Who should light the Olympic flame?

[Flumpy]

At least it was not so grandiose and totally OTT as the flame lighting in Beijing by someone no-one had ever heard of outside China.

No we 7 people no-one had ever heard of ANYWHERE!!!

[ultragirl]

jeremy, not with you on this one at all.

[kingmaker]

Flumpy, Ultragirl and all you knockers get a bleedin grip. It was a good imaginitve way to light the flame looking to the future instead of harping incessantly about the past.

If you mean what you say don't be so sanctimonious as to hide behind a nickname. Kingmaker aka Rick Betts Olympic Torchbearer and Gamesmaker 2012

[trickstat]

In Melbourne 1956, the lighter of the flame was a 19 year old local runner who went on to be quite famous. His name was Ron Clarke.

TBH do you seriously think in a week's time anyone on here will give a flying one as to who lit the flame?

[ultragirl]

No kingmaker you get a bleedin grip, mind you you have already had one haven't you, so nothing detrimental coming from you then

Our opinions are just as valid as yours, and we care not a jot who you say you are, you have had your brag now, we are simply expressing an opinion which is our right on this forum, your aggresive attack on our opinions dear Betts is not.

Most of us have not a a say in how the £12 Billion pounds was spent or an opportunity to be involved in the games or even a ticket to see them, so have the good grace to allow us our opinion, there's a good chappie.

http://www.englandathletics.org/news.as ... temid=5352

01.Dec.10 Jumps coach gets BBC Sports Personality of the Year recognition.

England Athletics National Coach Development mentee Rick Betts has been nominated for the prestigious BBC Sports personality of the year Unsung Hero award. He is presently awaiting the results of the regional BBC North East Award where he has reached the final 3.

Rick works in the North East of England, and in Middlesbrough he is coach to 20 young athletes from the Teesside area mainly on the behalf of Middlesbrough AC (Mandale) and can count English Senior Triple Jump Silver medallist Ade Babatunde, who he has coached since the age of 11, amongst his squad.

Rick who is mentored by Peter Stanley has already had a successful year being named as England Athletics North East Development Coach only last month.

On hearing of his nomination Rick said, “I feel honoured and humbled at the same time to have been nominated for this award

“I think that there are a lot more coaches out there, both in the North East and the rest of the country, who do more hours and have put in a lot more years than I have and this nomination and my top three placing is also for them.”

Rick and his squad were filmed last week by the BBC for the Regional Sports Personality Awards in sub zero freezing temperatures at the local Clairville Stadium in Middlesbrough. “It was pretty damn cold and the kids who turned up did myself and the club proud, we had to adjust our planned training session and do some bounding on the steps and hurdle work inside, which I think turned pretty well.”

The regional BBC awards take place at Sunderland's City Space Centre on Tuesday 7 December with the winner going froward to the Televised National Sports Personality of the Year Award Unsung Hero presentation in Birmingham on 19 December.

[jjimbojames]

^^^Was there a point in posting that last bit?

Obviously everyone's entitled to an opinion, but when people go on about it forever is when it becomes frustrating to keep reading the same argument; no matter what happened last night there would be complaints from some (case in point, people now complaining to the BBC they can't touch/get a photo of them and the flame from outside the stadium)

[trickstat]

Most of us have not a a say in how the £12 Billion pounds was spent or an opportunity to be involved in the games or even a ticket to see them

Any of us could have offered our services as a volunteer and I suspect quite a few would have been selected because of our expertise. Whether we would have wanted to given the costs and inconvenience involved and the likelihood of missing the action is another matter.

Any of us could have applied for a ticket to see the games. Obviously, managing to get one was a completely different matter as we all know.

[MBChristie]

At least it was not so grandiose and totally OTT as the flame lighting in Beijing by someone no-one had ever heard of outside China.

No we 7 people no-one had ever heard of ANYWHERE!!!

Take a look at the power of ten profiles
Desiree Henry (Nominated by Daley) **Flumpy your lack of athletics knowledge shocks me **
Katie Kirk (Nominated by Mary Peters)
Adelle Tracey (nominated by Kelly Holmes)
Aidan Reynolds (Nominated by Lynn Davies) previously played basketball

For completeness the others were:
Callum Airlie - After winning the first race that any British sailor has won at the European championships for as long as anyone can remember. (Shirley Robertson chose him)
Cameron MacRitchie as a rower he was nominated Sir Steve Redgrave. Going to the U23 world championships eights.
Jordan Duckitt - chairman of the London 2012 Young Ambassador Steering Group, nominated by Duncan Goodhew

[kingmaker]

Ultra girl thanks for the reminiscing hads almost forgotten that one, like Jimbo said what was the point really? Someones got too much time on their hands. and no i wasnt bragging I just fail to understand why people are so confrontational and opinionated whilst still hiding behind a pseudonym. My mother always says if you have something to say be man (or woman) enough to make sure they know its you saying it, or stay quiet.

But as far as I am aware (correct me if I'm wrong) as Trickstat correctly said anyone of us could have vounteered as i did on July 27th 2010, I then had to travel to London 4 times at my own personal cost from my paltry NHS salary instaed of spending it and the time on my children to "train" which one trip could really have sufficed as did many others.

I also have no say in how the 12 billion was spent as like you and many others I am a volunteer in this sport and recieve nothing monetary from it all. So if you really do dislike whats going on in Startford and the fact that 7 young hopefuls who may or not make it future lit the torch, may I humbly suggest you turn off your TV till the 13th of August.

[Flumpy]

So if you really do dislike whats going on in Startford and the fact that 7 young hopefuls who may or not make it future lit the torch, may I humbly suggest you turn off your TV till the 13th of August.

That makes no sense at all. Why would my thinking the last 20 minutes of the Opening Ceremony were a complete anti climax mean I shouldn't watch the rest of the games?

[mump boy]

I wasn't keen on a bunch of kids lighting the flame it could have been made a lot clearer if they had actually run with the legend who nominated them rather than a jumbled hug. It wasn't even made clear who anyone was !!

I was more perturbed by those carrying the flag what a hodge podgy

In Sydney it was Olympic Champions including Marjory Jackson, in LA it was Wyomia Tyus, Billy Mills, Al Oerter. Parry O'Brien, Jim Thorpe's Grandson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ocoe3f09N4

Who do we get ??

Shami Chakrabarti !! Ban Ki Moon, Doreen Lawrence and 'The Champion of the Earth' !!

Completely nonsensical, why not have Esther Ranson and Aung San Suu Kyi and Sue Pollard

[Ursus]

With the greatest of respect, a wasted opportunity if you believe that part of the ceremony should have been used to burnish already bright reputations and confer honour on those who have already received so much.

I do. That's EXACTLY what that part of the ceremony should be used for and I hardly think the likes of Anita Lonsbrough or Malcolm Cooper have been overly feted.

Agreed, but it mght have been tricky to resurrect the late Mr Cooper.

I think it probably was an opportunity missed, but it was consistent with the general emphasis on youth. I also think it was wrong to light in the flame in a temporary location.

[Flumpy]

Oh!!! Didn't know Malcolm Cooper was dead

Anyway you get my point.

I'm not adverse to a kid lighting the flame at all. I understand the symbolism and it could have been a nice moment but that still doesn't explain the 30 minutes before it that failed to involve anyone worthwhile in any aspect of the ceremony.

I had such high hopes as Redgrave brought the flag into the stadium. I was on the verge of collapsing in a flood of tears and then just a big let down

[ultragirl]

Kingmaker you are really creepy.

[kingmaker]

Kingmaker you are really creepy.

As you clearly know nothing about me or what type of person I am, could you please stop being so rude. Unless of course you care to elaborate ultragirl?

[ultragirl]

So if you really do dislike whats going on in Startford and the fact that 7 young hopefuls who may or not make it future lit the torch, may I humbly suggest you turn off your TV till the 13th of August.

That makes no sense at all. Why would my thinking the last 20 minutes of the Opening Ceremony where a complete anti climax mean I shouldn't watch the rest of the games?

AS I said creepy.

[jjimbojames]

So if you really do dislike whats going on in Startford and the fact that 7 young hopefuls who may or not make it future lit the torch, may I humbly suggest you turn off your TV till the 13th of August.

That makes no sense at all. Why would my thinking the last 20 minutes of the Opening Ceremony where a complete anti climax mean I shouldn't watch the rest of the games?

AS I said creepy.

But how does that make someone creepy?

[sprintfan]

Kingmaker you are really creepy.

Ultragirl - your comment was utterly and completely irrelevant and unnecessary.

This type of comment you should keep to yourself - why would you think it necessary to write this?

I can see nothing in Kingmakers comment to lead to your 'off the wall' comment - but made because you want to be noticed?

Perhaps some growing up to do? Please?

[SteveK26]

Overall I though the Opening Ceremony was pretty good. Loved the novel way the flame was lit, didn't really matter much to me who lit it. Youngsters, for a change, was Ok ...but I can see where the 'traditionalists' are coming from in wanting an established hero to do it.
Not sure about what the rest of the world would have made of the 'National Health' sketch, especially with a dozen or so Mary Poppins's descending on proceedings! Enjoyed Mr. Bean, (so did my kids), but I would have preferred the great McCartney to have done something other than 'Hey Jude'...he cant quite hit some notes in that one any more.
But you'll never please all the people all the time, so I'm not sure why some of you are tearing each others hair out!

[foxo]

I thought it was fantastic. I loved the whole event.

James Bond certainly was OHMSS, calling for The Queen. I bet most people thought a lookalike was standing in. Mr Bean was a great unexpected British comedy moment. Although I had to explain to my other half (my interpretation) The cultural aspect "second to the right, and straight on till morning" - Peter Pan - J.M Barrie - Great Ormond Street Hospital = NHS J.K Rowling - Voldermot - other baddies = disease And Mary Poppins comes to save the day... phew!

Still humming along to Frank Turners "I still believe" but do not understand how Arctic Monkeys fitted in.

As for the lighting of the cauldron, inspirational to have the youngsters. I know my athletes are pleased and at least one of them can say I know that person I have been in a race with them. As for the Olympians who knows what the closing ceremony will bring.

Proud to be British !

[larkim]

The biggest disappointment to me, as someone who will be visiting the Olympic Park next week, is that the flame can't be seen burning from the top of the stadium by anyone other than the T&F ticket holders (of which I am one, I admit!).

I've always thought that that symbolic picture of the flame towering over all of the games was particularly poignant; shame they haven't managed it.

As for who lit it, I quite liked the controversial symbolism of handing the flame onto the next generation, and particularly that it was shared around amongst several disciplines / sports. It was distinctive; as was the fact that the "petals" were brought into the arena by children, some from the special needs choir that sang / signed earlier in the ceremony. Inclusive, without being patronising. I liked it!

Matt