NBC Coverage

[Amy & Joseph Kormann]

I've been trying to rationalize why NBC has chosen to broadcast Sabre
over Epee and Foil. The reasons I can fathom are:
- Shows better on TV. Actions are *little* bigger than point weapons.
- Our best hopes (Keeth, Sada, etc) are Sabre.
- Showing off those new masks!

Did I miss any or am I just reaching?

--
Amy and Joseph Kormann

[Fencerbill]

In article <cfudhv$nmr$2@news.monmouth.com>, Amy & Joseph Kormann
<ajkormann@monmouth.com> writes:

>- Shows better on TV. Actions are *little* bigger than point weapons.

Only saw the evening highlights.

But the one action where the US fencer stepped back, causing a miss, and then
hitting the riposte showed clearly (for fencing).

Bill Hall

[Fenfool]

Don't forget that nifty new wireless scoring system!

"Amy & Joseph Kormann" <ajkormann@monmouth.com> wrote in message
news:cfudhv$nmr$2@news.monmouth.com...
> I've been trying to rationalize why NBC has chosen to broadcast Sabre
> over Epee and Foil. The reasons I can fathom are:
> - Shows better on TV. Actions are *little* bigger than point weapons.
> - Our best hopes (Keeth, Sada, etc) are Sabre.
> - Showing off those new masks!
>
> Did I miss any or am I just reaching?
>
> --
> Amy and Joseph Kormann
>

[Bill Davidson]

Amy & Joseph Kormann wrote:
> I've been trying to rationalize why NBC has chosen to broadcast Sabre
> over Epee and Foil. The reasons I can fathom are:
> - Shows better on TV. Actions are *little* bigger than point weapons.

I don't know about that. I suppose the bouts do go faster. However,
the scoring is a bit more complicated than epee for people who don't
know the sport. Right of way is often not easy to see; even for people
who see it all the time.

> - Our best hopes (Keeth, Sada, etc) are Sabre.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

> - Showing off those new masks!

Reaching (and I assume joking) on that one. I think only fencers
care about the new masks though they apparently are meant to make
fencing more TV friendly. I'm not sure that they really do that.
Non-fencers won't realize that anything has even changed. I'm *hoping*
some non-fencers found the coverage interesting. If only fencers are
watching in the U.S., then I don't think NBC's going to be happy with
the ratings during fencing coverage.

> Did I miss any or am I just reaching?

I think there's only one that really matters. You'll notice that
they aren't showing much baseball. The U.S. men failed to qualify
for the competition at all. OTOH, they are showing every U.S.
women's softball game; many of them live. U.S. women's softball
has yet to give up a run and they've mercy ruled two teams. Sports
without a U.S. contender tend to get little to no coverage. Sports
where we dominate get extra coverage.

I was rather annoyed that they didn't show us the whole gold medal
bout for women's sabre. I would have rather them cut Sada's losing
semi-final bout to make room on Bravo. Better yet, just cut out
tennis and show everything from quarter finals on in all weapons .
We can watch international tennis on TV any time.

[Omegacode]

actually... its because Women's sabre is a historic event..its the first
time Women's sabre has been at the olympics. Secondly, US is a big
contender, which makes it more viable for television


"Bill Davidson" <billdav@cox.nospam.net> wrote in message
news:C%CUc.54565$Uh.4402@fed1read02...
> Amy & Joseph Kormann wrote:
> > I've been trying to rationalize why NBC has chosen to broadcast Sabre
> > over Epee and Foil. The reasons I can fathom are:
> > - Shows better on TV. Actions are *little* bigger than point weapons.
>
> I don't know about that. I suppose the bouts do go faster. However,
> the scoring is a bit more complicated than epee for people who don't
> know the sport. Right of way is often not easy to see; even for people
> who see it all the time.
>
> > - Our best hopes (Keeth, Sada, etc) are Sabre.
>
> Ding! Ding! Ding!
>
> > - Showing off those new masks!
>
> Reaching (and I assume joking) on that one. I think only fencers
> care about the new masks though they apparently are meant to make
> fencing more TV friendly. I'm not sure that they really do that.
> Non-fencers won't realize that anything has even changed. I'm *hoping*
> some non-fencers found the coverage interesting. If only fencers are
> watching in the U.S., then I don't think NBC's going to be happy with
> the ratings during fencing coverage.
>
> > Did I miss any or am I just reaching?
>
> I think there's only one that really matters. You'll notice that
> they aren't showing much baseball. The U.S. men failed to qualify
> for the competition at all. OTOH, they are showing every U.S.
> women's softball game; many of them live. U.S. women's softball
> has yet to give up a run and they've mercy ruled two teams. Sports
> without a U.S. contender tend to get little to no coverage. Sports
> where we dominate get extra coverage.
>
> I was rather annoyed that they didn't show us the whole gold medal
> bout for women's sabre. I would have rather them cut Sada's losing
> semi-final bout to make room on Bravo. Better yet, just cut out
> tennis and show everything from quarter finals on in all weapons .
> We can watch international tennis on TV any time.

[Beth Cole]

Bill Davidson wrote:
>> - Showing off those new masks!
>
>
> Reaching (and I assume joking) on that one. I think only fencers
> care about the new masks though they apparently are meant to make
> fencing more TV friendly. I'm not sure that they really do that.
> Non-fencers won't realize that anything has even changed. I'm *hoping*
> some non-fencers found the coverage interesting. If only fencers are
> watching in the U.S., then I don't think NBC's going to be happy with
> the ratings during fencing coverage.


My husband is the faculty advisor for the fencing club at Emporia State
University. I know that between us, we probably increased the viewing
audience by at least 30 when we found out that there were Americans in
medal contention for the women's sabre. One of the folks is a professor
in physical education with a gymnastics background who then had a great
many questions for us. We're hoping to get him to join us as a
secondary advisor and potential fencer this fall.

(I don't actually fence. I'm the resident Den Mother to the club, as
someone has to be able to think of things like "You've been fencing for
the last 2 hours straight. You need to stop and DRINK SOMETHING, since
this gym is nearly 90F!")

Beth

--
The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or
cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men
who can dream of things that never were. --John F. Kennedy
our home page: http://www.IsleOfSky.net

[Bill McHale]

"Omegacode" <namson@geministripping.com.com> wrote in message news:<DnDUc.15687$Kf4.11260@nwrddc02.gnilink.net>. ..
> actually... its because Women's sabre is a historic event..its the first
> time Women's sabre has been at the olympics. Secondly, US is a big
> contender, which makes it more viable for television
>
>
> "Bill Davidson" <billdav@cox.nospam.net> wrote in message
> news:C%CUc.54565$Uh.4402@fed1read02...
> > Amy & Joseph Kormann wrote:
> > > I've been trying to rationalize why NBC has chosen to broadcast Sabre
> > > over Epee and Foil. The reasons I can fathom are:
> > > - Shows better on TV. Actions are *little* bigger than point weapons.
> >
> > I don't know about that. I suppose the bouts do go faster. However,
> > the scoring is a bit more complicated than epee for people who don't
> > know the sport. Right of way is often not easy to see; even for people
> > who see it all the time.
> >
> > > - Our best hopes (Keeth, Sada, etc) are Sabre.
> >
> > Ding! Ding! Ding!
> >
> > > - Showing off those new masks!
> >
> > Reaching (and I assume joking) on that one. I think only fencers
> > care about the new masks though they apparently are meant to make
> > fencing more TV friendly. I'm not sure that they really do that.
> > Non-fencers won't realize that anything has even changed. I'm *hoping*
> > some non-fencers found the coverage interesting. If only fencers are
> > watching in the U.S., then I don't think NBC's going to be happy with
> > the ratings during fencing coverage.
> >
> > > Did I miss any or am I just reaching?
> >
> > I think there's only one that really matters. You'll notice that
> > they aren't showing much baseball. The U.S. men failed to qualify
> > for the competition at all. OTOH, they are showing every U.S.
> > women's softball game; many of them live. U.S. women's softball
> > has yet to give up a run and they've mercy ruled two teams. Sports
> > without a U.S. contender tend to get little to no coverage. Sports
> > where we dominate get extra coverage.
> >
> > I was rather annoyed that they didn't show us the whole gold medal
> > bout for women's sabre. I would have rather them cut Sada's losing
> > semi-final bout to make room on Bravo. Better yet, just cut out
> > tennis and show everything from quarter finals on in all weapons .
> > We can watch international tennis on TV any time.


Just an opinion from a non-fencer... I came to group after watching
the fencing on Bravo yesterday. I really enjoyed the full bouts, was
alot more interesting and exciting than the highlights they showed of
the gold medal bout. I was extremely annoyed that they kept telling
us that we would be able to watch the gold medal bout in prime time on
NBC and then I went there, and they announced the winner first and
then only showed part of a few points. Still I enjoyed watching it
and would certainly not have minded seeing alot more. Got me thinking
of trying it out.. though not sure this overweight 30 something would
be that good at it ...

--
Bill

[JDzik]

Bill McHale writes:

>Got me thinking
>of trying it out.. though not sure this overweight 30 something would
>be that good at it ...

Good at it, I can't tell. But speaking as another overweight 30-something,
I'll say that you've got an excellent chance of enjoying it a lot.

Joe

[Colin B.]

Bill McHale <wmchal1@umbc.edu> wrote:

> Just an opinion from a non-fencer... I came to group after watching
> the fencing on Bravo yesterday. I really enjoyed the full bouts, was
> alot more interesting and exciting than the highlights they showed of
> the gold medal bout. I was extremely annoyed that they kept telling
> us that we would be able to watch the gold medal bout in prime time on
> NBC and then I went there, and they announced the winner first and
> then only showed part of a few points. Still I enjoyed watching it
> and would certainly not have minded seeing alot more. Got me thinking
> of trying it out.. though not sure this overweight 30 something would
> be that good at it ...

I'm currently quite jealous of anyone who gets to watch olympic fencing
on TV. :-(

But at both 30+ and weight+, fencing is still great fun, something that
it's NOT too late to get into, and a sport that's likely to reduce the
weight substantially. If you're interested, then find a club and take a
beginner's lesson.

Colin

[Bill Davidson]

Bill McHale wrote:
>Just an opinion from a non-fencer...
>[...] Still I enjoyed watching it
>and would certainly not have minded seeing alot more.

That's good to hear. I hope more non-fencers feel the same.

>Got me thinking
>of trying it out.. though not sure this overweight 30 something would
>be that good at it ...

You'll probably not be competing in the Olympics but you still have
plenty of time to become a very respectable fencer. There's a lot of
overweight fencers out there. Some of them are actually pretty good.
A little extra weight shouldn't stop you. It's also good exercise if
you do it a lot so you might even shed a few pounds by taking it up.

If you're in the U.S. here's a place you can find a fencing club near you:

http://www.usfencing.org/Clubs/

[Bill Davidson]

Omegacode wrote:
>actually... its because Women's sabre is a historic event..its the first
>time Women's sabre has been at the olympics.

I seriously doubt that is the reason. They also gave some coverage
to men's sabre which has been in the Olympics for 108 years. Only
fencers care that women's sabre is new. I have had several people
I know ask me if there is fencing in the Olympics. The general public
is unaware of us entirely; or at least they were until last night.
Thanks to Mariel and Sada we're finally getting some attention .

The way a couple of announcers stated it, it sounded like women's
fencing just started in the Olympics this year .

>Secondly, US is a big
>contender, which makes it more viable for television

I think that is the only real reason we got anything. With no
contenders, we would not have even seen that.

[Beth Cole]

Bill Davidson wrote:
> The general public
> is unaware of us entirely; or at least they were until last night.
> Thanks to Mariel and Sada we're finally getting some attention .

I would guess that they are strong contenders for the Wheaties box this
year. Let's see.... First time for women competing in sabre, and the US
takes 2 medals? Sounds exactly like what Wheaties wants!

Beth

--
The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or
cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men
who can dream of things that never were. --John F. Kennedy
our home page: http://www.IsleOfSky.net

[Bill Davidson]

Beth Cole wrote:
> I would guess that they are strong contenders for the Wheaties box this
> year. Let's see.... First time for women competing in sabre, and the US
> takes 2 medals? Sounds exactly like what Wheaties wants!

Maybe but there's that swimmer guy what-his-name?

[Clogar]

Fenfool wrote:
>
> Don't forget that nifty new wireless scoring system!

Yeah, things are getting pretty high-tech. I half expected the sabres
to light up ala Star Wars.

Side note: I'm not sure I like the new look of things, though. It just
seemed sort of "retro-future" if you know what I mean - like someone
from the 60s was trying to design the fencing equipment that would
be used in 2000.

[Beth Cole]

Bill Davidson wrote:
> Beth Cole wrote:
>
>> I would guess that they are strong contenders for the Wheaties box
>> this year. Let's see.... First time for women competing in sabre, and
>> the US takes 2 medals? Sounds exactly like what Wheaties wants!
>
>
> Maybe but there's that swimmer guy what-his-name?

Michael Phelps?

Yeah, he is a contender for it, as well, but he did NOT make history by
breaking or tying Mark Spitz's medal count record. That's what makes me
think the women have a good shot at it.

Beth

--
The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or
cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men
who can dream of things that never were. --John F. Kennedy
our home page: http://www.IsleOfSky.net

[John Hasler]

Clogar writes:
> It just seemed sort of "retro-future" if you know what I mean - like
> someone from the 60s was trying to design the fencing equipment that
> would be used in 2000.

Isn't that pretty much what happened?
--
John Hasler
john@dhh.gt.org
Dancing Horse Hill
Elmwood, Wisconsin

[Pitstarter]

"Amy & Joseph Kormann" <ajkormann@monmouth.com> wrote in message
news:cfudhv$nmr$2@news.monmouth.com...
> I've been trying to rationalize why NBC has chosen to broadcast Sabre
> over Epee and Foil. The reasons I can fathom are:
> - Shows better on TV. Actions are *little* bigger than point weapons.
> - Our best hopes (Keeth, Sada, etc) are Sabre.
> - Showing off those new masks!
>
> Did I miss any or am I just reaching?
>
> --
> Amy and Joseph Kormann
>

Not much better here over the pond... Eurosport GB has planned fencing every
night at 0015hrs or 2315hrs, for an hour each time. They managed two
consectutive nights before pulling support for it, it was supposed to be
shown tonight at 2130GMT but lo and behold, something entirely different...
Well miffed.

Only got the mens' sabre and ladies epee taped. Swines that they are, curse
you Eurosport.
--

Pitstarter
\m/(><)\m/

[Harold Buck]

In article <cfudhv$nmr$2@news.monmouth.com>,
Amy & Joseph Kormann <ajkormann@monmouth.com> wrote:

> I've been trying to rationalize why NBC has chosen to broadcast Sabre
> over Epee and Foil. The reasons I can fathom are:
> - Shows better on TV. Actions are *little* bigger than point weapons.
> - Our best hopes (Keeth, Sada, etc) are Sabre.
> - Showing off those new masks!
>
> Did I miss any or am I just reaching?


Saber is over in a hurry.

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

[Harold Buck]

In article <TUPUc.56912$Uh.42031@fed1read02>,
Bill Davidson <billdav@cox.nospam.net> wrote:

> Omegacode wrote:
> >actually... its because Women's sabre is a historic event..its the first
> >time Women's sabre has been at the olympics.
>
> I seriously doubt that is the reason. They also gave some coverage
> to men's sabre which has been in the Olympics for 108 years. Only
> fencers care that women's sabre is new. I have had several people
> I know ask me if there is fencing in the Olympics.


Well, it HAS only been in the Olympics since 1896.

--Harold Buck


"I used to rock and roll all night,
and party every day.
Then it was every other day. . . ."
-Homer J. Simpson

[Bill Davidson]

Harold Buck wrote:
> Well, it HAS only been in the Olympics since 1896.

And yet, this is the first time I recall it being on TV in the U.S.
and I've been watching the Olympics since 1968. I was very young
then (almost 5) so maybe I just don't remember it.

There's a reason people don't know: no exposure.

This year we finally got some exposure. We even got some surprise
exposure yesterday with men's team foil. Of course, we only got
that because our guys made it to the semi-finals.

Actually, I don't think I watched Los Angeles in 1984. I was working
and going to school then and had virtually no time to watch TV. Did
Westbrook get any TV time with his bronze win?