockey game, straight out of a movie script.

After every four years I forget how much fun it is to follow the (Winter) Olympics, seems like such a long time until Sochi. I predict lots of Tchaikovsky in the opening ceremonies

Originally Posted by Nerroth

(At the very least, I wish that of the four anthems sung in that ceremony, the Canadian one was the least properly done.)

Ours was certainly very tacky compared to the great choir performance and others. I would have preferred for Ben Heppner to have had that role like in Torino.

[Icehawk]

I was incredibly suprised at how well done the closing ceremonies were for this. I thought the opening ones were pretty underwhelming overall and the glitches were embarassing. However it was PERFECT how they took advantage of that torch leg glich and made a good joke of it.

Quite honestly, I felt these closing ceremonies really showed off how Canada is really a true nation of 21st century with all its use of modern music, the broad spectrum of cultural flair, and excellent tongue-in-cheek self insulting humour. It would be nice if some of the other nations in the future would be able to follow these ceremonies as an example for their own instead of just falling back on the sterotypical overly serious historical culture crap from bygone eras. Nations can be respectful to the past without overly pandering to it and relying on it exclusively to show themselves off.

LOL how truely AWSOME would it be if in a future Olympics with Japan as the host nation if they pulled a similar situation with their closing ceremonies and made fun of their own pop culture stereotypes and such with all kinds of inflatable Gundams, and other random cultural icons and had KOTOKO and other high profile jrock/jpop singers.

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by Icehawk

LOL how truely AWSOME would it be if in a future Olympics with Japan as the host nation if they pulled a similar situation with their closing ceremonies and made fun of their own pop culture stereotypes and such with all kinds of inflatable Gundams, and other random cultural icons and had KOTOKO and other high profile jrock/jpop singers.

Me and a few anime buddies were discussing the direction of the opening ceremonies recently, and I suggested that next time Japan gets an Olympics, we should start a campaign to get Akiyuki Shinbo appointed as the director of the ceremonies. Granted, it was mainly intended as a joke for my girlfriend, who is a big fan of Shinbo, but still...

I do have to wonder how much of the Canadian humour in this actually made sense to international audiences.

[panzerfan]

I think that the older Japanese would be facepalming when they see RX-78 having a duel with Takamachi Nanoha, danmaku everywhere while people wonder why Totoro was there. God knows if that can happen.

[Theowne]

Personally, I would have liked to see a live re-enactment of the Log Driver's Waltz.

[Demongod86]

Can't believe Cindy Crosby's the hero of Canadian hockey for the next 4 years :*(.

Why of all people did it have to be Cindy...

Hopefully Russia lights it up with everyone at Sochi in 4 years. I wanna see Ovechkin flatten some more people like he did Jagr.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by 0utf0xZer0

Me and a few anime buddies were discussing the direction of the opening ceremonies recently, and I suggested that next time Japan gets an Olympics, we should start a campaign to get Akiyuki Shinbo appointed as the director of the ceremonies. Granted, it was mainly intended as a joke for my girlfriend, who is a big fan of Shinbo, but still...

I do have to wonder how much of the Canadian humour in this actually made sense to international audiences.

Probably depends on their level of exposure to Python and Mel Brooks (I kept thinking of "The Producers").

The show had some weak spots (very weak) but in general I thought pleasant irreverence.

[0utf0xZer0]

Originally Posted by Vexx

(I kept thinking of "The Producers".

I told my dad pretty much the same thing.

[Hari Michiru]

Wow, it's over now. *falls into depression* =(

I found the self-mockery to be pretty funny though; this is called going out with a bang! And congratz to the men's hockey team! GOLDDDDDDD!~

I'll really miss this.

[Karlson]

http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/...gold/185uh219q

Granville Street sure was a sight to behold alright. And I'm proud to say I was one of those flag bearers within all those sea of flags in 0:58 - 1:02 however because I took pictures admist all the madness I might not have been waving it there.

[Wervy]

I really enjoyed the closing and the last hockey game.

But lord, the pouting and general poor attitude of the usa team certanly cheapend it. They got silver and they should of been thankful for that, not stand there looking like they were some children sent to time out.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by PreSage

After what happened here, Russia will come back with a vengeance in Sochi.

I do have to add that the Russian anthem was very beautifully sung - as expected from the famous Russian choir.

+1 for the singing of the Russian anthem. Easily one of the most beautiful anthems out there.