Turin Italy; Let the Olympic Games Begin … aka Another Peculiar Opening Ceremony

Let the games begins. The Winter Olympics has began Friday night with all the pomp and circumstance. As much as I still do watch the Winter Olympics, although its not the same since they allow professions to play hockey these days and we will never have a truly phenomenal moment as Miracle on Ice, unless the one athlete from Cypress wins gold. Of course this year ice hockey may not even be the focal point as all the media will be paying attention to to Wayne Gretzky and the swirl of controversy around him.

That being said, as much as I still enjoy the Olympics, the bobsled, the ski jumping, the biathlon, luge, the downhill and the ever popular curling; the opening ceremonies is just different. However try as I might I just never can understand what they are doing with these song and dance routines. It looked like a cross between Roller-ball, Staying Alive and Heidi. Red flaming skaters, men and women dressed in cow suites, and what exactly is this?

Turin Games Kick Off With Surreal Ceremony

“Rhythm, Passion and Speed,” promised the show’s producers, and those watching _ an estimated 35,000 at the Olympic Stadium and 2 billion tuning in _ got all of that. What they didn’t get was an explanation for some of the extravaganza’s more surreal moments punctuated by Fellini, Dante and dancing trees.

Or for this: Rollerbladers in red body stockings who hurtled down ramps onto a white stage, the backs of their heads shooting two-foot bursts of fire.

In a tribute to the seven countries abutting the majestic Alps _ including Austria, Germany and France _ dancers wearing green sheaths pranced near brightly painted fake cows pulled on rollers. It was a homage to mountain life and livestock, and to cheer both, the stadium audience had been supplied with clanging cow bells.

Now comes the revelation from 2004. All this time and I had always wondered what he was doing. Now I know. He was practicing for the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. After all, he was the European’s choice for President.

This would be humor folks, not political.