Bob的讲话是对美国观众播放的，背景正是天安门城楼和主席像。这算是一个美国主播代表美国电视台对于美国和东道国在这届奥运中的表现以及奥运的历史意义做出的评论——他自然不必太“顾及中国人民的感受”，因此他的位置是相对客观的。而同样是这个人，1996年亚特兰大奥运会上在中国入场时曾百般嘲弄中国——或许，态度的转变来自中国这12年的发展和北京给他的震撼。比起南德意志报和法国费加罗报、解放报等等媒体的轻率浅薄言论，Costas这段论述可谓经典。笔者这里摘录全文，并附上翻译。
Well, just as the marathon was one of the concluding events of the Olympic Games, we are now bringing our broadcast marathon to a close. Beyond the competitive drama, every Olympics provides a snapshot of a city and a country at a point in time. This one was more compelling than most, since China’s rise and its ongoing transformation is the global story, not only of the moment, but likely of the foreseeable future. These Olympics were a milestone in that still unfolding story. And while history will tell us whether or not the Olympics provided China with the confidence to not only build on its considerable strengths, but also to address its considerable problems. This much we know.
This is a country so vast, a people with lives so varied and a history so rich and complex that no visitor can fully grasp it. Still, of these Games, no advanced degree in international relations was required to appreciate the genuine warmth of the Chinese people, the honest pride in their country and how seriously Chinese citizens, famous Olympians, to everyday men and women, took this chance to show themselves to the world.
All Olympics are important to the host city. These Games were monumentally important to the host nation, which happens to be home to 1/5 of humanity. All that said, just as these Olympics were significant politically, they were also very significant competitively. Beijing turned out to be among the most memorable Olympics ever.
One headline was anticipated before the Games began, and then verified here. For the first time since the fall of the Berlin Wall, an ongoing Olympic rivalry shapes up. In Beijing, the U.S. won 110 medals-the most it’s ever won at a non-American Olympics. But China, second in the overall count, easily won the most golds here, and the most by any country since the old Soviet Union in 1988. Many of China’s triumphs went beyond excellence. Their perfection and precision, simply beautiful to behold. China is now a sports power with a sophisticated state-supported sports system. They will be at or near the top of the medal list at London and beyond.
Meanwhile, the Americans had plenty to cheer about. Beach volleyball pairs both prevailing, Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson winning gold and winning hearts, the men’s basketball team doing exactly what they set out to do-winning, yes-but also redeem and redefine the image and purpose of the U.S. program.
These Games reached multiple crescendos. From the beginning, there was Michael Phelps, who now ranks among the very greatest Olympians ever and who is also now in the top tier of the best and most popular contemporary athletes in any sport-unheard of for a swimmer, until Phelps.
Just about the time Phelps left the pool, a Jamaican jet zoomed over the track. The sprints are supposed to be decided by blinks of an eye, not by bolts of speed so astonishing that, like the spectators, the competitors can only marvel at the world’s– and history’s–fastest man. More nations, 204, participated here than in any Games before. And more won medals, 87, than ever before as well.
But beyond the medal podium, the Olympics remain a human panorama, with many also– ran finishes and first-round eliminations, nonetheless representing epic personal stories, only appreciated by the participants themselves and their families, friends and countrymen.
Theses Games began with Zhang Yimou’s stunning Opening Ceremony, so boldly conceived and brilliantly executed, that it set a standard for such occasions unlikely to be equaled. And tonight, with more theatrical touches, the curtain came down. So the people of the world came to Beijing, and the people of China extended their hands. You don’t have to speak a word of Mandarin to understand that.
I’ve been fortunate to be involved with many memorable Olympics, and in many ways, this has been the most memorable. In no small part, due to the efforts of the small army of people who worked tirelessly to bring these Games home to you. For these colleagues, I will always have enormous professional regard and personal gratitude.
The names of these talented men and women accompany this final montage of the images of China and Olympic moments-moments we hope resonate with you as they have with us. Good night, this one last time, from China.
正如男子马拉松是奥运会的结束项目一样，我们的转播马拉松也即将达到终点了。在竞技场景之外，奥运会也是一个城市和一个国家在那个时刻的定格照。而这一张比大多数都更加引人注目，因为不仅在这一刻，也在可以预见的未来，中国的崛起和转变是一个全球性的话题。本届奥运就是这个还在展开的故事中的一个里程碑。我们不怀疑（里程碑）这一点，尽管历史会告诉我们，这次奥运会是否为中国提供了自信来继续发展壮大以及继续解决其面临的重要问题。
这是一个幅员辽阔的国度，人民生活千差万别，而它的历史又是那样丰富而复杂，这些不是一个普通观光者可以完全把握的。但（观光者）不需要一个国际关系的研究生学位，也可以从这次奥林匹克盛会中感受到中国人民发自内心的的热诚、他们对祖国的最诚挚的骄傲；感受到每一个中国人，从著名的奥林匹克运动员到每一位普通人，都在把握这次机会认真的向全世界展现他们自己。
每一届奥运会对举办城市而言都非常重要。这届奥运会却对整个举办国都有着纪念碑式的重要意义，这个国家恰恰是全世界五分之一人口的家园。诚如大家所言，这届奥运会不仅有重要的政治意义，在纯体育竞技上它同样非常重要。北京奥运已经成为了有史以来最值得纪念的奥运。
奥运会开始前，人们就在预测着一则重大新闻，而这个预测在北京得到证实：这是自柏林墙倒塌以来，奥林匹克运动场上势均力敌的竞争第一次成型。在北京，美国队赢得了110块奖牌——在所有非美国举行的奥运会中最多的一次。中国，虽然奖牌总数第二，但是轻而易举地赢得了金牌总数第一——51块金牌也是自前苏联1988年汉城奥运记录以来的最多数目。很多中国运动员的奏凯已经超越了优秀，它们是完美精确、美不胜收的。在复杂的举国体育体制支持下，中国已经成为体育巨头。在伦敦和以后的奥运中，中国将始终在奖牌榜前列。
同时，美国队也有很多值得欢呼的时刻。男女沙滩排球都夺冠了；纳斯迪亚柳金和肖恩约翰逊赢得了金牌也赢得了观众；篮球梦八队完全实现了他们的承诺——胜利，也完成了救赎，并重新定义了美国篮球的目标和形象。
这次奥运高潮迭起。从一开始我们就有迈克尔菲尔普斯。他现在是历史上最出色的奥林匹克运动员之一，也是当代体育界最优秀最有人气的运动员之一——在菲尔普斯之前，这可不会发生在一个游泳运动员身上。
就在菲尔普斯离开泳池的时候，一名牙买加飞人在田径跑道上横空出世。理论上，短跑是以瞬间来决定胜负的，但博尔特无与伦比的速度使得他的对手（落后得）只能和观众一道，惊异的目送这位全世界也是历史上跑得最快的人夺冠。204个参赛国家，比历史上任何一届都多。87个国家赢得了奖牌，也是史上最多的。
超越领奖台之外，奥运会更是人类自我展现的全景。许多人冲过了终点线但还是第一轮就被淘汰，他们照样是英雄，他们的故事会被他们自己、被他们的家人、朋友、和国人传颂。
这次赛事开始于张艺谋那震撼人心、构思大胆而完美实施的开幕式。这场开幕式为同类活动设下了一个无法逾越的标准。而今晚，随着更多的精彩表演，帷幕徐徐落下。全世界的人来到了北京，而全中国人伸出他们的手。你不需要懂任何中文就可以领会这一点。
我很荣幸的参与转播了很多届令人怀念的奥运会，从各种方面说，本届奥运会是最令人难忘的。我们的团队不大，但是成果斐然，大家不知疲倦的努力工作从而能把这样的一次奥运会带到千家万户。我向我的同事们致以崇高的职业敬礼和个人谢意。
转播工作人员的名字将伴随着记录中国和一幕幕奥运镜头的画面出现在电视上。这些镜头在过去十七天一再感动我们，我们希望也能引起您的共鸣。最后一次，我们从中国向您说，晚安。
sofa~~~
good point