Vancouver Olympics

[dt_toronto_geek]

Man-o-man it was crazy out there, wish I'd have taken my camera. What is the connection to Team Canada winning gold at the Olympics & winning the World Series have to do with straight men getting naked on Yonge Street?

Edit: From the Toronto Star

It's interesting that it was like the old days when Yonge Street was the place to congregate, cruise around and generally celebrate with others after a sports win.

 

[syn]

I wish my friends and I went out to Yonge Street. Overall, I think this was a pretty good Olympics; Vancouver did a pretty good job. As for the quality of the venues, I agree with MetroMan that they were nothing spectacular.

 

[MetroMan]

Just a note: I don't question that the venues are of superior quality when it comes to their excellence in hosting the sports they were designed for. What I believe is of questionable merit is the architectural design of these venues. None of them demonstrate that Olympic ambition in pushing the boundaries. Most of them, in fact, look temporary with ugly siding and roofs that belong on a grocery store mega box.

Take BC Place. After having seen Olympic Opening and Closing ceremonies just two years earlier at the "Bird's Nest" in Beijing, Vancouver's stadium looked woefully inadequate coming across as looking like it was built in the 80's (it was) and not touched with an upgrade or refresh for these games. Was it? If they spent any money on BC Place other than for the ceremonies themselves, it didn't show.

 

[afransen]

It has a new roof. Th old one failed and collapsed.

 

[MetroMan]

That's incorrect. I did a little bit of a looking around and while one small segment of the roof collapsed and was replaced, the structure remains largely unchanged. Ironically, the stadium is due for a major upgrade but only after the Olympics. Who thought of that idea?? A new roof and other exterior improvements are due to begin construction as soon as the Paralympic games end. Interior work on the stadium's seating, concession areas and private boxes were in place for the Olympics but that did nothing to alleviate the eyesore of the dirty concrete ring underneath the -- at least interesting looking-- inflated roof.

 

[Observer Walt]

I think it was a victim of the recession and general lack of $ for things which might have been considered "non-essential". The one major venue which was completely new, the skating oval, looked magnificent.

 

[jn_12]

Not great pictures, and they certainly don't tell the whole story, but here's some from last night.

 

[CityPlaceN1]

A great time to be had last night.

 

[interchange42]

BC Place did not need any cosmetic upgrades for the Olympics: massive spending on architecture for a two-week spectacle is a waste. By far the greatest number of views of the venues were of the interiors, and as such the Richmond Oval looked quite nice indeed. It looked fine outside too. Anyway, no-one needed to focus on the buildings at these Olympics: Vancouver and Whistler's outstanding natural setting, and the incredible spirit, pride, and friendliness, was what marked these games.

All this talk here about Own The Podium. No, it did not make its stated goal. Yes, despite that, we had a wonderful showing on the podium. Scarberiankhatru is right: more funding towards athletics needs to continue to flow, but how the money is targeted needs to be re-examined. I suspect that a number of those commenting on his posts here, did not read, or at least understand, more than his opening line.

Best celebrating I witnessed last night: a crowd of university-aged kids gathered on the sidewalk at three of Bloor & Yonge's four corners, while cops staked out the northeast. Every time the scramble crossing light moved to the pedestrian phase, the kids ran out into the middle of the intersection and jumped and screamed, and then quickly returned to the sidewalk when the light when green for Yonge. Next cycle, out they went and cranked it up again. Very Canadian!

What was up with John Furlong's French? If you were going to speak in a language that you obviously did not know before a huge international television audience, wouldn't you get some lessons/coaching? Jacques Rogge had quite the poker-face while Furlong butchered his French pronunciation. And Furlong... 'The Wind Beneath Our Wings'? Please ! My ears! My bleeding ears!

Eva Avila looked terrible. While her top was simply trashy, her skirt looked like a murder of crows had been murdered to create it. Ugh.

Loved the Dartfish technology used during the games to superimpose bobsleighs on bobsleighs, skiers on skiers, and to provide side-by-side images of Virtue and Moir rotating in perfect unison during a complicated and elegant spin. Wow: gimme more dartfish! Anyone know if Dartfish images from the games are on the net?

42

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Great games with good spirits - but I have to say that in general the opening and closing ceremonies are terrible - the latter in particular almost matched the horrid Torino affair (Andrea Bocelli/Bride = BARF!). Instead of breaking sterotypes, the artistic programme served to do nothing but reinforce them. The opening of Athens 2004 is the gold standard of opening ceremonies to me and should be the model to aspire to, IMO.

That said, I am just thankful Celine isn't there.

re: architecture

I thought they handled the limitations of BC Place quite well, and the Richmond Oval is going to be a wonderful public facility after the games - besides, pharonic Olympic architecture is quite passe - even Beijing had trouble keeping their trophy Bird's Nest well used after the games.

AoD

 

[MetroMan]

Regarding BC Place, the problem was not money but timing. They're going to upgrade the place anyway. Why couldn't this have been done before the games?

I agree that the spirit of these games and the Vancouver scenery managed to fill in the space usually occupied by architectural eye candy but having their centrepiece stadium look beautiful would have been welcome -- specially if they're going to spend the money anyway.

 

[jn_12]

80% of the country watched at least part of the game yesterday. 16.6million watched on average. Most watched event ever.
Simply amazing.

 

[andomano]

Weather is a big issue in Vancouver, and this likely is why they decided to keep the stadium fully enclosed for the Olympics. Also with an enclosed stadium, the producers were able to incorporate effects that would otherwise not be able to be used in an open stadium. The only real loss for the indoor audience was they could not view the cliche fireworks.

 

[Urban Shocker]

To the ROM yesterday afternoon from about 3:30 until 5:30 - I figured it'd be nice and quiet there for a change. New installations in the Gallery of Textiles & Costume - resist dyed African and Asian textiles, and gorgeously embroidered Chinese silk and gold thread informal robes from the court of the Empress Dowager Cixi - an old queen who sure knew how to dress, bless her. I took in the new Bat Cave, which was deserted, and Dan Perjovschi: Late News at the ICC gallery.

On the subway home, crossing the Viaduct, someone shouted out that we'd won something ... and a ragged cheer went up from a few people. I got off at Chester, but it was six o'clock and the Big Carrot was just closing. A few people in cars driving along the Danforth started honking horns and shrieking and waving. By the time I'd walked half way down Logan to my place the din was widespread.

 

[T.O.ALLDAY]

Man it was so awesome going down yonge st and high fiving everyone screaming our lungs off in downtown TO. One of the best experiences of my life.