The Gold, Silver and Bronze pro-Olympics Thread

[Northender]

Sorry to hear that...but what exactly were you expecting on the basis of the inspired leaks?

[mangerton]

Sorry, I will try to keep on topic.

As a matter of interest, does anyone feel that Alvar Lidell was a better broadcaster than John Snagge and if so why?

Please answer with specific reference to London 2012.

Yes, I do. John Snagge commentated on the boat race for many years, and on one occasion apparently said, "I don't know who's in the lead but it's either Oxford or Cambridge. This is on a par with "The fleet's lit up" or, with reference to the olympic games, some of the silly remarks made by this year's commentators, eg:

“That performance has left us speechless. Let’s talk about it.”
ANDY JAMESON
BBC1

I don't believe Alvar Lidell was ever guilty of such solecisms. Rather, his was a voice of reassurance during the nation's darkest hours.

Is this what you had in mind?

[mangerton]

Hmmm, I'm not enjoying the closing ceremony

I'm not watching the closing ceremony, but I'm glad of your reassurance that it's taking place.

[Richard Tarleton]

Yes, I do. John Snagge commentated on the boat race for many years, and on one occasion apparently said, "I don't know who's in the lead but it's either Oxford or Cambridge.

Was that the first recorded example of Colemanballs?

[Lateralthinking1]

Yes, I do. John Snagge commentated on the boat race for many years, and on one occasion apparently said, "I don't know who's in the lead but it's either Oxford or Cambridge. This is on a par with "The fleet's lit up" or, with reference to the olympic games, some of the silly remarks made by this year's commentators, eg:

“That performance has left us speechless. Let’s talk about it.”
ANDY JAMESON
BBC1

I don't believe Alvar Lidell was ever guilty of such solecisms. Rather, his was a voice of reassurance during the nation's darkest hours.

Is this what you had in mind?

Yes exactly. Did you know his full name was Tord Alvar Quan Lidell? Not a lot of people know that!

RichardTarleton - It might well have been in retrospect. Wikipedia reckons the first official CMB was not by Coleman but Ron Pickering at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Pickering commentated on a race involving Cuban double-gold medallist Alberto Juantorena, whose muscular build and nine-foot stride contributed to his nickname El Caballo (the horse). He said "and there goes Juantorena down the back straight, opening his legs and showing his class."

[subcontrabass]

BBC1

I don't believe Alvar Lidell was ever guilty of such solecisms. Rather, his was a voice of reassurance during the nation's darkest hours.

And he was a singer.

[mangerton]

Was that the first recorded example of Colemanballs?

According to wikipedia, that was 1949, so I doubt it. I don't know when Colemanballs started, but P Eye started in 1961.

[EdgeleyRob]

While I'm not a fan of athletics, the whole thing has inspired me and several others into partaking in sport.

We have decided to become a formation drinking team, man and beer glass in syncronicity to create the perfect supping motion.

To get into shape for this, I got up this morning and did my exercises, up one two, down one two.

As I was feeling a bit energetic, I even did the other sock!.

[jayne lee wilson]

WOW!!! IF THAT WASN'T THE MOST BRILLIANT CLOSING CEREMONY IN OLYMPIC HISTORY...!!! KNOCKED THE STUFFY pretensions of BEIJING into a cocked hat DIDN'T IT!? MOST OF THE TRACKS I'VE EITHER BOUGHT OR DANCED TO, NEVER MIND IF IT WAS THE 1980S! How I wept as the flame was so gently extinguished...

Yes the commercial cynicism, the IOC greed, the G4S greed, all those sponsors' empty seats... ONCE UNDER WAY this was a people's games, celebrated, from NHS to OMD, in a way only GB could. I'VE ENJOYED SO MUCH THESE LAST 2 WEEKS!

Classical music? The still small voice, always there, the flame never extinguished... and many more Proms Games to come...

I'M OFF TO FINISH THE PROSECCO!! BRING ON THE PARALYMPICS!!!

[cloughie]

And he was a singer.

Baritone?

[Richard Tarleton]

According to wikipedia, that was 1949, so I doubt it. I don't know when Colemanballs started, but P Eye started in 1961.

thanks all- what I should of course have said was, was this the first recorded example of what came to be known as Colemanballs.

Anyway, great closing ceremony, comments on other thread.

[scottycelt]

I enjoyed the Opening Ceremony but when I heard that the Closing Ceremony was going to be 'one big party' I feared the worst and, frankly, was not disappointed.

Still, what a wonderful, inspiring fortnight it has been (for most of us) and I'm genuinely sorry it's now all over ...

Well done and congratulations to the great, vibrant city that is London!

[salymap]

I was going to record the closing ceremony but my £202 new digi box has stuck on BBC2 so I couldn't record.

I looked at a little bit on iPlayer but no sign of the LSO or anything 'serious/ classical'. Was it all pop? After all, I suppose it's for the young but seemed to be well done. The lighting was amazing.

[Richard Tarleton]

I was going to record the closing ceremony but my £202 new digi box has stuck on BBC2 so I couldn't record.

I looked at a little bit on iPlayer but no sign of the LSO or anything 'serious/ classical'. Was it all pop? After all, I suppose it's for the young but seemed to be well done. The lighting was amazing.

Saly, Julian Lloyd Webber and LSO played Elgar Salut d'Amour right at the start. It was all downhill from there! It ended with one of Queen's great rock anthems, We Will Rock You. The lighting was brilliant.

[Mary Chambers]

I was going to record the closing ceremony but my £202 new digi box has stuck on BBC2 so I couldn't record.

I looked at a little bit on iPlayer but no sign of the LSO or anything 'serious/ classical'. Was it all pop? After all, I suppose it's for the young but seemed to be well done. The lighting was amazing.

I've been told there were ten seconds of Elgar, Salut d'Amour. Otherwise, utter junk from start to finish, and more bad intonation than you could easily imagine. I switched off. It had none of the quirky charm of the opening. It looked quite spectacular, and the person responsible for the design, Es Devlin, was on Private Passions yesterday with some excellent choices. The choice of music for the ceremony clearly wasn't her fault.

Thank heavens it's all over! Apologies to those who like watching sport. I don't, and I just loathe the nationalism.

EDIT: Sorry, I've just noticed this is the PRO-Olympics thread. I was answering saly, but got a bit carried away.