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 Vancouver 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vancouver 2010. 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.
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