Opening Ceremonies...your thoughts?

[Brewguy]

I blame the US for starting this whole 'sing your national anthem like it's a pop song' trend ... and I don't like it one bit. I don't care whose anthem you're singing, show some respect and sing it straight.

I'm glad they added in the moment of silence for the Georgian, even lowering the Canadian & Olympic flags to half mast for the remainder of the ceremonies. Such a sad event.

Other than that, I thought the show was great. As a number of the TV commentators said, nobody will ever be able to 'top' Beijing, so there's no sense making comparisons. But overall, I think they put on a very good show.

Does anyone else think the design for the cauldron was stolen from Superman's fortress of solitude?

[robbreid]

http://www.star-telegram.com/462/story/1966047.html

It almost got a lot more exciting, because the little kid ripping off planes in Washington State, stole a SR-22 and was buzzing around close to the Olympic safety zone, before dumping the Cirrus in a field!!! Guess it wasn't during the opening ceremonies, but it sure would have been exciting seeing Hornets chase a Cirrus over downtown Vancouver.

As for the Superman comment - exactly.

Very respectful the flags, and the comments regarding Georgian Luge Athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili. Sad.

Inclusion of our heritage and our indigenous people of Canada well done, colourful, and very BC.

Heh it wasn't the Superbowl, but it was alright. Respectful.

And in truth, I don't remember the opening ceremonies at any previous winter Olympics, and I'm guessing
soon I won't remember this one!!!

I read in an American report, they loved it, but also liked how the Canadian team was dressed like Bob and Doug McKenzie.

Also a little awkward - Israeli team following the Iranian team - but heh - we didn't invent the alphabet.

[thecaptain]

Then we had that terrible singing of Oh Canada. I am sorry but its no a love song its our National Anthem! Celine Dion would have done a better job then this girl, or if you wanted a good singing of our anthem, the Canucks singer for most of their games, Mark O'Donnely

Poor girl man... she has a very good voice, she is a young and talented artist and the "version" of the anthem you hate oh so much was the direction she was instructed to go in with the anthem. It is our anthem but there isn't anything wrong with pumping life into something every once in awhile.

anyway, to each their own...

cheers

[flyinthebug]

Proud to be a Canadian! They did a great job last night..espically with the luge tragedy so fresh in everyones minds. Kudos to all the people who helped make this happen.

As an FYI.. anyone but KD pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and yes, a little LESS first nation content on the closing ceremonies would be fine with me. Overall though,. they did a bang up job!

[flyinthebug]

Does anyone else think the design for the cauldron was stolen from Superman's fortress of solitude?

LOL..Not til this moment I didnt. Now i do!

[mag check]

I thought they sucked.

The statues looked like zombies with their arms straight out, the huge "drum" wasn't even a drum, O Canada was bad, the native dancing was poorly done, especially the Metis.
Even the "vip" section was only half full. Who were all those extra seats for that couldn't even bother to show up? But what do you expect from a group that can't even build roof structure beams farther than 1 foot from the luge track?
I couldn't even finish watching it.

[altiplano]

-

[Icebound]

I thought they sucked.

I don't know if I would go that far, but Richard Ouzonian's headline in the Toronto Star says it all: "Medium marvellous, message mediocre"

This was a ceremony loved by opera, ballet, and artsy types...

...and loathed by the beer-drinking, rock-music, hard-living types.

And it never helps to have our beloved, all-important technology FAIL so publicly.... once more twigging that little nagging concern in the back of our minds, about depending on it so totally in real life.


...

[Siddley Hawker]

I thought it was great, except for the National Anthem. It's a frickin' anthem, not a lounge-lizard show. Can't blame the performer though, she had to work with what she was handed. Lang was awesome, although I prefer her version of Hallelujah, with the full orchestra, from the Juno's a few years ago. The opening sequence with the snowboarder was something else.

but Richard Ouzonian's headline in the Toronto Star says it all: "Medium marvellous, message mediocre"

Whaddya expect from the center of the universe. Could be a description of his own publication.

[Pratt X 3]

As I am refusing to watch as little of the coverage as I can (can't stand seeing the same commercials over and over again), I have only seen highlights on the news. So can anyone tell me if the 4 giant ice penises ever penetrated the giant hovering vagina? I might have actually watched that for a couple of minutes if the sound track was good.

[SYT_YYZ]

Im sorry, but I can't help saying this and can't believe I seem to have been the first:

Am I the only one who thought :



looked a little much like THIS:




And Seriously could not one person take one for the team, stand up and admit that yes maybe they have seen/used a dildo before and that there is a little too much of a similarity...???

[SYT_YYZ]

LOL THANK YOU PRAT.... hahah you posted while I was typing mine up.... Didnt see it until I posted LOL

Great minds think alike???

[SYT_YYZ]

Oh and by the way I thought the scene with the whales was AMAZING!!!!!!!! Best part of the night!

[ScudRunner]

Anyone else get a chuckle when the Chiefs showed up late to the opening ceremony, some one should have told them 5pm not 6pm they are on Native time! Obvious lack of cultural sensitivity, those who flew up north know what im talking about.

As for KD Lang that dude can sure sing!!

The flag thing disappointing ,Opera Singing Lady WTF, and the Hydraulic failure oh well overall I thought it was a great show. Really glad they didnt break out a dog team and have Celine Dion clubbing a Seal while singing to a moose.

Good job and I thought the poet guy was pretty frigging good! not my usual cup of tea and cringed when he came on but very good opening ceremony!!!

DROP THE PUCK!!!

[Pratt X 3]

LOL THANK YOU PRAT.... hahah you posted while I was typing mine up.... Didnt see it until I posted LOL

Great minds think alike???

I believe that it is "Dirty minds think alike!!!"

[Liquid Charlie]

K D is an amazing talent and she nailed it -- I'm glad they bypassed that other crazy bitch -- just shows you if you stand by your principals you never gain the popularity due -- you have to sell out before that will happen --

I only hope the show doesn't outclass the games themselves - I'm thinking if the truth about weather was brought to the forefront during the bids Vancouver would not even be in the top 5 -- The Vancouver team obviously did a great job of blowing smoke - We can always blame El Nino - my 93 year old mother blames it for all the world problems -- I'm thinking she's right -- lmfaoooooooo

[SYT_YYZ]

as for the hydrolic issues...

If the CTV anchors didnt say anything no one would have known the difference. People would have assumed we were planning to light the cauldron at midnight because that is exactly the minute they did it and that is what we assumed was going on till the anchors felt the need to point out the problems.

[ybp]

I heard that Viagra was a major sponsor of the games but due to the 'family nature' of them, they could not do Viagra commercials so they got all there publicity in the Opening Ceremonies!! ....but it does only work for 3 out of 4 men!!!!

What bugged me was all the French speaking. I never thought I was prejudice, but why the heck were all the countries introduced in French first?? Think of all the people around the world watching and hearing all the French.... "I thought English was our primary language???"

Just my thoughts.....

[beaverbob]

As for KD Lang that dude can sure sing!!
Really glad they didnt break out a dog team and have Celine Dion clubbing a Seal while singing to a moose.

As a Lesbian, I have never been attracted to Kraft Dinner Lang; Shania Twain, Now thats another storey, I'd take her any day.

I have been listening to our Canadian Anthem for most of 60 years. That was not our Canada Anthem. That was a bastardised effort with similar word but not the anthem I remember.
What were those dicks for at the end?
I wish people would leave the anthem alone.
Bob

[North Shore]

What bugged me was all the French speaking. I never thought I was prejudice, but why the heck were all the countries introduced in French first?? Think of all the people around the world watching and hearing all the French.... "I thought English was our primary language???"

Just my thoughts.....

*Sigh* ...French is the official language of the IOC. It's not spoken to inflame Canadian regional rivalries

[B-rad]

I thought it was garbage and a talentless show. Lip syncing and pre-recorded musicians do not give me the sense of awe when watching people perform. They should be live and have the chance to show their true talent to be at a world class event. It was a night of trying too hard to be cool. I would have rather watched a cirque du soleil that showcased the mascots, had hints of last nights culture and visual effects and allowed the people to enjoy the party rather then being force fed a dry BC tourism art show.

There were many good things about the show like the wales swimming over the stage, nice colours and display for the forest and some variety with the dancing and having a slam poet. Those parts kept it fresh when they could keep the pace moving but hit major dead spots with the boy/girl? flying over the fields on end.. that was painful.

As far as the anthems, I enjoyed hearing the pop version of O Canada and don't agree that an old song has to be sung an old way. It's the words that carry meaning and the respect given during its song that holds pride to me. Many of the other songs I didn't care for tho, especially the long winded opera anthem for the Olympic song. And how about that speech given by John Furlong, couldn't he have prepared for this a little instead of just reading word for word??? what the @#$!? even in grade 7 I was taught to prepare for speeches so you can look up and deliver! let people hang on your words and maybe, just maybe look like you deserve to be up there speaking to the world.

The Vancouver 2010 opening ceremonies left me with an impression that we take ourselves too seriously and try too hard so we are not judged.

my 2 cents

[robbreid]

Hmmm, had to explain to my girlfriend, who is not from Canada, that KD Lang is a girl,
then we heard a replay on the news this morning, and she said there's that man with
the high voice.

So I said, that's a girl - what a priceless look on her face???

She said why does she dress like a man?, I said I dunno she's a 'guy' lesbian.

She said if she was a lesbian what would she be, I said a 'girl' lesbian.

But she said she likes xxxx, so she can't be a lesbian!!!!

Heh, English is her fourth language and new to her - sure makes for some interesting converstions.

Thanks KD.

All over the world, people will be remember 'Pat' (SNL joke) the singer . . .

[ehbuddy]

I thought it was great to see Betty Fox involved with it and also Bobby Orr has always been a class act. Barbara Ann Scott is still as sweet as ever.

It would be nice to see the family of the Georgian athelete get awarded with an honorary Gold Medal in memory of their son. At least it would be the 'Canadian' thing to do.

[Solaris]

It would be nice to see the family of the Georgian athelete get awarded with an honorary Gold Medal in memory of their son. At least it would be the 'Canadian' thing to do.

Now that,,, is a fantastic idea ehbuddy !!!!!! Please send it into the media and Olympic Committee.

This thread has given me quite a few good laughs,,,good pics and comments !!!!

Go Canada Go !!!!

[JakeYYZ]

one dead luger, one dead torch. I think I see a pattern here....