Because all of the news for over a year about the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has been about the postponement and COVID issues and such, coupled with what I wrote on another thread...
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I have noticed the usual media coverage has arisen the past couple weeks before these Olympics, where everything negative that can be said about hosting an Olympics and about the problems of the city and/or country that's doing the hosting are intricately spotlighted.
Of course, COVID is a particularly unique problem this time around. The other big attention getter is to wrap Global Warming around these Olympics and the dangers of competing in the higher heat and humidity in Tokyo with some news outlets reporting the athletes will be subjected to intense heat and humidity.
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It all seemed like a downer and I hadn't even planned any watching, even the Opening Ceremonies. And, in fact, I was confused on Wednesday or Thursday when I heard some competition results and I thought maybe they'd already begun. I did have the TV on last night, Friday evening, and NBC was starting the ceremonies so I left it on. I was quite entertained by the whole thing. Despite all the problems, the opening ceremonies were all kinds of things. Foremost, they were entertaining. There were the welcome traditional things like the Olympic Theme which I find beautiful, the flag raising and the lighting of the flame. There was spectacle...a globe floating above the stadium?!!! There was much humor, like the imaginative recreation of each Olympic sport symbol. They had a short segment about unveiling what is the new Olympic motto. It used to be three words: The International Olympic Committee decided upon the change with the new motto being, "Faster, Higher, Stronger." It is now "Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together." And in the world we're in now it seemed so appropriate and it was followed by a beautiful staging of the song "
Imagine."
I found myself quite moved and, at the end, I had more hope in my heart than I have in a long time. That's one thing the parade of athletes from every nation does. You can't help feel this with seeing so many youthful, eager, energetic and optimistic participants filled with pride and joy.
I also enjoy seeing how each group entering the stadium is dressed. I always find that a great world wide fashion show! They were all wearing masks this time, though, which took away from seeing all the good looking people. (Oh, that half-naked greased up Tonga guy was there again! Without a mask.)
Every Olympics they have a chosen flag-bearer for the country. This year they had both a male and female athlete from each team be the flag bearers. It might stay for future Olympics. The NBC hosts thought it was great, but I didn't because those flags are not meant to be carried by two people and it was very awkward with two people trying to wave it and hang onto it together, especially if they were of various heights. Why not one for the opening and one for the closing?
I am glad that I happened to come across this and did watch it. I usually make a point of it, but I had not this time.