Maybe it's as simple as the difference between hello and goodbye.
But the emotions inside churn so differently when one watches an opening ceremony and a closing ceremony at the Olympic Games. And it doesn't seem to matter where they're held.
The opening is filled with grandeur and hope and wonder about the magic to come. The closing, at least in these eyes, rings with a bit of sadness for the end of something special but mixed with memories that figure to endure for many years afterward.
Ask the athletes and most will place the opening ceremony near the top of their personal Olympic highlight reel (assuming they were a part of it). The closing? That's a well-deserved party after so many weeks and months of sacrifice leading up to this moment.
For many of them, Olympic withdrawal figures to last for a little while yet.
"You've been to Disneyland for a month," Canadian gymnast Kyle Shewfelt told the CBC's Mark Kelley in an interesting 'what's next' feature earlier tonight. "Then you get home and there's no more Mickey Mouse."
Memories? We've had a few. No doubt we won't soon forget the performances of Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt, the two undisputed biggest stars of Beijing 2008. Canadians will embrace their 18 Olympic medallists, most notably the golden men's rowing eights, wrestler Carol Huynh (a genuine, lovable champ) and equestrian Eric Lamaze, whose incredible tale of redemption figures to be movie material soon enough.
Mostly, though, these Games were about China, a historically reclusive nation that has now officially opened its doors to the world. We read and heard many tales of the friendliness of the people in the host country and if this is China's true face, then the rest of the world is better off today for being introduced to it.
Here's hoping that the rest of the world has made an impression on China, too, and that these Olympics will be a springboard to a better, harmonious future for us all (a naive thought, yes, but it's always nice to dream).
For the first time in Olympic history, China topped the gold-medal list at the Summer Olympics. It is a rather safe bet that this is just the beginning of their dominance.
Now, though, another emotion: Excitement. The next Olympics are ours, the Winter Games of 2010 in Vancouver-Whistler. Yes, the summer torch was officially passed to London 2012 at tonight's closing. But before then, in less than 18 months, the flame will be lit one more time in one of the planet's most beautiful cities. It should be a source of great Canadian pride.
Don't know about you, but I can't wait to welcome the rest of the world to the place we call home.
This blog takes a well-deserved rest for a bit, and thanks to any and all who joined us for the ride. But we'll be with you on the road to Vancouver every now and then. Tag along with us on the way there, won't you?
Showing posts with label London 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label London 2012. Show all posts
Sunday, August 24, 2008
The Torch Is Passed
Au revoir, CBC. Bonjour TSN, Rogers Sportsnet and CTV.
Tucked among the many retrospectives aired tonight during CBC's final telecast from the Beijing Games was a tribute to CBC's Olympic coverage over the years. With images from Tokyo 1964 all the way to this week, it almost played like a farewell concerto.
As most of you no doubt know, CBC's grip on Olympic rights ended this evening. When the five-ring circus opens for business again in less than 18 months — yes, Vancouver, that's how close the 2010 Winter Games are now — you'll see broadcast coverage presented by a CTV Globemedia/Rogers consortium that most prominently features TSN, CTV and Sportsnet. They'll be back two years later to do it all over again in London for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
We've said it before but it bears repeating once more. While many across our land have lobbed bombs (and justifiably so, at times) in the CBC's direction for some of its bungles in recent years, its Olympic work is generally worthy of our acclaim. They took it to a new level in Beijing, presenting the first full high-definition Games and offering Canadians a wealth of viewing options online.
Tonight's tribute video featured a number of CBC voices we've come to know so well over the years including, interestingly enough, Brian Williams and Chris Cuthbert, now CBC alumni who will be back on the Olympic job in Vancouver. Maybe their appearance was a subtle way of passing the broadcast torch to their competition.
Beijing 2008 introduced us to some new Olympic TV faces, including Diana Swain and Ian Hanomansing — two anchors brought over from CBC's news side who acquitted themselves admirably. It'll be interesting to see if some of the CBC talent, both new and old, employed at the Olympics over the years might find a home with the other guys from now on.
The word is CBC intends to push hard to regain Olympic rights in 2014, the next Games still available (in Sochi, Russia). If Chicago wins the 2016 Summer Olympics, those broadcast rights figure to become much more pricey.
That's a story that still remains to be told. For the CBC, though, it's farewell to the Games.
We'll see soon enough how much they'll be missed. And if and when they'll be back.
Tucked among the many retrospectives aired tonight during CBC's final telecast from the Beijing Games was a tribute to CBC's Olympic coverage over the years. With images from Tokyo 1964 all the way to this week, it almost played like a farewell concerto.
As most of you no doubt know, CBC's grip on Olympic rights ended this evening. When the five-ring circus opens for business again in less than 18 months — yes, Vancouver, that's how close the 2010 Winter Games are now — you'll see broadcast coverage presented by a CTV Globemedia/Rogers consortium that most prominently features TSN, CTV and Sportsnet. They'll be back two years later to do it all over again in London for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
We've said it before but it bears repeating once more. While many across our land have lobbed bombs (and justifiably so, at times) in the CBC's direction for some of its bungles in recent years, its Olympic work is generally worthy of our acclaim. They took it to a new level in Beijing, presenting the first full high-definition Games and offering Canadians a wealth of viewing options online.
Tonight's tribute video featured a number of CBC voices we've come to know so well over the years including, interestingly enough, Brian Williams and Chris Cuthbert, now CBC alumni who will be back on the Olympic job in Vancouver. Maybe their appearance was a subtle way of passing the broadcast torch to their competition.
Beijing 2008 introduced us to some new Olympic TV faces, including Diana Swain and Ian Hanomansing — two anchors brought over from CBC's news side who acquitted themselves admirably. It'll be interesting to see if some of the CBC talent, both new and old, employed at the Olympics over the years might find a home with the other guys from now on.
The word is CBC intends to push hard to regain Olympic rights in 2014, the next Games still available (in Sochi, Russia). If Chicago wins the 2016 Summer Olympics, those broadcast rights figure to become much more pricey.
That's a story that still remains to be told. For the CBC, though, it's farewell to the Games.
We'll see soon enough how much they'll be missed. And if and when they'll be back.
Friday, August 22, 2008
CBC's Run Almost Done
You've no doubt heard it said plenty over the past dozen years or so.
"CBC Sports. Canada's Olympic Network."
In less than 48 hours, the folks who run the Mother Corp. will have to retire that moniker for at least another six years. When the flame goes out in Beijing on Sunday, it's curtains for CBC's run as the Olympic broadcaster of record in Canada.
The world's athletes next gather in two years time in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games and we'll see coverage presented by a CTV Globemedia/Rogers Communications consortium that will put the Olympics primarily on TSN, Sportsnet and CTV. They'll have a second go at it again in 2012 for the London Summer Olympics.
CBC has avoided — so far, at least — getting all sentimental about the fact that they're losing the grip on Canadian Olympic broadcast rights that they've held since 1996 in Atlanta. Beijing 2008 marks the end of a five-Games partnership with TSN that has supplied Canadians with comprehensive Olympic coverage (further enhanced this year with hundreds of hours of online broadcasts).
Sunday at 6 p.m., CBC begins its Beijing swan song and it intends to include a retrospective of its Olympic coverage over the past 12 years. To hear the higher-ups there tell it, though, the public broadcaster intends to push hard to get back into the Olympic game in 2014 (there's a strong belief that its just-approved digital channel, CBC Sports Plus, will be a key weapon in a future bid to combat the CTV/Rogers group).
But that's for another day. If you're a fan of the way CBC presents Olympics (and there is a lot to like about their live-emphasis programming), enjoy what's left of Beijing. It'll going to be a little while before we see the likes of it again.
"CBC Sports. Canada's Olympic Network."
In less than 48 hours, the folks who run the Mother Corp. will have to retire that moniker for at least another six years. When the flame goes out in Beijing on Sunday, it's curtains for CBC's run as the Olympic broadcaster of record in Canada.
The world's athletes next gather in two years time in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games and we'll see coverage presented by a CTV Globemedia/Rogers Communications consortium that will put the Olympics primarily on TSN, Sportsnet and CTV. They'll have a second go at it again in 2012 for the London Summer Olympics.
CBC has avoided — so far, at least — getting all sentimental about the fact that they're losing the grip on Canadian Olympic broadcast rights that they've held since 1996 in Atlanta. Beijing 2008 marks the end of a five-Games partnership with TSN that has supplied Canadians with comprehensive Olympic coverage (further enhanced this year with hundreds of hours of online broadcasts).
Sunday at 6 p.m., CBC begins its Beijing swan song and it intends to include a retrospective of its Olympic coverage over the past 12 years. To hear the higher-ups there tell it, though, the public broadcaster intends to push hard to get back into the Olympic game in 2014 (there's a strong belief that its just-approved digital channel, CBC Sports Plus, will be a key weapon in a future bid to combat the CTV/Rogers group).
But that's for another day. If you're a fan of the way CBC presents Olympics (and there is a lot to like about their live-emphasis programming), enjoy what's left of Beijing. It'll going to be a little while before we see the likes of it again.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Silver Salute For Captain Canada
The ninth time really was the charm for Ian Millar.
But amidst the celebrations with Jill Henselwood, Eric Lamaze and Mac Cone — who combined to bring Canada a silver medal in team showjumping, the country's first medal of any colour in that event in 40 years — it was a bittersweet time for the 61-year-old Olympic veteran lovingly known as Captain Canada in the equestrian world.
Millar, if you didn't know, competed with a heavy heart at these Beijing Games. Cancer took away his wife, Lynn, earlier this year, but Millar felt her every step of the way at the Shatin Hong Kong Olympic equestrian venue.
"This one's for Lynn," a teary Millar told reporters after the Canadians had dropped a dramatic jump-off to the U.S. for the gold. "I had an angel riding with me, that's all I can say."
With a record nine Olympics under his belt, going all the way back to Munich 1972 (it would be an even 10 save for the boycotted Moscow Games of 1980), Millar had accomplished just about everything in the sport that has been his life. All that was missing was an Olympic medal and there were two earlier close calls, in Seoul in 1998 and Los Angeles four years earlier, when Canadian showjumping teams finished fourth both times.
There was no denying the riders wearing the red maple leaf this time.
"What a team," Millar told CBC's Erin Paul in the moments after the silver had been clinched. "I've been on many fine teams but this was real fine, this one."
Call it one of the greatest testaments to perseverance ever.
"I remember back in the early '70s when I had a disastrous Grand Prix, my wife, Lynn, said to me, 'Don't worry, you're going to be a late bloomer,' " said Millar. "That's what she said to me and I've always held that thought. And so the Olympics don't go well and I'd say, 'Lynn said I'm a late bloomer. I'll go to the next one.'
"And sure enough, guess what happened? I bloomed."
Millar might not be done yet. He has spoken of the dream of riding with his two children, Jonathan and Amy, at the London 2012 Games. It isn't beyond the realm of possibility.
But before then, here's one more honour Millar deserves. No matter what happens the rest of these Games in Beijing, the Canadian Olympic Committee should hand the flag to our grandest Olympian of them all for Sunday's closing ceremony.
Nobody would be prouder to do it for Canada, a country he has always represented with the utmost of pride.
And for the "angel" who has been his biggest fan and inspiration every step of the way.
But amidst the celebrations with Jill Henselwood, Eric Lamaze and Mac Cone — who combined to bring Canada a silver medal in team showjumping, the country's first medal of any colour in that event in 40 years — it was a bittersweet time for the 61-year-old Olympic veteran lovingly known as Captain Canada in the equestrian world.
Millar, if you didn't know, competed with a heavy heart at these Beijing Games. Cancer took away his wife, Lynn, earlier this year, but Millar felt her every step of the way at the Shatin Hong Kong Olympic equestrian venue.
"This one's for Lynn," a teary Millar told reporters after the Canadians had dropped a dramatic jump-off to the U.S. for the gold. "I had an angel riding with me, that's all I can say."
With a record nine Olympics under his belt, going all the way back to Munich 1972 (it would be an even 10 save for the boycotted Moscow Games of 1980), Millar had accomplished just about everything in the sport that has been his life. All that was missing was an Olympic medal and there were two earlier close calls, in Seoul in 1998 and Los Angeles four years earlier, when Canadian showjumping teams finished fourth both times.
There was no denying the riders wearing the red maple leaf this time.
"What a team," Millar told CBC's Erin Paul in the moments after the silver had been clinched. "I've been on many fine teams but this was real fine, this one."
Call it one of the greatest testaments to perseverance ever.
"I remember back in the early '70s when I had a disastrous Grand Prix, my wife, Lynn, said to me, 'Don't worry, you're going to be a late bloomer,' " said Millar. "That's what she said to me and I've always held that thought. And so the Olympics don't go well and I'd say, 'Lynn said I'm a late bloomer. I'll go to the next one.'
"And sure enough, guess what happened? I bloomed."
Millar might not be done yet. He has spoken of the dream of riding with his two children, Jonathan and Amy, at the London 2012 Games. It isn't beyond the realm of possibility.
But before then, here's one more honour Millar deserves. No matter what happens the rest of these Games in Beijing, the Canadian Olympic Committee should hand the flag to our grandest Olympian of them all for Sunday's closing ceremony.
Nobody would be prouder to do it for Canada, a country he has always represented with the utmost of pride.
And for the "angel" who has been his biggest fan and inspiration every step of the way.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
A Long Stride Toward London
We've heard all about the raft of Canadian records, the number of swimmers making finals, the reasons why Beijing has been so much better than the misery of Athens.
With Ryan Cochrane's bronze medal in the gruelling 1,500-metre freestyle at the Water Cube tonight now in the books, is it time finally to believe that Canada's swimming team is back on the road to Olympic respectability?
Canadians watching back home surely have reason to think so now. They didn't want to hear about national records and personal bests. Everyone, you see, has been swimming faster in the Beijing Olympics pool.
A medal, though? That's pretty much impossible to overlook. And who knew, coming into these Games, that Canada's first Olympic swimming medal in eight years would come from Cochrane, a 19-year-old from Victoria who was targeted for such a feat at London 2012.
Apparently, the kid just didn't want to wait. He lowered his personal-best time by 10 seconds in the heats two days ago and kept it going tonight, becoming the first Canadian in 88 years to win a medal in the marathon of the Olympic swim competition (George Vernot grabbed a silver back in 1920 in Antwerp, if you're wondering).
"A lot of people said 2012 would be my big Olympics," Cochrane told CBC after the race. "But the time is now and I did what I could to get a medal."
CBC swimming analyst Byron MacDonald predicted Canadians should get used to hearing Cochrane's name over the next four years.
"Ryan Cochrane will definitely be around for the next quadrennial as a favourite for the podium in every race he goes to," said MacDonald.
He might have company from a group of young swimmers poised to enter their primes.
"We've come a long way (since Athens) and we've got a long way to go," Julia Wilkinson told CBC's Elliotte Friedman after the women's 4x100-metre medley relay. "But we're going."
All the way to jolly old London, they'll tell you. It should be a fun ride until then.
*****
Cochrane's medal gives Canada a total of four (one gold, one silver, two bronze) in Beijing.
Don't be surprised if that total doubles before you wake up Sunday morning, with our gang in position for another hardware haul at the rowing and wrestling venues.
Maybe we really are a second-week team at the Summer Olympics after all.
With Ryan Cochrane's bronze medal in the gruelling 1,500-metre freestyle at the Water Cube tonight now in the books, is it time finally to believe that Canada's swimming team is back on the road to Olympic respectability?
Canadians watching back home surely have reason to think so now. They didn't want to hear about national records and personal bests. Everyone, you see, has been swimming faster in the Beijing Olympics pool.
A medal, though? That's pretty much impossible to overlook. And who knew, coming into these Games, that Canada's first Olympic swimming medal in eight years would come from Cochrane, a 19-year-old from Victoria who was targeted for such a feat at London 2012.
Apparently, the kid just didn't want to wait. He lowered his personal-best time by 10 seconds in the heats two days ago and kept it going tonight, becoming the first Canadian in 88 years to win a medal in the marathon of the Olympic swim competition (George Vernot grabbed a silver back in 1920 in Antwerp, if you're wondering).
"A lot of people said 2012 would be my big Olympics," Cochrane told CBC after the race. "But the time is now and I did what I could to get a medal."
CBC swimming analyst Byron MacDonald predicted Canadians should get used to hearing Cochrane's name over the next four years.
"Ryan Cochrane will definitely be around for the next quadrennial as a favourite for the podium in every race he goes to," said MacDonald.
He might have company from a group of young swimmers poised to enter their primes.
"We've come a long way (since Athens) and we've got a long way to go," Julia Wilkinson told CBC's Elliotte Friedman after the women's 4x100-metre medley relay. "But we're going."
All the way to jolly old London, they'll tell you. It should be a fun ride until then.
*****
Cochrane's medal gives Canada a total of four (one gold, one silver, two bronze) in Beijing.
Don't be surprised if that total doubles before you wake up Sunday morning, with our gang in position for another hardware haul at the rowing and wrestling venues.
Maybe we really are a second-week team at the Summer Olympics after all.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Here We Go Again
Looks like your faithful Olympic correspondent spoke a little too soon, wondering the other day about the absence of the 'where the hell are the Canadian medals' debate.
As you can see here, it's in full roar already. And we figure it's only just begun.
The mentality of it all, quite frankly, makes me want to throw up.
We went through all of this in Athens and here we're at it again. Five days into Beijing 2008 and there's still a goose egg beside Canada on the medal count table. All of which, it seems, is the cue for way too many people to jump on the "we suck" bandwagon.
The majority of whom, it must be said, don't give a rat's ass about amateur sports for three years and 50 weeks or so -- and yes, this includes plenty of the media contingent in China at this moment -- but now suddenly, they're freakin' experts on all of this. And leading the charge to pile on our athletes when they fall short of the podium.
Sickening doesn't begin to describe this kind of attitude.
Let's start this blame game by asking this: What did any of you do to help our athletes' cause? Did you contribute $8 (yes, eight measly bucks) to CAN Fund's Beijing challenge? Yeah, it doesn't sound like much, but multiply that by the more than 30 million people who call Canada home and ... well, you do the math.
Eight freakin' dollars.
Tell me again how helping our athletes is such a financial strain on us all.
It was laughable hearing a Canadian Olympic Committee executive say more money is coming into the amateur sport system in the next few months. Fat lot of good that does to help any of our athletes in Beijing (thanks a lot, federal government). It might even be too late to help for London 2012. And that's without knowing how much of it will be siphoned off by the COC and other national sport governing bodies for more needless bureaucracy.
It says here that in the mad dash to Vancouver 2010, we threw our summer sports athletes under the bus (yes, corporate Canada deserves some of the finger of guilt pointed at it, too, in this area). And yet, despite this massive lack of support, we somehow expect to see an endless parade to the medal podium.
Let me know what part of this you're not getting, people.
Whatever success we achieve in Beijing will be in spite of the system, not because of it. Tell me who in their right mind thought it was fair to pull whitewater kayaker David Ford's funding just months before these Games? He finished sixth in his event yesterday without the benefit of a pre-Olympic training camp on the Beijing course, which you know most every one of his top competitors enjoyed. Yeah, that's really standing behind our athletes.
So before you start lobbing bombs at our Beijing gang, think about all of the above.
Better yet, take a look in the mirror. Ask what you did to make a difference.
And why you only care now, when it's really much too late.
As you can see here, it's in full roar already. And we figure it's only just begun.
The mentality of it all, quite frankly, makes me want to throw up.
We went through all of this in Athens and here we're at it again. Five days into Beijing 2008 and there's still a goose egg beside Canada on the medal count table. All of which, it seems, is the cue for way too many people to jump on the "we suck" bandwagon.
The majority of whom, it must be said, don't give a rat's ass about amateur sports for three years and 50 weeks or so -- and yes, this includes plenty of the media contingent in China at this moment -- but now suddenly, they're freakin' experts on all of this. And leading the charge to pile on our athletes when they fall short of the podium.
Sickening doesn't begin to describe this kind of attitude.
Let's start this blame game by asking this: What did any of you do to help our athletes' cause? Did you contribute $8 (yes, eight measly bucks) to CAN Fund's Beijing challenge? Yeah, it doesn't sound like much, but multiply that by the more than 30 million people who call Canada home and ... well, you do the math.
Eight freakin' dollars.
Tell me again how helping our athletes is such a financial strain on us all.
It was laughable hearing a Canadian Olympic Committee executive say more money is coming into the amateur sport system in the next few months. Fat lot of good that does to help any of our athletes in Beijing (thanks a lot, federal government). It might even be too late to help for London 2012. And that's without knowing how much of it will be siphoned off by the COC and other national sport governing bodies for more needless bureaucracy.
It says here that in the mad dash to Vancouver 2010, we threw our summer sports athletes under the bus (yes, corporate Canada deserves some of the finger of guilt pointed at it, too, in this area). And yet, despite this massive lack of support, we somehow expect to see an endless parade to the medal podium.
Let me know what part of this you're not getting, people.
Whatever success we achieve in Beijing will be in spite of the system, not because of it. Tell me who in their right mind thought it was fair to pull whitewater kayaker David Ford's funding just months before these Games? He finished sixth in his event yesterday without the benefit of a pre-Olympic training camp on the Beijing course, which you know most every one of his top competitors enjoyed. Yeah, that's really standing behind our athletes.
So before you start lobbing bombs at our Beijing gang, think about all of the above.
Better yet, take a look in the mirror. Ask what you did to make a difference.
And why you only care now, when it's really much too late.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)