The opening ceremony the other night took me by surprise. I was not at all interested in watching, relegating these ceremonies to the same place I keep the Super Bowl half time show- Boredomville. Then I started looking at it as Maryvonne was watching. It was really sensational. I have to admit that the Chinese really put on a show that was better than any ceremony I can recall. But then I started recalling the 1992 opening in Barcelona. Lighting the torch with an arrow was a touch that was so "on target" for the games, so simple and so dramatic that it will remain my favorite.
The whole idea of the Olympics just doesn't come across on television. When watching it, waiting for football season to get going, it is just another sporting event. But if you are there, in the city, and go to any events at all, it is a thrill that really does transcend sports.
I was lucky enought to work the 1992 Games in Barcelona. It is an experience of a lifetime. That was the year of the Michael Jordan Dream Team, and I did not see any basketball, but I did see some track and field, cycling and walking races. All were thrilling.
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