Olympics 2012

[phatomch]

So how do we feel we will do compared to China in the duty of hosting the next olypics?

I personly think we wont be able to do anything near it, and with our current climate do we really want the 100's of millions thrown at it that it will need to be great when this money is needed in much better places?

[kinboshi]

It will be much, much better for people going to watch it live.  I also think the atmosphere at the events will therefore be much better.

The legacy of the Olympics will be far better for England London than it was for Beijing.  IMO of course.

[ItsMrAlex2u]

Yep wp Great Britain, we get the olympics in the middle of the CREDIT CRUNCH.
To be fair the Chinese spent $40bn on the games and we are planning to spend a mere $20bn. There is no chance it will be as spectular but London will do a good job.

Pretty much the only place left in the world capable of putting on something as expensive and spectacular as Beijing would be somwhere like Dubai.

[bolt pp]

i'll post a bit more about it in 3 years time

[Dingdell]

I watched the closing ceremony of the olympics last night as it was the first chance I had had to see it. Slightly embarrassed by our 'invite' to London. A red bus, dodgy dancers doing something artistic, graphics put together by some underprivilidged group and a girl chosen from Blue Peter viewers.

I know we haven't got the money to do anything as spectacular as China but when will we learn that to others looking in it doesn't mean anything - we have to be more corporate. I would have been happier seeing something iconic such as morris dancers tbh that they might relate to - the bus and Beckham excepted of course.

Boris looked as untidy as possible with his jacket undone but at least he had combed his hair.

We are so unprofessional when it comes to these things - seriously - if we had our way the Olympics would include a charades championship and a pass the orange under your chin game.

[Bongo]

We are so unprofessional when it comes to these things - seriously - if we had our way the Olympics would include a charades championship and a pass the orange under your chin game.

I might watch them if they did that.

[Colchester Kev]

negative negative negative ... why oh why dont we as British subjects have a bit of optimism and see the Olympic games as a chance for great redevelopment of run down areas and a legacy of facilities and infrastructure that will benefit generations after the Olympics has finished ?

Bring on 2012, bring on the worlds greatest sportsmen and women, bring on the worlds media ... London 2012 WILL deliver.

[kinboshi]

negative negative negative ... why oh why dont we as British subjects have a bit of optimism and see the Olympic games as a chance for great redevelopment of run down areas and a legacy of facilities and infrastructure that will benefit generations after the Olympics has finished ?

Bring on 2012, bring on the worlds greatest sportsmen and women, bring on the worlds media ... London 2012 WILL deliver.

It will deliver.  It will be a different approach to the Beijing games, and will be better for it.  The peoples' games  for want of a better term.

[phatomch]

I mean more of the money.. Do we want the £20bil invested in trying to get our country out of the shit now, or do we want it spent on the olympics.

The chinese could call on 1000's of slaves for want of a better word to build whatever they want, the british with have to employ every polish person on the planet. Then at the moment the traffic, public transport cant cope with the normal day to day running without the extra stress of the olympics.

I am fiercly patriotic but I can see us setting ourselfs up to look stupid.

[Graham C]

I was a bit (unsure of emotion) to find out that they are considering pulling down the billion pound main stadium after the Olympics because it's too expensive to keep on.

I think we'll do an excellent job.  The Chinese do great shows, that's what the Chinese do, we don't have to compete with it, we just have to host a terrific Olympics and that's what we'll do.  The ceremonies that China put on have never been seen before and probably never will be seen again.

[Dingdell]

negative negative negative ... why oh why dont we as British subjects have a bit of optimism and see the Olympic games as a chance for great redevelopment of run down areas and a legacy of facilities and infrastructure that will benefit generations after the Olympics has finished ?

Bring on 2012, bring on the worlds greatest sportsmen and women, bring on the worlds media ... London 2012 WILL deliver.

I knew I would get that response and tbh I am normally a lot more positive about stuff as you well know - but we didn't exactly make a brilliant start and I have to go on the evidence as it's presented. If it had been fabulous I would have said so but a red london bus, beckham and a blue peter viewer isn't exactly getting me excited!

I hope it gets better and that someone remebers to clear up the horse poo from horseguards parade before the volleyball starts.

[Woodsey]

No democracy will ever put on a games as spectacular at Beijing, they just couldn't justify the cost to the voting public. We will do a great games in our own way, one of the reasons we got it in the first place is because of the legacy it will leave for the country, all the facilities will have a use after the games, regeneration of a run down part of London etc.

[Colchester Kev]

I mocked the 8 min segment at the closing ceremony as well, but you have to accept that it was unimportant in the grand scheme of things to come.

The Olympics will bring so much to London in terms of facilities and has a long term objective which is so much more important than opening and closing ceremonies ... they are just glitz and bullshit ... think of the bigger picture. I forced myself to do just that and am optimistic and proud that the Olympics are coming to our country.

[kinboshi]

The Olympics is so much more than the opening and closing ceremony. 

It's also more than a mere TV spectacle. 

2012 will be brilliant.

[Jon MW]

I saw a submission to parliament about what the different parts of the Olympic legacy are intended to be - unfortunately I can't remember where I got it. But the gist was that it was all fairly impressive.