My thoughts on the best closing ceremonies ever

Russell Brand as Willy Wonka and the walrus...believable.

Annie Lennox has still got it. Although I am not sure that half of team USA is even old enough to know who she is...

But in defense of the young team USA…I don’t really know Jesse J.  But I think she could be added to my “can’t help but smile and dance” play list.

I am a fan of this Jesse J, Taio Cruz, Tinie Tempah trio of You Should Be Dancin’.  (I would have loved to have seen it by it’s originators in their prime.)

Even if it goes horribly array, I am RIDICULOUSLY STOKED for the SPICE GIRLS! 

And they delivered.  That was a WONDERFUL reunion.

Was Missy Franklin even born when the Spice Girls took over the world?  I am fairly certain the “Fierce Five” were not. 

I want to watch Spice World now.

Great music comes out of Great Britain.  (Although the Scandinavians are currently dominating the music world…my music world anyway…with the exception of Mumford and Sons.)

And LoLo Jones once again proves why she is so awesome.  Singing along to Wonder Wall.  Love her.

I love the Brits.  Best sense of humor.  Roller blading nuns…with Union Jack undies.  Awesome. Sauce.

Always look on the bright side of life!!  Eric Idle.  Is there anything more British?

The Royal family loved the human cannon ball!  I did too.

FREDDIE!

Jesse J can’t really replace Freddie. No one should try.  I’m not saying she can’t sing…clearly, she can.  It’s just that no one should do Freddie, except Freddie of course.

I want a hat that has a light bulb on it.

London has the best Olympic cauldron ever.  How will anyone ever top that?!

TAKE THAT!  BEST CLOSING CEREMONIES EVER.  Done and done.

and they keep on coming...

I love the Olympics.  I always have.  So enjoy another post J

I LOVE that Katie Bell counts “5,6,7,8” before she dives.

It makes me laugh when the platform divers jump on the platform and it doesn’t bounce.  I know it isn’t going to, but I expect it to every time.

Ok so I initially thought it might be the pole vaulters that are the strongest athletes.  But it might actually be women’s platform divers…or maybe it is just Brittany Viola.  Holy handstand Batman!

Misty May high-fiving almost the entire arena after May and Walsh beat China.  I am going to miss watching those two play volleyball.  Misty May-Treanor is magical.  Some of those digs she gets could only be got with magic…Misty Magic!

I love how the pole vaulters start to celebrate (or bum out) as they are falling to the mats. 

It was adorable when Ashton Eaton’s mom reminded him that “the blue goes on the left” when she handed him a US flag after he won the gold in the decathlon and became the world’s greatest athlete. 

I loved how the decathlon athletes were congratulating each other PRIOR to the 1500 meter run.

Track stars seem to smile more than gymnasts.  In fact, I think track stars seem to smile more than any other athletes.

I will not miss Usain Bolt…sorry guys…I am just really not the biggest fan.  He is incredible, no doubt.

Georganne Moline.  She finished fifth in the 400 meter hurdles.  It was her personal best time.  I can’t wait to see her in Brazil.  I loved watching her run. She ran her heart out in the finals.  (This can be said about many of the athletes.)  I wish we saw more about the non medalists. Thank goodness for the Internet.

Speaking of non medalists…LoLo Jones was also a favorite.  She got put down, publicly by some of her teammates but never slammed them back.  She just stood up for who she is and did her best.  Maybe her best on the final race day wasn’t Olympic medal best, but I still think she is amazing.  PS to Dawn Harper and Kellie Wells…taking digs at your teammate on national television is really bad form and exceptionally disappointing from an Olympic athlete. 

Misty and Kerri winning gold was a beautiful thing.  I kind of felt like I was invading their friendship by watching them after they won.  Clearly they are best friends.  I don’t think another women’s beach volleyball team is ever going to be as amazing as they are unless they have that same friendship.  The ties that bind are what bring the greatest success in life.

yes, I do love the Olympics

Please do not stop reading after you read this, but I am not crazy about Usain Bolt.

It appears that my favorite olympic athletes are the "kids" (i.e. the "women's gymnasts, the swimmers who are still in or barely out of high school), the moms and Georgeanne Moline.

Chinese vs. U.S.A. in beach volleyball…awesome sauce.  I especially loved that it was a serious competition the entire way.

100 meter hurdlers are INSANE!  I don’t know how they don’t fall every single time.

I love seeing good sportsmanship…during the Olympics.

Alex Morgan’s head is awesome.

I am not really crazy about the gymnastics commentators.  They are kind of jerks. 

I have developed a deep love for some of the Russian and Romanian gymnasts during these Olympics.

Aly Raisman is a good sport.  And I love to see the gymnasts smile!

And of all the competitors that could have knocked Catalina Ponor off the podium at least Aly Raisman knows how she feels.

Carmelita Jeter.  See previous post about watching runners.

Love that Kseniia Afanaseva had a little Kill Bill music moment in her floor routine.

Aly Raisman saying wow after her own floor routine was all kinds of awesome sauce.

I would love to see Georgeanne Moline medal in the hurdles on Wednesday.

more Olympic thoughts

I have become obsessed with pole vaulting and will now be YouTubing pole vaulting videos.  (Please bless that pole vaulting is not a slang term for something inappropriate.)

I think pole vaulters are sneakily the strongest and most flexible athletes of all sports. 

I have come to the opinion that there are few things in life more beautiful than watching a runner in their element.  Particularly those running the sprint races.  Allyson Felix, I think, is the perfect runner.

Totally loved watching Georgeanne Moline on hurdles.  I think that hurdlers are the second toughest athletes.  Second only to pole vaulters.

I wonder if pole vaulters name their poles.  I really hope they do. 

I was genuinely excited that Aliya Mustafina won the gold medal in the uneven bars.  She has kind of become one of my new favorite athletes.

Judging in gymnastics is still ridiculous. (see previous post)

One word for McKayla Maroney after her silver medal on vault-Disneyland.

My heart breaks anytime a gymnast from any country does poorly on a routine because they always, without fail, look so broken hearted.  And since they aren’t quite women (for the most part) and still little girls, it is just so sad to see them so crushed.  

I think that the consolation prize for those who get silver medals in ANY SPORT (see women's shot put finals) since they always seem more disappointed than the bronze medalists, should be a trip to Disneyland hosted by Shawn Johnson and Gabby Douglas.

What is it with the American and the Eastern European (specifically females) gymnasts being so stoic.  Except for when they win…and except for Gabby Douglas.

I LOVE Gabby Douglas, there is not doubt about that, but why, Why, WHY are they interviewing her, when Aliya Mustafina just won the Russian’s first gold of the Olympics this year?! 

Oscar Pistorius…pretty awesome.  The only non awesome part is that I think he should not be able to compete in both the Paralympic and the Olympic games.  One or the other.

Best moment of men’s vault finals…when Sam Mikulak tells Yang Hak Seon that his vaults were ridiculous and is genuinely stoked to see him win the gold medal.  Also, Yang Hak Seon’s vaults were awesome.

I think that networks should not get to have a monopoly on Olympic coverage.  The should switch off for both summer and winter.  This way, there will be motivation for the networks to improve their coverage every two years. 

I am cheering for the Dutch in men's beach volleyball.  I would love to see them win gold.

Swimming and "Women's" Gymnastics

It really should not be called women’s gymnastics because it is actually little girl’s gymnastics.  That is in no way a put down for their talent.  They are insane athletes.  Their strength and bendiness is…I have no words.  But they are little girls…adorably tough little girls…but little girls none the less.

I wish that the uneven bars were shown in slow motion.  I mean it looks cool in real time, but holy stretchy legs, Batman!  In slow motion it is extraordinary to see the lines they make with their bodies and the air they get while doing their routines.

How can you not love Missy Franklin an Gabby Douglas?!  When those two smile…it is pure joy.  And they are great sports.  Always congratulating their competitors.

Also, Rebecca Soni, like her a lot.

Aliya Mustafina gave the slightest of smiles right before she began her floor routine.  It made my night.  I think it was the first time she had smiled during the individual competition.  The Russian gymnasts always seem so serious and dour.  It was nice to see even just a hint of a smile from that little girl. 

I don’t understand, nor do I like gymnastics scoring.  I do however, enjoy the movie Stick It!

Gabby Douglas’s smile and pure enjoyment during her floor routine put the biggest grin on my face. 

I think that Aliya Mustafina and Aly Raisman should take a trip together…maybe to Disneyland.  I think they need some happiest place on earth-ness in their lives.  The hints of smiles they let escape make me think they have great smiles and should show them off more.  Although considering that Aliya beat Aly in a tie breaker for the bronze…maybe Gabby should go with them as a buffer. Also Shawn Johnson should go on this trip with them.  In fact maybe Gabby Douglas and Shawn Johnson so take Aly Raisman and Aliya Mustafina on a road trip. 

I really like the red nails of Ranomi Kromowidjojo…and her name.

I think Michael Phelps might be a vampire.

Viktoria Komova was really, really, really upset when she didn’t win gold.  Which I realize is probably a HUGE bummer…but kid, you won a silver medal at the Olympics!  I bet Aly Raisman or Aliya Mustafina would have been thrilled to take that off your hands...especially Aly Raisman.  That tie breaker was a heart breaker.

Also...this has nothing to do with the Olympics, but go see Beasts of the Southern Wild.