BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Olympics

hepzibah · July 21, 2012 5:55 am

I don't think there is a thread about this, but feel free to correct me!

I see the Olympic torch has reached London. I remember when it went down the main street on my hometown back in 2000. The whole country went Olympics-mad. There had been all sorts of predicitions that it would be a disaster but the Sydney Games ended up being the best ones ever. No pressure there, London!

Have to admit, while I am not very interested in the sport side, I love the opening and closing ceremonies. And Danny Boyle, of Frankenstein fame, is the director. What do you think the chances of Benny-as-the-Monster making an appearance? LOL Not very likely, unfortunately.

Are any of you guys going to any of the events? I had friends go to Sydney and just pick up tickets for random events, and they ended up seeing sports they would normally never have bothered with, like handball, I think it was, and had a great time.

A funny thing, there is a married couple in the Aussie team and they are not allowed to share a room! The hubby has said he will just sneak across the corridor. Maybe someone will put an armed guard outside his wife's room

sherlockskitty · July 21, 2012 6:12 am

Um--yeah I love the olympics too. I love and record the opening and closing ceremonies every time, (but I don't save them) I did see some of the torch bearers this year. Matt Smith carried it for a few miles when it came to Cardiff. The torch came through my town a long time ago, but I didn't see it. that's so not fair for the couple to share a room. I don't think they've ever had this situation before. My favorite opening ceremony would have to be the one in Bejiing, China. That was really colorful.

My fav summer sports are gymnastics, horses, the rowing stuff, and archery. The other sports are ok. But I pay more attention to the ones I like. I can't wait till the 27th when it all comes together. I do hope the weather is good.

Davina · July 21, 2012 7:27 am

We have tickets for the Showjumping qualifiers on Saturday 4th August and the finals on Wednesday 8th August at Greenwich Park.

I felt really sorry for a local stunt bike rider who with 3 others have been practising since March for an intricate display for the opening ceremony, only to be told this week that they cannot do it after all because the organisers are worries the Opening Ceremony will overrun and 30 minutes has had to be cut from it...including their display...he's absolutely gutted about it , as you can imagine.

I am looking forward to pretty much all the events. The athletics will be big in our house with the sprints, relays, heptathlon, Mo Farah. Also the swimming and the cycling, because the Brits are actually good at those.

Looking forward to the Opening Ceremony.

Also we've had a massive scandal-row over the company who had the contract for all the security announcing last week that they cannot provide enough security personnel and now the armed forces have had to step in to save the day some of them losing leave in the process. Oh dear!

hepzibah · July 21, 2012 7:32 am

Aussies is better at swimming, be-artch. We have to be to avoid the sharks!

Only kidding, babe!

Every games has last-minute crisis, but everyhting always turns out okay.

Davina · July 21, 2012 7:46 am

I'm sure it will be great but our ability to botch things up is certainly gold medal winning! It is actually sunny hre today and no rain forecast for the next four days either woo hoo! Some events, like the Cross -Country risk being cancelled if it doesn't dry out a bit...a lot!

Irene Adler · July 21, 2012 8:29 am

I am also looking forward to seeing the Olympics. I wanted to see Rafa Nadal win a medal, but sadly that won't happen now . He was also going to be the Spanish flag carrier, but now Pau Gasol is going to do it (I love him too )

Anyway, I think we can do pretty well in basket, football, gymnastics and some athletic specialities, so I'll be there watching.

I was very young when Spain organized the 1992 Olympics, but I remember the emotion of the Opening Ceremony, specially the moment when Antonio Rebollo threw that arrow whith the Olympic fire to light the cauldron. It was awesome.

SusiGo · July 21, 2012 8:30 am

A friend of my son's and his parents were lucky enough to get tickets for the men's hockey semi-finals. They already supplied themselves with Black/Red/Gold flags and flower garlands hoping that our team will be among the last four, of course together with the Aussies . I'll try watch the matches in Austria.

SusiGo · July 23, 2012 9:03 pm

I just discovered this on FB. Would love to see these new disciplines introduced . Sorry, this picture's really big, but it's the Olympics after all .

Last edited by SusiGo (July 23, 2012 9:04 pm)

Davina · July 23, 2012 10:13 pm

These are absolutely brilliant! As Arthur would say.

Cross country posing and freestyle robbery are my personal favourites. Although I have been in training for long distance adoration for ages now.

Irene Adler · July 23, 2012 11:02 pm

Mines would be "recreational scolding" and "not our decathlon"

By the way, Davina, I am noticing that lately, most of the people of the forum (including me) are using the adjective "brilliant" more frequently. We should tell Mr Finnemore what he has done to our vocabulary

SusiGo · July 24, 2012 6:03 am

Irene Adler wrote:
Mines would be "recreational scolding" and "not our decathlon"

By the way, Davina, I am noticing that lately, most of the people of the forum (including me) are using the adjective "brilliant" more frequently. We should tell Mr Finnemore what he has done to our vocabulary

But I also noticed that the word is quite often used in interviews and commentaries on "Sherlock", so Arthur has been a real pioneer.

hepzibah · July 24, 2012 6:26 am

I love the sheet tug-of-war, and the three-day sulking, and the sobbing marathon, and, and, and..... And did you notice the turned-up collar?

SusiGo · July 24, 2012 6:35 am

I really can't decide which I like best, they're all so dead on. Although the sobbing marathon … having watched TRF yesterday evening after three glasses of bubbly … good heavens …

veecee · July 24, 2012 8:18 pm

Irene Adler wrote:
Mines would be "recreational scolding" and "not our decathlon"

By the way, Davina, I am noticing that lately, most of the people of the forum (including me) are using the adjective "brilliant" more frequently. We should tell Mr Finnemore what he has done to our vocabulary

I've been mostly off the forum while I had houseguests, so forgive me if this was covered somewhere else.

"Brilliant," besides meaning bright or shining in the physical sense, has a different figurative meaning in the UK and the US. I believe in the UK, it basically means "great." In the US it means "very smart or intelligent. genius-like." Sometimes either meaning is correct in a certain context, so the difference might not be so obvious. For example, I suppose Stephen Hawking is both a great scientist and a very intelligent scientist, but calling him "brilliant" would place a different emphasis on it depending whether you were American or British.

There is a funny, half-serious radio show here in the US called Car Talk, where this difference showed up. Once someone (from Scotland, I think?) told the hosts they were "brilliant" for answering her question. I noticed that the hosts were overly flattered, apparently thinking she was calling them geniuses rather than just great.

Davina · July 24, 2012 9:55 pm

In the UK someone or something can be called 'brilliant' in the sense that they/it is extraordinarily clever /gifted/talented etc. so a sportsman like Bradley Wiggins or Usain Bolt can be described as brilliant, or a musician, actor etc. By the same token the word can be used just to mean that something is clever or great. It really depends what/who it is describing. Einstein was brilliant. Arthur in Cabin Pressure will frequently describe Douglas's actions as 'brilliant' although, clearly, they are not in the same league. (Unless you ask Douglas of course). It also means bright and shining such as a diamond. A car could be brilliant with a brilliant driver.

In some ways it is an overused word that has lost its currency. However, people recognise brilliance when they see/experience it.

sherlockskitty · July 24, 2012 10:19 pm

let's face it, we are ALL brilliant. Oh susiGo that FB image is adorable!! mine is freestyle robbery. Why? the crown, of course. I just love it. Oh, I'm very good at long-distance adoration. Only a couple more days untill the opening ceremonies!!

hepzibah · July 25, 2012 4:33 pm

Sherlock the man is brilliant because he is a genius.

Sherlock the show is brilliant because it is funny, clever, etc

Back to the Lympics, i am laughing because the tv commentators are saying "It's so hot here in London" when it's 30 degrees celcius (about 90 degrees farenheit). That is a mild summers day in Australia. Wait until it hits 40 degrees, that's when we get excited. Enjoy it while you can.

Last edited by hepzibah (July 25, 2012 4:38 pm)

SusiGo · July 25, 2012 4:35 pm

Just thinking about "brilliant" in German (we write brillant without the i). It's not really colloquial, you'd use it for something awesome or special or exceptionally good. It's on a higher level than "great" or "super".

Davina · July 25, 2012 9:51 pm

Typical for London. It gets 'hot', the overhead cables sag and a load of trains break down. Alarming since they are the ones on the line that people going to the Olympic Park at Stratford will need to use! Let's hope the temperatures drop a bit before Friday.

sherlockskitty · July 27, 2012 4:43 pm

have the temps dropped? and what's it like over there, from all you across the pond who live in London? Have they got everything in place? has it started yet? I know you guys are about 13 hours ahead of me.....Have a safe day, London!!

I gotta go do my housework!!