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London 2012 Paralympics


Raven

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You know what? I am totally disgusted with the organisers. The Olympic opening ceremony, was massive, was on BBC, and was a major event. But the Paralympics if on C4 with a much smaller affair. I'm sorry, but I know who are the real hero's these people have taken what life has thrown at them and pushed and pushed until they are at the top of their game! How do we reward it? we let them know that we believe they are less important, mean less, and are generally of a lower standard. Angry. >=o

 

Lou x

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I was out last night so didn't see the ceremony. Just caught some of the swimming etc this morning but like you I am hating the ad breaks....the red button options are way smaller than the BBC version too...such a shame the deserve as much coverage.

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If it felt smaller that than the Olympics last month that is largely because it was (the opening ceremony last night had nowhere near as much money thrown at it as the Danny Boyle epic we had last month).

 

To be fair, that isn't Channel 4's fault; they didn't pay for the opening ceremony last night any more than the BBC paid for the Olympic one. They did outbid the BBC for the broadcast rights for the Paralympics and they devoted - with the exception of the ad breaks - just as much time to it last night as the BBC did last month.

 

I don't think it is a case of second-best television, or a slight to the Paralympians, that the coverage is on Channel 4 as they are usually pretty good with their sports coverage.

 

I think their mistake here - if they have made one - is to have newsreaders fronting their coverage rather than sportsmen/women.

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I enjoyed the ceremony last night but like others i didnt really like all the ad breaks. i thought the ceremony itself was good and im really looking forward to watching as much of the events as i can. I wanted to watch it now but little brother has taken the tv over with the xbox grrrr!

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The ad breaks were annoying but for me at least the ceremony was brilliant. The theme of enlightenment was so apt for 2012 bearing in mind the energetic significance of this year, and see that choir singing "we are the light" (or words to that effect) for me sums up the whole thing, and indeed what we are all here for and what we all are. For me it is about saying that you should never judge a book by its cover, that we are all one and all equal regardless of what abilities we may be lacking, that that person sitting in the wheelchair, or walking with sticks is just like you and me, and feels the same things and the same passions, highs and lows. Of course I know this, as half the residents at work are in wheelchairs or disabled in some way due to old age, but a lot of others do not and need to be made aware of what to me is obvious. As for those that didn't understand the theme, it doesn't matter, as it goes in at some level even if they are not consciously aware of it. That's how the universal consciousness works.

 

I have managed to watch a little of the games today on various residents television sets and saw Sarah Storey smash the Paralympic record this morning - I understand she has just won Team GB's first gold a short while ago. Coran and I are going to see the Wheelchair Basketball tomorrow which I am really excited about, although I can't say I am looking forward to 2 1/2 hour journey and 6.30am start ! We are going to get all our bags ready for tonight so that we can get up as late as possible.

Edited by Talisman
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I really enjoyed the opening ceremony last night though only stayed up til about 11.30 as I had to go to work this morning, that was probably my only bug bear with that its the middle of the week so a real pain.

 

I am now trying to watch the coverage of todays events but i do have to say i am finding the ad breaks a bit irritating they seem to squeeze small ones between each heat in the swimmming meaning you do lose a little of the momentum.

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Coran and I went to see the Wheelchair Basketball today at the O2 (North Greenwich Arena), which was absolutely incredible. It's an amazing game to watch, fast paced and furious - seeing how they tackle each other and tip over and manage to get back up again is something else.

 

The first match we saw was Poland versus Japan (mens) which Poland won and then after a short break it was the women's turn - Team GB versus Australia. Sadly (sorry Australians) Australia won, but they were the better team and so did of course deserve it. Team GB put up a good effort, but the Aussie's got such a flying start that when that happens it is very difficult to catch up, especially with such a fast moving game.

 

We were right down the front literally in front of the pitch which was fantastic - it couldn't really have been better.

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Coran and I went to see the Wheelchair Basketball today at the O2 (North Greenwich Arena), which was absolutely incredible. It's an amazing game to watch, fast paced and furious - seeing how they tackle each other and tip over and manage to get back up again is something else.

 

The first match we saw was Poland versus Japan (mens) which Poland won and then after a short break it was the women's turn - Team GB versus Australia. Sadly (sorry Australians) Australia won, but they were the better team and so did of course deserve it. Team GB put up a good effort, but the Aussie's got such a flying start that when that happens it is very difficult to catch up, especially with such a fast moving game.

 

We were right down the front literally in front of the pitch which was fantastic - it couldn't really have been better.

 

Some friends of mine were there today as well.

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Sadly (sorry Australians) Australia won, but they were the better team and so did of course deserve it. Team GB put up a good effort, but the Aussie's got such a flying start that when that happens it is very difficult to catch up, especially with such a fast moving game.

 

I saw this match and I wouldn't want to mess with the Australian basketball team, they are very agressive players!

 

In general, I'm addicted to watching the Paralympics since it started. Both Ellie Simmonds and Hannah Cockroft have blown me away over the last 24 hours because they wiped the floor of their competitors, in the swimming and Wheelchair Racing.

 

I am a little disappointed by Channel 4's coverage so far. Numerous times I've tuned in to watch the Equestrian events, only for Channel 4 to show two competitors, before cutting to a different sport! I know that there are a lot of events to coverage, but I'm finding Channel 4's coverage to be very fragmented.

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Loving the games but not liking the coverage much and hated the ad breaks in the opening ceremony ... so disrespectful. Some of the pundits seem not quite on it .. though again mostly it's down to the ad breaks .. they seem like startled rabbits whenever the coverage comes back .. even lovely Clare is flustered .. it seems to be improving though (and I love Jo Rowsell's input .. she's great).

Absolutely HATED Jon Snow's paralympic coverage .. he got it off to an awful bumbling start (and had to mention as much civil unrest and economic strife as possible during the athletes parade) but Ade Adepitan has been great and so, surprisingly, has Jonathan Edwards (I didn't like his input in the Olympics much.)

The athletes are so inspirational. Loved watching Hannah and Ellie (fingers crossed) also Sarah Storey, Richard Whitehead and Samantha Baker but it's all just brilliant and the crowds are amazing .. so uplifting.

 

After this though, I never want to see an advert for gum disease again as long as I live.

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Loving the games but not liking the coverage much and hated the ad breaks in the opening ceremony ... so disrespectful. Some of the pundits seem not quite on it .. though again mostly it's down to the ad breaks .. they seem like startled rabbits whenever the coverage comes back .. even lovely Clare is flustered .. it seems to be improving though (and I love Jo Rowsell's input .. she's great).

Absolutely HATED Jon Snow's paralympic coverage .. he got it off to an awful bumbling start (and had to mention as much civil unrest and economic strife as possible during the athletes parade) but Ade Adepitan has been great and so, surprisingly, has Jonathan Edwards (I didn't like his input in the Olympics much.)

 

After this though, I never want to see an advert for gum disease again as long as I live.

 

I also think that John Snow's coverage has been poor, he's more suited to reporting news. I do however think that the combination of Claire Balding and Ade Adepitan is brilliant and I'm warming towards Daraine Mulvihill and Johathan Edwards. At the beginning of the games, I didn't think that they made a good team, but now I'm thinking otherwise.

 

Also, I hate seeing that gum disease advert too!

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O...M...G...just watched the mens 200 !! How on earth did Richard Whitehead do that! I was astounded, he just got faster and faster, was worried he was going to fall over! Totally amazing!

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O...M...G...just watched the mens 200 !! How on earth did Richard Whitehead do that! I was astounded, he just got faster and faster, was worried he was going to fall over! Totally amazing!

 

I know, he just stormed the others. The same as Oscar Pistorius, it looked so easy for him to win that race!

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It has been a brilliant couple of days with it seems records being broken each time I tune in. Various residents television sets have been most obliging, with the residents enjoying my company and being most bemused by my seeing ability to materalise in front of their screens each time a particularly loud cheer erupts.

 

The exhileration of seeing live Paralympic events is most addictive I find, and after having seen the Wheelchair Basketball last Friday, Coran and I have been trying to get more tickets. They seem to go on sale around 6pm most nights, but sadly we have been unlucky - until tonight when we managed to get tickets for the mens sitting volleyball final and gold medal ceremony at the Excel ! We would have liked to have seen the Olympic Park itself (and we might still be able to get a day pass, as there is Saturday morning (the volleyball doesn't start until the afternoon), and Sunday, but if we don't then I will be very happy with this, as you don't often get the chance to see a gold medal event, and to get 2 lots of tickets is brilliant, when there are so many who haven't managed any.

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It has been a brilliant couple of days with it seems records being broken each time I tune in. Various residents television sets have been most obliging, with the residents enjoying my company and being most bemused by my seeing ability to materalise in front of their screens each time a particularly loud cheer erupts.

 

The exhileration of seeing live Paralympic events is most addictive I find, and after having seen the Wheelchair Basketball last Friday, Coran and I have been trying to get more tickets. They seem to go on sale around 6pm most nights, but sadly we have been unlucky - until tonight when we managed to get tickets for the mens sitting volleyball final and gold medal ceremony at the Excel ! We would have liked to have seen the Olympic Park itself (and we might still be able to get a day pass, as there is Saturday morning (the volleyball doesn't start until the afternoon), and Sunday, but if we don't then I will be very happy with this, as you don't often get the chance to see a gold medal event, and to get 2 lots of tickets is brilliant, when there are so many who haven't managed any.

 

Wheelchair Basketball must be so exciting to watch live!

 

I wish that I had applied for tickets for Paralympics, because the atmosphere looks fantastic there. I'm very jealous, as my sister is at the Olympic Stadium to watch the athletes today. I really hope that she takes loads of photos.

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