Brief Intro

The view from London as the biggest sporting event in the history of Great Britain finally lands. #London2012

Friday 3 August 2012

The Friday Feeling #2

This is the Friday Feeling. The second installation of a hat-trick of features which will appear on The Search for Excellence each Friday (you guessed it) during the Olympics. Expect some astute observations, irreverent opinions and priceless nuggets of information...possibly.


We've had plenty of time to get used to it, but the 2012 logo still looks silly
TODAY

 So a week into the tournament and Team GB have rocketed up the medal table to 4th position. A slow start to the Olympics had the nation a bit worried but since our first gold medal, claimed by Helen Glover and Heather Stanning in the women's pair rowing on Wednesday, everything is looking up. The tournament seems to have been a resounding success on the whole so far with plenty of talking points, many new world records set and barring the trouble with corporate seats being empty and the London Underground's Central line failing on occasion, has worked surprisingly well logistically. Today the Athletics competitions in the Olympic Stadium have finally begun, and many feel like this is where the true essence of the Olympic Games really comes to life. Jessica Ennis, Great Britain's poster girl, is wowing the crowds as I write this with some stellar performances in the hurdles and high jump to get things off the ground. With the 100m final to come over the weekend and the longer tournaments such as basketball,hockey and football yet to reach their latter stages, it certainly feels like the best is yet to come from London 2012.

 THE MOOD

 Personally, I'm feeling optimistic of Great Britain's chances of finishing in the top 3 of the medal table and am fully indulging in the feel good factor of staying in the host city of London 2012. But who cares about me? What do the masses think? Well let's have a look at Twitter, where we find...

 This London-based singer-songwriter getting very much into the Games and supporting Team GB:
While this Paris-based PR girl is clearly a fan of heptathlete Jess...
The Olympics is having such a strong effect on this guy that he is even changing his tennis allegiances:

Evidently this chap is more excited today than he has been so far:

But I guess you can't keep everybody happy...


Having been in Hyde Park yesterday when Sir Chris Hoy claimed his fifth gold medal, equalling Sir Steve Redgrave in that department, I can testify the mood of London's sports fans is arguably at an all time high. But that doesn't mean nothing has have gone wrong...
THE BLUNDERS

 Locog have largely behaved themselves this week but a member of Team GB seemed to make a huge mistake last night. Philip Hindes, the German-born Brit who won gold alongside Sir Chris Hoy and Jason Kenny in the men's team sprint admitted to journalists that he had deliberately crashed in the heats to force a restart and ensure Great Britain recorded a better time. He later appeared to backtrack and say that he had genuinely crashed, and British Cycling said comments had been lost in translation as Hindes has only recently learnt English. However, it seems pretty clear that Hindes had admitted to a bit of gamesmanship, and while the IOC say the result would stand, and Team GB deservedly won the final, it is hardly great for the image of cycling.  While the Americans have been outdoing the Brits in terms of medals, across the pond their broadcasters have also been outdoing them in terms of blunders. NBC, who have the television rights for London 2012 have made mistake after mistake leading to the trend #NBCfail appearing multiple times on Twitter. From silly comments during the opening ceremony, including an assumption that, like the commentators, no viewers would know who Sir Tim Berners-Lee was; pretending that coverage of Olympic sports is live when it is actually delayed and getting an Independent journalist banned from Twitter for criticising their coverage it has been one huge PR cock-up for one of the biggest broadcast companies in the world. It is fair to say that over here, with their incredible online coverage and 24 channels ensuring all sports are televised, the BBC are doing a much better job.
NBC have been infuriating Americans all week long

 THE QUESTION

 On Sunday night, arguably the most-anticipated Olympic event yet is set to happen. Can Usain Bolt cement his place as the definitive athlete of our time, or will his friend and training partner Yohan Blake usurp him in the 100m final? The iconic Jamaican, who spent the warm-up period prior to the Olympics based in Birmingham with the rest of his nation's athletes, holds the world record of 9.58 seconds, as well as the Olympic record of 9.69 seconds, with which he clinched gold at Beijing back in 2008. However, Blake, three years Bolt's junior, beat the Olympic champion in both 100m and 200m at the recent Jamaican trials and appears to be in better form going into the race. If Bolt is in peak condition, scientists have stated that it is physically impossible for anybody to beat him. But if he isn't Blake won't give him any second chances. Tyson Gay, the American, remains an outside bet but the most glorious of Olympic golds is surely set to head to one of the Jamaican speed demons.
Blake, left, and Bolt will not be too pally on the track this Sunday
THE VILLAINS

Eight Asian badminton players were thrown out of the Olympics this week after deliberately trying to lose their games to ensure a preferable draw later in the tournament. The women's doubles players, two pairs representing South Korea, the others representing China and Indonesia, were all desperate to either avoid their compatriot teams until the final, or simply end up with a perceived easier draw in the knockout rounds. Regardless, their tactic of hitting shots into the net, deliberately over-firing them and generally not bothering to perform was disgraceful considering plenty of fans had shelled out up to £75 on tickets. It is fantastic that the IOC decided to throw them out of the competition the next day, but tragic that such a situation even occurred in a tournament which is meant to represent the pinnacle of sporting achievements.

 THE SUPERHEROES

 Heroes have been left, right and centre over the past week, starting with the Opening Ceremony where Sir Steve Redgrave, David Beckham, the Queen and even Mr. Bean fall into that category for varying reasons. But a huge congratulations has to go to the rowers Helen Glover and Heather Stanning.  Just when the nation's optimism was at a low, the coxless women's pair claimed Great Britain's first gold at Eton Dorney on Wednesday morning. Not only that but they were the first British women ever to win a gold in rowing at the Olympics. Stanning is an officer in the Royal Artillery and Glover only began rowing four years ago, but this unlikely duo got Team GB off the mark when they needed it most. Elsewhere Michael Phelps has to be given huge amounts of credit for his performances, where despite being labelled as past his best, has picked up two gold and two silver medals to take his overall haul to 20. This makes him the most successful Olympian of all time despite only being 27 years old and having won medals in just three Olympic tournaments. The man who set a record by winning eight medals at Beijing 2008 is not going to be forgotten any time soon. And finally a shout out has to go to last week's Friday Feeling superhero Bradley Wiggins, who bounced back from Team GB's road race failure by claiming the gold in the time trial. Wiggins, who became the first Brit to win the Tour de France just last month is almost certainly a shoo-in for the 2012 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Long live the mod.
Glover, left, and Stanning kick started things for Team GB
Something different will land on The Search for Excellence tomorrow with a special guest post by another super-talented writer. Before then, make sure to follow James on Twitter @TSFE2012
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