Olympic Opening Ceremonies 2012: Analyzing Intrigue of Monumental Opener

The history and unity of the opening ceremony at the summer Olympics is what makes it the hands-down greatest tradition in sports.

It is a worldwide celebration of competition and accomplishment, where athletes and fans are linked by their roots.

Friday night's opening ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC) will provide yet another exceptional opportunity to celebrate and soak in all of the tradition.

Here we analyze the intrigue of the monumental welcome to the Summer Games.

Parade of Olympic Athletes

Nearly every fan can take pride in watching their nation's representatives make the march through the opening ceremony at the Summer Games. The national teams enter in alphabetical order, with Greece marching first, and Great Britain, the host nation going last. 

This moment serves as a great celebration for both athletes and viewers around the world. During the parade the athletes are connected with their supporters back home, all who are joined by a shared tie—country. 

It's very different when a fan supports a player or athlete who represents their hometown franchise or team, compared to the sense of brotherhood one feels when supporting a fellow countryman. The opening ceremony gives us an opportunity to form a bond with our heroes. 

Entrance of the Olympic Flame

There is nothing more symbolic of the Olympics than the entrance of the flame and lighting of the cauldron. This age-old tradition signals a rare occasion, that fans and athletes must wait nearly half a decade for. Once the cauldron is lit, the Games begin.

The cauldron remains lit throughout the Summer Games while the events wear on. Throughout the days and nights in London the camera will catch glimpses of the scorching cauldron and remind viewers back home that they are witnessing a special sporting event, and not just an international competition. 

Creative Performances

Anytime an event as enormous and global as the Olympics arrives, the host nation must put on a world-class performance in order to best represent their culture to the rest of us. Rest assured that the English will deliver the rest of the world a superb taste of life across the pond. 

According to London2012.com, a cast of 15,000 are scheduled to take part in the opening and closing ceremonies in London this summer. There is even an entire creative team in charge of staging the entire performance, which is sure to be once-in-a-lifetime giving the circumstances. 

Great Britain has not hosted the Summer Games since they were held in London back in 1948, just three years after World War II. More than six decades later the English hosts are sure to go all out in their effort to present the best possible opening ceremony.

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