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ReverseLunge · 08-22-2004, 02:07 AM

Their Olympic coverage is against the Olympic Spirit. They don't want to show who is best they just want to show America. I wish ABC could do it again.

Flagrant da Nut · 08-22-2004, 03:02 AM

Yours still here? i thought thy sent you away for a while to rest.

mrbiggs · 08-23-2004, 01:32 AM

Man, I was just about to post a thread entitled "NBC Coverage=Crap". Because that's what it is.

And it's not just that my attempted VCR-program-tape of the men's saber team was filled with Beach Volleyball, Kayaking, and Swimming. It's not that Beach Volleyball isn't even really a sport. It's not that there's almost no fencing coverage.

OK, maybe it is all those things. But it sucks on top of that. While I was fastforwarding my tape, looking for some fencing, I watched swimming in fast motion. And it was the exact same thing every time-Swimmers go left, swimmers go right, someone wins, they do a slomo of the start, they interveiw an American who says "I think we're doing pretty good" and then repeat. Over and over again. And over again. Gah!

Beach Volleyball-I really think it's a stretch to think of it as its own individual sport. But hey, foil and épée are pretty similar, too. So I'll let that go. But NBC, for some reason, covers it RELENTLESSLY. I watched all three games as the U.S. team pounded the crap out of the Czech team. How is that surprising? They don't even HAVE beaches in the Czech republic, dammit! It'd be one thing if they only showed maybe the medal matches, or the elimination rounds. But no. They show the entire POOLS. I mean, it's fun to watch, but it's about 60% of their olympic coverage, from what I've seen.

I think NBC could budget their time better. For example, women's marathon. I was watching it today, and here's what it featured: 1) A 1 hour preveiw, telling everyone how important this event is. 2) 2 Hours and 20 minutes or so of running in a straight line, with announcers making a big deal about hills. And the people dropping out. Of course people are dropping out, it's a MARATHON. 3) 5 minutes actually worth watching, near the finish line.

I mean, even a fan of the women's marathon really has no need of the first hour and a half, unless one of the major contenders collapses. I really think that the above 3 and 1/2 hours could be trimmed down to 1, maximum, with appropriate updates while they show something worth watching.

And I think it's stupid that they put stuff on Bravo, because it's in the like $100 a month cable package for me. But I guess that's just me.

I really think that fencing isn't the black hole of ratings that the networks apparently think it is. It has the same curiosity potential of...kayaking. Yeah, ROW is difficult to understand, but everyone knows a good touch when they see one.

And am I the only one on this forum who is sick of John Phelps? I can't turn on the TV for 15 minutes without hearing his name. He's a good swimmer. Cool. He's an American hero. Great. But I've heard enough!

Sorry for the fencingless tape-induced extremely long rant.

But there's only 1 opportunity in 4 years to see fencing on TV, and I blew it. Gah!

Maeve_Mari · 08-23-2004, 02:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

I
And am I the only one on this forum who is sick of John Phelps? I can't turn on the TV for 15 minutes without hearing his name. He's a good swimmer. Cool. He's an American hero. Great. But I've heard enough!

Michael. Michael Phelps! I guess you haven't seen enough of him this Olympics!

But I agree with you on better budgeting of time. Break in and out of the long races and near endless heats and rounds! This coming week is going to be bad. Hours and hours of qualifying heats of running. Same thing as swimming, gun goes off the group runs. One wins. Next race, same thing!

mrbiggs · 08-23-2004, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maeve_Mari

Michael. Michael Phelps! I guess you haven't seen enough of him this Olympics!

No, it was two in the morning when I wrote that........I'm better now. I've seen plenty of him this Olympics.

D'Artag-NOT · 08-24-2004, 08:18 PM

I'd like to thank ReverseLunge for starting this thread and giving me the opportunity to say something that's needed to be said since the opening ceremony of the Games.

Shut up, Bob Costas.

Shut up, Bob Costas.

Shut up, Bob Costas.

Shut up, Bob Costas.

Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut UP, Bob Costas.

VorpalCat · 08-24-2004, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut UP, Bob Costas.

^5!!

(And they can show the entire women's marathon but not the gold medal rounds of more than a couple of weapons?)

mrbiggs · 08-24-2004, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D'Artag-NOT

I'd like to thank ReverseLunge for starting this thread and giving me the opportunity to say something that's needed to be said since the opening ceremony of the Games.

Shut up, Bob Costas.

Shut up, Bob Costas.

Shut up, Bob Costas.

Shut up, Bob Costas.

Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut UP, Bob Costas.

Is that his name? I hate him too.

Maybe it's because I was having lack of fencing-induced aggrivation, but still.

And he does talk too much.

D'Artag-NOT · 08-25-2004, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

Is that his name? I hate him too

I don't hate him--indeed, I find him fascinating when he's talking about baseball--but during the opening ceremonies he and KC kept yapping and yapping and yapping!

Gav · 08-25-2004, 12:42 PM

And there was me thinking it was only us Brits who got sick of watching swimmers going back and forth. The Freestyle event should be scrapped it's just the front crawl event by another name.

Elemental · 08-25-2004, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gav

And there was me thinking it was only us Brits who got sick of watching swimmers going back and forth. The Freestyle event should be scrapped it's just the front crawl event by another name.

Most of us are sick of them. Personally I think they should combine swimming with other olympic sports. Like have them dodge javelins or something. Or maybe a combined swimming/sharp-shooting event. I'm still waiting for the 100 meter dog paddle.

esskreemr · 08-25-2004, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elemental

Most of us are sick of them. Personally I think they should combine swimming with other olympic sports. Like have them dodge javelins or something. Or maybe a combined swimming/sharp-shooting event. I'm still waiting for the 100 meter dog paddle.

I've had this conversation with an office mate. Combining sports to make them moore interesting.

Archery - Gymanastics: And here comes the dismount... perfect front-tuck double summersault...ohhh...that arrow is gonna leave a mark...

Soldier · 08-25-2004, 03:35 PM

"Those marathoners are sure going to have to pick up the pace if they want to avoid the equestrians with sabres..."

"That's right, Bob. But wait! What's this? It looks like the javilineers are providing long-range support!"

"So they are, Fred, so they are. Let's just hope they get done throwing before the boxing/wrestling powerlifters get to them!"

Scott Allen Abf · 08-25-2004, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReverseLunge

Their Olympic coverage is against the Olympic Spirit. They don't want to show who is best they just want to show America. I wish ABC could do it again.

They are not trying to capture Olympic Spirit. They are trying to entertain the greatest number of viewers (and, thereby, get the best ratings they can).

They are a US TV broadcaster, and people watching will want to see coverage of US athetes. They know that, so that is what they show.

ReverseLunge · 08-25-2004, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Allen Abf

They are not trying to capture Olympic Spirit. They are trying to entertain the greatest number of viewers (and, thereby, get the best ratings they can).

They are a US TV broadcaster, and people watching will want to see coverage of US athetes. They know that, so that is what they show.

certainly I know this.