Atlanta snubbed in Olympics telecast?
Observant viewers of Friday evening’s Opening Ceremony telecast noticed something missing in a tribute to past games: Atlanta.
The apparent snub occurred during a film which kicked off the quirky, four-hour extravaganza, produced by British director Danny Boyle of “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Trainspotting” fame. So far there’s been no official explanation as to why a montage featuring the logos of previous Olympics didn’t include Atlanta.
ESPN notes that a famous Atlantan also was slighted during the telecast: “An entire tribute to the history of British pop music, right down to an East London rapper, and no mention of Elton John? Maybe he’s been disowned because he lives in Atlanta now?”
And who could forget the snub by then-International Olympic Committee czar Juan Antonio Samaranch, who declared Atlanta’s 1996 effort “most exceptional” during that year’s Closing Ceremony? At previous games Samaranch, a former top official under Spain’s fascist dictator Francisco Franco, had congratulated the host city for holding the “best Olympics ever. “
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229 comments Add your comment
Reggie
July 28th, 2012
4:25 pm
Who gives a damn????
Frank Furter
July 28th, 2012
4:26 pm
Heck with them!
http://www.facebook.com/notquitedevils
Raoul
July 28th, 2012
4:34 pm
Polishing the bishop
August West
July 28th, 2012
4:37 pm
Maybe if Atlanta was seen as being serious about being a world class city, it might get more respect. Most of the world couldn’t care less about UGA football. Atlanta fears all things different.
sldkfjslk
July 28th, 2012
4:38 pm
Izzy ate the logo.
mike
July 28th, 2012
4:38 pm
who cares, the Atlanta Olympics were mentioned a million times in the NBC broadcast..
Southern Comfort
July 28th, 2012
4:43 pm
The rights to the Atlanta logo were sold at the street vendor venue by Bill Campbell.
CmdrR
July 28th, 2012
4:52 pm
The 96 Atlanta Games were about money. Period. That was Samaranch’s observation, and he was right.
of course
July 28th, 2012
4:54 pm
We got what we wanted out of the Olympics and we have no debt from it. Sounds OK to me. Who cares if the IOC did not have a grand old time.
rob
July 28th, 2012
5:00 pm
glad they didnt mention our city in their CRAPPY opening ceremonies… the whole thing just SUCKED!
MannyT
July 28th, 2012
5:11 pm
You don’t get the highest praise when a bomb goes off in your Olympic Park during the games.
A happy resident
July 28th, 2012
5:12 pm
Seems to be a few comments here from disgruntled Atlantans. Why not move if you are not happy. No one will ever agree with everything that is done here, but it sure beats a bunch of other metropolitan areas. It will never be perfect, but neither will any other city.
NullOp
July 28th, 2012
5:17 pm
Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Mine is that the IOC and Boyle can go “pound sand”.
Yeti
July 28th, 2012
5:17 pm
The Atlanta games were an embarrassment to anyone who lives in Atlanta. Our official shirts should have been airbrushed and sold at funnel cake stands. The sooner the world forgets, the better for us!
bookie
July 28th, 2012
5:20 pm
Atlanta was shown for the ignorant city that it is.
Sam
July 28th, 2012
5:21 pm
Yeti, you’re right on the money!
Statgirl
July 28th, 2012
5:22 pm
L.A. 1984 was also missing.
The Truth
July 28th, 2012
5:22 pm
We all pretty much agree, ATL did just a fair job.
And the IOC is getting to be a “left” wing outfit anyway.
Two Hoots
July 28th, 2012
5:23 pm
Billy Payne made sure that all of his construction cronies were taken care of first and there just wasn’t enough money left to pay Samaranch as much as he demanded. The brits opening ceremonies sucked. It was a lack luster attempt to copy Atlanta’s Opening Ceremmoney but fell flat except with the news idiots who have to say what they are told because they are mindless twits.
KIM
July 28th, 2012
5:26 pm
Our games were OUR games. Be proud. And those of you who aren’t, go to hockey sticks.
Each to their own
July 28th, 2012
5:28 pm
I’ve seen Atlanta’s ceremony rated 2nd and 3rd recently for best ceremony. One of them had Beijing sixth, but it’s all in what you’re looking for personally. Atlanta’s problem for the whole games was local politicians interfering and a lack of artistic resources.
I did like a number of the elements in the London ceremony, but some of the songs went on way too long, especially some of the heavy metal, etc, and seemed inappropriate for the venue. Cheapened the whole show.
NullOp
July 28th, 2012
5:32 pm
The only really decent feature about London’s opening ceremony was the 007/Queen bit. The rest of it was rather ordinary. Using Mr. Bean and Sir McCartney was kind of cheesy. If Benny Hill was still around I’m sure we would have seen him. At then it would have been fun.
Atlien052
July 28th, 2012
5:45 pm
I remember being in the kitchen with my mother when they announced Atlanta was going to host the Games. I remember seeing the Olympic Park area transform from a dump to a great beautiful area for tourists. I remember the free concerts at Olympic Park. I remember the Olympic flame going through my hometown of Norcross.
I also remember having to tell the bus driver how to get to the venues because he had just gotten to Atlanta from Chicago the week before the Games started,so he didn’t know the city. I remember going to bed at midnight and missing Kerri Strug’s vault because I already knew the US women,s gymnastic team won and NBC would not show the events live so they could up there ratings. I remember buying $3 Cokes (which at the time was outrageous) and not being able to walk down the sidewalks because of the vendors. I remember waking up on Sunday morning to go down to watch track and field and leaning of the bombing.
Yes, I remember both the good and the bad of the Olympics, but the good memories by far outweigh the bad. I’m proud that my hometown ofAtlanta was the host of the games, and I’m proud to say that I was there to see it happen!
outspoken1
July 28th, 2012
5:52 pm
I wasn’t aware it was even time for the olympics anyway. Where will they be held this year?
My Two Cents
July 28th, 2012
5:53 pm
We had our day; let London have theirs. On the bottom line no one really cares. Although I did hear announcers refer to Atlanta at times. Let the games begin!
Mitchell
July 28th, 2012
5:53 pm
Welcome to Atlanta.
Hugh Jass
July 28th, 2012
5:54 pm
When I went to the Atlanta Olympics I was embarrassed as a resident that they sold way too many vendor licenses. There were probably 1,000 stands in a small area trying to sell crappy t-shirts.
Hillarious
July 28th, 2012
5:57 pm
Who frickin cares?!
Festus
July 28th, 2012
5:58 pm
As a famous sports caster observed: the only thing more boring than track is field. Thank Gawd for cable tv.
Atlanta snubbed in Olympics telecast? | Atlanta Informer
July 28th, 2012
6:01 pm
[...] News here – AJC Sports Talk ← Atlanta Left Out Of Opening Ceremony Montage At 2012 Olympics – SB Nation [...]
Larry
July 28th, 2012
6:04 pm
Atlanta didn’t deserve to be mentioned. I was ashamed at the Downtown politicians trying to get rich and enrich their cousins, autnts, brothers, etc. They destroyed the Olympic dream and forever soured this city in the minds of people all over the globe. I was born and raised in this town; I have never felt worse about it. This once great city is a dung heap. Incidentally, only fools and thieves will vote in favor of the TSPLOST; it will be the same as the Olympics. Politician will get rich and they people will get nothing but the bill.
Cowboy
July 28th, 2012
6:06 pm
Our Olympics will unfortunately always be marred by the senseless violence of the bomb in the park. We have at least one venue that sits empty and rotting away (the cycle competition area at Stone Mountain). Agreed no long lasting debt. I don’t see we got much of a big economic boon. It was a tremendous honor to be the host city, Atlanta. And it was the best commute we have ever had!
JackA770
July 28th, 2012
6:14 pm
The Atlanta Olympics were a blessing to our city and residents. The people of ACOG, and none more than Billy Payne who pioneered this dream when it bordered on preposterous from 1987 to 1990, deserve our forever thanks. I could go on and on.
I really would appreciate knowing the official reason Atlanta’s Centennial Games, no less, was excluded on the televised poster montage introduction. I’m sure it was an oversight and one officials feel badly about. Good luck, to everyone in London ! Appreciatively,
garcia
July 28th, 2012
6:15 pm
Let’s not be so thin-skinned. Having said that, it should be noted that the Atlanta Olympics were not better then Barcelona’s. So, our olympics were “most exceptional” not “best ever.”
The best that can be said about the 1996 olympics (as a production) is that it did not leave the city in crippling debt. Billy Payne and Co. had Montreal in mind and made solvency priority number one. To that end, we got what we paid for.
Be happy that the city did not go bankrupt from hosting the games. Enjoy the London games and don’t be so sensitive.
wayne
July 28th, 2012
6:19 pm
I live here and i can tell you this… I dont give a crap about this backward az racist city.
CJ
July 28th, 2012
6:24 pm
We are the only Olympic city that today, in no way, feels like an Olympic city. We didn’t fail to host a great Olympics. We completely failed at turning this city into something special. Atlanta is no London, Barcelona, or Vancouver. It’s covered in graffiti, smog, and traffic. It’s a failure.
Jo
July 28th, 2012
6:26 pm
The Atlanta Oympics made Atlanta a real international city for the first time and put us on the map. It was not correct we were left out of the past Olympics mentioning in the tribute, probably politics…
Also for the record, many of us who live IN ATLANTA are for the TSPLOST because we know it will help ease congestion and attract companies to the city creating jobs. This is not a political issue and I am sad people see everything as bad the government tries to do. Hell, lets close our schools, dismantle our military, let our roads go to pot, and stop paying taxes….that will fix those gvmt baddies lol lol lol (as we go back to the dark ages).
Newt Gingrich played a part
July 28th, 2012
6:31 pm
I’m sure Newtie and company helped in their decision NOT to include Atlanta
rivsport
July 28th, 2012
6:49 pm
I am proud of the job Atlanta did with the Olympics. We have a great city and great citizenry. I was honored that people from around the world came here for the games, and I salute all those whose hard work was rewarded by the IOC choosing Atlanta to host the games.
Every time I go to the Olympic park area I am amazed at the transformation that has taken place there. An area that was nothing but blight and warehouses has become the center of downtown’s resurgence. Billy Payne did this city right. No Olympic debt. And a revitalized downtown. A tremendous legacy that can’t be marred by a few words the IOC did not say.
Monica KP
July 28th, 2012
6:52 pm
The ATL games felt rinky-dink and amateur… parking was not adequate, bad roads, transit was and is still not friendly for users, it was hot and sticky, we had the bomb, and there’s nothing really great to do here since there are no decent attractions, really…and nowhere to cool off. It was just a big cluster mess of cars and parking lots in a hot bed of traffic and congestion in a non-walking city. The closing ceremonies seemed amateur (I was there), and who can forget the French Fry cup? Grade C or C+… And the down-home “leaves-quilt” motif thing with Izzy were both just stupid.
Monica KP
July 28th, 2012
6:55 pm
And there was nowhere to shop downtown…. just vendor tents of carnival junk everywhere.
nancy
July 28th, 2012
7:01 pm
It’s all George Bush’s fault!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Someone who DOESN'T hate capitalism
July 28th, 2012
7:08 pm
For “Southern Comfort” and the other Atlanta-bashers: Atlanta and Sydney provide the model for public-private partnerships in hosting an Olympics. So the walk to venues was lined with t-shirt vendors. We were left without paralyzing debt (see Greece) and with venues that continue to complement the city (cf China, London). It’s so easy to crap on everything from your positions of artistic superiority, but the reality is that the Atlanta games were wonderful–save for the significant intrusion of domestic terrorism. I know it is hard to believe that we didn’t manage to manufacture 500 years worth of history and culture for the games, but there was more to do and see in 1996 than when the games were awarded to the city. European sycophants should get over it and enjoy the memories and the fact that our city hosted the games without mortgaging away its future. I for one LIKE free enterprise!
Monica KP
July 28th, 2012
7:21 pm
@Someone – I like free enterprise too, but Atlanta was not and is still not a city to host the Olympics. But, we had them here and that’s something to brag about, I guess.
JANICE
July 28th, 2012
7:36 pm
I was proud that Atlanta hosted the Olympics!!! Outside of the unfortunate incident in Centennial Park, we did a great job and as a native Atlantan, I took in as much as possible. There is never going to be an Olympic city where there are no issues.
I wonder how many of the negative comments here are made by people who have live here forever and or born here. I am proud to call Atlanta home!!
In watching the present games, I was remembering ours well.
Reality Check
July 28th, 2012
7:45 pm
Atlanta Olympics was bush-league. And people outside of Atlanta know what kind of a hole this place is now: Crime, thugs, heat, traffic, crooked politicians. Leave anything out?
charm
July 28th, 2012
7:54 pm
We did pretty much drop the ball. I’ve been here 30 years and the only time I remember we even had the games are when I’m going to Hawks games and have to walk past Centennial Park. Wait, no, there was a bombing that we accused the hero of being guilty of. WTG ATL.
Blue Angel
July 28th, 2012
7:54 pm
A-T-L not mentioned? I’m glad. This place is riddled with complacency and home of the blinged up $30,000/yr millionaire. The City, County and State is embarrassing! I cannot wait to leave and watch this place become another Detroit!
Reality
July 28th, 2012
8:04 pm
It was poorly planed. I have friends in Texas and other states. They rented areas on the streets in downtown Atlanta to sell merchandise only to find out those streets were blocked off by the Atlanta police. These merchants from out of state lost alot of money. They told me they didn’t care if they ever came back to Atlanta.
DeDe
July 28th, 2012
8:24 pm
The other Countrys are jealous. Atlanta did not go into debt with the Olympics.
Also I have seen other venues after the Olympics and they are falling apart and either not in use or cannot be used due to shody building. Take Montreal for example. Atlanta is able to use all of our venues for private or public uses. So stop and think about it when you are better informed.
And Good-bye Blue Angel… Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out!!!!
ryan
July 28th, 2012
8:25 pm
Atlanta’s open ceremony was terrible lets face it Europeans there still hatred there so obviously British will slap our face IMO China had the best opening and closing ceremony’s there was some good moments for the Atlanta games but the only memory will have was bombing at Centennial park .
ron
July 28th, 2012
8:26 pm
Count one more vote in the who gives a dam column. I watched about 30 minutes of opening and that was some of the weirdest crap I have ever sat through. Going to miss that 30 minutes I will never get back
Native Peach
July 28th, 2012
8:39 pm
I am from here and I live here, so I can’t say I don’t understand… but yes, I definitely noticed the omission. It was a snub.
Also agree with an earlier comment about being a world-class city. Uhhh… if that’s something we want, we need to actually TRY harder, not just stand on our airport and a softdrink and demand to be respected as a top player.
JP
July 28th, 2012
8:43 pm
Manny a bomb did detonate in Olympic Park but did you forget about the athletes killed by terrorist?
john
July 28th, 2012
8:44 pm
MMMM! Let’s see. Crime ridden downtown, the “Real House wives of Atlanta, The trolley car from Centennial park to King Center,World of Coke,Stone Mountain , A completely mismanaged MARTA system and now the Transportation referendum will probably fail .
No real science museum, no government help to build a new Symphony Hall ..but plenty for a bid for a NASCAR museum and the “Bubba” Olympics. We should have been snubbed in the opening Atlanta was turned into a third world trinket and T Shirt outlet downtown. Really Atlanta? Wake up !
How can anyone think they live in a world class city ? Atlanta should have Sherman come through ..burn it again,rebuild and do it right this time !!!!
Richard Simmons
July 28th, 2012
8:49 pm
I have to laugh at you people who keep harping on how the Atlanta games didn’t leave a debt. That is true, however, it would NOT be true if the Atlanta games had to repay the $500 MILLION they received in tax payer funding. The Atlanta games ended with about $10 Million in the bank. Minus the $500 MILLION given to them by taxpayers, that leaves a big, huge hole, no? So crow all you want about Billy Payne, but without SOCIALIZATION he would have been pilloried.
Richard Simmons
July 28th, 2012
8:51 pm
Also, want to know why the Atlanta games get no respect? Two words: silver pickups.
Glenn campagn
July 28th, 2012
9:04 pm
The sporting competition was great. But the production and presentation by Atlanta was cheap and lacked class, beauty, integrity, thought, and sophistication. It was a boondoggle.
Atlanta for the most part does not value high end. They prefer less expensive, simple, cheap , 2nd rate, knock off or also ran.no originality. Unsophisticated.
Sorry. But for the most part that is true. I live here and like it , but the true high end is a very small crowd here. People just don’t know .it is trying. But left trying. With some success , but mostly misses. The people just don’t know the best or don’t care. They want cheap and simple. And that does not make it wrong. It just is what it is.
It is a class thing. A value thing.
Andre
July 28th, 2012
9:06 pm
I give a damn. We were snubbed!!!! I thought my tv. wasn’t wide enough and that’s why I didn’t see the poster. But I checked it on a wide screen and it was NOT there.
Weena
July 28th, 2012
9:16 pm
I left Atlanta because of those damn olympics. The shameless self promotion turned me against anything Atlanta. Haven’t been back in 16 years and haven’t missed a thing. You should see the looks I get when I tell people I once lived there.
Thogwummpy
July 28th, 2012
9:24 pm
Remember, Atlanta’s Olympics had an opening ceremony with pick-up trucks. Kid you not…PICK-UP TRUCKS!!! Say no more. Boyle’s little socialist entertainment lecture included something I think was telling…and accidentally revealing. In his depiction of their nationalize healthcare system, did you notice they’d put two kids in one bed? THAT’s where it eventually leads folks, degraded service and standards. Cause you can only rape productive people for just so long before they get frustrated from carrying the parasitic slacker class…and throttle back on economic effort. Incentives matter, and thusly is the fate of all Left wing schemes.
heartofdarkness
July 28th, 2012
9:25 pm
I read today where the last Olympics that were hosted by London in 1948 housed the athletes in abandoned military barracks and participants had to bring their own towels and soap, and were glad for the opportunity to compete. This was the first post war Olympics, and a time when many around the world were still picking up the pieces of their shattered lives. The Games offered the vision of a better world than the one recent history had provided. When we fail to draw inspiration from the sublime emotions fostered by international competition, we are left to be assailed by the mundane.
Jason
July 28th, 2012
9:25 pm
More importantly, NBC left out a 6-minute tribute to terrorist attacks in London the day after they won the Olympic bid, but still found time for Costas to gripe about the lack of a tribute to the Israeli Olympians who were murdered in Munich. That, along with Matt and Meredith running their mouth throughout the first 90 minutes of the Ceremony, really ruined the whole experience for me.
As far as our city getting left out, heck, we’ve done more to make people forget the Olympics were here than anything you didn’t see last night.
spider
July 28th, 2012
9:31 pm
i wished all these atlanta haters would move the hell out and help ease the traffic for the rest of us that like living here.
Who Cares?
July 28th, 2012
9:32 pm
“no mention of Elton John? Maybe he’s been disowned because he lives in Atlanta now?”
He has at least five homes….He does not live here year round. Get over yourself
samaranch
July 28th, 2012
9:33 pm
who cares what Juan Antonio Samaranch thought about the Atlanta Olympics. He was corrupt and took our bribes and the bribes of SLC. Also – he turned a blind eye to performance enhancing drug use during the olympics. See Carl Lewis – who was just as dirty as Ben Johnson.
Eugene
July 28th, 2012
9:33 pm
Each year the television coverage of the Olympic Games seems to get worse and worse. NBC’s coverage has the look and feel of sometype pagent rather than the look and spirit of an intensely competitive sporting event. Their coverage before and now during the Games is totally focused on a select few athletes and a limited number of events.
Oh, how I miss the “Wide World of Sports” television broadcast formats. Typically, ABC’s would assign individuals to cover events at the Pan Am Games, World Championships, Olympic Games, etc. who were not merely “Broadcasters” but who were “Sportcasters who had indepth specialized knowledge and professional relationships with other sportscasters, coaches, and athletes from all over the globe, not just from America.
Although, they were Sportcasts, they were also critics who could pick apart an athlete’s performances with the best Olympic judge as well as storytellers who created a sense of excitement and anticipation in viewers with their commentaries.
so WHAT?
July 28th, 2012
9:34 pm
Fishwrap. This is the kind of stuff that makes me so glad after 30 years i discontinued delivery of this paper. What a bunch of whiners. Who cares Atl was not mentioned? I watched it and thought it was so far superior to Atlanta’s opening, Pickup trucks? seriously! how embarrassed I was in 96. Sir Elton left London. Lucky us!
Gary
July 28th, 2012
9:37 pm
They didn’t include Atlanta (1996) AND Los Angeles (1984) games. I wonder if it is a response to Obama’s dissing England and it’s prime minister.
Casey
July 28th, 2012
9:39 pm
On sattelite radio they reported that NBC heavily edited the opening ceremony so maybe we were just cut out. Not sure I understood the tribute to their national healthcare or the couple trying to meet in the house. Too much of the opening ceremony’s usage of film was bizarre. They gave us grief for the silver pick up trucks but many forget the beautiful tribute to the Greeks for starting the games.
The world media was biased from the beginning. I say hey we aren’t left with rotting venues (hello Greece, Montreal, many, many more) and hugh debt. Commercialism who cares, these games have been a sham for years since there hasn’t been a true amateur athelete in years.
James Smith
July 28th, 2012
9:39 pm
Could be due to Britain only winning 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 6 Bronze medals at the Atlanta Olympics
- shameful.
Dave
July 28th, 2012
9:47 pm
Who cares that was 16 years ago. . .every Games has it’s hiccups. . .plus at the end, I was glad to see Samarach and crowd go. In general, the official IOC dignataries were poor guests, , ,with perhaps the exception of the Princess Royale, most of them were no more than holier than thou elites. . .prime example was the Canadian official’s wife who felt that an Atlanta police officer should have known who she was at first glance, kowtowed to her like she was the Dowager Empress of China Cixi, and essentially stop all 12 lanes of traffic on the Downtown Connector so that she could walk across it. (I’m being facetious on the last part, but she did get very angry that she as the wife of the IOC Vice-Chair was stopped by one of our hardworking police officers who was trying to perform traffic control. She only demonstrated to the world when she complained publicly to the media that she is the X-itch that really and truly was and probably still is.)
Najeh Davenpoop
July 28th, 2012
9:48 pm
“Atlanta fears all things different.”
Atlanta and the suburbs are not the same thing. Pretty confident that most of the negative comments are coming from places like Kennesaw.
Dave
July 28th, 2012
9:49 pm
Actually, the IOC officials were such poor guests in Atlanta, I was not surprised when the whole payolla scandal erupted over the Salt Lake games.
gettheHout
July 28th, 2012
9:59 pm
There appears to be quite a few people on this thread living in our great city who obviously need to GET THE HE!! OUT. And quite frankly, the sooner the better. We don’t need you. We don’t want you. Clearly life has been unkind to you assorted belly achers, malcontents, whiners, crybabies, and general nabobs, so perhaps a change of scenery would do you good. I know it would do the rest of us who love this town a world of good not to every have to come into contact with people are vile as you lot.
Have a lovely weekend. You seem to need it.
26belly
July 28th, 2012
10:00 pm
If you choose to hide behind your IPhone, Pad, Laptop, etc. with your anti-Atlanta/anti-South comments…get your Yankee/Carpetbagger @$$’e$ the hell out of Atlanta! Delta is ready when you are!
Yeah right
July 28th, 2012
10:10 pm
Does anyone remember how they pushed some of the Atlanta population out of the city so they could build and make the city “better looking” for the Olympics. Thousands of people were affected in a negative way. The city was not too kind to some folks.
Jake
July 28th, 2012
10:19 pm
Two Billy’s ruined it for us. Bill Campbell and Billy Payne. One went to jail, and the other got “lucky”. Billy Payne’s “gifts” were considered by many to be bribes. GOOGLE it, or look through the AJC archives. You may remember Payne was kind enough to teach Utah all he knew about how to get the Olympics, and they also were embarrassed in the end and tarnished for inappropriately “gifting”, too. I suppose that is when Romney was asked to help them out.
Payne and Romney both also have something else in common, neither really didn’t want the financial records of their Olympics to become public information. The AJC won their legal battle for access to the public records (thank you!), but Romney apparently had them destroyed.
boots
July 28th, 2012
10:29 pm
Screw them.
Lena
July 28th, 2012
10:31 pm
I rewound my DVR over & over to see if I had missed it. NO/ NO/ NO it was not there// We had a good time anyway//////
scott
July 28th, 2012
10:35 pm
first Atlanta had no business with the olympics it shouldnt have been here..Atlanta has a long way and the region is to racialy divided and intolerant to hold such an event that is all inclusive of folks from all over the world when Atlanta region cant even tolerate the differences in the folk that live here…Face it this is not Seattle,San francisco,Vancouver,Toronto,Paris,Rome,or Sydney..those our world class cities…the olympics were a detriment to Atlanta more so then a boost..and made it much more of what it was before the olympics..more racist,more divided ,more corrupt,crowded ,more congested,more crime,
ATL80
July 28th, 2012
10:36 pm
I did not move here until after the Olympics. I know that Centennial Park and Turner Field are venues that remain from the games but I wonder how in the wold did Atlanta pull off the Olympics. I can’t imagine where or how. I read all these comments about how great the transformation was for downtown. Have you been down there lately???? Sure the park is nice but you can’t walk around downtown without being hustled constantly. I won’t take MARTA to a Braves game because they funnel you through the Underground to catch the shuttle on the other side. Yes, that is part of being in an urban area, but I have been to much large cities and not had to deal with it on this level. Unless there’s an event (concert, sports, etc.) I try to avoid going south of Ponce. My company can’t have our convention downtown because our cleints would be scared to death. I love Atlanta, but it still has a lot of work to do before it is a world class city.
gettheHout
July 28th, 2012
10:44 pm
Scott, as it has been said, it’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to tap on your keyboard and remove all doubt. You clearly don’t travel much. I lived in Seattle and San Francisco and if you think Atlanta is more racist than those cities you are out of your mind. I also lived in New York City and worked for months in L.A. All of those cities are racist to the core. The only difference is that people in those cities do their racism usually behind closed doors. At least in the south you generally know when you’re dealing with a racist because they’ve at least got the guts to say it right out in the open. In the cities I mentioned before, a black man is only “black” as long as he’s in the room. Once he leaves, it’s a different matter to those left behind.
Racism is EVERYWHERE. London as well as most of the European continent has some of the most racist people on the planet.
OldWoodenBox
July 28th, 2012
10:44 pm
Was a nice place before all the Yankees from the run down out of work dysfunctional cities moved here to make the city what it is now. They city can never be anymore than it is, a city of hate and greed, a city full of lack of guidance, a city of racial bias, who cares more about hiding behind what it hasn’t done, than ever looking to see what it would take to make a good place to live.
scott
July 28th, 2012
10:50 pm
Atlanta=still southern mentality…long,long,long,long way before becoming world class..wanna see world class city and also well ran with a fantastic downtown thats vibrant and hopping…See Seattle..thats where the olympics should have been not racialy backwater Atlanta…Atlanta will be Detroit no2 but never WORLD CLASS
Olympics Yawn
July 28th, 2012
10:53 pm
The Olympic Committee = international mafia. It is a huge scam on the business people in the host city. After their crimes (and crimes of their spouses), they skip town and flee while pleading diplomatic immunity.
observer
July 28th, 2012
10:56 pm
” Samaranch, a former top official under Spain’s fascist dictator Francisco Franco, ………..”. Shame on you AJC. Atlanta has been kissing Samaranche’s ass to get Atlanta selected as a venue for 1996 Olympics. Does that make Atlanta a fascist ass kisser?. which is worst being a fascist or being a fascist ass kisser? Or did his alleged fascist association came to light when he gave Atlanta a rating it did not like but probably deserved ? How low can one get
Rod
July 28th, 2012
10:56 pm
THey weren’t snubbing Atlanta – they were snubbing the USA.
The portion mentioned also skipped over the 1984 Olympics in LA.
1984 and 1996 were both skipped – no reason provided.
skyhawk1
July 28th, 2012
10:58 pm
How Atlanta could host the games in the first place is way beyond me.
F.I.L.A.
July 28th, 2012
10:58 pm
Watching YouTube videos of our Olympics, especially the Opening Ceremony really takes me back. Glad I was able to experience part of it for myself. Truly brings a tear to my eye to realize that my little town hosted the greatest event on the planet. We didn’t have LED TV’s or any amazing technology, just a ton of dedicated volunteers that worked their butts off. We hosted the last Olympics of the 20th Century, so it still had a charming, old world feel. Too bad the social media generation is only interested in flashing lights, HD cameras, and tweets, and the older generation is still whining about pickup trucks, which was 1% of the ceremony and not that big a deal.
Feel honored that we are just one of 3 U.S. cities to host something so phenomenal.
yo mama
July 28th, 2012
10:59 pm
i remember the day after the bombing, i had been assigned a camera position on top of cnn center feeding the controlroom with up to date, k-9 efforts, to camping out from 6pm-6am everyday across from richard jewels apt, only to get morning shots of his mom taking the dog out for a poop. other cnn crews did follow mr jewel to a few gay bars he frequented tho. thats what i remember about my olympics. theat darn bomb changed it all. i did meet arch bishop desmond tutu and joe frazier, hughy lewis and the news, hakeem olaijuaon(?).
funny thing tho on the day after i got off work, and went to the stadium sat at a bar and proceed past security, with me and my two friends with beers in tow. we got into the women;s 10k final for free, used my cnn badge.
that night i told my friend what we did, and he did the same thing the next day and got arrested and missed all of the olympics because no one knew he was in jail. no one was home.
Braun
July 28th, 2012
11:00 pm
Only a couple of people got blowed up in Atlanta. What’s the big deal?
Shieldy
July 28th, 2012
11:02 pm
‘96 made us look like the bumpkins we were & did McDonalds sponsor the “McFlame”??
Ali was great but pitiful last night. Very sad!
Claude
July 28th, 2012
11:02 pm
Seriously, who gives a frog’s butt about the Olympics? Are people really watching this tripe?
Sandy Springs Res.
July 28th, 2012
11:03 pm
Who cares. That ceremony was so boring that the Queen of England almost fell asleep.
Lulu
July 28th, 2012
11:04 pm
Too bad we didn’t have Jane Fonda living here at the time that would have made my, a seventh generation native Georgian, snapshot of the whole thing complete: Hanoi Jane and that great boxer who served his country so valiantly when called to military service center stage versus the innocent man accused of being a bomber just because he was white and carried a legal badge! Expecting what happened I didn’t just leave the state, I left the country ’til it was all over! And don’t pat yourselves on the back too much before you count up the cost to the state and other GA cities that got caught up in the fiasco. Perhaps it is a guilty conscience which makes you so quick to take offense that you were slighted when, as pointed out, we did get mentioned by many national media announcers. If you can be proud of that year then go to it and hold your head up high!
Wesley
July 28th, 2012
11:04 pm
I had to choose between watching a DVD of Fast Times at Ridgemont High and the Olympics. This was a no brainer. Ahhhh, Mr. Hand. Totally Awesome!!
done
July 28th, 2012
11:05 pm
84 LA games snubbed along with Atlanta and 72 Munich is not snubbed. Go figure.
Jeri Curl
July 28th, 2012
11:06 pm
Anyone still bringing up Hanoi Jane really needs to Get A Life!! What a freakin’ LOSER!!
Elvis Costello
July 28th, 2012
11:07 pm
Get over it Lulu! It’s time to maybe…get a life.
Lion Heart
July 28th, 2012
11:09 pm
So Lulu, where were you in Vietnam? Learn how to use a comma, why don’t you? You won’t look so stupid when you try to make a point, despite how stupid it may be.
Lion Heart
July 28th, 2012
11:12 pm
My head is held high, Lulu. Now go away and stay away you freakin’ D.B.
scott
July 28th, 2012
11:13 pm
ATLANTAS biggest problem..too many folks from the slums of the north with ghetto mentality,no direction,thug mentality…moved here during and after the olympics with no skills and nothing more then criminal intent….
MiltonMan
July 28th, 2012
11:25 pm
Who gives a rip? Nothing like seeing a grumpy grandma known as the queen grace the TV. Hey Britain: Take your Royal Monarch & shove it!
Atlanta the best
July 28th, 2012
11:28 pm
Atlanta may not have had the best Olympics, but at least it’s got a world class public school system it can be proud of, and that’s more important than any sporting event.
Gee
July 28th, 2012
11:33 pm
Atlanta was snubbed by the London Olympic games because they were an utter embassrassment of olympic promportions.
barbuck
July 28th, 2012
11:43 pm
The London opening ceremony actually reminded me a lot of Atlanta’s, more so than any of the Olympics in between. Both cities highlighted the local angle in their productions. My only gripe is (as always) the ponderous parade of teams. They’re supposed to be athletes; have them all run in! Should be able to get them in place in 15 minutes! haha
Come on
July 29th, 2012
12:13 am
Billy Payne will botch The Masters just as he did the Olympics.
Great job, Atlanta
July 29th, 2012
12:18 am
I didn’t read all the comments, but what sticks out in my head is how our venues have held up over the last 16 years. So many articles on the Internet about how so many Olympic venues have fell into disrepair (even some from the Olympics only 4 years ago,) yet all our buildings are still going strong. Atlanta got a nice park and the track and field facility was converted into Turner Field. It even makes me happy to drive through Atlanta and see the torch next to the interstate.
jlmdra
July 29th, 2012
12:23 am
Atlanta’s Olympic games like Atlanta were mediocre.
Great job, Atlanta
July 29th, 2012
12:28 am
…but after going back and reading most of the comments, why does everyone hate Atlanta so much? It just seems that people like to complain, but they don’t like to do anything about it. If you don’t like Atlanta, you’re free to move somewhere you will enjoy living. Honestly, you’re stupid for staying if it’s so miserable. If you have already moved away from Atlanta, stop commenting on AJC articles! I’m sure your wonderful new city has a paper of its own.
jlmdra
July 29th, 2012
12:33 am
Atlanta is a great city for people who are oblivious to the concept of greatness. Cube steak tastes great if you never tasted filet mignon.
banned poster
July 29th, 2012
12:48 am
Atlanta’s Opening Ceremony montage was shown with Ali lighting the caldron. So we got more pub that many of them.
jlmdra
July 29th, 2012
1:04 am
Atlanta’s greatness is like the CRCT scores of kids in Atlanta Public Schools: bogus.
Praveen
July 29th, 2012
1:05 am
The Atlanta Olympics were not grand. But you know what it was? Self sufficient. Unlike other Olynmpic cities, Atlanta didnt bankrupt itself to host the games. And the Olympic Games organizers are some of the snobbiest people around. For a game that claims to value human values , they sure turn their noses down at street vendors and other hawkers and want everything about the Olympics to be this posh affair. It’s freaking athletics, not the opera.
I thought the London opening cereomonies were just fine. Better than the ATL ones. But you know what, I don’t understand why they chose Muhammad Ali again, even if it wasn’t for the final moment. Why borrow an Atlanta type moment? There are enough famous guys in England. They didn’t need to reuse a moment.
A Very Brundij
July 29th, 2012
2:12 am
The Olympics kowtowed to the Nazis in Berlin in 1936. That forever damns the Olympics. They were ashamed to acknowledge Munich 1972. Double damned!
Kirk
July 29th, 2012
3:02 am
Look Samaranch is dead, so whats the point in slamming that guy every four years? And as Chevy Chase used to say in the old Saturday Night Live “Francisco Franco is still dead” , so what’s the purpose of bringing him up? Gee whiz. Move along…nothing to see here.
Detlef
July 29th, 2012
3:53 am
I was born and raised here and have lived and worked in multiple cities around the world, including London. Atlanta is as “world class” as any most any other top-50 city on this planet. I’ve chosen to settle permanently here.
That said, our Olympics are still a painful embarrassment, and they are remembered as such by people overseas. Fortunately, though–and perhaps in part because of our hosting the Olympics–we’re now known internationally much more as “A-T-L,” capital of hip-hop, center of all that’s cool in American urban life. I repeatedly saw young people in Europe wearing Braves baseball caps. That’s our Atlanta. We blundered badly in 96, but that’s just a part of a much bigger, better story.
Lukewarm
July 29th, 2012
4:20 am
The olympic games also transformed the airport concessions from a generic abundance of snackbars, lounges, and caferteria style units. How can you forget hopping off a plan and grabbing a nice cold sandwich and a knudsen juice out of ice surrounded by a glob of kale, and a dunkin donut to boot. So yes the olympics not only transformed Atlanta politics, it also ushered in a era of hope and vitality for what could become a global Airport and city as well as state. Now only if we could pull the old demons out of the Airport concessions contracts, then and only then will we will win the trust of our citizens and eventually win their vote (tsplost). Sorry Mr. Mayor, try using some of that vigor you are showing now for tsplost to aggressively clean up the mess at the Airport in regards to concession contracts, and transparency, until then no we don’t trust the bureaucrats to get it right.
1996
July 29th, 2012
6:38 am
Atlanta ‘96 was certainly missing and so was Los Angeles ‘84? Perhaps others too? Somebody did a sloppy job I am guessing. Or perhaps Romney made them so hopping mad that they left out the ones from the United States Summer Olympics.
ls1z28chris
July 29th, 2012
6:45 am
Atlanta is a small second rate town pretending to be a world class city. Coke bought those Olympic games. Period. Stop pretending to be something you’re not.
Oh look, another bank failed.
AtltoHNL
July 29th, 2012
7:01 am
Atlanta is to divided and not diverse enough to be thought of as world class city. A great deal of black people in Atlanta here walk around around with their noses stuck in the air and will not speak unless you are part of some fraternity,sorority, secret group or appear to have money or famous also blacks and whites really don’t socialize together that much only really when its work or bussiness related. Transportation in Atlanta is a joke and also traffic. Peolpe come to Atlanta because of cheaper home cost as compared to LA, Chicago or NYC
Donna P.
July 29th, 2012
7:12 am
I wouldn’t worry about the “snub” because the opening ceremony was terrible!!
Moon Mullins
July 29th, 2012
7:52 am
I’ve lost interest since professionals began participating. I don’t watch the NBA, so why should I want to see them during the Olympics? The Olympics were intended for amateurs not showboating professionals.
fair and balancec
July 29th, 2012
7:56 am
Here’s what remember of the Bubba games in Atlanta:
1. Excellent infrastructure and venues, weird chrome pickup trucks at the opening; Muhammad Ali wowing everyone at the opening ceremony, 9-11 operator who had no idea where Olympic Park was, bus drivers for the press who could not find Lake Lanier, Celene Dion flying characters and symbolic moths flying around the stadium, vendors everywhere trying to make a buck, Michael Johnson and gold shoes and Coke signs everywhere.
Jay
July 29th, 2012
7:57 am
Atlanta was not prepared to hold The Olympics. And Willie Boy Campbell, who was just as unprepared to be a mayor, embarrassed the city with the tacky vendors exhibits. Consequently, Georgia and Atlanta’s economy got a short boost but the state/city’s lack of strong leadership, its redneckness and corruption stemmed any long-term gains that could have been made. We’ve become number one or two in just about everything undesirable: bank failures, foreclosures, children’s diabetes, illiteracy, sex trafficking,illegal arms sales, poverty, joblessness, lack of ethics in the state house and elsewhere, severe conservatism, and so on. Yep, we screwed our opportunities The Olympics could have brought.
Christopher
July 29th, 2012
8:01 am
I worked for the Atlanta games for two years and still have numerous contacts within the Olympics. Those of us who worked hard to make the Games happen were appalled that a bunch of political hacks were milking the Games and City of Atlanta for their own monetary gain. Mayor Bill Campbell and his cronies were selling vending space on the streets, charging exorbitant fees for licenses, selling “ambush advertising” space in clear violation of the contract with the Olympic sponsors . . . i.e. they turned it into the world’s largest street festival. Everywhere you turned when walking through Olympic HQs in the Inforum building were faces from the Atlanta political and government scene . . . definitely not the best and the brightest, but certainly the best-connected.
RobbE33
July 29th, 2012
8:24 am
What do you expect when we commercialized their precious games with streets lined with licensed merchandise vendors, an antiabortionist’s bomb downtown and too little payola leftover for the committee?
"Chef" Tim Dix
July 29th, 2012
8:33 am
The IOC rapes every host city. Atlanta however left them sore. Thanks and great job Billy.
Mark
July 29th, 2012
8:44 am
I blame Chik fil a.
OldGold1964
July 29th, 2012
8:46 am
Get over it, people. If you attended and enjoyed the 1996 Summer Games, then you have memories of your own, and it doesn’t matter what others think. Watch the2012 Games and events, if you are interested, for the competition itself and forget self-promotions. (RE: Elton John, GB knows you cannot recognize two “queens” at the same time.)
Ronnie Fowler
July 29th, 2012
8:47 am
I hope none of them dang, rude foreigners from 1996 ever come back here.
vladimir sonovabitch
July 29th, 2012
8:51 am
The problem with Atlanta is that it is like a child eating at the grown-up table when it really needs to stay at the kiddie table. As far as being an “International city”, it isn’t and it never will be, so it needs to stop pretending. If London, Paris, Madrid, New York, etc…. had public transportation equal to Marta, they would cease to function.
The ONLY reason Atlanta thinks it can compare it’self to other International cities is becasue of the airport, just becasue it’s been designated as the worlds largest/busiest…. Well, duh…. all of those other International Cities, the big boys that Atlanta wants to play with; they all have multiple airports to spread out the traffic. Again, Atlanta brings a knife to a gunfight when wanting to compare itself to a REAL international city.
jopar
July 29th, 2012
8:51 am
If one constantly looks for slights and snubs he will not go unrewarded.
Oh my, you are cruel
July 29th, 2012
8:54 am
Stop badgering Lulu. She has as much right to post her opinion here as any of the rest of you. Unless you have been appointed AJC editor, or are an English professor, proper punctuation and grammatically correct syntax are not an internet requirement.
3d
July 29th, 2012
9:22 am
The blue line on Peachtree faded away years ago..
The only other thing they could have shown is that ugly cauldron down the street from the Varsity.
Ronnie Fowler
July 29th, 2012
9:24 am
IOC = Penn State University Assistant Coach
Host City = Trusting 8-year-old Boy
Mayor of Host City = Joe Paterno
Mark
July 29th, 2012
9:32 am
Speaking of those vendor spaces..I was living in NC at the time..A friend of mine and his brother had been sold by the pitch of buying a vendor spot to sell a product and turn a great product many times over because of the consumer traffic that would past buy their space..They were going to sell food at a reasonable price…Long story short..They were not given the space they were shown..turned out everyone else was on their row was shown the same spot…Traffic was blocked from them the first few days..And only Coke products were to be sold….Were not told that till they got here..Had to pay Coke..then buy Coke products from Coke..They lost all they had invested and then some..The officials who sold them and others this bag of goods..no where to be found.
Jim
July 29th, 2012
9:38 am
The reasons Atlanta was omitted include:
the STUPID and embarassing truck parade during the opening ceremonies
the STUPID Izzy mascto
the overwhelming commercialization of the Olympic–everything had a sponsor
the bombing and the death
Motocross Survivor
July 29th, 2012
9:38 am
The only thing I got from the ‘96 Olympics was a free little flag I picked up (I think off the ground) when I walked over to Peachtree and Hermance to watch the marathoners go by (hey I did it for both the mens and womens race). I also walked up to Roswell Rd and Glenridge just before the Opening to watch the torch go by on a motorbike. The stupid thing was so small that hardly anybody could tell when it went by as in was in a group of bikes buzzing by. I tell my wife that I plan to head to the Antiques Roadshow to get an estimate on the flag. What do you think? Is it worth more than 10 cents?
native atlantan
July 29th, 2012
9:40 am
Dont let those tsplost proponents make you believe we need to spend billions and tax us even more to be some sort of world class city. VOTE NO ON THE TSPLOST ON TUESDAY !!!
Coming back home
July 29th, 2012
9:42 am
Atlanta’s Olympics were great for the athletes and fans. The media and Olympic officials didn’t get all of the special perks they felt they deserved and they pouted publicly. The athletes and fans gave the Olympics high praise.Certainly Atlanta’s Olympics were about money – all of the Olympics are.
Don’t like Atlanta? Try living somewhere else. I did and I’m ready to come back home!
RixOlympixTraffixFix
July 29th, 2012
9:45 am
The traffic was bad when I moved here 26 years ago, and is even worse now after adding a couple million more people. When was the ONLY time it was not bad? During the Olympics!!
The people supporting TSPLOST now should THINK about why traffic was non-existent during the Olympics. I wrote a letter a few months ago to that was in the AJC pointing out that the cure for Atlanta traffic is NOT new taxes, or tolls, or more roads. It is TELECOMMUTING!! Hello??? Employers? Do you realize that if people (those that can) worked from home, there would be fewer cars, fewer accidents, reduced insurance rates, less money spent on gas, less pollution, more lives saved, fewer repairs required on roads and bridges that would last longer, less stress, reduced medical bills, etc.?????
Wake up, people, and start using your brains and stop acting like a bunch of bleating sheep. I have worked from my house for 10 years. It is time your employers moved their companies into the 21st Century and start using the technology available to make their workers more productive, their businesses more efficient, and our traffic problems a thing of the past.
Atlanta is not taken serious because...
July 29th, 2012
9:46 am
The FAILCANTS can’t win a SB…..lmao…ringless in da ATL…
Saints > FAILCANTS.
Jay
July 29th, 2012
9:53 am
The opening ceremonies in London were the worst that I have ever seen, and I’ve seen eight. What a sloppy mess.
marcus
July 29th, 2012
9:59 am
what “great” school system are you referring to? not the one where the teachers and administrators have been accused of cheating, i hope? or maybe the private, parochial schools around the city, but atlanta is a national educational joke. with schools like spelman, morehouse, cau, tech. oglethorpe, gastate and emory, you’d think they could contriubute to programs that fostered and nurtured inner city schools. cathy of chic filet fame has a statue dedicated to education in downtown atlanta, that statue should be a beacon for all who come and reside here, not some crap about atlanta being snubbed by the british. whoever wrote this crappy article should be doing fashion tips. atlantan’s should stop worrying about britain, new york or los angeles and start educating their children. atlanta could be a great city of it was not so sensitive and feminine in scope.
Obvious
July 29th, 2012
10:00 am
What is Atlanta full of that Sydney, Bejing, Greece, London,etc…are not? Pretty obvious why Atlanta gets a bad mention.
John Hall
July 29th, 2012
10:06 am
I was born and raised in Atlanta. The 1996 Olympics were an affront to me and an embarrassment. Instead of choosing a mascot that meant something, Billy Payne and bunch came up with a nasty critter that nobody could even give a proper name to. Brer Rabbit would have been perfect. So no mention of the Atlanta Olympics is fine with me.
catlady
July 29th, 2012
10:07 am
I did notice Atlanta was left out. However, our OOC did allow a pretty ratty assemblage around the event, and everyone with pull was allowed to try to cash in. Forget about it, move on. Atlanta is not generally ready for the big time.
scott
July 29th, 2012
10:16 am
Atlanta =the Most SEGREGATED CITY IN THE COUNTRY..Atlanta also a great pretender that needs to stay in its lane..it cant and never will be able to hang with the big boys (Seattle,Vancover,Los angeles,ROME,SYDNEY,TORONTO,PARIS,CHICAGO,PORTLAND, San francisco,Atlanta much too divided and is Jackson,mississippi on steriods…its only a slight step up from 3rd tier cities..can you think of anything metro Atlanta does well???not much..no1 in all things just about negative…Atlanta had no business with the olympics period..
deegee
July 29th, 2012
10:19 am
The only thing tackier than Atlanta during the Olympics is that red and gold cauldron that sits on I-85 next to the Varsity. Like someone is going to go out of their way to climb the cauldron steps so that they can look out over the parking lot of the Varsity. And who can forget the Keystone Cops’ investigation that took place after the Olympic Park bombing? May God rest poor old Richard Jewell’s soul in peace. I went to the Peach Drop downtown on New Years Eve a few times. Atlanta does such a hideous job of crowd control that I vowed I would never go back after being nearly crushed in a mob heading to the Five Points station. Atlanta is a cow town with some skyscrapers.
Herman404
July 29th, 2012
10:21 am
I lived in Atlanta from 1992-2003 and I live in London now. As someone fortunate enough to attend both the opening ceremony in 1996 and 2012, I can mention that both had a lot in common. Both ceremonies had drumbeat music in their opening segments, both had both their tounge in cheek, self-deprecating senses of humour (Pick up trucks in ATL, Mr. Bean in LDN), both had Muhammad Ali. Finally, I can say that both were once in a lifetime experiences.
And regarding the whiners – everywhere in the world, whiners are a small but vocal minority. Ever seen the negativity in the current BBC News Olympic related webpage comments from the same people over and over again?
I will say that I wish London had done the same thing ATL did and included a pack taped to each seat with pins and programs.. In London we had to buy all this stuff! I know the cost of living is higher here, but still…
bitman
July 29th, 2012
10:21 am
So far, I think the Brits deserve the gold for “most boring Olympics”…
Ronnie Fowler
July 29th, 2012
10:21 am
Obvious,
You are absolutely correct.
I agree that the IOC had to listen to garbage like V-103 and be accosted by Atlanta’s world-INfamous, uncivilized, jive-talking, jaywalking, chicken-eating, outside-voice-using, booty-shaking, aggressive panhandlers while they were here for the “Games” in 1996.
No wonder they were in a hurry to leave and not look back.
lola
July 29th, 2012
10:25 am
Someone delete this article, and get back to the news.
GetRight
July 29th, 2012
10:26 am
The ATL games were marred by ingrown racism..I had just moved here in 96 in Roswell and the City was touting their own Olympic village party and encouraging folks not to go to “Atlanta” where “those people” are Marietta had the same thing. What Georgia did not realize when you host the Olympics the world comes to your door steps..Such idiocy and close mindedness.. I remember telling one of the town folk Hitler hosted the Olympics and the people and the small villages welcomed the Blacks and Jews better than than the US was treating them at the time ..as a white male I was sadden .. but its the south some things just wont die
EboniLadi
July 29th, 2012
10:30 am
The Atlanta open ending ceremony sucked! The drawn out pick up trucks honoring the auto industry was so red-neck and did not represent the country, just the backwards, stuck in time south. The opportunity was there to parade vintage cars but they chose pickups! Plus the region was not prepared for the crowds! What’s left are venues that are falling apart and not maintained. A waste. As a prior commenter noted, it was about cronyism and money!
Bud
July 29th, 2012
10:34 am
I love reading the comments about ” Yankee carpet baggers” ,,Yankee this and Yankee that! If you commented negatively about Boston or New York in their papers you would never see a comment like “Johnny Reb go home “.
Atlanta had all the ingredients to be a world class city in the 70″s and 80″s. I lived here in the 70’s and loved it. I moved back in 1995 and was shocked by what the city had become.
Marta could have been a blessing to this city ,but instead it became a curse to some of the areas where it was built. It was not built where it would alleviate traffic congestion ,albeit because of local politics and fears. Were the fears real ? Ask the retailers at Lenox. Marta is so poorly manged it does nothing to enhance the image of Atlanta. Go visit Marta headquarters and talk to their senior managers and you will understand what I say.
This has nothing to do with North vs South .It has to do with corrupt officials,and yes we are a racist city. As others have mentioned racism is just as deep seated in the North ,Midwest ,West and internationally and it is here .A shame,but it is true.
The Olympics opened up the world to Atlanta and what did we become ? The melting pot for hip hop ,baggy pants and my favorite welcoming sign on 75 “welcome to Atlanta home of SoSo Def records”. Wow! Yes this will become Detroit 2.Not because of the color of Atlanta but because of how corrupt and inefficient the city of Atlanta has become.
Of course the “good old boys” in the state legislature will do all they can to embarrass the city ,and rightfully so the way it is run and managed. But the “good old boys” need to understand people do not come to Georgia to go to Plains to see a peanut farm.
Atlanta has decent weather,and good housing. But what else? When we try and think what to do with visitors, these are our choices, Braves , shopping,Centennial Olympic park “ugh”, World of Coke, The Aquarium ,Stone Mtn,shopping ,Cyclorama,shopping ! There really is not that much to do in Atlanta so why do we continue to think this is a world class city ?The Olympics were Silver Pickup Trucks ,a bombing and a third world village downtown.
I like Atlanta but we continue to blow opportunity after opportunity. TSPLOST will fail because Marta has such a black eye in the community . I can’t blame people who don’t want to see a lot of money given to them . As I said earlier ,go visit their “senior” executives and look at the racial make up of MARTA. Talk about racist ! It reminds me of what the Piedmont Driving Club was probably like in the 60″s or actually what it still probably is. Admittance has more to do with the color of your skin than the color of your brain matter and what you can offer.
Please Atlanta and Georgia wake up before it is too late.
scott
July 29th, 2012
10:37 am
as a middle age white male here… the racism in Atlanta is too wide and too deep..very deep and shows no sign of nonexistence..its the reason why everything here turns into a problem the olympics,etc..you should hear some of the comments about “them”(blacks) at my country club i have turned red numerous times as i was absolutly appalled…i ask one of the fella,s i thought this was the new south??he replied not as long as they exist..is this the 1940,s in this backwater with skyscrapers..we will be outta here once we retire
Motocross Survivor
July 29th, 2012
10:39 am
Scottie, son, do you show such ignorance as a general rule or is today a special day? The most segregated cites in America are in the North, with Chicago always very high on the list, if not at the top spot. It always amuses me to hear poorly informed yankees say things like you claimed. And you consider the “big boys” Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto and such? I’ve been to all of them including SF and you consider them “big boys” compared to ATL? I could go into detail, but I’ve probably already lost you son. Atlanta does pretty well despite the large numbers of inept and corrupt African Americans bilking the place for all it’s worth.
Rebecca
July 29th, 2012
10:48 am
I noticed this right off…and they also didn’t include the 1984 Los Angeles game in that montage. Weird.
Ronnie Fowler
July 29th, 2012
10:49 am
Statistically speaking, prior to 1863, why do you think so few liquor stores here in Atlanta and the Southeast ever got robbed?
CC
July 29th, 2012
10:57 am
Maybe if the NBC broadcast showed the real opening with the English commentary and not the crappy American commentary – it was a disgrace to America when your commentators ruined a great opening!!
Road Scholar
July 29th, 2012
11:05 am
Yes I remember the Olympics and anyone could always do better. But as my mom used to say…do your best, forget the rest. What more could you do at the time? In hindsight, yes improvements could have been made. Just like this blog. Why can’t some be proud of our city? Don’t like it..one word……MOVE… remember, Delta is ready when you are!!! Or are you like Romney? When visiting, say something positive; you never insult the host!
Really?
July 29th, 2012
11:07 am
Maybe everything just isn’t about your little world. Goodness, grow up already.
Mike Lum
July 29th, 2012
11:08 am
Of all the columns on AJC.com, this one operates mostly on hearsay and rarely on facts. Perhaps the miss had to do with NBC’s broadcast. Elton John is not a full-time Atlanta resident: he has several other homes where he spends time (including England?). And what did Samaranch’s snub have to do with the London Olympics? Nothing. As usual, a terrible column.
Me By Jammin'
July 29th, 2012
11:08 am
I’m sure the snub had nothing to do with the ‘wave of slavery’, monster trucks, or the park bombing….
Brad
July 29th, 2012
11:10 am
Atlanta is a joke people. Look at where the Olympics were held. Turner Field is in the projects. There is 1 bar/restaurant within a square mile of the place. The people planning and running this place have always been and always will be a joke. If you want it done right put it in the suburbs.
Steve
July 29th, 2012
11:12 am
Be thankful that they didn’t mention Atlanta. The games here were a joke, from the mascot, thru the opening ceremonies, to the widespread venue. Atlanta should have never won the bid.
Quite frankly, a whole bunch of tax money went to the Olympics that could and should have been spent at better places. Sure, a few entrepreneurs and some big hotel chains probably made a killing, but the reality is that about the only thing the common person got out of the Olympics was a college housing area and a tiny park.
Was that really worth all the money spent?
Sarah Tonin
July 29th, 2012
11:12 am
Atlanta had it’s chance but it was, in large part, squandered by Bill (later convicted of racketeering) Campbell and others. It was not surprising to me that the ATL was left out. The sad thing is, it is hurtful to the scores of volunteers who busted their butts in spite of the corruption to make Atlanta’s games “the best ever.” Their efforts were unfortunately overshadowed by the greed and moral bankruptcy of a few bottom feeders. Will there be another chance in the future? No way.
native atlantan
July 29th, 2012
11:22 am
Racism is alive and well in Atlanta. btw, 2 things I cant stand, bigots and n%&&$@s.
abc133
July 29th, 2012
11:25 am
@Native – Your people have been freed. There is nothing stopping you from going back to your native country if you think you’d like it better there. Oh, that’s right, African Blacks do not like American Blacks… guess you’re stuck here.
around the world
July 29th, 2012
11:29 am
Atlanta -A WORLD CLASS CITY ?????? LOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOOLL
OH stop it LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOL World class??? LOLOLOLOLOLOLL
nuff said
July 29th, 2012
11:34 am
Tennis venue –abandoned trying to raze it
Veledrome -cycling-packed up shipped away instead of becoming one of the only veledromes in the country
shooting venue -closed /razed
track and field-sold to the braves razed and redone
archery -a plaque in an empty overgrown field
could go on but that tells you all you need to know about Atlanta and it’s international image
wtf
July 29th, 2012
11:35 am
For those of you who criticize the amount of vendors etc at the Atlanta Olympics, remember this, the Atlanta Olympics was an experiment by the IOC to try and have an Olympics be completely self-sufficient and not leave a country or host city with a huge amount of debt. I don’t remember the Government pitching in a lot of money for the Olympics and I don’t think the city was left with a huge amount of debt, but largely a failed experiment in the end given the amount of commercialism.
mac
July 29th, 2012
11:50 am
BLAME THE GOVERNMENT OR THE DEMOCRATES—THEY GET BLAMED FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.
NullOp
July 29th, 2012
11:58 am
Atlanta’s grand plan was to rob tourists in every way they could. Locals were simply wringing their hands with greed in their eyes. It didn’t work out that way I’m glad to say. It was actually a great time to go out to dinner in Atl since the restaurants, and roads, were essentially empty. Money lost by greedy vendors. Hopefully lesson learned.
sausage king of chicago
July 29th, 2012
12:08 pm
My dearest friend has a son who competed in the Olympic swimming trials in Omaha all because he spent the last 10 years training at the Olympic pool at Georgia Tech. A life memory as s result of the ‘96 Games. The Olympics will enrich this city for decades to come.
Jenna
July 29th, 2012
12:12 pm
Gotta love all the “who cares??” responses since they’re from folks who obviously not only took the time to read the article, but then comment on it. Apparently you guys care a little! lol
Bill
July 29th, 2012
12:14 pm
You can’t have above-ground utility lines going right through downtown and call yourself an international city.
lugnut
July 29th, 2012
12:14 pm
Let us not forget Bill Campbell selling “sidewalk rights” to everything from beer trucks to Hooters. It was tackier than Larry the Cable Guy ever pretended to be. I have been to fairs in the middle of Nowhere, GA that exhibited more class. Wonder where that sidewalk money ended up?
George
July 29th, 2012
12:23 pm
After going back and looking at the Atlanta Opening Ceremony, it looks like a HS football game compared to the London Opening Ceremony. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po9AV3p7qkU
I volunteered at the Atlanta Olympics and was proud of what me and my associates accomplished during the games at the swimming venue. However, the rest of the games and the way it was run was embarrassing!
Like some of the others, when I retire, I’m outta here. Leave Atlanta to the baggy pants, pan handlers, rap crap, thugs and other assorted creatures allowed to flourish in the city. Atlanta doesn’t reach up to what it could be, it dumbs down to lowest form of life that it can find in the city.
dickelsby
July 29th, 2012
12:31 pm
How incredible that they would open with a cheer for the British Healthcare system!!!! Of course it was seconded by NBC’s Lefty-Lauer…..ask any Brit [or Canadian for that matter] about lengthy waits and inferior treatment outcomes and how they wish they were in the good ol’USA when they really needed treatment options.
Buttercupwasup
July 29th, 2012
12:32 pm
@Weena- you’re glad to not live in ATL anymore, but your obviously reading our local paper still. GTFOH!!!!
Jason
July 29th, 2012
12:47 pm
Man people need to quit their bitching. They had a HUUUUUUGE tribute to Atlanta by having Mohmmad Ali being in the Opening Ceremony. Not to mention NBC mentioned 96 a ton of times. If you hate Atlanta so much… MOVE OUT MY CITY!!
LydiasDad
July 29th, 2012
12:48 pm
The left wing IOC is probably ticked off that Chick-Fil-A is based in Atlanta, hence the snub. If it weren’t Sunday, I’d be at Chick-Fil-A right now celebrating their right to free speech!
Robert Woods
July 29th, 2012
12:54 pm
LA was also both American games Post WW2 were ommitted in fact three total were…Berlin 1936 Hitler’s Games…. LA 84′ and Atlanta 96′ I saw this after I went back and watched the clip.
Starting at 2 min 23 seconds in the clip graphics of all the Olympic Games Host Cities with Logos start to appear starting with 1898 in Athens every game logo billboard appears after excpet for three….Berlin 1936, Los Angeles 1984 and Atlanta 1996 ???? St. Louis 1904 and LA 1932 do appear but after London 1948 all games appear excpet for LA 84′ and Atlanta 96???
This alsong with Boyles focus on National Health Care which made no sense to me in an Oplympic Opening Ceremony looks like an inside jab at us perhaps, but I am not a conspiracy theorist!
http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/2012/opening-ceremony-the-isles-of-wonder.html
Mike Orise
July 29th, 2012
2:13 pm
Danny Boyle anti-american………nooooooooooooooooooooo. Well uh duh. You have seen his movies right. The funny thing NBC chose not to air Danny’s little tribute to the terrorist attacks in London, they showed a Michael Phelps taped interview instead. WHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHA
Steve
July 29th, 2012
2:35 pm
I was quite shocked that Sir Elton John was snubbed.
LaBubba
July 29th, 2012
2:48 pm
does anyone care about the games anyway. England is still mad we womped dat arse back in the dat. Tax this beeeeaaaatch
Mike Orise
July 29th, 2012
2:59 pm
The complete non mention of Elton John is because Elton said nice things about former President Bush. Boyle didn’t like the fact that Elton stepped out of line. Of course Grandpa Paul McCartney knows to keep his poloitical views to himself.
Slip
July 29th, 2012
3:16 pm
Atlanta’s Olympics were exceptional(notwithstanding the mayor’s profiteering) but if the region doesn’t pass TSPLOST we will have frittered away the chance to be an international city in this century.
SP Lost
July 29th, 2012
3:21 pm
I didn’t get to watch, I was stuck in traffic
Danny Boyle
July 29th, 2012
3:25 pm
Gee, the maker of Trainspotting made some questionable decisons? go figure
czar Juan Antonio Samaranch
July 29th, 2012
3:30 pm
We also banned your stupid american capitalist game of baseball. Give us time and we will continue to find ways to irritate you americans, but not too much. We like your money too much!!! Keep giving..
native atlantan
July 29th, 2012
3:40 pm
@abc133, Im white, and right, Atlanta has gone from clean and white, to dirty and black.
Jim R.
July 29th, 2012
3:52 pm
The London Olympics can come and go as far as I am concerned. As far as current sports, I have more attention now on the soon-approaching College Football Season and the NFL preseason/training camps.
Yer a peein'
July 29th, 2012
4:02 pm
Surprised. European leftist filmmaker is anti-American? Funny how Western Europe turns their nose up at the USA, but when they need money or someone to save their behinds when their country is under attack, the USA is great.
As a man of Scottish lineage, I’d also note they mocked the story of Scotland’s greatest athlete with that stupid “Chariots of Fire” joke with Mr. Bean. I bet the Scots were not amused.
So the heck with the English. Our living standards are way better than theirs, and our healthcare system is better and doesn’t cost every citizen untold sums in taxes.
Sopwith Camel
July 29th, 2012
4:20 pm
Frankly, it wasn’t as good as all of the other Olympics. Some of the seedy element of Atlanta was evident in the entire process and at times I felt embarassed to be from Atlanta during the games. The games did not present Atlanta in a good light but they presented Atlanta for what it is.
Say whut
July 29th, 2012
4:28 pm
Bunch of snobs. I was at Atlanta and Barcelona. Both were great– Atlanta was better!
Trotter
July 29th, 2012
4:55 pm
Bitch, bitch, bitch. Atlanta this, London that…blah, blah, blah. It’s about the sports NOT the host city/country. I’d just as soon see no celebrations that aren’t directed toward the athletes.
Yer a peein'
July 29th, 2012
5:12 pm
OK, think about this:
1) The “Industrial Revolution” in Britain was largely to support British Imperialism. Hey, you have to be equipped to colonize and subjugate other parts of the world.
2) The NHS is considered bloated, overly bureaucractic, and cost the British up to 12 percent of income (of course, that’s what the wealthy pay because they are evil and undeserving).
Jeff
July 29th, 2012
5:41 pm
I love the fact that the Olympics occurred in Atlanta, however in terms of resources and creativity Atlanta has had to compete against entire countries(European and Asian) instead of cities with many years of history and many more creative resources than a newly emerging US city.
The Atlanta Olympics was a very good sports Olympic.
Gary
July 29th, 2012
6:01 pm
I find that the negativity in these posts is what is truely embarassing. it is this type of negative comments against Atlanta and the Atlanta Olympics that makes Atlanta known as a bad sports town. There are clearly too many stupid people that post on this site, and that is sad. I was here for the 1996 Olympics and attended some of the events. It was very well done. You can’t compare our opening ceremonies to the most recent games because they get better and better each year (except, perhaps this year). The Chinese did an amazing job 4 years ago on such a grand scale that I am not sure it will ever be outdone.
Having said that, I think the London opening ceremony had some great parts. I loved the display at every seat that allowed the images to be displayed, the James Bond/Queen “entrance”, and the industrial age imagery. I did not like the NHS (healthcare segmant that had nothing to do with the Olympics or sports. It was stupid and was a joke to honor a system that isn’t the best in Europe, let alone the rest of the world (this was the same opinion as an English columnist). I liked more of the opening show that the English papers.
It is still an insult not to include the Atanta or LA games in the montage. I went back and watched the segment and the only other olympics not included was the 1924 Paris games. they had the Munich games that had the Isrealis murders by the Palestines during the games. They had the 1936 Berlin games heading into WWII. But not the two most recent US games. I would like to hear a reason why these were left out.
The only thing bad about the 1996 games was the bombing in Centenial Park (and that was bad).
The games were great. The venues are great and most are still being used (most of the Chinese venues are no longer used or have been demolished). And, most importantly, they didn’t cost the tax payers a dime. Heck, even the Flame has an annuity that pays for its maintenance (though, it should be relocated to centenial park…it doesn’t make sense to be by itself were it is now).
Scy
July 29th, 2012
6:07 pm
Well did they show Saint Louis or Rome or Tokyo or Montreal or Soeul ….they couldn’t show them all
Take another look
July 29th, 2012
6:17 pm
Someone who DOESN’T hate capitalism
July 28th, 2012
7:08 pm
We were left without paralyzing debt (see Greece) and with venues that continue to complement the city (cf China, London). It’s so easy to crap on everything from your positions of artistic superiority, but the reality is that the Atlanta games were wonderful–save for the significant intrusion of domestic terrorism.
What venues are you talking about? We have a park, half a baseball stadium, and a cauldron in a parking lot that most visitors confuse with construction scaffolding. Maybe your political ranting and raving is obscuring your reality.
AtltoHNL
July 29th, 2012
6:47 pm
As long as this city continues to believe in only electing black mayors and black city councilmen and women Atlanta will continue down the path of other black run cities like a Detroit and cities like Newark New Jersey.
Josh
July 29th, 2012
7:00 pm
Our Olympics were incredible and one of the best moments of this city’s history. Atlanta is going through some struggles right now but will recover soon. People will be frustrated until that recovery occurs. But we are certainly not the only city that is struggling post-Olympics. Ask Barcelona.
jacketman
July 29th, 2012
7:08 pm
So Juan Samaranch – the racist, Fascist, Communist Spaniard – didn’t like the Atlanta Olympics? Go figure. Possibly because we refused to pay him off.
Vince
July 29th, 2012
7:15 pm
Ya’ll should be. It was a joke!
Vince
July 29th, 2012
7:16 pm
AMEN, AtltoHNL!
J Owens
July 29th, 2012
7:34 pm
Let us resolve to be bigger than this slight.
scott
July 29th, 2012
7:41 pm
mayor kasim reed is a joke…no speaking skills and he seems way over his head..time for a white corprate mayor like gulliani,or bloomfield in new york… best bet here would be clarke howard
AtltoHNL
July 29th, 2012
7:44 pm
Atlanta would be better off with a white corrupt mayor who can get things done than a black corrupt mayor like Reed who is ineffective and a joke.
native atlantan
July 29th, 2012
9:20 pm
no wonder these new cities in dekalb keep springing up. The white folks dont want black dekalb trash telling them what to do. I hope Brookhaven is next on Tuesday, btw, vote NO on the tsplost.
Bill
July 29th, 2012
11:59 pm
What is so ironic about Atlanta is that MLK said he wanted people to not be judged by the color of their skin, but blacks will not vote for whitey. The blacks are more racist than whitey!
Mehta
July 30th, 2012
8:20 am
the atlanta olympics–one of worst organized and managed in 50 years–mistakes, gaffes, bombing, bill campbell’s corruption with munson steed–embarrassing…….!!!
We Are Chicken Biters, Not Pillow Biters.
July 30th, 2012
9:16 am
The IOC hates Atlanta, largely because of its large Christian population and morality-centric companies such as Chick-fil-A.
Ken Stallings
July 30th, 2012
12:47 pm
The facists leader (Samarach) failed to appreciate the somewhat anarchic setting of the Atlanta games, which was a direct result of freedom. People could wonder the area freely and even sell their wares in public.
Samarach hates such freedom and derides it.
So, having him make his hidden snide remark is actually something for which I take as a badge of honor for Atlanta.
Ken Stallings
July 30th, 2012
12:49 pm
BTW: The connection of the IOC to facism is not limited to Samarach. Prior to him, the American Averil Brundage was an avowed anti-Semitic Nazi sympathizer. This helps explain why the IOC decided to avoid any mention of the 1972 Munich games terrorist attack that murdered 11 Israeli athletes and at least one German citizen. This being the 40th anniversary of that terrorist attack, a moment of silence was formally requested, and formally rejected by the IOC!
Just another reason to take criticism from this bag of cronies as a badge of honor.
bradcarter01
July 30th, 2012
1:06 pm
Considering how SUCKY and LAME the Atlanta olympics turned out, THANK GOD THEY DIDN’T REHASH IT!! WHAT A EMBARASSING SAGE FOR GEORGIA!
Keith
July 30th, 2012
1:14 pm
Honestly- who cares?????????????????????????????????????????
Intown
July 30th, 2012
1:27 pm
Yes, the corporate sponsors and street vendors cheapened the games a bit. But Atlanta’s Olympic legacy is one that has been lasting and largely positive. Think about what was left behind:
(1) No debt.
(2) A new baseball venue — Turner Field.
(3) Replacing a dilapidated warehouse district with Centennial Olympic Park which now anchors a burgeoning museum district in the middle of downtown Atlanta.
(4) New dorms for Tech and GA State.
(5) the beginning of Atlanta’s international presence.
(6) Permanent public art displays.
The Truth
July 30th, 2012
1:40 pm
Juan Antonia $amaranch wa$ a $elf important a$$!
Garrett the 40 year old Intern
July 30th, 2012
9:44 pm
Somebody needs to get an official response from LOCOG. I noticed Channel 11 did a piece on it but was pretty fluffy. What happened to the days of newspapers and reporters asking tough questions?
Bill
July 31st, 2012
6:02 am
Ken, that’s Avery Brundage, not Averil.
Columbus
July 31st, 2012
9:36 am
Cant be called the best ever when there is a bomb that goes off and peopel are scared. That makes sense. Screw the limeys on the other hand. Atlanta Olympics were great. Hot maybe but great.
Ali lighting the torch was one of the top moments in Olympic history….but a bomb does put a damper on things…
ww
August 1st, 2012
5:12 pm
The swimming and women’s gymnastics is dominating the Olympics right now. Georgia is better represented by the people in the pool, and the sharp shooter. The swimmers sixteen years ago are mostly retired, so it doesn’t make since to mention the Atlanta games.
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