Are you getting excited about the Olympics?

I'm getting very excited and [unusual for me] am beginning to feel very optimistic that we're going to show the world how well we can do this. I feel that [and jings pointed this out to me] we've taken the concept of the games into another dimension. I've got a pullout from one of the papers of people [and one horse in the dressage] to look out for. For some reason I think that winning the Tour de France is some sort of omen [that and the fact that it seems to have stopped raining ]. For some reason during the last Games I found the Archery totally mesmerising [there was one lady competitor in particular whose name escapes me that I couldn't take my eyes off; think she was British]. I'm incapable of such concentration but archery is something that I've often wanted to have a go at.

Where we live we are affected by road closures due to cycling events next Saturday, Sunday and the following Wednesday 1st, which my husband is particularly put out about as he has a game of golf lined up in Surrey on that day and has no idea how he will get there. Just hope we can negotiate the pavements which are likely to be really crowded with spectators. Sorry know we should be delighted to have all this in our neck of the woods but we aren't!

Nevertheless, on the subject of cycling well done Bradley Wiggins!

Maggi we will be there next Monday 9:30! Canoe sprint! Whatever that is!!

I think it was the fact that McDonalds seem to have 'bought' the games that put me off completely. They may have donated a great deal of money, but I don't think it was done out of altruism. Apart from the amount they will actually take at the games, they will have one of the biggest world-wide advertising opportunities that it is possible to imagine.
I find it difficult to accept that visitors can be banned from taking their own food in when they have paid so much for their tickets.

I agree that the paralympic athletes best reflect the original spirit of the games.

Not over excited at all. Can't imagine what the opening ceremony is going to be like. Sounds dreadful. I wish Team GB good luck though.

I'm really looking forward to the Olympics, I always do! All the spin and politics and commercialism is just an every day part of the world we now live in.....at all levels. I just think it's amazing to see so many people gather together to demonstrate their sporting ability, with the eyes of the world upon them!
Problems? Of course there have been problems. Same as there would have been in Bejing and Sydney etc etc but as usual, the media have 'bigged up' every negative aspect. The press always claim that what they publish reflects the mood of 'the people. That's rubbish!
Yes, there are lots and lots of people who are not interested in sport or the Olympics, thank goodness we're all different. But I've been following Torchcam on line for the past couple of months and there have been hundreds of thousands of people all over the country who have turned up come rain or shine to cheer and clap and wave flags. That's the mood of 'the people'.
The scenes of cheering crowds in London as the torch travels around our capital city make me feel quite emotional. It's brilliant to see so much good will and enthusiasm and positive energy!
Come on TEAM GB!!!

I'm already getting fed up with the whole thing, however I wish our competitors the best of luck and I think Bradley has probably awakened a lot of patriotism.

I hate all the bullyboy tactics of the huge companies,forbidding this and that, yet in Wilmslow we have a smart menswear shop, much frequented by the "celebrity" footballers, that has had a two window display of the olympic rings for weeks!

No.

No. Such a waste of money in these hard times for ordinary people and so little accountability.

I cannnot say I am too excited. But will watch the opening and closing ceremonies. I am never sure if these marvellous athletes are using drugs or not so am a bit sceptical of the whole thing.

No.

Good article in the I today by Yasmin Alibiai-Brown on this subject

I'm not interested. I wish all the athletes well but I shan't be watching. As otheres have said it's all too commercial and the original spirt of the games has been lost. Do you think I can get a refund on my TV licence as BBC seem to have nothing other that sport on for the duration? It's not that I am some sort of misery, I'm just not interested in watching sport.

I hope they sort out the traffic , they put the Games Lanes into practice this morning and the traffic on the A40 was just awful, as it was on the other Games Lane routes into London...

Have managed to find a fetching little official Team GB top in River Island (reduced to £5!)
And a somewhat larger one in JL for my DH.
We now have the wardrobe for going to the games.
Really is time for Brits to stop criticising and complaining - I don't think London was the ideal place to have games - but the time to say this was before the bid went in. Now is the time to support our fantastic team - and the country.

No I am not excited in fact I am sick of the build up. The news has been full of it for weeks and programmes about past Olympics etc. I hope when it gets started it gets more interesting. All the memoribilia is of London as if the rest of the country does not exist.

Do you think there is a conspiracy to get us to concentrate on the games in the hope we forget about the recession?

We don't hear all the "talk" about the Olympics over here...the U.S. Had no idea the Olympic rings were banned from store windows. Hummm. Sounds like the dopy stuff that gets set up here! I do like to watch the Olympics. Our t.v. is pathetic for the most part so at least this is better than most of it.

Hi there marilynclare - you are not "blessed " with our press. There is a whole flock of em, all trying to be like the National Enquirer and making up depressing tales of woe and outrage. Sigh. I think there are enough bad things in the world without making up more, but that doesn't stop them.

Not really excited, and not sure I would have chosen to apply for London to hold the games. But ... it's happening, so let's get on with it. I am sick and tired of all the negativity- and some Brits hell bent on bringing the whole thing down. As far as the posh geezer in his posh car, open topped, complaining bitterly he was delayed on his way to work! Surely, they've knows about it long enough to get organised. My daughter's business have had a Olympic work plan for months to find ways to get around the disruption.

As far as the opportunist black-mail of transport workers and others - I am ashamed for them. Sheer blackmail.

Come on - let's see London at its best and enjoy the Olympic spirit, somehow.

Well said, granjura!

I agree granjura!

Jess, you are right....now is the time to do just that!

Can't say I've been able to work up much enthusiasm as yet. The torch did come through our town which was an excuse for a party but other than that the Olympics aren't coming near Norfolk so it'll be easy to ignore them. I don't particularly like all the commercialism around sponsorship and ordinary traders and people not being allowed to use the ring symbol.

I agree, granjura. The eyes of the world are on Great Britain so we should be proud of what (hopefully) will be achieved. We're good at great ceremonial occasions so all we need is good weather and I'm sure the Olympics will be great

Obscene commercialism coupled with rank inefficiency and incompetence. Tis a shame really because all that I read or see aboput particular athletes show them to be hugely dedicated and highly professional. I wish them well but will not be watching.