Comments on: Beijing 2008: Were these the best Games ever?

By: john

john — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 02:25:50 +0000

These were truly the greatest games of all time. The passion, energy, time and imagination put into it’s organization and execution was truly legendary! These games provided for me the greatest memories that any olympics ever will because they had elements to them that all others will lack. The controversies, the competition between the current and future superpower, the unbelievable record shattering performances from the athletes, and the most stunning opening and closing ceremonies. It’s not just any olympics where a 5000 years old society with 1.3 billion people opens up to the world! oh and the paralympics were just as memorable.

By: Torrent

Torrent — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:18:58 +0000

I have to agree, that these last olympics were one of the best games ever. I have been to three olympics in my life, and these were among the most exciting.

By: pete

pete — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 21:30:42 +0000

In spite of the problems of cheating and doping, and nationalism which can be divisive, the Olympic Games carry on and remain popular. This is possibly because the Games show us what we as humans are capable of and that humanity is capable of engaging in friendly competition. We should keep in mind what the father of the modern Games, Baron Pierre de Courbertin, once said: “Olympism is not a system, it is a state of mind”. This is the real meaning of the Olympic Games. And this meaning was beautifully expressed and served during the Athens 2004 games. Those Games were by far the best ever! Simple, meaningful, based on the human scale. Athens 2004 showed the greatest opening ceremony ever held! A celebration of the diversity of human beings. A poem dedicated to the beauty of mankind! Greeks renewed the Olympic movement; In Athens, it was the human being itself that was in the centre of the Games!

By: John

John — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:26:57 +0000

China is ruled by a dectatorship dressed as if it were a communist party. How can it be possible to organize the best ever Olympic Games with absence of freedom felt at every corner??? This is not what the Games should be about.

NO these were not the best Games ever for me.

Let us not forget Athens 2004 organized by the smallest ever nation to host the modern gigantic Olympics.
The Greeks delivered an opening ceremony that superceded Beijing by far in aesthetics and was focused on the human values of the ‘individual’ rather than the centraly governed ‘masses’.

How can we forget the moments at Ancient Olympia were our athlets competed for the first time since Ancient Olympics’ era?

For me Athens was an honest attemt to search for the true spirit of the Games.

By: jett

jett — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:54:02 +0000

Beijing games were great,for me though ive always loved the Moscow olympics of 1980,Barcelona was awesome.Sydney is a great city,but the Sydney games were hopeless,they were the most boring olympics of the modern era,

By: Manny danny

Manny danny — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:19:47 +0000

I found the Games 2008 were really good and the opening and closing ceremony were spectacular beyond measure!

I must say that the Caribbean must apply to see the games from a website that is not American based since the americans have always been extremely bais in their coverage of the games

By: pantelis

pantelis — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:41:46 +0000

“Each Olympics is the “best” at the time they end – its just a fact that our thoughts are focused to the current games. However after a few years most fade away to just a place and time (eg Atlanta 1996, Athens 2004) and are – to put it bluntly – forgettable. The noteable exceptions are: Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000. Both of which were exceptional.
In the end I think Beijing 2008 will end up like LA 1984 (forgotten), but only time will tell.”

It’s a pity to say that Athens Games 2004 are forgettable. It seems that you cannot realize the olympic ideal and the its deep meaning that the Organizers in Athens served it like no other.
‘Unforgettable , dream Games” said Roggue for Athens and I would add “unique” as well.
Marathon athletes run the classical Marathon root from Marathona ( where thousands years ago, Phidipides run from there to Athens to announce to Atheneans that they have won the war against the persians ), can this be forgotten ??? ( only if you are not aware of history ). For the first time in history women compete in ancient olympia ( in ancient times women were not allowed to enter even the stadium ), can this be forgotten ???
What could I say for the opening ceremony in Athens … The ancient greek civilization, which gave birth to the Olympic Games in front of billion of eyes … HOW Can this be forgotten ?
The Olympic Games is not only fireworks, or giant things, or anything impressive. It’s about harmony, friendship and above all, human scale. It’s just what ancient greeks had in their mind when they were celebrating the Games …
For me Athens 2004 was simply unique …

By: Christian

Christian — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:29:59 +0000

Sure they were a fun and flashy olympics but they lacked something to make them the best ever.

It doesnt just matter how many world records were broken or medals were taken home. It matters about the whole package from the lead up to the event and the wind down.

How well were they staged? Did the city fulfill it Olympics commitments? Were the games run smoothly? How friendly were the residents of the host city? And, was the ‘Olympics Spirit’ present in the city as the world watched on? ect….

For these reasons, the best games goes to either Barcelona or Sydney for not only staging a magical games. But staging a games that were not dogged by angry mobs of protestors, upset journalists, over commercialisation or buildings that wern’t quiet finished on time.

Well done China for putting on a pretty good facade. But you can’t pull woll over our eyes that easily.

By: John

John — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:02:17 +0000

All Olympics had their merits.

But Beijing 2008 exceeding all because it was grand, magnificent, memorable. Loved the moments.

By: Five Times

Five Times — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 07:31:05 +0000

Definetely best games ever.

The script couldn’t have been written better.

1) Super opening and closing ceremonies
2) super performances from all athletes (bolt and phelps)
3) super stadiums and locations
and…
4) super controversies over differences in western/eastern schools of thought on governing a country.

hey… you can’t have a show without an antagonist eh?

best games ever, best games ever, best games ever… those whining about the abovementioned 4) just adds to the flavour haha