When I first heard Shatner was going to be part of the Olympic closing ceremony, I thought it just might be awesome. And the whole thing was.
Perhaps I could have done with less of the Russian stuff, but then we might not have gotten people bouncing up and down in light up inflatable balls, and really, where else are you going to see that?
Then Shatner comes out and I hoped for a minute he might sing. Instead he touts the noted Canadian erotic prowess in canoes, and the accompanying free splinter removal. In all Shatner made me feel more warm and fuzzy about Canada than Catherine O'hara did with her jokingly passive-agressive rant.
Michael J Fox was a nice way to wrap up the segment, with his touching claim on all the Olympic medals.
And then the whole thing went crazy. Giant inflatable Mounties and beavers, card board hockey player, a stage made out of hat -- the parade of all things Canadian was bizarre and wonderful. I expected the Space Shuttle's robotic arm to come out next.
I think If someone had hired me to put on a stage show that made a parody of , and mocked, Canada, this is exactly what I would do.
And yet -- the whole thing turned out to be just funny and awesome. I really can't get snarky about it.
Let's face. My friends to the north put on a heck of a show.
I've been watching Figure Skating these past couple of days and I am perplexed by the number of falls. Now, I have all the athletic ability of a one-legged, 22 year old, blind dog, so perhaps I'm not one to talk. And I fully realize there is now way I could even think about accomplishing what these Olympians do.
But the falls and mistakes surprise me. Here's why.
The routines they do in competition are the same ones they have done for weeks or months. The exact same moves are supposed to happen every time. They are supposed to happen at the exact point in the music at the same time. There are no outside elements to interfere with that.
As such, these moves are things that can be practiced over and over for days or weeks on end. All they need to do is duplicate that exact performance for the judges.
Easier said, than done, I know. But should that be the case? When this is your full-time job, or for many athletes, their full time life, is that expecting too much of them?
Part of being an Olympian is being prepared both physically and mentally for the realities of competition on the world stage. Maybe we should cut the teenagers in their first appearance some slack. But for everyone else, why isn't near perfection in their routines something we should expect?
And yet there are still the slips and falls on routines that should be as reflexive as breathing.
Are competitors trying too hard? Is the Olympics the time to try out new things they haven't mastered yet? Or are these routines unmasterable? In other words, are the Olympian cutting corners with practice, or have we finally reached the maximum the human body is capable of performing?
Unlike the events where players compete directly with someone, like Speed Skating, hockey, or Curling, there really should be nothing unexpected in a Figure Skating performance. The Olympians know their equipment, they know their partners, they know about ice, they know how much space they have, they know the moves they are going to do, the know the scoring system. They don't have to watch for tackle or interceptions.
So why do so many performers fall?
More specifically why do so many medalists medal in performances in which they fell? These people are the best in the world. It seems like executing their routines better is something we should expect.
I don't intend this as a slam of the Olympians. The skill, talent, and dedication they demonstrate is utterly amazing. But the whole thing kind of hurts my head.
The Opening Ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics were truly spectacular. Featuring for than 15,000 performers, heads of state from around the world, and a budget of more than $100 million, it set a new bench mark by which all future openings will be judged.
Here are some random thoughts I had while watching it.
First, those cheerleaders who were always on camera during the parade of nations had to hop and cheer for more than two hours. That must have been exhausting. By the time the Chinese atletes came in, you could see the cheerleaders could barely hop anymore. They tried, but most seemed to have run out.
My GF and I tried to figure out who had the tougher job -- the hopping cheerleaders, or the country sign holding women who had to walk around with the stiff arms, straight out holding a sign with the name of each country. They're efforts were briefer than the hoppers', but that requires some serious arm strength.
Second, I imagine the performances were intended to say something about the country's place in the world. They combined kids with military, kids with martial arts demos, massive coordinated drumming, animated displays powered not by technology but by people, and an assortement of other acts.
They downplayed technology and focused on the sheer volume of their populace.
When you look at the way America's manufacturing base has shifted over to China, to the point where much of the US is Made In China, it's not because of technology. It's because of people. It's almost as though if there is a problem or an opportunity, China can simply throw more people at it.
There seemed to be a subtext of, "We want harmony, but don't mess with us. We'll bury you with people."
In the balance of military power, the US had the edge in technology and weaponry. China has a lot of people.
Third, there was a lot of emphasis on the environment. Seriously?
Fourth, President Bush was there. I'm okay with that. But I would liked to have seen him be more enthused when the Iraqi athletes entered the stadium. Or at least not to sit there and smirk as they walked by.
It was long ceremony so I can understand him getting fidgety toward the end. Lots of people are like that. I'm like that. As the US athletes marched in, He stood and cheered and waved a small American flag. That's great to see.
But as the nations continued to enter, he sat down. The camera cut over to him, and he was wacking the small American flag on his knee. Seriously? After all the grief Obama took during the primaries for not always wearing a flag pin on his lapel, we now have the President wacking the rolled up flag on his knee on world wide television.
I know it seems like a small thing, but since the President has called for a constituional amendment to prohibit flag desecration he (or his handlers) should be more careful.
Fifth, overall, it was a fascinting and beautiful diplay, and I can't wait to see what the next two weeks bring.
When I first heard Shatner was going to be part of the Olympic closing ceremony, I thought it just might be awesome. And the whole thing was. 
