Leaving The Nest

All Eyes Turn To London As Rogge (r) Closes '08 Games

The Beijing Games are officially in the books, as the flame at the Bird’s Nest was put out following last night’s Closing Ceremony. There certainly is no shortage of memories to take from the past two weeks, but the legacy of the Olympics away from the competition is much tougher to grasp. The flawless execution of the Games certainly sets the standard for future Olympics, but critics deride the lack of atmosphere and wonder if the event will have any impact on opening up the country going forward. Meanwhile, both London and Vancouver remain undaunted by the success of the Beijing Games, each saying that there is room for improvement. On the TV front, NBC execs have to be ecstatic with the numbers coming in, as these Games set a record for the most-viewed TV event in U.S. history and should comfortably top the ratings from Athens in '04.

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