Star treatment, Olympic style

I know the United States always wins big, because, well, we are a big nation. But I doubt any American will receive the kind of treatment from Uncle Sam as the Brits are from the crown

…

Team Britain flew from Beijing to London on a specially commissioned British Airways Boeing 747, fitted with a gold nose and stocked with extra champagne.

Gold medal middleweight boxer James Degale, 22, described the 10-hour flight as “just sitting back chilling, sipping the champers.”

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was at the airport to greet the Olympians, who will also meet Queen Elizabeth II at

Buckingham Palace on October 16 during the official day of celebrations.

British Olympic Association chairman Colin Moynihan has already said he is considering cash awards for the medal-winning athletes.

Double gold medalist Rebecca Adlington has already received the most distinctive honor. Her local pub in the English town of Mansfield will be renamed “The Adlington Arms.”

Its owners said the 19-year-old swimmer could always eat there for free.

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Last week Brown strongly implied the Olympic team was in line for honors — titles such as knighthoods bestowed by the queen.

Special jet, champagne, meeting HRH, cash rewards (I know, this was only a “possibility”), possible knighthoods. And a pub named after you!

Also, The Guardian is reporting British athletes will have, literally, free reign of London during training for the XXX Olympiad. I wonder if Bloomberg would have done the same if New York had won the bid? With MTA’s current fiscal issues, I somehow doubt that idea would fly well in public opinion.