News & Observer | newsobserver.com | 2008 NCAA Men's Bracket

BEIJING — The number eight is a lucky one in Chinese culture so the Opening Ceremonies to the 2008 Beijing Games officially begin at 8:08 p.m. today, 8-8-08. That's 8:08 a.m. on the East coast in the United States.

Here are a few things to watch:

— Don't expect Chinese basketball player Yao Ming or 2004 gold medalist hurdler Liu Xiang to light the Olympic flame. Both already carried the torch somewhere in China.

Yao did in Beijing on Wednesday and the lead picture for the Chinese English-language newspaper China Daily was Yao holding the torch aloft in front of a huge photo of Mao Zedong in Tiananmen Square.

The Houston Rockets center will carry the Chinese flag for the Chinese delegation instead.

— Don't get confused when the countries start entering the Bird's Nest in a seemingly random order. The countries will enter in ascending order based on the number of brush strokes needed to write their names in Chinese.

After Greece, representing the birthplace of the Olympics, comes Guinea (two strokes). Before China — the host country enters last — Zambia will enter (14 strokes).

— After the lighting of the Olympic flame, there is a scheduled fireworks display that will include explosions depicting the Olympic rings. (China is the birthplace of fireworks.)

— U.S. president George W. Bush will attend and also is scheduled to cheer on the U.S. when the men's basketball team plays host China on Sunday at 10:15 p.m. (10:15 a.m. ET).

Great timing. Bush criticized China for its human rights record during a speech in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday. It would be awesome if they sat Bush next to Chinese General Secretary Hu Jintao and let them duke it out.