Did anyone watch the opening ceremonies last night? WOW!

I personally like to watch winter olympic sports more than summer olympics, but there ARE some that I am really interested in!

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, August 9, 2008 - 09:38 am:

I watched some of it. I think Sarah watched most of it. It was a beautiful ceremony. I liked seeing what all of the countries wore, or at least what came on, after the US.

By Annie2 on Saturday, August 9, 2008 - 09:57 am:

We watched some of it last night. I had to explain to my kids why some people didn't want it held in China.
I have a question for you all or should I say "all y'all", as my kids say it! I thought only amatuer (sp) athletes could perform....but in the past years now professional ones can participate? I believe it started with the American "dream team" basketball team.
We enjoyed the amazing fireworks show at the end.

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, August 9, 2008 - 12:25 pm:

I think a while back, they started allowing corporate sponsorships. Is it the way China treats some of its people the reason why it was controversial? I haven't really been following that.

By Bellajoe on Saturday, August 9, 2008 - 01:36 pm:

I stayed up till about 11 but everyone else had already fallen asleep, I just went to bed too. I watched the torch lighting on YOUTUBE this morning since I really wanted to see it last night.

It was a really cool ceremony. We love the Olympics in our house. We look forward to the gymnastics and ds looks forward to diving.

By Debbie on Saturday, August 9, 2008 - 02:11 pm:

We watched part of it. Unfortunately, the Little League Regional Finals are on TV also, and my boys are baseball fanatics.

I too, like the winter olympics better. However, we do like to watch swimming, and I like to watch gymnastics.

By Tink on Saturday, August 9, 2008 - 05:09 pm:

I love the summer Olympics! We watch beach volleyball, gymnastics, soccer, diving, swimming and some track events. Actually, the opening and closing ceremonies aren't the least bit interesting to me, I'd rather watch the events themselves.

By Imamommyx4 on Sunday, August 10, 2008 - 01:50 am:

I love the Olympics--Beijing or elsewhere. And will watch as much of it as I get a chance to.
But the controversy is multifaceted. The dictatorship (maybe not the correct word), the cruelty and suppression of other religions and in particular Christians, human rights issues, the fact that so much money is being funneled into the country that may ultimately be used in subversive ways, the censorship of the media including folks own e-mails from China to elsewhere. Google something like China or Beijing Olympic Controversy and read the various articles that pop up. But I keep thinking about the fact that I don't always agree with my public leaders who may thought of as animals by foreigners. And I wouldn't want to be judged by their character. I know that there have to be wonderful, good Chinese people just like anywhere else. So I'm trying to not get to bogged down in the controversy.

But I still love the Olympics. I was too tired to watch all of the Opening Ceremony.

By Reds9298 on Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 03:14 pm:

I think it's a bummer that many of the big events are on so LATE! DH is commuting 3 hrs/day and goes to bed early. I've been doing nothing but packing, so I'm in bed not long after him. Natalie hasn't gotten to watch any of the gymnastics because it's so late, which is a bummer, too. The coverage is 5 min. of an event then 10min. of commercials. I feel like we're just watching commercials most of the time. We're big Olympics fans and get excited about it every 4 years, then to have coverage that we don't like is frustrating.

By Dawnk777 on Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 06:17 pm:

Could you be recording it, so you could watch it at a different time? I'm sorry about that.

By Debbie on Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 06:37 pm:

We have been recording it. With school starting next week, the boys have been going to bed earlier. And, we have been doing a lot the last week, so I am tired. I have been falling asleep before they are over. So, we record the last half, and watch it the next day.

By Karen~admin on Friday, August 15, 2008 - 10:22 am:

Check out the Michael Phelps 12000 calorie diet.

OMGosh.

By Karen~admin on Friday, August 15, 2008 - 10:24 am:

And speaking of Michael Phelps.......have you guys been watching him??? WOW! He is just so powerful in the water.

My other *most favorite* - Misty May and Kerri Walsh!!! What a team!

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, August 16, 2008 - 01:07 am:

Wow, what did you think of Phelps tonight? He won by 1/100th of a second, because the other guy glided, probably thinking the wall was closer!

The look on his mother's face, was priceless, like she couldn't believe his eyes.

Then I saw Mark Spitz on the tv, and thought, ohmigosh, he's old, but so am I! LOL! I couldn't believe the gray hair.

In 1972, when he won his seven medals, I was only 12 and he was 22. I'm sure I thought he was hot! LOL! However, now I'm 48 and he's 58! LOL!

By Karen~admin on Saturday, August 16, 2008 - 10:09 am:

He was incredible!

Hey - don't call Mark Spitz OLD - I am turning 53 in a few weeks! ROFL

By Dawnk777 on Saturday, August 16, 2008 - 11:51 pm:

I know, but compared to how he looked at 22, and not seeing much of him for 36 years and now his hair is all gray! LOL! I was shocked. For me, he aged suddenly, not day-by-day like me! LOL! Maybe I should say he doesn't look 22 anymore!

By Karen~admin on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 08:32 pm:

Yeah, I know what you mean - I honestly didn't even recognize him when I saw him on TV recently. I think the fact that he doesn't have his mustache now was one reason. But yes, it's a big stretch, from the thick, dark hair he had, to the steely gray hair he now has.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, August 17, 2008 - 10:30 pm:

Yes, it is! I had to go look up his picture on the internet, to see what he used to look like. Hubby turns 50, in October and he's gotten a lot more gray, just recently.

By Colette on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 09:38 am:

Phelps was amazing. His mother looked so proud. I watched some of the cycling yesterday too.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 10:17 am:

She looks like a great mom and I bet she's a great school principal, too. I saw his sisters yesterday, on TV. They also look pretty proud.

By Marie on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 10:51 am:

has anyone been watching the gymnastics they are saying the girls from China are not no where near 16. Dh and I have been watching the events and I have to say they don't look at all 16 but Chinese women to me look alot younger than what they are but I did notice last night when they were doing the metals that the Chinese girl smiled and from what I could tell she looked like she still had baby teeth. I know its weird but how her teeth are reminded me of dd who is 10 it just looked the same. Just had me thinking. I love the olympics its. What I like to see is a country who has never won a medal win one.

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, August 19, 2008 - 03:48 pm:

I thought they looked young, too.

By Imamommyx4 on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 - 10:26 am:

Back to Mark Spitz--I was 10 and I do remember thinking he was cute and I had a huge crush. When I saw him being interviewed with Michael Phelps, I couldn't believe who he was. I could not see the 22 yo there. Too bad I still look exactly the same.
NOT!!!!!

By Colette on Monday, August 25, 2008 - 09:40 am:

This is kind of weird, I just found out that Mark Spitz's mother lives in the little town right next to me.

By Dawnk777 on Monday, August 25, 2008 - 11:02 am:

Wow!