Sochi Winter Olympics?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz !

Not even the curling? In which we might ~"medal"~ (cringe worthy word that it is)

There are lots of way president Putin could impress me but this isn't one of them. But then I'm just not interested in sport.

No I won't be watching- at least voluntarily, as OH may want to watch bits. The best way to make our feelings known to Putin- it not to watch.

Yeah, like he'll know whether we're watching or not!

I can't get excited by this either! Even though I am sure there will be some spectacular winter sports to watch. It's the way the whole thing has been stage managed.

In the old days the whole family watched the Olympics, sometimes into the early hours. There was a freshness and sense of excitement about it. Now many people just can't be bothered. Sadly, there is so much corruption and commercialism swilling about that it tends to put people off. But I'll still keep an eye on the forthcoming Winter Olympics and hope to see GB do well.

I like watching the ice skating. And I hope to get the opportunity to watch - next week I'll be staying with my sister and BiL in Scotland.

Another who won't be watching although I did watch Torvill and Dean all those years ago in Sarajevo.

No.

I would normally watch the ice dancing but there are too many things 'wrong' with holding these games in Russia it is my small protest.

No I won't be watching. Think its an obscene amount of money and a vanity exercise for V Putin Esq. I don't like the way he operates and that money could have been used to address some of the social problems in the USSR, to alleviate suffering.

We've just had a quick look at the opening ceremony and it was like watching paint dry.

Yes I am watching and will watch , it's the hopes and dreams of the athletes which matter. Just wish Irvine would pause for breath, long pauses

Is it my imagination, or does the Olympic cauldron look decidedly phallic?

It's you, Galen

And there were only four and a bit Olympic Rings! Did anyone else spot this?

I enjoyed that ceremony - very dramatic and went like clockwork. There was some breaking news that an air passenger attempted to hijack a plane going to Istanbul and have it flown to Sochi, but apparently the pilot kept control and landed in Istanbul. The Russians have passed it off as being a man who was drunk.

Yes, the fifth ring didn't open properly!

I visited the site of the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer at Christmas and the games are obviously big news there, with Norwegians expecting great things from their team. I also visited the Olympic Museum and learned that the revival of the sport was influenced by a school at Much Wenlock in England; I felt really quite ignorant as Norway actually sends junior teams to the Wenlock Olympian Games which are still going strong today.

I enjoyed the opening ceremony , pity the news are concentrating on the failure of the five rings .

I enjoyed it, too. We don't have to reject it wholesale just because Putin is such an objectionable character, or there was a minor technical problem. It was a grand performance, and it was good to hear that speech calling out in favour of diversity.

I so agree whenim, and for me now it's the athletes , all those years of training , such discipline

I thought it was very good. Colourful, clever and I have to say I liked the fifth ring staying as a snowflake. I thought at first it was done on purpose to denote 'winter' Olympics.

It is about the spirit of the games but there is obviously always going to be politics chucked into the mix now a days. Perhaps we should just say that because of the games it has highlighted Russia's issues with gay rights and it perhaps has done a good thing from that front.

I see no reason not to enjoy excellent performances from athletes who have worked hard for this high point in their lives. Not watching the games on television isn't going to make Putin and co change their attitudes.