Sochi Winter Olympics Open Thread

[gam197]

more…

"The national anthem played to the crowd of 40,000 in the stadium and heard by billions more watching on television around the world was the same music played nearly 35 years ago. But the lyrics have been rewritten, with lines about “the united, mighty Soviet Union” and “the great Lenin” replaced by references to “Russia — our sacred homeland” and “wide spaces, for dreams and for living.”

nytimes.com/2014/02/08/sports/olympics/russia-opens-sochi-games-with-pageantry-and-pride.html

 

[Seamus_L]

What Christian symbols are you referring to Jharek ? I saw the onion dome of St Basil’s, but that was about it.
Overall, I thought the opening ceremonies were quite impressive, and I can appreciate the use of Tolstoy, Tchaikovsky, Gogol, etc. I just believe that coming of Christianity to Russia should have part of the display.

 

[gam197]

They a singers from a monastery, They had an representation of St Basil’s Cathedral, when they did the Cyrillic alphabet I immediately noticed what appeared to be an icon of an apostle. I think they did a decent job representing the importance of the Orthodox Church to Russia.

What is the apostle’s name? Was this a monastery group around the solo singing the national athem?

There is an article which states there were 100 religious who were there to bless the athletes.

Meanwhile, today, February 5 , the Patriarch of Moscow , Kirill is expected in Sochi to bless the athletes of the Russian national team. As RIA Novosti reports, the primate of the Orthodox will celebrate a Moleben (liturgy of intercession) in the “most Olympic” church in the region , that of the Holy Face of Christ the Saviour , in the Imeretinsky valley. The building was built specifically for the Winter Games , although local historians claim that there already was an ancient Byzantine temple on the place where this church is located, between the ninth and tenth centuries - before the baptism of Rus’. The church was consecrated on 2 February by Metropolitan Isidore of Kuban.

For Catholics there is the central parish of Sochi, dedicated to the Holy Apostles Simon and Jude, and opened in 1997.

asianews.it/news-en/Over-100-religious-at-Sochi-Olympics.-Kirill-blesses-the-athletes-30222.html

 

[M-Dent]

more…

"The national anthem played to the crowd of 40,000 in the stadium and heard by billions more watching on television around the world was the same music played nearly 35 years ago. But the lyrics have been rewritten, with lines about “the united, mighty Soviet Union” and “the great Lenin” replaced by references to “Russia — our sacred homeland” and “wide spaces, for dreams and for living.”

nytimes.com/2014/02/08/sports/olympics/russia-opens-sochi-games-with-pageantry-and-pride.html

I have major problems w/ Vladimir Putin and many Russian leaders but Putin made a good decision pushing for keeping the music for the Russian National Anthem. Alexander Alexandrov composed a powerful and beautiful melody for the anthem – captures love and pride of their country.

 

[gam197]

I guess this has been an ongoing debate/fight in Russia. It must have been very difficult for them to change their anthem

The anthem debate intensified in October 2000 when Yeltsin’s successor, Vladimir Putin, was approached by Russian athletes who were concerned that they had no words to sing for the anthem during the medal ceremonies at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. Putin brought public attention to the issue and put it before the State Council

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Anthem_of_Russia

 

[gilliam]

I tend to agree.

I really enjoyed the opening ceremonies. I thought they were tasteful and well executed; and they kept politics (both internal and external) out of them, which was a good thing.

I also tought Putin (who I personally don’t like) did a good job not stealing the show.

The monestary choir that sang the national anthem was the Sretensky Monastery Choir

 

[gam197]

Agree, it would have been disrespectful to use icons. They tried to incorporate many things into their displays, much of which went unnoticed.

They did reach out to others.

For the Jewish community 12 rabbis will available from all over the world who speak Spanish , French, English and Hebrew. The Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia has also ensured that kosher food will be served in the Olympic Village.

There are three inter-religious centers in the coastal area while there are some prayer rooms in the mountain area

.

They are also hosting the paralympic games

“Over 100 people are on duty to provide psychological and spiritual help to the participants, guests and spectators of the Games ( February 7 to 23 ) and **Paralympic Games (7-16 March)”, **the Sochi press office state

 

[YinYangMom]

Watched On-Demand (without commercials). Man, absolutely spectacular. That was very, very impressive, tastefully done, technically remarkable. One of the best I’ve seen.

 

[gilliam]

Watched On-Demand (without commercials). Man, absolutely spectacular. That was very, very impressive, tastefully done, technically remarkable. One of the best I’ve seen.

I really liked the way they did the stage. It must have been a real emersion experience for the audience in the stadium. I mentioned to my wife that if I were one of the dancers on that projected stage I think I would have vertigo

 

[Cat]

I thought the Opening Ceremonies were pretty and very interesting.

I have to admit, though, that I really dislike this multi-million dollar, Hollywood-Broadway-produced, “Blockbuster to End All Blockbusters!” approach to an Olympic Opening Ceremony.

My favorite OC of all times was 1984 Sarajevo. It was basically a very simple presentation, with the local children dancing local folk dances, and a beautiful plaintive little ballad that was translated, “Remember Sarajevo.”

The ceremony looked like it had been written and produced by local moms. Very sweet, very innocent, free of politics (at least as far as I remember)–very representative of what the Olympics are supposed to be. Full of hope and optimism and above all else, the innocence of youth.

And it worked! I remembered Sarajevo! Several years later, when the city was ravaged by war, I could still remember in my mind those innocent children dancing and that beautiful simple little song and ceremony. It’s heartbreaking to wonder how many of those children perished in the turmoil.

Sometimes simple and quiet makes more of a lasting impact than 76 trombones and one hundred pianos and one thousand drums and the latest rock band that will be totally forgotten in a few years.

Go U.S.A!
#whynotsynchro

It’s time for synchronized skating to be in the Olympics.

 

[gam197]

I thought the Opening Ceremonies were pretty and very interesting.

I have to admit, though, that I really dislike this multi-million dollar, Hollywood-Broadway-produced, “Blockbuster to End All Blockbusters!” approach to an Olympic Opening Ceremony.

My favorite OC of all times was 1984 Sarajevo. It was basically a very simple presentation, with the local children dancing local folk dances, and a beautiful plaintive little ballad that was translated, “Remember Sarajevo.”

The ceremony looked like it had been written and produced by local moms. Very sweet, very innocent, free of politics (at least as far as I remember)–very representative of what the Olympics are supposed to be. Full of hope and optimism and above all else, the innocence of youth.

And it worked! I remembered Sarajevo! Several years later, when the city was ravaged by war, I could still remember in my mind those innocent children dancing and that beautiful simple little song and ceremony. It’s heartbreaking to wonder how many of those children perished in the turmoil.

Sometimes simple and quiet makes more of a lasting impact than 76 trombones and one hundred pianos and one thousand drums and the latest rock band that will be totally forgotten in a few years.

Go U.S.A!
#whynotsynchro

It’s time for synchronized skating to be in the Olympics.

I too enjoyed the simplicity of presentation and now it does seem to have become Hollywood.

As someone pointed out on another thread, in 1984, there were no big screen TV. Today there are over a billion people watching these games. That is a vast population. So if you look at it from that view, the amount of energy and money put on this presentation is OK.

People all over the world are watching it not just Americans. The viewing audience has grown and it is free.

My family loves the Super Bowl. Football is primarily an American past time. Yet we spend a fortune on our stadium - give tax breaks and even build them.

Other countries have their favorite sports but when it comes to the Olympics, it is a world viewing audience - each nation competing. Granted some have bigger populations, spend more on sports but still each nation is represented.

 

[Seamus_L]

Getting back to team outfits. The Irish looked like they were wearing forest camouflage. The Japanese looked like meatcutters, and the Argentinians appeared ready to service jetliners.

 

[gam197]

Getting back to team outfits. The Irish looked like they were wearing forest camouflage. The Japanese looked like meatcutters, and the Argentinians appeared ready to service jetliners.

::

 

[Seamus_L]

And Great Britain looked like police.

 

[Bluesprite333]

I think it was a great opening ceremony - although NBC’s coverage has a lot to be desired. I am tired of their attempts at trying to politicize the games. They keep speaking about Russia and their propaganda - well, anyone who knows anything about US history knows we suffer from the same - so it was a bit irksome to hear the commentators go on and on about it as if we live in a nation free of it. Obviously Putin and his cronies are more obvious, but this country has guilt too. Mostly however, I really don’t see how it’s an issue at the Olympic games. The fact that NBC refused to air the IOC anti-discrimination statement tells me something too:

deadspin.com/nbc-edits-out-ioc-anti-discrimination-statement-from-op-1518727938

It’s as if that statement didn’t fall in line with NBC’s portrayal of Russia, so they decided to edit it out - so they can continue to create political rifts for their own gain. Makes you wonder what else they choose to selectively air or edit out?

And what about that ridiculous car commercial that was shown during the opening ceremonies? The one with the guy talking about all of these amazing “US” achievements…and then he slips in that “so what if we only have 2 weeks vacation, we went to the moon” yadda yadda yadda? Hello? So what? Give me more vacation! I am not on “board” with whatever they were trying to sell. I don’t care that we went to the moon first - when did things become about the space race again? What about all those Nazis we recruited during WWII who helped us get to the moon? Why no mention of that? I’m just tired of this propaganda nonsense. Don’t get me wrong, I love being an American and in the U.S. - I just don’t need this stuff shoved down my throat and I don’t understand why the media is (seemingly) trying to propagate and uphold ill-will between the US and Russia? It’s weird…

 

[Bruised_Reed]

I think it was a great opening ceremony - although NBC’s coverage has a lot to be desired. I am tired of their attempts at trying to politicize the games. They keep speaking about Russia and their propaganda - well, anyone who knows anything about US history knows we suffer from the same - so it was a bit irksome to hear the commentators go on and on about it as if we live in a nation free of it. Obviously Putin and his cronies are more obvious, but this country has guilt too. Mostly however, I really don’t see how it’s an issue at the Olympic games. The fact that NBC refused to air the IOC anti-discrimination statement tells me something too:

deadspin.com/nbc-edits-out-ioc-anti-discrimination-statement-from-op-1518727938

It’s as if that statement didn’t fall in line with NBC’s portrayal of Russia, so they decided to edit it out - so they can continue to create political rifts for their own gain. Makes you wonder what else they choose to selectively air or edit out?

Those kind of comments would be different in a news article that one can opt not to read but it isn’t fun when you have to listen to it hear the music and the crowd. The NBC commentators were making little digs; when the cars came out on the floor one of them had to make a snarky comment about Ladas and another informed the viewer that Russian hipsters were actually rare.

I sort of suggested this earlier but it didn’t appear that the NBC commentators knew that much about Russian history or culture because they didn’t discuss it or add anything interesting to what was going on. I remember one (female) asking another if he had “figured out” anything about the “whale” and he responded that it had to do with the myth of creation but his tone suggested he was either uncertain or bored. They came off like a bunch of philistines (except maybe Apolo Ohno). CBC’s coverage was live (I think) and they were adding information relevant to the show whether it was Russian history or about what went on the behind the scenes of the event. It was Stravinsky this and Tchaikovsky that and I waited for NBC people to say something and the thought occurred to me that they didn’t know what they were hearing. On the other hand the CBC people sounding excited and it was far more engaging and in the spirit of the Games.

And what about that ridiculous car commercial that was shown during the opening ceremonies? The one with the guy talking about all of these amazing “US” achievements…and then he slips in that “so what if we only have 2 weeks vacation, we went to the moon” yadda yadda yadda? Hello? So what? Give me more vacation! I am not on “board” with whatever they were trying to sell. I don’t care that we went to the moon first - when did things become about the space race again? What about all those Nazis we recruited during WWII who helped us get to the moon? Why no mention of that? I’m just tired of this propaganda nonsense. Don’t get me wrong, I love being an American and in the U.S. - I just don’t need this stuff shoved down my throat and I don’t understand why the media is (seemingly) trying to propagate and uphold ill-will between the US and Russia? It’s weird…

Wow. I missed the whole point of that commercial. That’s not how to sell a car. This is how you sell a car (to me.)

 

[Bruised_Reed]

We know this has been true for a long time but journalism of all kinds isn’t about information or facts anymore; it’s editorializing. It was obvious and disappointing.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I thought the Opening Ceremonies were pretty and very interesting.

I have to admit, though, that I really dislike this multi-million dollar, Hollywood-Broadway-produced, “Blockbuster to End All Blockbusters!” approach to an Olympic Opening Ceremony.

My favorite OC of all times was 1984 Sarajevo. It was basically a very simple presentation, with the local children dancing local folk dances, and a beautiful plaintive little ballad that was translated, “Remember Sarajevo.”

The ceremony looked like it had been written and produced by local moms. Very sweet, very innocent, free of politics (at least as far as I remember)–very representative of what the Olympics are supposed to be. Full of hope and optimism and above all else, the innocence of youth.

And it worked! I remembered Sarajevo! Several years later, when the city was ravaged by war, I could still remember in my mind those innocent children dancing and that beautiful simple little song and ceremony. It’s heartbreaking to wonder how many of those children perished in the turmoil.

Sometimes simple and quiet makes more of a lasting impact than 76 trombones and one hundred pianos and one thousand drums and the latest rock band that will be totally forgotten in a few years.

Go U.S.A!
#whynotsynchro

It’s time for synchronized skating to be in the Olympics.

You are probably right but man what would the western media done if they had gone “low key”! They would have been attacked for being too simple and not tech savy.

I LOVE the winter olympics and I love the ice skating. I think of your signature every time I watch!

 

[Darryl1958]

The Canadian ski sister trio with their two medal are as hot as they are good.
They are absolutely charming.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

The Canadian ski sister trio with their two medal are as hot as they are good.
They are absolutely charming.

http://www.castanet.net/content/2014/2/image_p2555892.jpg

Even as an American I was rooting for the Canadian Trifecta. And considering kearney’s disappointment with the bronze perhaps she would like to donate it to the third sister.