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Unless I can't find it, doesn't appear to be a thread on the Opening Ceremony, which after the epic Olympic Opening ceremony one, seems a bit of a bad show
Anyway, so far, so good
I did wonder.
Enjoyed Stephen Hawking and the Mary Poppins tribute.
"Please stand, for those who can" - beautiful.
Erm, bit of a somber version of the national anthem
Was working when the Olympic one was happening and still haven't got round to watching it on Iplayer.
Enjoying this so far, hope it may be a little less British than the Olympic one as several foreign friends were lost by much of it.
Erm, bit of a somber version of the national anthem
Very good, I thought; better that than some precocious prepubescent or warbling woman.
I liked the nice choral arrangement. You can polish a turd after all.
Yeah, I thought it was great - nice to hear the second verse as well, don't think I've ever heard it at a sporting event before!
Is it just me, or was it a bit short before the athletes started coming in? Unless there is more after they come in rather than before I suppose. Might just be me...Quite liked it though!
One hell of a lot of inspirational people there
Is it just me, or was it a bit short before the athletes started coming in? Unless there is more after they come in rather than before I suppose. Might just be me...Quite liked it though!
That's what I thought, but hoping this one's going to be more about the athletes this time (but really enjoyed the Danny Boyle do)
Just found out an ex of mine is in the wheelchair basketball team! Turns out she lost a leg due to cancer at 21.
[url= http://paralympics.channel4.com/the-athletes/athleteid=524/index.html ]Sarah McPhee[/url]
Some right hotties in the Belarus team!
Just had a look and the Olympic opening ceremony thread had 867 comments. We really should put a better effort in people, these athletes deserve our attention just as much as the able bodied ones!
great to see so many happy people
Well, I missed the start as I wanted to get a bit of a training ride in so did a lap of Rutland Water.
I pushed hard but grumbled every time I encountered a headwind.
I cursed to myself that my rear mech needs some attention.
I wondered what the ache in my knee was.
I got frustrated when I got soaking wet feet splashing through large puddles right near the end of my ride.
I got home, unpacked the bike from the car & rushed in to put the opening ceremony on. Suddenly I don't feel like grumbling about headwinds, rear mechs, my achy knee or wet feet.
Jesus, these people are massively inspiring...I will remember them next time I go on a ride & consider being unhappy with my lot.
My wife is at the ceremony. She was lucky enough to be at the Olympic one too. 1 of the benefits of working the Para/Olympics.
The adverts are a bit annoying but at least its just the parade we are missing.
I'm guessing by all the seats in the middle that the show will continue after the parade. Either that or Danny Boyle left a note saying all the money was gone too!
The commentary is atrocious!
Oh its on 4, sorry, iI looked early but idly assume its just wasn't goin to be on, I am slowly penetrating the wall of adverts, I'm through... and its crashed...
The Floor cloth has major trip hazards for the able bodied, never mind any one blind or in a chair.
Djibouti????
Hurray Claire balding!
massively impressed with the whole thing, make me so proud to live in a world where equality is now normal
Clare Balding on 4?
Clare Balding is omnipresent
Do we need to know about everyone's civil wars on such an occasion?
my missus was offered to codirect this as she used to work with one of the ceremony directors. we know loads of the people involved, including the girl in the air when McKellen was talking and the audio describers on more4. there is a lot more to come after the parade, i'm reliably informed!
Christ, Germany is comfortable with its sexuality these days.
'Ice Cream Salesman's hats'
'Would you call that Pink or Cerise?'
Epically bad commentating
I agree with Cougar, regarding Germany. And just to bring this back down to the usual STW level - Germany appears to have quite a lot of hottie athletes....
hottie athlete
Pink or Blue?
I'm looking out for the South African swimmer who lost a leg protecting his younger brother in a shark attack when they were training.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19336498
Iraq are nuts (-:
Heh, so are Ireland.
piedi di formaggio - MemberPink or Blue?
Can't remember who was wearing what, but I was referring to the Laydeeez.
Not sure if that was a take on another two-colour phrase almost the same, but not quite and a bit rude, so will discreetly change the subject....
OOOOH, look! It's Ireland!!!! Over there.....
Some good music used in the adverts....
Regarding the ceremony - disappointed they didn't use Mint Royale's singing in the rain remix rather than Rhianna's umbrella - certainly more appropriate to the weather here...
Could live without the adverts for the opening ceremony, but looking forward to all the coverage:)
Could live without the adverts for the opening ceremony, but looking forward to all the coverage:)
+1,000,000
Makes you realise how good the BBC coverage actually is....
It's a bit hard to find things to talk about while athletes are coming in but I like the insight from the Canadian co commentator,
Am loving the smiles on all the atheletes and Mexico are by far the brightest outfits so far.
Can't wait to see GB enter, wonder if it'll be to Heroes again,
I'm heading down on Friday morning to watch my mate in the Kilo
[url= http://paralympics.channel4.com/the-athletes/athleteid=470/index.html#Jon-AllanButterworth ]Jon Butterworth[/url]
He has been a bellend and mouthed off in the press this week though.
How long have those folk in blue and yellow been dancing? They must be knackered!
Forrest Whittaker is looking well.
Could live without the adverts
Via Twitter,
Channel 4 @C4InsiderIf you’re asking about ads, we’re showing less than usual but as a commercially funded bcaster they allow us to show events like the Paras.
[url= http://paralympics.channel4.com/news-pictures/news/newsid=1234689/index.html#peacock-in-butterworth-snipe ]an example[/url]
Holland, the high-vis team.
What sports you looking forward to then?
Wheelchair rugby and blind footy for me. The close ball control in the football looks amazing.
What sports you looking forward to then?
Pretty much all of it - with the Olympics I was obv looking forward to the cycling but loved getting hooked on sports I knew nothing about, couldn't get enough of the womens hockey:)
Quite telling with all this, breaking down barriers and all,
Just seen a guy with a ponytail wheeling himself in and my first thought was, "wow, look at his hair."
We really should put a better effort in people, these athletes deserve our attention just as much as the able bodied ones!
I disagree, but there's no way of saying why without sounding crass.
to be honest, and I may be opening myself up for abuse, I overdosed on the Olympics to such an extent that I'm not massively bothered about the Paralympics. I'll watch it, and might be going next week, but it just doesn't have the same appeal, certainly not the opening ceremony 😕
I was hoping there would be wheelchair jousting- but wheelchair rugby sounds sweeeet!
Yesterday my boss told me he couldn't watch the Paralympics because it makes him feel "weird" and "awkward". Cretin.
Really looking forward to the Judo again. I remember my coach when I was a kid blindfolding us to make us feel for what our opponent was doing. It was bloody difficult to do.
Looking forward to seeing all of it though. I just love sport and look forward to those unknown sports coming to the fore however briefly to grab our attention and hopefully inspire everyone to participate.
wheelchair rugby sounds sweeeet!
Have you seen any of it? Utterly mental, compelling viewing.
[i]Yesterday my boss told me he couldn't watch the Paralympics because it makes him feel "weird" and "awkward". Cretin.[/i]
I spoke to a bloke at work about the football and he said "Isn't it all a bit of a ... freak show?"
Jeez, 1940s anyone? 😕
Go Team GB. Entering to Heroes too. Now for the show!
On the floor there, is that the Death Star?
Heroes it is,
Heroes they are !
I have said it before but after the last few weeks I'll never be able to listen to it again without getting a lump I'm my throat and a tear in my eye.
FANTASTIC !
I like that they've got a signing person there, so deaf people can understand what the singer is saying. Which makes them one up on me.
Is that that ****ing Garrett woman again?
I like that they've got a signing person there, so deaf people can understand what the singer is saying. Which makes them one up on me.
Not a clue what that song was about!
Yesterday my boss told me he couldn't watch the Paralympics because it makes him feel "weird" and "awkward". Cretin.
I spoke to a bloke at work about the football and he said "Isn't it all a bit of a ... freak show?"
Jeez, 1940s anyone?
Yeah, I'm hearing a lot of this, mainly from the boss at work. Getting a bit tired of it now.
Oddly, I feel kinda the opposite. The opening ceremony for the Olympics was great, but I felt a bit awkward with the arrogance of it all. It was all a bit [i]check us out, we ruled the world[/i]. Which is, and isn't, something to be proud of. It leaves me with a lot of uncomfortable moral questions.
The support offered to the less fortunate of those amongst us however, is something to be massively and genuinely proud about, I think. We've come a long way as a society.
Not a clue what that song was about!
Seriously, seconds after complaining about that, I caught the TV remote with my foot accidentally and it went "subtitles [y/n]?"
Apparently, the whole song revolved around "take my hand".
Took me till now to work out how the hell to switch them off again. 'help' on the Sky remote, it seems.
The ceremony is certainly much better than the Olympics closing [s]ceremony[/s] ego-fest.
Some great inspiring stories from many of the athletes - for example the woman who had her legs amputated after 7/7 and is in the GB volleyball team, or the Azerbajani who survived a bullet through his head.
Bit of Orbital sampling Stephen Hawking there!!! 8)
Bloody fantastic - Marine on zipwire is awesome.
And not a Trevor Nelson anywhere.
I didn't watch much of the olympics, but i'm more likely to watch the paralympics. Its just more interesting with all the wheelchairs and blade feet and whatnot. And the wheelchair rugby looks brilliant, its a shame there isn't some way for the able bodied to join in without looking insensitive, that'd be inclusive, we could all play in the same games then.
made me smile to see Ian Durys song spasticus autisticus performed considering it was banned at the time by the BBC
I want to find it uplifting, but I find it a bit depressing.
Certainly these people are showing bravery, and are making the best of the cards they have been dealt- but come on, what about the shitty, negative situations which caused their conditions- landmines, war, accidents etc?
its a shame there isn't some way for the able bodied to join in without looking insensitive, that'd be inclusive, we could all play in the same games then.
Outside of the Olympics, I fail to see what's stopping any able-bodied person from sitting in a chair and playing (say) wheelchair rugby.
Well i'm never going to be good enough for the olympics- I dont get enough practice.
Seriously tho, if there was a club in my area I dont know if i'd feel right just turning up and asking to join, It'd feel a bit cartmanny.
Mind you, i'd rather live in a world where we could all play together (man)
Clare Balding on 4?
You do realise she's freelance, and goes where the work is?
Outside of the Olympics, I fail to see what's stopping any able-bodied person from sitting in a chair and playing (say) wheelchair rugby.
You can. I went to a practice session for the local wheelchair basketball team once and they got me playing. They use a points system where each player has points depending on injury/disability with a maximum total team points allowed on court at once, so able bodied players can play. They did have one able bodied player in the squad I think. Goes without saying the able bodies player might find it hard to justify their place given their maximum point allocation.
I thought it was a great sport to play in its own right by the way, much more than just the adaptation of basketball for wheelchairs. Frankly it was quite scary at times - I wouldn't call it a "non contact" sport by any means, the court smells like a welding shop with all the metal on metal clashes. Inevitably I was utterly sh*t at it.
[i]I spoke to a bloke at work about the football and he said "Isn't it all a bit of a ... freak show?"[/i]
(My own quote)
Realised what I should've replied now: "Hmm, so you see disabled people as freaks?"
(annoying how you think of these things too late!)
I watched about an hour of it and then put some washing on. Good to see the ceremony, but like the Olys earlier I’m just not into parades and they seem to take an age.. I’m relieved to see that it’s getting a lot of attention and you know it could inspire a few more to take part in sport, which is good.
Best bit though, best bit by FAR..
C4 getting disabled presenters on TV!! In front of the camera and interviewing!!
This, this alone deserves a huge “about time”!!! About bloomin time.
The commentary is atrocious!
I was thinking the same, but MrsSalmon pointed out it's probably for people who can't actually see what's going on.