While knocking back stubbies to celebrate Australia’s historic win in the America’s Cup in 1983, then Prime Minister Bob Hawke famously declared: ‘‘Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum.’’
Chances are Julia Gillard won’t offer the same leniency next week, but that won’t stop tens of thousands of Australians showing up bleary eyed and weary to work after late nights on the couch watching the London Olympics.
The brutal time difference means the opening ceremony kicks off at 5.30am our time on Saturday. Screening on Nine and in high definition on GEM, it will feature performances by Robbie Williams and Paul McCartney and the procession of participating teams.
Nine will produce more than 370 hours of television, with a minimum of 14.5 hours of London content a day. Karl Stefanovic, Ken Sutcliffe and Mark Nicholas will be the main faces of the broadcasts, and the network has taken over more than a dozen commentators, including Giaan Rooney, Andrew Gaze and Eddie McGuire.
Things are even more intense over at Foxtel, where the pay-TV provider is offering no less than eight around-the-clock channels – there’s even one entirely devoted to equestrian events, fergodsake.
As for Australia’s medal hopes, it’s debatable whether we’ll top our 14 gold and overall sixth place finish from Beijing. But we do have plenty of odds-on hopes like our men’s hockey team, the Kookaburras, currently ranked number one in the world, and everyone’s favourite redhead Steve Hooker, who pole vaulted his way to an Olympic record four years ago.
If the whole green and gold patriotic thing isn’t really for you, you can always settle in to watch some of the world’s greatest (non-Australian) athletes; like swimmer Michael Phelps, sprint superstar Usain Bolt and the American men’s basketball team.
So if your boss tries to give you a hard time as you struggle through your fifth triple-strength coffee, just refer them to Hawke’s infamous words … and maybe call in sick the next day.
Nine’s three-hour special, Let The Games Begin, screens on Thursday from 7pm. The opening ceremony screens from 5.30am on July 28 on Nine and GEM. Coverage on Nine, GEM and Foxtel continues until August 13.
