London Bits - Games Related Odds and Ends

August 02, 2012

Hang The Mayor
London Mayor Boris Johnson has been embracing the Olympics in every way he can. Wednesday, in celebration of Britain’s first gold medals of the Games, Johnson grabbed two Union Jack flags and hooked onto a zip line ride at Victoria Park and started for the ground.
Then he got stuck. The line somehow stopped and His Honor was left dangling 320-meters above the ground. Not one to pass up a chance to get some extra publicity, he began waving his flags and yelling for the spectators below to shout “Go Team G.B.” while photographers snapped away.

When someone asked how he was feeling, Johnson replied, “very, very well, thank you,” The London press reported today. Not long after he yelled down, “Get me a rope, get me a ladder, I think the brakes got stuck.”   

London Business Losing
Leading into the 2012 Olympic Games in London, organizers urged Londoners to find a way to avoid working in their downtown offices to avoid the anticipated crowds of Olympic spectators. Since the Games began, business owners have reported that the locals have done just that and they are hurting as a result. The Daily Mail reported today that 1.5 million people are working from home and taking advantage of flexible work schedule offered by city employers.

“The Olympics have been a real anti-climax,” Daiel Memaj, manager of L’Ulivo Italian restaurant in central London was quoted telling the paper. “We expected about 30 percent more customers, but, in fact, we’re down 30 percent. For four years it’s been Olympics, Olympics, Olympics, but now that it’s here it’s turned out to be a flop.”

No Sir
Olympic gold medal cyclist Bradley Wiggins is happy to be just one of the guys and doesn’t fancy being called Sir Wiggins if the likely honor of being Knighted is bestowed upon him. With four gold medals and a total of seven, Wiggins said Wednesday, “Now I have to go to Rio and go for five,” an apparent reference for Sir Steve Redgrave number of gold medals.”

The 2012 Tour de France winner won the Olympic time trial event Wednesday. When asked how he felt about being Knighted, Wiggins replied “How does Sir Wiggo sound? It doesn’t quite sound right, does it? As much as it would be an honor to receive something like that, I don’t think I would ever use it.” Wiggins then jumped off the stage at Hampton Court Palace, climbed back on his bike and rode through the streets to salute the public that cheered him through the race.     

For 2012 Olympic Games news, features and daily quotes from Team USA athletes, coaches, staff and family members, visit
http://www.usrowing.org/Pressbox/2012Olympics.aspx.

Ed Moran, photo by The Sun

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