Don't be cautious, Seb, let's celebrate 2012 now
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It was great talking to the Olympic Stadium project manager Ian Crockford the other night when the floodlights were switched on for the first time.
Ian is so passionate about the construction work and spoke with such pride about the achievements of all of his team.
As we get closer to the Games, it's important to step back and recognise how well the has done in getting these venues ready on time.
Remember Wembley and its delays? And the people I meet regularly at the Olympic Park - not just the top dogs - are so enthusiastic about their work.
What I'd like to see is the same passion and dynamism being shown by the organising committee () in 2011.
Look, I'm not saying 2012 chairman Seb Coe isn't passionate about the Games.
You couldn't meet a more dynamic man, an inspirational athlete who shows the same energy and tactical brilliance in his work as he displayed on the track in the 1970s and 1980s. And his chief executive Paul Deighton is equally as hard-working.
But what I'd like to see in the next 12 months is more risk-taking. I get the impression the cautious lawyers and the accountants have too much power in LOCOG.
And I'm not the only person who believes this. Quite a few of the partners who deal with them, admit privately that they want more risk-taking from 2012 officials.
Maybe it's because they are locked up with bankers and accountants in a Canary Wharf skyscraper. Every day they step into lifts with money men and women.
But why not start celebrating the Games now? Let's tell the world that we really want to stage them. We're being far too reserved and British about all this.
Why can't they put the Olympic rings on Tower Bridge now? Why can't they shine lights of the rings onto the Houses of Parliament now? Why don't they put them on the London Eye? Tell the world, we really care.
Why are there so few 2012 countdown clocks around London?
The BT Tower sometimes displays the number of days left but why not put clocks in Trafalgar Square, Oxford Street, a better one in Stratford in east London, at the Albert Hall, at the London Eye and across the country where the football matches are being played.
London Mayor Boris Johnson has a role to play here.
Why do you see so few children wearing Olympic pins? Why don't they make special ones for the east London boroughs and give them away to every child at school?
Why wait? Let's start building the excitement now. And let's ask Londoners and Brits what they want to see at the Games, what they want at the opening ceremony, what sort of merchandise they want?
It's time to engage the whole country in the Games and not just by selling tickets but by tapping into the nation's ideas.
LOCOG needs to stop worrying about whether it's okay to use the rings here or there - or whether somebody will take them to court for financial credit if they come up with a good idea.
Be brave, guys and spread the word big time.
I'm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ London's Olympics Correspondent, which means I report on every aspect of the preparations for 2012. I'm going to be telling you what people are saying about London's preparations - both in the Olympic corridors of power and on the streets of the capital - and I want to hear your views.
Comment number 1.
At 22nd Dec 2010, joshiecole wrote:This is funny! A chicken, some snow and a gramaphone?! Please share it with your friends if you believe in the youth and our potential and want to make sure you and your friends do still get a chance to be involved in the Olympics! We WILL make that happen!
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Comment number 2.
At 23rd Dec 2010, gunsofnavarone wrote:To be fair to LOCOG, I think they've done a decent job of celebrating the Games without going overboard (although admittedly as someone who is hanging on every piece of Olympic news, I might have a distorted picture).
I agree that 2011 is the time to really start celebrating - there'll be finished venues coming on-stream, 500 days and 1 year to go markers to base celebrations around. A countdown clock might not be a bad idea either
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Comment number 3.
At 24th Dec 2010, James Tobias wrote:In regards to the comment on risk taking - I do agree that there needs to be more in terms of developing the hype to engage the whole of the country.
Joshfrominspower: I really liked this video that you posted, great work!
This is exactly what I mean, even the young people here have got it right (and that makes a change from some of the publicity they've been getting from the recent student protests). They are taking risks, being creative in promoting London and our Olympics in the way it should be and delivering a positive message. I agree we need to tap into what people want and that means perhaps reaching people on a more personal level rather than through commercial means in selling tickets and merchandise as it seems to have been.
It is perhaps time to involve such people as those who created that video and others who want to build up this celebration including the general public to ensure everyone is engaged and feels this is not just the London 2012 Olympics but their own Olympic games.
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Comment number 4.
At 4th Jan 2011, London Pins wrote:Adrian,
I agree on the lack of pins being worn, but not just by children. There are over 200 pins currently available, but very little promotion of them. I'm hoping that in 2011, the pins linked to sports and venues will be issued that people will want to wear.
Some of the sponsors have really 'got' the pin idea - look at Lloyds TSB/Bank of Scotland and BP. Adidas, BY and BA.
If you want to see more take a look at www.londonpins.co.uk (non-profit site) for a complete list of all the pins (retail, corporate and internal).
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Comment number 5.
At 5th Jan 2011, James Tobias wrote:Hello Adrian,
Agree with what you said tonight on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ London and the efforts that they put in at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.
I have come across something else that perhaps must have been put out in direct response to what you said in this post about risk taking and in general the volunteer effort. This video is a direct message to Sebastian Coe from Inspower, that youth group I commented on in a previous post.
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