Beijing Olympic Games are open; Kobe Bryant cheered

BEIJING -- The opening ceremony was running more than half an hour later than scheduled when Chinese President Hu Jintao succinctly declared the 2008 Summer Olympics open. At least it was still on the lucky date of 8/8/08.

Prior to Hu's remarks, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge addressed the crowd.

"You have chosen as the theme of these Games 'One World, One Dream,' '' he said. "That is what we are tonight.''

That is arguable considering the number of people inside and outside the country who reject China's human rights policies. Rogge, though not discussing that, did at least mention this year's earthquake in Sichuan Province.

"As one world, we grieved with you over the tragic earthquake ...,''  he said. ''We were moved by the great courage and solidarity of the Chinese people. As one dream, may these Olympic Games bring  you joy, hope and pride.''

Rogge also reminded the 10,700 athletes here that they are role models for the youth of the world and asked them to "reject doping and cheating.''

Of those athletes, the ones who received the largest ovations from the announced crowd of 91,000 when close-ups were shown on the the giant screen were the NBA players -- Yao Ming, of course, Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Manu Ginobili.

Who says this is a table tennis country?

-- Randy Harvey

Photo: Yao Ming carries the flag of China next to 9-year-old Lin Hao, a survivor of the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan, during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Credit: Amy Sancetta / Associated Press

Comments

[batman9970]

China loves Kobe!

[James Quek, Singapore]

Lin Hao the cute 9 year-old alongside Yao Ming was not merely an earthquake survivor. He was a hero. He rescued two of his classmates when their school collapses. That was the reason he was given the honour of leading the China Olympic team at the opening.

[Ocon]

America should have used a real american to carry the flag in china...not a political propaganda...

[j2tharome]

Very surprising to hear applauses from NBA players. I don't care what they say, they had to feel jittery!

[proud]

The person who carried our flag is a real American as he earned his citizenship, he's done a lot more to become an American citizen than the majority of our lazy population. This country was built by and we are all the descendants of immigrants and the tradition continues today. Don't be such a racist hypocrite, one American is not worth more than another.

[Ian]

No cheers for Ronaldinho?

[LAKERLUSH]

Way to go ocon. You proved your ignorance by butchering the english language.

[James]

Isn't it that we should keep politics out of the Olympics? If not, then every countires who have a gripe should try to bring some kind of symbols.

[Krychev]

I didn't see one dancer take a break during the ceremony. You know the big corrals formed by those dancers dressed in white. If anyone of them had taken a break from dancing what would have been the consequences? It makes me sick to think they were dancing for their lives!

[DW]

Krychev: In answer to your ill-formed question, yes, I do know about the big corrals formed by the dancers in white.

Those dancers weren't dancing for their lives; they were probably having the time of their lives.

Do you realize that in order to be selected to dance on the world stage, they put themselves through years of rigorous training? China--nor any other nation which cares about appearing decent in front of 203 other countries--would never allow untrained, unenthusiastic performers to represent them.

If you had been selected to perform at the opening ceremony, do you think you would have wanted to take a break? I think not.

I hesitate to make personal remarks upon others' judgmental abilities, but it makes *me* sick to attempt to comprehend the level of ignorance of internet users these days, and the continued (even heightened) levels of stereotyping of the Chinese people.

[Ann Lau]

That little boy in the photo has his hands up as if he is carrying something. What did LA Times do to the photo? Did LA Times edit out the flags that the boy was carrying?
Could it be a PRC flag and a IOC flag? Could it be possible that the PRC flag was upside down?
Please, LA Times, do tell us the facts. Please show us the real photo.
I hope LA Times is not self-censoring itself in order not to embarrass the PRC.
Could it be that the little boy is telling the world that thousands of children died because of the "tofu" schools and now the authorities are shutting up the parents' appeal to the authorities for an investigation into why those schools collapsed?