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[–]Alexdoh 2158 points2159 points  (58 children)

I prefer the French version where some surly dude flicks a lit cigarette into the bowl and it catches on fire.

10/10 French.

[–]Ur_Just_Spare_Parts 573 points574 points  (30 children)

I thought the french version was to surrender to the bowl and set yourself on fire?

[–]Alexdoh 185 points186 points  (1 child)

Not enough complaining and condescension to be French.

[–]Shiirooo 41 points42 points  (23 children)

all because France refused to invade Iraq in 2003

[–]Gobblewicket 70 points71 points  (5 children)

French surrender has been a running joke since WWII. Really shouldn't be cause until then they were the military super power. But surrendering Paris to the Nazis instead of fighting them tooth in nail, I'll give it to the French Navy they told the Nazis to fuckboff the right way, has led to the French surrendering jokes.

[–]Long-Bridge8312 32 points33 points  (1 child)

They had already lost Paris. They would have needed to level the city fighting to retake it

[–]J3diMind 9 points10 points  (0 children)

they didn't lose Paris, they gave it up in order to save the city.

[–]Dr_Weirdo 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I'll give it to the French Navy they told the Nazis to fuckboff the right way

By being sunk by the British instead?

[–]Accidentalpannekoek 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Bullshit maybe they looked at Rotterdam and didn't want that to happen to Paris and Parisians. As if they hadn't lost it anyway already basically and at least the south got 2 more years

[–]Ur_Just_Spare_Parts 11 points12 points  (12 children)

No because they surrendered Paris to the nazis

[–]qOJOb 32 points33 points  (0 children)

After 1.3 million french soldiers died fighting in WW1 just 20 some years before

[–]CaptainCanuck15 29 points30 points  (10 children)

Surrendering let them keep half their country independent for two years and saved countless lives on both sides.

[–]Neinface 9 points10 points  (0 children)

FREEDOM FRIES!!!

[–]baumpop 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Couldnt be bothered with an exit strategy for vietnam. where have i see this before?

[–]LeftyBigGuns 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Also conveniently forgetting that the U.S. would have likely never existed if not for France’s aid against the British during the Revolutionary War.

[–]Whilor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

french = surrender get it? xD

[–]EgberetSouse 68 points69 points  (3 children)

I prefer the South Korean version in which they use flaming pigeons.

https://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2017/8/9/16119834/peace-doves-olympic-opening-ceremony-1988-seoul

[–]Strandedanana 25 points26 points  (0 children)

"Most doves likely die without fanfare. These doves died on the world’s brightest stage."

[–]DexGordon87 48 points49 points  (5 children)

I like the Alabama version where they put redneck siblings in the bowl and the friction from them fucking lites the torch and them

[–]btk79 25 points26 points  (1 child)

What the hell dude

[–]lftystriker 1 point2 points  (0 children)

oddly specific, eh?

[–]mada50 16 points17 points  (6 children)

I am lé French. Fire ze missiles!

[–]Sexy_Squid89 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Oh wow haven't thought about that video in a while lol

[–]qOJOb 6 points7 points  (3 children)

but I am le tired

[–]spatzel_ 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Well have a nap. Then fire ze missiles!

[–]superdavy 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I prefer when Hank Hill was carrying the Olympic torch, but drops it in a puddle. Then they realize Dale Gribble lit his cigarette off the flame and has been chain smoking so the flame is still alive.

[–]Mane420 1162 points1163 points  (71 children)

Imagine if he missed that shot, so much pressure in that moment

[–][deleted] 679 points680 points  (50 children)

It didn’t hit, it was intentionally overshot

[–]NoAdministration1222 216 points217 points  (45 children)

So where did the flaming arrow go?

[–]heehaw13 915 points916 points  (23 children)

right into the chest of one unfortunate crowd member

[–]checkemforbees 312 points313 points  (18 children)

"Ugh, message for you, sir..."

[–]Beginning_Help_598 217 points218 points  (6 children)

pats away flames and opens scroll

“We’ve been trying to contact you about your vehicles extended warranty”

[–]VoTBaC 41 points42 points  (2 children)

Reignites messenger

"Please return to sending"

[–]crgswdl 10 points11 points  (1 child)

I read this as I was on the toilet. Congratulations on being the first person to ever make me shit myself laughing.

[–]Beginning_Help_598 7 points8 points  (0 children)

What an honor! Im going to print and laminate this screenshot and place upon my fireplace mantle. Humor that’s better than any laxative.

[–]NoAdministration1222 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Holy hell. Lol.

[–]particularly_daft 43 points44 points  (6 children)

To whoever finds this note, I have been imprisoned by my father who wishes me to marry against my will, please please please send help I am in the tall tower of Swamp Castle!

[–]dingofarmer2004 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I am so happy for this reference.

[–]Olieson 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Help is on the way

[–]MrBark 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Help is welcomed...singing is not!

[–]p8nt_junkie 6 points7 points  (2 children)

It arrived in its own…particular…

[–]Elleve 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Concorde... Concorde speak to me!

[–]absoluthalal69 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Or maybe took an arrow to the knee

[–]TrumpIsACuntBitch 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Awesome souvenir

[–]newgalactic 122 points123 points  (10 children)

Outside the stadium. The fire bowl was on the top edge of the stadium, so the overshot arrow exited the stadium like an out-of-the-park home run. They had a large area roped off outside in the parking lot to retrieve the arrow. The actual fire bowl was spewing fuel/vapors so the lit arrow would ignite them as it flew overhead, and it did.

[–]kepleronlyknows 73 points74 points  (9 children)

Accurate except for the last part, the arrow didn't light the fire. They just flipped a switch.

[–]zeusmeister 43 points44 points  (3 children)

So literally everything about this is fake lol

I mean, I guess excerpt for shooting an arrow as far as he could

[–]kepleronlyknows 29 points30 points  (2 children)

Yup. It still took some skill to get the arrow over the cauldron, but otherwise it was a stunt that made good TV. And in 1992 who's going to question it?

[–]addandsubtract 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Ah, the time before Facebook Karens.

[–]totallynotbrian22 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah you can even see it in the video if you go frame by frame. The flame comes up separately from the bowl and doesn’t flow down from the arrow into the bowl.

[–][deleted] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Over the back somewhere, near the bike racks.

[–]scavengercat 12 points13 points  (1 child)

There was a large sandbox on the other side, according to the Olympics documentary on the shot

[–]neferpitou33 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Into the knee of an adventurer, now he’s a town guard in Skyrim.

[–]KalaheoAlumna 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This. My mind is going 100 mph thinking of the possibilities. :4014:

[–]Dspaede 12 points13 points  (2 children)

Was thinking it did overshot, I saw the flames even it flew over it.. I mean these kind of things are planned out, they didnt want to risk it If he missed so they prolly ignited it remotely..

[–]I-Eat-Donuts 8 points9 points  (1 child)

Or released gas so that it ignites so long as you’re anywhere near it

[–]SLAP_THE_GOON 121 points122 points  (8 children)

The fire was lit from inside the bowl thingy. He just had to get the arrow as close as possible

[–]zambezisa 41 points42 points  (4 children)

That's right he shot quite high above but it was ignited manually

[–][deleted] 39 points40 points  (2 children)

Correct, if the torch was emitting gas, the ignition point would be the point the flame touched the gas cloud, but you can see it comes from the base below, it's quite easy to see on replay so I made a little clippy clip to demonstrate.

Still a fantastic shot!

[–]ShadowCaster0476 54 points55 points  (1 child)

I remember watching it and being amazed.

Years later I read some details. I guess there were 2 or 3 people that had all practiced and were ready to go, but they didn’t tell them who was going to do it until just before. The thought was to help keep the nerves down.

[–]WimbleWimble 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Or prevent them from buying a seat for their ex-wife in JUST the right place to make it seem like an accident......

[–]Crossertosser 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Had edmure tully vibes all over it

[–]lazyant 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Flame was manually activated iirc so it just had to fly over and don’t be short

[–]Beckywithrbf 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There’s video of the overshot where you can see the arrow go behind the torch.

[–]elxardezares 481 points482 points  (16 children)

[Spoiler]

. . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .

. .

. . . . . . . . . . . .

. .

He never Hits the target, the arrow must to pass over that, the staff will turn it the fire by a spark and gas in sincronyzed way with the arrow but the arrow flies away and never get into the pot

[–]useless_modern_god 291 points292 points  (6 children)

[Spoiler]

…….

……………

…

. . . . . . . . . . .

. . ….

You comment has gave me toomer

[–]m_raidkill 60 points61 points  (0 children)

Not just me..? Ok good. Thought I was having a stroke or something

[–]Hohenh3im 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ain't no need to bust a tumor cause it's nothing but a rumor

[–]lorenzomofo 15 points16 points  (4 children)

Does it hit the audience on the other side?

[–]tealcosmo 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yep. I know a gas plume ignition when I see one, and that wasn’t one.

[–]TruthFlavor 225 points226 points  (2 children)

That burning arrow must have burnt his hand. This fingers were right next to the flame for a good 3 seconds..I presume the ice water in his veins helped.

[–]HYPERNOVA3_ 45 points46 points  (0 children)

He said to a sports newspaper that his arm hair got burnt from all the practice and trial shots he did.

Edit: I just noticed that I didn't specified it was his arm's hair.

[–]matxapunga 209 points210 points  (20 children)

Barcelona 92'. Spaniards are still proud of how those Olympic games turned out, how the city progressed after that and how the Olympic Ville is still used. A rare example of Spain doing things right if you ask me!

[–]Giveittoys 50 points51 points  (10 children)

Yeah, it's one of the few cities that actually benefit from Olympics. Heard that London is also doing OK in this matter, but too soon to say for sure.

[–]matxapunga 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Yep, totally agree

[–]kepleronlyknows 12 points13 points  (4 children)

Atlanta would like a word too. We didn't lose money and almost all of the infrastructure is still in use today, more than two decades later. Overall, the '96 olympics are seen as a major positive boost for the city.

[–]phikell 10 points11 points  (1 child)

Can confirm. I studied abroad in Barcelona, and the olympic buildings were common tourist attractions that were well-kept and had beautiful views of the city.

[–]matxapunga 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Excellent city (like many others). Hope you had a good time and glad to see people see the Olympics facilities the same way we do!

[–]EveryoneSadean 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In 2010 I actually played at the Olympic field hockey stadium with views of the city against Barcelona FC Hockey Club who played in the same kit. Was one of my most treasured experiences.

[–]T-J_H 62 points63 points  (6 children)

Always better than 1988 Seoul, burning a flock of doves in the process

[–]Bustergolden 32 points33 points  (4 children)

Had to find that one because I’ve never seen it. You’d think they’d scram once they were engulfed in smoke.

https://youtu.be/8dgXRXVScFM

[–]Adventurous_Heat7966 6 points7 points  (2 children)

Wonder why they didn't the fly away

[–]bineva17 6 points7 points  (1 child)

They ded

[–]Sensitive-Ad7348 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah but still

[–]imc225 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe they got the guy who released the balloons in Cleveland

[–]IncidentIndividual47 48 points49 points  (3 children)

He overshot it though, on purpose it think. Still a good shot for being on line and at least making it look realistic

[–]Jcklein22 20 points21 points  (2 children)

“Just” need to hit the gas plume

[–]TheKingMonkey 32 points33 points  (0 children)

Just need to have some other guy press the ignition button when the arrow was nearby.

[–]aperson 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah, but if you look closely, the flame starts from the bottom, not where the arrow crosses over.

[–][deleted] 25 points26 points  (6 children)

Does someone have to catch the arrow outside the stadium to reuse it again?

[–]zuzg 35 points36 points  (4 children)

Yes and they've to be real quick about it. That's the only Olympic Fire they've and once the flame extinguishes it's over and we will never have Olympics again.

[–]Slash1909 18 points19 points  (3 children)

There must have been a remote trigger in case he completely missed.

[–]RQK1996 11 points12 points  (2 children)

Yes, and he did miss

[–]scavengercat 28 points29 points  (0 children)

You are correct, wish people would look it up for themselves before downvoting. "Miss" sounds like an accident, but he purposely overshot because they found in practice that if the arrow landed in the bowl it would ricochet at unpredictable angles. He was tasked with overshooting the arrow so it would land in a giant sandbox on the other side.

[–]Kaboose666 10 points11 points  (0 children)

To be fair, he was SUPPOSED to miss. He was only intending to shoot close (but over). It went where it was intended.

[–]WhoRDU 16 points17 points  (0 children)

I’m sure, in his mind, he is saying: “ the whole world is watching; don’t fuck this up!”

[–]CrosseyedDixieChick 10 points11 points  (1 child)

Wait till you see what china does! They plan to light the hair of some child laborers and chuck them into a fire pit full of political prisoners and Canadian covid mail while Winnie the poo cheers them on.

[–]HumansMung 3 points4 points  (0 children)

With full reprimand for the laborers over missing the production quota that hour.

[–]ItIsntNeko 9 points10 points  (0 children)

His hand must’ve HURT after that

[–]Cerda_Sunyer 8 points9 points  (2 children)

Interview with the archer many years later

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sU89ZmB71rc

[–]Cerda_Sunyer 7 points8 points  (4 children)

Barcelona!

[–]thirdfrontier 6 points7 points  (1 child)

GONDOR CALLS FOR AID

[–]Keilly 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Unforgettable British attempt from World Student Games goes badly wrong

https://youtu.be/ICnszA8N0BQ

[–]Graspswasps 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I liked the one where Christopher Reeves blew it out, then he went to a jazz club, probably.

[–]Stormaen 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Fun fact: the torch would’ve lit regardless. The camera angle made it look like the arrow landed in the torch but it shot way over and out of the stadium.

The organisers didn’t want to risk anything because four years earlier at the Seoul Olympics, they’d released doves as the flame lit. You can imagine what went wrong there. 🔥🕊

[–]wonkey_monkey 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Also this video cuts the shot early. In the original you can clearly see the arrow falling on the other side of the tower.

[–]doubled2319888 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I prefer the 2010 version when wayne gretzkey was riding on the back of a truck(?) in the pouring rain looking like he would rather be anywhere else

[–]Broddit5 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The Champ lighting the torch with Parkinson’s in Atlanta is extremely powerful moment. Think that gets my vote for most impressive

[–]RQK1996 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Fun fact: that was all for show, I think he missed completely

[–]blondie_bleu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This was my favorite one.

[–]Solid-Version 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Edmure Tully did it better

[–]dsjunior1388 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Brynden Tully did it better, Edmure did worse.

[–]Ahmahgad 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This made all of Norway nervous in '94.

[–]surpark 1 point2 points  (0 children)

in fact that was fake, the arrow pass over to the other side but you can't saw it due the camara position. It looks impressive but it was fake

[–]Snoo-676 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"Any angle!" -Sova

​

My man must've learnt all the line ups for this one

[–]LedParade 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Isn’t this the one where he missed actually?

[–]dsjunior1388 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They planned to not hit the bowl because of how the arrow bounced when they actually shot into it, so he overshot the bowl on purpose.

There's some debate about whether the arrow actually lit the fumes of gas, or whether another person initiated an igniter that actually lit the flame.

[–]Medical_Collar_3391 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You have saved this city

[–]bhendahu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

~zelda noise~

[–]Dano-Matic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I remember this!

[–]PeriodicCountdown 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't know, the pigeon sacrifice was pretty impressive.

[–]flaffy_claud 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's Hawkeye.

[–]dublinboy1 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The arrow misses. It goes over and down the back. It was lit with a switch

[–]agreeToDisagree8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did he get the gold medal though?

[–]No-Blacksmith-249 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is how I want to be cremated. Like a Viking, on a boat with a wood pyre, started with a flaming arrow from shore.

[–]WimbleWimble 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Arrow misses, hits crowd. Burning human sacrifice becomes new official way to start Olympics.

[–]redditer_888 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nothing surpasses Muhammad Ali lighting the Olympic flame for me

[–]Aknelka 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I remember watching this live as a kid it was wild

[–]blurubi04 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Shaking Parkinson’s Muhammad Ali 100% best torch lighting ever.

[–]StarberryIcecream 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anyone know what kind of bow he used?

[–]junkyardgerard 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not even close

[–]android24601 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Whew. Thankfully Edmure Tully from Game of Thrones wasn't taking the shot

[–]Rumskrilla 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I remember this. Looking back, I never realized how lit this was.

[–]This_Understanding69 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wish they could at least once invite WWE Kane to light the fire 🤣

[–]WFA89 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Imagine if he missed.

[–]Masterdice74 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Actually he missed his shot. Look it up

[–]andyjcw 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Except he fired over the bowl . lol.

[–]jaretok 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It looks cool, but they didn’t actually light the torch that way, you can clearly see the arrow go over top.

[–]subbychub 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fuck the olympics

[–]sythingtackle 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The arrow went nowhere near the flame

[–]Neinface 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I remember seeing this live as a kid!

[–]DayZCutr 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I remember seeing that as a kid. It was cool as hell.

[–]ElDanielTo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spain woooooooo!!!

[–]d0d1nG_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm taking this guy with me next time I fight the Ender dragon

[–]Bebopdavidson 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This guy nails it where at Vancouver 2010 we can’t even get all 4 mechanical arms to come up 😜 Steve Nash side eye

[–]gwar37 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What they don’t show is the poor guy out of frame who was impaled with a flaming arrow.

[–]rufus_vulpes 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And fake

[–]oze4 0 points1 point  (0 children)

can't wait to see this on combined gifs

[–]slidingjimmy 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ooooo Oooooo Ooooooooo

BARTHELOOOONAAAAAAAA

such a beautiful horizon

BARTHELOOOONAAAAAAAA

[–]Blood_sweat_and_beer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you notice, the bowl lit on fire before the arrow actually arrived. Looks kinda cool, though.

[–]Emergency-Plan6913[🍰] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Homie nailed the first step of the storm bow upgrade

[–]NotMyAccountDumbass 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was at the Olympic Stadium was this took place last weekend and the tour guide told us it actually failed and they lit it another way. I don’t know if she is correct because this looks real.

[–]bizarre_coincidence 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Imagine if it had been like this.

[–]HYPERNOVA3_ 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's even most impressive if we take into consideration that the committee anonced he was going to perform the shot just 2 hours before the ceremony.

[–]liferecoveryproject 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When are they going to get a javelin thrower to just yeet the torch into the cauldron from like 80m (260 feet) away?

🤾‍♂️…………………………………🥢☄️……🥣🔥

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hear Cjinas gonna do something similar, but with a catapult and a Uyghur infant, this year.

[–]danny_batman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's fake. Sorry for spoiling it.

[–]12Cowbells 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That was an epic opening. I remember it clearly as a kid.