Opening Ceremony: Finally

[candall]

4 minutes ago, Mirabelle said:

From Today.com:

"Next, five large wooden rings, each more than 12 feet wide, were carried onstage and surrounded by paper lanterns. The rings were made out of lumber from trees that were planted by athletes who participated in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, when competitors from each participating country brought seeds to Tokyo to be planted as commemorative trees. As the trees grew, they were relocated to different areas in Japan so that they could grow. The five rings were then pulled together to form the iconic Olympic Rings."

 

It sounds to me like there are multiple forests growing from the seeds those athletes brought so Japan didn't cut down all the trees. 

Thank you for fleshing that out a bit.

To me, Olympic Rings composed of the wood grown from those 1964 seeds constitutes a charming and poignant callback.  All those tables, mmm, unnecessary arboreal sacrifice.

 

(It's me.  I'm sad when almost any tree is cut.  The wildfires are unbearable.)

[Jane Tuesday]

I always love the parade of nations and the lighting of the cauldron, but the rest of it just goes on too long. I'm sure it's great in person, but after awhile it loses me.

Nothing against Naomi Osaka, but I thought she was a bit of a disappointing choice. For me, the Olympics is all about shining a spotlight on athletes who usually don't get any attention, and I like the when the cauldron lighter is from an obscure sport. Like, "you've never heard of this person, but she became a host country hero after winning the first gold medal in pairs underwater trampoline."

The two people with one flag thing was ridiculous. Nice idea, but nobody thought through the execution. Are they doing two for the closing ceremony? 

[legaleagle53]

4 minutes ago, Jane Tuesday said:

The two people with one flag thing was ridiculous. Nice idea, but nobody thought through the execution. Are they doing two for the closing ceremony? 

There isn't a Parade of Nations for the closing ceremony as there is for the opening ceremony. The athletes all enter the stadium as one body instead of formally marching in by country, in order to emphasize the concept of world unity. So there would be no need for individual flag bearers for the closing ceremony.

[Daisy]

31 minutes ago, Jane Tuesday said:

Nothing against Naomi Osaka, but I thought she was a bit of a disappointing choice. For me, the Olympics is all about shining a spotlight on athletes who usually don't get any attention, and I like the when the cauldron lighter is from an obscure sport. Like, "you've never heard of this person, but she became a host country hero after winning the first gold medal in pairs underwater trampoline."

That's true, but also also the Cauldron lighter is also someone who did amazing things in sport for their country period (or even lives in that City) Like in Vancouver (where they had 4), - it was Steve Nash - arguably our biggest superstar period in basketball and he lived in Vancouver, Catriona Le May Doan (our first athlete to win back to back gold medals in the Olympics), Nancy Greene (Canada's first gold medalist in alpine skiing  and she lived in BC), and Wayne Gretzky - and I'm pretty sure that's obvious why he was chosen.

I know a lot of people were thinking the Cauldron lighter would have been the Japanese guy who recently won the Masters because that was a huge thing and Japan went nuts after that but I guess since they are pushing the gender equality thing they wanted to use Osaka (and being the first Asian to be World #1 in Singles, First Japanese player to win a GS etc) that's pretty huge for sport in Japan too and earned it based on that and not just because she's a biracial woman. 

 

(but for the record i do get you ). 

[Vermicious Knid]

Somebody asked about the music? Yes, for the Parade of Nations it was all from video games. Even though they all run out onto the field at the Closing ceremony there's always flagbearers. Simone Biles did it in 2016.

I like that many delegations had all the athletes in identical outfits, men and women. Belgium look like they're wearing pajamas. Ukraine had fanny packs. Ralph Lauren is so staid, it's time to get a different designer for the US.

I'm...at a loss to explain those wigs in the 'unity' dance portion. No idea what that was supposed to be. Drone sphere was very, very cool. I don't hate Imagine, but the choral part was clearly being sung by people with little grasp of English. Angelique Kidjo is a goddess and if you're not familiar with her look her up now. And Keith Urban representing Oceania, really? Why not say, Jemaine Clement.

The pictograms being acted out IRL was fun. I was thinking it was odd there wasn't any kind of blessing ceremony, and then there it was. Kabuki and piano, not something I would have put together. Man, Sadaharu Oh is not in good shape. I do like the cauldron.

[Quof]

4 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

She should have said that in the beginning.

That's the way it is done at every Olympics, ever - the language of the host country.  

[Bill1978]

3 hours ago, Jane Tuesday said:

you've never heard of this person, but she became a host country hero after winning the first gold medal in pairs underwater trampoline."

I'm gonna start lobbying for this sport to be added to the Brisbane Games.

[NowVoyager]

Aww... I just love the Parade of Nations! A bit sad for the athletes to not have live spectators cheering, but... pandemic. It always tickles me so, how each country has their own personalities--- some are so elegant & dignified, while others are so boisterous, lol!

Stayed up past my bedtime. I'll be a bit sleepy at work tomorrow. I was 👀 on the lookout for Tonga... Mmm... 😊 Worth it!!!

Edited July 24, 2021 by NowVoyager

[nickp1991]

I will protect pictogram person at all costs

[SnideAsides]

5 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

And Keith Urban representing Oceania, really? Why not say, Jemaine Clement.

Requested by the Australian broadcaster (who have one of the most expensive broadcast rights deals after NBC and Eurosport) because he's judging the local version of The Voice immediately after the games.

 

...No. I'm not kidding.

[blueray]

I caught most of this last night when it re-aired. I will say I enjoyed the performances especially the guy acting out all the sports images. 

The biggest complaint I had was the NBC feed (my only option at the time). Seriously, it's one thing to be patriotic but it was way over the top this year. The female announcer (didn't catch her name) was trying to make a us connection with every single country/athlete. To point where she barely talked about them at all or if she did she would say something mildly offensive. 

The worse was when they showed them on the bus. Interrupted the countries coming in (put them in a small square). My husband and I started making fun of how rediculus it was. Like how they'll show the driver park and them walk out. Tell us who was last off. It was really stupid.

Anyhow, Japan did a great job. And on a serious note I was shocked and emotional when they acknowledged the Israel Athletes :(. 

Edited July 24, 2021 by blueray

[Guest]

9 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

There isn't a Parade of Nations for the closing ceremony as there is for the opening ceremony. The athletes all enter the stadium as one body instead of formally marching in by country, in order to emphasize the concept of world unity. So there would be no need for individual flag bearers for the closing ceremony.

While most of the athletes do enter as one in the Closing Ceremony, I'm pretty sure there is still a procession of just the flag bearers (though often different people from the ones who carried the flags at the Opening Ceremony). They don't announce them one by one, but they march in in sequence and stand there holding the flags for awhile.

[Quof]

There are flagbearers for each country at the Closing Ceremony, all different people than the Opening Ceremony, usually someone who had a moment during the Games (not necessarily a gold medal, or even any medal at all). I recall there being issues with those countries that have only 1 athlete.   

[legaleagle53]

1 hour ago, tracyscott76 said:

While most of the athletes do enter as one in the Closing Ceremony, I'm pretty sure there is still a procession of just the flag bearers (though often different people from the ones who carried the flags at the Opening Ceremony). They don't announce them one by one, but they march in in sequence and stand there holding the flags for awhile.

You're right; I had forgotten about that part. Once again, i stand corrected!

[SnarkShark]

Stupid Peacock.  The replay of this is paid tier only. 

[Lady Whistleup]

I expect this year's closing ceremony will be very sparsely attended.

[ombelico]

1 hour ago, Quof said:

There are flagbearers for each country at the Closing Ceremony, all different people than the Opening Ceremony, usually someone who had a moment during the Games (not necessarily a gold medal, or even any medal at all). I recall there being issues with those countries that have only 1 athlete.   

Yes, for example Simone Biles (definitely the breakout star) was the USA flagbearer for the Closing Ceremonies in Rio. I'm not sure it's an official requirement that the flagbearers for the two ceremonies are different people, though. But for a huge team like USA it would be silly for the same person to do it both times.

[CrazyInAlabama]

I think one reason for different flag bearers at opening and closing is that many athletes leave after their events are completed.      

[Haleth]

19 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

During the parade of nations, there was a country called Eswatini and I was stumped because I'd never heard of it.  I looked it up and it was Swaziland until it was renamed in 2018.  So at least I learned something, lol.

I googled Eswatini too!

The order of the parade of nations is always based on the local language. I was sort of amused by how random it seemed based on English spelling.

I loved the pictograms!  That was so cleverly done. And the jazz pianist (juxtaposed with the Kabuki actor) was amazing!  The whole post parade performance was well done. I wonder if the original plan was to have Legend and Urban (or other singers?) there in person. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

The order of the parade of nations is always based on the local language. I was sort of amused by how random it seemed based on English spelling.

I was sort of enjoying trying to figure out the pattern, which in many cases seemed to be based on phonetics. Like, the A's, I's and Y's were all together, the C's, K's, and G's, and so on. But then North Macedonia showed up somewhere completely unexpected, and I was stumped.

I know NBC likes to focus on Team USA, and to an extent, I get it and don't mind. But that 5 minute pre-taped bit with The Rock telling us how awesome Team USA was, right before they walked in, was REALLY over the top. My goodness.

[legaleagle53]

1 minute ago, tracyscott76 said:

I was sort of enjoying trying to figure out the pattern, which in many cases seemed to be based on phonetics. Like, the A's, I's and Y's were all together, the C's, K's, and G's, and so on. But then North Macedonia showed up somewhere completely unexpected, and I was stumped.

I had a hard time remembering the order of the Japanese syllabary, and then I noticed that the entrance order was slightly out of the order as I remember learning it. One thing that may help is knowing that Japanese actually uses three different sets of characters in writing: Hiragana (used for spelling out verb endings), Katakana (used for writing foreign words phonetically), and Kanji (Japanese pictographs that were imported from Chinese centuries ago, each with one or more different "readings" or pronunciations that are usually also spelled out alongside the Kanji in writing). The Japanese-language placards last night were mostly written in Katakana with a few Kanji mixed in. That was the case with North Macedonia.

[Minneapple]

15 hours ago, Jane Tuesday said:

Nothing against Naomi Osaka, but I thought she was a bit of a disappointing choice. For me, the Olympics is all about shining a spotlight on athletes who usually don't get any attention, and I like the when the cauldron lighter is from an obscure sport. Like, "you've never heard of this person, but she became a host country hero after winning the first gold medal in pairs underwater trampoline."

My favorite cauldron lightings were in Atlanta with Muhammad Ali. Gave me chills when they gave him a new medal to replace his old one. And the 1980 US Olympic team lighting the cauldron in Salt Lake. Very cool.

[Vermicious Knid]

Eswatini - The world's last absolute monarchy.

Didn't notice the Rock. Must have been one of the parts I fast-forwarded through.

Cauldron lighting...who could forget all those poor doves roasted in Seoul. Seriously, that's the first thing that comes to mind for me.

[MaryMitch]

The pictogram segment from the opening ceremony is on youtube:

 

[ferjy]

27 minutes ago, MaryMitch said:

The pictogram segment from the opening ceremony is on youtube

Unfortunetely NBC blocks out of U.S. viewing. Here's another that should work in other countries.

 

[ferjy]

15 hours ago, Vermicious Knid said:

Belgium look like they're wearing pajamas.

lol Loungewear. They looked comfy.

 

[Ceindreadh]

35 minutes ago, ferjy said:

Unfortunetely NBC blocks out of U.S. viewing. Here's another that should work in other countries.

 

That was super cool!

[Bill1978]

11 hours ago, SnideAsides said:

Requested by the Australian broadcaster (who have one of the most expensive broadcast rights deals after NBC and Eurosport) because he's judging the local version of The Voice immediately after the games.

Not joking, when the song finished one of the Aussie commentators said 'Wow! I was not expecting that. I was not expecting to be watching the opening ceremony in Tokyo and see The Voice's Keith Urban perform. Incredible'

[AuntieDiane6]

18 hours ago, legaleagle53 said:

There isn't a Parade of Nations for the closing ceremony as there is for the opening ceremony. The athletes all enter the stadium as one body instead of formally marching in by country, in order to emphasize the concept of world unity. So there would be no need for individual flag bearers for the closing ceremony.

You're wrong.  The flags all come in TOGETHER and the honor of flag bearer often goes to an outstanding athlete from that country.  In Rio, the US Closing Ceremony flag bearer was SIMONE BILES.

Edited July 25, 2021 by AuntieDiane6

[legaleagle53]

17 minutes ago, AuntieDiane6 said:

You're wrong.  The flags all come in TOGETHER and the honor of flag bearer often goes to an outstanding athlete from that country.  In Rio, the US Closing Ceremony flag bearer was SIMONE BILES.

And I already admitted that I was wrong.

[Darian]

I realize I watched as a medically fragile person who had to lock down harder than the average person and who may be one of those who got vaccinated but didn't get protection from the shot, but after seeing enough poor mask-wearing and even one or two athletes without masks, I started calling it the Parade of Nostrils. I know most were properly masked, but still, at this point, if you can't or won't wear a mask properly where it's required, you should be booted. 

Glad I stuck it out long enough to see Naomi Osaka, though.   

 

[InDueTime]

However people may feel about the Opening Ceremony, it was definitely different.  According to these articles, if COVID-19 wasn't an issue, among other scandals, it would've been something completely different that what was presented:

https://aramajapan.com/news/plans-for-the-original-tokyo-2020-opening-ceremony-leak/112714/

https://archive.is/fyhh3

[ChiCricket]

On 7/23/2021 at 9:48 AM, Good Queen Jane said:

Pita has competition.

 

[Leeds]

On 7/23/2021 at 12:58 PM, legaleagle53 said:

I remember watching London's and thinking, "Two thousand years of history, literature, and culture to choose from, and they went with THAT?"

Stonehenge dates back around 5,000 years.

On 7/23/2021 at 4:34 PM, crimsongrl said:

 

My biggest complaints were for NBC. Was the music NBCs doing? It was way too loud. Team USA bus cam (why?), Team USA interviews during the parade of nations (you have 2 weeks to talk to these people!) and too many mentions of Michael Phelps (and I like him!).

Nothing new here.  A couple of years after I moved to the States I bought a TV so I could watch the Olympics.  I was horrified by the terrible coverage.  It was the year of Mary Decker and Zola Budd, and once Mary Decker went down NBC ignored the actual race and just showed Decker.

 

[legaleagle53]

8 hours ago, Leeds said:

Stonehenge dates back around 5,000 years.

On 7/23/2021 at 4:34 PM, crimsongrl said:

I was only thinking in terms of London's history. It was founded by the Romans about 2100 years ago.

[proserpina65]

On 7/24/2021 at 12:45 AM, legaleagle53 said:

I agree. Besides, I HATE "Imagine." I'd much rather they'd used "We Are the World."

Ugh, I hate that song.  It's treacly dreck.