Worcestershire | Archive | 2000 | September | 30
From the archive, first published Saturday 30th Sep 2000.
WHAT a difference 15 days make, yet it barely seems 15 hours since we buried our heads in the sand - despite suggesting that it wasn't the ting to do - and decided to wallow in the Sydney Olympics.
It was a good time to do it.
The days before had been dominated by crisis, crisis, crisis. Fuel, social services and health had made the late summer of 2000 a miserable time around the Faithful City and beyond.
Sport isn't everyone's idea of an escape, it goes without saying, but we hoped that, by the time the closing ceremony turned our minds to Athens, four years hence, life would be back to normal on the home front.
We also prayed that Britain's gold rush would be infinitely better than in Atlanta. It could hardly have been worse, of course.
And we trembled with anticipation at the prospects of our counties' own sporting heroes, and at the opportunity to invest some of our own dreams in their efforts.
Tomorrow sees that closing ceremony. And it's clear that the late nights and early mornings, the seconds snatched during a working day, and the minutes stolen in a slow drive home have been time well spent.
The gold standard has risen to a level not seen in the lifetime of most Games-watchers, our own Olympians have kept their part of the bargain, and - if we ever doubted it - the Aussies have delivered the heady, inspiring panache, passion, culture and colour which was consipcuous by its absence in Atlanta.
The Beeb's part in it has been huge too. If the coverage hasn't been value for your licence money, we don't know what would be.
All that's been missing is an anthem signature theme we can carry with us over the years to trigger so many happy memories.
It leaves one question. In four years time, can Athens beat what Sydney's given us? To be honest, we'll be lucky if they match it.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008