2004 Olympic Games - Athens

[Insidious Rex]

Does anyone else have really bad feelings about the Olympic games this year or is it just me? Seems like Greece is really scrambling just to get things finished facility wise let alone being on top of everything security wise which may actually be impossible. A successful major terrorist attack at an event like this could be worse then September 11. Although some say that they have more to fear from their own anarchists and underground rebels then they do from big time terrorists like al Quaeda who would be less focused on “crowd killing” (which would be seen as an attack on Greece) then pinpointed attacks on American or British tourists or athletes. But I don’t know…

Anyway figured Id start this thread up since the games are less then 100 days away now. Lets just all hope everything comes off ok and we can spend our time talking about events and gold medals and not casualties.

[Janny]

Yes, I read recently that each British athlete would be assigned their own security guard for 24 hour protection. Pretty big deal. Also these bombing, especially given the timing of 100 days to go, seem very threatening.
However, having said that, would there be any better opportunity to criticise terrorism if it were to strike the great emblem of peace and hope? *coughlosangelescoughmoscowcough* Cold war notwithstanding, it could still be used as a PR opportunity.

[mithrand1r]

Written by Insidious RexDoes anyone else have really bad feelings about the Olympic games this year or is it just me?

I am optomistic that the Olympics will go smoothly (more or less).
I think that the Olympic events will run well.

I do not think that the Olympic planners will be able to complete all that they originally planned on building. The planners will probably scale back several of their plans or cancel some of them completely.

I hope that all goes well. I think the worst that will occur is that visitors may be inconvenienced in traveling around the city of Athens and between the different sporting venues.

Below are some article I found on the web regarding the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece.

The official website of the ATHENS 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Athens' Post-9/11 Olympics Task

Athens Olympics terror fears

For Athens Olympics, it's a race to the finish.

Olympics preps down to the wire

Olympics: Athens Olympics plunges deeper into the red

Athens' Olympic race against time will go right to the wire

[Valandil]

Hey all Olympic-loving mooters...

I was thinking about starting separate threads for Olympic Track & Field, Olympic Swimming - and seeing what else came up - but later decided to just start with one general thread.

So... general stuff: Can the Greeks pull it off OK? Will terrorism become an issue? What about the irony of Arafat calling for peace during the time of the Olympics? (since most think he was the one behind the terrorist kidnappings and killings of Israeli athletes 32 years ago - at the 1972 Munich Olympics).

Track & Field: Who's hot in the sprints? Middle-distance? Long distance? Jumps & Throws? Any decathlon fans out there? I used to follow it some, but don't even know who the top stars are these days...

Swimming: Will Ian Thorpe reassert himself in a big way? Or will the Phelps kid from the US be the big star? Will Phelps match or exceed Spitz's 7 golds from the '72 Games? Are Phelps and Thorpe slated to go head-to-head in any events (I don't even know)?

Other areas of Olympic interest to mooters...??

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

I'm not really interedted in sport,
but I thought I might as well be
just a little bit patriotic!!

Yay England!!

[Arien the Maia]

I really want to see the gymnastics (both womens and mens) so I hope that everything goes smoothly!

[mithrand1r]

Originally posted by Valandil
Hey all Olympic-loving mooters...

I was thinking about starting separate threads for Olympic Track & Field, Olympic Swimming - and seeing what else came up - but later decided to just start with one general thread.

So... general stuff:

Can the Greeks pull it off OK?

I think that 95-100% of the venues will be completed and the people watching on tv will not be able to visably tell the difference, unless the anouncers bring it to attention of the audience.

If anything is not completed it will be related to the connections between the different venues and the landscaping.

Will terrorism become an issue?

Hopefully no. I think the security at the Olympics will be as good as the security for the NYC Republican Convention. IOW, Security will be as good as people can make it. However, there is always the chance for something wrong to happen.

What about the irony of Arafat calling for peace during the time of the Olympics? (since most think he was the one behind the terrorist kidnappings and killings of Israeli athletes 32 years ago - at the 1972 Munich Olympics).

If true, it is ironic. Perhaps he truely had a change of heart.

Track & Field:

Swimming:

I generally will watch whatever event is on at the time and if interesting, I will stick around.

I generally like the Winter Olympics more than the Summer Olympics.

[Tessar]

One word:


GYMNASTICS TIME BABY!!!!!!!

Okay make that three words.

Gymnastics ROCKS. Trust me you have no idea how hard that stuff is till you've taken it for a year or two .

[Mercutio]

Originally Posted by Tessar

One word:


GYMNASTICS TIME BABY!!!!!!!

Okay make that three words.

Gymnastics ROCKS. Trust me you have no idea how hard that stuff is till you've taken it for a year or two .

My hero.


I enjoy watching rowing and archery (my brother in fact does some archery).

[Jonathan]

The women's football started yesterday, a couple of days before the opening ceremony. I was going to enjoy it and see the Swedish team beat the crap out of Japan. However, the Swedes lost. Shocking! That hasn't happened since the Olympics of 1936, when the men's team were defeated by the Japanese (one of the most humliating losses in Sweden's football history I might add. Some sports journalist summarized the game by simply saying "Japanese, japanese, japanese...", a summary that has become famous here).

But I still hope the women can win the gold medal. And their defeat wasn't as bad as when the poor Chinese lost 0-8 to the Germans yesterday

[Fat middle]

Well, it has begun.

I've been watching to the opening ceremony (well, I made a stop for dinner after the Spanish team entered the stadium). Not the best, but it hasn't been a bad ceremony.

The artificial lake in the center of the stadium was very nice and a very original idea. The firing of the cauldron has been also very original.

I haven't seen much sense in the election of the music. I didn't like the idea of getting a DJ for the music. Bjork has been sensational, but I think they should have given more importance to greek composers or singers. There was some music by Theodorakis but what about Vangelis and others?

[Jonathan]

I watched all of it. It was a very nice ceremony.

I didn't mind the DJ, I thought his music was quite good. Apparently he had been the best DJ in the world (maybe he still holds that title). And I liked Björks appearance very much. That 'ocean' around her was hypnotizing . There were still music by Greeks, so it didn't matter much to me that they had one Icelandic singer. They will probably save their most famous composers to the closing ceremony.

I liked how both Afghanistan and Iraq each got a big round of applause when they entered the Olympic stadium. And for the first time, Afghanistan had a woman carrying their flag.
North and South Korea came together, just like in Sydney, with a special Korean flag representing both countries.

[Arien the Maia]

Originally posted by Tessar
One word:


GYMNASTICS TIME BABY!!!!!!!

Okay make that three words.

Gymnastics ROCKS. Trust me you have no idea how hard that stuff is till you've taken it for a year or two .

I wish I had gotten into gymnastics unfotunately I c an't even do a cartwheel I had some friends who were in gymnastics and I believe you when you say it is hard!

I can't wait to watch the competitions! I hope the US team has another great year like in '96!

[Insidious Rex]

Didnt do a search eh Mr. Admin?

[Valandil]

Originally posted by Insidious Rex
Didnt do a search eh Mr. Admin?

1. Well... uh, no.

2. Just did one and didn't see it (didn't think I recalled one). Checked 'Olympics', 'Athens' and 'Greece'... Is there one out there? Can you bump it for me?

3. I'm not an admin... just a pathetic little ole moderator.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Insidious Rex
Didnt do a search eh Mr. Admin?

Um, IR, that's Mr. "super-mod" to you.

Yep, gymnastics, my favorite.

[Insidious Rex]

mod, admin, us american whatever its called. Does he have the ability to... wait let me speek directly to val here... do YOU have that nifty combine spell ability as a um new modadmin or whatever? I just would hate to lose Mithranders excellent post from that old thread where he had all the security references. The link is http://www.entmoot.com/showthread.ph...=olympics+2004

[Valandil]

Originally posted by Insidious Rex
mod, admin, us american whatever its called. Does he have the ability to... wait let me speek directly to val here... do YOU have that nifty combine spell ability as a um new modadmin or whatever? I just would hate to lose Mithranders excellent post from that old thread where he had all the security references. The link is http://www.entmoot.com/showthread.ph...=olympics+2004

Dang... I shoulda tried 'Olympic' too!

Uh... I do have merging capabilities... but they're sort of... untried. I could make my best go of it, but... no promises man.

What say ye Entmooters? Is this the perfect opportunity to 'learn by doing'? Or do we request SGH's greater experience to set the matter to rights?

[mithrand1r]

Originally posted by Valandil
Hey all Olympic-loving mooters...

I was thinking about starting separate threads for Olympic Track & Field, Olympic Swimming - and seeing what else came up - but later decided to just start with one general thread.

So... general stuff:

Can the Greeks pull it off OK?

I think that 95-100% of the venues will be completed and the people watching on tv will not be able to visably tell the difference, unless the anouncers bring it to attention of the audience.

If anything is not completed it will be related to the connections between the different venues and the landscaping.

Will terrorism become an issue?

Hopefully no. I think the security at the Olympics will be as good as the security for the NYC Republican Convention. IOW, Security will be as good as people can make it. However, there is always the chance for something wrong to happen.

What about the irony of Arafat calling for peace during the time of the Olympics? (since most think he was the one behind the terrorist kidnappings and killings of Israeli athletes 32 years ago - at the 1972 Munich Olympics).

If true, it is ironic. Perhaps he truely had a change of heart.

Track & Field:

Swimming:

I generally will watch whatever event is on at the time and if interesting, I will stick around.

I generally like the Winter Olympics more than the Summer Olympics.

Originally posted by Insidious Rex
mod, admin, us american whatever its called. Does he have the ability to... wait let me speek directly to val here... do YOU have that nifty combine spell ability as a um new modadmin or whatever? I just would hate to lose Mithranders excellent post from that old thread where he had all the security references. The link is http://www.entmoot.com/showthread.ph...=olympics+2004

Insidious Rex,

I forgot about this thread. Thanks for the reminder.

[Sister Golden Hair]

Originally posted by Valandil
Dang... I shoulda tried 'Olympic' too!

Uh... I do have merging capabilities... but they're sort of... untried. I could make my best go of it, but... no promises man.

What say ye Entmooters? Is this the perfect opportunity to 'learn by doing'? Or do we request SGH's greater experience to set the matter to rights?

Hey buddy, knock yourself out Go to the mod forum and I think it explains how to do it. I have only done it a few times. azalea is the pro at merging.