Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage

NBC will stream the 2014 Winter Olympic sporting events in real time, but today's opening ceremony is the one thing you can't watch live in the U.S. Follow along live as the athletes parade through the stadium.

3rd & 7 37yd

Bring back the dancers.

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:19:55 PM
Here's the link to the full story on the missing ring.

Vancouver had defective cauldron, Sochi has missing ring | Toronto Star
thestar.comThe opening ceremony for the Sochi Games hit a bump when only four of the five Olympic rings materialized in a wintry opening scene.

by Kevin McGran via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:20:27 PM
by Jessie Diggins via twitter 2/7/2014 6:21:21 PM
And here's a link to that Venezuelan skier, the guy who survived cancer and started competitive skiing late in life.

Antonio Pardo, Venezuelan skier, captures hearts at Sochi Olympics opening ceremonies | Toronto Star
thestar.comHe boogied with the national flag and showed off his best dance moves to the delight of spectators.

by Kevin McGran edited by Lesley Ciarula Taylor 2/7/2014 6:21:29 PM
Not sure why the U.S. team didn't opt to wear their blue-and-red peacoats in the opening ceremonies. Now, there's the Ralph Lauren we know and love!

by Emma Yardley via Img2.timeinc.net 2/7/2014 6:23:52 PM
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, left, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, center, and Russian President Vladimir Putin wave during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics. (Matt Dunham/AP)

by Gary Kicinski via Digital First Media 2/7/2014 6:24:32 PM
IOC boss Thomas Bach is giving a longish speech in which he touches glancingly on 'discrimination'. Good that he said something, but it was a long, long way from definitive.

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:25:32 PM
It's Putin time! He stands up to declare the Games open. And then applauds himself. Hey, it's Russian tradition.

by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 6:27:01 PM
Vladimir Putin, looking very stentorian, opens the Games officially. Cue fireworks.

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:27:17 PM
As one would expect, France hit their uniform designs out of the park with soft grey flannel and just-so paneling. Designed by Lacoste, coveted by everyone.

by Emma Yardley via Static.ddmcdn 2/7/2014 6:27:19 PM
Time for the doves of peace.

by Gary Kicinski via Digital First Media 2/7/2014 6:27:57 PM
No helicopter scene for Putin, he just said a couple lines in Russian to officially open the Games
, from his seat, and that's it for him in this opening.

by Kerry Gillespie via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:28:09 PM
Bach invites Putin to open games

by Steve Wilson via twitter 2/7/2014 6:29:09 PM
Dancing is beautiful, but like cotton candy, it has its limits.

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:29:29 PM
by Steve Wilson via twitter 2/7/2014 6:30:16 PM
Now, we've got spinning, twirling black-light mushrooms. Okay, @markkiszla , you're winning me over. The pageantry may have jumped the shark

by MercPurdy via twitter 2/7/2014 6:30:24 PM
Not only did the Netherlands prove orange is the new black (thanks, Kevin), but they also created a formal uniform that wouldn't look out of place in a J.Crew catalogue (complete with tartan and bow ties).

by Emma Yardley via Cdn.styleblazer 2/7/2014 6:32:09 PM
We are very close to the torch lighter here. Very low odds he/she arrives in a pick-up truck. Grain thresher?

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:32:14 PM
After "Swan Lake" performance, here comes the Olympic Flag. All five rings appear to be in good condition.

by Vinay Menon via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:32:57 PM
Olympic flag, designed 100 years ago, enters stadium. (BBC)

by Gary Kicinski via Digital First Media 2/7/2014 6:33:05 PM
A rendition of Swam Lake, one of the most famous pieces composed by Tchaikovsky. Who, Twitterers point out, was gay. Although the previous Soviet era ignored that.

by Lesley Ciarula Taylor via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:33:09 PM
Among those bringing in the Olympic flag - a cosmonaut, a TV reporter, a hockey player, a filmmaker and a ... cyber-sportsman.

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:33:45 PM
from: Shannon Szabados @ShannonSzabados (Women's hockey)

Opening ceremonies are a bit of a mystery to me every year, not quite sure whats going on but its still awesome to watch lol

by Kevin McGran 2/7/2014 6:35:16 PM
by Philip Hersh via twitter 2/7/2014 6:35:20 PM
Fashion fact: In a swell of national pride, H&M designed and produced Sweden's team uniforms. I'm sure you'll be able to find similar styles at your local H&M within 3-6 weeks.

by Emma Yardley via Blu.stb.s-msn 2/7/2014 6:35:51 PM
IOC president Thomas Bach said Games should "set an example for a peaceful society ... with no discrimination"

by Kurt Kragthorpe via twitter 2/7/2014 6:36:02 PM
This Opening Ceremonies represents the largest concentration of white suits in human history. Somewhere in Sochi, there is a laundress having a breakdown.

by Cathal Kelly edited by Lesley Ciarula Taylor 2/7/2014 6:36:30 PM
Oh, now that's a dress! Or a sculpture. Or both!

by Emma Yardley via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:36:54 PM
Never quite sure why the Olympics has its own anthem. It's not a country.

by Kevin McGran via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:36:54 PM
The doves were way cool.

by Richard Lautens via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:37:54 PM
Anna Netrebko, one of the world's great sopranos, is definitely not lip-syncing the Russian national anthem.

by Lesley Ciarula Taylor 2/7/2014 6:38:09 PM
by Heike Matthiesen via twitter 2/7/2014 6:38:28 PM
Flag-raising ceremony (BBC)

by Gary Kicinski via Digital First Media 2/7/2014 6:39:11 PM
It's hard to imagine any 2.5 hour spectacular these days that includes no contemporary music. But I didn't hear anything in the Ceremonies-proper tonight that was less than 50 years old.

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:39:38 PM
Soprano Anna Netrebko just brought it. Or whatever the equivalent opera phrase might be.

by Vinay Menon via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:40:02 PM
Hundreds crowd #Olympic Park for lighting of torch #sochi2014 #OpeningCeremony http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bf5GaAwIMAE5F6y.jpg

by Jason Blevins via twitter 2/7/2014 6:40:30 PM
Russian short-track speedskater Vyacheslav Vedenin takes Olympic oath on behalf of all athletes (BBC)

by Gary Kicinski 2/7/2014 6:41:30 PM
Despite the disastrous cardigan, the U.S. team did win in one fashion discipline: boots. They make we want to climb the Appalachians...or the stairs, down to the cafeteria for a much needed cup of coffee.

by Emma Yardley via I.dailymail.co.uk 2/7/2014 6:42:08 PM
Vinay, may she "killed it"? There's always a lot of death in opera. And she did. Beyoncé couldn't have done any better.

by Emma Yardley via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:43:11 PM
My music streak is about to end. This final segment before the torch lighting features a Daft Punk remix.

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:43:23 PM
Massive lit-up figures represent Olympic Gods. Lotso, lotso hockey.

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:44:35 PM
by Megan Robinson via twitter 2/7/2014 6:45:21 PM
"The Game Has Changed" remix by Daft Punk to follow this segment featuring robot speed skaters. When the machines become sentient and enslave humanity, it will start exactly like this.

by Vinay Menon via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:45:47 PM
Emma, what do you think of Team Canada goalie Mike Smith's mask?

by Kevin McGran via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:45:51 PM
If you'd had any chemical refreshment before this started, you'd be in the midst of the most intensely weird morning/afternoon of your life.

by Cathal Kelly via Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage 2/7/2014 6:46:03 PM

Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremonies coverage

NBC will stream the 2014 Winter Olympic sporting events in real time, but today's opening ceremony is the one thing you can't watch live in the U.S. Follow along live as the athletes parade through the stadium.

Vancouver had defective cauldron, Sochi has missing ring | Toronto Star

Antonio Pardo, Venezuelan skier, captures hearts at Sochi Olympics opening ceremonies | Toronto Star